In order to answer this question, it’s important to understand the differences between a blog and a social network site.
In the WordPress Dynasty, Castelluccio (2013), pp. 59 – 60, states that a blog (a combination of web and log) was traditionally an online journal or collection of editorials. One of the main characteristics of a blog is either amateur or professional musings and opinions posted to the web in a chronological order, not unlike a diary. Blog topics are so diverse that there are few other characteristics (Goldstein 2009, pp. 548-559).
Boyd & Ellison (2007) define social network sites as “web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system”.
SocialMediaNews.com.au lists WordPress as a social network site. In their latest report dated May 2019, WordPress ranked as the sixth most popular social network site in Australia, with the top five being: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and SnapChat (Cowling 2019).
WordPress (2019) describe themselves as “open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app.” They promote their affordances as being able to build a website, promote a brand, write a blog, connect with audiences on social media, start an online store or create a portfolio.
There are several affordances provided by WordPress which, should the page owner choose to activate them in the settings, can expand the reach of a blog and in effect act in a similar manner to a social network site such as Facebook. These affordances include the ability to allow readers to follow the blog, and like and comment on posts. WordPress also offer a marketing tool called Publicize, which allows the author to connect their blog page to their social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Tumbler. This service automatically shares the post to connected social network pages, potentially increasing the blog’s audience reach and engagement. (WordPress 2019).
WordPress is certainly more than just a blogging tool, it is also a web platform for websites from small to medium enterprises and fortune500 companies such as Sony Music and the Walt Disney Company (WordPress 2019).
My own initial exposure to using WordPress was not as a blog, but for creating a website for Wayward Writers and a portfolio website for university.
Essentially WordPress can be both a blog and a social network site, and so much more.
References:
Boyd, D & Ellison, M n.d., 2007, ‘Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship’, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 210-230.
Castelluccio, M. 2013, “The WordPress Dynasty”, Strategic Finance, vol. 95, no. 3, pp. 59-60.
Cowling, D 2019, Social media statistics Australia – May 2019, 1 June, viewed 19 July 2019, <https://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-may-2019/>.
Goldstein, A.M. 2009, ‘Blogging Evolution’, Evo Edu Outreach vol. 2, no. 3, pp 548 – 559.
WordPress 2019, <https://wordpress.com/>.
WordPress 2019, <https://wordpress.org/showcase/tag/fortune-500/>.
Images:
‘WordPress Bicycle’ [image], in Pixabay, Phillips, K. 2015, viewed 19 July 2019, <https://pixabay.com/illustrations/wordpress-wordpress-logo-icon-word-973439/>.
Rebecca Fairley 
Great post!
Acknowledging the actual technical abilities of each site and how applicable they each are really proves your point. I had no idea just how popular WordPress was, far more prevalent in the social realms than I thought.
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Hi Rebecca,
Similarly to Olivia I was also surprised that WordPress was also ranked 6th in Australia, I would have thought it would have been lower then that! I never knew about the Publicize aspect of WordPress either and that must be handy for commercial use and even for personal use. Awesome post, keep up the great work!
Thanks, Ben.
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Hi Rebecca!
Congrats on your first blog post! Super informative and a great read! You are one of the first who has drawn on the similarities between WordPress and social networks (I did similar on my blog!). But I had no idea that WordPress actually ranked 6th in the world for social networking platforms! I definitely think WordPress could be identified as a social networking site. With so much opportunity to build community on blogs these days, I actually think to become a successful blog this late in the saturated market, building a social network on your platform is almost vital!
Again, great read!
Thanks, Olivia
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Hi Rebecca,
I couldn’t agree more with your statement “Essentially WordPress can be both a blog and a social network site, and so much more”. I think you’ve described the differences between a blog and social network site well. I really struggled to find a description of blog that was more than something along the lines of “a diary on the internet”. Your post has a strong focus on the affordances that WordPress can offer its users and WordPress potential outside of SNS & blogging. I noticed that your first experience WordPress was for hosting websites, how are you liking the affordances in blog form?
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