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Every voice actor needs a voice-over website. You may think you can rely on just having social media profiles like Instagram, Reels, or whatever is trending but the fact is, they tend to shut down eventually. When you own your own website, it’s your online hub and you have total control over it.
I recommend setting up a self-hosted WordPress website because it has the most functionality and is easy to use once you get used to it. That means you need to purchase a hosting account. I recommend Bluehost because they make it easy to set up and manage your website. I use it for all my sites.
As soon as you sign up, your site is automatically created for you and all you have to do is find a theme to fit your personality.
Below is a step by step tutorial on how to set up your site and get it online in minutes.
Note: I am not a spring chicken but I build my own websites. If I can do it, so can you. I’ve also found those skills valuable in creating several flexible alternative income sources that every actor should have.
You Can Install a WordPress website using Bluehost in 5 Minutes
Just follow the instructions below
A voice-over website is an amazing marketing tool. You can also blog which will help you generate tons of traffic. If you’re serious about running a voice-over business a WordPress website is where you want to start.
But… here’s the rub. There are two versions of WordPress. WordPress.com and WordPress.org. You will want to choose WordPress.org.
Here’s why:
WordPress.com is completely free. You don’t need to purchase a hosting account. The downside is there are restrictions that aren’t cool if you want to create and monetize your business.
WordPress.org requires that you have a hosting account but there are NO RESTRICTIONS. You’ll have complete control of your files, as well as access to thousands of incredible free plugins that will make your site do just about anything you want. They can be installed in one-click.
Choose a name for your brand
As a voice-over actor, you are your brand so if you can buy a domain with your professional name that’s always best. If your name is common like John Smith, you may have to get creative. Think about it carefully before you choose a name for your website and make sure it will represent your brand. Once you’ve set up your website, it’s a little tricky to change it.
Try to make your domain name as short as possible, memorable and in sync with who you are. Also, end it with a .com. You may be tempted to use .net, .biz, .me but .com comes up automatically when you put your site name in a browser address bar.
For Search Engine Optimization (SEO) you can add a searchable keyword like “Voiceovers” to your domain name if your professional name isn’t available.
Bluehost will give you one domain name for free when you sign up which makes it easy. If you decide in the future to have more than one website, you can buy more domains at Bluehost, but it’s usually better to buy them on GoDaddy or another domain name registrar and then point them to Bluehost.
Set up your hosting account today with Bluehost by clicking here!
Click the button that says “Get Started.”
Select your shared hosting plan
If you only have 1 site to worry about the Basic Plan is fine to start with. When your traffic increases significantly or you want to add more sites, you can always upgrade. As you can see below, the Choice Plus plan is recommended if you plan on having multiple sites.
Please note that the prices listed above are subject to change.
You will be asked to choose your domain
No matter what plan you decide on once you click select you will be taken to a page to choose your domain.
If you already have a domain that you’ve purchased from Godaddy or another provider, you can enter it in the second box.
Important – A domain that has been purchased from another provider will need to be pointed to your Bluehost account. Go to your registrar’s account and change the nameservers to:
ns1.BlueHost.com
ns2.BlueHost.com
If you call technical support at a company like Godaddy, they can walk you through how to do this. However, don’t let them talk you into purchasing a hosting account with them. In my opinion, Bluehost is a much better hosting service.
One reason I prefer Bluehost is that it’s easy to set up a site and they don’t try to sell you a bunch of stuff you don’t need. Their customer service is outstanding and support technicians are always ready to help you.
You can install the WordPress software and get your website up in about 5 minutes by following the steps below:
After you choose your domain you will be asked to fill in your account info
Take out your credit card. The price is stated as monthly but you will be asked to pay for 1 year all at once. Bluehost hosting is very inexpensive and it’s a voice-over business expense that you can write off for your taxes.
If you’re just starting out you may only want to purchase one year of hosting to see how it goes. However, you will save quite a bit of money if you order a 3-year package.
Package extras can be added at any time. I recommend that you ignore them until you are sure you need them, especially if you are just starting out.
Choose a password
Bluehost will help you find a strong password. This will help protect you from hackers. If you choose upper and lowercase letters, some numbers, and a symbol, you are usually fine.
When you click CREATE YOUR PASSWORD, Bluehost will take you to a password generator page. Enter your password there or use the one that is generated for you.
Step Five – Log in to Your New Account
I hope you wrote down your domain name and password and are storing it someplace safe. Your password is case sensitive so write or type it correctly. When logging in, your domain name should look like mydomain.com (insert your own domain name) and enter your password.
WordPress automatically gets installed on your domain
Once you create your account, Bluehost software will install on your domain.
You can access your site by clicking on My Sites on the left and click Login to WordPress to get into the back end of your site. Until your site is ready to launch it will have a Coming Soon page up for the public to see until you unclick to launch it.
Once you are in, a wizard will assist you in setting up your site.
The wizard will ask you several questions to complete your setup.
This is your WordPress website dashboard. When you’re ready, you can launch it.
Add your site title and tagline and then launch.
It will ask you to pick out a WordPress theme. You can choose one that is offered but there are also thousands of themes available on the Internet to choose from, many of which are free.
I personally love StudioPress themes, which are premium paid themes because they have excellent support. Another popular and very flexible premium theme is DIVI by Elegant Themes.
Guess what? You just installed a website all by yourself. Pretty cool, huh?
WordPress Tutoring and Walk Through of Your Site
Once your site is set up you will want to adjust the settings and make style changes depending on your own individual needs. You will also want to upload your logo, set up your navigation menu, and add content.
In some installations WordPress video tutorials are installed. However, you may need a little help to create a site you like if you have never worked on websites before.
I would be happy to consult with you and walk you through the process.
I use Zoom and can share my screen or have you share yours during the session for $50 per hour.
If you like, you can contact me at:
Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski
818-515-7880
rebecca@rebeccaforstadt.com
Or, Schedule a WordPress Tutoring appointment by clicking here.
Disclaimer – Bluehost updates its interface from time to time so if your experience is not exactly as described above, don’t freak out. (they probably made it even better)
This page updated 1/10/2021
