Have you always wondered how to start a blog, but couldn’t get around it? Chances are you’re confused as to which blogging platform you should use for your blog. While there are many blogging platforms like Tumblr, Blogger, Medium, etc., our recommendation is WordPress. Started in the year 2003, WordPress is a free blogging platform which has over 400 million active users and which sees over 54 million posts every single day! It’s super simple to set up and is highly customizable.
Here at HostGator, we’re bringing you the most straightforward guide to start your blog with WordPress! This guide will solve all of your initial queries regarding how to start a WordPress blog and will not take more than 20 minutes of your valuable time. So let’s begin.
Step 1: Choose a domain name and hosting
A domain name is an address to your website; hence you will need to invest in a catchy and memorable name for your blog. The domain name also has to be true to the sentiment of your blog, so take some time to come up with the best one. Once you’ve decided on a kickass name, you can register your domain name.
Your next step is to invest in the right hosting solution. If you’re looking for complete control over the content, design, and ability to advertise, you should opt for the self-hosted version of WordPress. This means that you will have to purchase hosting to host your WordPress blog. While there are plenty of hosting providers available for WordPress, we recommend that you host your blog with Hostgator.
We have a wide range of WordPress hosting plans to suit every type of website. After you select a plan, a discount code gets entered automatically at the cart page! At the very least, you’ll get a 30% discount to boot. Now all you have to do is register your account, put in your billing details, and you’re good to go.
Step 2: How to Install WordPress
While the conventional way to install a WordPress blog is through cPanel, we’ve made it simpler with our home-brewed dashboard. Besides quick WordPress installation, this intuitive dashboard will give you easy access to actions like managing email, SSL certificate and cache for your new WordPress blog. Here are quick steps to install WordPress, using the specialized WordPress hosting from HostGator India:
Once you’ve completed the purchase of WordPress Hosting, you will need to log in to your HostGator Control Panel. After you’ve successfully logged in, you’ll see the following screen.
Next, click on Manage orders >> List/Search Orders. This page will have all your products listed.
Click on the WordPress package that you just purchased and wait for the next screen. Scroll to the WordPress Hosting section and click on Manage Service.
A new browser window will open which will be the dashboard we’ve been talking about earlier. Click on Install Site when you’re ready to start installing your WordPress blog.
You will need to add necessary information about the site in the new screen and click on Add Site.
Once the initial setup is complete, you get redirected back to the dashboard where you will find the new domain listed under Installed Sites. It may take up to 10 minutes for your site to build in the backend. After the installation, you can hit the Admin button to log in to your WordPress blog.
Step 3: Select a theme and install essential plugins
Once you’re in the admin panel, you need to ensure that you pick a WordPress theme for your blog. A good WordPress theme will ensure that your content is presented in the most optimum way.
To install a theme, you’ll first need to click on the “Appearance” option on the left sidebar and then select Themes. Here you’ll find several themes that have already been installed. You have plenty more options if you’re not happy with the pre-installed themes. Just click the Add New button and search for more themes. Once you’ve selected a theme you love, click on Install and then click Activate. You can check out this list of WordPress themes that could be an excellent fit for your WordPress blog.
Besides themes, you can also add plugins to your blog. A plugin enables you to add features to your blog without writing a single line of code. While there are thousands of plugins available, you initially need to install the essential WordPress plugins to get started (not necessary but highly recommended)
Now that we have the theme and plugin out of the way let’s take a look on how you can add your first blog post.
Step 4: Add the first post to your blog
To get started with a new blog post, select the “Posts” section on the left sidebar, and then click “Add New.” You’ll see a big white text field where you can add the blog content, and just above that, you will have space to add the Title of the blog. You can choose to publish your post or save it as a draft. You also have the option to make it private – so that only selected people can view it – or you can schedule it for a later date. Additionally, you also have the option to preview the post before making it live.
Once you’ve published your post, you can always edit it later. To view all your existing posts, click on Posts >> All Posts.
You can also add images to your posts by clicking on the “Add Media” button below the title text field. You can position this image as and how you want in the blog post.
And that’s it – now that you know how to start your WordPress blog, it’s time you finally take the plunge. Go forth and build your dream blog! 🙂
