You can install WordPress on any Web Design Hosting SA plan in about five minutes using Softaculous, the one-click app installer inside cPanel. This guide walks you through the one-click method first, then the manual method for people who prefer to do it themselves.
Before you start, make sure:
- Your domain is pointing to your hosting account (it uses our nameservers, or its A record points to your server). See how to update your nameservers.
- Your free SSL certificate is active, so the site can load on https://. See how to install a free SSL certificate.
- You know your cPanel login. See how to log in to cPanel.
Method 1: Install WordPress with Softaculous (recommended)
- Log in to cPanel.
- Scroll to the Software section and click Softaculous Apps Installer. You can also type "Softaculous" in the cPanel search bar.
- Click WordPress, then click the blue Install button (use Install Now, not the custom install, unless you know you need it).
- Fill in the Software Setup fields:
- Choose Installation URL: pick
https://orhttps://www.and your domain. - In Directory: leave this empty to install on your main domain (yourdomain.co.za). Softaculous often fills in "wp" by default; if you leave it, your site will live at yourdomain.co.za/wp.
- Choose Installation URL: pick
- Fill in the Site Settings: your site name and a short description. You can change both later in WordPress under Settings, General.
- Fill in the Admin Account:
- Admin Username: do not use "admin". Choose something that is not your business name either.
- Admin Password: use the generated password or a long one of your own, and save it in a password manager.
- Admin Email: use an address you check. WordPress sends password resets and security notices here.
- Choose your language. Leave the plugin and theme options unticked unless you know you want them.
- Under Advanced Options, you can turn on automatic backups and auto-updates for WordPress core. Auto-updating minor versions is a sensible default.
- Click Install at the bottom of the page and wait for the progress bar to finish (usually under a minute).
After the installation finishes
Softaculous shows two links:
| Link | What it is |
|---|---|
https://yourdomain.co.za | Your live website |
https://yourdomain.co.za/wp-admin | The WordPress dashboard where you log in to manage the site |
Log in to /wp-admin with the admin username and password you chose.
Method 2: Install WordPress manually
Use this method if you want full control, or if you are moving an existing WordPress site. If you are moving a site from another host, follow how to migrate your website to Web Design Hosting SA instead.
- Create a database. In cPanel open MySQL Database Wizard, create a database, create a database user with a strong password, and give that user All Privileges on the database. Write down the database name, username and password. See how to create a MySQL database in cPanel.
- Download WordPress from wordpress.org/download. It downloads as a .zip file.
- Upload the files. In cPanel open File Manager, go to
public_html, click Upload and upload the .zip. Then right-click the file and choose Extract. This creates a folder calledwordpress. - Move the files to the right place. Open the
wordpressfolder, select all files, click Move and move them to/public_html. Delete the empty folder and the .zip afterwards. - Run the installer. Visit your domain in a browser. WordPress asks for your database name, database username, password and database host. The database host is
localhost. - Create your admin account and click Install WordPress.
Common problems and how to fix them
| Problem | What it usually means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The site shows a "Not secure" warning | SSL is not active yet, or WordPress was installed on http:// | Run AutoSSL in cPanel, then in WordPress go to Settings, General and make sure both URLs start with https:// |
| The site loads at yourdomain.co.za/wp | The "In Directory" field was not cleared | Reinstall with the directory empty, or ask support to move it |
| "Error establishing a database connection" | Wrong database name, user or password in a manual install | Check the details in wp-config.php against what you created in the MySQL Database Wizard |
| Your old holding page still shows | An old index.html file is in public_html | Rename or remove index.html in File Manager |
| The domain does not load at all | DNS has not updated yet | Nameserver changes can take up to 24 to 48 hours. See DNS propagation explained |
What to do next
- Install a lightweight theme and only the plugins you need. See how to install WordPress plugins.
- Turn on LiteSpeed caching for speed. See WordPress performance optimisation tips.
- Lock down your login. See how to keep your WordPress site secure.
- Set up backups. See how to back up your WordPress site.
Prefer not to do it yourself? Our WordPress hosting plans start from R79 per month, and our website maintenance plan keeps WordPress updated and backed up for you. If you get stuck at any step, open a support ticket or email info@webdesignhostingsa.co.za.