“There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area we call…web hosting.”
Okay, so web hosting isn’t exactly The Twilight Zone. Nevertheless, it is just as mysterious a realm to many of those who have a real need to investigate and understand it.
I do believe that I have made nearly every mistake a blogger can make. Some blogging mistakes are relatively small – you simply acknowledge them and move on. Others, take quite awhile to overcome.
One of my first and biggest mistakes was made right out of the box. I could not comprehend why anyone would pay for web hosting when there were a number of reputable and reliable companies that do it for “free” – Blogger, WordPress, etc. My mistake was in looking at this topic in terms of “cost” rather than “opportunity costs”.
The decision you make about web hosting, and even more critically about ecommerce hosting, will have a tremendous effect on your search engine traffic, online reputation, revenue potential, and the amount of enjoyment you get out something into which you are investing serious time and mental energy.
I strongly advise you to avoid the mistake that I made. Get started right with your own domain name and web hosting arrangements. You may choose to avoid this decision because you find the whole topic confusing – a kind of Twilight Zone. But I encourage you to invest a few hours reading some online articles on web hosting, talk with bloggers you respect, and make a thoughtful decision.
I am always fascinated by the folk who read KevinStilley.com. Please use the comments below to introduce yourself, promote your blog, show pictures of your grandchildren, get on your soapbox, and more….
Yesterday Dad and I stood beside Mom’s grave and I asked him what was his most precious memory from the 64 years that he was married to Mom. He spoke about her teaching him to read and write after they were married.
I love my folk’s stories and I will dearly miss Mom’s blend of humor, incongruity, and sentimental reflection.
Have you checked out Ballotpedia. Whatever your political stripe Ballotpedia is a great resource. It is a compendium of information on ballots, voting, citizen initiatives, referendums, propositions and a whole lot more.
The website explains…
Ballotpedia’s mission
With your help, Ballotpedia aims to be an abundant and growing source of information on citizen initiatives, ballot access, petition drives, initiative and referendum for political change, recall elections, school district bond issues and associated subjects.
Check it out. I think you will find it very informative.
Have you seen that new television show starring a female U.S. Marshall who hides people away in a federal witness protection program. One of the advertisements for it shows a young girl saying something like, “My dad says that if they want to find you bad enough they will.” The U.S. Marshall then reassures the girl that she will be safe.
There are some business people who seem to have the same idea about internet commerce as the dad in the scenario above. That, “if they want to find you bad enough they will.” Yeah, like that’s good business…
Internet searching just doesn’t work that way. If a person is forced to search for you they will undoubtedly come across numerous of your competitors in the process. Do you really want a potential customer who intends to visit your website to end up browsing the website of those competing for marketshare in your commercial interest?
Network Solutions has a domain name scorecard that will help you ascertain just how well your domain name is helping your business succeed online. It is a free quiz with only three simple questions. Immediately after taking it you will receive a domain scorecard that analyzes your domain name in six key areas. I took their test and you should too, if your internet presence is important to you. Check them out.
