My Success Story- why I’m so passionate about showing you how to start a lifestyle blog.
Blogging began as a hobby and has transformed into so much more than that for me. For more than 13 years, I’ve been able to come here, share bits about my life and connect with so many others! I started out sharing mainly my life, then incorporated fashion, then pregnancy, motherhood and parenting. Essentially, the blog has grown with me!
That’s the biggest reason that I want to show others how to start a lifestyle blog. It has opened so many doors and presented many opportunities that wouldn’t have been there without this blog of mine. Blogging has allowed me to do what I love and to stay at home with my babies. It has allowed me to create my own schedule and express myself in ways I never knew were possible before.
I had no idea at the time, but blogging has now set me up to be able to homeschool my kids, which I am so thankful for!
I know what you’re thinking- “I don’t know how to start a lifestyle blog” and “it just seems so hard to do” or “it’s too late to start a blog”- well I’m here to show you that a blog can be created easily by just following a few steps! And starting is the KEY to blogging! I had no plan when I started, other than to just share my life.
How to Start a Lifestyle Blog
1: Choose Your Blog’s Topic
2: Choose Your Platform
3: Get URL and Domain
4: Get Hosting
5: Install WordPress
6: Install a Theme
7: Publish Your First Post
What is a lifestyle blog?
A lifestyle blog is simply a blog where you write about things going on in your life! It can be very general, or can focus on one aspect of your life (like motherhood or fashion) with some other content mixed in every now and then. It’s really a wide-open option, which is why I recommend it!
You can start a blog related to anything though! Some of the most popular blogging categories are: food, lifestyle, parenting, fitness and finance.
This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to launch your own blog.
I created this one-page PDF printable with an 8-week launch checklist. If you do everything on this checklist, you’ll be well on your way to your first profitable month!
Before We Begin: Why create a lifestyle blog?
There are so many great reasons to start a blog today! Let’s talk about the obvious one first – money. Yes, you can earn money blogging. Within just a couple of years, I was making a notable income from the blog, after about 5 years I was making a full-time income and was able to leave my job! The good news for you, is that it’s easier to build a blog FAST in today’s world. I didn’t have Instagram, or even really Facebook at the time I started. Now, you have so many avenues to build a blog audience quickly! The best part is that because I make a living from my blog, I am able to stay home with my babies and work from here!
Don’t let anyone try and tell you blogging is an easy, get rich quick thing. It takes a LOT of work, but I still believe it is one of the BEST businesses a stay-at-home-mom, student (or anyone!) can start because of the LOW startup cost and unlimited potential.
I’ve been able to live a life I only dreamt about when I was waiting tables at a restaurant 12 years ago. I am able to wake up every day and do exactly what I want to do!
So, are you ready to start your blogging journey?
Print this pdf checklist to help make sure you complete all of the steps!
Step 1: choose your blog topic
What are you interested in?
Blogging about what interests you is very important. If you like the topic, and are interested in what you’re writing about, your readers will pick up on that. You’ll also enjoy doing it more and that is especially important if you’re going to stick with it.
Even if you’re blogging as a business, it should still be fun and something that you enjoy. If you start out writing for the sole purpose of making money, people will see straight through that.
What are you good at?
If you have a particular skill that you think should be shared with the world, a blog is the perfect place to do it! Do you excel in the kitchen? Start a food blog! Are your friends always asking you for fashion advice? Perhaps fashion blogging is the way to go.
If you can offer tips and generally help people out, they will flock to your blog.
Step 2: choose the proper platform
WordPress all the way
I won’t even discuss other options because I am so passionate about WordPress as a blogging platform. Here are a few reasons why WordPress is the best platform for blogging:
- Great for beginners
- Tons of free themes available
- Easily customizable, even if you have no coding knowledge
- There are tons of free plugins that make just about everything easier
- WordPress is the most commonly used platform, and therefore there are tons of resources out there providing help, should you get stuck
Why not a free platform?
There are many reasons why you should avoid using a free platform for your blog. Among them are:
- Some free platforms put their own ads on your site
- Most free platforms restrict your ability to put ads on your site or make any money at all
- There is virtually no support available and even something as simple as a design change warrants a cost (thus becoming not free)
- You will have an ugly URL, such as www.yourblog.blogspot.com
- Most importantly, you don’t own your blog when it’s on a free platform – it’s literally like building your house on land that you don’t own
Let me address that last point again. If your blog is on a free platform, you do not own the blog, or the URL. This means (and it has happened before) that your blog could be shut down at the drop of a hat, for any reason they see fit. Some blogs have been shut down because the blogger was working with a company that the platform owners don’t like. You don’t want to put your blog in someone else’s hands just to save five bucks a month.
