Best Sites to Start Your Own Blog + Tips for a Successful Blog

WordPress new blog entry

Blogging has been around pretty much since the introduction of the Internet, and has become increasingly popular over the last decade. Anyone can start their own blog and post about pretty much anything they want. When you’re looking to start your own blog, it can be overwhelming with the number of options for hosting sites and platforms to get started.

If you’re new to the world of blogging we’re here to help you find your way, and explain how to start a blog. We’ll be showing you six different sites you can use to make your own blog. If blogging is a totally new concept for you, don’t worry – we’re going to start by explaining what a blog is and why it’s a good idea to create one!

What is a blog and why should I start one?

A blog is an online text publication, generally written with a more relaxed, informal style. These pages are usually updated on a regular basis with new content. You can use a blog to write about things that interest you, to keep an online diary, and more; a great way to get your thoughts out there!

Many people have created successful blogs, and have been able to turn it into a career for themselves. Being a blogger can be a fun hobby, or a means of generating income. No matter what you’re looking to do with your blog, creating new posts is always a fun thing to do to pass time.

If this sounds like something you’d be into, check out our top 6 blog hosting website recommendations next.

Best 6 blogging websites 2017

1.      WordPress

WordPress logo
(www.wordpress.com)

One of the most popular blog hosting websites is WordPress. This site makes it super easy to start your own blog, whether you’re a beginner blogger or an expert. There are over 300 easy-to-use, premade themes you can choose from so you can change up the look of your blog whenever you like. Choose your own URL, name your website whatever you’d like, and create pages to categorize your posts according to their subject.

Draft and publish texts posts, include hyperlinks, photos, videos, and more. Use WordPress’ additional features to add comment sections, poll your readers, display media galleries, and more. With the WordPress mobile app, you can even do all these things when you’re on the go!

Download the App: iOS | Android

2. Blogger

Blogger logo
(www.blogger.com)

Blogger is another great website to create your own personal blog. Like WordPress, Blogger also offers premade template designs that you can customize with different background images and fonts. Choose a free .blogspot.com URL, or purchase a custom domain if you wish.  Incorporate Google AdSense if you want to earn money from hosting ads on your blog.

Use Blogger’s own analytics features to see where traffic on your site is coming from, or link your new blog to Google Analytics to see more information. Easily share text posts, pictures, videos and more through the Blogger platform.

Download the App: iOS | Android

3. Tumblr

Tumblr logo
(www.tumblr.com)

Tumblr is one of the easiest blogging sites to use, so it’s a great choice if you’re a beginner. Create your own .tumblr.com page for free, and start sharing whatever you like – written posts, links, pictures or videos, music, and more. Search for topics that interest you and follow other blogs you like.

With one Tumblr account, you can have multiple blog pages if you’d like to have separate pages for different interests. You can post your own content or share things you find on other blogs you follow if you’re not feeling particularly inspired. Tumblr makes it easy to keep your blog updated. Learn more with our free Tumblr course.

Download the App: iOS | Android

4. Wix

Wix logo
(www.wix.com)

Another very popular website building platform is Wix. This site is great for creating your own blog or any kind of website. The Wix system is really easy to use as well. You can use their premade templates, or design your own site with drag-and-drop elements and customize it however you’d like it to look.

Wix offers SEO (search engine optimization) tips to help you get more traffic on your site, and 24/7 customer support in case you ever need help. Millions of people already use and love Wix, and you can get started now too! Head over to our Wix tutorials for guidance.

Download the App: iOS | Android

5. Squarespace

Squarespace logo
(www.squarespace.com)

Squarespace is another great site to start your own blog. Like Wix, you can also use Squarespace as a website builder. You can create a professional-looking page for your blog within minutes, and post whatever kind of content you’d like to share.

Grow your blog’s following with Squarespace’s marketing tools. They’ll help you make adjustments to your site so it will appear higher up in search results, show you how to share your blog posts across your various social media accounts, and even gather information from your readers to send out newsletters and updates.

Download the App: iOS | Android

6. Weebly

Weebly logo
(www.weebly.com)

Last but certainly not least of our recommended blog websites is Weebly. With Weebly you can easily create a web page for your blog, a professional portfolio, online store, business website, and more. Choose a theme to suit your personality, and customize it with simple drag and drop controls.

Like Squarespace, Weebly has built-in marketing tools to help you grow your blog’s following, and with the Weebly mobile app you can easily write and publish blog posts or completely change up the look of your blog. To get started with Weebly, head over to our course here.

Download the App: iOS | Android

Those are all of our favorite sites for blogging and some of the most popular ones that millions of people are using in 2017. Now that we’ve covered what sites we recommend using to make a blog, let’s talk about a few things you should do to ensure the success of your new blog!

Top 4 tips for a successful blog

1. Choose a cool domain name that people will want to click on.

When deciding on the name of your blog and creating your custom URL (as you can with all of the sites we’ve recommended), choose something that you think will entice readers to click on your site. You can choose anything you want, as long as it’s not already being used by someone else. So get creative, and make it unique!

2. Customize your blog design and layout to look exactly how you want it!

Change up fonts, colors, or backgrounds. Try out a new premade theme and see how you like it. It’s your blog, so design it to suit your own taste and style. You could even change up small things such as font colors and background images seasonally to keep it interesting. Part of the fun of having a blog is designing it so your posts appear just how you want them.

Blog templates

3. Post about the same general topics to give your blog a cohesive theme.

Whether you’re interested in makeup, cooking, crafting, or another hobby, keep your blog centred around one general theme. This can be anything you want, but most people will be searching for blogs based on their subject, so having a blog that’s all over the place in terms of topics may be a little much for some readers.

However, if you want a place to write about anything and everything, then hey, that’s totally ok too! You could also create various tabs or pages to categorize different themes of posts if you wanted to.

4. Publish new blog posts regularly. Or even better yet, create a set schedule for posting.

In order to be successful, you’ll need to keep up with bringing out new content for your readers to enjoy on a regular basis. Whether it’s posting a new blog post update once a week or every day, it’s a good idea to keep to a schedule and let your readers know when they can expect to see a new post from you. Decide on a posting schedule that fits your lifestyle and try your best to stick to it.

Calendar

 

Okay bloggers, you’re all ready to get started creating your new blog site! No matter which of the sites you choose to host your blog, we wish you the best of luck with your blogging endeavours. Armed with our guide to making a successful blog, you’re sure to do great!

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