{"id":2317,"date":"2018-01-11T06:14:37","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T06:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.canspace.ca\/?p=2317"},"modified":"2020-01-16T14:59:15","modified_gmt":"2020-01-16T19:59:15","slug":"how-to-build-a-blog-canadian-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.canspace.ca\/blog\/website-development\/how-to-build-a-blog-canadian-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Blog From Scratch: Canadian Bloggers Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

For someone not especially \u201ctech savvy\u201d, learning how to build a blog from scratch can seem like a challenging – or even impossible – task. For Canadians in particular, resources are even more scarce. Canadian bloggers are often left guessing which services to choose while missing out on various benefits of hosting their site at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accordingly, we\u2019ve decided to explain exactly how to build a blog from scratch – easily, and without any coding skills, <\/span>for Canadian-based blogs<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you find value here, we encourage you to share this guide, especially with your fellow bloggers from Canada. Help them build an amazing blog, Canadian style!<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately it boils down to these 4 steps:<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Choose a domain name<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Pick a hosting service<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Choose your blogging platform<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Set up your blog\u2019s design<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    1. Choosing the perfect domain<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Assuming that you already have a clear idea of the particular topic\/niche for your blog, the first step is: picking a great domain name. Put simply, a domain name is what users will type into their browsers in order to reach your website.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Finding the perfect domain can take some time. This is where <\/span>powerful search tools<\/span><\/a> can help. A proper domain search tool can help immensely in decision-making by offering you suggestions of available domain names.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Keep these tips in mind while searching for your domain name:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The shorter the better<\/b> – remember, the average length of super-popular domains is only <\/span>6 characters<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n
    2. Consider using keywords <\/b>– they should be clear and relevant to the topic of your blog<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Avoid hyphens and numbers<\/b> – anything that can add confusion is not recommended<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. A domain should be memorable and clear <\/b>– before hitting the \u201cbuy\u201d button, ask your friends for feedback (Is this name clear? Appealing? Catchy?)<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. Act fast <\/b>– great domains sell quickly, so when you find the one you want, snatch it ASAP.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      What about the extension?<\/span><\/h3>\n

      Your domain consists of two parts – the name itself, and the extension (also known as TLD). In the case of canspace.ca, the extension is the \u201c.ca\u201d part.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The choice of extensions is vast, and constantly growing: .com, .co, .biz, .net, .org, .shop, .online, just to mention a few. As each extension has a specific theme, pick the one that makes the most sense for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Historically .com domains have been the most popular. For Canadian bloggers, however, there are many benefits of having a .ca domain instead.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Take a look at the most important ones:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Improvement of your local Google ranking<\/b> – meaning that your site will rank more highly on google.ca – which is what most Canadians use.<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Identify yourself as Canadian<\/b> – studies have shown that Canadians trust content from .ca sites more than .com sites!<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Get a better domain! <\/b>There is a much better chance of finding a desirable .ca domain as fewer have been registered.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        For a more detailed guide on .ca domains, <\/span>head over here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

        —————————————————————<\/span><\/p>\n

        To avoid confusion, you may also want to register a few variations of your domain name and then redirect them all to your main domain name.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Finally, make sure to always choose a reputable and reliable domain registrar – ideally one that bills in Canadian dollars (such as CanSpace<\/a>), offers privacy protection free of charge, and one that you can also host your blog with.<\/p>\n

        2. Choose the best hosting service<\/span><\/h2>\n

        A web hosting provider provides the service where the files for your website itself will be hosted and allows these files to be served to your visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n

        If we picture a domain as the Internet address on which people can find your blog, then hosting is the actual space where your blog lives. A hosting provider should always be chosen carefully, based on a number of criteria – the main ones being that they are reliable, reputable, and offer excellent support.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Before we move on to the nitty-gritty of (Canadian) hosting, let\u2019s discuss why you should consider paying for hosting in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n

        There are certainly free options too, such as Blogger, Tumblr, and Hosted WordPress, but these all come with limitations that will ultimately hold you back. If your blog is just for fun, then these services may be sufficient. But, if you would like your blog to scale and grow, then free options are likely not for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

        If you want to build a scalable, profitable blog, remember:<\/span><\/h3>\n
          \n
        1. You can\u2019t use your own domain with free options<\/b> – instead of an elegant awesomeblog.ca, your address on a free blogging platform would be awesomeblog.wordpress.com or awesomeblog.blogspot.com. Ugly and amateur-looking.<\/span><\/li>\n
        2. Free hosting has strict space limits<\/b> – Forget storing large quantities of pictures or videos.<\/span><\/li>\n
        3. Important:<\/i><\/b> Your blog won\u2019t be your property<\/b> – crucially, if a blog is hosted by someone else, you\u2019ll have minimal (to zero) control over it. Your free provider has full control over your content and there is nothing to stop them from pulling the plug one day.<\/span><\/li>\n
        4. Hosting services are not expensive<\/b> – while the cost is still greater than a free option, paying a few dollars a month to have full control over your own content and giving you the freedom to grow and scale is likely worth it.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          As for Canadian bloggers specifically, these factors are worth considering when you\u2019re picking the best hosting option:<\/span><\/p>\n