How to get self-hosted like a pro (or trying!)

Last month, I decided it was time for the Frenchie Mummy blog to have a makeover. I needed to get self-hosted!

The more I read about it in other blogs, the more I was thinking that it was time for us too. Plus, my mum was visiting us and I knew I would not be able to be blogging properly. So it was l’occasion parfaite (or a massive mistake?)

I searched how to do it and read some scary stories… Did I really need to do that!?

Then I called TSO. We didn’t have a great the start. The lovely lady was really trying to answer all my questions (I had a lot, remember I am a dumbass with new technologies…). But when I asked her if my DA was going to drop in the process and she didn’t even know what it was, I became a bit anxious…

First comes first, I apparently needed to back up my blog. I, therefore googled it ‘how to back up my WordPress blog if I am a dummy Frenchie Mummy?’ I followed the steps and it all arrived in my inbox. A long list of weird signs. Apparently, it’s called HTML … Grumpy Boyfriend was not really helpful: ‘It looks like your pics were not saved!’ He is always helping in that kind of situation…

The day after was the big day. I backed up everything, followed a lot of advice from different people (look at this fab post from the Parenting Jungle!) and I was ready to go for it. The wine was in the kitchen. Let’s get the party started!

 get self-hosted
Let’s get the party started!

‘I think I will be working from home today’ said a nonchalant Grumpy Boyfriend.

Admittedly, my first reaction was like ‘No, go away! I don’t want you in the house all day long!’

get self-hosted
Dégage! Go away in Frenchie…

It never ends up well as we get on each other nerves if we stay in the same room all day long and I am in a stressful situation…

But another part of me was like ‘yes please’.

get self-hosted
Please stay with me!

I felt safer with him in the same room, just in case I would have a meltdown while moving all my files. Not that he had been very helpful until now…

In the end, it was alright and we both survived each other’s presence all day long (not to forget our dearest Baba!). I followed the instructions from the TSO and forgot about it for the rest of the day.

Then, some fellow bloggers started contacting me to say that my blog was not working properly.  All normal. TSO was doing their job. In the afternoon, Frenchie Nanny arrived and I was pretty busy doing stuff with her, so I didn’t think too much about getting self-hosted.

The truth? I was desperately waiting for TSO to contact me and say that it was all over and the operation went well! I also continued to be active on Facebook and Instagram as soon as I had a minute to myself!

My mum left and within a few hours, I received the magic email saying that the Frenchie Mummy Blog was now self-hosted! Hurrah! I made it! Well, pas vraiment as I could not log on at all! During the migration, my password got lost (it probably decided to take a holiday in a sunnier place, not blaming it…). I tried all the combinations possible but had to resign myself. I needed to contact TSO again! I am sure they encounter a lot of dummy mamans like me anyway.

They were very nice and fixed it all within 24 hours!

The next step was to install all the important plugins. Which I did. Lots of them, especially some good ones to stop spams. Thank you to Bridget for sharing this fab post on her blog! I followed her tips like a blind woman. Just because I don’t know anything about it

The rest was history! I managed to download a dodgy copy of a plugin which brought some spambots to my website. Getting suddenly 1800 views within a few hours was very suspicious indeed and when I looked into it, I discovered that I might have made a mistake here… I quickly corrected it and my statistics since then are way better! Or at least back to normal.

Since then, we are doing pretty good (touch wood) and I actually enjoy being self-hosted. I must admit that I thought it was going to be more difficult but I made it. Well, a famous host company did if for me, but I reckon they love doing this kind of stuff anyway ?!

It feels so nice to be free and do whatever I want with my blog. I love using Google Analytics (so much more accurate than the free version of WordPress!) and other plugins that I could not use before. Getting self-hosted is a scary idea, but in reality, you can do it!

So if you are thinking about taking the plunge, go for it! It is worth it! I know I still have loads to learn and change some bits on my blog but I am pretty happy that I actually made the big step.

I would love to hear other people about their experience of getting self-hosted! How did it go for you? What was the most challenging? How long did you wait before making the big step?

30 Comments

  1. Bridie By The Sea
    November 23, 2016 / 12:41 pm

    Ah bless you, glad to hear it’s going well! Self-hosted rocks 🙂 Thanks for the kind mention lovely xx

  2. The Hippy Christian Mum
    November 23, 2016 / 8:37 pm

    Very exciting well done Frenchie Mummy! How much does it cost?

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      November 24, 2016 / 9:53 am

      I pay about £35 a year. It’s worth

  3. Emmi
    November 24, 2016 / 4:57 am

    Thank you for this post! It’s quite a while that I’m thinking to change to self-hosted blogging and I think I’ll give it a try in the new year!

