If you are looking to create a new website, you will first have to buy hosting for your site. In many blogs the use of Bluehost is recommended due to its low prices, tools and features, and the experience for beginners. In this guide, we will show you how to install WordPress on Bluehost and start with your new website.
This is what we will cover: you can click to go directly to a specific section:
- Sign up with Bluehost?
- Install WordPress on Bluehost?
- Set up your WordPress website?
Let’s start…
Table of Contents
How to subscribe to Bluehost
Here’s how to launch your Bluehost account …
1. Choose a hosting plan
The first step is to select a hosting plan that meets your needs. Bluehost offers a wide range of hosting options, including …
- Shared hosting
- WordPress hosting
- VPS hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
If you are not sure which is the best plan for you, we recommend that you start with the cheap shared hosting plan, which starts with only $ 2.95 per month.
Here are some additional readings that will help you choose the right hosting plan for your project …
- What is WordPress hosting?
- Explanation of the different types of hosting plans
- VPS vs shared hosting
2. Create a new domain name
With all Bluehost plans, you get a free domain name during the first year.
Once you have selected your hosting plan, select Create a new domain to choose your free domain name.
Enter the domain name chosen in the domain search and Bluehost will display a list of available domain extensions or similar domain names available.
(If you have registered a domain with a third-party domain registrar, you can use this domain name instead of creating a new one with Bluehost. To do this, you will need to point your domain name to the Bluehost name servers – a process by which Bluehost can guide you).
If you need help choosing the right domain name for your new website, check out these articles …
- How to choose a domain name
- Nine useful blog name generators
- Domain Extensions Guide
3. Enter the details of the Bluehost account
Next, Bluehost will ask you to fill in some personal information to create your account. Or, you can sign in with Google to speed up this process.
4. Confirm the details of the hosting plan
Bluehost will now show the details of your plan. Check it out carefully, since by default Bluehost adds several premium extras. These include…
- Domain Privacy Protection (from $ 11.88 per year)
- SiteLock Security (from $ 23.88 per year)
- CodeGuard Basic (from $ 2.99 per month)
- Bluehost SEO tools (from $ 23.88 per year)
Unless you already know that you need a certain service, we recommend you deselect all these add-ons. None of them is essential and can always be added later if necessary:
In Account Plan , you can also set the number of years you want to enroll in Bluehost. The minimum commitment is 12 months, but you can get a bigger discount if you commit to several years in advance.
5. Enter your payment information
The last step in the Bluehost registration process is to enter the payment details and confirm the order.
Remember, Bluehost offers a 30-day money back guarantee, so if you are not satisfied with your plan or hosting service after purchase, then you can request a refund.
Bluehost will now be responsible for setting up your new hosting plan and domain name. You will then receive an email with payment confirmation, as well as your new account information, including login and password details.
How to install WordPress on Bluehost
Once you have purchased your hosting plan, you must install WordPress on Bluehost. Again, this is a relatively quick and easy process, aided by the easy-to-use interface of Bluehost and its WordPress installation function with a single click.
1. Log in to Bluehost
To get started:
- Log in to your new Bluehost account.
- Go to the My Sites tab .
- Click the Create site button in the upper right corner.
2. Enter your website information
You must then enter basic information about your website, including the site name and the site tag . Don’t stress too much – you can always change this later:
3. Choose your domain name
Use the Domain drop-down menu to select the domain name you chose when you created your Bluehost account.
You can also choose whether or not to install some of the plugins recommended by Bluehost.
4. Click on “Next” to install WordPress on Bluehost
Bluehost will now install WordPress for you, creating your new WordPress website, and displaying your access data.
To open your new WordPress website, click on the Sign in WordPress link .
How to set up your new WordPress website with Bluehost tools
First, we must bear in mind that you do not need to follow the steps in this section. It is entirely possible to create your own website using the WordPress control panel.
However, if you’re not sure where to start, Bluehost provides its own control panel in the Bluehost area of your WordPress control panel that can help you get your site up and running.
In the Bluehost area, you can ..
