Checklist and steps for setting up a WordPress site:

  1. Purchase domain name from namecheap.com
  2. Set up domain on hosting (create an add-on domain on Hostmonster)
  3. Install WordPress (Download from wordpress.org and install)
  4. Upload robots.txt file
  5. Configure WordPress (refer to “To do list below”)
  6. Do a 301 redirect from non www to www (.htaccess example is in the Files tab)
  7. Set up mailing list (via Aweber) – create a new mailing list for this new domain name

TO DO LIST FOR WordPress:

Simply log into the administracionareyoupop area and setup the following:

Plugins

  • Activate Akismet
  • Activate Contact Form http://chip.cuccio.us/projects/contact-form-ii/
  • Activate Exex-PHP http://bluesome.net/post/2005/08/18/50/
  • Activate Feed Control
  • Activate Full Text Feed http://cavemonkey50.com/code/full-feed/
  • Activate Google Analytics
  • Activate Google Sitemaps
  • Activate Permalink Redirect http://fucoder.com/code/permalink-redirect/
  • Activate Singular
  • Activate WordPress Database Backup
  • Activate WordPress Hashcash
  • Activate dd sitemap plugin – http://www.dagondesign.com/articles/sitemap-generator- plugin-for-wordpress/ create a page called “Sitemap” and put into it and then link to that page in your footer nav
  • Deactivate all the rest of the plugins
  • Install Custom Query String plugin http://www.transycan.net/blogtest/download-themes/

Presentation

  • Turn off ALL widgets
  • Change Font to Verdana, Small
  • Footer – Uncheck “Kudos to WordPress, Semiologic and the skin author”
  • Pick a layout you like. I do Wide with “Main, Ext Sidebar”
  • Menus – Only Home in the header
  • Menus – No Sidebar Menus
  • Menus – Add these footer menu’s: Contact – /contact RSS – /feed Sitemap – /sitemap.xml Privacy – /privacy-policy
  • SEO – Add title, keywords, description

Options

  • General – Let Anyone Comment
  • Writing – Set up your ping list (mine is available in the Files tab)
  • Discussion – Check: Attempt to notify, Allow Link notifications, Allow people to post, Comment Author must fill out name and email
  • Permalinks – Custom Structure /%postname%.php This is where the .htaccess file in the Files tab comes in handy. If wordpress has problems, just upload that file to your base website directory
  • Feed Control – Include Posts, Pages, and sort by modified date
  • Google Analytics – Paste in your google analytics code (this is a good time to sign up for google analytics if you haven’t already).
  • Categories – create one category for your default posts (always put stuff into this category)
  • Options – CQS – Add an “is_category” and set it to -1 (this will show links to all posts in all categories on the category pages)
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