Ready to make a WordPress website or blog but don’t know where to start?
If the idea of starting a website or blog feels a little overwhelming, you’re in the right place.
It’s SO much easier than it used to be to create your own space online. You don’t need coding skills or expensive developers.
With this easy guide, you’ll have your WordPress website set up and ready to customize in no time.
(And just so you know — we’re not talking about WordPress.com. I know it’s confusing, but that’s actually a different platform!)
Step One
Purchase your domain + hosting
Before you can start building your site, you need two things: a domain name and a hosting plan.
Your domain name is your website’s address (like heartenmade.com). You can purchase a domain name from a provider like GoDaddy or NameCheap, but some hosts, like Siteground, let you purchase your domain name + hosting plan together. If you’ve already purchased your domain separately, I’ll show you how to connect it to your host in the next step!
So what is hosting? Your hosting plan is what powers your website and keeps it online. It’s where all your files, data, and content live. Choosing a reliable host is SO important because it impacts your website’s speed, security, and overall performance. A good host will also have a friendly, knowledgeable support team ready to help when you need it.
There are many hosts out there, but these are my recommendations:
BigScoots Hosting
Fast, high-quality managed WordPress hosting and stellar customer support. Use code HEARTEN20 for 20% off your first month.
Siteground Hosting
Reliable, user-friendly hosting with great performance and helpful support. I used Siteground for years and I highly recommend.
Step TWo
Point your domain name to your host
(Psst… if you purchased both your hosting and domain name from the same place, you can skip this entire step — they’re already connected!)
If you purchased your domain name somewhere else (like GoDaddy or Namecheap), you’ll just need to connect it to your hosting plan. This process is called “changing nameservers”, and basically it’s just telling your domain name where your website is hosted.
You’ll simply log in to your domain account where you purchased your domain name and find the “Nameservers” section. Here, you’ll paste in the two nameservers that your host provides (usually sent to you via email after purchasing hosting, so check your inbox). If you can’t find the nameservers, just send your host’s support team a quick message and ask for them!
If you signed up for BigScoots hosting, their support team is amazing and will take care of this for you – just request a fresh WordPress install.
Once that’s done, your domain and hosting will be linked! It can take up to 24–48 hours for the connection to fully propagate, but it usually happens much faster.
Step Three
Install WordPress and log into your dashboard
Once your domain is connected to your hosting, it’s time to install WordPress — the platform you’ll use to build and manage your website.
If you signed up for BigScoots hosting, you’ll need to log into your BigScoots portal and submit your request for WordPress installation. This is where you can also provide your domain name and domain registrar access so they can point your nameservers like we talked about in Step #3. This usually takes just ~20 minutes. After this process is complete, you’ll be able to log into your WordPress dashboard!
If you’re using another hosting provider, WordPress is usually installed automatically during setup, and you’ll receive your login details by email. If you’re not sure, just reach out to your host’s support team they will point you in the right direction!
Your WordPress dashboard page can be accessed by going to:https://yourwebsite.com/wp-admin
Step Four
Choose your WordPress theme!
And now for the fun part!
It’s time to browse the shop to choose a WordPress theme that you love and best fits your website goals! We have highly customizable WordPress themes for bloggers, food bloggers, photographers, service-based businesses and more.
Step Five
Install, customize, and launch your dream website!
Once you’ve purchased your theme, you’ll immediately gain access to your theme files. You’ll also have access to the Support Docs site, which includes all the video tutorials and guides you need to install and customize your new WordPress theme — or, let me handle it for you.
Don’t forget to check out my helpful Resources & Tools page – I’ve rounded up all of my favorite go-to tools to make your WordPress journey even easier — from ecommerce solutions and course platforms to fonts, stock photos, and DIY copywriting resources.
Once you’ve launched your new site, share it with me! I LOVE seeing how you’ve customized your theme and made it your own.
*This page contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a commission if you click on the link and decide to purchase. Everything I write here is my own, honest opinion. I will never recommend anything to you that I don’t trust.