Comparing Blog Platforms #7: WordPress and TypePad Neck-In-Neck

BlogCastGirl’s 2008 Blog Platform Challenge is my quest as a newbie blogger to find the platform that anyone can use.

It is currently operating on three—count ‘em—three platforms. If I don’t go crazy learning all of these editors, it will be a miracle!

Blog Platform Comparison Test Rules

Some of my personal rules for this comparison test are as follows.

1. The Anyone Can Do It Standard. I am looking for an intuitive platform that gets me up and happily blogging in no time. It should be obvious how to set-up, customize, and promote my blog. In other words, anyone can do it.

Two Things To Know Before Starting A Blog On WordPress.Com

You may be like me and decide to start blogging on WordPress while sitting in front of the TV at about 10 p.m. on a Tuesday. Getting started is super easy, just fill in the blanks starting at the www.WordPress.com login screen.

But, there are two things that you should decide before you start.

1. Choose your username. Your username is your login ID and is used to author your posts. You can’t change it after it is entered, but you CAN change what the public sees. See “fixing your username” below.

Comparing Blog Platforms #2: First Blog on Typepad

As a follow-up to Comparing Blog Platforms #1: WordPress.com, here is my installment on Typepad.com.

Blog Platform Comparison Test Rules

Some of my personal rules for this comparison test are as follows.

1. The Anyone Can Do It Standard. I am looking for an intuitive platform that gets me up and happily blogging in no time. It should be obvious how to set-up, customize, and promote my blog. In other words, anyone can do it.
2. Rapid deployment. I am doing my best to make rapid decisions initially in order to get different aspects of the blog up and running quickly. While aesthetics are important, I’m not stressing over them right now.
3. No customization outside of available templates. I am using standard features, widgets, and themes that appear on the normal menus. No editing CSS or HTML for me.

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Today I wrote my first blog on Typepad.com using their “14-day free trial.” You can see it at www.blogcastgirl.typepad.com.

Fearless Blogging Starts Now

This is the time to be fearless.

Really, when you are first learning new software, give yourself permission to experiment and fail.  Click around the menus, try out different features, check out the effects, and if you don’t like it, figure out how to fix it.  The things that you learn now—before you have tons of content at stake—will save your behind at 2 a.m. when you are trying to build a particularly complex post.

WordPress.com is supposed to be the user-friendly version of WordPress.org, but you still have to take the time to click through the menus and find what you want.  It’s not perfect, and she isn’t going to learn your habits, you have to learn hers.  Yes, I’m using the female pronoun here, because I see the combination of webware, hosting, and support as a giant cruise ship sailing me into the unpredictable blogosphere.  From what I can see, it is very easy to steer into the Bermuda Triangle of blog oblivion.  It will be your skill, combined with a bit of luck, that will set you apart.

Comparing Blog Platforms #1: WordPress.com

Well, after considerable research I settled on WordPress.com to be my first test subject in comparing the major blog platforms.

Why compare blog platforms?

I did a lot of research, and to be honest, I couldn’t find the perfect feature/benefit chart to guide my selection. Here are a few resources that I did find useful.

• USC Annenberg Online Service Review.
• Anatomy and Structure of a TypePad, WordPress, Blogger and Movable Type Blog
• Typepad.com Price List
• WordPress.com Feature List

Why WordPress.Com?

1. Free. WordPress.com is free. If you get ambitious, you can purchase upgrades to increase your storage (if you have a big blog and/or lots of photos or videos) and other features.