Step 3: snag your URL or domain name
If you already have a domain name, click this page to see how to get HostGator hosting set up for your existing domain.
Ok, now that you’ve got your blog topic and are ready to set up your WordPress blog, it’s time to get a domain name. This will be your website’s address, or what goes here: www.YOURSITE.com.
Tips on choosing a domain name:
- Make it as short as you can. The shorter it is, the easier it is for people to remember and type.
- Make sure it conveys your blog’s message. While trying to keep it short, be sure to include something about yourself or your blog’s message in the URL.
- Don’t steal. It’s best not to copy someone else’s idea when it comes to your blog. I also don’t recommend using brand names in your URL.
Step 4: Get hosting
It’s time to click right here to head over to HostGator to get your domain and hosting.
I am a HostGator affiliate and get a commission when you use my links to save up to an extra 60% off your plan. I could be an affiliate for any company, but I choose HostGator due to their incredibly low costs and awesome 24/7 customer support. Their one-click WordPress install is perfect for people who are starting new blogs.
When you use the exclusive links on this post, plans start at under $5/month $3/month!
Note – I have an exclusive 40% off code up to 60% off deal for HostGator plans. Normal affiliates get a 25% off code to offer their readers, but I asked for more and you get to reap the benefits!
Choose a plan and you’ll be at this screen:
Next, you’ll enter the domain name aka your blog’s web address. The first couple you enter might already be taken. Don’t get discouraged! There are still great, unclaimed domain names out there!
Upon entering an available domain, you will see that it is available and it will be automatically added to your cart (as shown above).
You will then be given the option to add the .net and .org versions of your domain. I generally do not do this and only buy the .com domain.
You’ll also see a checkbox for “Domain Privacy Protection”. You want to keep this checked. It’s $10/year, but it prevents your registration information from being public information. This keeps your email address, phone number and even physical address from being public information. Instead, they will see HostGator’s company information.
Scroll down a bit to see this screen:
Confirm your hosting package and billing cycle length and then create an account username and password.
After that, scroll down and enter your billing info. Their site is 100% secure.
Note: if at any point during this process you get stuck, feel free to contact me (info at the bottom of post) or jump on the phone and call HostGator at 1-866-96-GATOR or click the “live chat” button in the top right portion of their page and they’ll be happy to help you out.
Scroll down a bit more for some extra options. You don’t NEED any of these, as they can all be achieved outside of HostGator. For example, there are plugins to back up your blog and to improve security. Basically, I’d take note as to what these add-ons do and look for ways to do them yourself. It’s cheaper and more effective.
If you used any of the links in this post, the next section will have code KDW60 already entered to get your 60% discount!
Underneath of that, you’ll be able to review your order. It will look something like this:
Check the box that you agree to their terms, move forward and complete your payment.
Whew!
Step 5: install WordPress
Once payment is complete, you’ll receive an email within a few minutes confirming your purchase and containing important information. I recommend forwarding this email to another email address that you own so it is in two places just in case.
Note: check your spam folder for the next couple of days to make sure nothing lands there. I am hearing that the email from LaunchPad (who HostGator uses to register your domain name) is ending up in spam folders. You’ll want that email to finalize your registration!
In the email will be a link to your control panel aka cpanel. You’re going to want to click that. You’ll have to login. The login and password will be in the email as well.
Now that you’re past that screen, you should get to your cPanel. This is the “back end” of your site and where all of the key technical matters will take place. It will look like this:
DON’T click the Build a New WordPress Site icon! We’re going to Install WordPress from a different location.
In the cpanel, you’ll see a LOT of icons. Ignore them all for now. You don’t want to spend a lot of time here unless you really know what you are doing. What we will do here is install WordPress. With HostGator, it is actually very easy to install WordPress on a domain. In your cPanel, scroll down and look for a “Software/Services” section. It’ll look like this:
Click QuickInstall to move forward.
Then choose WordPress:
Choose your domain from the dropdown and leave the directory box blank:
Next, you’ll be at the WordPress install screen.
Fill out the boxes on that next screen and click install. Install will take a couple of minutes and then you’ll see this screen:
From there, copy your password and click “login” use your username and password from the previous screen and login!
Note: While most blogs will be able to be accessed right away, this process could take up to 48 hours. A very few amount of blogs will have to wait up to 48 hours, due to their location in comparison to the HostGator data servers. Feel free to use the HostGator chat support found right on their site to ask them for updates on this process.
