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5 Best Free Blogging Platforms & Sites in 2024 (100% Unbiased)

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So, you’d like to take blogging for a test drive, eh?

See if you like it or not before ponying up the bucks for a complete self hosted WordPress setup?

You’ve probably heard you can start a blog for free, and indeed you can. The big question is:

What’s the best blogging platform right now?

And the answer is… it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

In this post, we’ll go over all the different free blogging platforms and give you the pros and cons of each, but first, let’s stop to ponder a more fundamental question:

 

Do You Even Need a Free blogging Platform?

The truth:

blogging can be expensive.

If you’re a seasoned blogger who’s been around the block a time or two, who’s already figured out which ideas work and which don’t, it’s easy to chalk up these costs as the price of doing business. Spend money, blogging“>make money. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

But what if you’re a beginner learning how to start a blog for the first time? What if you’re someone who hasn’t yet figured what works and what doesn’t?

I’ll let you in on a secret…

You can experiment just as well on a free blog site as you can on a self hosted WordPress blog set up with all the bells and whistles.

Actually, you can experiment better on a free blogging platform since the learning curve isn’t as steep.

Do you really want to experience the inevitable growing pains of blogging while forking over large piles of cash each month?

Free blogging platforms allow you to confirm your new blog topic has potential, spy on the competitors in your niche, and test your ideas without spending any of your hard-earned dough.

So, which blog platform is best?

Well, that’s the thing:

No Blog Platform Is Right for Everyone

Different bloggers have different needs, and different blog platforms are good for different things. Ultimately, “best” will depend on you and your situation.

That said, each of the platforms we’ll discuss does have common traits (besides being free). Let’s briefly look at them before we dive in:

  • There’s zero maintenance hassle. The burden of maintenance doesn’t fall on you when you use a free blog platform. No worries about software updates, CSS or HTML tweaks, data backups, or gremlins hacking your server — they’re all handled by someone else.
  • They’re easy to use. To varying degrees, each platform is user-friendly to newbies and beginners. With limited tech-savviness, you could get started today.
  • Customization is limited. If you’re a micromanager who likes things to be customizable, take a deep breath: you will not have full control or unlimited options when you use a free blogging platform.

That last one can be both a blessing and a curse.

Once you get serious about blogging, the limited customization options of free platforms will likely hold you back. When you’re just starting though, the limitations will help you focus on what’s important: the aforementioned testing of your ideas.

Alright, enough prologue.

Ready to find out which platform is best for you so you can start blogging? Let’s go.

Editor’s Note: There are loads of options out there (Wix.com, Tumblr, Weebly, Joomla, Blogspot, Typepad, Ghost, and Squarespace are other popular blogging platforms), but we’re focusing on our favorite five.

1. Medium: Best Platform for Simplicity

First up is Medium.

Founded by Evan Williams, one of the founders of Twitter, Medium launched in August 2012 to much fanfare, and it’s grown into a behemoth. According to the New York Times, as of May 2017, this increasingly popular blogging platform was up to 60 million unique visitors each month.

That’s considerably less than WordPress, but Google Trends indicates the tide could be turning:

Worldwide searches for WordPressWorldwide searches for WordPress

The red line in the graphic above represents the number of worldwide search engine searches for “wordpress” during the past five years. The blue line represents the number of searches for “medium.”

Granted, some of those “Medium” searches could be for the TV show of the same name that starred Patricia Arquette from 2005 through 2011.

Nonetheless, its growth is impressive.

How Do You Get Started?

Medium offers multiple ways to register.

Don’t want to remember yet another password for yet another account? No problem. Sign up using one of your social media accounts.

Go to Medium.com and click the “Get Started” button:

Join MediumJoin Medium

Choose Google or Facebook. You’ll then be asked to log into your (Google or Facebook) account. Once you authorize Medium to access your account, it will redirect you back to Medium.

That’s it.

To get to your Medium account in the future, all you have to do is click “Sign In” on the homepage and choose the “Sign in with Google” or “Sign in with Facebook” option.

