How To Choose The Best Blog Platform: The Ultimate Guide

Choosing the right blog platform can be a difficult decision for many bloggers.

There are so many options out there, and they all have their pros and cons.

To help you make this important decision, I’ve created an in-depth guide that will take you through the process of choosing the best blog platform to fit your needs.

If you’re asking, what blog platform should I use, you’re in the right place.

What blog platform should I use?

What you need to know before choosing a blog platform

Before diving into the list, it is helpful to know what you’re looking for in a blogging platform.

As a beginner, you’ll want an easy-to-use and low learning curve blog that doesn’t require any coding skills.

It’s also good to think about how extensive your future plans are regarding your blog–for example, whether or not there will be ads displayed on it later down the road.

It’s essential to choose a blogging platform that has room for growth. For example, starting with WordPress is great because it allows you to customize your site and make money from ads if you want.

Want to add a shop later down the road? WordPress has a free plugin that you can use called Woocommerce.

Want a pop-up to capture emails? Want to change the way your website looks? Want to track your traffic on your website? WordPress has many plugins you can add to your website for free!

But don’t take my word for it. You can try all of them first and see which one you prefer.

WordPress

WordPress.org is the world’s most popular blogging software, and it allows you to build your website or blog within minutes!

WordPress started in 2003 and now powers more than 42% of all websites on the internet, making it easy for content creators and bloggers like us who want to publish their thoughts online without spending a dime.

It is a self-hosted solution, meaning you will need to sign up with WordPress hosting providers. However, it’s great if you want complete control and power over your blog’s future.

Here’s why you should go with WordPress:

• If you want your website to look exactly the way you want it, WordPress.org is for you. It allows users to change every aspect of their site, including color scheme and layout.
• If you want to make money blogging, WordPress is one of the best platforms out there. It allows you to grow your blog by adding extra features like forums and online stores to generate revenue for your website. You can also sell paid memberships or create an entire course on a topic related to what people are reading about to monetize it further down the line.
• Enable Google Analytics on your WordPress blog to see the site stats that matter. This enables you to grow new visitors and subscribers to your website.
• Thousands of free themes are available for WordPress that allow you to create a beautiful website with built-in customization options.
• Want to make your website even better? With more than 58,000 free WordPress plugins available for download on the web, you can add features like contact forms and galleries. We’ve compiled a list of the best must-have WordPress plugins every site should have!
• WordPress is search engine friendly. You can create SEO-friendly URLs, categories, and tags for your posts with ease, plus there are several great plugins for additional optimization.
• WordPress’ drag-and-drop editor lets you create any content on your blog site without knowing technical know-how. You can also embed dynamic content like videos, social media feeds, Google Adsense, graphs, and charts with just a few clicks!

Here’s why you shouldn’t go with WordPress:

• Maintaining your own website can be overwhelming at first.

How much does it cost?

WordPress software is free, but to get started, you’ll need a domain name and hosting, which could cost around $20 per month.

But, if you go with Bluehost, you can score a free domain on a $2.95 a month hosting plan. To find out more, click on the following: {link to Bluehost free domain}

And, when you go with Bluehost, installing WordPress into your website is just a one-click process.

WordPress is one of the most popular blogging platforms in use today. Many well-known bloggers, including some Fortune 500 companies, have a presence on WordPress because it’s user-friendly and comes with all kinds of functionality that you’ll need to create an excellent blog page.

Wix

Wix is a website-building platform that allows anyone to create their site without any knowledge of coding.

When I used Wix, I was able to do it with ease and had minimal restrictions in how I could design things on the site.

The drag-and-drop editor has intuitive UI’s that easily make individualized layouts for my page while also allowing access to tools like different templates or custom widgets.

Here’s why you should go with Wix:

• Wix offers hundreds of templates across many different categories to help you build the blog you want.
• You don’t need any coding knowledge because they have intuitive tools that make it easy for anyone can create their website.
• Wix offers 24/7 live support via a callback service if you’re in the United States and a massive knowledge base with articles to help beginners out when you’re stuck.
• Wix’s ADI handles building your website by just answering some questions entirely, which leverages artificial intelligence for precisely what you want to create.

Here’s why you shouldn’t go with Wix:

• Scrolling designs can sometimes be more challenging to achieve on mobile phones, especially when doing something like parallax scrolling. You have to make a separate version of your website without these difficulties.
• Bootstrap bloggers should brace themselves for the subscription fee. While it is pretty affordable, other tools can cause a higher cost if you want to use them. And even if you try to make some money to offset the subscription fee like using their e-commerce tool, expect to pay for an expensive subscription plan to use those features too.

How much does Wix cost?

With a free Wix website, you’ll get a subdomain that looks like this: https://username.wixsite.com/.

However, if you want to add your custom domain name for $5.00 per month, their premium plans start from $9.00 and go up to $25.

Blogger

Blogger is a pioneer in the blogging space. Of course, most old-school bloggers started using this platform 20+ years ago when it launched in 1999, but what’s great about Blogger is that it’s still relevant for anyone looking to start a blog today!

