How To Create a Blog

Creating blog sites are incredibly easy as long as you have a little guidance; so here it is folks! So, go ahead and check out this article and watch the videos. Together, they cover it all.

So, you will need a domain name. Forget about those free domains. Why? Because it is not really your domain. You become a sub-domain such as yoursite.domain.com. In such arrangements you have very limited control over what goes on the site.

Usually, their advertisements appear on the site and there is nothing you can do about it. Plus, since this is a free service, the providers can remove your content and leave you hanging; all of your hard work to build the site is gone. Additionally, since it is a free service, the bandwidth is shared. This means that access to your sub-domain will be slow.

The most important thing is this: If you are online to make money, no one is going to tale you seriously if you are on a sub-domain. You will be viewed as cheap and unprofessional; especially since domains are very cheap to get. So where to get a domain?

Go to Godaddy.com and get your domain.They are reliable, cheap, and you have all the tools you need – and some – to take your website in any direction you want to take it.

What can you expect to pay for a domain name? Approximately $13.99 per year for a .com domain name. That's it! I highly recommend a .com name as opposed to a .net or .info. So for an initial payment of $13.99 the domain you choose is yours or one year. Of course you can reserve your domain name in increments of 2, 3, 5, or 10 years. Actually, it is cheaper if you do it that way. Be cautioned about websites offering cheap .com names for dirt cheap prices. You get what you pay for! If you are running a business online, you cannot not to have your website down or slow.

Here is an article and video that shows you the process of getting a domain name. http://www.digitaldrake.com/how-to-register-a-domain-name/

Process Two: Get a Web Hosting Account

The second thing you will need is a web hosting account. Web hosts are companies that rent you computer/server space on their powerful servers that are connected to the Internet backbone. Your web page files reside or are hosted on this rented server space. When individuals type in your domain name in their web browsers, your site appears. Please understand that you must have a web hosting account in order to be seen on the Internet. Here is a simple formula: Domain Name + Web Host Account  = Online Presence. So as you can see, you must have both a domain name and a web host account in order to have a web site viewable to the world. So  where do you get a web hosting account?

The same place you got your domain name: Godaddy.com.

What can you expect to pay for a hosting? For a Deluxe Hosting Plan, you will pay $6.99/month. While this is not the top of the line plan, it has everything a beginner and seasoned web creator needs. I recommend this plan.

Here is an article and accompanying video that will take you through the process of getting a Web Host account. http://www.digitaldrake.com/how-to-select-a-web-host/

Process Three: Get an FTP Client

An FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client is a program that lets you quickly upload and download your web page files from your computer to your web host server that you got in Process Two. Even though Webjava Hosting and Domains provides you with many web building tools -to include a powerful CPanel – transfer of your web page files will be much easier and simpler is you use an FTP client. There are free and paid FTP clients (programs). The best free FTP program is Filezilla. The best paid FTP program is WS_FTP. I personally use WS_FTP Professional since it lets me have more than one hosing account open at the same time. Filezilla – which is free – is very good as well. Here are some links to suggested FTP programs you can use. May I suggest that you pick one that you like and stick with it.

• FileZilla (Free)
• WS_FTP Professional 12
• Smart FTP (Free)

You need to set up your FTP program to connect to your web hosting account. Here is a video (Video 12) that shows you how to set up FileZilla to connect you to your web host server.

Video 12 – How To Set Up FileZilla FTP to Connect To Your Remote Web Host Server

Process Four: Get an Unzip Program

You will a program that will decompress or unzip files. There are many; some free and other you will pay for. Here are some free ones:

• 7-Zip (Free)
• Winzip (Free Working Trial)
• PowerArchiver (Free Working Trial) My personal favorite.

Download one of these programs – if you don't already have one – and install on your computer.

Process Five: WordPress

Now that you have your domain name, web hosting account, an FTP program, and an unzip program, you are now ready to set up your blog. Next, you need to head over to the WordPress website and download their free self-hosted blog script. You should see the download button prominently displayed. Click on it to download. The download will be a small .zip file to your computer desktop. (Thus the need for an unzip program in Process Four).

Watch the short video below (Video 13) on how to download the free WordPress script.

