JAY BIO THINKING: How to Operate computer, internet and create blog

How to Operate a Computer

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Level of difficulty: Beginner

This procedure attempts to outline the basics in operating a computer system based on the assumption that it is running under the Microsoft Windows XP Operating System platform with normal components such as CD or DVD drive, Network Interface Card, and video card installed in the CPU. The steps outlined are formatted in such a way that it is applicable to the two most common computer system architectures: the desktop and the laptop. Essentially, a desktop computer is just what its name suggests. It is big enough to sit on the desk and is considered as the most common type of computer system. A laptop or sometimes referred to as a “notebook” is a smaller and more mobile version of the desktop machine and is normally used in the same manner but with relatively lower power requirements.

Materials Needed:

- CPU
- keyboard
- monitor
- mouse
- speakers
- printer
- Operating System

Step 1

Prior to powering up the computer system, make sure that the power cord is firmly connected to the back panel of the CPU and is plugged into the wall socket.

Step 2

Check if the video cable is firmly screwed to the port of the video card with the other end connected to the back panel of the monitor.

Step 3

Make sure that both the keyboard and mouse pointing device are securely plugged to the back panel. Also, check if they are connected to the correct port by checking on the markings. Steps 1 to 3 are essentially easy to do because aside from the mouse and keyboard devices, other components can only be plugged into their proper ports preventing the novice user from interchanging them.

Step 4

When all connections are secure, start up the machine by pressing the power button normally located in the front panel of the CPU.

Step 5

Depending on the configuration of the machine, a username and password may be requested; otherwise, the Operating System may be loaded directly to display the desktop to the user.

Step 6

Other basic operations that can be done include adjusting monitor settings in Step 8. Installation and launching of software is outlined in Step 10. Navigation of the file system is detailed from Step 15.

Step 7

The proper way to shut down or turn off the computer system is by clicking on the 'Start' button and choosing the 'Turn Off Computer' option. This will display the options to 'Standby', 'Restart', or 'Turn Off' the machine.

Step 8

To adjust the monitor settings, right click on any blank portion of the desktop and select the 'Properties' option from the context menu.

Step 9

On the 'Display Properties' window, select the 'Settings' tab to adjust the resolution of the screen. The 'Themes' tab will allow the loading of pre-designed Windows themes. The 'Desktop' tab provides the way for changing the color of the desktop as well as the displayed wallpaper. The 'Appearance' tab provides the various options of changing the behavior of the windows, icons, and other elements of the platform, while the 'Screen Saver' tab shows the option to allow the monitor to go on standby or display animation.

Step 10

To extend the functionality of any computer system, software is normally installed into the local hard drive. A software installer may be through some media like a CD or DVD or from being downloaded from the Internet.

Step 11

For CD or DVD installers, insert the installation disk in the CD or DVD drive of the machine. This will be automatically read and launched by the Operating System.

Step 12

When the installation process is initiated, a new window will normally be displayed to the user. Majority of newer installers provide either a default or an advanced installation procedure. In most cases, simply click on the default process to allow the installer to complete the entire process with minimum user intervention.

Step 13

Upon completion of the installation process, a user may be prompted to reboot the machine. Follow the guide in Step 7 to accomplish this task.

Step 14

To launch the software, simply click on the 'Start' Menu, choose 'All Programs' and select from the menu the program intended to be run. An alternative to this process is to check if a shortcut link is created on the Desktop. Clicking this icon will also launch the associated program.

2.4. Introduction to Computers

Basic Operations [src]

basic model of computer showing input to a processor and output from the processor, along with storage

By Paul Mullins: constructed image

rendering of a simple desktop computer system

Desktop Computer System
Original Basic_desktop_computer_system.svg published under CCA by user Vanessaezekowitz

Input

Input is whatever goes into the computer. Input can take a variety of forms, from commands you enter by keyboard to data from another computer (via a network connection) or device (via direct or network connection). A device that feeds data into a computer, such as a keyboard or mouse, is called an input device.

Output

Output is any information (data) that comes out of a computer. Output devices can be other computers, display screens, speakers, and printers.

Storage

Computer data storage is referred to as storage or memory, which can save digital data. Examples are RAM, hard disks, CDs, DVDs and removable flash memory sticks.

Permanent, or non-volatile, storage devices do not require power to remember the data stored. Mass storage devices, like your hard disk, are non-volatile; a loss of power does not affect their ability to retain data. This category also include ROM (Read Only Memory).

Temporary or volatile storage is more often called "memory". A loss of power means that any data stored will be lost irretrievably. When you are using an application, such as a word processor, the data (the document you are working on) is stored in RAM (Random Access Memory). If you lose power without explicitly saving your work, you will likely lose data.

