I used to write blog posts that said, “Want to make money? Then start a blog!”….not very helpful. I’d constantly get questions like:

• “How do I go about choosing a site name?”
• “What web host should I choose?”
• “How do I actually set up the site?”

Heck, sometimes I’d even get questions about whether they should start a free blog vs. paying for hosting (FYI, if you’re serious about making money with your blog, I strongly suggest paying for hosting)!

Instead of continuing to field these questions one by one, I finally decided to write this complete step by step guide to start a WordPress blog on iPage. Right here, right now.

How to Start a WordPress Blog on iPage

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I started this website through iPage back in 2010 and have consistently earned $10,000+ a year because of it (some years close to $30,000!!). I made all this money not because I was an expert blogger (heck I’m not even a great writer!), but I have an undeniable passion around teaching people to ditch their debt and get wealthy! Apparently, this passion has rubbed off over the years as I now have tens of thousands of readers every single month!

Doesn’t that sound like fun? Do you have a passion around a particular topic? I mean think about it. You roll out of bed in the morning, sip on a cup of coffee, and then write about that one thing that you could talk about forever – hiking, working out, traveling, DIY projects, politics, mommy stuff, ANYTHING!

And then, people actually respond to your passion (you know, instead of roll their eyes like your friends do)! They start asking you about what you’re doing, where you’ve been, how you figured this out and that out, and you get to keep talking about your passion day in and day out! AND, you might even earn a nice chunk of money doing it! Sound awesome? Why not get started today?

Want to know the cost? A measly $1.99 a month… $23.88 for the entire first year of blogging. And I’ll show you exactly how to sign up AND set up your WordPress page. We can knock this out in 15 minutes or less! Let’s get started!

Click here to start a blog on WordPress, then follow the tutorial below as you sign up.

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The Simple Steps to Start a WordPress Blog on iPage

Starting a WordPress blog with iPage is not hard at all. Here’s what you’ll need to do (and I’ll explain each of these items in detail throughout this post):

1. Choose a .com domain name and register it
   • Name the site after your passion
   • Use a .com extension
2. Sign up through iPage
   • Enter your name and billing details
   • Pay your measly $24 for the entire first year
3. Set up WordPress
   • Install WordPress
   • Log in and start writing!

That’s it! Simple huh? Let’s get started!

1) Choose a .com Domain Name and Register It

Choosing a name is important, but don’t make it such an arduous task that you never make a decision on it! I’m interested in writing about side hustles, so I just started thinking about names that have the words “side hustle” in them (see screenshot below).

DomainsBot.com is a fantastic resource to brainstorm your potential site names. Just type in the name you’re thinking of and it will show you if the domain is available. It will also show you other names that are similar that you might like even better!

Note #1: Do NOT buy your domain here. You can get it for free through the iPage sign-up.

Note #2: Please please please choose a .com domain name. Yes, I know it’s tough to find a site name that’s a .com these days, but people still don’t take a .biz or .net name quite a seriously as a .com. Want your site to sound established? Choose a .com extension.

Once you’ve got your site name (ahhhh! This is so exciting!!!), click on the iPage tab that you’ve probably already got open.

Then click, “Sign Up Now”.

Click, “Register a new domain”, type in the domain name you’d like, and then click, “Check Availability”.

BOOM! You’ve just secured your very own domain name! Simple so far, huh??

2) Sign Up Through iPage

iPage will now take you to “Step 2: Enter Your Billing Information”.

• Enter your personal details
• Pay with either a credit card or PayPal
• Select 1-Year subscription if you want to spend less than $24. Choose a longer time-frame if you’re certain that you’ll stick with this blog.
• De-select Domain Privacy if you don’t care who sees your info (again, to keep your bill under $24). If you’re rich and famous or get an eerie feeling about someone knowing your personal details, you can pay the extra $9.99. Also, you can de-select the Site Protection to keep the bill lower. It’s up to you, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense if you’re just starting out.

Click, “Check Out”. Then, “Return to Home Page”.

To verify your account, head to your email inbox, find the email titled, “Your iPage Order Confirmation”, then click on the link to verify your account and complete the sign-up.

Create your password, select your security question, put “http://lifeandmyfinances.com” in the referral section, check the box if you agree to the terms of service, and “Save and Continue”.

You’ll then see a pop-up – iPage wants to help you set up your online presence (aka, sell you some expensive stuff). You don’t need this. I’m going to show you the exact steps that you need to take to set up your WordPress account – and do it for free!

3) Set Up WordPress

Most online tutorials stop here. They get you to sign up for a new website, get it verified through your email, and then they leave you hanging! You try to go to your site and nothing’s there! What the heck are you supposed to do next??

To get your website working, you’ve got to set up your WordPress account. This isn’t quite as simple as the initial sign-up, but stick with me and we’ll get it done – no sweat!!

First, head back to your email and find the iPage email titled, “Important: Please validate your domain name”. Click the link in the email – this will take you to your iPage control panel.

Simply verify your contact information…

Then, in the control panel, click on “Edit Website”, as shown below.

Select, “WordPress”.

Then Install. DO NOT choose one of the expensive recommended installs. This is NOT necessary!!

Click, “Check Domain”.

Then “Continue”.

Check that you’ve read the terms and conditions (after you’ve read them of course), and then “Install Now”!

Wait for a couple of minutes until you see the orange bar across the top of your screen.  Your install is complete! We’re almost done!

Head back to your email one more time (aren’t you glad there are instructions for this??!), and find the one titled, “Next steps for your WordPress Install”.

Click, “View Password”.

You’ll then be taken to the Mojo Marketplace (where they also try to sell you stuff…that you don’t need). Simply click on the “View” button in your credentials alert.

…and you’ll be taken to your WordPress page (where you’ll do all of your future edits!).

Sign in with your username and password from the email.

Note: When you want to get back to WordPress later, just type in your site name with “/wp-admin” at the end. For example: http://simplesidehustles.com/wp-admin

Annnnd you’re in! This is your WordPress page, where you’ll set up the look of your site, add pages and posts, and respond to your readers’ comments!

To make your site live, simply click the “Dashboard” button in the upper left, and then the “click here” button in the middle of the page.

Tada!! You now have a site and you can actually see it! Great job!

Tips and Tricks to Get Started and Earn Money

Now that you’re in WordPress, you may be a bit overwhelmed. Don’t be. This is all new. No matter who you are or how many birthdays you’ve had, everyone gets confused at this point. It’s a ton of stuff. The important thing is to keep.it.simple.

If you focus on anything at this moment, focus on writing quality content. You can have the most fancy page on the Internet, but if your site only has one post…then it’s worthless. On the other hand, I’ve seen quite a few pages that look pretty ugly, but have amazing content and do quite well.

So start writing.

How do you do this? In the left sidebar, click “Posts”, “Add New”. Type in the text box in the middle of the screen and click “Publish” on the right sidebar when you’re done. It’s as easy as that.

I’m so glad I could help you get started on this journey! Happy Blogging!

Additional Info: Start Your Own Blog – reference page

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