A few years back I wrote a post detailing what is necessary to get your website started with WordPress titled, “WordPress, Genesis and Hosting Explained“. While that information is all still relevant, things have changed a little bit so I wanted to build upon and simplify the process for you. I’ve also added 20+ FREE WordPress video tutorials to every single PDCD account, if you’ve purchased any of our feminine WordPress themes, login and check your account area for that link. It’s a wealth of knowledge and will walk you through every little detail from installing your theme on. Here is a list for, Step By Step Getting Started With WordPress, using the Genesis Framework.
1. Purchase a domain
While I do not recommend GoDaddy for hosting (see more below) I do recommend them for purchasing domains. Your domain is your website address. (www.yourwebsiteurl.com)
2. Purchase Hosting
I use and recommend Web Synthesis, which actually comes with the Genesis Framework and WordPress installed. If you are new to owning a website, Synthesis and other VPS hosting providers may seem expensive in comparison to some of the “deal hosting” sites, this is because your site is more secure, and monitored 24/7 by professionals (literally 24 hours a day, I’ve emailed and called and they’re always there.) who love this hosting stuff. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to refer someone for cleaning up their hacked sites on GoDaddy and the like. That said, GoDaddy is absolutely who I would, and do, use for domains. Without getting into the techy details, you’re good to go purchasing domains from them. I’ve heard they recently upped their game with hosting, but have yet to see that for myself and continue to see hacked sites hosted on their servers regularly. A chance I’m never willing to take with my business.
3. Install WordPress
https://wordpress.org/download/ (click the link, download, follow the 5 minute install instructions on their website)
You can skip this and the next step entirely if you go with Synthesis for hosting, they install WordPress for you and the Genesis Framework.
4. Install Genesis Framework
Purchase, download, and then install the Genesis Framework and activate. This is all done via your WordPress dashboard which can be found at www.yourwebsite.com/wp-login.php. Next you’ll click on the Appearance menu, then themes, install, activate.
5. Install your choice of Pretty Darn Cute Design Feminine WordPress Themes 😉
Activate.
Once activated, navigate to your account area here at PrettyDarnCute.com and click on the setup link next to the theme you purchased for detailed instructions on how to setup your theme to resemble the demo site, and don’t forget about the free WordPress tutorial videos in your account area.
6. Continued Learning
If you want to continue to add things to your site, learn to make tweaks and customize things here and there, our TADA! Online Workshop is for you. Learn more about that here.
Copyright © 2017 Pretty Darn Cute Design
est. 2005
I also purchase all of my domains through GoDaddy.
For hosting, I use WPEngine, which is about the same price as Synthesis. I just couldn’t give up having access to my stylesheet in my dashboard.
Being more confident with FTP is one of the things I need to work on ?
Also heard great things about them, and Flywheel! 🙂
I second FlyWheel too!
Hi – I have WordPress.com
Apugsworld.com
My question is if I purchase the Web Synthesis with Genesis & WordPress ( which I assume is WordPress.org) and I purchase Fun Genesis will it automatically pull in my site (domain purchase through WordPress) ? I’m still learning how it all works and looking for program that I don’t have to purchase separately. I want a look similar to a client of yours (theseblondewalls.com) I am an upcoming writer hope to be published soon so I want a clean look but something that garners attention. Please help.
Hi Sherrie! It will not pull anything automatically. You’ll want to purchase hosting, and a domain. Then install WordPress on that domain (most hosts will do this for you nowadays). You’ll then log into your current WordPress.com site and go to Tools > Export. Export everything. Log into your new site at http://www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin and click on Tools > Import (Install the WordPress importer) then upload your exported file. This will transfer everything over to your new site and you’ll be ready to go. I hope that helps! xo Lindsey
Yes – so since I already have a domain for a year with WordPress I need to purchase a new one?