The data loss from your work in RAM is only "likely" because many applications automatically save your work to permanent storage in a "temporary" file — kind of a work in progress — to avoid losing more than, say, ten minutes of work. No doubt you have seen such files. They appear and disappear automatically as you work on your permanent files. They often have names that start with the tilde (~) or include the string "tmp". The files, which are stored on the (permanent) disk, are called temporary because the application automatically creates it when you start editing and then deletes it when you exit the application.

Processing

The processor is the brain of a computer. It's also called the CPU (Central processing unit) and it is a microchip. For a non-programmer, this is where all the real action is. Programs just set the stage and direct the play. (In this off hand analogy, the play itself, in written form, would be most like a program.)

The processor actually performs very simple operations like basic arithmetic and comparing two values (but that may be like saying a stage actor just speaks, moves and emotes).

Despite it's apparent simplicity, the CPU does in fact run the show, controlling all of the peripherals while executing the current software commands.

Since we will return to this later, it is worth pointing out that the CPU itself receives input (perhaps "fetching" the next command to execute) and generates output (perhaps the result of adding two numbers). The CPU also has its own, very temporary, storage (the numbers to be added need to be stored somewhere, as does the result while it is being sent out of the CPU).

The CPU may also contain "level 1 cache" memory. This is like a very fast (and expensive) version of RAM that allows the CPU to have things it may need soon close at hand — we'll look at this more in the next module.

Tools for Using the Internet

Introduction

The Internet

New Ways to Communicate

Tools for Using the Internet

The World Wide Web

Web Browsers

Aids for Navigating the Internet

Accessing the Internet

Regional Resources

Many different tools are available for using the Internet. Each performs certain tasks or allows you to access different kinds of information and communications sites. The tools you are most likely to encounter include:

E-mail clients allow you to send and receive electronic mail messages. To use e-mail on the Internet, you must first have access to the Internet and an e-mail account set up that provides you with an e-mail address.

For more about using electronic mail, see Zen and the Art of the Internet by Brendan P. Kehoe and A Beginner's Guide to Effective E-mail by Kaitlin Sherwood.

Telnet software allows you to log into another computer system and use that system's resources just as if they were your own.
Listserv software allows you to set up discussion groups or mailing lists on any subject of interest. Others subscribe to these groups if they are interested in the topic. Messages are sent to the listserv address and routed to the subscribers to read, ignore, delete or respond.
FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is software that allows you to retrieve files from publicly accessible areas of other computers (called "anonymous FTP" access) or to share your files with others. Archie, short for Archives of Information, allows users to search for and discover particular files that are available through FTP sites.
Gopher software connects you to Gopher servers. Gopher servers form a loose system of menu-driven information resources located all over the Internet. Before the emergence of the World Wide Web, Gopher was the most popular tool on the Internet. Veronica is an indexing tool that helps you locate Gopher resources.
WAIS (pronounced "wayz") stands for Wide Area Information Server. WAIS, like Gopher, is designed to help users search for and retrieve information from remote databases on WAIS servers.
Usenet is a news exchange service similar to electronic bulletin boards. Usenet is older than the Internet, but the two are commonly associated with one another since most Usenet traffic travels over the Internet.
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) allows you to pass messages back and forth to other IRC users in real time, as you would on a citizens' band (CB) radio.
World Wide Web browsers were developed to view sites on the World Wide Web. Due to its interactivity, graphic orientation, ease of use and other features, the Web has become the second most popular form of Internet communications behind e-mail. One reason is because sophisticated Web browsers can also perform most (but not all) of the functions of these other tools. For example, Telnet still runs in a separate application; WAIS requires special tools at the site: ande-mail is not yet fully integrated in any browser. Nonetheless, the power of the Web browsers has helped move the World Wide Web to center stage of Internet services.

How to Make a Website

How to Start a Blog: 7 Simple Steps

Learn how to create a blog (step-by-step, with images) in 30 minutes.

Robert Mening

I'm a passionate web developer & blogging enthusiast. I've been building websites since 2004.

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Revised: December 20, 2016.

7 Steps to Having a Successful Blog:

1. (INTRO) Before you Start a Blog
2. Pick a Blogging Platform
3. Choose a Domain Name
4. Get a Web Host and Set Up Your Blog
5. Customize Your Blog
6. Learn to Add Posts and Pages
7. Build a Brand, Traffic & Passive Income

If you get stuck stuck, use my contact form.

Starting a blog is the easiest way to share your ideas and expertise with the world.

And if you want to, you can use it to promote your business—or make money straight from the blog.

Luckily, in 2017, making a blog is easier than ever.

It used to require lots of coding skills: HTML, CSS AND PHP, but today starting a blog can be as simple as creating a document in Word. That is, if you have simple instructions to follow.

I’ll guide you through everything with images, so you get your blog started today.

