Are you interested in blogging and want to start your own blog? Do you know about the WordPress blog?
If the answer is yes but you are worried about it and not sure where to start. Then don’t worry, we are here to help you. We will thoroughly discuss all aspects, covering topics such as domains, WordPress hosting, themes, and other related subjects.
With WordPress blog, you can quickly start your own blogging website.
Today, many popular bloggers like Darren Rowse, the founder of ProBlogger, and Neil Patel, a digital marketing expert, a best-seller author, and an entrepreneur use WordPress for their blogs. These are just two examples, there are many more well-known bloggers who blog with WordPress.
This article targets beginners who want to start their blogging career with WordPress. We’ll provide you with detailed steps for creating your own blog with WordPress within 30 minutes.
1. Key Terms for WordPress blog
Before beginning to create a blog using WordPress, it is crucial to have a basic understanding of several key concepts and terminology related to it. This will help you to better understand the various features and functions of the platform, and enable you to navigate it more efficiently.
First of all, you need to understand the concept of domain and hosting services. A domain name is the web address or URL of your website, while web hosting is the service that allows your website to be accessed by visitors on the internet.
Additionally, you should be familiar with the term WordPress themes and plugins. Plugins are used to add functionality while themes are used to customize the design of your site.
By understanding these key terms, you will be better equipped to set up and manage your WordPress blog
Hosting
Hosting is a service that makes your website available to the world. When a website is hosted, it is stored on a server connected to the internet.
The hosting companies take care of the server. They provide space for you in the internet world. You need to rent a space on the internet to store your all files. You need to purchase the space to give your website a home.
There are different types of hosting, such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. Today, there are many hosting providers like Bluehost, DreamHost, WPEngine, and more to host your WordPress website.
Domain
Domain name is your blog name that uniquely identifies your website on the internet. Like google.com, youtube.com are examples of domain names.
In the internet world, the domain is crucial. It is important to select a domain name that is easy to remember and clearly conveys the purpose of your blog.
This increases the chances that readers can easily find and visit your blog, which can contribute to the success of your blog.
WordPress Themes
WordPress themes are the pre-designed templates that define the look and appearance of your site. You can find thousands of free WordPress themes and premium WordPress themes that offer a wide range of design options for blogs, eCommerce, etc.
It helps users alter their website’s look without writing any code. Most themes include options for customizing fonts, colors, layouts, and other design elements.
You can purchase or download them for free from the WordPress theme directory or from other websites like Good Looking Themes.
Before using the theme, you must install and activate it through your WordPress dashboard. This is an easy process.
WordPress Plugins
WordPress plugins are small software to add new features to the website. To make it usable, you need to install the plugins on your website.
It gives additional features and power to your website. You can find both paid and free WordPress blog plugins on the internet. There are many plugins like the WooCommerce plugin for starting online stores, the Yoast SEO plugin for SEO, etc.
You can install plugins directly from the WordPress plugin directory or upload a zip file from a different source. After installation, you need to activate the plugin.
This is all about the terms you need to know. You’ll learn more about how to install themes and plugins later in this post.
2. Getting Started with WordPress Blog
WordPress is the easiest option for bloggers to start their blogging careers. Here, we’ll teach you how to create your own blogging website with WordPress in only a few minutes.
There are two popular methods to create your blogging website with WordPress.
The first one is with the self-hosted WordPress i.e., WordPress.org. It is open-source software that is 100% free to use.
The second one is with the hosting service provider i.e. WordPress.com. It is the hosting platform that allows you to host your WordPress website.
The majority of people are often in confusion between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. They interchangeably use this term. This confusion has made the situation worse for beginners.
Are you also confused about which options to choose? Don’t worry, we are here to help you. We have also recommended What suits best to bloggers who want to make blogging a career.
3. First Option: WordPress.org
Bloggers usually prefer this version of WordPress as they get full rights for customization. It is more flexible and powerful compared to WordPress.com.
There are fewer steps you need to follow to get your site ready for blogging with WordPress. Now, we will go into further detail about each step.
Step 1: Hosting and Domain Name for blog
Before starting your website, you need to find a good hosting provider and a suitable domain name. You need to choose the best hosting provider to get better performance for your site.
For your website to make public, you may either select a free WordPress hosting provider or paid WordPress hosting provider. Here in this post, we will go with Bluehost as it is recommended by WordPress.
