Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your First Website
You’ve got your domain and your hosting—now it’s time to build. This guide will take you from the "Welcome" email to a live, professional website in under 20 minutes using the Softaculous Apps Installer in cPanel.
Phase 1: Installing the Engine (WordPress)
While Jiinubi supports hundreds of platforms, WordPress powers over 40% of the web and is our top recommendation for beginners.
- Access cPanel: Log in to your Jiinubi Dashboard, go to Services, and click Login to cPanel.
- Open Softaculous: Scroll to the "Software" section and click Softaculous Apps Installer.
- Install WordPress: Click the blue Install button under the WordPress icon.
- Choose Protocol: Select
https://(this ensures your site is secure). - In Directory: Leave this box empty for
example.com. Delete "wp" if it appears. - Admin Username: Avoid "admin" for security. Pick a unique name.
- Admin Password: Use a strong password or click the "Key" icon to generate one.
- Finish: Scroll down and click Install. Within 60 seconds, you’ll get links to your website and the Admin Dashboard.
Phase 2: The "Initial Cleanup" (First 5 Minutes)
Before designing, remove the demo content that comes with every new installation.
- Log in to WordPress: Visit
yourdomain.com/wp-admin. - Delete Sample Posts: Go to Posts > All Posts, hover over "Hello World," and click Trash.
- Delete Sample Pages: Go to Pages > All Pages and trash the "Sample Page."
- Set Permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks. Select Post Name and click Save. This makes links clean and readable (e.g.,
yoursite.com/about).
Phase 3: Choosing Your "Look" (Themes)
Your theme is the "skin" of your website.
- Navigate to Appearance > Themes and click Add New.
- Browse the Library: Search for themes by industry (e.g., "Restaurant," "Photography," "Store").
- Our Recommendation: Lightweight themes like Astra, OceanWP, or GeneratePress work best and are optimized for Jiinubi’s Google Cloud servers.
- Click Install and then Activate.
Phase 4: Adding Content & Essential Pages
Every professional website should have these four pages:
- Home: Your "elevator pitch"—what do you do?
- About: Who you are and why customers should trust you.
- Services/Products: Clearly describe what you offer.
- Contact: How visitors can reach you. Use a plugin like WPForms for contact forms.
Phase 5: Final Pre-Launch Checklist
Before sharing your link on social media, check these key items:
- Mobile Test: Open your site on a phone. Are buttons easy to tap? Does it look good?
- SSL Check: Look for the padlock in the browser. If missing, see our SSL Guide to activate your free certificate.
- Site Identity: Go to Settings > General. Ensure your "Site Title" and "Tagline" are accurate and not the default "Just another WordPress site."
If you aren’t a designer, Jiinubi offers Professional Web Design services. We can deliver a fully custom, high-speed website for you. Check our Design Packages.
Your website is now live on the Jiinubi Cloud. You can log in anytime to customize your site and start publishing content.