Best Blogging Platforms Of 2024

What is the Blogging Platform?

A blogging platform is a software or service used to manage and publish content on the internet in the form of blogs. A blog—short for weblog—records a user’s online posts, usually in reverse chronological order.

The blogging platform allows users to create, organize, and publish written and visual content online on blogs.

The basic thing distinguishing blogs from other websites is that the content published on the blog is displayed in reverse chronological order, meaning that the most frequent additions to the website are displayed first.

Let’s follow SiSu Freedom to choose the best blogging platform for you in this article.

How Blogging Platforms Work

Blogging platforms empower users to publish posts, showcasing the publication date and attributing a specific author to each post. These software applications or web-based services also provide the option to categorize content, facilitating easy retrieval of posts on specific topics within the blog. Users can further enhance search capabilities by tagging posts with multiple keywords.

Historically, the tools for constructing a website differed significantly from those used for a blog. However, contemporary solutions exhibit substantial convergence. Whether utilizing a website builder or a blogging content management system (CMS), such as WordPress, users can seamlessly create both standard web pages and blog-type pages.

The prevalent approach adopted by many websites today involves employing a blog-based CMS (e.g., WordPress). This facilitates the generation of static pages for the website while concurrently supporting a dynamic blog that can be regularly updated.

How to Choose a Blogging Platform

For numerous individuals, the selection of a blogging platform often commences with cost considerations. Several top-notch blog software options come without a price tag. Hence, it is advisable to examine the plans provided by each platform and the number of tiers available. Subsequently, delve into their core and distinctive features, with a particular focus on assessing the inherent value of out-of-the-box features as opposed to additional add-ons.

However, the extent of your willingness and capacity to pay is merely the initial among numerous crucial decisions. Let’s explore additional features that may be essential for your blog, aiding in the comparison of various blogging platforms.

Themes and Templates

Themes and templates offer a quick and easy way to personalize your blog. When evaluating various blogging platforms, examine their assortment of themes and templates.

Consider the following:

• Do they provide a diverse range of templates specifically tailored for blogging?
• Is there a mix of free and premium templates and themes available?
• Are you able to modify the themes and templates to achieve a truly customized appearance for your site?
• Do you prefer creating your blog from scratch rather than using a pre-designed theme?

These questions serve as a guide to selecting a platform that aligns with your design preferences and customization requirements.

While it’s tempting to be drawn to a blog theme and start building your blog immediately, especially if you’re enamored with a particular design, it’s essential to remember that, especially for business blogging, considerations go beyond aesthetics.

Content Editor

The content editor stands as the heart of any blogging platform. As a blogger, your interaction with this editor could be a daily occurrence, so it’s crucial to choose a platform with an editor that suits your preferences.

Consider the ease of use; you should be able to set up a blog swiftly and commence content creation seamlessly. Assess the functionality and flexibility of the tool by experimenting with a comprehensive blog draft. Include elements like internal links, videos, and various images—anything you envision incorporating into your final blog.

As you compare platforms, you might find yourself getting into the details. It can be beneficial to categorize your list of desired features into must-haves and nice-to-haves. For instance, your editor must-have features like drag-and-drop functionality and an auto-save option, while it would be a nice addition to have the ability to preview how your post appears on different devices.

Finding the Best Blogging Platform for SEO

Another crucial aspect to consider is how well a blogging platform’s features align with your objectives and requirements. For instance, if enhancing your visibility in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is a priority, you’ll require a platform equipped with integrated SEO tools.

Effectively optimizing your content for search engines is vital for driving traffic to your blog. According to a study by Backlinko, websites featured on the first SERP in Google receive 30% of all clicks for a given keyword or phrase.

It is widely acknowledged that blogging can enhance SEO when it serves as a valuable resource for your audience. However, mastering SEO can be time-consuming, especially for those embarking on their content marketing journey.

On-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO are all pivotal strategies that demand time and dedication to comprehend and implement effectively.

SEO Features and Tools

To secure a spot on the coveted first page, it’s preferable to opt for a platform equipped with integrated tools facilitating content optimization.

