You know that most of the world’s blogs are on WordPress. However, you keep hearing how easy Medium is. What’s a rookie blogger to do?
You’re going to hear a lot from writers on both sides of the fence. There are those who think you’re a fool for not using the world’s most popular platform. And there are others who think it’s foolish to pay for what you can get for free.
Here is a broad level review of how they stack up.
WordPress Vs. Medium: Which is Better For Beginners?
Ease of Use
There are very few things in this world that are easier than setting up a blog on Medium. It takes only slightly more time than it takes to set up a Gmail address. You sign up and you’re ready to blog, it’s that simple.
However, that ease comes at a cost. There is only so much you can do to customize the look. Medium blogs can look very template.
You can do a lot more to make your blog stand out with a WordPress theme, many of which are free. In fact, we invite you to read how to create a WordPress site in a few quick steps by clicking that link.
It is also worth noting that if you’re looking to start a career in content marketing, you need to know how to use WordPress, or you won’t even get past the first job interview.
Potential to Build a Following
This is where people are really polarized. However, keep in mind that building any sort of blog following is not about what you use, it’s about what you do.
There are strategies to build a following on Medium and strategies for building a following on WordPress. If you stick to either, you are likely going to find success. But, that is because of your persistence, not your platform.
Building a following, in general, takes work. There is always social media relationship building and influencer outreach involved. Unless you’re already a famous thinker, politician or entertainer, building your blog following will take time.
Saying that building that following in one platform is easier than doing so in another is subjective at best. There are plenty of successes and failures on both sides.
Which Will Help You Make More Money?
This is the biggest question, isn’t it?
If you’re an individual just looking to make a living from blogging, Medium has its own ways to make money. But, WordPress likely opens the door for bigger numbers when you reach a bigger following, with the ability to use ads and affiliate links.
However, if you’re a business owner who wants to leverage the blog to generate leads and makes sales, WordPress is likely going to be much better for you.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both. Medium is simple and you can build a solid following, whereas WordPress is more scalable and may lead to more monetization opportunities.
The choice is yours. What will it be?