It’s free and eliminates any risk of taking on an unknown product or service because beginners can get right down to creating content without having to learn new technology along with them.

Why choose Blogger as your blogging platform:

• You can make money blogging with Google AdSense, which has been fully integrated.
• Get analytics insights about your blog’s traffic numbers and manage the site without any coding.
• Straightforward and nothing to do. Just blog.

Why Blogger is not for you:

• Limited monetization options
• Themes are basic
• One downside to Blogger is that the design options are limited. Fewer templates and third-party templates for Blogger tend to be low quality.
• Google can terminate your blog at any time or even cancel the Blogger service altogether.
• You have no control.

Cost of using Blogger:

A Blogger blog is free with a subdomain like https://example.blogspot.com, but if you want to use your custom domain name, then it must be purchased from an outside third-party registrar.

Tumblr

The microblogging platform Tumblr is different from other blogging platforms such as Blogger and WordPress.

On this social networking platform, users can follow each others’ blogs and re-post exciting content to their blog or share it on various social media networks with ease.

Why use Tumblr for your blogging platform:

• With Tumblr, it is easy to quickly share videos, GIFs, images, and audio formats.
• The app is like an all-inclusive social media channel to manage your photo feeds, chat with friends and make new ones.
• This app is super easy to use and set up.
• You can make your own Tumblr site with the free subdomain at https://example.tumblr.com or connect a custom domain name to it for $2/month extra, which is cheaper than most other blog sites like WordPress and Blogger that charge you around $25 per year in addition to having more expensive plans starting from between 3-5 dollars each month as well.

Why you should ignore Tumblr:

• If you are looking for a theme with additional features, Tumblr may not be the place to go.
• When you back up your Tumblr blog or import it to other platforms, the process is not easy.
• It’s great when you start on Tumblr because all the features are there and available to use. As your blog grows, though, some of these features might become a bit limiting. For instance, if you want to add advertising or other types of monetization, this will be harder than another blogging platform like WordPress, which can easily integrate with many different plugins that allow for customization.

How much does it cost to use Tumblr?

With a free account, you can have your own Tumblr website with third-party apps and themes. You are allowed to purchase custom domains for the site as well.

Medium

Launched in 2012, Medium is a blogging platform with limited social networking features that works much like Facebook.

After you sign up for an account, your profile address will look something like this: https://medium.com/@yourname.

However, you can set up Medium to use your domain.

Why use Medium as your blogging platform:

• Using Medium is easy. You don’t need to configure anything or learn any code, and it’s free.
• It allows you to reach like-minded people with similar interests.
• Now, you can focus solely on writing and not have to bother about the design of your website.

Why not Medium:

• The features of this software are minimal. It is designed to be quick and easy but not powerful or customizable enough for building a brand.
• Medium is the owner of your audience, so losing your blog means you will lose all followers.
• Limited monetization options

Cost of using Medium?

While Medium is free to use, many people switch from the platform. This could be partly due to a lack of monetization and control on their end, as well as an attractive-looking design that attracts users at first glance.

Weebly

Weebly is a website builder platform that offers easy-to-use tools for business websites and eCommerce stores. They also have blog features with free templates you can add to your site.

Why use Weebly for your blogging platform:

• Fully hosted website and blogging platform to focus on your business without worrying about the technical aspects.
• With Square, you can integrate your POS system with the payment processing platform in just a few clicks.
• The hosted version does not need a setup.

Why not Weebly:

• The free plan comes with limited features and bandwidth, but it also includes Weebly’s branding.
• Top blogging websites are cheaper than paid subscriptions, and they offer the same quality content as well.
• This system is not as powerful or customizable as the WordPress platform, which includes blogging and SEO features.

Cost of using Weebly

Weebly is a web builder that allows you to create professional-looking sites, even if your technical skills are limited.

They have three different paid plans available:

• Paid plan starts at $8 a month billed yearly.
• The pro plan for $12 per month
• The business plan is $25 monthly.

Web.com

Web.com is a website builder platform with built-in features like adding a blog section to your website or online store for just $1.95.

Their drag & drop interface makes it much easier and faster than writing code, plus they have dozens of pre-made templates you can choose from without spending time browsing through each one yourself.

It also includes powerful tools like SEO techniques, security measures, automatic saving/backup options, and analytic data about how frequently people visit the site. Hence, you know what’s working best in terms of content strategy, among other things – all helpful information when trying to improve user engagement on your page(s).

Why choose Web.com for your blogging platform:

• A beginner-friendly drag and drop website builder that allows users to create their websites without any coding
• You can contact our customer support team via phone, live chat, and email 24 hours a day.
• Every paid plan comes with a free domain name included.
• 1.95 a month gets you all the essential features without paying more than what you need to – and it’s easy on your wallet too
• Customize your blog posts with dozens of templates
• No setup hassles with Web.com! Since they handle the technical details for you, your website is up and running in no time at all.
• Many templates to choose from

Why you shouldn’t use Web.com:

• The app ecosystem is small, so there aren’t as many third-party plugins as WordPress
• Blogging can be great, but the features are nowhere near as powerful as WordPress
• Making the switch from Web.com to another website builder is problematic because it will not be easy to move your data over, especially if there are hundreds of pages or any links on each page.

