So, you’ve spent hours crafting the perfect WordPress website on your local server, and now it’s time to take it live! Moving your website from a local environment to a live server can seem daunting, but fear not – with this beginner’s guide, you’ll navigate the process smoothly, especially with US Domain Center hosting at your service.

Step 1: Choose US Domain Center Hosting Before you begin the migration process, make sure you have a hosting plan with US Domain Center. Their hosting services offer reliable performance and excellent support, making them an ideal choice for hosting your WordPress site.

Step 2: Backup Your Local WordPress Site Before making any changes, it’s essential to back up your local WordPress site. You can use plugins like UpdraftPlus or manually export your database and files to ensure nothing gets lost in the migration process.

Step 3: Export Your WordPress Database Log in to your local WordPress dashboard and navigate to Tools > Export. Choose “All content” and download the XML file containing your site’s content. This file will be used to import your content into the live site.

Step 4: Transfer Your WordPress Files to US Domain Center Using an FTP client (like FileZilla), connect to your US Domain Center hosting account. Navigate to the root directory (often named “public_html” or “www”) and upload all your WordPress files from your local server to the corresponding directory on your US Domain Center hosting account.

Step 5: Create a New MySQL Database on US Domain Center Log in to your US Domain Center hosting account and navigate to the cPanel dashboard. Find the MySQL Database Wizard and create a new MySQL database, along with a username and password. Make sure to note down these credentials as you’ll need them for the next step.

Step 6: Import Your WordPress Database Using phpMyAdmin in cPanel, import the SQL file you exported from your local server into the newly created database on US Domain Center. This will transfer all your site’s content, settings, and configurations to the live server.

Step 7: Update Your WordPress Configuration Using an FTP client, locate the wp-config.php file in your WordPress installation on US Domain Center. Update the database name, username, and password to match the credentials of the database you created on US Domain Center.

Step 8: Update Site URLs To ensure that your site works correctly on the live server, you need to update the site URLs. You can do this by accessing the WordPress database through phpMyAdmin and updating the “siteurl” and “home” values in the “wp_options” table.

Step 9: Test Your Site Once everything is set up, it’s time to test your site on the live server. Visit your US Domain Center domain name in a web browser and make sure everything looks and functions as expected.

Step 10: Update Permalinks and Plugins After migrating your site, remember to update permalinks and re-activate any plugins that you were using on your local server. Additionally, check for any broken links or issues that may have occurred during the migration process.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully moved your WordPress site from a local server to US Domain Center hosting. With these simple steps, even beginners can confidently take their websites live and start sharing their content with the world. If you encounter any difficulties along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to US Domain Center’s support team for assistance. Happy website building!