Getting Started with Bluehost
Bluehost is an excellent choice for WordPress hosting as it offers you greater performance at a cheaper rate starting at $2.95 per month.
A free domain, SSL certificate, emails, and other features are included with the one-click WordPress installation. It is a secure and reliable WordPress hosting provider you can trust.
Choose a hosting plan
You need to visit their site to check all their plans and services available. Bluehost offers shared, dedicated, and VPS hosting.
Here we will choose a shared hosting service. They offer you three plans for hosting your WordPress site. You can refer to the following image to get a detailed idea about their plan.
If you are a beginner, we prefer you to choose a basic plan as it covers all the requirements you need as a beginner. For advanced sites, you can go with their Choice plus plan.
Create a domain name
This is an optional step. You can either create a domain name now or you can do it later.
If you already have your own domain name, you can use it here. You need to enter your domain name in the right box and click next.
But if you are new to a domain, you first need to create a new domain for your website. You can either start a domain with Bluehost or can purchase it from any other domain name provider.
If you want to start a domain with Bluehost, then enter a domain name in the left box and select an appropriate domain extension. You can get many options like .com, .org, .net, and many more from the drop-down menu.
After you click next, Bluehost checks the domain availability in their database. If it is available, you can move to the next step otherwise you need to enter another unique domain name.
Fill Account Information
After successfully getting your domain name, the next step is to create your Bluehost account. To do this, you need to fill out your personal information correctly.
Confirm Your Package
Please check your plan and confirm it. Moreover, you can purchase some extra features by clicking on the checkbox for your website.
You must have a secure WordPress blog. It is advised to purchase these extra features to secure your WordPress website and provide an extra layer of security.
Payment Information
Now, you need to enter your card details to purchase your hosting service.
Also, please verify your information, package details, and card details before proceeding to the next step. Finally, click on the submit button to forward your request to their server.
Getting Your Account Ready
This is the final and crucial step in becoming a Bluehost customer. Here, you need to set a password for your Bluehost account.
Please use a difficult and strong password to protect your account from being hacked.
Then Click next, and your account is ready to use.
Step 2: WordPress Installation
You need to log in to your account for the WordPress installation. Then you will be directed to the Bluehost dashboard.
Bluehost will automatically install WordPress for you. You don’t need to download WordPress. If WordPress is not installed, then follow the following steps:
- Click on “My Sites” tab from the left side menu
- Click the “Create Site” button
3. Enter your site name and a simple tagline to introduce your site. You can click on the “Advanced” button to change the default WordPress username and password.
If you don’t change then Bluehost will automatically create it for you. You then need to fill in the details and click “Next”.
4. Now you need to select your domain name. If you already have purchased one at the beginning, you can select your domain name from the drop-down menu.
You can enter the directory name and uncheck the plugins for now. You can install it later. Then click “Next”.
5. Just wait a while and you are done. You will be sent to the following page.
You can see your WordPress admin name and password. You can click on the “Login to WordPress” button to get access to your WordPress dashboard.
Step 3: Choosing Themes and Plugins for your blog
You can choose a theme and plugins from the WordPress dashboard. On the left side, you can see the “Themes” and “Plugins” tabs.
You’ll get a list of themes and plugins for your website. There is a search bar where you may look for themes and plugins that are already installed.
If you want more themes, click on the “Add New” button and search for the theme. Here we will be looking for a “Good Looking Blog” i.e. a blog theme.
Then go to the theme, hover it, and click on Install. Then the install button will change to activate the button. Press the activate button to use it.
Then you need to install some plugins that are recommended by the themes. You can press the “Begin installing plugins” link to install them.
You’ll be redirected to the page to install all the required plugins. You need to tick the checkbox near the plugin. Then select the install option from the drop-down menu. Then click apply.
All your plugins will be installed. Then click on the “return to required installer” link. Finally, you need to activate your plugin to make it functional.
Then select the plugin checkbox to select all plugins. Then change the drop-down menu to activate and click apply.
You’ll get a plugin successfully activated message. Now you are ready to add content to your WordPress blog.
After choosing themes and plugins, you can customize the themes or start writing. Play around your dashboard to learn more about the system.
You can visit your site by clicking on your name in the WordPress dashboard’s top left menu section.
You can find many free themes and plugins for your blog. We recommend you install plugins like Jetpack for security, Yoast SEO for SEO, and MonsterInsights for Google Analytics.