Or if you already have a Twitter account, it’s even easier. Choose the “Sign In” link instead of the “Get Started” button, and you’ll see the following:

Welcome Back to MediumWelcome Back to Medium

Click the “Sign in with Twitter” button (even though you haven’t yet signed up).

If you haven’t already logged into Twitter, you’ll be asked to log in and then authorize Medium to access your Twitter account.

Click “Ok,” and you’ll be off to the races.

What Do You Get For $0?

A simple, beautiful WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) blogging platform that embraces minimalism.

After you join, click your avatar (the floating head) in the top-right corner of the page and then, select “New story.”

New Story on MediumNew Story on Medium

You’ll land on a clean, easy-to-use, drag-and-drop editor.

Where to insert the title for your post is clearly defined. So, too, is where to begin typing your first sentence.

Title on MediumTitle on Medium

Every change you make gets automatically saved in the background. And as you type, you begin to see exactly how your finished post will appear to your readers.

Medium's WYSIWYG editorMedium's WYSIWYG editor

That’s the beauty of a WYSIWYG editor.

There’s no guessing, no wondering, and no trial and error. If your post looks good in the editor, it’s going to look good when your post goes live after you click the “Ready to publish?” button.

And speaking of what happens after publishing, there’s something else Medium offers you for the whopping price of zero dollars and zero cents:

The chance to be featured in front of their 60+ million readers.

Write something that wows people and, if it receives enough love from readers (they click a “clap” button to show their approval), it could get featured as one of Medium’s top stories on their app and website…

Medium's Daily DigestMedium's Daily Digest

Or in their “Daily Digest” email…

Medium's Daily DigestMedium's Daily Digest

Such a spotlight would mean lots of new eyeballs on your blog content.

Who Should Use Medium?

Anyone. Everyone.

Seriously, though it isn’t perfect, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a blogging topic or niche that Medium can’t service.

This is especially true if your niche will be self-improvement or entrepreneurship. Medium puts your content, your message, front and center to your readers.

Why Use Medium?Why Use Medium?

As Evan Williams once put it: “Medium is not about who you are or whom you know, but about what you have to say.”

Best-selling authors. Entrepreneurs. Writers who stepped away for a season, but are making a comeback. Ministers who have a good sense of humor. Yours truly.

All have things to say, and all have found homes on Medium.

Who Should NOT Use Medium?

Microbloggers (you’d be better off using Instagram — more on that later).

Those who don’t plan on using their blog for writing (photographers, podcasters, etc.).

Anyone who likes to color outside the lines.

Medium is all about the written word. Sure, graphics embedded into Medium posts look great, but in the end, it all comes back to the words.

Medium is best for those who love words. It excels at typography. It uses an abundance of white space so that its text has a perfect canvas. And it embraces a minimalistic web design so that nothing distracts your readers from your precious — yes, I’m going to repeat it — words.

Look at this example screenshot from a post written by Jeff Goins:

Why You Should NOT Use Medium?Why You Should NOT Use Medium?

Black text on a white background. A simple, easy-to-read font. It’s a perfect arrangement for Jeff’s strong, unique voice.

Medium offers no glitz, glam, or sparkles. And, unlike WordPress.com (which provides a few basic web design themes and customization options), Medium is one size fits all.

What you see is what you get.

If you like what you see, great. If you don’t, there’s not a lot you can do about it.

Final Word on Medium

What are the Pros?

  • Built-in audience of over 60 million readers!
  • Good for all blog types
  • Excellent typography — your blog will look professional
  • More business-friendly than WordPress.com
  • Monetization is possible with the Medium Partner Program

What are the Cons?

  • Little, if any, customization — your blog will look like every other Medium blog
  • Though Medium offers stats, you won’t be able to link to your Google account and use Google Analytics
Conclusion: If the written word is your preferred medium, you’ll do very well with Medium. It’s an easy-to-use platform that puts your strong words front and center, and it’s the platform we most often recommend to beginner bloggers.

But is it the right choice for everyone?

