Lessons learned and best practices for preparing and launching a blog using the WordPress blog platform. Originally presented at WordCamp Seattle in September 2009.

1. After Launching a Couple
Dozen Blogs, I Figured
Out How to Do it Right
Aaron Hockley

2. I Don’t Want to Be This
photo © darkpatator [Flickr]

3. Simple Goals
Nobody Should Ever See This

4. Simple Goals
Traffic

5. Our Specimen:
SocialPhotoTalk.com

6. The “Duh” Steps

7. The “Duh” Steps
Buy the Domain

8. The “Duh” Steps
Buy the Domain
Setup Domain on the Web Host

9. The “Duh” Steps
Buy the Domain
Setup Domain on the Web Host
Install WordPress

10. Install Maintenance Mode
photo © Editor B [Flickr]

11. Security Good,
Spam Bad

12. Security Good,
Spam Bad
Setup a User Account

13. Security Good,
Spam Bad
Setup a User Account
Delete the Admin Account

14. Security Good,
Spam Bad
Setup a User Account
Delete the Admin Account
Activate Akismet

15. Get Set to Set the Settings

16. Get Set to Set the Settings
Permalinks

17. Get Set to Set the Settings
Permalinks
Discussion (Comments)
will you use a hosted comment service?

18. Get Set to Set the Settings
Permalinks
Discussion (Comments)
will you use a hosted comment service?
Reading (Homepage, Post Counts)

19. Make It Look Purty
bit.ly/GetThesis *
...or any theme of your choice
* that’s an affiliate link

20. Make It Look Purty
bit.ly/GetThesis *
...or any theme of your choice
... and customize it
* that’s an affiliate link

21. Initial Plugins

22. Initial Plugins
Dashboard Scheduled Posts

23. Initial Plugins
Dashboard Scheduled Posts
No Self Pings

24. Initial Plugins
Dashboard Scheduled Posts
No Self Pings
Twitter Tools
(and customize the “new blog post” text)

25. Funny Photo Time
photo © tenioman [Flickr]

26. An Appropriate
Amount of Clutter
Subscription (RSS, email, Twitter)
Recent Comments
Categories/Tags/Archives
Affiliates/Ads

27. OpenID: It’s a Good Thing

28. Don’t Forget Pages

29. Don’t Forget Pages
About (and Contact)

30. Don’t Forget Pages
About (and Contact)
Custom 404

31. Don’t Forget Pages
About (and Contact)
Custom 404
Archives
I like the Clean Archives Reloaded plugin

32. And This Stuff Too
Analytics
Twitter Account
Favicon

33. Write Content

34. Write Content
Really

35. Write Content
Really
A Bunch of It

36. Think Before Launching

37. Just Before Launch
Deactivate Maintenace Mode
Disable Twitter Tools
Publish Queued Posts

38. Launch
photo © p_c_w [Flickr]

39. Just After Launch
Re-enable Twitter Tools
Setup Feedburner (create feed, redirect)
Setup email subscription

40. Q&A
Notes at bit.ly/bloglaunch
Aaron Hockley
aaronhockley.com
@ahockley