How To Start A Stylish Blog
This tutorial will work for any type of blog or WordPress based website. If this seems too complicated or you would like something a little more custom, feel free to contact us.
The technical aspect of starting a blog can be very intimidating. This tutorial will simplify the process of registering a domain name, setting up web hosting and installing WordPress. All of this can be completed in just a matter of minutes so you can start focusing on the content.
Step One – Pick A Domain Name
While picking a name for your blog is outside the scope of this tutorial, I will give you a few pointers that can help you out.
Try to get a domain with a .com suffix
While this isn’t a necessity, there is some evidence that .com websites will rank higher than others in search engines.
Make it Descriptive
eg. If you are starting a travel blog, it would be a good idea to use the word travel in the name. While this is also not a necessity, it will make your site easier find through search.
Make sure it’s available
Click Here go to “Domains” to see if your desired domain name is available.
Step Two – Setup Web Hosting
While there are many choices when it comes to hosting, we have found that Host Gator is perfect for a WordPress blog and their customer support is outstanding. Also, right now they are giving $100 in free advertising on Google. 
The hatchling plan is perfect and very affordable if you are launching just a single blog. If you plan on hosting more than one, you may want to choose one of the other packages. The setup instructions are very straight forward and can be completed in just a few minutes.
Once complete, you will recieve an email with all of your account details. Be sure to save that info as you will need it to make changes in the future.
Step Three – Setup WordPress
Hostgator makes this very easy.
Login to your control panel
The login info is in the email you recieved when you purchased your hosting plan. The link will look something like this https://gator55555.hostgator.com:2083
Scroll to almost the bottom of the control panel and under the section “Software/Services” and click “QuickInstall”
Install WordPress
From the QuickInstall page, click “WordPress” in the “Blog Software” menu. Follow the on screen instructions and pat yourself on the back… You have just started your blog!
Login to WordPress
Your login info will appear below and will also be emailed to you. Click on the login link (it should look like this http://yoursite.com/wp-admin/) Don’t panic if the login page doesn’t appear. This just means that the domain records haven’t finished updating (this can take up to 24 hours, but usually happens much faster than that).
Add your tagline
From the WordPress Dashboard, go to “Settings” -> “General” and update the “Tagline”. Think of this as a tweet about your blog.
Fix your permalinks
From the WordPress Dashboard, go to “Settings” -> “Permalinks” and select “Post name”. This is the best setting for search engine optimization.