Blog - Smart IS

Blogging continues to play a powerful role in digital marketing. In fact, research from the Center for Marketing Research found that 81% of the world’s Top 200 companies maintained a corporate blog. Clearly, sharing ideas, expertise, and updates through content remains a cornerstone of online visibility.

With so many blogging platforms available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Ease of use, flexibility, and room to grow are all crucial considerations—especially if you want to focus on creating content rather than wrestling with complicated software.

To see which platforms truly dominate, we examined usage across five million of the most visited websites worldwide. The result? One name stood far above the rest: WordPress.

1. WordPress

Launched in 2003 with a simple mission—help anyone start a blog in minutes—WordPress has since evolved into a fully-fledged content management system (CMS).

What sets it apart? Flexibility and scale.

  • Massive library of themes and plugins

  • Strong global developer community

  • Suitable for beginners and professionals alike

  • Highly customizable for any type of website

Whether you’re building a personal blog or managing a corporate content hub, WordPress offers the tools to design something polished and powerful. Its adaptability and continued innovation make it the clear industry leader.

2. Blogger

Acquired by Google in 2003, Blogger integrates seamlessly with Google accounts—making it incredibly simple to start blogging right away.

Its strengths:

  • Completely free

  • No installation required

  • Very beginner-friendly

However, simplicity comes at a cost. Design templates feel dated, customization options are limited, and professional features are sparse. Blogger works well for hobbyists or first-time writers, but businesses and serious bloggers often outgrow it quickly.

3. Wix

Wix has earned its place as a popular cloud-based website builder thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and eye-catching templates.

Why people love it:

  • Modern, stylish designs

  • Easy visual editor

  • Wide selection of extensions

  • Free version available (with limitations)

Wix is especially attractive for creative hobby bloggers. That said, complex designs and heavy features can affect loading speed, so thoughtful site-building is important. For serious projects, a paid plan is typically the better route.

4. Ghost

Ghost has evolved significantly in recent years. What began as a minimalist blogging tool is now a sleek, headless CMS built with performance and publishing in mind.

Key advantages:

  • Built-in SEO tools

  • Membership and subscription features

  • Modern, streamlined architecture

  • API-driven flexibility

Ghost appeals strongly to writers, journalists, and independent publishers who want professional presentation and more control over digital publishing. While setup requires a bit more technical effort than WordPress, the payoff is a fast, elegant system designed specifically for content creators.

5. Medium

Founded by Twitter co-creator Ev Williams in 2012, Medium takes a very different approach. Instead of building your own website, you publish directly within Medium’s ecosystem.

Benefits include:

  • No design or coding required

  • Built-in audience

  • Engagement through comments and shares

  • Easy blog import tool

Medium is ideal for writers who want to focus purely on storytelling and reach an existing readership. The tradeoff? Limited customization and no standalone website ownership.

6. Tumblr

Tumblr blends blogging with social networking, allowing users to post short-form content such as text, images, quotes, and videos.

Highlights:

  • Extremely easy setup

  • Strong community interaction

  • Microblogging format

Design flexibility is limited, making it less suitable for professional blogging. However, it can serve as an additional marketing or brand awareness channel. Since its acquisition by Automattic (WordPress’s parent company), many are watching to see how the platform evolves.

Final Verdict

When it comes to overall power, flexibility, and scalability, WordPress remains the clear leader. It successfully balances beginner accessibility with advanced customization, making it suitable for nearly every blogging need.

Blogger and Wix follow, each catering to different audiences—Blogger for simplicity and Wix for design-driven ease.

Meanwhile, Ghost and Medium offer compelling alternatives for writers who prioritize clean publishing environments or built-in audiences.

Closing Thoughts

Choosing a blogging platform ultimately depends on your goals:

  • Want maximum flexibility and long-term growth? WordPress is hard to beat.

  • Prefer quick setup and minimal hassle? Blogger or Medium may suit you.

  • Focused on design and ease? Wix is a strong contender.

  • Publishing professionally or monetizing content directly? Ghost deserves serious consideration.

There’s no universal “best” platform—only the one that aligns with your vision. The good news? Today’s options make it easier than ever to share your voice with the world.