Click here if haven’t read part 1 (buying a domain name and hosting account).
If you’ve been following along, here’s the second part (the fun part).
Setting up a CMS
CMS: Content Management System. It’s pretty much a free, website-in-a-box (without the box). It is by far the easiest and quickest way to add the “website” to your domain name.
One of the most popular content management systems out there is WordPress. It’s free, quick to install, and easy to get your website up and running in no time. And since you’ve already purchased your domain name and signed up for a HostGator hosting plan, you can install wordpress onto your domain name with just a few clicks of the mouse.
Why Choose WordPress over Joomla or Drupal?
There are quite a few content management systems that are pretty good. So why am I choosing to show you how to install WordPress? Because I find that WordPress offers the best options for getting what you want done with a website. It’s the easiest to customize and control. You can change the design with the click of a button. I’ve worked with both Joomla and Drupal sites before and have found that they’re not as easy to understand as WordPress. WordPress users offer free tutorials and help through their forum. WordPress also has what are called “Plugins” which are like tiny programs that work alongside your website. I’ve been using WordPress for years and I guess when it comes down to it, it’s more of a personal choice than anything else. This tutorial will cover the installation of WordPress but you’re more than welcome to venture off and install one of the other CMS if you’d like.
Installing WordPress
First, log into your HostGator control panel. If you have trouble finding your login information, you can contact HostGator directly.
So when you’re logged in to your hosting account, scroll down under the heading “Software/Services” and click “Quick Install”:
Then click WordPress:
Then click Continue:
Select from the drop down menu the domain name you are installing WordPress onto. Then fill out the information below:
When you’re finished, click “Install.” You should receive an email with your username and password to log into your website.
To log into your website, go to: http://www.YOURDOMAIN.com/wp-admin
This will give you a prompt to fill in your username and password (the ones in the email you got after installing WordPress). If you have trouble finding your account login information, contact HostGator. Sometimes it can take a while to receive your login information.
Once logged in, you will be able to start adding content, images, video, and more!
Familiarize Yourself With Your Dashboard:
Now that you know where things are located in your website’s dashboard, let’s talk about Posts. What is a WordPress post? From the wordpress glossary page, a post or also known as “articles” (and sometimes incorrectly referred to as “blogs”) are articles that you write to populate your website.
Here’s how to add a post:
And there you go. There are the basics to adding WordPress to your website and adding a little bit of content. If you’d like me to personally help you design your website (and make it look awesome), send me an email!