How to Setup Wordpress

The installation of a Wordpress blog has been streamlined through the aid of web hosting scripts such as Fantastico which allow you to install Wordpress, on your host, with only a few clicks of a mouse. Once your Wordpress installation is setup, you can begin blogging. However, you need to start somewhere and that begins with setting up a Wordpress blog on your domain and web host.

Step 1: Get a Domain Name and Web Hosting

The first step on how to set up Wordpress is to purchase a domain name and web hosting.

The domain name of your Wordpress blog should be unique or tap into the power of search engine optimization by utilizing keywords used by your target audience. A domain name can be purchased from domain name registrars such as GoDaddy.com, Bluehost.com, 1&1 Hosting along with many others that are present on the web. Once you’ve gained a domain name, you’ll have access to link your domain name to your web host which completes the very basic setup of your blog.

The web host of your Wordpress blog should be reliable and flexible as the blog grows in due time. A web host is where you store all of your website files; it’s where you link your domain so when people input your URL they will be displayed your website. You can purchase web hosting from many reliable companies such as BlueHost, HostGator, 1&1 Hosting along with many more. Expect to pay $6 - $15, per month, for web hosting.

Set the nameservers of your domain name to your web hosting using the documentation provided by the web hosting company which will link your URL to the files which show up as your blog (once you’ve installed the Wordpress platform).

Step 2: Install Wordpress on your Domain with Fantastico

Fantastico is a script located on many web hosts that allows you to install platforms such as Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal and other content management systems or eCommerce platforms.

Upon logging into your web hosting (using the name and password you’ve setup), navigate and find the Fantastico icon and follow through the prompts to install Wordpress onto your domain. The process of installing Wordpress using Fantastico almost completely automated with the exception of choosing the location (on your web server) for the installation, username, password and desired email.

Once you’ve installed Wordpress using Fantastico, you’ll be able to access the basic installation of Wordpress using your website domain name (URL). Log into your Wordpress account, at this time, and begin digging around to understand the Wordpress dashboard and features.

Step 3: Understanding the Wordpress Dashboard

The Wordpress dashboard and features have evolved over the years of development and has continued to become easier with each new revision.

There are many options and tabs within the Wordpress dashboard the following are the ones you’ll be using most frequently:

• Posts – This tab gives you the option to edit and add a new blog post. • Pages – This tab gives you the option to edit and add new pages to your blog. • Settings – The settings tab gives you control over the configuration and plugins of your blog. • Appearance – The appearance will give you the option to add and edit Wordpress themes. • Plugins – The plugins tab will give you the option to add and edit Wordpress plugins. All in all, take time to discover each of the tabs, links and features within the Wordpress dashboard. A solid understanding of the Wordpress dashboard will streamline your usage of your blog and reduce the amount of time to add new blog posts and edit the layout and features of your blog.

Step 4: Configure your Wordpress Installation

The basic Wordpress installation is, essentially, ready to go but a few minutes of configuring your installation will help improve its ability to rank well in search engines and keep it flexible for expansion as you work on the blog.

Here are a few recommended changes to your Wordpress configuration:

• Change the name of your Wordpress blog within the ‘General’ options.

• Change the display of your URL’s by placing /%postname%/ into the ‘Permalinks’ custom option; this will give you congruent blog URL’s rather than being randomly generated.

For the most part, the permalinks and blog name are the two configuration options that matter most but you may want to make a few additional changes to users, comments, links and other basic settings based on the needs of your Wordpress.

Step 5: Add Useful Wordpress Plugins and Widgets

Wordpress plugins and widgets expand the features and flexibility of your Wordpress blog.

Widgets, depending on your Wordpress theme, will give you drag-and-drop features for your blog that could be anything from popular post widgets that display blog posts people most enjoy to a contact form; widgets can be added and removed, on the fly, to expand the features and design of your Wordpress blog.

Plugins can be anything from easy-to-use opt-in forms to media managers that improve the looks and feel of the media you include in your blog posts.

