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WordPress is an excellent solution for how to start a blog, it’s also surprisingly simple to create a WordPress blog website. That’s why we say you can do it in under 15 minutes.
How to create a website or a blog: what you’ll need
If you want to create a website or a blog, here’s the entire process step-by-step:
- Sign up for web hosting (we recommend Bluehost).
- Pick a domain name for your blog.
- Install free WordPress blog software.
- Log in and write your first blog post.
- Change your blog design by picking a theme.
- Install a couple of essential plugins.
Step 1: Purchase hosting and your domain name
Making your free WordPress blog accessible to people around the world requires two things:
- Hosting – this is the motor that controls your site. While you don’t “see it”, each and every site on the Internet has a host fueling it.
- Domain – this is like your blog’s permanent address. For example,
potirigala.com.
You can purchase your hosting and domain at the same time, But before you can do that, you need to choose a WordPress host. Because of WordPress’ popularity, there are a huge number of WordPress hosts.
We’ve by and by tried the exhibition and dependability of many hosts. With the aftereffects of this large number of examinations as the main priority, we can prescribe Bluehost to new WordPress bloggers.
Here’s why:
- It’s affordable. You can host your site for the price of a small latte each month – it’s just $2.75 per month for your first 12 months.
- You get a free domain name when you sign up. This ties in with affordability – your own domain would otherwise cost $10+.
- You can easily install WordPress. With just a few clicks, you can launch the WordPress software and have a working blog. No tech knowledge needed!
- It has enough performance to get you started. When you’re just starting out, Bluehost offers plenty of performance to keep your site loading.
How to sign up for WordPress hosting at Bluehost
For beginners, we recommend the cheap Basic plan because it packs plenty of power for your fledgling blog. Click the SELECT button to start the process:
On the next screen, enter the domain name you want to use for your blog in the new domain box and click Next. Remember – you get this for free:
On the final screen, you’ll need to enter basic account and billing details at the top
As you look down, you’ll see a Package Information segment at the base. Here, you can pick how long of facilitating administration to buy, just as any additional items that you need. While Bluehost will check a portion of these additional items, of course, you can securely deselect them:
All in, you should pay $33 for your domain name and one year of hosting.
Once you’ve filled in all of the information, click SUBMIT at the bottom to complete your purchase.
Step 2: Install the free WordPress software
When you completed the sign-up process in the previous step, you should have received an email from Bluehost with details on how to log in to the Bluehost Customer Area.
Bluehost will give you a simple wizard that takes you through the process of installing WordPress on your new site.
Don’t see the setup wizard? no concerns, it’s still truly simple to introduce WordPress with Bluehost. Simply go to the My Sites region and snap the Add Site button to dispatch the wizard:
Then, you’ll be able to fill in all the details for your site’s name and the username/password that you’ll use to manage your WordPress blog
Once you finish the install process, you can access your new blog’s dashboard by going to yourdomain.com/wp-admin.
Step 3: Write your first blog post
When you first log in to your blog’s WordPress dashboard, you should see a screen like this:
Hover on posts and then click Add new to create a new post
Step 4: Here’s how to change how your blog looks
Themes – these change how your free WordPress blog looks
Plugins – these add functionality to your blog
Where to find WordPress themes for your blog
To find free themes, the best place to search is the official WordPress.org theme directory.
To find premium themes, you’ll need a broader approach. Some good options are:
ThemeForest – a big directory of premium themes.
ThemeIsle – we think our themes are pretty swell.
How to install a WordPress theme
WordPress makes it easy to add that theme to your site.
Here’s how:
- Hover over Appearance
- Select Themes
- Click the Add New button
- If you chose a free theme at WordPress.org, search for the theme by name and click Install.
- If you purchased a premium theme, click the Upload Theme button and upload the ZIP file you should have received when you purchased the theme.
- After installing your theme, make sure to click the Activate button to make it active on your site.
How to further customize your WordPress theme
This interface lets you make certain tweaks to your theme without needing to know code.
You can access it by going to Appearance → Customize
- Make changes by using the options on the left
- See a real-time preview on the website preview on the right
- Make your changes live by clicking Save & Publish
Step 5: Here’s how to add functionality to your blog
plugins are more focused on helping you add functionality to your free WordPress blog
Plugins are what allow you to add more advanced functionality like:
- Contact forms
- Social network buttons
- Backups
- Improved SEO
Where to find WordPress plugins for your blog
the best place to look for free plugins is at the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
How to install WordPress plugins
- Go to Plugins → Add New
- If you chose a free plugin at WordPress.org, search for the plugin by name and click Install Now.
- If you purchased a premium plugin, click the Upload Plugin button and upload the ZIP file you should have received when you purchased the plugin.
Make sure to Activate the plugin after installing it.
You can always manage your existing plugins by going to the Plugins tab:
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