| You've heard the buzz about WordPress. About how | | | | Once you sign-up for hosting, you will receive an |
| it gives you a Content Management System so you | | | | email with your login information. You can then login |
| can manage your own website, thousands of | | | | into cPanel with that information. This lets you |
| "Themes" that give your website a highly professional | | | | manage all the various aspects of your hosting |
| look, "Plugins" that add tons of functionality to your | | | | account, including setting up your email accounts and |
| website like a shopping cart or email sign-up box, and | | | | installing WordPress. |
| how its 100% open source, making it not only FREE, | | | | Step 3: Change your DNS |
| but also limitlessly powerful (really, limitless, your site | | | | The next step is connecting your domain name to |
| can literally do anything that any other site can). | | | | your web hosting account. It's thins link that makes |
| You've heard - and you decided. It's time to try | | | | your website come up whenever someone types in |
| building a website in WordPress! You've been holding | | | | your domain name. What you want to do is change |
| onto those great website ideas far too long and it's | | | | the "Nameservers" of your domain name to those |
| time that you threw your hat in the ring. Good for | | | | provided by your web hosting provider. This is a |
| you! But how do you go about getting WordPress | | | | simple change, but can take up to 24 hours to fully |
| installed and set-up? There are only five quick and | | | | take effect. |
| easy steps to get up and running. No time like the | | | | To complete this step, you'll need to get the |
| present. Let's dig in and do it now! | | | | Nameservers from your web hosting provider. |
| Note that this article assumes you are building a new | | | | Generally, you'll receive this information in the |
| website on a new domain name. See the link at the | | | | 'welcome' email that you get once signing up. Contact |
| bottom of the article to access our full "How to | | | | their support otherwise. You should get 2 |
| Set-up a WordPress Website" guide that has more | | | | nameserver addresses like "nsxxx.somedomain.com". |
| in-depth information on setting-up a website in | | | | Next login to your domain name registrar and look in |
| WordPress. | | | | their documentation to find how to change the |
| Step 1: Register a Domain Name | | | | Nameservers for your domain. Simply copy each of |
| The very first step in any new website project is | | | | the 2 nameservers from your registrar into the |
| selecting a strong and memorable domain name. The | | | | appropriate place at your domain name and save. |
| biggest challenge with domain names any more is | | | | Within 24 hours, you should see your website |
| finding one that is still available! This might not be a | | | | starting to come up. |
| problem if you have a unique idea for a domain name | | | | Step 4: Set-up your Email Accounts |
| or if you are going to use a unique business name. | | | | You'll probably want to create at least one email |
| Otherwise, you may have to go through several | | | | address using your domain name, like This is a very |
| domain names until you find one that works well and | | | | easy process if you got web hosting with a cPanel. |
| is still available. | | | | You just click "Email Accounts" and follow the steps |
| We suggest using GoDaddy to register your domain | | | | to set each one up. You should be able to set-up |
| name if you haven't registered domain names before. | | | | Outlook, Mac Mail, your iPhone from there as well as |
| They make it quick and easy, have excellent | | | | checking your email via any computer using Webmail. |
| resources and 24/7 support to help you address any | | | | Step 5: Install WordPress |
| problems. If you have registered domains before | | | | Ok, you are all set to install WordPress now and |
| then it's generally best to stick with your current | | | | start having some fun building your website! Installing |
| registrar so that you can manage all your domains in | | | | WordPress via cPanel and Fantastico De Luxe is a |
| one location. | | | | snap, which is why we harp on it so much. If you |
| To register a domain name, simply go to your | | | | don't have it, you can see the official WordPress |
| registrar of choice and search for available domain | | | | documentation for installing manually. |
| names. You'll be able to easily register the domain | | | | Assuming you do have it though all you have to do is |
| once you find one that you like and is available. The | | | | click on the Fantastico De Luxe button and select |
| registration usually costs around $10/year. | | | | WordPress from the list of options, then click "New |
| Step 2: Set-up Web Hosting | | | | Install". This will bring up a few options for you. The |
| A web hosting account "hosts" your website making | | | | most important is the "Install in directory" option. |
| it available on the internet. A hosting account gives | | | | You'll want to make sure to leave that box empty |
| you space on a web server where you save the files | | | | for setting a complete website in WordPress. |
| that make up your website. It also gives you | | | | Otherwise, just enter the username, password, and |
| additional features such as email accounts at your | | | | email you'd like to use and click "Install WordPress". |
| domain name. | | | | Done! |
| You'll need to select a hosting company and sign-up | | | | The Hardest Part |
| for a plan before you can do anything with | | | | You have to wait for your DNS changes to take |
| WordPress. You'll DEFINITELY want to find one that | | | | hold, which can take up to 24 hours, before you can |
| offers cPanel with Fantastico De Luxe. This enables | | | | access your site (at least without getting pretty |
| you to automatically install WordPress. Also look for a | | | | techy). Once that agonizing period is over though, |
| web host that offers unlimited disk space and | | | | you'll be able to access your website at your domain |
| bandwidth and has 24/7 support. I routinely | | | | name and your admin center via a url like |
| recommend HostGator and use them exclusively for | | | | yourdomain.com/wp-admin. You can then begin |
| the WordPress WebKit. | | | | building your website! |