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Wordpress is a free, PHP/MySQL based blogging software.  Wordpress is a good tool to utilize when you want to take blogging to the next level.

The absolute free alternative to Wordpress
When a lot of people first get into the “blogging” thing, they generally start with a completely free source like Google’s Blogger.  Using something like Blogger will allow you to create a blog with absolutely no cost and hassle attached, making it a convenient choice for many.  However, when you use something like Blogger, your blog is very restricted in what you can actually do with it.

Take it further!
Wordpress allows you to do so much more with your blog.  While Wordpress is free to download and install, it does require you to have your own web hosting and domain name, which you obviously need to pay for.  For Internet newbies, this whole “web hosting” and “domain” business can seem overwhelming.  This is especially true if you’ve been using something like Blogger, where the web hosting was essentially provided to you for free.

By using Wordpress you can get rid of this yoursite.blogspot.com sillyness.  Start telling people to follow your blog at YourSite.com because you actually have a real website now!

The process of actually getting started with Wordpress in a nutshell…

1. Buy a domain: A domain is your web address (i.e. yoursite.com)

2. Buy web hosting:  In order to have a website, the files that make up your website need to be stored on a web server.  You need to rent this from a web hosting company for a fee, plain and simple. Also, you need to make sure that your web hosting includes PHP/MySQL support (this is required for Wordpress and most standard web hosting packages include it).

3. Create a MySQL database:  This database is how Wordpress operates, by storing and receiving information from this database.  It can generally be set up wherever you log in to your web hosting company’s website (usually in a cPanel or PLESK interface).

4. Download Wordpress: Visit http://wordpress.org/download/ and download Wordpress for free.

5. Install Wordpress:  Upload Wordpress to your web server and install it.

Let me make it even simpler for you!
If you just read the 5 steps listed above and it just hit you that you have no idea what you’re doing, don’t worry!  We all had to start somewhere.  When I first got into the Internet biz, I didn’t know a domain from a blog, but here I am today!

GoDaddy actually offers Wordpress specific web hosting packages, where they will take care of setting up your domain, web hosting, and Wordpress Installation.  If you’re just starting out, go for the cheapest one they offer.  It costs $5/month and they set everything up for you!  If you start to get more traffic to your blog and you’re using more bandwidth, then you can always upgrade to a more expensive plan.  So, start cheap and see if you really enjoy the whole blogging thing.

I wish GoDaddy offered this when I made my first blog!

Click Here to see GoDaddy’s Wordpress hosting options.

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