December 17, 2009
Choosing the Best Company for Hosting a Blog
If you pick the right host for your blog you won’t have a lot of the downtime that comes with a poor host. You’ll be able to focus on content creation instead of arguing with your web host. This way you can start an online business or just keep in touch with friends all over the world even if you aren’t tech savvy.
Blog web hosting is always littered with freebies. These freebies are often the same across most companies. You’ll find that a lot of services offer a “free domain” with your purchase. They tout that the domain name is good for life, but that only lasts as long as you use their service. You might just think that you can use one of their free templates without any technical knowledge. This will cause you a lot of headaches in the long run as you discover that the template isn’t versatile enough to fit your needs and it doesn’t have proper SEO.
Before you decide which company to go for you’ll want to put in research time. Look for testimonials not on the company’s site but on other sites and forums. This allows you to get the real story and you may even become alerted to scams. With a little knowledge you’ll know which sites to avoid. Most contracts last for a year so you don’t want to pick the wrong one.
Communication is key when looking for website or blog hosting. This is really true if you are a beginning blogger or you don’t have a lot of technical skills. You’ll probably have dozens of questions and you need a team that is dedicated to helping you with your problems. Before you sign a contract give the customer service representatives a trial run by emailing them a few questions. You might even want to call the phone number to make sure that it’s legitimate.
One of the first quandaries you’ll hit is whether or not you should go with a free host or a paid host. Going with a free host may seem like the obvious choice because it’s free after all. However, there are severe limits on the design, content and even the overall life of your blog when going with a free host. You might not even have all of the SEO capabilities that you’ll need to be successful.
The best blog host will be functional. Every blogging software has different requirements so you want to know which one you’ll be using before you sign a contract. Even if you aren’t tech savvy you’ll still need to check to make sure that your basic installation and updating needs are met; otherwise you won’t have a blog at all. If you’re a beginner then look for a company that offers Simple Scripts or Fantastico which will make installation as easy as clicking your mouse a few times.
The best blog web hosting is the one that allows you create a blog with a minimal hassle. Blogging should be easy and fun. If you have the wrong web host it seems like it’s just the opposite. Finding the right fit allows you to network with people all over the world and create a space that is as unique as you are.
Learn more about blog web hosting. Stop by Sara Gilmore’s site where you can find out all about locating a cheap blog host and what it can do for you.
Filed under Web Hosting by Sara Gilmore
The first decision you need to make as a new blogger is which software you want to go with. There are a lot of different programs out there that each has their pluses and minuses. You can choose between a free or a paid service.
Clearly define your needs. Sure there is a lot of software out there that promises everything under the sun. You need to evaluate just how much you need to do and how easy and fast you need to do it. A paid software might not be worth it if you are running a personal blog but for a business site it might more than make up for the added expenses. Most of the main software is available on free hosts but might not be as functional or even applicable on a paid site.
Consider how tech savvy you are. The free software may be simpler than hosting your own site. You’ll need to evaluate whether you can use an FTP program. Free hosting might not have all of the plugins and features that you need. You should determine whether your time will be spent on the technical side and learning about html and php or if you just want to blog and write.
Try out the software before you make a decision. You’ll find free blogging sites that use the same software you’d use on your own host. Using their hosting means that you have to follow their rules which may even mean that you can’t monetize your site. It only takes a few minutes to test drive each platform. Avoid spending a lot of time on SEO and building links to your trial blog; save that for the real thing.
Consider the advantages of WordPress software. WordPress software is very popular among professional bloggers. WordPress is versatile and there are constantly new developments and upgrade. You may find that there is a steeper learning curve with these items but it might be to your advantage to utilize everything that is out there.
Consider using Blogger. Blogger is free software that is very tailored to the beginner. You won’t have all of the plugins that you’d have with WordPress. Blogger also has a limited range of themes; but you can customize what is there without a lot of coding knowledge.
Want to find out more about hosting a blog, then visit Sara Gilmore’s site on how to choose the best blog software for your needs.
Filed under Web Hosting by Sara Gilmore
