Create a WordPress Site When Domain is From Another Registrar
If you’re reading this, I assume that you’re either a WordPress user or you’re thinking about becoming one. If you’re not yet using the platform, it’s probably because you haven’t found the right hosting company yet or you’re looking for the cheapest option available. Either way, I think it’s high time for you to consider switching to WordPress because not only does it provide you with a ton of features, it’s also one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) out there. In this article, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a WordPress site when your domain’s registration information comes from another registrar. Before we begin, it’s important to note that this type of configuration is very much doable but it requires a certain degree of technical know-how so make sure you’ve got a tech-savvy partner handy. Otherwise, the process might turn out to be rather frustrating for both of you.
Choosing The Right Domain Registrar
Let’s get one thing straight right away: it’s not just about picking the cheapest option available. There are various other factors that you need to take into consideration when choosing a domain registrar. First of all, make sure that they are a trusted company with a good standing. Also, you should look for a company that has been in business for a while and has a good reputation. The last thing you want to do is to entrust your domain’s registration to a company that might go out of business at any time. For that matter, it’s also wise to look for an established company that has been in operation for some years now. Finally, make sure that they offer 24/7 support by phone or live chat. This way, if you’ve got a question, there will always be someone available to help you.
Step 1: Requesting The Info
To begin with, you’ll need to log into your account with the company you’ve chosen and then visit the “my domains” section in the dashboard. Here, you’ll be able to see all your domains. At this point, make sure you’ve picked one that’s relevant to your niche (for example, health or fitness related sites would use an.htaccess file with a URL such as http://domain.com
), else, you might end up with a mish-mash of a website that doesn’t serve any purpose. Once you’ve picked the domain that will eventually host your website, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Step 2: Choosing A Hosting Provider
So you’ve picked the domain and now you need to find a web host to house your site. There are many different types of hosting providers out there, so take your time to find one that suits your needs. Some of the things you’ll want to consider are the price, features, and reliability. If possible, look for a company that provides unlimited bandwidth and storage so you don’t get speed throttling or restrictions on the amount of content you can upload. Finally, make sure they offer 24/7 support by phone or chat because if you’ve got any questions, you’ll want someone to help you right away.
Step 3: Configuring Your Site
Once you’ve picked the host, it’s time to configure your site with a WordPress installation. To do this, visit their control panel and choose the “install/activate WordPress” option. As mentioned by the previous step, you’ll need to be connected to the internet to go through with the process. Once this is done, you can access the WordPress dashboard by clicking on the link that’s provided in the email sent to you by the hosting provider. From here, you can update the site’s content and design, install additional plugins, and manage your site’s various configurations. To get the most out of this step, it’s important to spend some time reading the documentation that comes with the WordPress installation. This way, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the features without any difficulties.
Step 4: Activating Your Domain
Once you’ve installed WordPress and configured your site, it’s time to activate the domain you’ve chosen. To do this, visit your domain’s registration page and then click on the “my domains” tab. Here, you’ll be able to see all your domains and the status of each one. At this point, make sure you’ve picked one that’s relevant to your niche (for example, health or fitness related sites would use an.htaccess file with a URL such as http://domain.com
), else, you might end up with a mish-mash of a website that doesn’t serve any purpose. To activate the domain, simply click on the “activate” button next to the line stating “This is active”. If you’ve activated another registrar’s domain after this step, you’ll need to visit that registrar’s website and follow the instructions there to complete the process. Most domain registrars have an automated process for this, so it won’t take long at all.
Bonus Step: Setting Up Email Accounts
If you’ve been paying attention thus far, setting up email accounts for your site isn’t exactly a difficult process. Once you’ve got a hosting provider that offers SMTP services (simple-mail transfer protocol), you can easily create an email account for your site and then use a tool such as MailChimp to send out email marketing campaigns. Furthermore, if you’ve picked a domain with www. as part of it, you can use the free AWeber email service to create an account and then set up automated email campaigns that will send out newsletters to your audience. At this point, you can either use the tool to send a test email to see if the account is working or you can wait for the email to be accepted by the recipient before using it for sending out important communications related to your business.
As you can see, creating a WordPress site is a fairly straightforward process that doesn’t require deep knowledge of HTML or web design. However, as with any other tech-related process, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so make sure you back up your site regularly and know how to restore it in case anything happens. Setting up a WordPress site also requires a bit of a learning curve, so be patient and invest the time necessary to learn how to use the platform effectively. With that, I think you’ve got everything needed to begin your journey to becoming a successful WordPress webmaster.