After you have developed the human dimension of your blog, you can begin to think about what blogging technology you will use. But, be very wary of spending a lot of money on the technology aspects.

Be careful. There are some consultants or experts out there who will ask you to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for them to show you how to do your blog. That is not the way to go. Spending money for that kind of advice about blogging can do more for the revenue-generating power of the seller than it can to help you. However, it’s perfectly fine to spend money on someone who can bring particular skills and expertise to produce and/or write and/or maintain your blog on your behalf.

There is no reason to complicate things. Remember K-I-S-S. Keep technology simple when you choose to get into blogging and you will increase your chances of success. To do otherwise is just stupid.

One of the best things you could do if you’re just starting out with blogging is to use free software that is downloadable on the Internet. I will tell you for free what I have learned: My own experience with blogging software has taught me that just because something is free does not mean it has no value. Sometimes, if you know where to look, the exact opposite is also true: You already know that just because something is very expensive does not necessarily make it very valuable to you.

I believe that most people who want a Web 2.0 site will be very, very pleased with the free downloadable blogging software known as WordPress. That particular blogging software is user-friendly and has many excellent features. Did I mention that it is free?

This free software deserves to be the standard for all blogging. This free software is that good! I have paid for and used many types of blogging software. I wholeheartedly endorse the WordPress approach to blogging because it is simple and yet has many features that you need.

The website you are now visiting is powered by ExpressionEngine, which I really respect and admire.  I have been using ExpressionEngine since the days when it was known as PMachine, so I have by now attained a high degree of awareness of the many features of this excellent content management system.  If you intend to use ExpressionEngine, you need to have a high level of technical skill regarding the use of website code.  ExpressionEngine is not for beginners.  However, ExpressionEngine is a sophisticated and powerful system for running complex blog sites, bulletin board forums, galleries, wikis, and other Web 2.0 capabilities.

Your Blog’s Home

In order to use WordPress or any blogging software that you download from the Internet, you need to have a place where you run the software so that it will show up online. This is known as Web hosting. You need a Web host. It’s very much like renting a place for a residence or business. You pay someone “rent” for space on their Web server and the blogging software runs on the server so that people all over the world can experience your blog. That becomes your blog’s “home” online.

If your organization has its own Web servers, your organization can choose to host its own blog. This is not rocket science and it does provide the control over the blog that you and your organization may want to have.

Note that if your organization chooses to host WordPress, there are some simple technical requirements that must be met. The Web server must be able to run two free software packages–PHP and MySQL. These two free software packages are used in so many places online today that it would be difficult to tell you the exact number.

You may encounter IT people (in your own organization or at external Web hosting companies) who tell you that they can’t or won’t run PHP and MySQL. If you encounter such IT people, run for the exit as quickly as you can. I’m exaggerating, of course. The point is: The willingness to run the free PHP and MySQL software is an essential part of using WordPress for your blogging. However, there are other software platforms (that you pay for) which will also provide you will excellent ways to start blogging.

There is nothing wrong with outsourcing Web hosting externally. Just be sure that you pick a Web host that has been recommended specifically by someone else who had a successful experience with that exact Web host. Don’t ever just pick a Web host based on what their site looks like! It’s easy to hire designers to make a site look great, but the technical know-how of the Web host can have zero relationship to their site design! Always rely upon the specific recommendation of someone you trust when picking a Web host.

Let Someone Manage For You

If you have no technical person or persons to provide you with the support that you need, you may want to consider having someone else manage your Web hosting. Fortunately, there are companies who will handled this for you. One such company that I have used and would recommend is Blog Harbor.

Here’s a compelling example: In Washington, DC, the center of the speechwriting universe, I helped the Washington Speechwriters Roundable get started during their initial attempt with blogging using the Blog Harbor service. This group wanted a way to reach out to and network with professional speechwriters who work in the Washington, DC metro area. I recommended blogging because of the suitability of blogging for the outreach goals of Washington Speechwriters Roundtable. Blogging isn’t always about sharing opinions online. If your organization needs to do outreach to a target audience or membership group, blogging is a fantastic way to accomplishing your goals.

The way this particular managed blog hosting works with Blog Harbor is that you pay a monthly fee for the use of their blog software and you are also “renting” space on their Web server. Going this route means you or your organization do not have any of the technical hassles of handling blogging software or Web servers.

Just remember, however, that you give up certain control and functionality when you pay someone else to manage your blog on their Web server. The highest level of control (if that’s what you want) is to download blogging software like WordPress and run it on a Web host that you trust and who provides you all the support that you need and want.

(Web Guru Woody Goulart wrote this commentary & analysis and originally posted it on AmericanBlogging.com not long ago.)