Nearly every week, I receive an email from a reader asking about how I gathered the motivation to start and maintain a blog (questions related on how to start a WordPress blog on HostGator as well). The very first thing you need to do is to START the blog you want. You won't know if you like blogging or if you hate it unless you actually start one.
Personally, I didn't know if I would like blogging. I threw myself out there and before I knew it, I was addicted to it. I love blogging and everything that goes along with it.
As a little side note: Yesterday, I published a post about how it's been one year since I left my day job for full-time freelancing. If it wasn't for blogging, I honestly do not think any of this would have been possible.
So, if you're looking to start a blog, today I have a step-by-step post and HostGator review that will show you how to easily start your own blog on HostGator.
When starting a WordPress blog, choosing HostGator for your web hosting plan is a good idea. HostGator is one of the top web hosting companies because of its affordability and how easy they make it to start a WordPress blog.
Also, if you are still debating whether or not you want to switch from Blogger to WordPress, read my past post about this topic. Yes, you definitely should switch. I receive this question all the time and my answer is always the same. Switch to WordPress! I used to be on Blogger and I still regret the year I spent on it.
Here are reasons for why you might want to choose HostGator for your WordPress blog:
- HostGator is easy to use. I have created three blogs through HostGator with no problem whatsoever.
- HostGator makes it very easy to create a WordPress blog with just a few simple clicks.
- HostGator web hosting offers technical support and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
- HostGator offers cheap web hosting.
- HostGator has a 45-Day money back guarantee.
- You will be self-hosted when you purchase a web hosting plan through HostGator. If you want to monetize your blog, then you will want to be self-hosted.
Below are my step by step instructions on how to start a WordPress blog on HostGator. If you scroll down to the bottom I also have a HostGator coupon code for 25% off that everyone can use just for reading this HostGator review.
To start the process, you will first need to head on over to HostGator to do any of this. There are many web hosting companies out there, but HostGator (if you want to use Bluehost instead, the two companies are VERY similar and you can read my How To Start a WordPress Blog On Bluehost in order to do that) is one of the best blog hosting companies. There is a reason why many bloggers choose HostGator for their web hosting needs.
I have some affiliate links throughout this post, and if you could use it that would be great (along with a HostGator coupon code at the end). If you plan on starting a blog on HostGator, continue below:
Register your domain name is the first step in learning how to start a WordPress blog on HostGator.
The very first thing you will need to do when starting a WordPress blog on HostGator is to think about what you want your domain name to be.
Most people buy their domain name through GoDaddy and it's what I always do. So, you want to register your domain through Go Daddy and then use HostGator for your hosting (more steps below).
Or, you can just buy your domain directly from HostGator. There are positives and negatives of this, with the main thing being that you usually want to keep your domain and hosting separate so I usually recommend that you buy your domain through Go Daddy.
Select a plan with HostGator.
HostGator web hosting plans are CHEAP. Plans start at just $3.96 per month. If you enter HostGator coupon code MAKINGSENSEOFCENTS when checking out, then you will save 25% as well.
With the HostGator Order Wizard, you will register your new domain or enter the domain that you already own. You will then confirm your package type and billing cycle. If you have just one blog, then the cheaper Hatchling package is probably perfect for you (you can always change your HostGator blog hosting plan later). You will then choose your username and security pin. Next comes your billing information.
Keep in mind that you save more money if you choose a longer plan. I usually recommend one year or longer, and it seems like many people buy three years.
Connect your domain and your hosting.
If you buy your domain through Go Daddy, then you will need to connect your domain to your web hosting account. Go Daddy has a full support page for setting nameservers for your domain names. Don't let the instructions scare you, they are actually very easy.
How to modify your DNS Nameservers when you are using Go Daddy for your domain and HostGator for your hosting:
- Log in to the GoDaddy.com Account Manager.
- Next to Domains, click Launch.
- Select the domain name(s) you want to modify.
- From the Nameservers menu, select Set Nameservers.
- Under Setup type, select Custom.
