Set Up A Joomla Site

Joomla is a free, open-source content management system that provides an alternative way to create a website. Without expensive authoring software or expert knowledge in a variety of website coding languages, you can still create a dynamic professional-looking website using Joomla.

The main page of a sample Joomla website.

Choose A Domain Name

Choose a domain name that reflects your subject material or business name – this will make it easier for people to find your website in search engine results pages. For example, if you are planning to start a Joomla website for people interested in penguins, consider a domain name like www.penguincentral.com or www.thepenguinplace.com.  Learn more about search engine optimization.

Get Hosting and Set Up Joomla

Purchase website hosting services and your domain name through a reputable provider that offers “instant” or one-step installation of Joomla. GoDaddy, Hostmonster and HostGator all offer this feature. Follow the instructions provided by your web hosting company to execute the installation of Joomla into your root directory. This process will also set up the required server databases to run your website. You will need to create an Administrator user name and password during the Joomla set-up process–remember this or write it down for later use.

Add Content

Once your website is active and your domain points to the Joomla welcome page (it can take up to 48 hours for this to happen), log in to your Joomla installation by adding “/administrator” after your domain name when typing the URL into your web browser. Use the log in username and password you created during the set up process. From here, you can easily add content. Start with simple, static content, such as an “About” page. Add new page content by clicking on the “Add Article” icon in the Administrator dashboard.

The main administration page for Joomla.

Expand Functionality

From the administrative panel, you can also control which plugin modules are enabled. Plugins extend the functionality of your website. You can view the list of installed plugin modules by clicking on “Plugin Manager” in the “Extensions” menu on the Administrator dashboard.

Need Help?

If you need help with installation or set-up of your new Joomla website, consider hiring me to help you.  I have the skills, knowledge and experience to get your site up and running quickly.