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Have you been thinking about starting a WordPress blog? Does blogging about something you enjoy and sharing your insights, ideas, and tips with the world excite you? Are you ready to start a blog but aren\u2019t sure what to do?<\/p>\n
No problem. We\u2019ve got your back with a step-by-step list of exactly what you need to do to start a WordPress blog.<\/p>\n
Starting a WordPress blog is easy. You\u2019ll need a couple of things: an idea, a domain, hosting, and a bit of time.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re ready to start, you may already have a focus in mind for your blog. You might not know where to begin with everything else though.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, WordPress is an open source platform, so once you get going, countless resources are available to help you launch your blog \u2013 including this one.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s cover how to start a WordPress blog and everything you\u2019ll need.<\/p>\n
First things first. You need to name your blog and purchase the domain name<\/span> from a domain registrar. A domain name is also called your website address or URL.<\/p>\n If possible, your domain name should match the name of your business or blog. If your business, brand, or personal name isn\u2019t available, consider using the big result you help clients achieve or brand keywords as your domain name.<\/p>\n You should also consider the following when selecting a domain name.<\/p>\n Your readers should be able to spell and pronounce your website\u2019s name. You want people to be able to easily and accurately talk about your blog. Should you go viral or get cited on television, it\u2019s a lot harder when your blog\u2019s title is unpronounceable.<\/p>\n Consider what languages your intended audiences speak. Familiar words and names are helpful. Shy away from random letters, unnecessary numbers, or anything that would complicate your domain name.<\/p>\n Strings of letters that form nonsensical words might be readily available, but there\u2019s a reason for that. A URL that looks like a barcode isn\u2019t just difficult to pronounce, it\u2019s forgettable. If you\u2019re looking for return traffic, pick a domain name that people will remember.<\/p>\n When considering what domain to purchase, you want to retain brand integrity. A site URL that reads like a scam is less likely to be clicked through.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s possible to register domains with hyphens and dashes, we recommend you avoid them. They\u2019re easy for visitors to forget, and can lead to other websites. What\u2019s more is that they can look like spammy or illegitimate sites.<\/p>\n People won\u2019t go to your website if they can\u2019t remember how to get there. Memorability is probably the most important factor in your domain name purchase.<\/p>\n The key to being memorable is making things easy. Think about how difficult it is to remember your passwords. The more complicated it is, the less likely you are to remember it. The same applies to domain names.<\/p>\n If you run a blog about apple orchards, you won\u2019t be able to snag apple.com. You can use variations. You\u2019ll want something on brand \u2013 JoeLovesApples.com, HowToGrowApples.net, etc.<\/p>\n With over a billion websites, finding a unique domain that hasn\u2019t been scooped up already takes a little work. Many domain providers offer suggestions when you check availability. You\u2019ll want to pick something that reflects the name of your business but is also easy to remember.<\/p>\n Once you have your domain name secured, you also need to purchase managed WordPress hosting. Managed WordPress hosting is website hosting built specifically to support WordPress websites. WordPress comes already installed, so you don\u2019t have to do any of the setup.<\/p>\n Managed WordPress hosting from Nexcess<\/span> includes the following.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re running a blog or a business, updating WordPress core and plugins are necessary. It\u2019s not just to get cool new features. They contain vital security updates that prevent your site from becoming compromised.<\/p>\n Remembering to go in and update can be a hassle, but saving time isn\u2019t the only reason you\u2019d want a little help with updates. Updating can break functionality, plugins may no longer be compatible. That can mean a poor user experience or even lost revenue.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re using Nexcess, we don\u2019t just automatically update for you \u2014 we backup your content and code daily. We also use a visual comparison tool that validates whether or not the plugin updated correctly. If it didn\u2019t, then the plugin rolls back your site to the earlier version. A host that keeps tabs on updates and provides automatic backups<\/span> gives you peace of mind and the security of knowing your data is saved.<\/p>\n Running multiple sites can be a hassle if you\u2019re switching back and forth between 2, 3, or maybe a dozen dashboards. It\u2019s easy to make mistakes when you\u2019ve got so many sites to keep your eyes on.<\/p>\n Within the Nexcess portal, Solid Central<\/a><\/span> can be requested through a support ticket. You can manage up to 100 sites all in the same place.<\/p>\n The thought of moving your whole website with all its content seems like a hassle. Nexcess offers a migration plugin<\/a><\/span> for WordPress users that makes it as easy as a few clicks.