What is a blogging platform?
Definition
History
The first ever blogging platform, Links.net, was created by Justin Hall in 1994. Justin was a Swarthmore College student at the time, and he used his blog, or rather a personal web page, to share his thoughts and daily life observations with the world.
It was not until 1997 that the term “weblog” was used to describe those online diaries. The name was brought to life by John Barger, who was one of the first bloggers and the creator and editor of Robot Wisdom, one of the first influential blogs of that time. In 1999, the term was shortened to “blog” by programmer Peter Merholz.
One of the first and most popular blogging platforms was Open Diary. It was launched by Bruce Ableson in 1998 and served as an online journal community where people could read each other’s diaries and leave comments.
In 1999, several powerful blogging platforms launched, all of which are still operating today. They include the famous Blogger, founded by the company Pyra Labs, LiveJournal, founded by Brad Fitzpatrick, and Xanga, founded by Marc Ginsburg, Dan Huddle, and John Hiller.
In the early 2000s, more blogging platforms kept popping up, and that was the time when TypePad and the all-time giant, WordPress, came to life, both launched in 2003.
The mid-2000s marked the time when blogging platforms finally became mainstream. Political blogs were on the rise, among many other different types of blogs, including video blogs. In 2007, Tumblr was launched, followed by Posterous in 2008. In 2012, Evan Williams founded Medium, which is one of the newest blogging platforms that seems to be getting continuous momentum.
How to choose a blogging platform
- Pricing. One of the most common questions – “How much does it cost?”. It’s essential to know how much you will have to pay for a blogging platform and it’s also important to know what will you get for your money.
- Type. There are different types of solutions. They all designed for the end user to be able to create a blog, but it’s important for you to understand what’s available. They are: free (hosted), self-hosted, freemium, premium, blog website builders. We will describe the difference between them later.
- Ease of use. New bloggers need an easy to use solution that they can handle without any technical skills, learning web development or web design. Once the software is set up, it has to be easy to manage.
- Features. You need to make sure that the platform you pick is feature-rich. You might not need them at the beginning or not use them at all, but you have to make sure that platform gives you the ability to customize or change your blog completely if required.
- Administration. The back end or admin area is where you will do changes to your blog, write content, make design and layout changes. Make sure that the admin area is available, accessible and easy to navigate.
- Restrictions. Do your research, read the “Terms of use” or “Terms of services”. Make sure software doesn’t have any hidden rules that you must follow. Check if there are no restrictions when it comes to monetization practices, such as placing adds or partner links on your blog.
View CMS Comparison: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal [Infographic]
- you don’t have to have coding experience to handle most of the tasks related to creating and maintaining your blog.
- updates can be done within the WordPress dashboard with the click of a button.
- there is plenty of support for anything you need help with including customization, design, functionality, and maintenance.
- Free (hosted). To put it simply and to show you why this platform called “hosted” let’s focus on the name (domain name) of your blog. Hosted means that you will have a blog name in this form—blogname.wordpress.com or blogname.blogspot.com. The big benefit is that it’s totally free, but the downside is that you’ll be subject to their rules and this form of the blog name (subdomain) is the sign of an inexperienced beginner who likely won’t be taken seriously.
- Self-hosted. It allows you to run a blog on your own domain. Aside from following your domain registrar and web hosting company’s rules, you’re fully in charge of your blog and its contents. Self-Hosted content management systems are generally open-sourced and free.
- Freemium/premium. Freemium means you’ll have a trial period before you have to start paying (costs vary from $5 to $30 per month). Several platforms are available. One of the most popular is TypePad. This platform focuses on ease of use for writing, but customization options are limited and it lacks certain features of value to bloggers.
By default, your TypePad blog name will look like this: yourname.typepad.com. It’s not always the best option if you’re trying to build the name and brand for your blog. - Blog/website builders. Website builders allow you to create a simple blog or website using templates and drag and drop interfaces. As a result, you enjoy the benefit of WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) when you create a website with website builders. Many of them also include hosting as a part of their service. But you must keep in mind that their options are limited and adding additional features can be tricky.
WordPress.org
- Open source and free
- Professional and easily navigable dashboard
- Versatile and customizable
- Thousands of themes and plugins
- Owning your own content
- Versatile and customizable
- Taking care of hosting yourself
- The learning curve for installations
How to install a WordPress.org software
Step One
Step Two
Step Three
You will instantly be notified by BlueHost if the name you’ve chosen is available, and if not you will get similar suggestions.
