“This is not our future. Things are different for us, you can invent an app, start a blog, sell things online, my friends and I, we promote parties.”
You and I? We want to blog and create epic sh*t online. In the movie, We Are Your Friends, “laptop DJ” Cole begins with this quote by provoking a wave of thought, stating we now live in a digital revolution.
Like most, blogging for me began by seeking personal creative expression and sharing it with the world. I wanted an outlet, to design but also to play and experiment. Mostly, I craved autonomy and artistic reign. To be an official owner. Something I can claim as my own entirely. Well, guess what. It became a love, an obsession. And now…it’s my business.
This post will help you get started setting up a WordPress site, whether your reason is to start blogging or create a business, we’re giving you what you need, minus the worry and confusion, so you can get to being the creative #badass you’ve always wanted to be.
Start your WordPress blog then use the tutorial below for easy directions.
Self-hosted vs. Free domains
I started with wordpress.com. It didn’t take long to realize how limiting it was. After hearing so much buzz about Bluehost, I immediately switched over to WordPress.org. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I’m talking about.
The major and most important difference is that wp.org is self-hosted, where you are the owner of your website, but with wp.com you are not.
With self-hosted you own your site and whatever you build. Whereas anything created on the web means they own it. When it comes to self-hosting, not only do I recommend Bluehost for your hosting needs, but it’s the official hosting platform for WordPress. WordPress is widely used and the easiest platforms to create your site with.
Here’s what I’ve tried. My first two blogs were with Blogger. Then I went on to try Wix, then wordpress.com. All to avoid paying a tiny amount for self-hosting. Not a total waste of time as I learned a lot, however, if I knew then what self-hosting brings, I would have skipped those experiments.
Sticking With The Best For Your WordPress Site
Now, if you’re serious about blogging or creating a site for your business or passion project, are a creator and want to grow, then stick with self-hosted. You can create a business, make money, run your own ads, use affiliate marketing and any other direct advertising of your choice. If I read this back then it would have been easier to decide.
Even without a vision, plan, or title, I created my blog. This is what I’m going to show you now. If you don’t have an idea in place but you know you want to start, that’s OK. I promise it will be simple, painless and you can get creative and brainstorm later. If you already know your plan, design title etc. then great your ahead of the game.
Either way, these steps will be your golden ticket to get your site set up with WordPress even though it’s just the beginning. If you want to take the economical route, then choosing Bluehost is your answer. I have been with them ever since I set up my site and I don’t think it would be as successful in its creation as it is today. It’s not only user-friendly but customer support is there 24/7 if you need it. Coming from someone who has tried other hosting and domain companies, Bluehost wins every time.
How’s this for awesome? Bluehost not only provides hosting but you can register your domain in one easy package. If you already have one, then you can simply transfer it. To help their clients save money, their pricing is based on 12, 24 and a 36-month term. Right now, you can get hosting for $3.95/month. Paid upfront, the annual amount saves you so much down the road. You also get your free domain for the year and your 1-Click WordPress Install.
Here are some more reasons to make Bluehost your first and only ever hosting for your WordPress blog.
- Easy to use for ANYONE
- Offers round the clock tech support
- Affordable. Always
- Free domain
- WordPress is free through Bluehost
- Has every other service for your site imaginable. Sitebuilder, Privacy, SEO programs, security, backup tools, etc.
- Offers a 30-day money back guarantee
- Self-hosted – able to monetize
- You’ll come across as a professional
First decide your domain, pick your plan based on your budget and then head over to Bluehost and sign up. To start off, I recommend the basic package as it might be all you ever need.
Register Your Domain
Click here to start with your free domain name and then continue to follow the steps below.
I have a very interesting story about how I came up with my domain name, but I’ll save that for another post. I will tell you this much. It didn’t take much time, but I did put a lot of thought into. Meaning I knew that I wanted it to represent something. I knew that if I ever wanted to sprout and grow I would have to make it worth it. Pick one domain which could eventually become a business name. And it did.
So take this part seriously. Think of your domain as your physical address or as a business name. Take pride in it and make it count for the long haul. Once it’s yours, it’s yours.
Type in your desired domain below to see if it’s available.
Hosting Options
I’ll remind you that in order to save money down the road, stick with the 36-month plan. It’s paid at once but the savings are well worth it. If your hesitating, I don’t blame you. I did the same. After doing the math I realized this is the best bet.
For now, you don’t need to worry about the Plus or Prime package. You can disregard it and if you decide to change your plan later you can.
The other items I would strongly suggest buying right away is your Domain Privacy Protection and Site Backup Pro. When I say these two are important, what I really mean is crucial. I know a couple who got hacked into 3 times. Almost lost everything. Luckily they had all their years of hard work backed up. These two are not something you want to ignore.
Install WP on Bluehost
If you head over to the Hosting tab at the top of the screen and scroll down you will see a button “Install WordPress”. This will take you to the Mojo Marketplace.
Boom! Done. You’re set. From here you would begin installing a theme of your choice, paid or free. Then come the plugins and all the other juicy stuff your blogging heart desires. You can build your voice and your tribe.
Over time, I came to realize that as much as I love building my blog, I love to help others build theirs even more.
If your looking to start a WordPress blog then choosing Bluehost for your hosting needs may be your answer and I can help you build it.
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