I have found, . . . → Read More: tips on your first website]]> There are many, and often confusing, options when it comes to websites. Where to host it, what to use to develop it, what is the best way to do updates, how to maintain it after the site is up… hell, how do you even get the site up to start with?

I have found, like thousand of others, that WordPress offers a wonderful way to build a website. WordPress is a CMS (content management system) that provides the structure for you to create various pages and posts and there are many, many plugins to can be added as well to give even more options.

Don’t let the wide variety that WordPress offers overwhelm you though. It can be taken in small chunks where you can start with the basics and then add more later when you are ready to expand it.

There are two ways to use WordPress. The first is to sign up at http://www.wordpress.com and pick a name. This will set you up with a free site that has the address of http://MYWEBSITENAME.wordpress.com. You can add pages and posts just like the full version of WordPress but it is hosted on their servers. This makes the site completely free to you. There are limitations with this setup though.

The other way to have WordPress is to have it installed on your own hosting with the domain name of your choice. This is not a free option but there are low cost hosting options out there. The WordPress software itself is free and so are many plugins. You would just have to pay for the hosting space and the domain name which will run about $75-100 / year.

Since there are several differences between these two options, here is a great run down of the pros and cons of each option that WordPress has done.

Even if you are working with a web designer/developer that will take care of the install for you, you should be aware of the options and have a basic understanding of how things work. Knowledge is empowerment – even if you choose to have someone else do the work!