How to Create a WordPress Blog: Step By Step Tutorial

This is lesson 3 in the 12 Days to Launch Your Blog Bootcamp. This lesson contains a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a WordPress blog for only $3.95/month.

It also includes all the tools and resources you will require once the blog is installed and ready to go live. 

Blogging is how I generate 85% of my income. It has enabled me to become self-employed since 2014.

I work from home at my mini-office, out of coffee shops, or even at the beach. 

It all depends on what I feel like when I wake up in the morning. My schedule is super flexible.

I do what I want when I want. This isn’t an opportunity a traditional job would offer most people. 

You can do it too by investing only a few dollars in the beginning, and with what you will learn in the 12 Days to Launch Your Blog Bootcamp.

Anyone can make money blogging. By following my tips and tricks, recommendations, and tutorials, you can start making the money invested back within a few months.

So where do you start with creating a blog? If you’ve followed lessons 1 through 2, then you’ve already decided on the name of your website, which could also be the domain name or something similar.

Choose and Register Your Domain Name

Once you’ve decided on the name of your blog, you need to secure it by purchasing the domain name. Before you do that, you need to check if the domain name is available.

You can do so via the tool HERE. The best domain name should end in .com. If .com isn’t available, the next best thing is .net i.e. www.yourdomainname.com or www.yourdomainname.net.

Domain names cost less than $10/year. You should also activate who is privacy so your personal contact details are masked from the public.

With this included, it will come to around $12/year. Most companies throw who is privacy in for free. I purchase my domain names through Domain.Com and NameCheap.

Sign Up for Hosting with Siteground

Companies that offer domain names also offer website hosting. However, it’s a good idea to keep your domain name separate from the company you host your website with to avoid issues such as domain name loss if you decide to move to another hosting company later on.

While I purchase domain names via Namecheap, my websites are hosted on Siteground and BigScoots. This tutorial will cover Siteground. 

Siteground is one of the best web hosting companies. At just $3.95/month, you can start your new blog. The great thing about Siteground is the customer service dept are very engaged and help walk you through everything.

They can also help set up your website for free if you are transferring in from another host. Their customer support is 24/7 and they offer free email accounts in addition to many other benefits. 

Fast and Secure Hosting With Siteground

When you purchase your hosting account, go for 24 – 36 months initially. This is the most economical plan. However, if you can’t afford this at the start, paying monthly or quarterly is possible as well although it will be slightly higher. 

How to Sign Up for Web Hosting with Siteground

Step 1 – Choose Your Hosting Package

Visit the website HERE. You will be presented with three options (screenshot below) – Startup, GrowBig, and GoGeek.

The Startup option is best for newbies. It will take a while before you need to bump up to the next plan and by then you should have started making some income from your blog.

choose your hosting package with siteground

Step 2 – Enter Your Domain Name

When you’ve chosen your hosting plan, you will be directed to a screen to enter the domain name you already purchased.

If you haven’t purchased your domain name yet, do so HERE before you proceed with the web hosting services. If you are transferring your website from another host, you can choose the option for a completely free transfer. 

choose your hosting package with siteground

Step 3 – Review and Complete

After entering your domain name, choose your preferred payment plan as well as any extra services. Your plan also includes a free SSL certificate for 1 year, which they can help you install.

Enter your card details and click proceed to complete the process. You have a hosting account for your new blog!

choose your hosting package with siteground, review and complete

You can start the process of purchasing your hosting account HEREOnce you’ve completed the process, you can come back to this tutorial for information on how to connect your new domain name with your new hosting account.

How to Connect Your Domain Name & Hosting Account

Did you purchase your hosting account yet? If so, you would have received an email from Siteground with information about your purchase, your new hosting account details, login information, etc. 

Since you purchased your domain name from a different company, you will need to connect it to your hosting account before you set up your blog. Don’t freak out. It’s not complicated. 

If you purchased your domain through Domain.Com or NameCheap as suggested, visit Setting Nameservers for Your Domain Names for instructions on how to modify your nameservers and point it to your hosting account. 

  • Log in to your account and go to manage the domain name. 
  • Select Set Name Servers or DNS.
  • Enter the name server information in the spaces provided. These name server information should be in the email you received from Siteground after you purchased your hosting package. 
  • Save the changes and you’re all set. It will take a few minutes before the changes are reflected on Siteground.

How to Install and Set Up Your WordPress Blog

This is the last step before you have your new blog all set up and ready to go. It’s very easy to install your blog on Siteground. Just follow the directions below:-

  • Go back to the email Siteground sent you and grab your login details (username and password). 
  • Once you log in, go to your accounts page then click on the Cpanel option. This is the control panel.
  • Scroll down to auto-installers and click on the WordPress icon. Click on install. 
  • It will ask you for some basic information. Once you have this filled, choose a very hard-to-guess password as well as an uncommon username. Don’t use admin or info for instance. 
  • Once you’ve completed all that, click the install button and it will bring up a page showing the progress of your installation. 
  • After the installation is complete, a screen showing your WordPress blog login details will appear. 
  • Click the admin URL and you will be taken to your new WordPress blog.

Below is a straightforward video on how to install your WordPress blog. Watch the video after you’ve purchased your domain name and hosting account, and linked the two together. 

You’ve created your blog! However, this is only the beginning of your new blog. There are so many other things that come into play for building and growing a successful blog.

This is covered in greater detail in Create, Launch, and Grow Your Online Presence: An A – Z Blueprint for Turning Your Passion into a 6 Figure Income. However, all the basics you need to get started with will be covered in this boot camp. 

Additional Resources

Blog Theme

You will need a theme for your blog. I highly recommend Genesis Framework and GeneratePress. These are the only two resources I use for themes for all my websites. Their themes are SEO optimized, mobile-friendly, and fast.

They also provide excellent customer service. You can start with a free theme available in the themes section of WordPress. However, free themes have a lot of limitations. 

Email Marketing

Build your email list from day 1. This is one of the topics covered in the Launch Your Blog Bootcamp – Lesson 8. I use ConvertKit + Free Webinar and Mailerlite for my websites.

A mailing list is how you will keep in touch with your blog’s visitors. My mailing list is how I’m able to send you the lessons in the bootcamp series. 

Page Builder

A page builder comes in very handy if you are completely illiterate or can’t be bothered to mess with code. It provides drag and drop functions for building your website exactly the way you want it to look. Visual Composer is one of the best page builders out there.

They also have a support forum where you can get all the information you need. However, in all the years I’ve used Visual Composer, I’ve never visited the support forum, which tells you just how easy it is to figure out how to use it on your own. See more about the features of Visual Composer HERE.

If you have any questions at any time during the creating your blog process, respond to any of the bootcamp email lessons sent to your inbox. 

Expect lesson 4 in your inbox tomorrow!