If there’s one query that is going again to the very starting of running a blog, it’s “what running a blog platform will have to I take advantage of?” Everybody asks this query (to Google, perhaps), and everybody will get bombarded with one thousand other solutions. That’s essentially as a result of there are such a lot of possible choices. On this submit, we’ll speak about the WordPress vs Medium debate. Each are unbelievable platforms with so much to provide bloggers. When making an allowance for the place your weblog will have to reside, you wish to have to grasp there’s no fallacious selection right here.
You possibly can do nice with both, however expectantly, we will be able to information you thru one of the most extra stand-out options for each to assist in making your determination a little bit more straightforward.
Glance Inside of Your self (or Your Weblog)
When making an allowance for whether or not to move with Medium or WordPress (.com or .org), you wish to have to consider what you wish to have from your weblog or newsletter. Is it a non-public weblog you’re doing as a interest, or are you going to monetize it in the end? Are you going to promote merchandise to your weblog, and what kind of dialogue will happen to your articles themselves as opposed to social media? How a lot static content material will you’ve?
Whenever you’ve were given a couple of solutions damn round on your head, learn onward.
What’s WordPress?
Ahhh, WordPress. You pleasant beast, you. Clearly, right here at Sublime Topics, we like WordPress. We use WordPress, and we endorse WordPress up to we will be able to. Now, that doesn’t imply that WordPress is your only option for the entirety at all times, however listed here are one of the most causes it could the appropriate one for you.
Organize that Content material, Y’all
WordPress isn’t only a running a blog platform. It began that means, however since 2002, it has expanded into so a lot more than that. With just about part of all web sites operating on WordPress, you’ll use the platform although you don’t have a weblog! (Blasphemy, I do know.)
In case your web page is greater than only a house in your weblog, or your weblog is most likely now not the principle focal point of your web page, WordPress is also the most efficient wager for you. Promoting your merchandise, taking reservations and making plans occasions, WP has you lined.
The drawback to WP being a completely learned content material control gadget (CMS) is that it could actually have a finding out curve. So that you can blow all its whistles, ring its bells, and get it to leap thru hoops, it’s important to installed a little extra time than you do with Medium.
If you wish to have extra, you’ll do extra. And if you wish to have much less, you don’t have to make use of all of it. As I mentioned to start with, it’s as much as you and what your wishes are actually (and what they’ll be sooner or later, too).
What’s Medium?
Medium is a slightly new publishing platform, introduced in August 2012. That’s a complete 10 years in the back of WordPress – a minimum of whilst you believe how lengthy WordPress has been round – nevertheless it’s turn into a staple some of the web’s running a blog scene.
Medium Sequence (on Cell)
Medium is an experimental platform in a large number of tactics. It’s now not beholden to any precedent, so the corporate can take a look at new issues and spot what works. One among their neater options is named Sequence, which is a mobile-only publishing instrument.
Very similar to Instagram or Fb tales, Medium’s sequence provides writers the facility to submit serialized content material in a card-based mag. You upload pictures and textual content to the playing cards, and because the tale, you’re telling progresses through the years, you regularly replace the similar Sequence.
The promoting level of this being mobile-only is that it’s bite-sized, simple to learn and navigate, and in contrast to different social platforms the place this kind of content material disappears after some time, any Sequence you submit stays reside – identical to some other blogs you’ve written.
No longer everybody will care or make the most of Sequence, however for those who’re up for attempting new codecs, WordPress doesn’t have the rest even very similar to this.
Cleanliness is Subsequent To…
Medium is blank. No, now not in relation to content material score, however in relation to design, taste, and UX. It simply works.
Medium is a author’s platform if there ever used to be one. Certain, you’ll embed pictures and movies. However they’re saved to a purposeful minimal. They aren’t the focal point. The phrases are.
A white background with black textual content in one column within the heart of the display screen. That’s all you wish to have to get your level throughout. Heck, once in a while there isn’t even a menu bar on the most sensible.
Whilst you use Medium on your weblog, you’re announcing that sure, content material is king and phrases are his bannermen.
Social Media is King
Social Media is a big facet of running a blog in this day and age. And not using a social media presence, your weblog is useless within the water. Which platform will provide you with essentially the most achieve on social media? Let’s discover.
WordPress is Semi-Social
One drawback to WordPress vs Medium is that as it does such a lot so smartly, it doesn’t routinely have a focal point on sure options like Medium. One facet the place WordPress is missing when compared is social networking.
Sure, you’ll proportion your posts to any community you’re a member of, and your readers can go away feedback on the backside of posts in threads, there’s now not a large number of interactivity between customers inside of WordPress itself.
Some plugins like Blog2Social and Social Wall by means of Wreck Balloon do a just right task in addressing that shortcoming, giving WordPress a little extra energy in social settings. That is very true in the previous few years when third-party distributors have begun to bridge the space from blogs to social media platforms.
Whilst WordPress isn’t in particular made for social, it could actually cling its personal with a little bit assist from some stellar plugins.
