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BEST WIRELESS EARBUDS

2018-08-17T17:33:00.001-07:00

Best Wireless Earbuds 2018 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

Wireless earbuds may be nice to have if you listen to music while you work out.

Cables are annoying and your headphone wire may get in the way while you exercise.

Prices for wireless earbuds range from inexpensive to costly. We hope this list helps you pick out a pair of wireless earbuds.

Best Wireless Earbuds 2018

When it comes to buying wireless earbuds, the experience is a little different than purchasing wired headphones.

When buying decent wired headphones you don’t need to have a bunch of specifics in your head. You need to remember technical details like impedance and size of drivers, but that’s about it.

However, when you are buying wireless earbuds, you need to keep some things in mind.

Look at the comparison table. I will provide you with more information that will help you in our Buyer’s Guide later.

1. Jaybird x3 Sport – Best Sports Headphones

Jaybird is a company that has perfected the art of wireless earphones. Their earphones have been around for years, and the X series is known for being one of the best. Although Jaybirds can be pricier than other competitors, they justify prices by delivering some great features.

We are looking at their latest creation, the Jaybird X3. The X3s are the third iteration in the series which has enjoyed much success. For starters, you are getting the same incredible sweat-proof design with some decent upgrades.

In case you are wondering what the main differences are between the X2 and X3, the X3 is smaller than the X2s. The inline microphone has gotten a change in design, and the device has a new battery aimed at providing a better battery life.

Since Logitech owns Jaybird now, some tweaks have occurred in the 6mm drivers. Expect better sound in the X3’s. As far as their performance goes, the Jaybirds X3 may be one of the best sounding wireless earphones we’ve tested. However, if you’re used to a fuller sound signature, you may not find it here since these are just wireless earphones.

The earphones also provide adequate noise cancellation. However, this may be a safety concern for runners because they manage to block out a fair amount of noise from the outside world. These wireless earphones come with a nice carrying pouch too.

Overall, the Jaybird X3 are a pair of wonderful wireless earphones. They sound fantastic and are easy to carry. However, there is one downside, we would like them to be more comfortable.

If you are a runner that wants to listen to music without the hassle of wires, the Jaybird X3’s are great.

Pros

Great sound for the small size.
Impressive battery life.
Earphones come with a compact carrying case.
Great noise isolation.
Compact design.

Cons

The earphones aren’t as comfortable as you may like.

2. SENSO Bluetooth Headphones – Extremely budget Friendly (Under $40)

Next up, we are looking at something unconventional. On our website, people have complained that we always look at high-end stuff and end up missing out on some oriented high-value products.

So, we decided to listen and look at the budget-friendly SENSO Bluetooth Headphones.

The good thing about these earphones is that they don’t cost a lot. You’d be surprised on how well the design fits for the earphones. It’s not outspoken, and the whole design follows a simple black/red color scheme. Senso did a great job at keeping everything as minimal as possible.

The headphones come with a nice carrying case, and you get three different size ear tips. If you are worried about the fit, the earphones do have soft textured flexible ear clips on both sides to make the fit easier to control.

Senso was kind enough to provide a small car charger for the wireless earphones. Although this is unusual, we hope more companies adopt this trend.

Onto the sound quality and overall performance, these were the places that concerned us the most. The case with every budget-friendly earphones is that they are often missing out on having enough performance to them.

As for Senso earphones, the good thing is that they can deliver actual high-fidelity sound quality. Sure, you’re not going to get the same performance you get from high-end earphones, but what you’re getting is more than enough.

Another good thing about this product is that these earphones come with an IPX7 rating. The rating means that you shouldn’t have to worry about wearing them in high-intensity workouts.

We don’t have any major issues with this product. The device is Hi-Fi capable, IPx7 certified, has excellent noise cancellation, the sound quality is on top, and they are comfortable. Senso has done a great job. The only complaint we have is that the earpieces are kind of big, but not obnoxious.

Pros

Sound perfect for the price you pay.
Earphones come packed with a lot of accessories.
They have an IPX7 rating and can play Hi-Fi audio files.
Comfortable for long periods of usage.
The noise cancellation works well.

Cons

The earpieces are a bit too big for our liking.

3. Bose SoundSport Wireless – Expensive yet Premium Quality

We are taking a look at something from Bose, and this company is one of few that is known for revolutionizing sound. Now, this may seem like an exaggeration, but they are recognized in the audio industry for creating some of the finest wireless earphones. Bose is seen as perfecting active noise cancellation.

Bose SoundSport Wireless is the name of the earphones we are looking at today. As the name suggests, these earphones are for people who prefer working out and listening to music. Keep in mind, these earphones are expensive, but the price is understandable because they’re from Bose.

The SoundSport Wireless is available in 2 colors. You can get them in a black or aqua color. There’s no difference in performance or either variation.

Speaking of performance, the SoundSport performs as expected and the sound is good. Given, you shouldn’t be expecting the noise level that you get from really high-end headphones but what Bose has done with the sound of SoundSport is commendable.

A great thing about these earphones is they are comfortable. You shouldn’t have any issues wearing them for extended periods of time. Another good thing about this product is the earphones manage to work as a headset for making calls.

Bose SoundSport Wireless comes with decent battery life too. By decent, we mean you get 6 hours. However, your mileage may vary depending on the loudness of the music.

We should let you know that no earphones are perfect. The only issue we are facing here is the ear-tips end up protruding out of the ears. While that shouldn’t cause any problems, it just looks odd.

If you are okay with this small inconvenience, these earphones are amazing.

Pros

Sound pretty good for the price.
Great design.
Comfortable, even for extended time periods.
They can turn off on their own to save battery life.
Decent battery life.

Cons

The eartips protrude from the ear, and look weird.

4. HearFuse – True Wireless Earbuds

The world of wireless audio is wonderful, and while we are still taking slow steps towards going true wireless, the future isn’t far off. True wireless is already here, and after Apple did it, more companies are attempting to further perfect it.

What we are looking at today is called the HearFuse True Wireless earbuds, and they may be the smallest wireless earbuds we’ve seen thus far.

The earbuds ship with Bluetooth 4.2. Also, they offer a sweat-proof design which means that your workout sessions won’t be able to do much damage to the earphones.

Given the latest Bluetooth tech, the battery life can reach up to 5 hours of music playback and 120 hours of standby. The earphones offer innovative controls where you can take calls and play or pause music by tapping on the earbuds. You also get noise cancellation too.

Overall, the HearFuse True Wireless Earbuds are decent. The device sounds perfect and fulfilling while keeping size in mind. There is one thing that we don’t like, and that is they don’t charge with a charging cradle which is unlike some other wireless earphones.

The earbuds charge using a proprietary connector to a standard USB connector and this is odd. If you’re okay with that, then the HearFuse True Wireless earbuds are worth checking out.

Pros

Decent sounding for the small size.
Sweat-proof design.
True wireless design.
2 people can use these wireless earphones at the same time.

Cons

Proprietary charging port is bugging.
Battery life is not enough.

5. SoundPEATS Bluetooth Headphones – Extremely Small in Size

For those who are curious, SoundPEATS is a relatively new company in the market that is aimed at providing quality audio at a lower price point.

The company prides itself on being great because they want to deliver a wireless experience to general consumers without them breaking the bank.

Now the thing with SoundPEATS Q29 is they are small. Believe it or not, they are smaller than the AirPods. They come neatly packaged in a small compact box and are enclosed in a carrying case that doubles up as a charging cradle. However, the important thing you should know is that you can lose them pretty easily.

The box contains some booklets and ear tips for adequate size. As far as performance, they sound decent for the size. While there’s no way you can compare them to full sized headphones, what you’re getting is more than enough.

Considering how they are pretty small, the battery life also happens to be low. However, keeping size in mind, we won’t deduct points here. The 2.5 to 3-hour battery life is rather impressive.

Comfort is another thing that these earphones didn’t mess up. Their lightweight design and comfort makes them easy to use.

With that said, the SoundPEATS Bluetooth headphones are cheap, they sound good, and have decent battery life to them. However, their small size may make them easy to lose.

Pros

Impressive sound quality for small size.
Nicely packaged.
The carrying case doubles up as a charging cradle.
Decent battery life.

Cons

Small size allows them to get lost easily.

6. Anker SoundBuds NB10 – Who doesn’t knows Anker?

Now, we are going to look at something surprising. For those who don’t know, Anker happens to be one of the best companies when it comes to creating power banks and chargers.

However, when Anker decided to release a pair of wireless earphones, we were genuinely excited because the company is known for producing some products we know about already.

We quickly got our hands on the SoundBuds NB10.

Keep in mind the SoundBuds NB10 is not a true wireless earphone. For those curious, true wireless doesn’t have any wires whatsoever to them.

The SoundBuds NB10 sounds surprisingly good when compared to some of the other earbuds in the same price range. While the sound is nothing spectacular, when you look at the cost you’re paying it’s a lot more justified.

Another good thing is that these earphones have a decent fit. They are comfortable and stable. The fit creates a nice seal around your ears that blocks all possible outside noise. Keep in mind the active noise cancellation is still passive so it won’t be creating any artificial effect.

The battery life is 3.5 hours on moderate volumes. While this may seem small, this is something prevalent in earphones. True wireless earphones have shorter battery life than 3.5, typically.

Overall, the Anker SoundBuds NB10 is good product for the price. While they don’t provide the best experience in the market, how cheap they are, and their performance makes this device an easy decision for buying.

Pros

Good sound.
Creates excellent passive noise cancellation.
Good amount of content in the box.
Priced well.
Comfortable to wear.

Cons

Battery life may not be enough for everyone.

7. LG Tone Pro – Neckband Design Earphones

It’s always nice to see OEMs working hard to reach out to their customers in different ways. LG presented us with their version of wireless earphones named the LG Tone Pro. Now, this isn’t the first time an OEM has released earphones, so we were excited to see how they work.

