Blogging: Social network vs Standalone sites

[Tephus]

Many social networking services have blogging tools. Facebook calls it notes, but it's essentially a blog.

Question is: Is it more advantageous to blog in a social network like Facebook, or use a blogging service like Blogger, Wordpress, Livejournal etc?

The most obvious advantage for social networks is that you have a ready base of readers who will be immediately updated of any postings as it happens. Also, this reader base happens to be interested (at least more than a stranger) in your activities and views. The only drawback is that it may not be a complete a system as some dedicated blogging services, and there's no telling how it will react when traffic comes flooding in.

A dedicated blogging service however doesn't have the auto notification features of a social network, but there are unless configuration options.

Are you a blogger? What are you using and why?

[Niche]

Blogging in stand alone sites is great because the scope for search engine optimization is wider

However face book is great because it gives you immediate wide exposure

You join a group and every time you post you can send a note to every member of the group

Depends on what kind of an audience you are after

[sydneymatt]

I think stand alone blogging is best.

It seems to me that many people on the social networking sites are just there for a laugh. They're not seriously looking for information and/or views. So if people find your stand alone blog through the search engines, and your content is good, they are more likely to return.

(Of course, if you had a blog that was tailored to social networking, events promotion, that sort of stuff, then blogs at sites like Myspace would be superior.)

[kamaluppal]

I am not sure which one is better, after all now-a-days "Content is the king" and if a social network site does not have interesting content, it may not fare as well as a blog with interesting content.

I think the above two sort of complements each other.

As, now-a-days, many blogs/sites/forums are striving to cover a host of topics and allow for linkbacks to other sites including social networking ones. Hence, if the blog(s)/site(s)/forum(s) is good, it shall be popular due to the linking.

Moreover, if the social networking has good links or referrals of blogs/sites/forums, it is bound to rise in popularity.

[worldseo]

yeah blogging is a good way of promoting one business and services. it increases the popularity of the domain.

[Tephus]

Don't forget you can better implement affiliate links on a standalone blog.

[Cool]

If you are serious, I def suggest installing your own blog software like wordpress.

[David Tan]

So use social networks to promote your blog. Not the other way round.

[Cool]

Originally Posted by David Tan

So use social networks to promote your blog. Not the other way round.

Yup, definitely!

[Vintage]

I think people will always treat a standalone blog as a real blog. Social network profiles are more for messaging friends.