Or Why I Want to Marry WordPress
I love writing blogs. I love reading blogs. I love blogs.
There. I said it.
If you’re not sure what I’m talking here let me explain what a blog is.
What is a Blog?
A blog is something that allows you to make posts and presents them in reverse chronological order. It’s basically an online content management system that allows you to put your thoughts out there for the world to read hourly, daily, weekly or whenever you feel like it. Think of it almost like an online journal, only everyone can read it.
This site, however, is 100% running on a free blog platform from WordPress.
I pay for website hosting ($6.95/month) through BlueHost.com and they have a free auto installer that allowed me to load a copy of the latest version of WordPress – a free user supported blog platform. It’s the easiest way I’ve ever seen to get a fully functioning website in a day.
To clarify, WordPress offers two versions:
- A version you can install on YOUR web server
- A free hosted version which resides on THEIR server
I recommend option #1. This way, you’re building an asset you control and own. Think of this version as digital real estate where you own the property. Option #2 is more like living at your parents house where at the end of the day, it’s their place.
Top 7 Reasons Why I Love Blogs
- They Are Easy to Install. Most web hosting companies offer and auto installer for WordPress blogging software. It’s never been so easy to get a website!
- They Promote Fresh Content. From a search engine optimization standpoint, you’re giving the search engines fresh, valuable content to spider on a regular basis; which they love! If you’re posting three times a week, you’ll have produced over 150 pages of new content onto the Web.
- They Allow Pinging. Every time you post an entry, your site “pings” sites such as Google to tell them you have new content for them to spider. These little alerts have changed the way the search engines behave. Gone are the days waiting for them to come to you!
- You Can Easily Change Designs and Structure. You can change the theme with a click of the button. There are literally thousands of free templates and dozens of companies who now specialize in low cost but ultra cool designs.
- They Are Easy to Update. It’s an easy to use content management system you can update day or night and from any computer in the World with an internet connection.
- They Are Incredibly Extendable. There are so many plugins available that allow you to enhance the functionality of your site that don’t come with the default version. Everything from SEO plugins to video to statistics are all available at virtually a click of your mouse.
- Posts Can Be Time Released. You can write ten posts and set a timer on when they go live on your site. This way, you don’t have to remember to publish them everyday. WordPress does it for you! Going on vacation? Set it and go!
If you’re scratching your head on how to get a blog, I recommend that you sign up for hosting with BlueHost.com today and use their auto installer to set up your blog. They’ll even give you a free domain name for using their hosting if you don’t already have a domain name.
So who else out there likes to blog and why?
Related Posts
Popularity: 2%
I’m a HUGE fan of WordPress and their blogging platform. As a Martial Arts school owner that just opened under 4 months ago, WordPress is a great CMS that allows me to update content on the fly. Whether it’s a static page that I would like my prospects to read, such as our Karate Programs, Martial Arts Bio, Class Schedule, etc., or simply new blog posts that I would like to share with the community — I am able to simply log into my WordPress Blog account and start making changes/updates.
There is no need to contact your webdesigner, since s/he has other clients and may not have time to make the necessary changes you are requesting. In addition, it’s one less expense — and we all know, cost is make or break as a start-up.
Also, I don’t need to know HTML code, though, I have been learning a bit, as it helps with organizing my site to the look and feel I desire.
More importantly, I can experiment with themes, which may help keep traffic on my site longer. This will than turns into leads/prospects and hopefully students in the end. I recently just changed my theme and plan on making a few additions, but I truly like that I can find something that fits my business.
Lastly, there are what the WP community calls as “plugins”. Essentially if your blog is not capable of handling a certain type of functionality, simply Google it! — making sure you add WordPress Plugin. I have found contact forms that collect more data than I can imagine. And an SEO pluggin that assists with setting up Meta Keywords and descriptions.
So before hiring a webdesigner, take Ryan’s advice, look into WP. It will simplify your life and save you some cash in the long run!
Javier
The Dojo of Karate