So you have decided you need to create your own site. I created one is because it is cheap, easy, and fun. Let’s face it, most of us won’t be famous because of a website we created about our interests but I don’t think that is why most people create a website about themselves. I think the main reason people create websites is to be findable. In either case creating your own site shouldn’t be overwhelming.

Ownership

What do I mean by your own site? I mean a place where you can post content where you own the domain name. This is important because all the content you post increases the owner’s search rankings. So while www.myawesomesite.tumblr.com might be free to create it definitely isn’t your own site. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t use Tumblr, just that you should buy a domain name pointing to where your content is hosted mostly because then you get all the Google juice. You also want to own your domain name so that a business shutting down or censorship (outside of ICANN) doesn’t prevent people from finding you.

Domains

Domains are about $10-$15 a year and are the cheapest investment in managing your online reputation. The other great thing about owning your own site and consequently your own domain is that you can use that domain for a professional looking email address because domain names in email address do communicate something about you. The easiest way to set that up is through Google Apps for Work or FastMail.

Picking a domain name is easy if you are considering using your name. Just see if your first and last name or just last name is available with any popular top level domain such as .com, .net, .org, .co etc.

Hosting

Hosting your website can be fairly cheap as well or even free. Though if you go the free route you may have to put up with some ads. When considering where to host your site you will want to consider how hands on you want to be. For most people Tumblr, Wordpress and the excellent Squarespace are the way to go and they all you to easily buy and connect a domain name to your website.

More Control

If you want more control then you can find a host that allows you to upload your site code to their servers and you will have to pay more or less depending on how dynamic you want your website to. I prefer lots of control and treat my data as code thus my site is an easily editable, collaborative, testable, simple (not easy), offline friendly, customizable static site. If you are curious what that is all about then take the red pill see how you can create your own syndicated memex.