For Newbs: How to Blog-Getting Started

The only things you absolutely need to start blogging are time, inspiration and a blog. In this article, I will discuss the pros and cons of two options for getting your blog online.

Blog Providers vs. Self-Hosting

The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get a blog is to sign up with a blog provider such as Blogger.com, WordPress.com or Vox. With these types of providers, everything is done for you. The software is installed, the blog is set up and many have a variety of themes to choose from so you can personalize your blog a bit. The only thing you need to do is start writing.

While this may seem like an ideal option, there are several drawbacks to third party blog hosting:

Limited room to grow- To maximize space on their servers and encourage the purchase of premium services, blog hosts will often limit the amount of space and level of traffic available for your blog. On top of that, since you do not have access to the administrative side of the site, you won’t be able to install additional useful software such as a shopping cart or a contact form.

Surrender control of the site- While you will not have to worry about things like server security and software upgrades, you also give up some control over the site. If an internet troll is plaguing you, there isn’t much that you can do about it. In addition, if you violate a blog provider’s terms of service, they can take your blog away before you can say “Wha-”.

Messy move- Moving your blog from their service to your own space on the web is often a pain. A few hosts, like WordPress.com, make the process easy but with most it is an absolute nightmare that will cost you time and visitors.

Personally, I recommend going the self hosting option when it comes to starting a blog. While there is a bit more work involved, the long term benefits far outweigh the drawbacks especially if you are blogging for money.

Pros:

Freedom- As long as you are not crashing the server or doing something illegal, your web host couldn’t care less what you do with your site. You can add as much software and gadgetry as you want to your site.

Looks more professional- If you are operating a commercial site or blogging for money, it looks so much better when you put your blog on its own domain. It shows your clients that you are serious about your business and encourages them to trust you.

Minimal Moving Headaches- Moving from one web host to another is much easier and some web hosts will even transfer your websites to their service for you (for an additional fee of course).

More troll busting capabilities- You have a few more tools at your disposal when it comes to dealing with trolls disrupting your site.

Cons:

Learning curve- If you don’t have a clue about how the internet works or have the equivalent of two left feet when it comes to technology, then it will take some time and effort on your part to learn what’s what. The great thing about the internet, though, is that help is just an internet search away.

More responsibility- Keeping your site safe from hackers and other degenerates is now upon your shoulders.

Some control issues- You must operate your site according to the web hosts terms of service. For example, if your web host does not allow adult materials on your web site and you put up a porn blog your site will be taken down. Shop smart and find a web host that supports your goals for your website.

Host Shopping tips

Whether you’ve decided to start off with a blog provider or brave the world of the self-hosted, there are several things to consider when picking your providers.

Stability- It is way too easy to become a web host these days and as a result the web is filled with fly by nighters. Do your homework. Check out the business thoroughly. How long have they been around? What do people who have hosted with them say about their experiences? There are many review sites out there. Grab a search engine and see what the internet pulls up.

Affordability- Can you fork out the monthly fee? While the price of web hosting has come down quite a bit, a monthly bill can still be a burden if the only thing in your bank account are tumble weeds.

Reliability- While server failures and down time does happen, it should not be a constant issue. Almost every web host on the market boast an uptime of 99.9% but reality is usually much, much different. There are tools online with which you can monitor the uptime of a particular web host. Use them find out the truth.

Support- Do the people hosting your blog know what they are doing? This is so important because if you have problems with the service they are the first people you will turn to for help. They need to be able to answer your questions and solve problems. Take their support services for a test ride. If there is a telephone number for support, call it! Check out their forums and see if questions are being answered in a professional and timely manner.

Additional Resources

Here is a list of places where you can sign up for a free blog:

A list of free blog providers

Here are some instructional articles for the technical aspects of setting up your blog:

How to Install WordPress manually on your own domain

How to Install WordPress on your own domain using Fantastico

How to install a Blogger.com blog on your own domain

While WordPress is the most well known blogging software that’s free, there are other blogging platforms on the market.

B2Evolution

TextPattern

Expression Engine

In the next article in this series, For Newbs: Types and Topics, we are going to delve into some motivations for blogging and the different types of blogs you can run for fun and profit.