Medium is Social-Pleasant
Medium used to be began by means of the similar fella who helped get started Twitter, Ev Williams. His involvement is necessary as a result of greater than the rest (smartly, out of doors of being a publishing platform), Medium is ready social connections and folks. The content material is necessary, in fact, however the selection of ways in which writers and their target market are basic to the revel in.
You’ll be able to clap for articles you favor, proportion with buddies and fans, or even spotlight parts of textual content to remark at once on as a substitute of beginning a thread after the entirety is alleged and finished (even though this is conceivable, too). Then, the ones feedback are connected again in your profile, the place your fans can see them and sign up for in at the dialog.
Beautiful cool.
Not like WordPress, there aren’t any social media plugins to put in to proportion content material. That being mentioned, you’ll’t exchange how it appears, both.
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| Social Media | Out of the field, WordPress is not identified for being a social media platform. That being mentioned, there are some just right plugins that may get you there. | 🥇 Winner
Medium is all about social interplay. You’ll be able to clap, proportion, and spice up your posts on social media platforms simply. |
| Make a selection WordPress | Make a selection Medium |
Which Platform Offers You the Maximum Content material Regulate?
There’s the age-old argument of who controls your content material. If a platform is going kaput, what occurs in your content material? Let’s delve into the depths of content material keep an eye on on each platforms and spot who has the brink.
WordPress Content material Regulate
With WordPress, you get direct get entry to in your fans. They subscribe by means of e-mail, after which you’ll engage with them as you would like. You’ll be able to phase, crew, A/B take a look at, in my opinion achieve out, no matter. You’re in keep an eye on of that checklist, and also you at all times know who the ones individuals are.
It won’t sound like a large deal (or a large number of distinction), however your target market is your bread and butter. They’re the jam to your biscuit, the avocado to your toast. They’re the…
Proper. You get it.
My level is that for those who’re running a blog, you’re construction a neighborhood. No longer solely that, you’re construction a courting with every one that reads your stuff.
Mix those two problems with keep an eye on (each for content material and for fans), and you’ve got a large explanation why other folks pass with WordPress over Medium for running a blog. Being one with the general say over the entirety has a large number of appeals.
It’s one of the crucial causes folks love Divi such a lot when there are different hosted site-builders in the market.
Medium Content material Regulate
What do you do if Medium is going abdominal up? The place do your blogs pass? In the event that they reside over there on Medium’s cloud, what occurs when it’s all rained out?
Neatly, that’s type of a giant explanation why that people pass with WordPress. Possibly the principle explanation why. When you’re the usage of self-hosted WordPress (the .org model), you’ve general keep an eye on of your recordsdata, WP installations, phrases, and the entirety. Until one thing catastrophic occurs or you make a decision it’s time to near up store, your weblog and its content material might be there.
Perhaps, Medium isn’t going any place. Even the previous workhorses of running a blog reminiscent of TypePad, LiveJournal, and Blogspot are nonetheless trotting alongside. However there’ll come an afternoon when it is going the best way of Friendster.
When you don’t have a backup, you lose that content material. And that’s a fear. However it’s now not the fear.
The true factor of keep an eye on right here isn’t with content material. It’s with an target market. On Medium, you solely have get entry to to them by means of their Medium accounts. (Which does, admittedly, have hyperlinks to their social profiles in the event that they input them.)
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| Content material Regulate | 🥇 Winner
No different running a blog platform will provide you with final keep an eye on over you happy like WordPress. You get direct get entry to to fans. |
Medium solely will provide you with get entry to in your contacts by means of their Medium accounts, which significantly limits interplay. Plus, if the platform is going kaput, your content material is going with it. |
| Make a selection WordPress | Make a selection Medium |
Which Platform Has Higher Efficiency?
WordPress is Speedy..Once in a while
WordPress web page velocity relies on quite a lot of elements reminiscent of webhosting supplier, put in theme and plugins, and content material optimization. You’ll be able to make your WordPress web page sooner by means of the usage of a just right caching plugin reminiscent of W3 General Cache, which is able to assist accelerate your web page.
When the usage of a default WordPress theme and a couple of plugins, WordPress is reasonably speedy. That being mentioned, to stay a WordPress website speedy, make a selection a optimized theme like Divi, and restrict plugins. Imagine CSS, JavaScript, and HTML document dealing with for sooner loading instances.
To take care of website velocity, watch out when settling on plugins from the 1000’s of choices to be had. The use of too many unreliable plugins can gradual your website down. Persist with respected third-party builders like 10Web to verify your website remains rapid.
Medium is Made For Velocity In Thoughts
Just about hand-in-hand with the blank, minimum taste, Medium is a sizzling rod. Efficiency-wise, your weblog is speedy and livid and in a position to win no matter boulevard race you place it in.
From posting to surfing to studying to connecting with buddies and sharing content material, the entirety you do on Medium is beautiful blazing. For the reason that platform is excited by something – publishing – it eliminates a lot of the bloat that may decelerate different running a blog platforms.
With Medium, writers can write, and they may be able to write speedy. As a result of Medium is made for writing. Speedy.
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| Efficiency | WordPress is speedy if you are the usage of a default theme and restricted plugins. That being mentioned, the extra you upload, the extra steps you wish to have to take to stay it speedy. | 🥇 Winner
Out of the field, Medium is lightning speedy. That is essentially for the reason that platform is in keeping with something – publishing – it eliminates a lot of the bloat discovered on different platforms. |
| Make a selection WordPress | Make a selection Medium |
WordPress vs Medium: Customization
What if running a blog is necessary, however so is how your website appears? Learn on to be informed extra about who’s the fairest of all of them.
WordPress is Utterly and Utterly Customizable
The place Medium takes away your talent to make a choice so much in regards to the design of your weblog, WordPress will provide you with remarkable keep an eye on. With topics, plugins, and widgets at your command, there’s not anything you’ll’t do (website-wise, this is. Chilly fusion and perpetual movement are nonetheless out of WP’s orbit).
When you’re the type of one that tweaks stuff continuously, provides parts, takes them away, and adjustments the consumer revel in at all times, then WordPress will provide you with what you need. Medium may well be constraining for you, however WordPress will loose you from the ones shackles. In the event that they’re shackles in any respect.
Plus, for those who’re an Sublime Topics member, Divi makes it extremely simple to construct a Medium-clone that runs simply as temporarily. Simply sayin’.
Medium Customization? What Customization?
No longer the entirety is sunshine and lollipops in Mediumville. When you’re the type of one that tweaks their weblog at all times, operating on font pairings, colours, and header pictures…you simply would possibly hate it.
As a result of you’ll’t do any of that. You get to add your avatar, select your bio, and when you have a newsletter (principally a collaborative weblog more than one folks write), you place a colour scheme and a symbol, that more or less factor.
However you’re now not converting anything. Medium is Medium is Medium.
You both reside with it, otherwise you’ll come to a decision that WordPress is a lot more in your liking…
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| Customization | 🥇 Winner
WordPress is the transparent winner in customization due it is huge library of plugins and topics at its disposal. |
Medium’s minimalist styling and customization choices is probably not appropriate for many who love to tweak settings and colours. |
| Make a selection WordPress | Make a selection Medium |
On the Finish of the Day…
I don’t assume there’s a transparent winner. There are sufficient advantages to each platforms that opting for one over the opposite leaves some nagging doubts.
So use either one of them. Put your articles on each platforms!
“However B.J.,” you are saying, “Google will penalize me for having reproduction content material! I will’t simply replica and paste my articles on each WordPress and Medium!”
To which I answer: “True, friendo. However you’ll use Medium’s import instrument!” (And right here‘s why!)
Whilst you use their import instrument, your website helps to keep its canonical hyperlink juice, and also you get get entry to to just about the entirety Medium has to provide. It’s the most efficient of each worlds. See, it doesn’t should be WordPress vs Medium in any respect.
WordPress vs Medium Possible choices
When you’re taking a look to match different choices but even so WordPress vs Medium, check out a few of our different head-to-head posts reminiscent of WordPress vs HubSpot, WordPress vs Wix, or our final showdown submit, WordPress vs The whole lot Else.
WordPress vs Medium: Which One Is Higher?
But when your weblog has to reside someplace, I do assume that WordPress vs Medium is the simpler choice, merely for the customization facet by myself.
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| Social Media | Out of the field, WordPress is not identified for being a social media platform. That being mentioned, there are some just right plugins that may get you there. | 🥇 Winner
Medium is all about social interplay. You’ll be able to clap, proportion, and spice up your posts on social media platforms simply. |
| Content material Regulate | 🥇 Winner
No different running a blog platform will provide you with final keep an eye on over you happy like WordPress. You get direct get entry to to fans. |
Medium solely will provide you with get entry to in your contacts by means of their Medium accounts, which significantly limits interplay. Plus, if the platform is going kaput, your content material is going with it. |
| Efficiency | WordPress is speedy if you are the usage of a default theme and restricted plugins. That being mentioned, the extra you upload, the extra steps you wish to have to take to stay it speedy. | 🥇 Winner
Out of the field, Medium is lightning speedy. That is essentially for the reason that platform is in keeping with something – publishing – it eliminates a lot of the bloat discovered on different platforms. |
| Customization | 🥇 Winner
WordPress is the transparent winner in customization due it is huge library of plugins and topics at its disposal. |
Medium’s minimalist styling and customization choices is probably not appropriate for many who love to tweak settings and colours. |
| Make a selection WordPress | Make a selection Medium |
With a top quality theme reminiscent of Divi, in addition to killer social media plugins like Social Wall by means of Wreck Balloon, your WordPress website is usually a rapid, social media powerhouse the place you’ll proportion your ideas with the arena in an attractive means.
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