A blogging platform is an online home for your writing, creative works, and other business ventures. While running and maintaining a blog can be time-consuming, it may be worth it if you want to make money on the internet, showcase a freelance or creative portfolio, or share your point of view with the world. Every blogging platform offers different features and capabilities to help you achieve a variety of goals.
The best blogging platforms are affordable, feature-rich, and user-friendly. We analyzed 10 blogging platform providers before compiling our list of favorites. Keep reading to discover which option may be best for you.
How We Chose the Best Blogging Platforms. We carefully reviewed 10 blogging platforms for benefits included, customer service available, cost, and ease of use before picking our top six. Though it wasn’t a leading factor, we also considered company longevity and general reputableness.
Best Overall: WordPress.org
Why We Chose It: WordPress.org takes top honors because the platform is versatile, easy to use, and can easily adapt to your business or blog.
We like WordPress.org because it allows you to build any website you can imagine. Your blog can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, adapting as your goals change.
Currently, the popular blogging platform powers 52% of websites on the internet.
Here are some of the highlights offered by WordPress:
Themes
to personalize the appearance of your site
Templates
designed to showcase your business, freelance portfolio, creative works, or
ideas
Plug-ins
to add advanced functionality
SEO-friendly
Responsive
on mobile devices
E-commerce
capability
Several
security features
Easy to
install
You don’t need to be a software engineer to create a blog with WordPress, but you can use code if you know it. Themes and plug-ins make it straightforward to design and create your blog. You can also download a plug-in that's a drag-and-drop page builder, making it even easier to get up and running.
While there is a learning curve, beginners should pick things up quickly. There is a vast amount of documentation available, as well as a tech support community. You can also find various tutorials on sites like YouTube to help you design your blog.
WordPress.org itself is free. However, you’ll need to purchase a domain name and web hosting before installing the platform. Domain pricing varies based on the website name you choose. Web hosting usually starts at a few dollars a month, but you can upgrade as your site gains traffic or users. Some themes and plug-ins are free, while others are paid.
If you
don’t have the budget for a domain and hosting, consider WordPress.com, which
is WordPress’s free platform. It lacks some of WordPress.org’s capabilities,
but it's a good starting point for your blog or freelance portfolio.
What We Like.
Flexible
and adaptable to your needs.
Feature-rich
with robust capabilities.
Extensive library of support documentation.
What We Don’t Like.
Need to
purchase a domain and hosting.
Learning curve to get started.
Best for Beginners: Wix.
Why We Chose It: Wix makes starting your blog super simple with a drag-and-drop page builder and templates to choose from.
With Wix, you can launch your blog with just a few clicks. You can start with one of many templates or answer some quick questions and the platform will generate a simple, customizable website for you. The page builder is drag and drop, so laying out and styling your blog is easy.
Wix is free to start, but the free version has limited functionality. You’ll also have a Wix domain and platform ads in your content.
Website and Business premium plans are available. Website plans are specifically designed for freelancers, business owners, or hobbyists that want more features. Business plans are geared toward those who want to run an online store.
There are four Website plans. Each subsequent level includes the features of the previous tier(s).
There are three Business plans. Each subsequent tier includes the benefits of the previous level(s).
For a detailed, side-by-side comparison of all plans, please see Wix’s website.
The company periodically runs 50%-off sales on select plans. Wix also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee to ensure your satisfaction.
What We Like.
Platform
technology can build a basic website for you.
Free version is available.
What We Don’t Like.
Complicated
pricing structure for premium plans.
Some plans
are expensive.
Even paid plans impose storage limits.
Best for Writers: Medium.
Why We Chose It: Medium’s main focus is helping you publish your writing, and it offers a program that helps writers earn money from their writing.
We like Medium because the platform is exclusively focused on the written word, and it’s free to use and easy to get started. All you need to do is create an account, which you can do with an email address, Google account, or Facebook account.
Once your account is active, click on “create a story” and begin writing. You can publish both short- and long-form content. To promote interaction and community building, readers can start a dialogue on each story’s page.
You can quickly personalize your blog, upload your logo, and choose from an array of colors and fonts. Soon, the platform will offer custom domains to writers.
You can blog alone or join a Medium publication to work with others. You can also send newsletters from the platform. And if you want to track how your stories are performing, check out your stats dashboard. Using that insight, you can tailor your writing to meet your audience’s interests.
While you can use Medium as a hobbyist, it is possible to earn money from your writing. The Partner Program is free to join and pays out monthly based on the amount of time visitors spend reading your content.
The platform also earmarks a certain percentage of membership revenue for redistribution to authors. If a given member spends 20% of their time on Medium reading your stories that month, you’ll receive 20% of those allocated funds.
What We Like.
Easy to
publish your writing.
Free to
use.
Possible to earn money through the Partner Program.
What We Don’t Like.
