Creating a Blog with Creating a Blog with WordPressWordPress

Part 2 (How-to)Part 2 (How-to)

August 12, 2008August 12, 2008

Presented by Judy Kammerer, MA, MLIS, Presented by Judy Kammerer, MA, MLIS, AHIPAHIP

Medical Librarian, UCSF Fresno & CRMCMedical Librarian, UCSF Fresno & CRMC

Email: jkammerer@fresno.ucsf.eduEmail: jkammerer@fresno.ucsf.edu

Create a new blog for free Create a new blog for free • Open Explorer browser and go to Open Explorer browser and go to

www.wordpress.comwww.wordpress.com• Click “Sign Up Now”Click “Sign Up Now”• Create a username (this will be part of your new Create a username (this will be part of your new

blog’s URL) & password (write these down), type blog’s URL) & password (write these down), type email address, check agree, nextemail address, check agree, next

• Write down your blog domainWrite down your blog domain• Change blog title if you want (or you can change Change blog title if you want (or you can change

this later), privacy box(?), sign upthis later), privacy box(?), sign up• Check email to activate new accountCheck email to activate new account• Go back into Go back into www.wordpress.comwww.wordpress.com and enter and enter

username & passwordusername & password• You will see a new header that has 3 sections: My You will see a new header that has 3 sections: My

Account, My Dashboard, & New PostAccount, My Dashboard, & New Post

Name your blog, set the time Name your blog, set the time stamp, allow/disallow stamp, allow/disallow commentscomments

• Click on My Dashboard Click on My Dashboard • Click Settings (at right) to create tagline & Click Settings (at right) to create tagline &

set time (PT is -7 hours), click Save set time (PT is -7 hours), click Save ChangesChanges

• Still under Settings, click Discussion to Still under Settings, click Discussion to uncheck “Allow people to post comments” uncheck “Allow people to post comments” if you do not want any dialog (keep it if you do not want any dialog (keep it checked if you want to be part of Web 2.0’s checked if you want to be part of Web 2.0’s social interactivity ~ WordPress has a very social interactivity ~ WordPress has a very good spam blocker called Akismet)good spam blocker called Akismet)

Pick a template Pick a template • Click Design (in first line of navigation bar within My Click Design (in first line of navigation bar within My

Dashboard … second line of navigation bar consists Dashboard … second line of navigation bar consists of subcategories of the selected tab in the first line) of subcategories of the selected tab in the first line)

• Pick one (some offer custom image headers, like Pick one (some offer custom image headers, like Connections, Freshy, etc.; if you’ll be using multiple Connections, Freshy, etc.; if you’ll be using multiple pages, it’s nice to have one that lists “Home” at the pages, it’s nice to have one that lists “Home” at the top) and click on the name to view, then Activate top) and click on the name to view, then Activate (top right), and View Site (next to title)(top right), and View Site (next to title)

• If you have a picture stored on your computer and If you have a picture stored on your computer and you chose a template offering a custom image you chose a template offering a custom image header, you can go to My Dashboard, Design, header, you can go to My Dashboard, Design, Custom Image Header, scroll down to Upload New Custom Image Header, scroll down to Upload New Header Image, browse, choose your picture, upload, Header Image, browse, choose your picture, upload, move cropped area box, click crop. move cropped area box, click crop.

Write a post Write a post

• Click on New PostClick on New Post– Each post needs a title Each post needs a title – Write text (under Post)Write text (under Post)– Include a tag – draws attention to Include a tag – draws attention to

subject in Wordpresssubject in Wordpress– Create a category (name folder) – Create a category (name folder) –

organizes similar posts (like a file organizes similar posts (like a file cabinet)cabinet)• Click “add” and make sure correct category Click “add” and make sure correct category

is checked for this postis checked for this post

– Click Publish and then View SiteClick Publish and then View Site

Edit a post and import a Edit a post and import a video video • Click on Edit by the post you just created. Click on Edit by the post you just created.

(You can also get there via My Dashboard, (You can also get there via My Dashboard, Manage, Posts, click on the post title)Manage, Posts, click on the post title)

• Change title. Open another browser & go Change title. Open another browser & go to to www.youtube.comwww.youtube.com and find something and find something interesting, copy the URL. Go back to interesting, copy the URL. Go back to your post and click 2nd icon by “Add your post and click 2nd icon by “Add Media.” Go to the URL field & paste in Media.” Go to the URL field & paste in URL. Click “insert into post” then “save.” URL. Click “insert into post” then “save.” (If this was a new post you would click (If this was a new post you would click “publish.”) View Site. “publish.”) View Site.

