Free blogging service or hosting on your own?

Free of in­ci­den­tal reg­is­tra­tion fees or monthly charges, blog-hosting providers offer those aspiring for some ad­di­tion­al internet exposure a com­fort­able outlet on which they can gain ex­pe­ri­ence. Such platforms are at­trac­tive options for beginners looking to make their first strides with a content man­age­ment system (CMS). While such blogging services are free of charge, adding extra features (ad­di­tion­al templates, more design options, etc.) normally involves paying ad­di­tion­al fees.

The ad­van­tages: free of charge and easy to use.

In addition to its free use, there are numerous ad­van­tages as­so­ci­at­ed with choosing to publish your blog on a free blogging service. These blogs are very user-friendly and can be set up in just a few easy steps. Pub­lish­ing and updating content is mostly hassle-free and is even man­age­able for bloggers with only modest technical back­grounds. Users can choose from a wide range of layouts and templates that match their re­spec­tive blog topics. Further cus­tomiza­tion options can be carried out after the initial set-up, and most updates are au­to­mat­i­cal­ly carried out for the user.

Ad­van­tages of using a blog-hosting provider

• free
• easy use and set up
• automatic updates and external security

The dis­ad­van­tages: limited functions and ca­pac­i­ties

Although they are free and easy to set up, blog-hosting providers do come with some dis­ad­van­tages, mostly in the form of technical drawbacks. Many helpful functions only have limited use or may not even be available at all; the selection of layouts and free plugins is also limited. These short­com­ings affect more than just the blog’s technical per­for­mance — optical features also take a hit:

The biggest dis­ad­van­tages for blog-hosting services

• imited selection of plugins and layouts
• limited storage
• re­strict­ed number of webpages
• usually no data backups

A further dis­ad­van­tage: websites like Blogger.com don’t have their own domains; the sites are only available via the provider’s subdomain. For example, the following pro­pri­etary format is needed to reach a blog created on Blogger.com: www.[blog-name].blogger.com. While this for­mat­ting does not nec­es­sar­i­ly translate into dis­ad­van­tages for private users, those wishing to start a blog for pro­fes­sion­al use should consider options that allow private domains.

Ad­ver­tise­ments on free-of-charge blogs

Free blog setups deny user the pos­si­bil­i­ty of in­de­pen­dent­ly dis­play­ing ad­ver­tise­ments. Instead, the provider sells ad­ver­tis­ing space and finances the blog-hosting service through these proceeds. The blogger has no means of in­flu­enc­ing the frequency or content of these ads. Switching to a fee-based premium version or a self-hosted blog is the only way around these ads. No matter the option, bloggers reg­is­tered with free providers will always be subject to their re­spec­tive terms and con­di­tions. A self-hosted blog therefore remains the only option for users wishing to control ad-related features.

The ad­van­tages: countless options for cus­tomiza­tion.

In recent years, many web hosting providers have begun including a cus­tomized blog editor or sup­port­ing the blog software with WordPress. This feature makes in­stal­la­tion and set-up for self-hosted blogs a matter of a few simple clicks. Self-hosting does not require expert-level IT and pro­gram­ming skills. This is due to the presence of on-site tools that com­ple­ment CMSs, allowing even beginners to design their sites. More tech­ni­cal­ly-inclined users will find them­selves hindered by fewer re­stric­tions.

The ad­van­tages at a glance

• no IT knowledge needed for set-up
• wide array of pos­si­bil­i­ties for cus­tomiza­tion
• neg­li­gi­ble costs

Pro­fes­sion­al presence and flexible ad­ver­tis­ing.

Self-hosted blogs offer users the chance to operate multiple pages under in­di­vid­u­al­ly selected domains. E-mail addresses connected directly to the website’s domain make com­mu­ni­ca­tion more pro­fes­sion­al, something that blog-hosting providers lack. Bloggers who decide to host their own sites are their own bosses and shape their web presence around what suits them best. More flex­i­bil­i­ty in selecting the best options for ad­ver­tis­ing delivers a further plus when opting for this route. Whether selecting banner ad­ver­tis­ing or a similar solution, the decision always rests in the hands of the same person: the blogger.

The most important features for a reputable internet presence

• unique, in­di­vid­ual domains  
• e-mail address connected to domain
• in­de­pen­dent ad placement.

The dis­ad­van­tages: much time and re­spon­si­bil­i­ty needed

Hosting your own blog or website does not come entirely without its cons. The biggest dis­ad­van­tage for many is the monthly bill from their hosting provider. While it isn’t a large sum, it is still somewhat of a deterrent for newcomers who have yet to secure any income through ad­ver­tis­ing. Extra tasks stemming from increased re­spon­si­bil­i­ty for the blog’s security, file backups, etc. make main­tain­ing the blog a con­sid­er­able in­vest­ment in time and energy. Com­pro­mis­es, such as managed hosting, allow the provider to take care of the blog’s technical matters. And while easier, they are usually as­so­ci­at­ed with higher costs.

Those looking to start a blog should closely examine which features and pos­si­bil­i­ties are most important before finally deciding what route to take in terms of hosting options. Blog-hosting services should prove adequate for small, private projects without any large com­mer­cial ambitions. Private bloggers are able to focus more on content by leaving technical aspects up to the provider.    

A blog-hosting service is best when

• Users want to be able to launch their blog quickly
• they possess little technical ex­pe­ri­ence
• the blog is started for fun and not for business practices

Blogs intended for pro­fes­sion­al projects should always be self-hosted. This ensures for more than just a con­vinc­ing ap­pear­ance — it also increase flex­i­bil­i­ty and allows blogs to cater to specific needs.  

A self-hosted blog is best when

• a pro­fes­sion­al blog is being planned
• there are future plans for com­mer­cial use
• maximum free rein is desired in shaping and designing the site.