Running a blog is, in theory, not difficult. All you need is a domain name and hosting package, plus a computer to write and upload posts. That’s it. Simple. For anyone who maintains a blog strictly for fun, none of these things will cost you much, and with content management platforms like WordPress available for free, you could even create a blog for free. However, once you start blogging full-time, cheap hardware and software won’t work so well, so you may have to upgrade. Here are the essentials you need to keep your blog running smoothly.
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Scalability is Essential
Most bloggers start out using free software and free hosting packages. It’s not surprising, as there is no risk if everything costs you nothing. But if you want to earn money from your blog, or you hope to build a significant level of blog traffic, you are going to have to invest in hardware and software. Look for a hosting package that offers scalability, so you can start small but upgrade to a better package as your traffic grows.
Here is what else you need to keep your blog running smoothly.
Essential Hardware
Once you build a decent level of traffic, your blog will need its own server. Page loading speed is essential for SEO and if your blog takes more than a few seconds to load, people will click away and Google will penalise you.
Hobby bloggers will cope just fine with a cheap laptop, but once you start working on your blog full-time, it makes sense to invest in a top-of-the-range computer with top spec components. If you can’t afford a super expensive computer, upgrade the memory on a lesser machine with components from Offtek.
If you are planning to upload podcasts to your blog, invest in a quality microphone and digital video camera. The more you spend, the better the film quality will be. HD cameras offer better picture resolution, and with increasing numbers of people watching online content using a HD smartphone or tablet, you are future proofing your blog.
Lightboxes and tripods will be useful for the creation of photography and video content. Use a lightbox to shoot top quality images for your blog. A tripod is also a sensible investment if you don’t want shaky hand syndrome to ruin your shots.
Essential Software
Mailchimp and other email marketing software solutions are perfect for bloggers. It is free to use when you are first starting out, but once you gain a couple of thousand subscribers, you will have to pay a fee.
There are many useful plugins out there, so if these services are provided for free, it’s better for your budget. However, when your blog begins to grow in popularity and traffic increases, look at upgrading to paid-for versions, as they offer a better service with more features. Plugins like Akismet need to be upgraded once deleting comment spam becomes a full-time job.
Have a budget in mind when growing your blog and don’t invest in hardware or software unless you can justify the extra cost.
About Carson Derrow
