Step 2. Get Your Blog Online Getting your
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 6:59 am
Step 2. Get Your Blog Online
Getting your blog online can seem like a bit of a mystery. You might have come across lots of different advice or different ways to go about it. New bloggers often get stuck or confused at this step.
Here’s what you need to know. First, all blogs need 3 key things:
A blogging platform (software that lets you create your blog and publish blog posts, e.g. WordPress, Blogger, Squarespace) – some are free, others are only available as paid services
Web hosting (24/7 storage for all your blog’s pages, posts, images, and other files, e.g. with Bluehost, Dreamhost, or another web hosting company) – typically costs around $5/month, though this varies a lot depending on bangladesh phone number database you need
A domain name (also called a website address or URL, e.g. ryrob.com) – typically costs around $15/year, though many web hosts offer a free domain name
Some blogging platforms will provide you with free hosting and a free domain name that also incorporates their name, like ryrob.wordpress.com.
They can provide this for free because (a) it’s a form of advertising for them and (b) they hope you’ll upgrade from their free service to a paid plan in the future.
Choosing Your Blogging Platform
With so many different blogging platforms out there, it can be tricky to know what’s best.
I strongly recommend using WordPress.org. This is a free, open-source blogging platform that all big web hosts support.
You will need to pay for a domain name and hosting, but you’ll have full ownership of your blog and full flexibility.
You can change to whatever blog design you want, install third-party WordPress plugins (little pieces of software that add more features to your blog), run ads, and so on.
If you really can’t afford a domain name and hosting upfront, then you could start out using WordPress.com. (This is the commercial wing of WordPress.)
If you want to learn more, check out my post on the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, which covers the pros and cons of each.
Getting your blog online can seem like a bit of a mystery. You might have come across lots of different advice or different ways to go about it. New bloggers often get stuck or confused at this step.
Here’s what you need to know. First, all blogs need 3 key things:
A blogging platform (software that lets you create your blog and publish blog posts, e.g. WordPress, Blogger, Squarespace) – some are free, others are only available as paid services
Web hosting (24/7 storage for all your blog’s pages, posts, images, and other files, e.g. with Bluehost, Dreamhost, or another web hosting company) – typically costs around $5/month, though this varies a lot depending on bangladesh phone number database you need
A domain name (also called a website address or URL, e.g. ryrob.com) – typically costs around $15/year, though many web hosts offer a free domain name
Some blogging platforms will provide you with free hosting and a free domain name that also incorporates their name, like ryrob.wordpress.com.
They can provide this for free because (a) it’s a form of advertising for them and (b) they hope you’ll upgrade from their free service to a paid plan in the future.
Choosing Your Blogging Platform
With so many different blogging platforms out there, it can be tricky to know what’s best.
I strongly recommend using WordPress.org. This is a free, open-source blogging platform that all big web hosts support.
You will need to pay for a domain name and hosting, but you’ll have full ownership of your blog and full flexibility.
You can change to whatever blog design you want, install third-party WordPress plugins (little pieces of software that add more features to your blog), run ads, and so on.
If you really can’t afford a domain name and hosting upfront, then you could start out using WordPress.com. (This is the commercial wing of WordPress.)
If you want to learn more, check out my post on the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, which covers the pros and cons of each.