Over 25,000 people have already used the WebsiteSetup.org instructions to start their own blogs and websites, so we’ve probably answered every question you might have here.

But if you get stuck with anything, feel free to contact me, and I’ll help.

Just promise to let me know when your blog is up and running, so I get to see it—that’s the best part for me (and the reason I still offer help like this free).

STEP 1. Before You Start a Blog

How Much TIME Does Blogging Take?

Setting up a blog is really simple and straightforward.

Following these instructions will likely take less than 20 minutes.

However, choosing a domain name and the blog’s theme (which determines how it looks) could take a while if you don’t yet know what you want them to be.

Lastly, creating quality content that your potential readers want to read can take more time. For example, it took me more than 72 hours to put this piece of content together (including images and videos). That said, many people write shorter articles in only a couple of hours—you don’t have to spend more time on writing than you want.

Overall, blogging doesn’t have to take much time. It’s up to you to decide how seriously you want to take it.

How Much Does Blogging COST?

You might be wondering, “Will it cost tons of money to start my blog?”

The short answer is “No.” You can even create a blog free if you want to.

BUT there are a couple of things you should pay for.

A domain name (www.YourBlogAddress.com) will cost around $10/year (but you can get it free—more about that later).

Good web hosting is usually around $4-$20/month or more (although, the host I use and recommend is a bit under $3/mo).

Bottom line: If you want to start a serious blog, you’ll need to spend a few dollars to get a domain name and web hosting. We’ll go through these in detail in STEPS 3 and 4.

Can I Use Blogging To Make Money?

Short answer is Yes.

Some successful bloggers make insane amounts of money ($50k/mo), and some of it is passive, too.

Some are offering services, some are selling ad-space, some are monetizing their blogs with Amazon and some are just selling physical/digital items.

More on that here: 33 Ways To Monetize a Blog.

But you can set up a blog for fun or as a hobby, too. That’s completely fine and many people are already doing it. I’ve helped to set up blogs for a lot of writers who just want to become a better writer. Some people just want to share their opinion/knowledge. Some are doing it for fun.

All that said, no matter what your goals are, you should follow these same steps to get your blog started today.

STEP 2. Pick Your Blogging Platform

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform.

When starting your blog, there are several platforms to choose from (tumblr, blogger etc..).

However, one that really stands out from the pack is WordPress.

It’s FREE, very user friendly, and perfect for people who’ve never built a blog before.

Why WordPress is so popular among bloggers?

There are 5k+ free & paid WordPress themes available to make your design look top-quality.
It has tons of amazing resources to help you build the best blog possible.
91% of all blogs are running on WordPress, including this one— WebsiteSetup.org.
WordPress is used by 62% of the top 100 company blogs (leading all other by at least 11%).
It offers 45k+ free plugins to help your blog run more smoothly and efficiently.

P.S: Don’t install WordPress yet. You’ll need to install WordPress in STEP 4.

Here are just a few examples of WordPress Blogs:

Warehouse:Peter Sandeen:Conversion Optimization:Mikk Leiner:screenshot-1.png

Warehouse:Peter Sandeen:Conversion Optimization:Mikk Leiner:screenshot-2.png

Large companies sometimes use the other blogging platforms. But they’re almost never recommended for beginners because they generally require lots of coding experience to maintain.

Why you shouldn’t create a blog on a free platform

It’s true, you can create your blog free. But it’ll be very limited in functionality, it’ll look boring, and the address will look somewhat childish (e.g., YourBlog.WordPress.com), which diminishes your credibility.

There are some serious flaws in free options you need to know about:

No Control – Your blog is being hosted on another website (e.g., wordpress.com, tumblr.com, blogspot.com). If you violate their terms of service (even by accident), they can shut down your blog any time (it has happened before).
No Customization – You can’t use all the free plugins or themes. Heck, you can’t even use custom themes to really make your blog stand out.
Other Limitations – Free space of only 3GB. For posts, images, and perhaps videos—that’s just not enough.

In short, don’t create a free blog, especially if you’re serious about starting a blog. Later migrating to a better option from a free blogging platform can be very time consuming and tricky.

Instead, create a self-hosted WordPress blog where you don’t have any limitations. Plus, you’ll be able to use your own (professional) domain name.

This leads me to the next step: finding a domain name.

STEP 3. Choose a Domain Name

Before you go any further, you need to choose a domain name.

Your domain name is important because:

It’s your “first impression” to website visitors.
It affects your rankings in search engines.
It defines your brand.

With that in mind, you should put some thought into your domain name, but not too much. If you come up with something you like within 5 minutes, give it a go. (You can change it later, too).

