Hosting With Bluehost
Hosting With Bluehost
WordPress is simply software. You can download it to your personal computer, but then your blog will only be accessible to you. In other words, WordPress by itself, won’t make your blog live on the internet.
In order for your blog to be online, and accessible to anyone, you need server space. You get server space from a hosting company or “host.”
if i should make a choice for you on what host you should use?
Click here to –> go to Bluehost <– and start your own blog. (The link will open in a new window so you can reference these instructions as you work.) Click the green “Get Started Now” button like so:
Don’t worry if the images you see here vary slightly from the ones you see on your screen. The process is the same. Bluehost is always tweaking and making site improvements. You might even catch them in a sale!
Select your plan
Choose the plan you’d like to start with by clicking one of the green “select” buttons. I typically go with Plus or Prime because you get more unlimited features.
Domain privacy, which I highly recommend, comes included with Prime. If you choose Plus, you’ll have the option to add it later for about $1 a month.
On the next screen, you’ll enter your new blog name. Don’t have one yet? You can easily move on without one.
Step 4: Pick a domain name
If you don’t already have ideas, use your name, or think of something short, catchy and shareable.
If you have previously registered a domain and want to use it for this new site, enter it on the right. (Don’t worry, it won’t mess things up to enter it here. It only identifies your Bluehost account for now.) If you don’t already have one, enter your desired domain on the left.
For the purpose of this tutorial, I will use a new domain. If you are using an existing domain, the process is nearly the same. You can still follow along easily.
Enter your account info
On the next page, enter your account info. Make sure you use a working email address because this is where your login information will be sent. (Save these emails!)
Choose an account plan based on how far in advance you want to pay.Bluehost bills 1, 2, 3 or 5 years upfront. They do not offer a monthly payment option (hosts that do often charge double or triple). As you can see, it works out to be a very reasonable monthly amount. Not bad for your own blog or website, right? It’s a great deal.
I skip the add-ons except Domain Privacy Protection. The others can easily be added later if needed. (Domain privacy is only available for new domains. If you selected the Prime package, it’s free.) This protection keeps your personal information private. The only time I would skip domain privacy is if you are using a business address and don’t mind if it’s visible to anyone who looks up your domain.
The total is the amount you’ll pay today. You won’t have to pay again for 12, 24, 36 or 60 months, depending on the account plan you chose. Set it and forget it!
Enter your billing info
Next, fill in your billing information, confirm that you’ve read the fine print and then click Submit.
Skip the upgrades & special offers
Once you hit submit, you’ll be asked if you want to add any upgrades or special offers. I skip them by clicking the “no thanks” link.
Choose a password
After your purchase is complete, you’ll be asked to choose a password. Just click the “Create your password” button to choose a secure password.
This password will allow you to login and get started.
Please use this space to share your thoughts or to leave a comment. Thank you again for showing interest in my work. I look forward to reading what you have to say.