Today, we are looking at some of the best free blog sites in the UK.
So you’ve finally made the leap to blogging and discovered the vast array of free blogging sites out there.
You know, the ones that don’t take up too much of your time or require a lot of upfront capital investment. A site that you can set up and run as often as you like, whenever you like? Sounds like your cup of tea, right?
Wrong.
It can be a bit of a minefield if you are just getting started out. After all, how do you know if a blog is legitimate or merely a commercial site aimed at making money from others’ writings?
To help you out, we’ve put together this list of some of the best free blogging sites in the UK for you to check out:
What is a blogging platform?
A blogging platform is a software program that enables you to create and edit your blog. It is generally free to use, but there are some programs that cost money (such as WordPress).
What should you look for in a blogging platform?
When shopping for the best blog site, pay attention to the following:
a). Features
The first thing you should look out for is the feature set of the blog site. You are going to be spending a lot of time on your blog, so it needs to be easy and intuitive to use.
Look for a blog site that has lots of built-in features (such as adding pictures and videos, for example), along with an easy-to-use interface.
b). Design
Another thing to look out for is the design of the blogging platform you are considering. This might seem like a strange thing to consider when choosing a platform, but it is important. If the design looks cheap and tacky, you will probably not feel comfortable using it. It should be clean and simple, with good functionality.
c). Support
When choosing a blogging platform, you should also pay attention to the support offered. If the support is good, you will be able to get help with any problems you have with the blog in a timely manner.
d). Price
Another thing to look for when choosing a blogging platform is the price. You want a platform that offers everything you need at a reasonable price, but it should not cost an arm and a leg either.
Again, there are some free platforms out there (such as WordPress), but they only provide limited features.
e). User rating
Finally, you should also check out the user rating on various blogging platform sites (such as Google, Trustpilot, and Appsumo) to see how many people are using it. If a lot of people are using it, and there are no reports of issues with it, you can be pretty confident that it will work well for you.
Top 5 Free Blog Sites in the UK
The following are the top five free blogging platforms in the UK.
1). Blogger
Blogger is one of the oldest free blogging platforms. It was created by Pyra Labs in 1999 and has been used ever since, with over 7 million blogs using it.
It is not as popular as WordPress, but still offers a lot of features and is easy to use.
Features
Blogger offers a lot of features for free, such as:
- Blogs, which are the main pages for your blog.
- Posts, which are individual blog entries.
- Categories, which are used to organize your blog posts.
- Pages, which are like a landing page for your blog.
- Custom domains and subdomains, so you can have a separate site for personal pages and business pages (for example).
- Google Analytics tracking code so you can see how many people visit your blog and what they do there.
How to get started with Blogger
To get started with Blogger you need to sign up for a free Blogger account. You can do this by following the steps below:
- Step 1: Go to the Blogger homepage
- Step 2: Click on Create Your Blog in the center of the page
- Step 3: Fill out the form with your details
- Step 4: Click on “Create Your Blog”
- Step 5: You will be automatically redirected to the Blogger dashboard, where you can start using your new blog.
2). WordPress.com
WordPress.com is another popular blogging platform that allows you to host your blog on the cloud.
WordPress.com offers a free plan, which covers different needs.
Your free website includes a subdomain (sitename.wordpress.com). You can register a new custom domain or transfer an existing one to your free site, but you’ll need a paid WordPress.com plan to use it as your site’s main address.
Without a plan, your custom domain will simply redirect visitors to your free subdomain.
To get started with WordPress.com, just follow these steps:
- Step 1: Go to the WordPress website and sign up for a free account (if you don’t have an account yet)
- Step 2: Once logged in click on “Create A Blog”
- Step 3: Enter a name for your blog and select a location to host the blog.
- Step 4: Select your theme of choice and click “Save”
That’s it! Your blog is now live. You can access it using the URL you just created in your browser.
