Godaddy WordPress Hosting: No Profit or No Cost?
You may have heard of WordPress, the wildly popular content management system (CMS). You might have even heard of blog hosting, where you can get a free platform to create and maintain your blog. What you might not know is that there are actually two different types of blog hosting, one which is absolutely free, and the other which has a small cost associated with it.
You might be wondering, given all the confusion, which one should you choose? Before you make up your mind, it’s important to examine both sides rigorously.
The Free Blog Hosting
If you want to create a blog, then the free blog hosting offered by WordPress is the obvious choice. To set up a free blog with WordPress, you will want to use their intuitively named “one-click” installer or the URL shortener 1-click.org. Once you’ve installed WordPress, you will be able to create and populate a basic blog with just a few clicks of the mouse.
To make sure your blog is secure, you will want to look into getting a free certificate from Let’s Encrypt. With this certificate, your blog will be protected by encryption, providing better security to your site visitors. If you are running a business or selling products online, then you will want to look into purchasing a VeriSign SSL certificate. The cost of this certificate is about the same as the price of a standard year of web hosting with a reputable company like Bluehost.
The Standard Blog Hosting
If you are looking for something more advanced, then you might want to try out the standard blog hosting provided by WordPress. To get started with this option, you will want to visit the WordPress website and click on their Get Started button. From there, you will want to click on the Get a Free Domain button and create an account. Once you’ve done that, you can visit the dashboard to get a sense of what this option has to offer. Here is where you can install WordPress on your website and begin building out your blog. The beauty of this method is that you will have complete control over the code and design of your site. You can install a theme, change the colours and layout as you see fit, and work on perfecting the design that is perfect for your blog.
The downside to this method is that the more advanced you go, the closer you come to paying for web hosting. That is unless you want to keep using free services, in which case, the more features you want the better. If you have a specific designer in mind or want to completely change the look and feel of your blog, then this method can be a little stifling. In the long term, you will want to try out the one-click installer or the URL shortener 1-click.org, because there is no charge for this type of hosting. You will just need to keep in mind that as you develop your site, you will be paying a little more for the privilege of continuing to use more advanced tools.
Which One Should You Choose?
As a brand-new blog owner, you’ll most likely want to go with the free blogs if you’re just getting started. Once you’ve got your feet wet with a free platform, then you can advance to the standard option if you see fit. Ultimately, it depends on your specific needs and what you’re looking for in a blogging platform.