Let this 96-page e-book show you the quick and easy way to launch your blog

WordPress is among the most popular blogging platforms. If you're ready to start your WordPress blog, this handy e-book will get you going. It gets right to the point, showing you how to create a WordPress.com account, navigate WordPress.com and use the Dashboard, customize blog settings, use themes, organize your blog, and dress it up with widgets and upgrades. A special link to dummies.com provides additional information, including video tutorials that boost your blog IQ. Read it today and have your blog up and running tomorrow!

This highly focused e-book gives you the straight line on setting up a blog using WordPress.comWalks you through creating your account, navigating WordPress.com and using the Dashboard, choosing a theme for your blog, customizing settings, and organizing your blog by categoriesProvides further materials, including video tutorials on establishing settings and privacy controls, plus step-by-step instructions for setting up your blog

Launch a WordPress.com Blog In A Day For Dummies is the quick and easy way to join the blogosphere with WordPress.com.

Lisa Sabin-Wilson (Colgate,?WI)?is the founder and Creative Director of E.Webscapes Design Studio. Lisa is also a frequent public speaker and talks on the subject of WordPress development and design at conferences around the country.?She is the author ofWordPress For Dummies,WordPress Web Design For Dummies, and lead author of the team that co-wroteWordPress All-in-One For Dummies. To learn more about Lisa, please visit (lisasabin-wilson.com).

Introduction 1

What You Can Do In A Day  1

Foolish Assumptions  1

Icons Used in This Book  2

Chapter 1: Getting Started with WordPress 3

Creating a WordPress Account  4

Navigating WordPress 10

Using the WordPress Dashboard  12

Right Now 14

Recent Comments  16

Your Stuff  17

Whats Hot 17

QuickPress 17

Recent Drafts 18

Stats  18

Setting Important Options before You Blog  19

Setting your General options  20

Adjusting your Date and Time settings 21

Setting your public profile: Tell us a little about yourself  23

Setting your personal preferences  29

Chapter 2: Writing and Managing Your Blog 33

Ready? Set? Blog! 34

Inserting media files into your post  36

Refining your post options  39

Publishing your post  42

Organizing Your Blog by Subject  44

Creating categories and subcategories 45

Filing posts in categories and subcategories  46

Creating and Categorizing Your Blogroll  47

Creating link categories  48

Adding new links to your blogroll  48

Managing and Inviting Users  52

Managing authors and users  52

Inviting friends to WordPress.com  54

Managing Comments and Comment Spam  55

Setting discussion options for your blog  55

Viewing comments  61

Creating a Static Page  63

Setting Up Your Front Page  64

Publishing a Public or Private Blog  66

Publicizing through Social Media  67

The Like Button  69

Interaction Through SMS (Text Messaging)  69

Chapter 3: Enhancing Your Blog with Themes, Widgets, and Upgrades 71

Changing Your Blogs Look  72

Enhancing Your Theme with Features  73

Adding navigation menus  74

Changing the background color and image 76

Creating an iPad-friendly display  78

Changing the header image  80

Using Typekit fonts  82

Widget Wonder: Adding Handy Tools to Your Sidebar  82

Selecting and activating widgets  82

Using Text widgets  84

Upgrading Your WordPress Account (For a Fee)  89

Naming Your Domain 91

Chapter 4: Where to Go from Here 92

Taking Your First Steps  92

Visiting dummies.com 93