FREDYEN.COM A Collection of Unfinished Projects!
It’s a new year and you’ve made new resolutions, one of which may be to finally start a blog. More often then not, new bloggers become intimidated with the initial software setup and sometimes never even get started. I am here to say, “Don’t worry!” You do not need to be technically savvy to get things set up. In fact, I will guide you on how to start blogging in 2013, explained in just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Domain Name
Selecting the perfect domain name for your blog has become more and more difficult as time goes by. Other bloggers and web designers have already snatched up many of the great domain names and it may take you some time to find just the right one for your blog.
What I suggest is to write down a minimum of 5 different variations of domain names that you would like, however the more the better. Once you have your list, head over to a domain registrar and do a search to see if the domain names on your list are available.
GoDaddy is one of the most popular and most used domain registrars but unfortunately it’s NOT one of my favorites. Their initial low price is attractive, but the service and hidden fees are little to be desired.
I would like to point you in the direction towards Bluehost. Their primary service is Web Hosting, which I’ll explain in Step 2, but they also offer a FREE domain name registration with the purchase of a hosting plan.
Click the SIGNUP NOW button to get started!
Step 2: Hosting
Once you have your domain name, you will need to decide where you want your blog to be hosted. Having your own host gives you full control over things like appearance, the content, and the monetization of your blog.
Like mentioned above, I always recommend Bluehost Web Hosting. Not only can you start blogging for just a few dollars a month but the features they provide goes unmatched.
Here is a breakdown of the best features:
UNLIMITED Domain Hosting
UNLIMITED GB Hosting Space
UNLIMITED GB File Transfer
UNLIMITED Email Accounts
I think you can see the keyword here is UNLIMITED. What this means is that you can have as many blogs or websites as you want, all under the same hosting plan with no additional charge. The only thing you need to provide is the additional domain names. Since they give you a FREE domain name when you sign up, you have everything you need all in one package. You really can’t ask for anything better from a hosting provider and I have been extremely satisfied with the service I have received over the past several years.
Step 3: Install WordPress
WordPress is by far my favorite free blogging platform. This open source blogging software receives a ton of contributions and development from devoted users around the world. You can make your blog look professional in a matter of minutes with Premium Themes and plugins. The options are endless with WordPress and installing this software is a snap.
Bluehost makes it even easier by having a dedicated WordPress installer built directly into their user control panel. With just a few clicks, you will have a fully functioning blogging platform installed on your host server.
Simply log into your Bluehost account and enter the ‘Control Panel’ or ‘cPanel’ and look for the section titled ‘SimpleScripts Installation’. You should see the WordPress logo listed. Simply double click the WordPress logo and follow the easy instructions to install the software onto the server.
During the installation, you will be able to select a username and password that is used to log into the administrator dashboard of WordPress. An email will be sent to your inbox with additional instructions on how to log in once the software is installed
Step 4: Start Blogging!
Log into the administrator dashboard per the instructions you received in the email. The dashboard allows you to make changes to many options and preferences of WordPress but the default settings are good enough to get you off to a great start.
That’s pretty much it! What are you waiting for? Start blogging in 2013 and many more years to come!
P.S.
I will teach you how to customize your blog in future articles. Stay tuned!
