If you’re reading this post chances are you’re thinking about starting a blog/website. Perhaps you’re still on the fence. If so, I hope this tutorial encourages you to make the leap. Welcome aboard the grand adventure!
Owning a website is a liberating experience. Our thoughts, our work, our designs have a home and we’re eager to share it with the world. Cheers to that! ♥
Realistically speaking, though, it can feel a little intimidating and sometimes daunting trying to figure out the ins and outs of it all. I hear ya. I’ve been there, too.
Fast forward a few years and now I have the absolute pleasure of helping others create and manage their own websites. Creating a website that we’re proud to own is a joyous experience and I’m thrilled to help you on your journey.
Blogging Essentials Guide ~ Free Download
Managing WordPress like the Pros
In this tutorial, it’s my pleasure to take you through the steps of starting a blog/website. At the end of this tutorial, you’ll find a comprehensive series called Blogging to Success in WordPress. I designed this free series to help website owners master WordPress and thrive as a blogger/website owner. It’s my way to pay it forward as a blogger. ♥
Hosting? What is it and why do I need it?
Website Hosting
In order to have a blog or website, we require web hosting. Essentially, this is where our content ‘lives’ and is stored. It can get more technical, but that’s it in a nutshell.
A simple analogy ~ while we think of web hosting as the place where our blog/website content ‘lives’ in the world wide web, our domain name is much like the house we build to reside in that world, and WordPress is the tool we use to build our house.
WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
WordPress is a Content Management System. Basically, it’s the framework we use to design and build our blog/website. While both hosting scenarios use WordPress, there is a difference as to what you’ll have access to for website design and functionality.
If you’re like me, you’re probably trying to understand the difference between WordPress.com (hosted) vs WordPress.org (self-hosted). When I started blogging six years ago, I knew very little. The terminology can be a little confusing. Many new bloggers gravitate towards the Start a Free Blog articles and choose WordPress.com. While that may work perfectly for you, it’s important to know the pros and cons of choosing that path.
You’re most welcome to pop by my blog post ~ WordPress.com vs WordPress.org to view the differences between the two. It’s important to know that you’re pursuing the right path based on your long-term goals. If you’re looking to monetize your blog and require access to custom themes and plugins, then I really encourage you to fully compare the two hosting scenarios.
Hosting with Bluehost
If you’ve decided to go the WordPress.org (self-hosted) path then I highly recommend Bluehost as a hosting provider. Bluehost is the #1 recommended web hosting by WordPress.org. This website is hosted by Bluehost, so I can personally attest to their exceptional service.
Hosting packages are as low as $2.95 a month and include a FREE domain name for one year. Every account features a one-click WordPress installation, and their in-house experts are there to help 24/7.
Also, their help center includes guides, video tutorials, and more. Everything is at your fingertips. Another fantastic feature is knowing every website hosted with Bluehost is given a free SSL certificate. And, if for some reason you change your mind, Bluehost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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Choosing a Plan with Bluehost
The first thing you’ll notice when you access Bluehost’s homepage is their prompt to Host your Site or Start Building. Before you do so, browse the Region Tab (top right corner) for your location. It’ll look like the image displayed below.
The Start Building option is quite new and I encourage you to explore it further. Because it’s so new to me, I can’t provide any feedback at this time.
For this tutorial, however, we’ll cover the Host your Site option.
Hosting with Bluehost
Once you click on Host your Site, you’ll see the following options.
I really encourage you to look at both durations with a plan in mind.
In the 12 months scenario, the Basic plan is cheaper compared to 36 months. But after the first year, your cost will increase. Short-term savings only.
Hosting Scenarios
In the 36 months duration, the Basic plan is more costly but you have that low rate secured. The savings with the Choice Plus plan is much greater, too.
Just some things to keep in mind. A lesson I learned. 🙂
Features of each plan.
*Disclosure: As a blogger, I love sharing goodies. If you see the value in Bluehost’s service and choose to purchase via my referral links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. ♥
You can take advantage of their promotion here ~ Start a Blog with Bluehost. Or you can simply click on any of the images throughout this blog post.
Setting up your Website Domain
The next step is setting up your domain. Bluehost includes a FREE domain name for one year. You can create a new domain or use a domain you already own.
For this tutorial, I’m using an example domain called “entermydomain2019.com.”
Your choice of a domain name is an important decision and will depend on many factors. If you’re opening a business then maybe your business name will work for you.
For example, I have a business Peace by Piece Puzzles and it was important to me to have my domain name www.peacebypiecepuzzles.com for brand recognition and for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
You may have noticed this website is my personal name. As an author, designer, and blogger, I branded my services under my name. This corresponds to all my social media profiles. As a sole proprietor, this is ideal for my situation and corresponds to my personal and professional goals.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. It’s an important decision and an invigorating one!
