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So you’re interested in starting a blog? Great~
If you’re anything like me, technology scares the s%*t out of you. The idea of setting up your blog probably sends shivers up your spine and leaves you running for the hills.
Truth be told, I once relied on my best friend to help me do anything techie. When she suffered a medical issue earlier this year, I was faced with having to learn these things for myself.
I’m proud to say, I’ve learned a lot over the last several months. At times, I felt like I was channeling her as I maneuvered through all the mind-boggling stuff I hate.
So if you’re like me, don’t worry; starting a WordPress site on Blue Host is super easy and will take you 15 minutes to complete the process. That’s how simple it is.
Let me explain…
The following steps outline exactly how I built my site, A Debt Free Mess Free Life. This guide will help you get started.
When you’re done following these steps, you’ll have your self-hosted WordPress site.
Over View
- Purchase hosting
- Choose a domain
- Install WordPress
- Start using WordPress
How To Set Up A Self Hosted WordPress Blog
Step 1: Find A Host
What’s hosting? A host provides the server space for your site so others can find you on the internet. There are free service hosting sites out there, but I highly recommend you go for self-hosting. There’s just too many issues if and when your site becomes popular with nonself-hosted sites. You should start out with a self-hosted site from the get go. You get what you pay for, and ultimately free isn’t always free when it comes to time and aggravation. You’ll thank me later that you started out on the right platform.
Start by clicking here to go to Bluehost (this link will open in a new window so you can reference these instructions). I can personally vouch for Bluehost as they are great to work with.
Click the green Get Started Now button.
Step 2: Select Your Plan
Choose the plan you’d like to start with; you can upgrade at any time. If you’re confused as to what might be the best plan for you, give them a call to discuss your options. When starting a new blog, I recommend the Plus plan because you get more unlimited features. All of the plans come with one free domain name.
Step 3: Choose A Domain
Next, you need to select a domain name for your site. If you already own a domain name, you can enter it here. You’ll have to go through a few extra steps to make sure you get your DNS pointed to Bluehost. If you don’t already have a domain name, you can purchase one from the sign-up process. The best part – it comes free with your new hosting account purchase.
Here’re a few things to consider:
- Go with a .com whenever possible
- Make it easy to spell
- Make it easy to say
- Don’t include hyphens, numbers, obscure terms or a confusing strings of words
- When in doubt, use your name to start
- Be creative
If you’ve already registered a domain name elsewhere, enter it on the right. This won’t mess up anything if you’re using a domain already; this only identifies your account.
Click the blue Next button.
Step 4: Enter Your Account Information
On the next page, you’ll enter your contact information including your email address. The email you provide is where information will be sent to you regarding the set up of your account and your login information.
Step 5: Choosing A Hosting Package
Choose which hosting package you want. Normal, shared hosting is priced at 12, 24 and 36-month terms. To help save you money, the longer term you purchase, the lower the monthly rate will be. By choosing a 36-month hosting term, you can get the great introductory rate of $3.95/month. Because you’ve chosen to host with Bluehost, if you ever need more than a shared hosting account, Bluehost provides seamless upgrades to VPS or dedicated server hosting accounts from inside your control panel. You can always call them to discuss your particular website hosting needs.
You’ll see a bunch of options which you can include at your discretion.
Step 6: Enter Your Billing Information
Fill in your billing information, confirm that you’ve read the fine print and then click Next.
Step 7: Upgrades – Skip ‘Em
On the next page, you’ll be asked if you want to add any upgrades. I usually just skip these. Continue to complete your purchase. After completing your purchase, check your email. You’ll find a welcome email from Bluehost with your control panel (panel) login info. Keep this information for future reference.
Step 8: Login To Your Cpanel
Go back to Bluehost and click the Login button in the top right corner of your screen, or use the link to your cpanel contained in the welcome email.
Enter your cpanel login info from the welcome email.
Step 9: Install WordPress
Once logged in, click the WordPress icon under Website Builders.
Step 10: Start The WordPress Installation
Next you’ll get a window that looks like this. Click the Start or Install button to begin the WordPress installation process.
Step 11: Choose Where To Install WordPress
Choose your domain from the drop-down menu.
Step 12: Enter Your WordPress User Information
Check the box next to Show Advanced options. Enter your Site Name or Title (A Debt Free Stress Free Life, Maureen Campaiola, etc.) Choose an Admin Username (do not use “admin” as your username) and password. These will be what you use to login to WordPress once it’s installed. Enter your email address, read and agree to the terms and click the Install Now button.
Step 13: Your WordPress Login Credentials
After WordPress has been installed, you should see the “Status: success” indication.
This is the information to access your new WordPress site. This information will also be sent to you via email.
If you registered a new domain in Step 2, clicking on the Site URL link will take you to your brand new, live website. Clicking on the Login URL link will take you to the WordPress login page where you can enter your username and password and get into the back-end of your WordPress site.
(If you transferred a domain in Step 2, see Optional Step 14 below.)
All done!
You can now type your domain into a browser, and your WordPress site will appear.
Optional Step 14: If You Used An Existing Domain
Your existing domain will not display your new site until you change your name servers wherever your domain is currently registered. Changing your name servers points your domain to this new site.
IMPORTANT! As soon as you change your name servers, your domain will bring visitors to this new site. Therefore, if you are currently using your domain on another site, do not change your name servers until your new site is set up and ready to go.
This is called migration. If you don’t know how to migrate your site to Bluehost, they have a program where they can do it for you. In the meantime, you can still access your new WordPress blog via a temporary URL. You may have received one in your welcome email from Bluehost. If you didn’t, simply call them and let them know you need a temporary URL for your new site.
To change the name servers where your domain is currently registered, first note your new Bluehost name server information:
- ns1.BlueHost.com
- ns2.BlueHost.com
Next, go to the registrar where your existing domain is currently registered ( GoDaddy, etc.). You will need to enter the above information in the appropriate place. This varies among registrars so give them a call to help you walk through the process.
Congratulations! You now have your very own self-hosted WordPress website.
Happy Blogging!
