We all have our reasons why we choose to blog. In recent years, as social media has grown, blogging has become one of the most popular online activities. Blogging platforms give you a chance to get your thoughts, ideas, and knowledge out into the world.
Every day, more and more people are reading blogs. They come from all walks of life:
- Parents who want to document their kids’ milestones.
- Workers who wish to maintain a personal journal.
- Professionals after an outlet for thought leadership.
- Individuals are looking to make friends or meet potential partners.
In this post, you’ll discover the most effective blogging platforms in 2022 that may assist you in starting a blog and increasing its size.
What is a blog platform?
Blogging platforms are broadcast-style communication systems that enable authors to publish articles, opinions, or product reviews. These posts may be distributed through independent websites, email, feed syndication systems, and social networks.
Why use a blogging platform?
These software or web-based services allow users to publish posts, show when they were published, and assign specific authors. By tagging content with particular categories, blog users can search for all posts on a specific topic more easily.
Few reasons for using a blogging platform:
- To share their passion.
- To educate others.
- To gain exposure.
- To build authority.
- To rank in Search Engines.
- To have content to share.
A few benefits you will get after using a blogging platform:
- You can build trust and manage your online identity.
- You will be exposed to new things.
- Your writing will improve.
- You can become an expert in a new language.
- Information about technical issues can be obtained.
- You will have the opportunity to speak.
- You can become an author.
- There will be job offers for you.
- Increase the number of products you sell.
- You will write on other blogs or create new blogs.
The world can learn more about what you are passionate about through blogging. It can show who you are, what you care about, and connect with others.
Which platform is the best?
1. WordPress — Best for highly scalable and customisable blogs
There is no doubt that WordPress is the most popular blogging software on the planet. WordPress began offering free software in 2003 and now powers over 40% of the world’s websites.
WordPress is also the most extensive content management system on the web. You can utilize it for blogging as well as for creating sites. You can construct websites using it (or the other way around) and benefit from many available plugins.
Pros:
You can customize the look and feel of your site by choosing from a wide variety of themes and add-ons. It’s probably the most widely used website creation software out there, for a good reason. Here’re some pros of WordPress:
- Website development is relatively less expensive.
- There are many professional themes to choose from.
- WordPress makes sites mobile-friendly.
- This site is Search Engine Optimization ready.
- You can update your site from anywhere easily.
- Links and media content can be distributed across platforms and mediums, making it easy and convenient.
- This is great for eCommerce sites.
Cons:
WordPress is the most widely used CMS, but it is unsuitable for every website. Before starting a website with WordPress as a blogging platform, you must consider certain things. So, here we compiled some cons alongside pros:
- You require a lot of plugins for extra features.
- Theme and Plugin updates are frequent.
- WordPress has a slow page speed.
- There are some issues with WordPress’s SEO ranking.
- There are vulnerabilities on the website.
- A website can go down without prior notice.
You might consider WordPress a low-cost option for starting a company online because of its simplicity and popularity but think twice before doing so. Instead, save yourself money and avoid the headache by building your website on something else.
Pricing:
Free
Premium- $8/Month
Business- $25/Month
eCommerce- $45/Month
Enterprise- $1700/Month
2. LinkedIn — Best for networking
LinkedIn is a platform where you can utilize your profile and resume to network or seek work. LinkedIn was created specifically for professionals to network. It enables users to describe and document their professional relationships in a simple, visually appealing format.
LinkedIn has become the favorite platform for lead generation, with over 830 million monthly active users. You may also publish content on the site directly so that you can use LinkedIn as a blogging platform.
As long as you have an active LinkedIn account and view the main feed, you will see a “write article” button at the top of the page. It is particularly helpful for freelance writers.
Pros:
LinkedIn has many benefits for job seekers, businesses, and SEO Content writers.
- You can become a thought leader by following these steps.
- It’s easy to create.
- Rank on Google.
- LinkedIn provides more analytics on every article it publishes.
Cons:
- LinkedIn articles usually don’t reach as many people as LinkedIn posts.
- The Writing of an influential LinkedIn article requires time.
- Views are lower compared to Medium.
People use LinkedIn to build their blogging sites and turn their LinkedIn connections into paid clients. When it comes to LinkedIn success, you must be dedicated and focused.
Pricing:
Free
Pro- $276/user/month
Premium- $420/user/month
Enterprise- Customise
3. Squarespace — Best for artists and designers
Squarespace is a fantastic choice for anyone seeking to set up a simple and professional blogging platform without complex design software. There are several customization options and templates, plus many additional website features that may interest some.
There is no free version, so widget and application availability is limited. Despite the limited range, Squarespace performs exceptionally well in this regard.
Before using this builder for your following website, here are some key advantages and disadvantages of Squarespace to keep in mind.
Pros:
- You can select from a variety of template-ready publishing options.
- Photographs are a common feature of Squarespace templates.
- Easy to use backend design.
- The platform has everything you need.
- Squarespace offers a bundled approach.
- Squarespace provides 24/7 customer service.
Cons:
- Phone support is not available.
- Squarespace is pricier than other platforms.
- There is a general lack of sophisticated marketing tools.
- There are no third-party apps, plugins, or extensions.
- It can be challenging to edit and add content.
Those who don’t want to deal with multiple providers and expenses will benefit greatly from Squarespace’s multi-service blogging platform. Despite the benefits, Squarespace has a few drawbacks that must be addressed before it can be a valuable part of your personal or company website.
