Why Blog?
Push-Button Publishing
Let the World know what you think!

Where?
http://Blogger.com/
http://yournick.blogspot.com/

Blogger
● Google stable
● Hosted solution
● No constraints
● Customisable

WordPress.com
● Hosted solution
● Uses WordPress MU
● Themes: yes
● Customisable: NO

WordPress.com
● Plugins: No
● CSS tweaking: No
● Widgets: NO
● Custom-localisation: No
● Javascript: NO

WordPress
● FOSS software
● Downloadable from http://wordpress.org/
● PHP + MySQL
● To be self-hosted
● Total Freedom!

What you need
● A domain name
● .in < Rs.200 p.a
● .com... < Rs.500 p.a
● Select a good Registrar

What you need
● A good webhost
● Webspace: >100 mb
● PHP version > 4.3
● MySQL version > 4
● FTP

What you need
● PHP Apache configuration
● “fopen” enabled
● Not in “safe mode”
● Apache mod_rewrite module
installed

Set it up
● Create MySql database
● Note db name, username & pw
● Configure FTP client

First Steps
● Download latest version from
http://wordpress.org/
● Unzip the compressed package
● Read readme.html

First Steps ...

First Steps ...

Initialize
● Rename wp-config-sample.php
to wp-config.php
● Open config.php in an editor
● Fill in your db details
● Configure advanced settings

Config.php
// ** MySQL settings ** //
define('DB_NAME', 'putyourdbnamehere'); // The name of the
database
define('DB_USER', 'usernamehere'); // Your MySQL username
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'yourpasswordhere'); // ...and
password
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost'); // 99% chance you won't need
to change this value
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8');
define('DB_COLLATE', '');

Config.php ...
// You can have multiple installations in one database if you give each
a unique prefix
$table_prefix = 'wp_'; // Only numbers, letters, and underscores
please!
// Change this to localize WordPress. A corresponding MO file for the
// chosen language must be installed to wp-content/languages.
// For example, install ta.mo to wp-content/languages and set
WPLANG to 'ta'
// to enable Tamil language support.
define ('WPLANG', '');

Installation
● Select root or subdirectory
● Upload WP files thru FTP
● Keep WP directory structure
● Create .htaccess file & upload

5-Minute install!
● Point browser to:
http://yourwpdir/wp-admin/install.php
● Enter desired blog title
● Fill in your email ID
● Allow blog to search engines

Done!

Admin area

Admin profile

General options

Reading options

Write a post

Themes

More themes
● http://themes.wordpress.net/
● Select themes, d/l & unzip
● Put in blogdir/wp-content/themes
● Go to yourblog/wp-admin/
● Select theme in Presentation

Plugins
● Go to http://wordpress.org/
● Extend => Plugins
● Search using tags
● Read and understand
● Select, D/L and unzip

Plugins ...
● Upload to:
yourblogdir/wp-content/plugins/
● Go to Admin => Plugin
● Activate selected plugin
● Go to options and configure

Plugins ...

Advanced
● Read the WP Veda - “Codex” at
http://codex.wordpress.org/
● A wiki updated regularly
● Frequent the forums at
http://wordpress.org/support/

Advanced ...
● Write “Pages”
● Tweak themes with CSS
● Provide navigation
● Backup regularly

Blogging tips
● Decide on the focus
● Write a niche blog
● Update regularly
● Moderate comments

Blogging tips ...
● Reply to comments
● Write original stuff
● Use pictures and video
● Link to citations
● Don't indulge in flaming

Blog traffic
● Comment on others' blogs
● Subscribe to pinging and blog
networking sites viz:
● Technorati
● MyBlogLog
● BlogCatalog

Blog traffic ...
● Publish in Feedburner
● Tag the posts properly
● Flaunt your blog in all social
networking and bookmarking sites
viz: Digg, Del.icio.us etc. and in
your profile and sig.

In your language
● Set language in config.php
● Download wordpress.pot
● Gettext is used for I18N & L10N
● Use Poedit for translation
● Upload ta.mo to /wp-content/language

Contact me!
S.K
http://www.cyberbrahma.com/
skichu@gmail.com

Thank you!