Let’s look at the other options…

2. WordPress.com: Best Sandbox Platform

Wordpress.com - Best Sandbox PlatformWordpress.com - Best Sandbox Platform
Source: Lorelle on WordPress

Launched in 2005, WordPress.com is a turnkey content management system (CMS) built on the open-source WordPress.org software.

In any given month, over 409 million people will view more than 21 billion pages on WordPress.com’s network of blogs. Back in September 2018, more than 70 million posts were published and over 52 million blog comments were written.

WordPress.com is quite popular.blogging-platforms-infographic.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/blogging-platforms-infographic.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/blogging-platforms-infographic-300×169.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging-platforms-infographic.png” alt=”WordPress.com is quite popular.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/blogging-platforms-infographic.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/blogging-platforms-infographic-300×169.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

In short, WordPress websites are quite popular.

How Do You Get Started?

Signing up for a free account takes only a few minutes.

Go to WordPress.com and click the “Get Started” button to get to Step 1:

Getting Started with WordPress.comGetting Started with WordPress.com

You’ll need to enter your email address, a username, and a strong password.

Next, enter a few details about your blog for Step 2:

Getting Started with WordPress.comGetting Started with WordPress.com

For Step 3, enter an address for your site:

WordPress.com - Give your site an addressWordPress.com - Give your site an address

Once you’ve typed something, you’ll get a list of options. Be sure to select the “Free” one.

Finally, in Step 4 you pick a plan. Again, choose the “Free” option.

What Do You Get For $0?

WordPress.com’s “free for life” plan gives you numerous features, including:

  • A free WordPress.com subdomain
  • “Jetpack” essential features
  • Community support
  • Dozens of free themes/templates
WordPress.com - Choose your flavorWordPress.com - Choose your flavor

Let’s look at those features in more detail:

Free Subdomain

A couple of definitions are probably in order…

First, what’s a domain? See the address bar at the top of your browser? What comes after the “https://” is the domain.

In the case of this site, the custom domain name is smartblogger.com. For my site, it’s beabetterblogger.com.

And in the case of WordPress, the domain name is wordpress.com.

So what’s a subdomain? If the domain is the parent, the subdomain is the child. Anything between the “https://” and the domain is a subdomain.

Some examples:

  • alumni.harvard.edu
  • braves.mlb.com
  • finance.yahoo.com

That’s what WordPress is offering with its free subdomain.

So, if I wanted to start “Kevin’s Awesome Blog” on WordPress.com, my subdomain might be something like kevinsawesomeblog. Readers would type kevinsawesomeblog.wordpress.com in their browser to view my site.

It’s not a good look if you’re a business blog (more on that later), but for a sandbox blog where you’re testing your ideas, it’ll do the trick.

Jetpack Essential Features

WordPress.com doesn’t allow third-party plugins (unless you upgrade to their “business” plan). So, if your buddy tells you about this “amazing” SEO tool plugin “you’ve got to try,” you’re out of luck until you upgrade to a self hosted version.

However, the free plan does come with many built-in WordPress plugins that offer everything from spam protection to contact forms.

For a complete list of the built-in functionality that WordPress.com offers, check out their plugins page.

Community Support

Possibly WordPress.com’s best feature (beyond the pricing) is its extensive support system and knowledgebase.

You can find virtually anything you need to know about using their free platform in WordPress.com’s Support section. To call their collection of how-to articles merely “extensive” would be an understatement.

WordPress.com - Select your themeWordPress.com - Select your theme

And if you have a specific question you need an answer for, they have you covered there too.

Visit the WordPress.com forum, search to see if anyone has had your same question, and browse the answers. Can’t find the solution you need? Post the question yourself.

Free Themes

Whereas Medium prevents you from customizing the look of your blog, WordPress.com gives you options.

With “dozens” (93 at the time of this writing) of free themes from which to choose, WordPress.com offers design flexibility that isn’t available with Medium and the other free platforms.

WordPress.com - Select your themeWordPress.com - Select your theme

And, last but not least, WordPress.com offers the WordPress block editor, which allows users to build custom posts and pages.