This is what your WordPress dashboard will look like:
Aaaaaaand that is how to start a lifestyle blog that is self-hosted on WordPress.
Whew! We made it! Was it easy? Do you have questions? Leave a comment below, email me [email protected] or catch me on Twitter @RealZackReyes. I’m happy to walk you through this process!
Step 6: find a theme that you like
At this point, you might want to take a look at our How to Set Up a WordPress Blog course here.
Hold your mouse over “Appearance” and click “Themes” to browse the hundreds of free WordPress themes available.
Look for a theme toward the top (probably the top 20 or so) of the “popular” themes section. You’ll find that by hovering on “appearance” then clicking “themes” then click “add new” and you’ll see the top themes.
The free themes have gotten really good and you should be comfortable picking one of those to get you started.
Step 7: publish your first post
When you’re ready to post, hover over the “Posts” option and a new dropdown menu will appear. Click New Post and you’re off and running! Congratulations- you have just started your own lifestyle blog!
To delete the original post that they put there, click all posts and you’ll see an option to trash that “Hello World” post.
Visit MoreFromYourBlog.com for tips on gaining traffic, increasing your social media following, making money from your blog and much, much more.
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Tips for Blogging Success
-Write about what you love. What are you passionate about? What makes you excited and really makes you you? If you write about things that you truly love, chances are your writing will be better and others will love reading it!
-Be consistent. Whether you’re blogging once a day or once a week, consistency is key!
-Be ethical. Disclose properly for products and payments received in return for posts, and also don’t plagiarize or steal ideas and images.
-Make your blog beautiful! Spend time (or money) making the small design details of your blog perfect for you!
-Be active on social media. Don’t automate all of your accounts. Rather, be present on each platform that you’re trying to build. People like you for you and your personality should sine through!
-Take pride in the pictures that you put on your blog. This is all yours- own it!
-Steer clear of any blog drama! It is not worth your time. If you don’t have anything nice to say, just don’t say anything at all!
-Most importantly: HAVE FUN! If you’re not enjoying what you are doing, you are more likely to give up. Plus, it will come through in your content, and others will be able to tell that you aren’t enjoying it, too.
To give you an idea of lifestyle blog content, some of my favorite posts are about my daughter turning one, what I did on a recent weekend and a list of things that make me happy. You see, lifestyle blogging truly can simply be all about you and your life! Document it all on a blog and see where it takes you!
Now go on with your blog self! ;)
Did you have any questions on how to start a lifestyle blog? Comment below and I’ll try and answer!
xo
Hi! I just followed your directions because they were super easy to read & understand. I set everything up but after I downloaded wordpress through fantastico de luxe, i clicked the link to my website but it says that
The requested URL is not available.
Requested URL:
http://loveandguac.com/wp-admin/
Recommendations
•Ensure the URL is entered correctly.
•Refresh your browser window.
•Try again later.
Can you help me with this?!
Thanks girl!
Hi! Oh no! My husband is available to help you with this. Email him at [email protected] and he’ll take a look at things for you.
Hey Katie!
I first wanted to tell you that I love your blog, your family, and adorable son. :) . I also wanted to tell you I started my own blog with the help of your instructions above. I have been wanting to start one for so long just to document what was going on in my life and fashion, etc and I finally did it. You made it so easy. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Stay beautiful
Theresa
Awww you are so sweet Theresa! Thank you so much for your comment. :) I’m SO glad you took the plunge and started your own blog! It looks great! :) I’m also really glad that my post helped. <3
xo
thank you for this!! I’ve decided to start a blog with my free time when kids are in bed. Funny, I follow you on Instagram for TIU and I was so excited when I saw this! Love your blog!:)
Aww Bethany!!! Thank you so much! :) Excited for you to start your own blog!
xo
Thank you for this!
http://mademoiselleaventure.blogspot.co.uk
You are so welcome!! Glad it’s helpful :)
xo
Love this! Def glad I stumbled upon this as I’m in the process of starting my own blog. No posts are up yet, but check it out: trilltalknyc.wordpress.com
-Sam
Cool! I’m so glad this post helped! :)
xo
Thanks so much for this!
You’re so welcome! :) I hope it helped!
xo
Hi katie, I am thinking of buying the baby plan of hostgator. Does this package allow hosting of multiple websites? I want to host two websites to this package. Thanks!
Hi! I just chatted with live chat to confirm, and you can host multiple sites with the baby plan! :) Let me know if you have any other questions!
xo
Hi Katie!
