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I know the dream that you’re thinking about right now, am I mind reader? no definitely not! I know because I had the exact same dream like you! To have a self-hosted WordPress site. I had dabbled in blogging and Pinterest marketing previously, but my real dream was to have my very own self-hosted WordPress site.
I honestly didn’t realise how easy it was to go self-hosted, and a lot of the jargon scared me, so I thought I would do a step-by-step on how to get a self-hosted WordPress site. That way you can look through each step first, download the free e-book for exclusive bonus content that will get you a self-hosted WordPress in a flash!
Setting up your self-hosted blog could not be easier. There are also so many benefits to owning your spot on the big wide web.
- It makes you look professional (because you are)
- Your site becomes completely customisable
- You own all of your content
- Your chances of earning a living from your blog increase dramatically
- You’re not stuck with something like this.wordpress.com
- You can grow your email list with dedicated followers
- Your SEO chances are increased dramatically
- More opportunities arise from brands reaching out etc.
This all sounds very expensive to me, surely, I can’t afford something as awesome as this?!
The answer is simply YES! You can! A self-hosted WordPress site is attainable.
And that answer is Bluehost. I know you have probably seen multiple blogs that are promoting Bluehost, and that just proves how reliable their service is.
Grab your free ultimate guide on getting started with Bluehost. This step-by-step ultimate guide will show you how to set up an account with Bluehost from start to finish. There is also bonus content showing you how to migrate your existing WordPress.com site to your self-hosted domain. My free guide to you has made it as easy as pie. Click the image below to grab your free ‘The Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide on Getting Started with Bluehost‘
Bluehost is recommended by WordPress, which again proves their credibility, they have a 1 click WordPress installation. This makes creating your site or importing your existing site a breeze.
With my previous blog, I was with another provider which, quite honestly, was the most confusing thing. My site used to crash all the time and it was way more expensive. This time around I took notice of all the posts about how great Bluehost is (and I hope you do as well). I have never had any problems with Bluehost, my site has never crashed, the support team are always there, and they have every question you could think of in the FAQ’s, which means you are always able to find an answer should you need one.
So, you’re probably wondering, it honestly cannot be that simple. This is why I have included a step by step guide walking you through the process of Bluehost. To prove just how simple, it is.
When you click on the banner below (to get a great deal I must add!!) it will take you straight to the Bluehost Homepage which will look like the image above. $2.75 p\m or £2.11 p/m (at the time of writing). That’s crazy, isn’t it? For less than 3 £/$ a month, you can have your slice of the internet.
For me, this was a major selling point. At the time of setting up my blog I had just finished my PGCE, my student finance was rapidly running out, with no more payment from them to come. My rent and all my bills needed to be paid as well as feeding and clothing me and my son.
Related: How to Find Time to Write as a Mum Blogger.
Price was a major factor in starting my venture into professional blogging, but I also didn’t want to compromise on quality and support and Bluehost hasn’t given me any reason to doubt them.
Then you choose your plan. You have a choice of either basic, plus and choice plus.
If you are a newbie blogger or have a small blog that you are importing. I suggest the basic plan. This is also the best value for money if you haven’t got a huge amount of daily traffic coming in.
I signed up for the basic plan as I was starting from scratch with my blog, but I know that when I need to then I can upgrade to the plus plan.
For the first year, you get your domain for FREE!! Which is awesome if this is a new adventure for you!
You also get an email account which includes your domain name. Which is very important for when sending emails to other blogs if you’re asking to guest post.
The other two options do have other things included like marketing value included, but don’t invest in something you’re not sure of yet.
The next step is simple, choose your domain name.
Try and pick something timeless. You don’t want to be stuck with something like purpleunicornsarethebest.com if your topic then changes, if you’re talking about how awesome purple unicorns are, then go for it. If you suddenly change to budgeting. Then your visitors are going to be confused when they visit your site, or you might not get the traffic you expect from your killer content because of your site name.
Enter your details to create your account.
This is where all correspondence directly from Bluehost will go to. So, make sure this is an email you check regularly.
Now the important bit. This is where you decide the term you want to have your hosting for. The most cost-effective is a 36-month option.
Be aware that when you pay for your hosting, you pay for the full term upfront.
If this means you can only afford the 12-month plan, then don’t beat yourself up about the price. I’m on the 12-month plan because I knew that doing this was a risk and for reasons I mentioned. I was quite short on cash at that point. Only sign up for what you feel comfortable with and what you can afford.
Related: Why you need an Editorial Calendar when you’re a Mum Blogger.
Now, you don’t have to opt for any of the package extras. I recommend that you at least select the domain privacy protection. There is personal information tied to your domain. This includes things like your name, email address and phone number. You don’t want people being able to get hold of stuff like that right?
Domain privacy protection protects you from:
- Spam and other emails you don’t want
- Spam phone calls and mail
- Identity theft
- Fraudulent domain transfers
- People being able to see what domains you own
Enter in your payment info and BAM!
It’s done, you own your slice of the internet. GO YOU!
This is where you will be taken once your account has been set up. It’s the Bluehost dashboard. It is one of the more simpler ones I have come across. Yours will look slightly different from mine, as it will display the theme you choose to use and your name will appear at the top.
The last step in setting up your self-hosted WordPress on Bluehost. Click on ‘My Sites’ to the left and click ‘Create Site‘.
Word press will then take you through the initial set up steps.
If you are importing your site from WordPress the final stage is slightly different.
Learn how to export and import your existing WordPress.com site to your Bluehost with this free ultimate guide. Click the image below to download.
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