Introduction
In today's digital age, starting a tech blog can be a rewarding endeavor. Not only can it reinforce your learning and educate others in the tech community, but it can also serve as a source of income. As a tech blogger, you have the opportunity to become a lifelong learner and stay well-versed in the field you are writing about. But with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide which platform to choose for your tech blog. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the best ways to start a tech blog in 2024, covering both network-based and self-hosted platforms.
Network-based Platforms
Network-based platforms provide an existing audience that you can leverage when you publish your articles. These platforms are user-friendly and require no coding skills, making them accessible to beginners in the tech blogging world. Let's take a closer look at some of the best network-based platforms to start your tech blog in 2024.
Hacker Noon
Hacker Noon is a thriving community of over 12,000+ contributing writers publishing high-quality tech stories. The platform supports writers by proofreading their articles before publication and offers in-built blog analytics, strong security, and web monetization to help writers earn money from their articles. As a network-based platform, Hacker Noon already has an existing audience waiting to read the articles you publish.
You can follow me on Hacker Noon
Medium
Medium is a versatile community of writers, bloggers, journalists, and experts, covering various areas of life, including tech. No coding skills are required to create a blog on Medium, and it offers in-built analytics and a paid writer program. While Medium faced backlash from the tech community for its paywall feature, it still provides a platform with a vast readership. However, keep in mind that you won't be able to use your own domain and customization options are limited.
You can follow me on Medium
Hashnode
Hashnode is a content creation platform and community that enables developers to create a blog on their personal domain for free. It offers initial traction and readership by sharing your articles with the Hashnode community. With Hashnode, you can enjoy all the SEO benefits as your blog is mapped to your personal domain name. Additionally, the platform allows for blog customization and integrates web monetization for writers to earn from their articles.
You can follow me on Hashnode
Dev.to
Dev.to is an open-source software that powers a community of software developers who write articles and build relationships with other developers. As a network-based platform, it provides an existing audience eager to read your articles. Setting up a blog on Dev.to requires no coding skills, and it also offers web monetization. However, note that you won't be able to map your blog to your personal domain, and the traffic will go to Dev.to instead.
Self-hosted Platforms
Self-hosted platforms require coding skills as you have to create and maintain your blog from scratch. While these platforms don't provide an existing audience, they offer more control and flexibility over your blog. Let's explore some popular self-hosted platforms for starting a tech blog in 2024.
How to Become a Successful Technical Writer: A Comprehensive Guide
WordPress.org
WordPress.org is a widely-used software for building websites and blogs. It offers a wide range of plugins to enhance your blog and gives you complete control over every aspect. However, WordPress.org does not come with a built-in audience, so it may take time to build readership unless you have a strong social media following or have been blogging for a while. Managing backups and security requires some coding knowledge, but the extensive WordPress community makes it easy to find resources and support.
MDX and Next.js
MDX and Next.js are powerful technologies that allow you to create a blog using JSX and import components into your Markdown files. Next.js, a React framework, enables you to build static and dynamic apps quickly. While using MDX and Next.js for your tech blog offers customization possibilities and control over content, it requires a solid understanding of React and Next.js. Since it is a self-hosted platform, you won't have an existing audience, and promoting your articles on social media becomes crucial for attracting readers.
Gatsby
Gatsby is a free and open-source framework based on React that helps developers build fast websites and blogs. With Gatsby, you need knowledge of GraphQL and React to create a blog. Gatsby's excellent documentation makes it easier to explore building with the framework. Similar to other self-hosted platforms, Gatsby provides extensive customization options and complete control over your content. However, it does not come with an existing audience, so you need to actively promote your articles on social media to gain readership.
Conclusion
Starting a tech blog in 2024 opens up opportunities for learning, earning, and connecting with like-minded individuals in the tech community. Whether you choose a network-based platform or opt for a self-hosted one, understanding the differences and benefits of each is essential. Network-based platforms like Hacker Noon, Medium, Hashnode, and Dev.to offer an existing audience and user-friendly interfaces, while self-hosted platforms like WordPress.org, MDX and Next.js, and Gatsby provide more control and customization options. Consider your goals, technical skills, and preferences when deciding which platform to choose. Happy blogging!
That's all folks! I hope this was helpful. If so, like this article and follow me on Twitter.