How to Setup Your Website in Less Than 2 Hours
What you want to do is get a domain and create your own WordPress.org site.
You want to have 100% control over the website and 100% ownership over your list. It is important to have full control and ownership of your waiting list. Therefore, you do not want to collect information on free site provided by WordPress.com or any social media platform.
Step-by-Step Guide
Domain Name
- Step 1: Click the link and head over to GoDaddy website.
- Step 2: Click “Bulk Domain Search” under “Domains”
- Step 3: Search and purchase the domain you want.
- Note: Don’t purchase anything else from GoDaddy…just get the domain and we’ll host it somewhere else.
(Look for promo code online by searching for “GoDaddy promo code”)
- Tip 1: Don’t go for super short one, two word domain name. It’s most up for auction only, and the benefit in SEO is negligible. Look for something that is easy to remember and not confusing. Also, look for something that can clearly describe your USP, avatar, or the result your prospect wants to get.
Good examples:
www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com
www.smartpassiveincome.com
www.makealivingwriting.com
www.screwtheninetofive.com
www.everydayventure.com
www.boostblogtraffic.com
www.theunclutteredlifestyle.com
www.smartblogger.com
- Tip 2: If your “perfect” domain name is taken, try adding “the” or “s” to the name.
Good examples:
www.thesimplelivingsummit.com
www.themembershipsummit.com
www.blogbusinessblueprints.com
www.themembershipguys.com
- Tip 3: If it’s for a specific group of prospect only, consider adding “only” to make it more appealing.
Good examples:
www.seriousbloggeronly.com
www.newmomsonly.com
- Tip 4: Be creative and clear, not clever. Avoid using spelling mistake or homophone for domain name.
- Tip 5: Stay with “.com” domain. Yes, you’ll see some popular blogs using “.net” or “.org” but most of them regretted
- Tip 6: Separate your hosting company from your domain company. You will have a lot less hassle if you need to migrate your site in the future. That’s why we recommend purchasing domain from GoDaddy but hosting it with SiteGround (affiliate).
- Tip 7: Don’t spend too much time on it. You’ll never be 100% satisfied. Pick one and move on.
Hosting Service
SiteGround (affiliate)
- Step 1: Click link and head over to SiteGround website.
- Step 2: Click "See Plan"
- Step 3: Select the plan type you want and click "Get Started." I recommend starting with the GrowBig Plan and upgrade when the time is right.
- Step 4: Select "I already have a domain" to enter your own domain name. Complete the order with your billing and contact information.
- Step 5: Inside "My Account" and "Information & Setting" find your account DNS.
- Step 6: Log into your GoDaddy Account and find your domain.
- Step 7: Click "Manage DNS" and change your nameservers into the two given by SiteGround. (This may take a few day)
Install WordPress.org
- Step 1: Head over to SiteGround account and click "Go to cPanel" under "My Accounts."
- Step 2: Click "WordPress Installer" under "Wordpress Tools."
- Step 3: Select "Install" tab.
- Step 4: Choose the domain you have, enter a site name and site description
- Step 5: Assign a Admin Username, Admin Password, and Admin Email.
- Step 6: Click Install.
- Step 7: You can now login to your WordPress Dashboard with the url => http://yourdomain.com/wp-admin (again, this may take a few days)
Email Management System
ActiveCampaign (affiliate)
There is multiple email service provider but we recommend starting with ActiveCampaign.
Other industry well-know email service provider will be like AWeber, MailChamp, and Infustionsoft.
However, the automation function and list segmenting function in ActiveCampaign is just way better than what you’ll be getting (at more expensive price) at AWeber or MailChamp.
Also, you can duplicate contact into different list for different purpose without paying more. AWeber, on the other hand, will count even the repeated contact as an individual contact you need to pay for.
Infusionsoft is another big platform. It’s great for customized customer relationship management system but too expensive to start with. It’s really not something you need when you are getting started.
- Step 1: Click link and head over to ActiveCampaign website.
- Step 2: Select the payment plan you want and signup for a new account (recommended starting with Lite). It’s super straightforward and nothing tricky.
- Step 3: Click “Add New List” under “List.”
- Step 4: Fill out the information required, such as list description, website and address.
- Step 5: Enter a list name: XYZ list. Enter a description: This is the waiting list for XYZ service.
- Step 6: You can use ActiveCampaign to create a standard signup form, or integrate with software like ClickFunnel or ThriveThemes. (note that the standard form in ActiveCampaign is ugly...)
- Step 7: Head over to the “Automation” tab and create your autoresponder for all new subscriber. It's super easy, just drag-and-drop.
Customize Domain Email
It’s important to have a business email rather than using @gmail.
You can create domain email under SiteGround C-Panel but it’s really hard to use.
We recommend getting a email with GSuite (the other Apps function is useful, too). Oh, by the way, it’s only $5 a month.
- Step 1: Click link and head over to Google Apps for Business website. Click “Get Started.”
- Step 2: Enter the basic information and select “use a domain name I already purchase”d to start creating an account.
- Step 3: Complete the application with Google’s instruction.
- Step 4: Google requires you to verify it is your domain. The easiest method will be uploading a html file into your domain. Head over to SiteGround cPanel and select “File Manager” under “Files.” Upload the html file provided by Google into the “publich_html.”
- Step 5: Remember to unlock the feature for using GSuite on mobile device so you can check your mail through your phone.