Numerous blogging platforms provide plugins or add-ons designed to assist with SEO. However, the utility of these features depends on your existing knowledge. For instance, certain platforms aid in constructing a site map or managing blog URLs.

Given that many SEO techniques involve repetitive and detailed processes, having a blog platform that prompts you to optimize for search during each blog creation is advantageous. For instance, HubSpot SEO software offers on-page suggestions, such as reminding you to include alt text for blog images.

In cases where a platform lacks such advanced features, it’s worth exploring the option of installing a third-party SEO tool. Alternatively, one must familiarize themselves with SEO best practices and ensure their integration into the blog manually.

Extensions and Integrations

No blogging platform can offer every feature every blogger wants right out of the box. Additionally, as your audience expands or your strategy evolves, your blogging requirements and goals will likely change.

Therefore, it is important to choose a blogging platform that supports extensions or integrates seamlessly with third-party tools. Platforms equipped with a range of applications provide the flexibility needed to grow and adapt over time. This ensures that you won’t find yourself forced to switch to a more flexible alternative in the future.

Now that you know some of the key features to consider in your selection process, let SiSu Freedom explore some of the top blogging platforms available on the market.

The Best Blogging Platforms of 2024

1. WordPress: Best for Customization

Coming in first place on the list is the familiar name “WordPress”, which stands out as the optimal platform for bloggers looking for absolute control over their website. It operates as an open-source platform, allowing you to create a website or blog for free through WordPress.org, or you can choose a hosted WordPress.com website with a payment plan. To effectively monetize your blog in the traditional sense, having a self-hosted WordPress.org site is important, as most brands prefer to collaborate with bloggers who use this platform. alternatives like Wix or Squarespace.

The massive popularity of WordPress translates into a wealth of online resources to help you set up and use your blog. However, the extensive customization options it offers require a certain level of coding knowledge or the ability to follow technical instructions. This is because WordPress operates on a codebase that allows manipulation to tailor the look and functionality of your blog to your preferences.

For those who are uncomfortable with code editing or lack the time to learn, hiring developers or designers on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr is a viable solution. Some web hosts also offer WordPress support, depending on the plan level you choose and pay for.

Features:

• Versatility.
• Ease of use.
• Handling media.
• Swift installation and upgrades.
• WordPress language settings.
• Managing users.
• Operational simplicity.
• Effortless theme system.

2. Weebly: Best for E-Commerce Blogging

Coming in at number 2 on the list is Weebly, it is a great platform for bloggers who wish to set up an online store along with their blog. It is powered by Square, ensuring user-friendliness and offering a convenient mobile app. Weebly.com allows you to build a website or blog for free, with additional paid plans accessible.

To use a custom domain, choosing a paid plan is necessary. However, all plans, including the free option, incorporate e-commerce functions such as a shopping cart, unlimited items, Quick Shop, inventory management, coupon prices, and in-store pickup.

Features:

• Utilize the drag-and-drop editor to effortlessly rearrange elements, allowing Weebly to seamlessly position them in the perfect location.
• Access beginner-friendly templates, with a selection of over 50 designs that can be effortlessly customized and adjusted to suit your needs.
• Enjoy responsive themes that automatically optimize your site for mobile devices, ensuring a seamless experience for all users.
• Jumpstart your online store with the eCommerce feature, equipped with a multitude of features and customization options for a quick and efficient setup.
• Enhance your site with video backgrounds by easily integrating them into any element, adding a dynamic and engaging visual element.
• Implement a site search function, allowing visitors to effortlessly explore and find content on your site without any hassles.

3. Wix: Best for Drag and Drop

Coming in at number 3 is Wix, which stands out as a great platform specifically designed for bloggers looking for a simple and user-friendly experience with drag and drop functionality. Ideal for beginners, Wix.com allows you to set up a website or blog for free. Although free, Wix has limitations that may not be conducive to effective blogging. For example, Wix ads and the platform’s favicon appearing on every page and custom domains are not supported. Storage is limited to 500 MB and Google Analytics cannot be integrated.

