Typepad for entry level lawyer & professional blogs

In comparing WordPress and TypePad, Darren Rowse at problogger gives his opinion that TypePad is for entry level blogs.

TypePad is a useful tool for some bloggers depending upon their needs. I’ve set a number of clients up on it and they have been most happy with what it gives them – but in each case the client is an entry level blogger – just starting out and wanting to do a single blog on a non-commercial topic. Their goals with blogging are smaller and they want an easy to manage system that they can’t break and don’t need to tweak too much.

WordPress on the other hand is a system designed for bloggers who need more grunt behind their blog. It’s highly adaptable and has so many more options and features – especially through it’s available plugins. Having said this it is not as simple as TypePad to install and adapt if you’re a complete techie novice so if you want a more managed ‘plug and play’ type system you might find it a bit too heavy on features.

Though LexBlog uses Moveable Type, also produced by Six Apart like TypePad, I’m in firm agreement with Daren. TypePad is a wonderful tool for beginning bloggers. However, it’s not for professionals who want more from their blog. Law firms and other professionals should be using blogging software that offers more features, options and plug-ins.

I practiced law for 17 years. There were lawyers who advised clients they could get by with less legal work. There were also lawyers who advised taking the most prudent course to protect the long term interests of their client.

It’s the same with blog development. Some marketing companies will tell you to save money and go with a solution such as TypePad while others in a sincere effort to protect the long term interests of their customer will advise going with a more powerful solution such as Moveable Type or WordPress.