Blog from Scratch
Want to start a blog? Been putting it off for a while? Have no idea where to begin? Let’s take a few minutes to get your corner of the web NOW.
Before I start, I must note that I am Word press biased, as Word press is widely supported throughout the web. Many coders dedicate a lot of time and effort to making a lot of plug-ins and themes for Word press based blogs. Also, they are popular with several hosting companies.
Ok, let’s get started on your blog.
- The first thing you need to do is decide on a domain name. This is what you want your site to be identified by. What you will be using your blog for plays a huge part in this. If you want to blog about a certain topic, or niche (the term used throughout the blogging community) you may want to get a domain name that relates to this topic. Me personally, I wanted a blog for my personal ramblings AND for Tech and Stock news. I chose the name that I use widely on the internet to refer to myself. It is very popular for a blogger to use their own name also. Decided your domain name? Use the Domain Name Search tool here to see if it’s available.
- Step 2 is finding a hosting company, to host your site. I recommend BlueHost, as they have a solid history AND you can get things like a Word Press auto install, and register your Domain Name through them. There are tons of other hosting sites available. Here are a few that Word Press recommends. Choose wisely.
- You now have your Host and Domain Name! Now the fun part begins. Most hosting companies have the Word Press Auto Install. Follow the directions given, and install Word Press on your Domain. It’s very easy. One click.
- Now its time to decide how you want your site to look. Like I said, there are thousands of ready made Word Press templates on the internet. A simple Google search will render a vast amount of results. Don’t feel like searching? Here are tons of themes right on the Word Press site.
- Got your Theme! Now its time to make it look spiffy with some add-ons. Plug-ins and widgets add to the ease of use and presentation of your site. Take a look to your right to see some of the Widgets that I use. See one you like on someone’s site? Just write them and ask! Most bloggers are pretty excited about helping others, or you can just Google for the widget that you want to add to your site. These add-ons are VERY easy to implement, and the sites that you download them from come with complete installation instructions, AND some even provide a support forums. Do not be intimidated by the installation process. The first installation I did took me all of 2 mins. Just follow the directions. Here is a list of plug-ins.
- Your site is now online! \o/ Start blogging! Just that simple. As you see more blogs and the way that they have implemented their features, it will motivate you to add features of your own. You may even start coding your own features after a while.
You have your blog online with the features you wanted. Now its time to start writing content! Content is another topic all together, and I will cover it in another segment.
Need help now? Go where I went for advice…..
Any questions, suggestions, comments? That’s what the comment box is for! Essential suggestions and reference links will be added as they come.
Happy Blogging!!
Posted in How To, Just Blogging
You have reached the personal blog of Howard O'Berry. I enjoy blogging about tech and current events, but being that this blog is personal, pretty much anything goes. You can catch me on 
ob81 July 23rd, 2007 at 9:17 am
Azh, You bring up a good point. Prior to starting my blog, a few friends recommended an external source for registering my domain name. One thing it does is add flexibility. In my case, I tried to research decent hosts for the purposes I wanted, so that I could stick with one host throughout the lifespan of my site. I must add in your suggestion though, as I have heard it from many others as well. Thanks.