Hey there, future bloggers! Are you on the hunt for the best blog sites?
Thanks to various blog sites available at your fingertips, sharing your thoughts, stories, and ideas with the world has never been easier.
However, choosing the right blog site can be overwhelming, but don’t worry; I am here to guide you through it step by step.
In this post, we will explore some of the most popular and user-friendly blog sites that can help you kickstart your blogging journey.
From sites that are super easy for beginners to those packed with advanced features for the pros, I’ve got you covered.
Here’s a table of contents to easily navigate to the blog site that interests you the most:
Best Blog Sites
Self Hosted WordPress
Web.com
HubSpot CMS Hub
Wix
Gator by HostGator
WordPress.com
Blogger
Tumblr
Medium
Squarespace
Ghost
Weebly
But first, let’s look at a few of the qualities you should look for in blog sites.
Choosing the best blog site is important. That’s because it might be difficult to make changes or migrate your blog to another platform down the road.
Here are a few things to consider before you choose the best blogging site for your goals:
There are lots of reasons people are searching for the best blogging website, such as:
Demonstrating their authority in a certain niche
Driving passive income
Sharing memories or thoughts with friends and family
Keeping an ongoing journal
And much more…
But your goal will have a major impact on the blog site you choose. If you eventually want to monetize your writing, then you’ll want a blog site with lots of integrations for your favorite marketing tools.
This would be something like WordPress.org that gives you tons of plugins to turn your blog into a business.
If you’re just playing around, though, then a more minimalistic blog sites like Blogger will work just fine for you.
You’ll want a blog site that’s easy to set up, maintain, and doesn’t require any coding skills.
Think about not only where you are right now, but where you may need your blog to take you in the future. As your blog grows and gains more traffic, you might want to change up the look or add features that will dazzle your audience.
You need a blog site that makes this easy and doesn’t require you to hire a developer to get started.
Like I mentioned earlier, if you think you might ever want to try to monetize your blog, pick a blog site that sets you up for success. The same blog could make millions from one platform or gather cobwebs from another.
Make sure you choose a blogging site that helps you monetize all your hard work.
Now that we know what we would be looking for in blog sites, let’s turn our attention to the best blog sites that you can use to start writing today.
Now let’s look at the best blog sites I found for you to start your blog today. All you need to do is pick the one that suits your goals best.
WordPress powers more than 40% of all websites on the internet. Yeah, it’s popular, and some of the best blog websites in the world are built on WordPress.
It’s a self-hosted platform, so you’ll need to get hosting with a managed WordPress hosting provider. It also means that you have to manage your own backups and security.
Also check out: Best Managed WordPress Hosting Services
WordPress is ridiculously extendable, with over 55,000 plugins that let you add features like image galleries, paid memberships, forums, contact forms, and more.
Also check out: Best WordPress Plugins
WordPress is one of the best blog sites if you want to have control over every aspect of your site. There are thousands of free themes for WordPress, allowing you to create a gorgeous site layout in minutes.
WordPress is also search engine friendly. This means that it’s a breeze to create SEO-friendly URLs, tags, and categories for your posts. Plus, tons of plugins like MonsterInsights make it easy to connect to Google Analytics to track and optimize your site’s performance.
Most web hosts have a 1-click option to install WordPress, so it’s really easy to get started.
Pricing:
WordPress is an open-source platform and one of the best free blog sites, but you’ll need to pay for hosting (we recommend BlueHost) and a domain name (included with BlueHost hosting).
Web.com is an easy-to-use AI website builder for beginners, and you can quickly start a blog at a very low price.
With features like drag and drop AI builder, AI writer and expert support, you can start your blogging journey very quickly.
You don’t need any technical knowledge to use the drag and drop builder. Simply drag features like photo galleries, videos, social media buttons, testimonial sliders, contact forms, and more and drop them onto your page.
You can also use Web.com’s ready-made website templates to give your blog a professional look instantly. The templates are 100% mobile-friendly, so you can ensure your blog looks great on all devices.
Want to add an online store to your blog? With Web.com’s eCommerce tool, you can add up to 50 products, securely accept credit card payments online, manage your orders, offer discounts, and more.
All Web.com plans come with a free domain name, business email address, SEO tools, website analytics, and other essential website tools.
Pricing:
The starter Website plan starts at only $4.95/month.
You can upgrade to the Website + Marketing plan to get added social media and email marketing tools starting at $7.95/month. And the online store plan starts at $13.95/month.
There’s no better choice for businesses and marketers than HubSpot’s CMS Hub. This content management system was designed to deliver fast, responsive web design for teams with limited IT capabilities.
