Blogackers

There is no more common concern or question among both novice and veteran bloggers alike: which blog platform should I use? Aside from learning how to blog, it’s an almost universal concern.

And there is no simple answer. All bloggers MUST own their URLs, but choice of the platform is mainly dependent on the indivudal blogger’s requirements. That said, I’ve compiled a list of advantages and disadvantages of the two main platform categorizations below.

Hosted Platforms

Hosted platforms refer to services whereby a service provider gives you access to their software, hardware, and network connection, and you create a blogging account to use on that service. With a hosted blog, you have access to a control panel for your blog, and nothing else.

Popular hosted platforms include solutions like Blogger, TypePad, and LiveJournal.

Advantages of Hosted Platforms

• Cheap: many are free; others (like TypePad) are offered with multiple price points
• Simple to get started: just signup for an account and then quickly  learn how to create blog posts
• Automatic updates: you don’t have to concern yourself with keeping hosted software patched and upt-do-date.

Disadvantages of Hosted Platforms

• Rigid: there are fewer configuration options with hosted platforms.
• Fewer design choices: you typically only get to select from a limited number of average designs, and you often can’t make updates to them
• Generic URL: some hosted platforms don’t have the option to use your own URL
• Lack of control: you are at the mercy of the platform
• Migration issues: moving from some free hosted platforms results in a lot of effort and often the temporary loss of search engine rankings

Self-hosted Platforms

Self-hosted platforms consist of your own web hosting account with a data center, and the blogging software you install on the data center’s server. With a self-hosted blog, you have access to an administrative panel for your blog, but you also have access to a server account and the blog software where you can do almost anything.

Common self-hosted software includes Movable Type, WordPress, and Drupal.

Advantages of Self-hosted Platforms

• Design flexibility: you have complete control over design and layout
• Great software: the best software exists on self-hosted platforms
• Custom URL: custom URL’s are ubiquitous on self-hosted platforms
• Adaptability: you can change your blog as your needs change
• Easy migration: should you ever need to move to a different platform or another server, migrating is a snap

Disadvantages of Self-hosted Platforms

• Difficult setup: setup can sometimes be difficult, but this can be overcome with a good blogs how to
• Cost: while the blogging software is free, the hosting platform will cost you money
• Hosting issues: unless you choose a good host, you might have to suffer from down-time or poor support
• Upgrades: you will need to keep your software patched

The majority of my blogs are self-hosted, and it’s what I generally recommend to anyone looking to create a professional presence. There are just too many benefits to pass up, and you usually have the choice to host many blogs and domains on one account, lowering the cost per blog down to a negligible amount.