by Ruth Belena

Created on: July 31, 2008   Last Updated: August 18, 2008

Before you decide where to blog on the internet, you need to consider why it is you want to blog. Then you have a choice of whether you want to join a free blog site, to buy your own domain, with paid web hosting, or if you would rather blog at a social network site.

[1] Free Blog Site

Anyone can start a blog at one of the popular free blog sites. Blogger.com and Wordpress.com are both reliable ones, and you can find many more free blog sites listed in search engine results. Some of these sites may seem a little confusing to a first time blogger, but after registering and following online instructions, it should be quick and easy to create a new blog.

You should choose a free blog if you intend writing about your thoughts and your feelings, your daily activities, your views on the latest news stories and your personal experiences.

If you want to make money, or to promote something on your blog, you need to check out the terms and conditions first, as some free sites don't allow additional advertising and won't accept blogs created only to promote another website.

If you want a professional looking business blog it's better not to choose a free blog host.

[2] Paid Hosting and Domain

The best option for promoting your work or your business interests is to pay for a unique domain and hosting. Many web hosting services will offer a range of simple free blog templates as part of a package. Some sites offer free hosting if you buy a domain from them.

With paid hosting you can also have the option of using a WordPress blog with your own domain, and you can create your own design if you have the necessary skills.

Although you will still have to comply with the web hosting service's terms and conditions, there will be fewer restrictions concerning advertising and promoting on your blog.

[3] Social Blogging

Many of the big networking sites offer free space for blogging. Choosing this option will give you the advantage of being part of a high ranking website, which already has a lot of traffic, and the opportunity to blog without having to set up your own blog.

Some network sites will restrict how you use your blog and it may only be available to view by other members.

Most network sites are great for promoting referral links, and you should get many visits to your blog from the friends you have added on that site.

You can also earn money from referral and affiliate links, and from advertising revenue, when you blog at Hub Pages, Squidoo and Qassia, or you can use those sites to promote your own blog and to provide back links to it.

There are so many places to blog on the internet, you can easily have more than one blog, and you may even choose to use all the options available!

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