Putting up own website - where to turn?

[Irulan]

Here are the basic steps:
1.Register your domain name. This is like $12/year.

2. Get a web hosting plan. - oh, looks like you have that.
3. Start building the site with WordPress or similar. Godaddy has a service that integrates with Wordpress so you get started right away. I've hand coded sites way back when, and for the new technology Wordpress is pretty simple. Wordpress is interactive software that you install on your computer, than is linked with whatever server/hosting you use.

-Even though WordPress is known as blogging software, it's great for just regular sites, too.
-You will need to download Wordpress onto your computer if that's the way you decide to go.
-I'd opt to pay for hosting. You can have a free blog/website at Wordpress but it comes with ads.

There is a ton of help out there in terms of tutorials, videos, etc. I found that any time I couldnt figure out how to do something I would just google it and find the answer somewhere.

[Catrin]

Back when I had a book indexing business on the side I used Wordpress and liked it just fine. I didn't even use the interactive software they provide, just used their free online editing/templates. I didn't have ads, and I may have paid a small amount for that, it's been a few years and I've forgotten if I did.

Good luck and have fun!

[Dogmama]

Irulan, thanks, that is what I needed to know. I bought a domain name at Godaddy (The Well-Mannered Dog)and will be talking to my web host service after the new year. I don't want ads - with my luck there would be Petsmart ads on my page.

One thing I'm not clear on - can I download wordpress, start to work on it and then upload it to my web hosting service?

[shootingstar]

I love your domain name, dogmama!

Just make sure your web host service already hosts wordpress.org blogs and ask them for their customer links. The free one is on wordpress.com on Wordpress company servers....

I have used both versions. What wordpress.com version does is to make sure its core/new features work..before they take to .org version.

I have used both versions. There is inherently some strong advantages using wordpress.com ...for free to try out. It doesn't hurt to try your own personal blog separate from your business.

[Irulan]

Irulan, thanks, that is what I needed to know. I bought a domain name at Godaddy (The Well-Mannered Dog)and will be talking to my web host service after the new year. I don't want ads - with my luck there would be Petsmart ads on my page.

One thing I'm not clear on - can I download wordpress, start to work on it and then upload it to my web hosting service?

Shootingstar is right in that you have to make sure your host is set up for WP.

As for working ahead, I'm not sure. It does help to be organized ahead of time. You can have a lot of your text ready, your images ready to go, an organizational structure in mind. It doesn't have to be complicated, but you should have a plan.

One thing that is cool about Wordpress is that there is a lot of built in options. For example, there is a "contact" form that is easy to set up so people can contact you by email. Social media integration is done with a click of the button.

This link will get you started. http://wordpress.org/
One thing to do first is to surf the themes. These are predesigned layouts that determine the look of your site. You can change colors, fonts, images and placement. There are lots an lots of them, generally sorted out by category such as e-tail site, blog, media rich and so on. http://wordpress.org/themes/

To give you an idea, when I was doing my mom's blog, I looked at three themes Chateau, Tiny Forge andTwentyTwelve

I ended up chosing the Chateau theme to play with, and this is what I did with it
http://hadditt.com/

[ridebikeme]

I'm in the same situation here and appreciate the post and info everyone! Of course, this all rather sounds easy with all of YOU talking about it HA!!

[Irulan]

I'm pretty new to WP, but some of our TEs have been using it a long time. When I redid my business site, (hand coded in the 90's) my nephew switched it over to WP and then tutored me it it. I then did my mom's site on my own. There is a lot of help and how to out there on the web, but I'm happy to pass on what I know, which is like 1% of what you can do with it. And I'll go on for hours if no one else chimes in...I think the hardest part is knowing where to start and then what steps to do in what order....

[shootingstar]

Dogmama:

For your own sanity, since same Wordpress.com themes often are also found on wordpress.org, you could spend time targeted on a 2-3 choice theme templates. "Theme" is just a type of template design for organizing your blog content. Wordpress.com has over 200 themes, some which are 1-time fee-base. I've used free ones and they are just as good if the theme meets key minimal features for your needs.

I've used Twenty Twelve for: http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com
http://www.velo-city2012blog.com/ Which is blog is actually on self-hosted company server that uses wordpress.org plug-ins. Same Twenty Twelve features.

My partner uses Triton Lite for: http://velourbanismblog.wordpress.com/
Another blog for a non-profit organization which uses Expound: http://www.cyclotouringbc.com/wordpress/

All of above chosen themes per blog, are free wordpress.com themes. Yes I do have some widgets (those little functional information displays and information tools on left, right hand or bottom of any blog) which look fancy, but some are automated or freebies I've found.


Some, not all the wordpress theme templates offers a features photo custom header banner slider. Themes here: http://theme.wordpress.com/ Make sure you click for drop-down "Find a Theme" menu button at top of linked page to do a general search.

For wordpress.com just to understand key areas to customize: http://en.support.wordpress.com/customize-my-site/

Anyway, once you get rolling, you will like it (assuming you naturally like writing about stuff that you passionately believe in.).

For others who wonder how on earth people can spend time on fashioning a blog post: my response- Well knitting, crocheting or sewing a garment takes a lot of time too! So does creating 1 painting or sculpture. Or if you become proficient and focus on right stuff, yea some people do a blog post in 1 hr. or less..but it may be simple post. I could NEVER blog on a iphone but the ability to use Wordpress to do it, is possible and some people do.

[Dogmama]

I'm pretty new to WP, but some of our TEs have been using it a long time. When I redid my business site, (hand coded in the 90's) my nephew switched it over to WP and then tutored me it it. I then did my mom's site on my own. There is a lot of help and how to out there on the web, but I'm happy to pass on what I know, which is like 1% of what you can do with it. And I'll go on for hours if no one else chimes in...I think the hardest part is knowing where to start and then what steps to do in what order....

That's what I need so appreciate the help!!!

My computer techie suggested WP, so that's where I found out about it. I also saw on Amazon where you can "borrow" a book in Kindle on WP with Prime membership (which I have.) First thing though is to make sure my web host accepts WP.