- Select Add Nameservers.
- Enter the two nameservers your hosting provider gave you. For HostGator, you will find this in your Control Panel on the left hand side. It will look something like “ns1234.hostgator.com”
For further help, check out HostGator's help page on this subject.
Set up your blog on HostGator.
Now, once you set up your account, you will have to check your e-mail. You should receive an e-mail about your account information so that you can login. You will then click on the Control Panel Link you were given. This is your “cPanel.”
- When in your control Panel on HostGator, scroll down to “Software/Services” and click on “Quick Install.” QuickInstall is where you will install WordPress. And, it's free!
- After you click on Quick Install, on the left hand side you will find “WordPress.” Click on it.
- Click “Continue.”
- Here you will click on the domain that you want to install WordPress on. You will want to enter your admin email, blog title, admin user, first name and last name.
- Then click on “Install Now.” On the next page you will see a message. Make sure you save your username, password, and link to your admin area.
And you're done. Sort of.
WOOHOO! You now have started a WordPress blog on HostGator. You will have to work on the design and producing high quality content, of course. Good luck!
If you are looking into the actual design of your blog, Genesis seems to always be very popular. Genesis is used on my blog, and I highly recommend it. I can't believe I waited so long to switch to Genesis and I don't think I could ever switch to anything else.
Also, if you are looking for a way to send newsletters to your readers, I recommend AWeber (affiliate link).
If you found this post helpful, please click on any of my HostGator affiliate links within this HostGator review. If you enter HostGator coupon code “MAKINGSENSEOFCENTS” then you will save an additional 25% as well by using this Hostgator coupon code.
Do you have a blog? Why or why not?
Do you have any questions on how to start a WordPress blog on HostGator?
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Allison says
October 9, 2014 at 5:21 amI actually printed all your how to blogging posts and keep toying with the idea of self hosting….. You keep inspiring me!!!
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:05 amThank you Allison!
Mrs. Frugalwoods says
October 9, 2014 at 5:52 amAgreed on the use of WordPress–it’s vastly superior, and, quite straightforward to use. I’ve had blogs before, but Frugalwoods is my first experience interacting with an awesome community of bloggers and with producing content on a consistent and frequent basis. I love it! Plus I get to take lots of photos of Frugal Hound because I need them “for the blog.” 😉
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:06 amThanks! I agree, WordPress is MUCH better. I receive so many emails from Blogspot bloggers saying that they are afraid to move their site. There is no reason to be afraid!
Thomas @ i need money ASAP! says
October 9, 2014 at 6:05 amEveryone should give blogging a try! I started about 8 months ago and love it. It’s a lot of work but overall it’s a pretty inexpensive hobby. There’s even the possibility of making some serious cash if your site takes off!
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:07 amYes, I agree with everything you just said! 🙂
Jack Gamble says
October 9, 2014 at 6:20 amSomething worth mentioning here is that people considering hostgator often shop around, looking at other hosts too to see which is the best. Let me save you a few hours: all the cheap hosts are offering pretty much the same product and service, so note that it doesn’t matter too much which one you pick. Hostgator are reliable in terms of site uptime though, I find.
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:09 amI agree! They are ALL very similar.
Holly@ClubThrifty says
October 9, 2014 at 7:17 amNice giveaway, Michelle! I’m definitely glad I’m on WordPress!
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:10 amThanks Holly!
Will @firstqfinance says
October 9, 2014 at 8:34 amBlogging has definitely changed my life. The blog itself is an interesting world and it’s also opened the door to lots of other online opportunities. I’ll try HostGator when I setup another blog. Right now First Quarter Finance is using Bluehost. I love them but… variety is the spice of life! Gotta give all the big names a shot! 😀
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:10 amYes, blogging has opened the door to a lot of online opportunities for me, and I love it all!
Erin LFF says
October 9, 2014 at 9:25 amWordPress is something that I’ve been looking into more and more because it seems all the “legit” bloggers recommend it 🙂 I’ve been thinking of starting a new/different one and hope to go the WP route this time. Your info was super helpful- thanks for sharing!!
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:37 amYes you should Erin! 🙂
Sarah says
October 9, 2014 at 9:25 amNow I am officially confused. I was going to move my blog over to bluehost this week (I haven’t purchased web space, that was on my to do list today), but after seeing this, my question to you is: bluehost or hostgator?
I have googled comparisons and the two seem to stack up side by side for the most part. I saw that hostgator lets you pay per month, does bluehost do the same or do they make you pay for the whole year right off the bat?
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:38 amHey Sarah,
It’s really up to you. Both Bluehost and HostGator are extremely similar. I think they both let you pay by month, but you will save more money if you buy a yearly plan.
Sarah says
October 9, 2014 at 10:25 amIn all the side by side comparisons bluehost and hostgator seem to come out “tied”, which to me is so confusing. If I’m going to sink money into something, I really want to make sure that I get a good service, you know? I’ll have to dig more into how their payments work. I’d like to purchase a yearly plan, but pay for it month by month, if that makes sense.
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 10:34 amI don’t think you’ll make a bad choice with either since they are so similar. Maybe just go with whatever is cheapest?
And yes, you can purchase a yearly plan and pay for it month by month. However, if you pay for your package upfront for the whole year, you will save a decent amount of money by doing so.
kay ~ frugalvoices.com says
October 9, 2014 at 9:32 amThis was a really informative post, Michelle. I wish I’d seen this before we started blogging. We do have WordPress, but we’re hosted by Borg. I’m not sure why. Hub-meister does all the set-up and behind the scenes stuff. I more so enjoy the bouncing around like a Tigger, reading all these great posts! 🙂
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 9:38 amThanks Kay 🙂
sam says
October 9, 2014 at 11:13 amHey Michelle!
I started a wordpress site through hostgator a few months ago and I’m loving it so far. I would love for you to check it out and give me some feedback 🙂
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 11:18 amHey Sam!
I just took a look at your site and it looks great. I love how clean it is and how easy it is to use!
Brad says
October 9, 2014 at 12:31 pmThanks for the contact Michelle! Are you actually hosted on HostGator using WordPress yourself?
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 12:39 pmYes, a few of my websites are hosted on HostGator.
Joana Bento says
October 9, 2014 at 12:38 pmI’ve been thinking about creating a blog for some time and this post was really helpful!
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 12:40 pmHope you start one Joana 🙂
Crissa Robertson says
October 9, 2014 at 12:48 pmI use WordPress but I feel like I don’t know what I am doing. I also feel like I am paying too much for BlueHost because I don’t fully understand what it offers and I am not using it to my full potential.
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 12:55 pmBlueHost is just the hosting for your blog, and that’s really the only service it provides. If you have a blog, then you are using it to its full potential 🙂
If you have any questions, you can always email me.
Kayla @ Femme Frugality says
October 9, 2014 at 1:39 pmYes, I’m so glad I switched to self-hosted when I did. I was only on blogger for about 5 months, but that was long enough for me. It was harder to see growth and I’ve had so much more success since I switched to a self-hosted wordpress.
Michelle S. says
October 9, 2014 at 2:55 pmThat’s great to hear Kayla!
melissa cushing says
October 9, 2014 at 3:11 pmThanks so much for sharing this wonderful article! Very helpful to someone looking to start blogging, wish this was posted when I was starting! I will check into this for myself! Thanks!
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:21 amThanks Melissa!
Donna Martin says
October 9, 2014 at 8:40 pmI think one of the most interesting things about regular writing is that not only does it make you live a more intentional life, it actually has literal health benefits
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:22 amI agree Donna. Thanks!
Kristin says
October 9, 2014 at 9:51 pmI am new to blogging and this article really gives me confidence to keep going! I would love to see another post on your favorite tips when using wordpress!
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:23 amWhat kind of tips regarding WordPress would you like to see?
Thanks Kristin!