A few of the most popular and useful Wordpress plugins, at this time, are:

• Askismet – This helps prevent spam blog comments. • Google XML Sitemaps – This automatically generates a sitemap for your blog for Google. • All-in-One-SEO Pack – This gives you greater control over your blog posts and pages to help improve their ability to rank in search engines. • WP Cache – This plugin caches your blog so it doesn’t crash when bombarded with a heavy amount of visitors; it reduces the stress of sporadic web traffic. There are thousands of plugins created by the Wordpress community which expand the flexibility and features of your Wordpress blog. Visit the Wordpress.org plugin directory to find additional plugins which fit the needs of your Wordpress installation.

Conclusion

You now know how to set up Wordpress and are ready to launch your brand new blog to the world. The time required installing and setting up a Wordpress blog may take a few hours but the vast majority of the work is guided using documentation throughout the process in the domain, web hosting and Wordpress dashboard. Once setup, you can take your blog into any direction you desire; build a business, write about your passions, create a following or do whatever you wish – you’re in control.

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Wordpress for beginners

Once Wordpress has been installed and configured, it’s time to begin creating content for your blog. The core idea behind Wordpress, as a blogging platform, is to continually update your blog with fresh content in the form of blog posts. Fresh content will make up for the vast majority of your blogging success because it gives people a continuous stream of new information to discover and share. This Wordpress for beginners article will share how to create your very first Wordpress blog post so you can get started with the marathon that is blogging.

Step 1: Add a New Blog Post To begin, log into your Wordpress dashboard and navigate to the ‘Posts’ tab on the left sidebar; this area is where you can add new blog posts. Expand the ‘Post’ tab to reveal the ‘Add New’ link which readies a new blog post for publication. Take time to navigate and explore the general options and layout of the blog post options because you will be using this interface for every time you publish a new post to your blog.

Step 2: The Blog Title

The first element, of the blog post interface, you will notice is an area to input your blog post title. The title of your blog post acts like a headline you would see in magazines; the title needs to capture readers attention, explain what people can expect in your content and entice them to click on the link to continue reading your blog post. Input the title of your blog post within the ‘title’ section or copy and paste it from an external document such as Word or Notepad.

Tip: Use a keyword tool to find keywords that will improve the search visibility of your blog post in search engines by placing your main topic into the tool and using the suggested keywords within your blog post title.

Step 3: The Blog Content

Next, you will notice a large area for text; this is where the body content for your blog post will go. The body content is everything that you will be sharing with your readers from text to video, pictures and more. The simple visual text editor has tools for formatting your blog posts such as bolding text, adding pictures (with editing options), setting headings and other elements that help readers digest your content. Place in the body content of your blog post into the main area and tweak any sections that need to be updated by using the ‘preview’ option to see how it would appear live on your blog. Tip: Use bold, italics and underlines to emphasize key points of your blog content. Bullet points and quotations are also an excellent option for visually breaking up your blog post, making it easier to read.

Step 4: The Publication Configuration

Prior to publication, it’s vitally important that you set the correct categories, tags and blog post elements because these are the items that will organize and sort your content. On the right, you will notice a ‘Categories’ section where you will, as it suggests, select the category your blog post fits within. The ‘post tags’, also located on the right side, can be used to tag your blog post with key terms to aid readers with an additional method of finding related blog posts that fall under those terms. Finally, you may need to add your own post thumbnail within your theme options of the blog post which will generally be located beneath the body content section.

Tip: A thorough understanding of your Wordpress theme and the blog post page will allow you to easily navigate and change your configuration of each post with ease.

Step 5: Readying a Blog Post

Finally, always ‘preview’ your blog post prior to publication; this will give you a live example of what your blog post will look like with any additional features that come with your Wordpress theme. Likewise, you may want to change the SEO elements of each blog post if you’re currently using an SEO plug (such as the All-in-One SEO plugin).

Ensure that everything looks “good” on your end before hitting ‘publish’ on your blog post or set a time for the post to go out using the schedule feature; you can always change a blog post afterward but try to get it right the first time to avoid needing to make additional edits to your blog post.

Conclusion The first blog post is generally the most stressful because you’re introducing yourself (and your content) to the world. This Wordpress for beginners article should help you with that. However, once you begin blogging, you will find that blog posts will flow with each new idea. Over time, your blog will grow but it all starts with the first post. The first blog post may not be your greatest piece of work but it gets things going and that’s what matters most.

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