The Tone Pro is based on the neckband design where a unit comfortably sits on your neck, and earphones come out of it. While it isn’t the true wireless design and may look a bit ridiculous to some, the neckband hosts all the controls for your earphones.

Apart from just hosting the controls, the neckband is also equipped with a vibrator that goes off everytime there’s a notification.

LG has made these earphones for people who like to be active. These earphones support Bluetooth 4.1 and technologies such as aptX, and that makes sure your listening experience is smooth.

As far as the sound quality is concerned, the LG Tone Pro sounds good. If you have used the LG QuadBeats, the sound is a lot similar to them. However, the real advantage here is that the Tone Pro are wireless and they look cooler than the QuadBeats.

The LG Tone Pro is a good wireless earphone which is comfortable to wear without overdoing it. Sure, they may look weird because of the neck band but you still have a good product.

Pros

Decent sound quality.
Great battery life
Comfortable to wear.
The neck band vibrates whenever there’s a notification.

Cons

The neck band kind of looks out of place and obnoxious.

8. Samsung Level U Pro – Extremely Budget friendly Neckband Design

LG wasn’t the only company that wanted to create their breed of wireless earphones. Soon after they did, Samsung followed suit and released their pair of wireless earphones called the Samsung Level U Pro.

There are a lot of good things about this pair of wireless earphones, and downsides too. For starters, they are following the neck band style of design that we don’t approve of because it looks a little out of place.

However, some good things make the Samsung Level U Pro a pretty decent pair of wireless earphones. For starters, the design is a lot more futuristic on the neckband and allows it to blend in easily.

The whole neck band is very lightweight and follows a sweat proof design which makes it so that if you’re working out, it won’t’ have any issues. The neck band manages to give you a decent amount of vibration whenever there’s a notification coming too.

As for performance, the Samsung Level U Pro is one of the better sounding wireless earphones in the market. The device may not be top of the line sounding but you’re getting a decent deal with the money you’re spending. Plus, the earphones happen to be comfortable, so you won’t have any issues if you wear them for a long period.

In all, the Samsung Level U Pro is a decent pair of wireless earphones for the price you’re paying. You’re not getting high-end level sound quality, but considering their value and cost, the deal is just too hard to pass on.

Pros

Decent sound quality.
The neck band is lightweight, comfortable, and has a sweat proof design.
The earbuds themselves are pretty comfortable with a decent enough deal.
The neck band manages to vibrate whenever there’s a notification.

Cons

Despite a slightly minimal approach, the neck band design doesn’t look as pleasing.

9. Sony Wireless – Stylish, Cheap and Sturdy

We are almost done with the list, with only one more product after the Sony MDRXB50BS. The good thing about Sony’s MDR series is this series is known for creating good wireless earphones that many people are inclined to purchasing.

The MDR series may be one of the most diverse series when it comes to the number of products in a series. The device we are looking at is an in-ear wireless earphones which are good when it comes to providing a decent amount of bass performance, and they work well.

A good thing about these earphones is they are NFC capable and have one of the best battery endurances we’ve seen on this list thus far. You can get about 8.5 hours of battery life at moderate volume, and a slightly lower amount if you crank up the volume to maximum.

Another quality about this pair of earphones is they have a sizeable amount of bass to them. While this is certainly surprising, some users may prefer a balanced sound signature.

The earphones are comfortable to wear for a long period of time.The device is comfortable, lightweight sounds amazing, and has one of the best battery lives we’ve seen.

One real downside is the earphones don’t ship with a carrying case. If you’re okay with this inconvenience, the Sony MDRXBS0BS is amazing in almost all other aspects.

Pros

Awesome sound with a decent amount of bass.
Great battery life.
Lightweight, and comfortable to wear.
NFC connectivity is a bonus.
You get a nice seal.

Cons

Earphones don’t come with a carrying case.

10. Plantronics Back Beat Go 2 – Sweet looking Earphones which sound Average

Finally, the last product we are looking at is the Plantronics BackBeat Go 2. Plantronics is one of the best companies when it comes to audio products. Also, the Plantronics Back Beat Go 2 is one of best wireless earphones you can get.

Plantronics has decided to follow a simple suit instead of being fancy with the BackBeat Go 2. Your earphones look simple, but they perform well.

The sound from the earphones is fantastic, and the sound signature is balanced. While people are more inclined towards performance with more bass, the fact the sound is balanced is a bonus.

Another great thing is that considering how these earphones are for people who work out a lot, the earphones remain active with a sweat-proof design and are comfortable to wear for long periods because of their lightweight design.

To be honest, apart from some significant, noticeable improvements over the BackBeat Go 1, there are some disappointing downsides too. For starters, the earphones only offer 4.5 hours of battery life. Also, there’s not a carrying case included. However, Plantronics does sell a case separately that doubles up as a portable charger.

Overall, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 is amazing. They sound pretty good, and are really comfortable to wear. If you’re okay with minor inconveniences, they’re a must buy.

Pros

Comfortable, sweat proof design.
Decent sounding earphones.
A nice build.

Cons

Carrying case/charging case sold separately.
Battery life is average at best.

Wireless Earphones – Buyer’s Guide

A lot of people question the legibility of wireless earbuds and have gone to the point of bashing them by stating wireless earbuds don’t offer any real benefits.

Sure, the sound quality isn’t as good as their wired counterparts, but to say wireless earbuds aren’t any good is severely wrong.

Wireless earbuds and headphones used to suffer from a lot of problems in the past, but they have become comparatively better in the modern-day and age.

We have several latest technologies like Apt-X, as well as the energy-efficient Bluetooth standards.

To be fair, wireless audio equipment is a lot closer to their wired counterpart than it used to be in the old days. With that out of the way, we are going to take a look at some of the advantages of buying wireless earbuds.

These benefits will help you in understanding that wireless earbuds aren’t terrible. These earbuds are for people who want to be active or don’t like to have wires in their way.

Increased PortabilitySweat Proof DesignActive Noise Cancellation

It’s safe to say that wired earbuds are easy to carry. However, the main thing that creates the most amount of the difference between wireless and wired is wireless earbuds don’t have any cables.

You have a small wire that connects the earbuds, but that’s it. There is no tangling between wires and ease of access increases by many folds.

You can carry a pair of earbuds in your pocket as well. However, headphones with wires may get tangled.

This alone acts as something that makes up the deal for those confused whether or not they should opt for a wireless option or a wired one.

Things you should look for in Wireless Earbuds

Now that you have taken a look at all the major benefits of buying wireless earbuds, we can look at some things you should look for in wireless earbuds.

Fit and ComfortBattery LifeTechnologiesActive Noise Cancellation

When buying a pair of wireless earphones, the most important thing that you should look for is the fit and comfort of the earphones. Unlike full sized headphones, the earbuds mainly rely on their fit to provide the maximum amount of passive noise isolation.

Even if your earbuds have the active noise cancellation, it’s important that they have a good fit. Most earbuds come with multiple ear tips made out of different materials. However, the good thing is that you can easily find the right fit.

As for the comfort, this is something that we need regardless of what you’re buying. If you’re getting full sized headphones, wired earphones, or wireless earbuds, having maximum comfort is a priority.

When you’re looking for earbuds, make sure the review you’re reading mentions comfort level of the earphones. If it’s not good, don’t buy them.

Conclusion

The pair of earphones which managed to stand out to us was the Sony MDRXB50BS.

Thanks to the incredible bass performance, brilliant battery life, and overall great comfort across the board, choosing the MDRXB50BS as our favorite pick wasn’t a difficult decision.

Best Gaming Laptops 2018 – Top 10

2018-08-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

best-gaming-laptops-2018

Making a list of best gaming laptops 2018 is a tricky task for sure. The cost vs. quality argument is the first thing you deal with. Nevertheless, the specs should be your top priority, ideally.

GraphicsRAM & ProcessorPower EfficiencyDisplayStorageAudioBattery

The graphics processor is what matters in gaming laptops. It is the component, which determines whether the game loads at 6 or 60 frames per second. A gaming laptop is all about the fast loading graphics.

It’s safe to say that only a great graphics processor would justify the billing.

A few more components must be present to compliment even the mightiest graphics processor.

NVidia 900 series and to an extent, the 800 series has managed to create a similar impact in the graphic processor market.

The gaming laptops also come with few hiccups and limitations, which you must be aware of. So, let’s have a look at few of the limitations.

First and foremost, the Heat issues. Professional Gaming laptops accomplish each and every task with full potential which results in the great amount of heat.
Battery life is also a headache when it comes to gaming machines. Most of the manufacturers are messing with battery life and still there is no any laptop with a great battery backup. The average battery backup from a gaming laptop is 4-5 hours maximum.
Weight! Ohh, trust me weight sucks! They are so heavy and aren’t that much portable. The average weight is 7-8 pounds.
Gaming laptops are very expensive. You must have a good amount of money if you are on a hunt for the best laptop for gaming.

1. ASUS RoG G751JY – Best Gaming Laptop 2018

Key Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-7820HK
RAM: 16 GB
Display size: 17.3″
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB
Wi-Fi: 802.11ac
Weight: 9.5 pounds

Like any annual upgrade to a model, there hasn’t been a revolution. However, the killer specs always make this model exciting. The bonuses are more stylish looks and incredible bump in performance.

The hype around this model has been huge and it had lived up to it. Almost 0 latency rate resulting in smooth graphics, thanks largely to NVidia’s G-Sync technology, makes G751JY, gamer’s favorite.

High 60’s fps at high settings makes G751JY fast, but not the fastest. In similar settings, Dominator Pro or even Alienware 17 would give you 70-80 fps.

It’s fair to say NVidia G-Sync technology has bolstered the performance with some serious graphics. The serious graphical power is nice to have alongside breathtaking good looks. Lightning fast transfer speeds plus terrific display make it a whole lot better.

Bottom Line: ASUS RoG G751JY is worth the hype and big budget.