To overcome these limitations and optimize your blogging experience, consider upgrading to an Unlimited plan or higher. Priced at $22 per month, the Unlimited plan offers valuable features like a custom domain (free for the first year), an ad-free environment, free SSL certificate, and 24-hour customer support /24. This upgrade ensures a more professional and streamlined approach to managing your blog, allowing you to focus on creating content instead of dealing with limitations.

Features:

• Dynamic Editor – Experience the seamless functionality of our Drag & Drop editor, making website layout a joyful and personalized experience according to your envisioned design.
• Diverse Templates – Choose from a selection of over 500 templates, easily customizable to meet the unique needs of any user.
• Speedy Performance – Enjoy the swift operation of the entire platform, effortlessly loading each element in the blink of an eye for a smooth user experience.
• Blog Management – Design and oversee your blog effortlessly using a simple and user-friendly dashboard.
• Tailored SEO Strategy – Take advantage of Wix’s expertise in crafting a personalized SEO plan, providing guidance on the fundamentals of optimizing your website for search engines.
• Wix ADI – Let artificial intelligence be your guide in navigating and optimizing various aspects of your site, ensuring a seamless and efficient development process.
• Mobile Optimization – Work on the mobile version of your website independently, ensuring optimal performance and user experience on various devices.
• Corvid by Wix – Elevate your site’s functionality by utilizing Wix’s open development platform, Corvid, to make improvements and customization.

4. Medium: Best for Its Built-In Audience

Coming in at number 4 is Medium, which is a platform that everyone can access to express and disseminate their stories and concepts globally. Using algorithms, Medium delivers uniquely engaging and thought-provoking content from a variety of backgrounds. Readers can tailor their experience by following specific topics or authors that interest them.

For writers, Medium provides tools to enhance article formatting and expand their readership. Medium articles vary in length and can be published anonymously or with a byline. Notably, Medium has transitioned from a similarity-based compensation model for writers to a system where readers are financially rewarded based on the total time spent reading articles.

Features:

• Free Plan Inclusions: Ensure the website builder’s free version covers key features like ample storage, bandwidth, customization, SSL, and mobile optimization. If lacking, it may necessitate a paid plan.
• Mobile-Friendly Design: Confirm the builder allows previewing and adjusting tablet and phone versions during editing and before publishing.
• SEO Optimization: Check for SEO features like lazy loading and image optimization to enhance user experience, search engine rankings, and loading speed.
• Loading Speed: Choose a builder that prioritizes fast loading by default, given its crucial impact on website success.
• Ease of Use: Opt for a user-friendly builder with features like drag-and-drop functionality or a grid system for easy website creation.
• Designer Templates: Look for a builder offering professionally designed templates for polished and time-saving website creation.
• 24/7 Customer Support: Ensure the builder provides round-the-clock customer support for any inquiries, supporting business success.

5. Drupal: Best for Developers

Ranked at number 5 on the list of Best Blogging Platforms is Drupal, functioning as a dynamic content management system that provides extensive opportunities for website creation and management—an ideal playground for developers. As open-source software, it is both free to download and use, operating under the GNU General Public License, affording the freedom to modify and distribute the software.

Fueled by community-driven initiatives, the platform boasts a thriving ecosystem of developers actively contributing to its evolution. Leveraging modules, akin to plugins introducing novel features or functionalities, Drupal empowers users to achieve virtually anything with their blog.

Tailored primarily for developers seeking to establish a personalized blog or website, Drupal offers substantial control over functionality, coupled with the benefits of utilizing open-source software.

