This document provides information on blogging platforms and how to set up a blog. It discusses Blogger and WordPress as hosted blogging solutions that don't require web hosting, and self-hosted WordPress which provides more flexibility but requires web hosting. It then outlines the steps needed to set up a self-hosted WordPress blog, including obtaining a domain name, web hosting, downloading and installing WordPress, configuring the database, adding themes and plugins, and basic administration of the blog. Tips are also provided on blog content, traffic, translation, and resources for support.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12. First Steps ...

13. First Steps ...

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

15. 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', '');

16. 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', '');

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

18. 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

19. Done!

20. Admin area

21. Admin profile

22. General options

23. Reading options

24. Write a post

25. Themes

26. 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

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

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

29. Plugins ...

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

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

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

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

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

35. 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.

36. 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

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

38. Thank you!