What we’re saying is…

You get a lot for “free.”

Who Should Use WordPress.com?

WordPress.com is a solid cms platform for almost every type of content creators.

Do you want to be a self-help blogger? Good news — WordPress.com will meet your needs.

Want to blog on food, pets, or politics? You’re in luck.

Just want a personal blog where you write about life? That’s WordPress.com’s jam, my friend.

Why you should use WordPress.comWhy you should use WordPress.com
Source: The Next Adventure

But WordPress.com is good for more than just blogging. You can also use it for projects and e-commerce stores, which isn’t something the other free platforms can claim.

That gives it an edge over the other options. If you want to blog and do something else with your site, WordPress.com offers flexibility the others do not.

However, it’s not a good fit for everyone…

Who Should NOT Use WordPress.com?

If you want a professional blog for your business, you should skip WordPress.com and look into Medium or LinkedIn (which we’ll discuss in a moment).

Why?

Because it makes you look like a cheapskate.

Free is wonderful, but using WordPress.com when you’re a business is the equivalent of handing out business cards with the printer’s logo on the back of them.

Doesn’t exactly scream “I’m a professional,” does it?

Also:

If you’re hoping to join a blogging community where your posts have a chance to be discovered by new audiences, you should look elsewhere.

Medium shines a spotlight on the best its members have to offer. If you write something great, it has a chance to be featured and seen by millions.

WordPress.com? Not so much.

Here’s a screenshot of the most recent “Editors’ Picks” on the official WordPress.com blog:

Why you should NOT use WordPress.comWhy you should NOT use WordPress.com

There might as well be tumbleweeds blowing across the screen.

Final Word on WordPress.com

What are the Pros?

  • Suitable for a variety of blog types
  • Solid support articles and forum
  • More design options than other free platforms
  • Shorter learning curve if you choose to transition to self-hosted WordPress later
  • Website builder that’s good for more than just blogs
  • Premium plans are available, for those interested

What are the Cons?

  • Not ideal for businesses
  • You can’t install premium or free WordPress themes and plugins (or another blogging tool) from third parties
  • Lack of community makes it difficult to build an audience from scratch
  • WordPress advertising and banners may appear next to your blog content

Conclusion: If you’re a non-business blogger who wants an easy to use platform that gives you some control over customization, WordPress.com is a solid option — especially if you plan to transition to self-hosted WordPress someday.

3. LinkedIn: Best Platform for Professionals

LinkedIn - Best Platform for ProfessionalsLinkedIn - Best Platform for Professionals
Source: Darren Rowse

Next up is LinkedIn.

Primarily used for professional networking, LinkedIn also offers a publishing platform. This allows any of its 560 million users (as of September 2018) to write posts that could (potentially) be read by any of the 260 million members who are active in a given month.

(Again, potentially.)

How Do You Get Started?

Go to LinkedIn.com, and you’ll see this window encouraging you to join:

Getting started with LinkedInGetting started with LinkedIn

Enter your name, your email, and a strong password. Then click the “Join now” button.

You’ll then be asked to answer a few simple questions:

  • Your country and zip code
  • Whether or not you’re a student (if no, you’ll enter your job title and the name of your employer; if yes, you’ll enter the name of your school and other relevant info)
  • Your reason for joining LinkedIn

It sounds like a lot, but it’s fairly harmless.

Still, if you feel the urge to throw your computer into the dumpster, we won’t blame you.

YouTube videoYouTube video

What Do You Get For $0?

A free-to-use publishing platform that’s focused on professionals and business contacts.

If you’re already a LinkedIn member, publishing your content will be easier than WordPress.com, Medium, or any other blogging platform.

Why?

Because it’s built right into your LinkedIn profile. Click the “Write an article” button and start writing.

LinkedIn - ProfileLinkedIn - Profile

Who Should Use LinkedIn?

Anyone who wants to reach professionals and businesses.

After all, that’s what LinkedIn is all about, right? Nurturing business relationships.