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      November 24, 2016 / 11:01 am

      do it, it’s not that hard. Happy I helped x

  4. Jo
    November 24, 2016 / 6:28 pm

    I’ve been thinking about doing this but not sure I can face the upheaval! What are the main benefits? I do like having WP on standby chat to help me with problems and am a bit terrified of going it alone!

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      November 24, 2016 / 6:44 pm

      host company can always help you so don’t worry about being on your own. I love being in control but if it’s just a hobby for you, then maybe you don’t need to get self-hosted . x

  5. November 27, 2016 / 10:02 am

    I started as self-hosted as doing this afterwards scared me way too much! Well done for doing it!!! And Google Analytics is a bunch of nonsense for me! It’s meant to be the best thing on the planet, and I feel like a proper monkey for not being able to make much sense of it! One day though, one day.. one thing at the time! Glad it all went well for you! Cograts! #SundayBest

  6. November 27, 2016 / 1:13 pm

    Good for you! Still I am so glad I will never have to figure this out as I started self hosted.

    #sundaybest

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      November 27, 2016 / 7:04 pm

      Snd you did so well, you clever lady! xx

  7. November 27, 2016 / 6:41 pm

    I’m thinking of making the switch when I’m off over Christmas. This is very helpful so I’ll bookmark your page. Thanks for sharing x #SundayBest

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      November 27, 2016 / 7:02 pm

      Good luck. I am sure you will be fine x

  8. November 28, 2016 / 4:08 pm

    Fab post and well done for getting it all done with no real hitches. It makes me feel a little more confident when I finally decided to bite the bullet and go self hosted #MMBC x

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      November 28, 2016 / 10:03 pm

      Go for it, it’s not that terrible in the end and I feel so proud of myself, well of TSO really haha xx

  9. Hannah
    November 28, 2016 / 4:25 pm

    I need to do this!

  10. November 28, 2016 / 8:56 pm

    Well done you! It sounds like it went pretty well!
    #MMBC

  11. November 30, 2016 / 9:52 pm

    Felicitations. I’ve yet to do this. #GlobalBlogging

  12. Brandi Puga
    December 1, 2016 / 4:33 am

    Great job! I have loved being self hosted, my first experience with a freebie-site was a bit rough so i ditched all blogging for over a year and when is tarted again this time I decided i had to start of with self hosted or not at all! You got this! #GlobalBlogging

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      December 1, 2016 / 9:38 am

      well doen for stating again! I may have given up for good… x

  13. Susie at This Is Me Now
    December 1, 2016 / 6:57 pm

    I went set hosted from the start on the advice of my cousin who works in IT. I’m with Daily at the moment but switching to TSO as I’ve heard good things and my server constantly goes down with Dailly, it’s so annoying!

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      December 1, 2016 / 10:40 pm

      TSO has been really good so far. Good luck!

  14. One Messy Mama
    December 2, 2016 / 2:57 am

    So happy to hear it all went well! What a relief! My story is the other way round. I kept thinking I needed to go self-hosted, spent hours investigating and agonizing over it, only to realize I have been self-hosted all along and I didn’t have a clue!!! (Techno-dummy) 🙂 … #globalblogging

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      December 2, 2016 / 12:27 pm

      haha, how funny! How come did you not know? YOu must have paid a hosting company when you started your blog?

  15. December 3, 2016 / 7:41 pm

    Well done you! It sounds like it was a bit stressful but worthwhile. Thanks for linking up to #SundayBest x

  16. The Mum Project
    December 6, 2016 / 4:46 pm

    Oh my oh my, so how do you feel now that you’re all self hosted? ; ) **smirk emoji** I think I’m very lucky because my boyfriend programmes so he basically did all of the HTML shizzle, also I work in digital so I do know a thing or two about this! But it still baffles me sometimes Lol. Thanks for sharing with #GlobalBlogging!

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      December 6, 2016 / 5:02 pm

      It’s actually ok. I really thought that it would be worse. Well so far, so good and Grumoy Boyfriend is a geek so in case of a crisis, he will help me lol x

  17. The Rambler
    December 6, 2016 / 7:52 pm

    I swear, some days, I have no IDEA how I made it happen. But I did. With a tonnnn of questions. =)

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      December 6, 2016 / 8:08 pm

      haha! I reckon I am the same,thanks for reading x

  18. Leslie
    December 9, 2016 / 7:33 pm

    Congrats on becoming self-hosted! Admittedly, I paid someone to move my blog over without my interaction at all. Definitely worth it. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for you on your new host!

    • Cecile Blaireau
      Author
      December 9, 2016 / 8:09 pm

      merci xx

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