{"id":393,"date":"2017-04-11T04:05:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-11T04:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nickiong.com\/simplesprout\/?p=393"},"modified":"2022-06-26T14:42:00","modified_gmt":"2022-06-26T14:42:00","slug":"how-to-create-your-own-wordpress-website-or-how-to-convert-your-wordpress-com-website-to-your-own-domain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickiong.com\/simplesprout\/2017\/04\/11\/how-to-create-your-own-wordpress-website-or-how-to-convert-your-wordpress-com-website-to-your-own-domain\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create Your Own WordPress Website (or How to Convert Your WordPress.com Website to Your Own Domain)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve been wanting to start a blog\u2026congratulations! Now where do you begin?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may have heard of WordPress, one of the most powerful and user friendly blogging platforms out there. But you also may have heard\u2026there are two versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress.com<\/strong> is the Content Management System\u2019s (CMS) free<\/strong> version. Here, you\u2019ll be able to get a domain like \u201cnickiong.wordpress.com.\u201d If you\u2019re a newbie (and doing this yourself), WordPress.com is the way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress.org<\/strong> is the version of the CMS developers install on a server to populate a website. (We use this version for the websites we build here at simple sprout<\/a>.) If you\u2019re not a developer, using WordPress.org is nearly impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You choose to go ahead with a WordPress.com blog\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since you may be new to blogging, you decide to go ahead with a WordPress.com blog\u2026now for the fun part!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go to WordPress.com<\/a> and choose a domain name. If you want to have a personal blog, think about using your name if it\u2019s an easy one (like I did with NickiOng.com<\/a>) or something fun and descriptive of what you\u2019re talking about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever you do, remember that when you choose a domain name:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf It should be short and to the point
\u25cf It should be easy for someone else to type in if you say it to them (in other words, no strange numbers instead of words or misspellings)
\u25cf It should be memorable<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now you\u2019ve created your subdomain; it will be something like nickiong.wordpress.com. Now go get yourself familiarized with WordPress and then come back for our next steps.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get clear on reaching your target audience online<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Are you a rockstar entrepreneur, but totally lost when it comes to marketing your business? Learn 10 simple tips for marketing your business online (for FREE!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Help me reach my audience<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why having a subdomain is a BAD thing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wait, what? After you just told me to go create a subdomain\u2026now you\u2019re telling me it\u2019s a bad thing?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes. But here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A subdomain means that you\u2019ve not only created a website within WordPress.com\u2019s platform, but that you\u2019ve created it on their <\/em>server as well. That means that any and all incoming links to your website or \u201cgood\u201d SEO value goes straight to WordPress, not<\/em> to you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re creating a personal blog and aren\u2019t too concerned about Search Engine Optimization<\/a>, then don\u2019t sweat your subdomain. Go ahead and start blogging. But if you want to create your own<\/em> subdomain, read on, dear reader\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to convert your WordPress subdomain to your own domain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Buy your domain name.\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Go to GoDaddy (or another domain registrar) and\u00a0get your domain name<\/a>. This will be a one-time fee of $5 \u2013 $15. I recommend getting the\u00a0exact same domain name<\/em>\u00a0as your WordPress.com subdomain. (For example, nickihicks.wordpress.com and nickihicks.com.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Purchase hosting.\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019re at GoDaddy, sign up for web hosting as well. You\u2019ve bought the name, you need somewhere for it to live. Web hosting is just that. GoDaddy\u00a0now offers\u00a0WordPress hosting for as little as $1\/month<\/a>. If you need something a little more robust (you plan on having a lot going on on your site), they have larger plans as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Go to Dashboard. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Head back to your WordPress.com site and go to your Dashboard.\u00a0Go to Store > My Domains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Map domain.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Click\u00a0\u201cMap a Domain Name You Already Own.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(You can choose to register a domain name through WordPress, but I find it easier to do everything through the same source.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Redirect domain.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You will then need to pay WordPress.com to\u00a0redirect your WordPress.com subdomain to the domain name<\/strong>\u00a0you just purchased. This will be an annual fee of less than $20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now you\u2019ll see your\u00a0WordPress website on your own domain<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Happy blogging!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n <\/div>\n By Nicki Ong<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n