Life In Limbo

Q&A: How To Create a Self-Hosted Blog

August 20, 2014

What process did you go through to create your domain names “http://kvm.cyk.mybluehost.me/website_c466d3f6” and “http://stephaniepellett.com“? I’ve attempted creating my own blog so many times it hurts, but I’ve always gone through Blogger. -Sarah

Just over 3 years ago, I changed over from WordPress.com to self-hosting my blog and it’s safe to say that I’ve never looked back. Hosting my own blog has given me tons of freedom, including the ability to also host my own personal website and the podcast website, with the option to add an unlimited number of more sites if I choose to. By self-hosting, I can also embed many more widgets and add advertising options to my blog. Not to mention I am able to design my websites to look exactly the way I want them to using CSS and HTML. Obviously, hosting costs more than using a stellar free service such as WordPress.com, but for me it offers enough advantages to be worth it. If you’re interested in making the switch too, here are the steps you’ll need to take.

1. Choose a host

This is definitely the most important decision you’ll make regarding your blog. The host you choose will store your website on its servers, while allowing you all the freedom you want in terms of design and content. A host works behind the scenes to ensure that everything on your blog is running smoothly.

My hosting service has always been (and probably always will be) Bluehost. They offer unlimited storage and unlimited registered domains (ie. as many websites as you choose to have). They also have 24/7 support, if you ever need help with your site. I’ve only ever had one serious issue with my site since I’ve been self-hosting – I accidentally left my blog in a state of permanent maintenance mode – and I was able to resolve it over the phone in only a few minutes with a very nice Texan man. He was friendly, smart, and most of all very efficient in solving my problem.

And the best part about Bluehost? It’s so well priced. If you sign up for 12 months, it’s only $7 a month, or $84 a year. If you sign up for longer, as I intend to do the next time I need to renew my service, it can be as low as $4.95 a month. You can learn more about their pricing options here.

I did a lot of research before initially choosing my web host, and I’ve always been very happy with my choice.

2. Register your domain

The next step is to register your desired domain name. “Domain name” is just a fancy way of saying the URL of your blog. Mine, for example is “lifeinlimbo.org”.

One of my favourite things about Bluehost is that I can register domains from inside my dashboard and don’t have to use a third-party service. It’s very easy, and if your desired domain name is taken, they show you other options and their prices right away. I love having all that information at my fingertips. It can be dangerous though – I’ve gotten carried away registering a few extra domains for future projects and endeavors!

Domains usually cost about $12, but can be much more expensive depending on how popular the name is. I also personally purchase domain name privacy protection for my sites. Legally, you must provide your name and address when you purchase any domain, and that information is searchable online. For $10 a year, Bluehost allows you to protect your private details by masking them with their own information. You can learn more about domain privacy services here.

3. Install WordPress

Once you have secured hosting and a domain name, all you really have is a blank webpage. To turn it into a blog, I recommend using WordPress. It is hands down the best website software available, and it’s totally free. Once installed, you can have a gorgeously designed blog up and running within a few minutes, literally.

Through Bluehost, you can very easily install any platform you choose, including WordPress, in only a few minutes. It’s very simple and straightforward, and you can access the installation page from your account’s homepage like in the screenshot above. If you are using a different host, you can download the WordPress software directly from their website and install it yourself.

Once installed, you’ll have a link to a WordPress login page, ex. “http://yourblog.com/wp-admin” where you can sign in and access your WordPress dashboard. Once you’re signed in, you’re in an easy-to-use backend of your blog where you can easily install plugins, see stats, choose a theme, add widgets, write posts and upload photos.

4. Choose a theme

Now for the fun stuff! WordPress offers thousands of free themes, most very customizable, available to browse on their website. You can also find them in the “Appearance” panel of your WordPress dashboard.

There are many other awesome themes on the market, and most are fairly inexpensive. I personally use a heavily customized version of the free Brunelleschi theme on this site.

Choosing a theme can take some trial-and-error, so play around with it and don’t be afraid to switch it up. I’ve changed my theme many times over the years, and I always love a good redesign! If you’re just starting out, I would recommend resisting the temptation to buy a theme, even if it is only $30. Some themes are really worth it (though they tend to be more like $100), but most aren’t much better than a good, customized free theme.

5. Install plugins

A plugin is a program that runs behind the scenes on your blog to add on features. There’s a (free) plugin for almost anything you can imagine! My favourite plugins are:

Jetpack: a package designed and updated by the WordPress team that offers everything from site stats to awesome widgets to custom CSS.
Disqus Comment System: a streamlined, functional system for commenting.
Akismet: protects my sites from spam comments.
jQuery Pin It Button: displays a “Pin It” button when someone hovers over a photo on my site.
LinkWithin: displays other related posts at the bottom of all my blog posts.
WP to Twitter: automatically tweets the title and link of published blog posts.

