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EST. AUG 2011 Runway Domains Technical Archive by Todd Pettee
Websites Made Simple WordPress, Hosting & Builder Benchmarks
RUNWAY DOMAINS TECHNICAL ARCHIVE - EST. AUGUST 2011

How To Make A WordPress Website: Your Step-by-Step Guide To Building A Site That Works

Founded in 2011 by Todd Pettee under Runway Domains, Websites Made Simple pairs a jargon-free 3-Module, 7-Step WordPress curriculum with 107-page screenshot manuals and objective TablePress hosting and builder matrices - field-tested live so a 9-year-old student can launch a real website independently.

Start the 2-Step Blueprint Inspect Hosting Matrix (#tablepress-1)
MODULE 01: DNS & HOST Namecheap + cPanel Register root domain cleanly Delegate ns1/ns2 nameservers Steps 1 - 3 Complete MODULE 02: WP CORE 1-Click CMS & Theme Softaculous root deployment Genesis / Pytheas + Plugins Steps 4 - 6 Complete MODULE 03: LAUNCH Permalinks & Backups Set /%postname%/ SEO URLs Schedule Dropbox SQL dumps Step 7 Live Production

Figure 1.1: The Websites Made Simple 3-Module, 7-Step Self-Hosted WordPress Deployment Workflow (Todd Pettee, 2011-2026)

So Easy A Child Can Do It - Verified Usability Standard

The Complete Independent Web Publishing Curriculum

When Todd Pettee launched Websites Made Simple in August 2011, he tested every written lesson and video screencast alongside his two young sons, Masa (age 9) and Taka (age 7). Watching a 9-year-old register domains, link nameservers, and publish responsive pages in Squarespace and WordPress stripped away confusing server jargon and shaped the four core documentation pillars below.

BLUEPRINT + 7-STEP COURSE

Plan & Deploy Self-Hosted WordPress From Scratch

Routes: /start/ | /ebooks/ | /videos/

Walk through our 2-Step Website Planning Blueprint before executing the 3-Module, 7-Step technical sequence: registering your domain with Namecheap, provisioning cPanel hosting on SiteGround or HostGator, delegating custom DNS nameservers, and configuring clean permalinks.

Consolidates all seven course lessons plus full summaries of our three 107-page PDF manuals and 1-hour 51-minute video masterclass.
Instructor: Todd Pettee Open 7-Step Start Guide
BENCHMARK #TABLEPRESS-14

Wix vs Weebly vs Squarespace vs WordPress

38-Metric Platform & Lock-In Audit

Should you rent an all-in-one cloud drag-and-drop builder or own your source files on WordPress.org? Compare Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Strikingly, and Jimdo side by side across annual pricing, template switching rules, storage limits, and XML/database export portability.

Restores our highest-engagement comparative reviews, including Squarespace monthly vs annual billing math and Masa's live builder test.
Dataset: 6 Platforms Compare Website Builders
BENCHMARK #TABLEPRESS-1

Web Hosting Providers & Linux cPanel Guide

SiteGround, InMotion, Bluehost, HostGator & DreamHost

Server response speed, SSD storage arrays, and automated daily backups determine whether your site thrives or stalls. Inspect our 25-row hosting matrix covering promotional first-term rates versus renewal pricing, refund windows, Cloudflare CDN integration, and cPanel tools.

Includes our 2011 beginner primer on cPanel Mail, File Manager, Addon Domains, and Softaculous 1-click installers.
Dataset: 10 Web Hosts Compare Web Hosting
35+ ARCHIVAL TUTORIALS

Plugins, Free Dropbox Backups & Responsive CSS

StudioPress Genesis, Pytheas Theme, MailChimp & SEO

Browse practical maintenance guides authored by Todd Pettee and design contributor Cid Carver: scheduling automated offsite backups to Dropbox, resetting or deleting a WordPress blog cleanly, installing the 10 essential plugins, MailChimp opt-in forms, and Parallax design.

