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How to Create a Truly Anonymous Website (Step-by-Step)

By Naveed Ahmed | Reviewed by Syed Balkhi | September 12, 2024 | Reader Disclosure

Building an anonymous website helps protect your privacy and keep your identity safe online. Whether you want to stay private for personal reasons or to improve security, creating an anonymous site is possible with the right steps.

Now, anonymity on the web requires more than just hiding your name. It’s about keeping all your personal details secure. In this guide, we will take you through each step to set up a completely anonymous website. You’ll also learn how to protect your identity while staying private on the internet.

As an experienced cybersecurity professional with over 15 years in the field, I’ve seen firsthand how important anonymity is in today’s digital world. I’ve helped individuals and organizations create secure and anonymous online presences, and I’m here to share my expertise with you.

Remember, even with the best practices, complete anonymity online is impossible to guarantee. There’s always a risk, no matter how cautious you are. But with the right tools and techniques, you can make it incredibly difficult for someone to track you down.

Why Create an Anonymous Website?

An anonymous website conceals the identity of the person who runs or owns a particular website. Some users may want to remain anonymous for a number of reasons:

  • Whistleblowers trying to expose corruption
  • Journalists under authoritarian regimes
  • Citizen watchdog groups
  • People who want to express freedom of speech without retaliation or social consequences
  • Content creators who are looking to express themselves artistically without their employers or family members finding out
  • Bloggers looking to improve their skills and practice maintaining a consistent publishing schedule and remaining anonymous would shield them from critics
  • Or users who just want to remain anonymous for privacy reasons

Creating an anonymous website makes it difficult to find out who created and runs the website.

Important: Please keep in mind that there is no guaranteed way to remain completely anonymous. While you can make your identity difficult to trace, there is still a chance that it can be tracked.

Here’s a quick overview of what we will be covering in this article, and you can jump to each section using the links below:

Ready? Let’s get started.

What Do You Need to Create an Anonymous Website?

You’ll need the following items to create a basic anonymous website:

  • Anonymously purchased domain name and hosting
  • A separate encrypted email account
  • A secure and reliable VPN service

Let’s explain why you’ll need these things:

1. Encrypted Email Account: You will need to create a new, separate email account to manage your website. To remain anonymous, we recommend creating an email account using privacy-focused email services like Proton Mail. These services prioritize security and privacy, offering end-to-end encryption to protect your communications.

2. VPN Service: You need to hide your IP address. The easiest way to do that is to use a VPN service. We recommend IPVanish. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in another location, masking your true IP address and making it difficult to track your online activity. This is crucial for maintaining anonymity.

3. Anonymous Hosting: Once you have created an email account and turned on the VPN on your computer, you can go ahead and buy a hosting plan. Many hosting companies require credit card information, which can be traced back to you. That’s why we recommend using Hostinger. They offer WPBeginner users a generous discount and a FREE domain name. You can get started for $2.75 per month.

Hostinger is one of the best WordPress hosting companies on the market and allows you to pay using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to keep your purchase as anonymous as possible.

→ Click Here to Claim This Exclusive Hostinger Offer ←

Buying Hosting and Domain Name Anonymously

First, make sure you have a VPN turned on whenever you are working on your anonymous website. After that, visit the Hostinger website and click the ‘Start Now’ button.

This will bring you to the pricing and plans selection page. We recommend choosing a 48-month plan, which gives you the best discount. Plus, you wouldn’t need to worry about future payments for a long time.

Go ahead and click to select the plan you want to buy, and then go to the payment section. From here, first, you need to provide the anonymous email account you created earlier. After that, you need to select ‘Coingate’ as the payment method and then click on the ‘Submit Secure Payment’ button.

This will take you to the payment wizard. Here, you need to select a cryptocurrency that you want to pay with and click ‘Continue.’ Cryptocurrency operates on decentralized networks based on blockchain technology. In simple terms, that means no government or bank oversees your transactions. While transactions on the blockchain are public, it’s difficult to trace your crypto wallet address.

Next up, go ahead and enter your anonymous email address and click on the ‘Continue’ button. It’s important to note that you don’t need to create a ‘Coingate’ account to pay using this method.

On the next screen, you’ll see the QR code to make the payment through your Bitcoin wallet app. You can also pay manually by sending the amount to the Bitcoin wallet address mentioned on the screen.

