Sometimes, you want to create a place where you can hold conversations or pass the information on a topic or topics. These websites are typically known as weblogs or blogs. Building a blog using the Website Creator a very simple task as the main application used for the website is WordPress. The core purpose of the WordPress software is to function as a blog. The Website Creator uses BoldGrid system of plugins to create pages and posts, so you will need to have a Website Creator account or a BoldGrid installation to follow the directions below.
New to building website? Use the Website Creator for a quick, simple way to build your business or personal website! For information on Website Creator accounts, please click here.
Before You Begin
Blogs are generally meant to be interactive, which means that the viewer will be able to respond to your posts. When you build each page in WordPress, you will see the option to enable discussion. You can also simply turn it off if you don’t viewers to be able to comment on any particular post. You can turn off discussion in the Screen Options section of the Post or Page that you’re building. You should keep this in mind for each post that you create for your viewers.
In regards to the subject matter, a successful blog is kept alive by providing fresh, interesting content. Create a schedule for your content and regularly post your content so that you are either ready for release or at least have something planned. This should include images, video, or audio that you want to include with your posts. Having a plan for content release will make your life easier, especially if your blog isn’t your sole task in life.
Getting Started
When you’re creating a blog using the Website Creator, the simplest thing to do is to just jump right in. You will need to select an Inspiration to start. Remember that a BoldGrid Inspiration is a pre-built website complete with filler text and images. You will simply have to replace the text and images to match your needs. When you install an Inspiration, make sure to look for the Blog option and enable it. You will see it in the left-hand column (under Add Functionality) when you select an Inspiration to use. When you add it, a BLOG option appears in the menu. If you do not intend for the blog to be a separate menu item, then you can use the Customizer to remove the menu item very easily.
Creating a Post and Making it Visible
Like any website, a WordPress website has a home page – the first page that a viewer will see. You will have the option to select a static home page or use your most recent posts. To get to this setting, follow this sequence:
- Login to the Bold Grid Administrator.
- Click on Customize.
- Click on Advanced.
- Click on Homepage Settings.
- By default, it will be set to A static page. As per the instructions, if a Static page is selected then you will need to designate a static page and a page for posts. If you select Your latest posts then the options for static page and posts page will not be displayed.
- When you have completed making your changes, then click on the Publish button to save your changes.
Follow these directions to create a post.
Displaying your post
When you are creating your post, you will eventually have the option to publish your post. This will be necessary in order for it to be seen by your viewers. If you are restricting its visibility, then you can select who can see it by making changes to the Visibility settings in the right column menu.
Posts will also be visible on the front page based on the settings that you selected for your Homepage.
Your posts in the menu
When you add posts with the Blog function enabled in your inspiration, then a category called Blog will be automatically. There will also be a menu item labeled Blog. Your new posts should always be in the category labeled “blog”, but if you want to create other categories, then you may need to change how your menu is configured.
Dealing with Post Spam
A very common issue with blogs is dealing spam that pops in your post replies. There are many plugins that can help with this. For more details on this issue and possible solutions, please see Dealing with Spam in your Posts.