HubSpot offers an easy-to-use drag and drop website editor that lets you design forms, pop-ups, and CTAs with your branding in minutes. The built-in SEO tools will guide you towards changes that improve organic traffic, and the website analytics help track performance.
The CMS Hub has advanced features like live chat, chatbots, email marketing, and shared inboxes. Mobile designs are also responsive and easy to test out.
HubSpot’s security features, like standard SSL certification, global DSN, and 24/7 security monitoring, are the real stars here. Unlike self-hosted WordPress sites, where you have to take care of security yourself, HubSpot takes out the guesswork, so you can rest easy knowing your website is safe.
Pricing:
HubSpot CMS Hub plans start from $25/month. That includes hosting at 99.99% measured uptime, tech support, and dozens of functions usually only available as premium plugins.
While there’s no free CMS option, there is a 14-day free trial, and you can try some of HubSpot’s other business or marketing tools for free.
Wix is a hosted website platform that is a great solution for small businesses. You can also add a blog to your website with Wix Blog app.
Building your site with Wix is easy using its drag and drop tools. Plus, the site has customization options with dozens of templates and 3rd-party apps.
Wix offers a free account that includes a Wix subdomain (username.wixsite.com/example); it’s limited in features and shows Wix branding and ads on your site.
Take note, once you choose a template with Wix you can’t change it.
Pricing:
Free plan available. Add a custom domain for $4.50/month. Paid plans start at $8.50/month and go up to $24.50/month.
Also check out: Wix Email Capture: 5 Ways to Grow Your Email List.
Gator is a site builder and blogging platform from HostGator, a popular web hosting company. Gator includes a drag and drop editor you can use to build blogs, eCommerce stores, and business sites.
The great thing about using Gator by HostGator to build and host your site is that backups, performance, and security are all handled by HostGator. So, you don’t have to worry about it!
Plus, it comes with a free domain and SSL certificate with all plans.
Gator doesn’t offer free accounts and eCommerce features are restricted to higher-end plans, but there is a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Pricing:
The Starter plan is $3.84/month and comes with everything you need to start a successful blog.
WordPress.com is a simple and easy to use blog hosting service offered by Automattic (the folks that created WordPress.org). You can create a basic WordPress blog and add limited plugins. If you need a custom domain name, more storage, or other services, you’ll have to purchase them separately.
This is a free option if you don’t mind having a WordPress.com subdomain (example.wordpress.com).
Pricing:
A basic WordPress.com account is free, but it’ll have WordPress branding and ads. Paid plans start at $4/month (billed yearly).
Blogger is Google’s free blogging service, and it’s a quick, easy way for non-tech folks to start a blog. Plus, it’s been around forever, since 1999!
While Blogger is free, you’ll be limited to basic blogging tools, limited design options, and low-quality 3rd-party templates. If that doesn’t bother you, and you’re only looking for a simple blog site, then you’ll be building your blog on Google’s reliable and secure platform.
Pricing:
Blogger is one of the oldest free blog sites with a Blogspot subdomain (example.blogspot.com). If you want a custom domain, you’ll need to buy one.
Tumblr is a social media-meets-blogging platform. You can do cool things like reblogging and sharing, just to name a couple.
Tumblr is free with a Tumblr subdomain (example.tumblr.com), but you can also connect a custom domain name you’ve purchased.
This is what is commonly called a “microblogging tool.” It makes blogging videos, images, audio, and GIFs easy.
Pricing:
Tumblr too is one the free blog sites in this article. You can purchase and use a custom domain and 3rd-party themes and apps.
Medium is an online community of writers, bloggers, and journalists. The platform is easy to use and has limited social networking features.
After signing up for Medium, you’ll have your own profile address (medium.com/yourusername), but you can’t use your own domain.
Since you won’t be hosting your blog on your own site, you don’t own your audience; Medium does. If you lose your blog for some reason, you can say “buh-bye” to all your followers.
However, not running your own website might appeal to some since it lets you focus on writing instead of everything that goes with having a site.
Pricing:
You can create blog sites on Medium for free.
Squarespace is one of the best website builders around. With it, you can create stunning sites easily using its drag and drop tools. Squarespace has many professionally designed templates and works great for small businesses and beginners who aren’t super tech-savvy.
On the downside, Squarespace is a proprietary platform, so you’re limited to the built-in features. And, while there are integrations, they’re limited to a few services and tools.
Pricing:
Pricing for the Personal website plan starts at $16/month (annually). Business plan pricing starts at $23/month (annually).
