How to Install a Wordpress Blog
Installing a Wordpress blog on your own host takes a bit of of technical know-how. That’s why most start out with a Blogger blog. However, the benefits of Wordpress for search engine optimization make it worth the effort. Also, Wordpress is open source which means people are always creating free plugins and innovating. You don’t have to wait for the company to create new features.
You can create a blog instantly at www.wordpress.com but then you’ll have wordpress in your domain name (i.e. newspapergrl.wordpress.com). Wordpress doesn’t allow any advertising and they delete blogs that have ads. I know because my Wordpress blog was deleted and then brought back to life.
I solved a mystery last week when I learned Automattic employee Joseph Scott got my blog back for me (THANK YOU!). Automattic is the company that created Wordpress. You may not be as lucky, so be sure to pay the $7 a month so you can host your own blog. If you have a lot of traffic you’ll pay a lot more but that’s good enough for most bloggers.
How to Install a Wordpress Blog
- Get a domain name for your blog or install as a subdirectory of your existing site.
- Go to WordPress.org and download the Wordpress files.
- Log into your web host, find the cPanel and click on mySQL Databases link or icon. You will need to create a new database (name it what you choose),and then add a new user. You’ll have to choose a username and password too. See the screen shots below (which are from BlueHost)
- Change the config file (wp-config-sample.php) and upload it to your server via FTP. You can use pretty much any text editor to change the file. Textpad will work (find in your accessories folder).
define('DB_NAME', 'dbname‘); // Put the name of the database in place of the bold text
define(’DB_USER’, ‘dbusername‘); // Put in your MySQL username
define(’DB_PASSWORD’, ‘dbpassword‘); // Insert your password - You need to upload the files (your host should have a file upload or FTP - find in the control panel) to where you want to install WordPress. Most people put it in one of two places, either in the root directory, so it is the first thing people see when they come to your site or in a sub-directory, a folder like “blog”.
- Type in http://www.yourblogURL.com/wp-admin/install.php. Click on “First Steps” and set up your blog title. Get a temporary password.
- Log into your blog go to http://www.blogURL.com/wp-admin - you can change the password and other detail of your blog under the “Options” tab.
Here’s a screen shot of adding a new user (these are similar for most web hosts).
Now, I know you probably have a headache! That’s why I just call Bluehost at around 1am when there is no wait and the customer service folks are more willing to spend the time I need to explain things. I have them walk me through it or I use their quick install. There are drawbacks to the quick install but unless you’re pretty technical you probably won’t notice!
To use the quick Wordpress blog install find the link in the control panel (at the bottom of the long list of links on BlueHost) that says Fantastico De Luxe.
Hope this is helpful. Please comment if there is anything that would make this easier for newbies. Next I’ll post some of my favorite plugins, including a 1-click Wordpress plugin tool that will save you a lot of grief.
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6 Responses to “How to Install a Wordpress Blog”
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March 29th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
It is interesting that the Google blog is so hostile to webcrawlers. The primary reason I started a blogger blog was in the belief that I would learn good programming from the daddy-long-legs of the internet.
Instead the blog fails to follow Google’s best practices and has developed a low rent reputation.
March 29th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Hi Kevin,
Are you ADMITTING that you LIVE in a LOW RENT DISTRICT ?
It MUST be HARD ON YOU !
March 31st, 2008 at 8:41 am
Good Wordpress tutorial. I upgraded to the new WP 2.5 version over the weekend and love it. Big improvements.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:58 am
In regards to BlueHost I spoke with Joseph Scott of Automattic and he had mentioned that we was going to talk to them about setting up a one button wordpress install. They seem to have everything else ready for a one click install except Wordpress. Hope that have that soon, if nothing else than to make it quicker.
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
yes I agree with sterling, 2.5 is much better.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Hey Kevin, LOL, come back and blog!
It was just a “figure of speech” thing and
I was just “busting your nuts” like a squirrel !
Don’t “take me” too seriously! I know you’re a
GREAT lover, from what I hear, and I like your blogging!