Do you like to develop a highly profitable career in the field of blogging? You may have strong writing skills and a real passion for composing blogs. However, the most important task to start your blogging journey is to find the right blogging platform. You can argue that there are easy-to-use blogging website builders with drag-and-drop elements. But, you will notice a considerable difference in the blogging platforms. That is why you have to review the features of platforms available for bloggers. Every platform has pros and cons, and thus, you can check them out to make the right decision.
WordPress- The most reliable platform with customizable features-
Over 30% of websites in the digital world are powered by WordPress. However, you must not confuse with two options-
- The blog hosting service- WordPress.com
- Content Management System- WordPress.org
With WordPress.org, you can easily access every WP feature.
WordPress was once a blogging platform in 2003. However, in due course, it has become popular as a CMS platform. You do not need skills to develop any website with WordPress.
WordPress.com refers to the service provided by Automattic Inc. It relies on code from the open-source platform, WordPress.org.
WordPress.com manages your hosting process while hiding the code. It looks like the standard website builder. When you have chosen WordPress.org code, you have to register with the hosting service.
Why should you choose WordPress to create your blogging site?
Customize the site in any way-
WordPress is the perfect choice for its developer-friendliness and user-friendliness. You do not need technical skills to design and edit your blogging site.
At any time, you can adjust the blog-posting format, add widgets, and include a forum. There are also customizers and advanced page builders to make your task easier.
A galore of themes-
Do you think of creating fashion blogs? Health blogs? Tech blogs? You will find relevant free themes with robust functionalities and attractive designs. Moreover, you may change your free theme to the premium one. Get high-quality themes for your WordPress blogging site.
Lots of plugins-
You can make your website highly functional due to the availability of plugins. Choose the right plugins for your blogging site.
SEO-friendly-
A WordPress-backed website is highly SEO-friendly. Moreover, when you choose premium themes and SEO plugins, you have a chance to achieve a higher rank.
Highly secure-
In terms of security, WordPress is the best blogging platform. You can prevent hackers from accessing your site. Sucuri, WordFence, and WPScan are some popular plugins for your website’s security.
Blogger- A blog-focused platform designed by Google-
Launched in 1999, Blogger.com is the oldest available blogging platform. However, in 2003, Google acquired this platform and transformed the way of using it. Although it is a reliable blogging site, you can find some unnecessary features.
You have to use your Google account to log in to Blogger. You can integrate your Google account and share content easily. The most important steps to start blogging are to-
- Choose a title
- Select a domain
- Find a template
You are now ready to post your blogs.
What features of Blogger will you attract?
Availability of several tools and themes-
It is easy to choose templates and customize the blogging website. These templates are adjustable without HTML knowledge. Moreover, you may preview the changes and edit your templates.
The best fact is that there are mobile-ready templates available for your blog. Thus, your target readers can read your blog using smartphones and tabs.
High uptime, reliability, and storage space-
Use the Blogger dashboard to manage your blogs. You can publish almost 100 blogs, as there is a considerable amount of storage space.
Other notable factors for your blogging site are uptime and reliability. With 100% uptime, you will find unlimited bandwidth. Your visitors will not find 404 Error Messages while hitting your blogging platform. Thus, you will find a smooth performance of your blogs.
Moreover, Blogger.com presents you with the Google-protected platform. Thus, your website and its data will be safe from hacking.
Built-in analytics-
Blogger.com offers analytical tools to help you in knowing about your blog’s readers. You will learn about their interest in your blogs. Connect with the audience and take the right step to promote your content.
Medium- An all-around traditional platform for bloggers-
Founded by Biz Stone and Evan Williams, Medium has attracted over 60 million users. Stone and Williams created this platform in 2012, and now, it has become a popular destination to several bloggers. When you like to post niche-based content, you can choose Medium as your blogging platform.
Lots of bloggers have published thought-provoking content on Medium. Moreover, by opening an account on this platform, you will get an advantage of different communities. It will be easier to find dedicated readers of your blogs.
Why should you choose Medium for blogging?
Provides an import tool-
You may have already posted blogs somewhere in the digital world. Medium lets you import it easily with one click. Go to the Import A Story option and import the desired blog to Medium.com. You may also edit the title, images, and formats. Besides, Medium will mention the original source of the post and include the link.
Easy to connect with loyal readers-
Have you attracted social media users to read your blogs? Now, you can easily take them to Medium.com. Thus, you will get value from the built-in audience.
Real engagement metrics-
Medium.com will inform you about the number of viewers of your blog. You can post something inspiring, memorable, and interesting. It helps you to leave a strong impression on Medium.
Easy to find reputed publishers-
Most of the renowned publishers do not accept authors’ applications. They do not like to hear pitches. Still, some publishers still look for contributors to their websites. They try to use Medium to find the most popular authors.
Medium.com is not the right choice for everyone. However, bloggers of particular niches will get established audiences. You can choose this platform when your blogging topics are about politics, technology, startups, entrepreneurship, culture, and business.
Weebly — A user-friendly blog builder best for novices
Although Weebly has limited blogging features, it is best for those who have no coding skills. You can create both a blogging site and a business website using Weebly. You can start blogging with the freemium version of Weebly. With the growth of your audience, you can upgrade it to a premium version.
Bloggers have found some strong reasons for choosing Weebly.
Easy to create blog content-
There is a drag-and-drop interface provided by Weebly. You can publish your blogs while adding different elements.
Get lots of free blog templates-
You may like to create a unique blogging site. That is why Weebly provides you with a number of free templates. Your site can load your content quickly and make it accessible to readers. Based on your needs, you can customize your blog templates.
SEO-friendly blogs-
You can create custom title tags, meta descriptions, and URLs to make your blogs easily accessible to search engine users. Moreover, you may insert footer and header codes to your pages for better SEO results.
Easy to manage blogs-
Adjust the structure of your blog posts. From sidebars to categories, everything is customizable. With the right interaction elements, you can make your blog successful. Moreover, you may also integrate Facebook commenting systems to let readers comment on your blogs.
Make third party integrations-
When you like to create a video diary, photo journal, and similar other sites, you will get benefits from these features. Make your blogging site more functional with these integrations.
Factors that you must consider while selecting your blogging platform-
- Decide on the right choice between a free blog and a self-hosted blog.
- Functionalities that you desire in your blogging site
- Type of customizations needed for your blog
- Will it be a DIY blog style? DO you like to outsource your blog?
- Do you know basic coding and HTML?
- Have you thought of monetizing your blog?
Other things to be checked-
Easy to learn- As a professional blogger, you do not like to waste your time on how to create your blogging website. The best blogging platforms ensure no concern about the web hosting service, domain names, and customization opportunities.
Tools to get more readers-
Innovative blogging platforms provide you with diverse tools that help you to reach more readers. These are SEO tools to make your blogs accessible to new readers. For instance, Medium has special algorithms to let the target readers find your articles.
You can now find it easy to analyze every blogging platform and its features. Creating a blogging website is the biggest step to start your career. When the site is ready, you can start posting blogs and edit them at any time. However, your blogging website design also affects your SEO effort. As you start receiving a high volume of blog traffic, you can monetize your website. Earn revenues from the perfectly designed blogging website.