Pros

Sleek and sexy design
Graphics is way too good
Lightning fast transfer speeds
Super quiet gaming experience
Backed up by powerful performance

Cons

Doesn’t feel light for a portable device
Misses out on 5th gen core CPU

BUY FROM AMAZON

2. Alienware 13

Key Specifications

CPU: 6th Gen i7 processor
RAM: 16 GB
Display size: 13.3-inch FHD
Touchpad size: 4.27″x2.67″
Native Resolution: 1920×1080
Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960M, 2GB GDDR5
Wi-Fi: Killer 1535 802.11ac 2×2 WiFi
Weight: 4.5 pounds

Baby faced assassin would be the right expletive to describe Alienware 13. The cutest outlook may mask the raging beast that lies beneath.

Like Alienware 17, Alienware 13 also features a backlit keyboard that lies between the bright power button and giant touchpad. Alienware command center adds a novice dimension to gaming. It improves personalization and customization to its finest.

You wouldn’t be wrong to call Alienware as mutants within the gaming laptop market. Alienware 13 also managed to combine the best of portability and performance. Long battery life and superior display resolution are nice bonuses to have. Pair it with a gaming amplifier to get yourself an official gaming beast.

Bottom Line: Alienware 13 pioneers gaming laptops in direction of making versatile devices.

Pros

Offers powerful components to achieve doable gaming
GeForce GTX 860M runs each game with befitting frame rates
It’s small, light and portable
Multiple ports allow connecting good number of peripherals

Cons

Small screen can be a hindrance to gaming experience
Its built strictly for gaming purpose only

Buy from Amazon

3. MSI GT80 Titan SLI

Key Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-4720HQ, 2.6GHz
RAM: 16 GB
Display size: 18.4″
Storage type: HDD, SSD
Native resolution: 1920×1080
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M
Wi-Fi: 802.11ac
Weight: 9.9 pounds

The design of this beast would look similar to none. Such a design manages to accommodate loads of hardware and cooling facilities. 18.4″ display should speak volumes about how much of a desk space needs to be spared.

The extra room created in parallel at keyboard area makes up for an all-purpose touchpad. The touchpad doubles up as a numeric pad when required.

When speaking notebooks, you might not come across GT80 level specs that often. The heavy configuration comes at a cost. It adds up to huge size which can’t be moved around easily. It may not even fit a standard laptop bag. Barring all the negatives, the model is still a hard-sell on the basis of performance alone.

Bottom Line: GT80 is the like for like replacement for your desktop.

Pros

Inspiring design coupled with elegant looks
Mechanical keyboards feels great on your fingers
Strong display with ample brightness
Touchpad turns into number pad

Cons

Speakers and audio options isn’t extraordinary
Battery life could have been made better

Buy from Amazon

4. Razer Blade 14

Key Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-4720HQ
RAM: 8GB DDR3L
Display size: 18.4″
Storage: 256GB SSD
Native resolution: 1920×1080
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M
Wi-Fi: Killer Wireless-AC 1535
Weight: 4.25 pounds

High Performance
Ultra Portability
Great overall quality

You may now be wondering what the catch is. What else could it be other than its high price? Even after shelling out a few grand, you would still be hoping the model plays next year games well. The newest Razer Blade got a lot lighter and more colorful. Strong specs are going to tempt your wallet to death.

Hyper-threading processor and competitive processor speed are the irresistible features of Razer Blade 14. Improved fan design is the vital minor adjustment, which would make things cooler. Being cheaper than last year’s model while bettering the performance, this is the most sensible upgrade.

Bottom Line: If you can afford Razer Blade 14 now, you are in luck.

Pros

Packs some powerful performance
One of the best for its budget
Greatest for typing work as well as traveling

Cons

Loud fan noise disturbs gaming appeal
Minimalistic outer design doesn’t look appealing either
Ethernet card and Memory card reader are missing out

Buy from Amazon

5. Lenovo Z70

Key Specifications

CPU: Core i7 processor, 2.2 GHz
RAM: 16GB DDR3L SDRAM
Display size: 17.3″
Native resolution: 1920x1080p
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT840M 2GB
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/c
Weight: 6.6 pounds

Lack of touch feature makes this model unable to cash out on its large screen size. Portability isn’t its strong suit considering the screen size of 17″ and weight of 6.6 pounds. Lenovo hasn’t come up with aggressive pricing on this product either. Summing it up, the Z70 is relatively mediocre at the top 10 gaming laptops 2018 list. Amongst the best features is its astronomical performance. It can be bettered by turbo boosting processor to 2.7 GHz.

Lenovo Z70 is as flashy as it is expensive. The full HD screen is definitely going to appeal to the multimedia masses. Missing out on the backlit keyboard can hardly be justified for the price. For no reasons, you should overlook this model. However, this isn’t really special in any aspect.

Bottom Line: Strong performance singlehandedly puts Z70 in the list of best gaming laptops 2018.

Pros

Large FHD Display to enhance gaming experience
Core i7 processor and extraordinary system memory
Audio is amazing with JBL speakers and subwoofers

Cons

Absence of backlit keyboard kills the fun
Typical occurrence of battery life issues

Buy from Amazon

7. MSI GE62 Apache Pro-004

Key Specifications

CPU: Core i7 6700HQ, 2.6GHz
RAM: 16GB
Display size: 15.6″
Native Resolution: 1920×1080
Graphics Card: NVidia Geforce
Graphics Card Ram: 2GB
Memory Speed: 2133 MHz
Weight: 5.3 pounds

This model is definitely future proof at this price range. Mid-range high-end gaming laptops don’t pack these many features often. The configuration feels adequately done for its price. Even high graphic activity doesn’t seem to disturb the smooth running of this machine. Built quality may be the major complaint from the gaming universe. Trackpad quality isn’t worthy of a mention too.

With a minimalistic design, this isn’t a drool-worthy product. Nevertheless, it didn’t fail at ticking all the critical boxes. Gamers, as well as programmers, wouldn’t have too many complaints with this gaming workhorse. This super-fast computer serves adequately in all aspects, barring its plastic body. It feels a lot lighter and is one of the ultra-portable gaming laptops in the market.

Bottom Line: As a mid-range laptop this MSI model is recommendable.

Pros

Runs smoothly with appreciable latency rate
Backlit keyboard is extremely customizable
Both the SSD and HDD drives are quick to respond

Cons

Build quality is a concern
Overly minimalistic settings result in feeble BIOS
Trackpad is an eyesore too

Buy from Amazon

8. Dell Inspiron i7559

Key Specifications

CPU: Core i7 6700HQ, 2.6 GHz
RAM: 16 GB DDR3L
Display size: 15.6″
Native resolution: 3480×2160
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4GB GDDR5
Wi-Fi: 802.11 A/c
Weight: 4.6 pounds

The speed lost with massive HDD in this Inspiron is recovered by speedy SSD. Such is how smart Dell works about its products. Games played on this screen are plain eye candy. Ultra HD resolution takes care of offering you the outward experience.

Raw performance is why you cannot take out this model from the top 10 list. From HDD plus SSD combo to Ultra HD resolution, everything about this laptop is mind blowing. This notebook effortlessly handles everything you throw at it.

Bottom Line: If the expensive billing doesn’t hurt you, this dell is a compelling buy.

Pros

Screen resolution makes it a compelling purchase
Its light weight design makes it super portable
16 GB memory proves adequate for high performance gaming

Cons

Each and every component is expensive to replace
The HDD is slow, but less felt when combined with faster 128 GB SSD

Buy Dell Inspiron i7559 now from Amazon

9. Acer Predator 17

Key Specifications

CPU: Core i7 6700HQ, 2.6 GHz
RAM: 16 GB
Display size: 17.3″
Native resolution: 1920 x 1080
Graphics Card: NVidia Geforce
Wi-Fi: 802.11ac
Weight: 8.7 pounds

Consider Acer Predator must be considered an investment, especially when you are intimidated by its high asking price. The design has been striking, thanks to the red and black color scheme. The gigantic predator logo confirms the fact, the laptop has some attitude.

At low, Predator can achieve up to 160 fps. At high settings again, an extraordinary 80 fps can be achieved. The 16 GB RAM should raise your expectations about performance. The display has a plethora of colors, but the upper limit of just 1080p is concerning. Four speakers and two subwoofers take care of the audio.

The touchpad and keypad have upped the ante as well. Predator 17 doesn’t produce scorching heat even after long hours of high-performance gaming.

It may cost a fortune. But it offers some unique advantages in the price range, such as longer battery life. Though it is not exactly the portable type, its bulky design isn’t a letdown too.

Bottom Line: The model is definitely worth the premium paid.

Pros

Striking looks go a long way
Provides that additional hours of battery life
Proves excellent on software side
Every feature is backed with strong performance

Cons

Resolution is limited to 1080p
Absence of NVidia G-Sync is immensely felt

Buy Acer Predator 17 now from Amazon

10. GIGABYTE P37Xv5-SL4K1

Key Specifications

CPU: Core i7 6700HQ, 2.6GHz
RAM: 8 GB
Display size: 17.3″
Maximum resolution: 3480
Graphics Card: GTX980M
Wi-Fi: 802.11 A/C
Weight: 10.6 pounds

At 10 pounds you can describe the gaming notebook as chunky at best. It is not exactly the portable type. 8GB of video memory comes as a relief in this, otherwise lackluster configuration. For the fact, those minor victories are the reason why the laptop has made it to the top ten, this year.

The 17″ screen beats every 14″ and 15″ when it comes to hardcore gaming. Keyboard highlights don’t impress too much with too many meaningless highlights.

The first turn off with this gaming device is the noisy fan. You got to trust us, these fans can come between you and gaming enjoyment. Had it not for this, the hardware is just perfect to create awesome gaming experience. Moreover, the upper limit of 30fps doesn’t do much justice for a gaming laptop. The performance again struggles at low fan speeds, making it the least desirable of the top 10 gaming laptops 2018.

