You’ve come to the correct spot if you’re looking for a list of free blogging platforms. There are still a couple excellent possibilities as of the time this article was written. While free blogging sites won’t work for everyone, they can be an excellent choice if you’re searching for a place to publish your writing and don’t mind a lot of customisation or extra features (or you know how to add them yourself).
Free Blogging Platforms For Beginners
Let’s review some of the available free blogging platforms so you can select one that best suits your needs. Remember that you will typically have a subdomain from the primary website server where you intend to host your free blog unless you purchase your own domain for your blog.
Substack
Substack newsletters have been launched by several writers, and it’s a good free blogging alternative. In addition to a free trial, there is a paid subscription available, from which Substack will deduct running costs. Substack lets you import your emails and articles from another blog into their platform when setting it up.
Medium
Medium has grown in popularity as a blogging platform over time. Although you do not receive a personal website from Medium, you can begin writing a blog on their platform within minutes of creating an account.
Additionally, Medium offers an internal search function that allows users to locate your blog and posts, read them, and select to subscribe. If your site is performing well and getting enough traffic, Medium also offers a payout option.
Wix
If you wish to use a free blogging platform, Wix is a well-liked choice. If you do choose to expand your website with Wix and upgrade your domain, hosting, or website overall, you have easy payment choices available. You’ll be able to accept payments and perform other tasks by upgrading.
Because you can design the general layout of your website using drag-and-drop tools, Wix is simple to set up even if you have no prior technical experience.
WordPress
WordPress is a popular blogging platform used by both businesses and personal blogs. It is among the most effective choices for setting up a website. Remember that WordPress exists in two flavours: WordPress.com and WordPress.org, even though they are owned by the same parent company.
The alternative that provides free websites is the dot com website. You must install the dot org option on a website that you have paid for hosting, domain registration, and other related services.
WordPress.com offers fewer customization options for your website and design, but it does offer a selection of templates that are optimized for your free blog.
Drupal
Drupal may not be as well-known as some of the other blogging solutions on this list, but it can be the ideal solution for you if you don’t mind a small learning curve in technology.
It provides an open-source content management system that you can completely modify using code to make it into the exact solution you require. You can ignore this option if you don’t know much about coding or related topics, but for those who do, it might be just what you need.
Should You Use a Free or Paid Blogging Platform?
You’ll probably choose to create your own website (hosting, domain, template, etc.) or use a commercial platform if you want to take blogging seriously. Before deciding to commit anything more than time, though, utilizing a free blogging platform is a terrific way to see how things work.
You only need to write with some of the free blogging platforms from the aforementioned list because they already have a built-in design. For those lacking the technical know-how to create and manage their own website, that is a great assistance.
Cons of Free Blogging Platforms
The following are some reasons why you might wish to avoid using a free blogging platform.
-
Harder to monetize
Free blogs frequently offer less customization and monetization possibilities than paid blogs, making it more difficult to make money off of them.
-
May not be able to fully customize your site
It’s not always possible to install templates or website themes on a free blogging platform in order to completely personalize the appearance of your website.
- Possibly unable to accept payments
If accepting payments is something you require from a platform, make sure to double-check which free blogging platforms allow you to do so.
- You do not have a custom domain
When anything is free, it implies that you are using the platform’s domain rather than your own. Before beginning, see if the free alternatives allow you to upgrade to a custom domain if that’s important to you.
- Problems with search engines
Search engines will occasionally give websites with their own domain preference over those that exclusively use free platforms.
Is Blogging Still Worth It?
Even though social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok are currently ruling the content creation industry, beginning and keeping a blog still has a lot of advantages. To generate an extra source of income is one of the reasons. Indeed, some blogs bring in money and support writers full-time.
But blogs are also helpful for practising writing and for establishing a space for you to express yourself. Writing in public can help you improve as a writer if you practice frequently. Starting a blog to serve as a platform or portfolio to get writing gigs is another motivation to do so. When you have something high-quality for clients and newspapers to see, it raises your chances of obtaining the job.
Conclusion
With so many free blogging platforms available for novices, the world of blogging is now more accessible than it has ever been. These platforms, which vary from Squarespace and Wix to WordPress.com and Blogger, provide a variety of features and functionality to suit different demands and ability levels. Aspiring bloggers can create an online presence, try their hand at creating content, and hone their craft without having to commit a sizable sum of money by making use of these free resources.
As you begin your blogging adventure, keep in mind that the secret to success is to regularly create valuable, high-quality content, interact with your audience, and never stop learning and growing. Utilize the free blogging platforms highlighted in this article to kickstart your path to online success, and let your voice and ideas shine through. With the right platform and a dedicated approach, you can turn your blogging dreams into a reality.