Hosting a Blog
When hosting a blog it seems like you almost never get what you pay for. Here are some beginning mistakes and how to properly read the ads of hosting companies so that you can find a host that you are happy with. It takes a little research and reading in between the lines to really see what you are getting and if this is going to be enough for you.
When you set up blog hosting you’ll often get a “free domain” name forever or life. However this domain name is really only free as long as you host with the company. Another way they’ll entice you is with free Google Adword credits. Who wouldn’t want to be able to setup their own free advertising with reputable companies like Google and Yahoo? The catch is that once you set up your accounts you’ll have to spend money in order for the free credit to be applicable. If you were already planning on paying for advertisizing then you will be getting a good deal. Otherwise you’ll just be paying for “free items”.
Many weblog hosting companies offer you the ability to host unlimited domains. This is really enticing to a blogger, especially if you are a professional simply because you never know how many blogs or websites you’ll end up with. Some companies also claim to offer unlimited hosting space and file transfer space for just a few dollars a month. You’ll want to read any fine print. You might only be able to have a limited number of databases or there is some other catch that will keep you from expanding into a really big site. There are legitimate hosts out there but you should always expect to get a little less then what they are advertising. Take the ads with a grain of salt.
The best blog host differs upon what you are going for. Do you want unlimited space? Do you need a lot of email accounts? Moving your sites can be a hassle so read web hosting reviews beforehand. There will always be negative reviews of every company so find a reviewer that has a circumstance close to yours and see how it worked out for them.
When you host your own blogs you’ll want to be on the lookout for free site builders and free web templates. Don’t think that you can get away without learning basic coding. These templates are so generic and have such limited capabilities that they are basically useless to most people and websites. Just make sure that your host can run wordpress and you’ll be able to customize a lot of your own sites, even with just a little knowledge.
If you’re hosting a blog be prepared to do a lot of the work yourself, even if the host says they will set up a blog for you. You’ll want to read through all the basic materials on how to install and use the software just so you have complete control of your blog and maximize your layout and earnings.