Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation when you click on links to products in this post. For an explanation of my Advertising Policy, visit this page. Thanks for reading!
How to build a website and host it.
Building a website can be a daunting task, but it’s not impossible.
Here are 14 quick steps (Yes, they are quick!) to build a website and self host it, FAST!:
- Buy and register a Domain Name (mywebsite.com).
- Choose a Web Hosting Provider and buy a Web Hosting Plan (Shared Hosting is best for beginners, it’s also the cheapest).
- Point your Domain Name Servers from your Domain Name Registrar to your new Web Hosting Provider’s Servers.
- Access your Web Hosting Account’s Control Panel Dashboard (for example cPanel).
- Download and install WordPress.
- Sign into your WordPress Dashboard.
- From your Dashboard Go to “Themes” Choose a free theme to get started.
- Go to “Plugins” and choose some basic plugins to get you started with some basic functionality.
- Go to “Widgets” choose your “Categories” for Posts.
- Create some basic “Pages” for your website, like a “About Me” Page, “Resources” Page, etc.
- Create a “Menu” for your “Categories”.
- Go to “Customize” and decide on a “Layout” design. i.e. “How many columns”, “Where to place your Menus, Latest Posts, etc.”.
- Write your first “Post” and hit “Publish”!
- Your Done!
In this post, we’ll outline the basics steps you need to take to get your website online.
First, you’ll need a domain name for your site. A domain is what people will type in their browser to find your site (for example: businessbloomer.com).
You can buy a domain from the same provider that you bought hosting from or from a third party domain registrar.
Once you have a domain name, follow your provider’s instructions to point that domain at your hosting account.
Next, you’ll need to choose a web hosting provider. There are plenty of providers to choose from, so do your research and find one that fits your needs.
Once you’ve chosen a provider, sign up for a hosting plan and create a hosting account. You’ll need to provide some details, such as your name and email address.
Once you’ve set up your hosting and DNS (if needed), it’s time to install WordPress on your account.
WordPress is the most popular and easiest blogging and website platform available; we’ll be using it as an example here.
After installing WordPress, you’ll be able to create a site by clicking on the ‘new blog’ button.
Choose a name for your blog and fill in any other required details, such as your email address and website address etc., then click next.
You can change these details later if you wish.
Click on ‘pick a template’ and choose a theme for your site. There are thousands of free WordPress themes available, so don’t worry if you can’t find one you like at first.
You can also customize most of the functions you want your website to perform by installing “plugins”; many of these plugins, like themes, are also free!
Next, write a blog post and click publish. After the page has refreshed, scroll down to see your new post! You’ve just made your first website.
Now it’s time to share it with the world.
There are several ways to get people to visit your website, the main ones being SEO (search engine optimization), Social Media, and Guest Blogging.
We’ll go over each of these briefly below:
1. SEO.
Search engines such as Google have to index websites in order for them to appear in search results when people type in relevant keywords.
There are several factors that search engines consider when deciding where to rank websites, such as the site’s speed and content.
The main tool for improving your SEO is Google Analytics, which you can use to study how people are finding your site so you can adjust it accordingly.
You can also use an SEO plugin on WordPress to help with this.
2. Social Media.
Social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter allow you to create your own ‘pages’ where people can follow your updates and content.
These pages can be linked back to your main website so that interested parties can visit it at their convenience. You can use a plugin for this too on WordPress.
3. Guest Blogging.
Many blogs and websites invite guest bloggers to write for them. This is a great way to get your name out there and encourage people to visit your site.
You can find opportunities by searching on Google for ‘write for us’ or a similar phrase, then follow the instructions provided.
There you have it! Using these methods, you can start your own website in no time.
How to build a website and host it, FAQs.
Can you build and host a website for free?
Yes, you can build a website for free using online tools like Blogger. You can also use an open source content management system (CMS) like WordPress to create a website for free.
However, if you want a custom domain name and hosting, you will need to pay for those services.
How hard is it to build a website?
It’s not hard to build a website – anyone with basic computer skills can do it.
In fact, there are a lot of free tools and resources available online that make website building easy.
Plus, there are plenty of people who are happy to help you out if you get stuck.
There are a few things you need to think about before you get started building your website.
First, you need to decide what kind of website you want to create.
Do you want a simple website with a few pages, or do you want a more complex website with a shopping cart and e-commerce capabilities?
Once you’ve decided on the type of website you want, you need to choose a domain name and web hosting.
Your domain name is the address of your website (e.g. www.example.com), and your web hosting is the service that stores your website’s files on their servers.
There are a lot of different web hosting providers out there, so shop around and find one that fits your budget and needs.
At this point, you’re ready to build your website. Most website building tools will help you create all the pages of your site, including an ‘About Us’ page, a ‘Contact’ page, and more.
All you have to do is put your text, pictures, videos, etc. on each page using the website’s built-in tools.
Is website hosting necessary?
Website hosting can be necessary for a number of reasons.
For example, if you want to create a website that is available to the public, you will need to find a hosting provider.
Hosting providers give you a space on the internet where your website can be stored and made available to visitors.
However, there are also many ways to create a website without using a hosting provider.
If you are only looking to create a personal website or blog, you may be able to use a free platform like WordPress.com or Blogger.com.
These platforms provide users with a web address and allow them to create and customize their websites without having to worry about finding their own hosting provider.
Why do you have to pay to host a website?
Hosting a website costs money because it takes up bandwidth and server space. In addition, websites need to be hosted on a server that is online 24/7, which can be expensive.
Most hosting companies charge a monthly fee, and the more traffic your website receives, the more you’ll have to pay.
Additionally, hosting companies often offer different plans with different features, so you can choose the plan that’s best suited for your needs.
How does a website make money?
There are a few ways that websites can make money. The most common way is through advertisements.
Website owners will place ads on their site and then get paid every time someone clicks on them.
Another way websites can make money is through affiliate marketing.
This is where the website promotes a product or service and gets a commission for every sale that is made as a result of their promotion.
Finally, some websites make money by selling products or services of their own.
How to build a website and host it. Final thoughts.
In this post, we’ve covered most of the basics to get you started. The next thing is to publish your website and start adding content!
Keep in mind that some web hosting services might not be enough for what you want to do with your site.
At the end of the day, WordPress is just software. It won’t do anything by itself. What matters is how you build your site and what you publish on it.
You could publish nothing but cat pictures, or you could build something that makes people think. Both are equally valid!
We hope this post has inspired you to get started with your own website. Best of luck!
