When you plan to launch a new web site, you may have already decided on your domain name and most likely you even have already found where to host the site. For example, if you have other sites you host with a web hosting provider you are pleased with, then most naturally the new domain will also go there. However, if you don't have a web host, or simply because due to a variety of reasons you are reluctant to register one more domain, or simply you are new to this business and don't know what your options are, then you might have to think a bit whether to get your own domain or to use a subdomain.
There is also a middle ground – i.e. you can have your own domain and host it with Blogger, WordPress or a similar service but since this is a relatively rare choice, we won't discuss it here. Instead, we'll focus on the pros and cons of having a subdomain hosted with a popular blog service, such as the two we already listed versus registering your own domain and hosting it with some other web host.
Subdomains do have their advantages – and this is what keeps them around – but if you are serious about your site and business, then a subdomain with a popular free host isn't an option. Subdomains have their limitations, as we already discussed in the subdomains article and very often this makes them an unacceptable choice.
With domain prices really low, the choice to go with a dedicated domain becomes easier. Additionally, having your own domain has numerous advantages and here are some of them:
- More prestigious. The fact that your site has an URL like http://somesite.com rather than http://somesite.blogspot.com alone makes it look more prestigious. Additionally, when you have a separate domain the URL is more user-friendly, which is also a factor to consider.
- More control. If you need to run some special blogging software, you can't do it when your blog is using a free subdomain. When you have your own domain, you are free to run whatever software you deem fit – provided that you don't violate the Terms of Service of your hosting contract, of course.
- No ads. It is true that you can find free blog hosting without ads but since there is no free lunch and ads are just one of the ways the host makes money to provide you a free service. Many of the smaller providers still offer ads.
- A better SEO starting point. Finally, one of the most important considerations of using a dedicated domain is that this is better for SEO. Of course, you can find many blogs hosted on subdomains among the most popular search results but all equal, a dedicated domain ranks better in search results. Since search engines are still a major way to get traffic, this advantage is not to be underestimated.
A domain of your own makes your site look like a big one and this may be the main reason why the majority of web masters don't even consider the options of a hosted blog. However, hosted blogs do have their advantages, so don't give them up right away.
Tsveti Georgieva - I have been a full-time freelancer since 2005. Before that I was a serial job quitter and but now I have finally found a job - i.e. ...
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