WordPress is one of the easiest to use and most versatile web hosting platforms on the internet. It’s the largest and most common blogging platform on the next. It’s easy for beginners to use, yet has endless amounts of plugins and themes that more advanced users can use.

One of the great things about WordPress is how easy it is to install. Most web hosts today have one-click installs that allow you to setup a brand new website in a matter of minutes.

Here’s how to install WordPress on a HostGator cPanel, as well as a few important things to setup once your WordPress blog is installed.

Step 1: Login to Your cPanel

Your cPanel is where you control the infrastructure of your website. To get started with a new installation, login to your cPanel.

Step 2: Click Fantastico

Fantastico is a cPanel application that allows you to install third party plugins on your domains. In this case, we’ll be using Fantastico to install WordPress.

Note: Some other control panels will use a different app for third party installs.

Step 3: Choose WordPress

Choose WordPress from the list of applications on the left.

Step 4: Begin a New Installation

Click “New Installation” at the top of the screen.

Step 5: Choose Install Directory

Select your website from the drop down list. If you only have one domain, your site should be selected by default.

Choose your install directory. If you leave it blank, it’ll be installed on your main site. If you choose a directory, your blog will only exist on that subdirectory. For example, if you only wanted to keep a blog in the /blog/ section of your site, type “blog” in the directory box.

Then choose an admin login and password.

Step 6: Finish Your Installation

Choose an admin nickname if you want, or leave it blank. Enter an email address so people can contact you and choose a website name, then click “Install WordPress.”

Your WordPress installation is ready to go! To log into your admin panel, go to:

http://YourDomainName.com/wp-admin/

Step 7: Tagline, Time and Date

To start your site off, set your tagline and your time zone settings. You can do this right from your start screen. Click “Select your tagline and time zone.”

Set your site title. This is used by a lot of themes to display text in the header area. You can also write a tagline, which again may be used by your theme.

Then set your time zone settings. This helps determine when blog posts will appear to be posted.

Step 8: Set Your Permalink Structure

Your permalink structure is one of the very first things you should setup in your website. You should set it up once, then never ever touch it again. Permalink structure is how WordPress stores the permanent links on your blog posts.

The best way to do it is to make sure you have your post name in the URL bar. Whether or not you include the date or the post ID number is up to your choice base don aesthetics.

To change your permalink structure, click “Permalinks” in the left sidebar.

Then choose from one of the permalink options, or create your own custom structure.

Step 9: Setup Your Theme

Your theme is the overall look of your site. You can make your site look many different ways by installing different WordPress themes.

To install a new theme, click “Themes” under the appearance menu.

Click “Install Themes” at the top.

Use the search features or the browsing features to find a theme that you like. Use the preview button to see what it looks like full screen. Once you find one you want to use, install and activate the theme.

Congratulations! Your website is now setup and ready to go. You’ve installed WordPress, you’ve setup your basic settings, you’ve installed your theme and now you’re ready to start building your site.