But here are a few domain tips to get you started:

Choose brandable over generic. A brandable domain name is unique and stands out from the competition, while a generic domain name is usually stuffed with keywords and unmemorable. (For example, LisasRocks.com is more brandable than RockCollectingBlog.com.)
Keep it concise. According to research from Gaebler.com, a magazine for entrepreneurs, the top-100 websites have approximately 6 characters in their domain name.
Easy to type and pronounce. Your domain name should roll off the tips of your fingers and the tips of your tongue without any problem.

TIP: If you haven’t bought a domain name yet, go with BlueHost. They’re currently offering free domain names for anyone who signs up for their hosting service.

Plus, when you start a self-hosted WordPress blog, you’ll need a web host anyways, so get a free domain at the same time.

STEP 4. Get Web Hosting and Set Up Your Blog

Choosing your host is the most important aspect of creating your blog.

Bad web hosts cause most of the issues people have related to their blog. For example, unhelpful customer service and hidden fees are quite common…

Many cheap hosts also overuse servers to cut their costs—and that leads to your site potentially not working just because many people are visiting some other site. Only some cheaper hosts control the resources well, so that your website always works right.

I highly recommend using www.Bluehost.com as your host, and it’s the hosting company I currently use.

Here are some reasons why:

They have one-click WordPress installation, which makes it easy for you to get started.
They have great 24/7 support, so there’s always someone to answer your questions. They even have employees who work full-time on improving WordPress itself, so there probably isn’t a question you could ask that they couldn’t answer.
They’ve been recommended by WordPress since 2005.
They have a money-back guarantee, so you can get a refund if you decide you don’t want to have a blog after all.
Lastly, you’ll get a free domain name.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for setting up your blog using web host.

NOTE: It’s easiest and fastest to do this if you go through the steps with me. But in case you want to know the steps before starting, here they are:

Go to BlueHost and click the “get started” button.
Choose the hosting plan (you can pick the cheapest one).
Choose the domain name you want (they give it to you free).
Write down your contact and billing information and choose extras (you don’t need any).
Use the 1-click install to get WordPress ready.

Altogether, this takes about 5-10 minutes if you follow the instructions (and you have chosen your domain name). So, you can start writing your first post in just a few minutes.

1. Go to Bluehost and click the “get started” button.

Go to www.Bluehost.com and click on the “Get started now” button. Use this link to get a FREE domain, too.

This discount applies to all websitesetup.org visitors, so make sure you take advantage of it.

2. Choose the hosting plan (you can pick the cheapest one).

Now it’s time to choose your hosting package.

There are three options: Basic (recommended), Plus, and Prime.

The Basic option is perfect for brand new websites. The other two aren’t really needed unless you’re getting millions of visitors from day one. Best of all, Basic is the cheapest option so you save some cash, too!

3. Choose the domain name you want (they give it to you free).

Next, you’ll need to choose a domain name.

It doesn’t have to end with .com, so you can also use different endings (such as: .net, .org, or even .co.uk) if your first choice isn’t available.

If you already have a domain name (i.e., you bought it from somewhere else), use the second form on the right (“I have a domain name”).

4. Write down your contact and billing information and choose extras (you don’t need any).

There are three parts to this page. The first is account information.

Just enter your contact information as you would normally.

The next part gives you some service options.

First you need to choose the account plan. Within the Basic option, you can choose to sign up for 12, 24, or 36 months. I’d start off with 12 months.

Next you’ll have some add-on options to choose from. I recommend you don’t go too crazy with these.

That being said, here are two you might want to consider:

Domain privacy – When you register a domain name, all your information is added to a public database. If you don’t want that, you can tick this option, and BlueHost will appear as the registrant (you still have full control and ownership of the domain). So, this option protects you from spammers. If you don’t mind your information being public, untick that option and you’ll save $0.99 per month.

Site Backup Pro – While WordPress is quite secure, it’s a good choice to sign up for Site Backup Pro just in case. If you are scared that you’ll mess something up, tick that box to have backups available.

The last part is just your billing info. If you want to pay with PayPal, click the “More payment options” link.

5. Use the 1-click install to get WordPress ready.

Have you set up your hosting with Bluehost yet? Okay, good.

Now you need to install WordPress. Luckily, with the Bluehost’s one-click WordPress install, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.

Here is the step-by-step guide to install WordPress on Bluehost:

1) Login to your Bluehost control panel at: my.bluehost.com

2) Once you’re logged in, you’ll be redirected to your Control Panel. From there, choose “Install WordPress”.

3) This leads you to the next page where you can choose your blog destination URL. I recommend using your root domain (www.YourNewDomain.com, not www.YourNewDomain.com/blog/), so just leave the field on the right empty.

If you need more help installing WordPress on Bluehost, I’ve explained it here (in step-by-step format): How to Install WordPress Blog on Bluehost.

6. Log into your new blog

At this stage, you should now have a blank WordPress site installed, along with your admin access username and password written down somewhere.