If the domain is available, you’ll see the following response. Then you’ll enter your Account Information.
Completing your Package
The next step is completing your Package Information. Here, you can choose your hosting plan duration. You’ll notice you have three options ~ one year, two years, or three years. The savings is best under a three-year plan.
There are Package Extras, as well. Choosing these Extras is entirely your decision.
Next, you’ll have to enter your Payment Information.
Setting up WordPress
Almost there. You’ll be guided through the next steps.
Create your Password.
You can log in.
Bluehost will ask a few questions. You can Name your Site and create a Site Tagline. You can always edit this later. I cover this in the Blogging to Success in WordPress Series!
A few more questions.
One-click WordPress Install
Bluehost has a one-click WordPress Install. Easy peasy!
Bluehost Dashboard
Congratulations! Let the fun begin.
You’ll see your Bluehost Dashboard.
You can log in to WordPress here.
You can manage your Website(s) here, as well.
Logging in to WordPress
When you log in, this is what you’ll see!
You’ll notice the Coming Soon Active orange banner at the top of your toolbar and front and centre in the Dashboard. This is fantastic while you’re designing your website. When you’re ready to launch your site, you can launch from here.
Your WordPress Dashboard will look like this or very similar.
It can feel a little daunting, but that’s okay. Every blogger/website owner has been right where you are now. My blogging journey began six years ago, and I’m thrilled to help you with yours.
You’ll see “Howdy, your name..” in the top right corner next to the +Write Icon. In the image below, you can see my WordPress Profile picture instead. As part of the Blogging to Success in WordPress Series, we’ll create your WordPress Profile.
Website Design
Now comes the fun part. Let’s do this!
Choosing a website Theme and designing your website is the fun part. It’s not a complicated process, but it does require time and patience. This is where you get to showcase your style, content, and personality. ♥
As a blogger, I love connecting and sharing blogging tips and effective blogging strategies.
I developed the Blogging to Success with WordPress Series to help fellow bloggers design and manage their own websites.
It’s a free eight-part series meant to guide you through the entire website setup process, ultimately leading to a successful blogging journey. ♥
Complete Blogging to Success in WordPress Series:
Parts 1 – 5 are designed to guide you through the entire setup process:
- Part One ~ A Blogger’s Guide: Blogging to Success with Dashboard Settings in WordPress
- Part Two ~ A Blogger’s Guide: How to create a user profile, manage comments, view stats, and add widgets in WordPress
- Part Three ~ A Blogger’s Guide: How to Customize a WordPress Theme
- Part Four ~ A Blogger’s Guide: How to create a Blog Post and maximize engagement in WordPress!
- Part Five ~ A Blogger’s Guide: How to add Pages in WordPress
Blogging Essentials and Tips:
- Blogging Resources ~ Essential tips, tools, and resources for bloggers and website owners!
- A Guide to Gutenberg Editor ~ Getting Started with Gutenberg – A How-To Guide for Creating Engaging Blog Posts with Gutenberg.
- A Blogging 15 Point Pre-Publish Checklist ~ A Blogger’s Checklist: 15 Blogging Tips every Blogger Should Know before they Publish!
And that’s a wrap!
I hope this tutorial series ~ Blogging to Success in WordPress proves helpful for your blogging journey. Creating a website that we’re proud to own is an exciting venture. Managing it to maximize reach and outcomes doesn’t have to be a complicated process.
Have a tip you’d like to share? A question, perhaps? Please feel free to share in the comments below.
Until next time … happy blogging, my friends! ♥
Thank you for this post, Natalie.
Delighted to share, Robbie. Thanks for stopping by today. Cheers! 🙂
thanks for such a comprehensive look at how to start a blog. I used to use bluehost and then I switched to wordpress as my host. Bluehost was great, but for some reason, using wordpress made me feel more like a part of the blogging community…
Thanks for sharing, Jim. I did the opposite. lol I upgraded to the Business Plan to use Plugins and a custom theme, but then decided to go the self-hosted route with Bluehost. I use Jetpack for backups and more. It’s a seamless process. WordPress rocks for sure! 🙂
it seems like when I switched from BlueHost to WordPress as my host, the amount of engagement on my blog increased dramatically (well, dramatically for me). I maybe got one or two likes on my posts before, and comments were quite rare. Now, I usually get around 20-25 likes per post, and a decent number of comments.
Hi, Natalie! Even if you have a website this is still great information to have. Thanks for sharing, as usual. I’m pinning it!
<3 xo
Thank you, Vashti! I really enjoyed putting this series together. It’s a joy to be able to pay-it-forward in the blogging community. Many thanks for your kind words and for sharing, too. I’m so grateful for you. xo
Hi Natalie, This is such fabulous, detailed advice and so beautifully presented – thank you so much for that. Toni x