Creating a WordPress blog from scratch can be a challenging but rewarding experience. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through creating a WordPress blog from scratch, step-by-step. We’ll cover everything you need to know, from choosing a domain name to optimizing your site for search engines. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully-functional WordPress blog ready to publish your first post.
Why create a blog on the Power Platform in the first place?
Starting a personal blog on the Power Platform is an excellent way to showcase your skills, knowledge, and passion for the technology. By creating and maintaining a blog, you not only help to build your personal brand, but also give yourself a platform to share your experiences, ideas, and insights with the broader Power Platform community.
Moreover, starting a personal blog can be an effective way to advance your career. As you continue to create content and build your audience, your blog can catch the eyes of potential employers and demonstrate your expertise in the Power Platform. Additionally, having a blog can be a source of ad revenue, especially if you build a large audience over time.
Another significant benefit of starting a personal blog is that it can show potential employers that you are a self-starter. Creating and maintaining a blog demonstrates that you have the drive and passion for learning and sharing your knowledge with others. This is an attractive quality for employers, and it can help set you apart from other candidates in job interviews.
In short, starting a personal blog on the Power Platform is a worthwhile endeavour that can provide many personal and professional benefits. So if you’re interested in building your personal brand and advancing your career, let’s take a high-level look at the steps you’d need to follow.
To put this into perspective, PowerPlatformer.com took me less than 2 hours to get to the point where I am ready for my first post.
Step 1: Choose a Domain Name
Your domain name is your blog’s online identity. It’s the name people will use to find your blog online. Your domain name should be memorable, easy to spell, and related to the topic of your blog. Here are some tips for choosing a good domain name:
- Keep it short and simple
- Use keywords related to your blog’s topic
- Avoid using hyphens or numbers
- Choose a domain extension that’s relevant to your target audience (e.g., .com, .net, .org)
Once you’ve chosen your domain name, register it with a domain registrar like GoDaddy. You can typically register a domain for around $10 to $15 per year.
Step 2: Sign Up for a Web Hosting Account
Web hosting is the service that allows you to store your blog’s files and data on a server that’s accessible over the internet. There are many web hosting providers, but we recommend Kinsta. Kinsta offers fast, reliable hosting, excellent customer support, and a user-friendly control panel.
To sign up for Kinsta, go to their website and choose a hosting plan suitable for your needs. Once you’ve selected a plan, you’ll be prompted to choose a data centre location and enter your domain name. Kinsta will guide you through the process of setting up your hosting account.
Step 3: Install WordPress
WordPress is the content management system that powers your blog. It’s free, open-source, and easy to use. To install WordPress, log in to your Kinsta account and navigate to the “Sites” section. Click “Add Site” and follow the instructions to set up your WordPress site.
Step 4: Choose a Theme
Your blog’s theme determines its appearance and layout. There are thousands of free and premium WordPress themes, but we recommend using a premium theme like Thrive Themes. Thrive Themes offers a wide range of professional and customizable themes optimized for conversions and SEO.
To install a theme, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to “Appearance” > “Themes.” Click “Add New” and search for the theme you want to use. Once you’ve found the theme, click “Install” and “Activate.”
Step 5: Create a Logo
A logo is an integral part of your blog’s branding. It’s a visual representation of your blog’s identity and helps to make it more memorable. You don’t need to be a graphic designer to create a logo. You can use a free tool like Canva to create a simple but effective logo for your blog.
To create a logo with Canva, sign up for a free account and choose “Logo” from the templates. Customize the logo with your blog’s name and any other elements you want to include. Once you’re happy with your logo, download it in a suitable format (e.g., PNG or SVG).
Step 6: Install the necessary plugins.
Once you have installed your theme, it’s time to add some plugins to your WordPress site. Plugins are small applications that add extra functionality to your site. Some essential plugins to consider are:
- Yoast SEO: This plugin helps optimize your content for search engines.
- WPForms: This plugin allows you to create contact forms and surveys.
- Jetpack: This plugin offers various features, including site security, image optimization, and performance analysis.
- Social Media Share Buttons: This plugin makes it easy for your readers to share your content on social media.
Step 7: Create content
Now that your site is set up creating content is time. Before you start writing, it’s essential to know your target audience and what they’re interested in. Use keyword research tools like Ubersuggest to identify popular topics in your niche. You should also aim to create high-quality, engaging content optimized for search engines. Ensure you include images, videos, and other multimedia to make your content more appealing to readers.
Step 8: Set up Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks your website’s traffic and analyses user behaviour. To set up Google Analytics, create an account and add your website’s tracking code to your WordPress site. This will allow you to monitor your site’s performance, including the number of visitors, page views, and bounce rates.
Step 9: Promote your site.
Now that your site is running, it’s time to promote it. Share your content on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can also join online communities and forums related to your niche and share your content there. Guest blogging on other websites can also help drive traffic to your site.
In conclusion, creating a WordPress site can seem daunting, but following these steps will keep a professional-looking site up and running quickly. Remember to choose a good SEO domain name, create a logo, optimize your site for search engines, install necessary plugins, create high-quality content, set up Google Analytics, and promote your site. Good luck!