Hosting a WordPress website can feel overwhelming at first… but it doesn’t have to be. In this blog, you will find all the steps you need to launch a WordPress site, in clear and simple language. Whether you are a beginner or someone with a bit of experience, by the end of this piece, you’ll know how to host a WordPress website without any needless technical headaches. We’ll also explain why DomainKing.ng is the best WP hosting provider for Nigerian users.
Table of Contents
What you need to host a WordPress website
First, let’s list down and talk about all the things you need to host your WordPress website:
Domain name
A domain name is your website’s address on the internet (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com). It’s how people find your website through their browsers. Choosing a good domain name is a crucial first step because it sets the tone for your brand and influences how easily people remember your site. Here are a few tips for getting your domain name right:
- Keep it short and simple (ideally, less than 15 characters).
- Make sure the domain name is relevant to your website’s topic.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers as they can confuse users.
- Choose a name that is easy to spell and pronounce.
When searching for your desired domain names, you’ll notice different endings like .com, .org, or .ng. These endings are called Top-Level Domains (TLDs). Pick one based on your audience and the purpose of your website:
- .com: Great for most businesses or personal websites, especially if you are targeting a global audience.
- .org: Suitable for non-profits or organizations.
- .ng: Ideal for Nigerian businesses.
Hosting plan
Web hosting is your website’s storage space on the internet. It stores your website’s files and makes them accessible on the internet. Hosting plans come in different flavors and WordPress hosting is one of them. If you’re building a WordPress website, then it is often the best choice. Here’s why:
- WordPress hosting plans are optimized for WordPress, which ensures inherently faster loading times.
- They often include security features to protect your WordPress website from common threats.
- You’ll have access to expert support specifically for WordPress issues.
On the other hand, a regular hosting may require you to manually install and configure WordPress, a process that can be more time-consuming and prone to errors. Misconfigurations can lead to different problems, such as slower loading times, security risks, and compatibility issues with WordPress plugins and themes.
WordPress software
Once you have your domain and hosting plan, you’ll need to install the WordPress software on your hosting server. The good news? Many WordPress hosting plans come with WordPress pre-installed or offer a one-click installation feature. This allows you to launch your site in minutes.
To help you better understand the process of hosting a WordPress website, here’s a quick visual overview of the journey, from choosing a domain and hosting to launching and maintaining your site.
Step-by-step guide on how to host a WordPress website
Now that we know the prerequisites, let’s discuss all the steps you need to follow to host your website:
Step 1 — Choose a WordPress hosting provider
The first step is to choose the right hosting provider. Here are some factors to consider:
- Look for a hosting provider with at least 99.9% uptime to ensure that your site is always available.
- Choose a plan that fits your budget and offers features suitable for your website’s needs.
- Only consider providers that offer one-click WordPress installation and automatic updates. You shouldn’t have to waste time and energy on manual installation, configuration, and fine-tuning.
- Consider a provider with local support or data centers to improve website performance and reduce latency.
Considering all the above factors, our WordPress Hosting stands out as an excellent choice for Nigerian users, especially beginners. It offers affordable plans, reliable performance, and features tailored for WordPress sites. As the following comparison table demonstrates:
| Provider` | Pricing | Features | Support |
| DomainKing | Starts from ₦1,800/month | 10GB SSD storage, unlimited email accounts, unlimited bandwidth, 7-day money back guarantee, free CDN, free SSL, free malware scanning, free .ng domain, free AI site builder, and much more. | 24/7 customer support, extensive documentation, FAQ, and knowledge base. |
| Smart Web | Starts from ₦17,000/month | 5GB storage, unlimited email accounts. No money-back guarantee, malware scanning, and only supports 25,000 users/month | 24/7 customer support, but the knowledge base is a bit lacking. |
| GO54 (previously WhoGoHost) | Starts from ₦8,600/month | 25GB SSD storage, free SSL certificate, and free .ng domain. 50GB limit on bandwidth and no malware scanning or money-back guarantee. | 24/7 customer support, and an extensive knowledge base. |
Step 2 – Purchase a domain and hosting plan
Once you’ve finalized a hosting provider, the next step is to purchase your domain and hosting plan. Remember, many providers offer bundled packages that include both, which can save you a lot of money. Some providers, like us (DomainKing), even offer free domain names with their hosting plans, so be sure to check for such deals.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Go to the website of your chosen hosting provider.
- Select a hosting plan that suits your needs and budget.
- Choose a domain name for your website and register it.
- Complete the checkout process.
Step 3 – Install WordPress
The next step is to install WordPress. As we touched upon above, most WordPress hosting providers offer a one-click WordPress installation process, making this step incredibly easy. Here’s how to go about it:
- Access your hosting control panel using the login credentials provided by your provider.
- Find “WP Toolkit” and click it.
- Click “Install” to begin the installation.
- Choose or enter the required data, such as your domain name, site title, admin credentials, language, WordPress version and more.