Bottom Line: Barring the noisy fan, everything from performance to build is doable.

Pros

Features solid built
Appreciable battery life for a gaming laptop
Surely some serious performance

Cons

Bad fan design proves noisy
Bog standard trackpad
GPU is limited during low fan speeds

Buy GIGABYTE P37Xv5-SL4K1 now from Amazon

You might also be interested in the other gaming beasts, must have a look at the lists below:

how to create a blog in 2018

2018-02-20T12:22:00.005-08:00

How to create a blog in 2018?

‘Is blogging completely FREE?

The short answer is “Yes.” You can even create a blog free if you want to.

BUT there are a couple of things you should pay for.

A domain name (www.YourBlogAddress.com) will cost around $10/year (but you can get it free—more about that later).

Web hosting is usually around $4-$15/month or more (although, the host I use and recommend is a bit under $3/mo). In a nutshell, it costs less than a coffee at Starbucks.

Bottom line: If you want to start a serious blog, you’ll need to spend a few dollars to get a domain name and web hosting. We’ll go through these in detail in STEPS 3 and 4.

‘Can I use a blog to make money online?’

Yes.

Some successful bloggers make insane amounts of money ($50k/mo and above), and most of it is passive, too.

There are endless ways to earn money with your blog.

Some folks are offering services, some using Google Adsense program, some are monetizing their blogs with Amazon and some are just selling physical/digital items.

You can learn more about monetizing your blog here: 33 Ways To Monetize a Blog.

But you can set up a blog for fun or as a hobby, too. That’s completely fine and many people are already doing it. I’ve helped to set up blogs for a lot of writers who just want to become a better writer and have no intentions of making money online.

1. Choose Your Blogging Platform

When starting your blog, there are several platforms to choose from (tumblr, blogger etc..).

However, one that really stands out from the pack isWordPress.

It’s FREE, very user friendly, and perfect for people who’ve never built a blog before.

Why People Use & Recommend WordPress?

It’s FREE (you only need a web host & domain name)
There are 5,000+ free & paid WordPress themes available to make your design look top-quality.
They have super helpful support forum.
It offers 45,000+ free plugins to help your blog run more smoothly and efficiently.

91% of all blogs are running on WordPress, including this one— WebsiteSetup.org and WordPress is also used by 62% of the top 100 company blogs.

Why you SHOULDN’T create a blog on a free platform

It’s true, you can create your blog free. But it’ll be very limited in functionality, it’ll look boring, and the address will look somewhat childish (e.g., YourBlog.WordPress.com), which diminishes your credibility.

There are some serious flaws in free options you need to know about:

No Control – Your blog is being hosted on another website (e.g., wordpress.com, tumblr.com, blogspot.com). If you violate their terms of service (even by accident), they can shut down your blog any time (it has happened before).
No Customization – You can’t use all the free plugins or themes. Heck, you can’t even use custom themes to really make your blog stand out.
Other Limitations – Free space of only 3GB. For posts, images, and perhaps videos—that’s just not enough.

In short, don’t create a free blog, especially if you’re serious about starting a blog. Later migrating to a better option from a free blogging platform can be very time consuming and tricky.

Instead, create a self-hosted WordPress blog where you don’t have any limitations. Plus, you’ll be able to use your own (professional) domain name.

This leads me to the next step: finding a domain name.

P.S. DON’T DOWNLOAD/INSTALL WORDPRESS YET, YOU’LL NEED TO INSTALL IT IN STEP 4.

2. Choose a Domain Name (www.YourBlog.com)

Before you go any further, you need to choose a domain name.

Your domain name is important because:

It’s your “first impression” to website visitors.
It affects your rankings in search engines.
It defines your brand.

With that in mind, you should put some thought into your domain name, but not toomuch.

If you come up with something you like within 5 minutes, give it a go. (You can change it later). But here are a few domain tips to get you started:

Choose brandable over generic. A brandable domain name is unique and stands out from the competition, while a generic domain name is usually stuffed with keywords and unmemorable. (For example, www.LisasRocks.com is more brandable than www.RockCollectingBlog.com.)
Keep it concise. According to research from Gaebler.com, a magazine for entrepreneurs, the top-100 websites have approximately 6 characters in their domain name.
Easy to type and pronounce. Your domain name should roll off the tips of your fingers and the tips of your tongue without any problem.

P.S. DON’T BUY A DOMAIN NAME YET, I’LL SHOW YOU HOW TO GET ONE FOR FREE IN STEP 3 (below).

3. Sign Up With Web Host and Install WordPress

What is Web Hosting and Why Do You Need it?

Web Hosting is the service that keeps your blog accessible for everyone. It stores all the files, images and content that your blog has and displays it to the visitors.

If you don’t have a web host, you won’t be able to set up a blog for others to see nor will you be able to use your own domain name.

There Are Good & Bad Hosting Companies

Choosing your host is one of the most important aspect of creating your blog.

Bad web hosts cause most of the issues people have related to their blog. For example, unhelpful customer service and hidden fees are quite common…

Many cheap hosts also overuse servers to cut their costs—and that leads to your site potentially not working just because many people are visiting some other site. Only some cheaper hosts control the resources well, so that your website always works right.

I highly recommend using www.Bluehost.com as your host, and it’s the hosting company I currently use.

Disclosure: Because I’ve used Bluehost and found their hosting great, all links to Bluehost are referral links. I’ll earn a commission if you make a purchase and you’ll get a discounted price. This is how I keep WebsiteSetup.org up and running.

They have one-click WordPress installation, which makes it easy for you to get started.
They’ve been officially recommended by WordPress since 2005.
They’re only $2.95/mo for WebsiteSetup.org visitors + they throw in a FREE domain name.

Of course, you don’t need to use Bluehost if you don’t want to. Feel free to use any other web hosting provider that is suitable with WordPress, reliable, secure and easy to manage (i.e. one-click-install for WordPress).

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for creating a blog on Bluehost (or any other web host)

Sign up with a web hosting (I recommend Bluehost).
Choose the hosting plan (you can pick the cheapest one).
Pick a domain name for your blog.
Complete hosting registration.
Install WordPress.
Log in and write a blog post.

Altogether, this takes about 5-10 minutes if you follow the instructions (and you have chosen your domain name). So, you can start writing your first post in just a few minutes.

1. Sign up with a web hosting (I recommend Bluehost)

Go to www.Bluehost.com and click on the “Get started now” button. Use this link to get a FREE domain, too.

This discount applies to all websitesetup.org visitors, so make sure you take advantage of it.

2. Choose the hosting plan (you can pick the cheapest one).

Now it’s time to choose your hosting package.

There are three options: Basic (recommended), Plus, and Prime.

The Basic option is perfect for beginners. The other two aren’t really needed unless you’re getting millions of visitors from day one. Best of all, Basic is the cheapest option so you save some cash, too.

3. Choose the domain name you want (they’ll give it to you for FREE).

Next, you’ll need to choose a domain name.

It doesn’t have to end with .com, so you can also use different endings (such as: .net, .org, or even .co.uk) if your first choice isn’t available.

If you already have a domain name (i.e., you bought it from somewhere else), use the second form on the right (“I have a domain name”).

4. Complete your registration

There are three parts to this page. The first is account information.

Just enter your contact information as you would normally.

The next part gives you some service options.

First you need to choose the account plan. Within the Basic option, you can choose to sign up for 12, 24, or 36 months. I’d start off with 12 months.

Next you’ll have some add-on options to choose from. I recommend you don’t go too crazy with these.

That being said, here are two you might want to consider:

Domain privacy – When you register a domain name, all your information is added to a public database. If you don’t want that, you can tick this option, and BlueHost will appear as the registrant (you still have full control and ownership of the domain). So, this option protects you from spammers. If you don’t mind your information being public, untick that option and you’ll save $0.99 per month.

Site Backup Pro – While WordPress is quite secure, it’s a good choice to sign up for Site Backup Pro just in case. If you are scared that you’ll mess something up, tick that box to have backups available.

The last part is just your billing info. If you want to pay with PayPal, click the “More payment options” link.

5. Install WordPress with One-Click Installation

Have you set up your hosting with Bluehost yet? Okay, good.

Now you need to install WordPress. Luckily, with the Bluehost’s one-click WordPress install, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.

Here is the step-by-step guide to install WordPress on Bluehost:

1) Login to your Bluehost control panel at: my.bluehost.com

2) Once you’re logged in, you’ll be redirected to your Control Panel. From there, choose “Install WordPress”.

3) This leads you to the next page where you can choose your blog destination URL. I recommend using your root domain (www.YourNewDomain.com, not www.YourNewDomain.com/blog/), so just leave the field on the right empty.

If you need more help installing WordPress on Bluehost, I’ve explained it here (in step-by-step format): How to Install WordPress Blog on Bluehost.

6. Log into your new blog

At this stage, you should now have a blank WordPress site installed, along with your admin access username and password written down somewhere.

Start by typing in your new web address (www.YourNewBlog.com) to see what your WordPress blog looks like. Here’s what you’ll probably see:

Next, log in to your admin panel by going to an address like: http://YourNewBlog.com/wp-admin/. (You’ll use the same username and password you chose earlier during the setup.)

After logging in, you’ll see the welcome page of the admin panel. It should be fairly intuitive after browsing around for a few minutes, with all of your major options helpfully located in the sidebar panel.

4. Customizing and Choosing a Blog Theme

Once you’re inside WordPress dashboard, you can start customizing your blog. We’ll go through everything you need to do to get your blog ready and your first post published today.

