As the world edges towards the digital economy era, many are shifting to freelancing or online work. It's a lucrative career actually. And if you get things right, earnings are higher than the salaries from a regular job in a traditional office setup.
Thus, a lot of people are now curious about how to start a blog and how to do online gigs to earn, or how to bring their business or brand online.
But first, you need to understand the different facets of creating or managing a website, especially for those who want to start a blog.
If your website/blog is monetized, you need to understand everything about SEO (search engine optimization) schemes and how to fix crawler or page indexing issues. I will discuss each of these topics in my next post.
Let's get to know more about web hosting and the domain registrar. The first step you need to learn about creating your own brand or presence online is purchasing a domain name from a domain registrar. Each domain name has an annual fee.
I purchased the domain names of my three websites (The Good Living, Gourmand Travel Guide, and Royal World News) from Namecheap, because it's pretty easy to set up in blogger or customize the third-party URL.
A domain registrar such as Namecheap is a company that sells domain names that aren't currently owned and are available for you to register. You need to search the domain name you want to purchase or register to make sure it's still available.
But having a domain name or a web address for your brand or business online does not mean everything is set to go, you need a web hosting service provider to make your website available online.
Web hosting is a type of service that enables your website to run on the internet. In other words, web hosting is what makes your website visible on the internet.
You can choose free web hosting or paid web hosting, depending on the focus of your website or your purpose in building an online presence.
In the past, I have a web hosting package from Bluehost and 1and1. Between the two, I would recommend Bluehost. I have had a great experience with Bluehost, their support team is very helpful and proactive.
But since the pandemic, I returned to the free web hosting of Google's Blogger. I am currently assessing the advantages and disadvantages of having a web hosting package compared to free web hosting since I have tried both already.
Based on my experience, here are the advantages and disadvantages:
1. Free web hosting (Google's blogger)
Advantages:
- Good for a small website
- Good for those who are just starting in blogging
- There are free blog templates available online
- User's friendly
- No professional plugins
- You don't have control of your website's layout
- Prone to canonical tagging error
- Difficult to manage the SEO optimization
- Server resources are shared
- Slow speeds
- Limited customization features
- No customer support
2. Paid web hosting - It offers tons of advantages than disadvantages and it has a dedicated support team to assist you in case you run into trouble. And need some fixing. Here's how to host a website.
Advantages:
- You have more control of your website
- More secured
- You can get your own branded email address
- You can reach out to the support team
- There are professional plugins available to add
Disadvantages:
- The renewal fee can be expensive
- You need technical knowledge to configure things
So how much does it cost to host a website? Web hosting service packages vary depending on the providers. Normally, the first year is cheaper but the renewal fee is a bit expensive.
Choose a specific web host provider that offers what your website needs, such as security, brand email, disk storage, etcetera. And think about your budget later. In my previous experience with Bluehost, the renewal fee is around Php5,300.00. Bluehost provides the least expensive starting packages for web hosting.
What is a website?
In digital terms, a website is a collection of content grouped together under the same domain. In today's world, it is easier to have your own website, as long as you purchase a domain name. Just prepare to renew it annually to continue owning it.
Think of a specific domain name that clearly represents your business, branding, advocacy, or niche in blogging. There are times when your chosen domain name is no longer available, so make sure to prepare for a closer alternative.
Who needs a website?
- If you have a business
- If you want to develop your own branding
- If you want to promote a cause or advocacy
- If you want to do blogging and earn a living
For more helpful tips on web platforms and web hosting services, you may visit Digital.com to help you find the best tools for your blogging, business, or branding.
Blogging can be a liberating and profitable pastime, and if you get things right, it can be a lucrative full-time job. But first, here's a reminder, blogging is not one of those scamming promises of "getting quick-rich" and easy money-making online schemes.
It's bloody hard work.
Just like other serious jobs, blogging requires patience, determination, and perseverance to navigate the complex world of content writing, to earn.
There's no such thing as easy money. Even in blogging. You need to invest a considerable amount of time and effort in your blogs to increase earnings. For details, read my previous topic about blogging - How to Start Your Own Blog and Earn.
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