Step by Step Tips How To Create Your Own Business Website Using WordPress
Having a local business is great but today a business needs a web presence to establish your business even more. Unlike a decade ago you really are not required to be a web designer or programmer because today you can use WordPress which even a newbie work from home marketer can do.
My advice is for you to have your own domain and not to go with a free blogging platform as it screams newbie and not business owner. The thing is no one can have the same domain name so you have to come up with a good one and it needs to be keyworded to your niche.
1. Registering Your Domain Name
I use GoDaddy.com to register all my domains today so that I have blogs, WordPress blogs, in all the niches I have an interest in. I don’t like blogs that cover too many niches as they don’t seem to be focused enough making them harder to rank in the major search engines.
This is you unique address, which no one else can have.
2. Hosting Your Domain
You can’t just purchase/register your new domain and leave it at that because no one will ever see your site. You need to have your domain hosting so the entire world will be able to find your site, once it’s been setup.
My domain hosting is done with HostGator.com and has been for a decade, at least. It took me a long time to find a good hosting service that doesn’t leave me hanging and HostGator takes care of me and my domains.
3. Setup A WordPress Blog
Once you have registered your keyword focused domain, which requires some researching into your niche to find the right keywords, and have it hosted at HostGator.com you are ready to install a WordPress blog.
4. Log In To Your Hosting Account
Before you hosting account on HostGator.com will be visible to the world you need to change the DNS values for your domain at GoDaddy. The DNS values are giving to you when you register your hosting account with HostGator.
The DNS values will look something like: NS285.WEBSITEWELCOME.COM or it could be all numbers.
- To change the DNS for your domain with GoDaddy you can login to your GoDaddy.com account and then click ACCOUNT on the right of the page.
- Next click the plus sign before Domains to see your domain.
- Click the Green Launch button on the right of you domain.
- Now you should see a row of icons. Click the one that says DNS and then click Set Nameservers.
- Click the radio button that says “I have specific nameservers for my domains.”
- Copy and paste that DNS values given in your initial email from HostGator.com.
It may take a few hours before you site will be visible globally but you have done what is needed to make it happen.
5. Setup Your WordPress Blog
Now you will be able to use Fantastico through the cPanel at HostGator. In your initial email from HostGator you will find the info you need to log into your account’s control panel. You can access your account even though it may not be activated yet.
Once your domain has been come live you will be able to access the control panel or cPanel using the following text in your browser.
http://www.yourdomainname.com/cpanel
Scroll until you see Fantastico and click it to open it. Next look on the left and choose WordPress.
To the left is the WordPress setup Fantastico presents. All you need to do is fill in the blanks.
1. First you should see your domain name where it says ‘Install on Domain’. Leave that as is.
2. If you plan to have your WordPress blog as your main site you don’t need to fill in the Install in Directory. If your wish to install it in a directory or folder you will just enter the folder name in the empty box.
This means your blog will be in a folder and not the root of the domain.
3. Next you can enter the name you would like as administrator and also the password you would like. Make sure your password is not easy to figure out as it’s your defense against less honest people.
4. Next you can enter the name you would like to use as the blogger owner. Include an email address where you can receive emails from the system and those who comment on your blog posts.
Next you can give your site a name and description, which can be changed at any time from within your WordPress admin area.
Your WordPress account should be setup at this point and you can now move onto finding just the right theme for your needs and your readers.