I can’t think of a more common question or concern among both novice and experienced bloggers alike: which blog platform should I choose? Aside from learning how to blog, it’s an almost universal concern.

And there is no one-size-fits-all answer. All bloggers NEED to own their URLs, but platform choice is primarily dependent on the indivudal blogger’s requirements. That said, I’ve compiled a list of advantages and disadvantages of the two primary platform choices below.

Hosted Platforms

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

Typical hosted platforms include packages like Typepad, LiveJournal, and Blogger.

Advantages of Hosted Platforms

  • Cheap: most are free; others (like TypePad) are offered with multiple price points
  • Quick to setup: just signup for an account and then quickly  learn how to create blog posts
  • Automatic updates: you don’t need to worry about keeping hosted software patched and updated.

Disadvantages of Hosted Platforms

  • Rigid: there are fewer cusotmization options with hosted platforms.
  • Not as many design choices: you typically only get to select from a limited number of standard designs, and you often can’t make updates to them
  • Generic URL: some hosted platforms don’t offer the option to use your own URL
  • Lack of control: you are at the mercy of the platform
  • Migration issues: migrating from many 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 host, and the blogging software you install on the host’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 just about anything.

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

Advantages of Self-hosted Platforms

  • Design flexibility: you have complete control over layout and design
  • Great software: the best software is available on self-hosted platforms
  • Custom URL: custom URL’s are ubiquitous on self-hosted platforms
  • Adaptability: your blog can change as your needs change
  • Easy migration: if you ever want to migrate 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

Most of of my blogs are self-hosted, and it’s what I usually advise anyone looking to create a professional blog. There are too many benefits to pass up, and you usually have the ability to host many blogs and domains on just one account, driving the cost per blog down to a negligible amount.

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