The Web Design Show

Mike Murphy Unplugged

Mike Murphy Unplugged
The Web Design Show
Oct 21, 2016 Episode 59 Mike Murphy

Episode Summary: How to install WordPress with the Divi or Extra theme and launch a new website or blog in 8 steps — the exact process used to build PodcasterToolkit.co from zero.

What You'll Learn

  • The full 8-step process for launching a WordPress site from scratch
  • How to properly point a GoDaddy domain at Bluehost nameservers
  • Why Divi (or its sibling Extra) was chosen as the go-to premium theme
  • FreshBooks' pricing tiers for invoicing and business accounting

Got a favorite resource or tool worth sharing? Send it to mike@mikemurphy.co.

This Week's Toolkit: FreshBooks

FreshBooks — a web-based accounting and invoicing tool used to run MikeMurphy.co. Invoice clients and vendors, track expenses and time, create projects, take payments, and generate reports for a bookkeeper or accountant. Pricing: Lite $15/month, Plus $25/month, Premium $50/month.

The Web Design Show

"To begin, begin." — William Wordsworth

The steps taken to launch PodcasterToolkit.co as a new WordPress site from ground zero:

Step 1: Buy a Domain Name

Register something like podcastertoolkit.co at GoDaddy, roughly $8.99 for a new domain.

Step 2: Sign Up for Web Hosting

Bluehost is the choice here, with an affiliate rate around $3.95/month; HostGator is another commonly used option.

Step 3: Buy a Premium Theme

Elegant Themes at $69/year is genuinely the only theme used — MikeMurphy.co runs on Divi, PodcasterToolkit.co runs on Extra (its magazine-style sibling). Other podcast website options worth knowing: Appendipity Themes and PodcastWebsites.com.

Step 4: Organize a Master Folder

Keep all assets, logos, and theme files in one place on the hard drive before starting.

Step 5: Change Nameservers

Sign into Bluehost, assign the domain, and copy the nameservers (ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com). Sign into GoDaddy, delete the existing nameservers, and paste in the Bluehost ones. Propagation is quoted at 24 hours but usually only takes 5–10 minutes.

Step 6: Install WordPress

Back in Bluehost, confirm the domain is verified, then run the one-click WordPress install. Important: choose the desired username at this step — it's difficult to change later in WordPress.

Step 7: Sign In to the Site

Add /wp-admin after the domain (e.g., yoursite.com/wp-admin).

Step 8: Install Divi or Extra

In WordPress, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New, and upload the theme's zip file from the master project folder created in Step 4.

Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.

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