Blog/website advice please!

[allyandb]

I need some thoughts! I sadly haven't blogged in almost a year - yikes! When i started it I was so good about blogging regularly and then had my second baby and it got too hard. But I think I'm ready to get back into it. I'm currently using a wordpress blog and I'm just not happy with it. I don't like the look of it and it's not the most user-friendly. I was looking into wix.com last night and chose a layout I like. My dilemma is with the web address. Wix.com can use your domain name for your blog, but you need to purchase a package. They have several, some including a shopping cart. And it seems to be a better price than my godaddy online store.

My question is - do you think it would be more beneficial to combine my blog and personal online store? Do you think that would help with traffic. I've only had 3 sales from my godaddy online store and they were all friends and family. I want to completely redo my online store anyway - simplify the listings and such. Thoughts?

Thank you!!!!

[Plektra]

Not sure what would be the right thing to do....I think I would keep them separate and cross reference with links. You would possibly get more traffic from different sources this way.

Can you perhaps choose a different layout with the existing blog? Or read more about it to get used to it? If you start a new one with a new , you will have to do all the work again to get it to show on Google, advertise it etc.

Maybe others have other ideas...

[SuebelleDesigns]

WordPress does have a learning curve but it also have some FABULOUS themes. Check out one that is already set up for WooCommerce if you want to have an online store. I'm on my 5th or 6th WP site and I just LOVE the platform. Also, like Minerva says, better to keep the longevity with the search engines.

BTW... cute logo :)

[TheOldBarnDoor]

I use WordPress for one of my blogs and I like it but my frustration is I can't embed Etsy codes - it just doesn't work

Take a look at Weebly - we have our Etsy Team blog there on their free site and it works well for our needs

As to keeping things together or separate I think it depends on what the goal of your blog is. Is it to drive traffic to your Etsy shop or blog about personal issues - hard one to answer. Most sites will let you link up to your Etsy shop tho.

Hope that helps

[allyandb]

Thanks everyone!

Ugh I don't know what to do! I am proud of where I've gotten my business in the three years I've had it, yet at the same time I'm not super happy with certain aspects and am getting the itch to do a complete overhaul! :-/

I actually am considering changing my business name as well because I know people don't know the correct way to pronounce mElleStudio - someone called me yesterday and called it "Melly" Studio. It's supposed to be pronounced "em" "el" studio (for my initials ML)...but I don't think people get that...

Does anyone else go through periods where they want to change everything or is it just me???

[Former_Member]

Have you looked at Weebly.com? This is a very easy to use and FREE website builder that can be used for websites or blogs. With several million websites over the past few years, Weebly has developed a very nice streamlined way to put together a website or blog with your own domain name.