How to Install WordPress
So, you’re looking to start a blog of your own and jump on-board the train of online business success? Fantastic! Today, I will walk you through exactly how to install and configure WordPress (a Content Management System primarily used for blogging). WordPress is open source, completely free, and updated often.
Step One: Hosting
If you’re going to install WordPress, you’ll need to have somewhere to install it to! A hosting company provides you with bandwidth and disk space, which is what every type of website requires. Bandwidth is a measure of the resources consumed by your visitors and traffic, and disk space is quite simply how much space your files take up. Take a look at the different types of hosting here.
It is important to have sufficient levels of both, for optimal results. I recommend hosting from DreamHost.com – I have used them for years and have nothing but good things to say. Plus, if you decide to go with them, you can enter the promotional code KOVICH during the checkout process to get $50 off!
You will also need to download an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Client. This is what connects your computer to your hosting account, and allows you to upload the necessary files. FileZilla is a free, open-source FTP client that you can use.
Step Two: Getting WordPress
This is, by far, the easiest step in the process. All you do is click here to visit the official download page, and click ‘Download WordPress’. Once it’s done, simply unpack the files and upload them. WordPress has a built-in installation wizard to follow, which will guide you step by step.
Step Three: Find a Theme!
A theme is basically the visual style on the front-end (the part the visitors see) of your blog. It’s best to eventually buy a premium theme or have one designed, but I would hold off until you establish your blog a bit. For now, you’ll be fine with a nice free theme.
You can easily find them on Google by searching ‘free
Once you have your theme picked out, upload the folder to: WP-Content > Themes.
To activate the theme, open your admin panel by going to: yourblog.com/wp-admin and logging in. Click on the ‘Appearance’ tab on the left, and then ‘Themes’ – then click ‘Activate’ by the theme you want to use.
Step Four: Plugins, plugins, plugins!
Plugins are simply files that add additional functionality to your blog. They can be downloaded here. It’s important to always pick plugins that have been tested with your version of WordPress, to ensure functionality. Remember to backup your database before installing any plugins, just in case something goes wrong!
When you have your plugins, they would be uploaded to: WP-Content > Plugins.
Here are some of the plugins that I recommend and use:
AddToAny: Share/Bookmark/Email Button
Akismet
All in One SEO Pack
AntiVirus
Contact Form 7
Google XML Sitemaps
Login LockDown
Redirection
Robots Meta
SEO Slugs
WordPress Hashcash
WP Security Scan
WP Super Cache
See my post on Recommended WordPress Plugins to learn about each of them and what they do.
Step Five: Configuration.
Your installation is finally complete. You’ve uploaded and installed the core and then added to it with a theme and some plugins. The only thing left to do is configure everything and get it ready for the public. This is the most important part of the process…
Settings: You’ll notice that on the left-sidebar in the admin panel there is a tab called ‘Settings’. It is important to configure everything in that section to ensure your blog is running the way you want it to be. I would cover the various settings, but it would be essentially pointless, since concise descriptions are given with every option. I would like to touch upon one specific setting, however:
Permalink: Changing your permalink is critical, because, by default, it is not SEO friendly. I would advise you to change it to: “/%postname%/” — You’ll see the option to change it by going to your admin panel and clicking ‘Settings’ then ‘Permalink’.
Most plugins also have configuration options – but these vary from plugin to plugin. Please see the instructional materials offered by the creators to learn how to optimize your plugins.
Next, you’ll want to delete all the default posts and pages so that you can get rid of the clutter and create your own content. Click ‘Posts’ then highlight over the default post and click Trash. Do the same with Pages and Links, as well.
Depending on your theme, you may want to do a quick change to its coding and have your post excerpts displayed on your home and category pages, as opposed to the entire text. Doing this is great for SEO, and instructions can be found here.
To bring things to a close, run through all of your settings once again and fix anything you aren’t satisfied with or forgot to change earlier. Make sure your theme is working properly by visiting your blog and looking around carefully. Adjust your plugins and remove any that you don’t feel are necessary. Then, just play around with the settings and bring your own personal touch to your blog. The only thing left to do now is post your content and enjoy!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my tips for securing your site here.
