How to Select the Best Blogging Platform
Picking the best blogging platform is one of the most important things you have to do when working on a new blog. There is no shortage of blogging platforms. Some of them are even available free of charge. All in all, it is good to note that the platform you end up using will determine how efficient your blog is. In this post, we shall be taking a look at the pros and cons of the most popular blogging platforms out there.
- WordPress.org
This is the most popular blogging platform in the world. It is open source software platform that enables you to create a blog or website on your own. It offers a self-hosted solution. This means you need to sign-up with WordPress hosting provider.
Pros
- You get control over every aspect of your website
- You can add extra features as your blog grows
- There are countless free and premium themes and plugins for WordPress
- The platform is search engine friendly
Cons
- There is some learning curve that comes with using WordPress
- You manage your own backups
- Wix.com
This is a hosted platform that helps you build a website. It offers great tools for small businesses to build their own website. To add a blog, all you need to do is to add the Wix Blog App.
Pros
- You get to customize your new blog using dozens of templates as well as third party apps
- Setting up is fast and easy
- You build a website with drag and drop tools; no coding is needed
Cons
- The free account is limited and will show Wix branding as well as ads on your blog
- The free third party apps are quite limited
- You cannot change the template later on
- Ecommerce features are limited to the paid plans
- WordPress.com
This is a blog hosting service offered by Automattic. Automattic is the same company that created WordPress.org. WordPress.com offers basic hosting service for free. You can buy additional options such as additional storage, custom domain name and other premium features.
Pros
- No setup is required
- Easy to use and manage
Cons
- Limited options to extend your website
- You cannot advertise on your blog
- You don’t own your blog. WordPress.com can suspend your account if you violate the terms of service.
- Blogger
This is a free blog hosting service. It was acquired by Google back in 2003. It provides an easy and quick way for you to create a blog even with no prior experience.
Pros
- It is free
- It is very easy to manage and use with no technical skills
- Offers the added benefits of Google’s robust secure platform and reliability
Cons
- You are limited to basic blogging tools. You can’t add new features to grow your blog.
- There are no frequent updates available and no new features
- Limited design options and fewer templates
- Your blog can be suspended or be canceled at any time.
There are many more platforms out there you can use. Some worth mentioning are Tumblr.com, Medium.com, Squarespace.com, Joomla.org, Ghost.org and Weebly.com. Make sure you understand the pros and cons of each platform and pick the one that meets your blogging needs.