Blogs - which provider to choose

[The White Rabbit]

Would members be able to recommend (or warn against) any particular providers? I've had a blog in mind for a while but it's been on hold due to other things demanding my attention. I know RMW has a blog section and for some things that looks fine - the problem is some things I have in mind would probably be classed as commercial activity/promotion. And some are not railway related.  

 

We're talking something very small-scale, so there's insufficient money available to fund a full web-site. And I don't want to spend a lot of time on it, I'd prefer to spend as much time as possible modelling and writing rather than inputting data. 

 

What I had in mind was something which:

 

• is either free or costs no more than £5 a year
• I can post text and pictures on
• I can post links (e.g. online lists of things for sale on Google Docs or maybe other web-site addresses) 
• is not likely to give me headaches in terms of admin/legals/data protection
• is reasonably straightforward to use for an ageing Luddite

 

Any thoughts or good/bad experiences? 

 

[snitchthebudgie]

I use Wordpress and have been quite happy with it.  My blog is at esngblog.com, and I have just rewritten the club website on esngclub.com.  The free wordpress account will give you several years free blogging.  Now I have filled up the graphics allowance, and pay £3 a month for a larger volume and a few more benefits.

Edited September 1, 2020 by snitchthebudgie
Added links

[PMP]

I too would recommend Wordpress, I find their software easy to navigate and write with either from a PC or from a tablet/phone. You can get free blogs with their software and many templates are available too. If you go for a free one however the more hits you get the more adverts will appear within your blog. By going to a paid option you can remove the adverts from your site. Wordpress blogs are also ranked highly within search engines.

 

In terms of legal and data protection, you are digitally publishing, so the normal rules relating to copyright, libel etc etc all apply.

Edited September 2, 2020 by PMP

[The White Rabbit]

Thank you both; also for the PM. 

 

Adverts, whilst I would prefer not to have them, I can accept them as the cost of a free blog. 

 

Copyright & libel, not a problem or concern, it's more GDPR I'm concerned about. If that's dealt with by the provider, fine. If I have to start keeping records, then for me right now that would be more than I want to handle. 

 

 

Edit: As my footer shows, I decided to go with Wordpress for this toe in the water. So far so good, they are (unsurprisingly) keen for me to upgrade to a paid version but the system seems to work OK. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by The White Rabbit
Update