Setup Domain and Hosting

The first step to getting your blog up and running is adding your domain and hosting.

 

A domain name is your address on the Internet, and it will represent your company or your business online. Hosting is a place where your website files are stored.

 

When paired with WordPress, these two will enable you to get a website, which can have its own design, be configured to run as per your preferences and let you share information with whoever’s interested.

 

In this lesson, we’ll walk you through each and every step of how to start a beautiful blog to share it with the world.

 

Why Start a Blog

 

With the rise of influencer culture and social media, it seems like almost everyone has a blog now. For those of you who haven’t jumped on the blogging bandwagon yet, it definitely has many attractions.

 

Here are some amazing reasons why you should start a blog:

 

• As a blogger, you can inspire your audience in an infinite number of ways. By creating something beautiful, you help other people and change their lives for the better.
• Starting a blog has a massive impact on your ability to write. When you get into the swing of writing, you’ll develop a unique style and stretch your creativity.
• Starting a blog can help you build your knowledge and learn many new and promising skills. You can learn to write for different audiences, create web graphics, design for WordPress, SEO, and much more.
• Blogging can help you build your online brand and become an authority in your niche.
• The best part of starting a blog is to generate an income. It’s true that you can earn a living through your blog. Many people are already doing it.
• Your blog gives you exposure to a huge community of new people. You can meet new, like-minded people who share common interests.

 

Why Having Your own Domain and Hosting Important

 

Well, outsourcing the hosting of your blog to a free platform seems like a cost-effective move. But if you are looking to have a serious online presence, you must have your own domain name and hosting to maintain full ownership and control of your blog.

 

The good news is that with tons of competition these days, it’s not expensive to have your own domain name and hosting.

 

The allure of “free blog” is perfectly understandable. However, here are some key reasons why you’re better off hosting your own domain name and hosting, and stay away from free blogging solutions when starting a blog.

 

• You really own your blog: On free platforms, the blog is not really your own blog. The underlying company is the real owner of the blog and your blog can be taken down for any reason, and you can lose everything overnight.

 

• Better control and flexibility: Your own domain name and hosting gives you complete control over the management of your blog. You can add necessary features as needed when your blog grows.

 

• It’s not expensive: You don’t need to worry about high costs preventing you from having your own domain and hosting. If this is your first venture into hosting, Bluehost should do the trick.

 

Choosing the Best Hosting Provider

 

Hosting your website is a significant investment and should never be taken lightly. When determining which hosting provider to use, there are many different things to consider. These include the number of domains supported, uptime guarantee, domain transfer cost and more.

 

Out of all the options available, it can be tricky to find the best hosting provider. We recommend Bluehost as they provide great features at very affordable prices.

 

Bluehost is a reliable web hosting service known for its speedy loading times and low costs. We highly recommend it for anyone who wants to start their blog without a lot of hassle. Other options exist, but if it’s your first venture into blogging, Bluehost is the perfect option.

 

• Beginner-friendly: Bluehost is perfect for beginners who are starting a blog for the first time. It enables you to get an easy start without sweating all the technical details. It is very easy to use, even for newbies. There isn’t a need for coding or advanced web development knowledge when you set up your blog through it.

 

• Inexpensive: If you are on a budget, definitely look into Bluehost. Its basic plan is only $2.95 per month. There is simply no other way to spend less on reliable hosting.

 

• One year free domain: One of Bluehost’s most amazing features is the free domain name for a whole year when you have a 12 month or longer blog hosting plan. This eliminates the additional step of going through a third-party domain registrar or investing more money at your blog’s beginning.

 

• Quick blog setup: With Bluehost, you can easily get your blog up and running in no time. They offer intuitive and guided step-by-step setup. If you ever run into any trouble, you can simply tap into their chat support feature in real-time.

 

• 24/7 support: Bluehost offers round-the-clock, robust technical support if you run into problems. No matter what, Bluehost will always be there to help you every step of the way.

