People always have a lot on their minds that they don’t tell. Opinions, criticism, praise, or delight tend not to tell the world how we feel about the things that matter to us the most. If you like to journal such feelings and emotions in a personal diary along with other experiences throughout the day, you might want to consider starting a blog.
To understand how to construct a top-notch blog website, you will need to know some essential basics, such as what a blog is and the different platforms to host a blog website.
What is a Blog?
A blog is an online diary, a log of your everyday life. Initially, people used a blog website as a means to express their emotions. Soon they had the option to interact with their readers on the blog website, opening the door to establishing entire communities of people with shared interests. With increased traffic, bloggers soon began to monetize their blog website by hosting ads, marketing products, and converting it into a mini marketplace.
The definition of a blog website has changed drastically from what it was initially conceived to be. Today a blog website is a channel to help people solve problems, build their community, and make a difference.
5 Best Blogging Platforms to Start a Blog
Before you start a blog, you need to choose the best platform to host the blog website. The platform you choose to host your blog website can be crucial in making your blog page the best in the business. Here are the five best blog website hosting platforms that you should check out right now.
1. Strikingly
Strikingly is one of the best website builders when it comes to personal and blog websites. The ease of use and simplicity makes it ideal for people with small businesses and personal portfolio websites. You can even add the Simple Store feature to start attaching and selling products through your website. Starting a blog is the easiest and fun on Strikingly. There are pre-built templates that let you build the blog page of your dreams.
Pros:
- Simple to create and use as all you need to do is add the right section
- Range of customization options at a click of a button
- Intuitive user interface and eye-catching design
Cons:
- Limited plugin integration
2. WordPress
WordPress is currently one of the best blogging platforms. The most important feature of WordPress is that you get access to thousands of plugins that allow you to customize your blog in various ways. You can add contact forms, email forms, social media buttons, and so much more.
Pros:
- You control your blog design
- Unlimited, customizable options with plugins and themes to personalize your blog
- A good amount of resources for beginners using the platform
- You can integrate other software into your blog with ease
Cons:
- Not as simple as some other blogging websites on this list
- No added assistance for security and backups
Price: The best thing about WordPress is the price, which can go as low as $2.75/month but varies depending on the blog host you choose.
You will have far more blogging tools to choose from if you choose WordPress.
WordPress is the best value for money for most customization options (including themes, plugins, and other software integrations).
3. Wix
Famous for its drag-and-drop software, building a blog website on Wix is incredibly user-friendly with a much smaller learning curve.
Like WordPress, the free version is limited in the features that it provides when compared to the paid version. You also have ads with the free version that you might want to avoid.
Pros:
- User interface is easy to use with the drag-and-drop option
- Faster learning curve when building your site
Cons:
- Limited options for themes and third-party plugins
- Added cost for installing extra features on the blog website
- Free version comes with a lot of ads
- Cannot upgrade into an ecommerce store
Price: There is a free version, but if you want the best experience, you will have to subscribe to a plan that starts at $11/month and up.
Though Wix is simpler to use, it might not be the best option when it comes to cost. Even the options to customize are quite limited than on other blog website platforms.
Getting started with Wix is easy, but you will ultimately hit roadblocks in your growth due to the limitations of plugins and other software integrations.
4. Blogger
Unlike other entries in this list, blogger is a website hosting platform that caters exclusively to a blog website. It is also completely free as Google owns Blogger.
Pros:
- Direct Google AdSense integration that lets you earn ad revenue
- Integrated with Google Analytics to track stats on your site
- No charges to host your blog website
Cons:
- Limited access to third-party software and plugins
- Outdated software that isn’t very reliable.
- Difficult to monetize your blog website as there are no paid hosting options
- Cannot have your domain name (your blog name will have “.blogspot.com” in the URL)
5. Medium
An odd-ball in this list, Medium is more of a community than an individual blog website. Here writers and bloggers from various areas come together and share their thoughts and experiences.
Pros:
- Best for beginners as they can connect to others and build a network
- Easy and straightforward to build a blog website
- Free of cost
- Although a simple website is easy to start and set up on Medium, it is not suitable for anyone who wants to start an online business.
Cons:
- Cannot put up ads on your site
- Cannot build an email list as it has limited features
- You do not own your audience as you don’t own any of these sources of traffic on your blog website
So, that was the five best platforms that you can create a blog website. But if you are still finding it challenging to decide what platform to build your blog website on, check out some blog website examples on Strikingly. It will give you an idea of how to bring your blog website to life.
5 Blog Websites Hosted on Strikingly
Numerous websites are either full-fledged blog sites or have a blog page within the website. We have chosen some of the best hosted on Strikingly, hoping that it will help your cause.
1. Dad with Kids
Image taken from Strikingly’s user website
A blog website can be about anything you want it to be. Dad with Kids is the best example here. Michael, a father of three beautiful children, understood the difficulty men go through while raising a child. Hence he began documenting his journey on a Strikingly blog page that he used to tell people about parenting. It helped other people and allowed new fathers to talk about their problems and get practical solutions for them. Today the blog website is a beacon for both parents in their journey to raise ideal children.
2. A Foolish Little Dream
Image taken from Strikingly’s user website
A Foolish Little Dream is the brainchild of naturalist and environmental peacemaker Su Li. Her 187-acre pesticide-free land is full of lush trees and plantations surrounded by lakes and streams. She built the place from scratch piecing together every small hut, rainwater harvesting, vegetable farming, and poultry. Her website, built on Strikingly, tells you the entire story of the world she has created for herself. Her blog page narrates her journey and accounts for her daily activities. Her blog has inspired her to replicate her activities in their own homes and teach living in harmony with nature.
3. Michael Seibel
Image taken from Strikingly’s user website
Michael Seibel is the current group partner of Y Combinator, who has built a career in finance. Over the years, he gained knowledge and experience co-founding several organizations, of which he was an active part. His website on Strikingly is not just a blog website but a gallery of his life’s journey where he proudly displays his achievements. His blog page is primarily essays on various topics such as building a start-up, managing the finances, the different challenges you might encounter in a start-up, etc. This is an excellent example of a website that incorporates a blog to reach more people.
4. Pretty Olive Interiors
Image taken from Strikingly’s user website
Pretty Olive Interiors is a home decor website that provides the best interior design ideas. The brainchild of LeAnne, Pretty Olive Interiors is an E-design firm that helps you create the personal living space of your dreams. This website is an excellent example of how a dedicated blog section can enhance your site’s visibility online. Their blog page contains valuable information on new design trends, homemade DIY design tips, interior space remodeling, etc. The blog website helps people gain value and converts them into loyal followers who someday will make a purchase.
Image taken from Strikingly’s user website
Pupitre is a great example of a product utilizing a blog website to connect to its audiences. Pupitre is a one-of-a-kind standing desk that allows you to work while you stand. Being a novice product, Pupitre needed to reach many people in the best way possible. They created a blog website on Strikingly and put together stories and articles about the need for standing desks. Slowly the audience began to catch on, and it soon became a hit among techies and laptop users.
You might not feel that you are the writer type, or maintaining a blog is not your thing. All you need to do is start. Give it a shot, and you never know the wonders it can work for you, just like the Strikingly examples we just showed you. Whether you have a business or a personal hobby, owning a blog website gives you a platform to catapult your identity. And with Strikingly by your side, you can build the best blog website the world has ever seen.