Paired with live production case studies in our Runway Domains client and community showcase portfolio.
2011-2020 Archive Browse Tutorial Archive

Choosing Your Stack: Self-Hosted WordPress.org vs Hosted Website Builders

Every new publisher faces one foundational architectural decision before registering a domain name: building on open-source self-hosted WordPress.org (paired with an independent registrar like Namecheap and a Linux cPanel host like SiteGround or HostGator) or subscribing to a proprietary hosted builder such as Squarespace, Weebly, or Wix. The summary specification table below highlights the structural trade-offs documented across our tutorials.

Architectural Specification Overview: Self-Hosted WordPress Stack vs Proprietary Cloud Builders
Architectural Dimension Self-Hosted WordPress.org (cPanel) Squarespace (Hosted Grid SaaS) Wix / Weebly (Drag-and-Drop SaaS)
Typical Year-One Entry Cost ~$58/yr ($10.69 domain + $3.95/mo host) $96 - $144/yr (includes 1st-yr domain) $89 - $148/yr (ads on free subdomains)
Code & Database Ownership 100% ownership of PHP files & MySQL SQL Proprietary cloud engine; XML text export Wix locked canvas; Weebly basic HTML ZIP
Theme & Design Mobility Switch among 10,000+ themes anytime Curated responsive templates Wix requires rebuild to swap templates
Extensibility & Plugins 55,000+ plugins (Yoast, TablePress, Woo) Built-in commerce & blogging blocks Proprietary App Market add-ons
Server & Backup Control Full cPanel + free scheduled Dropbox sync Managed platform redundancy Managed cloud snapshots only

If you want zero server maintenance for a visual portfolio or restaurant menu, review our Squarespace vs Weebly vs Wix benchmarks. If you want complete long-term asset ownership, lower multi-site hosting overhead, and unrestricted SEO control, proceed directly to our 2-Step Blueprint and 7-Step WordPress Course or inspect live builds in the Runway Domains Portfolio.

TECHNICAL Q&A REFERENCE

Frequently Asked WordPress, DNS & Hosting Questions

How much does it actually cost to build a self-hosted WordPress website from scratch?

The WordPress.org content management software itself is 100% free under the open-source GPL license. Your only required recurring expenses are a custom .com or .org domain name registered at Namecheap (approximately $10 to $13 per year) and an entry-level Linux cPanel shared hosting account at a provider such as SiteGround, InMotion, or HostGator ($3.95 to $6.99 per month on introductory 12-month or 24-month terms).

Why do you recommend registering domains at Namecheap instead of getting a free domain from a web host?

Keeping your domain registration separate from your web hosting account protects your brand independence. Many shared hosts offer a free domain for the first year, charge inflated renewal fees in year two, and make domain transfers cumbersome if server performance drops. When your domain lives at Namecheap, migrating to a faster web host takes less than five minutes by updating two Custom DNS nameserver lines (ns1 and ns2).

Do I need to know HTML, CSS, or PHP programming to complete the 7-step WordPress course?

No programming experience is required. Every module in our 7-step curriculum uses visual browser dashboards: cPanel 1-click installers (Softaculous or QuickInstall), the WordPress Appearance and Plugin directories, and responsive themes such as Pytheas or StudioPress Genesis. Founder Todd Pettee validated every step over the shoulder with his 9-year-old son Masa to ensure zero unstated technical assumptions.

What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com for beginners?

WordPress.org is the self-hosted open-source software you install on your own cPanel web hosting account, giving you unrestricted access to custom themes, 55,000+ plugins, custom analytics, and full database backups. WordPress.com is a commercial hosted service that restricts custom plugins and monetization on entry tiers unless you upgrade to higher-priced business plans.

How long does DNS nameserver propagation take after connecting Namecheap to my hosting account?

Once you switch Namecheap from BasicDNS to Custom DNS and enter the two nameservers listed in your web host welcome email, global DNS propagation typically completes within 30 minutes to 4 hours, though ISP resolver caches can occasionally take up to 24 hours to refresh worldwide.