Category Archives: Tutorials

Finding a Domain Name

Whenever setting up a new site or client project, there are a few tools and resources that I always turn to and always a set process that I try to follow.

In this example, we can assume that I am just working on some crazy idea I’ve dug up from some dark crevice in my mind, or just some random thought.

With topic in hand, I like to use mind maps to help brainstorm the idea as much as possible. My favorite tool for this is pen and paper, but here are a few services that you could also use:

  1. MINDMUP – https://www.mindmup.com/
  2. NovaMind – https://www.novamind.com/
  3. Coggle – https://coggle.it

After you have completed your mind map, take a look at it and see if any topics stand out or lend themselves to short phrases of no more than one, two, or three words. This is called a long tail keyword and, although there is much discussion over their usefulness, I believe they can help you define the overall theme of what your site or app intends to be. Try searching for your phrase in Google. Does it return many results?

It’s OK if it does. This means there is interest in your topic! Check a few of the top results. Do they provide enough value? Do they lead to more questions than they answer? Can you answer those questions better? Can you provide better value?

Once you’ve got your phrase, try going to a service like who.is and see if the name is available. If it is, great! You can skip to the next step. If not, keep trying.

If you are still stumped for a name, you can look at the recent .com drop history available at justdropped.com. This is a list of domains that recently expired and the site owners have not attempted to reclaim them. You’ll be surprised at the huge number of domains available!

 

Depending on the scope of the project, I will also check a service like namechk.com that allows me to see if any social media accounts are available that will closely match my desired name.

Once you are satisfied with your research, you are ready to purchase your domain through a hosting provider like HostGator.com . *

 

* Affiliate link disclaimer. You are not required to use this link, but if you do so, I will receive a commission.

15 Minute WordPress Tutorial

In today’s video, I will go over everything you need to do to get WordPress setup in 15 minutes so you can start creating Posts or Pages for your content.

When viewing the video, be sure to select Full Screen and view at 1080p.

Here is a list of things to do:

  1. I assume you have already purchased HostGator hosting*. This content is tailored for you and may not be relevant for other services.
  2. Log into your cPanel account.
  3. Create an email address.
  4. Choose the link “Build a New WordPress Site”
  5. Select your domain from the domain installation drop down menu and select Next.
  6. Fill out the Install Settings page and check the Terms of Service Agreement checkbox (or review it) and select Install.
  7. Once the Installation is complete, copy your login details to a safe place and select Login.
  8. Enter the details on the WordPress login screen.
  9. Choose the Plugins section from the menu on the right hand side of the WordPress dashboard.
  10. Select All Plugins and choose Update Plugins.
  11. Choose the Settings menu and select General. Change the Site Title and Tagline if you would like to. For now, ensure that the New User Default role is set to Subscriber. Change Cache Level to Off (Level 0) and turn the default Coming Soon Page to Off. Save Changes.
  12. From the Discussion section, uncheck the box for Allow people to post comments n new articles.
  13. Under Permalinks, choose Post Name and Save Changes.
  14. Under Plugins, deactivate Akismet unless you plan on paying for this service. Deactivate Hello Dolly unless you see a need for this.
  15. Choose Appearances from the Themes menu. Activate each of them, one at a time and choose View Site by hovering over your site name in the upper left hand corner of your dashboard. Keep the one that looks best to you.
  16. Select the Pages menu and choose Add New.
  17. Give your page a title and start typing your content. You can change the Permalink name before you select Save Draft or Publish.
  18. Select the Posts menu and choose Add New.
  19. Give your post a title and start typing your content. You can change the Permalink name before you select Save Draft or Publish.
  20. From the Appearance menu, choose Menus.
  21. Create a Menu Name and check Primary Menu under Menu Settings. Select Save Menu.
  22. Use the check boxes on the left to add pages to your menu. Reorder the pages if you need to.

* If you use this link I will receive a commission. You are not obligated to use this link if you do not wish to.