Build A Blog in 30 Days

Having your own blog can be an exciting and rewarding journey. But for many people, the technical aspects of setting it all up and maintaining the blog becomes an obstacle, so they never start. For other bloggers, it's writer's block that kicks in and makes updating the blog a chore.

If you want to create a blog or want to kick start an existing blog, this course is for you.

We'll cover:

Why you need to be using a particular type of WordPress.
What to look for when choosing a domain name.
How to buy web hosting and get your domain set up with your host.
How to set WordPress up so that it is ready to start accepting your blog post. We'll configure WordPress so that it takes care of the technical stuff, while you can focus on the creative side of writing your blog.
The two types of homepage you can have on your blog, and how to set these up.
The essential web pages your site needs, and how to create them easily.
Why and how to keep "blog-related" notes as you go about your daily lives.
The power of social media in getting your blog noticed.
WordPress themes and plugins.
My own techniques for coming up with an unlimited number of blog post ideas. This includes my own methods for using two types of keyword research to come up with blog post ideas and the actual titles.
How to create and publish a blog post in WordPress.
Using categories and tags effectively, to improve your reader's experience.
30 days of content ideas.
The options for making money from your blog.
How to promote your blog with the resources you have available to you.

By the end of this course, you can have a blog you are proud of, in as little as 30 days. The good news is that after 30 days, blogging will be a habit and your blog can go from strength to strength.

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to build a blog in 30 days.
How you can record "blog post ideas" whenever and wherever you are.
Sorting out hosting a domain name and installing wordpress
Setting up wordpress so it will take care of the technical stuff, while you can concentrate on writing blog posts.
The important pages that all websites need, and how to create them.
How to avoid writer's block and come up with an unlimited number of blog post ideas.
How to use the gutenberg editor to craft your blog posts.

The importance of your inner circle.
Using social media to increase your exposure.
Options for making money from your blog.
How and where to promote your blog.
Ideas to expand you blog in the future.
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How to build a blog in 30 days.
How you can record "blog post ideas" whenever and wherever you are.
Sorting out hosting a domain name and installing wordpress
Setting up wordpress so it will take care of the technical stuff, while you can concentrate on writing blog posts.
The important pages that all websites need, and how to create them.
How to avoid writer's block and come up with an unlimited number of blog post ideas.
How to use the gutenberg editor to craft your blog posts.
The importance of your inner circle.
Using social media to increase your exposure.
Options for making money from your blog.
How and where to promote your blog.
Ideas to expand you blog in the future.
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Let's introduce the course and instructor.

Introduction to the instructor and the course.

When you are writing a blog, it's a great idea to take notes anytime and anywhere you have an idea. This lecture shows how you can easily do that.

There are two types of WordPress, but this lecture tells you why you need to be using the one from the .ORG site.

Your domain will be the address of your blog on the internet. In this lecture, we look at what kind of domain you should get.

This lecture will point you in the right direction to buying your domain and getting web hosting.

Twitter is a great social media platform to use as a promotional tool for your blog. This lecture will get you started.

This video will discuss website structure, and get you set up for your blog.

You have a couple of different options for your homepage. This video shows you those options.

This video will show you how to use a static page for your homepage. Typically used for non-blog sites, a static page is actually a great option for a blog too.

There are tens of thousands of themes to choose from. This video will discuss your options, and give you a simple recommendation.

WordPress has a feature called Widgets. These can be used to add features to your site design and this lecture will get you started in the wonderful world of widgets.

This video will introduce the idea of great content and how to avoid writer's block.

This lecture looks at 9 websites that can be used to give you an unlimited number of blog post ideas.

For those with more personal style blogs, here are 80 blog post ideas that your readers will love.

This video looks at my two-step process for keyword research that will result in great blog post ideas and titles.

This video shows a demo keyword research session to show you how to find those blog post ideas.

This video walks you through the process of creating a new blog post.

This video discusses how categories and tags can be used to classify your blog posts, and more importantly, how to use them correctly.

This video looks at how Gutenberg is different from the traditional "Classic " editor.

This video takes you through the Gutenberg Interface.

This video shows you the format of a block, and where to edit the blocks properties.

This video takes you through the process of building a post by adding blocks.

