*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DreamHost Web Hosting. All opinions are 100% mine.     Three years ago, I made the best decision that I possibly could have made for my blog and for my brand.  It took a lot of blood, sweat, tears and a whole lot of research before I finally took steps towards self-hosting my own blog.  After careful consideration, I realized that I would have to do so in order to take my blog to the next level. It is a decision that I have never regretted and that has paid off in dividends for me.     Most readers don't realize the costs associated with maintaining an active blog.  One of these costs is the decision to self-host.  Although it is beneficial in the long-run, in my opinion, it is not free and it is important to choose a web host that is affordable while meeting your business and blogging needs at the same time.  Most bloggers opt for shared hosting which means that many websites reside on a single web server.  This is usually an … [Read more...]