Configuring my Domain
The next step in the domain creation process was to log onto my web host and configure my domain. With Host Gator, you do this by going to http://[your domain name]/cpanel. This is pretty clearly explained in the registration email that they send you.
Upon logging in, I was greeted with a pleasant “Welcome New User” dialog box that asked me if I’d like help getting started. Normally I’m one to skip this sort of hand holding in software applications, but in this case I was happy to let it help me since I had no idea what I needed to do.
Can I help you? Sure, why not…
The wizard proceeded to walk me through a number of steps to do things such as choosing my language, setting up email accounts, and adjusting a number of important settings. It did an excellent job of explaining everything that I needed to do. It also gave a nice overview of the file and directory structure of the website and how to access your files. I highly recommend going through the wizard to get started. If you’re unsure of what you want to do with any steps then you can skip them for now and go back to them later. You can run the wizard at any time from the Host Gator Control Panel. Overall, I was very impressed with how user friendly the whole experience was (and I am not easily impressed when it comes user friendly experiences).
Next: WordPress, Here I Come!