Migrating your self-made website to a purchased hosting and domain is a straightforward process if you follow these clear steps:

Step-by-Step Guide to Migrate Your Website

Step 1: Buy Domain & Hosting

• Use providers like GoDaddy, Hostinger, Bluehost, Namecheap, etc.
• Choose a domain (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com)
• Select hosting type (shared, VPS, cloud, WordPress hosting, etc.)

Step 2: Prepare Your Website Files

• Export or copy your website files (HTML, CSS, JS, images)
• If using WordPress or similar CMS:
  • Use a plugin like All-in-One WP Migration or Duplicator
  • Export database using phpMyAdmin

Step 3: Upload Website to Hosting

a. Using cPanel (File Manager)

• Login to hosting control panel
• Open File Manager > public_html
• Upload your website files there

b. Using FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

• Use software like FileZilla
• Connect via host, username, password (provided by hosting)
• Upload all files to public_html directory

Step 4: Create Database (if applicable)

• In cPanel, go to MySQL Databases
• Create a new DB, user, and assign privileges
• Import old DB via phpMyAdmin (for dynamic sites)

Step 5: Point Domain to Hosting

• Update Nameservers in your domain registrar panel:
  • Example: ns1.hostinger.com, ns2.hostinger.com
• Wait for DNS propagation (can take 1–24 hours)

Step 6: Test Your Website

• Open the domain in a browser
• Test all pages and forms
• Fix any broken links or file paths

Step 7: Add Security & SEO

• Install SSL certificate (often free in cPanel)
• Set up Google Analytics and Search Console
• Add SEO meta tags and sitemap

Would you like a diagram or infographic showing this visually?