You should get familiar with the look and items of the WordPress admin menu. Here are the various admin menu items:

Dashboard – This is the page you see right after logging in.
Posts – Here you can write and publish new blog posts and view and edit old ones. We’ll go through this once we’ve set up the blog otherwise.
Media – This is your media library with all the images, PDFs, videos, etc. you’ve uploaded.
Links – Many blogs don’t use this at all. You can skip it for now.
Pages – Here you can write and publish new pages and view and edit old ones. We’ll look at this after choosing your blog design.
Comments – Everything related to comments. You can get familiar with this when you’ve published your first post and readers leave the first comments.
Appearance – Here you can change what your blog looks like. We’ll go through this in detail below.
Plugins – Here you can add and remove plugins, which add functionality to your blog. We’ll go through this after selecting the theme.
Users – If you create your content with others, you can add them as users here, so they can edit posts. Otherwise, you can skip this for now.
Tools – Here are some additional tools you can use for publishing posts. You can skip this for now.
Settings – Here you can edit your blog’s settings. We’ll look at the essential settings later.

To learn more about each one of these (and see screenshots) check out this tutorial from Karol.

Choose a FREE Theme for Your Blog

I think choosing your new WordPress blog design is the most fun step.

The good news:

You can do it all on your own.
You can get a FREE WordPress theme that makes your blog look great.
You can change it later (just don’t change it so often that your readers can’t keep up).

The bad news:

You can spend a LONG time looking for the perfect theme.
A WordPress theme is responsible for how your blog looks, so it’s an important decision.

In other words, a WordPress theme is like your car’s frame. It changes how the car looks, but doesn’t impact the features or performance too much.

Luckily for you, WordPress has thousands of great-looking themes already optimized to fit any brand, niche, or industry.

Here’s what to look for in a WordPress theme:

Simplicity: Unclear design makes it difficult for readers to navigate your blog.
Responsiveness: The theme needs to adjust its layout across different screen sizes and devices. In the highly mobile world we live in, responsiveness is a necessity.
Speed: Although most themes don’t slow down your blog significantly, it’s still good to test it. To test a theme’s speed, use the Pingdom Website Speed Test, enter the URL of the theme’s demo, and see how long the page takes to load. If the load time is longer than three seconds, you might want to find a different theme (ideally, the load time is below two seconds).
Ease of customization: It should be easy to customize the theme—otherwise, you’ll struggle every time you want to tweak something. Fortunately, many themes offer plenty of easy customization options.
SEO readiness: The theme shouldn’t make a huge difference to search engines. But it’s still better to choose a theme that’s designed with SEO in mind. (Look for “SEO Optimized” or “SEO ready” in the theme description.)
Security: Themes don’t generally create security issues. But it’s anyway good to check some user reviews and comments—and while doing that, check if people have had security problems with the theme.

Keep these factors in mind when choosing a theme. But most importantly, pick something you love and want your readers to see.

So, how do you find a theme? Here’s a video on how to change/add WordPress themes:

0:47

5. Adding Posts and Pages

Okay, now you should be all set up with WordPress. So, now for the fun part – it’s time to create your first blog post! I’ll take you through each step of this process to make it easy for you.

Go back to your WordPress admin panel (http://your_domain.com/wp-admin/) and then to “Posts » Add New” (or “Pages » Add New) from the left sidebar.

What you’ll see is a very friendly editor screen that should remind you of MS Word or Pages on Mac:

Let’s break down what you’re seeing here:

Title Area: This is where you write the title of your post.
Content Area: This is where the body text of your post goes. The whole area works just like text editing in Word or Pages. You can also add images and other media to your post by clicking the “Add Media” button.
Standard Editing Tools: Here are options like bold, italic, lists, paragraphs, and headlines.
Publishing Tools: This is where you get your post shown to the world; chief among them is the big blue “Publish” button. You can also set a publication date to schedule your post in the future or save the post as a draft for more editing.
Additional Fine-tuning Tools: Update your blog post and categorize it (you can learn more about WordPress categories and tags here).

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Adding links to your posts: You should use outbound links to other websites when needed to back up your claims. For example, if you’re writing an article about meditation, you can link to a study that showed that meditation helped people feel calmer. To add links to your posts, highlight the desired text, then scroll up to the blog menu.

Click the paperclip-looking item to the right of the “Align right” item (above the “Add BWS Shortcode”).

From there, add the URL you want to link to:

Then, click the Settings icon on the right (the wheel-looking item above, next to the arrow).

Click the “Open in link a new tab” box. This is important—you don’t want people to leave your site when they click on a link!

Adding Images to your posts: I touched on this briefly before, but I’ll explain it more here. Start by scrolling up to the top of the blog menu and click “Add Media”.

From here, select the files you’d like to upload. You can find previously uploaded files from the “Media Library” at the top-left corner next to “Upload Files”.

Once you’ve uploaded an image, you can choose its size and placement.

To add a featured image (the image that will be at the top of your post and in the thumbnails of your article), scroll to the right sidebar of your blog menu. You’ll see an option titled “Set featured image”. Click that, then go through the same uploading process to add in a featured image here.

Adding videos from YouTube: Adding in a video can spice up your post. This process used to be a bit complicated, but after some recent WordPress updates, it’s easy.

All you have to do is copy the YouTube video URL into the content area. Make sure that the URL is on its own line and not clickable. When you publish the post, the video will appear. I told you it was simple! Our friends at WPBeginner have a guide for this if you need any further help—check it out here.

Creating the slug: Your slug is the URL of the post. You want to make this slug clear and concise. This will make it easier for people to share it on social media, and overall it will just look better.

You can find the slug underneath the post title. It will say “Permalink: http://yourdomain.com/post_title”.

Sometimes, the title of your blog post will make the perfect slug. But usually, it will be too long, and you should change it, so that it’s no longer than 2-4 words.

Here are some tips for optimizing your WordPress slugs:

Target SEO keywords. Think of what people would type to Google when they search for the information you share in the post—those are SEO keywords.
Avoid duplicates (make sure it’s not the same as another slug on your website).
Don’t change the slug after publishing the post (unless you absolutely have to) as this will result in lost traffic.

Adding headings: Headings help you structure your content and make it easier for people to read. Consider adding headings for each of your main points.

To add a heading, scroll up to “Paragraph” drop-down menu. Select the heading you’d like to use. Note that the “Heading 1” is usually reserved for the post’s title, so stick to the smaller headings (with larger numbers) inside the post.

Publish Your Post (or Page)

When you’re done working with your post, click the “Publish” button and then the “View post” link that’s going to appear at the top of the page (you’ll see your post live on the site).

Congratulations! You just published your first blog post. Before you share it with others (which is the next step), let’s add a simple tracking system to your site, so you’ll see exactly how many people you’ve reached.

6. Get Traffic and Monetize Your Blog

No blog is complete without compelling content.

To start, you should figure out the topic(s) that your blog will focus on. Then, come up with 10-15 ideas for new posts. Make these posts a mix of informative and entertaining.

You’ll also want to err on the side of creating evergreen content (content that doesn’t become dated/is always relevant) versus news/current affairs content (which becomes dated and irrelevant). Evergreen content will continue to generate traffic overtime, while other content will run its course and become irrelevant.

Here are some tips for creating strong blog content that your audience will love:

Start by creating a lead-generating content marketing strategy.
Follow this guide for creating strong blog posts.
Develop a reading habit, so you can internalize how great writers write.
Make your content scannable with headings, short paragraphs, and high quality images.
Write content that helps your audience solve a problem.
Follow this strategy to become a better blog writer in 30 days.
Use this formula to create stronger headlines (if your headlines aren’t compelling, people won’t read the content!).

Promoting your blog:

If you want more blog readers as well as the opportunity to monetize your blog, you need to promote your blog.

Turning a blog into a profitable business is doable if there’s enough traffic.

Traffic = customers and money.

How to make a blog with sustainable traffic? All you need is:

A content plan (i.e., what will be your blog’s main topic)
A game plan for social media (i.e., which social media sites you’ll use and what content you’ll share)
Some basic knowledge of SEO (traffic from Google)

To make things easier for you, I wrote a super in-depth article here: How to Increase Blog Traffic for FREE. It’s long, but then again, I go into a LOT in detail.

For now, here are some tips to get started promoting your blog:

Start collecting your blog visitors emails by setting up an email marketing software.
Read through this for SEO, usability, and Google guidelines.
Check out these videos on YouTube about SEO.
Don’t be spammy on social media. Instead, aim for a good mix of social media content—share blog posts and videos, as well as content from other influencers, and also share other interesting and value-adding statuses.
Answer questions on Quora.com and link back to your blog.
Post and promote on relevant Subreddits on Reddit.
Use republishing to get featured on large websites.

Next steps to start your blog today

Now that you know exactly how to start a blog, it’s over to you. So, I hope you’re ready to take action!

If you want to share your ideas or expertise with the world, build an audience or community, or make money with a blog, start now by getting it set up. It only takes a moment, but still many people get stuck with it thinking, “I’ll do it a bit later.”

So, here are the steps to take:

Go to Bluehost now to get your blog setup (you even get a free domain).
Choose a theme that makes your blog look the way you want.
Add the few important pages.
Write your first post (for example, write a short post about why you’re interested in your topic and what you’ll be writing about, so all your readers can see right away what your blog is about).

If you found this guide useful, I have one request for you: let me know via Facebookwhat action you’re going to take right now—are you going to actually start your blog?

Cryptocurrency Banned?

2018-02-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

After clamping down on domestic trading of cryptocurrencies, China is looking to do the same to international crypto trading by its citizens. According to a news report in the South China Morning Post, a government-run publication, China will “step up” measures to remove offshore platforms for virtual currency trading or ICOs. In other words, the government there plans to restrict its citizens from trading in cryptocurrencies at overseas exchanges or participating in initial coin offerings held abroad.

China’s government banned cryptocurrency exchanges from conducting operations within its borders last year. (See also: China's Cryptocurrency Exchanges Are Officially Dead). As a result of that decision, several crypto exchanges based in the country relocated to neighboring jurisdictions or began servicing foreign customers. While exact figures are unavailable, the ban does not seem to have had a significant effect on trading. (See also: China's Cryptocurrencies Have Gone Underground.)

