When it comes to blogging, most people find themselves in one of two schools of thought that seek to answer one of the internet’s perennial questions: Wordpress or Blogger? What the vast majority of new bloggers fail to question though is - what I am actually going to be using this blog for? New bloggers should ask themselves what they hope to achieve by starting a blog. This knowledge will not only help you create a more effective blog, but it will also point you in the right direction in terms of which platform to use. The realm of blog platforms is not solely inhabited by Wordpress and Blogger either, there are many other options that suit a variety of blog needs and skill levels. For example, the blog platform Joomla could be considered a step up from both Wordpress and Blogger in terms of the services and hosting power it provides.
Turns out one half of the grand debate I mentioned previously is right, Blogger is a great platform to get your blog started on. Blogger is the easiest to use from the three platforms I mentioned, and you can go from registration to typing your first post within minutes (http://lifehacker.com/5568092/five-best-blogging-platforms). Blogger is also part of Google’s family of services, and users with existing Google accounts will find registration an even quicker process (http://hellboundbloggers.com/2011/12/19/reasons-why-you-must-choose-blogger/). Its ease of use and accessibility makes Blogger a great platform for traditional journal blogging and article writing. However as a means to display a portfolio of artwork or other materials it falls short. Blogger’s user interface and display are not very well suited for hosting static pages that portfolios need. The limited number of plug-ins available also inhibits Blogger’s functionality.
Verdict: Good for traditional blogging and article writing.
Wordpress users needn’t worry though. Their proclamation of Wordpress’s supremacy is also true, although their preferred platform excels in other areas. Wordpress’s main advantage is its ability to host static pages that resemble a regular website (http://www.blogtechnika.com/8-greatest-advantages-of-wordpress/). This allows users to create multiple pages to display and link to content including…oh, let’s say a portfolio? As a CMS, Wordpress ranks as the easiest platform to use and manage. It offers users a huge, and constantly growing, library of plug-ins, themes, and widgets (http://www.blogtechnika.com/8-greatest-advantages-of-wordpress/).
Verdict: Free (non-custom domain name), relatively easy, lots of third-party support, better suited for visual content hosting.
Joomla is the wildcard CMS here. As students looking for cheap and easy options, Joomla may not fit our needs the best. Joomla is a popular option for people with websites that have relatively higher rates of traffic than a student portfolio is likely to see. Users are offered more flexibility and hosting power, as Joomla is recommended for "small e-commerce sites, directories, or membership sites" (http://www.artisteer.com/?p=nl_article3). Thus, if you're looking to sell a catalog of products or services, Joomla might be the best choice for you.
Verdict: Not quite suited for a student’s needs, more tailored to a small business looking to host an e-commerce site.
Turns out one half of the grand debate I mentioned previously is right, Blogger is a great platform to get your blog started on. Blogger is the easiest to use from the three platforms I mentioned, and you can go from registration to typing your first post within minutes (http://lifehacker.com/5568092/five-best-blogging-platforms). Blogger is also part of Google’s family of services, and users with existing Google accounts will find registration an even quicker process (http://hellboundbloggers.com/2011/12/19/reasons-why-you-must-choose-blogger/). Its ease of use and accessibility makes Blogger a great platform for traditional journal blogging and article writing. However as a means to display a portfolio of artwork or other materials it falls short. Blogger’s user interface and display are not very well suited for hosting static pages that portfolios need. The limited number of plug-ins available also inhibits Blogger’s functionality.
Verdict: Good for traditional blogging and article writing.
Wordpress users needn’t worry though. Their proclamation of Wordpress’s supremacy is also true, although their preferred platform excels in other areas. Wordpress’s main advantage is its ability to host static pages that resemble a regular website (http://www.blogtechnika.com/8-greatest-advantages-of-wordpress/). This allows users to create multiple pages to display and link to content including…oh, let’s say a portfolio? As a CMS, Wordpress ranks as the easiest platform to use and manage. It offers users a huge, and constantly growing, library of plug-ins, themes, and widgets (http://www.blogtechnika.com/8-greatest-advantages-of-wordpress/).
Verdict: Free (non-custom domain name), relatively easy, lots of third-party support, better suited for visual content hosting.
Joomla is the wildcard CMS here. As students looking for cheap and easy options, Joomla may not fit our needs the best. Joomla is a popular option for people with websites that have relatively higher rates of traffic than a student portfolio is likely to see. Users are offered more flexibility and hosting power, as Joomla is recommended for "small e-commerce sites, directories, or membership sites" (http://www.artisteer.com/?p=nl_article3). Thus, if you're looking to sell a catalog of products or services, Joomla might be the best choice for you.
Verdict: Not quite suited for a student’s needs, more tailored to a small business looking to host an e-commerce site.
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