I do have others not listed here running in the background of my site for other tasks, but these ones would be my top picks for someone starting their website from scratch.

To install a plugin, go to the “Plugins” menu on your WordPress dashboard (right below “Appearance”, see the previous screenshot) and select “Add new”. You can then search for any plugin you wish. You can also browse plugins on the WordPress website.

6. Customize your theme and add widgets + buttons

Most themes these days have tons of customizable options, including the number and position of sidebars, which can make a huge difference in a site’s overall design. Most blogs have one sidebar on the right, for example:

Design Sponge (they actually have two sidebars side by side)
Joy the Baker

Others have two sidebars, one on either side of the content, for example:

I’d suggest taking some time to explore your favourite blogs and make notes on what you like and dislike about each of their site designs. It depends on your theme, but this option usually comes built into your “Theme Options” page.

After that, it’s all about the widgets! “Widget” is the WordPress term for a little box of code that lives on your sidebar or footer and displays content. On my blog, that’s everything you see in the right hand column, from my “Welcome” photo all the way down to my affiliate links and what I’m currently reading. Take some time to explore the widgets that come built into WordPress, such as ones displaying your most Popular Posts, site archives or categories.

Most of the widgets you see on my sidebar are pulled from other websites (ex. Mailchimp) or custom coded by yours truly in HTML. Knowing even a little bit of HTML is immensely helpful when installing or creating widgets, but that’s a topic for a whole other blog post. If you don’t know any HTML, the w3schools website is a great resource. You may also want to check out their tutorials on CSS if you want to do anything like changing the fonts, site colours or link styles from the default theme options.

7. Get blogging!

Realistically, this is the most important step on the list. You could stop after getting hosting, WordPress and a theme, and just get to the point of the whole thing and start creating content. Over the years, my site has gone through a ton of designs and themes and they’ve all built slowly on top of each other as my knowledge has grown and my style has developed. But the one constant is the writing. One of my all time favourite blogs, The Trephine, has one of the most simple blog designs I’ve seen, but she’s gained a tremendously loyal, interested following because her writing is amazing and true. And really, that’s the whole point of blogging.

So ultimately it doesn’t matter if you’re on Blogger or WordPress.com or hosting your own content – the important thing is to write true things down, reach out to others and stay passionate. I absolutely love that John Irving quote: “You’ve got to get obsessed and stay obsessed,” and nowhere is that more true for me than when it comes to my blog. I’ve been blogging (aka spewing my thoughts) for a very long time. The earliest blog post I can find that’s still in existence (it’s on Livejournal and you’re never, ever finding out the name of it) was December 2006, and the post itself refers to two previous blogs that I, in the words of my 15 year old self, “grew out of”.

Safe to say, I’m obsessed and have been for a very long time. Like all things, my interest ebbs and flows, but if I’m ever away for too long I start to feel like I’m not myself anymore. Blogging doesn’t have to be that thing for you, but if it is, hold onto it and forget about what your theme looks like or what widgets you need to choose. You’ll get there over time. If you’re in it for the long haul, it doesn’t really matter how fast you figure it out.

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If you have any more questions about blogging and self-hosting, or widgets and themes and plugins, feel free to let me know in the comments below. Best of luck and have fun!

Please note that affiliate links are used in this post. If you purchase any products recommended, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are absolutely and always my own.

Twenty Questions!

August 19, 2014

Over on Guinea Pigging Green today, I’m answering 10 very random questions about myself and asking Laura 10 of my own (very random) questions. We love recording the podcast together, but for the past few weeks our schedules have not aligned because of vacations and my summer work schedule and of course, the 13 hour time difference between us. So I had this totally wacky idea for us to record the episode separately, answering questions we’d sent each other in advance.

In the end, I think it worked out pretty well, all things considered! One of the best parts of having this podcast is being able to have fun and try new things. We are the ones running the (very small) show, so we get to try out different ideas and be silly and experiment and see what happens. More often than not, we end up learning more about each other and the world, learning how to collaborate better, meeting amazing new people, improving ourselves and hopefully doing our small part to inspire others to lead happier healthier lives. The podcast is definitely sometimes a lot of work, or a hassle to develop ideas and record every few weeks, but I am absurdly grateful for this tiny fun creative venture. I know I’m building skills that will help me in the future and I’m so glad I get to do so in a way that’s positive and which inspires me.

