How to Select the Perfect Host for Your Blog

Nothing is worse than going to your blog, ready to make a new post, only to be faced with slow load times or worse, a server that has gone offline. There are hosted options, such as Blogger.com or WordPress.com, but they do not allow much control over any desired customization. A self hosted blog requires a good hosting provider that can withstand the demands that a popular, well designed blog will come with.

Some Things To Consider Before Choosing A Web Host:

The first step is to pick the content management system (CMS) you are most comfortable with. The most popular are WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. After this, picking an internet service provider (ISP) to host the site comes down to a handful of questions.

Does the host have the capacity to handle the script that powers the CMS? 
Not all hosts will be able to handle the scripting language of the three most popular content management systems. The coding language used by these systems is PHP. Some hosts will not support the version of PHP used by these systems. Make sure the hosting provider is up to date with the required version of PHP.

Can you get database support for your blog? 
The database of each CMS uses a MySQL database to store the content, information on registered users as well as the design of the blog etc.

Occasionally, there will be problems with the database becoming corrupted, or one database may not be sufficient for the requirements of the blog. Ensuring that the ISP responsible for hosting the site can support you in resolving these issues is extremely important.

How much storage space can each hosting account provide? 
When blogs start out, they are small and require very little storage. As blogs grow larger, they take more memory and can require an upgrade to larger servers with more storage before you are ready.

What you pay is not always what you will get when it comes to storage. Some hosts provide fast servers with large amounts of storage for very low cost. Doing some shopping can reveal some incredible bargains.

Can the internet provider withstand the demands that large amounts of traffic will put on the server? 
As each visitor lands on the site and navigates from page to page, the server is called to load the content each time.

Some servers place a limit on the number of requests and the amount of bandwidth this requires. Just like storage limits, some hosts will provide plenty of bandwidths at a very affordable cost.

What sort of install options does the host have for scripts and features? 
This is especially important when it comes to installing the CMS for your blog. Many have a one click install option to load WordPress or another CMS onto a domain.

Some prefer other ways to install a CMS, but many do not want the trouble of uploading a CMS through other, often more complicated, ways.

Beyond the Basics
There are other concerns beyond the technical points made above. Things to consider would be contact options and the reputation of the business. Just because they offer a number of features at a low cost on their sales pages does not mean that they will provide the value you are looking for.

If you consider each of these points, you will find a great host for your blog that lets you focus on creating content and building a community.

 The Blog Advisor Recommends HostGator Hosting!

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5 Blogging Tips For Beginners

Owning a blog is a great idea, especially when you have a story to tell. Blogging has become fun and through it people like you and me have the ability to express what we believe, the things we have done that bought us success, discuss or failures and give successful ideas to people from different walks of life. I have found blogging the best tool and technique, or perhaps a reputable platform I can let the world know what I think and believe.

However, many people think that starting a blog is one hell of a task, but nothing could be further from the truth. Stating my own blog was indeed the simplest way to join the internet community. With a computer and a stable internet connection, all you need to do is follow some simple steps and you will be good to go.

Define your goals goals
Every person needs to know what they want to get the best results in the long run. My goal had to do with the main reason why I was starting the blog. For you, it could be for promoting your business, welcoming friends to join you on social media, helping people with self-improvement information or a forum for you to share your ideas with the rest of the world, or you could be blogging just for fun. Having established your goal, design your blog and market it robustly.

Understand your audience
When you understand your audience better, then you will absolutely know their taste of content. If your audience is teenagers, the design and content of the blog must be directed towards teenagers.

Be consistent 
Always keep in mind that your blog is a brand, and so represents a specific message. Readers treasure consistency.

Constantly update your blog
Always have something new for your readers. I have come to understand that the reason why visitors do not go to some sites is due to the presence of the Methuselah content. If your content is also boring, you may end up having very little visitors to your blog.

