How To Install The LATEST WordPress Correctly And Securely In 5 Easy Steps

In the last 4 months alone, WordPress has made 3 major releases — versions 3.6 (Aug 2013), 3.7 (Oct 2013), and 3.8 (Dec 2013). According to W3 Techs site, as of Oct 25th, 2019, 34.9% of all existing websites out there are currently powered by WordPress.

I considered learning WP is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made because the effort and money I’ve invested into mastering WordPress have made me hundreds if not thousands times over. Plus, this has created lots of job opportunities in the marketplace.

The reason people use WP to setup their website is because it is the most flexible of all CMS. In fact, it has come to a point that you need WP if you want to make money online.

If you’re looking to build your first WordPress website today, then follow the steps below. I’m going to show you how you can install the latest WordPress correctly (and securely).

Note: You must already have registered a domain and get a web hosting account setup.

#1 Download the latest file at WordPress.org: As of the time I’m writing this, the latest version is 5.2. You need to download the .zip file and extract the 1 ‘wordpress’ folder in it.

#2 Upload the files in wordpress to your server: Use an FTP program to transfer all the files in the folder to your web server where you want those files located at. E.g. if you want your website to be www.domain.com, you will want to upload the files into the root directory (i.e. public_html). If you want your website on www.domain.com/blog, then you have to create a NEW subdirectory call blog, and transfer the files into that subdirectory.

#3 Create a MySQL username & database in cPanel: Login to your control panel, under Databases, click MySQL® Databases. Name your new database and click Create Database. Then name your username, set a very strong password (100/100) using the password generator, and click Create User. Remember to write down your database name, username, and password. You’ll need those for the WP installation process later.

The final step is to Add the user to the database. Click All Privileges and Make Changes.

#4 Go to your domain.com and set the configuration: Visit yourdomain.com using your preferred browser, click on Create a Configuration File, and then click on Let’s Go!

Insert the details that you’ve written down in #3. Put localhost for Database Host, wp_ for Table Prefix (you may use something else like ‘wdp_‘). Click Submit, then Run the Install.

#5 Install WordPress by adding required details: Give a name to the Site Title. Set the Username (DON’T use admin), choose a strong Password, and insert Your E-mail. For Privacy, uncheck the box. Allow search engines to index when your website is ready.

Click Install WordPress and boom! Now you already have the latest WordPress installed on your site. Visit yourdomain.com to take a glimpse of the appearance. Click Log In (or yourdomain.com/wp-admin) to access the backend. You can start publishing in your site.

5 Best Practices After Installing Latest WordPress…

• Change your Permalink settings: Use Post name.
• Only install Premium Themes: I recommend using OptimizePress.
• Only install Plugins from trusted authorities. {Minimize the # of plugins}
• Install a good security plugin: I’m using WordFence.
• Always backup your website: I recommend BackWPup.

For those who want to create your WordPress website, I hope you find this tutorial useful.