Starting Your Own Blog or Website
Jun 15th, 2007 by Martin Lee
When you are doing affiliate marketing, at some point in time you will definitely need to start your own website. This poses certain challenges to some people. How do I build my own website? I have neither the technical skills nor the money to pay people to do it for me. And learning a whole new thing certainly looks daunting to me.
Now, before I show you a couple of ways you can do it easily, let me reassure you that nobody is born knowing how to build a website! Everyone who does it now started from zero and has picked it up along the way. That goes for me as well.
Here are three ways that you can get started on your own website:
1) Blogger
Simply go to www.blogger.com and sign up for a free blog account. This method is the easiest and fastest way to get started if you just want to test things out. It’s free and only takes a few minutes to setup.
I would recommend that you use your own domain name www.yourdomainname.com and not the one blogger gave you (yourdomainname.blogspot.com) so that you are able to build your own brand and do not remain tied to blogger.
Namecheap is the service I would recommend as the domain registrar to use for registering your domain name. You can also save about a dollar off the registration if you take couple of minutes to search google for “namecheap coupons” before you buy.
2) Wordpress
Another alternative to Blogger is Wordpress. In fact, I highly recommend the use of Wordpress over Blogger. If you search the internet and look for the top or successful blogs, you will realise that almost all of them uses wordpress! One thing I have learnt is that we should model success.
I myself was using Blogger previously. After testing out wordpress, I was convinced of its superiority and made the decision to migrate my blogs over to Wordpress.
Take note that you should NOT be using the version of Wordpress that is hosted on their servers. Instead, you should download their software and get it hosted on your own server. So, there are actually a few things that you need to do here:
(a) Register your own domain name at Namecheap .
(b) Get your own webhosting account to host your blog (Try not to register your domain name and get your webhosting from the same service provider). Wordpress highly recommends BlueHost. Bluehost will even install your Wordpress blog for you.
(c) Follow the step by step instructions to install your blog onto your web hosting.
(d) Select and download a free wordpress theme that you want to use for your site. If you prefer more professional looking themes, you can buy them from here. Go to category and select only Wordpress themes to search from.
(e) Read the wordpress documentation and play around with your admin control to get a hang of the interface. Later on, you will want to install certain plugins to enhance the functionality of your site.
3) SiteBuildit
If you have read my previous article, you will know that I recommend SBI for newbies. I still do but I think it’s a close toss up between wordpress and SBI.
In terms of sitebuilding capacity, I consider wordpress to be more superior to SBI.
The difference for SBI is that it includes most of the other tools that you need, eg. keyword research tools, autoresponders, blog, etc. It also guides you step by step and tells you what to do next.
If you do not want to go around searching for different tools and information, SBI will be your one-stop solution.
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Very informative article Martin which I wish I’d read before starting my own blog.
But I do think those of us who are happy with works but scared of technology need to go for teh easiest, simplest solutions.
I have found typepad good although there is some functionality that I wish it had although it may be included in the more expensive options.
Hi Paul,
I haven’t really used typepad before so I’m not quite sure what its limitations are.
But an important thing is to use your own domain name for your blog.
Martin,
I’m wondering if there might be better options in web hosting companies out there in Singapore, other than the one I’m currently using.
Important essentials for my online store will be:
1. Unlimited bandwidth traffic monthly,
2. Hosts Linux sites,
3. Economical, below S$15+ monthly,
4. Local companies, preferably,
Please advise. Thks!
TA. :)
Hi TA,
A lot of the so called local webhosting companies are just resellers of US webhosting companies. You will be surprised some of them are actually one man show. A few of them have their own datacenters in Singapore though.
I have a few contacts who run webhosting companies in Singapore. I’ll check out their rates for you.
Please note that there is really no such thing as unlimited bandwidth. You probably missed out what I wrote in another article.
http://www.martinleeaffiliatemarketing.com/resources
(go to the webhosting portion)
Thks alot! Yr info is helpful, Martin! :)
I’m aware of the numerous issues with domain names/ web hosting companies. Being wary too if they might just bump me into dedicated hosting once mine got the traffic/activity the bulk of the businesses that they host don’t..
Mine is an online store. Tightly branded & high concept store, with a no-frills—almost too straightforward (read: low tech hehe) “buy via online order form, transacting via email” ‘eccomerce” facility.
Thus ‘worrying’ if it might be tricky if an influx of visitors sees a “Sorry, site cannot be viewed as bandwidth limit is exceeded blah blah” when the going gets hot.. ;(
I’ve read yr article n checking out yr recommendations. Be waiting from yr webhosting recommendatns too. Thks again!
TA. :)
if you are looking to create a free blog, try blogger.com for a start.. wordpress.com is quite restrictive on what you can do.. especially if you are trying to make some $ from your wordpress.com blog..
however, if you are hosting wordpress yourself on your own domain, then that will be a different story! :D