Nope, you own that domain name if it is http://www.yourwebsite.com and not a yourwebsite.wordpress.com url. You’ll simply move it to a new registrar. I recommend namecheap.com. Here are instructions for moving your domain from wordpress.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/move-domain/ I hope that helps! xo Lindsey
This was SO helpful! I love that with Synthesis you don’t have to purchase everything else separate!! Thanks for clarifying all of this!! xoxo
You are so welcome! Thank you for inspiring a new post that breaks it all down 🙂
Wow this is awesome. I am just about to re start my WordPress blog and needed so tips! Thanks a million.
Louis
No problem, happy to help!
If we already have a wordpress/Genesis site and want to move to a new theme have you done a tutorial to help. While under themes there are others and beneath them you have the option to activate your choice but is this best practice and what transfers? Do plugins still influence the new theme or do you have to reinstall them …thank you for any advice
Hi Chris! You will find a video tutorial for just this (and 20+ more free video tutorials) in your dashboard upon purchase of any of our themes. Plugins do influence the theme, as well as widget areas.
Hey! I have my domain and hosting through media temple- no clue about Genesis ☺️ Can I still use your WP themes and woo plug ins? Thanks so much!
Hi Pia! You sure can, just make sure you purchase and install Genesis prior 🙂
I currently have Bluehost – what are your thoughts? If I decided to transfer to Synthesis – is this a difficult task? Also – is Synthesis your email host? I considered Google Apps for email but they max at 2K emails/day which is limited when sending out newsletters. Thank you for your advice! xoxo
Hi Portia! I use Synthesis for hosting, and google apps for email. When you’re sending out newsletters that shouldn’t matter if you’re using a service like MailChimp (What I use to send 14k+ out). I recommend Synthesis or Flywheel for hosting, definitely google apps for email and a third party service for newsletters. I hope that helps! xo Lindsey
I’ve been trying to get things going with godaddy for a month now and their wordpress .. Can’t up load anything.
Got the domain name no problem, but getting it up and actually started has been nothing but a nightmare.
Glad I found you , through another site and Pintrest
Hi Rob! I’m happy to hear you found this info useful! Please let us know if we can answer any specific questions for you to help you along the way.
Hi Lindsey,
I’ve been using a StudioPress/Genesis site for my blog, but it’s not woocommerce ready and I’ve been going crazy trying to fix things. Is Pretty Creative absolutely woocommerce-ready?
Hi Janie, yes it is. The theme was designed to appear exactly how it does in the demo and works with WooCommerce exactly as seen. I hope that helps!
Hi Lindsey, I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy your FUN theme to switch my WP.org site over to. I’m currently using HostGator. Do you recommend I switch? Also, are all of your themes Woo commerce compatible or only FUN? Thanks.
Hi Cat,
Modern Blogger Pro, Pretty Chic, Fun, Pretty Creative, Pretty Happy, and Pretty are all WooCommerce ready. As far as hosting goes, I only recommend WebSynthesis.com because it’s the host I use and have never had issue with. Susan recommends WpEngine. I hope that helps! 🙂
Okay Lindsey…I’ve broken your first rule and I purchased my domain from Go Daddy and then broke down and signed on for my domain…so I have obviously read your recommendations too late. Still can’t seem to accomplish even the simplest tasks. Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Was interested in purchasing a theme, but now I’m not sure what to do.
Thanks in advance,
Wendy
Hi Wendy! No worries at all, we’re here to help. I think you may benefit from our 24 hour setup package: https://prettydarncute.com/product/24-hour-wordpress-theme-setup-package/ . If you have any questions at all please email [email protected]. Susan handles our 24 hour setup packages and is a wealth of knowledge.
Hi Lindsey, I’m entirely new to all of this. My ultimate goal is to purchase your Swank theme for my website that is currently all in my head. I have lists upon lists of steps in which things need to happen to get the website up and running. Quick question… I have purchased my domain through GoDaddy. I am interested in developing my website, designing it, without having it ‘live’ anywhere over the next couple of months. Is it possible to have it hosted after I have it designed or is this entirely impossible? I’m not sure if you need a host before you can even play with the layout and design or if this can happen after. Please help! Thanks. I really appreciate all of your helpful information 🙂
Hi Emily!
