Regular blogging is always a good idea; increasing brand awareness and promoting business growth while pleasing Google. However, with little or no readership, is it worth the time and effort? This is where blogging platforms, such as Medium, Tumblr, and even Facebook come in; they have large audiences and therefore potential readership is increased. So, should you blog on your own website, or use a platform instead?
Pros of blogging on your own website
- You own your website and its functionality. You can create a blog that behaves exactly how you want it with the layout and design you choose.
- Google will index your content, meaning you are building SEO and are more likely to show in search results. Blogging on a third-party platform indexes their site, not yours.
- You can add features, such as a newsletter subscribe button, which could turn them from readers into customers.
- There is no competition within your platform. Once you get people to your website, they’re yours to entertain.
Pros of blogging on a third-party website
- The sheer reach of platforms such as Medium makes it much easier to connect with readers, particularly those in a demographic you would otherwise be less likely to reach.
- Third-party platforms have their own advertising and marketing, meaning you can sail on those coattails (although you will always need to strategise your own marketing plan – there are millions of other bloggers to contend with).
- Simplicity. It’s easy to set up and use third-party blogging sites, no site-building knowledge or SEO training required!
- You can integrate most third-party blogging platforms with your own website, giving you the best of both worlds.
So, there you go. If you’re happy to play the long game and build your readership through your own marketing strategies, then blogging on your website may be the option for you. If you don’t have the time or inclination to do so, and want readers with less marketing effort, a third-party platform could be the place for your musings. Or perhaps a combination of both, with cross-posting, could be a decent compromise that works well for your business.