The basic WordPress blog install

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you want a WordPress blog or at least a WordPress-powered web site, and you want it at your own domain name (mydomain.com, not mydomain.blogspot.com or something dumb), right?

And you don’t want to do it yourself, and you want it done right, and FAST.

You’re in the right place.

So if you don’t yet have hosting for your blog, PERFECT. Don’t get it yet. I’ll provide instructions on the right way to get it after we start working together. (If you have questions about what hosting costs, that info is here.)

If you already have hosting we can still work together, but you should read this.

(If you have no idea what hosting is, don’t worry, we’ll get to that.)

Down to the nitty gritty:

What’s included:

• Install and configure WordPress software (i.e. “create a blog for you”)
  • Setting up the database
  • Creating 1 basic contact form
  • Basic configuration
  • Create your user account
• Upload and activate a theme of your choice; this determines your blog’s “look”. (Want to check out some free themes? Here’s a bunch, or you can Google “free WordPress themes.” Or you can purchase a premium theme — I can make suggestions from one the ones I use.)
• Install plugins (extra software tools) that will help with search engine ranking, allow people to subscribe to your blog, and provide for some additional management tools, and fight spammers. (For the geeks who wonder which specific plug-ins I’m talking about, read this.)
• Provide information on how to get into the administrative area, where you can write posts, add pages, turn on and off additional features, etc.
• Direct you to free videos that shows you how to do most of that stuff — i.e., the most common blog tasks like adding photos, writing posts, making links, including a basic gallery, and more.

What’s not included:

Moving another blog’s content over

This is a “new install” service that will give you a blank blog, ready for you to fill with new, personalized content. If you have an existing blog and you want posts, comments, and generally all of your old stuff moved over to a spiffy new home, then what you want is a blog migration, not a simple install. I can help you with that, but it is not included as part of this service.

Personal training

I do offer personal training, but it’s an added service and billed at my normal hourly rate. I’ve been creating a small library of free videos online that you can watch to learn the basics, plus there is a ton of other information about how to use WordPress out there on the web.

Support.

I will answer basic questions relating to the initial installation, but will not be on call as “tech support”. If you need advanced support in using the WordPress, installing custom plugins, widgets and other cool features, once again, I’m available, but at my normal hourly rate.

Don’t worry. WordPress is easy, and the videos I’ll give you will show you how to do most of the basics. You WILL be able to use this site. Additionally, you can find tips and ideas about how to extend your WordPress blog at blogging2blog.com.

How this works

If you’re good with all the details: hosting, what’s included, what’s not included, etc., go ahead and click the “sign up” button.

The rest of the project goes something like this:

1. You follow an easy step-by-step process that will guide you through the process of buying your web hosting and domain name.
2. You pick a theme, which is like a template that will determine your blog’s “look.”
3. You email me the information I need: this will be the hosting log-in info, theme choice, and a bit more. (Don’t worry, I can’t get at your credit card info or anything with the log-in info. Log in yourself and poke around and you’ll see what I mean.)
4. Within a few days, I set up your blog as described above.
5. I tell you how to get into the new blog and its administration panel, which is where you’ll write posts and all of the fun stuff. I’ll also give you links to free instructional videos which will demonstrate basic WordPress functions.
6. You change your password so that I can’t get back into your stuff. (Not that I’d get into your stuff, but just for your own piece of mind.)

Ready? Click here to get started with your Free Blog Setup now!