Features:

• Mobile-Optimized Drupal 8:
  Developed with mobile experiences in mind, Drupal 8 offers modules and themes for mobile solutions. Responsive built-in themes and its framework make it a backend choice for mobile apps.
• Multilingual Excellence:
  Drupal 8 excels in multilingual support with an interface in numerous languages. Core modules facilitate seamless content translation and default language assignment.
• Platform Versatility:
  Drupal operates on various platforms, including Windows, IIS, and SQL Server, showcasing its platform independence.
• Flexible Taxonomy and Menus:
  Drupal 8’s dynamic taxonomy and menu system break free from traditional content hierarchies, allowing limitless content categorization and relationship control.
• Streamlined Workflow:
  Built-in workflow and moderation capabilities in Drupal 8 simplify content collaboration, enabling custom revision steps and approval workflows.
• Decoupled Drupal for Channels:
  Drupal 8’s decoupled CMS architecture separates backend and frontend, delivering content to any device or channel through APIs and web services.
• Unique Drupal Traits:
  Drupal’s open-source nature, absence of platform lock-in, and emphasis on API and integrations, including decoupling and headless capabilities, set it apart for various projects.

6. Squarespace: Best All-in-One Platform

Ranked at number 6 is Squarespace, a platform for website hosting and building, enabling the creation and editing of websites. Users benefit from a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, pre-designed templates, and continuous 24/7 customer support. Renowned for its stylish design and straightforward platform, Squarespace provides a range of templates for customization with your own content.

Squarespace extends its capabilities to e-commerce, offering integrated features like a shopping cart, product pages, and payment processing. With the added advantage of 24/7 customer support, Squarespace stands out as an excellent choice for those seeking an uncomplicated website builder with robust features.

Features:

1. Designs: Explore dozens of modern, minimalistic templates easily tailored to your preferences.
2. Rich Image Manager: Organize and add images effortlessly with the drag-and-drop builder. Edit images with simplicity.
3. Blogging: Efficiently design and manage your blog.
4. Commerce: Sell products via an online store or utilize Point of Sale. Manage subscriptions and other business needs.
5. Analytics: Access detailed analytics to track traffic, popular content, sales, and more.
6. Connected Services: Expand Squarespace by seamlessly connecting third-party services.
7. SEO: Squarespace provides everything for an SEO-ready site without the need for plugins.
8. Ad-Free: Choose to be ad-free unless you decide to monetize by placing your own ads.
9. Support: Benefit from fast and friendly customer support.

7. CMS Hub: Best for Marketers

Coming in at number 7 is CMS Hub, made by HubSpot, which is a content management system designed to simplify creating, publishing, and managing website content for businesses. With a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, CMS Hub facilitates the easy creation and updating of websites, accompanied by a suite of tools for effective content management.

Furthermore, CMS Hub integrates seamlessly with other HubSpot products such as Sales Hub and Service Hub, helping businesses streamline their sales and customer service processes. Starting at $20 per month, plans offer additional features like dynamic themes, memberships, and personalized pages for each visitor.

Marketers find CMS Hub especially beneficial thanks to its adaptive testing feature, which allows for the creation of up to five variations of a page before HubSpot identifies and delivers the best-performing variation.

Features:

• Effortless Page Editing: Easily edit your pages with simplicity.
• SEO Guidance: Receive recommendations for optimizing your website for search engines.
• Content Personalization: Tailor and personalize your content to enhance user experience.
• Fast and Secure Website Construction: Construct a website that is both swift and secure.
• Continuous Improvement via A/B Testing: Enhance your website continually through A/B testing.
• Effective CTAs and Forms: Implement compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) and user-friendly forms.

8. Blogger: Best for Lifestyle Bloggers

Coming in at number 8 on the list is Blogger, a free platform designed specifically for new bloggers, which may lack some advanced content management features but stands out for having more features compared to other free blogging platforms. This makes Blogger an ideal choice for individuals interested in blogging as a hobby.

Blogger’s significant advantage lies in the simplicity of creating and customizing a relatively basic blog. To get started, simply create a Google account, choose a template, and start publishing. While you can buy a custom domain, optimize your SEO settings, link your blog to Google Analytics, enhance posts with Adsense, and even edit HTML and CSS, the platform still has limitations beyond that. these possibilities.