Found your blog through a Google search :)
So happy to see bloggers in the Sacramento area! Thanks for this lovely post!
-Lisa
everydayelevated.blogspot.com
So cool that you’re a fellow Sac blogger! Glad you found me! :)
xo
Thank you for posting this! I’m a web developer and at first I wanted to blog just about technology and then realized that I also wanted to blog about cooking, music, and just … life in general. I didn’t realize that a lifestyle blog is really what I’m trying to go for. (Still new to the blogging scene.)
Thanks for making this easy to understand for new bloggers like myself.
Aww you’re so welcome! Thank you so much for your comment, Marisa! I’m glad this was helpful for you! :)
xo
Hi Katie! I’ve been following you for about two months now and love love love your posts, your family, and you! I’ve been researching to start my own lifestyle blog since, I think, October so I was happy to find this! Do you pay the whole total amount up front with this or is there a way to do it monthly?
Thank you for this post and advice!
Ariana xx
Thank you so much Ariana! You are the sweetest. How exciting that you’re starting a blog! Best decision ever. :) As for your question, you can do it monthly, but your cost per month goes way up. I would definitely do at least one year, but you can do up to 3. Let me know if you have any more questions!!
xo
Hi Katie! I just completed the process following your instructions. They were super simple and painless, thank you for taking the time to walk us all through this process! Bad news- after I installed wordpress, I went to the wp-admin link provided and it said “failed to open page” and that Safari can’t find the server. I’m not sure where to go from here? Could you point me in the right direction?
http://samanthashoots.com/wp-admin/
Thanks!
Hi Sam! I’m so excited for you! Ok, so setting things up is the hardest part, but it’ll be done soon enough. I’m not exactly sure what went wrong since I can’t look in your account. HostGator does have a live chat that should be able to fix this for you pretty quickly. If you can’t get a hold of them, feel free to email my husband your account info and he can take a look at it. [email protected]
xo
I found your site and was looking through the steps. I have just set up a site through hostgator but Fantastico De Luze has been retired. Any other suggestions for setting up WordPress?
Awesome! Glad to hear! Look for something called QuickInstall in that same area. If you’re having trouble, email my husband at [email protected] and he’d be happy to look at it for you.
xo
Hi I just found this through your husband’s site! Great info! I have a few quick questions. I started my blog about 6 months ago, and I’m falling out of love with the theme I chose. I want to try a new one. If I switch, will it reset my layout and pages, caregories, etc? Or will it all stay as is but just with a different background and colors?
Also, what is the definition of a “medium blog” in your example?
Thanks so much!
Ashley
My site is http://www.myhousefullofboys.com if you want to take a look. I originally liked the darker background, but it seems that most blogs have a white background and are lighter. Mine almost seems gloomy haha
Hi Ashley! Ok, so changing the theme won’t reset your pages or categories, but you will definitely see some visual changes, as all themes are built differently. We use Genesis themes on all of our sites and love how they look and function. You can quickly change the background of your blog though if you are somewhat comfortable with code. Just change the #878787 in your CSS file to #ffffff and the background should turn white. Feel free to email me if you have any questions! [email protected]
Thanks Zach!! Got it chanced and I like it much better!
YAY! So glad to hear that! :)
xo
Changed* and Zack*! Sorry- auto correct ugh!
Hi Katie!
I appreciate this post and I plan to get started really soon on my blog. I have an existing domain name currently. http://www.herbrilliance.com and as I was reading this, I noticed once you begin downloading wordpress that you suggested to leave a field blank otherwise it would change the routing of your traffic to a different page. However, I want to do just that. I want my wordpress to connect to http://www.herbrilliance.com/blog so my question is..will I need an additional domain name for this called http://www.herbrilliance.com/blog because Im pretty sure I will not just wanted a bit of confirmation!
Thanks :)
Hi Monica! Good news, you don’t need a new domain name for that! You’re right – all you have to do is type “blog” in the box where I say to leave blank and it’ll install WordPress to http://www.yoursite.com/blog and you can run the blog from there. Hope that helps!
xo
This is great information. Thank you.
You are so welcome! Glad you found it helpful! :)
xo
Hi Katie!
I’ve been doing tons of research on how to start a blog and this post was by far the most helpful. I followed your steps but after installing wordpress when I try to access my site it brings me to a page displaying “Sorry ‘balancedthoughts.com ‘ does not exist or is not available.” Is this the process that you were referring to that could take a few hours? Even though it does say the installation is ready?
