A while ago I wrote a post called 8 Reasons Why Designers Should Blog. This post explained how designers can use a blog in many ways to promote themselves and their work. In the time I have been blogging I have learned a lot about how a blog can help you get found on Google and so have put together a guide for complete newbies into how to create your first blog.
If you have never set up a blog before this guide will literally take you step by step through the process of setting up your first blog. It also has tips for choosing a domain name that might help you get found more easily.
You can download the pdf guide here (no sign up or email required).
Setting up a WordPress Blog Guide Contents
Step 1 – Choosing a domain name for your blog
Step 2 – Checking domain availability and buying domains
Step 3 – Purchase your web hosting
Step 4 – Pairing up your domain name with your webspace
Step 5 – Installing WordPress to power your blog
Step 6 – General Settings
Step 7 – Setting your permalinks
Step 8 – Choosing a theme for your WordPress blog
Step 9 – Installing plugins on your WordPress blog
Step 10 – Writing your first posts and pages
Step 11 – Setting your home and blog page
Step 12 – Using Feedburner
Step 13 – Backing up your WordPress blog
Finding free and cheap images for your blog
Twitter
RSS
Facebook
10 Comments
Step 10 is the hardest of all those steps. Don’t you think? Writing can be daunting if you are not used to do it. I mean talking is different, it is easy. However I find it is harder to express things through writing in such a way that makes it look interesting and exciting to read. Then there is the task of constantly writing to update your blog. Oh boy!
Hi Simon, Yes the writing is the hard bit definitely. If you are anything like me I go through phases when I write a lot then not much at all
Tara, what a great giveaway. Looks fantastic. I can certainly avow that designers wanting to get their work and their name out there should blog – no doubt about that.
Simon, for someone who finds it hard to express themselves through writing you certainly seem able to leave a pretty eloquent comment!
Great PDF download, Ideal for nubies setting up and a good refresher too!, I agree with the google XML and all in one Seo plugins, I setup all my blogs using these, from a search engine point of view I always tend to put my keywords in the first 100 words and links to internal pages in this area.
Thanks for your tips Ben
Thanks Rob – hopefully people will check out your “How to Get Clients Book” too for more tips
Thanks, Tara, with our two e-books an aspiring graphic designer has everything they would need to set themselves up online
Actually, I noticed my site appearing on one of the Market Samurai screen shots in your e-book!
Hi Rob – I noticed that too
– looks like you are doing really well
i am new to blogging and the tips in the ebook will definitely help me setup my blogs…thanks Tara
I am a concert pianist and for the longest time I wanted to write a blog, but I lacked the technical expertise to even know where to begin. I followed your instructions and I successfully setup my blog. It’s a blog meant to serve as un unofficial Steinway piano guide and your WordPress Guide made it happen, thanks!