One of the most stressful elements to running a blog isn't creating the site itself. It's not writing the content. It isn't even managing the occasional technical issues that inevitably crop up over time. It is getting started in the first place, a step that is especially anxiety inducing for the beginner who wants to launch a professional site.   For the total newcomer to Wordpress, just figuring out the basics of the platform can be exhausting. For example, what is the difference between Wordpress.com, and Wordpress.org? When breaking down the features of … [Read more...]

It is our final WordPress Focused post in the Blogging 101 series and it covers Themes. A theme is what controls the look, layout and function of your site. When you uploaded WordPress it came with a few standard themes. There are thousands of WordPress themes to choose from. Browsing around the web at sites like Elegant Themes and StudioPress you can see how a theme can turn a WordPress blog into just about anything! I will be discussing the basics, where to find themes and how to install them and the importance of your theme to your success in this brief … [Read more...]

Moving through our Blogging 101 Series we are currently discussing Self-Hosted WordPress. We last set up general settings and we are now ready to learn more about the basics of WordPress. There are so many features to it and we will only skim over the very top and learn about the most commonly used tools. The more you use WordPress and more often you run into situations where you know what you want to do but don't know how- the more you learn about just how AWESOME WordPress is! Google is your best friend. When you need to figure something out- someone has probably … [Read more...]

Welcome back to Blogging 101, a series where I help walk you through the process of creating your own blog- rather for fun or to  make extra money online. Setting up your WordPress site can be rather involved. Let's start with the general settings Last week you chose your hosting service, set up your domain and installed WordPress.   Visit your site's WordPress Dashboard by going to YourSiteURL.com/WP-admin Upon installing your WordPress account you were given a password. This information was also emailed to you. Once logged in, be sure to first … [Read more...]

Yesterday we talked about choosing a hosting company. Today we will talk about setting up your hosting and how to install WordPress.  My experience is with Hostgator, therefore I will be using their platform through this discussion. Most hosting companies are very similar to Hostgator so you should still be able to use this as a guide.   What you need to have ready: Your cPanel login information for Hostgator and your GoDaddy domain account information   Go ahead and log into your Hostgator Control Panel (the login information should have been … [Read more...]

Welcome back to the Blogging 101 Series. I took quite a long break since my last post in this series! My apologies and thanks for sticking with me!   So you have decided to go with a WordPress blog. Good choice! There are many benefits to using WordPress's Self- Hosted service, all circling around the fact YOU own your content and YOU control every aspect!   This is the way to go if you are serious about blogging and especially if you plan to turn Blogging into a way to make money from home, online.   First let's talk about Hosting Services. So you … [Read more...]

Day 5 of the 30 days blogging series will show you how to get started on Blogger. Previously I gave you something to think about- whether you want to begin your blogging career on blogger or WordPress. If you have chosen Blogger, then get ready! If you are going with WordPress then stand still, I will show you how to get started at Self-Hosted WordPress in a future post.     Step 1. Visit Blogger.com and Register by clicking on the Red Sign-Up Button in the top right corner.   Step 2.  Hit the New Blog button to get … [Read more...]

Welcome to Day 4 of the Blogging 101 Series! For this tutorial, I will show you step by step the process of buying your own Blog Domain Name through GoDaddy.com without buying too much or becoming confused. This tutorial is a good one to follow regardless if you are choosing Blogger or WordPress.org to create your blog.   Step 1. Visit GoDaddy.com Visiting GoDaddy through the banner or link from this site will give you a discount where most .com domain names are only $7.99!! This is a limited time offer that I will have to change as this offer … [Read more...]

Day 3 of the Blogging 101 30 Day Series I bet if you ask very many bloggers, one of their biggest regrets is their choice of domain name. As a new blogger it is difficult to understand the importance of choosing the right domain. It is also hard to know exactly where your blog will go to understand the best way to incorporate all of the possibilities of your blog! For example, if you name your blog Mom of Triplet Babies and then five years later you are still blogging...well your triplets are not exactly babies anymore.   If you are new to blogging … [Read more...]

Moving on into Day 2 of our Blogging 101 series! Yesterday I covered some basic yet serious explanation of what you should expect from blogging. I briefly mentioned the importance of having a passion for blogging. I hope, for your sake, you took me seriously. I am not a fan of wasting time, I bet you aren't either. If you are not sure what to write about- then wait to start a blog until you have found your passion! Know what you want to blog about? Then today is the day you make a very important decision. Where to begin!? There are many venues you can use … [Read more...]

Welcome to the start of our 30 day guide to blogging! If you have been considering blogging but feel a little lost and not sure where to start, here it is. Your starting line is right here! I first want to start with a humbling admittance that I do not have it all figured out. Blogging is very complex. I know what has worked for me and my niche. I am still learning on a daily basis but I am so excited to share what I do know about beginning a blog. I am not guaranteeing you any level of success. Your success is dependent on you. But I will give you a good … [Read more...]