Setting up a Blog: Who Knew the Challenges?"
Updated: Jul 5
In this “part one” of the post, I recount the initial experiences I encountered while establishing this blog site. I discuss the often frustrating challenges of choosing an Internet Service Provider to design a website as a beginner. Who Knew that some much work went into many of the websites that we casually browse and dismiss?
I will relay my journey, by briefly recapping my experience during the initial concept phase to completing and publishing my first post under the WhoKnewJudyKnew blogging site. The further I went into the website design, the more I realized how challenging it would be to capture the key points and screen prints for my post.
The content has been organized into the following sections:
1. The Idea Phase
2. Choosing a Platform
3. Designing the Website
4. Technical Challenges
5. Content Planning
6. Launching the Blog
7. Lessons Learned
If I can do it, so can you.
And now you know.
The Idea Phase
For starters, I was a newbie to creating blogs and even more of a tyro when it came to website design and hosting. I knew that it would be challenging, especially since I didn’t have anyone to turn to for assistance.
I initiated my quest by performing numerous, ad hoc searches on the Internet. My very first searches included prompts such as:
· “How do I start a blog site
· “How do I start a blog site for free?”
· "Start a blog site as a beginner.”
Google returned several websites in response to my prompts. Advertising and advice from Bluehost.com topped the list
Bluehost.com’s Blog Starter offered a tutorial on:
“How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps:
1. Pick a blog name.
2. Get your blog online.
3. Customize your blog.
4. Customize your blog.
5. Write & publish your first post.
6. Promote your blog.
7. Make money blogging."
"Should you start a blog?” https://www.theblogstarter.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJVfq_iqF8fmAQKvGiheIN3mmSjLN5HTy4Is6xSbOlQc4SE9KwY1TUhoCNMYQAvD_BwE
I already had the blog name: WhoKnewJudyKnew.com. Although I was physically located in Canada, I felt that the .com extension would attract a broader audience.
Next, I needed to register my blog and find a host.
Then, I would need a blog design template that I could modify for my blog. I remembered that someone had suggested that I look into bootstrap templates for my site web design. I was told that a bootstrap blog template might require less customization than a generic template. I’m not sure whether I assumed it or was told so, but I thought they were also free.I was glad to have all the help I could get as I was truly moving forward without an inkling of how to create a site for my blog.
I already had a draft of my first blog. I just needed to edit and finalize it, and then publish it.
Promoting my blog with the proper marketing was still a way out, so I parked this task in its entirety.
I had no intention of monetizing my blog for the foreseeable future. So, I crossed this item off my to-do list.
As for the question it posed as to whether” [I] should start a blog” I didn’t even bother to read on. I had already made up my mind to proceed with the endeavor. No one was going to change my mind.
Bluehost.com had another variation of the above-referenced for starting a blog in 5 simple steps, This version advised the installation of WordPress. While WordPress would store my content and allow me to create and publish webpages, I would still need a domain and a hosting service.
Choosing a Platform
To choose a platform website for my blog, I needed to first verify that I correctly understood the difference between a platform website versus a website. Upon a few Google searches, I found a couple of related definitions, which I felt provided comprehensive explanations.
“The difference between a platform website and a regular website is that a platform is a type of website that acts as an intermediary between different parties, while a website is a more general term referring to a collection of related web pages hosted on a domain (2023, April 19). Start Platform What is a Platform Website? Acts between different parties.”
“The terms 'platform website' and 'website platform' are often used interchangeably, but there is a significant difference between the two. As described earlier, a 'platform website' is a site that acts as an intermediary between different parties and enables users to communicate and interact. (2023, April 19). Start Platform What is a Platform Website? Acts between different parties.
I had successfully confirmed my understanding of the purpose of a platform: the platform would enable me to create a space for the specific purposes of blogging and it would facilitate the interaction between myself and my audience/readers, by providing us with a space to bring us together. Going forward, I decided I would use Facebook as an example of a platform to help others understand its meaning.