Start by typing in your new web address (www.YourNewBlog.com) to see what your WordPress blog looks like. Here’s what you’ll probably see:

Next, log in to your admin panel by going to an address like: http://YourNewBlog.com/wp-admin/. (You’ll use the same username and password you chose earlier during the setup.)

After logging in, you’ll see the welcome page of the admin panel. It should be fairly intuitive after browsing around for a few minutes, with all of your major options helpfully located in the sidebar panel.

STEP 5. Customize Your Blog

Once you’re inside WordPress dashboard, you can start customizing your blog. We’ll go through everything you need to do to get your blog ready and your first post published today.

You should get familiar with the look and items of the WordPress admin menu. Here are the various admin menu items:

Dashboard – This is the page you see right after logging in.
Posts – Here you can write and publish new blog posts and view and edit old ones. We’ll go through this once we’ve set up the blog otherwise.
Media – This is your media library with all the images, PDFs, videos, etc. you’ve uploaded.
Links – Many blogs don’t use this at all. You can skip it for now.
Pages – Here you can write and publish new pages and view and edit old ones. We’ll look at this after choosing your blog design.
Comments – Everything related to comments. You can get familiar with this when you’ve published your first post and readers leave the first comments.
Appearance – Here you can change what your blog looks like. We’ll go through this in detail below.
Plugins – Here you can add and remove plugins, which add functionality to your blog. We’ll go through this after selecting the theme.
Users – If you create your content with others, you can add them as users here, so they can edit posts. Otherwise, you can skip this for now.
Tools – Here are some additional tools you can use for publishing posts. You can skip this for now.
Settings – Here you can edit your blog’s settings. We’ll look at the essential settings later.

To learn more about each one of these (and see screenshots) check out this article from WordPress.

1. Choose a FREE Theme for Your Blog

I think choosing your new WordPress blog design is the most fun step.

The good news:

You can do it all on your own.
You can get a FREE WordPress theme that makes your blog look great.
You can change it later (just don’t change it so often that your readers can’t keep up).

The bad news:

You can spend a LONG time looking for the perfect theme.
A WordPress theme is responsible for how your blog looks, so it’s an important decision.

In other words, a WordPress theme is like your car’s frame. It changes how the car looks, but doesn’t impact the features or performance too much.

Luckily for you, WordPress has thousands of great-looking themes already optimized to fit any brand, niche, or industry.

Here’s what to look for in a WordPress theme:

Simplicity: Unclear design makes it difficult for readers to navigate your blog.
Responsiveness: The theme needs to adjust its layout across different screen sizes and devices. In the highly mobile world we live in, responsiveness is a necessity.
Speed: Although most themes don’t slow down your blog significantly, it’s still good to test it. To test a theme’s speed, use the Pingdom Website Speed Test, enter the URL of the theme’s demo, and see how long the page takes to load. If the load time is longer than three seconds, you might want to find a different theme (ideally, the load time is below two seconds).
Ease of customization: It should be easy to customize the theme—otherwise, you’ll struggle every time you want to tweak something. Fortunately, many themes offer plenty of easy customization options.
SEO readiness: The theme shouldn’t make a huge difference to search engines. But it’s still better to choose a theme that’s designed with SEO in mind. (Look for “SEO Optimized” or “SEO ready” in the theme description.)
Security: Themes don’t generally create security issues. But it’s anyway good to check some user reviews and comments—and while doing that, check if people have had security problems with the theme.

Keep these factors in mind when choosing a theme. But most importantly, pick something you love and want your readers to see.

So, how do you find a theme? Here’s a video on how to change/add WordPress themes:

Let’s break down what you’re seeing here:

Title Area: This is where you write the title of your post.
Content Area: This is where the body text of your post goes. The whole area works just like text editing in Word or Pages. You can also add images and other media to your post by clicking the “Add Media” button.
Standard Editing Tools: Here are options like bold, italic, lists, paragraphs, and headlines.
Publishing Tools: This is where you get your post shown to the world; chief among them is the big blue “Publish” button. You can also set a publication date to schedule your post in the future or save the post as a draft for more editing.
Additional Fine-tuning Tools: Update your blog post and categorize it (you can learn more about WordPress categories and tags here).

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Adding links to your posts: You should use outbound links to other websites when needed to back up your claims. For example, if you’re writing an article about meditation, you can link to a study that showed that meditation helped people feel calmer. To add links to your posts, highlight the desired text, then scroll up to the blog menu.

Click the paperclip-looking item to the right of the “Align right” item (above the “Add BWS Shortcode”).

From there, add the URL you want to link to:

Then, click the Settings icon on the right (the wheel-looking item above, next to the arrow).

Click the “Open in link a new tab” box. This is important—you don’t want people to leave your site when they click on a link!

