Bluehost Beginners Guide How to Install WordPress on Bluehost

If you are looking to create a new website, you will first need to purchase hosting for your site. At ThemeIsle, we recommend using Bluehost due to its low prices, tools and features, and beginner-friendly experience. In this guide, well show you how to install WordPress on Bluehost and get started with your new website.Heres what well cover you can click to jump straight to a specific section:Sign up with Bluehost  Ã°Å¸â€˜Ë†Install WordPress on Bluehost  Ã°Å¸â€˜Ë†Set up your WordPress website  Ã°Å¸â€˜Ë†Lets get started Heres how to get up and running with your Bluehost account1. Choose a hosting planThe first step is to select a hosting plan that will meet your needs. Bluehost offers a range of hosting options including†¦Shared HostingWordPress HostingVPS HostingDedicated HostingIf youre not sure which plan is best for you, we  recommend starting with the cheap shared hosting plan, which starts at just $2.95 a month.Here is some further reading to help you choose the r ight hosting plan for your project†¦What is WordPress hosting?Different types of hosting plans explainedVPS vs shared hosting2. Create a new domain nameWith all the Bluehost plans, you get a free domain name for the first year.Once you have selected your hosting plan, select  Create a New Domain  to choose your free domain name.Type your chosen domain name into the domain search, and Bluehost will then display a list of available domain extensions or similar available domain names.(If you have registered a domain with a third-party domain registrar then you can use this domain name instead of creating a new one with Bluehost. To do this, you will need to point your domain name to Bluehost’s nameservers a process that Bluehost can walk you through).For help with choosing the right domain name for your new website, check out these articles†¦How to choose a domain nameNine helpful blog name generatorsGuide to domain extensions3. Enter Bluehost account detailsNext, Bluehost will ask you to fill out some personal information to create your account. Or, you can  sign in with Google to speed up this process.4. Confirm hosting plan detailsBluehost will now display your plan details. Check them carefully, as by default Bluehost adds several premium ‘extras’. These include†¦Domain Privacy Protection (from $11.88 a year)SiteLock Security (from $23.88 a year)CodeGuard Basic (from $2.99 a month)Bluehost SEO Tools (from $23.88 a year)Unless you already know that you need a certain service, wed recommend  de-selecting all of these add-ons. None of them are essential and you can always add them later if needed:Under Account Plan, you can also set the number of years you want to sign up to Bluehost for. The minimum commitment is 12 months, but you can get a bigger discount if you commit to multiple years up front.5. Enter your payment detailsThe last step in the Bluehost sign up process is to enter your payment details and confirm th e order.Remember, Bluehost provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you are unhappy with your plan or the hosting service after purchase, then you can ask for a refund.Bluehost will now go ahead and set up your new hosting plan and domain name. You will then receive an email with payment confirmation as well as your new account information, including login and password details.How to install WordPress on BluehostOnce youve purchased your hosting plan, you next need to install WordPress on Bluehost. Again, this is a relatively quick and easy process, helped by Bluehost’s user-friendly interface and its one-click WordPress install feature.1. Log in to BluehostTo get started:Log in to your new Bluehost account.Go to the  My Sites tab.Click the  Create Site button in the top-right corner.2. Enter your website infoNext, you need to enter some basic information about your website, including the Site Name and Site Tagline. Dont stress too much you can always change these l ater:3. Choose your domain nameUse the Domain drop-down to select the domain name that you chose when you created your Bluehost account.You can also choose whether or not to install some of Bluehosts recommended plugins.4. Click Next to install WordPress on BluehostBluehost will now install WordPress for you, creating your new WordPress website, and displaying your log in details.To open your new WordPress website, click the  Login to WordPress  link.How to set up your new WordPress website with Bluehosts toolsFirst, we should note that you dont necessarily need to follow the steps in this section. Its totally possible to make your own website using the regular WordPress dashboard.However, if youre not sure where to start, Bluehost provides its own dashboard in the  Bluehost area of your WordPress dashboard that can help you get up and running with your site.In the Bluehost area, you canAdd new pages and postsManage your menusCreate an eCommerce store with WooCommerceCreate a staging environment to test your websiteDisable the Bluehost ‘Coming Soon’ page and launch your websiteMost of these are core WordPress features just put together in one convenient