7-Step Beginner’s Guide to Creating a WordPress Website
7-Step Beginner’s Guide to Creating a WordPress Website
If you were to build a website back in the 2000s, it would have taken coding expertise and a bunch of experience for you to build a fully-functional website.
With the explosive digitization and introduction of CMS (content management systems), though, building websites has become a child’s play. It’s a whole lot cheaper, easier, and does not require any coding skills whatsoever.
The most widely used CMS today is WordPress. Even if you have never built a website, you have probably heard this name. Advertisement
Here’s how you can build your WordPress website in 7 easy steps:
- Outline the purpose of the website
- Pick and register a domain name
- Pick a hosting provider for your website
- Point your domain name to your hosting
- Install WordPress
- Install a theme
- Start adding high-quality content to your WordPress website
- Outline the purpose of the website
What is your website about? Is it a portfolio where you can decorate your artwork? Is it an eCommerce store for your business? Or are you creating a blog?
The reason you need clarity here is that if you are planning on building a portfolio or eCommerce website, there are other better options than WordPress.
For everything else, WordPress takes the lead. It’s flexible and already beat its competitors like Joomla and Drupal about a decade ago.
WordPress sites require zero coding skills. You’ll also find a gazillion WordPress experts to help you if you are ever stuck. It’s all things nice – it’s the standard choice!
Once you know what the purpose of your website is, it will help you make decisions in the steps that follow, with things like choosing an appropriate theme and a suitable domain name.
- Pick and register a domain name
This can be a sticky wicket.
Why?
It’s highly likely that the name you have had in mind for weeks or even months is already taken!
What’s worse, you might try about a dozen variations of the original name – all of which may be taken!
Don’t go looking for a wishing well just yet. Here’s what you can do. Try to reverse-engineer. First look for a domain that is both available and to your liking. When you have it, consider this as a potential name for your business.
Preposterous! One might argue.
Not really! It’s far better to settle with a different domain name, than with a terrible variation of a name you had first thought of.
Believe it or not – this is the toughest part of the guide. Once you are set with a domain name, the rest of the steps are a cakewalk.
So, you now have a catchy name for your website. The next step is to register it with a domain registrar such as GoDaddy or BigRock. Learn how to register a domain name here.
- Pick a hosting provider for your website
This is where we begin to get our hands dirty with some technical details (not too technical, though).
You are building a WordPress website and you need to store the elements of your website somewhere on the internet. Think of it as a place where your website lives.
This is where a web host enters the scene with a server on which you will store your website so everybody can access it.
My preferred host has always been BlueHost, but you will find plenty of others with a simple Google search.
- Point your domain name to your hosting
Think about it. Your domain registrar has no clue where you have hosted your website. When a person enters your domain name in a browser, where does it take them?
Well, nowhere! Unless you point your domain name to your hosting, it can’t know where to look for your website.
To remedy this, you need to obtain the nameserver settings from your host. If you can’t find them, just give your host a call and they will guide you.
Once you have the settings from your host, configure the DNS settings in your domain registrar account to point it to your host. I know, it’s a lot of technical jargon.
If you’re using GoDaddy, follow this simple guide. Trust me, it’s not difficult after you do it once.
- Install WordPress
If you are using BlueHost, it should be a breeze to install WordPress with its one-click WordPress installation feature. When you log in, you will see it right there on the dashboard.
Several other hosts like HostGator and SiteGround also provide easy WordPress installations. As a beginner, I highly recommend you choose one of these hosts. If you are feeling brave, here is the guide to install WordPress yourself.
- Install a theme
WordPress themes are powerful tools that can completely transform the look of your website. While there are free themes available, I highly recommend going for a paid theme if you are a serious blogger. Themeforest and TemplateMonster have some really cool themes.
Once you have a dazzling WordPress theme, head over to the Appearance tab from the sidebar on your WordPress dashboard. Click Add New > Upload Theme, and you will see an option to upload your theme. Upload the theme as a .zip file, let it upload, and click “Activate” to make it go live.
- Start adding high-quality content to your WordPress website
If you are sincerely putting consistent efforts into your website, it will keep evolving as you add fresh content or upgrade the theme. What it looks like on day 1 will significantly differ from what it looks like on day 180.
Again, this depends on the purpose of building the website.
If you are building a blog or an affiliate marketing website, you will always need to keep adding high-quality content to your website.
I emphasize the words high-quality because your content is the heart and soul of a blog. Provide value to your visitors, and they will keep coming.
Final Thoughts
This entire process will take you less than one hour!
Surprised? Well, don’t be.
Creating the website is just the tip of the iceberg. What you must do now, is continuously enhance and improve your WordPress website to drive traffic, increase revenue, or whatever your end goal is.
You will need to experiment with plugins, build an e-mail list, monitor the analytics, and countless other things. But don’t let that overwhelm you. On the other side, success awaits you.