Adding Images to your posts: I touched on this briefly before, but I’ll explain it more here. Start by scrolling up to the top of the blog menu and click “Add Media”.

From here, select the files you’d like to upload. You can find previously uploaded files from the “Media Library” at the top-left corner next to “Upload Files”.

Once you’ve uploaded an image, you can choose its size and placement.

To add a featured image (the image that will be at the top of your post and in the thumbnails of your article), scroll to the right sidebar of your blog menu. You’ll see an option titled “Set featured image”. Click that, then go through the same uploading process to add in a featured image here.

Adding videos from YouTube: Adding in a video can spice up your post. This process used to be a bit complicated, but after some recent WordPress updates, it’s easy.

All you have to do is copy the YouTube video URL into the content area. Make sure that the URL is on its own line and not clickable. When you publish the post, the video will appear. I told you it was simple! Our friends at WPBeginner have a guide for this if you need any further help—check it out here.

Creating the slug: Your slug is the URL of the post. You want to make this slug clear and concise. This will make it easier for people to share it on social media, and overall it will just look better.

You can find the slug underneath the post title. It will say “Permalink: http://yourdomain.com/post_title”.

Sometimes, the title of your blog post will make the perfect slug. But usually, it will be too long, and you should change it, so that it’s no longer than 2-4 words.

Here are some tips for optimizing your WordPress slugs:

Target SEO keywords. Think of what people would type to Google when they search for the information you share in the post—those are SEO keywords.
Avoid duplicates (make sure it’s not the same as another slug on your website).
Don’t change the slug after publishing the post (unless you absolutely have to) as this will result in lost traffic.

Adding headings: Headings help you structure your content and make it easier for people to read. Consider adding headings for each of your main points.

To add a heading, scroll up to “Paragraph” drop-down menu. Select the heading you’d like to use. Note that the “Heading 1” is usually reserved for the post’s title, so stick to the smaller headings (with larger numbers) inside the post.

Publish Your Post

When you’re done working with your post, click the “Publish” button and then the “View post” link that’s going to appear at the top of the page (you’ll see your post live on the site).

Congratulations! You just published your first blog post. Before you share it with others (which is the next step), let’s add a simple tracking system to your site, so you’ll see exactly how many people you’ve reached.

STEP 7. Build a Brand, Get Traffic & Monetize Your Blog

No blog is complete without compelling content.

To start, you should figure out the topic(s) that your blog will focus on. Then, come up with 10-15 ideas for new posts. Make these posts a mix of informative and entertaining.

You’ll also want to err on the side of creating evergreen content (content that doesn’t become dated/is always relevant) versus news/current affairs content (which becomes dated and irrelevant). Evergreen content will continue to generate traffic overtime, while other content will run its course and become irrelevant.

Here are some tips for creating strong blog content that your audience will love:

Start by creating a lead-generating content marketing strategy.
Follow this guide for creating strong blog posts.
Develop a reading habit, so you can internalize how great writers write.
Make your content scannable with headings, short paragraphs, and high quality images.
Write content that helps your audience solve a problem.
Follow this strategy to become a better blog writer in 30 days.
Use this formula to create stronger headlines (if your headlines aren’t compelling, people won’t read the content!).

Promoting your blog

If you want more blog readers as well as the opportunity to monetize your blog, you need to promote your blog.

Turning a blog into a profitable business is doable if there’s enough traffic.

Traffic = customers and money.

How to make a blog with sustainable traffic? All you need is:

A content plan (i.e., what will be your blog’s main topic)
A game plan for social media (i.e., which social media sites you’ll use and what content you’ll share)
Some basic knowledge of SEO (traffic from Google)

To make things easier for you, I wrote a super in-depth article here: How to Increase Blog Traffic for FREE. It’s long, but then again, I go into a LOT in detail.

For now, here are some tips to get started promoting your blog:

Read through this for SEO, usability, and Google guidelines.
Check out these videos on YouTube about SEO.
Don’t be spammy on social media. Instead, aim for a good mix of social media content—share blog posts and videos, as well as content from other influencers, and also share other interesting and value-adding statuses.
Answer questions on Quora.com and link back to your blog.
Post and promote on relevant Subreddits on Reddit.
Use republishing to get featured on large websites.
Guest post on relevant blogs to reach huge new audiences immediately.

Next steps to start your blog today

Now that you know exactly how to start a blog, it’s over to you. So, I hope you’re ready to take action!

If you want to share your ideas or expertise with the world, build an audience or community, or make money with a blog, start now by getting it set up. It only takes a moment, but still many people get stuck with it thinking, “I’ll do it a bit later.”

So, here are the steps to take:

Go to Bluehost now to get your blog setup (you even get a free domain).
Choose a theme that makes your blog look the way you want.
Add the few important pages.
Write your first post (for example, write a short post about why you’re interested in your topic and what you’ll be writing about, so all your readers can see right away what your blog is about).

