I remember when I created my first website.
I was excited about designing it the way I wanted a posting the content I liked to share. Then, it was time to find a hosting service.
I froze for a while.
A lot of people—including me—are quite anxious when it comes to the technical side of things. I was afraid to pick a bad hosting company that would result in my website shutting down all the time.
If you’re the same—or you just want to make sure you don’t mess anything up—then don’t worry. Let’s find out how you can get your website up and ready to roll in no time.
My personal recommendation for this guide
Before we dive into the guide, let me clarify something: I’ll be using Bluehost for the explanation.
That’s because it’s my personal recommendation for web hosting, especially because of how affordable it is.
You can have your website running—and even get your own domain name—for little less than $3 every month. Since I discovered it, I haven’t switched hosting companies, and it’s served me amazingly.
Besides, the most expensive plans are still just as cheap as many of its competitors’ cheapest options, especially with its amazing discounts. If you haven’t found a hosting company yet, I
can’t advise you enough to check them out.
Now, let’s hop into the guide.
Setting up your web hosting with Bluehost
Even though I’m using Bluehost—and recommend you do the same—most companies have similar steps for hiring their service. They might not be in the same order, and some might have a few steps more or less than Bluehost.
Don’t worry, the process is usually the same.
The first step is to head over to the official website. With Bluehost, there’s a “get started now” option, so look for something similar if you’re using a different service.
Pick your account type
The most important step for a lot of people: picking a price. Bluehost’s Basic plan is just $2.95 with their discount, and it only goes as far as $5.45. Therefore, it’s not as big of a difference in investment, which would be for other hosting services.
If you don’t know where to start, I’d recommend you go for the basic option regardless of your
preferred service.
Most companies, including Bluehost, let you upgrade your account down the line if you feel like you’ve outgrown your current tier.
Register your domain
After picking your price, you’ll be taken to the next screen. Here, you can enter your domain name if you already have one.
Bluehost gives you a free domain with your account if you don’t have one, so don’t worry if you haven’t bought one already; it just means you can save money.
Some companies also offer free domains, but make sure of it before you create an account if it’s an important feature for you; similarly, make sure this bonus isn’t exclusive for certain account tiers.
Create your account
The next step is to create your account. This is mostly a form with most hosting service, and Bluehost will ask for your name, exact address (including from your country to the ZIP code),
phone number, and your email address. You can also enter your business name, but this is optional.
Again, the form will usually be very similar regardless of the service you’re using.
Bluehost will then ask you to specify your package. This is basically just what you want to pay and how. The first step includes the add-ons you want to include and the term (how many
months) you want to pay for.
The next step is to enter your payment information, pay, and you’re done here.
You’ll then receive an email welcoming you to create your password. Do that, and you’re now free to check out your account and dashboard.
Start working on your website
Bluehost installs WordPress automatically after you’ve created your account, so the last step is just to get everything in proper order.
If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend you use a free theme and plugins while you familiarize yourself with how to run a website and publish content. There’s no reason to start investing on more plugins and professional themes if it’s the first time you create a website.
Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in better tools. Naturally, premium themes & plugins tend to offer much better features than their free alternatives.
Conclusion
Hosting a website isn’t difficult; designing and posting content is a lot more complicated, and it’s still quite easy depending on what you want to do.
The most important consideration when choosing a web host is your needs.
I’ll always recommend Bluehost since it’s the best combination between features, security, and price, but you might need something else and have a larger budget.
Regardless of your choice, things won’t get too complicated. Just make sure you don’t procrastinate.