This is a tutorials about "How To Register a Domain Name and Hosting Account".
Step 1: Register A Domain Name
Step 2: Get A Blog Hosting Plan
Step 3: Change Name Server Settings
Step 1: Register A Domain Name
This is the first step of creating your website. I recommend you register your domain name with Godaddy Namecheap. Prepare a few domain names and conduct the search, sometimes your selection might registered by other people.
Go through the steps below to check your domain names are available:
Go Namecheap > 1. Enter the domain name you want > 2. Choose your preferred extension(s) > Search
Select the domain name that available from the search results > Add to Cart.
Select Express Checkout.
Note: Namecheap might offer you to buy the hosting plan. Just ignore this from now as I will go through with you the hosting registration in Step 2.
Review your Shopping Cart items before make payment via Credit Card or PayPal.
Step 2: Get A Blog Hosting Plan
Next, you need to get a host for your new website. There are many hosting companies out there but NOT all hosting plan are compatible with WordPress Blog system. I recommend you use HostGator. It comes with many good features below:
Follow the step below to register Blog Hosting:
Go HostGator > Web Hosting > Linux Web Hosting Packages > Baby Plan
Baby Plan offers 600GB in disks pace and 6,000GB in Bandwidth which is more than enough to starter. However, if you are just want to setup one domain, you can take up Hatching Plan, which is charge at US$8.95 monthly + US$5.00 setup fee or yearly US$83.40.
Once you have decided on the hosting plan, click or Order Now button and proceed for the registrations. Select "I will use my existing domain and update my name servers only" and enter your newly registered domain name.
Select the billing cycle option, either you want to go for monthly, half-yearly, yearly, 2 year or 3 year plan.
I recommend you get the Bay Monthly Plan at US$9.95. This Baby plan can host unlimited domain name. Most of my students get started with this plan. However, if you want to get 2-year plan, Hostgator will offer you at US$214.80 for 2 year which is US$8.95 per month.
Select I am a new customer option and press Continue.
Fill in all your particular, take note you must fill your actual information. They are going to review your particular before approve your application.
Select an Username and Password.
Choose your prefer method for payment. You can either use Credit Card or PayPal. For me, I prefer to use PayPal. If you don’t have PayPal account, you can register one here.
Select Yes and click on Verify My Order button.
Right after you made the payment, Hostgator will review your application. Normally they will approve your account within the same day (except weekend).
Remarks:
HostGator verify every new customer order and they may ask you to send you extra information such as Photo ID / Identity card and Credit card scan both side copy (if you use credit card). Or you can call them to verify yourself before they give you the access.
Once you have passed the verification process, you will receive an activation email from Hostgator containing the name servers as well as IP address details. You need these 2 information in order to link up your domain name and the hosting account.
Step 3: Change Name Server Settings
Now, you have gotten your domain name and hosting plan. It’s time to hook up your domain name with the hosting so that you can start working on your new website.
Go Through the steps below to change your name server settings:
Go Namecheap > Manage Domains > Select Domain Name > Domain Name Server Setup
Login your Namecheap account again and select the website that you have just register.
Select Domain Name Server Setup > Change Existing Name Server settings (refer to your email on your assigned name server) > Save Changes
Wait for 30 mins or up to 1 day in order to let the new name server settings took effect.
Once you see hostgator page appear in your website, that means the new name server settings has done.
You can proceed to next step. Check out my blog post on How To Install WordPress In Less Than 5 Minutes.
