Installing WordPress: Complete Setup Guide

One-Click Installation (Recommended)

Most modern hosts offer Softaculous or a built-in WordPress installer. Log into your hosting control panel, find the WordPress or auto-installer section, click 'Install', choose your domain, set your site name, and create your admin credentials (never use 'admin' as your username). Click install and WordPress will be ready in under 2 minutes.

Post-Installation Configuration

Log into your new WordPress site at yourdomain.com/wp-admin. Immediately go to Settings → Permalinks and select 'Post name'. Update your Site Title and Tagline under Settings → General. Delete the default 'Hello World' post, sample page, and sample comment. Under Settings → Discussion, configure comment moderation to prevent spam.

Initial Security Steps

Change the default admin username if you used one. Install Wordfence or a similar security plugin. Set up automatic backups with UpdraftPlus. Ensure your SSL certificate is active (your URL should show https:// with a padlock). Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated to their latest versions — outdated software is the most common security vulnerability.