Now that we’ve addressed hosting for blogs, it’s time to install WordPress and get the actual blog itself up and going. The answer to: “How to install WordPress” unfortunately varies based on your host. Some blog hosting companies offer very simple and easy “one-click” installers, others do not. The one-click installers are simply a matter of logging into your hosts administrative interface and choosing the option to install WordPress. For hosting companies that don’t provide one-click installers, you’ll need to use FTP. If you aren’t familiar with FTP, head over and check out my article on how to use FTP.
Now, perhaps I’m jumping a little ahead as some of you might be asking: What is WordPress?. Great question, let’s find out.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is an open-source application (read free) written by a community of developers. WordPress is a CMS or Content Management System. Content Management Systems allow you to manage data, specifically storing, controlling, editing and publishing of it. In the case of WordPress, this data is in the form of posts or articles. What this all really means is that you can use WordPress to manage your blog and/or website. Many people like to think of WordPress, but it’s really much more than that. The best thing about WordPress?? It’s FREE, yep absolutely free.
Next to being free, one of the best features of WordPress is that you can literally build and create a great looking site and have to know very little about how websites work and particularly HTML or CSS, the technologies underlying most websites. One of the best features of WordPress is that it has a built in template system that allows you to very quickly and easily change the look and feel of your site, but the content of of your site remains the same.
As of September 2009, WordPress was being used by 202 million websites worldwide. That’s a lot of websites! Mine are among them, as I use WordPress as the foundation for all of my sites plus my client’s sites as well.
Most all of the articles here on Side Income Blogging assume you’ll be using WordPress as your underlying base for your blog or website. I really can’t think of a single reason why you wouldn’t want to use it.
How to install WordPress?
As I said earlier, the specific steps required to install WordPress to your new website vary based on the hosting company you selected. So instead of trying to write some generic article that covers all bases, I’m going to walk you step by step based on the hosting company you chose from my article Hosting for Blogs. If you decided not to use one of the hosting companies I recommended, I’d suggest visiting your hosts help area for the proper steps or you can just follow the FTP installation instructions below.
Please click on the appropriate link based on the hosting company you selected:
- How to install WordPress on HostGator
- How to install WordPress on Bluehost
- How to install WordPress Manually using FTP (will work for any host, including MediaTemple)
Just a reminder: If you don’t want to spend the time doing this yourself or if you’re too intimidated, I’d suggest you consider the WordPress hosting services I offer at Empty Cabin Media.
Article by: Larry Deane
Larry is the founder and editor of Side Income Blogging. He is a full-time IT professional and part-time entrepreneur, writer and software developer. Larry loves teaching and helping others about how they can start and earn money by blogging. Most most importantly, Larry loves spending time with his wife and 6 kids.
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