Getting to Know WordPress

I have discovered WordPress a year ago when I decided to transfer my blog from blogger to wordpress. I was confused at first what wordpress is but soon I realized that like Blogger, WordPress is also a free software with which you can set up your blog.

Blogger is owned by Google. It’s free and perhaps the easiest way to create a blog and your first post, literally within minutes! However, its functions are limited.

So, WordPress is a good alternative if you are looking for free blogging software. Since it is an open-source software, it is literally supported by a large community of users and developers, both new and experienced bloggers supported. Not only feature rich – supporting categories, pages and trackbacks, just to name a few – it is always by their core software, as well as updated software plug-in’s, the bonus software components that are to extend the basic functionality of WordPress. For more information, visit WordPress.org

Here are three ways to get a WordPress blog up and running:

1) Via WordPress.com

2) Via WordPress.org

3) on cPanel’s Fantastico

VIA WORDPRESS.COM – Like Blogger, at WordPress you can blog and publish your first post in a matter of minutes using WordPress.com. This platform is free and if it is your first time to own a blog then definitely go by this route. One thing you should know is that your blog address will end with “wordpress.com” in it and that is non-negotiable. To start, just go to WordPress.com and click on the button “Get a WordPress BlogNow,” follow the instructions, and you can start blogging.

VIA WORDPRESS.ORG – You can install WordPress on your own web host. (Of course, in this case, you must have your own web hosting account, which is preferably with a version of “cPanel” – an easy-to-use graphical control panel to manage your web host.)

Setting is made from the three main steps.

Step 1: Go to WordPress.org and download the WordPress installation files that are free (since it open source Software is as already mentioned). Because the files in a compressed format, run your compression utility (eg WinZip) the files on your hard drive to expand ..

Step 2: Run your File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program and a Connect to your web hosting account. Then download the installation files on the domain (if you have multiple domains hosted) and folder you want to install your WordPress blog.

Step 3: This step is for the non-techie type a big challenge be if they could survive step 2! Log in to the CPANEL create your web host and configure your MySQL database. Once this is done, you need some files to configure your installation complete.

Next, restart your browser to access your blog and start your first Part by the “wp-admin.php” script that was installed.

This is more tedious than the first, however, the effort is worth it because you can have more freedom in customizing your blog. What’s more – you can add Google Adsense codes when your blog is self hosted unlike when it’s free you’ll be banned if you do.