Blog vs. forum

[jane bond]

I'm trying to decide which to put on my new site. I see benefits in each, but which is better in terms of search engine rankings and advertising?

If I go with a blog, how often should I update it?

Thanks,

[racefan20]

Why not do both? Use the blog as a way to drive people to your forum, which will build a community and (hopefully) they'll keep coming back.

[jane bond]

Thanks, as always, Racefan

I thought about both and still am, it just seems like alot of work for someone with multiple sites and a day job! OK, it's part-time, but still.......

[racefan20]

Thanks, as always, Racefan

I thought about both and still am, it just seems like alot of work for someone with multiple sites and a day job! OK, it's part-time, but still.......

Okay, let's work on that. What do you plan to accomplish with your new site? What is its goal?

[jane bond]

Sorry for the delay, I missed trolling this thread last night!

It's a simple site - just restauraunt reviews for Arizona and Mexico, plan to include a page for spirits too (you just can't do Mexico without the tequila and beer!). Long and short - I got so tired to paying top dollar for mediocre food, in a snit I bought to domain name and started designing it. I'll publish the initial site this weekend your y'all to review. I think it will be fun. Thanks, as always!

[racefan20]

Sorry for the delay, I missed trolling this thread last night!

It's a simple site - just restauraunt reviews for Arizona and Mexico, plan to include a page for spirits too (you just can't do Mexico without the tequila and beer!). Long and short - I got so tired to paying top dollar for mediocre food, in a snit I bought to domain name and started designing it. I'll publish the initial site this weekend your y'all to review. I think it will be fun. Thanks, as always!

If it were me, I'd use BV to publish the reviews and then provide a forum for feedback from shop owners and guests alike. This could get really interesting. LOL

[jane bond]

Thanks Racefan! I planned a feedback section, trying to decide between forum and giving visitors a user rating system. I definately want an interactive site.

Headed to Ensenada in 3 weeks - more reviews to come! Should be loads of fun. Most Mexican establishments in small towns don't even have street addresses, you just give the best geographic description you can, but that's part of the charm.

[jane bond]

Hey Racefan - it's up, but far from complete, but take a look!

http://www.theazfoodcritic.com/

[Bethers]

Jane, A blog, updated with some new and interesting information on a weekly basis, will help you with the se's. It will help if you do it monthly also - but weekly is even better. A forum, if used regularly, can also help in se's.

In both cases, for them to help, you need to use anchor text linking to your site. It has to be natural. An example with the reviews - you could post new reviews to the blog with a link within the blog to your site - with anchor text saying something like New Arizona Restaurant Review - and a snippet of the review - then finish with "read the rest at The Arizona Food Critic. In this case you'd have 2 separate distinct links to your site - using keywords.

Hope this helps.

[jane bond]

Thanks for the great advice Bethers. I wondered how that worked.