Upon completing the transaction, you will be redirected to the Hostinger website. Then, you should receive an email from Hostinger with a link to log in to the hosting control panel.

Once you log in to your hosting account control panel, you’ll see a notification to claim your free domain name. During domain registration, ICANN requires website owners to provide their personal information, such as name, address, email, and phone number. You need to provide at least the email address you created earlier so that you can be reached for verification.

During the registration, you may also see an option to turn on ‘Domain Privacy.’ This feature hides any information you provide during domain registration from WHOIS searches. Anyone who checks will see Hostinger’s proxy info.

After domain registration, you’ll receive an email to verify your registration.

Installing WordPress to Make Your Anonymous Website

Now that you have completed the domain name and hosting setup, it’s time to install WordPress. Hostinger allows you to easily create a WordPress website. To do this, you can click the ‘Manage’ button next to your URL under the hosting panel.

This will bring you to your back-end dashboard. From here, you need to visit Website » Auto Installer and then click the ‘Select’ button under WordPress.

This will launch the auto-installer wizard, and you can simply follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup. After that, you will see your new website options in the Hostinger control panel. From here, you’ll need to click on the ‘Install’ button next to the ‘SSL Certificate’ option.

After that, you need to click on the toggle next to the ‘Force HTTPs’ option. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) allows your website to use secure HTTPS. Using it improves your WordPress security by encrypting all traffic to and from your website. Having an SSL certificate is also a factor in ranking well in search engines and a part of a solid website SEO plan.

Finally, go ahead and click the ‘Edit Website’ button to launch and start editing your new WordPress website.

Working on Your WordPress Website Anonymously

By design, WordPress is privacy-conscious software to the extent that you can choose what information you want to share on your website.

First, you may want to visit the Users » Profile page and choose a pseudonym for your website’s default admin or author.

Don’t forget to click the ‘Update Profile’ button to save your changes.

Next, you need to decide whether you want to allow users to comment on posts and pages across your website. Simply go to Settings » Discussion page to configure comments. Uncheck all options under the ‘Default Post Settings’ section to disable comments, trackbacks, and pingbacks.

Don’t forget to click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Adding Content to Your WordPress Site

WordPress comes with two default content types: posts and pages. Posts are part of a blog and are displayed in reverse chronological order, meaning that newer posts appear first. Pages are standalone pages that are not part of a blog. They are used to create a website structure and layout. See our list of must-have WordPress pages for all types of websites.

To add a page, simply navigate to Pages » Add New. WordPress comes with a powerful editor called the Block Editor. See our complete WordPress block editor tutorial to familiarize yourself with the interface.

Similarly, to create a post, you will need to visit Posts » Add New page.

Choosing a Theme (Template) For Your Website

WordPress comes with a powerful templating engine that allows you to change the appearance of your website by installing themes. There are thousands of free and paid WordPress themes available. You can choose one that looks closer to what you have in mind for your website.

You can look for themes under Appearance » Themes. This will show you a list of default themes included with your WordPress install. For more free themes, you can click on ‘Add New’ at the top.

For premium or paid WordPress themes, you can try trusted WordPress theme shops like SeedProd, Thrive Themes, Astra, Elegant Themes, and more. However, there are tons of WordPress themes that it may be difficult for beginners to decide which one to use.

We recommend choosing a minimalist design with plenty of white space. This provides you plenty of room to customize the theme and make it your own. For more details, see our guide on how to choose the perfect theme for your website.

Install Privacy Friendly WordPress Plugins

Plugins are like apps for your WordPress website. They allow you to add new features and extend WordPress functionality. There are more than 60,000 free plugins available in the WordPress.org plugin directory alone. Plus, there are premium WordPress plugins sold by third-party developers with priority support and guaranteed updates.

However, you also need to consider which plugins you need to use to keep your WordPress website secure, private, and anonymous.

Here are our top picks for the best WordPress plugins to install on your anonymous website:

  • WPForms – It’s the best WordPress contact form plugin and allows you to easily create forms for your website.
  • All in One SEO for WordPress – It’s the best WordPress SEO plugin on the market and helps your anonymous website get more traffic from search engines.
  • SeedProd – It’s a powerful WordPress page builder that allows you to use a drag-and-drop interface to create any type of page for your website.
  • OptinMonster – It’s a conversion optimization software that helps you convert website visitors into email subscribers and customers.
  • MonsterInsights – The best WordPress Google Analytics plugin that helps you see where your visitors are coming from and what they see on your website.
  • WP Simple Pay – This is the most powerful Stripe payments plugin for WordPress, and it allows you to quickly accept one-time and recurring payments from your website.
  • WP Mail SMTP – It’s the best WordPress SMTP plugin to improve your email deliverability rates, ensuring your important messages arrive in the user’s inbox safely and not in their spam folder.