Domestic customers began trading on the new exchanges by using virtual private networks (VPNs) that enabled them to bypass government-controlled gateways and connect to exchanges in Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. All three locations regularly account for the largest trading volumes for cryptocurrencies. In fact, Hong Kong-based Binance has emerged as one of the top three exchanges in the world by trading volume. It was also reported to be adding 200,000 users every hour.

While exact figures related to trading by Chinese citizens are unavailable, the government-controlled publication provided an indicator of the extent of the problem. According to the publication, “many people turned to overseas platforms to continue participating in virtual currency transactions” after the ban. “Risks are still there, fueled by illegal issuance and even fraud and pyramid selling,” the article stated.

China’s decision to further impose controls on cryptocurrencies comes amid a wider worldwide crackdown on the asset class. South Korea is said to be considering regulation even as Japan is tightening the leash on exchange operations following the Coincheck hack. China exerts a significant influence on bitcoin prices through its plethora of trading operations and miners. (See also: Are Bitcoin And Crypto Prices Totally Dependent On China?)

According to the South China Morning Post article, the country's move will benefit Japanese and South Korean exchanges as investors will move their trading operations to take advantage of volatility in cryptocurrency trading. Cryptocurrency markets have reacted to the threat of increased regulation with a prolonged slump. Approximately $60 billion in value was knocked off the markets over the weekend. (See more: Bitcoin Price Falls Below $8,000, Down 42% Since Start of the Year.)

Investing in cryptocurrencies and other Initial Coin Offerings ("ICOs") is highly risky and speculative, and this article is not a recommendation by Investopedia or the writer to invest in cryptocurrencies or other ICOs. Since each individual's situation is unique, a qualified professional should always be consulted before making any financial decisions. Investopedia makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein. As of the date this article was written, the author owns small amounts of bitcoin.

HOW TO CREATE A BLOG IN 10 MINUTES

2018-02-01T15:25:00.003-08:00

Step 1: Choose the right blogging platform (WordPress)

Before you can even start worrying about how your blog will look like, you’ll need to choose your blogging platform.

There’s a lot to choose from. You are able to create a blog with many different blogging platforms, such as WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger and more…

However, given that there are over 72 million active usersusing WordPress today, it’s clear which platform is the boss. Even my own blogs and sites are built with the WordPress blogging platform. Here’s why:

It’s FREE for everyone to use (including themes, layouts, and add-ons that many other blogging platforms don’t provide).

It’s super easy to set up.

It’s secure; WordPress is always updating their software and keeping everything sound and secure, so there’s rarely a worry of having your blog come under hacking attacks. No wonder Facebook, NASA, and even university blogs are using WordPress.

It’s HIGHLY customizable. There are hundreds of free themes and plugins that add more functionality to your blog, from contact and subscribe boxes to plugins that improve blog performance and more.

While the other blogging platforms are generally all pretty OK, nothing, in my opinion, has ever come close to matching the freedom and customization options that WordPress offers. So without a doubt, go with WordPress. Especially when you are just starting out.

Why you shouldn’t create a blog on a free blogging platform

Without a doubt, you need to self-host your WordPress blog.

Think about it – what famous, successful blogger you know is using a free blogging website like “startbloggingonline.freeblogs.com” instead of their own domain name like “StartBloggingOnline.com”, for example?

It’s not just that – free blogging platforms have other problems too – including…

You don’t control your content – the blogging platform does. They could shut you down anytime, and for any reason. Don’t believe me? Read this.
The web address of your blog will be long and hard to remember (like yourfreeblog.blogspot.com) instead of a catchy, branded address you choose.
You’re not allowed to advertise on most free blogging platforms, making it much harder to ever make money from blogging.

All of these limitations apply to the WordPress.COM blogs. What you really want is to self-host a WordPress blog – it’s the same software without all the limitations!

If I were you, I’d start with a self-hosted blog on my own domain from day one. Setting up a blog like this is WAY easier and less expensive than you think.

Finding a domain name and web hosting provider

Now to the exciting part! To set up a self-hosted blog on your own domain name, you’ll need two things:

Domain name – This will be your personal blog address where people find you over and over again. For example, Google’s Domain is www.Google.com. Your new blog domain name will be www.YourBlogName.com, except you’ll choose what’s going to be behind YourNewBlog. The cost of a domain name is usually $10/year, but if you follow this guide all the way, I’ll show you how to get one for much cheaper.

Web hosting – This will be the home of your blog address and content that’s on the blog. Without web hosting, you’ll be unable to use your domain. Think of it as a computer hard drive that stores all your content on your blog (images, blog posts and so on). The cost of web hosting is usually somewhere between $2-5 per month.

It’s less than a venti coffee at Starbucks – so it won’t break the bank. But it’s an important investment to your blog success.

Where should I get my domain name and hosting?

When it comes to hosting, there are only two things that matter.

Page load speed – The average amount of time (in seconds) it takes your blog to load.
Uptime – 99.9% isn’t enough (it’s 42 minutes of downtime per month). You should be aiming for 100%.

There are hundreds of different web hosting providers. They all offer you a similar service (domain + hosting) with a similar price, but since I’ve dealt with and monitored many famous and recommended web hosting companies like Bluehost, iPage, Godaddy etc…

I now only use and recommend www.HostGator.com for domain names and web hosting.

Why? Nothing has ever come close to HostGator in terms of blog load speed and uptime (see below):

HostGator has great performance, they are easy to use and it’s probably the best pick for beginners.

However, you can always go with another web hosting as long as it’s fast, reliable and offers unlimited storage & bandwidth. This helps you to avoid problems later on.

Now that we’ve gone through the basics of blogging platforms, it’s time to start walking the walk! With the next step, we’ll get your blog set up and running. If you’re not ready yet because you still need to think of a domain name or can’t set up a blog right away, that’s okay. Click here to sign up so that when you’re ready, you can pick up right where you left off.

Step 2: Set up a Blog on your own domain name (self-hosted WordPress)

If you don’t have a hosting or a domain name yet – don’t worry. I’ll be showing this in a minute…

At the end of this step (2), you will have a fully working self-hosted WordPress blog on your own domain name! Sounds promising, huh?

If for some odd reason you don’t want to use HostGator, you can always choose another hosting provider. I can’t promise they’ll be that good, but the registration and the setup process should be somewhat similar. Some hosting companies do not have one-click install for WordPress. If that’s the case, see this guide for installing WordPress manually (not recommended for beginners, though).

1. Go to www.HostGator.com and then click “Start Your WordPress Blog”.

Remember: Since I’m using HostGator by myself too, I’ve negotiated a discount for people who use this guide (72% off). This discount should be applied automatically. Enjoy

2. Pick a Domain name for your blog

Already have a domain name?Just write it in the right box (I already own this domain) and keep moving to the next step by scrolling down a bit.

How do I choose a good domain name?

Choosing a bad domain name is one of the most common mistakes I see bloggers make. Be sure you choose a domain name that is…

1. Easy to Remember – Don’t choose a nonsense name, something tough to spell, or a long name full of dashes. “www.best-tech-gadgets-in-the-world.com” won’t ever stick in someone’s head, but something like “www.techgeeks.com” rolls off the tongue.

2. Unique and Descriptive – You want a name that reflects who you are and what you care about. Be creative and build an identity you’re excited about!

3. Trustworthy – Domain extensions like “.com”, “.org” or “.net” are the most popular, with “.com” being the one most people think of first. Try to avoid crazy extensions like “.rocks” or “.biz”, as these are less commonly used, tougher to remember and not as trusted.

Type the domain name you want to use in the box, then click “next”. If the name is available, you’ll be able to claim it. If it’s not available, choose another one.

If the name you want isn’t available, HostGator will show you some alternatives that are similar – or you can punch in a new name and try again. I’d suggest you use something that ends with .com, .net or .org

3. Choose your blog hosting plan

I recommend the “Hatchling” plan for now – you can always upgrade later if you decide you want more advanced features, but you get more than enough with the Hatchling.

4. Complete your registration

Once you’ve chosen Hatchling plan and found a name you like that’s available, you’ll need to register it by putting in your contact and billing information.

You’ll also have a chance to customize your package a bit. This is a chance to save some more money, so don’t skip it! Apply discount code “STARTBLOG”

I would take a look at each of these additional services to see if you want any of them. I don’t believe they are necessary for you at this stage.

5. Log in to your new account and install WordPress blog

It may take a few minutes for HostGator to register your account, so be patient. You should get a confirmation email when your account is ready.

Once you’ve logged in to your control panel (all the information you need for that should be in your inbox), it’s time to install WordPress. Thankfully, this takes just one click!

Log-in to your Hostgator control panel
At the top click “Get Started With WordPress Today”
If WordPress isn’t there for some reason, scroll down a little bit on the control panel and click on “Quick Install” under the Software & Services section. Look at the top of the page, in the left sidebar section for WordPress.

Once clicked, you’ll be automatically transferred to Mojomarketplace.com – don’t panic, this is just a site that helps HostGator install platforms (like WordPress).

You should immediately see a screen where you’re offered to “Install” or “Import” WordPress.
Click “Install” to get to the next step.

When you’re finished, “Install WordPress”. Once you’ve done that, you’ll see a loading bar at the top of your page that will eventually tell you that your WordPress blog has been installed and you’ll see your log-in credentials.

6. Log in and check out your new blog

Once the installation completes, you’ll get an email that shares your login information, including an “Admin URL”. (In case you missed that notification bar)

To log in to your blog, click the admin URL. If you forget this URL, it’s simply www.yourblog.com/wp-admin (where “yourblog” is your domain name).

Congratulations – you now know how to make a blog using WordPress. You’ve installed WordPress and set up your blog, all on your own! As you can see, it was really easy and straightforward.

Now that your blog is set up, sign up for my FREE blogging course for tips on how to get readers, earn money, and personalize your blog. Or read on to learn how to design your blog and make your first post.