Thanks!
Hi Jenna! That is so awesome- glad you loved the info here! :) I love hearing that! Yes, that is the part that takes a few hours. I just checked and I see your site, so it looks like it’s all good now! Let me know if you have any more questions. And happy blogging!
xo
Hi Katie!
I just followed your directions and now have hostgator! my site is whoiskellyanyway.com
I’m excited to get started!
kelly
Hi,
Cute site for a cute person! Now on to my question….let’s say I clicked on the amazon link you have and then went shopping and bought a garden hose. Very random I know, but the question is would you could credit for the sale? That’s partially a way the income comes in right?
Hi! You’re sweet- thank you! :) To answer your question, yes, that is exactly how it works! That’s actually how almost all stores work, as most of them have affiliate programs. Hope this helps!
xo
I wish I would have found this great information before I started my blog, I went with wordpress.com…but I love your tips at the end too. I am working on building my blog and followers, so I love great information like this! I’m over at http://chemistrycachet.com
Thanks again :)
Alexis! Thank you so much! I’m glad you love the post! You can always switch over from wordpress.com any time you feel is right! :) Let me know if you have questions or anything. Thanks for reading!
xo
Thank you, I think once I get more comfortable with blogging, I will make the switch. I like all the available options…I will definitely be letting you know if I have questions :) Thanks again!
This is really helpful stuff! Do you know how old do you have to be to write a blog?
Aw I’m so glad it’s helpful, Amanda! :) There’s no age limit to write a blog- but the way we show, you do need a credit card to pay for your domain name and hosting. Good luck and happy blogging!
xo
Your post inspired me to make my own blog. Thank you.
Check it out: onfleekfashion.blogspot.com
Thank you so much.
So awesome!! :) You’re very welcome!
xo
Hello!
Thank you so much for your informative post! In trying to set my blog up I got to: the installation will be complete. You will see a list of links. Click the link to yourdomain/admin or /wp-login to go to the WordPress login – and I got this error message.. Any ideas? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
This webpage is not available
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
ReloadHide details
The server at lifeandadventuresblog.com can’t be found, because the DNS lookup failed. DNS is the network service that translates a website’s name to its Internet address. This error is most often caused by having no connection to the Internet or a misconfigured network. It can also be caused by an unresponsive DNS server or a firewall preventing Google Chrome from accessing the network.
Never mind, got an email link that is working! Thanks!
Oh, so glad to hear that! Let me know if you need any more help! :)
xo
I’m wanting to start my own blog, but I am struggling with the domain name. Where can I look to see what are the most topic search for??
Hmmm… I’d say pick a name that you love, keep it simple and not too long and general enough to where you’re not trapped in a certain genre in case you ever want to expand… Also, check out this post for how to get people to find your blog, with SEO tips and whatnot: http://morefromyourblog.com/how-to-get-people-to-find-your-blog-or-etsy-shop-in-google/ … Hope that helps! And good luck starting your blog! :) It’s so much fun!
xo
Hey Katie! I love this post and will use it to start my blog soon! My biggest fear/problem is the first post to a blog. Do you have an introduction or just jump in? Thanks!
Hi Veronica!! :) I’m so excited for you to start blogging! An introduction post is always a really good idea as a starting off point, I think, plus it’s really fun to look back on! If I were to start a blog now that’s definitely what I would do. And then you can tweak that intro post into your “About Me” section. :) Leave a link to your blog when you start it- would love to check it out!
xo
Also one question, I get skeptical on things like this. LOL! I have a wonderful career, but my hubby is a Tx. State Trooper and we have 3 active girls. I constantly start my day btwn 4:30-5am and go non stop until around 11 or midnight. Do you make money doing this?? I so want to be able to eventually stay home:) For some reason God has been laying this on my heart and i do not know why or what to write about…lol. I guess I will figure that out. God has been putting things on my heart as far as how to stay married to a cop (along with all the things that come with that as far as sacrifices ) and raise christian young ladies. Would there be a need for people wanting to read that? I just dont know? Thank you for help and God bless!!!
Thank you for your tips! I already have a blog with very specific topic, and these days I really wish I had more broad topics I could discuss. I am thinking to make a lifestyle blog and I love design of yours.
