With all the talk of web hosting and web design and starting your own site, we’ve neglected to mention a category of hosting and DIY websites that are among the most common and accessible: blog hosting. For most amateurs just getting started, especially those who just want to express themselves as opposed to run an online business, blog software may be the best solution. So today, I want to take a good look at the differences between the two types of hosting and what differentiates them.

Web hosting services provide a server and internet connectivity, usually in a data center. This allows individuals to make their website accessible to the public via the internet. Sometimes, files are simply uploaded and delivered to the web with very minimal processing. More comprehensive, and more costly, packages include support for databases and application development platforms which allow users to create more sophisticated websites with things like forums, e-commerce tools and content management systems. Some providers of web hosting will include things like email along with your website.

Blog software is a type of web host that is much simpler to use and includes a content management system. It allows you to post and edit content in text, pictures, video or audio and helps you set up tools to allow viewers to comment on and share your content. Although it may sound limiting, some of the biggest content sites on the web, such as The Huffington Post, use the same blog software that is available to individual amateur bloggers. Usually these software providers offer both a free and paid version, so that a beginner doesn’t need to pay for tools they won’t use and a large established site can have all the flexibility they need.

Of course, a blog may just be a start. If you’re deciding which of these is right for you make sure not to think only about your current needs and resources, but also about how you hope your site will grow.