blogging help please...

GOODME

Hi

I am very interested in starting a blog for the benefit of me and my friends as we do a lot together like meeting up with our families etc and we all know other people.

I have looked at word press but there are issues i want to know how can I go through them? I can start a blog myself.

1. do i need to hire someone to manage my blog or its free help somewhere? which i would like to have its own reg domain.

2. do i need a large space for photos? how do i get it?

3. i am interested in using joomla for comments?

4. if one wants to advertise. how do i go about it, that is why am asking do i upload stuff myself or?

in short i would like to have a nice blog user friendly.

I believe in learning, I will appreciate your advise please on how i should go about starting what i have been thinking for a while now.

Thanks - please PM if you have names of host or other

AnCatDubh

1. do i need to hire someone to manage my blog or its free help somewhere? which i would like to have its own reg domain.

Nope, you can do it all yourself. Basically so long as you can use a web browser you should be fine. Wordpress, Tumblr, Blogger, Posterous are all available as free hosted options from their respective sites.

2. do i need a large space for photos? how do i get it?

Not necessarily, most (if not all) you can upload your photos directly into the blog (they will host your images - not as photo storage - there will be limits to the file sizes, but as blog post images, yes).

If you need dedicated hosting, try pix.ie or flickr.

3. i am interested in using joomla for comments?

Em, then you'd really need to be using joomla as a blog rather than the blog providers. Joomla can be used as a blog but its more geared as a full blown web site with lots of web site features. Nothing wrong with it, but in my experience there is an amount more administration to a web site such as joomla. If you don't have experience with running websites then you will be on a steep learning curve. Blogs = simple, with most even allowing posting to them by email.

Most blogging sites already mentioned have commenting facilities, and most will support something like discus which is a commenting platform.

4. if one wants to advertise. how do i go about it, that is why am asking do i upload stuff myself or?

not sure i get what you are asking here, but google ads, facebook ads,. Once you have a credit card you can advertise to your hearts content.

I hope you content is compelling enough to meet the expense of your advertising.

Other options are to include links in your signatures when you use online fora like boards.

in short i would like to have a nice blog user friendly.

Invest in a nice user friendly theme and apply it to your blog - simple to do with wordpress, tumblr, etc.....

I believe in learning, I will appreciate your advise please on how i should go about starting what i have been thinking for a while now.

Most platforms will have extensive online help and support forums for people to partake in. Youtube is another great source for tutorials from people. Google your way through the experience.

GOODME

Thank you very much for your reply AnCatDubh

I am happy for for what you advised me, I will def search youtube also for tutorials.

Will let you know in the future how I get on