There are so many different options for new bloggers that it can make you dizzy trying to choose the right platform. If you are looking for a solution, you’re probably asking questions like:
‘Should I host my blog with Blogger.com or use WordPress?’
‘What is the difference between a hosted blog platform and a self hosted blog platform?’
‘Will it cost me anything to run my blog, and if so, how much?’
Let me begin by saying that there are two different types of blogging platforms – hosted and self hosted.
A hosted blog platform is one that doesn’t require you to have your own server. You can start your blog in minutes by creating an online account and choosing one of their templates.
Benefits
- It is very easy to get started
- You don’t need to be technical at all
- There is usually no cost
- You can get your blog up and running in minutes
Disadvantages
- They are less configurable
- It’s trickier to customize your design
- You are often limited to using a generic URL like myname.wordpress.com (Blogger.com’s hosted blog platform does allow you to use a custom URL)
- Some hosted solutions don’t allow affiliate marketing
A self hosted blog is an application that you upload to a server and manage/configure yourself. Many of these platforms are open source (free).
Benefits
- You have greater flexibility in customizing your design
- The blog platform itself is usually opensource (free)
- You control your URL
- With WordPress.org (my self hosted blog platform) you can find all kinds of free plugins created by the community that will make your site more feature rich
Disadvantages
- While many of the platforms themselves are free, you will need to pay for hosting and purchase a URL
- They will require more setup and a little technical know how
- You will need to manage software updates and server issues
Before giving my opinion on what blog platform to use, I thought I’d see what other bloggers are using.
On Problogger.net, I found a recent poll. The results show that the three most used blog platforms by their users were WordPress.org -43%, Blogger.com – 29% and WordPress.com – 13%
Note: WordPress.org is a self hosted blog platform and WordPress.com is the hosted version.
Some other platforms that were listed in the results include Drupal -3%, Typepad – 2%, Joomla – 2%, Movable Type – 2% and Live Journal – 1%
For a hosted solution, I recommend Blogger.com. It is owned by Google, they are doing amazing things with their platform and they provide a great deal of flexibility. The service is free if you choose to use a .blogspot url and it will cost under $15 dollars a year if you choose to buy your own custom URL. This is the blog platform I started with and it’s great for beginners.
For a self hosted solution, I recommend WordPress.org. The platform itself is opensource and therefore free to use. It is extremely configurable, there are limitless plugins available for it and the design can be customized to fit your brand.
Overall, if you plan to use your blog for business, I recommend WordPress.org.
I am currently hosting my WordPress Blog with GoDaddy.com for $4.95 a month and I also buy the stgermaine.ca URL through them for $14.95 a year. With WordPress, you can either use a template for your site or work with a designer to create a custom layout.
The system is fairly straightforward to use and there are an abundance of web developers with WordPress experience who you can hire for setup. Better yet, look for online tutorials and become familiar with the system yourself. If you’re serious about blogging and you’re working within a budget, it’s well worth taking the time to learn how to use the system.
Good luck with your new blog!