Features:

• User-Friendly: Ideal for beginners, Blogger features an intuitive admin dashboard and an Advanced Editor for easy customization.
• Mobile Responsiveness: With built-in mobile interface support, Blogger caters to mobile users effectively.
• SEO-Friendly: Backed by Google, Blogger ensures SEO-friendly practices and integration with Google Plus.
• Speed and Efficiency: Blogger offers swift operations with one-click functionalities, supported by Google hosting.
• Stability: Boasting zero downtime, Blogger ensures a stable platform for uninterrupted website performance.
• Security: Protected by Google, Blogger provides a secure environment with a spam filter system.
• Monetization: Integrated with Adsense and Google Affiliate Network, Blogger offers avenues for monetization.
• Cost-Effective: Blogger provides a range of free resources and affordable premium options.
• 24/7 Support: Extensive documentation and support websites by Google ensure assistance for Blogger users.

9. Contently: Best for Enterprises

Closing the list is Contently, a formidable blogging platform tailored for enterprise-level companies with substantial budgets and limited in-house editorial resources. Garnering an impressive 4.5/5 G2 rating from over 80 reviews, Contently offers a powerful solution.

Within Contently’s unified platform, you can efficiently manage your entire content creation process. Noteworthy features include a customizable production calendar for visualizing editorial strategy and a tagging tool for organizing blog posts. The platform enhances collaboration through advanced workflow tools, and if necessary, Contently’s vetted freelancers can be enlisted for content creation.

Prior to publication, Contently’s intelligent content review tools ensure brand alignment, search engine optimization, and adherence to legal standards. To refine your content strategy, Contently offers insights by comparing performance to industry benchmarks, quantifying ROI, and measuring performance based on topic, format, and source—all conveniently accessible in your dashboard.

Features:

• Strategize Your Content Program: Develop a flawless plan for your content strategy.
• Craft Exceptional, Personalized Content: Create compelling and tailored content experiences.
• Connect with Prospects and Customers: Foster engagement with your target audience.
• Fine-Tune Your Content Marketing: Optimize and refine your content marketing approaches.
• Assemble Your Creative Dream Team: Build a team that brings your creative vision to life.
• Utilize Advanced Audience Insights: Harness sophisticated insights into your target audience.
• Conduct Competitive White Space Analysis: Analyze and identify opportunities within your competitive landscape.
• SEO-Driven Ideation: Generate ideas with a focus on SEO strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best blogging platform for beginners?

For beginners, SiSu Freedom suggests utilizing a platform like Wix or Squarespace. These options don’t demand coding expertise and offer a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, simplifying the website creation process.

What is the best blogging platform for marketers?

We suggest considering CMS Hub or Medium. CMS Hub provides adaptive testing, allowing businesses to create and test various versions of web pages to determine the most effective one. Medium is ideal for businesses looking to share their stories and ideas with a broader audience.

What are some security measures to take for an online blog?

The key measure to safeguard your blogging website is to establish a secure, exclusive password known only to you and trusted individuals. Regularly changing the password is advisable. Ensure the site undergoes frequent backups, a task typically managed by your web host. Consider employing a domain privacy protection service to shield personal information. Opt for a post office box instead of disclosing your home mailing address and use an internet-based phone number instead of your personal one for added protection.

How do I post a blog for free?

Several free options are available for publishing a blog. You can create a blog under a free subdomain provided by platforms like Wix, Weebly, or WordPress.com. Alternatively, you can sign up on a social media platform like LinkedIn or Medium, establish a profile, and then utilize the platform’s publishing tools to publish your blog posts.

How often should I post a blog on my site?

The regularity of blog posts holds more significance than the frequency. It’s acceptable to publish a blog once a week or every few days, as long as you maintain consistency in your posting schedule. If you begin with frequent posts and then become inconsistent, you risk losing your audience swiftly. For those blogging to generate income, irregular posting can also result in a loss of revenue. Prior to starting a blog, ensure you are ready to commit to a consistent posting schedule.

Is there a difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?

WordPress.com and WordPress.org exhibit several distinctions, with the primary one being that WordPress.com is fully hosted, while WordPress.org is self-hosted.