- You also have the option to tweak advanced settings like database parameters and automatic update settings. However, unless you have specific technical knowledge, it’s best to keep these settings at their default values.
- Once you are ready, click “Install”.
Wait for a few minutes for the installation to complete.
Note: Advanced users can manually download WordPress from wordpress.org, upload it to the server, and set up the database. For most beginners, the above (automated) process is the fastest and easiest option.
Step 4 – Set up your WordPress website
After WordPress is installed, you can start customizing and configuring your website:
- Visit yourdomain.com/admin or yourdomain.com/wp-admin and enter your login details to access the WordPress dashboard.
- Go to “Appearance > Themes” in the dashboard and select a theme that fits your website’s purpose. You can choose from thousands of free and premium themes available in the WordPress theme directory.
- Add plugins for security, SEO, and performance. Some recommended plugins are:
- Security: Wordfence
- SEO: Yoast SEO
- Caching: WP Super Cache
Here are the steps to install a plugin:
- Go to “Plugins” from the WordPress dashboard and click “Add New Plugin”.
- Enter the name of the desired plugin in the search bar.
- Find the plugin in the search results and hit “Install Now”.
- Finally, click “Activate” and the plugin will now be installed and activated.such as:
4. Customize other basics, such as:
- Add a site title and tagline under “Settings > General”.
- Set your permalinks under “Settings > Permalinks” for better URL structure.
Why WordPress hosting is the best choice for beginners
Here are some reasons why choosing a WordPress hosting is a no-brainer for beginners:
- Features like one-click installations, pre-installed WordPress, and intuitive dashboards make it beginner-friendly.
- The server is pre-configured with all the optimal WordPress settings, ensuring a smooth experience for your visitors.
- Most plans come with pre-installed plugins for firewalls, malware scanning, and automatic updates to keep your website secure.
- Hosting providers offer expert support for WordPress-related issues, so you’re not left struggling with technical problems.
Debunking common myths about WordPress hosting
Here’s the truth about common WordPress hosting misconceptions shared on the internet to confuse and discourage beginners:
“WordPress hosting is too expensive”
While premium plans exist, many providers (e.g., DomainKing.ng) offer affordable WordPress hosting options, especially for beginners or small websites. Bundled packages can also help save costs.
“WordPress Hosting is Only for Big Websites”
Not true! WordPress hosting works for websites of all sizes, from personal blogs to business sites and online stores.
“You Can’t Customize Anything”
WordPress hosting allows full control over your website’s design, plugins, and features, just like regular hosting.
“It’s the Same as Shared Hosting”
While both can host WordPress, WordPress hosting is optimized specifically for the platform, so it naturally delivers better performance and features.
WordPress hosting vs. shared hosting
Here’s a comparison table to help you choose between shared vs. WordPress hosting.
| Feature | WordPress | Shared |
| Performance | Optimized for WordPress with faster speeds | General performance, not tailored to any platform |
| Ease of use | One-click installation, pre-installed WordPress | Manual setup required for WordPress |
| Security | Security plugins for firewalls and malware protection often come pre-installed | Basic security, often requires manual setup |
| Support | Dedicated WordPress support available | General hosting support, not WordPress-specific |
| Updates | Automatic updates for WordPress and plugins | No automatic updates, requires manual effort |
| Best for | Beginners and WordPress-specific sites | General websites with no specific platform preference |
| Price | Slightly higher but includes a lot more features | Lower cost, but fewer WordPress-specific benefits |
Tips for maintaining your WordPress website
Next, here are some actionable tips to keep your WordPress website working smoothly:
- Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins up to date to fix bugs, improve performance, and patch security vulnerabilities.
- Use plugins like UpdraftPlus or your hosting provider’s backup tools to schedule automatic backups.
- Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to monitor your website’s loading speed and identify areas for improvement.
- Protect your admin account with a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication for added security.
- Remove unused plugins, themes, and old revisions of posts to keep your database lean and improve site speed.
Why WordPress is ideal for Nigerian users
If you are a Nigerian user, then WordPress is the perfect fit for you. Here are a few reasons why:
- Whether you’re a small business owner, blogger, or e-commerce entrepreneur, WordPress has the tools you need to create a website tailored to your specific needs. From simple blogs to complex online stores, WordPress can handle it all.
- The core WordPress software is free, and there are thousands of free plugins available to customize your website. Plus, hosting costs are also manageable, with options like DomainKing offering affordable WordPress plans. All this makes it an ideal choice for businesses on a budget.
- WordPress themes are highly customizable. You can easily tweak them to infuse Nigerian branding elements like local languages, cultural designs, or business-specific features.
Conclusion
In this post, we shared a comprehensive yet easy guide on how to host a WordPress website. We hope that by following these steps and tips, you’ll be able to create a successful online presence and achieve your digital goals.
Ready to get started? Check out our WordPress hosting today!