Newbie question about Wordpress

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A newbie here just about to build my first website- going down the affiliate route, looking to build an Amazon review site and/or small sites promoting small business products here in the UK.
From what I understand reading on here, I can use wordpress dot org or get a paid wordpress theme and install it onto Hostgator (looks a little complicated but it's probably not, right?). However, Hostgator also has Wordpress on it, so can't I just build my sites on Hostgator's wordpress?
Also, in order to become an Amazon affiliate, you have to have a website/blog when you register. I want my site to be about the product I choose to promote, I don't have my own personal website/blog. Should I just create a blog about anything?
Hope these questions aren't too daft! This is just all very new to me.
Cheers.
#website design #newbie #question #wordpress
  • [DELETED]
    • [1] reply
    • Interesting note - I spoke with Hostgator this week about one of my new sites and they recommended using QuickInstall instead of Fantastico to install WP.
      I was really impressed when I got an automatic email from them informing me that there was an update to WP available and would be installed automatically for me in a few days.
  • WordPress.com is totally free. You open an account, WP is set up. No need to transfer files or set up a data base...its all done for you. Free themes put appearance under your control and it may be public or private. The URL of your site will be yousite.wordpress.com. The limitations are that you may not use plugins beyond those furnished, and no flash, javascript, ecommerce or affiliate marketing links. So, it would not work well as an Amazon review site.

    With Hostgator and other WP hosting partners listed at wordpress.org,, after paying for a domain name and hosting of your choice they will walk you through the process which is pretty simple. After that you may create to your hearts content taking advantage of several thousand free themes and plugins to get the site you desire. The forum at WP.org is most helpful in this regard.

    Just dig in and see where it takes you. Best of luck!

    Vern
  • Seems this question wasn't addressed. You can register with just about any site for Amazon unless they've changes things. The site I became an Amazon associate with literally had a picture of 3 wax tin cans (used for waxing body hair) on it of different scents. It was shockingly bad.

    Most affilites 1)buy a domain 2)host it at hostgator (or other host) and 3)build it out using the self hosted Wordpress script.

    It may seem like rocket science at first but it is really easy once you get the hang of it. Just start getting your hands dirty.
  • Banned
    Oops ... not right at all!

    I know what you meant to say, I think: you meant "If you use wordpress.com, your blog will be deleted", right?

    Wordpress.com is the free hosting place which allows no monetization and isn't suitable for marketers of any kind.

    Wordpress.org is the source of the software for self-hosted Wordpress blogs, which can (as mentioned above) be installed with one click at places like Hostgator, with C-panel.

    Yes, but you may still want to add a nice theme into it, too.

    "Hostgator's Wordpress" is the same "Wordpress" that you get from wordpress.org. You just don't need to download it from wordpress.org to your computer and then upload it from your computer to your hosting, if you're hosting somewhere like Hostgator. That part is already done and available for you. "Themes" are a different matter.

    Yes, you do.

    I showed them a pretty blank one, with just the bare legal necessities on it (nice affiliate disclosure, and so on), and they had no problem with that, at all, and approved me immediately.
    • [1] reply
    • Thanks for the replies everyone! Thanks Alexa for your in depth answer, really helped, especially the part about adding themes. Didn't really know about that (how much of a noob am I?). Any suggestions for paid themes? (next thing I will look up).
      Won't worry now about the Amazon affiliate website then either!
      Abhik- yup, looking at those keywords!

      Cheers all.
  • Yes, HostGator provides an awesome one touch WordPress installation. Though you might need to use a nice theme with it. Nice themes doesn't necessarily have to be paid. There are some good free ones at WordPress.org.

    Go register a domain that contains keywords related to the amazon products you want to review. You know, you have to look after search engine optimizations too.
    • [1] reply
    • Just thought I would mention that when you are setting all these things up - buying a domain, setting nameservers, using cpanel / fantastico, installing themes, etc, etc - it can seem daunting if you have no idea what to do.

      Try youtube for videos on doing whatever it is you are stuck on and you will usually find someone walking you through the process.

      Hope this helps.
  • Wordpress is extremely easy once you get the hang of it. Sure beats the HTML/PHP coding. With Wordpress, almost everyone can get a website up within the hour.

    As mentioned by pro3lLady above, Youtube has lots of videos available providing you with a step-by-step guide to working with Wordpress.

    All the best.
  • If you want to install WP using cpanel that means you are saving your time, whether you download WP from wordpress.org or installing it from cpanle both are the selfhosted and you can go ahead with both....
  • You are right, in order to have a website (I am not talking about free website), you will need hosting. A hosting company lets you rent space on their web servers to house your website so the world can see it via the internet.

    Hosting is very inexpensive for a basic account which offers WordPress. This is available on most of the popular hosting companies such as:

    HostGator
    Bluehost
    Dreamhost
    Zippykid
    LiquidWeb

    After you get your hosting account and domain name, you will need to install WordPress either manually or via Fantastico.

    If you are not sure about this then go to youtube for you can find lots of good tutorials there.

    Trust me when I say that as soon as you get the hang of this whole thing then everything will be a lot easier.

    More power to you, mate!

    Cheers,
    Louie Tugas
  • Samantha, some great resources on Leanne King's site wpqueen.com. I especially recommend, for noobs like you, her video tutorial on installing WP via Fantastico - see WordPress Basics Tutorials - Leanne is renowned for her WP knowledge and generosity in information sharing.
  • Are you going to use Wordpress.com OR Wordpress.org?

    It's not at all safe to put your business on the free line because they can BAN/Delete your blog when ever they want.
    • [1] reply
    • Appreciate all the replies, everyone. Thanks for the link Kerry- will definitely check that out.
      Sean- I would use wordpress.org as I've read on this forum that is the better choice (but I will be using Hostgator's Fantastico, or Quick Install, as JackieGold recommended).
      Right now it seems daunting as pro31lady says; hoping one day soon I'll be an old hand at this!
  • Here you go How to Install Wordpress Using Fantastico - YouTube
    I admit it - it's mine!
  • I second the recommendation to use QuickInstall instead of Fantastico on Hostgator, and enable the automatic update option. As a newbie it'll be one less thing you have to worry about.
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
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    Newbie question about Wordpress

    A newbie here just about to build my first website- going down the affiliate route, looking to build an Amazon review site and/or small sites promoting small business products here in the UK. From what I understand reading on here, I can use wordpress dot org or get a paid wordpress theme and install it onto Hostgator (looks a little complicated but it's probably not, right?). However, Hostgator also has Wordpress on it, so can't I just build my sites on Hostgator's wordpress? Also, in order to become an Amazon affiliate, you have to have a website/blog when you register. I want my site to be about the product I choose to promote, I don't have my own personal website/blog. Should I just create a blog about anything?