Starting WordPress hosting means deciding where the PHP files and MySQL database will live, then completing install before you touch public DNS. On WPHost that path is deliberate: you install WordPress yourself, you update plugins yourself, and you treat deploy history as file history — not a full content backup.

This is a numbered start-from-zero procedure aimed at a resume site on yourname.com. Broader launch notes live in how to make a WordPress site live.

Decide what “start” includes — and what it does not

Starting hosting here includes:

  • A PHP 8.4 site slot
  • MySQL
  • Preview HTTPS immediately
  • Custom-domain cert after DNS verifies
  • Deploy uploads and file history
  • Staging on Pro+ (files; copy the DB when you need real content)

Starting hosting here does not include email mailboxes, a built-in CDN, Softaculous one-click, auto plugin updates, or a forever-free tier. Plans are $9 / $30 / $65 / $130.

1. Pick a plan that matches site count, not vibes

Starter ($9) is one site and modest storage — enough for a resume. Pro ($30) adds slots, storage, cron, and staging when you expect experiments. Scale ($65) and Business ($130) are for many sites or teams. Buy the slot count you will use; “unlimited sites” marketing elsewhere is not how this product works.

2. Create the PHP site and grab the preview URL

Create a PHP site. Confirm the preview hostname loads over HTTPS. That hostname is your sandbox until the resume looks hire-ready.

Do not buy or rearrange DNS yet. Preview first, domain last.

3. Deploy WordPress files cleanly

Upload a WordPress zip so index.php sits at the document root. Nested folders (.../wordpress/index.php) are the usual self-inflicted 404. Redeploy if needed; file deploy history can roll back a bad upload.

Remember: history is files. Your future posts and Application Password settings live in MySQL. Install UpdraftPlus after the installer finishes.

4. Provision MySQL and finish the five-minute install

Create the database. Put credentials in wp-config.php, add salts, redeploy if required. Open the preview URL, run the installer, create a non-obvious admin user with a password-manager password.

WordPress is PHP + MySQL. If either piece is missing, you do not have a site — you have a folder.

5. Build the resume at yourname.com (worked example) — still on preview

Content outline that fits a single site:

  • Home: headline, one-sentence pitch, photo you own the rights to.
  • Experience: roles with outcomes, not duty lists copied from LinkedIn.
  • Projects: three links with short context.
  • Contact: form to an email you already monitor (SMTP out; WPHost is not your mailbox).
  • PDF download of a one-page résumé as a Media Library file — optional, keep the HTML version primary for phones.

Set permalinks. Delete Hello World. Install only what you will maintain. WPHost will not auto-update plugins for you.

On Pro+, try theme changes on staging. Staging still needs a database copy if you want the real résumé text on the clone — file sync alone is not enough.

6. Point yourname.com after HTTPS on custom DNS is real

Add the domain in the dashboard. Create the DNS records. Wait for the certificate on the custom hostname. Then set WordPress Address and Site Address to https://yourname.com (both, consistently).

Smoke-test: home loads, form submits, PDF downloads, no mixed-content warnings on images.

Leave MX alone if mail already works elsewhere. Web hosting and email hosting are separate products here.

What to skip while starting

Skip one-click installer hunts — there isn’t one. Skip pointing the apex domain at an unfinished install. Skip assuming deploy rollback restores lost posts. Skip expecting [email protected] from WPHost. Skip CDN checkboxes that are not on the plan sheet. Skip “I’ll update plugins later forever” without assigning a human.

What “done” looks like

Done is a résumé that loads on https://yourname.com, wp-admin only for you, at least one full backup (files + DB) stored off-platform, and a calendar note for updates. WooCommerce is irrelevant for most résumés; if you later add a paid course, know there is no checkout SLA or PCI bundle.

Failure: changing WordPress URLs before HTTPS exists

A frequent start-up mistake is editing Settings → General to https://yourname.com while DNS still points elsewhere or the custom certificate has not issued. WordPress then redirects to a hostname that either fails TLS or loops between HTTP and HTTPS. Visitors see warnings; you lock yourself out of wp-admin.

Fix the order: install and design on preview HTTPS → attach domain → wait for cert → then change home and siteurl. If you already flipped early, restore the preview URLs via the database options table or a careful WP-CLI/search-replace, then retry domain cutover. Patience here is cheaper than emergency recovery.

Continue with how to host a WordPress site and how to launch a WordPress website when you expand beyond a résumé.

FAQ

Is there a forever-free plan to “just start”?

No. There is preview HTTPS and short trial behavior — not an open-ended free host. Paid plans start at $9/month.

Do I get email with the hosting?

No. Use a mail provider and keep MX there. WPHost serves the website.

Will plugins update themselves after I start?

No. You update core and plugins in wp-admin. Assign that chore before you publish sensitive personal data.

Does staging replace backups?

No. Staging on Pro+ helps you test changes. Copy the database when you need real content. Separately, keep UpdraftPlus (or similar) backups; deploy history alone is not a full WordPress backup.