How to Host WordPress With Google Cloud?
Why Host WordPress On The Cloud?
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems, and for good reason—it’s open source and free! The software is extremely flexible, and with the help of community-developed plugins and themes, can be customized to suit any need or desire.
Since its inception, WordPress has been around to help bloggers, non-profits, and small businesses publish content on the web. While the software is quite flexible, it was never designed to run a dedicated server. That is, until now.
Running a WordPress website on a cloud server eliminates the need for upfront capital investment, additional monthly fees, or worries about resource constraints. Plus, with the right configuration and hardware, you can ensure that your WordPress website will always be at its best, regardless of the traffic it receives.
How To Host WordPress On The Cloud: The Step-by-Step Guide
To get started, you will need to invest in a dedicated server from one of the reputable web host companies. These servers, also known as “VPS,” are virtual private servers that provide you with a physical server’s resources, but at a much more cost-effective price. For a small business or blog, a single VPS with 4 GB of memory and 100 GB of storage space will cost you under $100 per month.
The best part? You will have complete control over the server’s resources, so you can tailor it to your needs. While you can purchase a basic shared web hosting plan from any major web host company and launch a standard WordPress installation, you will pay substantially more for less features and less control.
Now that you have your dedicated server, you can head over to Google Cloud to launch your WordPress site. To do this, you will need to install the WordPress application from the Google Cloud Marketplace. Once the WordPress app is installed, you can connect it to your chosen server. When connecting, make sure to select the ‘Public’ option to allow WordPress to communicate with the outside world. (This option will be selected by default if you use the Cloud App to connect to your WordPress site.)
After you have connected WordPress to your server, you can create an account with Google Cloud, and then log in to your dashboard. From here you can access all the tools and resources needed to manage your site. If you’re worried about running out of storage space, you can always purchase more from the Google Cloud Marketplace. The recommended amount of storage for a standard WordPress installation is around 30 GB—more than enough space for even the biggest blogs.
Step One: Setting Up Your WordPress Installation
The first step is to log in to your WordPress dashboard and click on the ‘Install’ button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. This will download and install the WordPress installer onto your server.
Once the installer is complete, you can click on the ‘Create a WordPress blog’ link at the top of the screen to launch the installation process. (This is the same process whether you are installing WordPress for the first time or upgrading from an older version.)
If you are installing WordPress for the first time, you will be asked to choose a blog name and a username for your new blog. Since your blog’s purpose is to host WordPress content, the blog name you choose should be relevant to your theme and brand. (For example, if you are using a theme called ‘TwentyThirteen’ you could call your blog ‘twentythirteen.com’.)
As for the username you choose, it should be unique and relevant to your blog’s theme and content. For example, if you are using a theme called ‘TwentyThirteen’ you could use the name ‘twentythirteen’ for your user account.
Step Two: Customizing Your WordPress Installation
One of the most important things you can do to prepare your server for hosting WordPress is to install a caching plugin. This will help reduce the strain on your server by storing frequently-accessed content in a place where it can be easily accessed by visitors. Some good caching plugins for WordPress are WP-Super-Cache and W3 Total Cache.
You can also use a CDN (content delivery network) to host your WordPress content. A CDN gives your web content the best possible chance of being downloaded and read by your readers. There are many reputable CDNs to choose from, with the key being in the cost—make sure and look for those that offer great value for money.
Step Three: Establishing Hosting Basics
Once you have installed WordPress on your server and customised it to your liking, you can start establishing the basics of your hosting package. To do this, click on the ‘Settings’ menu at the top of your WordPress dashboard and then select the ‘General’ option. Here you can update the blog’s name, admin email, and other such details about your new blog.
You should also look to purchase a premium SSL certificate from an accredited certification authority such as GoDaddy or Sucuri, as these will give you an added layer of security for your blog. (A free SSL certificate will be accepted, but it won’t offer the same level of protection needed for a premium certificate.)
Step Four: Setting Up Your WordPress Blog
The last step in the process is to launch your WordPress blog by creating a topic for it in your Blogger dashboard. You can use your new blog as a means for sharing your thoughts online, or you can use it to host your website’s content. (You can find helpful tips on using Blogger for beginners at https://blogger.com/help/blogger-basics/.)
To publish your first blog post on your WordPress site, click on the ‘Publish’ button in the upper right-hand corner of your WordPress dashboard. This will bring up a form where you can enter a title and short content for your blog post. Make sure you enter a valid email address where you can be contacted if you want to read the feedback your post receives (known as a ‘comments’ section). Once you have entered all your post’s details, click on the ‘Publish’ button to post your content.
Now that you have established your WordPress blog, you can use the forums to interact with other bloggers, experts, and individuals interested in your area of expertise. You can also use your blog to build a brand for yourself or your business, or you can use it as a marketing tool to generate leads and sales for your company.