This tutorial guide shows you how to create a WordPress website from complete scratch, using SiteGround Webhosting.
OK, so I decided to create this tutorial for one reason. There are still way too many small businesses out there that don't have a website. I honestly believe that many business owners thin think that creating a website is hard.
If you're one of those business owners, I want to remind you that you're leaving customers behind by not having a website. And, if you think your business doesn't need a website? Think again. Check out this statistic below.
Over 85% of consumers now use the internet to find a local business - Source.
So, with that in mind, hopefully, you're ready to create your first website. If you're looking to start a blog, you can follow the same steps in this post. I have another guide showing how to create a blog using Bluehost if you wish to use a different host.
OK, I've made this guide easy to follow, so let's get started!
Your first step is to source some reliable web hosting. For this, I use and recommend SiteGround. I've been using and recommending SiteGround since 2015; they are one of the most reliable and secure web host providers in the business. You can read my honest review of SiteGround here.
Of course, if you don't wish to use SiteGround for whatever reason, there are other hosting providers out there. Check out this web host comparison post I created for small businesses.
Right then, if you're ready to start your WordPress website immediately, head over to the SiteGround homepage (Affiliate link).
On the homepage, click on the 'Get Started' button under Managed WordPress Hosting.
You should arrive at the information page for Managed WordPress Hosting. Look through each of the plans available and pick one that meets the needs.
However, if you are starting a brand new website, I would recommend choosing the StartUp plan. For a new website, you only need the bare bones of web hosting. As your website grows, you can then consider upgrading plans later on. There is no need to throw money away on resources you don't yet need.
Once you have picked a plan, the next step is to register for hosting using the registration form.
When you click on Get Plan as shown in the image above, you will see the next page is Step 2. Choose Domain. Let's do this!
You will begin by choosing a domain name. This can be the name of your business, for example, johnsmithplumbing.com.
Enter the domain name of your choice, followed by the extension i.e. .co.uk or .com
Domain registrations costs vary; usually, a .com extension will be around $15.95 per year (Affiliate link). (This is correct at the time of updating this post).
If you happen to have a domain name registered elsewhere, then you can check the box that says 'I already have a domain name'. (See image below).
Recommended reading: How To Migrate A Domain Name To SiteGround
The Account, Client, and Payment information fields are pretty much self-explanatory. I don't need to explain how to enter these details in.
Make sure; however, your information is correct before moving onto the purchase information box.
OK, so the next part is important to get right. Here you will enter the purchase information for Hosting and Extra Services.
You should have already selected the plan you need for your small business website, now just pick the duration for the plan you want; I recommend 12 months or 24 months.
Under Extra Services, you can decide whether you want your domain name to remain private or require SiteGround's website security scanner and reporting (SG Scanner).
I use SG Scanner and highly recommend it. You will receive weekly reports on your website's general health and be alerted if your site gets infected with a Malware virus.
When you have checked everything and are good to go, check the terms of service and privacy boxes and hit Pay Now.
Congratulations! You have just completed the first step of creating a WordPress site for your business; let's keep going.
If all has gone well so far, you should be greeted with a success message. You will be emailed your login details, so please keep those handy and in a safe place too.
You can now proceed to your customer area. (See image below).
When you click on the Proceed To Customer Area button, you should see the following message...
Since you are creating a WordPress website from scratch, you don't want to start a website using the SiteGround site-building tools. Nor do you want to transfer an existing website. Unless, of course, you do. In which case, read my website migration post.
Next, make sure the 'Thanks, but I don't need help' button is checked, and then click on Proceed, as shown above.
Once you are in your SiteGround account, click on the Websites tab to get started.
Next, go to the New Website button located at the top of the page. This should be on the right-hand side of your screen.
Now click on the Existing Domain option to start your website with the domain name you just purchased during registration. Enter the domain name in the field at the bottom.
OK, we're almost there. Now select the Start New Website option and under choose application, select WordPress.
Finally, set up your new WordPress website's login details. This should include an email address or username and a password. These should be different from your SiteGround hosting login details and also kept in a safe place.
Once you've double-checked everything is as it should be, go ahead and hit the Continue button.
On the next page, you'll have some options to add extras to your website installation, such as SG Site Scanner. You can decide whether you want this or not. Then, click on the Finish button to create your site.
That is it, you're all done and dusted!
Your site is live, but one thing you should definitely consider doing is adding an SSL to your domain. You can do this using Let's Encrypt and I'll show you how.
Go to Websites in the main menu in SiteGround. Click on Site Tools for the website you want to access. Then go to Security > SSL Manager to install Let's Encrypt Authority X3 into your domain.
That is it; you are all done with installing WordPress and launching your website on SiteGround. You are now ready to begin customizing your business site and adding some content. Congratulations!
I have a separate post outlining some important things you should do after installing WordPress. You can find this post, along with some other recommended reading in the 'Recommended Posts' list below.
Best of luck!
Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains my affiliate link to SiteGround web hosting services. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase web hosting with SiteGround, I will be paid a small commission, at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here.
