HTML Codes, Auction Templates, eBook Tutorials, & Blog Tips Cool HTML Codes, Auction templates, eBay Tips, Ebooks, & Tutorials

If you want to start a blog or website, there are tons of ways you can do it. You can choose a commercial software application (such as Microsoft Expression Web or Adobe Dreamweaver) to help you design it. The only problem is that these are commercial applications (meaning they will generally set you back a few hundred), and they are not very user friendly. They also really aren’t set up to best be used with a blog format.

Which Blog Software Is Best? WordPress? Blogger? Joomla?

If you are wanting to start a blog for free, and you need a great script to help you streamline the blogging process, manage photos, update posts easily, etc., then look no further than WordPress.

WordPress is a free open-source program that will help you manage your blogs with ease. It literally has thousands of plugins, which can help you add functionality to your blog (create sitemaps, paste in adsense, optimize it for search engines, etc.). The plugins are generally 100% free, and are easy to install and use.

I used to use Microsoft FrontPage 2003 to manage my websites. However, after playing around with wordpress on a site, I was totally overtaken with amazement. It is written in PHP code, and it stores everything in a database. This means it is incredibly easy to keep up with posts, update things (such as your adsense placement), and more all by simply editing the core files.

It used to take forever to update designs, change Adsense coding, and more. Now, it can be done in minutes by just changing one file. Furthermore, it is easier and faster than ever to publish articles, upload pictures, keep track of posts, and more. There are also tons of free themes to choose from, so you can customize the design of your blog for free!

Is WordPress Better than Blogger or Other Scripts?

In my opinion, http://www.wordpress.org blows blogger or any other scripts out of the water. It is so much more user friendly, has way more plugins, and is used by the majority of the “big bloggers.”

I am still sometimes amazed that WordPress is free! After all, it really makes blogging super easy. It is literally used by millions of blogs, and is constantly adding new features, new plugins, and more.

If you are asking yourself, “How do I start a blog,” look no further than WordPress.

How Do WordPress Blogs Work? Can I Host My Blog Myself? Can I Host it At WordPress?

Another great thing about WordPress is that the script is totally free to download and use. You can install it as many times you want. You can use it on your own servers, and there is no limit to the number of blogs you can use with it.

You can also use free hosting by WordPress itself. This may be a good option for people just wanting to publish some ideas and opinions, but don’t want to invest in a domain name or  hosting.

If, however, you expect to eventually make money (monetize) your blog, or you feel as if you want your own domain, then you should definitely get your own domain & hosting plan.

I use Godaddy.com to run several blogs. The domains are as inexpensive as $9.99 per year (or less). The hosting plans start as low as $4.99 per month, and go all the way up to as large and robust as you need. So you can update and change as your blog grows.

Conclusion: How to Start a Blog Free, and the Best Blog Format to Use

If you decide to start a blog, I would recommend WordPress hands down! It is easier than most others, has almost unlimited plugins and options, and it is totally free!

So if you want to start blogging, grab a free copy of WordPress, and go to town! If you plan to make money or eventually have a “big blog,” you may want to go ahead and snag up a domain & hosting plan as well.

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Once you have developed a website then you should work to optimize your site for search engines. Doing this will bring a lot of website traffic to site, and ensure it gets the best search engine rankings possible.

So how can you increase your search engine rankings & get a lot of website traffic?  Well way you can achieve this is through building backlinks (sometime spelled back links).

Backlinks are simply hyperlinks that point to your website (or a page on your web site).  Backlinks can help a website get significant traffic because most search engines rely heavily on backlinks. Also, many people will click the link itself & be redirected to your site.

So how or what is the best way to build backlinks? The 5 sources below are all great ways to build quality backlinks for your site:

1) Comment on popular blogs.  Most blogs allow you to leave a URL when you leave comments. This is a great way to build links.

2) Comment of forums, and other websites. Most of the popular forums allow you to leave your signature. You can use your signature as a link to your website. This is an easy way to build links.

3) Submit to article directories. Write simple articles related to your site & submit them to article directories.  Make sure to include a link to your site in each article!

4) Email webmasters & request a link to your site. Try to find websites/articles related to your website. Then send a short email requesting a link. Not everyone will respond, but this is a good way to build permanent back links.

5) Offer some link bait. The term “link bait” simply means that you do something that attracts links.  How do you achieve this? Well by writing an outstanding article or tutorial, make a really unique video, offer a promotional giveaway, or something else. There are lots of ways this can be achieved. If you offer link bait, you can quickly gain a lot of quality backlinks.

Following these methods above will ensure you build quality backlinks for your website! The results should pay off with better search engine rankings & more traffic!

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