Now it’s easier than ever to set up your own website. The WordPress platform is a great option if you’re on a budget and you need to DIY your own site. I recently went through the entire sign up process with BlueHost for setting up this website and I want to share the setup process with you step-by-step.

I have used other webhosts in the past and many have easy WordPress installers and set up wizards, but I feel that BlueHost was extremely user friendly and easy to get set up. The price is pretty good too. Read on to read the step-by-step instructions to get set up. (Keep in mind the screenshots and instructions here were created at the time that I signed up. In the future BlueHost may change up the way the signup process flows. Hopefully this will still be accurate enough to follow. If you note any deviations from this tutorial, please contact me and let me know what was different and I’ll update this post!)

Disclosure: This post contains my affiliate link to BlueHost.

In addition to this post, I invite you to download my Website Launch Kit which includes a website launch checklist, recommended tech, plus free design tools and resources to get you started on your new website project! Download your Launch Kit now

How to Set up a Website in 20 minutes (for less than $5/month!)

1. Head over to BlueHost

Sign up for BlueHost now!

When you get to the BlueHost website, at the top go to products and click on shared hosting. Then click the get started now button.

2. Select Your Plan & Sign Up

You can just go with the basic plan. At the time of writing this, BlueHost was having an introductory special on pricing so when you sign up your first invoice is discounted. I chose the basic level which has pricing as low as $3.49/month if you sign up for a 36 (3 year) commitment. I went with 1 year, so it was a bit more per month. You will see that later… moving along now!

After you select you plan you will fill in your personal info and then there will be some options for your plan and add ons. Keep in mind when you’re signing up, you will be billed up front for your plan. So if you want to pay for 3 years up front, you can get a better deal. If you’re on a tight start up budget, you can opt to only make a 1 year commitment. As for the other add ons, you really don’t need all those. Uncheck them and move on to putting in your billing info.

Congratulations! Now you’re in! BlueHost will now offer you some additional upsells. If you need some of these things, go for it. But I don’t so I just skipped to the bottom and clicked “no thanks”

Next you’ll see the congratulations screen and a button to create your password.

3. Set up Email

When you get into your hosting account the first welcome screen will prompt you to create your email account. You can do that first. I set up my email to be something like hello@ or info@ your domain name. You could also set one up for your first name @.

After you set up your email account, then you’re ready to set up WordPress!

4. Set up WordPress

You’re almost there! Click website at the top and then click the Install Now link for WordPress. Then on the next screen, click Install under Do It Yourself. No need to pay for the install because it’s easy enough to DIY your website!

The next steps will walk you through the install. Choose to install your site on the domain you want. As you continue, expand the advanced settings and be sure to edit those so your website has a personalized name. You also get to choose your admin username and password. Then click install now.

You will then see that WordPress is installing across the top of the screen. After it’s done it will prompt you to move on to the next step

Now click to view your credentials. Take note of these and/or edit them once you get into your site because I believe these are only available to view for a limited time for security reasons. Then you will be presented with all of the info you need to access the admin side of your wordpress website. You will login to your site by going to your domain with /wp-admin added to the end of the web address. Use the username and password you set up to log in to your site! Woo Hoo!

When you log in you will be directed to your WordPress Dashboard.

You’ve successfully set up your hosting account, installed WordPress, and set up your website! How awesome is that!?