I recommend installing the WordPress Maintenance plugin, it will allow you to keep your side hidden while you get everything up and ready to roll. Here’s the direct link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/maintenance/ 🙂
Hi! I have a WordPress.com blog with my own domain name. Would I be able to use one of your themes?
Thanks!
Hi Eleanor! All of our themes work only with a self hosted WordPress site. Here’s more information: https://prettydarncute.com/2012/01/wordpress-genesis-and-hosting-explained/ Please let me know if you have any additional questions, I’m happy to help! xo Lindsey
What are your thoughts on Host Gator??
Thanks!
I didn’t have any until this past week when I heard several of their servers were attacked and lots of sites were down. I’d go with Synthesis (link in sidebar), or Flywheel.
My head hurts. I have a domain (Go Daddy) and hosting (Bluehost) and was going to get WordPress/Genesis theme as many on InternetLand have recommended. Everyone says Genesis is bland, and you need more, that’s how I stumbled upon your site. Then I got stuck. It seems there are different kinds of WordPress? And you prefer .org as opposed to .com? And I should buy it through Bluehost, along with a “child theme?” I’d like your HAPPY theme (ecommerce/blog) but am confused by the levels/layers. Any advice would be appreciated very much.
Hi Sunny! Genesis is a framework so not intended to add much “flair” to your site, frameworks are mainly functional. The child theme is what you install on top of the framework so you can add some style to your site. WordPress.org is where you download the software so you can install it on your own server. WordPress.com is a site like Blogger.com where you basically use a free space provided by that service, and because it’s free you have very little no zero control over your site. Our themes do not work with WordPress.com blogs. I do not recommend BlueHost at all. Too many reasons to list, but save yourself some time and frustration by going with either Flywheel or Synthesis (link in sidebar). To sum up, you need the Genesis Framework, a child theme such as Happy, and hosting. Synthesis and Flywheel both install WordPress for you so that’s a step you can skip 🙂 I hope that helps! xo
Hi Lindsey-
I was going to see if you could help me. I am very new to all of this. I believe I purchased your Pretty Chic theme. I made it through Step 4 above. However, at Step 5 (concerning the tutorials), I am unable to log in to my account area to see them. Could you help me?
Thanks in advance-
Hi Erin! All of the video tutorials, and setup instructions can be found on our support site: http://support.prettydarncute.com/ Thank you for your purchase, please let us know if you have any questions at all! xo
Perfect! Thank you so much!
Hi, my lobster two font isn’t showing up after getting ssl on my site. How do I fix this?
Hi Kim! Are you using the original Modern Blogger theme, or Modern Blogger Pro?
Hi Lindsey!
Genesis just came out with an update. Should we go ahead and install this update or will it change the look of our site?
Thanks!
Christina
I’m going to update the demo sites over the weekend and make 100% sure, but I don’t foresee any issues. I’ll post on facebook with the go ahead afterwards 🙂
Hi everyone!
First time commenting here 🙂
Lindsay, I love your designs! Just purchased Swank for a renovation of my graphic design website.
For hosting, I wanted to chime in and say I host many of my WP clients on Pressidium. Phenomenal support and service… one-click staging pull/push technology…. one-click restore… I could go on and on….
Also, I brushed up on WordPress security by taking a Lynda.com class “Locking Down WordPress.” It was invaluable.
Hi I bought the pretty sweet wordpress theme and I don’t know how to show the pinterest type page (have I deleted it perhaps?) If so how do I get it back as that is the reason I chose your theme. Thanks for your help. The rest of it looks lovely!
Hi Sophie! Thank you for your purchase! We have a support forum dedicated to ensuring you’re able to get exactly the answers you need. Go ahead and create a post in the Pretty Sweet forum over on our support site: https://support.prettydarncute.com/ – We look forward to getting you taken care of, and truly appreciate your business! xo Lindsey
All sorted Thank you!
