The second step in starting a blog, is actually getting your blog online. That’s what a web hosting company will do for you. In this step, you’ll be selecting the blogging platform and web hosting plan you’ll use to get your blog online.
What is web hosting?
How much does web hosting cost?
What’s the best web hosting service to use?
The combination of blogging platform & web hosting I personally use (and that most other bloggers use) is a WordPress blog, hosted by Bluehost. WordPress is a free publishing platform that’s been around since 2003 and now powers more than 60% of all blogs on the Internet. Bluehost is one of the most established, reliable companies in the blog hosting industry. This combination is what we’ll be using to start your blog. Now, let’s get your hosting set up.
—> Click here to head over to Bluehost and hit the green “Get Started Now” button
Start a Blog with Bluehost Web Hosting Plans (WordPress Blog) and Domain Names - Screen Shot of Bluehost Homepage
Choose Your Web Hosting Plan
First, you’ll select a hosting plan (inputting your blog name comes next). Personally, I recommend choosing the Choice Plus plan because it comes with Domain Privacy, which will protect your personal information (your full name, email address, phone number and home address) from being published anywhere online.
Choosing your plan will look like this right here. Just click the green “Select” button on your plan of choice:
Selecting Your Bluehost Blog Hosting Plan (Choice Plus) Screen Shot of Plans and Pricing
As I said above, I recommend choosing the Choice Plus plan, so that you’re getting the Domain Privacy feature that’ll protect your personal information online, but any of these plans will do as you’re starting thailand business mailing list your blog—and you can add the domain privacy in later during the checkout process for around $1/mo.
Pick Your Blog’s Domain Name
Next, you’ll get to the page where it’s time to choose your blog’s domain name:
Create an Account and Choose Your Domain Name with Bluehost to Host Your Blog
Once you get to this step in the checkout process, just type in the name of the domain name that you’d like your blog to have (mine is ryrob.com).
If you want to run a quick search to see if your domain name is available, you can do it quickly right here using my free domain name generator:
Check if your domain name is available:
Search for an available domain name:
Search for available domain names...
Search Domains
If your domain name of choice isn’t available, you can either try another option that comes to mind—or (what I recommend) select the option to choose your domain name later after getting the rest of your account squared away and taking a little more time to think the name through. Plus, later on down in this guide, I expand some more on how to choose the right name for your blog if you’re not decided yet.
Here’s where you can click to choose your domain later, just below the options to select a domain name now or import a domain you already own: