WordPress is the most widely-used platform for website and blog creation on the market and has been for an extremely long time. Another equally popular platform is GoDaddy, which provides domain names for sale, acting as a registrar and providing different hosting accounts if you want to create a website.
Combined, these two deliver a great majority of the hosted content we view online via blogs and websites. If you’re in the market to create your website for business or pleasure, leveraging the one-stop-shop advantages of GoDaddy with a WordPress installation makes the process much simpler. In the following article, you’ll learn how to successfully install WordPress on GoDaddy to construct your site.
What Is a Domain Name?
Before we hop in the direction of how to install WordPress on GoDaddy, have a firm understanding of what a domain name and hosting accounts are. You won’t be able to install WordPress until you purchase a domain name and hosting package on the GoDaddy platform.
A domain name is just the URL of your website or the address that allows surfers to navigate your page. Your domain name is the first element of the website creation process that you’ll register and pay for.
In addition, your domain name purchase comes with a specific IP address listed in the WHOIS source of information, which acts as an online address book. Several options exist for domain purchase, including .net, .com, .org, .us, and more. After securing your official website name, purchasing hosting is next.
What Is Website Hosting?
Website hosting is the space on the internet where your domain name is parked. A hosting account is a server or several servers in a dedicated location that stores all content and data posted on your website.
After purchasing hosting, you may begin adding content and files to your server account, including pictures, video, text, audio, and any other file type you can imagine. Technically, you don’t need WordPress to create your website. However, it is much simpler and more convenient to install WordPress on your hosting package to make things straightforward.
Different hosting accounts have varying price levels, some as low as a few dollars per month and some up to hundreds of dollars per month. Several characteristics ultimately dictate the final price of any given hosting package.
When choosing a hosting account, it’s important to remember that cheap doesn’t always mean good. It’s essential to look at the following dynamics when considering which account to purchase.
The customer service level is essential in deciding on a hosting provider. Anything can go wrong with your website, and it’s important to have a responsive team available to help so your site has minimal downtime. Let’s take a closer look at the service provider GoDaddy.
How Does GoDaddy Work?
GoDaddy provides multiple web services that it owns as an independent entity. They act as a registrar for the domain names they sell, and all their hosting packages store content on servers they own.
Many website builders purchase a domain name from a different source than the hosting provider. This can cause inconveniences, as you’re dealing with two various organizations if you ever have to troubleshoot. Because of the separation creates a lot of back and forth in communication with the two if you ever need to fix an issue.
However, purchasing the domain AND hosting from GoDaddy makes life much more straightforward. This allows you to control your WordPress site from top to bottom from one easy platform.
One of the greatest conveniences of GoDaddy is its longevity and expertise in the area of domain names and hosting. They’ve been a leading provider of WordPress site creation services for decades and continue to remain innovative in providing services to clients.
The first step in understanding how to install WordPress on GoDaddy is learning how to purchase a domain name. The next section explains the process of securing your domain name, which is how surfers navigate to your site after installing WordPress.
Purchasing a GoDaddy Domain Name
When you navigate to GoDaddy, you’ll find a search box that allows you to enter any domain name you’re thinking of purchasing. The platform returns a search result notifying you that the domain name is either available or unavailable.
If the domain name is available, a section appears with your domain name and extension, in addition to the total price of the registration. However, if the domain name is unavailable, you’ll see options for purchasing different extensions but keeping the same name.
For example, if your preferred domain name is “NewMarketing.com” but is unavailable, they’ll give you options for purchasing alternative extensions like “NewMarketing.net” or “NewMarketing.org.” Dozens of potential extensions exist, one having no advantage over the other except for the visual elements.
Another option for GoDaddy when a domain isn’t available is making an offer to the current owner. Sometimes, when someone owns a website, but it’s not necessarily active, GoDaddy sometimes allows you to place an offer on the domain name you’re after.
After settling on a domain, follow the instructions to complete the checkout process, which is done via credit card, debit card, or PayPal account. You’ll also have the choice of automatically renewing the domain name the following year when the registrar expires. For this, you’ll need to leave some form of payment on file in your GoDaddy account – but don’t worry, the site is extremely professional, secure, and reputable.
Next, you’ll need hosting.
Purchase GoDaddy Web Hosting Services
Purchasing GoDaddy hosting entails a similar checkout process to the domain names but is a little simpler. There’s no trial and error or figuring out what’s available and what’s not. After navigating to the web hosting section of the site, you’ll notice several options on the lower portion of the appropriate page.
Potential web hosting packages include the Basic Plan, the Premium Plan, and different types of VPS and shared hosting. Depending on the type of website you plan on building and how much file space you need, there’s a hosting plan for nearly any level of a website owner. The more space available with your plan, the higher the prices go.
It’s important not to purchase the cheapest option you see until weighing your options. You don’t want a hosting account that limits you on space, as you’ll have problems expanding the site’s function. The next step is installing WordPress and publishing a live site.
How to Install WordPress on GoDaddy
If you’re new or have minimal experience creating a website, installing WordPress onto GoDaddy is as easy as it comes. The one-click installation allows you to install WordPress and begin constructing your website effortlessly. Use the following list to begin the installation and create your site.
- Log into your GoDaddy account and navigate to the section of your account that displays the domain names and web hosting you own.
- The domain name should have the hosting attached, displaying the specific hosting account you decided to buy.
- Find the hosting account listing, and click the “WordPress Installation” button beside your hosting account name.
- On the next screen, select “New WordPress Site.”
- You’ll have the option to choose a new installation or a migration option to use another host.
- Enter the following information:
- The domain name that you registered for GoDaddy WordPress hosting.
- Your website’s username
- Your Email address.
- Your Password.
- Afterward, you’ll be prompted to choose a username and password. Choose something unique so it’s not easier for hackers to penetrate your website. After finishing the section with your username and password, click “Finish.” Next, you’ll be introduced to your WordPress dashboard.
GoDaddy does all of the hard work for you while you reap the benefits of having a professional-grade website builder installed. After the installation is finalized, exit your control panel and log out of GoDaddy.
Sign back in and return to CPanel, ensuring that your installation was done properly and you can log into WordPress and edit your site. Assuming that you can log into the WordPress dashboard successfully, the installation process was a success.
How to Install WordPress On GoDaddy – Takeaways
Installing WordPress on GoDaddy hosting is much simpler than you previously expected. Remember that just installing WordPress doesn’t mean you’re done. You still have to construct your website!
However, WordPress is extremely user-friendly and eliminates the difficulty of coding your site completely from scratch using HTML and other languages. Using the back-end of WordPress allows you to benefit from the building blocks’ ease of use and the drag-and-drop functionality of plug-ins like WordPress Elementor.
You’ll also have the opportunity to install pre-made themes that act as templates for you to plug in your website information. Now that you’ve installed WordPress get creative with your new site and customize it as your own, adding different plug-ins and features available on WordPress!
How to Install WordPress On GoDaddy FAQs
How do I install WordPress on my GoDaddy domain?
First, you must purchase a web hosting account. Navigate to your domain and hosting list, and click the “Install WordPress” button next to your GoDaddy hosting account. Follow the instructions to finalize and select a username and password. After choosing your username, GoDaddy will automatically install WordPress.
Can I put WordPress on GoDaddy?
How do I start WordPress on GoDaddy?
Go to your web hosting list on GoDaddy and find your hosting account and domain name. Click “Start WordPress” or “Log Into WordPress,” and you’ll be able to sign onto the platform.
Is WordPress free with GoDaddy?
Yes. After purchasing a domain name and GoDaddy hosting, your WordPress website installation and account are 100% free. However, it’s important to note that additional plug-ins and themes you choose to purchase on WordPress may require additional purchases. After you install WordPress, your dashboard displays a menu to the left. You can select from this list different additions for your WordPress website.