I really love this website. Very simple…. I have been trying to help my girlfriend build a website and it has been frustrating.
This is the perfect step by step process for her to follow…
Thank you very much.
CR
Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it! Best of luck, and please let us know if we can help along the way.
Hi I currently run a blog which I’m keen to move for all sorts of reasons. Do you guys offer a service where you can do some of the techy and design stuff for me, and I deal with content? Over time I could use your tutorials to learn what I need to do but making sure my head doesn’t explode during the move is pretty vital! Also – I’m based in the UK…do you support many sites here?
Cheers
Ali
Hi Ali!
We sure do, our 24 hour setup package gets your website all setup with the theme of your choice and grants you access to our support forum where we also include free WordPress tutorial videos for our customers. If you need anything not included with the setup package, you can email [email protected] and she’ll get you fixed up with a custom quote for your specific needs. I hope that helps! Have a wonderful day! xo Lindsey
https://prettydarncute.com/product/24-hour-wordpress-theme-setup-package/
Hi,
Im very new to wordpress and I would like to open my webshop, I have just purchased a domain and host through hostgator.
I like your themes, is it possible to purchase only your ‘theme’ without purchase’genisis’?
Hi Josie, Genesis is required for our themes to function. We choose to require it, as it’s a solid foundation that will continue to keep your website consistent with the latest web standards, as well as simplify many complex tasks. It’s a one time purchase, and one that you’ll never regret. If you have any additional questions, or concerns, please do not hesitate to email our support staff, we’re happy to help!
Hi Lindsey,
Do your themes work with Rainmaker Digital?
I believe you’re able to upload your own themes to Rainmaker now, so should work like a charm 🙂 xo
Hi, love your templates and have one in my cart. However, I see that you need to also purchase a Genesis framework? Can you use your template without that in WordPress? Thanks in advance. I am still new to all of this.
Hi Kim!
All of our themes require Genesis be installed and activated. Genesis is the framework upon which our themes are built. For a visual, imagine Genesis as the foundation, and plumbing and Pretty Darn Cute Themes as the walls, and decor. Genesis is a one time purchase, you’ll receive updates free for life, and it keeps your website consistent with evolving web standards. I hope that helps. xo Lindsey
Hi Lindsey,
I’ve been running Modern Blogger Pro for about two years and love it. However, I seem to be having a problem updating to WordPress 4.7. I keep getting the screen of death. I never had this problem before when updating versions. Is Modern Blogger Pro compatible with 4.7? Thanks, Michelle
Hi Michelle! Modern Blogger Pro is good to go for updating to 4.7. I’ve just double checked the demo site, and all is updated and running smoothly. A couple of things, when updating a WordPress version be sure and update the Genesis Framework first. Also, plugins can cause problems when updating WordPress, as they may not be compatible with the new version. If you have access to your server via FTP, you can disable all plugins at once by renaming the plugins file to see if that fixes the problem. You can also disable them all in your dashboard prior to updating Genesis and WordPress. To help narrow that down for you, all of the plugins used in the demo and recommended in our setup area are working with the 4.7 update. I hope that helps! If all else fails, contact your hosting company and let them know. It could always be a server issue as well. Please also let us know if there’s anything we can do to help! You can contact us directly at [email protected]
xo Lindsey
What is genesis framework exactly. I’m confused why it is needed.
Genesis is the framework we use to build our themes upon. Imagine you’re building a home, and Genesis is your concrete foundation, some framing and a bit of plumbing. We do the rest, and remodel it for you from time to time 🙂 I hope that helps! xo Lindsey
I luv your themes. I recently bought a domain thru wordpress.com started my website there which they also host. Can I simply buy your theme and upload it to wordpress? Do I still use wordpress to upload my content etc like I do now?
