You’ve decided to take the plunge and create a blog. Now, you need to choose an online marketing platform that’s right for you. There are several platforms out there; however, not all of them are created equal. Not all of them can help you reach your audience, and not all of them can help you grow your business. You need to find a marketing solution that is going to be a perfect fit for your needs.
If you’re looking for a simple, cost-effective solution that is going to help you build a successful blog, you may want to consider starting with WordPress.com. If, on the other hand, you need a robust platform that is going to enable you to grow your business and reach your audience, you may want to consider starting with a DIY (Do It Yourself) blog platform.
Why WordPress.com?
Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: WordPress.com is free. Even if you have a free WordPress account, you still need to pay for web space. With WordPress.com, you get a free domain and can install WordPress on your own server. You don’t have to use their platform to enjoy the benefits of having a blog.
WordPress.com offers several benefits to online marketers. First, it is completely free. There is no need to worry about cost. With WordPress, you get a free domain and can install WordPress on your server. Then, you can use a Free WordPress.com account to write and publish articles. Finally, WordPress.com offers a large community of users and bloggers who can help you learn more about blogging, content strategies, and digital marketing.
What About the.org Version?
If you’re worried about whether or not you will be able to find a free domain for your blog, you may want to consider the.org version of WordPress. While the.com version is free, the.org version is not. You will need to pay for a domain and can find many free options online. You don’t necessarily have to have a.org domain to install WordPress, but it is highly recommended as it is easy to remember and more professional looking.
The Premium Version Of WordPress
If you’re looking for a more robust option, you may want to consider upgrading to a premium version of WordPress. Like the free version, premium WordPress offers a large community of users and bloggers who can help you learn more about blogging, content strategies, and digital marketing. However, you will need to upgrade to a premium WordPress account to take advantage of all the features.
WordPress offers three different tiers of accounts: free, premium, and super-premium. The free version is limited in terms of features and performance, while the super-premium version is fully capable of handling any type of blog or website. If you’re looking to create a professional appearance for your blog or want to perform advanced tasks such as connecting with other users through private messaging or changing the layout of your blog, you may want to consider paying for a premium account.
Are There Any Drawbacks To Using WordPress?
While WordPress benefits from an extremely large community of users and developers who regularly keep the platform updated and perform major upgrades, it is not without its drawbacks. One major drawback to using WordPress is that it is very difficult to find and install plugins. You will have to do a lot of research and learn how to find and install the correct plugin for the task at hand. In some instances, you will need to contact the plugin’s creator directly in order to receive help installing the plugin on your site.
If you’re looking to create a simple blog for yourself or your business, you may not need to worry about plugins so much. However, if you’re looking for a more robust solution with complex functionality, you’re going to have to find a different blogging platform.
What About My Email Address?
One of the more common questions bloggers ask is about their email addresses. Many platforms, including WordPress, do not allow users to create mailboxes with custom email addresses. If you’re looking to create a professional blog and want to use your own email address, you may want to consider a premium WordPress account so that you can create a custom email address for your blog.
Do I Need A Content Management System (CMS)?
If you’re looking for a simple solution, you may not need a CMS. However, if you’re looking for a more complex solution that enables you to grow your business and reach your audience, a CMS is strongly recommended. In addition to managing the content of your website, a CMS allows you to manage the appearance through the use of templates, buttons, and other modules that can be easily managed through the use of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets).
A content management system, like WordPress, takes the drudgery out of creating a website. With a CMS, all you need to do is populate the content into the various blog posts and pages. From there, the system takes care of the rest, including displaying the blog posts in an attractive manner, creating thumbnail images for your posts, and linking to other websites or social media accounts.
How About Email Marketing?
Now, let’s talk about email marketing. Does anybody still use traditional email marketing, or have we moved on to some kind of automated marketing through social media? To answer this question, let’s first look at the trends.
From my own experience, I can tell you that most marketers have slowly shifted towards more of an automized approach when it comes to email marketing. Having said that, some marketers still prefer to use traditional email campaigns to reach their audience. Automated marketing through social media is the best of both worlds: you get to use email to reach your audience, while simultaneously reaching countless other people on social media.
As you might imagine, many businesses, brands, and marketers are interested in learning more about social media automation through email marketing. If this sounds like you, you may want to check out marketing automation software like HubSpot, Infusionsoft, and Marketo. These are some of the most popular platforms that can help you automate your email marketing.
Am I Limited To One Platform?
Not at all. While it’s great to have a favorite platform, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one. You can install WordPress on your own server and create your blog in any way that you see fit. Then, you can use a free WordPress.com account to write and publish articles. Finally, you can use various plugins, tools, and third-party applications to enhance the functionality of your WordPress blog. In other words, you can make it much more professional looking and functional.
Because WordPress is so flexible and can be used for almost any type of website or blog, it can be difficult to choose a platform that is specifically designed for marketing. That being said, if you’re looking for a free option, you may want to consider starting with WordPress.com.