I'll Set Up Your Hosted Blog for Just $5
Unique Service to People Who Want to Set Up Their Own Hosted Blog or Website - But Don't Want to Pay Too Much
It is recommended that you read this whole page in its entirety before doing anything, and then read it again as you go through each stage in the process.
I charge only $5 to set up your blog or website. Usually I recommend that you set up your website as a Wordpress blog within your own domain and with your own hosting. This allows you a huge amount of flexibility. It also means that the site is yours: nobody can take it down at any time or for any reason. Wordpress blogs can be easily optimized for the search engines and Google loves them - see how many Wordpress type sites are on the first page of Google for specialist search terms.
You don't have to use a Wordpress format; you can choose any format you like. But Wordpress is recommended by many search engine experts because they can be made to be so search engine friendly and therefore rise high in the search results, hence are seen by more people. Wordpress is also recommended by webmasters because there are so many designs, themes and plugins made especially for Wordpress type sites.Wordpress is incredibly versatile and also easy and intuitive to use.
Hosting is also very important. You need a hosting company which offers everything you would need for as small a price as possible. Many people, including myself, would recommend Hostgator.
The reasons for using Hostgator are as follows:
- One-click setup for blogs, forums and other add-ons with no extra cost
- Free one-click setup for shopping carts and portals
- Free website statistics built in including raw statistics, AWStats and Webalizer
- Uses cPanel which means easy to use and loads of features
- Uses Fantastico which is also easy to use and loads of features
Many hosting companies have a bandwidth and disk space limit, and won't tell you when these have been exceeded until you are presented a huge invoice at the end of the month. But that will never happen with Hostgator. No nasty surprises! Also the customer support is incredibly good.
How To Order My $5 Service
Firstly you need to have a domain name.You can register your domain name as part of your sign-up process with Hostgator. Or if you already have a domain name you can also use this during your sign-up (your hosting company need not be the same as your domain registration company).
If you already have a domain name then let me know and I will change the nameservers so that it can be used with the live webspace from your new hosting company, Hostgator.
If you don't have a domain name yet and you'd like me to search for a suitable domain name for your site then let me know the subject matter or sector for your site and I'll do some research to get the most suitable domain name which is available. This is most likely to be a .com name (or, if you prefer, a .co.uk name if you are in the UK).As soon as you have a suitable domain name then open an account with Hostgator here. You can open a Hatchling plan at only $7.16 a month if you pay monthly (it reduces to $3.96 a month if you pay annually 3 years in advance, but this is entirely your choice). They also have other hosting plans; have a look round to see which you prefer.
New: I have negotiated a special discount of 25% if you use the coupon code 'sites4five' (no quotation marks) in the coupon box during Step 1 of the hosting sign-up process. This is a unique code. It means that you can have a Hatchling account for only $3.71 a month.
The 3 Step Hosting Process
Click here to go to Hostgator. You'll see a screen like the one below.
Click on the big orange button VIEW WEB HOSTING PLANS >
You'll then go to the next screen where you can choose which hosting package you'd like. It looks like this:
The three basic plans are Hatchling, Baby and Business. You will only need a Hatchling plan, but if you'd like a Baby plan you'll be able to host many sites on the same account (Hatchling can only accommodate one website or blog, as it is so incredibly inexpensive for what it provides). You decide which you'd prefer.
The next screen asks you to enter the domain name of your choice.
You should enter the coupon code SITES4fFIVE directly below this where it says "Enter a Coupon Code", above, to qualify for a 25% reduction in hosting costs.
Note that if you choose to register your domain name as part of the Hostgator sign-up process then you'll enter it in the box on the left, then select whether you want it to be a .com name, a .net name or a .org name. Hostgator do not register other types of domain. So if, for example, you were in the U.K. and preferred a .co.uk name to a .com, then you'd have to register that domain at another registrar (we recommend 1and1) and then use Hostgator for the hosting (we do not recommend 1and1 for hosting!).
Similarly, you may live elsewhere and may want a domain with another extension altogether. Whatever the case, if your domain name is registered outside Hostgator, or already been registered previously, then it goes in the box on the right. Note that there is no drop-down menu for an extension, as any extension will be happily accommodated.
Please note that many people prefer to register their domain names with NameCheap, because it is considerably less expensive than Hostgator, and then use Hostgator purely as the host. This is my own recommendation. I have over 200 websites: those which are not registered at 1and1 are registered at NameCheap, and I can personally vouch for their fast and efficient service. None of my domains are registered with Hostgator, although I have had dozens of sites hosted with them. This is my own recommendation and is what I personally do; this combination of 1and1 or NameCheap for registering domains, and then Hostgator for the hosting, is the optimum combination and has worked for me over the years very successfully.