Why you should use LinkedInWhy you should use LinkedIn
Source: Syed Balkhi

blogging on LinkedIn helps to cultivate those relationships.

When you write an article, LinkedIn will notify your existing connections. If your article is great (and why wouldn’t it be?), they’ll take notice. Write more and more great articles, and they’ll start to see you as an authority.

And, like with Medium, great content on LinkedIn has a chance to get noticed by those outside your list of connections.

If one of LinkedIn’s editors sees your masterpiece and decides to feature it on one of LinkedIn’s numerous channels, your work gets exposed to a giant audience of interested, like-minded professionals.

Tip: Want to increase the chances a LinkedIn editor will see your article? Share it on Twitter and include “tip @LinkedInEditors” in your tweet.

Sharing LinkedIn posts on TwitterSharing LinkedIn posts on Twitter

Who Should NOT Use LinkedIn?

This one is pretty straightforward…

If you aren’t a working professional, or you’re not looking to reach working professionals, you’ll be better off choosing one of the other free platforms.

Final Word on LinkedIn

What are the Pros?

  • Good for professionals and business blogging
  • Clean, simple design
  • Ease of use — publishing platform is built right into your LinkedIn profile
  • Built-in audience of like-minded professionals

What are the Cons?

  • Only good for professionals and businesses
  • Very few customization options
  • You can’t schedule posts for future publishing

Conclusion: If you’re looking to write posts that will reach professionals and businesses, LinkedIn is the best free blogging platform available.

4. Instagram: Best Platform for Visuals

Instagram - Best platform for visualsInstagram - Best platform for visuals

A photo and video-sharing platform that’s owned by Facebook, Instagram is one of the largest social media sites in the world.

As of June 2018, Instagram has 1 billion users worldwide. The previous September, they had 800 million users — a growth of 200 million in only nine months.

Even if you subtract everyone who follows a Kardashian or has posted a photo of themselves impersonating a duck, Instagram offers an audience of well over 75 people.

(Kidding. Mostly.)

How Do You Get Started?

On a personal computer, go to Instagram.com, and you’ll see the following:

Getting started with InstagramGetting started with Instagram

Enter your phone number or email address, your name, your desired username, and a strong password. Then click the “Sign up” button.

Or, skip all that and click the “Log in with Facebook” button (assuming you have a Facebook account). If you aren’t already logged in, it will ask you to log into your Facebook account.

You could also do the above using the Instagram app on your mobile device.

What Do You Get For $0?

You get an extremely popular social media platform that’s perfect for microblogging.

What’s microblogging, you ask? Here’s how it works:

You get a great image. Maybe it’s a photo you took on your camera, or perhaps it’s a Creative Commons image that perfectly fits your current shade of melancholy.

You upload the image to Instagram.

And for the caption? You write a short blog post.

Here are a couple examples:

What do you get with Instagram?What do you get with Instagram?

In the above screenshot, Sarah Von Bargen cleverly plugs a course she offers in the midst of a tiny, bite-sized post (accompanied by a photo of assorted beverages).

And in the below screenshot, my friend Jaime Buckley (in true Jaime Buckley style), uses Instagram to publish an eye-catching graphic alongside 107 inspirational words on parenting.

That’s microblogging — and it can be done very, very well using Instagram.

Who Should Use Instagram?

Anyone who focuses on highly visual topics.

Models…

Photographers…

Yoga instructors…

Professional chefs…

Make-up artists, hairstylists, clothing stores…

The list goes on and on.

If you’re someone who can combine great visuals with short posts that pack a punch, you can have great success using Instagram as a microblogging platform.

Who Should NOT Use Instagram?

If your idea of appealing to your audience’s sensory details involves pulling out the iPhone 3G you’ve had since 2008 and snapping a photo, Instagram may not be the platform for you.

If you tend to draft novels when you write, Instagram’s 2,200 character limit when writing captions could prove problematic.

Also, if your target audience tends to shy away from mobile devices for any reason, Instagram might not be the best platform to test your ideas. Instagram started life as a mobile app. Mobile is where it shines, and it’s where most of its users call home.

