This is part 1 of a 4-part series on setting up a self-hosted WordPress Website and/or Blog.
Self-hosted WordPress vs. WordPress.com
WordPress gives your business a reliable, easy to use platform for creating and managing a website. Unlike the shared WordPress.com, the free software from WordPress.org is downloadable and requires you to acquire your own web hosting. However, the advantages are endless as you are free to customize and create the site of your dreams. It can be a little difficult at first, but once you understand the requirements and process, setting up a basic, yet impressive WordPress site is fairly easy.
Benefits
While you have hundreds of other basic options for starting a website, WordPress is truly scalable. If your web host goes under, you don’t have to worry about losing your site. Simply upload all your files to another host that supports WordPress. Add to this the insanely high level of customization and you have a recipe for a professional site that’s ready to grow as you need it. Even American Express is using WordPress
With hundreds of thousands of themes available, WordPress blends perfectly with any business. You choose exactly how you want your site to look and feel without settling with built-in templates, limited fonts and dismal colors.
Requirements
You’ll need three basic components to get started with your website:
- Domain name
- Web host
- WordPress software
Some web hosts already have the WordPress software incorporated. If this is a feature of your host, you don’t need to download the software from WordPress.org.
The first step is selecting & registering your domain name. While you could use a free host and get a free sub-domain, a professional top level domain name looks better to your visitors and search engines. Many web hosts also offer domain names and some even offer a free domain name with the purchase of a hosting plan. If you don’t want to combine your hosting and domain at the same company, choose a domain registrar such as Network Solutions or GoDaddy. Pay close attention to your specific web host for steps on how to apply the domain name to your site.
The next step is finding the perfect home for your site. WordPress.org currently recommends Bluehost, Dreamhost or SiteGround due to their ease of use and excellent compatibility with WordPress based sites. We have had excellent results and great support when using WP Engine. All are compatible with WordPress and offer competitive hosting rates.
You don’t have to use any of the above hosts. When comparing hosts, look for companies that support WordPress software. If they don’t have this feature, move on to a different host.
Finally, download the WordPress software. Unless your host already has WordPress installed, you’ll be required to install it either manually or with the much easier 1-click method. It all depends on the host you choose.
In our next post we will discuss the steps to install WordPress.
If you find yourself stuck anywhere in the process, Art Schobey Interactive offers complete WordPress Design Services and WordPress training on-site in the Raleigh, NC metro area or anywhere in the USA or Canada over the phone.
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