Part of the guide: Blog Traffic
A WordPress blog is free and easy to set up for someone interested in having a personal or business blog. I remember when I would hear about people making money with their blogs, and I would think, “how do they do that”?
Someone asked recently if they should start off with a free WordPress blog or a paid hosted version. Eventually, everyone should have paid hosting, you will then own your blog and all its content. Industry standard is to use WordPress, it’s very user-friendly and intuitive…but yes there is a small learning curve. You can always pay someone to set up the foundation, and then you can learn how to add your posts.
It is highly recommended to set up your first WordPress blog by using the instructions below. There are other options like Blogger.com if you want something super simple with less functionality and choices for design and creativity.
First you want to get the web hosting taken care of so people can find your blog on the Internet.
I suggest using HostGator, they’re recommended in the industry, very reliable, offer great and fast customer support, are professional, and economical.
Pass on all the product offers… just purchase the hosting.
Log into: HostGator Control Panel.
Go To: Left bottom side of panel, look for account information, write down or copy the IP Address, it will look like this: 123.45.678.111
Next you will want to buy a domain. Think of a something that has longevity and that people will know what you are offering – a niche, a product, a program, description of business… specific enough that you’re “branding” yourself and/or your business. People should have a general idea of what you offer.
My favorite provider is www.1and1.com ($6.99 .com domains, first year). You can also use GoDaddy.com or Name.com, it’s a personal preference.
Get the basic package, you can upgrade later, unless you know you need more than one email account. You don’t need the other .net, .org, .info – unless you know why you’d want them, such as – extra business websites, blog, training site, etc.
Pass on all the product offers… just purchase the domain.
Next step is: Email Setup and DNS Redirect – wait approximately 15 minutes for your domain to be registered. You will want to forward the domain name to HostGator’s IP Address.
Log into your chosen domain account and find the DNS settings and add the IP Address that you got from HostGator.
Next, log into: HostGator Control Panel again, known as the C-Panel.
Go To: Software/Services
Click: Fantastico De Luxe – this will automatically install WordPress so it’s live on the Internet. It powers the connection of your domain name to your hosting and puts it on the platform, creating a WordPress Blog!
Important: You will not receive an email with the WordPress blog login information UNLESS you email yourself.
Once you’re inside, you will want to choose a WordPress blog theme. You will find this setting under Appearance in the left panel.
Look for a design you are attracted to. Keep in mind if you will have a lot of photos or more information. The themes tend to vary. You can preview all of them. If you want to be real serious and pay for a theme, you can look at http://wordpressthemes.com for premium designs. (On the right side, they suggest the top 10).
That should get you started with your first WordPress blog. It seems like a lot at first, but if you follow the steps,you’ll be on your way to publishing your first post and sharing it with your friends. Enjoy!
Always in service and prosperity,
You were never meant to do this alone
Reading this changes nothing. Doing it with people who show up changes everything. That is the whole difference between the people who transform and the people who keep starting over.
Start free →Carey Rapier
P.S. Leave your thoughts and comments below
Comments
Jessica Green, September 10, 2011, 04:45
Carey, this guide is incredibly helpful! Your detailed instructions on setting up a WordPress blog are exactly what I needed. I’ve been hesitant to start, but your step-by-step approach has made it seem so much more manageable. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Matthew Johnson, September 10, 2011, 05:30
Your post couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve been looking to start a blog, but I was overwhelmed by all the technical aspects. This guide breaks it down so well. I’m excited to get started and follow your recommendations. Keep up the great work!
Olivia Brown, September 10, 2011, 06:15
As someone new to blogging, this post is a lifesaver. The way you’ve laid out the steps makes it easy to understand and follow. I appreciate the tips on choosing a domain and hosting provider. I’m looking forward to setting up my first blog using your advice. Thanks, Carey!
James Lee, September 10, 2011, 07:00
Fantastic article, Carey! Your advice on starting a WordPress blog is spot on. It’s a more sustainable approach that ensures long-term success. I’ve been following your steps, and I’m already seeing progress. Thanks for the clear guidance and valuable insights!
Sophia Martinez, September 10, 2011, 07:45
Thank you for this comprehensive guide on starting a WordPress blog. I’ve always found the process daunting, but your tips are incredibly useful. I’m excited to put these strategies into action. Great work!
Alexander White, September 10, 2011, 08:30
This is one of the best articles I’ve read on blogging. The emphasis on using the right tools and avoiding unnecessary expenses is a game-changer. I’m eager to implement these techniques and see the impact on my blog. Thanks, Carey!
Emily Wilson, September 10, 2011, 09:15
Carey, your post has given me a fresh perspective on blogging. The practical tips and step-by-step approach make it easy to understand and apply. I’m especially interested in your upcoming posts on more advanced strategies. Keep sharing your knowledge; it’s greatly appreciated!
Michael Anderson, September 10, 2011, 10:00
Excellent guide, Carey! Your focus on maintaining control over the blogging process to ensure efficiency is very insightful. It’s an approach that many overlook in favor of quick results. I’m confident that implementing your strategies will lead to sustainable success for my blog. Thank you for the valuable advice!
Three posts a day. One email a day.
Everything I publish, in one short daily email. Real numbers, no hype, unsubscribe in one click.
Come do the work with people who show up
Not another course you finish alone and forget. A community that is there the next morning, and the one after that. Free, forever. About a minute to join, then come do the first challenge with us.
Join the community, free →
Followed almost this exact sequence four years ago starting from a spare room. The DNS propagation wait is where it actually fell apart for me — the post says fifteen minutes, mine took closer to a day, and I spent that whole time convinced I’d broken something.
Look. This reads like 2011 because it is 2011. Nobody’s manually forwarding DNS to a shared IP and clicking through Fantastico anymore, most hosts one-click this now. Fine as a history lesson. Not fine as current instructions for someone actually trying to start today.
Marla’s dating is probably right, but how out of date, specifically? If the post is pre-2015 the C-Panel and Fantastico references alone would tell you, without needing anything else to confirm it.
Marla may be right that this is dated for the US market, but I want to say the underlying sequence — buy domain, connect hosting, install WordPress — was still exactly how I set up my first site from Izmir, and having each separate step spelled out mattered more than it might for someone used to doing this already.
Marla’s point restated as a diagram: domain purchase, DNS redirect, hosting install, theme selection. Every step here still exists in current hosting, just usually collapsed into one dashboard click instead of four separate logins. The steps didn’t disappear, the friction between them did. Worth naming exactly where the bottleneck sits, though: it’s the DNS redirect stage, not the WordPress install. Buying the domain is instant, clicking through Fantastico is instant. The wait Roy and Yuki are both circling happens entirely in that middle stage, governed by a TTL value set by whoever controlled the domain before you touched it, not by anything the new host does. A four-box diagram with equal-width boxes is misleading when one box can take fifteen minutes and the next a full day.
Fifteen minutes for DNS to propagate. That’s optimistic, historically speaking.
Roy’s right to flag it — DNS propagation time depends on the TTL set by the previous registrar, not on anything the new host controls, so ‘fifteen minutes’ is really just ‘sometimes, if you’re lucky’, not a real estimate.