(So, if you’re planning to start a Wilford Brimley fan club, it’s probably best to skip Instagram.)

Final Word on Instagram

What are the Pros?

  • Great for visual topics
  • Ideal platform for microblogging (short posts)
  • Great if your target audience primarily uses mobile devices

What are the Cons?

  • Limited to 2,200 characters
  • Limited to one hyperlink (in your bio)
  • If your target audience isn’t on mobile, it’s less than ideal

Conclusion: Instagram offers a great microblogging platform geared toward visual topics. However, it is not kind to fans of the great Wilford Brimley.

5. Guest blogging: Best Platform for Building Your Authority

Sometimes, the best platform for your work is someone else’s popular blog.

Why? Because it can mean instant credibility.

Once your post publishes on a site like Smart Blogger, Forbes, Lifehacker, or Business Insider; people look at you differently.

Yesterday, you were just you — a talented, attractive writer living in obscurity. But then, after having your work published on a well-known website, you’re now seen as a subject matter expert in your field.

What happened? blogging/”>Guest blogging happened.

How Do You Get Started?

There are two approaches to finding sites where you can contribute guest posts.

The first is easy…

Check to see if the blogs you already like to read (that are relevant to your niche, of course) accept guest post submissions.

Browse their “About” or “Start” pages. Try their “Contact” page. Sometimes, they’ll make it easy and have a “Contribute” or “Write for Us” link in their navigation menu or footer.

Guest <a href=blogging – Best platform for building authority” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/035-guest-blogging-best-platform-for-building-authority.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/035-guest-blogging-best-platform-for-building-authority.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/035-guest-blogging-best-platform-for-building-authority-300×105.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging-best-platform-for-building-authority.png” alt=”Guest blogging – Best platform for building authority” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/035-guest-blogging-best-platform-for-building-authority.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/035-guest-blogging-best-platform-for-building-authority-300×105.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

The second approach involves utilizing Google’s and Twitter’s search capability.

Here’s how it works:

Use Google to find the best places to guest blog.Use Google to find the best places to guest blog.

As you can in the screenshot above, you can query a topic (in this example: “blogging”) along with a search phrase (“write for us”).

Google returned a list of results that contained both of those search terms/phrases.

Click on the results that look promising, browse the sites, and see if they’re a good fit. Not all sites will be worth your time. Skip the ones that aren’t. Bookmark the matches.

Then try some other, similar queries:

And so on.

Replace “blogging” and blogging-tips/”>“blogging tips” with whatever topics (content creation, content marketing, email marketing, affiliate marketing, underwater basket-weaving, etc.) you would like to write about.

Searching for guest blogging opportunities on Twitter follows a similar routine:

Search guest <a href=blogging opportunities on Twitter.” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/037-search-guest-blogging-opportunities-on-twitter.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/037-search-guest-blogging-opportunities-on-twitter.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/037-search-guest-blogging-opportunities-on-twitter-300×188.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging-opportunities-on-twitter.png” alt=”Search guest blogging opportunities on Twitter.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/037-search-guest-blogging-opportunities-on-twitter.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/037-search-guest-blogging-opportunities-on-twitter-300×188.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

Type “guest post”, “guest blog post”, “guest article”, etc. in the search box. Twitter will give you a list of tweets where people used those exact phrases.

Every time someone proudly tweets that a guest post they’ve written has been published on someone’s site, as Meera Kothand does in the above screenshot, it’s saved by Twitter for posterity. And it allows you to go on an archaeological hunt to find it.

Scroll through the results.

Based on the title of the guest post and the site that published it, you will have a good idea whether or not it’s a match for you. Keep scrolling until you find some possibilities. Click the link in the tweet, browse the site, and bookmark it for later if you think it’s a contender.

What Do You Get For $0?

You get the chance to put your words in front of already-existing, relevant audiences.

Jon wasn’t an unknown when he wrote How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise and Get Paid to Change the World as a guest post for Darren Rowse’s ProBlogger in 2011, but he was an unknown to me until I discovered the post a few years later.

