One of the main reasons that I love using Wordpress as much as I do is for the simple reason that is is just so incredibly easy to use. It doesn't matter what you are trying to do, whether you are installing it for the first time, or if you are wanting to migrate wordpress blogs to a new domain or server, it is a simple to use platform that works, regardless of the level of skill that you have. Either way, lets go over how to install your blog.

Let's first start off by making sure that you have a good FTP client. For the sake of this tutorial, I recommend using Filezilla. It is a simple to use client that is reliable, and works cross platform as well. You can also use other platforms such as Transmit and CyberDuck, each of which have given me some good service over the years. The choice is yours in this respect.

The first step for me in all cases is to create an SQL database, user and password. Depending on what software powers your web hosting account, this should be within the administration panel. In C-Panel, there is a Database Wizard that you can use which will get a database up and running in a few minutes. Simply select a name, a username, and set a complex password. Be sure to note all of this down, as you will need these details in the next step.

Now, assuming that you have downloaded the Wordpress fi
les from the main website, all that you need to do is simply unzip the file, and transfer the files via FTP to the domain folder within your hosting account. This may take a few minutes, as there are a large number of files to upload. Once this has completed, simply open up your WP-Config file, and copy the details that you have copied for your Database. Of course, don't forget to save the file. Now, you should have one step left to do, and that is to navigate to your new blog, and give it a name.

For many of you, I am sure that the idea of playing around with databases and FTP is confusing. I know, it was confusing for me when I first started too. For all intensive purposes, I recommend having a talk to your hosting account, and making sure that you have some kind of automatic installer enabled on your account. For C-Panel based accounts, Fantastico will be your available option, as will Simple Scripts.

At the end of the day, there is always a way to make a job easier. Personally, I make a copy of a perfect installation, plugins and themes intact, and use it to install your Wordpress blogs on new domains. It saves me a huge amount of time and effort, and is much faster than any of the other methods that I have explained in this post today. There are many software packages available that will allow you to migrate wordpress blogs to a new domain or hosting account, the key is to do some research and find the one that works best for you.