Did you know that there are more than 600 million blogs on the internet, and that 77% of web-surfers read blogs regularly?

Blogging has exploded since its apprehensive beginnings in the 1990s, and many people today interact with blogs frequently if not daily.

By setting upwardly a weblog, you have the opportunity to brand meaningful connections with other people, whether you lot want to share your recipes, talk nigh your lifestyle, or sell products and services. Any the topic, blogging serves every bit an outlet that tin fifty-fifty become assisting.

But before you see dollar signs, y'all'll need to ready upwards a web log, which involves choosing a content direction system (CMS), deciding on themes and colour schemes, and reaching your target audience.

This guide will help you navigate the process of setting upwardly a weblog successfully across various platforms.

But earlier you set up a blog, you'll need to choose a CMS. Let's dive into that, first.

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How to Choose a CMS

Y'all can't have a blog without a CMS, or a content management system. As the name suggests, this is a system that manages your content. While you could certainly build a blog from scratch with savvy coding skills, a CMS does the hard work for you.

This software makes it nearly effortless to switch up your blog's font styles, colors, and overall theme. It also means you can generate content much easier, simply clicking a few buttons to add photos and videos.

All of these seemingly elementary deportment tin be difficult to implement through HTML and CSS coding, which is why many bloggers opt to use a CMS. This way, you tin dive right into making cracking content.

When y'all're looking at different CMS platforms, at that place are a few things to consider.

  • User-Friendly Interface
  • Price
  • Customization
  • Support
  • Extensions
  • Security
  • Marketing Capabilities

Let's dive into each element to aid you decide what yous need in a CMS.

ane. User-friendly Interface

The betoken of choosing a CMS is to make creating your blog easier for you. If you find it hard to navigate the dashboard or the text editor, blogging will just like a chore.

Wait for a CMS with elevate-and-driblet capabilities, and unless you accept meridian-notch developer skills, steer clear of annihilation that requires heavy coding.

2. Price

Equally we'll embrace below, it is completely possible to showtime a blog for free. But if yous are looking for more robust features, yous'll demand to consider your budget.

If yous are looking at paid platforms, consider what you get with each CMS for the cost, and double-cheque for hidden fees.

3. Customization

Y'all desire your web log to look and perform how you've envisioned it, so make certain your CMS allows for customization through different themes and templates that tin can also be adjusted as you encounter fit.

For example, with Ceros, you tin can completely customize every element of the content yous publish without adding a single line of lawmaking.

iv. Back up

If your blog glitches while you're writing an of import mail service, you'll desire to be able to get assistance correct when you need it.

CMS support ranges widely — you might just find a digital handbook or FAQ page full of common issues and fixes with no number or live chat to reach for urgent matters.

Or the platform could but have an email or number available during standard office hours, Monday through Friday. Meanwhile, some CMS platforms accept all-encompassing support options, including agents bachelor 24/7.

If you lot don't have experience working with CMS systems and want access to hands-on support, take this into consideration when comparing platforms.

5. Extensions

One of the virtually helpful features for CMS platforms is the ability to work with third-party extensions or plugins, which add even more functionality to your weblog.

There are extensions for nearly everything y'all could think of, and so whether yous want assistance with search engine optimization (SEO) or the ability to create galleries or social media feeds on your blog, extensions and plugins can help you do so. If your CMS isn't uniform with most of these applications, your weblog could suffer.

6. Security

Protecting your information and your content is important. You could too lose your audience'southward and customers' trust if your blog is compromised. As such, y'all'll want to make sure the CMS you choose has plenty of security features.

Cheque if SSL, Firewall and content delivery network (CDN) are included, and be sure updates and vulnerability scans are done frequently. This also relates to back up — is someone available to assistance you should your site be compromised? If not, run — don't walk — to another platform.

seven. Marketing Capabilities

Once your blog is established and you lot are producing content, make sure yous can get this content to your target audience. Check to run across if your CMS offers options for social and email marketing, or if it offers compatibility with extensions such equally UpContent to make sharing your content unproblematic.

How to Fix Upwardly a Blog for Complimentary

If you lot are working with a limited upkeep, y'all tin certainly start blogging for gratis. There will be some limitations, just yous can always cull to upgrade or move your content to a paid CMS. To get started, you lot'll need to find a complimentary blogging platform. Common complimentary blogging platforms include

  • WordPress.com (not to be confused with WordPress.org)
  • Blogger
  • Wix
  • Weebly

Tumblr. Continue in mind that some costless blogging platforms will restrict your freedom with domain proper name and may be express in services like support, security, and customization. Subsequently choosing a complimentary platform, yous'll sign upwardly and head for the dashboard to choose a free theme or pattern template, then use the platform'due south CMS to add together content.

How to Ready a Web log

Whether you decide to invest in a weblog or go the gratis route, there are a few unlike ways to go started depending on the platform you choose. Here are some of the most-popular blogging platforms and how to set your blog on each one.

1. WordPress

If you want to web log on WordPress, you'll need to choose a domain proper name and a hosting service. The hosting service is the server infinite that stores your website'due south files and information, making it accessible to others on the internet.

Hosting is typically a paid service; there are gratis options, simply exist wary of the security, support, and functionality if you do choose a complimentary host.

Once you've selected the domain name, such as yourblog.com, and a host, you'll be able to create your WordPress account. From there, you lot can access the dashboard, where yous tin make up one's mind on themes, add plugins, and, of course, write and publish content.

2. Blogger

If you are looking for a popular and free CMS, Blogger, formerly BlogSpot, is a gratis blogging platform past Google.

To become started, visit Blogger and create an account with your Gmail address and countersign. From there, you'll choose a profile. If you don't wish to take the name associated with your Gmail address on your blog, you can choose a limited profile.

After this, you'll be taken to the dashboard, where you tin can choose your blog name and theme. Then it's every bit easy as using the straightforward CMS to write your blog.

3. Wix

Wix is another free and simple CMS to consider when setting up a blog. Just sign up for an account, then you lot can choose from templates.

Note that while Wix offers many templates, just sure ones offering Wix Web log. If yous choose one without this application, you can even so add it on later through Wix's App Market.

Customize the template to fit your vision, then go to the Wix Editor>Menus & Pages>Bear witness More than>Rename to proper name your blog. Wix offers costless hosting, but if you desire your own domain name, you'll need to establish that and then connect it to your weblog via the Wix Editor. Once these logistics are set, you're set to starting time a new post and become to blogging.

Now that you know the ins and outs of starting a web log, you're ready to get started! Evaluate CMS platforms based on support, security, and design and functionality features.

One time you've decided on a CMS, the platform will make the rest of your piece of work a breeze. And one time that blog is upwardly and running, you can start considering even more options, like marketing and advertising, to brand your brand known and fifty-fifty turn a profit.

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Originally published Dec 22, 2022 vii:00:00 AM, updated April 01 2022