Integrating WordPress into existing GoDaddy hosting: what’s the next step?

Question:

Here’s the deal: I have a goDaddy domain and purchased hosting a few months ago. My coding isn’t that good, though, and someone told me I could install WordPress as an application and basically build my website that way.

I’ve installed the app (took a few hours to “create the database,” but it finished), but there’s nothing telling me what to do next! The closest thing to a next step I saw was to pick a pre-made template and pay $ 45 for it. I can design my own, really, or at least would like a free one. I’ve already paid for the hosting, so what happens now? Also, I was told I could easily add plug-ins, like a lightbox gallery. Don’t know how to do that either.

If it matters, it’s for a graphic design website–to show off my portfolio and the like, not a blog.

All help is appreciated!

Answer:

You can use WordPress to build websites without having that “bloggy” look. I use Artisteer to make my WordPress themes. It lets me use my own customer header, background, colors, layout and so much more. It’s WYSIWYG without any, and I do mean NO programming. All valid HTML, PHP and CSS.

Instead of making Posts I use Pages with the One Column layout so they look like regular web pages instead of a blog.

In the Page editor screen, I exclude the pages from appearing in the menu. Instead, I go into Appearance: Menus and create my own top navigation menu and put only what I want into it. I put all my Admin junk like About Us, Contact Us, Privacy, etc. in the footer. You can do that in Appearance: Themes: Theme Options.

The way you installed WordPress on your GoDaddy account was ludicrous. Don’t they have a 1-click WordPress installer like every other host? What a sec, let me look… here’s what I found http://help.godaddy.com/article/834

Really? Are you kidding me? That’s COMPLETE bullsh*t! And then you’re supposed to wait for up to 24 hours before it’s done? No wonder people complain so much about GoDaddy web hosting.

Screw those guys. If you’re still within your guarantee period, cancel your hosting account. You can keep the domain name over there, but next time buy domain names from NameCheap.

Get some REAL web hosting. I use WebHostingHub with the cPanel control panel. The 1-click WordPress installer is in the Fantastico script installer in the Software section. Pick a domain, tell it where you want to install it, enter a username, password, admin email address, and an optional site title and description and install the damn thing, already. BAMM! Done.

Or, can sign up for an iPage account. They are a tad bit cheaper and use the vDeck control panel. Their script installer is SimpleScripts. It has a few more applications in it than Fantastico. But it’s the same thing with regards to installing WordPress… 1-click, no waiting.

After WordPress is installed, you’ll be given a link to the WordPress Dashboard. It’s the path to the WordPress installation followed by a /wp-admin. Then go make your posts or pages.