How to Connect a Domain and Install WordPress on AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s leading cloud hosting provider. Its annual revenue is in the billions, and its customers are big names like Netflix and Unilever. It’s well-known for its uptime and easy-to-follow documentation.

This article is going to take you through the process to create a WordPress website and connect a domain on AWS. It’s quick and easy, taking less than ten minutes from start to finish. Let’s go.

Step One: Launch an Amazon EC2 Instance

To get started, log into your AWS Console and select EC2 from the Services dropdown. Next, select Launch Instance from the dashboard. This will begin the process to create and configure your virtual machine.

You’ve likely already noticed that the language inside the console is aimed at more advanced website owners and developers. It doesn’t mean the process is any more complicated, but it might be confusing for newbies.

Step 2: Select WordPress Powered by BitNami

This is where the AWS Marketplace comes in, as you can select an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) that comes with WordPress pre-installed.

If this sounds like a foreign language to you, the AMI is essentially a template that contains a specific software configuration, e.g., an operating system, an application server, and applications.

Select AWS Marketplace from the left-hand menu and search for WordPress. Select WordPress Certified by Bitnami.

Step Three: Confirm the Price

The next screen will be a rather comprehensive pricing page, but the price should be zero. Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and select Continue. On the next page, select t2.micro in the Type column (it should be the first one), then click Next: Configure Instance Details.

Step Four: Configure Details

The next pages are pretty straightforward. First, hit Next: Add Storage, then select Next: Add Tags—you can leave everything at the default settings. On the page named Add Tags, you can create a name for your WordPress website. Do this by selecting Add Tag, enter a name (anything you want) and the value WordPress. Select Review and Launch. And on the next page, select Launch again.

Step Five: Key Pairs

Now, you can select Proceed without a key pair (you can come back to this security encryption step at a later time, once your hosting is set up). Be sure to check the box to confirm you know you need this to access your EC2 instance. Select Launch Instance and wait a few minutes for the instance to be configured.

Step Six: Confirm the Installation

You should now see a large success message on the screen, but you can also visit your WordPress installation to confirm. To do this, scroll all the way down the page and select the blue View Instance button on the bottom right. On the next page, you can copy your public IP and then paste it into a browser to find your new WordPress installation.

Step Seven: Map Your Domain to AWS

After copying the IP address to your clipboard in Step Six, proceed to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy). There, you will create an A record that points to the copied IP address. Please allow some time for the Domain Name System (DNS) to propagate. Should you encounter any issues, feel free to engage in a live chat with your registrar’s support. Once these steps are complete, you have successfully finished the process!

Surprisingly Easy

I was impressed by how easy AWS made setting up a WordPress website. While I wasn’t able to use live chat to get any help, there were tons of help documents for me to refer to. Aside from the tech jargon (e.g., EC2), it could be handled by a beginner and was finished in less than ten minutes.

If you’re intrigued by AWS and you’d like to learn more, head over to my in-depth review. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more beginner-friendly option, I recommend considering SiteGround or Hostinger.