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Setting up your own blog is extremely easy these days. Now, anyone with internet access can write and publish whatever they’d like at the click of a button. If you’ve been considering blogging, this article will show you how to set up your own blog free of charge.

Microblogging Tools

Before I get into how to publish content, let’s talk about different blogging platforms. Right now, micro-blogging is the rage. Basically, microblogging is just like blogging, only the posts are much shorter. If you are new to blogging, you might want to join one of the microblogging sites and get a feel for blogging before you set up your own blog. Common microblogging sites include:

1. Twitter – Twitter is the most popular microblogging platform thanks to celebrity endorsements like Oprah, Shaq and Ashton Kutcher. The platform is simple to use and you can tell the world what you are doing in 140 characters or less.
2. Posterous – If you want a platform that allows you to publish more content, Posterous lets you make updates via email. Want to post pictures or video, just email Posterous and they will format your content so it looks nice on your blog page. Posterous will also update all of your social networking links like Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr that you’ve posted new content.
3. Tumblr – Tumblr is similar to Posterous but allows for more customization. Tumblr has been around longer and has more users than Posterous.

For a great comparison of Posterous and Tumblr, check out Mashable’s Posterous vs. Tumblr: A Head to Head.

Setting Up A Blog

Now that I’ve discussed microblogging, let’s get into how to set up a full-fledged blog for yourself or your business. If you want to test the waters, you can start with a free blog at:

1. Blogger.com – Owned by Google, Blogger is the quick, easy way to set up a blog in under a minute. You simply sign up for an account, decide if you want to purchase a domain name, choose the look you want, and start blogging.
2. Wordpress.com – There are actually two versions of Wordpress. Wordpress.com is a lot like Blogger.com, only more feature-rich. Anyone can register for an account and start blogging. Wordpress.org is free, open source software that anyone can download and install on their web host.
3. Weebly – If you want to set up a website and blog with drag-and-drop capabilities, Weebly is a great easy-to-use platform that allows anyone to set up their website and blog in minutes.

If you’ve been meaning to try blogging, now is a great time to start. With so many free tools to set up your own blog, you can start publishing content within minutes.