How to Host Your WordPress Website on the Cheap
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world, and it’s absolutely free! What is more, you can use the popular CMS to build a website with no technical skills required.
If you’re looking to host your WordPress website on the cheap, then this tutorial will teach you how to do it effectively and efficiently.
Find A VPS (Virtual Private Server)
Since all WordPress websites are made equal, you don’t need a specialised server to host your website. You can rent a virtual private server (VPS) from any reputable hosting company, which will host your website and give you access to a command line. The best part is that you can get a really cheap VPS from reputable hosting companies, such as Bluehost, for just $2.95 per month.
Install WordPress On The VPS
The first step in hosting a WordPress website is to install WordPress on the VPS. You can do this by installing the WordPress CLI (command-line interface) on your computer and then transferring the file to the VPS using an SSH (Secure Shell) client. You can download the WordPress CLI here. For more information on how to install WordPress using the CLI, please refer to the WordPress documentation.
Configure The VPS To Allow WordPress To Function
Once you’ve installed WordPress on the VPS, you need to configure the server to allow WordPress to function correctly. To do this, simply open up a command line on your VPS and enter the following command:
mysql (short for MySQL) (database management system) (DBMS) (software database) (SQL) (Structured Query Language) (database)
This will give you access to a MySQL database that contains all of the settings and data for your WordPress site. To connect to the MySQL database, you will need to enter your username and password.
Create A Database For Your WordPress Site
Once you’ve connected to the database, you need to create a database for your WordPress site. Use the following query to create a new database:
CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS `your_database_name`;
This will create a new database, named your_database_name, if it doesn’t already exist. Make sure that you replace the `your_database_name` with your own database name. After creating the database, you can use the MySQL CLI to show you the information about your new database.
Generate A Secure And Private Key For Your WordPress Account
To make your WordPress site accessible from anywhere, you will need to generate a secure and private key for your account. To do this, simply enter the following command:
openssl (short for OpenSSL) (open source library) (software library) (OPENSSL) (library) (software library) (library) (software library) (library) (software library) (library)
The output from this command will be two keys: a private key and a certificate. Your certificate will be used to create a secure connection between your WordPress site and your visitors’ browsers. You can keep this private key on your computer, as you will need it to access your WordPress site from anywhere. It’s also a good idea to store this key in a safe place, as any kind of hacks or security breaches could seriously damage your business.
To learn more about SSL, read our blog post on
How To SSL Secure A WordPress Blog Or Website
.
Setup A DNS (Domain Name System)
DNS is short for Domain Name System, which organises your web addresses into a meaningful and easy-to-remember format. For example, if you have a blog website that is hosted on the IP (Internet Protocol) address 192.168.0.1, then your domain name might be blog.example.com (double dot com).
Since we already have a DNS provider, Google, you don’t need to set this up yourself. Simply log in to your Google account, click on the gear icon in the top right corner and select Settings. On the next page, you will see a list of all your domains, which you can either use or leave. If you decide to keep them, then simply click on the blue button next to Delete these domains to have Google delete them for you.
Install An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificate On Your WordPress Site
An SSL certificate encrypts the data that is transmitted between your website and your visitors’ browsers, providing a high degree of security for your site.
To ensure that your visitors feel safe and engaged when on your site, you will need to install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site. You can do this by visiting the SSL store from within your WordPress dashboard and purchasing an SSL certificate that is verified and compatible with WordPress. An SSL certificate from a trusted source will also give your site the green address bar, which indicates a secure connection with your visitors’ browsers.
There are many reputable and well-known SSL providers, such as Comodo, Let’s Encrypt, VeriSign, GlobalSign, and Thawte. You can find a list of verified and trusted SSL providers here.
Configure WordPress To Use The Database You Created
Once you’ve installed WordPress and generated a secure and private key for your account, the next step is to connect WordPress to your new database. To do this, simply go to settings (gear icon) (settings) (database) (table prefix) (DBPrefix) (short for DataBase Prefix) (field prefix) (FFPrefix), select (DataBase) (use this database) (short for Use This Database) (DB). Enter your DBPrefix and FFPrefix (field and file prefixes, respectively) and click on the Save Database option.
Create A User For Admin Purposes
You will need to create a user, with a username and password, for administration purposes. When setting up your WordPress site, you will be asked to input a username and password for this user. You can leave the default values, provided by WordPress, for both of these items.
The administrator user’s only purpose is to manage content on your WordPress site. You don’t need to give this user any special privileges. To create this user, simply select Users in the WordPress dashboard and press the Add User button.
Set Up Your WordPress Site To Use Hierarchical Navigation
WordPress includes a great feature that allows you to create a navigation tree for your site’s pages. A navigation tree, or menu, gives your site’s visitors a visual reference point for navigating your content. A good example of a menu would be the Apple iOS App Store, where the main navigation serves as a parent, and each individual app serves as a child.
If you decide that you would like to use a navigation tree on your site, then you can do this by simply going to themes (gear icon) (themes) (active theme) (twenty thirteen) (Theme Twenty Thirteen) (active theme). You will see a small orange bar next to Theme Twenty Thirteen; this indicates that it is currently the active theme. Select it and click on the gear icon in the top right corner to view the Theme Settings.