How to set up hosting on WordPress

Setting up hosting for your WordPress site is the first step in launching your website.

It can seem daunting to find the right provider and configure the settings, especially if you’re new to the world of website management. Fortunately, with a little guidance, it doesn’t have to be that difficult.

In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide to help you get your WordPress hosting in place.

Step 1: Choose a hosting provider

The first step in setting up your WordPress hosting is to choose a provider.

There are a number of hosting companies available, each offering its own mix of features and pricing plans. You can take a look at some of the top picks on our best hosting provider page.

When you are selecting a hosting provider, you should consider factors such as uptime guarantees, customer support, server performance and scalability options. You should also consider your expected needs, as well as how you expect your site to perform in the coming months or even years.

If you want to know more about how much you should pay, check out our how much does website hosting cost page. You can also look at the table below for a quick side-by-side comparison.

Brand	Number of Plans	Cheapest plan cost	Trustpilot score
Bluehost	4	£2.29/month	4
SiteGround	3	£2.99/month	4.8
HostGator	3	$3.75/month	4
Hostinger	3	£2.59/month	4.6

Step 2: Register a domain name

Once you’ve chosen a hosting provider, you need to register a domain name for your website. A domain name is the web address that visitors will use to access your site, for example, www.yourwebsite.com.

If you want tips on what sort of domain name to go for, you can visit our how to choose a domain name page for advice and guidance.

A number of hosting providers will also offer domain registration services, meaning that you can set up your hosting and register a domain from the same place.

However, if you’d prefer, you can use different providers for each. Bear in mind that it can be simpler to use the same provider for both.

Step 3: Set up your hosting account

With your provider and domain name chosen, it’s time to set up your hosting account.

The majority of providers will offer user-friendly control panels (sometimes known as a cPanel) that will allow you to manage your hosting settings. Often, they will provide additional resources and support to help you get started.

Step 4: Install WordPress

With your hosting now in place, it’s time to install WordPress.

Many providers, including Bluehost, offer one-click WordPress installation, which can simplify the process significantly. When available, you simply need to log into your hosting account, locate the WordPress installation option and then follow the prompts to complete the installation process.

During the setup, you’ll need to provide some basic information, such as your site’s title, admin username and password.

Visit our what is WordPress page if you want to find out a little more about the platform before diving in.

Step 5: Configure WordPress settings

Once you have installed WordPress, you can access your site either by entering the domain name into a web browser or through your hosting account.

Before you dive into the design stage of this process, it’s important to configure some essential settings. Start by accessing the WordPress dashboard and exploring the options available. Pay attention to settings such as permalink structure and privacy.

This is also a good time to start setting up the plugins or themes that you want to use with your site.

Step 6: Secure your WordPress site

However you plan to build a site, security is crucial. This is the case with a WordPress website too.

Make sure to introduce security measures, this can include things as simple as setting a strong password, as well as maintenance work to ensure that your WordPress instance, themes and plugins are using the latest security patches.

You may also want to consider adding a security plugin to your site. Tools like Wordfence provide additional protection against malware and hacking attempts.

You may also want to employ a regular backup process to make sure your site is saved in the event of an unexpected outage or incident.

For more tips on using WordPress, take a look at our how to start a WordPress site page.

How to setup WordPress hosting: Final thoughts

Setting up website hosting for your WordPress site doesn’t have to be complicated, but it is essential.

By following the steps in the guide above, you can get your site online quickly and easily, and in as secure a way as possible.

Make sure to choose a reliable hosting provider and a strong domain name. And make sure to configure your site to behave in the best way possible. With these foundations in place, you can start to focus on building an engaging website that can grow over time.

Bryn Glover

Bryn is the founder and editor of WebsiteJumpStart. He has worked in the digital field for over a decade and was editor for Startups.co.uk - the UK's leading small business website - and for NerdWallet UK before launching WebsiteJumpStart to help people and businesses get online with ease.

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