WordPress

WORDPRESS IS THE TOOL OF CHOICE FOR MANY BLOG OWNERS. IT TAKES A LITTLE GETTING USED TO, BUT ONCE YOU’VE MASTERED IT, YOU’LL LOVE ITS FLEXIBILITY.

CAUSING A SLIGHT degree of confusion, there are actually two different versions of WordPress. The more complex variant can be downloaded from wordpress.org, and you will need to upload it to your own web space and install it using the automated online installer. You can then customize the templates and use add-ons to make the site your own.

This is the route many bloggers go down, but there is a simpler option for people who don’t want the hassle of fiddling about with scripts and getting dirty with hardcore editing.

The hosted version of WordPress lets you create your own site on wordpress.com. You can create everything from a blog or photo site, to a fully-fledged online store, and there are a number of templates to choose from.

Whether you’re creating a static site, or a blog-style site with regularly updated content, the online editor is a joy to use and allows just about anyone to create an impressive, professional-looking site. The only downside is the limited range of plugins and templates compared with the desktop website builder.

WORDPRESS

Free www.wordpress.com/

CRITICAL SPECS

Personal: $5/mth; Premium: $10/mth; Business: $33/ mth