Use Paid Or Free Blog When Start Blogging?

Every blogger has their reasons to using paid or free blog when start blogging. Free blog like; Blogger.com, WordPress.com, Blog.com, and many others. So what the different of paid and free blog? is it true using free blog is best part to start blogging?

Using Free Blog To Start Blogging

At first time to blogging, many blogger will prefer to choose free blog (including me ). This is because saving money, and also liable to easy to use for beginner. You dont have to install any script, dont have to configure basic setting (like database etc). Just register for free, and start blogging.

Upgrading To Paid Blog

After using free blog, you will found that free blog has some restrictions. For example in wordpress.com, you cant installing many plugins or themes as you want, place ads or embeed some code in your widget and others function.

Also if you want to have own domain, because having own domain looks personal or unique.

But, when you start to upgrading/convert into paid blog, you will face several technical problem:

You may lose Google Page Rank from your old free blog
If you cant handle, you also will lose traffic while your blog moving.
Your SERP rank will falling down (because domain name change)

So Which Is The Best Part To Start Blogging?

Based my own experience, i will suggest you to start blogging with your own domain name, but still using free blog services. Today you can got your own domain with only from $7 to $10.

Make sure that you buy domain with managed DNS services access included. This is because you will integrate Blogger.com, free blog service, into your own domain using Canonical Name (CNAME)

With that solution, you will:

Not losing your future page rank
Not losing SERP rank if move to self hosting
Easily to export post into other blog platform
Doesnt need to consider security issues (like plugins update, etc).

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Published On Tuesday, 9 June 2009 | Category My Stuff, Web and Applications

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http://mikesmoney.myftp.org I Make Thousands of Dollars a Month Posting Links on Google from Home

Hey, great post, really well written. You should post more about this.
http://www.bryankarl.com Bryan Karl

If you are really serious into the revenue thing, go directly to getting your own domain and hosting.
http://hikarianna.blogspot.com Hikarianna

I still see many old blogger using free blog ^^
His blog was 4 years old, and having PR 4, so i think its ok to using free blog.

But in several publisher its not allowed :(
http://www.ilovehateamerica.com bingkee

It’s really advisable that if you’re a beginner, use a free blog host. But even after so many years of blogging, you can still use a free blog host. It does not matter.
The only advantage of a self-hosted domain name is ; it looks professional, and many advertisers require a self-hosted blog.
http://ninoholic.com El Nino

@Bryan Karl:
I agree with you, but i think at very first time blogging, no one will consider that.

@Hikarianna:
Publisher? do you mean advertiser / network ads?
Yes, i know that many old blogger still using free blog, but i agree with Bryan about earning thing. Thats why we know blogging for money and blogging for fun.

@bingkee:
Yes, starting with free blog service is very advisable, but having own domain is a must if you consider about pagerank, SERP, credibility and domain value investment. Thats why i recommended to combine own domain + free blog service to start.
http://inlovewithdaisies.blogspot.com Daisy

Well, I’d rather take the free blog. But that one where I can control my own adsense and html. ;-)

Passing by to give you a drop.. (ec drop that is)
http://ninoholic.com El Nino

Hello Daisy, i’m with you, i think Blogspot is best free blog service. So many modification we can do there.

I have drop you back :) I remember you in EC, i have read your Alfred Hitchcock post ;)