Web design template and hosting recommendations for blog?

[thenortherner]

I'm looking to start an online diary but it's about 20 years since I last made a website with MS Publisher and used CuteFTP!

Has anyone any recommendations or ones to avoid with the below in mind:

One which allows you to register a domain name anonymously so my name couldn't be found on WHOIS. I'd like the blog to be anyonmous

One stop shop of hosting, design and domain registration

Decent support

Easy to use and some nice templates to choose from - I'm hopeless at design

Thanks in advance..

[Bikerjon]

For a simple blog I'm not sure I'd even bother with domains, hosting etc when you could just use something like Blogger.com

[HantsRat]

I'd recommend you use WordPress for this. It can be slightly unnerving if you haven't used it before but take an hour or so with some Youtube videos and learn it. WordPress comes self hosted or a managed platform.

I wrote a blog post last year comparing WordPress to the likes of Wix and SquareSpace with pro's/cons that sounds like it'll be of some use to you: https://www.blinkweb.co.uk/wordpress-wix-or-square...

If you need a hand with domain, hosting or even the design just let me know. I've created and manage a few sites for PH users.

[akirk]

If you want anonymity:
- regulations have changed in that the registrant must be discoverable - so Internic / Nominet will look to validate the registrant against public records and if they can’t find a match they will suspend and then cancel the domain
- GDPR has led to Nominet hiding the registrant of all UK domains - but it is still discoverable through them so not fully anonymous
- Internic allow the use of privacy to hide who owns a domain

There is though almost no full privacy - if you have your own domain / hosting, someone somewhere will be able to tie you to the domain and website... you need to ask why you need privacy and how important is it really?

The only real option would be to use a vpn to hide your ip or a cash bought PAYG phone to then sign up to an anonymous email address such as gmail and then use that to subscribe to a service such as blogger

With hosting companies in increasingly holding some liability of content on their hosting - few decent companies would allow anonymity - we wouldn’t

[buggalugs]

Consider whether you’d need a domain or whether a free Wordpress or Blogger page would be enough

Depends on your ultimate goals, just catharsis or will you try to monetise?

If you will want to monetise in the future then your own domain with a Wordpress on it will give you the most SEO and monetisation options in future.

[Derek Smith]

Blogs is what Wordpress was made for.

There's been a significant change to WP over the last year. It's blocks now, and easier, I'm told, to use.

I use a small WP-specific hosting service. £35pa. Or there's the fuss-free free Wordpress.com hosting. I know very little about blogger, but it is apparent that it is simple to use as well.

[Penelope Stopit]

As above - blogger.com

[SCEtoAUX]

I'd buy a domain name and hosting from www.krystal.co.uk - About £4/month for the hosting. One-click install of Wordpress and you have the advantage of brilliant support.

[thenortherner]

Thanks for the response.

Looks like Wordpress is the way to go.