There’s a lot of choices in services and software to start and run your art blog including Blogger, Typepad, WordPress, LiveJournal, Squarespace and more. So what’s the best choice for your blog? The service or software you choose for your blog depends on a number of different factors including cost, features, and ease of use. Here is some information about different types of blogging services and software available and how to choose the right one for your art blog.
Blogging services vs self hosting
- Blogging service- this includes services like Blogger, WordPress.com, LiveJournal, etc. A blogging service is something that you sign up to get your blog. A blogging service is responsible for hosting your blog, providing features, doing upgrades, and maintaining the technical side of your blog.
- Self hosting- this includes blogging software like WordPress.org, Moveable Type, Mambo, Drupal that runs on a web server that you manage.
Free vs paid services
- Free- some blogging services (Blogger, WordPress.com, LiveJournal, Vox) and software (WordPress.org, Mambo, Drupal) are completely free. Many of these services make money by putting advertising on your blog.
- Paid- other blogging services (Typepad, Squarespace, WordPress.com) will charge a monthly fee to host and maintain the technical aspects of your blog. Some services such as WordPress.com offer a free basic service and will charge for additional features.
Factors to consider
- cost- how much are you budgeted to spend on your blog (hosting, monthly fee, set up, domain name)? Are you willing to pay for a monthly service? Are you willing to help someone help you set up a self hosted blog?
- ease of use- how much technical expertise do you have? Are you willing to maintain the technical parts of your blog if you decide to self host? Do you have the technical expertise to install your own blog or would you rather use a service that takes care of this for you?
- features- what kind of features do you want for your blog? Do you want a custom look for your blog or can you use a generic theme? Do you want your blog to match your website completely? Do you want the ability to sell from your blog? A photo gallery? Show videos? Add a mailing list sign up? If you’re using a blogging service, the features you can have on your blog is controlled by the service.
- control- how much control do you want to have over how your blog runs and looks? Some blog hosting services have a terms of service control what you can and can’t do on your blog (eg. using your blog to make sales, subject matter of your blog, etc). Plus, if the blogging service shuts down, then you can lose your blog.
If you’re thinking about starting a blog or if you already have a blog and you want to be more effective, sign up for my FREE e-course “50 Blogging Tips for Artists “. Get a free tip in your email every day that will help make your blogging life easier. Sign up now!
