Blogging Tips: Choosing a Blogging Platform

Unless you have a background in Web design, it is highly unlikely that you will program your blog entirely from scratch. Fortunately, there are a plethora of online blogging platforms (also known as blog software) that provide the tools necessary to create a blog. Many of these sites feature simple-to-use themes and a WYSIWYG ("What You See Is What You Get") back-end interface, which makes getting started with blogging much easier and less frightening. These platforms are either free or have a minimal monthly price. A lot of blog platforms have already-designed themes, or templates, from which you can quickly make a blog. This helps you save even more money. The following are a few of the most widely used blogging platforms.

Popular Blogging Platforms

1. Blogger.

Blogger is frequently the platform of choice for beginning bloggers because all of its components are free, which makes the investment more manageable while you're unsure of the direction your blog will go. Many people use its pre-designed themes to test the waters of blogging. If you wish to customize your site beyond these templates, you will require some HTML knowledge to do so.

2. Type Pad.

If you lack the time or want to learn how to code, Type Pad provides an easy-to-use platform with a range of options for generating bespoke layouts to incorporate photos and text. These options vary in price according to how customized you want your blog to be, ranging from $9 to $30 a month. If you prefer one-on-one assistance, you can open a support ticket through the help center and receive answers to your problems within twenty-four hours.

3. Squarespace.

If technical skills are not your strong suit, Squarespace, which costs between $12 and $36 a month, is also extremely user-friendly. Numerous graphic designers and bloggers appreciate its simple-to-use interface, which enables them to create portions of the site themselves, such as headers and buttons, without having to learn how to code. While most blog platforms include their own statistics trackers, Squarespace's tracker includes additional features and is useful for tracking your site's growth and determining where your viewers are coming from.

4. Tumblr.

Tumblr makes it simple for its users to discover your new blog immediately by virtue of its established community and the ability to "follow" or "like" other blogs as well as "reblog" other blogs' content within the Tumblr platform. Numerous larger fashion brands, including Club Monaco, Kate Spade New York, and J. Crew, use Tumblr for their own blogs due to the visual aspect, ease of establishment, and instant community. Tumblr is free to join, and it offers a variety of free layouts in its "Theme Garden." Alternatively, you can pay between $9 and $49 for a premium template or hire a programmer to make a unique theme for you.

5. WordPress.

If you want the freedom to construct any type of blog you desire, from the most basic to the most personalized, WordPress fulfills both requirements. The program is free, but the cost of hosting and the different plug-ins and themes you download to customize your site will vary. If you are familiar with HTML or CSS, WordPress enables you to create a completely personalized website and provides a slew of plug-ins to assist with tasks such as SEO (search engine optimization). As a bonus, it's a great fit for your new editorial team because it lets several administrators or editors log in at the same time.

Both WordPress and Tumblr provide extra design themes made by independent programmers and designers and sold directly to bloggers for use on their own platforms. To figure out what features your site needs and how much it will cost, you should look at all the different themes and templates. Some themes are free, but others can cost up to $50 depending on the look, functionality, and design.

 

Additionally, do not be hesitant to inquire about the blogging platform or themes used by a fellow blogger. If you admire the appearance of someone's website, he or she may be able to suggest a certain template, blogging platform, or coder. Whichever platform you choose, ensure that it includes all of the functionality you require, both practically and visually. Additionally, keep in mind that if you change your mind in the future, the majority of blogging software has features for importing your content from your current blog. A lot of work will have to be done, but if you find that you prefer another platform, it is possible to move your photos and add them to a new category.