I'm looking for a new service to set up my own website and blog. The one I currently use offers a limited amount of options such as a way to collect email addresses. Is anyone using a service that they really like and would recommend? It doesn't have to be free.

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  • I went around and around with hosting plans before I found GoogleSites. Free hosting for individuals... it took me two days from scratch to live website. Some options are limited, but forced me to keep the site clean and uncluttered. Check out my site at www.cottonsoutharts.com to see what a rank novice can do with GoogleSites.

    T

  • I would recommend you check out indiemade.com 

    I just moved to an Indiemade website and am very pleased with the results. I am still working on it and haven't added anything to my blog yet, but then a website is never really finished! 

    www.karencastilloimages.com

    My earlier site featured just my greeting cards and a limited number of prints, but as I am moving more into photographic prints, I felt I needed something with a gallery. 

    There are several levels available and all come with a blog feature built in. I purchased my domain from GoDaddy and was able to use my unique website URL without the "indiemade.com" added to the URL.

    I was also able to download a CSV file of the products listed on my original site, upload them to the product list of the new site and then simply make some minor changes on the Indiemade site. Most of the changes were due to differences between the product category definitions on the two sites.

    By the way, I learned about this on one of the AFI podcasts! Interesting and informative podcast ~ Thank you! 

    • Very nice Karen! I ended up going with a WordPress site. It took a bit of time to get everything set up, but it has a lot of features.

      lbstewart.com

      • Your site does look great, Lori. Didn't you have a video website makeover from my son, Scott Fox, a while back? I see a lot of his principles in evidence -- in particular a smiling photo of you on the home page (I mean, a lot of the "sell" is the personal nature of our work) and the email collector on the right hand side. Necessary because you never know when people will want to hear from you. Nice job.

        • Yes I did! It was very helpful.

      • Lori, your site looks great! Well done!
      • Looks terrific! I didn't realize WordPress had the options you've utilized. I use WordPress for a site I've created for Curves club owners that I do some graphic design work for and have found it works well for that. I need to look at it a little further, though, as your site showed me a variety of options I haven't implemented.

  • Weebly in the past couple of weeks has added many new features. It may be worth taking a second look.

    • Thanks Paul and Mark for the info about weebly! 

      I currently use Smugmug but an "art consultant" told me I needed a more "professional look" (am not really sure what that means) and that my images were too small.  Smugmug does have their logos, etc. on the page but it was very easy for someone like to me set up (they provided templates).  The consultant suggested I look into "OtherPeople'sPixels," "ArtCat", or "ArtSpan".  Haven't talked to too many people who have even heard of the first 2.  These hosting websites charge at least 2x as much as Smugmug although I haven't sold anything through Smugmug and it doesn't seem to draw much traffic to itself even with my meager promotional efforts through business cards, FB Page, etc.

      My site is www.marieloparco.com  (would love to know what others think).

      Thanks,

      Marie

      • Im not normally a computer savvy one either but WORDPRESS has worked ok for me. I figured it out in one hour and had it up in a few hours. Its free so hey..Its ok...for now.

        :) HAPPY NOOO YEAR EVERYONE!

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