Recommended tool:
WordPress.com
- Easy to get started and use
- Hundreds of free theme designs
- Don’t have 100% control over your blog
- Limited options to extend website functionality
- Free plan is quite limiting
Blogger.com
- Everything is free
- Beginner friendly and easy to use
- Unlimited bandwidth and 100% uptime supported by Google
- A lot of outdated templates
- Limited customizability and lack of plugin diversity
- Rudimentary picture management and lack of spam filtering
- Domain name with .blogspot.com extension (if not setup with custom domain)
Wix
- Very easy to use website editor
- Ability to recall your older versions of the website
- The abundance of third-party apps and design templates
- Great mobile site-building tools
- No chat support
- More advanced users will feel a bit limited without HTML and CSS access
- Once in use, design templates are hard to change
- Inability to sell digital goods
- Free plan gives you 500MB of storage and 500MB bandwidth
- Connect Domain, for $4.08 a month, allows you to connect your domain, 1GB bandwidth, ability to integrate Google Analytics and access premium support
- Combo, for $8.25 a month, gives you 2GB bandwidth, 3GB storage, removes native and mobile ads, gives you a free domain for a year, customized favicon and a Google ads voucher for $75
- Unlimited, for $12.42 a month, gives you unlimited bandwidth, 10 GB storage, form builder app, and site booster app
- eCommerce, for $16.17 a month, gives you 20 GB storage and most importantly an online store
- VIP (U.S. and Canada exclusive), for $24.90 a month, will get you a VIP support line, which includes immediate response on forums, skipping the line, a one-time professional site review
Squarespace
- Gorgeous, responsive designs
- A number of great selling capabilities and options
- Excellent built-in statistics and metrics
- One of the best store and e-commerce solutions out there
- No free packages
- No possibility of installing third-party scripts without HTML
- The difficulty of having to add subpages in folders
- Personal for websites $12 per month
- Business for websites $18 per month
- Basic for online stores $26 per month
- Advanced for online stores $40 per month
Medium
- A hybrid platform with the blog/discover/share options
- Easy setup and use
- Excellent for a group of authors or individuals
- Elegant design
- WYSIWYG
- Has to prove if it is here to stay
- Contradictory when it comes to author identity
- Should do more for promotion
- Lack of HTML and CSS options
- Lack of customizing your own visual identity
TypePad
- A professional blogging platform that is easy to use
- Customer service
- Easy setup and buying of custom domain
- Works nicely with e-commerce and money transaction sites like PayPal, Amazon or eBay
- Top service for those less technically educated
- A small number of plug-ins and features, considering the price
- Design elements are a bit outdated
- No option for complete or automatic backup
- Not the most HTML-edit friendly
- Lack of flexibility for more advanced users
- You don’t own your property unless you pay for the most expensive package and co-own
Tumblr
- Adjusted to photo and media content
- Free and easy to use
- Social network features to connect with other users
- Not for usage if your content is mostly text based
- No spam or comment filtering
- No easy SEO options and statistics
WordPress versus other blogging platforms
How much it actually costs to launch and run a blog
- Laptop. Using the laptop as a blogger has many benefits over using a desktop computer. The main being, of course, the ability to write and maintain your blog and other things related to it from any location you choose. You need something reliable, with long battery life. Prices vary from $500 to $3000, pick something according to your budget.
- Webcam and microphone. If you decide to interact with people live or create vlog format content you could need a good camera and microphone. Or if you plan to make an audio file for the podcast. The webcam will cost you anywhere from $40 to $100. The good microphone will cost you $50-$60.
- Digital camera. If you are into fashion or food blogging, in some cases to make good pictures you could use a camera. Again prices range a lot, from $500 to $2000 easily.
- Domain and hosting. If you decide to have your own personal or branded name for your blog you will have to buy a domain name (roughly $15 per year) or cost of that name could be barred into a yearly subscription that you pay for services. Also, for some platforms, you will have to have a web hosting space (roughly $5 to $15 per month depending on the company) to host your blog.
- Design costs. Here you have a number of options. The cheapest option is to go with an already premade WordPress theme. Many themes are free but you also have premium themes for $30 to $60. You can customize a free or paid blog theme if you need some additional functionality that can cost you up to $500. Please be aware that these cost projections are approximate since we don’t know how many and what type of customizations and website functionalities you may require. In the price range between $500 and $2,500, you can get a highly customized unique theme for your blog.
- Content costs. You can do that task yourself and write one or two high-quality posts per week. Writing good quality content takes time and you need skills. You can speed things up by purchasing the copywriting services of other writers. Just look up the ones who have experience writing in your niche on any of the freelance platforms. The hourly rate of the copywriters goes from $15 to $50.
- Software tools. Fortunately, the vast majority of software tools needed by bloggers are free. Take Google Docs for instance. However, some tools might help you become more efficient at what you do. This could be a long list of tools that you can use: SEO tools, grammar checker tools, email marketing tools, social media management tools, content marketing tools, etc.
- Advertisement costs. There are numerous ways to promote and advertise your blog that won’t cost you anything but your time. But if you already have quality content on your blog, you can pay for promotion and advertising to push things in the right direction. Depending on what platform you choose to advertise on prices will vary.
