How to Upload Files to Your Website Using File Transfer Protocol

These instructions will show you the basics of FTP (File Transfer Protocol). You want to upload a file to your website, usually for one of three reasons - to upload the HTML verification file Google gave you or to upload a new theme or plugin or to upload an image.

Read this first section for the basics of FTP that you will use no matter what you are uploading.

Then read the appropriate section and watch the videos (below) for more instructions on uploading the Google HTML Verification File, uploading Themes and Plugins or Images.

The Basics of FTP

First get a free copy of Filezilla at http://Filezilla-Project.org and install it. That's the FTP program we use.

NOTE: Click the Download button for the Filezilla Client.

Here's a screenshot of Filezilla in action:

In the image above I have started Filezilla and I have logged into my website.

#1 and #2 are my computer and #3 and #4 show folders on my website. I have a number of sites on my web server so yours may look a bit different but if you have installed Wordpress on your site, find and click on you should see the wp-content folder in the lower right-hand pane.

You'll need to get your FTP username and password from your webhosting company before you can login to your website.

Here's a Video About Using FTP Overall

IMPORTANT: Please watch the previous video no matter what type of file you are uploading.

Uploading the Google HTML Verification File

To verify your new website with Google you will first need to download the HTML file that they give you. Make sure to save it to your computer somewhere where you can find it later.

Next you want to upload the file, keeping it name the same, to the root directory of your website. The root directory of your website is the same location where you will find your index.php file along with a lot of other files and folders.

Here's a screenshot of Filezilla showing the root directory of the website (the lower right hand pane #2). That is where the verification file goes.

In the image above, you will first find and click on the public_html folder (#1).

#2 shows the Google HTML validation file has been previously uploaded to my public_html (root) directory.

To upload your file, first click on the public_html directory. That will then show the root directory in the lower right hand pane. Next double click the Google verification file on your computer (#3) to upload it to the root directory.

That's all there is to it.

Here's a Video About Uploading the Google Verification file:

Uploading Themes and Plugins

First unzip the theme or plugin that you've downloaded to a place on your computer where you'll be able to find it.

If your computer won't unzip the file, you can get a free zip program at http://www.7-zip.org

After you have unzipped the plugin or theme to a location on your computer where you can find it, just follow the same steps in the video above but if you're uploading a theme, make sure to upload your theme to the wp-content/themes folder.

If you are uploading a plugin, upload it to the wp-content/plugins folder.

That's all there is to it.

Uploading Images

To make it easy to find my images on my website, I create a new folder on the website called "images". Then I upload my images to that new folder. It's easy to do as you'll see in the video below:

After you upload your image to the new images folder, the address for that image will be http://YourWebsite.com/images/YourImage.jpg replacing "YourWebsite.com" with your website address and "YourImage.jpg" with the name of your image.

Well, that covers how to FTP files to your website. I wish you success in your Affiliate Marketing business.

John Mann