Internet Marketing – Blogger Vs. Domain

When creating a blog or website there are generally two options in regard to how you will need to set it up.

1.) Use a free hosted service.

An example of this would be sites like Blogger.com or Wordpress.com. Both of these companies offer a free sub-domain where you can host your own blog or website. They also offer turn-key installation so you won’t need to know much about the way websites work etc… You will walk through a simple setup and two minutes later you will be able to set up your first post.

This is a great way for the beginning blogger or website owner to start. It will give you a chance to become more familiar with html and also offer you an easy way to share your thoughts and research with the world.

2.) Purchase a Domain and Hosting

This will require a small investment but I think you will find that the advantages of taking this route vs. option one far outweigh the costs.

This article is dedicated to exploring and listing the advantages of hosting your blog or site on your own domain.

Credibility – Having your own domain will commend a certain amount of credibility in your field. Many people will judge your site by how it looks rather than by the valuable content that it may provide. Having your own domain name will be more aesthetically pleasing. Compare the following two domains :

http://www.yourblogismoney.com

http://blog-basics-for-beginners.blogspot.com

Both of these sites have quality content but the first site has a URL that is easy to remember. If you had to make a choice between the two, which one would you prefer?

Security – Many people find security in a simple URL. Because of the high number of scams on the internet, generally shorter domain names are more trusted than those that are longer.

Ownership – I can’t stress this point enough. Even though sites like Blogger and WordPress have a commitment to keeping blogs online indefinitely, at the end of the day they are still in control of your sub-domain. They own your sub-domain! It’s hard to place a lot of confidence, time and effort into something that feels uncertain. Owning your own domain will give you a sense of security that many people find priceless.

SEO – Independent domains and sub-domains are treated differently by search engines. Although this fact is hard to prove, sites with their own domains are given priority over sites that are hosted on sub-domains. If you want traffic and your hoping to get this traffic from Google, Yahoo and MSN then having your site on it’s own domain definitely won’t hurt.

Ultimately the primary advantage is control. If you want to build something that is permanent and expandable, wouldn’t you also want to protect your investment?

If you do decide that you want to take control by purchasing and hosting your own domain, then you have made the same decision that I made a long time ago.

I’ve reviewed countless service providers and have come to the conclusion that the best way to do this is to purchase a domain name and hosting through a company called Bluehost. They will provide you with your own domain name free of charge and offer you their premium individual hosting service for only $6.95/month!

There are many options in regard to hosting but I know for a fact that Bluehost has the best price and customer service available. The combination is unbeatable!

Please feel free to reach out to me if you would like to discuss any of these topics further or have questions about web hosting, web development, how to set up your blog etc..