Moving your blog from one platform to another
- Blogger – import posts, comments, and users from a Blogger blog
- LiveJournal – import posts from LiveJournal
- Movable Type and TypePad – import posts and comments from a Movable Type or TypePad blog
- Tumblr – Import posts and media from Tumblr
- WordPress.com – import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, and tags from a WordPress export file
Reviews and ratings
WordPress.org
WordPress.com
Blogger
Tumblr
Medium
MovableType
TypePad
Ghost
Svbtle
Postach.io
Top 10 blogging platforms сomparison chart
Feel free to use this comparison chart on your site:
Useful resources
Conclusion
The Best Running blogs from thousands of top Running blogs in our index using search and social metrics. Data will be refreshed once a week. Also check out Running Podcasts & Top Running Youtube Channels list for Top videos on Running.
If your blog is selected in this list, you have the honour of displaying this Badge (Award) on your blog.
Running Newsletter
Running Blogs
1. Women's Running Magazine
Boulder, COAbout Blog Women's Running is the world's largest women-specific running magazine. We cover all aspects of the running lifestyle. Women's Running focuses on providing editorial content focused on running, fitness, nutrition and wellness to the ever-growing community of women runners.
Frequency about 5 posts per week.
Also inWomen's Running Blogs, Running Magazines, Women's Magazines
Blogwomensrunning.competitor.com
Facebook fans 834,803. Twitter followers 191,176.
2. Men's Running Magazine | Running News, Tips, Reviews
LondonAbout Blog Men's Running Magazine is your guide to the latest news, top training tips, kit reviews and race previews. Whether you're a beginner, or ultra afficionado, Men's Running is here to help.
Frequency about 2 posts per month.
Also inMens Blogs
Blogmensrunninguk.co.uk
Facebook fans 25,810. Twitter followers 18,165.
3. RunningPhysio Tom | Running Physio Blog
BrightonAbout Blog RunningPhysio is a site to help you manage your running injuries. Tom is a physiotherapist with over 10 years of experience and a very keen runner! He graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in 2002 and since then has worked in clinics in the UK and overseas. Its aim is to offer expert advice in preventing and managing running injuries.
Frequency about 2 posts per month.
Since Mar 2012
Also inUK Running Blogs, UK Physical Therapy Blogs, Personal Running Blogs
Blogrunning-physio.com/
Facebook fans 25,335. Twitter followers 39,279.
4. RunToTheFinish | Amanda Brooks Running Blog
Denver, COAbout Blog Amanda Brooks Running Blog is a Researched Running Blog Designed to Help You. It is a place to find motivation for whatever healthy change you're trying to make, especially with running.
Frequency about 2 posts per week.
Blogruntothefinish.com
Facebook fans 16,686. Twitter followers 16,991.
5. Running Warehouse Blog
San Luis Obispo, CAAbout Blog Running Warehouse is America's Finest Running Specialty Store. One of our other goals is to provide in-depth education about running shoes, running apparel and running accessories, along with resources to help you train and perform better. Our blog is a prime educational resource for the running community, offering regular sneak peeks of upcoming running shoes, apparel and other products.
Frequency about 2 posts per month.
Also inShoe Blogs
Blogblog.runningwarehouse.com
Facebook fans 155,862. Twitter followers 7,943.
6. Jason Fitzgerald Running Blog | American Running Blog
Denver, COAbout Blog Jason Fitzgerald's Blog provide actionable running advice, motivation, and coaching for distance runners who want to see results.
Frequency about 2 posts per month.
Blogstrengthrunning.com/blog
Facebook fans 13,935. Twitter followers 12,067.
7. Women's Running Magazine
United KingdomAbout Blog The UK's first running magazine for women. Women's running training advice for 5K, 10K, half-marathons and marathons, female-specific kit reviews, women's running shoe reviews and more from Women's Running magazine.
Frequency about 2 posts per week.
Since May 2010
Also inWomen Blogs, UK Women Running Blogs, UK Women Blogs, UK Womens Magazines
Blogwomensrunninguk.co.uk
Facebook fans 225,990. Twitter followers 49,190.
8. Brooks Blog | Inspirational Running Blog
Seattle, WAAbout Blog A team united by one purpose: To inspire everyone to run and be active. At Brooks, they take running and running technology pretty seriously. Their specialized high-tech features are what really set their running shoes apart.
Frequency about 1 post per month.
Blogtalk.brooksrunning.com
Facebook fans 1,254,319. Twitter followers 208,022.
9. Another Mother Runner by Denise, Sarah, Jonna and Dimity
About Blog A community of and resources for all mother runners. A supportive space for women runners of all speeds to (virtually) gather to be enlightened and entertained. No topic too basic or too much information.
Frequency about 2 posts per week.
Since Feb 2010
Bloganothermotherrunner.com/website
Facebook fans 101,046. Twitter followers 7,522.
10. Science of Running | Houston Running Blog | Cross Country Coach Blog
Houston, TXAbout Blog Running blog by Steve Magness. Steve is a performance coach, author, and lecturer. He currently serves as a coach to almost 20 professional runners, is the Head Cross Country coach at the University of Houston and a Lecturer of Strength and Conditioning at St. Mary's University, UK.
Frequency about 3 posts per month.
Since Aug 2006
Also inRunning Coach Blogs
Blogscienceofrunning.com
Facebook fans n/a. Twitter followers 30,615.