If you’re interested in content marketing for your small business, you might want to start a WordPress blog. That might seem like a huge step, but it’s actually pretty easy.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never touched a blog before or have done it a million times; WordPress is an easy-to-use platform designed for the novice and the master. In fact, you could easily get it done in less than 30 minutes. All you need are directions, focus, and a sense of adventure.
So, where do you begin when you want to start a WordPress blog? Let’s take a look!
Decide on a name
Your first big decision when starting a blog is coming up with a name. You might already have this in mind, or maybe it’s something you need to think about. Whatever the case, start brainstorming.
If you plan to keep the blog for a while or connect it to your business site, you might want the name to have something to do with the business. Maybe you even want them to be the same thing.
Once you’ve decided on the name, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
Get a Web Hosting Account
A web hosting account is where your website lives on the internet. If you’ve ever heard of BlueHost or GoDaddy, you’re likely familiar with a web host.
The good news is that WordPress is a web host as well. If you start your blog their platform directly, then you’ve already got the web host part of this covered.
If you’re hosting another website somewhere else, you need to double-check that WordPress will integrate with your site so you can connect them. You can directly talk to the web host or reach out to one of your engineers for more information.
Start Setting Up
Did you know that 34% of all websites are hosted on WordPress? That’s because it’s so easy to setup. You don’t need any coding experience or engineering expertise to get started.
Head to WordPress.com and click “Get Started.” From there, you’ll be asked to choose a plan. Luckily, WordPress is free for most people, but if you want more flexibility with what you’re doing, you can pay for one of their business plans.
If you need to integrate WordPress into your business website, you’ll want to use WordPress.org to get started. There’s a whole different set-up process for this, so you’re going to want to walk yourself through that carefully. It’s more complicated than the other option, but it will mean you can tie your blog and site together.
Pick Your Theme
With your account created, the next order of business is to create a theme. WordPress comes with thousands of amazing themes that cater to all different types of businesses.
Look through the themes and decide which layout and look works best for what you plan to use the site for.
Make Your First Post
With the theme launched, you’re ready to start publishing. Get your first post together and put it out into the world!
Starting a blog for your small business is a huge deal. Getting your WordPress account setup is your first major step towards content marketing.
