Blogging

[Mad Moose]

Anyone got any advice on blogging sites? I know there's one available through this site but I'm not sure if you need to be registered to read one linked to this site. I'm just planning ahead toward something in 2011 and so I want to use the address for promotion and stuff. I'd like to be able to get pictures uploaded but I'm not sure if this is possible on blogs. Any help appreciated.

[dcfc_1928]

Are you in any way technical? Are you looking at spending money, or a free option?

I would suggest getting yourself some cheap Linux web hosting package with a domain name and install Wordpress as a blogging platform.

Maybe something like this:

http://www.godaddy.com/hosting/wordpress-hosting.aspx?ci=15005

or this:

http://www.hostgator.com/wordpress-hosting.shtml

[dahamsta]

If you want to use it for promotion then you need something standalone. To play around with a WordPress blog, sign up for an account on WordPress.com (http://wordpress.com/). When you're comfortable using it I'd second dcfc_1928's recommendation of setting up on your own hosting, for full control of your data. However I'd add that if your target market is Ireland, you have a better chance of success on the search engines on a host with Irish servers like meself (http://www.beecher.net/). 10% discount for Foot.ie members! :)

[Aberdonian Stu]

I use Blacknight for hosting services and they're pretty good from my experience. I run my blogs off WordPress.org as opposed to .com as that way I can use WordPress as a CMS for sites that have a standalone name (as in sites that don't have WordPress in the title).

I'm not sure how, if in any way, that affects ability to take in advertising and the like (I haven't tried to take any) so I'll defer to dahamsta on that.

[dahamsta]

AFAIK you can point a domain name at WordPress.com, but I tend to advise against using the service for a site that's in any way serious.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Really? I find the CMS is quite useful and idiot-proof. I'm getting a web designer I know to do a re-design but I was kind of keen on not changing the CMS as I want to get more writers on board and figure it's an easy enough one to adjust them to. That and the plugins are easy enough to use.

[dahamsta]

I'm differentiating WordPress.com (http://www.wordpress.com/) from self-hosted WordPress, sometimes known as WordPress.org (http://www.wordpress.org/). WordPress is the software, WordPress.com is built using it (partly by a chap from Cork (http://ocaoimh.ie/), as it happens.)

WordPress.com is fine for amateur sites, but imho if you plan to professionalise down the line, or expand to include site elements that can't be handled using WordPress, self-hosted is the way to go. You can of course export from WordPress.com, but the bigger the site gets, the more awkward it becomes.

(WordPress is a speciality of mine, every site I develop is plonked into WP by default. Also, self-hosted doesn't necessarily mean you have to set it up yourself. Most web hosts, myself included, offer the ability to install it from the web hosting control panel.)

[Aberdonian Stu]

Ah now I get you. Yeah I agree wholly that there are substantial limits to Wordpress.com, I've used Wordpress.org from the start as I found it gave me far freedom.

[Mad Moose]

Thanks everyone. I'd probably use a free site based on the limited time I actually would have to give to this. I just know very little about it all and didn't understand having a hosting page. Your responses have cleared it up a little for me.

[Mad Moose]

Settled on a free site in the end and so far so good.

The blog name refers to my marathon target in 2011.

http://longlonelyroadtoparis.blogspot.com/

[dahamsta]

Blogspot is still alive? Who knew! :)

Nice skin, although there is one small problem in that the about text on the left is part-obscured by the dark background on my laptop (1024x768, one of the more common resolutions), and should it's be "A Runner's Diary"?

[Mad Moose]

Cheers Adam. Sorry I had to go for a freebie to host this one. It was a bit of a rushed opening so I'll correct. The opening blogs are a bit rubbish but they were just to bring us to the present and my efforts. I have a follower. Though not sure if they followed me from here.

[Mad Moose]

Now its in place and I've got the basic's (haven't edited the mistakes yet) done how do I add other content to the site. So if I wanted to add I don't know a book I'm reading or a sub blog on the music I'm running then how do I add that? If I wanted to put another page, like I don't know something on the charity I intend running for , i.e a blog explanation of who they are and what they represent. Just a short tidy page for example.

Is their an option to put pictures on the page. I'm thinking something cool like a selection of pic's held up by clibs and you can browse them? Maybe I'm been too ambitious, maybe not.


Any help appreciated.

[dahamsta]

Isn't this all documented on Blogspot Harpsbear?

[Mad Moose]

Isn't this all documented on Blogspot Harpsbear?

I decided to sit with it this morning and have a look and your right. Its relatively straightforward actually. I need to upload pictures I'm using to Flickr or Photobucket to run a slide show of my pictures but the option is there to have my pictures as a slideshow which is pretty cool. I have pretty much photographed my usual runs and I intend to video at Amsterdam in my next race ina couple of weeks using my iPod. Tried it out on yesterdays run and bar having the iPod camera upside down it went well. As you say its pretty well documented and easy enough to use so I really needed to spend time with that. Thank you.