WordPress Blog and your Own Domain Name

Several people have asked me lately how to purchase their own domain name and create a WordPress blog on that domain. It is probably a good idea to write a blog post about the experience, I have had and my recommendation.

Let’s explain some of the terms you need to be familiar with:

URL:

• Your domain name is part of the URL/Internet address
• ex. http://www.langwitches.org

Domain Name:

• Pick your domain name carefully. It will be part of your URL (Internet address) and is part of your online identity/brand.
  ex. langwitches.org
• The domain you want might not be available anymore (someone else purchased it before you), you might have to get creative.
• Domain names are purchased on an annual basis. If you fail to renew your domain name, someone else might purchase it and you will loose it.
• There are MANY places you can purchase a domain name through. Many (most/all?) hosting companies can/will  include the purchase of a domain name as part of their hosting package)
• If you purchase your domain name from a seperate company than your hosting company, you will need to “point” your domain name to your hosting company’s server, so when someone types in the URL, your site/files will be displayed. If you purchase your domain name through your hosting company, it should be done automatically.
• There are different domain name extensions: .com/.net/.org/.info/.bz/.us/ etc. You might want to consider purchasing .com/.net/.org at the same time, to make sure that no one else can purchase your online identity/brand
• You can have one domain name be forwarded to another domain or URL. Ex. langwitches.com will be forwarded to langwitches.org/blog
• I purchased all my domain names through a company called NameSecure . I pay U$8.95 per year for each of my domain names. (I do not get paid by them, nor am affiliated with them in any other way)

Hosting Company:

• A hosting company will “host” your web site files on their server for a monthly fee.
• There are literally THOUSANDS of hosting companies out there.
• Things to consider when choosing a hosting company
  • Monthly fee (add on fees)
  • Customer service availability (Chat-Online/Toll-Free/E-mail)
  • Local or International Calling Centers
  • Control Panel accessibility (How much can you tweak, edit, add, delete on your own?)
  • Willingness to customize options for you.
• I have had several hosting companies over the years. Some better, some worse than others. For the last 2 years, I have been with BlueHost. I have nothing but great things to say about their service. I am thrilled with their control panel options. Installing new WordPress blogs is a SimpleScript and takes only a few seconds compared to 20+ minutes a manual install used to take me. Updates to new versions of WordPress are also done in a flash.
• I do not get paid by BlueHost, nor am affiliated with them in any other way. I am simply a happy customer.

So here are the steps you could ( I will use BlueHost as an example) follow, in order to purchase your domain name, sign up for a hosting company and install a WordPress blog.

1. Go to BlueHost.com
2. Sign up for a domain name and a hosting plan
3. Sign into the ControlPanel

4.

5.

6.

7.

A few seconds later your database with all WordPress tables and files are created and installed and ready for you. Just login to the Dashboard and customize layout, add links, widgets, etc. and write your first blog post.