Hi, sorry if I don’t quite understand all of this, as I am new to this. But what would be the difference in going and paying $100 at HostGator for a year of a WordPress blog, as opposed to setting up a free blog on blogger or WordPress? Does it have to do with being able to offer ads? Just not sure I understand. Thanks for your help! Nitasia
Hi Nitasia! With wordpress.com, you aren’t allowed to run ads without a paid site, and the reason I discourage people from starting on blogspot is that you do not own or have control over your own content- Google can shut down your blog at any time without notice. The chances of this are very slim, but I don’t like that even being a possibility! When you pay for your own site, you are in complete control and you own everything- it’s a pretty great thing! :) Hope this answered your question! Happy blogging.
xo
Thanks for the great tips! I just happened to stumble upon this through pinterest.
I’m so glad the tips are helpful! And happy you found me! :)
xo
These tips were great!! Really helped my jumpstart my blog, thanks! :)
Awesome! Not a problem- I’m so glad they helped! :)
xo
You inspired me to start blogging again.
I’ve found you through pinterest!!!
If you look at my blog via weebly. you can see it’s been 5 long long years since i blogged.
Oh, how life gets busy and my blogging got put to the side. You make it sound so easy. I will sign up soon and start.
I just had to laugh, because, I have 5 kids now, and when i started blogging, I only had 2. I was too busy building my empire. LOL… one after another. My empire is complete now. I can finally start blogging again. LOL..
Thank you Thank you.
EEEK! I love this post and your blog! Im a semi newbie blogger and you are definitely my motivator! Thanks for this awesome post!
Awww yay! Thanks so much Kelly! And thanks for following along! :)
xo
I just had to comment and say that I followed your directions to a T and I now have my own blog set up. THANK YOU! My only issue is that I am stuck, I’m not too sure what to do now. I have already made my first post but I’m not sure where to go from here.
Awesome! I’m so glad you set up your blog successfully, Jessica! From here, I’d say just keep on writing! Share photos, recipes, whatever it is you want to blog about. And make sure to leave comments on other blogs, as that’s a great way to get people to yours. :) Happy blogging!
xo
I loved this post. I have been using blogger for the past year however lately I have been thinking of switching over to a self-hosted wordpress. I am a little worried about the costs in the end since I am only a college student. However, I know that I want to take my blog somewhere – as it will be focusing on backpacking the world and fitness. What are your suggestions on this? I am trying to gather as much information as possible to make sure I make a good choice. So any help would be great!
That’s awesome, girl! My suggestion is to definitely just jump in and get started! With HostGator, the cost is pretty minimal per month, and then the only investment is your time. The sooner you start, the sooner you can begin producing content and forming relationships and growing your blog! It’s been really great for me, and I just kind of jumped in head-first 5 years ago! Good luck and happy blogging. :)
xo
Hi Katie, thanks so much for your post. I followed your directions and now have a shiny new blog. My first ever! I’ve started to write a few stories and I love it. Now I just don’t know how to get connected with the social networking. Can you help me?
Deanne
Hi Deanne! I’m so glad to hear that you successfully started a blog! YAY! So exciting. :) I’ll definitely check it out. As for getting connected with your socials, here’s how to do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqkInO6vxaI
xo
I forgot to give my web address.
Come check it out. Deannescrazylife.com
Have a great day.
Deanne
So, I folllowed all of your instructions on setting up my blog with Hostgator, and it never actually showed me my website. It did sent me an email asking me to verify my debit card by sending them a picture of my card and my ID. I’ve never had to do anything like that for an online purchase, and it won’t let me log in to billing, or to see my cpanel, or anything. It keeps telling me that my credentials are invalid, no matter what I try.
I’m really hesitant to send out pictures of my ID or card, and I was just wondering if this was a normal part of setting up with them.
Hi Elizabeth, I personally contacted hostgator to see if this is a legitimate request, and should be hearing back from them in a day or two. Will keep you posted!
xo
I just sent you an email! :)
Hi Katie,
I followed your instructions, however I already had the domain purchased from GoDaddy (They offer 3years for the domain). I purchased everything on 6/21/15 and now it’s 6/25/15 and my website still hasn’t switched over. Above you said it may take 48 hours, and it’s past that. :(
I’m really anxious to start my blog, play with my style guide, and figure out how to use WordPress. Any ideas as to why it hasn’t switched over yet?
Any help is much appreciated!
Thanks!
I sent you an email, girl!
xo
Thank you so much for these instructions, they were very helpful! I’ll be launching my blog in a month and wanted to come by to say thank you, because I was super nervous about buying hosting for the first time, but this really simplified things for me. :)
Aww I’m so happy to hear that, Aino! :) Thanks for the kind words- and good luck with everything! Blogging is so much fun, and I’m excited for you to start!
xo