Inserting images and word-wrap around those images causes a lot of problems for beginners. This video looks at how you can effectively wrap text around an image.

The cover blocks is a really versatile Gutenberg block. It is explored in this video.

Columns can be used for horizontal (and vertical) formatting of content in a blog post. This video shows you how.

The group block is a container that can hold blocks of your choosing. Groups of blocks can then be manipulated as a single entity.

This video shows how to insert tables of data into your posts.

This video shows you how to add and customize buttons on your page.

Patterns can speed up the development of content. This video shows how to access them and how to add them to your post.

One of the powerful features of Gutenberg is the ability to create re-useable blocks. This video explains.

Want more blocks? This video shows you how to find some.

This video takes you through adding your first blog post.

When you add a blog post, Tweet it!

Your inner circle is an important group of people that can share your blog post to bring more visitors to your site.

This video discusses the idea of 30 days of content. 30 days is long enough to form a habit, and at the end, you'll have the makings of a blog to be proud of.

Your site does need some important pages which we haven't covered yet. This video will tell you more about them.

The About Us page is one fo the most important ones on a site. This video will tell you what you should include on the About Us page.

This video walks you through adding a contact form to your site so your readers can contact you.

The Legal Pages are a special group of pages that all sites need. This video will get you started.

Do you want to make money from your blog? Sure it's possible. This video will introduce you to the main ways.

One of the easiest ways of earning money from your blog is using Google Adsense. This video introduces you to how it works.

I've been using affiliate programs to make money online for over 20 years. This video will introduce you to the idea of an affiliate program.

This is another document you might need on your site if you promote any affiliate programs.

This video introduces the idea of blog promotion to increase traffic and readership.

It seems everybody uses social media these days. This video discusses social media channels I think you should be integrating into your site.

Social sharing plugins give your readers an easy way to share your blog post with THEIR social media contacts. This video shows how to integrate this sharing into your blog.

This video shows how you can add links to your social media channels so people can follow you on those channels.

A Gravatar is an image you connect to an email address. That image can be used on social platforms when you post using your email address. Confused? This video explains how it all works.

A great way for more exposure is to post comments on related blogs. This video discusses this in more detail.

Collaboration is a two-way deal. Contact other blogs and see what you can do for each other.

If readers spend time leaving comments on your blog post, reply to them. Let them know you read their comment and engage that visitor in a short conversation. It'll make them feel a special connection to you and your blog, and that will bring them and their friends back.

This video covers a few ideas you might want to think about for the future of your blog.

Autoresponder services give you some great options. This video explains more.

This lecture includes resources mentioned in the course.

Career center

Learners who complete Build A Blog in 30 Days will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Content Creator

A Content Creator is responsible for developing engaging and informative content across various digital platforms, often specializing in written articles, blog posts, or multimedia scripts. This course is exceptionally well-suited for aspiring Content Creators, providing a comprehensive toolkit for generating, structuring, and publishing compelling material. Learners will discover techniques for avoiding writer's block and mastering keyword research to devise an unlimited number of blog post ideas and titles. The practical instruction on using the Gutenberg Editor to craft posts, including adding images, tables, and buttons, directly translates into the daily tasks of creating professional digital content. Understanding blog promotion, social media integration, and community engagement also helps Content Creators ensure their work reaches and resonates with its intended audience, positioning them for success in this dynamic field.

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Freelance Content Producer

A Freelance Content Producer is an independent professional who creates various forms of digital content, such as articles, blogs, and marketing materials, for multiple clients. This course is an outstanding resource for anyone looking to establish themselves as a Freelance Content Producer. It covers the entire process of setting up an online presence, from choosing a domain and hosting to installing and configuring WordPress. Learners acquire specific skills in generating endless content ideas through keyword research, crafting posts using the Gutenberg Editor, and organizing content with categories and tags. Crucially, the course also explores options for making money from a blog and strategies for promotion, which are vital for a freelancer seeking to attract clients and market their own services. This holistic approach provides both the technical and creative skills needed to thrive as a freelance digital professional.

