These are the 2 popular WordPress install methods at Bluehost:
- Standard WordPress Installer (Default built-in installer, this page)
- SimpleScripts (Bluehost’s custom one-click installer)
Standard Install — This is the built-in installer that comes packaged with WordPress. Download the install package, upload to your server, configure databases and install WordPress. It’s a fairly easy process, however, the next option is a lot simpler.
SimpleScripts 1-click installer — SimpleScripts was developed by Bluehost sometime ago, and now it is used by many different webhosts. It will automatically create a database and build the content onto your server for you. This is great and very easy. The only drawbacks are that you will not have control over the database and database user creation. Install WordPress at Bluehost using SimpleScripts.
We hope you find this guide helpful. If you do, please share your Bluehost experience with others by using the social buttons above and by leaving a Bluehost review for others to learn from.
Watch Install Video or Follow Steps Below:
Before you begin, you will need:
- Bluehost Account (Sign up)
- Bluehost Domain Name & Password
- DNS configured (Domain name pointed to Bluehost Server)
Step 1: Download WordPress

- Download the WordPress Package (.zip). The package is available here: http://wordpress.org/download/ *Note at the time of this documents creation WordPress 3.2.1 was the current version. However, it’s recommended to download the latest version.
Step 2: Go to Bluehost Control Panel

- Click on ‘Control Panel Login’ at http://bluehost.com. You will need your Bluehost Domain Name and Password to Login.
Step 3: Login to Bluehost Control Panel

- Enter your Domain Name, Password and click ‘LOGIN’
Step 4: Go to ‘File Manager’

- Click ‘File Manager’ which is under the “Files” section (Select “Web Root” in the dialogue box that appears after you click on ‘File Manager’. By default, the web root puts you into the public_html folder which we will install to).
Step 5: Use “File Manager” to upload WordPress Package

- Verify you are in the “public_html” folder (This is the top level folder).
- Click Upload. In the upload window, click ‘Choose File’ or ‘Browse’. Select the WordPress Install Package (The ‘.ZIP’ Joomla package) that was downloaded from WordPress.org, and click ‘Open’. (Not Pictured)
- Highlight uploaded Uploaded Package (back in the File Manager after using the upload window).
- Click ‘Extract’ (There should not be ANY files EXCEPT the ‘cgi bin’ folder in the directory you install to. Extra files could mess up WordPress).
- Double Click to open the newly created ‘wordpress’ folder.
*Optional – You can also upload the .Zip of WordPress already extracted via FTP. We recommend Filezilla FTP client software for this.
Step 6: Move Files Into Root Directory

- Click ‘Select all’ while in the ‘wordpress’ directory.
- Click ‘Move File’, you will now see a pop up screen. In the popup screen, delete ‘wordpress’ after /public_html/ and click ‘Move File(s)’ (not pictured). *Note this moves the WordPress installation to the main domain or ‘root directory’ of the website. If you want to keep the installation in a subfolder, you can simply leave folder and files the way they are or rename the ‘wordpress’ folder to any other name.
Step 7: Go to MySQL Database Creation Screen

- Click on ‘MySQL Databases’ after scrolling down to the “Databases” section in the cPanel tab of the Bluehost control panel.
Step 8: Create MySQL Database and User

- Create a New Database by entering the name where it says ‘New Database: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com our database is called ‘bluehost_WORDPRESS’), then click ‘Create Database’.
- Create a New User by entering the username where it says ‘Username: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com our username is ‘bluehost_USER’), next enter the password, then click ‘Create User’.
- Add the USER to the DATABASE by selecting ‘User: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ to ‘Database: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com it is ‘User: bluehost_USER’ to ‘Database: bluehost_WORDPRESS’) and click ‘Add’.
- Check ‘All Privileges’ and click, ‘Make Changes’ (Not Pictured). STORE YOUR DATABASE, USERNAME AND PASSWORD in a safe place.
Step 9: Start the WordPress Install

- Visit http://YOURDOMAIN.com/wp-admin/install.php
- Click ‘Create Configuration File’ *Note this checks to see if you have already configured your SQL Databases and added them to a wp-config.php file. If not, this screen will create the file for you.
Step 10: Prepare your Database Information

- Click ‘Let’s go!’ after making sure you have your database information ready to go.
Step 11: Enter Database information

- Enter your Database Name
- Enter your Database Username
- Enter your password
- Don’t change ‘Database Host’ or ‘Table Prefix’ unless you know what you’re doing. These settings work for a majority of people.
- Click ‘Submit’.
Step 12: Run the Install

- Click ‘Run the install’
Step 13: Configure WordPress Site Settings

- Enter your sites name. For us it is ‘Dropline Menu’. This is a human readable name for your site.
- Pick the WordPress administrator’s username. We went with the default which is ‘admin’.
- Create a strong WordPress administrator password.
- Choose the administrator’s email. This is where the installation information will be sent on completion as well as the email that wordpress will send your forgotten password or username.
- Check ‘allow my site to appear in search engines like google and technorati’ to keep your site public and available to be found by search engines.
- Click ‘Install WordPress’
Step 14: WordPress Installation Completion

- Click ‘Log In’ to see the backend of your new WordPress installation
Step 15: Log In to WordPress

- Enter your administrator username and password for your WordPress site and click ‘Log In’
Step 16: Visit Your New WordPress Site

- Visit the “Frontend” of the site to make sure it is working properly by visiting it at YOURDOMAIN.COM ours was DROPLINEMENU.COM
Step 17: Log into Administrator & Congrats! You’re Done!

- Get started by visiting YOURDOMAIN.COM/WP-ADMIN for us it’s DROPLINEMENU.COM/WP-ADMIN. Congratulations! You are ready to start using Joomla to develop your website! Just have your login information handy and you are set.
Other Bluehost Joomla Install Methods:

Steven Johnson, a WP Hosting Reviews senior editor, works from Atlanta and covers all things related to WordPress and Hosting.
He graduated from Georgia Tech in Chemical Engineering, has managed hosting companies and now builds WordPress and Joomla Websites for small to medium companies full time.