Previously, you chose Web Hosting. Now that you have access to the fertile ground to grow your online real estate, it’s time to install WordPress. I’ll explain WordPress and some important how-to information in this blog post. You must know you can install it the hard way (manually), should you wish to, but that process is beyond the scope of this article. Today I’ll focus on the practical side of how to install WordPress and critical information to understand this ubiquitous piece of software.
You’ll spend a large portion as a blogger inside this platform. So let’s not waste time, and let’s get started.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is one of the simplest ways to have a blog or website. It’s open-source software programmed with the PHP language. As a result, it’s the industry standard for marketers who want to use a robust platform without reinventing the wheel. Using it saves time and uses a large ecosystem where you can find add-ons (plugins) and designs (themes) that fulfill most, if not all, your needs. Today, WordPress powers more than 43.3% of all the websites you can find online.
Not so long ago, installing it wasn’t as straightforward, and you often needed a developer. Today, if you can point and click, you can install it.
How do I install WordPress for free?
It’s important to understand that the essential WordPress software is free to use. Coders maintain it with top-notch programming and developer skills all around the world. Therefore, it would be best if you distinguished WordPress.com from WordPress.org. The first one is managed commercially by the company Automattic, and the second one is what we want, the self-installed WordPress open-source software. Not so long ago, if you chose a blogging platform or Content Management System (CMS), you had to pay a substantial amount of money that added up to ever-increasing startup costs. So, I’ll tell you how you install WordPress for free: you use the WordPress.org open-source software.
When you follow the instructions in the next section, you’ll find that your web host provider does all the heavy lifting when you install your new blogging software.
How do I install WordPress?
There are easy ways to install WordPress. I’ll explain your options when you use SiteGround Hosting (Affiliate Link)
First, you should know this is a painless process that has been improved over time to be as simple as possible. You can do it while you sip a cup of tea or coffee.
Option one: Use the Website Setup Wizard
- Access your client area
- Go to the Websites tab and click the New Website button
- Choose the domain name you want to use
- Click Start New Website
- Type your WordPress login information
- Choose enhancements if you plan to have any
- Click Finish
That’s it; you have installed WordPress successfully. On SiteGround, there is a second option to install the software. I’m mentioning the steps you have to follow next:
- Option two: Using the app installer
- Go to Site Tools > WordPress > Install and Manage
- Choose WordPress
- Select a domain, language and install path
- Input your desired username, password, and associated email account
- Choose extra checkboxes if you wish to
That’s it; you now have a usable WordPress install you can access. How do you access WordPress? I’ll explain it to you in the following section.
How do I start WordPress after installing it?
You can access WordPress by inputting your domain name on the search bar, followed by /wp-admin, which would translate to: www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin. Once you arrive at this page, you type in the previously chosen data (username and password).
After a successful login, you will find the WordPress dashboard. Here you can manage all aspects of your new blog. Then, you repeat this process each time you want to perform your blogging activities. It’s critical to choose secure passwords to log in and remember to change them often. Having login information is essential security advice that can save you headaches down the road.
How do I install WordPress on Windows?
By now, you should have a working WordPress installation. But some questions may arise: What if I want to install WordPress on Windows? The answer is you can, and it’s an activity that many web design and developer professionals perform before publishing live code.
In my experience, my first choice would be to install a PHP development environment. Because of this, I use XAMPP and a manual WordPress install to test some plugins before deploying them live on my projects.
It’s an exciting way to use WordPress, but chances are you won’t have to install it this way, mainly if you don’t deal with code or custom designs.
Where is WordPress Installed?
Knowing some technical information about the software you’re using can be interesting. For example, your Web Host provider provides a server environment where you can deploy applications. WordPress is one of these applications. In addition, you should know you can install Customer Relationship Management software, email newsletters, project management solutions, personal productivity software, and a vast array of options if you ever need them.
WordPress lives in these servers, taking up some space. This space grows over time, especially when you add plugins and content. In addition, you usually have access to professional email accounts included in your web host plan.
Conclusion
As you can see, you have all the information you need. It’s time to install the software that powers your blog. In the next blog post, I’ll explore how to install the WordPress theme and an introduction to installing the WordPress plugins. You can and should familiarize yourself with the WordPress environment. Many activities you choose to do on your blog are set it and forget it. Setting up your system means you perform an action and don’t have to perform it again. An example of this is configurations for certain features.
The dashboard is your friend, and you’ll soon feel at home when you publish content for your new venture.
