Once
you’re clear on why you want to blog, the next thing you need to think about is
which blogging platform to use. You have
two options – either to use one of the many free formats like Blogger, Weebly
or WordPress.com or to host your blog yourself. This is
called a self-hosted blog.
The two
most popular blogging platforms are Blogger and WordPress – WordPress actually
comes with a free and a paid version – which I go into more detail below. Some
people say that Blogger is better than WordPress,
others argue that WordPress is the best blogging
platform. There are advantages and disadvantages to both formats so
let’s dive in deeper to help you choose the right blogging platform.
The Advantages of Using Blogger
#1 It’s Free And Easy
Perhaps
the biggest advantage of using Blogger.com is that it is free, quick and easy
to use.
If you
are cash-strapped, just starting out or not really sure if the blogging game is
for you, Blogger.com may be the perfect solution. It allows you to get some
experience under your belt before investing time and expense into self-hosting
your blog.
With
Blogger.com, you don’t need to purchase a domain name or hosting. It also has a
very user-friendly interface that doesn’t require any tech skills – just a few
clicks and you are ready to go.
#2 The Google Advantage
Blogger
is owned by Google and there are many in-built features and services that can
be useful for a new blogger.
- Robust Hosting – Blogger sites are hosted on Google’s servers so you’ll rarely experience down times and your site should run smoothly most of the time.
- Better Security – Security breaches are far less likely on Blogger blogs than WordPress. Unless your Google account password is stolen, it’s virtually hacker-proof.
In
contrast, WordPress has known vulnerabilities and tends to get more spam
attacks than Blogger.
- Fast Indexing – With the mighty Google behind your blog, you won’t have to wait around for your blogger site to get indexed. Google dominates the web so your posts will appear in the search engines far more quickly than if they were published on your own self-hosted blog.
- Google’s Web Properties – Social sharing is a breeze on Blogger because it integrates seamlessly with Google’s other web properties like Gmail, YouTube, and Google+. It even has native support for Adsense allowing you to place ads and monetize your free site.
The Downsides to Blogger
Although
Blogger is a good place for the newbie to start, if you plan on scaling your
business or developing your own brand you will be disappointed.
Blogger
lacks many important plugins that can improve the functionality of your site
and the limited design features makes your blog look like “me-too versions” of
every other Blogger blog.
You also
need to be aware that when you host your blog on Blogger you don’t actually own
it. Ultimately it belongs to Google and one wrong step can result in it being
removed and with it your entire business.
The Advantages Of Using WordPress
WordPress
is widely regarded as the best blogging software around, a reputation that is
well-deserved. The key
thing to know about WordPress is that there are two versions – a free one at
WordPress.com and a paid one at WordPress.org.
I love
WordPress and always advise clients to go for a self-hosted WordPress blog
rather than the free version even if they’re new to blogging. I explain
why below but for the purposes of this post I want to give you a clear and
unbiased overview so you can make the right choice. Ultimately, it comes down
to your blogging goals.
Reasons To Choose WordPress.com
#1 Ease Of Use
Similar
to Blogger, WordPress.com is quick and easy to set up. You can sign up for a
free account and be blogging within minutes.
#2 Free Hosting
WordPress.com
is hosted and managed by Automattic so you don’t need to worry about paying for
hosting because it’s included. You also get a domain name in this format yourdomain.wordpress.com
For an
extra $15 you can get your own domain name. It’s worth doing this if you choose
WordPress.com because it makes things much easier if you want to self-host your
blog in future.
#3 Customize Your Blog
Unlike
Blogger, you can control the look and feel of your new WordPress.com blog to a
certain extent by selecting from one of their free WordPress themes. Themes
control the colours, layout and fonts on your site so this is useful if you
want your blog to look different to others. Whilst
WordPress.com does permit some customizations to get you going, it has to be
said that these changes are pretty basic.
The Downsides To WordPress.com
Ever
heard the saying, there’s no such thing as a free lunch?
Well, it
is definitely true for WordPress.com. I’ve listed some of the catches below.
WordPress.com
is pretty strict when it comes to monetization.
Many of
the most common revenue strategies that bloggers depend on such as Google
Adsense or affiliate marketing are not allowed, although you can promote your
own products.
Advertising
is also a gray area. In their terms of service,
WordPress.com say they may show Google ads on your site, not ideal if you want
your blog to be an ad-free zone.
Another
WordPress.com restriction relates to plugins.
You are
not allowed to install any plugins to extend the functionality of your blog so
basically, you are stuck with what they give you unless you pay for fancy
extras.
Overall,
WordPress.com should be regarded as a training ground for WordPress.org.
It’s a
decent option for a personal blog or as a hobby where making money is not a
primary objective. But if you want to build a custom website for your business
and develop your brand then you need to use WordPress.org.
Reasons To Choose WordPress.org
This is
the self-hosted version of WordPress and it gives you the freedom to choose
your own domain name, host with whichever company you like and install any
themes or plugins to make your WordPress blog completely unique.
While it
may seem daunting to a new blogger and is the more expensive option initially,
having a self-hosted WordPress blog is the best way to go if you want complete
ownership over your blog.
Here are
the 3 steps you need to take to set up a self-hosted WordPress blog:
- You’ll need to invest is a domain name which costs around $10 for a year. I recommend you use a reputable service like Namecheap or other which you can use for your domain names as they provide one year’s free WHOIS protection as standard with every purchase.
- You’ll also need hosting which costs around $120 a year or cheaper ones. To save costs, you could buy your hosting from the same company where you purchase your domain name, but I strongly recommend that you keep the two things separate for security and ownership reasons.
- When it comes to hosting, seek out a provider that gives you unlimited storage and bandwidth, unlimited accounts and most importantly one-click WordPress installation. The 1-click installation is a godsend because it will automatically install and configure a new WordPress blog in minutes!
I can
recommend Dream host because they
provide 24/7 support and step-by-step instructions to easily install Word Press.
Self-Hosting Your WordPress Blog
Although
WordPress is not a difficult platform to learn it can be daunting for a beginner.
You will
be on a learning curve and should be prepared to make some key decisions for
yourself like; which WordPress theme should you use; how to optimize your
WordPress blog for the search engines; and how to carry out regular backups of
your website.
Fortunately
there are many free themes and plugins that can do much of the work for you but
if you need help installing WordPress or
someone to do it all for you, please get in touch.
Which
blogging platform do you use and why? What helped you choose between Blogger
and WordPress? Do you have a self-hosted blog? Please let me know.
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