How to set up a blog--Advice and Tips!

Topics that will be covered will be:

1. Whether to use a hosted blog site (like blogger.com or Wordpress.com) or use a blog platform (like Wordpress.org, Typepad, Blogsmith, Movable Type)
2. Comparing hosted blog sites--Blogger vs. Wordpress.com
3. Comparing the Wordpress.org blog platform to other blog platforms
4. Whether you should learn HTML, CSS, or any Programming.
5. What's the best option to make money with your blog.

So read on if you want to learn how to make a kick butt blog!

Hosted Blog vs. Host Your Own Blog

Option 1) Use a shared domain blog

A shared domain blog is a blog you don't have to pay to host on a web server. You can create these at https://www.blogger.com/start, http://wordpress.com/, etc. When you choose this option you'll be using what is known as a "shared domain blog" because you'll have .blogspot or .wordpress after your blog's domain name like http://nameofyourblog.blogspot.com or http://nameofyourblog.wordpress.com. Setting up a blog with a hosted blog is extremely easy to do and free. You can actually have a blog set up in a couple minutes if you use blogger.com or wordpress.com!

Blogger vs. Worpress

If you are debating which to use you should know that both are extremely easy to use and set up. I think blogger is a little more user friendly while Wordpress is a little nicer looking. Also, Blogger.com has nice tools to easily use Google AdSense Ads in your blog so you can make money but Wordpress is a little more customizable.

Option 2) Pay a Host to Host Your Blog on Their Web Server

With this option you use a blog platform (like Wordpress--*from Wordpress.org and not Wordpress.com) and you pay a web host to place your blog on their servers. But why would you want to pay to have your blog hosted when you could have it hosted for free at blogger.com or worpress.com? Well there are actually three big reasons:

1. You have much more design flexibility.
2. You have many more monetization options (more monetization options = more ways to make money with your blog!)
3. Your blog will appear much more professional-giving you more credibility.

If you are wondering how to set up a blog using this method it is actually pretty easy to do. Blog platforms can be uploaded to a server and created within a couple minutes. There are instructions on how to do this at each blog platform's websites (ex. wordpress.org).

To Set Up Your Blog Using a Host--do this:

1. Sign up with a host.
2. Most good hosts will have a one click installation for different blog platforms (like Wordpress, Typepad, Blogsmith, Movable Type)-so just click that and you're ready to start blogging (it's that easy).

*If your host does not have a one click installation for the blog platform, follow these steps:

1. Download a blogging platform (like Wordpress (from Wordpress.org), Typepad, Blogsmith, Movable Type, etc) from their respective websites.
2. Sign up with a Host.
3. Upload your blog platform to the host you choose.
4. Start creating material for your blog!

Wordpress vs. the Rest:

I have tried out many Blog platforms and Content Management Systems (CMS) over the years and in my opinion the best blog platform is Wordpress. It is user friendly, it has a huge network of people using it (and updating it), there are a ton of websites and forums to help you if you have a problem, and there are many ways to customize it. Also, Wordpress is venturing out and implementing more complex features that other blog platforms don't have. So, in case you want to expand your blog to look more like a website that includes things like forums, shopping carts, or other advanced features--Wordpress is the blog platform for you. Also, Wordpress is one of the easiest blog platforms to set up.

Should You Learn HTML, CSS, or Programming?

If you are using a hosted blog at blogger or Wordpress it is not necessary to learn these skills. Learning a little bit about HTML may help you customize your blog some but you can always search for a particular code online when you want to do something to your blog.

However, if you are using a blog platform (like Wordpress from Wordpress.org) learning a little HTML will definitely go a long way. I would not recommend you take a long time learning it but if you have a very basic knowledge you can do a lot with your site. *note-you can still set up a great blog without ever learning HTML, CSS, or Programming.

Make Money with Your Blog

Some bloggers can make an amazing living from just one blog! However, if your goal is to just blog about your life, a topic, or get the word out about an issue--than setting up your blog on a hosted blog site (like wordpess.com or blogger.com) is probably your best bet. Hosted blog sites are very easy to use and you don't need to worry about hosting. That way you can just blog and not worry about administrative things. However, if you want to set up a blog to make money than using a blog platform (like Wordpress.org) is your best option because blog platforms give you many more options on how to customize your blog, how you can use ads on your site, and what types of features you can use with the blog.

Hopefully this article has helped you understand how to set up a blog. Blogging about things I love is a hobby of mine but the great thing about this hobby is that it's very profitable! Believe it or not there are many easy ways to monetize your blog that will bring you income for years to come. If you want to learn how I make my living with my blogs check this out at my website!

If you are interested in learning how to set up and create a profitable blog, about the 5 major pitfalls bloggers fall into, and how to choose a niche for your blog then check out this free report at my website! This is the best free report around and it is created by Jason Gazaway- a 26 year old blog expert who generates tens of thousands of dollars a month from the blogs he sets up.

Click Here for the free report!