WEBSITES VERSUS BLOGS
This is a most important question that you must decide at the outset. Will you go with a static, traditional website or will you choose to start with a blog?
First. All blogs are websites but not all websites are blogs.
Second. The reason this distinction is important is that there are totally different ways of designing, marketing, optimizing and monetizing these sites, depending on which you choose.
Third. A website can have a blog, like blog.chuvatech.com in a subdomain while a blog can have static pages or show a static home page, too.
You may read more about this distinction here.
HOW MUCH WILL IT
COST TO BUILD A WEBSITE?
1. FREE TEMPLATE, FREE SITE BUILDER, FREE SUBDOMAIN.
There are many who offer free sites on the web, but there's usually a catch -- and that usually means, they monetize your free site by earning from the advertising. Of course you can still sell your product directly to your site visitors, but the contextual advertising your free host will slap onto your pages will show your competitors, too.
2. BUY A DOMAIN, SIGN UP FOR BLOGGER. ABOUT US$10/YEAR
Blogger is a really good for way to start, but you should use your own domain name always. Hence the US$10/yr. This way, if you decide to move your blog from Blogger, or if they decide to cancel your account for any reason, you can move to another platform or get hosting later and use the same domain so that you do not lose your readership.
3. SIGN UP FOR HOSTING. WHICH USUALLY INCLUDES
FREE DOMAIN, BLOG, EMAIL, SITEBUILDER, AND A LOT OF EXTRAS.
The cost of hosting depends on storage (how many files you will store in your system), bandwidth (how much data is exchanged between your site to your visitors), number of domains hosted in the site, and the other add-on features being offered, like personal email addresses. For beginners, I suggest you try their support service before signing up by asking a lot of questions first, to see how helpful they can be. My webhost is Anhosting and I simply love their features, their pricing and best of all their support service!
4. SIGN UP FOR 'THE WORKS' -- THIS IS MORE
THAN JUST HOSTING. THIS CAN BE LIFE-CHANGING!
Site Build It is simply the best and most complete all-in-one package for those who want to start their internet careers right, especially those with zero knowledge and big dreams. They make a difference by providing step-by-step coaching all the way. Site Build It web sites enjoy a high rate of success! Take a free 30-second tour right now.
Best of all, you have nothing to lose by signing up with Site Build it because they offer a 30-day full money back guarantee.
5. HIRE A PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER.
THIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF THEM ALL.
This is usually either the first option of a person or company with a product to sell, or the last resort of those so frustrated with the design phase of site building that they just simply give up. When I was learning how to blog, I was so tired of editing stylesheets and php functions I actually cried out, "But all I want to do is post!
For more information, check out the full article at the Chuvatech blog here.
WHICHEVER OPTION YOU
SELECT, SIGN UP WITH BLOGGER
If you have never had a website in your life, I suggest you start with Blogger. Its a great FREE blogging platform that is easy to use and can be customized easily. You can choose from 21 templates that have drag and drop functions.
In the beginning your address will be yoursitename.blogspot.com. Once you have bought your domain name, you can always point it to your blogger account so instead of yoursitename.blogspot.com, it becomes www.yoursitename.com.
Google owns Blogger so you can get accepted into the Adsense program quite easily using your Blogger account. And this is the primary reason we start with Blogger. Because, as you will learn later, Google Adsense is one of the fastest, easiest and most profitable ways to monetize your site.
But let me warn you that, after about a month or 2 months, you may find Blogger quite limiting. Your site will look like a million other sites, it always look and behave like a blog and you will find it's difficult to make it look like a product website, if that's what you're after. You will have very limited control of the look, unless you learn to download AND EDIT the free skins, themes or templates made by others that you can customize with a by learning html.
And you may find that for some of your sites, you will want some static pages, or be able to locate your ads within the posts, or to generally have more control over the design of your site.
By this time, you will probably want much more.
STOP RIGHT HERE!
Please note that we are trying to lay the foundations for a monetized website here. Riches will not pour in from the moment you publish your first website. If you want to fast track your earnings, you may wish to instead purchase some packaged business model.
Building Your Site is Lots of Work -- & Lots of Fun, Too!
