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Why Blog and How To Get Started – Older Citizens Blogging Skip to content Older Citizens Blogging using WordPress Menu Home Contact Useful Programs About Me Widgets Library Researchexpand child menu Digital Literacy Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Why Blog and How To Get Started Tip: If you have trouble reading any screen in your browser you can zoom in by pressing “Ctrl ” and the “+” key. Pressing the “-” zooms back. Try it – NOW! Hold the Ctrl down and tap the “+” key a few times then tap the “-” key . You can do this for ANY web page! Your keyboard may have a slightly different layout In this blog we will learn how to set up a wordpress blog that is entirely free. It will take about 30 mins. It costs nothing except some of your time. Go through the first post without doing anything then read it again. It is not difficult, read slowly and take it in. Then have a go. There are 4 posts, the first sets up a wordpress blog (this one), the second is your first post where you learn how to put in a picture and video and the third as you surf the web gives you some knowledge and knowledge is power! The fourth is for themes and changing them. There is a Quick Start here, 4 videos. Mouse tips: hold the left mouse button down and drag it over the text, this highlights it. Then right click on it and copy. Go to where you want the text and right click and paste. Try it now to this text! Links: Don’t click on links till you are ready. They can be distracting until you are familiar. Watch the videos full screen. Hi there, There are approximately over 150 million blogs on the Internet with 1.3 million blog posts per day. Btw if you don’t have a computer you can use the library. Clearly people have got something to say. I started this blog for older citizens because there is a treasure trove of experience that should be tapped. All links that you click on eventually open into new tabs so this page will stay open. For some retirement can be a lonely time bringing with it isolation. A blog can bring people together; those with like minds and similar experiences. It can also be a moan at the state we are in in the 21st century! It can be about anything from a holiday you took 50 years ago to what your cat did this morning. Really anything you like. Polly me and Marcella 1965 Spain And a picture is worth a thousand words. Here’s a tip: If you have a photograph album use your phone camera to take a picture of them this will convert them into digital format and upload them to your computer from your phone! This is me and Mum 67 years ago!! Setting up a blog is easy, all you need is an email address and access to the Internet (ha ha yes you are reading this lol). It is easy and takes about 5 minutes. AND IT’S FREE! Yes there is no need to spend any money at all! WordPress has many features some cost but there is no need for them . The blog http://OlderCitizens.wordpress.com was set up completely free. How to set up a WordPress blog Think of a name for your blog. This can be yourname.wordpress.com you may have to be imaginative if your name has gone perhaps use your middle name as well or an initial. You may have a nickname you can use. Given so many blogs it may take some work. Just keep typing in wordpress.com till you find a combination that doesn’t exist, you have to have wordpress.com ending in the title. You can use a short phrase like BillWatkinsSuperBlog.wordpress.com as long as it makes sense. Be imaginative. Notice when I write the blog address I use capital letters to make it more readable? This is fine, web browsers ignore capital letters and treats them as lower case. Watch the video full screen. youtube full screen button In the video you see the “new and improved” menu system which I don’t like. I use the dashboard. Read on…. Once you find a combination that doesn’t exist go ahead and register it. Take it slow and get it right the first time. You may make a mistake BUT its not the end of the world go back to wordpress.com and start again BUT better get it right the first time. You might need a second email address for a second blog. Let me know in the Contacts page and I’ll send full instructions. or If you want an email adress at [email protected] let me know [email protected] Once you have been blogging for a while and have a feel for it you may want to change to a different name. I have about 10 covering different aspects of my online life.( First wordpress blog 2009 ). Go through the registration procedure until you are done. Familiarise yourself with the menu on the left. Save your draft as you go (on the right) so you don’t inadvertently delete something but this will happen it happens to us all so try and get into the routine of saving. The Dashboard (Main Editor) Your dashboard where you add posts, edit them change themes etc is: thenameofyourblog.WordPress.com/wp-admin is your route into the editor . So the admin for this blog is OlderCitizens.wordpress.com/wp-admin and there is my login to the editor. Login asks for username that was set up when you started or your email address. It will then ask for your password. Set a memorable difficult one. Include numbers and one odd character like !* say at the end. If you forget it you can change it by “lost password” and they will email you with a link to make a new one. I’m always forgetting mine. WordPress has set up a “new and improved” menu system. I don’t like it its not as good as the main editor, the dashboard. /wp-admin will take you to the main editor. Below is a screenshot of the of the dashboard. You do everything from there and in my tutorials I will be using the dashboard. Experiment with the menu items, mostly you can undo or change what you have done. All blogs have a theme you can read about them in a later post. The free 2016 theme I am running here is Twenty Sixteen. Its a great theme and even looks good on a mobile.You can use it when you are ready. Its free. https://wordpress.org/themes/twentysixteen/ download it and “Add New” in your Appearance/Themes page. If you can’t find it. Mum at the table with her daughter Mum “Guess what dear? I’ve got a blog” Daughter: “Nooo, really? Whats it called?” Mum: “marionjwinslow.wordpress.com” Daughter: Oh I’ll look it up when I get home” Mum: “You can look it up on your phone” And why not? This blog looks great on a modern phone. You can email me at [email protected] or call on +353 (0)89 429 7539 here to help. and skype Philip Finlay Bryan Tullamore. Please use the comment feature or use the contact page to comment or ask for help. It will be great to hear from you. You also can follow the blog and be notified of next posts. You can Skype me too, Philip Finlay Bryan Tullamore. I set up skype a long long time ago in “Search” look for dude.starship See the “About” page for info on me The next post will be “My First Post” Have a look if you feel like it. http://OlderCitizens.com which will be a global resource is in progress) Remember from little acorns mighty oaks do grow. Lets get planting! and just to finish off a rare ole tune from the man himself Shane McGowan. Advertisement Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading... Author: Philip I Blog View all posts by Philip Author PhilipPosted on January 21, 2017February 5, 2017Categories Blog Watch, Blogging, Me, SpainTags Philip Finlay Bryan 6 thoughts on “Why Blog and How To Get Started” Philip says: January 23, 2017 at 5:41 am Well its a start. So review what you have learned, read over it again. You’ll get the hang of it. Feedback always most welcome so feel free. Leave a comment if you wish, maybe early days so don’t feel pressured LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Serendipidy Haven says: January 29, 2017 at 3:23 pm Hi Philip! This blog is a great idea, and I wish you every success with it. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there with a host of interesting things to share and blog about who would welcome some hints, tips and guidance on how to go about it. The web can be a daunting place and it can seem that you need to be a rocket scientist to make it work for you – really good to see a site that demystifies the process for those who haven’t grown up with technology as part of their everyday life. Keep up the good work! The step by step videos are a good way to show how to go about things, although I did find them rather quiet. I loved your tip for turning old photos into digital versions with a mobile phone – simple but brilliant idea! What are your plans for future posts? Will you be covering using widgets and menus – I find that WordPress doesn’t always make things obvious how these elements work. I think what you’re doing here is great, and it would be awesome to see some folks taking their first steps into blogging as a result! s. x LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Philip says: January 31, 2017 at 3:10 pm Thanks Seren oh yes there will be more aiming to live to at least a 100 so watch out . Thanks so much for your kind words appreciated!! LikeLike Reply Philip Finlay Bryan says: February 1, 2017 at 3:17 am Have done widgets page (refresh your browser just did it) but pretty basic stuff. When you have a self hosted eg yourname.com domain you can do sooo much more with plugins, widgets and the like, but its plugins that take you to a whole new dimension. Worry not fair maid I will be blogging about that in my post graduate course. Coming to a blog near you…. 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