Pt.1 - Creating a Blog

Setting up your own custom blog on blogspot.com/blogger.com is super-easy. You will see the 3 easy steps outlined for you on the main site - Create an account, name your blog, and choose your template. When you create your account with blogspot, they’ll ask you for an email address, one that’s already in existence- you should choose the email address you use most for your personal or business email, so it’s easy for you to remember. This will also function as your “username” or “log-in” for your blogspot account. You’ll use this email address and a password, which you will also be asked to choose, to log into your blog whenever you want to post a new article, or add other content to your custom site. <<IMPORTANT NOTE: SAVE YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD - someplace where you will be able to find them again! One way is to use the “notepad” program on your computer (included on all Windows computers) to create a text file that will be your central “keeping place” for all your usernames and passwords that have to do with your business. Name it “passwords” and save it right to your desktop. You can do this quickly by right-clicking on your desktop and choosing “open new” and then choose “text file”. It’s a whole LOT easier than trying to keep up with a bunch of little bits of paper!>>

Next you get to choose your “display name” or the name that will appear as the author of your articles. Choose a display name that you want the public to see. You’ll also need to verify a word that’s printed on the page in odd-looking text, and check the box agreeing to blogspot’s terms of services. Next you will NAME your blog. You can name it anything you want, but again, be mindful that you choose a name that will describe the subjects you want to write about. The name of your blog will end up being thewordyouchoose.blogspot.com. This will be the address that your readers can find your latest articles posted at. We’ll talk some more about this address in the next section- but we’ll get to that in a minute. Lastly, you’ll be asked to choose your template- there are several to choose from, and a nice variety as well. You should be able to find one that you think is both professional-looking and suits your taste and personality at the same time. Pick something you – and your readers - won’t mind looking at for 15 minutes to a half hour; that’s about how long they’ll need to read your articles online.

CONGRATULATIONS! You are now the proud owner of a brand new CUSTOM blog – where you can post your very own story, your own ideas and tips, helpful information, and whatever else you think will draw interest to your site.