- Add new pages and messages
- Manage your menus
- Create an eCommerce store with WooCommerce
- Create a test environment to test your website
- Disable the Bluehost ‘Coming Soon’ page and launch your website
Most of these are central features of WordPress – you just have to gather them in a convenient place so you can access them.
The Bluehost control panel is a particularly useful tool for those who are new to WordPress, and who may need some guidance on how to get started. Here’s how to use it …
1. Use the Quick Start Wizard
When you open the WordPress control panel, you should see the Bluehost Quick Start Wizard .
Using the Quick Start Wizard is a great way to start your website. Follow the instructions in the wizard to configure the Jetpack plugin, a contact form with WPForms Lite and caching for your website . Let’s take a closer look at these features …
- Jetpack – A multifunctional plugin, Jetpack will add help to improve the security and performance of your website, in addition to providing social media features, analytical data on how your audience is behaving on your site, and much more. The Bluehost Assistant will help you quickly connect to WordPress.com to access and activate these effective Jetpack modules.
- Contact form – Each website needs a contact form so that your audience can connect with you and help you increase the generation of potential customers. The Quick Start Wizard allows you to immediately configure a contact form for your website using the free WP Forms Lite plugin.
- Caching – Bluehost provides an integrated caching function. By activating this tool, your website will load faster, which is important for the user experience and SEO.
2. Choose a WordPress theme
The WordPress theme controls the look of your site.
Selecting the right WordPress theme is an important task, and it may take time since there are many to choose from.
One of the features found in the Bluehost menu is a Marketplace that contains premium WordPress themes. You can browse these, but you also should not feel limited to the selection here …
There are thousands of free and premium WordPress themes available outside the Bluehost Market, so we advise you to browse them before making a decision.
Our free Hestia theme is a modern and high-performance theme, perfect for any type of business and a great option to get started.
You can also find other premium themes in addition to those found in the Bluehost Market. To find the premium theme that best suits your project, check out these theme stores and developers …
- Island Theme
- aThemes
- Theme forest
- Elegant themes
- Studiopress
3. Install some essential WordPress plugins
When Bluehost installs WordPress, it also installs a selection of WordPress plugins by default.
These include…
- Akismet Anti-Spam
- MonsterInsights, a Google Analytics plugin
- Jetpack
- WP Forms Lite
Of course, you can remove any of these plugins or install your own plugins. These are some of the essential plugins that we recommend …
- Yoast SEO – Improve the SEO of your site and help your pages and posts to position themselves in search engines.
- Wordfence Security – Keep your site safe and secure with this free security plugin that includes a firewall for endpoints and a malware scanner.
- UpdraftPlus – For your peace of mind, make a backup copy of your website, so if your site is hacked, you can quickly restore it to its original glory.
4. Create pages (and messages)
The next step is to create the content for your website – start by adding the pages. To do so, within your WordPress dashboard, click on the Bluehost menu . Then, in Content> Pages, select Add new page.
Although the pages shown will vary depending on the type of site you are building, here are some types of pages you should consider creating …
- Homepage – This is where the majority of your audience will land when you visit your site. Use powerful images, point out important content and add calls to action to make sure your homepage captures and attracts your visitors.
- About the page – An important page, here you must share your story, discuss the philosophy of your business, present to your team, and add any other relevant information that will help you build a relationship with your audience.
- Contact page – In addition to a contact form, consider showing opening hours, a map showing the location, links to social media and much more.
- Portfolio – If appropriate, creating beautiful portfolio pages will help you showcase your work.
- Blog – Always consider adding a blog to your website. A blog will attract visitors to your site, keep your website updated and help you with SEO.
5. Launch your website
Once you have created your content and customized the appearance of your website, all that remains to be done is to launch your website.
Bluehost provides a ‘Coming Soon’ page, which is activated by default when WordPress is installed. This page gives you the privacy you need to work on your website.
When you are ready to start, click the Start your site button in the Bluehost WordPress control panel to start working.
This is how to install WordPress on Bluehost
Beyond its prices, another attractive thing about Bluehost is how easy it is to install WordPress. Bluehost is not only easy to use, but also incorporates a range of tools and features in your WordPress dashboard to help streamline website creation.
wikiHow: How to Install WordPress
