Seven Steps To Installing WordPress For A New Site

Step 1 – Find Your Host
If you have not already done so, then you need to decide on where you will be hosting your site. Look about for a site host that offers the services that you need at a cost you are happy to pay. To install WordPress, you will need basic hosting along with a MySQL database, so look at the cost of that. If you are creating in excess of 1 blog then perhaps look at accounts that will host multiple sites, even reseller accounts.

If you are lucky you might select a host that has one click WordPress installation. If so, then do the next step and the one click installation and forget the rest of the steps!

Step 2 – Buy Your Domain Name
Usually this is part of setting up your hosting. Think of a good domain name, check if it is available (your budding hosts will have a tool for this) and go for it! Do not be tempted to stuff the domain name with keywords. Keep it short and snappy and good looking. If keywords fit into it, then fine. But a name that describes the weblog or is based about your name can attract more traffic long term.

Step 3 – Install A Database
This might be automatic with a few hosting packages and with others you need to click a button to install the database and set-up an admin user id and password. Make a note of the access details your host gives to you.

Step 4 – Download WordPress
Go to WordPress.org, click download and get a copy of the newest version. Save it to your machine then using Windows Explorer look for the folder that you have downloaded to. It comes as a zip file, which you straightforward unzip by opening the zip file in Explorer then dragging the WordPress folder into an additional folder. It will take a minute or two to unpack.

Step 5 – Customise the Installation
Look at the readme file in the unpacked folder, but fundamentally you take a copy of the wp_config file and edit it with the user id, password and maybe database location from step 3.

Step 6 – Upload WordPress
Now the difficult part, if you are not used to it! If you have an FTP package then merely use that to upload the unzipped contents of the WordPress folder to your website (the contents only).

If you do not have FTP software, the you can use Internet Explorer to do the trick. Type into the address bar the address your hosts have handed you for FTPing, sign on and then navigate to the folder on the site you need to upload to. (Certain versions of Internet Explorer require you to confirm you want to use FTP by going for an option under the tools menu on the top right.) Now, only drag the contents of the unzipped folder to the folder on the web site.

Step 7 – Install
Type in your weblog address and follow the instructions on the screen, you are seconds away from having a new weblog! Select a password and (onWordPress 3.0 onwards) choose a user id and you are running.

Now, you only need to start customising WordPress and change a few security settings. Easy when you know how.

Written by Keith Lunt of How To Start A Blog. Call in if you need any help or advice with starting a blog.

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