Cost of using Web.com:

Suppose you want the advanced features that Web.com offers, like SEO tools or eCommerce support. In that case, it will cost a bit more at $2.95/mo for their marketing plan and $3.95/mo for their eCommerce plan, respectively, compared to its starter price of only $1.95 per month with the free domain included.

Ghost

Ghost is a blogging platform that offers two options for hosting: you can either use Ghost’s hosted service or install it on your server.

Why choose Ghost as your blogging platform:

• A clean, clutter-free user interface and intuitive design makes it easy to use
• It uses JavaScript, making it blazingly fast.
• The hosted version does not require a setup.

Why not Ghost:

• Hard to customize
• Limited options
• Limited themes to choose from
• It’s hard when you try to install it yourself.

Cost of using Ghost

The self-hosted version of Ghost needs a custom domain and web hosting, but the hosted version costs $29/month for unlimited page views. If you don’t buy your custom domain from somewhere besides Ghost’s website (e.g., Namecheap), it will cost about $14.99 per year to have one bought through them instead of using their free subdomain ending with Ghost .io on each post.

The self-hosted option has higher start-up prices than its hosted counterpart at an additional monthly rate while costing more annually unless they opt to use a third-party provider such as Namecheap or GoDaddy, which would give them access to some discounts that either company may not offer.

Duda

Duda is a website builder that wants to compete with Squarespace, but it doesn’t have much power under the hood. However, the variety of templates and ease of use make Duda suitable for bloggers who want a quick online presence.

Why use Duda:

• Site analytics and stats are also included with Duda, so you can easily keep track of everything from the number of visitors to which pages they’re viewing.
• Duda provides many beautifully designed templates, all of which are compatible with your blog across desktop and mobile devices (and you can preview these views before choosing a template). You have the choice between pre-filled or more flexible templates to suit your needs.
• All the edits you make to your template will happen directly on-screen. You won’t have to switch back and forth between different windows, distracting and confusing for many people.
• Even though Duda limits your design freedom, it is suitable for users who prefer tech-savvy websites.

Why not Duda:

• The absence of an archive or comments section makes it harder for visitors to interact with your blog post content.
• No free plan

Duda costs

A 14-day free trial is available, but it doesn’t have a free plan.

The cheapest option to use Duda is at $14/month. It’s a reasonable price if you don’t plan on getting much out of it. However, you can get more templates and scalability with Wix or Squarespace for slightly higher prices (at $16/month).

How to choose a blogging platform

Before choosing a blogging platform, take into consideration your personal goals and needs.

If you need to boost SERP visibility (Search Engine Results Page), look for a platform with built-in SEO tools.

Alternatively, if it’s starting to publish visual content that is important to you faster, then consider platforms that support multi-media posts! 

These are just some features of many but can help guide when deciding what works best based on each business’ set up.

Editor

If you’re a blogger, the chances are that you use the content editor every day.

As such, it is important to choose one with an editing interface that matches your preferences.

For example, certain functions like drag-and-drop functionality and autosave should be a top priority, while other features might be excellent additions.

Themes

When you’re looking into different blogging platforms, check out their selection of themes and templates.

• Does each platform offer a lot of options for bloggers?
• Is there free or premium ones available on the site?
• How much does it cost to buy an upgraded template option from them?
• Can you alter your theme/template if desired without difficulties in doing so with that particular toolset?

You might want to use a platform that allows you the option of starting from scratch instead of using pre-designed themes. Here are some questions that can help you select a platform with design and customization options: 

• What kind of website do I need, like an eCommerce site or blog?
• How many photos will be on my page, if any at all? 
• Will I have specific pages for services/products only or multiple pages for different topics in addition to those needed by visitors such as About Us, Contact, etc.?

SEO

If you want to get on that first page, it’s essential for your blog.

Search Engine Journal states that 91.5% of traffic share is given to sites listed in Google SERP!

A CMS with built-in tools to optimize content and SEO recommendations along your writing path will help drive more traffic and benefit from this trend.

If your platform doesn’t have this advanced functionality, look into installing an SEO plugin or third-party tool.

If that’s not possible, you’ll need to get up to speed on best practices and make sure they are implemented in your blog posts.

Conclusion

Blogging is a great way to improve your search engine optimization and drive traffic to your website, but it can be difficult at first.

A good blogging platform should combine ease of use with the functionality you need for success in SEO and increasing visitor numbers.

WordPress brings all these benefits together in one place so that any business or blogger can start their blog without hassle!

I’m still using some of the blogging platforms mentioned. However, in terms of ease of use, customization, and monetization, WordPress is my choice.

It may not be for you as we are all different after all. You may have different needs.

Start your blog the proper way. Avoid mistakes that can ruin your money-making potential in the future. Start your blog today.