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How To Setup Your Self-Hosted WordPress Blog From Scratch With Godaddy (domain) and Hostgator (hosting)

A. CHOOSE YOUR DOMAIN NAME (with godaddy):

Step 1: Go to www.godaddy.com
Step 2: Register an account, and login
Step 3: Search for a domain name you would like to purchase
Step 4: In search box (top right) type in your desire domain name, and hit ‘go’
Step 5: Purchase Domain, but I recommend you IGNORE all the bonuses that they will promote. If a Godaddy sales rep calls you and tells you to buy into something else, ignore that as well.  You do NOT need anything from them except your domain.

B. CHOOSE YOUR HOSTING (with hostgator):

Step 1: Register an account with www.hostgator.com
Step 2: Go to www.hostgator.com/shared.shtml
Step 3: Click on ‘Order Now’ banner (under any plan you choose)
Step 4: Select “I will use My Existing Domain and update My Nameservers only.”
Step 5: Enter your domain name.
Step 6: Click ‘Calculate Totals’ (after you choose the appropriate plan)
Step 7: Click Continue to complete your purchase.

C. CHANGING YOUR DNS (DOMAIN NAME SERVERS)

Step 1: Return to www.godaddy.com and login
Step 2: Click on Domain Manager
Home > My Products > Domain > Domain Manager
Step 3: Click on your purchased domain name
Step 4: Click on ‘Manage’ under Nameservers
Step 4: Check your email or hostgator for your Domain name server information.
You should see two links that look like xxx.hostgator.com
(or some variation)
Step 5: Copy/Paste your 2 hostgator nameservers and replace the current
nameservers. The current ones should look like this:  xxx.domaincontrol.com
(or some variation)
NOTE – Make sure the two nameservers are put in order
Step 6: Click ‘OK’ and wait until the Nameservers are changed.
Step 7: Wait up to 24-72 hours until hostgator lets you know via email that your
website is available.

D. INSTALL WORDPRESS

Step 1: Go to www.youname.com/cpanel <—- this must be YOUR website,
not ‘yourname’.  Just type in your website name and add ‘cpanel’
Ex. www.joesmith.com/cpanel or www.thisismyname.com/cpanel
Step 2: Enter your login information (check your email for this information)
Step 3: Scroll down the page and look for Software/Services, then click on
Fantastico De Lux.
Step 4: Click on the word ‘WordPress’ under Blogs on left hand side.
Step 5: Click on ‘New Installation’ on the main page
Step 6: Select your domain that you want to install wordpress on.
Note – Ignore ‘install on directory’ (unless you know what you’re
doing)
Step 7: Create Admin username and password, admin nickname is optional
Step 8: Click Install WordPress
Step 9: Click Finish Installation
Step 10: Email the details to your site (optional)

YOU ARE FINISHED! Type in your website to see what your blog looks like =)