Blogging has become a popular way to share thoughts, ideas, and knowledge with a wider audience. When it comes to choosing a platform to publish your blog, you have primarily two options. One is to use a blogging service provider like Medium.com and another is to use use your own website. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each option to help you determine which one is best for you.
Medium.com
Medium is a popular blogging platform that allows you to share your stories and ideas with a large audience. Here are some of the advantages of publishing your blog on Medium:
- Wide Reach: Medium has a large user base, and your content has the potential to reach a large audience. This can be especially beneficial if you are just starting out and are looking to build your readership.
- Easy to Use: Medium has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to write and publish blog posts. You can focus on writing your content, and Medium takes care of the rest.
- Built-in Audience: Medium has a community of readers who are interested in exploring new ideas and stories. This means that your content has a higher chance of being discovered and read by a large audience.
However, there are also some disadvantages to publishing your blog on Medium:
- Limited Control: When you publish on Medium, you are subject to the platform’s rules and guidelines. This means that you have limited control over the design and branding of your blog, and you cannot monetize your content in the same way as you would on your own website.
- Limited SEO Benefits: Medium is a great platform for reaching a wide audience, but it may not be the best choice if you are looking to improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and ranking. When you publish on Medium, your content is hosted on Medium’s domain, which can make it more difficult for search engines to index your content.
Your Own Website
Publishing your blog on your own website gives you complete control over the content, design, and branding of your blog. Here are some of the advantages of having your own website:
- Full Control: When you publish your blog on your own website, you have complete control over the content and design. You can monetize your blog in any way you see fit, and you can make changes to your website whenever you want.
- Better SEO: Owning your own website can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and help you rank higher in search results. Search engines will be able to easily crawl and index your content, which can help you reach a wider audience.
- Builds Your Brand: Having your own website allows you to create a unique online presence and build your brand. You can customize the design and branding of your website to reflect your personality and style, and create a space that represents you and your content.
However, there are also some disadvantages to having your own website:
- Requires More Effort: Owning your own website requires more effort than publishing on Medium. You will need to handle the hosting, design, and maintenance of your website, which can be time-consuming and technical.
- Requires a Larger Investment: Setting up your own website requires a larger investment of time and money compared to publishing on Medium. You will need to purchase a domain name and hosting, and may need to hire a web designer to help with the design and branding of your website.
In conclusion, the choice between publishing your blog on Medium or your own website will depend on your specific goals and preferences. If you are just starting out and are looking to build your audience, Medium may be a good choice.