Now that you’ve decided what to blog about, a name for your blog and which company to host your blog with, it is time to install WordPress on your server (host). WordPress is a blog publishing application. It helps you upload content with little or no coding necessary. There are other platforms to help you blog, but WordPress is the most commonly used blogging service on the web. Read why we recommend WordPress over Blogger.
WordPress is very simple to set up. You can go to WordPress.org and download the files and then install it yourself. Or, most host companies make it really easy to download WordPress from your cPanel. No coding, no learning curve, just a “one click” install. I like it when the work is done for me. Makes my life a lot easier and gives me time to work on more important things, or browse Pinterest. 🙂
Download WordPress from you cPanel.
To access the WordPress install, log in to your cpanel at yourdomain.com/cpanel. Next, go to the section titled Site Builders or Website Builders and click WordPress. Just Host and Blue Host (the hosting companies we recommend for beginning bloggers) use a third-party called MOJO Market Place to install WordPress.
By clicking to install WordPress a new tab will open and take you to the MOJO Market Place. Click Start a brand new install.
This will take you through the installation process. In most cases, you will want to have your blog at yourdomain.com. If you already have a website, and want a blog in addition to that site, I recommend placing your blog on yourdomain.com/blog.
MOJO will most likely tell you there is already something at that site, go ahead and click “I understand that continuing will overwrite the files.” It is just going to overwrite the default index file your host company set up as your home page. Agree to the terms and wait a minute…
Tada! You’re done.
MOJO gives you a WordPress username and password, which you can update later. You now have two places to get access to your blog content: your Cpanel, which hosts all of your files, and WordPress, which organizes and presents all of your files and gives you the ability to compose new posts. Once WordPress is installed, most bloggers rarely need to go to their Cpanel.
To log in to your WordPress account go to: yourdomain.com/wp-admin. Enter your username and temporary password.
Welcome to WordPress.
Hi Kristie!
So I am switching my blog from Blogger to WP, and I had already had a custom domain name. I transferred my domain from GoDaddyo to Bluehost, installed WP on bluehost, and now when I try to follow your steps of getting into my WP blog, it directs me back to my blogger blog under my domain name, and gives me my error page. Just wondering if there is a step I am missing, or how to bypass that? It’s like I can’t get into WordPress, even though I have it installed and my cpanel tells me it’s there?
Thanks!
Hi Kelsey. Transferring your domain is usually the last step. These instructions are for those that have a .blogspot domain.
Reach out to blue host and have them set WordPress up on a temporary URL for you while you work on transferring your blog over. (That way your blog cam still be live while you do the work)