Quick Blog Questions

Foucault · #1 12-30-2006, 08:55 PM

I'm getting ready to launch a poker blog. Making money is not one of my primary goals, especially not in the short term, but I want to keep my options open. I'm thinking of using blogspot in order to get it off the ground quickly and easily, but I've got a few questions about that:

1. How easy will it be to shift all of my content onto my own site if I decide to buy the domain name and server space and such?

2. Are there other complications such as losing traffic as a result of a domain name change, etc. of which I should be aware?

3. I know that I can use AdSense on BlogSpot, but are there drawbacks to doing this rather than owning the site myself? Do they take a cut? Are there other money-making options that I wouldn't be able to use on BlogSpot?

4. Um, anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks much!

Freakin · #2 12-30-2006, 09:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm getting ready to launch a poker blog. Making money is not one of my primary goals, especially not in the short term, but I want to keep my options open. I'm thinking of using blogspot in order to get it off the ground quickly and easily, but I've got a few questions about that:

1. How easy will it be to shift all of my content onto my own site if I decide to buy the domain name and server space and such?

[/ QUOTE ]
a moderate PITA
[ QUOTE ]

2. Are there other complications such as losing traffic as a result of a domain name change, etc. of which I should be aware?

[/ QUOTE ]
i would go for a permanent redirect, if blogspot has this as an option. I don't think they have this as an option. This is bad if they don't.
[ QUOTE ]

3. I know that I can use AdSense on BlogSpot, but are there drawbacks to doing this rather than owning the site myself? Do they take a cut? Are there other money-making options that I wouldn't be able to use on BlogSpot?

[/ QUOTE ]
they don't get a cut. it is your site.

WarBus · #3 12-30-2006, 10:52 PM

You can redirect w/ blogspot but its not a server side 301 redirect. You would have to put a piece of code in the head. Google often frowns upon this type of redirect.

If you plan on having the blog long term, its a small expense to buy a domain and then find cheap hosting.

Don't worry about making money on the blog.
Add new content at least once a day. Two or more times a day is better.
Learn how to increase your page rank, traffic, and how to promote your blog.
Then add more content.

When you have a page rank and hopefully quite a few visitors, try out adsense and pay per post. If you are not interested in pay per post, you shouldn't worry as much about page rank.

Misfire · #4 12-31-2006, 01:04 AM

When you get your own domain, blogspot can upload directly to your FTP. You use their site to type your entries just like you do with a blahblah.blogspot.com address, but they end up on your server under your domain name.

WarBus · #5 12-31-2006, 02:35 AM

[ QUOTE ]
When you get your own domain, blogspot can upload directly to your FTP. You use their site to type your entries just like you do with a blahblah.blogspot.com address, but they end up on your server under your domain name.

[/ QUOTE ]

Correct. But if you switch an existing blog from blogspot to a different domain, the blogspot subdomain is released. You would then have to create a new blog using the subdomain and let everyone know that the old blog has moved and redirect them.

Misfire · #6 12-31-2006, 02:40 AM

Why not just start w/ the domain name? It's only like $8/year, and you can find hosting real cheap.

rjp · #7 12-31-2006, 04:58 AM

I agree, the best option is to go with your own domain. Blogspot makes it easy, but you get flexibility when you setup your own wordpress blog on your own domain.

Freakin · #8 12-31-2006, 01:00 PM

the only advantage i see with blogspot is ease of use, and a domain that has been registered for some time (better for search engine rankings)

hummusx · #9 12-31-2006, 01:56 PM

Go with your own domain. If you really don't want to pay for hosting (really not that expensive), you can just use domain forwarding and point your domain at a blogspot site.

If you're just running a blog, I've got a really cheap host I'm allowed to resell off of. PM me if you're interested.

JupiterChaz · #10 01-04-2007, 02:00 AM

here is a cheap host
$1 a month has C panel and fantastico, looks good I may try it myself

http://www.3ix.com/

looks interesting and cheap [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]