If you want to build a blog at no cost, consider using Google’s Blogger. When you sign up, your website address will end in “.blogspot.com.” Blogger provides free hosting, while Blogspot gives you a free subdomain. You can create a blog or any kind of website using it. Monetization can be done through ad programs like AdSense, Infolinks, Amazon, or A-Ads. If you want a more personalized touch, you can link a custom domain name to your Blogger site without paying for hosting. Though you won’t have full control over the platform, you'll still have a working site with your own branded web address.

Blogger can be good for beginners due to its simplicity and integration with Google services. It’s free, easy to use, and doesn't require coding knowledge. However, it has limited customization options and fewer features compared to platforms like WordPress, which might hinder long-term growth and flexibility.

If you want to create a website and monetize it without self hosting, it can be a great option. However, running a website on blogger as a long term strategy might not be great because scaling can be difficult.

Creating a blog on Blogger is simple and free. It starts by signing into Google account and choosing a blog name and URL. Then, select a template that fits my style. Customizing the layout, adding widgets (like search bars or recent posts), and writing my first post is next.

If you get too big on blogger and would like to scale it, you can always download your data & move it off on blogger.

 

it’s a good learning environment when you’re first starting out. If they didn’t offer the ability to download your data, then you’d be stuck in a loop.

You can easily move your blogger blogs to self hosted wordpress site for free.