Episode 59
The Web Design Show
October 21, 2016 · Mike Murphy
Ep59: THE WEB DESIGN SHOW All about Wordpress & Divi Theme Episode Summary: Learn how to install Wordpress & Divi Theme to create a new website and blog in 8 steps.
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.