WordPress.com is full of robust features:
- Dozens of themes: Choose from hundreds of customizable themes, with new additions weekly.
- Mobile-friendly: Create a mobile‑friendly site with a click, or choose from a selection of responsive themes that look great everywhere.
- Fast, friendly support: Get expert help — our team of Happiness Engineers is standing by.
3). Wix.com
Wix is a website builder that allows you to create and manage your own website without having to install any software on your computer.
The basic service is free and comes with a number of pre-made templates and options. You can choose from the following:
- Free Simple Website Builder: The free version of Wix comes with an easy-to-use UI that offers you 3 pre-designed templates and a few easy-to-use tools to help you build your website. However, the site has limited features such as no custom domains and not being able to upload files.
- Connect Domain: This is the basic version of Wix that allows you to connect a custom domain name.
- Combo: This comes with all of the features that were available in the Standard version + additional features such as unlimited pages, posts, comments, and widgets (including social media icons). It also allows you to add multiple custom domains which means that you can have separate websites for each domain name (e.g. .example1.com, example2.com ).
- Unlimited: This provides all of the features from both Combo + Connect domain versions plus some additional ones such as adding videos, video functionality, free domain name and more.
- VIP: Gives you more storage space and site booster app, analytics app, and professional logo among other perks.
The Wix website builder itself has a very simple user interface. You can create your site by making use of the pre-built templates, which are available in different layouts (e.g., blog, portfolio, etc.). You can choose from among them and then start building your website within seconds.
The Wix website builder is compatible with major internet browsers (including Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer). However, since it is a web-based application, you may encounter some problems while using it on certain platforms such as iOS and Android.
4). OLITT.com
OLITT.com is another one of the best free blog sites in the UK that has been in the market for quite some time now. It is a web-based application that provides users with many different options to build their websites.
The pricing of OLITT.com begins with a free plan and then goes up to a pro plan. The free plan gives you access to basic features such as user profiles, blogs, custom domains, and more. The pro plan offers you the ability to customize your website with multiple templates and plugins.
OLITT.com has a simple user interface that is quite easy on the eyes. You can create your website by making use of templates and other pre-built components. In addition, you can also choose from among the available components and add them to your site as per your requirements.
OLITT allows you to add custom code in order to enhance the look of your website, which makes it more attractive for visitors. This way, you can make use of any code that may be present on your website or blog (e.g., Google Maps, YouTube videos) without having to worry about its compatibility with OLITT.com. You can also get in touch with the support team of the developers and get help from them regarding various issues that you may be facing.
OLITT is an ideal website builder for beginners who are looking to build their first website. The free plan allows you to create a website with no restrictions and the premium plan is available at an affordable rate. If you want to build your own website using a template from OLITT, then you can do that as well.
5). Medium.com
Medium.com is a platform for writers, bloggers, and other creators to share their thoughts and ideas. The site has over 80 million monthly visitors, which makes it the third most popular blog in the world.
The platform has a simple user interface you can use to publish arcticles without any technical knowledge.
It is one of the best blogging platforms available on the web today as it provides easy access to more than 60 million visitors per month.
What makes Medium different from other blogging platforms?
Medium provides an experience that is completely different from any other free blog sites in the UK.
It offers a content editor which allows you to write content and publish it on the platform. You can even schedule your posts and share them with your followers.
It is a great platform for writers, bloggers, and online marketers as it has a large number of tools that help you find new audiences. It also has an integrated commenting system that helps you manage the comments that are being left by your readers.
How much does it cost?
Medium is free for everyone, but if you want to make money from your writing and even read unlimited articles on the platform, there is a subscription option.
Final Thoughts
Getting started as a blogger in the UK is very easy. If you want to start blogging, you don’t need to go to the UK but can simply do it from your home using a good blogging platform.
The best part about the UK is that it is a great place for writers and bloggers, who are looking for an inspiring place to write. You can choose between various platforms such as Blogger, WordPress, and Medium.