Now that you have a domain name it’s time to sign-up for a web hosting plan. There are lots of web hosting companies out there and you can research them if you want, but I highly recommend Flywheel. They are 100% dedicated to hosting WordPress websites which means they specialize in making sure your website stays up-to-date and secure without the need to manage a bunch of extra plugins.
You already have enough to manage, you don’t need to babysit your website too!!
They also offer 24/7 chat support which can be a God-send when you’re working on your website at 2am (everyone does that right?!) and you get the dreaded white screen of doom or some weird error message. When you’re in a hurry and need to find an answer quickly you don’t want to sit around waiting for someone to get back to you. This is especially important if you’re using your website for business purposes!
If you’re just starting out the Tiny plan is all you need and costs $15/month. Yes, you will surely find cheaper web hosting plans, but be sure to look at the fine print. After 1-3 years you will probably pay double or triple the super-low price they offer when you first sign-up for an account. Another reason I like Flywheel is that they are totally up front about their pricing structure. Also, for many of these cheap web hosting companies there are additional add-ons like security site monitoring, SSL certificates, etc. which you’ll need to pay extra for. With Flywheel, everything is already included in the monthly cost.
No surprises!!
I like Flywheel so much that I am offering a 30-minute 1:1 Zoom WordPress coaching session for anyone that signs up for a new account using my affiliate link. Just email a screenshot of your receipt to support[at]amandakjones.com and I’ll send you information on how to schedule our private Zoom call. I’ll answer any tech or design questions you have about designing and setting up your new WordPress website!
You can sign-up for a Flywheel account using my affiliate link here: https://share.getf.ly/f98s1w
I highly recommend watching the video, but here are the basic steps you need to follow to get your account setup and point your domain to your new website. Yay!
1. Create your Flywheel account (the Tiny Plan is all you need).
2. Add your domain name to Flywheel.
3. Go to Namecheap and change your DNS settings (make sure to change *BOTH* the A RECORD and CNAME RECORD following the screenshot below using your IP address and domain name).
4. Enable the SSL certificate on your main domain.
In case you need it, here’s the link to the article I reference in the video: https://getflywheel.com/wordpress-support/pointing-domains-flywheel-namecheap/
If you get stuck or have issues, I highly recommend opening up a live chat with Flywheel support!
Amanda is a wife, toddler mom, PMAD survivor, certified nutrition and running coach, recovering perfectionist, and minimalist-in-training. Her mission in life is to help others get off the pity potty, embrace their own brand of weirdness, and get after their dreams. Proverbs 3:5-6