WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms available. Installing it on your hosting account is straightforward—most hosts offer a one-click installer, or you can do it manually in a few steps.
One-Click Installation (Recommended)
Most hosting control panels include WordPress in their software installer library. This is the fastest way to get started.
1. Log in to your control panel and find the "Software" or "Applications" section (often called "Softaculous" or "MOJO Marketplace").
2. Search for WordPress and click "Install."
3. Choose your installation settings:
- Domain: Select the domain where WordPress will live (e.g., yourdomain.com or a subdomain like blog.yourdomain.com).
- Directory: Leave blank to install at the domain root, or enter a folder name like /blog to install in a subfolder.
- Site name: Enter your website's title (you can change this later).
- Admin username: Create a strong, unique admin username—avoid "admin."
- Admin password: Generate a strong password or enter one you'll remember (store it securely).
- Admin email: Enter your email address.
4. Review the settings and click "Install."
5. Wait for completion—you'll see a confirmation with your login details.
6. Log in to WordPress at yourdomain.com/wp-admin with the credentials you created.
Manual Installation
If your host doesn't offer a one-click installer, you can install WordPress manually.
1. Download WordPress from wordpress.org as a ZIP file.
2. Extract the ZIP file on your computer.
3. Upload to your server using FTP or your control panel's File Manager—upload all WordPress files to your public_html folder (or your chosen directory).
4. Create a MySQL database:
- In your control panel, go to "MySQL Databases."
- Create a new database (note the database name).
- Create a new database user and password (note both).
5. Run the WordPress setup wizard:
- Visit yourdomain.com in your browser.
- WordPress will detect that it's not configured and prompt you to begin setup.
- Enter your database name, username, and password.
- Complete the remainder of the setup form (site name, admin user, password, email).
6. Log in to WordPress at yourdomain.com/wp-admin with your new credentials.
After Installation
- Choose a theme: Log in to WordPress, go to Appearance > Themes, and select a design for your site.
- Create content: Add pages and posts to build out your site.
- Enable HTTPS: Most hosts offer free SSL certificates; enable HTTPS in your control panel and update WordPress Settings to use
https://URLs. - Set up backups: Configure automatic backups through your control panel or use a WordPress backup plugin.
- Install essential plugins: Add plugins for SEO, security, caching, and other functionality as needed.
Troubleshooting
Blank page or "Error establishing a database connection": Double-check that your database credentials (name, username, password) are correct in the WordPress configuration file.
Cannot access the installation wizard: Ensure all WordPress files uploaded completely and that the file permissions are correct (typically 644 for files, 755 for directories).
Domain not pointing to WordPress: Verify that your domain's DNS records point to your hosting server's IP address—this can take up to 24 hours to propagate.
Once installed, WordPress is ready for you to build on. If you run into issues, check the WordPress Codex documentation or reach out to your hosting provider's support team.