Kristin says
October 10, 2014 at 9:29 amI think WordPress can be confusing when first getting started, especially with all the different widgets that can be implemented! It has been a lot of trial & error for me – I wish there was a list of top widgets that bloggers like to use 🙂
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:39 amAwesome! I’ll be sure to write a blog post about this soon 🙂
Kristin says
October 10, 2014 at 9:41 amThanks Michelle!
fionpu says
October 9, 2014 at 10:04 pmThanks for hosting this awesome giveaway…
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:24 amWelcome 🙂
Katelyn @ Diaries of a Wandering Lobster says
October 9, 2014 at 10:15 pmI first started my first blog on Blogger because I didn’t know any better. Then I learned about WordPress and moved my blog over to WordPress. AHmazing! Once I got more into blogging I decided to go self-hosted. That was tough. I’m not a computer/technie person so I ended up paying WordPress to transfer it for me. It cost me about $150 at the time, but it was worth it as I would still be trying to do it now a few years later! I just recently switched my second blog from WordPress.com to self-hosting. I used Fiverr and paid someone $5 to transfer my site to my new host. I highly recommend Fiverr for WordPress help and graphic design. I paid someone $25 to design my blog logo. It’s awesome!
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:26 amWow $5 to transfer a website is crazy cheap!
Agnes Dela Cruz says
October 9, 2014 at 10:20 pmThank you for the tips on how to start a wordpress blog. I have a blog and been meaning to transfer blog post to WordPress and I might give it a try with this tips. Thanks again!
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:27 amDo it! 🙂
Karen Bainbridge says
October 10, 2014 at 8:45 amThanks for all the information, you really have me stoked about setting up a blog.. I have been toying with the idea but have been a bit timid about starting one!! You have given me more confidence to at least try. I love Word Press it is really well set up and all there when you need it in one place. Thank you for thee every bit of information in your blogs very helpful. Thanks for the Giveaway it’s great!
Michelle S. says
October 10, 2014 at 9:29 amThanks Karen 🙂
Tanya says
October 10, 2014 at 9:55 amThanks for so freely sharing your information and advice!
Michelle L says
October 10, 2014 at 2:54 pmThank you Michelle and happy thanksgiving.(I’m Canadian-its thanksgiving here)
roland monkman says
October 10, 2014 at 3:35 pmthanks for sharing your advice and awesome giveaway.
Yvette Figueroa says
October 11, 2014 at 11:09 amI’ve always wanted to start a blog but had no idea where to begin. Thank you for the step by step process. I’m not too computer savvy and this has helped me quite a bit!
Petra Jadan says
October 11, 2014 at 10:11 pmI’m always online reading blogs and entering giveaways. I would love to create a blog.
Edmond says
October 11, 2014 at 11:36 pmOMG, I have always wanted to create a blog. Wow, ur step by step process is fab. & splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity
D.Johnson says
October 13, 2014 at 12:45 pmI was wondering how you start a blog website.
Karen Martin says
October 14, 2014 at 9:11 amI do appreciate all the info and the giveaway! Thanks!
Rae L. says
October 25, 2014 at 2:29 amI didn’t know you were nominated for a Versatile Blogger Award.
Ran M says
November 2, 2014 at 1:51 amVery interesting and inspiring. I was wondering about that.
Sandra Watts says
November 3, 2014 at 11:20 pmGreat blogging tips. Thanks for sharing.
Richard Hicks says
November 4, 2014 at 6:59 pmshared save 50% income post
https://www.facebook.com/richard.hicks22/posts/680999608664757?pnref=story
shared graduating post
https://www.facebook.com/richard.hicks22/posts/680999978664720?pnref=story
Kacey says
January 18, 2017 at 3:15 pmHi! I need help! I set up my wordpress blog through hostgator and when I’m in wordpress and want to post a blog there’s no place to hit publish. I have no idea how to get my posts to publish! I’ve tried posting the same blog 3 times and there’s no button to push to publish. I’m super frustrated. Can you help?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
January 18, 2017 at 3:44 pmCan you email me a screenshot at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com?