WordPress.org

Blogging Corner

WordPress.org started in 2003 as a basic blogging tool, but has evolved into a full Content Management System. As it’s part of the open source project, you’re free to use the software for anything without paying a license fee.

Getting started

Starting your WordPress.org site takes a little more time and planning than Blogger and WordPress.com because it’s a self-hosted option.

Choose a WordPress web hosting service

The first thing you need to do is find a suitable web host. There are hundreds of companies offering the service, so look for one that specialises in WordPress hosting.

Buy a domain

After you’ve sourced a web hosting service, you’ll need to purchase a domain. Don’t be tempted to register your domain with your hosting company (even if it’s free). Domains registered with Namecheap give greater control, added security and redundancy.

Install WordPress

Installing WordPress varies from host to host. Most offer one-click installation routines that do everything for you. If your WordPress web host doesn’t include this or you prefer to do it yourself, then we have some information to help you.

Managing Your Site

Because WordPress.org is self-hosted, you’re responsible for managing and maintaining your site. Here are a few essential tasks that you or your hosting partner need to complete:

Backups – You need a good backup system in place so that you can restore your site quickly if you hit problems. Managed WordPress hosting services, like WPX and Kinsta, have good backup systems.

Advice: We recommend Jetpack for your backups; this feature is available on their personal plan which costs $3.50/month and offers priority support. Or, you could use a free plugin like UpdraftPlus.

Security – You need to protect your site against hackers. Again, some web hosting services keep you safe more than others by patching security issues at the server level.

Advice: Consider using a service like Sucuri to protect your site. Their firewall also acts as a content delivery network (CDN) which can speed up your blog.

Software updates – You need to ensure you keep WordPress, plus your theme and plugins updated; otherwise, your site is more vulnerable to security breaches.

Personalising your site

Using the WordPress Customiser – as we saw earlier – you can change colours and backgrounds, fonts, menus, widgets, and more. But there are more ways to customise your site by installing themes and plugins.

WordPress.org comes with a default theme; e.g. Twenty Seventeen, Twenty Sixteen, etc. It’s fine to start with, but soon you’ll probably want to install a theme of your choice. If you want to find a free theme, the best place to look is the official WordPress theme listings. Or you can search right from your Admin Panel:

If you don’t find a free theme that works for you, then you can buy a premium theme. More often than not, the premium themes have more functionality and can be market-specific.

Pros:

• It’s open source and is free.

• Once installed, it’s easy to use and navigate.

• It’s more versatile and customisable, as there are no platform restrictions.

• You own your site, so your content can’t be suspended or deleted.

Cons

• There are more things to consider before you can start creating content.

• It takes more time to manage and maintain.


Wanna be a blogger but don’t know how to? Fret not as we have some really workable tips to help you out. Email us your queries at: [email protected] or drop texts at: +92-322-6242582.

Happy blogging!

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