Reading a blogs can be a lot of fun and it might even be enough
for you to think about blogging as well. However, it is normal to not
know how to create a blog if you are not familiar with the available
online services and blogging platforms. Once you get acquainted with
these platforms, blogging becomes easy and possibly addicting.
The
easiest way in learning how to start a blog is to try to register at an
online service first. Sites like WordPress and Blogger are recommended
for starters but you should consider WordPress if you plan on starting
your own blog in a hosting provider later on. Registering for an account
is basically the same as registering for an email or social networking
account. Just fill up the required information and confirm your email
address.
Once you made your account, you can log in and get
greeted with the admin interface. The interface can vary depending on
the service and current version of the platform so your best bet is to
read the documentation or look for video tutorials online so you can get
a nice tour of the various features. Generally, the most obvious thing
that you should be able to access is the post editor where you can
create your very first blog entry.
Creating your first blog entry
should feel like posting a comment on a blog or making a document in
your favorite word processor. But the cool thing is that you have more
customization options such as formatting and the ability to insert
graphics. You can also use a program such as Windows Live Writer to
create a blog entry without opening your web browser.
Now that you
know how a blog works, the next thing you should do is customize your
blog because there are various themes that could better match the theme
of your blog. Online services usually have a wide selection of templates
to choose from so feel free to take your time in choosing your
template. Also remember that you can change your template at any time
without worrying about your existing blog posts.
From there on
out, it is all about exploration and video tutorials can help a lot.
Once you are ready to set up a blog on your own hosting space, you have
to download the blogging platform script to your computer and upload it
to your server. Some premium hosting providers may allow you to install a
blogging platform like WordPress in a single click. Switching to a
hosting provider is recommended if you want more flexibility on your
blog since you can install any custom template you like or design your
own. You can also add widgets and other add-ons if you want extra
functionality.