A lot of people are happy with their Blogspot or WordPress.com hosting, which takes care of any or all maintainence issues they may have. Unfortunately, it also restricts them in several ways: They can’t monetize their blogs, they’re limited to only a select few themes, and they cannot install plugins at all. A self-hosted wordpress.org installation gives you more complete control over your blog.
Sadly, there’s a lot of myths going around that make people think that hosting your own blog is harder than it is. Let’s look at some of these “Myths” and see the truth.
Myth: It’s too difficult to install
Reality: Most modern web hosting services (Especially those that cater to blogs such as Bluehost,) include a program such as Fantastico, which automates the entire installation of a WordPress Blog, including the mySQL database and folder configuration. Even without Fantastico, the hardest part of the setup is creating the mySQL database, and you can usually let your web hosting provider do that for you if you’re finding it difficult.
Myth: Installing plugins is a tedious operation
Reality: As someone who remembers the days when to install a plugin, you had to literally open the code and copy-paste content into the system, I feel for you. When I first started blogging on my own domain, I had to upload files and plugins via FTP.
Thankfully, that’s not the case anymore. Most plugins can now directly download to your WordPress installation, as long as the blog has the proper permissions. (If it doesn’t, have your host set them up.)
Myth: Updating WordPress is freaky and weird
Reality: Yes, I can speak for this too. Like plugins, you used to have to copy-paste the entire upgrade file to your WordPress installation via FTP, then run a special web page to start the process. Rather tedious operation if I may say so myself…it got REAL annoying to get done upgrading WP only to have an emergency update being required.
Now, however, WordPress can be upgraded from within your admin page, without any download initiating on your end.
Myth: I won’t have support with my blog if something happens
Reality: WordPress maintains a community of people such as developers, gurus and power users that each had had their share of trouble, and may have run into a similar problem as you. Usually, they’ll be more than happy to help you out and at a cheap price: Free. You can also have a professional repair the blog, or have your hosting service look at it.
Your turn
What are some of the things YOU think of with hosting a wordpress blog on your own? It might be that they are simply myth. Talk about what ails you in the comments.