You can also install more plugins and themes manually. Later in this post, you’ll also learn how to add themes, and plugins manually and customize the themes.
Step 4: Place Your first blog post
This is the final step for your WordPress blog. You are just a few steps away from launching your own blog post. This includes only fewer steps. The following steps will help you to place the content on your website.
- Select the “Post” tab from the left-side navigation of the WordPress dashboard.
2. Click on the “Add New” button to add a new post.
3. Final step is to add your content to the site. You need to add the title in the Add title block. Then just below it, you can start writing. You can also add images and embed videos in your WordPress blog.
After you finish writing, you need to click on the “Publish” button from the top right corner. You can save your writing in a draft too and post it later. By default, the visibility is set to public. You can change it to private and password protected.
In this way, you can start your blogging career with WordPress.org. Now, let’s see the second option too.
4. Second Option: WordPress.com
This version of WordPress is particularly used by those who aren’t interested in learning about WordPress or handling the maintenance of a self-hosted website.
WordPress.com is a simpler platform than WordPress.org. It doesn’t require any technical expertise. It is designed for those bloggers who are solely interested in a simpler platform that allows them to publish their writing.
For WordPress.com, some steps are little different than those for WordPress.org. You first need to sign up for their website then only you need to think about domain and hosting.
You can get free hosting and a sub-domain. But their free hosting lacks many features.
You can’t buy hosting from other companies instead WordPress has its own plan. We recommend you purchasing their personal plan if you are a beginner.
You only need to complete a few steps to get your site ready for blogging. Now, we will discuss each step in depth.
Step 1: Creating your WordPress Account
You need to visit their site WordPress.com to create your account. You need to click the “Get Started” button to start your WordPress journey.
Then you need to follow the three-step process to create your WordPress account. We will guide you through each step.
- This is the get started page. Here you will get options for creating your account. Either fill out the left-side form or directly connect your Google or Apple account.
2. Next step is to connect your domain. You can find three options for this. You can choose either one of them.
3. Now, the final step. You either need to choose one of their plans or continue with the “start a free site” option. We recommend you get a plan for your website.
Now, you can go to your dashboard and complete other steps like naming your site, naming your blog, and many more.
Step 2: Installing WordPress Themes and Plugins
You only get access to limited themes with WordPress.com’s free plan. Also, you can get only a limited option for customization.
You can’t install plugins on your site with their free plan. You must upgrade to the business plan, which costs about $25 per month, in order to use plugins.
To install themes and plugins, you can refer to the third step from the WordPress.org section. Those steps will guide you through this.
Step 3: Adding Content for your WordPress blog
You can find the Post tab from the left-side navigation of the WordPress dashboard.
You can follow the below steps to add the post to your website:
- Go to “Post”
- Click on the “Add new Post” button
3. You will get the section to add the title and content for your blog. After adding the content, you can find the “Publish” button on the top right section.
You are ready for blogging. You can start publishing your thoughts now. After you successfully created your Website, most important thing is to promote your blog.
5. SEO and Promotion of your WordPress blog
This is the most important aspect of your blog. But why? Do you think only quality content matters?
The answer is “No”. The content is not the only factor determining your blog’s success. Both SEO and Promotion are equally important.
Let us justify it in simpler terms. You offer quality content to the audience but if they couldn’t find it. Then Is it worthwhile?
Here SEO and promotion come in between. They work as a bridge to connect readers with your blog.
SEO-optimized websites are likely to rank higher in search engines like google. Readers can easily discover your blog which leads to higher traffic to your site.
For your blog article, deeper research for a keyword with higher engagement for your post is a must. Tools like google keyword planner, KWFinder, etc can help you with this.
Your blog has to focus on certain areas like using headings and sub-heading properly, internal linking, optimizing images, creating an XML sitemap, and many more.
WordPress plugins that assist with SEO are also available. Plugins like Yoast SEO can be appropriate for your website.
A blogger can promote their website through a variety of ways like social media, email, and many other online platforms.
Promotion helps content reach a wider audience. It can attract many readers, ultimately increasing the readership.
If you plan to monetize your site, then higher traffic will eventually result in higher earnings.
6. How to install themes and Plugins from another website?
You don’t need to rely on a WordPress theme or plugin directory. You are free to use them from any other websites too. To do so, you need to import them to your WordPress dashboard.