spot for you to access.The Bluehost dashboard is a particularly useful tool for those new to WordPress, and who may need some direction on how to get started. Heres how to use it1. Use the Quick Launch WizardWhen you open your WordPress dashboard, you should see the Bluehost Quick Launch Wizard.Using the Quick Launch Wizard is a great way to get your website started. Follow the instructions in the wizard to set up the Jetpack plugin, a contact form with WPForms Lite, and caching for your website. Let’s take a closer look at these features†¦Jetpack A multi-functional plugin, Jetpack will add help to enhance the security and performance of your website, as well as provide social media features, analytical data about how your audience is behaving on your site, and much more. The Bl uehost Wizard will help you quickly connect to WordPress.com to access and activate these effective Jetpack modules.Contact Form Every website needs a contact form to enable your audience to connect with you and help you to increase lead generation. The Quick Launch Wizard enables you to immediately set up a contact form for your website using the free WP Forms Lite plugin.Caching Bluehost provides a built-in caching feature. When you activate this tool, your website will load faster, which is important for user experience and SEO.2. Choose a WordPress themeYour WordPress theme controls how your site looks.Selecting the right WordPress theme is an important task, and can take time as there are so many to choose from.One of the features found within the Bluehost Menu is a Marketplace  containing premium WordPress themes. You can browse these, but you also shouldnt feel limited to just the selection in hereThere are thousands of free and premium WordPress themes available outside the Bluehost Marketplace, so we advise browsing those options before making a decision.Our free Hestia  theme is a modern, high-performance one-page theme, perfect for any type of business and a great option to get you started.You can also find other premium themes beyond those in the Bluehost Marketplace. To find a stylish premium theme that best fits your project, check out these theme shops and developers†¦ThemeIsleaThemesThemeForestElegant ThemesStudioPress3. Install some essential WordPress pluginsWhen Bluehost installs WordPress, it also installs a selection of WordPress plugins by default.These include†¦Akismet Anti-SpamMonsterInsights, a Google Analytics pluginJetpackWP Forms LiteYou can, of course, delete any of these plugins, or install your own plugins. Here are a few essential plugins that we recommend†¦Yoast SEO Improve your site’s SEO and help your pages and posts to rank in the search engines.Wordfence Security Keep your site safe and secure with this free security plugin that includes an endpoint firewall and malware scanner.UpdraftPlus For peace of mind, keep your website backed up, so if your site is hacked you can quickly restore it to its original glory.4. Create pages (and posts)The next step is to create the content for your website start by adding the pages. To do so, within your WordPress dashboard, click on Bluehost Menu. Then under Content Pages, select Add New Page.Although the pages you display will vary depending on the type of site you are building, here are some page types that you should consider creating†¦Homepage This is where most of your audience will land when they visit your site. Use powerful imagery, signpost important content, and add calls to action, to ensure your homepage captures and engages your visitors.About page An important page, here you should share your story, discuss your business philosophy, introduce your team, and add any other relevant information that will help you t o build a relationship with your audience.Contact page As well as a contact form, consider displaying opening times, a map showing location, social media links, and more.Portfolio If appropriate, creating beautiful portfolio pages  will help to showcase your work.Blog Always consider adding a blog to your website. A blog will attract visitors to your site, keep your website updated, and help with SEO.5. Launch your websiteOnce you have created your content and customized the appearance of your website, all that is left to do is launch your website.Bluehost provides a ‘Coming Soon’ page, that it activates by default when you install WordPress. This page gives you the privacy you need to work on your website.When youre ready to launch, click the  Launch your site  button in the Bluehost WordPress dashboard to go live.Thats how to install WordPress on BluehostBeyond its prices, another attractive thing about Bluehost is just how simple it makes it to install WordP ress. Not only is Bluehost user-friendly, but it also incorporates a range of tools and functionality into your WordPress dashboard to help streamline website creation. Hosting with @Bluehost? Here's how to sign up, install #WordPress, and make your #website ðŸ™Å' Click To Tweet Do you have any questions about how to install WordPress on Bluehost and launch your site? Ask away in the comments!Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips.