In this post, share my blog technology journey to get gardening4joy launched. I launched my site in December 2018 and started working on it in September 2018. It’s a real learning experience putting together the components to establish a blog. There is much to learn. Here are the basic steps I followed and the tools that I use.
Step 1
Decide upon a domain name (e.g. gardening4joy.com is my domain). You must use a service to register a domain name. I used GODADDY (more about this later). There are many domain registry services and they provide similar services. You start by deciding upon a name and then searching to see if the name you want to use is taken (e.g. someone else has already purchased). It took me several tries to find a name that was not already taken. Anything with ‘gardening’ seemed to be very popular. For example, I wanted ‘gardeningwithgrace.com’ but that was taken. When I keyed that domain name in my browser, I found out that ‘grace’ was actually the domain owners’ dog (funny).
Step 1 for blog technology is defining and registering a domain name.
Step 2
Decide upon the blog technology ‘platform’ to use. I researched all the platforms (GoDaddy, Wix, Weebly, WordPress, and others). I ultimately decided to use the WordPress Platform. WordPress is different from the other platforms in that you do not get a ‘complete’ package. What do I mean? If you go with Wix, for example, Wix provides the tools and hosting services you need. If you go with WordPress, you must choose your own hosting service and the tools that you use to build the website. There are pros and cons to each and lots of information that can be researched on the internet.
Why did I choose WordPress? WordPress is a free open source content management system that was introduced in 2003. Over 30% of worldwide websites are powered by the WordPress Platform. It is especially well suited for blogging and is based upon an architecture that includes templates and plugins. Based on my research, this platform was the most flexible, and the fact that it powers 30% of the internet was impressive. Key component descriptions:
- Themes define the look and feel of the website. Users can change the theme without changing the underlying content. There are both free and premium themes. I use a premium theme called Rosemary from Solo Pines. I highly recommend a premium theme because these usually come with support. When you are getting started, support is critical should you have any questions or issues.
- Plugins are pieces of code that manage specific functionality on your site. I use several plugins including a contact form, newsletter, and editor. Again, there are both free and premium plugins. The premium plugins usually come with support.
Step 3
Chose a blog technology hosting company. If you go with a full-service website builder (e.g. Wix, GoDaddy) there is no need to choose a separate hosting company. Hosting is bundled as part of the web building service at these companies. WordPress is different. With WordPress, you need to choose a hosting service. I chose a company named Bluehost to host my site. Hosting companies provide services, storage, and technology for individuals and businesses to display their website on the Internet. I have been very happy with Bluehost, especially the 24/7 support. Bluehost has both call-in support as well as ‘chat’ support, both are very good. Bluehost also provides many technical features; the most important ones for me are the email support and the backup support. I can have several email addresses associated with my site (e.g. @gardening4joy.com). There are also backups taken that I manage using a plugin.
Step 4
I had to transfer my domain gardening4joy.com from GoDaddy (where I purchased) to Bluehost (my hosting company). It is easier if your domain is managed by the service that ultimately hosts your website. GoDaddy provided tools to initiate the transfer and Bluehost had the tools to receive the domain. It would have been easier if I had chosen my domain using the company that was hosting my website, but the transfer was not difficult.
iPhone X
Blog Technology Tools
- Notebook Computer – I purchased an LG gram (yes LG, who would have thought) 15Z980-A.AAS8U1 model notebook. Going against the flow with most people recommending that I purchase an Apple Mac Book Pro. The Mac lacked several features that I was looking for including lightweight and touchscreen. Here is a list of features in this LG gram (ordered based upon my favorite features):
- Ultra-Lightweight – weighing in at 2.4 pounds you can take this anywhere and practically carry with two fingers. Lightweight was my top requirement.
- 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Touchscreen – It is remarkable to have a 15.6-inch screen in a notebook that weighs 2.4 pounds
- Fingerprint ID – Unlocks the laptop with a push of the power button. Works perfectly every time
- 8th Gen. Intel® Core™ i7 processor
- 72Wh Lithium Battery (up to 16.5 hours)
- 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD
- Windows 10 Home
- Camera – I mostly use my iPhone X. For videos, I will be using a Nikon D3200. The iPhone has a number of great features that can be used including a ‘portrait’ feature that blurs the background.
- Photography Tools – For photos, I use two pieces of Adobe software: Lightroom and Photoshop. I use the most basic features of both, but I am learning. Some features I use include: watermark, adjusting the exposure/tint, and working with composite pictures. Choosing photo editing software has been very helpful, lots to learn but lots of capability.
In summary
That’s a glimpse into how I got started with the components of blog technology. Now, I am focused on three areas: putting together a 2-month plan (e.g. what will I be working on over the next two months), learning how to better use PhotoShop and drafting my content! Leave me a comment if you have any questions.
Please check your email to confirm subscription.