How to setup a WordPress Blog: A Beginner’s Guide
As I write this blog, I’m sitting in my favourite coffee shop while constantly collaborating with my fellow writers.
No, I am nowhere near a desktop or carrying a laptop. Rather I’m blogging on a 10.1 inches’ iPad using a WordPress app.
As soon as I will be home, I will open my desktop and continue from where I left.
As a blogger, WordPress is an integral part of my life, and those app only makes it handier.
Blogging was never this easy, while part of the credit goes to smartphone revolution, the rest of it goes to WordPress, the best mobile blogging platform, today.
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The relatively simple but effective posts creation, easy images and links inclusion, and a distraction-free writing—WordPress ensures you finish your blogging assignment with little bothers.
The best part is it’s getting better with every update.
There is no need to be a code ninja or a web expert anymore. Anyone with a good taste of writing can start a WordPress blog in simple steps.
The steps are as simple as they sound, and following these will make sure you get started with blogging in no time.
Let’s get started with WordPress.
Hosting and domain name
Unless you don’t want to end up with something like “wxyz.wordpress.com” with a basic layout and functionalities, register for a domain and buy hosting space.
The good news is most of the companies offer hosting and domain registration in one place. Even if this is not the case, just make sure the hosting server supports:
- PHP 4.3 or greater
- MySQL 4.1.2 or greater
- The mod_rewrite Apache module
- Downloading the WordPress.
No rocket science here, just visit http://wordpress.org/download/ and download the latest version on your hard disk just the way you download any other file from the internet. Except this file to be a bit large.
The downloaded file will be a “.zip”. Unzip it into a folder.
Adding database information:
- Open the unzipped folder, look for wp-config-sample.php and rename it to wp-config.php.
- Login to your hosting panel and look for MySql section.
- Under the section, create a new database and save the info in a file
- Open wp-config.php in any text editor.
- Fill in the new database info. Save and close it
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Putting necessary files on the hosting server
This process is not tough if you frequently play with your computer’s file manager.
The only difference here is this that rather than copying files within a computer, you’ll be copying them to the server from the host’s computer.
- Get started by creating an FTP account. This option is available under FTP section of the panel.
- Note down the account information: FTP name, user, and password.
- Download Filezilla from filezilla-project.org. Install it.
- Under Filezilla’s window add the account information in the appropriate boxes.
- Under Filezilla, browse to the files you want to upload on the server and save them to the WordPress public folder. The public folder is generally named public_html, depending on your settings.
Install WordPress
Once you have uploaded necessary files, it is time to install WordPress. Don’t, worry, it’s just a one click process.
Open Firefox and type www.wxyz.com/wp-admin/install.php in the address bar and press enter. Voila! WordPress is installed.
the login and a password will be auto-generated. Keep them handy to access you site’s admin area whenever you want.
In addition, keep changing the password at a regular basis.
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Pick a Theme
That doesn’t mean your site is without a theme. The default theme is already there, and to an extent, it’s pretty good.
However, being the default theme, it’s hard to stand out with it. Haven’t you sulk about all the WordPress sites looking kind of same?
To the rescue, there are hundreds of shopify premium themes available in the WordPress repository alone. In addition, there are far more 3rd party websites offering another vast set of–free or paid–themes.
Please overcome the feeling that a premium tag carries a better theme. Free themes are as good as the premium one, even better sometimes (actually most of the times).
Visit http://wordpress.org/showcase and try experimenting with different themes unless you have the one.
To activate the theme you have uploaded in go to Appearance >> Themes in the left panel menu.
You should see the list of themes available. Click on the theme you’d like to use and confirm your choice.
Get acquainted with the admin area
A WordPress Site’s admin panel is just a login to wordpress.org/wp-admin away.
In the admin area, there are far more button you can imagine. Don’t try to learn the functionality of all of them in a day unless you want to get lost in the learning curve.
You will learn them eventually, don’t worry. Start with being acquainted to the core functionality of the main management menu that is essential for blogging.
Don’t hesitate to play around the menu there is hardly anything you can spoil. Even if you do, there is always a revert button.
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Update general settings
Set your website’s title, bloggers profile, a home page, metas, keywords, etc. Look around what other websites are putting then follow the suit.
Add your first blog
Congrats and a hearty welcome to WordPress blogosphere, this is the time to add your first blog.
Click Posts Add New. In the “Add New Post” page, enter title, and the content including videos, images, etc. Thats it. Your first post is ready.
Hope, you find this short and simple guide helpful for you. Do leave your feedback via commenting below.