Aaron Zavala Avatar
Aaron Zavala

What I'm looking for in a blog setup

I've been on the lookout for a blog host with these qualities:

  • ability to post from anywhere (personal or work devices) as easily as possible
  • ability to use custom domain name
  • able to use short (no title) or long posts
  • able to cross-post easily to social sites
  • easily customizable via CSS
  • uses markdown for writing posts
  • capable RSS feed for either long and/or short posts
  • low-cost or free subscription ($6/month or less)
  • ability to integrate with standard.site

Some sites/services that get close these priorities:

I am not a coder or web developer. I have been tinkering with Astro, trying to figure out how to build my own site. It's been a steep learning curve for me. It is something I will still be working toward. I would love to integrate my own from-scratch site with Sequoia CLI. My desires currently outpace my knowledge, which is a good thing and useful for intrinsic motivation. However, it will take more time to learn this as well as I would like between family and work commitments. I am ok with taking this slow.

I discovered Bear Blog through a Hacker News post sometime ago. I began writing and sharing there as a practice of learning out loud. I really like the simple design and the quiet space Bear Blog has to offer. It's a great blogging site. Herman Martinus, the developer, has been a great inspiration to me for writing, as well as helpful and responsive to support requests.

Earlier this year, I (re)discovered how great RSS feeds are and came across Manton Reece' posts. I love the way he can just write out little posts or longer posts without thinking much about it. I have been testing out Micro.blog for my own purposes and find it a good resource, as well. I love the way it has integrated POSSE and other Indieweb qualities into its design and function. I am grateful the service exists. The cross-posting features of Micro.blog Premium are great.

I will also be testing out more of Pagecord. I am enjoying its thoughtful design and ease of use, and Olly Headey has been great to interact with online. I am considering subscribing to try out the custom domain feature, as well. As for cross-posting, I will be trying out a simple Echofeed to my main social media site, Bluesky. This will continue to be an experiment for me, at least for a little while.

Figuring out how to carve out your own space on this Internet doesn't have to be as daunting as becoming a coder or web developer, but sometimes it is challenging – at least for myself. However, I am grateful for those who have built these tools others can use to bring and share a little of their own light through this medium.