If you want to set up your eCommerce store with Squarespace, pricing starts at $27/month and goes up to $49/month.
Ghost is continually evolving to meet the needs of modern publishers, focusing on ease of use, flexibility, and the ability to monetize content effectively.
If you’re considering Ghost for your publishing needs, it seems to offer a robust set of features designed to support creators, publishers, and businesses in building and growing their online presence.
Pricing:
Ghost’s managed hosting offers plans ranging from $9/month for 500 members to $199/month for 10,000 members, with features scaling from basic integrations to advanced domain configurations and priority support, billed annually.
Weebly has an easy-to-use drag and drop builder that makes it really easy to build the website you want. And, all plans come with a free SSL certificate.
You can easily add a blog to your Weebly site as well as integrate an eCommerce storefront.
Despite its ease of use, Weebly has limited built-in functions and limited integration with 3rd-party platforms. Plus, it’s hard to export Weebly to another platform should you decide to leave.
Pricing:
Weebly’s pricing spans from a free basic plan to the Performance plan at $26/month, catering to a range of needs from simple websites to advanced eCommerce solutions, all billed annually for added savings.
And that’s it! These have been the best blog sites you can use to create, maintain, and earn money from your blog.
I hope you are now equipped with all the knowledge you need to choose the best blog site that resonates with your style and goals.
Before we end this article, I quickly wanted to mention a problem that every blogger eventually faces: getting more readers and subscribers.
For that, you’ll want to use a tool like OptinMonster:
OptinMonster is the #1 lead generation software in the world, and it’s the perfect marketing tool to help bloggers grow their audience.
OptinMonster lets you build stunning campaigns for your blog site like popups, floating bars, fullscreen welcome mats, and more.
These campaigns include powerful calls to action to get your audience to engage with your brand and your content.
In just minutes, you can create beautiful campaigns that get your readers to subscribe to your blog. And you can personalize the content of your campaigns using the drag and drop builder to make sure you’re getting the highest conversion rates possible.
You can build everything without any coding experience or technical knowledge at all. If you can click, type, copy, and paste, then you can design professional-looking campaigns in minutes. Follow this step by step guide to create your first campaign with OptinMonster.
The best part about OptinMonster is its powerful targeting rules that let you display campaigns to the right people at the right time. You can target visitors based on their behavior, interests, and activity on your site.
For instance, you can use the Exit-Intent® rule to trigger a campaign right before a visitor leaves your site to get them to subscribe.
And with OptinMonster, you can monetize your blog or grow your subscriber list easily by locking premium content, and granting access to it only if a visitor signs up for a membership plan.
Still not convinced? Check out how RazorSocial increased conversions by 520% using content upgrades with OptinMonster.
Want to try it out? Click below to start your risk-free OptinMonster account today:
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Choose a Platform: Select a free blogging platform like WordPress.com, Blogger, or Medium.
Sign Up: Create an account with your chosen platform.
Pick a Template: Choose a design that suits your blog’s theme.
Customize: Adjust the layout and design to your preference.
Create Content: Write your first post, adding images or videos as needed.
Publish: Once satisfied, publish your post to make your blog live.
Select a Platform: WordPress.org for self-hosted blogs; WordPress.com, Squarespace, or Wix for hosted solutions.
Choose a Domain Name: Pick a unique name that reflects your blog’s content.
Get Hosting (for self-hosted blogs): Choose a reliable web hosting service.
Install Blogging Software: Many hosts offer easy WordPress installation.
Design Your Blog: Select a theme and customize it.
Write and Publish: Create engaging content and publish regularly.
Promote: Use social media, SEO, and other channels to attract readers.
WordPress.org for full control and customization.
Squarespace for design-focused bloggers.
Medium for writers seeking a built-in audience.
Blogger for simplicity and Google integration.
WordPress.com: Great for beginners with plenty of growth options.
Blogger: A Google product, easy to use with basic blogging needs.
Medium: Excellent for writers who prioritize content over customization.
Tumblr: Best for microblogging and a younger demographic.
WordPress.com is user-friendly, with extensive support and community forums.
Blogger offers simplicity and integration with Google’s ecosystem.
Wix provides drag-and-drop site building tools for those less tech-savvy.
Absolutely. Blogs remain a key component of online content strategies, offering a platform for detailed exploration of topics, SEO benefits, and personal or brand promotion. They adapt to changing digital trends, incorporating multimedia and social elements to stay engaging and relevant.
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The post The Best Blog Sites In 2024: Which Is Right For You? appeared first on OptinMonster.