Myriad features required research, and an understanding that was solid enough to inform my decisions. As a beginner, there was still such a disarray of unorganized questions running amok in my mind.
Availability of site name and extension? (WhoKnewJudyKnew.com)
Cost of hosting? (And in U.S. or Cdn funds?)
Simplicity or complexity of creating/customizing a website?
How much storage would I need, including accommodating some growth?
Should I purchase a different platform and hosting site, or should I opt for an integrated service?
It made sense for me to try to determine my mandatory requirements versus nice-to-have options.
Mandatory
Number of contributors: Two (2) is adequate
Groups – where readers can respond and can answer blog-related Reader Challenge questions
Storage capacity of at least 50 GB
Ease of customization geared to beginner level; simplicity is important
Low cost relative to other options
Includes marketing tools
Security such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption protocol
Ability to grow my business
Ability to edit the site from a mobile phone
Mature product (Has been proven to be reliable within the industry.
Nice-to-Have
24/7 live phone support
Robust AI capability
Robust e-commerce capabilities
Unlimited storage
The following is a list of the top-tested, blog builders for 2024, as defined by betterbusiness GmbH.
The ratings were out of 10. I noted the number of reviewers and specific features that did not seem to be as prevalent across the other offerings but were favorable to me.
1. Wix – rated Excellent – 9.8
90,388 reviews
Features include: over 800 templates
When I visited the site, I found a 50% discount on premium plans
2. WordPress – rated Excellent - 9.7
26,114 reviews
No coding needed
Hosted by Bluehost.com
When I visited the site, I found significant discounts on all plans
3. Webador – rated Very Good – 9.5
6,421 reviews
Easiest blog builder
4. web.com – rated Very Good – 9.3
32,115 reviews
Unlimited 24/7 support
5. SITE123 – rated Very Good – 9.2
6,383 reviews
Simple blog creation; 24/7 support; 40% discount on premium plans
6. Squarespace – rated Very Good – 9.0
5,818 reviews
Award-winning templates
7. Shopify – rated Very Good – 8.9
32,544 reviews
Quick blog set-up; marketplace, and social media integration
8. Network Solutions – rated Very Good - 8.8
2,225 reviews
Personalized support
(July 2024). betterbusiness GmbH 2024
Additionally, TechRadar industry experts tested, ranked, and compared the best website builders in three (3) major categories.
1. Best site builder overall, if you want the total package: WIX
Pros
14-day trial period
e-commerce functionality
Wide selection of templates
Hundres of add-on features for design and ontegration
Easy for beginners
Users Generative AI
Unlimited bandwidth
Site Booster and Visitor Analystics
Auotsave for pages and posts, and the ability to restore an earlier version
Ability to grow with your business
Recommeded for first-times ite builders
Cons & Limitations
Cost to build e-commerce
You can't switch templates after you've started with one
No options for unlimited storage with any plan
Wide range of options can confuse beginners
i
2. Best value for money: Hostinger
Pros
Option to have your website created entirely by AI technology
Hosting included
24/7 live chat support
E-Commerce tools
A free domain name for one year
Free SSL
Cons & Limitations
Not fit for a membership site
You can't switch templates
Only offers (2) plans
i.
3. Best site builder for bloggers and writers: Squarespace
Pros
Great templates
Lots of features
Top-notch commenting feature
Two-week free trial
Unmetered bandwidth and storage
Free SSL
Includes a mobile site builder that allows for edits from your phone
Cons & Limitations
No autosave for pages and posts, and no ability to restores andearlier vefsion of the website
The interface may be difficult to navigate relative to competitors
No option for full customizability
(June 25, 2024). Best website builders of 2024 https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-website-builder
My Takeaways
All three (3) site builders offered a free domain, and although not explicitly mentioned within this assessment, all three offered SSL certificates. While the assessment only mentioned 2 of the three, SSL certificates are offered within Wix. In Wix the user can invoke this security protocol through the Dashboard “Settings” tab.
