Would you like an awesome, custom built, feature packed Wordpress (.org) blog?
Step 1
You will need your own domain name and hosting. Your little piece of web real estate!
Set up your domain and hosting. Or if you already have your domain, then go directly to setting up your hosting. There are tons of options for hosting, but we suggest our favorite:
HostGator.com is one of the fastest growing web hosting companies in the United States. They are a big company with a small company feel. Their hosting packages are packed with tons of free features that cost extra at other hosts. I have my domain and blog hosted with them, and have never waited more than two minutes to speak with someone for service. They offer live help via phone, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
In addition, it’s important because it’s HostGator’s Affiliate program that allows me to build your blog for free. When you use any of my Affiliate links on this page when signing up for HostGator, they pay me a commission for the referral and so I can offer my services at no charge to you.
There are several hosting options, all of which are available through my link, but here are the three most popular:
Good Deal: Monthly “Hatchling” Plan including Domain Name, $19.01 includes set up, first month of hosting, and 1 year of domain name, $8.95 per month thereafter. Please make sure you click here and use Coupon Code HGC25 to receive 20% off your initial order.
Great Deal: Annual “Hatchling” Plan including Domain Name, $78.72 includes free setup, 1 year of hosting, and 1 year of domain name. Make sure you click here and use Coupon Code SNOWMAN to receive 20% off your initial order.
Awesome Deal: For monthly plans get your first month for $0.01 (free month) for the “Baby” hosting plan or $9.94 off any other monthly hosting plan. Make sure you click here and enter Coupon Code HOSTGATOR to get your first month free.
If you have questions about the coupon offerings listed here or that you may see on the Internet (HostGator occassionally runs specials for limited times) please email me at Ann@BlogsByAnn.com.
Step 2:
Email me (Ann@BlogsByAnn.com) the confirmation you received from HostGator. If you receive several emails, please only send the one that includes your domain name, DN info, login name, and password. Of course you can change all this later - but I need it to actually build and install your blog.
Step 3:
Email me (Ann@BlogsByAnn.com) the exact email address you would like me to set up on your new blog. For example: YourName@YourNewBlog.com. In that same email, I need to know what “Theme” you would like. I can install any WordPress theme that is available free online. There are literally thousands to choose from. This site has over 750.
Step 4:
Relax. I’ll build your blog within 48 hours and email you when it’s ready to go! By the way…in addition to the awesome Theme, I’ll be installing the following “plugins” that will make your blog super powerful!
AdSense Deluxe2 - Allows you to easily place Google ads on your page and earn revenue from clicks.
Akismet - Widely regarded for stopping comment spam.
All-In-One SEO Pack - Complete solution to make your site immediately more effective from a Search Optimization perspective.
Google XML SiteMaps - Makes sure your site is mapped properly to be indexed regularly by Google, Ask.com, Yahoo, and MSN.
ShareThis - Allows your users to share the content with other users on Social Bookmarking sites.
Viper’s Video QuickTags - Quick and easy posting of videos on your site from Youtube and other popular sources.
WordPress Database Backup - On demand backup of your WordPress Blog.
WordPress Related Posts - Generates and displays related posts so users can find other related posts quickly.
WP - Contact Form - A simple drop in form so users can contact you easily.
Remote Database Backup - Enables automated remote backups.
Max Blog Press Ping Optimizer - Saves your Wordpress blog from getting tagged as ping spammer.
FeedBurner FeedSmith - For the best results using FeedBurner for RSS. This plugin will detect all ways to access your feed so you track every possible subscriber.
Add Post Footer - Allows you to automatically add custom paragraph, html code, ad code technarati tags and/or related links lists to the end of every post.
Thanks again! And please be sure to use my Affiliate link on this page when signing up for HostGator. The moment you purchase your hosting package I receive an email from HostGator. It’s this receipt that allows me to offer my free service to you. You can click here, HostGator.com. Thank you!
Questions? You can email me directly at Ann@BlogsByAnn.com. Again, thanks!
Psst! If you already have hosting but would still love an awsome new Wordpress blog, let me know what your specific needs are and we’ll come up with a reasonable fee and have your blog ready in 48 hours.
For free blog installation customers, the package includes:
-Blog installation
-Theme installation
-Plugins listed here
Contact me for prices for additional features. I think you’ll be pleased at how reasonable prices are. As an example, adding a logo and link to social networking sites are $5 each.
Why Dump BlogSpot/Blogger?
1. Freedom: Features for BlogSpot are less than 10% of what’s available on blogs like Wordpress.org. Once you see what you can do with Wordpress.org, you’ll feel like your BlogSpot site is a car with no air conditioning, manual windows, and no radio! Wordpress is faster, more efficient, more attractive - and far more profitable.
2. BlogSpot is like renting: No matter what you do to improve your BlogSpot site, you don’t own it. BlogSpot can shut down your site for any reason at any time. They have total control and reap any long term benefits of your hard work. Why invest time and money into bringing traffic and long term visitors to someone else’s site?
3. Credibility: BlogSpot is not taken seriously. Because hosting and domain are so inexpensive, consumers wonder why a successful, reputable business would team up with a free blogging service. And the truth is that real businesses don’t use BlogSpot.
4. Difficult to remember: A BlogSpot address is cumbersome to share with new contacts and twice as difficult for them to remember. And did you know that many corporate networks now ban BlogSpot sites because the content in many of them is inappropriate and are simply Splogs (Spam Blogs).
Basic (and Important) Tips for Choosing Your Blog Theme
1. Select a white or light colored background page. A Theme with a black or dark colored page and white type is hard to read and casues eye fatigue. You will lose your audience.
2. Most free Themes come with a set line width for your text. Choose a Theme with two columns or if you prefer one column, choose a Theme with a text line that just isn’t too wide. When the line is very wide it’s difficult for eyes to follow and you may lose your audience.
3. If you would like music for your blog install it with an ‘On/Off’ button set to default ‘Off’. Unexpected music may startle your reader. Let your audience choose to listen — or not.
4. Note that with most Themes, especially free Themes, the font (lettering) style and size are set and can’t be changed. Consider this important aspect of your blog when you choose your Theme. Then when it’s time to write your first post, and thereafter, it’s essential to write directly on the blog page. If you copy and paste from Word or email page the code carries over to the blog page and you’ll soon have several different fonts on the different pages in your blog — not the best for a successful blog.
Some Favorite Blogs that I’ve Recently Installed
Sue and Anna chose Emerald Waters for their fabulous blog. Love it! Love it!
www.networkmarketingsuccess4u.com
Jocelyn chose a free WordPress theme, Flexibility, which offers one, two, or three text columns, choice of header colors, and many more options.
Carin also chose the Flexibility theme which is an excellent choice and a stunning blog and you can see how flexible Flexibility is when you compare Carin’s blog with Jocelyn’s. Both are Flexibility.
Dee chose a free WordPress Theme, Amazing Grace, which is perfect for her personal development and inspirational messages.
Eddie purchased a premium WordPress Theme, Fresh News, by Woo Themes and requested a custom header for his marketing blog. Fabulous!
About Me
My background is in graphic art and I’ve illustrated more than 50 books for children. (I’m published as Ann Schweninger, my maiden name. If you are curious you can do a Google seach and will find some of my books.) My love for art and design and the Internet attracted me to Wordpress blogs. Blogs are art, design, publishing, and Internet all in one. I think it’s fabulous that the average person (just like me) can have their own easy-to-use blog, can design it themselves, and publish what ever they wish to share with the world. (P.S. That’s my dog, Zimmie, in my arms. I’m one of the world’s biggest pet lovers!)