How To Start A Blog With SiteGround: Step by Step Guide

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Are you thinking about starting a blog and not really sure where to start?

One of the very first steps in starting a blog is picking a hosting provider. This is where all the data associated with your website is stored.

There are a lot of different hosting options to choose from. Especially if you are new to blogging it can feel overwhelming trying to decide which is the best hosting provider. 

Today I want to share with you why I personally recommend SiteGround for your hosting needs, and show you step by step how to start a blog with SiteGround.

Make sure you Pin it and SAVE this post for later if you don’t have time now.

This post is a part of a series of posts on How to Start a Blog that I have created to help simplify the process of setting up your blog on WordPress.

Why I Choose SiteGround to host my blog

I have experience with both Bluehost and SiteGround. For my first blog I went with Bluehost mostly because they are super competitive when it comes to their sign up discount. Overall set up was easy, and they have a relatively understandable interface. However, for my present blog I decided to go with SiteGround. I had heard great reviews about SiteGround and unfortunately some multiple negative reviews about Bluehost especially in circumstances with increased blog traffic growth, and that’s why I decided to make the switch when starting this blog.

After being with SiteGround for more than a year I am glad I made the switch. They offer great customer support and I can get in touch quickly with someone on their chat support to get my issue resolved.

Check out the video below with step by step instructions on how to start a blog with SiteGround or keep reading to learn more.

You can watch the video on Youtube here

Below is the step-by-step guide on how to start a blog with SiteGround.

Step 1: Go to Siteground.com and choose a hosting plan.

SiteGround offers 3 levels of hosting depending on your website needs. I went with the GrowBig plan because I was interested in the Premium Features and I wanted the ability to host multiple websites.

Step 2: Register your domain

After choosing a plan, you will need to register a domain name. SiteGround offers domain registration for $14.95/year.

Step 3: Review and complete your order

Sometimes I hate being surprised by the information that they will ask you to fill out. Make sure you have the following information on hand when going through this process.

Account information:

• Email
• Password

Client information:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Company (if applicable)
• Address
• Phone Number

Payment information:

• Payment card details

Purchase information:

You will have the option to pick how long of a plan you want to sign up for.  When first signing up they offer a discount and when your term limit ends the price will increase. If you know that you are in it for the long haul and have the budget for it then paying for hosting for 3 years upfront this is obviously the best choice in terms of cost. (This is one of my mistakes. I only paid for 1 year up front and looking back I wish I paid for the 36 months to get the best bang for my buck)

The options include:

• 1 month trial (5.95+24.95 setup fee)
• 12 months
• 24 months
• 36 months

SiteGround offer a number of extra services you should consider.

• Domain registration: $14.95
• Domain privacy: $12.00/year
  • Important because it protects your personal information that will become public when registering a domain.
• SSL certificate for 1 year: free
• HackAlert Monitoring: $12.00/yr

Step 4: Check confirmation of order and verify your Domain name.

You will be given confirmation that your account was set up and will receive the following emails.

• Sales Receipt
• Order confirmation
• Domain Service Notice

With the Domain Service Notice click on the provided link to verify your domain registration.

Step 5: Set up WordPress on SiteGround

Login to the SiteGround customer service area.

On the main homepage look for the link on the right. “Get your new site up and running: set up in 2 min!”

SiteGround offers getting started tutorials just below this link if you want to get more familiar with SiteGround and how to navigate within the SiteGround interface.

The SiteGround Account Setup Wizard will walk you through setting up WordPress.

First, the Wizard will ask if you are ready to get started and click on the choice that describes your situation:

• Start a new website
• Transfering an existing website
• Or, I don’t need assistance

Next it will ask you to determine your website preferences:

What type of website do you need?

• Personal/blog
• Business/online shop
• Forum
• Wiki Website
• Non-profit/educational
• Other

Do you know which software you are going to use?

• Joomia
• WordPress
• Magento
• Prestashop
• SMF
• Mediawiki
• Other
• I don’t know yet

To initiate the Software Installation process you will need to choose the login details for your WordPress access. It is recommended that you choose an username that is not admin for security purposes and make sure you use a strong password.

Choose Login details for WordPress:

• Admin email
• Username
• Password

SiteGround will give you the option to choose a web design theme to be installed along with your WordPress that is free for SiteGround clients.

Once submitted, you will receive a prompt that the account is set up and they will send you an email with your relevant login information.

What happens next?

Once WordPress is installed you will be able to login through the WordPress dashboard and start working on your blog. If you just purchased a domain name then wait 24 hours before logging into your WordPress dashboard. It takes just a little bit for the domain registration process to occur.

Don’t forget to check out the other tutorials in my series on How to Start A Blog.

1. Set up WordPress general settings: site title, tagline and permalink
2. Choose and install a theme for your blog
3. Install the 6 essential plugins for your blog

Recommend Blogging Tools for Setting up Your Website:

WordPress Themes: There are 3 things every blogger should invest in and that is hosting, education and a good theme. If you don’t have a theme that you love then it can be a big stumbling block. I love my Bluchic theme which is nice and versatile, fully responsive and easy to work with.

Email List Provider: Make sure you start thinking about building your email list from the beginning. Mailerlite is a great option with automation capabilities and it is free for your first 1,000 subscribers. Check out my tutorial on how to deliver your first lead magnet using Mailerlite.

Pinterest Scheduler: Make sure you are taking advantage of the power of Pinterest in growing your blog traffic. My favorite Pinterest scheduler is Tailwind. Check out my post on the 7 powerful Tailwind features (to schedule Pinterest quickly).

Check out my full list of recommended resources for blogging!

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Hi! I'm Tricia the founder of Blog Her Way. I teach aspiring bloggers how to set up their website + grow their email list to start earning income online.