If you're creating a new blog then I would highly recommend the following:
1) Sign up for a Linux/Apache hosting account at GoDaddy, BlueHost, HostGator, or some other reputable hosting company. You can get a shared a hosting account for $5-7 per month.
2) Register a domain name through that same hosting company (you don't have to, but it makes it easier to setup... you don't have to mess with DNS configurations... it will be automatically set up.). It depends on the hosting company, but you can register domains from anywhere between $7 and $15 per YEAR. Very cheap.
3) Install WordPress on your hosting account. It's an awesome blogging platform/CMS. It's free and usually you click one button, answer a few questions, and poof it's up. And there are TONS of online resources and books on WordPress.
This is the minimum that you need to do to get a blog up and running.
If you want it to look professional then I would suggest buying a premium Theme (the "thing" that controls how your site looks) like Thesis from DIYThemes.com or Genesis from Studiopress.com.
I would honestly avoid free blogging solutions like blogger.com or wordpress.com. While the thought of saving $5-10/month might appeal to some, if you are using this blog for anything else other than to host family pictures or communicate with family members about vacations and such... then the $5-10/month you spend on hosting to have your OWN hosting account is very much worth it.
NEVER start a business web site/blog or a web site/blog that might grow into a business (or something you're passionate about) on free hosting. I can almost guarantee that you will regret it for many reasons later. They frequently limit the themes that you can use. They limit advertising you might want to use to monetize your site. And once you're on their platform, it will be hard to move without basically starting over from scratch.
Do yourself a big favor... get your own hosting and buy your own domain...
1) Sign up for a Linux/Apache hosting account at GoDaddy, BlueHost, HostGator, or some other reputable hosting company. You can get a shared a hosting account for $5-7 per month.
2) Register a domain name through that same hosting company (you don't have to, but it makes it easier to setup... you don't have to mess with DNS configurations... it will be automatically set up.). It depends on the hosting company, but you can register domains from anywhere between $7 and $15 per YEAR. Very cheap.
3) Install WordPress on your hosting account. It's an awesome blogging platform/CMS. It's free and usually you click one button, answer a few questions, and poof it's up. And there are TONS of online resources and books on WordPress.
This is the minimum that you need to do to get a blog up and running.
If you want it to look professional then I would suggest buying a premium Theme (the "thing" that controls how your site looks) like Thesis from DIYThemes.com or Genesis from Studiopress.com.
I would honestly avoid free blogging solutions like blogger.com or wordpress.com. While the thought of saving $5-10/month might appeal to some, if you are using this blog for anything else other than to host family pictures or communicate with family members about vacations and such... then the $5-10/month you spend on hosting to have your OWN hosting account is very much worth it.
NEVER start a business web site/blog or a web site/blog that might grow into a business (or something you're passionate about) on free hosting. I can almost guarantee that you will regret it for many reasons later. They frequently limit the themes that you can use. They limit advertising you might want to use to monetize your site. And once you're on their platform, it will be hard to move without basically starting over from scratch.
Do yourself a big favor... get your own hosting and buy your own domain...
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