Start Your Own Blog Quickly And Easily!
Many people ask me the same question: “How can I start my own blog?” Sometimes another question is also asked: “Which Online blogging service should I use?” Or “What’s wrong with just keeping a blog on Myspace or Facebook? Well, hopefully this post will answer these questions for you. FYI, the answers are my opinion. You, or someone else giving you advice may disagree with my opinions. That’s OK.
- How to start your own blog (it’s really easy): Choose a blogging platform (one of the best is WordPress.com). If you’ve never blogged before, you are a little technology-timid, and you want to start out free or spending the least money you possibly can, I’d suggest that you start with a free, online blogging service such as WordPress.com. Later on, as you grow, you can purchase web space and a domain name, install blogging software, and run your own blog on your own domain. Here’s a youtube video talking you through setting up a blog on wordpress.com (notice that wordpress looks a little different than on the video – that’s because wordpress has changed their design a bit, just explore a bit and you’ll be able to figure out the differences):
- Which blogging service should you choose: I suggest WordPress.com. The reason I say this is that I believe WordPress to be the premier blogging software out there today and it’s free. If in the future you end up wanting to have your very own site (you want to purchase webspace, purchase a domain name, and install the blogging software), I’d suggest wordpress as the software you use. So, basically, you’ll already have a feel of how WordPress works because you’ve been using it already AND it’s probably the best platform around and has the best community of users from whom you can gain support when you need help.
- What’s wrong with keeping your blog on myspace or facebook: Nothing’s “wrong” with it, but there are some real advantages to having your own blog separate from social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook. First off, on Facebook at least, I think only “friends” can read it. Also, you are at the mercy of the obnoxious ads on Myspace. On social networking sites, your blog is just part of your whole network profile. Perhaps you would like your blog to be just your blog so people would come by and read what you have to say without digging through all of the other network stuff. In other words, they can just go straight to your blog. In the future, this would definitely be a good thing while you are trying to brand a name for yourself. IMHO.
One more step you can choose to take is to buy a domain (they’re really inexpencive, like $10 a year) and link your wordpress.com blog directly with your domain. That way when people type your www.yourdomain.com, they arrive at your blog on WordPress.com. This way you can begin branding, loose less visitors if and when you do choose to pay to host your own blog, and and just be all around uber-cool!
I use HostMoster as my webhost!
Well, welcome to the blogging community! If you have any questions, I’d be happy to help you along! Just drop me a line via my contact page! Meanwhile, if I missed anything here, let me know in the comments section below!
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