So you have taken that first step. You are going to jump right into the blogosphere. That magical world where everyone is a journalist. Or a citizen-journalist as they are called.

A blog is short for "weblog." A technology that allows you to post your thoughts, ideas, images, videos, emotions, rants, raves and more with just a few clicks. Indeed it is the onslaught of the blog that has heralded the new age of Web 2.0

But, even if the software technology is new, it is still dependent on the age old hardware technology of web hosting. If only that was not the case.

Accepting reality and moving ahead let us see what is needed from a web host for hosting a blog. Well, mainly the requirements for hosting a blog are similar to those required for hosting a web site. The disk space, bandwidth, and speed will make all the difference. Naturally, price will be a consideration too.

But other than the usual, there are some special considerations for blogs. For one, the hosting provider should allow the use of databases. Additionally, it would be great if there was a script that the hosting service provided that would install the blog for you. Of course, if you are technically qualified this may not help much. But, if you are a newbie, you want to stay away from all that jazz and simply focus on reaching out to your readers.

I am one of those buyers how are very price conscious. But, before you go ahead and purchase hosting, let me point out that changing web hosts can be a pain. So, think a little beyond the deepest discount you can get and focus on building a long term relationship with your blog host.

To begin with make sure that your blog hosting provider has been around for some time. It does not have to one of the big names in hosting. But, it must have an established track record. Second, try to ask some pre-sales questions. If they cannot service you well at the pre-sales stage, it is unlikely that they will come to your rescue after you are already a client.

Finally shop around and ask for opinions. If you are setting up more than one blog, try more than one hosting provider before settling on one for the long term. Once you find what you are looking for, you will know where to host your next blog.