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Content Strategist

A Content Strategist plans, develops, and manages an organization's content to meet specific business objectives, ensuring consistency and effectiveness across all channels. For an individual aiming to become a Content Strategist, this course offers foundational insights into the entire content lifecycle. It illuminates the strategic importance of choosing a domain name, setting up a robust WordPress installation, and structuring essential web pages. The course’s emphasis on keyword research for generating blog post ideas and titles, along with techniques for avoiding writer's block, directly supports developing a sustainable content pipeline. Furthermore, understanding content classification with categories and tags, options for making money from a blog, and blog promotion strategies provides a holistic view of content's role in achieving engagement and growth, which is critical for a Content Strategist.

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Web Content Editor

A Web Content Editor oversees the creation, editing, and publishing of web-based material, ensuring it adheres to quality standards, style guides, and digital best practices. Aspiring Web Content Editors will find this course highly relevant, as it thoroughly covers the practical aspects of managing and producing online content. The detailed instruction on setting up WordPress, understanding themes and plugins, and configuring page layouts directly supports the technical side of content management. Crucially, the course delves into using the Gutenberg Editor to build and format posts, including block manipulation, image embedding, and table insertion, which are daily tasks for an editor. Additionally, learning to use categories and tags effectively helps organize content for optimal reader experience and search engine visibility, making this course an excellent foundation for a Web Content Editor.

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Digital Marketing Specialist

A Digital Marketing Specialist develops and implements online marketing campaigns to promote products, services, or brands, utilizing various digital channels. This course provides a strong practical foundation for a Digital Marketing Specialist by covering essential elements of online presence and promotion. It delves into the power of social media for getting content noticed, including specific guidance on Twitter, social sharing plugins, and integrating social media channels. The exploration of keyword research for blog post ideas and titles also aligns with search engine optimization strategies crucial for digital marketing. Furthermore, understanding options for making money from a blog, such as Google Adsense and affiliate programs, provides insight into monetization models often managed by digital marketers. This course helps learners grasp how to promote their digital content effectively and expand their online presence.

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Product Content Creator

A Product Content Creator develops informative and engaging content specifically designed to highlight product features, benefits, and use cases, often through blog posts, guides, or instructional articles. This course offers valuable skills for an aspiring Product Content Creator by focusing on the creation and dissemination of detailed, persuasive content. The techniques for generating an unlimited number of blog post ideas, including through keyword research to craft compelling titles, are highly applicable to describing product offerings. Learning to use the Gutenberg Editor to build posts with images, tables, and other elements enables a Product Content Creator to present product information clearly and attractively. Furthermore, understanding blog promotion and leveraging social media channels helps ensure that product-focused content reaches potential customers, contributing to product visibility and sales.

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Affiliate Marketing Specialist

An Affiliate Marketing Specialist focuses on promoting products or services of other companies to earn commissions, often through content-driven websites. For individuals aiming to be an Affiliate Marketing Specialist, this course provides direct and actionable insights into establishing and monetizing an online platform for such endeavors. It details the options for making money from a blog, with specific attention given to affiliate programs, drawing on twenty years of experience. The course explains how these programs work and even mentions specific documentation needed when promoting them. By teaching how to build, populate, and promote a blog using WordPress, including content creation and search engine optimization techniques like keyword research, it lays a practical foundation for setting up a successful affiliate marketing venture. The skills taught are directly transferable to managing an affiliate-focused website.

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Brand Journalist

A Brand Journalist creates compelling, narrative-driven content that tells a brand's story, engaging audiences and building brand affinity, often through long-form articles or blog posts. This course is highly relevant for individuals aiming to become a Brand Journalist. It provides specific methods for generating an unlimited number of blog post ideas and titles, which is crucial for maintaining a consistent brand narrative. The course's focus on crafting engaging content and utilizing keyword research helps ensure that brand stories resonate with the target audience and achieve visibility. Furthermore, learners gain practical experience in publishing and promoting content using social media and engaging with readers, which are vital for disseminating brand messages and fostering community. This comprehensive approach to content creation and distribution offers a strong starting point for a Brand Journalist.

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E-commerce Content Manager

An E-commerce Content Manager oversees all content for an online store, ensuring product descriptions, blog posts, and marketing materials are optimized to drive sales and enhance the customer experience. For an individual aiming to become an E-commerce Content Manager, this course provides a strong foundation in managing and promoting online content that can support commercial objectives. It covers the crucial aspects of setting up an online platform, including domain, hosting, and WordPress, which forms the backbone of many e-commerce sites. The course's focus on generating engaging blog post ideas, using keyword research, and crafting content with the Gutenberg Editor is directly transferable to creating product-related articles and guides. Importantly, the exploration of options for making money from a blog, such as Google Adsense and affiliate programs, offers insight into monetization strategies relevant to e-commerce, making this course particularly useful.

