If you want to have full control of your blog and you want make money from your blog, I always recommend self-hosting your blog. Which means you pay to have your blog on the web. You own that space on the web and your domain name. If you missed it, you can read why we think it is better to have a self-hosted WordPress blog here.
I have used several different hosting companies for my blogs/websites. Currently, our favorite hosts to recommend to brand new bloggers are Just Host and Blue Host. They are owned by the sister companies and offer similar services. Both are affordable and have great customer service. I always get helpful and prompt feedback when I need help. Investing in your own host is worth it! Host with which ever host has the cheapest deal going when you set up your blog. Their prices change often, so check them both.
This tutorial will walk you through the steps of setting up your own account with Just Host (they were the cheaper provider when we wrote this tutorial), the process is similar when setting up a host with Bluehost. It is so easy, you will have your own website in minutes!
1. Select a domain for your blog.
If you haven’t decided on a name for your blog yet, you can go and read this post for suggestions on how to decided on a name for your blog.
2. Fill in all of your information and decide on an account plan.
Let’s talk about the numbers.You will save money in the long run by purchasing more time. Hosting companies make most of their money through renewals. I switched the hosting company for my floral blog because the renewal fee was going to be MUCH higher than my original plan.
A lot of new bloggers hesitate in signing up for a long term plan because they don’t know how long they’ll be blogging for. However, Just Host and Blue Host offer a full refund for any unused months and no cancellation fees! It’s true! One time I purchased a 3 year plan for a blog and then decided to shut it down. I was only 6 months into the plan and I was refunded the remaining months, plus they were very helpful in closing my account.
3. Confirm your account and set up a password.
4. All you have to do for step 4 is log in to your account for your very first time!
You can log into your cpanel by going to yourblog.com/cpanel. This screen is called a cpanel. It looks overwhelming, but once you reduce several of the tabs, it is easy to navigate. After you install WordPress, you will rarely need to come to your cpanel as you will be able to upload most of your files from the WordPress platform.
What if I ever wanted to switch who is hosting my blog…switch from wordpress to someone else…is that an easy thing to do?
Just to clarify you want your blog to stay on the WordPress platform, but switch to another hosting company?
Or do you want to switch from WordPress.com to a self-hosted WordPress blog?
I guess I am asking, if once I have something set up have much flexibility is there to change to something different.
Migrating from one company to another can be a bit technical. Some hosting companies will do it for free or a fee or there are a lot of DIY tutorial.
This is great information. How do you know which service level to signup for using blue host? Is the entry level $2.50 a month ok, or should the middle most popular one be a better choice for long term?
Hi Ruth! If you are starting a brand new blog, the start level will be fine. Once you get around 4,000 – 5,000 visits a month it starts to be slow. Luckily you can upgrade at anytime. If you want your site to load fast from the start, you might to go with the middle option. Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions setting up your site!