Category Archives: Databases

Is It Okay to Blog on a Subdomain?

One of the first steps in launching a new blog is to decide whether you want it on a dedicated, new domain, or as a subdomain of an existing website that you own. Subdomains are essentially websites that are prefixed to the URL of another domain name, such as blog.yourwebsite.com. The hosted version of WordPress allows users to create blogs for free, assuming they use their subdomain (e.g. yourblog.wordpress.com). This begs the question, however: is it okay to blog on a subdomain?

Benefits of Blogging on a Subdomain

Let’s first talk about the benefits of blogging on a subdomain. For starters, using a subdomain eliminates the need to buy/register a new domain na me. Domain names aren’t necessarily expensive, but they will still set you back about $12-$20 bucks per year. Rather than footing the bill for a new domain, you can launch a blog on an existing domain that you own, saving you a little bit of cash in the process. Subdomains may also prove beneficial in cases where it is attached to a popular, established website. While Google has said that it treats subdomains as independent websites, many SEO experts argue that there’s some correlation between the subdomain and domain on which it is attached. In other words, setting up a blog on a popular website may yield higher search rankings for the blog.

Disadvantages of Blogging on a Subdomain

But there are also some potential disadvantages of blogging on a subdomain. Subdomains are incredibly difficult for visitors to remember, which means fewer returning visits. If a user wanted to visit a blog on a subdomain, he or she would have to type in the full URL in their web browser — this includes both the prefix blog name, as well as the main domain. If the user only types one or other, they won’t be able to access the blog. Subdomains also rely on the web hosting of the original domain. If the hosting for your primary domain goes down (it’s bound to happen sooner or later), so will your blog. With a dedicated domain, you can set up a separate web hosting service for your blog.

The Bottom Line

As you can see, there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with blogging on a subdomain. Setting up your blog on a subdomain is cheaper, and some people would argue that it’s easier, but doing so may have a negative impact on the number of return visits it receives. If you are serious about blogging and willing to invest the necessary time and resources into it, you should probably stick with a dedicated domain. More returning visits means greater engagement, and that often yields higher search rankings. Don’t take my word for it, though. Perform a side-by-side test of two separate blogs, one on a dedicated domain and another on a subdomain, to see which one outperforms the other. Click to learn more information about the differences between domains and subdomains. What are your thoughts on subdomains for blogs? Let us know in the comments section below! Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/india_7/

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Safeguarding Your Blog from Hack Attacks

What preventive measures are you taking to protect your blog from hack attacks? Blogs are often targeted by hackers because of their use of content management systems (CMS). CMS platforms like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal are inherently prone to hacking because they contain backdoor logins. The good news is that you can safeguard your blog from hack attacks by following some simple steps.

Use Dedicated Web Hosting

Many bloggers used shared web hosting, simply because it’s the least expensive option available. You have to remember, though, that shared web hosting means your blog is hosted on the same server as hundreds or even thousands of other websites. As a result, it’s easier for hackers to target websites on shared hosting, simply because the servers are more easily accessible. If you want to safeguard your blog from hack attacks, choose dedicated web hosting. Unlike shared hosting, dedicated hosting provides you with your own dedicated server (hence the name). Want to know more about the difference — click here.

Use a Strong Password

Your blog’s first line of defense against hack attacks is a strong, unique password. You shouldn’t use the same password for your blog’s login that’s used on other online accounts or services, nor should you use an easy-to-remember password such as your mother’s maiden name plus birth date. Instead, choose a password that consists of a combination of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers (non-sequential order), and special characters.

Here’s a simple tip — use the first letter of each word of a favorite song title or lyric, mix up the upper and lower case letters and add some numbers / special characters. You’ll be able to more easily remember it than a random set of letters and numbers. Following this simple formula will ensure that your blog has an iron-clad password that’s difficult for hackers to crack.

Disable Visitor File Uploading

Are visitors allowed to upload files to your blog? Enabling this feature is just asking for trouble, as anyone can upload a virus or malicious software to your blog. Furthermore, don’t assume that restricting file uploads to JPEGs, GIFs or other commonly used media formats is safe. File extensions can be spoofed with relative ease, meaning a hacker may still be able to upload a virus without your knowledge. To be on the safe side, it’s recommended that you disable all visitor file uploading on your blog.

Update, Update, Update!

Arguably, one of the most important steps in safeguarding a blog from hack attacks is to keep it updated. Each time a new version of your blog’s CMS is released, be sure to update it in a timely manner. New versions are often released for the sole purpose of plugging up security vulnerabilities and exploits.

Back Up Your Blog

Hopefully it will never occur, but if your blog is ever critically compromised you need a backup copy ready so you can restore it to working order. Assuming you are using a CMS, you’ll likely need to back up both your core HTML files as well as your blog’s database. Downloading one without the other may prevent you from being able to restore your blog, so make sure you download both the HTML files AND database.

Have you ever been the victim of a hack attack? Let us know in the comments section below!

Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/110751683@N02/

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How To Find Photos For Your Blog

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, holds true in the realm of blogging. You can spend countless hours crafting the perfect blog post, but without images it won’t have any lasting impact on readers. In fact, a recent study found that 93% of the most engaging posts published on Facebook were images. Whether you use Facebook or not, this study attests to the power of web images.

But you can’t simply copy an image from another website and upload it to your blog (usually), due to copyright rights. This is both unethical and illegal, as the owner must give his or her permission for you to use it. So, how are you supposed to find photos to use on your blog?

One excellent source of photos is Flickr’s Creative Commons, which contains well over 300 million photos licensed under Creative Commons. Basically, you are allowed to use the photos if you follow the respective category’s requirements. For instance, the Attribution category states: “You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it – but only if they give you credit,” whereas the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs category states: “You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work – and derivative works based upon it – but for noncommercial purposes only.” Crediting is typically done by placing a link to the owner’s Flickr account. Note: the second category of images can only be used on personal blogs and websites, not commercial ones.

Wikimedia Commons is another valuable tool for locating free-to-use images. Much like Flickr Creative Commons, however, you must adhere to the license attached to the image.

Of course, you can always purchase rights to use a photo from various stock photo websites like iStockPhoto.com. Depending on the size and type of photo, prices can range anywhere from $1 to $50 per photo. On the plus side, stock photos are often higher quality than photos found on Creative Commons sources, making them an attractive option for serious bloggers.

If you have a camera on your smartphone, you can always take the photos yourself. Most smartphones today pack some pretty decent cameras, such as the Galaxy S5’s 16-megapixel camera. And with a little touch-up work in Photoshop, you can make them look just as good as stock photos.

Where do you obtain photos for your blog? Let us know in the comments section below!

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