Video 13 – How To Get and Download the WordPress Self-Hosted Script

 Process Six: Unzip the WordPress Script

Next, use the unzip program you chose in Process Four to unzip the WordPress script you downloaded. Once unzipped you will have a WordPress folder that will have inside it three other folders – wp-admin, wp-content, wp-includes, and other php files. See the video below (Video 14) that walks you through the process of getting a FREE Unzip program (7-Zip) and using it to unzip your WordPress self-hosted script.

Video 14 – How To Unzip The WordPress Self-Hosted Script

Process Seven: Upload the Contents of the WordPress Folder to Your Web Host Server

Using the FTP program you chose in Process Three, upload the contents inside the WordPress folder you unzipped in Process Six to your web host server. You want to make sure that you upload the contents of the WordPress folder (not the folder itself) to your server. You also want to make sure that you upload to the correct location on your server. Some web host will show only a "/" as the root directory. If that is the case with your server, this is where the contents of the WordPress folder will go. Other web host providers will have a "public_html" directory. If that is the case with your particular web host provider, then it is to that directory your WordPress files must be uploaded. Other web host provides may have a "www" or a "html" directory; again, if that is the case with your particular webhost, then upload your WordPress files there. If you are ever in doubt about where the WordPress files need to go, then contact me and I will do what I can to help you. 

See the video below (Video 15) that shows you exactly how it is done. The video will use the FileZilla FTP program you learned how to use in Process Three.

Video 15 – How To Upload the Contents of Your WordPress Directory To Your Web Host Server

Process Eight: Create a MYSQL Database

Log into your GoDaddy web host account (or whatever hosting account you have) and create a database and write down four pieces of information that you will use later to configure a WordPress file.

• Database Name
• Database Username
• Database Password
• Host

Note: The WordPress self-hosted script requires a MYSQL database. Most web host accounts come with an easy mechanism within the CPanel to create a database. It is really easy to do. If you have a GoDaddy account, you have this mechanism to set up a database. It only takes a few minutes.

Watch the video below (Video 16) as I show you how to set up your MYSQL database for use with the self-hosted WordPress script.

Video 16 – How To Create a MYSQL Database For WordPress

Process Nine: Modify the WordPress wp-config.php File

Inside your WordPress folder that you unzipped in Process Six, you will see a file named wp-config-sample.php. Rename it to wp-config.php. (Remove the word sample). Next, open this file up using Notepad and modify four entries inside this file and save:

• DB_NAME
• DB_USER
• DB_PASSWORD
• DB_HOST

The information entered is from Process Eight.

The Video below (Video 17) shows you how to do this.

Video 17 – How To Modify The WordPress WP-CONFIG.PHP File

Process Ten: Upload the Modified wp-config.php file to Your Web Host Server

Upload the modified wp-config.php file to your web host server. Using FileZilla (or your favorite FTP program), upload this file to the "/", "public_html", "www", or "html" directory.

Note: It should be be in the same location as your other *.php files. (Same location as the wp-config-sample.php file)

The video in Process Eleven (Video 18) below will cover the wp-config.php file being uploaded

Process Eleven: Install WordPress

Now that you have uploaded all of the WordPress files to include the wp-config.php file, you are now ready to install WordPress. To do this, open up a web browser and enter in your domain name (www.yourdomain.com). You should be presented with a WordPress installation window. Follow the simple screen prompts to install. It will probably take you less than 10 seconds to install. Make sure you note and write down your WordPress username (usually admin) and the password. You will change the password later.

Congratulations! At this point, you now have a website – a blog; even though nothing is on it yet.

The video below (Video 18) walks you through the entire installation of WordPress.

Video 18 – Installing WordPress

Process Twelve: Change Your WordPress Blog Password

Next, you should change your WordPress password  to one that you will remember. To do this go to http://www.yourdomain.com/wp-login.php and login using admin and the password that WordPress initially generated for you. Click on the users link to the left and then click on the admin link. This puts you on your profile page. Scroll down to the bottom where it says New Password and enter in a new password placing the one WordPress generated for you. Make sure you click on the Update Profile button when done. Now, when you login, it will be admin and this new password.

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