Start Your Own Blog in Just Ten Minutes

Did you know that, in a recent study, it was proven that business owners who write a blog acquire more new customers than those who don’t? A blog helps to drive traffic to your website by providing valuable content. If you’re not blogging yet, here’s how you can get started.

Start Your Own Blog in Ten Minutes

Regularly adding new content to your website can help with search engine optimisation, giving crawlers new pages to index. What better way to do this than with a blog? You can get started in just a few simple steps.
 

Get Your Domain Name

A domain name is your web address, and the way that people will find you online. (For example, mine is kerryjohnson.co.uk.) A domain looks more professional than the alternative, which is a free sub-domain. (For example, yourname.sitename.com)

Check the availability of your chosen domain name and then make the purchase. You can register a domain for a small amount per year. I register mine at namecheap.com.
 

Choose Your Host

Your host is the server on which your website will be stored. I offer free hosting here. Or, if you are looking for more features, you can upgrade to a paid account for a small fee.

Once you have set up your account, you need to host your domain. Find the option to add a domain, in your host dashboard, and enter the one you have registered. You then need to go back to your domain registrar and change your name servers to point to your host’s server.

If you have chosen hosting from my site linked above, you should use the following name servers:
ns1.runhosting.com
ns2.runhosting.com
If you have chosen a different host, you will need to find out what name servers to use. (This information can usually be found on their website.)
 

Install WordPress

Many servers – including my hosting accounts linked to above – have a free installer available. This means that you can install WordPress in a few easy steps. If you are using my hosting, select Hosting Tools » Zacky Installer and select WordPress. Follow the simple steps on the installer to get set up.

If you do not have an automatic installer, you will need to download WordPress from WordPress.org and upload the files to your server manually. (You can do this through your file manager, in the host dashboard, or with an FTP client.) You will then need to go to your site and follow the quick install steps to complete the installation.
 

Choose a Design and Layout

There are thousands of free WordPress themes readily available. Login to your WordPress dashboard by going to yoursite.com/wp-login.php. The main menu is on the left hand side of the screen. Click on ‘Appearance’ and you will see a screen that shows all installed themes.

You can add new themes by clicking on ‘Add New’. You can then browse available themes, or use the Feature Filter to search for specific features. When you find one you like, click ‘Install’. Once the install is complete, click on ‘Activate’.
 

Publish Your First Blog Post

From the main menu in your WordPress dashboard, select Posts » Add New. Enter a title and write your content and, once you are finished, click on ‘Publish’. Your post will now appear on your site.
 

There are a number of great features available on WordPress, including thousands of plugins that you can install to enhance your site. You can find further information, as well as free themes and plugins at WordPress.org.