Lacks
features like e-commerce.
Custom domain not yet available.
Best for E-commerce: Weebly.
Why We Chose It: Weebly helps you set up and run an online store easily and on a shoestring budget.
We like Weebly since you can launch your e-commerce shop quickly and for little or no money. You don’t need technical skills to start a custom digital store with the company’s website builder. The tool is user-friendly, and written guides are available if you need help.
Weebly offers four different plans to suit a variety of needs and budgets. Each subsequent plan includes the features of the previous plan(s).
While Weebly can help you launch your store, it can also help you start a blog. Creating a personalized blog is simple with the platform’s drag-and-drop page builder. Readers can comment on posts, and you can schedule content to publish in advance.
You can manage and track your website from your computer or mobile phone. If you already have a domain name, you can transfer it. Otherwise, you may purchase one through the platform.
What We Like.
Simple
e-commerce setup.
Budget-friendly plans.
What We Don’t Like.
Blogging feels like an afterthought.
Best for Hobbyists: Blogger.
Why We Chose It: Blogger is free to use but still comes with some advanced features.
Part of Google’s suite of products, you can get started blogging quickly for free with Blogger while still enjoying perks including:
Free
blogspot.com domain
Free
Google storage for blog-related digital assets
Ability
to earn ad revenue from Google AdSense
Connect
to Google Analytics to get blog visitor insights
If you’d prefer, you can purchase a custom domain through Google Domains. The cost will depend on the name you choose to buy.
Blogger is easy to use. The user interface is intuitive and setting up your blog is simple. You don’t need to know any code and you can add, remove, or rearrange elements on your page with a few clicks. You’ll have your choice of templates, layouts, and background images. You can also upload your own photos.
If you need support, Google provides written guides, video tutorials, and a community forum.
What We Like.
Free to
use.
Offers
some advanced features.
Simple to set up and start blogging.
What We Don’t Like.
Google
account required for use.
Lacks features like e-commerce.
Best for Community Building: Ghost.
Why We Chose It: Ghost helps you build a monetized community around your content.
We like Ghost because it's a unique mix of blogging and a membership community by allowing you to create subscription-based content. You’ll need to have a large and committed audience, though, for Ghost to be an effective way to monetize your content and earn recurring revenue.
If you want to use Ghost for your membership community, you’ll get features including:
An
easy-to-use interface
Content
that looks great on all devices
Rich
content editor that allows text, image, and video
SEO
optimization
Member
insights
Integration
with popular online tools and apps like Slack, Google Analytics, and various
social media platforms
To leverage your existing audience, you can connect your email lists, contact databases, or Patreon supporter rosters to Ghost.
If you’re tech-savvy, and can host the open-source software on your own server, computer, or Raspberry Pi, you can get Ghost for free. If you need help with the installation, the provider can do it for you for $99.
Your revenue is collected via Stripe. While Stripe charges transaction fees, Ghost doesn’t, so you get to keep more of what you earn. Plus, the platform looks at your business on a rolling three-month basis. That way, you won’t get bumped to the next plan after one big month.
Ghost offers three plans to cater to different business levels:
All
plans include:
SSL
security
Custom
domain name
Installation,
updates, and backups
Full
data ownership
Migration
from a previous website or blog
Ghost
gives you a 14-day free trial. You can cancel your plan anytime, but they do
not offer refunds.
What We Like.
Unique
business model.
No
transaction fees.
No immediate bumps to the next plan.
What We Don’t Like.
Plans
are pricey.
More
technical than some of the other platforms.
No refunds given.
KEY TAKEAWAYS.
Blogging platforms have been around for years, and new ones are entering the market regularly. The volume of options can make it difficult for you to choose the ideal provider for your goals and budget. However, based on ease of use, available features, customer support, cost, and other factors, WordPress.org is our best overall choice for the best blogging platform.
Before
you start your new venture, we urge you to do some additional research on any
platform you might want to use. It will likely save you time, money, and
unnecessary work in the future.
Who Should Use a Blogging Platform?
You
should consider using a blogging platform if you:
Would
like to keep an online journal
Have a
message you want to share
Freelance
and need a digital portfolio
Own a
business
Want to
start an online store
No matter your goals, a blogging platform can help you establish an online presence in the digital world.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Blogging Platform?
Using a
blogging platform has several benefits. You:
Have one
central place to create and store your work
Get
increased visibility for your brand, portfolio, or ideas
Gain
access to templates and tools to build your site (no coding skills required)
Join a
community of other bloggers that you can network with or receive support from
Can
share your posts easily on social media
A blogging platform can also act as a home for your resume, giving you an easy place to direct potential clients or employers and showcase your work.
To conclude the above discussion, it may be
stated that all the blogging platforms mentioned above have an edge with
reference to their individual aspects. So it’s up to you to pick the option
that best suits your needs.
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