For Wix, I liked that it was the most recommended for beginners and those planning on growing their businesses. Those two features, along with the autosave and restore features were highly favorable to me at the time. However, I would later learn that the inability to switch templates once I started would come back to bite me. Hostinger also had this limitation; Squarespace was the only one of the three that allowed users to switch templates. However, I did not like its limitations for restoring my website. As it turned out, I should have weighted the requirement for switching templates more heavily overall and continued to search other sites.
In retrospect, I should have researched Bluehost.com and WordPress more. However, I did not like that I would be locked into WordPress if I went with Bluehost.com. Furthermore, I was skeptical about the simplicity of the website design. Yet, my greatest concern was that the experts found that Bluehost’s website builder wasn’t as mature or as easy to use as Wix’s.
Irrespective of my concerns, I chose to explore Bluehost.com. I continued to gather information.
Bluehost’s plans were heavily discounted when I visited the site as below-referenced.
Basic Plan = $3.78 per month (77% discount)
Recommended for a simple website or blog
10 websites, 10 GB SSD Storage, Chat support (no phone), AI tools
Choice Plus = $6.80 per month (77% discount)
Recommended for multiple sites that require storage, security & backup
50 websites, 50 GB SSD Storage, chat/phone support, AI tools
Online Store = $13.67 per month (63% discount)
Recommended for all online selling, and includes e-Commerce tools
50 websites, 50 GB SSD Storage, chat/phone support, sell products online, AI tools
Pro = $19.17 per month (52% discount)
Recommended for high traffic, advanced storage, security & backups
100 websites, 100 GB SSD Storage, Chat/Phone Support, Optimized for High Traffic, AI Tools
Upon reading the fine print, I saw that the plans would auto-renew at the regular price. (Please note that the above-referenced price plans are a snapshot in time and are subject to change.)
Read the fine print “Auto renews at regular rate
I decided to go forward with Bluehost’s Basic plan, feeling like I might regret its obvious limitations later. However, I was hopeful that I might be able to upgrade at a later date if needed.
The next screen display provided fields to either create a new domain or use a domain you already own.
I entered “WhoKnewJudyKnew.com under the create new domain/search available domains option. Next, I came to a screen that congratulated me that my selected domain name was available. It prompted me for my personal information to create my account. I find the following drop-down box to be interesting and disconcerting. It undermines my confidence in the product.
Next, I saw a screen that provides details on pricing and total costs to proceed with the chosen plan.
The following screen prompts me for credit card information. To this point I haven’t seen any templates yet or what a website trial might look like.
I felt compelled to abandon creating an account with Bluehost and to move on. Next!
Once again, someone suggested I look into a “free bootstrap blog website template.” May be redundant to say free, but no harm. So Judy googled it, Bluehost.com was the first site to pop up.
I feel like I am going loopy. [sigh]
Google has also returned links to Squarespace.com. I continue to explore Squarespace.
First, I enter a series of screens that are designed to assess my needs and to direct me to the templates and AI tools in a simplistic and comprehensive format. I am impressed with the ease with which I can move through these prompts by answering simple questions beginning with my desire to set up a blog site.
After clicking through a few filters and screens, I find I have options for customizable or standard templates for my blog. A template named “Malone” under “Blog-Popular Designs.” It captures my interest so I click on it. To my relief, so far I have not seen anything any requests for money. https://www.squarespace.com/templates
Entering this screen takes me into a demo. “Malone” does not seem like the template for my needs based on its limitations for content. Another template piques my curiosity. It is called “Otroquest.” “Otroquest” appears to be more geared towards podcasts. I dismiss this template and continue to browse the template options.
“Pulaski” looks like a good candidate template, but my concern is whether it can accommodate the volume of posts that I hope to create and store. I am uncertain where to find the technical specifications of the template.
“Harman” appears to be a viable candidate for my blog template. However, I find it to be a bit too busy for my liking.
The further I delved into the numerous options the more confused I became. Have you ever felt that way? I was hoping that after a break from all of the voices, I would feel informed enough to decide how to proceed.
Until then, you know what I have ascertained from my Google searches as to the top-rated platform sites related to starting a blog.
To be continued…
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