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Step 1: Register Your Domain Name.
To start a WordPress blog, you’ll register a domain name.
A domain name is simply the web address that uniquely symbolizes your blog such as www.billblogger.com
The name should connote what your blog is all about – though this is optional.
For instance; lagosoutdoorgarden: the name speaks the message about outdoor garden services in Lagos, Nigeria.
So, in other to feel well prepared for the domain name registration, have at least 3 to 5 names well-arranged based on what you desire most.
Peradventure, if the first choice is unavailable; you can easily opt for the second choice.
Other Domain Registration Tips To Consider Are:
Tip 1: Register the name in .com.
This domain name extension signifies the website or blog for commercial and business purposes which I presume will be your sole purpose for blogging.
At least, for many people out there.
If the purpose for blogging is not to make a profit: like an advocacy group or not-for profit organization or a governmental organization, choose .org and .gov extension respectively.
Tip 2: The syllable name must be short perhaps 2 to 3.
This helps with remembrance and effective communication.
A syllable is the sounds that a word produces such as BillBlogger with 3 sounds.
Tip 3: Avoid adding the hyphen symbol [-] such as lagosoutdoor-garden.com.
This is most apparent if you like a name so much you can’t give it up.
If you do this, the name will appear confusing and cumbersome to your audience who you’re doing all the work for and not for your selfish self.
While some will understand it, many will not, thereby losing the large attraction of targeted visitors.
Step 2: Purchase Your Hosting Service
After domain name registration, the next task is to purchase a web-hosting.
There is so many Nigeria web-hosting service provider and one of the most reliable and efficient is Qservers.
Qservers is a Nigeria web-hosting firm with over 12 years’ experience in providing quality hosting service not only to Nigerians small to large businesses but many countries worldwide.
I’ve been a customer since 2013.
I patronized them for clients blog design and development services.
And no client has given me a report on poor service.
You can patronize them as well as I’m confident, their hosting service is one of the best in Nigeria with 99% uptime.
What is Web-Hosting?
Web hosting is a place where all blogging activities from an email account, files and database management, and storage and security management are effectively managed.
In addition, Qservers will secure your blog from attackers looking for visitors’ data to steal such as credit card details and email addresses.
Nevertheless, you’ve to exercise security cautions as well which you’ll rightly guide.
Also, the blog publishing software (WordPress) plays a bigger role by protecting your blog with inbuilt security tools if finally well-built and launched.
Other Benefits You’ll Get From Qservers Web-Hosting Are:
1. You’ll be allocated an amount of bandwidth enough to kick starts your blogging business.
Bandwidth is the rate and speed at which information will be processed back to your visitors from their server upon request.
You can simply liken bandwidth to the amount of traffic you get daily or monthly.
If your traffic suddenly increases sporadically and it remains consistent, you’ll need to increase your bandwidth as well by upgrading the hosting package.
So, bandwidth comes in different figures based on the hosting package you purchased.
I recommend you start blogging with the business package, which has 40 GB of bandwidth.
This should be enough for the first year in business.
When traffic eventually grows exponentially beyond control, you’ll need to upgrade.
2. With the business package I recommend you start with or any other upgraded package, you’re entitled to register a .com.ng domain name for FREE.
NOTE: Any name given FREE by any hosting service provider belongs to them.
Therefore, if you’re on low-budget, take the risk to gamble free with your brand or company name.
The following year, your blogging business must’ve stabilized in income generation to register and take full authority of your domain and brand name.
3. Qservers will give you free SSL certificate if you purchase any hosting package from the business package upward.
SSL certificate is simply what protect and guide your blog visitors’ data from hackers who are always working day and night especially if the blog has an e-commerce store.
A blog with an SSL certificate can be known with the padlock sign on the address bar.
4. With a business hosting package, you’ve access to create an unlimited email account.
5. Also, with the business package, you can create 10 sub-domain name such as shop.yourblog.com; forum.yourblog.com and much more goodies.
Step 3: Install And Configure WordPress
Now, at this stage, you must’ve registered your domain name, purchase web-hosting and perform it configuration on Qservers.
Step 3.1: Login to the Email used to Register on Qservers
Check the email address used for registration on Qservers.
You’ll find a message titled “Qservers.net – Your Web Space Details for yourname.com”
It contains lots of information but the one you currently need is The Control Panel (cPanel).
It goes like this:
Control Panel web address: http://www.yourblogname.com/cpanel
Username: xxxxxxxxx
Password: xxxxxxxxx
Step 3.2: Access Your cPanel
Visit the website: http://www.yourblogname.com/cpanel
Insert the username, password, and log in.
Step 3.3: Access Softaculous Apps Installer
Inside cPanel, scroll down and locate the section called software.
You’ll see Softaculous Apps Installer, click for instant access.