If you found this guide useful, I have one request for you: let me know via Facebook what action you’re going to take right now—are you going to actually start your blog?

Further Reading

Check out these posts to help you optimize your blog and make it awesome!

25,000+ WEBSITES AND COUNTING…

WebsiteSetup.org tutorials have helped to launch more than 25000 websites with the support of

Want to create your own website? The easiest way is to start it with WordPress. Just go to my homepage and start from "Step 1".

#1. Join my Facebook page
#2. Follow me on Twitter
#3. Email me: rob(at)websitesetup(dot)org

- Robert Mening

WHO HAVE I HELPED SO FAR?

With the help of WebsiteSetup.org, more than 25000 people have managed to set up their own blogs and websites. Some of them include:

Freelancers
Small business owners
Start-ups
Bloggers
& Creative persons (writers, photographers, artists)
and many, many more

I can help you too!

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right: How to Make a Website, 2017.

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How to Use Laptops

Four Parts:Setting Up Your Laptop Installing Software Getting Online With Your Laptop Living And Working With Your Laptop Community Q&A

Laptop or notebook computers are increasingly powerful, portable alternatives to smart phones and desktop computers for getting serious work done on the go. If you're moving up to your first laptop or just sitting down at an unfamiliar one, things might seem a little odd at first. Fear not - follow these steps for getting started with all laptops and we'll get you up and running like a pro in no time.

Part 1

Setting Up Your Laptop

If you are using the laptop in your home, find an outlet and plug the charger in. Laptop computers run on batteries that can deplete rapidly, especially if you're using your laptop intensively. Unless you're somewhere remote or foreign where you absolutely have to go without, it's better to leave your laptop plugged in.

Place the bottom part of the laptop on the table/desk you are sitting in front of. They're called "laptops" because they can go on your lap, but that doesn't mean that it's always the best or right place. Try to find a comfortable angle for your wrists and hands - this might mean moving the laptop around until you find the best position for you.

Don't place your laptop on soft, fuzzy or shaggy surfaces that can block its vents. Most laptops have fan vents located on the sides and bottom that should be left unblocked for the laptop to run.

Lift the lid to open up until the screen looks comfortable for you. Most laptops have some type of clasp or latch which allows the screen to open.

If the laptop won't open, don't try to force it! Look for a latch instead. You shouldn't have to force the screen open.
Do not pull back the lid too far. A 45 degree obtuse angle is the most the laptop should be open to. The lid or hinge mechanism may be damaged or broken if pulled back any further.

Find the power button and turn it on. On most laptops, the power button is located slightly behind the keyboard. The power button is usually marked with the universal symbol for 'power on', a circle with a line going halfway through it.

Wait for the laptop to boot up. Since laptops are designed for portability as well as computing power, your laptop may have specialized hardware that will cause it to take longer to boot up than a desktop or smart phone.

Use the laptop's pointing device. On most computers, this is a flat, touch-sensitive area called a trackpad which will allow you to use your finger as your mouse. Simply slide one finger on the trackpad area to move the cursor.

Many trackpads are multi-touch - using multiple fingers will produce different user interface actions than using just one. Experiment with your laptop by dragging one, two or three fingers across it and trying different 'gestures' or movements with your fingers.
Lenovo laptops may use a small, red joystick-like button called a "trackpoint" located in the middle of the keyboard between the 'G' and 'H' keys. Use it just like a very sensitive joystick for just your finger.
Some older laptops may have a trackball. Rolling the ball on a trackball will cause the mouse pointer to move around.
Some laptops are equipped with a pen interface. A pen will be attached to the laptop in these cases. Hover the pen over the screen to move the pointer, and press the pen to the screen to click.
Do you find laptop pointing devices tiny and difficult to use? You can always attach a mouse to a laptop. Locate the laptop's USB port and attach a mouse if you'd like to use one. The laptop will automatically recognize the mouse and make it ready for you to use.

Use the trackpad's left click button as your primary mouse button. On most trackpads, you can click using a button located on the bottom left of the trackpad.

Some trackpads may allow you to tap lightly on the pad surface to click. Experiment - you might discover additional functionality to your laptop you didn't know you had.

Use the trackpad's right click button as the secondary mouse button. You'll do anything involving a "contextual menu" or a "right click" by just pressing the right click button located at bottom right of the trackpad.

Locate your laptop's optical drive, if any. If your laptop is not a 'netbook' it probably has an optical drive which you can use to install software or play music. The optical drive is usually located on the right or left side of the laptop.

In Windows and Mac OS, you can open the optical drive by pushing the small button on it, or by right-clicking the optical drive icon in your operating system and selecting "Eject".

