How to set up a blog in 5 minutes or less

These are 2 basic blog programs you can use to get a blog started in 5 minutes. You can register and have your first blog post published within 5 minutes flat. There are some advantages and disadvantages to this option.

Advantages:

* Quick
* Free
* Simple
* You don't have to host the blog yourself (on your own website)

Disadvantages:

* Your blog will be limited to set themes. So won't be unique.
* You aren't hosting the blog yourself (for control and freedom to write about whatever you want)

This is a good option to go with unless you are looking for a professional blog to represent your business. Great for personal blogs.

If you have your own web hosting, and that web hosting has Fantastico available, there is a good chance you will be able to install the latest version of wordpress semi-automatically in a few seconds.

Fantastico is a cool tool offered by a lot of hosting providers that will auto-install some popular script and services for you. It takes the pain out of SQL databases and folder structures and ftp programs... And just sets up your script. In this case, the script to run your blog.

If you have Fantastico and feel comfortable with it, then go for it. This too of course has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

* Quick
* Free
* Easy when you get the hang of it
* You host the blog yourself (stay in complete control)

Disadvantages:

* You will want to find and install and customize a great theme for your blog. Unlike the hosted wordpress solution in number 1 above, the wordpress that Fantastico will install on your own site will not have dozens of theme to choose from. So you will need to go hunting for a good one yourself, or pay to have one made just for your blog.

* You will have to find and install all the great plugins yourself. Fantastico won't do this for you.

Option 3 is a simple one. You get someone else to do it for you. You tell them what you want (taking you less than 5 minutes), and they go off and make you the best possible blog to represent your business or idea. This option isn't free of course (but you will get what you pay for).

I run a site called YourNicheBlog.com offering this service, because there were not a lot of people out there willing to "do it for you". And those that did exist were either too costly or too confusing.

You can go to YourNicheBlog.com and see for yourself what comes with each blog. But here are some of the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

* I do it all for you. After you tell me what you want, it's all handsfree for you.
* The latest and best plugins will be all sorted. No hunting around.
* Your theme will be customized to match your business or idea. Unique and tailored to you.
* You host it yourself.

Disadvantages:

* Not free.
* Although your involvement will be limited to 5 minutes, the job will take me longer. So you will get your blog as a result of 5 minutes work, but only because I'm doing the rest.

If you don't have the time to do it yourself, and you want your blog to properly represent your business or idea and be unique, then option 3 is best for you.