Tumblr vs. WordPress
You're looking to build a killer website for your business. However, you are looking for a free hosting option to start, and not sure which platform to trust. With so many options, let's take a look at a couple of blogging platforms in order to make your decision easier: WordPress and Tumblr. 
Ease of Use Winner: Tumblr
Out of the two options, Tumblr is the easiest platform to get your blog up and running. You get results immediately, quickly writing up a post and publishing it with the click of a mouse.
WordPress, on the other hand, takes some time to get something published. It just isn't as simple as Tumblr. Don't fret, though — there are so many people relying on WordPress, meaning better support. There are a plethora of tutorials and helpful information to help you navigate the process of setting up your WordPress site.
Customization Winner: WordPress
There is no question about it: if you are looking for a website that you can customize and add plugins and gadgets to, WordPress is the way to go. WordPress acts like a website rather than a blogging platform, so when you are ready to get a cheap hosting provider, you can stick with WordPress as most offer one-click installs of your WordPress site. They offer the highest number of themes, too, so you'll get a site that is perfect for your business.
SEO Winner: WordPress
If SEO's your game, WordPress is your platform. Search engines favor WordPress code, making it easier to get a high ranking than with other blogging platforms like Tumblr.
Content Winner: Both, Depending On What You Are Looking For
Tumblr is the best choice for industries like fashion, design, and photography because it is simple to include videos, photos, and other media in your posts. WordPress, on the other hand, is great for the website focused on written content. It does offer many nice photography options, but is more text-focused.
Social Networking Winner: Tumblr
Tumblr users tag their posts, allowing other users to search the site based on their interests. This means more potential eyes on your posts! In terms of subscribing to a blog's RSS feed, it's easier in Tumblr, too. Tumblr's Facebook and Twitter integration is direct, making it faster and simpler than WordPress, which relies on plugins to share on social media sites.
Hosting winner: WordPress
As previously mentioned, one day you'll want to move from free hosting to cheap hosting. Unfortunately, with Tumblr, you are reliant on their servers alone. This isn't a big deal as their servers are sufficient, but if you are planning on growing your readers and site visitors in general, you will definitely think about signing up with a hosting provider in the future. WordPress allows you to choose your own hosting provider, ensuring your specific needs are met.
Tumblr vs. WordPress: The Verdict
It's tough to tell you which platform to choose, mainly because it's dependent on your specific needs. Before you can make the choice, you need to outline those needs and the goal of your website, what type of content you'll post most often, and what type of audience you are targeting.
If you are looking to have a site with lots of pictures and aren't concerned with the fact you may eventually outgrow Tumblr's hosting, go ahead and go with Tumblr. However, if you are looking for a clean website with text-heavy content that you can customize in countless ways, one that you can eventually switch over to cheap hosting, WordPress is the perfect choice.
Photo courtesy of Elephantonadiet via Flickr Creative Commons.
