Blog – a place to share your thoughts, experiences and a place where you can contribute towards the world in some way. If you are looking to start a blog, then this is the best time to start one now. To start a blog, you need to have a blogging platform that will provide you with your domain name and where you can rent internet space. There are so many varieties of blogging platforms out there. You can choose anyone from the several options available out there but how do you choose the right one? Here is a list of the best blogging platforms curated together.
What should you look for in a blogging platform?
There are a few things that you need to keep in mind before you pick your blogging platform. As a beginner, you need a platform that is easy, simple and doesn’t require any coding skills to set up. You should also think about what kind of blog you want to create, that is your niche. As and when required you might want to add new features and change its look a bit. So you have to choose a platform that is flexible and has room to grow. Last but not the least, even though you have no plans of making money off the platform yet, it is important that you still have that option in your hand in case you need it in the future.
So starting with the right platform is important as choosing the wrong one may make it harder for you to switch to a different platform later on.
Here is the list of blogging platforms we will be discussing further here in the article.
1. WordPress.org
2. Wix
3. Blogger
4. Tumblr
5. Medium
6. Squarespace
So let’s compare each of these blogging platforms and find out the best one for you.
#1 Wordpress.org
This is the most used and most popular blogging platform out there. Do not confuse wordpress.org with wordpress.com which is a blog hosting service.
Advantages:
*You control every aspect of your website.
*Search engine friendly
Disadvantages:
*You have to manage your backup and security.
*You need to learn a bit before you can create your website.
Pricing
WordPress.org software is free, but you’ll need to buy a domain name (about $14.99/year) and to host (usually starting from $7.99/month).
#2 Wix
Advantages:
*Can customise using a dozen themes and third-party apps.
*No coding skills required
Disadvantages:
*The free account is limited and shows ads
*Cannot change template once you choose it.
You can add a custom domain for $4.50/month. Their premium plans start from $8.50/month and go up to $24.50/month.
#3 Blogger.com
Blogger is a service by Google.
Advantage:
*Free, easy to use.
*Has Google’s reliability and security
Disadvantages:
*Limited features, no new updates frequently.
*Google can abandon your blog without warning.
#4 Tumblr
Tumblr is entirely different from other platforms.
Advantages:
*Free and easy to use.
*Integrated social media component.
Disadvantages:
*Limited features
*Cannot import your blog to other platforms easily.
#5 Medium
The medium has now become a community of journalists, artists and writers.
Advantages:
*Can focus solely on writing rather than on designing.
*Free and easy to set up.
Disadvantages:
*Cannot run your ads.
*Losing your blog means losing your followers too. Medium owns your audience.
#6 Squarespace
It focuses on small business owners.
Advantages:
*Has beautiful templates.
*Easy to set up.
Disadvantages:
The personal plan limits you to 20 pages blog with two contributors.
Pricing:
Pricing for their plan starts at $16/month, or $12/month if you pay for the year in advance. For the Business plan, pricing starts at $26/month, or $18/month billed annually.