E-Book available of this tutorial (PDF format)

Ever one for a challenge I was asked to write a 10 step how-to on how to set up a blog. From the concept to the first post.
My first thought was “wow, only 10 steps?” but the more I thought about it I figured it would be pretty easy to break down into 10 steps. [somehow I managed to make it all in 6 steps]

*note – this is according to the industry standard setup on Tubu Internet Solutions’ severs, other hosting companies can vary’*

Here goes….

Step One: – Register a domain

This is likely the hardest part of the whole process. It’s not easy, I’ll be the first to tell you that. It has to have meaning, it has to represent you, it has to be short, it has to be simple, it has to be available.  You can check your domain availability and register your domain for less than $10 (mostly) at Tubu Domains (http://domains.tubu.net). *Here’s something that not a lot of people tell you* Nameservers essentially connect your domain to your host. You often need to change your domain nameservers. In our case we’re using ns1.tubu.net and ns2.tubu.net as custom nameservers. Domain registrars vary, Tubu Domains is an easy walkthrough process.

Step Two: – Sign up for a hosting account

Lots of people hear “hosting account” and immediately glaze over. A hosting account is essentially a place for your web site/blog to sit. . For this tutorial we’re going to use BlogHost.me, a fine blog hosting package offered by Tubu Internet Solutions. just $10 per year is a fine start. Bloghost.me gets you signed up in just 4 steps. Select your package (just click the Select Package button) Enter your domain (type in the domain you registered and add it) Enter your details (name address etc) Complete your order (quick and easy PayPal payment)

Step 3:- Check your email, wait and login

You should have a couple o emails at this point. A couple regarding your domain registration and one or two from Tubu Support. One should detail your hosting account details, your username and password for your hosting account. Keep this handy. Domain propagation can take a few minutes (time to connect your domain to your host) wait a little while and move on to the next step. Log in to the host control panel using the details emailed to you. Tubu uses cPanel, an industry standard host backend interface. cPanel can be daunting when you first log in but it’s all fairly easy. You’re looking for one icon in particular; Fantastico (see image left). Click it. Fantastico DeLuxe is an open source software installer and updater. Tubu includes it with their services because it makes life so, so much easier.

Step 4:- Install Wordpress

Find Wordpress in the extensive list of available free software, click it and click new install Really, all you need to do is type in a username and password for your blog, take a special note of this one, it’s important. Click Install WordPress and finish up the installation. It’s a good idea to have the installer email you installation details to you when it gives you the option. That wasn’t too harrowing was it?

Step 5:- Log into your Dashboard

Assuming the steps above all worked ok you should be able to log into your WordPress Dashboard. The WordPess Dashboard is basically a central place to manage all your WordPress operations. Your dashboard address is in the installer email, it’s normally yourdomain.tld/wp-admin

Step 6:- Start Blogging

You have a blog. Aren’t you proud? All you have to do now is click on Write Post and start typing, or you can Write a Page, it’s completely up to you. It’s your blog. A post is a dynamic type of article. A page is more static…page..these generally contain information about the blog or author etc. Links to pages, on the default template appear at the top. When you click the publish button your post will appear on your blog.

cPanel and Tubu make it remarkably easy to back up your site.

**the following instructions are for hosts who use cPanel. Check with your host**

Here are a few easy steps to downloading your site:

Log in

Log into your site cPanel, normally at your site name /cpanel your username and password should be supplied o you by your host.

Find the Backup Wizard

The Backup Wizard should be located in the Files area of your cPanel interface.

Click it

Run the backup

Hopefully you’ll never have to use the restore.
Just click the Backup button.

Click it

Run the Full Backup

I’ve found it best to run a full backup. Assuming your site is the way you want it this is the best way to go.

Click it

Get your email notification

The cPanel Backup is nice because it gives you options. You don’t have to use them but they’re there.
The next, easiest step is to drop your email address in the handy-dandy box to have a notification emailed to you when your backup is completed.

Click the Generate Backup button

You should get a message like this one telling you that your Backup is underway.

Check your email

You’ll get an email once your Backup is complete. (check your spam folder too).
Hopefully there’ll be a bunch of oks and dones as well as a bunch of things that few o us understand.
The time it takes to generate your Backup and receive your email depends on the size of your site and speed of your server.

Download your backup

Backing up your site and keeping the backup on the server does you very little good. It’s like backing up your computer and keeping the disk on your desk. What if your house burns down? Yes, you’ve lost everything. 
Let’s do an ‘offsite backup’ by downloading your backup to your computer and putting some space between your server and your safe place.

Once you receive your completion email, log back into the Backup Wizard in cPanel (if you’ve forgotten, see further up this tutorial) and  start the full backup, you’ll see a list of Backups available to download.

Look for your latest backup. Recent backups are normally at the bottom of the list. Click the link to download the backup to your computer.
It’s a good idea to burn your backup to a disk and keep it in a safe place somewhere.

That’s it! you’re all done!

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Drop a comment.

In it he mentions Tubu Internet Solutions’ BlogHost.me hosting package (still only $10 per year) at item 12 with the suggestion that a self hosting really kicks your blog up a few notches.

I may be biased but I agree

I’m going to have to work through this list and make sure that I am going/have done and/or will be doing each and every of the 50 items in the post.

Be sure to check it out and join the other bloggers who have taken advantage of this great promotion.

TechBurgh Tutorial. How to install Wordpress in cPanel using Fantastico