So, if you’re here you want to either start a blog or move your current blog to a paid self-hosted plan! Going self-hosted can be great for new or old bloggers as it gives you so much more freedom than a hosted plan. You customise to your hearts content and make your website exactly what you need it to be.
What Does Self-Hosted Mean?
First thing you need to know is what does self-hosted actually mean? It can be a scary jump if you’re unsure what you need to do – but don’t worry, it’s actually super easy. Self-hosting is where instead of using a ‘Hosted’ platform like WordPress or Blogger, you have full control over the website’s files and code, and you can alter them in any way you want. You do this through a hosting provider such as Bluehost, Lyrical Host or SiteGround.
But I really like using WordPress?
When you think about blogging, you hear a lot about WordPress for two reasons. One, you can create a free WordPress Com blog which automatically uses the WordPress content management system on the blogs you create. But two, WordPress can also be a content management system on a website that is not hosted by WordPress Com! Having WordPress CMS on your website’s back end, means you have all the same tools you have on the free plan (plus more!) but none of the limitations.
Having WordPress (or any other Content Management System or Website Builder) installed onto your website means that you don’t need a massive amount of technical knowledge. There’s pre-made coding which allows you to create your site how you want it to look without needing to learn how to code. Although if you’re looking for a more advanced option, you can create a blog through coding!
How to Set Up a Website
Before you can fully begin to set up a website, you will need to do a little bit of research and planning. In order to have a site, you need to pay for a domain and a host, and there’s many different options for you out there. I would recommend researching and finding reviews on different companies, however I purchased both my Domain and Hosting services through Bluehost.
Purchase a Domain
To purchase a domain, you first need to decide on your blog name and what you want your domain to be. Sometimes your desired domain may not be available, so try for a different extension (.com, .co.uk, .net etc) or you may have to choose a different name. If you have “the” in your name, you can try searching with or without it! But try not to step on another blogger’s toes, especially if they have a similar niche.
Remember – don’t add random numbers or create a domain that’s too long or hard to remember. You want people to come back, and you don’t want to risk looking spammy.
Choose a Host and Set Up Your Hosting Account
Next up you’ll need to find the right web host for you. Read up on different websites, look at costs, and look at what you get for those costs! Some reputable hosts:
- Bluehost
- Lyrical Host (Get 10% off your first payment with code Oracle10)
- SiteGround
- HostGator
You can also use the WordPress Com Paid Plan, however I wouldn’t recommend as this is still very limited compared to hosting through one of the above and using WordPress CMS.
I’m going to quickly take you through how I set up my account through Bluehost, however this will be fairly similar across different companies. First up, you need to create an account where it will ask you to choose your domain name. If you’ve purchased one elsewhere you can enter it here. However, you can also purchase your domain through Bluehost (I’ve purchase two and it’s super easy!).
Once you’ve filled in your personal details you’ll have to choose the type of plan you want (most likely the smallest option at first as you’ll be looking at one website – and you can always upgrade at a later date). You’ll then choose how long you want the plan – note that the longer the term, the cheaper per month it will be. I usually go for 12-month plans, but if you have the money it will be cheaper in the long term to pay for the 36-month plan.
So you now have a host, a domain, and a place for your blog on the internet!
Install WordPress
Most hosts have tools which will automatically install WordPress for you.
With Bluehost, you can use the MOJO Marketplace and it’s one-click installs. Just fins WordPress and follow the process. Ensure you select the correct domain or subdomain at this point. It may say you’re overwriting files, however if you’ve not already created a website on this host and domain, you’re fine! You will also need to set your “Admin” username and password – make sure these are secure but memorable.
If you’d like to or need to manually install WordPress try these steps:
- Download and unzip WordPress Package
- Create a MySQL Database and user (‘Databases’ should be one of the settings on your host providers website!).
- Upload the WordPress files to your desired location on your web server. If your entire website is a blog, upload it to your root directory. If your blog is a section of a website (e.g. http://example.com/blog/), upload the files to a subdirectory called blog.
- Go to your website and the WordPress installation script should start.
Exporting your Old Blog
This step is for those of you who have been blogging on a free WordPress plan. You can easily export your blog from the WP Admin page (http://example.wordpress.com/wp-admin/) – just go to Tool > Export and download all content. Once you’ve set up a host and domain as above, you can go to the wp-admin of your new site (http://example.com/wp-admin/) and import all that sweet content. Go to Tools > Import and click install now under WordPress. All done! Just remember to re-direct from your old site to your new.