Step 3.4: Install WordPress
Hover the mouse over the WordPress icon; it’ll reveal buttons such as Install, Demo, and Overview.
Click Install.
Step 3.5: Add Your Blog Details
You’ll be driven to a page, fill all the important details about your blog.
It has been divided into sections. Let’s take a look one after the other.
The first section is the Software Setup.
On choose protocol: choose the HTTP protocol you bought from Qservers.
This should either be HTTP or https.
The main difference between them is the SSL certificate.
If you bought the SSL certificate along with the domain name and web-hosting which I recommend you do or were given free, choose https:// as your protocol.
If no SSL certificate was bought or given free, choose HTTP.
As for www, it’s optional you either add it or not.
But if you love coherence and like your blog web address to appear in full, include the www. (I recommend this)
On Choose domain, select the domain name you want to install the WordPress blog on.
A scenario of choice will show if you registered more than one domain name with Qservers.
But if it’s just one, the only name registered will automatically appear as the possible preferred choice.
In directory, delete “wp” found in the space provided. Make it empty or don’t add anything if already empty.
The second section is the Site Settings.
On-Site name, input the name of your blogs such as BillBlogger or LagosOutdoorGarden.
Whatever you type will appear exactly on any web browser.
Remember, this is the first thing and impression your visitors will likely see. It’s your brand; imagine it as an office signpost sighted on the road.
It can determine if visitors will continue to find out more about your blog or not.
On-Site description: input a few words – a sentence or phrase about your blog.
This message will appear also on any web browser as well along with the site name.
For instance: BillBlogger – Build Profitable Blogging Business.
You should envision this as your blog tagline or core purpose.
Remember, you can always change the site name and its description whenever you’ve got a satisfactory content.
On Enable Multisite (WPMU), leave it blank and don’t check the box.
The third section is the Admin Account.
On admin username, input the blog publisher name.
It will appear as “Posted by Your Name” or posted by Kunle.
On Admin password, input a strong password preferably, alphanumeric – a combination of letters and numbers.
On Admin Email, input an email address dedicated to blogging configuration and settings.
This email address will become the primary address for receiving emails and other configuration settings.
The fourth section is the Choose Language.
Choose the language you want to originally use to communicate with your targeted audience which I guess is English.
Therefore, English has been automatically chosen but if otherwise, click the drop-down menu button and choose a different language.
The fifth section is Select Plugin(s).
The only plugin is “Limit Login Attempts (Loginizer)” and is unchecked.
Check it and that signify installation.
A plugin is a piece of software made to perform a specific function such as loginizer which protect and guide your blog from someone who has made many failed attempts to log in.
The sixth section is Advanced Options.
On both database name and table prefix, leave whatever has been inputted.
On Disable Update Notifications Email, don’t check but leave it blank.
The remaining features such as Auto Upgrade, Auto Upgrade WordPress Plugins, Auto Upgrade WordPress Themes, Backup location, Automated Backups, and Backup Rotation are optional.
You can either check or uncheck them.
If your hosting space is very large such as 50 GB and more, you can opt to back up content for safekeeping.
With backup, you’ve got the option of daily, weekly, or monthly.
You can also choose how many times the backup will be performed.
For instance, if you choose to back up every day, then, choose how many times in a day, perhaps twice or 4 times.
The seventh and the final section is the Select Theme.
Right here, you don’t need to select or check anything, so skip this part.
On the Email Installation Details to:
Input the email address you want installation details to be sent to.
You can make use of the primary email address already inputted in the admin account section.
It helps to keep messages organized in one place.
Finally, go through the blog details one more time and ensure all information is correct.
If okay, click the Install button.
While WordPress is installing, wait patiently to make it fully installed.
During installation, you might come across an error message as “installation cannot proceed because the following files already exist in the target folder”.
If you come across it, check this caption “Select the checkbox to overwrite all files and continue” scroll downward and click the install button again.
With successful installation, you’ll be notified with a congratulatory message.
Now, you can access your new WordPress blog by visiting the URL: http://yourblogname.com
This is what blog visitors will see called front-end.
The administrative region is where you will carry out more blog setup, configuration, and settings; design and customization and this is the URL: http://yourblogname.com/wp-admin
This is where you will create and publish your first blog post.
To publish your first blog posts, move your mouse over the post menu and Click Add New and will be driven to a new page to create your post.
The first horizontal space is for a post title, while the large space is for the body of content.
When all right, click the Publish button.
Here is the newly published a blog post.
Like that, you can start blogging your way to success and wealth.
Conclusion
Start planning ahead towards the basic requirement you need to start a WordPress Blog in Nigeria.
They’re, register your domain name and purchase web-hosting from Qservers.
After getting them to install and set up your blog.
The best time to start blogging is now. Your capacity, skill, and resources don’t matter.
Start with what you’ve got now and build-up gradually.