Hi There, Our themes are not compatible with WordPress.com – only self hosted WordPress.org sites, Here’s a helpful video explaining the difference since it can be confusing: http://support.prettydarncute.com/article/39-wordpress-com-vs-wordpress-org
Hi Lindsey,
I have had the Swank theme for a few years now and ready for an update. Can I send you a link via email that shows you what I am looking for? I am wondering if I need to upgrade to a more custom look. Thanks!
Hi Jackie! Absolutely – [email protected]
xo Lindsey
Hi Lindsey,
I have a blog but it’s 6 years old and I’m wanting to change my name and kinda start over. Kinda. I do want to move my posts to my new ‘home’. I’ve been looking for a new template and I’m getting a little lost in all of the options. There are so many bits and pieces to this building a blog thing. So my big wish list items: pin it buttons, options to change colors on the premade templates, space for advertising and growth. This blog will be my full time job so I want to make the right choices in my set up. So help, SOS, mayday! I’d appreciate some guidence. I also see that you offer a 24 hour set up or the Ta Da option. Which would be the most beneficial for future questions? I fear I’m overthinking this (story of my life). Thanks in advance for your help.
I have the Modern Blogger Pro on the Genesis framework and I have been trying to figure out how to set up some menus, but everytime I go in and work on it, it just says that my theme only supports 2 menus. Gaaahhh! What am I doing wrong?
Hi Deborah! Have you watched the WordPress Menu Video Tutorial in your account area? I’m going to create a support ticket for your question, that way we can gather a bit more information and help you troubleshoot more efficiently, but check that video out real quick and see if that helps you along. We look forward to chatting with you shortly, and getting your site all fixed up. xo Lindsey
Hi Lindsey!
I have a blog that I’m looking for a theme for, and yours are so cute! “Get in Style” is my favorite because I can customize all of the colors. But are the fonts customizable as well?
Hi There! You can customize the fonts with a plugin if you like, or you can use google fonts to add your own 🙂 I’m so glad you like our themes! xo Lindsey
Do you have a theme comparison list? I’m having a hard time picking one, since all your themes are so beautiful! My current favorites are Pretty Happy, Pretty, Fun, & Pretty Chic. Is there a way to easily see significant differences between themes? Thank you!
To be honest, I create them all with so much flexibility, on purpose, which really narrows your decision down to which look and feel you prefer. What are you looking to use this for, maybe I can help you! Thank you so much for the kind words!
I’m planning on a lifestyle/teaching blog. With the possibility of selling ebooks in the future. I’m wanting elegant and pretty, mixing gold and pink, aimed for young women. Name is “A Pure Radiance”. Focusing on the blog articles, with different categories and related articles being easy to find.
I love the flexibility, that helps to know that I can probably do anything I need with any of the themes! So awesome!
Thank you so much!
It sounds like Pretty would be perfect for you, it’s already mostly pink and created to cater to Lifestyle bloggers 🙂
https://prettydarncute.com/product/pretty-wordpress-theme/
Hi Lindsey
I am a new blogger, and decided to use flywheel as my hosting site for my blog.
I signed up but have not chosen a plan yet. Im a little confused because I dont have any contributors or web designer working on my site for me.
Is flywheel something i can use as a beginner without a designer?
Thank you much
Hi J lynn! Absolutely, Flywheel is a fantastic host. You don’t need to be working with a contributor, they just make it super easy to if you were to in the future.
Hi Lindsey
If flywheel is not a hosting service for a beginner. Do you know of a vps hosting service that is beginner friendly and allows monthly payments?
If you have any trouble at all just contact Flywheel’s support desk, they’re amazing. 🙂
thank you so much. I cant wait to get started.
You are amazing. I love all your layouts.
Thank YOU so much! 🙂
Hi Lindsey,
I really like the theme Modern Blogger Pro. Is this theme good for affiliate marketing? I don’t have a product of my own yet. Can I post my affiliates ad in place of where I would place mine. I also want to do blogging at the same time. Thank you for your help.
Best regards,
Kathy
Hi Kathy, absolutely! Those ad spaces can be used for any type of ad 🙂 xo