Pricing:
Personal- $ 19/per month
Business- $ 33/per month
BASIC Commerce- $ 36/per month
ADVANCE Commerce- $ 65/per month
4. Wix — Best for beginners building a professional blog
Wix is the most straightforward blogging platform available, but it’s also the most professional. You can set up a blog in just an hour or two using Wix, which has a simple drag-and-drop interface and numerous template options.
It’s a simple, straightforward CMS system best suited for small businesses that need to look professional when sending clients to their websites.
Despite its simplicity, it lacks all the fancy bells and whistles of other CMS systems, so if you want to take your site to the next level, you’ll have to look elsewhere. You can also make plug-ins and modifications to your site if you want them.
In terms of popularity, it is one of the most popular content management systems, with the company claiming over 200 million users.
Pros:
- Wix has a fast website speed.
- It has a huge template library.
- Simple drag-and-drop interface.
- Wix App Market enables you to enhance your site’s features.
- Make it convenient for users to access and utilise your website.
- Lots of extra features.
- It has a lot of help and support.
Cons:
- A template cannot be exchanged for another one.
- Wix’s free plan forces the company logo.
- You must have a paid plan to track and analyze.
- Your site is not transferable.
- Premium Plan is a single-site plan only.
Pricing (Website Plan):
Most Basic – $1.02/month
Personal Use- $1.60/month
Entrepreneurs & Freelancers- $2.36/month
First Priority Support- $4.15/month
5. Blogger
Pyra Labs, an American company, created Blogger before Google purchased it in 2003. It is a multi-user blogging platform with time-stamped entries. Google and accessible host the blogs through a subdomain of blogspot.com.
According to its website, Blogger is a free weblog publishing tool from Google for sharing text and photos. It’s similar to WordPress.com but not software. Free templates/themes and gadgets/widgets are included.
Pros:
- Get free SSL for your website.
- Get free website hosting.
- Excellent website maintenance.
- A user-friendly interface.
- It’s simple to integrate Google services.
- Unlimited storage for websites free of charge
- Google is improving search engine indexing performance.
- It is simple to set up and begin using.
Cons:
- You don’t own the blog.
- Poor domain and URL structure.
- The redirection of a domain is not simple.
- It is challenging to rebuild backlinks and authority.
- Fewer changes to your theme.
- Having trouble uploading other files.
- It is difficult to upload other media files.
- Poor support and slow updates.
- The blogger site does not have access to FTP.
If you are starting with your blog and aren’t particularly interested in blogging, or if you want to experiment and see if blogging is proper for you, you can choose Blogger.
Pricing:
There is no charge for using Blogger.
Blogging Platforms For Small Businesses
Do you want to expand your enterprise and raise brand prominence? If so, a blog can be an excellent way to do this. With the right platform, creating a blog is easy. Small businesses can utilize any of the numerous blogging platforms available.
This article will look at some of the best blogging platforms for small businesses.
6. HubSpot CMS
It is easy to see that HubSpot’s CMS has some extensive marketing and sales strengths since it has so many tools for generating traffic to your site through content. Being the powerhouse in marketing and sales that HubSpot is, it should not surprise you that their CMS has many tools for accomplishing your goals.
HubSpot’s software is unique because it is not coded in a common language or using a standard template. That’s excellent for beginner techies but may be off-putting for computer experts who prefer to customize the software.
HubSpot is an easy-to-use platform for small businesses that teach you how to build a blog step-by-step.
Pricing:
Free
Growth- $12.77/month
Pro- $35.77/month
Enterprise- $63.88/month
7. Weebly
Square’s payment platform owns Weebly, a well-known website builder platform. Their website-building tools are simple to use for business websites and eCommerce stores. They also provide free blog templates.
You can create a personalized blog site with customized background images and colors, video backgrounds, photos, and header options that you can change anytime. You may also create custom slideshow themes, colors, and your firm’s emblem.
Pricing:
Free
Connect- $5/month
Pro- $12/month
Bussiness- $25/month
8. Bolt CMS
Bolt CMS is one of the most developer-friendly blogging platforms out there. Its simple and open-source format has a small but devoted following.
Choosing this option is a good choice if you want a content management system customized for your company. Even if you’re not familiar with technology, people may find a website created with a professional template to be appealing.
The software is simple to use and has a lot of integrations without requiring any extras you don’t want.
Pricing:
Bolt CMS offers Free service.
9. CEOpress
CEOs, entrepreneurs, startups, and business owners are the only people who can use CEOpress as a blogging platform. Business blogging through most media is possible, but few are exclusively for it.
CEOpress is a blogging platform not limited to individuals, making it much more suitable for starting a business blog. This can be accomplished but with a lot more effort.
When you have your platform with a specific audience, it is much easier to get noticed and grow your blog. When you start a business blog through most media, your target audience will likely be more comprehensive, and you will have a more challenging time growing your blog.
Pricing:
CEOpress offers Free service.
10. Medium
A Medium Corporation owns Evan Williams’s American online publishing platform, Medium. It was introduced in August 2012.
It is becoming increasingly common to use the term ‘medium’. It primarily functions as a blogging platform but has several other functions. It was created by the owner, who also made Blogger Blogger and Twitter. It has upgraded functionality through WordPress.
Pricing:
It’s free.
Conclusion
Blogging platforms are tools used by people to write content for a website. The best blogging platform can help you start your blog and make it grow.
The following are the top 10 blogging platforms for 2022, as selected by the team at Small Business Trends. The best blogging platforms differ, so you should research and look for the features you need when choosing a platform. Best of all, these platforms are constantly improving, so check back often.
Great suggestions offered here! Finding the right blogging platform ultimately comes down to factors including user-friendliness, SEO benefits, and interactivity with different widgets.