Your blog should be inviting to readers
You could request visitors to your blog to leave comments, which you reply to later. This shows the readers that you actually value them and keeps the conversation between you and your readers going. You also take this opportunity to invite your readers to come back for more lively debates.

Creating and sustaining a blog, contrary to what people think, is not difficult. You just need to identify the field you love most and about which you can write most confidently. Being original and writing quality content is a sure way to keep your readers intact. You should desist from copying and pasting contents to your blog.
 

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Are You Ready to Start a Blog? Here’s How to Tell

Everyone seems to be blogging these days. Most blogs get a few new visitors each week, while some have become so popular that their authors are now celebrities. The real question is whether you’re ready to start a blog.

Blogging started as a way to share your innermost thoughts with the online world. Over time, it’s evolved into a way to market your business, brand yourself and create a thriving online community. This has made blogging more of a profession than a hobby, which means that you need to be ready to maintain a blog before starting one.

Why Would I Want a Blog?
If you’re thinking about starting a blog, you probably have a reason for doing so. In fact, many good things can come from a blog, including:

Better Marketing: Numerous articles emphasize the importance of blogging in marketing your business online, but like other marketing strategies, it requires a clear goal and plan for moving forward.

Communication: Blogs are a way to share your thoughts about everything from cool new products to the upcoming election, and these can open up great discussions with friends and strangers alike.

Visibility: A store might use a neon sign to let people know they’re open. Your blog is your way of introducing yourself or your business to the online world.

Am I Ready to Blog?
The great thing about blogging is that you don’t need any special skills or qualifications to start one. The downside is that it takes a lot to make it successful, so make sure you’re able to do it.

Thought and Planning
Before starting your blog, know what you want it to be about. Do you want to be a fashion maven who covers the hottest styles from London? Do you want to offer advice on home repair? Are you a newshound with your own ideas about the events of the day? Make that the focus of your blog and build everything else around it.

Time and Effort
The most successful bloggers know that a blog can’t be a hobby that you write in your free time. You need to make time for it. Plan what you’re going to write about and then develop enough content to update your blog once a week. That’s how potential readers will find your blog and, more importantly, continue coming back to it.

A Unique Perspective
Maybe everything that can be written has already been written, but not everything is written the same way. For example, there are lots of blogs about Cadillacs, but one that covers the history of the car has different content than one that collects stories from past and current owners. Find your favorite topic and find a unique way to discuss it.

Blogs are fun to read and write, but the latter takes more than just a few minutes. If you want to start a blog, be ready to give it the time and attention it needs to succeed.

Build a Professional Looking Blog with StudioPress WordPress Themes!

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How to Reduce Spam on Your Wordpress blog

Are you experiencing some problems with your website or blog? If you’re using Wordpress for instance, you may encounter spam once in a while which can be a real big headache. Spam affects the quality of your website and blog so it can really pose a serious problem.

But then again, there are ways in which you can reduce spam on your Wordpress, if not totally eliminate them. Unbelievable? Well, here are some tips how you can make it possible:

Close comments
For blog sites such as Wordpress, spam would easily get through comments that are posted on the site. In order to minimize spam through comments, the best way to address the problem is to close the comments after some time. All you need to do is open the discussion settings and adjust the number of days in which the comments will appear on your site. This will allow you to easily control the comments that come in.

Ask users to register to your site
Another way of reducing spam on Wordpress is to ask your users to register to your site. As such, you can control the occurrence of spam on your blog site. Take note that spammers will be discouraged to post on your blog if you require users to register. Legitimate users would be able to register to your blog site and post legitimate comments.

Reduce the number of links  
You also need to reduce the number of links in order to minimize spam on your Wordpress. Sometimes, spam can happen through links. Check your settings on Wordpress and adjust the number of links your blogsite can hold. For instance, instead of two links, limit this to only one to prevent spam from happening.