For more plugin recommendations, see our full list of essential WordPress plugins for any kind of website.

FAQs About Running an Anonymous Website

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about creating an anonymous website.

Is it possible to create a fully anonymous website?

Yes, it is possible to create a fully anonymous website. However, you’ll need to be very vigilant about it. Each internet activity creates an information trail leading back to the person who initiated the activity. This trail can be traced by hackers, government agencies, and ISPs. As an anonymous website owner, it will be your job to anonymize all activities.

You can do this by minimizing the activities around your website and using a VPN to hide your IP address. Be careful about any social interactions as they may reveal personally identifiable information.

What is anonymous offshore hosting?

Anonymous offshore hosting is a website hosting service that allows users to purchase hosting and domain names without providing real name or credit card information. Some of these lesser-known companies host their servers in countries with stricter privacy laws. These companies also promise not to store user logs or share them with third-country agencies.

However, these anonymous offshore hosting companies often have very bad customer service and outdated technology.

Can a website owner be traced?

Yes, a website owner can be traced even if they are trying to remain anonymous. However, an anonymous website owner can use privacy tools to make it harder to be traced.

Even then, if someone is determined to figure out and has the technology, tools, and resources, then they may be able to find out who is running an anonymous website.

Can I buy a domain name anonymously?

Yes, you can buy a domain name anonymously from a domain name registrar that accepts cryptocurrencies as a payment method. Hostinger also allows you to register additional domain names using cryptocurrencies. During the registration, you can use a separate anonymous email account as the contact address for your domain name.

How can I improve DNS privacy?

Using a DNS service like Cloudflare adds an extra layer of privacy. Cloudflare acts as a proxy, hiding your server’s IP address from prying eyes. This makes it more difficult for anyone to track your website’s location or identify your hosting provider.

Is using the Tor Browser a good option for anonymity?

The Tor Browser enhances your privacy by routing your traffic through a network of relays, obscuring your location and making it harder to track. It’s a valuable tool for accessing websites anonymously, but it’s essential to remember that it doesn’t guarantee complete anonymity. It’s best used in conjunction with other privacy measures like a VPN.

How can I avoid revealing personal information on my website?

While it’s tempting to share personal details on your website, it’s crucial to avoid doing so if you want to remain anonymous. Stick to using pseudonyms and refrain from including any information that could be used to identify you. Be cautious about the content you share and avoid associating your website with personal accounts or other online activities that could link back to you.

What about using social media?

Social media platforms often require personal information, making them unsuitable for anonymous website operations. If you decide to use social media, create separate accounts for your anonymous website and never link them to your personal profiles. Keep social media activities minimal and refrain from sharing personal details that could compromise your anonymity.

Should I use two-factor authentication for my anonymous website?

While two-factor authentication enhances account security, it can create an extra layer of difficulty if you need to access your website from multiple devices or locations. If you decide to use two-factor authentication, ensure you have a reliable method of receiving the verification codes and store them securely. It’s crucial to weigh the security benefits against the potential inconvenience before implementing two-factor authentication.

Creating an anonymous website doesn’t mean you’re free from legal obligations. It’s essential to understand the laws in your jurisdiction regarding website content and privacy. Be aware of the potential consequences of publishing defamatory or illegal content, and ensure you comply with all relevant laws and regulations.

What’s the difference between an anonymous website and a private website?

An anonymous website aims to conceal the identity of its owner, making it difficult to trace back to them. A private website, on the other hand, might be owned by an identifiable individual or organization but restricts access to specific users or groups. Both anonymity and privacy serve different purposes and require different approaches to ensure security and control.

Conclusion

Creating a truly anonymous website is a complex process requiring careful planning and implementation. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can significantly minimize the risks of being traced and protect your identity while maintaining a secure online presence. Remember, anonymity is a journey, not a destination, and requires constant vigilance to safeguard your privacy.

If you’re interested in learning more about tech news, feel free to visit my website: www.naveedahmed.me.

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