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I write a lot and have a degree in English, so I was thinking about starting a blog. I want to actually start something that will be read, though, preferably by likeminded people who will then share their ideas, link to their writing, etc. I don't really know which websites to try, though, to achieve those results. I occasionally write on Blogger, but I don't have an audience there, so I don't get feedback. What should I try if I want to actually receive feedback and start a conversation?
You have to market your blog to get an audience. A blog site is just the platform that you write on; it's still up to you, the owner, to get people coming to your site to read. Google "ways to increase blog traffic" etc.. it will give you lots of tips on how to get more people to your site. There are countless ways!
WordPress is complicated but thought among the techies to be the best and most professional..
I use Blogger and Hubpages myself and I *DO* make money off of them via Adsense.
Check out Hubpages. They have strict rules on what you can post and plenty of competition but you can really begin to make a name for yourself there and get paid for it if you're an interesting writer. I receive pay from my articles on Hubpages continuously.. every few months they send me a Paypal payment.. it's worth checking out if you're into writing. I can attest that it's a legit way to establish yourself and make money if you post good material there..
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www.WordPress.com
Free, except you will want to own a TLD ASAP. You can buy a .com for $0.99 the first year at www.1and1.com and point it at your WordPress.com blog, which should have the same subdomain as your new TLD.
So if you buy "DangFineWriter.com" point it at your WordPress.com subdomain, which should be DangFineWriter.WordPress.com
Keep it simple for your burgeoning fan club, and for the search engines, too.
(BTW, DangFineWriter.com is available, never before registered. I sure wouldn't let that baby slip away! http://whois.domaintools.com/dangfinewriter.com And, to put your mind at ease, I don't solicit or accept finders' fees for Luxury Domain Creation.)
After that easy exercise, the rest is Easy-Peasy.
WordPress.com offers a new free theme every year. 2015 theme is just fine for writing. And it is mobile-friendly/responsive.
And, when you get good at it, you can choose to invest a few simoleons in upgrading and expanding. You might choose to move the blog over to WordPress.org and host it on a server of your choice. Then you can do some improvising on it, but really, a simple theme and worthy content are 99% of it.
Build a following before you try to make money with it.
I currently have a business website designed in WordPress. I pay about $10.00 per month for it, but it's not hosted by WordPress; it has it's own address. It's a little more complicated than a blog site, though. How do I get a site hosted by WordPress? I'm a bit confused about the TLD.
I currently have a business website designed in WordPress. I pay about $10.00 per month for it, but it's not hosted by WordPress; it has it's own address. It's a little more complicated than a blog site, though. How do I get a site hosted by WordPress? I'm a bit confused about the TLD.
They really aren't the same thing (although they are similar).
What you have is a WordPress.org site (self hosted with the software provided by WordPress). WordPress.com sites are hosted by WordPress, but you don't have as much control as you do on a self hosted site.
Status:
"Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!"
(set 2 days ago)
Location: Cary, NC
43,067 posts, read 76,614,383 times
Reputation: 45393
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmb501
I currently have a business website designed in WordPress. I pay about $10.00 per month for it, but it's not hosted by WordPress; it has it's own address. It's a little more complicated than a blog site, though. How do I get a site hosted by WordPress? I'm a bit confused about the TLD.
I currently have a business website designed in WordPress. I pay about $10.00 per month for it, but it's not hosted by WordPress; it has it's own address. It's a little more complicated than a blog site, though. How do I get a site hosted by WordPress? I'm a bit confused about the TLD.
Why don't you just install another copy of wordpress in your current hosting account and make that your blog?
I would stick with self hosted, the wordpress.com hosting plans really don't give you much flexibility.
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