How to Build A Website In Under An Hour.

Designing a Website can sound like a very daunting task for most people. Especially making a website that is profitable.

Fortunately, long gone are the days where you had to be an HTML Wizard to make a functional, attractive site with a smooth interface. In this article I'll show you exactly how to set up a quality website in less than an hour.

The first consideration you're going to have to make is what you're going to want your website to be named. This is going to determine the domain name. Once you've found a suitable name, you're going to want to find out if the domain is available.
 
There are tons of domain 'dealers' out there, but in my experience, the best and least expensive is Host Gator. 

 
In the example above, I'm checking the availability of 'sitesmadeeasy.com'. You'll notice that on the right hand side of the navigation bar there is a drop down menu. If the name you want isn't available in a '.com' you can check to see if a '.org' or '.biz' is available instead. As you can also see from the picture, you'll own this domain for an entire year for less than 13 bucks.

So what's next?

Now that you own your domain, the next thing you're going to need is hosting. As with domain listings, there are numerous options with regards to hosting. Everyone has heard of 'GoDaddy' but there are better options.

WP Engine is a Website Host that is awesome. They specialize in optimizing Word Press Sites, which is much more than a blogging format. They also ensure that the site never crashes, and offer a litany of perks and benefits.

Another good hosting option is Host Gator; if you choose them for both your domain and hosting, you have the added benefit of being able to manage both from the same site, and you won't have to worry about merging the two. If you decide to go with Host Gator for hosting, you can use the code:
easysites01 to get your first Month of Hosting for 1 cent.

Regardless of which you choose, let's proceed to the next step:

The Next Thing you're going to want to do is register the domain you just bought. In the case of Host Gator, you'll encounter this screen:

 Notice that on the left, you have the option of registering a domain purchased from somewhere like GoDaddy or NameCheap. On the right, you can enter the domain you purchased from HostGator.
 
If you purchased a domain from a third party, you're going to need to merge your domain and your host.

This part can seem a little confusing to the beginner, but it isn't as confusing as you might think. The purpose of this transfer is to tell your Domain Server where your Host's Server is located. When you purchased hosting, the Hosting Company sent you an email. Check your inbox, and look for the 'DNS' codes, shown in the example below.

See the part that says: "1st Nameserver"? You'll want to copy and paste both the first and second name servers into the boxes provided in the picture before the one above.

Voila.

You have successfully created a raw website, but now it's time to make some content.

At this juncture, you're going to want to install WordPress to your Website. WordPress will give you the ability to use pre-existing themes, instead of having to code your own. Let's get started.

The first thing you're going to want to do is to log into Host Gator, or WP Engine using the user name and password you've created. This will give you access to your Control Panel, and more importantly, a huge variety of complimentary perks and services that are offered.

To access your Control Panel, go back to the same email that contained your Nameservers and find your User Name and Password.

Once you're in the Control Panel, you're going to want to find a program called 'Fantastico Deluxe' (coolest name ever). Here's what it looks like in Host Gator (you're going to have to scroll down a bit):

After you've clicked the smiley face, you will see a few options on the left hand side of the next page. Click 'Word Press' and you'll be taken the 'New Installation' button, and you'll be taken to this screen:

Skip the first box, and in the next enter a User Name and Password. Then fill in a Nickname, an Email Address, a Site Name, and finally a Website Description. These areas can bee seen in the image below (poorly) outlined in Red.

If you went with WP Engine you'll already be set up, so you can skip this step.

After this, you'll be taken to your website and it will be set up in WordPress. If it isn't there, don't freak out. Sometime (for some strange reason) it won't be visible for 24 hours.

And now you're set, you can make money online and share your knowledge, art, or thoughts. In this day in age, everyone can do this. 

Cheers!
SitesMadeEasy.

Get Hosting for 1 cent for your first month with HostGator. Use code: easysites01