The following article will discuss the basics of getting a blog up and going. In theory, starting a blog may seem easy, but there’s a lot that needs to go into it. First you need to figure out what platform you’re going to choose for your blog. The great thing is that this book is here to help you solve those problems. We start by looking at different platforms to host your blog, and most of them are free. Then we’ll move on to the harder stuff, like choosing a niche for your blog. This may or may not be something you’ve already thought about, but it’s one of the most important things to consider. After that, we’ll look at best practices for writing blog posts. If you can’t write good posts, how are you going to generate any traffic for your blog? Next, you’ll want to know how to make friends with your competitors. They may be competition, but they can be of great value. The rest of the article will look at building a brand, how to generate traffic, why you need to keep a regular posting schedule, how to connect with your readers, and more.
Deciding that you’re going to create a blog comes with a lot of choices and decisions. One of the first decisions is what platform are you going to use? There are a lot of different platforms out there, but we’re going to take a look at the more common ones so you can make the best choice. Before we dive into this list, it will help to know what type of platform you need. If you’re a complete beginner, you’re going to want to pick one that’s easy to put together and doesn’t require any coding skills. You also want to think about the type of blog you want to create. When your blog starts to grow, you may start to change how your site looks and you may want to add in more features. This means it will be important for you to choose a platform that has flexibility and can grow with you. If you start with the wrong platform, it can be very difficult to switch later. Finally, even if you don’t plan on making any money, it would be a smart idea to make sure you still have the option to do so.
1. WordPress.com
WordPress.com will store your blog content for free, but this also means you will get a limited version of their software. This is still a great option for those who use blogging as a hobby and who are not interested in investing any money. It is also the perfect idea for those who would rather upgrade their blog to a self-hosted WordPress blog. WordPress provides your first domain name for free, and the premium account is only $96 for hosting. You can get a business account, which offers an online store, for $25 per month. Pros • They have hundreds of themes to pick from. • It’s extremely easy. You don’t need any design or coding knowledge. • No set-up costs.
Cons: • A free site will come with a .wordpress in your domain. • With a free blog, you don’t technically own it, which means you don’t have control over your ad revenue. WordPress also has the power to suspend your site whenever it wants. • It won’t look as professional. • Their functionality will be limited unless you get an upgrade. WordPress.org The software for this is free and it’s about three dollars per month for hosting. When you have a self-hosted WordPress blog, it means you use the WordPress software on a separate server. By using this, you will have full control over the website and make it as professional as you want, edit your HTML code, and install plugins. Going this route is usually a good idea for someone who is willing to invest a few dollars each month. Best for bloggers who want to expand their site’s functionality and professional brand builders. Pros: There are search engine-friendly options. • You will have access to over 20,000 free plugins and 1,500 free themes. • It is user-friendly and you will have full customization options. Cons: • Since it is so popular, it is often vulnerable to security threats. Since you host on a third-party server, you do need technical knowledge, but many hosts will provide great technical support.
2. Blogger
This is another free blogging service. It is owned by Google, which means you will have access to tools like Google Analytics, Adsense, etc. However, Blogger is not as flexible as WordPress.
This is a great platform for brand builders and hobby bloggers who are not interested in investing any kind of money but are interested in making a little money with ads. Since Blogger is easy to use, it makes a great platform for a beginner who is just learning. Pros: • You have access to the HTML code, so you will be able to customize it a bit. • You can use Adsense ads. It’s completely free and extremely easy to use. Cons: • You will have .blogspot in your title. • You aren’t able to self-host, so it’s completely dependent on Blogger’s offerings. • It doesn’t have as many themes and doesn’t have nearly as much storage as with WordPress.com.
3. Tumblr
Tumblr is a free and easy platform to use and it’s very social. It’s a great option for people who like to reblog posts. It’s a good platform for microbloggers, so it’s not the best place if you want to develop long-form content. Pros: • Use of CSS and HTML so you can customize it. • About 1,000 themes you can choose from. • You have unlimited storage. Cons: • Monetizing can be quite difficult. • You’re limited on plugins. • Backing up the blog and bringing content from different platforms can be difficult.
4. TypePad
This platform costs $8 or more per month. TypePad is a great option for brand builders or business professionals who want to invest a small amount of money each month. This price brings you more features and a very professional site. However, many people will tell business bloggers that they need to self-host the WordPress platform because it has a larger community, but TypePad has its advantages. Pros: • It’s easy to use. • You have unlimited storage. • They host with their own server, but you own the blog you build. Cons: • You are limited on customization. • It will cost you a few dollars more each month than self-hosting with WordPress.
5. WIX
This will cost you $4 or more per month. This is a great option for bloggers because it’s ideal for businesses. It comes with ecommerce functions, and Wix makes creating your ecommerce website extremely simple, but having full control over the shop is going to be a bit limited. Pros: • They have hundreds of professional themes You have up to 20 GB of storage. There are domain registration options. • It’s easy to use. • You can integrate ads.
• You have unlimited bandwidth. Cons: • You are limited in customization. • They don’t have advanced ecommerce tools. • They are more expensive than a WordPress blog. They have free options, and they are a good idea for hobby bloggers or novices who don’t want to spend any money on their other paid options.
6. Medium
This site was launched in 2012. Since then, Medium has grown into a large community of experts, journalists, bloggers, and writers. The platform is very easy to use with very limited social networking features. Pros: • You are able to focus on just your writing instead of designing a website. • It will allow you to reach existing communities of people who have similar interests. It is easy to use and doesn’t require any setup or coding skills. Cons: • You are not able to run your own ads. • Owns a moderate audience, so if you lose your blog you will lose your followers. • Your features are limited when it comes to building a brand or design.
7. Weebly
The paid options for Weebly start at $8.00 per month and come with limited features. To unlock all of their features, you will need to pay around $49 per month. Weebly is a hosted platform.
It will let you come up with a website with drag and drop tools. It comes with dozens of themes that you will be able to customize with their web-based interface. Pros: • The free plan on Weebly will allow you to try them out before you buy. • Since Weebly hosts the site, it has a quick and easy setup. • They have easy-to-use drag and drop features, so you don’t need any technical skills. Cons: • It’s difficult to export your web site to a different platform. • You have limited integration with third-party tools. They have limited built-in features, and you can’t add new features. You won’t be able to. Deciding which platform you want to use will depend on what you want to do.
Read Also:
- 50 Negative Effects Of Artificial Intelligence On Blogging
- Blogging Tools and Technology
- Getting Started A Blog
- Is Blogging Right For You
- 5-Stage Blogging Process
- Writing An Academic Blog
- Using Blogs To Enhance Student Learning
- Blogging Domain and Hosting
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