So you are looking for the best way to display your podcast? Setting up a website like this using Wordpress is actually a lot easier than you think! Just follow these steps:

1. If you already have a domain name and host (like we did with www.podcast-training.co.uk), use Wordpress.org but check first that your ISP can accommodate a Wordpress database.  Alternatively, you can use the free Wordpress software from Wordpress.com which will allow you to choose a URL with Wordpress in the title, eg http://podcasttraining.wordpress.com. You can also purchase a URL or map your existing URL for a price at Wordpress.org. In both cases, you will need to download the Wordpress software onto your own computer so we recommend you follow the useful tutorials on Wordpress for background information.

2. Some hosts have a one-click set up but if, like us, you want to install Wordpress with a Fasthosts account, just follow the excellent steps shown on the instructional video created by Chris Young on Vimeo. It takes you step by step through how to set up a database (there may be an associated cost depending on the package you have bought from your host). Here’s how:

- Login in to Fasthosts, on website options choose databases, click add new database, choose MySQL 150MB, choose a database name and username (no hyphens), click finish and write down the settings for server name and ip address.

- Download Filezilla to enable you to transfer the Wordpress files you have downloaded onto your computer back up to your Wordpress site. In Filezilla, set up the ftp, go to File-Site manager. Add in the fasthosts ftp info into host username and add your password.

- In Filezilla, go to the file wp-config-sample.php, add in info into the blank fields, ie database name, user name, password. For local host address add in the ip address from fasthosts, then save document as wp-config.php (instead of sample). Now connect to your webspace and load in the Wordpress files into the htdocs folder (make sure you put them in the right place, as you can see on Chris Young’s video.

- Go to your browser, type in your domain name and add wp-admin on the end, then add in your login and password and hey presto, your site is set up.

3. Now go to Themes and choose something you like; we’ve used the Arras theme. Add in pages, add in posts, have fun learning how to use it. Here are a few tips:

- To create the slideshow on the front page, you need to select posts you want to feature by using the quick edit feature in the main Edit pages list, then click the box that says Stickied Posts. Go the Arras Theme Options section, click on the Home tab, and click the drop down box for the slideshow to set it to use posts that have been tagged as Sticky.

- To make the photos appear, you need to upload an image, ideally at least 700 x 300 pixels. Then add a new custom field into your page or post and call it thumb, with a link to the photo where it says Value.  See these Arras slideshow instructions provided by Rob Liesland.

- Stay on the Home page in Arras Theme Options and set the categories you want to use for the two feature blocks; then make sure you add in these categories into the relevant posts so that they are pulled onto the front page.

4. Now on to Plugins, ie the fun stuff. You get a few with the Arras software but to add in more, you need to go to the Plugin page to install; here are some useful ones … MCE Table Buttons (to add in tables) and AddToAny (for Share/Bookmark/Email button below) which adds the share button automatically to every post and page you create. Also for site stats, download Wordpress.com Stats Plugin – read about the API key first, plus the All in one SEO Plugin to add in meta data.

5. We’ll tell you all about adding a podcast in a later post. For now, have fun playing with Wordpress!