One thing you will be facing in your digital marketing journey is to create a WordPress site for your business. Your business needs a website in order to succeed in the online world, and WordPress is one of the easiest platforms you can use to create a site.
Thankfully, gone are the days when you needed to be a coding expert to create a website. With WordPress, nearly anyone can create a professional-looking site in just a few clicks. Everything you need in setting up a webpage is available in WordPress. And, the platform keeps on improving its features and functionality so you can create a website that’s perfect for your business.
Many businesses create their website using WordPress because it’s easy to use and there is a large community that supports the platform. If you encounter any problems, someone else has likely already faced the same issue and has created a tutorial on how to fix it.
Creating a WordPress site isn’t really that difficult. However, there are still a few things you need to know in order to create a WordPress site that looks professional and is easy to navigate. In this article, we’ll tell you some things you need to learn about WordPress and the 11 easy steps to create a WordPress site.
Advantages of using WordPress
There are other website builders out there, but WordPress is one of the most popular for a number of reasons:
- It’s free. WordPress is an open-source platform, therefore using it is cost-free. You don’t have to pay a dime to create a WordPress website. There are also themes and plugins that are free to use. Of course, if you want to create a more complex website, you might need to invest in some paid plugins and themes, but the platform itself won’t cost you anything.
- It’s easy to use. As we mentioned before, WordPress is very user-friendly. Even if you’re not a tech-savvy person, you’ll be able to create a WordPress site without any problems. The platform is constantly improving its features and functionality, so it’s becoming even easier to use.
- It’s versatile. WordPress is suitable for all kinds of websites. Whether you’re creating a personal blog or a business website, WordPress has the tools you need to create a site that looks professional and is easy to navigate.
- It has a large community. Since WordPress is such a popular platform, there’s a large community of users who can help you if you encounter any problems. There are also a lot of resources available, so you can easily find answers to your questions.
WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
WordPress has two different versions: WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Some beginners get confused between the two, but they’re actually quite different.
WordPress.com is a platform that allows you to create a website for free. You don’t have to install any software, and you can create a website in just a few clicks. However, you won’t have as much control over your website since WordPress.com will host your site for you.
On the other side, WordPress.org is a self-hosted platform. This means that you’ll need to find a web host and install the WordPress software yourself. With WordPress.org, you’ll have more control over your website since you’re self-hosting it.
For most businesses, we recommend using WordPress.org since it gives you more control over your website. However, if you’re just creating a personal blog, WordPress.com might be a better option since it’s easier to use.
Now that you know the basics of WordPress, let’s take a look at how to create a WordPress site. We will be referring to WordPress.org in this article since it’s the version that we recommend for businesses.
11 Easy Steps to Create a WordPress Site
Here is the step-by-step guide on how to create a WordPress site. Just follow the instructions below, and you’ll have a website up and running in no time. There are only 11 steps involved, so it’s really not that difficult.
1. Purchase hosting and a domain name
Just like a physical store needs a location, your website needs hosting. Simply said, hosting is a location where all of the files for your website are kept. Think of it as the foundation of your site.
Aside from hosting, you’ll also need to purchase a domain name when you create a WordPress site. People will reach your site using its domain name as the address. We can compare the domain name to your home address. Just like your home address, a domain name is unique and can’t be used by anyone else. The domain name has a structure of www.example.com. The first part (www) is the subdomain, the second part(example) is the actual name of your website and the last part (.com) is called the top-level domain (TLD).
Some hosting providers also offer a free domain name when you purchase hosting from them. This is an excellent approach to save money.
When you already purchased hosting and domain, it’s time to connect them. This process is called pointing a domain name to hosting. This can be done by changing the DNS record on your domain registrar. Go to your domain’s registrar and look for DNS settings. Find the place where you can change your domain’s DNS. Change it to the DNS provided in your hosting welcome email. After the DNS changes propagate, your website will be live and accessible to everyone.
Some providers might have different methods on how to change your domain’s DNS, so it’s best to check with them first.
2. Install WordPress
After you’ve purchased and set up your hosting and domain name, the next step is to install WordPress. Don’t worry, most hosts have a one-click install feature that makes it very easy to install WordPress. You’ll just need to log in to your hosting account and look for the WordPress installer. Once you find it, just click on it and follow the instructions.
You can also install WordPress manually. The process is a bit more complicated. You’ll need an FTP client to connect to your server and transfer WordPress files. You can use Filezilla, a popular and free FTP client.
Using an FTP client is a bit technical. There’s no need to complicate things, so we recommend using the one-click installer if your host offers it.
When WordPress is already installed, you will be adding a database for it. A database is where WordPress will store all your website’s data, such as posts, pages, comments, etc. Adding a database can be done from your hosting account’s control panel (cPanel). You will be also creating a username and password for your WordPress login account. Be sure to write down this information somewhere safe as you will need it later when logging in to your WordPress site.
3. Choose a theme for your site
To access your WordPress dashboard, go to yourdomain.com/wp-admin. You will be asked to enter the WordPress login credentials that you created earlier.
You will be redirected to the WordPress dashboard after logging in. On the left side of the dashboard, you will see a menu with different items. We will explore these items later. For now, let’s focus on choosing a theme for your site.
A WordPress theme is a collection of files that determine the look and feel of your site. Both free and paid themes are widely accessible. Theme plays an important part when you create a WordPress site because it is the one responsible on how your visitors will feel when as explore your website.