Why guest blog?Why guest blog?

Then everything changed.

It didn’t matter that Jon was already well known by most thanks to his former role at Copyblogger; for me, his ProBlogger post was a gateway drug.

Jon went from being an unknown — a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, smothered in secret sauce — to an authority on blogging I had to read.

That’s the power of guest blogging. Every time you put your words in front of newly targeted audiences; you have the chance to gain fans for life.

Who Should Guest Blog?

Anyone who wants to build their credibility and boost their authority.

How can guest blogging do that, you ask? Let’s use me as an example.

Before I wrote my first guest post for Smart Blogger, I only had a handful of freelance writing jobs under my belt.

After reading a post about quitting your job and moving to paradise written by some guy named Jon, launching my own blog sounded like a great idea.

So that’s what I did. I was on unemployment at the time, working from home, and I had a lot of free time on my hands.

And I was doing a great job in such a short period.

The only problem?

I had little credibility. The only people who viewed me as an authority on blogging or writing were my wife and maybe one of our cats.

Then I received an email…

Gain credibility through guest <a href=blogging.” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/038-credibility-through-guest-blogging.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/038-credibility-through-guest-blogging.png 600w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/038-credibility-through-guest-blogging-300×144.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px”/>blogging.png” alt=”Gain credibility through guest blogging.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/038-credibility-through-guest-blogging.png 600w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/038-credibility-through-guest-blogging-300×144.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px”/>

Jon’s editor, the talented Glen Long, invited me to write a guest post for Smart Blogger (formerly known as Boost Blog Traffic).

That guest post…

Gain opportunities from guest <a href=blogging.” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/039-opportunities-from-guest-blogging.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/039-opportunities-from-guest-blogging.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/039-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-300×215.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging.png” alt=”Gain opportunities from guest blogging.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/039-opportunities-from-guest-blogging.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/039-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-300×215.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

Led to a second opportunity

Gain opportunities from guest <a href=blogging.” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/040-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/040-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/040-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2-300×218.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging-2.png” alt=”Gain opportunities from guest blogging.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/040-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/040-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2-300×218.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

Which led to a third

Gain opportunities from guest <a href=blogging.” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/041-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/041-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/041-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2-300×217.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging-2.png” alt=”Gain opportunities from guest blogging.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/041-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/041-opportunities-from-guest-blogging-2-300×217.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

Which led to the post you’re reading right now.

It led to opportunities like writing for Syed Balkhi over at OptinMonster (affiliate link).

It led to being asked to provide quotes for dozens of blog posts and articles.

It led to flattering, tongue-placed-firmly-in-cheek emails like this one from James Chartrand:

Guest <a href=blogging legitimizes you as a blogger.” src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/042-guest-blogging-legitimizes-you-as-a-blogger.png” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/042-guest-blogging-legitimizes-you-as-a-blogger.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/042-guest-blogging-legitimizes-you-as-a-blogger-300×126.png 300w” data-sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>blogging-legitimizes-you-as-a-blogger.png” alt=”Guest blogging legitimizes you as a blogger.” srcset=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/042-guest-blogging-legitimizes-you-as-a-blogger.png 700w, https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/042-guest-blogging-legitimizes-you-as-a-blogger-300×126.png 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px”/>

And while it may not have led to tons of traffic for my website or large crowds chanting my name in the streets, guest blogging did something that would have taken me considerable time to do on my own:

It legitimized me.

Hey, and speaking of website traffic…

Who Should NOT Guest Blog?

Anyone who wants to build up their own blog.

The reason? It isn’t very efficient.

Brace yourself…

You would better off publishing your masterpiece on your website, even if it isn’t yet popular, rather than on someone else’s — even if their website is very popular.

Please don’t misunderstand: Guest blogging is a great way to gain credibility; however, it isn’t a great way to get traffic to your blog. Not anymore.

Guest blogging may have been a nice traffic source in the past, but those days are long gone.

In his eye-opening article on the topic, Tim Soulo determined guest blogging was a poor return on investment if your goal was to generate traffic to your website.

