There are soooo many free blogging and article sites out there where you can “blog for free”, but is this the best way to do it?
I don’t think it is. Let me explain. There is definite value in utilising some of the free blogging platforms out there. If you have no money and want to get started blogging, then Blogger, Squidoo, and Facebook and Twitter are great places to get heard and seen.
But as soon as you have carefully written and uploaded your original content the free blogging sites actually own your content. They may continue to host (provide free storage) your content for free for ever, but they may also decide to introduce an annual fee in a few years time. So your content is actually helping them and their website to gain free content and a higher page rank.
I would rather pay a few dollars and own my own blog on my own website so that it is my investment that I can freely use on my terms. I will not be forced to start advertising inappropriate products down the side of my own blog page on my own website. If my domain name turns out to be highly sort after in years to come as good online real estate (available domain names) become more expensive and harder to find, my domain name might turn out to become a very good investment. The older the domain name is, the more it is worth. For example, my domain name www.budgetwebsites.com.au (yes, check your browser 
, it is 10 years old. This means that it was first registered in 2001 and is therefore more trusted by Google because they know it is here to stay and it hasn’t violated any of their terms over the last 10 years.
Many CMS (content Management Systems) have inbuilt blogging features that are easily activated and simple to use. WordPress is a prime example of this. In fact, this website that you are currently viewing is set up on a free WordPress system and utilises a free WordPress template. The only costs incurred was the domain name that I purchased and the hosting which I happen to buy in bulk and resell. I don’t have to pay expensive licensing fees to a Private Content Management System provider and that is why I can provide such low cost website and webdesign solutions to my clients (sorry, yes it was a subtle plug but lets just say i threw that in there to illustrate the point of this article: Blogging is a great way to promote your product or service!
Just make sure that if you are blogging that you don’t turn it into one big sales pitch with no value for those that don’t buy from you; Share some of your knowledge for free and then add the occasional invitation to promote your services, ie: find a cheap webdesigner lol.
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