Focus on Blogging

Domains & Webhosts

Get a Domain
Choose a Webhost
FTP

Ok, so you're ready to get started, well let's go! These are some of the initial steps you need to follow, sort of a checklist.

Get a Domain Name

Once you have defined your niche, the next step is to get your domain name. You need to create your presence online and the only real and professional way to do that is by using a domain of your own. Regardless of the platform you use, website or blog site, own it.

Sure you can use a free hosting provider and use their name... and deal with all the ads and 'junk' they will throw at your visitors. Not very professional.

How to Choose a Sales Pulling Domain Name

Here's an excellent little video that goes into how to choose a domain name - How to Choose a Good Domain Name

I tend to register quite a few domain names and I usually try to just find the least expensive company to register a domain name with. You want to make sure that you have full DNS control and privacy included in the cost. Most of the time I just query 'cheap domain names' but I have consistently found two companies that are consistently least expensive;

Choose a Webhost

There are hundreds and hundreds of webhosts out there, all of them offering this and that and sometimes it's difficult to decide what you need to look at to choose.

Again, stay away from free hosts! If you're going to do this, do it the right way! Hosting in not that expensive, you can find good webhosting for less than $10 a month.

How to Select a Web Host for Your Site - this article really gives you a good overview on what you should take into consideration when you look for a webhost.

Here's an excellent little video that goes into how to choose a webhost- How to Find a Webhost Provider

My own personal recommendation for a webhost is Hostgator. I have been with them for several years and have never had a problem. They have 24/7/365 support, 99.9% uptime, high speed access, full cPanel control, scripts and Fantastico which offers I think 52 different scripts right now including automatic install of WordPress, bulletin boards, forums and much more!

Check out Hostgator and you can ever get the first month's hosting for just 1¢ using coupon code - CHEAPHOSTING

FTP

FTP stands 'File Transfer Protocol' and basically is the way you get your website uploaded to your webhost. It's not difficult to do at all.

Here's a great little video that gives you a step-by-step on FTP including a free FTP client software that you can use, FTP Surfer - FTP

And here's another video - FTP - this one demonstrates using Smart FTP which is the FTP program that I personally use. It's also free and very easy to use.

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These are just some of the basic 'getting started' steps and there will be much more information on each step to help you along the way. Just keep in mind, this is not rocket science. It's not that difficult to do actually, you just have to do it!