How to Setup cPanel and install WordPress

cPanel is a Linux-based web hosting control panel. Developed by cPanel LLC, it is a simple and convenient way for you to control the server where your websites are housed.

The benefits of cPanel are:

● It’s easy to learn and use

● It can make managing your server more efficient and save you both time and money

● It’s well-established and well-supported

● You can easily find support and tutorials to help you master its many functions.

So, cPanel can help you control a wide range of features, functions and operations without the need for you to go behind the scenes and start writing code.

For example, you can install WordPress using cPanel, and that’s what we talk you through in our helpful tutorial video, below.

A tailored WordPress package from tsoHost

If you want to setup a WordPress website, we think you’ll find that buying a tailored WordPress hosting package from tsoHost is a good decision. These are specifically optimised to make your WordPress website or blog fast, secure and reliable, which benefits both your customers and your business.

Then, you can join the 600,000 plus people and businesses that rely on us to get them online.

Also, our WordPress hosting packages come with great extras, like expert support and free domain names included in the price.

Our packages are fully-managed, too, which means you can focus on filling your site with fantastic content to help build-up your business, while we focus on keeping your website online and running at peak performance.

We regularly update our blog with ‘How To’ videos and informative content designed to empower your technical decision making. Visit our blog and explore for more.

We also offer helpful tutorials on various website related topics, such as the one below, talking you through setting up cPanel and installing WordPress.

Let us help you make those confident first few steps…

Video guide to setup cPanel and install WordPress

Video Transcript

The first thing you need to do to create a WordPress website is log in to your tsoHost account.

In the Client Area, select ‘Products’. That will take you to the Products and Services page.

For this tutorial, we chose ‘cPanel Maximum’.

Now, you login to cPanel. Go up to ‘cPanel Admin’ on the top right. And, you’re in cPanel.

Scroll down to the ‘Software’ section and select ‘Installatron Applications Installer’ Here, in the Installatron, you’ll find the ‘Apps for Content Management’ section, where you’ll see the WordPress logo. Select that. Then, simply click ‘Install this Application’, which is top right.

Now you’re in the WordPress Installer.

Choose the domain name you intend to use for this site.

If you have a linked SSL certificate - remember to choose the https version of that domain. If you don’t yet have an SSL, don’t worry, you can install one later. We have a ‘How To’ video talking you through that.

We’ll be using our default domain.

‘Directory’ allows you to create sub domains linked to your main domain, in case you want separate landing pages - or a blog module that’s separate from the main website on your domain.

Choose which version of WordPress you want to install.

It defaults to the most up-to-date version and we’d recommend going with that. Similarly, the default language is English, which you can change if needed. Then, make sure you’ve checked and accepted the license agreement.

Now, let’s look at ‘Automatic Updates’...

Updating to ‘New Minor Versions and Security Releases’ is recommended, as it keeps your site secure and up to date. We’d also suggest not automatically updating plugins. Instead, you might find it better to do major updates yourself on the WordPress dashboard.

This is so any bugs that might be created by an update can be caught immediately and you can roll straight back to the previous version, if something goes wrong.

The same applies to ‘Theme Updates’. Do these yourself, manually.

‘Auto Update Backup’? Absolutely! When updates occur, your site will create a backup before installing the update - so you can automatically restore that if something goes wrong. It shouldn’t - but, just in case.

It’s also worth noting that backups take up file space on your host, so it might be a good idea to delete old backups that are no longer needed.

Now, into the ‘Settings’.

You’ll need to choose an ‘Admin Username’. Please don’t use ‘admin’, for security reasons.

You will need an ‘Admin Password’, so choose a secure password yourself, or use the generator to create a secure one for you. But, do make a note of it.

Then, you’ll need to nominate an ‘Admin Email’ which you can use as a contact for your website, or in case you need recovery.

Next, you need to give your website a ‘Name’ - typically this will be the name of your business or your blog. Then you can put in your business’ or your blog’s ‘Tagline’. Keep it short and memorable.

Now, do you choose ‘Two Factor Authentication’? We’d say that it does make your site more secure, because it requires a unique code to be sent to your phone each time you log in. But, you may decide it’s too much trouble doing that each time. The decision is yours.

We would suggest you ‘Limit Login Attempts’ - which will lock your site after a number of failed login attempts. This is a security measure - it will stop hackers using a Brute Force Attack on your website.

‘Advanced Settings’ allow you to manage your website database, notifications, auto backups and backup location. If you are a beginner with WordPress, we’d advise you to leave that as ‘Automatic’, for the time being.

That’s all the basics done. Now you’re ready to actually install WordPress.

The installation shouldn’t take long.

Now, if you want to change any of the settings you selected before the install, just click on the ‘Spanner’ icon on the top right. That will take you right back to the ‘Settings’ page.

Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll see a timetable for ‘Automatic Backups’. Regular automatic backups are a very good idea because, as you make changes to your site, the software might break.

Frequently updating means you always have a recent restore point, in case something does go wrong. Click ‘Save All’ to update your settings.

To access your WordPress site - choose the middle address - the one that ends /wp-admin/

This will take you to your WordPress dashboard - and you’re ready to start having some fun.