<\/p>\n People create multiple sites for many reasons. Maybe you\u2019re creating many sites quickly for clients. Maybe you\u2019re testing sites. Whatever the reason, it\u2019s a lot easier to use Stencils to copy sites fast.<\/p>\n With all the great plugins and themes that come out, it\u2019s hard to resist trying them out. That\u2019s where staging sites for testing new themes and plugins<\/span> come in.\u00a0 Installing any new theme or plugin you haven\u2019t tested could impact your performance or worse \u2014 break your site. Test themes and plugins quickly and without risk with 1-click staging.<\/p>\n Nexcess provides free, installed SSL certificates<\/span> on all sites, as well as SFTP\/SSH access. There\u2019s also no limit to the amount of plugins you want to install \u2014 though we recommend testing them out in a staging site beforehand.<\/p>\n Now you need to connect your domain name and hosting account so your new WordPress website will show up at your web address. To do this, you need to do the following.<\/p>\n Now that your domain name is connected to your hosting account and your new WordPress site shows up at your desired URL, it\u2019s time to choose a WordPress theme<\/span>. The theme you choose will dictate the design and look of your blog.<\/p>\n Quick tip:<\/strong> When selecting a WordPress theme, ignore the colors, images, and design elements, as all those items can be changed easily. Instead, focus on the structure and layout of the page templates and how the content is organized.<\/p>\n Once the theme you chose is installed, it\u2019s time to make any customizations and modifications needed, like adding your logo, changing the colors to your CTA buttons, and even changing the fonts used. Many pre-built commercial themes provide several customization and template options for you to choose from.<\/p>\n The WordPress Customizer found under the Appearance > Customize<\/strong> menu allows you to make changes to the theme design and see the changes you\u2019re making in action (in desktop, tablet, and mobile views) while they are being made.<\/p>\n Some of the options you can customize include Colors and Fonts, Posts\/Pages Layout, Site Identity, and Menus.<\/p>\n They\u2019re located in the Customizer, as shown here:<\/p>\n The theme you selected will determine the layout of your homepage and whether your blog archive (main list of all your blog posts) is on the home page or a separate blog page. Now that you have customized the theme to be reflective of your brand, it\u2019s time to add your core pages like the about page and contact page and to add your content and images to the homepage and any other page that you create.<\/p>\n To add new pages, navigate to the Posts menu and select \u201cAdd New.\u201d<\/p>\n From there you\u2019ll get a blank page template. Add the page title to the first line and enter your content. You can edit options on the right sidebar. When you\u2019re done, click \u201cPublish.\u201d<\/p>\n Navigate back to the Posts menu and repeat to create your Contact pages or any other additional pages. Alternatively you can begin adding posts.<\/p>\n There are two ways to add a post. You can add it from the main Posts page using the \u201cAdd New\u201d button. You can also use the dashboard menu option on the left sidebar under the Posts menu.<\/p>\n When you click \u201cAdd New,\u201d you\u2019re taken to a blank post template page, as seen below. You can enter text by starting to type. If you\u2019d rather add blocks and start customizing them, type \/ and select your desired block from the menu.<\/p>\n You can also edit both the formatting of your text, the blocks, and the post itself by using the tabs on the right.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re done, click \u201cPublish.\u201d<\/p>\n People are visual creatures. A site that is just text might be full of great content, but you want people to stay engaged. That\u2019s where images come in.<\/p>\n Within a post, you can type \u201c\/\u201d to select a block. Select \u201cImage\u201d as shown below.<\/p>\n The image menu options will appear. You can either upload an image directly from your computer, select one from your media library, or use an image hosted elsewhere by typing in the URL.<\/p>\n To access your media library, navigate to the media menu on the left dashboard.<\/p>\n Click \u201cAdd New\u201d to add an image.<\/p>\n Upload your image(s), and now they can be selected from the media library when you want to add an image block.<\/p>\n Now you\u2019re ready to start adding the final bits of your site that improve user experience and help track your performance and success.<\/p>\n Along with the content and images for the site, it\u2019s also a smart idea to add a contact form to your contact page to easily allow people to contact you without publishing your email address online and opening yourself up for a barrage of spam.<\/p>\nEasy to pronounce<\/h3>\n
Free from hyphens and dashes<\/h3>\n
Easy to remember<\/h3>\n
2. Purchase managed WordPress hosting<\/h2>\n
Automatic updates and backups<\/h3>\n
Multisite dashboard<\/h3>\n
Easier WordPress migrations<\/h3>\n
Copy sites fast with stencils<\/h3>\n
1-click staging sites<\/h3>\n
Unhindered, secure access<\/h3>\n
3. Connect your domain name and hosting<\/h2>\n
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4. Choose a WordPress theme<\/h2>\n
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5. Customize the WordPress theme<\/h2>\n
6. Add content and images<\/h2>\n
7. Add a contact form and social icons<\/h2>\n