Creating A Blog – Part Four: Selecting and Installing Your Blogging Platform
Posted on May 31st, 2008 by Jim under Blogging 101
Welcome to Part Four of the “Creating A Blog” series here on theNetFool.com. By this point, you should have everything ready to go. We know what we want to accomplish, and have the domain name and web hosting to make it happen. Now let’s talk about the system you need to install to get things up and running.
Modern day bloggers use a website script that acts as a writer/publisher/editor on the internet so you can run your blog entirely from your website. These scripts are very easy to install, and once you have things running you’ll have everything you need to blog like the professionals. This means that you can write, edit, publish, update and everything in between. Let’s get you set up with your very own blog!
The Choices: WordPress v. Blogger
There are plenty of independent blogging systems out there, but you should really only consider two: WordPress and Blogger. You’ll hear arguments both ways, and while most bloggers nowadays have made the switch over to WordPress, Blogger still makes for a viable blogging platform option.
Blogger: Blogs made with Blogger are hosted directly through the blogger.com website, so no real need for hosting. The advantage here is of course that you do not need web hosting. Other than that, since Blogger is a subsidiary of Google, all of the pages are very well indexed by the search engine and typically get decent rankings right off the bat. The system is easy to use for beginners, and great for a personal “my thoughts” type of writer. If you are looking for a cheap way to create a simple online journal, Blogger is the blogging platform for you.
WordPress: Serious bloggers scoff at the Blogger system because of its simplicity. There really aren’t many features at all in Blogger, as there exist in 
WordPress. WordPress.com allows you to host a blog there for free, just like Blogger, but most people using WordPress have the actual script running on their servers. This is what I recommend, because it makes things a lot easier and more professional in the long run. I’ve always used WordPress, and it just keeps getting better or better. If you are looking to run advertising or make your own blog with a custom template, you need to use WordPress. This system allows you to do things your way, rather than have a third party limit your room to work.
I personally recommend WordPress to everyone. However, if you are looking for a really basic and easy to use system for a low-key blog… why not give Blogger a run? I must warn you that there will be little room to expand without reverting to WordPress, but it’s not a bad start-up idea for someone looking for a basic setup.
Downloading Your Blogging Script
Again, I don’t want you using a third party… use WordPress or Blogger. If you would like to try the third-party hosting, you can simply navigate over to either Blogger.com or WordPress.com to set up your free account. Take notice: you cannot run your own ads and you might be required to display theirs, which makes things look a bit tacky.
Working from the assumption that you are installing WordPress, let’s check out the official download page on WordPress.org. You want to grab the most recent copy available, and save it to your computer wherever it will be easiest to find (called “wordpress-x.zip”). Then you simply need to unzip what you have and you’ll 
see all the files available for you. Most computers come with a default extracting program, but if its not working try WinRar.
Uploading WordPress to Your Server
Let’s learn a little about FTP (file transfer protocol). You know the “http://” before websites? This is just one protocol you can use, and the “ftp://” is essentially for file transfers. I’d recommend downloading a client so you can send and download files back and forth from your hosting account, the best are FileZilla and CuteFTP, and both are 100% free. This will allow you to easily access and edit your files.
Once you have your FTP client up and running, you just need to connect to your web hosting account (find the connection information in your host’s FAQ section) including address, username, password and port. Port is almost always going to be 21, so don’t worry about that. Address is where your website is (mine is “thenetfool.com”) and your username and password is simply your login information. Once you are connected, you’ll see all your files laid out.
All you need to do to have your WordPress script ready to use is move all the files you just downloaded to your hosting account’s root folder. This will either be the first thing you see, or it might be in a folder like “httpdocs.” You’ll know it when you see it, just upload everything you just unzipped.
Creating Your MySQL Database
Don’t let the terminology confuse you. A MySQL database is basically just a big file where all of your settings are dumped and accessed by the WordPress script. All the text from your posts, usernames, setting, etc. are stored here in a file that you need to create. Having a database dedicated to your blog is a smart idea.
