Comparing and Contrasting Free Hosted Vs Self Hosted Blogs.

If you’re looking to start a blog, there are two major options in front of you: free hosting and self-hosting. Each comes with their own pros and cons, so it’s important to consider all sides before you make a decision. Here’s a basic rundown of free hosted versus self hosted blogs to help you decide.

Free Blogging Platforms

Free hosts are ones like WordPress.com and Blogger.com. Like the name implies, they cost nothing to use, so they’re good choices for hobby bloggers or anyone very new to website creation.

Pros:

– They won’t cost you a dime.

– They usually offer site-building and site-designing tools for beginners. For example, they’ll provide themes and templates so you won’t have to code something from scratch.

– You can always start with a free host and work your way up the ladder later.

Cons:

– You won’t have your own URL. For example, your blog’s address will be example.wordpress.com instead of example.com.

– You won’t have a lot of options when it comes to layouts, themes and other site controls. You’ll have to use what the host provides.

– Free blogs aren’t very professional. They can be created by anyone, so they lack the kind of exclusivity that self-hosted blogs have. Instead of saying “I’m a real brand to be taken seriously,” they say, “I didn’t want to pay for my own domain name.”

Self-Hosted Blogs

Self-hosted blogs are ones like MochaHost.com. The hosting company will take care of the mechanics of keeping your site running, but you’ll be in charge of everything else, including design.

Pros:

– A self hosted blog will establish you as a serious brand. This is especially important if you’re starting something like an ecommerce store.

– All search engine optimization (SEO) benefits you and you alone. SEO is what drives traffic to your site and improves your rankings on places like Google, so it’s a good thing to have.

– You’re guaranteed uptime and server reliability. Since you’re paying for the service, you’re a customer and not just a mooch, so hosting companies have to take your needs seriously.

Cons:

– You’ll need to pay for something self hosted. Most companies charge by the month, but others may offer special hosting packages for X number of days, months or years.

– You’re entirely responsible for your own web design and navigation. While some hosting services may provide the basics, they won’t hold your hand or do any designing for you. You might have to outsource the job to real web developers if you don’t know how to handle it yourself.

So Which Is Better?

At the end of the day, a free blog is no match for a self hosted blog. It may cost a little more upfront, but if you’re serious about establishing yourself as a real authority on the web, self-hosting is the way to go.

if you have anymore questions feel free to leave a comment below …