Tag Archive for: BlueHost

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What About Weebly Websites?

So, why Weebly Websites?

What I have found is that for SOME of my clients, WordPress is just too much. It is so robust and offers so many features and settings, that it becomes too much for them to edit, update and manage moving forward. I got turned on to Weebly websites from a fellow website developer who noticed the same thing.

Wordpress websites and blogsI am still a firm believer in WordPress. I believe it will continue to be popular and the right choice for some of my clients. But, having this secondary option, is refreshing.

Weebly has about 20 themes to choose from, so it’s more limited than WordPress.

Weebly websites offer a simple “drop and drag” building interface that makes it easy to see exactly what your site will look like once published.

I use a specific WordPress theme that has several demo templates to choose from and also offers a drag-and-drop style page builder.

With Weebly, you don’t need to worry about adding plugins to your website. You don’t have to make sure the theme and Weebly software are kept updated. Weebly takes care of all of that. You do need to manage these for a WordPress website, but they can be enabled to update automatically. But still, they need to be updated.

WordPress is King when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Plus, it offers almost an unlimited assortment of plugins you can add to the platform to give your site extra functionality. Weebly is a good option if SEO isn’t vital to your site, like you aren’t trying to attraction readers from the entire world, maybe just your geographic location. Weebly’s SEO statistics is built-in, no extra plugin to add. If we use WordPress for your site, I will recommend a Google Analytics account is set up for optimal SEO.

As far as price, it’s less expensive to host a WordPress site than Weebly. $2.95/month (using BlueHost.com) vs $12/month for the Weebly Professional Plan). Check sites for current pricing.

Weebly does not offer email services. If your domain is with Weebly, then you will need to sign up for (and pay for) Google Workspace. If your domain is at BlueHost.com, then we can set up your custom domain email account and you can either use BlueHost to check your mail or use something like Outlook or Google Workspace (extra fee). Ask me about email services and I can explain your options and help you decide.

There are tons of other, more detailed comparisons I could make, but I prefer to meet with my clients and listen to what they want from their site FIRST before I recommend one or the other. See my page about How I Work.

If you are considering a new website or blog, or updating a current site, give me a call. We can connect, with no obligation, to determine what’s best for you.

Here’s some info on Website/Blog consultations.

WEEBLY WEBSITE UPDATE 3/2/2026

BlueHost.com has announced that they are no longer supporting the Weebly software on their platform. So if you have a Weebly website, hosted with BlueHost.com, you will need to convert to a different platform. I can help you migrate your site to a WordPress or Squarespace website. Or, you have other options.

If you signed up directly with Weebly, you can continue to maintain the site you have at this time. Anyone looking for a new Weebly website will be asked to use Square Online. No more Weebly sites can be created. Weebly merged with Square in 2018. Square, Inc. officially changed its corporate name to Block, Inc. in December 2021.

Contact me if you have a Weebly website hosted with Weebly (Square/Block). The software isn’t going to be enhanced like other platforms. It served it purpose as an easy platform for beginners or non-technical admins but now it’s time to pick something else that will keep up with the growth and technology surrounding websites.

Contact me with your questions about Weebly, Square, WordPress or Squarespace websites.

If you need a membership website, learn more about the websites I make using MembershipWorks.com.

Michelle Aspelin
Mindshare Marketing & Implementation Services LLC

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How to Start a Blog, a jam-packed Resource for New Bloggers

I was listening to a podcast called How to Rock a Blog and they mentioned a resource with step-by-step instructions on how to start a blog. The podcast was produced by ChooseFI.com, an organization that promotes financial independence (FI). They encourage their W-2 income followers to set up a side hustle for additional income. However, anyone can have a side hustle, it’s the start to becoming an entrepreneur where you own your own business instead of working for someone else. Many of my clients are independent contractors or entrepreneurs who own their own business; therefore, this podcast has value for my clients too.

Here’s a link to the podcast I listened to that introduced me to Ashley Barnett and her role as the managing editor for the blog of the company she works for, the ChooseFI organization. https://www.choosefi.com/how-to-rock-a-blog.

You can listen to the podcast or just jump right into the blog post Ashley wrote called How To Start a Blog: https://www.choosefi.com/how-to-start-a-blog/.

It was posted May 26, 2020. It has an enormous amount of tips and suggestions for new or advanced bloggers that are still relevant today.

Here are a few things I want to point out from the blog post.

Keep in mind, the content in this blog post is one perspective, from one professional blogger. As you read through this very thorough blog post about how to start a blog, try not to be overwhelmed. You should review what she recommends, then prioritize what’s important to you and start there. You don’t have to do everything on her list all at one time, ease into it. And if you are starting a blog as a hobby vs a business, much of the resources won’t apply to you. I do agree with her Canva recommendation for creating graphics and I use 123rf.com for images. (more about that too on my Resources page). I have a shortcut recommendation instead of Grammarly that’s free, ask me about it.

And if you want to learn even more from the author, Ashley Barnett, you can take her (paid) course called Hit Publish. There is a link to it at the beginning of the blog post and several times throughout the post. She also provides links to other paid courses for additional education on related topics.

Let me know what questions I can answer for you about how to start a blog or website. I highly recommend WordPress. I think you will find this resource extremely useful, it covers a lot of topics.

While I am a BlueHost and SiteGround Affiliate, there is no affiliate link with ChooseFI.com. I listen to a lot of their podcasts and find their information on personal finance to be very useful. You can ask me more about that too! I am a Learner and I love to share the things I have learned with others. Yes, Communication is another of my strengths, read about My Top 5 Strengths!

Email me or give me a call at 952-484-6015. Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Michelle Aspelin
Mindshare Marketing & Implementation Services LLC

 

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