- Self-hosted or not?
- Self-hosted – go to 2.
- Not? – head to Google, I’m not a useful resource.
- Self-hosted requires
- A domain
- I purchase my domains through GoDaddy. I don’t know if it’s the best, or the cheapest. It’s just what I know. I’ve been using GoDaddy for domain purchases and management since 2000. That’s 18 years with no compelling reason to change. They must be doing something right.
- Hosting
- Currently, I use DreamHost. Affordable, transparent pricing and solid ratings. Lots of folks recommend BlueHost. I found the pricing frustrating. I wasn’t comfortable committing a year to hosting I had no experience with. That said, they have a solid reputation. For many years I used Liquid Web. Liquid Web is wonderful and got me through many years of huge bandwidth needs (see Offering Free Digital Downloads). However, my current bandwidth usage is nominal (in comparison) so, I’ve downsized. Recommended reading – Don’t Skip on Hosting.
- A domain
- One you have a domain you need to point it to your hosting provider’s server. This requires modifying your domain’s nameservers via your GoDaddy account. Your hosting provider will give you the nameserver information when you set up your hosting account. They start with NS1 and NS2. You should have at least two, maybe three. This is much easier than it sounds. Stick with me.
- Install WordPress. Oi, where to start? Most hosting plans (and any I recommend) offer one-click installs via your hosting control panel. What does this mean? Essentially, you fill in a few blanks, click ‘install’ and voila! WordPress is installed.
- Choose and activate a theme. This is where trouble starts. Please, don’t get caught in an endless loop of installing, configuring, and re-installing multiple themes. They are all so pretty! But I like this! I like that! You can literally spend days right here on step number five. Ask me how I know…
- Get cracking! Content won’t make itself. Jump in and get swimming!
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