Blacklist emails and URLs
Another effective way of reducing spam on your Wordpress is to blacklist emails and URLs on your blog site. Do this regularly so you can filter the content posted on your Wordpress blog site. Usually, spam occurs through email and URLs so it’s best if you block them including some keywords so that they will not appear on your Wordpress at all. Ask some friends around who are also knowledgeable about spam to give you some idea on how to filter your Wordpress from spam.

So as early as possible, try to reduce spam on your Wordpress site. Just follow these simple tips.

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Using WordPress for Your Blog

As we all know, the Internet is an ocean full of information, we should also know that each and every person, irrespective of their age, qualification, culture and tradition, can share their knowledge to people all over the world. How can a person express his views or share his knowledge, without buying a domain (website) that is hosted on the Internet?

It is the blogging platforms that have facilitated the users to host free websites and have created a huge impact on the information sharing online. Blogging is a revolutionary idea that has enabled every internet user to contribute their part to the world in cyberspace.

But how does one begin to blog? Just a few simple steps and you too can start your very own blog.

Choose Your Platform
With the availability of large number of blogging platforms, you should choose the one that would suit your requirements. Some basic research on each of the blogging platforms would provide an idea of what each platform offers to its users and which platform can be adopted under which criteria.

For example, if you are a new blogger looking to get your initial blog posts published on the Internet, WordPress would be a pretty good pick. WordPress offers a lot of ready to use components that would make your work easy when it comes to managing your blog. So before getting started with your blogging, get some basic ideas about the different blogging platforms.

Why Wordpress?
A question potential bloggers should ask themselves is what are my priorities and skills as a blogger? If your technical skills are strong, what blogging platform offers ease of use, maintainability and extensibility without having to spend money from our pocket? The answer is simply “WordPress”. Wordpress offers rich components and widgets that can be used free of cost or with a minimal investment.

WordPress users do not need to worry about the website optimization aspect, as it is handled by the all in one SEO pack that comes bundled with wordpress content management system. This reduces the major burden on the users, as optimization is the most critical aspect which contributes to the success of a website. With WordPress, it is possible to make your blog look like a professional website without much effort from your side.

One of the best features that make WordPress stand out in the crowd is its extensibility. Do you think that a specific component of WordPress can be improved upon? Then just go ahead and extend its functionality, all by yourself. Many developers have contributed their part to the success of the platform by developing a wide variety of plugins ranging from shopping carts to photo albums.

Having discussed certain aspects of blogging, the first and foremost principle that has to be followed by every blogger is to make sure the content of the blog is unique and original. So get into blogging, and make your contribution by providing valuable information to the rest of the world.

Quickly and Easily Build Incredible Blogs with WordPress.

 

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How to Build an Amazon Affiliate Site

If you have been looking for the quickest, most professional way to build a Amazon Affiliate site using Wordpress themes then your search is over. There are a few things you should do first to make the procedure as less complicated and easy as possible, enabling you the ability to earn the maximum revenue from your amazon affiliate site from the very beginning.

Choose Your Topic
You're going to be doing product reviews and opinions, so choose a subject that you appreciate and know something about. If you can't stay enthusiastic about the subject, that will display, and it also won't carry your interest. Choose a distinctive and unique niche enough to market, e.g., artists from your town, left-handed guitar players, songs for a certain type of dancing, writers of a certain belief, guides about artistry & designs, etc.

Select Your Domain

Make it keyword-rich, not brilliant. Think of how individuals will search for your site in google and create a domain name that matches the item you will be marketing, for example "BestCordlessDrills.com" or something equivalent.

Next you want to install a theme and enter in the information relative to the product you are promoting/marketing. Choose a theme that is very flexible and versatile with a wide range of options like Premium Wordpress Amazon Themes that are designed to increase commissions and help your site get found on the web.

Building a Amazon affiliate website or blog has never been easier with this theme. This theme is set up to make this process almost fool proof so you don't have to take additional time out of your day to start generating income as a Amazon affiliate.

We suggest using the Amazon Wordpress theme because of it's confirmed ability to turn guests into customers. We are certain you will find it is the best way to get on the path to becoming an Amazon super Affiliate!

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Which Blogging Platform is Best Blogger or WordPress

Choosing the right blogging platform to use on your blog can be the most important decision you will make before creating your blog. Choosing the right blogging platform can make blogging an easier task to accomplish, but choosing the wrong blogging platform can make the task of blogging a difficult and exhausting experience.

In fact the program that you use to blog with is an essential part of the blogging experience, it is well worth putting in the extra effort to find a platform that provides you with a user friendly interface and allows you to make your blog look professional and very unique. Choosing the perfect blogging platform isn’t always the easiest job to do, but with a little bit of researching it can be done quite effectively.

Determining what your top priorities are whether it be ease of use or customization. The Most popular blogging platforms that are used most often today are Blogger and WordPress.

Lets compare the Pros and Cons of using Blogger and Wordpress blogging platforms.

Blogger.com
http://www.blogger.com

Blogger is probably the most well-known running blogging service on the web, please correct me if I’m incorrect, It was established by United states business owner Evan Williams who also happens to be the designer of Twitter. Perhaps surprisingly enough Evan Williams also developed the phrase ‘blogger’. Blogger also generally known as BlogSpot is now owned and operated by The search engine giant "Google" and has been since 2003 and is used by an incredible number of blog owners of all stages from around the world.

Google`s Blogger platform has an incredibly simple to use foundation which is why it draws many customers. Beginners are attracted to blogger because it’s relatively simple to create, add articles to and profit with AdSense and Amazon associates.

Users are able to use their own website address and change the look of their blog to how they want it to look.

However unfortunately even with the new latest up-dates and upgrades created to the blogger dashboard panel, it still does not have the resources and functions that WordPress has to provide. Ok so here is a explanation of the pros and cons of using blogger as a start-up platform for your site. 

 PROS: 

It’s Free

It’s simple to create and use

Available in 50 languages

You can buy or transfer your own custom domain to your blogger blog for free

You get You get built in visitor statistics

It’s simple to profit with AdSense, Infolinks and Amazon Associates

Blogger is owned and operated by Google

You can somewhat personalize with built in blogger themes

 CONS: 

Restricted top quality themes

Although you can, it’s not that simple to personalize styles unless you are acquainted with HTML and CSS

Leaving comments function is a bit of a let down at times

Spam filter has no modifying features

Expandability limited without use of plugins

Some people find it difficult to view a BlogSpot blog as an established and professional blog

BlogSpot blogs have well known protection concerns, online thieves still love hacking into Blogger blogs.

WordPress.com
http://www.wordpress.com

WordPress was established by internet social media entrepreneur Matt Mullenweg in 2003. WordPress.com alone is home to around 360,000 blog owners.

WordPress.com has become highly preferred because of both its complexity and ease of use, and continues to be one of the most highly effective no cost organized running blog platforms on the web.

 PROS: 

It’s almost free

Amazing and eye-catching dashboard that is simple to get around around

Simple to use, no programming understanding required…

Available in 120 languages

Theme editor available (paid service)

Built in visitor statistics

Options for SEO

Accessible anywhere

Buy your own domain or transfer (paid upgrade)

Strong spam filtering and comment moderating process

 CONS: 
Too many paid for options/upgrades required

No third party programs permitted, that implies no AdSense, Infolinks or Chitika…

Design and style editing is not free

WordPress use their own WordAds program which you can use to monetize your site, if your site qualified that is…

Blogger provides 1GB of picture web host area offered through Picasa web albums while WordPress customers can get up to 3GB plus more on upgrade.

So which blogging foundation should you use use, Blogger or WordPress? It’s a challenging one as I see both systems are excellent in their own areas. I would actually be more equipped to use WordPress.com even though there are additional costs and limitations with monetizing your blog. I’d select WordPress because it provides more alternatives for expandability, but the choice is really up to the blogger themselves to choose what blogging platform suites his or her needs best. 

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