There are a few very important things you have to do after installing a new WordPress blog.
I did most of these things when I recently installed my new blog where I will be blogging about blogging tools , soft wares and plugins and other tools that will help bloggers succeed online.(by the way , i am still working on this blog so it is still a bit empty)
Here are over 20 things I did,(will do or is doing).
These same things are what you should do in setting up your new blog.
1. Install A Good Theme
You can either get a free theme from www.DesignDisease.com , www.web2feel.com or search the web for a free theme.
Or you can buy a premium WordPress theme from Wootheme or ElegantTheme . The second option gives you a unique theme that helps in blog success.
2. Create E-Mail For Your Blog
After installing your blog, you need to create a unique email for your blog. It will look like this yourname@yourblog.com . This gives you a unique and professional look.
Go to your hosting account, click on create email. Then follow the simple steps outlined.
If you are using a one click install on fatcow,your email will be created along side the install.
3. Get A Nice Logo
Your blog logo is part of your branding and branding is part of your differentiation strategy which is essential for your success.
You can create a logo for yourself if you have graphic skills or you can outsource it.
Good places to outsource your logo creation is 99designs or ODesk or Fiverr .
4. Get A Favicon
A favicon is a branding element that appears in a browser when someone visits your blog. It is a 16 pixel by 16 pixel image that appears just before your URL in the web browser. You can use any kind of image for your favicon. You can even convert your logo to your favicon.
www.favicon.cc is a website that can help you create your blog favicon.
5. Change Your Permalinks
Permalinks refers to how the URL of your post will appear when you make a post. The default permalink has numbers and elements that do not help in search engine optimization for your posts (seo).
The recommended permalink is one that allows words to be added to it. I will show you how to do it in a later post.
6. Get A Twitter Account
Go to www.Twitter.com and register the name of your blog. Set up your profile and add your blog domain link to it. Or link to it if you already have a twitter account.
Don’t forget to add your blog logo to your image on twitter.
You can follow BlogSpanner and Mk Akan on www.twitter.com/BlogSpanner or www.twitter.com/MkAkan
7. Install Important Plugins
There are so many important WordPress plug-in your blog needs to function well. A few are
- Akismet
- Tweetmeme
- Platinum seo
Etc.
Install them and start using them.
more about this later.
8. Get A Facebook Page
Although you do not have to do this immediately for your blog but it is something your blog needs. Go to your facebook account, create a page then copy the code to text widget on your blog.
This will help in building traffic and growing a community.
you can find mine at the lower right corner of this blog…
9. Do Keyword Research
Keyword research is an important activity to help you determine what words to rank for, what words have high search volumes, which words or phrases have high competition, which words and phrase you should use in creating your categories, tagging and page titling . Use Google keyword tool to do your research.
10. Create Categories
From the information you find from the keyword research, use it to create your categories. Use the keywords and phrases you want to rank for in the search engines to create your categories.
This is good for SEO and traffic.
This is one category on blog spanner, www.BlogSpanner.com/category/how-to-start-a-blog , how to start a blog is a high search keyword (phrase).
11. Create Pages
There are certain important pages your blog needs. It includes your about page, your contact page, your resource page and other pages.
You need to create them and publish then on your blog.
Read the about page of BlogSpanner to see what I mean.
12. Page Title
Another important thing you need to do with the keyword research you made is page titling. You need to title your main page and other pages with the keywords and phrases you want to rank high for.
It is important.
You page title are the words that appear of the top left corner of your web browser.
When it comes to ranking in the search engines, Google takes keywords in the title page seriously.
13. Create Google Account
Go to www.google.com and create an account for your blog. If you have a personal account already you should link your blog to it.
The reason for this is because there are so many tools and services that Google offers for free. The only way you can enjoy them is to get a Google account. The tools and services you will enjoy are Google analytics, Google webmaster, Google mail and more.
14. Add And Verify Your Blog On Google Webmaster
After getting a Google account the next thing to do is to get your blog added and verified on Google webmaster. This will help your to get quickly indexed.
15. Create A Google Analytic For The Blog
Another free service offered by Google that you should start using immediately is Google analytic. It will help you know a lot about your readers and the traffic sources to your blog. Get the tracking code and add it on your blog widget.
16. Create A YouTube Channel
If you are going to be creating vides for your blog (and you should), it is important you create your YouTube channel before some else takes your blog name. Just head to www.YouTube.com and create an account or do that from your Google account.
17. Set Up Your RSS Feeds
RSS means real simple syndication and is a way to let your readers read your post without having to go to your blog. When a reader subscribes to your RSS he or she will be notified when a post is made.
Just go to www.feeds.feedburner.com to set up your RSS feed. There are 2 ways to subscribe to an RSs feed, by using an RSS reader or by e-mail.
A feed is usually in this format; www.feeds.feedburner.com/whateveryoulike
By the way, click this link to subscribe to BlogSpanner
18. Register With Blog Communities
If it your very first blog, you need to register with blog communities like www.blogcatalog.com , www.blogengage.com and www.technorati.com . All of this is to build back links and traffic to your blog. If you have registered on these networks before then all you have to do is include links to your new blog.
19. Start Building A List
This is may come as a surprise to you but you should start building a list from day one. It is a mistake I made on my older blogs; it will not repeat itself on BlogSpanner. I am creating a resource titled Essential Blogging Tools, Websites And Services Needed For Successful Blogging. I will be giving it out on the blog.
And by the way, I will be building my list with MailChimp . This is a sweet list building service that allows you 3000 free emails to 500 free subscribers before you can start paying.
Check it out and start building your own list. Try MailChimp
20. Get To Work
Start posting, start recording your ideas, start building your blog. Start brain storming blog post. Start networking with other bloggers.
This is what your readers want.
Thank you.
Are other important things one should do after installing WordPress blogging software? Please share in the comment.
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All the fresh blog starting tips are awesome. I think with the help of these tips anyone can be a successful blogger. Wonderful post, I really enjoyed reading it! The people you meet when you travel really are often the best part of it all.
Hi Mk Akan, no problem about the trackback
Your blogs are very informative and I really enjoy reading them!
Thanks for the Tips Akan,
I actually got via a recommendation from Chukwudi of Strictlyonlinebiz. I learnt a few things I can implement right away for the custom blog theme I designed for my portfolio site. I must confess I didn’t appreciate the importance of a list until you mentioned it. And thanks for the MailChimp tip.
One question though. Does the free version of mail chimp feature ads?
Andrew,no.it does not feature ads…..They have a great service…try them out.