The Older Geek

This is the first lesson in a series of posts on how to make your own blog. This series is going to be about how to start a new blog from scratch.

If you currently have a blog on Blogger, and want to move your Blogger blog onto your own self-hosted blog, I will be writing a tutorial about this very soon. Note: If you do not know what the definition of a term is (there’s a lot of blog lingo that we bloggers use), click the link the first time the word appears. It will take you to my Glossary of Blogging Terms.

The first thing you need is a domain name. You can buy them from various companies who sell them, called a registrar. Domain names are usually pretty inexpensive, unless you buy a domain name that someone else has previously registered and is re-selling. These can be worth hundreds of dollars. But I’m pretty cheap, and I prefer to create my own and pay $10 or $20. Below is a list of accredited registrars that sell domain names. Please be aware that I am an affiliate of some companies that I mention (in this case, for GoDaddy)– which means, I get a small payment for people who buy a service (commission). It costs you nothing. These registrars are the top companies around; I have ordered my own domain names through them or I know of people who have ordered and have had good success with them.

• GoDaddy.com This is the most popular domain registrar, and they go the extra mile in prices and customer service. I have several of my domains here, and I am also a GoDaddy affiliate. You can also buy Blog Hosting at GoDaddy.com.
• eNom.com I have a few domains here, too. They are good; the control panel for domains is nice and simple.
• Google handles domain names, going through the registrars eNom and GoDaddy to offer them. Google’s prices are cheap: $10 a year and it includes Domain Privacy Protection. You manage your domain names through Google Apps, an online control panel for webmasters.
• Network Solutions These guys are pricey; they are good for businesses. I am a small-timer. But I hear they are very reliable.
• ICANN, the governmental body that regulates registrars and domain names, has a listing of accredited domain name registrars.

There are multitudes of smaller companies that offer and help you manage your domain name; any search will help you find them. I tend to be cautious and go with only the reputable companies. I like GoDaddy because they are the best in their field and they have great service.

One good thing to keep in mind when creating a domain name is to make it memorable. It’s going to be YOURS for at least an entire year, make it good! I once ordered a domain name and realized later that I had spelled it incorrectly. :S That was wasted money. Also, avoid things like apostrophes, periods, and other punctuation marks in your blog title, if you can. Domain names can only have letter and number characters, not symbols; but try to make your domain name reflect your future blog’s title, and try to do it without using punctuation.

When you purchase a domain name, you have the option of purchasing an additional service with it, called Domain Privacy Protection. I highly recommend that you purchase it. This protection is tagged on to the cost of your domain name purchase, and is renewed when you renew your domain name. The purpose of Domain Privacy is to protect your personal, identifying information from every kook who looks up your domain information. According to ICANN regulation, every domain name must not be anonymous, and requires that your name, address, email, and sometimes your telephone number be affixed to your domain name account (like the Census Bureau knowing all the people who live in your house). Domain Privacy does not give you anonymity; ICANN and WHOIS have your information when you register a domain name. But Domain Privacy protects your information from being available to any snoop who wants to look up your domain. A registrar will publish “dummy” information (from the WHOIS Directory) in place of your own personal information.

When you buy a new domain name, it usually takes a few hours or a few days (depending on the speed of the registrar) for the name to “propagate” across the Internet; that is, it takes a period of time for the new domain name to enter the realms of the world wide web. So after you have created and purchased your domain name, go do something else for a while. Your registrar will email you when the domain name has been propagated and is live.

Once your domain name is propagated, it’s time to link up that name with a home! Your domain name does not make a blog; it’s just a name. Think of your domain name as a house address. You purchased the address first; now, you need to buy a vacant lot (web hosting), and start building your house (in a database). You will need to think about purchasing a vacant lot–web hosting space– from a Web Host. I’ll cover that in Part 2 of this series.

In summary:

1. When creating a blog, the first thing you do is get a domain name.
2. Domain names are usually renewed annually, but you can pay ahead two, three, or more years in advance if you wish.
3. Get your domain name from an accredited registrar.
4. I get a small commission if you buy your domain names at GoDaddy.com when you click the links in this post or in my sidebar.
5. Make your domain name memorable; try to make it match your future blog’s name if possible.
6. Buy the additional Domain Privacy service, to protect your personal information from being published on the web.
7. After you’ve purchased your domain name, it takes time for the registrar to propagate the name across the web (usually 2 to 24 hours).
8. You need to start thinking about purchasing space from a Web Host. Your domain name is just your URL address, it’s not your blog.

Click here to go on to Part 2 and looking for a Web Host >>>

More Posts Like This:

• How I Make Money Online and How You Help Me!
• How Secure is Your Domain Name Information?
• How To Issue Name Servers for Your Domain