When you are responsible for the content of a website, it is important to have an easy way of publishing and manipulating your important textual and visual assets. The WordPress publishing tool is an intuitive program that turns what was a complex programming task into simple point and click. WordPress is a free, open source program and has been developed into a professional, full-function platform for content management. It can give even the most inexperienced webmaster a website with the look and feel of a sophisticated page. Here are some basic steps to getting your WordPress up and running.

Step 1 – Domains and Web Hosting Plans

First, make sure that you have a domain name and a hosting plan so that you can actually publish content. WordPress is not a domain name provider service, so you will need to get your domain name from another source, but once you have a domain, you can get a hosting plan. After you obtain all of the login information and get the FTP password set up, you can start installing WordPress and the accompanying themes. Again, make sure you know how to access the file structure of your new domain name and are familiar with the hosting program.

Step 2 – Getting the WordPress Program and Installing it for Use

The web address for the group that administers the official versions of WordPress can be found at WordPress.org. From there, you can access the download section to get the latest iteration of the publishing tool. The actual package that you will need to download is relatively small, so it’s quick to get.

First, you will need to assign a MySQL database to use for the WordPress program. Make sure you are logged into the system that manages your hosting plan and your domain. Then, select the option to create a new MySQL database. Come up with an easy-to-remember but secure file name, logon name and password.

Next, you need to access a file downloaded with WordPress. Look for a file titled wp-config-sample.php. Opening this with a simple scripting software program will enable you to access the installation controls. When prompted, provide the appropriate name and login information for the MySQL database. Make sure it’s the same log in profile that you just created in your web-hosting program. Also, make sure that you have used the proper FTP login information provided by your host.

Once you have made sure you are properly logged in and you have located the configuration file as noted above, you are ready to upload via FTP all of the files that came with your WordPress download.

Finally, to access the WordPress program that has now been uploaded to your site’s infrastructure, simply point your browser to your site’s domain and add a /wordpress/wp-admin/install.php. This will bring you to the menu for manipulating the basic settings of the WordPress.

Step 3 – Applying and Using Different WordPress Themes

One great thing about using an open source program is that there are a large amount of themes and variations that have been created by the programming community. A quick online search will bring you to a vast array of WordPress themes, so take a look and take your pic. It can be important to look at user reviews to see if any bugs or problems are common to that theme. After you have finally selected an appropriate theme, it’s time to get it up and running. Here are some easy steps to get it going.
•First, find the theme and download it.
•Then, transfer the file to your site’s file system using the FTP.
•An easy way to access the appropriate place to upload the file is to go to your domain/wordpress/wp-content/themes.
•Log in to the administration page in WordPress at domain/wordpress/wp-admin.
•Go to the Dashboard section of WordPress and select the Themes option.
•Then, select the theme that you desire from the list of theme files and make it your default.

From here, you are basically ready to use the WordPress system. Your files have been downloaded and your theme installed. So go out there and make great content. Uploading it will be a lot easier from here on out. Don’t forget there are plenty of themes to try out as well.