WordPress comes with a default theme, but we recommend choosing a premium theme for your site. Premium themes usually have more features and are better designed than the default WordPress theme.
You may select from thousands of WordPress themes available. Try to find a theme that matches the image you want to portray for your business. For example, if you’re running a food blog, look for a theme that has a design that makes your site look appetizing.
To choose a theme, go to Appearance > Themes from the left side menu. On the Themes page, you will see the default WordPress theme, as well as other themes that are currently installed on your site. If you haven’t installed any themes yet, you will only see the default WordPress theme.
Install a new theme by simply clicking the Add New button. On the Add Themes page, you can browse through the featured, popular, and latest themes. There’s also a search bar that you can use to find a theme.
When you find a theme that you like, hover your mouse over it and click on the Install button. After installing the theme, click on the Activate link to activate it on your site.
4. Customize your site
After activating your theme, it’s time to start customizing your site. You can change almost anything on your WordPress site, from the colors to the layout. The possibilities are endless.
To start customizing your site, go to Appearance > Customize from the left side menu. The WordPress Customizer will open. On the left side, you will see a menu with different options that you can customize.
For example, if you want to change the colors of your site, go to Colors > Primary Color and choose the color you want to use. Then, click on the Save & Publish button to save your changes.
You can also change the layout of your site by going to Layout > Site Identity. From here, you can change the logo, title, and tagline of your site. You can also enable or disable the search bar.
When you’re done customizing your site, click on the Save & Publish button to save your changes.
5. Add content to your site
Now that you have a WordPress site up and running, it’s time to start adding content. Visitors value a website based on its content. There is no reason to create a WordPress site if you don’t have any content to put on it.
There are two ways to add content to your WordPress site: posts and pages.
Posts are articles or blog posts that you publish on your site. They are often shown in reverse chronological order, with the most recent post being displayed first.
Pages are static pages that don’t change. Examples of pages are the About page, Contact page, and Privacy Policy page.
To create a new post, go to Posts > Add New from the left side menu. On the Add New Post page, you will see a text editor where you can write your post.
Start by adding a title and then start writing your post. Additionally, you can add different types of media to your posts.
When you’re done writing your post, click on the Publish button to publish it on your site.
To create a new page, go to Pages > Add New from the left side menu. On the Add New Page page, you will see a text editor where you can write your page.
Start by adding a title and then start writing your page. Additionally, you may include photos, videos, and other types of media on the post you created.
When you’re done writing your page, click on the Publish button to publish it on your site.
6. Install plugins
Plugins are pieces of software that add features and functionality to WordPress. There are many of plugins available, ranging from straightforward social network share buttons to complex eCommerce solutions.
To install a plugin, go to Plugins > Add New from the left side menu. On the Add Plugins page, you can browse through the featured, popular, and recommended plugins. You can also search for a specific plugin using the search bar.
When you find a plugin that you like, hover your mouse over it and click on the Install button. After installing the plugin, click on the Activate link to activate it on your site.
7. Choose a static page as your home page
By default, WordPress displays your latest blog posts on the home page of your site. If you want to display a static page as your home page, you can do so from the WordPress settings.
To set a static page as your home page, go to Settings > Reading from the left side menu. Then, select the ‘A static page option’ in the ‘Your homepage displays’ section.
Next, choose the page you want to use as your home page from the drop-down menu. Then, click on the Save & Publish button to save your changes.
8. Create navigation menus
Navigation menus are the links that appear on your website. They can be located in the header, footer, or sidebar of your site. These menus help visitors navigate your site and find the content they’re looking for. Examples of these links are the Home page, About page, and Contact page. Navigation menus are important when you create a WordPress site because they help people understand your site and find what they’re looking for.
To create a navigation menu, go to Appearance > Menus from the left side menu. On the Menus page, you will see a list of existing menus as well as an option to create a new menu.
Specify a name for your menu, and then press the Create Menu button. After creating your menu, you can add items to it by selecting them from the left side panel and clicking on the Add to Menu button.
When you’re done adding items to your menu, click on the Save Menu button.
9. Add a widget to your sidebar
Widgets are small blocks of content that can be displayed in the sidebar, footer, or other areas of your site. Examples of widgets are the Recent Posts widget, Recent Comments widget, and Search widget.
To add a widget to your sidebar, go to Appearance > Widgets from the left side menu. On the Widgets page, you will see a list of available widgets on the left side panel. Simply drag and drop a widget into the Sidebar area. After adding a widget to your sidebar, you can configure its settings by clicking on the down arrow button.
When you’re done configuring your widget, click on the Save button.
10. Backup your site
Backing up your site is important in case something goes wrong and you lose your data. There are many WordPress backup plugins available that can help you create backups of your site automatically.
You can use UpdraftPlus, a popular WordPress backup plugin, to create backups of your site. WPMUDEV also has a more advanced plugin called Snapshot.
11. Promote your site
After you create your WordPress site, you need to promote it to get traffic and visitors. There are many ways to promote your WordPress site, such as through social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and content marketing.
To get started, create social media accounts for your WordPress site and share your content on a regular basis. You can also optimize your site for search engines by installing an SEO plugin and using the right keywords.
Content marketing is another great way to promote your WordPress site. You can create blog posts, tutorials, infographics, and other types of content to attract visitors to your site.
That’s it! It’s so easy to create a WordPress site right? Just remember to keep your site updated with new content and plugins to keep it running smoothly.
Check out our ultimate guide to digital marketing to know all the things you need to do to create a successful online marketing campaign.
