If you want to make an impact in the tech world, blogging is one of the best ways to do it. But not all blogs are created equal. In fact, some blog platforms are so useless that they might as well be giving away free doughnuts and coffee in exchange for a spam blog.
This tech startup blog will help you navigate the murky waters of tech blogging by outlining what makes a good and/or not-so-bad platform for hosting your content on. By reading this article, you’ll also learn the difference between a platform’s design and features (which can sometimes be really confusing).
If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of all things tech, web development, and blogging related, check out this fantastic directory of technology blogs I found on Quora. It’s updated frequently and includes several quality platforms you can use to get started.
What Makes a Good Blogging Platform? Here’s What We Looked For:
1) Visibility & Branding:
Does it offer SEO benefits? Do you have the option to brand your blog? Can you add advertising on your website? If so, what are the advertising options available (adsense, affiliate marketing, etc…)? Traffic & Growth Potential. These are two big factors when evaluating bloggers. With so many blogs on the internet, it’s hard to stand out. If you have a specific topic in mind, make sure the platform supports it. For example, if you want to create a WordPress blog about technology products, is it easy to integrate affiliate links? What about technologies that aren’t as popular as others (like Python or Ruby). Will you be able to find an audience for your content?
2) Features & Design :
Some platforms allow you to use custom coding and have access to more options than others (e.g. plugins). Others may restrict your access and force you to use their own proprietary options. In terms of design & features, some platforms can be less than satisfactory for blogging (e.g. no text editor, less customization options than other platforms).
If you’re interested in building a website that looks amazing, check out my post on web design tools for the tech savvy.
3) Interface:
The most common interface for blogging platforms is a blog engine like WordPress or Tumblr. A blog engine basically allows you to write and post new content without worrying about anything (HTML/CSS coding, database import/export, etc…). This gives the blogger more time to create content and focus on writing. The downside of these blogging engines is that they are not so good with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) because they haven’t been built with search engines in mind. For that, you’ll need to look a little further at platforms that were built with search engines in mind.
4) Price:
Tech blogging is a great way to make money online if your content resonates with your audience. In order to make money from blogging, you’ll need traffic and that means a quality platform that attracts an active audience. The good thing about these platforms is that they are free (yes freemium – which means free but you have to pay for certain features). The bad thing about them is they may not be the best quality, might have intrusive ads or offer fewer features than other premium options. You’ll need to decide what’s important to you (the amount of content and features for free, great design and SEO features, or a premium platform with a free trial) .
