Websites we accept, and websites we don't

Websites we accept, and websites we don't

When engaging bloggers, all brands and businesses have different needs and goals, but there are a few standard factors that brands look for when hiring bloggers on their blogging jobs. They can be one or more of the following factors:

• If the blog is self-hosted
• The blog's niche
• The blogger's location
• The blog's appearance
• If they have collaborated before
• Whether or not the blogger has collaborated with a close competitor
• The blog's domain authority
• The blog's traffic

The details of these are explained in more detail here to help you learn how to win paid blogging jobs.

Why Get Blogged only accepts self-hosted blogs

This is the most common question we get from creators, so let's be completely upfront about it.

Get Blogged only accepts self-hosted websites — that means you own the domain, you control the hosting, and you have full access to your site's files and settings. This isn't an arbitrary rule. It exists because brands need three things from every blog they work with: permanence, professionalism, and editorial control.

When a brand pays for a collaboration, they need confidence that the content will stay live, that the site looks credible to their audience, and that you have full control over what you publish. Free blogging platforms can't guarantee any of those things — the platform can remove your content, restrict your access, or shut down entirely without warning.

Self-hosted means you're running a real publication. That's what brands want to be associated with.

Platforms we accept

If your blog is built on any of the following, you're good to go:

WordPress.org (self-hosted)

The gold standard for blogging. If you've purchased your own hosting (from providers like SiteGround, Bluehost, or similar) and installed WordPress yourself, your site qualifies. This is by far the most common setup among our creator community.

How to tell: Your site's URL is your own domain (e.g. yourblog.co.uk), you log in via yourblog.co.uk/wp-admin, and you can install plugins and themes freely.

Squarespace

Squarespace sites are fully accepted. You own the content, control the design, and have your own domain. Many creators in lifestyle, photography, and design niches use Squarespace — and brands love the polished aesthetic.

Wix (Premium plans with a custom domain)

If you're on a paid Wix plan with your own domain name (not a yourname.wixsite.com address), your site qualifies. You need a custom domain — the free Wix subdomain does not meet our requirements.

Ghost

Ghost is an excellent blogging platform and fully accepted. Whether you self-host Ghost or use their managed hosting with a custom domain, you're eligible.

Webflow

Webflow sites with a custom domain are accepted. Popular with design-savvy creators and fully within our guidelines.

Shopify (with a blog section)

If you run a Shopify store that includes a blog, and the blog has genuine, original content relevant to your niche, it qualifies. The blog section needs to be a genuine editorial effort — not just product pages.

Other self-hosted platforms

If you run a site on Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby, Drupal, Joomla, or any other CMS on your own hosting with your own domain — it's accepted. The platform doesn't matter as much as the principle: you own it, you control it, and it's on your domain.

Platforms we don't accept

We know this can be frustrating if you've put a lot of work into a blog on one of these platforms, and we genuinely appreciate the effort. But the following do not meet the requirements brands have when commissioning content:

WordPress.com (free plan)

This is different from WordPress.org. WordPress.com free sites sit on a yourname.wordpress.com subdomain, and you don't have full control over plugins, monetisation, or even whether your content stays live. If you upgrade to a WordPress.com paid plan with a custom domain, we can consider it — but we'd recommend migrating to self-hosted WordPress.org for the best experience.

How to tell the difference: If your URL contains "wordpress.com" or you can't install plugins, you're on the free version.

Blogger / Blogspot

Google's Blogger platform (yourname.blogspot.com) is free, but it gives you limited control, no real ability to build domain authority, and Google could discontinue it at any time. Even with a custom domain mapped to Blogspot, the underlying limitations remain.

Medium

Medium is a great platform for writing, but you don't own the distribution, the domain, or the audience data. Brands need content on a site you control — and Medium can change its policies, paywall your content, or alter its algorithm without notice.

Tumblr

Similar to Medium — you're publishing on someone else's platform with limited control. Brands require editorial independence that Tumblr cannot provide.

Free Wix, Weebly, or similar site builders (on a subdomain)

If your URL looks like yourname.wixsite.com or yourname.weebly.com, the site doesn't qualify. The free tiers of these platforms come with branding, ads you can't control, and no real domain authority. Upgrading to a paid plan with a custom domain changes the picture — see the accepted list above.

Social media profiles

Instagram pages, Facebook pages, TikTok accounts, and YouTube channels are not blogs. They're valuable, and some campaigns do include social amplification — but they can't replace a self-hosted website as your primary site on Get Blogged.

What makes a site more attractive to brands

Meeting the minimum requirements gets you onto the platform. But if you want to stand out and win more collaborations, here's what brands consistently tell us they look for:

A clear niche

Your blog doesn't need to cover only one topic, but brands want to see a consistent editorial focus. Food, travel, parenting, beauty, tech, lifestyle, personal finance — whatever it is, lean into it. A blog that's "about everything" is harder for brands to match to their campaigns.

Original, recent content

Brands check your most recent posts. If your last article was six months ago, they'll move on. You don't need to post daily, but a consistent rhythm — even once a fortnight — shows you're active and your audience is engaged.

A clean, professional design

Your content is king, but first impressions matter. A site that loads quickly, reads well on mobile, and isn't cluttered with pop-ups and ads signals professionalism. Brands are placing their name alongside your content — they want it to look good.

Decent domain authority

DA isn't everything, but it matters. Most campaigns on Get Blogged have a minimum DA requirement. If your DA is low, focus on creating quality content consistently, building genuine backlinks, and giving it time. DA grows with your site's credibility.

Connected Google Analytics

Connecting your Get Blogged account to Google Analytics makes your site significantly more attractive to brands. It shows verified traffic data, which gives brands confidence in your reach. 

A complete Get Blogged profile

This sounds simple, but a surprising number of creators skip it. Add your photo, write a proper bio, list your skills, connect your social channels, and verify your site. A complete profile tells brands you're serious. An incomplete one raises questions before you've even pitched.

"My blog doesn't qualify yet — what should I do?"

If your site doesn't meet the requirements right now, that's okay. Here's how to get there:

If you're on a free platform: The single best thing you can do is migrate to self-hosted WordPress. Hosting costs as little as a few pounds a month, and there are hundreds of free tutorials online. Your content, your audience, and your earning potential will all benefit.

If your DA is too low: Keep publishing quality content regularly. Build genuine relationships with other bloggers in your niche — guest posting, commenting, and sharing each other's work all help. DA is a long game, but it does grow.

If your site is new: Give it time. Most sites need at least 3-6 months of consistent content before they build enough authority to start attracting brand collaborations. Use that time to refine your niche, build your archive, and polish your design.

Quick reference: Does my site qualify?

Platform Accepted? Notes WordPress.org (self-hosted) Yes The most common setup on Get Blogged Squarespace Yes Custom domain required Wix (paid + custom domain) Yes Free Wix subdomains are not accepted Ghost Yes Self-hosted or managed hosting Webflow Yes Custom domain required Shopify (with blog) Yes Blog must have genuine editorial content WordPress.com (free) No Upgrade to paid with custom domain, or migrate to .org Blogger / Blogspot No Limited control, no real DA growth Medium No You don't own the domain or distribution Tumblr No Same limitations as Medium Wix / Weebly (free subdomain) No Upgrade to paid with a custom domain Social media only No Not a substitute for a self-hosted blog.