Do I Really Need a Domain Name for my Blog?

If you are planning on starting a new blog, or you have a blog already and still sticking to a subdomain, I think you should pay a little attention to this.

Many people don’t see the need for a domain name. Without a full domain name, you will still post good content on your blog, drive some traffic and earn some money blogging. You will still build up links and get some pagerank. Yes! So what’s the deal? Not having a domain name will do prevent you from all that but wait a minute! Does it really hurt having one? Yeah! Maybe it does. Maybe you will have to lose up to $10 per year renting a domain name. Come on! I don’t se that as a big deal. If you are really serious with blogging and will like your blog to happily stand up and look into the eyes of other blogs, then you need o dress it up with one cool dot com, net, org, info…etc. Maybe the money is not even your problem. Maybe you will have to look for someone to set things up for your. I don’t think you should worry about that. Many bloggers out there, including me, are very ready to help.

Advantages of Having a Domain Name for Your Blog

Without a full domain name, your blog still remains and your and nothing will stop it from growing. However, let’s look at the other side of the fence.
With a full domain name, you can enjoy most of the following advantages

Gives Branding and Recognition

a subdomain identifies you with another entity and puts you “under” it. I don’t think you really want your blog in that state. Just as any business, organization or association out there, there is the need to be identified and verified, on the web, in the face of your readers. Registering a domain name brands your blog and you are recognized by it.

Adds Credibility

Having your own domain name, a professional image of you and your blog is being projected. Your domain name tells other bloggers that you are serious about blogging.

Gives you a “professional” Email Address

have I ever told you how happy I am having uncleche@azblogging.com? It gives me more credibility than I can ever imagine and places me in a professional field. Had a blind friend who was seriously seeking funding for a project put together by his NGO. He has been sending out emails for a very long time but with no reply.

Simplicity Guaranteed

Instead of az-blogging-tips.blogspt.com, I own azblogging.com. Come on!
With your own domain name, access on the World Wide Web becomes a simple. Just entering a domain name is enough. And if you choose wisely following some tips I will present here, then no one needs to even bother writing it down.

Portable Identity

if you are using a subdomain, your address will change each time you change hosts. Imaginge you are on blogspot.com and you move to Wordpress.com. your blog’s address will change from yourblog.blogspot.com to yourblog.wordpress.com. if you move again to freeostia.com, your address will change to yourblog.freehostia.com. If you have a domain name, these changes will not be necessary since you can use your DNS to associate your domain with any host. This will save you all the hassle of informing many people that your blog’s address has changed.
Your domain name ensures that your blog’s address is not only unique, but also permanent.

No labor in vain

It takes a lot of time, efforts and even money to promote a blog, get listed in search engines and directories, and build traffic. If your blog does not have a unique identity that you can carry along with you if you are moving, believe me, all the marketing you have been doing will be in vain and you will virtually be starting back from ground point.

I don’t have a domain name. So what?

Please don’t get this post wrong. If the post title says spice up your blog with a domain name, it doesn’t mean without a domain name, your blog is not spiced up . Without a domain name, your traffic will keep growing as it has been, you still get indexed and ranked higher and higher as you output good content etc.
I will also like to cancel the popular notion that someone without a domain is being carefree or unserious. Humans are very diverse with a wide range of choices.
If you as for my personal opinion, I will tell you that a domain name is far more worth than the extra $10 you spend on it every year.
Go for one!!!

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