This post started out as research for a workshop on the basics of blogging — how to set a free one up, really — that I ran last week for journalism students at Centennial College in Toronto.

I focused mainly on WordPress because it’s what I’ve worked with most, but I still wanted to give them options.

There are lots of free blog providers out there, and lots more reviews.

Which to use to build your online “brand” can become a daunting choice, especially when you’re new to this sort of thing.

Don’t limit yourself. Try ’em all – they’re free, after all. You’ll find something that works for you.

So what are the free options? In no particular order, here are some of the big players:

• WordPress – where the blog you’re reading lives
• Blogger – a Google offering
• LiveJournal
• Blog.com
• Tumblr
• Microsoft Windows Live Spaces
• My Opera
• Ning

And some others to consider:

• InsaneJournal
• Blogetery — based on WordPress
• Blogsome — based on WordPress
• Weebly
• Xanga.com
• thoughts.com
• typolis
• Vox.com
• blog.ca

By no means an exhaustive list, but not a bad place to start on your blog hunt.

Most, if not all, offer lots of theme or skin options to suit just about any taste. Again, poke around. You’ll eventually find a look that works for you.

Starting in WordPress

If you choose to try a free WordPress blog, here’s a an in-depth — and I do mean in-depth — look at how get started:

Beginner Blogger

Here’s a how-to by the folks at Blogger: