This is by no means a comprehensive post on the many possibilities. This will get you a website set up quickly and with minimal effort on your part.
Decide who you want for a host
You need to make a decision (already). You have the choice of going with a traditional host. I make no recommendations on who you should go with. If you choose to go this route (which is what I have done), you will have to set up whatever blogging software you use. I highly recommend WordPress. It’s nothing short of awesome. But, with this choice, you will have to install and manage it yourself.
Here are some hosting recommendations from wordpress.org (which is different than wordpress.com: wordpress.org is the site for their great blogging software; wordpress.com is a free hosting site which uses wordpress. CORRECTION: wordpress.org also hosts web sites.).
What does this involve? Coding pages (without blogging software) or installing the software, creating a directory for it, creating a database, and use of FTP. If you have an idea of how to do these things, great.
Update: Storie Storm with Mallory Snow has a great blog post today on how to install WordPress (the software) on several different hosts. If you want to go this route, check out this post! Oh, and this one on domain and web hosting.
If you don’t know and don’t have an easy time picking up techie things, go for choice number two.
If you want the quick and easy (and free!) version, WordPress.com and Blogger both offer you preinstalled software and make-it-pretty themes. They’ll also offer you some support, like this getting started page from wordpress.com. Check them both out. Ask people what they use and what they would recommend.
What does this involve? Going to the site, picking out a cool name, and signing up. From what I’ve heard, it’s very simple to follow the steps and get started.
Buy Your Domain
I use Godaddy to purchase domain names. When you sign up for wordpress.com, I believe they offer you the option of purchasing a domain name to go with the one they will assign you. The point is, even if you’re going with a free site, a domain name just looks more professional.
It’s not necessary. And it isn’t free ($8-$20 or so per year, depending on your choices). If you don’t mind paying the extra money, it would probably be wise to pay extra for your listing to be private. On the interwebs, one can look up any domain to see who owns it. If you don’t go private, your address and contact number will also be visible. Your choice.
What does this involve? Pick out a domain name no one owns, get past all the options (like hosting and email services–just click ‘No, thanks!” and go on), decide on privacy settings. Once you’ve purchased a domain, you will have to set up your nameservers which are sort of like giving the internet directions to your blog.
WordPress.com seems to require $12 a year to “map” your domain, not including the cost of registration. This page tells you everything you need to know to set up a custom domain with wordpress.com.
To point your domain name at your Blogger blog, follow these directions.
What else is there?
There’s lots more after this, like widgets for wordpress you should be using, burning your feed with feedburner, setting up bit.ly or bit.ly pro. More posts on these topics (and any questions you have) will follow. But for now, get your site going, sit back, and then start coming up with your first blog post. No pressure!
I am happy to answer any questions on these topics. I’m no tech genius, but I’m usually available by email or on twitter and I’m free. And honest: if I can’t figure it out, I’ll at least point you in the right direction to who can.
More like this:
- A Storie Storm, Web Fiction, DIY Design for Writers | Link Licker Pick The lovely Mallory Snow (who I follow on Twitter) is a writer and blogger. Her web site, StorieStorm.com, offers advice on craft. Also, she’s got...
- A Little Grammar Sluttiness | Link Licker Pick I’m fairly certain this comes from the site dearblankpleaseblank.com. It’s gone viral and tracking down the original is difficult. The above seems to be from...
- The Kernel Idea–Not Popocorn I’m linking to this blog post from Bob Mayer because it explains the kernel idea perfectly and since this post is pretty much what made...
- To Plot or Not to Plot? There are as many ways to plan out a novel as there are writers. Each writer goes about it a different way. via Planning, Outlining,...
- Me NaNoWriMo WordPress doesn’t like my “live” badge, so I’ll stick this one in here. Yeah, I’m going for it. My goal: 2k words daily. I’ve never...
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow–thanks for all the great links! Especially the link to WordPress’s hosting recommendations. (I find WordPress’s help section to be a bit hard to navigate.) In any case, you’ve gathered all the salient info into one quite pretty package with this post, and it helps a lot! Another great post!
It is hard to navigate. I find their help forums to be head-banging-on-desk inducing. They’ve got all these threads of people who had the same problem as you, the threads are closed, but no one helped them, either.
Thanks!