Part 2

Installing Software

Keep your laptop's software up to date. Your laptop probably came with some basic accessory software: a simple word processor, a calculator and maybe some basic photo sharing software. Laptops also have special software for controlling power and graphics; they'll will often require a lot of driver updates before they'll be ready to use. With a little know-how, you can add software to dramatically boost your laptop's capabilities — in many cases, for free.

You will need to update your laptop's version of Windows if your laptop is Windows-based. Your Windows-based laptop might use Windows Update or the manufacturer's own software to update Windows.
If you are using a Mac laptop, use MacOS's built-in upgrade option. On a Mac laptop these are usually easy to find.

Install office software. For basic drafting and note-taking, your laptop's built-in software accessories will suffice, but for more serious academic or professional work, you're going to want a more full office suite.

OpenOffice can do word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, similar to proprietary software like Microsoft Word - but for free.
Use Google Docs as an online alternative to office suites. Google Docs is 'cloud-based' office software that offers a lot of the same functionality as OpenOffice or Microsoft Office. It's free to use and very powerful, in particular if you have to share documents with others.
If you simply have to use Microsoft Office, you might be able to get it for free or a discount if you're a student. Check before you go down to the store and buy a copy.

Install photo editing software to organize, touch up and share your photos. Your laptop may have come from the factory with some basic photo software. It's quick, easy and in some cases free to upgrade it.

Use Photo Stream to organize and share your photos. If you have an iPhone or if your laptop is a Mac, you can follow our basic setup instructions to get Photo Stream up and sharing your photos.
You can use Picasa to organize and share your photos. Picasa is made by Google and provides you with a lot of the basic tools you'll need to work with photos like cropping, retouching and even recoloring and making panoramas.

Part 3

Getting Online With Your Laptop

If you don't have a home network set up, you'll need to do that first. Your laptop is a powerful portable computer by itself, but really using it to its full potential requires connecting to the Internet. Your laptop may have built-in software to make this easier as well.

Most laptops have a socket somewhere on the back or side that fits an Ethernet cable. Plug in an Ethernet cable from your router or modem into this socket and your laptop should automatically recognize your connection.

If you're using a Mac laptop, use Mac OS to connect your Mac to the Internet. Follow our directions and your Mac will be able to connect via Ethernet or wireless Internet.

On a Windows laptop, use Windows to connect to the Internet. If you're plugging in a new or different wireless card into your laptop, you might need to use the software that came with your card rather than Windows' built-in wireless utility.

While you're on the road or just outside of the house, you can often pick up wireless Internet for free. Schools, libraries and cafes often have free wi-fi for you to use, and you can often find wi-fi in places that might surprise you (like some supermarkets, banks and outdoor venues).

Part 4

Living And Working With Your Laptop

Add a wireless mouse to your laptop. An external mouse can make it easier to work on your laptop - you won't need to pinch your wrists in at an angle to use the touchpad or mouse pad.

Use your laptop in combination with another screen for a high-productivity two-screen workspace. You can arrange your laptop and your second screen as one big workspace, or set up your second screen to mirror what's on the laptop screen (useful if you're giving presentations).

You can use your laptop to play movies and show photos on your TV. Some laptops in fact have HDMI or DV-I connections as well as DVD or Blu-Ray players that can provide high-resolution, HD video - just the ticket for playing movies or recorded TV shows on your friends' TVs.

Connect your laptop to speakers and you've essentially got a huge, powerful, high-capacity MP3 player. Your laptop may even have digital audio, SPDIF or 5.1 surround outputs to provide high-fidelity audio.

Your laptop may be able to connect to your car's audio system. Follow our how-to on connecting to car audio, but be careful - driving down the street at the same time that you're trying to click a tiny button your laptop to change the music is a really easy way to get into an accident.

Laptops can be used as desktops. If you want to use the laptop as a desktop, it's as simple as hooking a monitor into the VGA socket, attaching a mouse and a keyboard and connecting speakers if desired.

Community Q&A

New! Make a stranger's day. Answer a question.

What do I need to know about virus protection?

wikiHow Contributor

Look at the different products available and see which one best appeals to you the most: what it does, how much it costs, reviews, etc. There are free versions of most virus protection programs.

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Not Helpful 4 Helpful 16

How do I transfer pictures from phone to a laptop?

wikiHow Contributor

It depends on what phone you have. For example, if you have an ISSUE device, like an iPhone, then you will need to plug the device into the computer using the wire. This applies for most other devices. Once plugged in, you should be prompted with what to do next to retrieve your photos off your phone.

Flag as duplicate

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 12

How do I scroll with a Dell trackpad?

wikiHow Contributor

You click down and hold with one finger, and slide the other finger across the trackpad in the direction you want to scroll.

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Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5

Unanswered Questions

How do I use commands on a laptop?