Creating a new database is typically done through your web hosting control panel, and should be pretty easy to figure out. Just make a new database, a user for that database, and a password for that user. May sure you remember this information, as we’ll need it soon. If you can’t figure it out, try this guide.
Installing WordPress
Installing the Wordpress system is very easy, and this “five minute installation” guide from WordPress.org should guide you through things. Essentially, you need to find the file “wp-config-sample.php” in your unzipped files and just fill in the information for the database you just created. Save it as “wp-config”.php 
and upload it back on to your server. I use Windows Notepad to do this, easy!
Once your files are in place, point your browser to “yoursite.com/wp-admin/install.php” and follow the easy to understand prompt. If you get stuck, check back in with WordPress.org’s handy installation guide and see what could be wrong. You may have to change around the file permissions (CHMOD) on some of your files, but this can be easily accomplished with a right-click from your FTP client.
Congratulations, your blog is now installed (or hosted) and ready for you to start making posts. At this point, you have everything you “need” to start running a successful website. In the next tutorial, I am going to discuss how to find, install and customize a template and some very important plugins for your blog. This is going to be essential to get Google to find your website easier and to enhance the appeal/user experience at your new website. In the meantime, why not experiment by making a few posts to see how things work?
Stay tuned for part five, where I’ll get you customized and looking like a pro! 
-The Net Fool
Related Posts
- Build-A-Blog Workshop Day 5: Downloading and Installing WordPress Blogging Software
- Creating A Blog – Part Five: Choosing Your Theme and Installing Plugins
- Day 21: Installing and Adding Plugins to your WordPress Blog
- Speed Up Your Blog – Loading Times Are More Important Than You Think
- Creating A Blog – Part Eight: Organizing Content and Forming a Blogging Routine
Hey! If this had come up back when I was just wrestling with WP, it would have been a lot easier
Miss Writes last blog post..Izea’s Newest Brain Child: SocialSpark
Thanks Miss Write. Yup, it can definitely get confusing if you don’t know what they are talking about in the instructions… so I’m just hoping to have things easier to understand here
I have followed the WordPress instructions to the letter several times over and when I enter the “yoursite.com/wp-admin/install.php” into the URL field I am transported to a “Page Not Found” site. Please help!
Wordpress is the way to go.
Flimjos last blog post..The Flimjo Recap – June 1, 2008
I am on blogger platform. I love to be with them. May be I want to be with Google. LOL. Blogger is easier to configure but their commenting system is not good enough. But you can use some third-party service.
Agent 001s last blog post..Better Comment with Intense Debate
I personally use wordpress myself, haven’t used blogger. I know wordpress is definitely very easy to use.
Anyway,. can’t wait to hear these winners!
I’m using Wordpress for most of my blogs since they have great flexibility to be customized
Joe Coles last blog post..iPod Leather Case With Speakers
I actually find Blogger to be better than WP.
Klajdi Henas last blog post..Hedge Against Speculations!
Hi Jim,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! I’m always looking for ways to improve myself and I’m glad to have found your blog. Thank you for sharing with us.
Cheers,
Roy
I was following everything up until you started talking about moving all files to root folder and now I feel really stupid.
So, I think I’m going to play around with wordpress for a little while because I am determined to use WordPress. I use Blogger now but I see other blogs and it seems like you can do so much more with WP. I’m new at all this, can you tell? 
Terris last blog post..Anchor Hocking
You won’t have any regrets switching your blog site over to Wordpress. Blogger doesn’t compare at all. Wordpress allows you to grow and develop… and there are many things you can do to tweak its functionality.
Wordpress is definitely the way to go!
I used to use wordpress but that was back in ‘06-07 now i am solely a wordpress gal lol
EmmaBs last blog post..Thou Shall Blog
ooops I meant to say I used to use blogger lol
EmmaBs last blog post..Biggest Entrecard contest ever
I have followed the WordPress instructions to the letter several times over and when I enter the “yoursite.com/wp-admin/install.php” into the URL field I am transported to a “Page Not Found” site. Please help!