Step 3: Designing your blog

In this section, I’ll show you some WordPress blog basics, including:

Sample of a customized WordPress blog (SmartPassiveIncome.com)

Changing your blog’s design
Installing new plugins/features
Making your blog search engine friendly

If you’ve set up your blog, you’re now ready to start using WordPress and customizing your blog. I promise – it’ll be pretty easy and fun at the same time.

Remember: You can log in to your blog by going to www.yourblog.com/wp-admin/ and using the credentials you set up with HostGator or any other hosting company you used.

Changing Your Blog’s Design (Themes & Layouts)

WordPress blogging platform uses design templates called “Themes” to figure out how your site should look. Changing your blog’s layout and design is as simple as installing a new theme.

There are over 2,000 professionally designed, fully-customizable and free themes to choose from – so you’ve got a lot of options. If you want to see premium themes and designs like the Genesis Framework, head over to Themeforest.net

Here’s how to find and install a theme you love:

When you log in for the first time, you’ll see a dashboard or admin panel that looks something like this:

Mouse-over the “Appearance” tab in the WordPress sidebar, then click on “Themes”.

On the next screen, you’ll see several themes are already installed. If you don’t like those, click the “Add New” button at the top, or the great big “Add New” square to start searching for a theme.

Now, you’ll see tabs where you’ll find featured, popular and brand new themes, as well as a “Feature Filter” and search bar.

I really like the “Feature Filter” option, because you can choose themes in certain color schemes, select specific layouts and even choose themes with built-in advanced features.

Just choose the options you want, then click “Apply Filters” on the left hand side. If you’re finding this challenging, just search by keyword – there’s no wrong way!

When you’ve found a theme you like, click “Install”. You’re nearly done!

Once the theme has been installed, all that’s left to do is click “Activate” on the next screen:

Configuring your blog to be search engine friendly

There are some things you’d need to do to make your blog more search engine friendly. Search engines do not like two things:

Ugly and clumsy URL-s – http://yourblog.com/2012/04/topic-a/author-Karen/how-to-start-a-blog. A much better way is to use: http://yourblog.com/start-a-blog

See the difference? One is filled with irrelevant information and the other one is short, clean and neat.

In order to change your links to a more cleaner, click on the “Settings” -> “Permalinks” and use the following settings:

2. Spam comments – Unfortunately, lots of people want to leave automate spam comments on your blog. They do that for a couple of reasons – to get people from your blog to their blog and to advertise their services/products.

To avoid that, make sure you moderate your comments. Here’s how to do that: Go to “Settings” -> “Discussion” and tick those two options.

Step 4: Adding/Writing Blog Posts and Pages

By now you should have fully working WordPress blog on your own domain name. You should also have a custom blog theme that fits with your blog’s topic. Congratulations – you’ve done a LOT and I’m proud that you’ve managed to get so far.

In the LAST step, I’ll show you how to write your first blog post and share some tips for writing blog posts.
In this section, I’ll show you…

How to write a post in WordPress
How to add images, links and format text
Some quick tips and tricks for writing great content

Using WordPress to Blog

Adding a New Post

To add a new blog post, click the “Posts” section on the left-hand side-menu, then click on “Add New”.

On the next screen, you’ll see something like this:

You can add the title to your blog post in the top field, and your content goes in the big text box below the title.

You can save your draft or publish your content live by using the box menu on the far right of the page. You can even schedule the post to be published later – or make the post private so only friends can see it.

Once published, your new post can be found in the “All Posts” section of the “Posts” tab, so you can edit it anytime.

Let’s take a quick look at some things you can do to spruce up your post:

Adding Images

To add an image to your post, click the “Add Media” button right above the lower content field.

Tip: Before you click “Add Media”, be sure you’ve left your cursor inside of your blog post where you want the image to show up. Otherwise, you’ll have to move it later on.

Next, click the “Upload Files” tab on the screen that pops up, then click “Select Files”.

Once you’ve found the file, double-click it and WordPress will upload it automatically.

When the upload is finished, make sure the image you want is selected, then click the “Insert into post” button to add the image to the post you’re writing.

Adding a Link

Linking out to other websites is a great way to build relationships and share interesting content.

To add a link, click on the icon in the toolbar that looks a bit like a chain link.

On the pop-up, you’ll need to enter a few important bits of information.

URL is the web address of the link you want to share. Make sure you include “http://” before the “www.” address, or your link will be broken.

“Link Text” is the text you want people to click on to get to your link. It might be “Click here”, or anything you choose.

“Open link in a new window/tab” – it’s a smart idea to check this box. Otherwise, when someone clicks your link, they’ll leave your blog.

If you want to link to an existing page, you can use the “Search” section to find a post or page you’ve already created and click it to add a link.

Finally, click “Add Link”, and your link will be added where you left your cursor in the post you were writing.

Adding Headers & Editing Text

It’s a good idea to use headers and bolding to make your content easier to read and scan.

Adding Headings

To add a heading, click on the drop-down menu on the bottom left of the toolbar.

Try to only use “Heading 1” once within your page (usually at the top), and use “Heading 2” or “Heading 3” for other sections in the copy, as this is better for search engines.

Tip: You can also highlight the text you want to change in your blog post, THEN click on the drop-down menu and select the format you want the text to be in.

Editing Fonts

You can also bold, italicize, underline and even change the color of your text in a click or two.

“B” is for bolding
“I” is for italics
“U” is to underline your text
“A” will open a dropdown menu where you can select font color

As you can see, this is all pretty simple for someone who has worked with Microsoft Word.

Step 5: Start Growing Your Blog

Analytics from StartBloggingOnline.com (taken from my personal laptop).

Now that you have set up your blog and know the basics, it’s time to make your blog successful. Many
beginners struggle at that point, thus I’ve put together a handful of guides to get you going easier.

If I were you, I’d suggest you go and check my resource page here. It contains all the content that I’ve published on StartBloggingOnline.com over the past couple of years. It’s nothing too much, but enough to get you going and a bit more.

Things to do after you’ve created your blog:

The first thing I’d do is create a proper About Me and Contact page.

Creating a perfect about me page (This is usually the most visited page on your blog)
Adding a Contact Page/Form on your blog (So that your readers could contact you)

Done those two? Go and read those posts.

8 Common blogging mistakes (That many bloggers do, including me)
Where to find FREE images for your blog (Without breaking the copyright)
135+ blog post ideas for your NEW blog (Warning: HUGE list)

Ready to take your blog to next level?

Once you have some content on your blog it’s time to get some traffic and make it profitable.

Get your blog listed on Search Engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo)
Get more traffic to your blog (I’ve used those techniques personally and they’ve worked well)
How to monetize your blog (Affiliate marketing, selling advertising space, getting new clients etc…)
Add a subscription box (So you could email your blog visitors personally)
Set up Google Analytics (For tracking your blog visitors)

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: What blog site should I use?
A: WordPress is the most popular platform, powering over 25% of the web! Best of all: it’s free.

Q: What should I write about? What blog should I start?
A: Recipe blogs, fitness blogs, and business blogs are some of the most popular. Here’s how to pick a blog topic people will really want to read.

Q: How do bloggers make money?
A: There are a number of ways including advertising and digital products, but some people just do it for fun. Check out my article How To Make Money From Your Blog.

Q: How Do I Pick A Domain Name?
A: I would suggest using your real name (because you can change it later). Here’s more on picking a domain name.

Q: Are blogs social media?
A: Blogs can be considered social media, because they have comments and social interactions. However from a technical standpoint, analytics software does not count blog traffic as social media traffic.

Q: Is blogging dead?
A: No way! Over 409 million people read blog posts every month. You’re reading one right now!

Q: What’s the difference between a blog and a website?
A: Blogs are frequently updated with articles while a website is generally “set it and forget it”. Blogs might have fewer features than a website and just focus on creating really good content. For this reason, a blog is more socially active, with shares and comments.

HOW TO CREATE A BLOG

2018-02-01T15:22:00.002-08:00

‘How much time does blogging take?’

Following these instructions will likely take less than 20 minutes.

However, choosing a domain name and the blog’s theme (which determines how it looks) could take a while if you don’t yet know what you want them to be.

Lastly, creating quality content that your potential readers want to read can take even more time. For example, it took me more than 72 hours to put this piece of content together (including images and videos). Overall, blogging doesn’t have to take much time. It’s completely up to you to decide how seriously you want to take it.

‘Is blogging completely FREE?’

The short answer is “Yes.” You can even create a blog free if you want to.

BUT there are a couple of things you should pay for.

A domain name (www.YourBlogAddress.com) will cost around $10/year (but you can get it free—more about that later).

Web hosting is usually around $4-$15/month or more (although, the host I use and recommend is a bit under $3/mo). In a nutshell, it costs less than a coffee at Starbucks.

Bottom line: If you want to start a serious blog, you’ll need to spend a few dollars to get a domain name and web hosting. We’ll go through these in detail in STEPS 3 and 4.

‘Can I use a blog to make money online?’

Yes.

Some successful bloggers make insane amounts of money ($50k/mo and above), and most of it is passive, too.

There are endless ways to earn money with your blog.

Some folks are offering services, some using Google Adsense program, some are monetizing their blogs with Amazon and some are just selling physical/digital items.

You can learn more about monetizing your blog here: 33 Ways To Monetize a Blog.

1. Choose Your Blogging Platform

When starting your blog, there are several platforms to choose from (tumblr, blogger etc..).

However, one that really stands out from the pack isWordPress.

It’s FREE, very user friendly, and perfect for people who’ve never built a blog before.

Why People Use & Recommend WordPress?

It’s FREE (you only need a web host & domain name)
There are 5,000+ free & paid WordPress themes available to make your design look top-quality.
They have super helpful support forum.
It offers 45,000+ free plugins to help your blog run more smoothly and efficiently.

91% of all blogs are running on WordPress, including this one— WebsiteSetup.org and WordPress is also used by 62% of the top 100 company blogs.

