In this presentation the following topics are covered: How to use different formats in WordPress, Configuring WordPress, Selecting a template, Creating privacy, discussion and permalink settings and also deciding on a content strategy along with how to choose concise keywords for a blog.

1. Introduction to Blogging
Jamshid Hashimi
Trainer, Cresco Solution
http://www.jamshidhashimi.com
jamshid@netlinks.af
@jamshidhashimi
ajamshidhashimi

2. Agenda
• Different formats you can use
• Configuring WordPress
• Selecting a template
• Creating privacy, discussion and permalink settings
• Deciding on a content strategy
• How to choose your keywords

3. Different formats you can use
• Post Formats
• Some themes, including most new
themes, support Post Formats.
• Posts >> Add New

4. Configuring WordPress
• Get Personality - PICK A THEME
• A theme is a template for your site — it creates the layout, and when you
customize it and start adding posts, you create the personality.
• Understanding themes
• There are over 200 themes to choose from on WordPress.com, from supersleek and minimal to fun and festive.
• Appearance >> Themes in your dashboard

5. Configuring WordPress
• ONE, TWO, THREE, OR FOUR COLUMNS
• Manifest is a one-column theme: all posts, all the time.
• Delicacy has two columns; posts on the left, extras on the right.
• Ideation and Intent is a three-column theme, giving you room to show off a
Flickr stream or your Goodreads list along with basic widgets like a blogroll or
your archives.
• Fjords has four – count ‘em, four! – columns, so you can load up on widgets.

6. Configuring WordPress
• One-column Theme

7. Configuring WordPress
• Two-column Theme

8. Configuring WordPress
• Three-column Theme

9. Configuring WordPress
• Four-column Theme

10. Configuring WordPress
• Right Or Left Sidebar
• There’s no right or wrong here — left isn’t better than right, or vice versa.
• Custom And Flexible Headers
• Your header is the image running across the top of you blog.
• Flexible Header
• Fixed-size Header
• Custom Background
• Some themes allow you to change their background color or upload your own
image to use as a background

11. Configuring WordPress
• Fixed, Flexible or Responsive Width
• A fixed-width theme is what it sounds like — fixed.
• Flexible blog resizes itself proportionally to the size of the screen; it might be
tough to read because it’s smaller, but you won’t have to scroll back and
forth.
• A responsive theme fully adjusts to the size of the screen, even changing the
layout a bit to make the best use of space, so your posts will be easy to read
on phones and tablets as well as full-size computers.

12. Configuring WordPress
• Theme Options

13. Configuring WordPress
• Settings » Privacy Settings

14. Configuring WordPress
• Invite People to Contribute to Your Blog
• If you’d like to invite others to publish posts or help approve comments on
your blog, you can invite them to be a Contributor, Editor, or Author on your
blog.

15. Configuring WordPress
• Viewing a Private Blog

16. Deciding on a content strategy
• It is not:
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Borrow content
Awesome YouTube videos
Getting your cousin “who writes pretty well”
Adding pdf’s of content to the website
Images through Photoshop

17. Deciding on a content strategy
• It is:
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Flexible content
Achievable goals
Real tracking
Calendar & Frequency

18. Deciding on a content strategy
• Things to consider:
• Types of content – Webinars, ebooks, blog posts, reviews, interviews, etc.
• Content quality - Useful? funny? interesting? Would people share it with
others?
• Who are you writing to?
• Length/Attention span — if all too exciting, break it up
into more appropriate formats and lengths.
• It is not an overnight success plan

19. Deciding on a content strategy

20. How to choose your keywords
• Choosing the keywords properly is one of the most important things
that will help you rank well in search engines.
• How to Choose the Best Keywords
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Specific
Make a list
Descriptive words
Search synonyms or plural forms
Analyze

21. How to choose your keywords
• Where to place the keywords
• Title tags
• Header tags
• Body text

22. Resources
• http://www.wpseoshop.com/how-to-choose-your-keywords-wisely/
• http://pixsym.com/blog/blogging-for-business/developing-a-contentstrategy-for-your-business-website/
• http://handsonwp.com/knowledge-base/tutorial/developing-acontent-strategy-for-seo/
• http://en.support.wordpress.com
• http://codex.wordpress.org

23. THANK YOU!