STEP 2: WordPress installation
As previously mentioned, WordPress is the Content Management System we will use to create your website. Click on the control panel link provided to you in your welcome email. Enter the username and password in that email to log into your hosting control panel. In the center under “Website”, you want to click on the WordPress icon.
Click the “Install” button.
There are several options on the next screen, but really, you don’t need to change much. Make sure you are installing that latest stable version of WordPress (at this time, 3.6). We will leave WordPress in the main root folder of your website, so no changes need to be made to the installation directory. You can leave the Advanced Options on the default settings as well.
Plugins for WordPress are separate pieces you can install (similar to apps on a smart phone). Out of the box, WordPress will work just fine without any additional plugins (just like your phone will work without installing any other apps). You can always add plugins to your site later, so unless you believe you absolutely need them, uncheck and skip the installation of additional plugins for now. The same is true of themes (which control how your site looks). It’s better to add them later, but you CAN choose to install them now if you wish. On the final step, check the “I have read the terms” box.
You can now click the “Complete” button and allow WordPress to install. Please be patient and wait until the WordPress installation has completely finished.
Congratulations! Installation has finished and you can try opening your website in the browser. Type your domain name (www.example.com) and you should see the basic WordPress site. It might not look like much now, but with just a little tweaking and content, you can transform this basic template into your own unique website. Changing how your site looks and reacts is the next step: configuring WordPress.