Create a post with a picture Create a post with a picture

• Click “new post” then open another Click “new post” then open another browser & go to Google Images at browser & go to Google Images at http://http://images.google.comimages.google.com to find a picture to find a picture (make sure it doesn’t say it’s under (make sure it doesn’t say it’s under copyright protection) copyright protection)

• Copy the picture to the desktop.Copy the picture to the desktop.• Go back into the new post screen, click Go back into the new post screen, click

on 1st icon by “Add Media.” Use “choose on 1st icon by “Add Media.” Use “choose files to upload” to find the link from your files to upload” to find the link from your desktop. Give it a title, Upload, make desktop. Give it a title, Upload, make selections (try thumbnail), then “insert selections (try thumbnail), then “insert into post,” then “publish.” View Site. into post,” then “publish.” View Site.

Create a post with a link Create a post with a link

• Click “new post” then open another browser, go Click “new post” then open another browser, go find a website and copy its URLfind a website and copy its URL

• Go back to your post, write a title and in the Go back to your post, write a title and in the text field write a short annotation to comment text field write a short annotation to comment on the website, paste the URL in the same field, on the website, paste the URL in the same field, add a tag and category, publish. View Site. add a tag and category, publish. View Site.

• Move the mouse over the link to see a small Move the mouse over the link to see a small popup of that webpage (“Snap Shots” feature)popup of that webpage (“Snap Shots” feature)

Create a Blogroll Create a Blogroll (list of favorite links) (list of favorite links)

• Click on Manage, then Links. “Add Click on Manage, then Links. “Add new” to add your favorite websites & new” to add your favorite websites & blogs. blogs.

• Examples of popular physician blogs Examples of popular physician blogs (see their “Links”/”Blogs of Note” side (see their “Links”/”Blogs of Note” side bars for more):bars for more):

http://http://www.kevinmd.com/blogwww.kevinmd.com/blog//

http://http://doctorrw.blogspot.comdoctorrw.blogspot.com//

Create a Web PageCreate a Web Page

• Click on Write and choose PageClick on Write and choose Page– In addition to blog entries in reverse In addition to blog entries in reverse

chronological order, you can create static web chronological order, you can create static web pages that link to your front page. pages that link to your front page.

– The About page has already been set up; you The About page has already been set up; you just need to edit it. just need to edit it.

– Create a 2nd page for a topic you’d like to Create a 2nd page for a topic you’d like to develop. Give it a title and write the text under develop. Give it a title and write the text under “page,” then “publish.” “page,” then “publish.”

– Then each time you want to add content, go to Then each time you want to add content, go to Manage, then Pages, and click on title of page, Manage, then Pages, and click on title of page, edit, save. edit, save.

Change your Template & Change your Template & Customize your WidgetsCustomize your Widgets

• Go to Dashboard, Design, click on the Go to Dashboard, Design, click on the name of a different template, name of a different template, Activate. View Site.Activate. View Site.

• Check out Widgets (tools that appear Check out Widgets (tools that appear in columns next to your postings) in columns next to your postings) under Design for further under Design for further customization. (Good ones to start customization. (Good ones to start with include: Archives, Categories, with include: Archives, Categories, Pages, Links/blogroll, & Meta.) Meta Pages, Links/blogroll, & Meta.) Meta includes “log in/out” which is includes “log in/out” which is convenient. convenient.

More things to include in your More things to include in your blogblog

• Create audio podcasts for free and post to Create audio podcasts for free and post to your blog ~ your blog ~ http://www.podcast411.com/freehttp://www.podcast411.com/free

• Create a slide show for free and post to your Create a slide show for free and post to your blog from blog from http://http://www.slide.comwww.slide.com// (you need to (you need to sign up and then Make A Slide Show) sign up and then Make A Slide Show)

• Post Power Points by saving on Post Power Points by saving on http://http://www.slideshare.netwww.slideshare.net, copy the new URL to , copy the new URL to your Power Point, then paste into a new post your Power Point, then paste into a new post