Why you SHOULDN’T create a blog on a free platform

There are some serious flaws in free options you need to know about:

No Control – Your blog is being hosted on another website (e.g., wordpress.com, tumblr.com, blogspot.com). If you violate their terms of service (even by accident), they can shut down your blog any time (it has happened before).
No Customization – You can’t use all the free plugins or themes. Heck, you can’t even use custom themes to really make your blog stand out.
Other Limitations – Free space of only 3GB. For posts, images, and perhaps videos—that’s just not enough.

In short, don’t create a free blog, especially if you’re serious about starting a blog. Later migrating to a better option from a free blogging platform can be very time consuming and tricky.

Instead, create a self-hosted WordPress blog where you don’t have any limitations. Plus, you’ll be able to use your own (professional) domain name.

This leads me to the next step: finding a domain name.

P.S. DON’T DOWNLOAD/INSTALL WORDPRESS YET, YOU’LL NEED TO INSTALL IT IN STEP 4.

2. Choose a Domain Name (www.YourBlog.com)

Before you go any further, you need to choose a domain name.

Your domain name is important because:

It’s your “first impression” to website visitors.
It affects your rankings in search engines.
It defines your brand.

With that in mind, you should put some thought into your domain name, but not toomuch.

If you come up with something you like within 5 minutes, give it a go. (You can change it later). But here are a few domain tips to get you started:

Choose brandable over generic. A brandable domain name is unique and stands out from the competition, while a generic domain name is usually stuffed with keywords and unmemorable. (For example, www.LisasRocks.com is more brandable than www.RockCollectingBlog.com.)
Keep it concise. According to research from Gaebler.com, a magazine for entrepreneurs, the top-100 websites have approximately 6 characters in their domain name.
Easy to type and pronounce. Your domain name should roll off the tips of your fingers and the tips of your tongue without any problem.

P.S. DON’T BUY A DOMAIN NAME YET, I’LL SHOW YOU HOW TO GET ONE FOR FREE IN STEP 3 (below).

3. Sign Up With Web Host and Install WordPress

What is Web Hosting and Why Do You Need it?

Web Hosting is the service that keeps your blog accessible for everyone. It stores all the files, images and content that your blog has and displays it to the visitors.

If you don’t have a web host, you won’t be able to set up a blog for others to see nor will you be able to use your own domain name.

There Are Good & Bad Hosting Companies

Choosing your host is one of the most important aspect of creating your blog.

Bad web hosts cause most of the issues people have related to their blog. For example, unhelpful customer service and hidden fees are quite common…

I highly recommend using www.Bluehost.com as your host, and it’s the hosting company I currently use.

They have one-click WordPress installation, which makes it easy for you to get started.
They’ve been officially recommended by WordPress since 2005.
They’re only $2.95/mo for WebsiteSetup.org visitors + they throw in a FREE domain name.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for creating a blog on Bluehost (or any other web host)

Sign up with a web hosting (I recommend Bluehost).
Choose the hosting plan (you can pick the cheapest one).
Pick a domain name for your blog.
Complete hosting registration.
Install WordPress.
Log in and write a blog post.

Altogether, this takes about 5-10 minutes if you follow the instructions (and you have chosen your domain name). So, you can start writing your first post in just a few minutes.

1. Sign up with a web hosting (I recommend Bluehost)

Go to www.Bluehost.com and click on the “Get started now” button. Use this link to get a FREE domain, too.

This discount applies to all websitesetup.org visitors, so make sure you take advantage of it.

2. Choose the hosting plan (you can pick the cheapest one).

Now it’s time to choose your hosting package.

There are three options: Basic (recommended), Plus, and Prime.

3. Choose the domain name you want (they’ll give it to you for FREE).

Next, you’ll need to choose a domain name.

It doesn’t have to end with .com, so you can also use different endings (such as: .net, .org, or even .co.uk) if your first choice isn’t available.

If you already have a domain name (i.e., you bought it from somewhere else), use the second form on the right (“I have a domain name”).

4. Complete your registration

There are three parts to this page. The first is account information.

Just enter your contact information as you would normally.

The next part gives you some service options.

First you need to choose the account plan. Within the Basic option, you can choose to sign up for 12, 24, or 36 months. I’d start off with 12 months.

Next you’ll have some add-on options to choose from. I recommend you don’t go too crazy with these.

That being said, here are two you might want to consider:

Domain privacy – When you register a domain name, all your information is added to a public database. If you don’t want that, you can tick this option, and BlueHost will appear as the registrant (you still have full control and ownership of the domain). So, this option protects you from spammers. If you don’t mind your information being public, untick that option and you’ll save $0.99 per month.

Site Backup Pro – While WordPress is quite secure, it’s a good choice to sign up for Site Backup Pro just in case. If you are scared that you’ll mess something up, tick that box to have backups available.

The last part is just your billing info. If you want to pay with PayPal, click the “More payment options” link.

5. Install WordPress with One-Click Installation

Have you set up your hosting with Bluehost yet? Okay, good.

Now you need to install WordPress. Luckily, with the Bluehost’s one-click WordPress install, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.

Here is the step-by-step guide to install WordPress on Bluehost:

1) Login to your Bluehost control panel at: my.bluehost.com

2) Once you’re logged in, you’ll be redirected to your Control Panel. From there, choose “Install WordPress”.

If you need more help installing WordPress on Bluehost, I’ve explained it here (in step-by-step format): How to Install WordPress Blog on Bluehost.

6. Log into your new blog

At this stage, you should now have a blank WordPress site installed, along with your admin access username and password written down somewhere.

Start by typing in your new web address (www.YourNewBlog.com) to see what your WordPress blog looks like. Here’s what you’ll probably see:

Next, log in to your admin panel by going to an address like: http://YourNewBlog.com/wp-admin/. (You’ll use the same username and password you chose earlier during the setup.)

4. Customizing and Choosing a Blog Theme

Once you’re inside WordPress dashboard, you can start customizing your blog. We’ll go through everything you need to do to get your blog ready and your first post published today.

You should get familiar with the look and items of the WordPress admin menu. Here are the various admin menu items:

Dashboard – This is the page you see right after logging in.
Posts – Here you can write and publish new blog posts and view and edit old ones. We’ll go through this once we’ve set up the blog otherwise.
Media – This is your media library with all the images, PDFs, videos, etc. you’ve uploaded.
Links – Many blogs don’t use this at all. You can skip it for now.
Pages – Here you can write and publish new pages and view and edit old ones. We’ll look at this after choosing your blog design.
Comments – Everything related to comments. You can get familiar with this when you’ve published your first post and readers leave the first comments.
Appearance – Here you can change what your blog looks like. We’ll go through this in detail below.
Plugins – Here you can add and remove plugins, which add functionality to your blog. We’ll go through this after selecting the theme.
Users – If you create your content with others, you can add them as users here, so they can edit posts. Otherwise, you can skip this for now.
Tools – Here are some additional tools you can use for publishing posts. You can skip this for now.
Settings – Here you can edit your blog’s settings. We’ll look at the essential settings later.

To learn more about each one of these (and see screenshots) check out this tutorial from Karol.

Choose a FREE Theme for Your Blog

I think choosing your new WordPress blog design is the most fun step.

The good news:

You can do it all on your own.
You can get a FREE WordPress theme that makes your blog look great.
You can change it later (just don’t change it so often that your readers can’t keep up).

The bad news:

You can spend a LONG time looking for the perfect theme.
A WordPress theme is responsible for how your blog looks, so it’s an important decision.

In other words, a WordPress theme is like your car’s frame. It changes how the car looks, but doesn’t impact the features or performance too much.

Luckily for you, WordPress has thousands of great-looking themes already optimized to fit any brand, niche, or industry.

Here’s what to look for in a WordPress theme:

Simplicity: Unclear design makes it difficult for readers to navigate your blog.
Responsiveness: The theme needs to adjust its layout across different screen sizes and devices. In the highly mobile world we live in, responsiveness is a necessity.
Speed: Although most themes don’t slow down your blog significantly, it’s still good to test it. To test a theme’s speed, use the Pingdom Website Speed Test, enter the URL of the theme’s demo, and see how long the page takes to load. If the load time is longer than three seconds, you might want to find a different theme (ideally, the load time is below two seconds).
Ease of customization: It should be easy to customize the theme—otherwise, you’ll struggle every time you want to tweak something. Fortunately, many themes offer plenty of easy customization options.
SEO readiness: The theme shouldn’t make a huge difference to search engines. But it’s still better to choose a theme that’s designed with SEO in mind. (Look for “SEO Optimized” or “SEO ready” in the theme description.)
Security: Themes don’t generally create security issues. But it’s anyway good to check some user reviews and comments—and while doing that, check if people have had security problems with the theme.

Keep these factors in mind when choosing a theme. But most importantly, pick something you love and want your readers to see.

So, how do you find a theme? Here’s a video on how to change/add WordPress themes:

0:47

5. Adding Posts and Pages

Okay, now you should be all set up with WordPress. So, now for the fun part – it’s time to create your first blog post! I’ll take you through each step of this process to make it easy for you.

Go back to your WordPress admin panel (http://your_domain.com/wp-admin/) and then to “Posts » Add New” (or “Pages » Add New) from the left sidebar.

What you’ll see is a very friendly editor screen that should remind you of MS Word or Pages on Mac:

Let’s break down what you’re seeing here:

Title Area: This is where you write the title of your post.
Content Area: This is where the body text of your post goes. The whole area works just like text editing in Word or Pages. You can also add images and other media to your post by clicking the “Add Media” button.
Standard Editing Tools: Here are options like bold, italic, lists, paragraphs, and headlines.
Publishing Tools: This is where you get your post shown to the world; chief among them is the big blue “Publish” button. You can also set a publication date to schedule your post in the future or save the post as a draft for more editing.
Additional Fine-tuning Tools: Update your blog post and categorize it (you can learn more about WordPress categories and tags here).