We asked each other some pretty fun questions and got some pretty funny and interesting responses. You can find out more about the episode by reading the shownotes over on our blog or of course by tuning into the show at the link here or by subscribing on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

Abundance Ideas / 02

August 18, 2014

We’re eight months into the year, but I still think about my word for the year, abundance, almost every day. It’s become like a mantra to me, humming in the background especially when I’m around people or in situations that make me feel exactly the opposite of abundant. It’s like a gentle reminder in the back of my head that says “you don’t have to think about it like this”. It’s not that I bounce through life feeling joyous and constantly abundant, but I don’t really think that’s how life works. I’m learning that it’s all about course-correcting your inevitable small, petty thoughts so that you can live a full, rich life.

Easier said than done, of course. In the past few months since my first abundance ideas post, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs and challenges both big and small. I’m sure we all have.

There was that time when I lost my job and my apartment, and everything was so scary and uncertain. I remember just chanting “abundance” to myself, and believing so deeply that I was going to find a way to make the situation work out on my own terms. People were telling me I’d have to move an hour away from all my friends, or that I should take the first job I was lucky enough to get, but all of that felt wrong and small to me. At times I felt like maybe I was being naive by believing that everything was going to work out exactly as I wanted it to, but in the end it was the naysayers who had it all wrong because I ended up in my ideal situation. I learned that I’m not interested in people’s doomsday thoughts and worries, because thus far they have never been true.

Another time, I left the booking of my hostels in Japan until only a week before and everything seemed like it was sold out. I panicked, thinking I’d have nowhere to stay (an absurd, scarcity kind of thought), or that I’d have to change hostels every night. From that I learned a different kind of abundance: there are more options than there appear to be. Instead of throwing up my hands on Hostelworld, I Googled other booking companies, did some detective work, and finally decided to call the hostel itself. They told me there was one free bed on the night I wanted and everything was magically resolved. And then when I arrived, it was a whole other kind of abundance – it hadn’t been my first choice, but it was perfect: ideal location, cozy and comfortable.

When I heard two friends were going to live together back home, I instantly got all kinds of small, petty thoughts about feeling left out, left behind and forgotten. I was sure that they’d become closer as friends and love each other more, which in my scarcity-brain equated to them loving me less. I had to remind myself that of course, love is an unlimited resource, and love is not, as another friend recently reminded me, transferrable. We love everybody in a different way, and loving one person and becoming closer to them does not diminish your love for anyone else in your life. Love doesn’t work that way.

And then there are all kinds of other small situations where scarcity and abundance battle it out in my brain, whether it’s about choosing where to go on vacation or how much money I’m spending or making an appointment or choosing the right movie time or dealing with the petty frustrations of life in a foreign country. Life doesn’t always work out as planned but it usually works out better than expected. Abundance teaches me over and over to think outside the box, shun the pointless, useless small-mindedness and negativity, and go bravely on faith despite my fears. It’s taught me so much so far, and I can’t wait to see what I learn in the rest of 2014.

A few more links and quotes about abundance I’ve noticed over the past few months:

More than enough.

“It is when we give that we feel most abundant. Giving sends a message to the universe that we have all we need. We become virtuous by the practice of virtue, responsible by the practice of responsibility, generous by the practice of generosity, compassionate by the practice of compassion. And we become abundant by giving to others.” -Arianna Huffington, Thrive

“There’s room for all of us. There’s enough success, money, and love to go around. There is no scarcity, really, unless we choose to look at life through that lens.” This whole article from Yes and Yes is so excellent.

Inspiration | August 15

August 15, 2014

Don’t ask me how I wasn’t obsessed with this song when it was popular but I just wasn’t. I am now though!

I revisited this post, 31 Things I’ve Learned in 31 Years and I still love it.

This illustrated John Green quote about how creativity is about making gifts for people is so great.

Super awesome advice from Marie Forleo this week (like every week) about what to do if you’re feeling jealous.

Some extremely awesome tips on getting paid as a creative.

Elise’s tips to her 22-year-old self.

I watched The Spectacular Now this week and it made me happy and sad and it made me feel lots of feelings.

An old article, but a great one – Photography: 10 Things NOT to DO.

An Instagram account I’ve been loving lately: @scottborrero, who takes absolutely gorgeous travel photos.

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It’s a long weekend here in Korea, but unfortunately the weather is a little gloomy. I’m planning to make the most of it by getting my first manicure since 12th grade, going to see The Fault in Our Stars (and subsequently losing 5 pounds of water weight through my eyeballs), and hopefully doing a little day trip of some kind. It should be good! I hope you have a lovely weekend.