How to Make Your Own Website and Blog

I have a little previous experience, but I am not well-versed in web design. However, I was able to set up this website using Bluehost and a WordPress template called Mesmerize.

There’s so much information available on the internet that it can be overwhelming to decide which choices to make. After doing some research, I decided to go with someone who I trust. To get started, I followed the instructions that Tom Woods recommended on https://happyearner.com/how-to-start-a-blog-in-five-minutes/ 

My total costs for this are about $6 per month over the long term, and you can do it for less. Various options and plug-ins are presented for added cost, but I’ve found cheap or free alternatives to almost all of those.

If you’re somewhat handy with computers and can spend the time to figure it out (it took me longer than five minutes), you can probably do it too.

After the initial setup, I found more advanced tips and tricks on this website: https://www.wpbeginner.com

Alternative method:

Previously I made a website (for my building remodeling company) using Squarespace. You can completely set up and run a website within Squarespace, and it’s relatively easy, but it may not be as flexible in the long run as using WordPress with separate hosting, etc. 

For a basic website, Squarespace starts at about $12 per month. That cost is comparable to the regular price of using Bluehost and WordPress, but signing up for a 3-year discounted deal on Bluehost costs less than half of Squarespace. Also, if I make more than one website, Squarespace would add $12 per month for each one. I intend to make a few more websites, which I can make in WordPress and put on my same Bluehost account for minimal added cost.

In my opinion, Squarespace is more accessible for a beginner to set up their own website, and it can do a lot, but if you have some experience and/or want the flexibility to do more than Squarespace will allow, then you might choose a different service.