How to Start a Blog using Bluehost Web Hosting - Super Naturally Me

The start of this blog Super Naturally Me began about 6 months ago. I started a different blog about 4 years ago. I did not post consistently and eventually got too busy doing other things; so I shut it down. I cannot remember who I hosted with at the time but I did use wordpress to build my first blog. I follow another popular blogger who has recommended Bluehost as a hosting service. So I decided to check out what they offered. Wanting to start a blog is great! It is sometimes overwhelming when you don’t know where to start. The first things you need to do when you start a blog is decide where you will host your blog. The following post describes my experience starting a blog using Bluehost Web Hosting Service.

(This post is based on my individual experience using bluehost as a web hosting service. Although this page contains affiliate links that may result in a small commission at no additional cost to you, it is an honest account of my personal experience.)

Related post: How to start a successful blog using WordPress

Setting up with Bluehost

I chose a package that I felt would fit my need; the plus package at the time was $6.95/month. There is also a basic package and a choice plus package. The prices now are a little better than when I signed up but can change at their discretion. I did end up spending a little more than I initially set out to. The price is broken down by month, however, you pay by the year. You sign up for the package you want and pay for a year at a time to get the price they are promoting.

I signed up for one year of hosting and two years of domain registration with one year free. As a beginner, I chose the plus package instead of the basic because I wanted the option of adding additional websites later. With just purchasing additional web domains you can add them at no extra cost for hosting to your account. You can purchase your domain name when you sign up or use one you already own.

At first, I was thinking of restarting my blog using the old domain name that I previously owned. I, however, had no idea if I still owned it or if it was still available. Because my previous blog was titled restorefreshrenew I figured it was unique enough that no one else would probably use it. When I proceeded to set up with bluehost, I used my old domain name. Big mistake! I discovered that my previous domain name was actually owned by a company in China. It was so upsetting that I could no longer use it. I was even more upset with myself for not checking first.

Bluehost Customer Service

Bluehost customer service was such a good experience. I used the chat option on their webpage to speak to a customer service agent. They responded promptly and was patient with me during the entire time I was on the chat with them. Bluehost customer service talked me through purchasing another domain name, which I purchased through bluehost as well. My problem was advanced. I was informed that my case needed to go to a supervisor and that they would work on converting my account to the new domain name and email me once the problem was resolved. I was emailed by the next morning with the problem resolved and information I needed relating to my account.

Most recently I had another customer service issue which I contacted customer service again through the chat feature. This was a minor issue/question still related to the old domain name that came up. My experience was the same; quick response and patient help until my issue was resolved. I would highly recommend Bluehost based on my experience with their customer service.

Bluehost Hosting and WordPress Bundle

Another reason why I chose Bluehost was because of their bundle with WordPress. Since I was familiar with WordPress, this made it even easier for me to get started building my website quickly. My wordpress account is setup through bluehost. What I do is sign into my bluehost portal and I am automatically signed into my wordpress account. Bluehost is wordpress.org recommended host since 2005 and have special offerings for wordpress users. I like using wordpress because they have great templates to choose from and many different options to easily customize your blog. I am not familiar with many other website building sites so I cannot compare wordpress with other website building platforms.

My Experience with Bluehost Web hosting

In conclusion, I would highly recommend Bluehost web hosting with wordpress. Even though I ended up paying more than I anticipated up front; their customer service alone makes the price worth it. They helped me with my domain name screw up; having wordpress included was an added bonus for me because I was already familiar with it. If you have never used wordpress they have a vast library of articles and videos to help. Just get started! You can learn how to build your own website as you go.

Bluehost also offers premium VPS hosting packages and premium dedicated hosting packages if you are in need of something more advanced than basic hosting and site building. I hope this is helpful. Again this has been my experience so far. As I continue to use and learn more about hosting I will continue to update this post. It can seem overwhelming if you are just starting out. The first decision you need to make is where you will host your blog. Once you do that, you have completed the first step to starting your blog. For next steps check out How to start a successful blog using wordpress.