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Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager creates, curates, and manages content for social media platforms, engaging with audiences and building brand presence online. This course is highly pertinent for individuals seeking to become a Social Media Manager, as it dedicates significant attention to leveraging social platforms for promotion and engagement. Learners will gain practical experience in integrating social media tools, such as social sharing plugins and links to social channels, directly into a website. The course specifically highlights using Twitter as a promotional tool and discusses the broader array of social media channels for driving traffic. Understanding how to use Gravatar, engage an 'inner circle' for sharing, and reply to comments fosters skills in community building and outreach, which are central to a Social Media Manager's role.

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Search Engine Optimization Specialist

A Search Engine Optimization Specialist works to improve a website's visibility and ranking in search engine results through various techniques. This course provides a relevant starting point for an aspiring Search Engine Optimization Specialist, particularly through its in-depth coverage of keyword research. Learners are explicitly taught two types of keyword research to generate blog post ideas and actual titles, a fundamental practice in SEO. Understanding how to set up WordPress correctly, including domain name selection and configuring essential web pages, contributes to a search-engine-friendly site structure. Additionally, the course's guidance on using categories and tags effectively to classify blog posts and improve reader experience also has direct implications for on-page SEO, helping to ensure content is discoverable and ranks well in search results.

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Marketing Communications Specialist

A Marketing Communications Specialist develops and executes strategies to effectively communicate a company's messages to its target audiences, often through various media channels. This course can be highly beneficial for an individual pursuing a career as a Marketing Communications Specialist. It provides practical experience in creating and disseminating online content, a core component of modern marketing communications. Learners acquire skills in developing engaging blog posts, utilizing keyword research for content ideas, and leveraging social media for promotion. Understanding the technical aspects of setting up a blog and essential web pages, combined with strategies for promoting content to an 'inner circle' and broader social networks, directly translates into managing effective communication campaigns. This course lays a practical foundation for crafting and distributing compelling marketing messages online.

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Copywriter

A Copywriter crafts persuasive and engaging written content for various marketing and communication purposes, aiming to inform, entertain, or drive action. This course offers a beneficial framework for individuals aspiring to become a Copywriter, particularly within the digital content sphere. It provides techniques for overcoming writer's block and generating an unlimited number of blog post ideas, which are directly applicable to the ideation phase of copywriting. The detailed instruction on using keyword research to develop compelling blog post titles helps Copywriters understand how to create content that resonates with target audiences and performs well online. Furthermore, the practical experience of crafting and publishing content using the Gutenberg Editor, a robust online text editor, offers valuable insight into effective digital content structuring and presentation, which are critical skills for a modern Copywriter.

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Community Engagement Manager

A Community Engagement Manager builds and nurtures relationships within an online community, fostering interaction and loyalty among users or customers. This course provides relevant skills for an aspiring Community Engagement Manager by emphasizing direct interaction and outreach. It highlights the importance of engaging an 'inner circle' to share posts and advises on the value of replying to comments on a blog to make readers feel a special connection. The course also discusses strategies such as commenting on related blogs and collaborating with other blogs, which are forms of external community outreach. By teaching how to create an engaging online platform and foster reader interaction, this course lays a practical foundation for developing the communication and relationship-building abilities essential for a Community Engagement Manager.

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Website Administrator

A Website Administrator is responsible for the overall management, maintenance, and smooth operation of a website, including technical configuration and content deployment. This course can be helpful for an aspiring Website Administrator, as it provides hands-on experience with the fundamental technical aspects of website setup and management. Learners will gain practical knowledge in choosing and setting up a domain name and web hosting, installing and configuring WordPress, and selecting themes and plugins. The course also covers how to set up essential web pages and use widgets to enhance site design. Understanding troubleshooting common issues with content display, such as wrapping text around images in the Gutenberg Editor, builds practical problem-solving skills vital for maintaining a functional website. While not exhaustive, it forms a useful base for understanding WordPress-centric site administration.

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