WordPress Setup

In This Section, You Will Learn:

• • Free vs self-hosted blogging
• • Domain and hosting setup
• • WordPress installation
• • Essential plugins
• • Theme selection

Free vs Self-Hosted Blogging

• Free Platforms (Blogger, Medium, WordPress.com):
• • Good for testing ideas
• • Limited monetization
• • Don't own your content fully
• • Unprofessional URLs
• Self-Hosted WordPress.org:
• • Full control
• • Own your content
• • Custom domain
• • Full monetization options
• • Professional appearance
• Recommendation:
• Start free to test, move to self-hosted once committed
• For serious bloggers: Self-hosted from the start

Domain and Hosting

• Choosing a Domain:
• • .com preferred (most trusted)
• • Easy to spell and remember
• • Avoid hyphens and numbers
• • Brand-able (yourname.com or topicblog.com)
• Domain Cost: $10-15/year
• Hosting Options:
• • Hostinger: Budget-friendly ($3-4/month)
• • Bluehost: Beginner-friendly ($3-5/month)
• • Cloudways: Better performance ($12+/month)
• What to Look For:
• • Good speed and uptime
• • WordPress support
• • Free SSL certificate
• • Easy backup options
• Total Startup Cost: $50-100/year

WordPress Installation

• Most Hosts Have One-Click Install:
• 1. Login to hosting control panel
• 2. Find WordPress installer
• 3. Enter basic site info
• 4. Click install
• 5. Done in minutes
• Initial Setup:
• • Set site title and tagline
• • Configure permalinks (post-name)
• • Set timezone
• • Create admin account securely
• Security Basics:
• • Strong password
• • Don't use 'admin' username
• • Keep everything updated

Essential Plugins

• SEO Plugin (Pick One):
• • RankMath (recommended, free)
• • Yoast SEO (popular, free)
• Speed/Caching:
• • WP Rocket (paid, best)
• • LiteSpeed Cache (free)
• Security:
• • Wordfence (free)
• • Sucuri (free/paid)
• Backup:
• • UpdraftPlus (free)
• Image Optimization:
• • ShortPixel (free tier)
• Essential Setup:
• Install SEO + Cache + Backup at minimum
• Don't install too many plugins (slows site)

Theme Selection

• Theme Requirements:
• • Fast loading (critical for SEO)
• • Mobile responsive
• • Clean design
• • Ad-friendly (if monetizing with ads)
• Recommended Free Themes:
• • GeneratePress (lightweight, fast)
• • Astra (versatile, fast)
• • Kadence (modern, flexible)
• Recommended Paid Themes:
• • GeneratePress Premium ($59)
• • Astra Pro ($47)
• • Trellis (ad-optimized, $99/year)
• Avoid:
• • Heavy themes with unused features
• • 'Multi-purpose' themes (too bloated)
• • Themes not updated recently