Now, we will go through the step-by-step process to use those external themes and plugins on our site.
- Download the themes or plugins in .zip format from the website.
- Go to your WordPress dashboard. For themes go to Appearance>>Themes.
For Plugins go to Plugins
- On the top-left side, you will find the “Add new” button to add themes or plugins.
- Click on “Upload Plugins” or the “Upload Themes” button.
- Then upload your zip file for themes or plugins and click Install.
- After successful installation, click on the “Activate” link.
7. How to Customize Your WordPress Theme?
You can easily modify your website through the customizer. You can change your site font to site design depending on your themes without touching a single line of code. This makes WordPress powerful and different from other blogging platforms.
We will go through each step in brief:
- Go the Appearance>> Customizer
- You can find menus on the left side of your page. On the right side, you can see the live changes you make using customize menu.
You can also preview your page in different screen sizes through the button on the bottom right of your menu. There are various options available in the menu according to your theme.
You need to play through each menu to learn more about the customizer. Also, you’ll get the option to add Additional CSS to your website. This feature is insane if you can write CSS.
8. Alternatives
There are a lot of alternatives you can find for a WordPress blog. We will talk about the two best alternatives only. They are Wix and Blogger. Here WordPress refers to .org not .com.
WordPress vs Wix
WordPress is CMS while Wix is only a website builder. So, you need a little technical knowledge to work with WordPress.
If you don’t want to learn any new technology, then go with Wix. You also don’t need to care about hosting, domain, or security with Wix.
While with WordPress you need to find a good hosting service. It is a hectic job to choose a good hosting provider.
WordPress was originally created for blogging at first. So, for blogging, we can assure you that WordPress will surely win the battle between Wix vs WordPress.
WordPress vs Blogger (Blogspot)
WordPress is an open-source self-hosted blogging platform, whereas Blogger is a free blogging platform owned by Google.
You get full rights for customization with WordPress. This makes WordPress more robust and flexible. But this is different with Blogger. You only have fewer options for customization.
You don’t need to worry about security with Blogger because Google takes care of it. While with WordPress, security is a key consideration. Regarding website security, you must be concerned.
Those casual bloggers who need a simple website for writing only can prefer a blogger. While those who want professional-looking sites to establish their blogging career can use WordPress.
9. Our Opinion: WordPress.org or WordPress.com
We prefer WordPress.org for blogging. It is because WordPress is free, open-source, and offers a broad range of customization options for users. Although you are responsible for handling and updating your own site, it is more flexible and powerful compared to WordPress.com.
It helps you with SEO, layout, and everything else. You just need good hosting and need to write quality content. You can get hosting services from any provider.
But this is not the same with WordPress.com. It is mandatory to use their hosting service for your website. Their cheaper hosting plan doesn’t allow you to use plugins.
As you can’t install plugins to your site with their free plan or small plan, upgrading to their higher plan would be quite expensive. Also, you get limited options for customization. This makes WordPress.com less likely to use by the advanced user.
Therefore, WordPress.com is a good option if you’re just a beginner or a casual blogger. However, WordPress.org would be the best choice if you want to start a blogging career.
10. Conclusion
As you are reading this, we can assume that you can now easily start your own WordPress blog. It’s just a matter of a few clicks. You can either go with a hosting platform i.e. WordPress.com or a self-hosted platform i.e. WordPress.org.
You can choose either one of these. With WordPress.com you don’t need to worry about hosting or security. Here, you only get limited customization options at lower rates.
While with a self-hosted platform, you need to find the best hosting provider for your blog. Also, you need to think about the security of your blog.
But not to worry, both allow plugin installation. Plugins are there for you to help you with SEO and everything else. You only need to focus on writing and publishing quality content.
We hope that this article will help you to start your own WordPress blog.
And, if you have any queries or if you want us to know more about other WordPress stuff, you can kindly email us at [email protected]
FAQs
Yes, you can start your blog for free. However, there are many limitations like you need to use their sub domain, can’t customize the theme, and many more. It’s good for newbies but it is recommended to buy at least a domain.
Yes, you can easily migrate your blog from another platform. Firstly, you need to import all the content from your existing site in XML format. Then go to the WordPress dashboard and move to Tools>>Import option. There you need to find your existing platform and click on the Install Now button. Then, select Run Importer. You then need to upload the XML file that you imported previously.
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