 

Bluehost stands as the most affordable, flexible, beginner-friendly, and value-filled plan you can choose when starting your blog.

How to Set up Your Blog

 

Starting a blog is a great way to connect with your audience, increase your online visibility, and earn a little money on the side. Learn how to start your blog so that you are set for success from the start.

 

1. Register your domain name

 

Securing a domain name is one of the most important steps for getting your blog online. When selecting your domain name, try to make it close to your blog name. Keep it short and simple. You can register a new domain name in Bluehost or transfer a domain you already own right inside your Bluehost account.

 

If you sign up through this Bluehost link, you’ll get a free domain when purchasing a 12 month or longer blog hosting plan. Click here to purchase a domain name and create your blog.

 

Here is how to register a domain name using any other registrar. GoDaddy is one of the largest domain registrar with a huge selection and low prices. Domains include free privacy protection forever. Use these steps for purchasing a domain through GoDaddy:

 

• Open your browser and go to www.GoDaddy.com 
• There’s a search bar where you can begin your domain name search. Enter a domain name in the ‘search domain’ search bar to see if it’s available or not. If it is available, you can buy it. 
• Your first choice of domain name might not be available and someone else might have already purchased it. Fortunately, you have got plenty of options. You will be prompted to select a different variation or search for a new domain name. GoDaddy has a suggestion tool that will list new ideas
• .com is one of the most widely registered domain endings. So, we suggest you choose the .com extension. If it’s not available, you can have other options as well.

 

2. Buy a hosting for your blog

 

Once you have settled on a domain name and niche, it’s time to start preparing your website. Web hosting allows you to publish your blog and all of its files online, thus making it possible for people to visit it.

 

With Bluehost, you get all the benefits of site builder in a secure, smart, and easy-to-use package. For hosting, we recommend Bluehost for many reasons:

 

• When you sign up for a hosting plan, Bluehost will give you a free domain name. 
• Bluehost also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 
• 24/7 Expert Support to help answer your questions and get you started.

 

Here’s the step-by-step guide on how to set up an account and purchase a plan:

 

• Go to Bluehost home screen and click on the ‘get started now’ button. 
• You will see three hosting plan options. Select whatever plan you want, but we suggest you start with the basic plan. Bluehost offers a basic plan with a special price – only $2.95 per month for the first year.
• Now set up your domain name. Pick your domain name and enter it into the New Domain box.
• You can choose any package extras if you want to. 
• Fill out your payment and billing information, agree to terms and conditions and press the submit button. 

 

3. Connect your domain and your hosting

 

Once you select your Bluehost plan, you will choose or enter your domain name. You can skip this step if they buy your domain directly through Bluehost.

 

To connect your domain that is registered elsewhere, one way is to transfer your domain to Bluehost to get everything in one place. The other option is to leave your domain with the registrar and just repoint the nameservers to Bluehost.

 

4. Install WordPress on Bluehost

 

For a well-rounded experience, we recommend starting your blog with WordPress, which is free. Here’s how you can install wordpress:

 

• Log in to your Bluehost account.
• Find the Website section and then select Install WordPress.
• Skip the step of entering some basic info about your website, such as the Site Name and Site Tagline. 
• Skip a few more steps like ‘Pick a theme that inspires you’ screen.
• Click the ‘Log in WordPress’ button and you’ll see your WordPress dashboard. 
• Click the ‘coming soon active’ button to activate your website. You can launch it now, or wait and keep it private until you are ready to unveil it to the world.

 

You can make changes and customize later from the WordPress dashboard.

Your Turn

 

Get your blog online by signing up for Bluehost and following the steps we outlined to set up your domain and hosting.

Summary

 

Your blog is the home for your passion and creative projects. Without a doubt, it’s among the best “time investments” you can make. Bluehost bills annually, so use our link to receive the discounted hosting rate of $2.95 per month. Follow our guide and start blogging today to share your knowledge, passion, and creativity with the world.

 

Do you have a question about starting a blog that isn’t answered above? Let us know in the comments. We would be happy to assist you.