According to Tim’s survey of over 500 bloggers (which included yours truly):

  • Guest posts from those in the content marketing niche earned their authors an average of only 56 website clicks
  • 85% of the authors received fewer than 100 referrals to their sites

That doesn’t mean you should never guest blog. It just means you need to be clear about your reasons for doing so.

Guest blog for credibility, for boosting your authority, and for building your brand.

Don’t guest blog if you’re hoping for traffic. More often than not, you’ll be disappointed.

Oh, and there’s one more group who shouldn’t guest blog:

Those who want to take shortcuts.

There’s both good and bad when you’re putting your words in front of a large audience. If your post teaches them something new, inspires them, or gives them something juicy to chew on; they’ll remember you for it.

And if it sucks? Yeah, they’ll remember you for that too.

Guest blogging is a great way to build your authority, but it’s also a great way to destroy it.

If you’re not willing to put in the time and do the work, guest blogging isn’t for you.

Final Word on Guest blogging

What are the Pros?

  • Write for interested, targeted audiences
  • Fastest way to build your authority and reputation

What are the Cons?

  • Fastest way to destroy your authority and reputation
  • Not an efficient method for getting traffic to your own website
  • Getting published on quality sites is hard work
  • Time-consuming — may be hard to fit into busy schedules

Conclusion: Guest blogging is a great way to build your authority and get your content in front of new readers. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. However, it’s unlikely to generate tangible traffic to your blog.

Making the Switch to Self-Hosted WordPress

Technically, there’s one more free option out there…

The WordPress.org software — the same software used by WordPress.com — is free too. It’s free for any and all to use.

However, just like there’s no such thing as a free puppy (once you factor in food, veterinarian bills, and replacing all your shoes after they’ve become chew toys), WordPress.org’s software isn’t actually free once you add up the other expenses.

See, to use the software, you need a blog hosting provider (aka web hosting services like SiteGround [affiliate link], WP Engine, or Bluehost). You need to register a domain name (some hosting providers give you a free domain, but we recommend keeping your domain registrar and web host separate). You have to install WordPress on your own web host. That costs money. You’ll also need your own domain name. That costs money too.

Is this something you will want to do eventually? Absolutely. Just not right now. Not when you’re getting started.

So how will you know when you’re ready?

Jon recommends making the switch once you reach a 20% outreach success rate.

What does that mean? Let’s break it down:

Step #1: Register for a Free Blog Site

Sign up for a free blogging site like Medium or WordPress.com (or whatever free platform best fits your needs).

Step #2: Follow Jon’s New Method for Starting a Blog

If you haven’t read How to Start a Blog, do so immediately.

(Well, not immediately. Finish reading this post; leave us a comment; and share it with all your friends, loved ones, and acquaintances. Then, by all means, immediately after saying hi on Twitter, go and read Jon’s excellent tutorial.)

In the post, Jon shows you how to conduct a miniature outreach campaign where you email 10-20 influential content creators and ask them to share your blog posts.

Once you’ve hit a 20% success rate, you’re ready to make the transition.

Step #3: Switch to Self-Hosted WordPress

Jon’s post also offers guidance for making the switch. When you’re ready to choose a web host, be sure to read WordPress Hosting: A Brutally Honest Guide That’ll Save You Money. If you’re on a tight budget and “cost” is your chief concern, check out 11 Free WordPress Hosting Services That Don’t Suck.

It’ll help you pick the best host and paid plan for your needs and budget.

What’s the Best blogging Site for You?

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?

You now know why testing your ideas on a free blogging platform when you’re just starting is a good idea. You now know the pros and cons of Medium, WordPress.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, and guest blogging. And, you now know how to get started with each of them.

So which one is it going to be?

If you want my honest opinion, the answer is simple…

The best free blogging site is whichever one will get you to stop dipping your toes into the water and start diving in headfirst.

The next blogging masterpiece isn’t going to write itself.

Are you ready for your blogging journey?

Then let’s do this thing.

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