With NameCheap you can register domain names with .com, .net, .org, .co.uk, .mobi, .cc, .biz, .ca, .tv, .eu, .de, .in and .org.uk extensions, as well as several others.
Step 2 asks you to confirm your hosting plan and provide a username and password (which they call a Security Pin) and your billing information. You can pay by credit card or Paypal. Below is a screenshot of the top part of that screen.
Scroll down below that after you've entered your chosen username and Security Pin, and in the lower part of the page enter your billing information. Here is what the lower part of the screen looks like:
Scroll down further and you'll see a short summary of your account. Check that all details are correct then make sure the Terms & Conditions box is checked. Then you click on Create Account and you're all set.
Step 3: Send Me Your Receipt
In a few seconds, or a couple of minutes at most, you'll get an email receipt from Hostgator. Send me your receipt (forward the email to sites4five@inteltab.com) and I will start work on your site. Let me know of any special requirements or features that you would like to see on your website. Also let me know the title for your blog, and also the subtitle. I will also need to be able to log into your Hostgator account, so will need your Username and security pin, as well as the account number. I recommend that you change the Username and security pin immediately after I have created your site so that only you have access.
Normally the best type of format for a website, and certainly one of the most popular, is a blog, which allows a proper content management system and also provides hundreds of different designs (called "themes") and features. Wordpress blogs are particularly search engine friendly and so are likely to rank higher in the search engine listings than static websites. You are free to choose which type you want, but a Wordpress blog is recommended. Hundreds of themes are free and just "plug in" to the system (I do that for you) or you can choose a paid-for theme if you prefer. Let me know and I'll make any changes.
I'll optimize and fine-tune the blog as part of my service. I will also ensure that the website gets listed in the search engines within 5 days and give it a boost by submitting it to several authority directories and other sites. In addition, I'll submit it to several statistical websites to establish your site's presence even better. Normally you would find all these extras as additional services, some quite expensive, but I offer all this as part of the whole package. When I say everything is for $5 I mean it!
Also, order my service today and I'll submit your site to an extra 100 search engines and directories at no extra cost.
HOSTGATOR DISCOUNT COUPONS
Remember, by ordering my site setup service you will qualify for a 25% discount by using my coupon code, SITES4FIVE. I have negotiated with Hostgator so that all my clients get to use their most valuable coupon.
Why Am I Able To Charge Only $5 For This Service?
I'm able to charge only $5 to set up your website because, as a web professional, the hosting company will pay me a commission to use them for the hosting. I'd use them anyway, because they're so good! I've been using Hostgator for over a decade, as well as some other hosting companies, and they are far and away the best for quality, customer service, reliablility, cost, versatility, range of services, vale-for-money, and the sheer excellence of their overall package. Therefore they'd be my number one choice in any case. But the fact that they pay me means that I can charge only a nominal fee to my clients.
By the same token, if you choose your own hosting solution, or if you have your hosting already set up, I would not be able to charge only $5 for my service. I will have to charge $120. But it makes much more sense to let me do all the work and pay me only $5.
Checklist Summary - You Need to Do the Following:
Register a domain name with Namecheap or 1and1, or your preferred registrar. Go to Hostgator and choose which hosting plan you would like. Enter your domain name in the box on the right in Step 1. Enter the coupon SITES4FIVE in the coupon box to ensure you get 25% off. Enter a Username and Security password, and your billing information. Click Create Account When you get the email receipt from Hostgator, send it to me at sites4five@inteltab.com.
Let me know the Title and Subtitle of your site, your Hostgator Username, account details and security pin. Also let me have a description of your site or blog in not less than 600 words (important for SEO oprimization).
Technical Support
If you need further support with technical matters then send an email me at sites4five@inteltab.com, or if you have a question specifically about Hostgator then contact Hostgator either by phone or email.
RESOURCES
Namecheap Domain Name Registration (for all other domain extensions)
1and1 for Registering .co.uk domains (for .co.uk domains)
Reliable, inexpensive, no extras, hidden fees or upsells, free WhoisGuard
Tags: Set Up Hosted Blog, Set Up Hosted Blog with SEO, search engine optimized Set Up Hosted Blog, Set Up Hosted Blog and hosting.
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