Building a new website from scratch may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. When you use the WordPress platform, you can have a beautiful website up and running in a few clicks.
WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS). It currently powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, from personal blogs to corporate websites.
Below, is a step-by-step process of how to build a WordPress website, easily.
Step 1: Choose the perfect WordPress hosting provider
First, you need to select a hosting provider. Web hosting is a service that allows you to rent space on a server so you can store your website’s files. Without a web host, your website won’t be accessible on the internet.
Some hosting providers have plans made specifically for WordPress websites. These specialized hosting plans come with special features that can help your WordPress website run smoothly. For example, here at Name.com, our managed WordPress hosting comes with:
- Free SSL certificates
- Free automated website backups
- Unlimited bandwidth and storage
- Theme and plugin support
- Ongoing website maintenance
Be sure to learn more about WordPress hosting vs web hosting to determine which one is best for your needs.
Step 2: Register your domain name
Once you’ve selected a hosting provider, the next step is to register your domain name. Here are some helpful tips for selecting a domain name that’s easy to remember:
- Use a common extension – Some of the most common domain endings are .com, .org, .net, and .co. Choosing an extension that website visitors are familiar with can make it easier for them to recall your domain name.
- Keep it short and simple – Complicated domain names can be challenging to spell correctly, especially if they’re shared verbally. You can prevent misspellings by making your domain name short, sweet, and easy to pronounce. It’s also a good idea to avoid odd characters, such as hyphens or numbers, if possible.
- Consider your branding – Your domain name should align with your brand, whether it’s simply your company’s name or a term that alludes to primary products or services.
At Name.com, we can help you select the best domain name for your business with our handy domain name search tool. We can even curate your search results to highlight the most memorable options.
Step 3: Set up your WordPress hosting account with Name.com
With a domain name ready to go, you’re finally ready to set up your WordPress hosting and website. If you do so through Name.com, you can take advantage of our simple, one-click installation process.
Step 4: Select a WordPress theme for your website
There are many benefits of WordPress. WordPress is well-suited for beginners because you can implement the bulk of your website design using pre-designed themes. WordPress themes are templates that dictate your website’s color palette, fonts, page layouts, menu bars, image positions, hyperlink design, and more.
The WordPress directory contains over 10,000 free themes and many more premium options. Here are a few factors to consider as you search for the perfect theme:
- Price (free vs. premium)
- Ratings and reviews
- Mobile-responsiveness
- Plugin compatibility
- Technical requirements (some themes may require more manual customization than others)
- Your website’s purpose
As soon as you find a theme you like, you can install WordPress themes on your website within your Admin dashboard. If you change your mind about your theme, don’t worry. You can swap it out for another one without affecting your website content.
Step 5: Customize your website with WordPress plugins
In addition to themes, WordPress also provides access to over 60,000 plugins. These plugins can add functionality to your website, whether you want to strengthen its security, block spam, or insert contact forms.
Some of the most popular WordPress plugins are:
- Contact Form 7 – This plugin allows you to insert contact forms within your web pages.
- Yoast SEO – This plugin can enhance your website’s search engine optimization (SEO).
- WooCommerce – This plugin can bestow your website with advanced eCommerce capabilities, including payment processing, location-specific shipping options, and customizable online storefronts.
- Akismet Anti-Spam – This plugin can block spam from your blog’s comment section and filter out spammy contact form submissions.
- Wordfence Security – This plugin can fortify your security by installing a firewall, malware scanner, two-factor authentication, and more.
If you use Name.com for your hosting, you’ll be happy to know that we offer comprehensive plugin support as a part of our services.
Step 6: Secure your website with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL
It’s important to provide your website visitors with a safe, secure browsing experience. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates can help you do just that.
An SSL certificate encrypts your visitors’ connection to your website. In turn, it protects their personal information from being intercepted by hackers. You can tell whether a website has an SSL certificate or not by searching for the padlock icon at the beginning of a website’s URL. Secure websites also have “HTTPS” at the start of their URLs instead of “HTTP.”
Google only wants to send its visitors to secure websites, so having an SSL certificate can boost your search engine optimization (SEO). While you can purchase an SSL certificate on your own, free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates are included in Name.com’s WordPress hosting services.
Step 7: Create engaging content for your WordPress website
Now that you’ve finalized the foundation of your new WordPress site, you can start filling out its web pages with the following types of content:
- Compelling copy
- Eye-catching images, videos, and animations
- Click-worthy call-to-action (CTA) buttons
- Contact forms
Name.com’s WordPress hosting offers unlimited bandwidth and storage, so you can create content-rich web pages without limitation. Every web page you make gives you another opportunity to show up on search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant search queries. For this reason, you may also want to consider creating a blog.
Interestingly, WordPress began as a blogging platform. While it currently supports a broad range of websites, its blog offerings are still second to none. Posting blog articles on your website about topics that your target audience is likely searching for online can help you rank high on the SERPs and hopefully attract potential customers’ attention.
Step 8: Optimize your website for search engines (SEO)
Once you’ve filled out your new website with content, you can optimize its SEO. Some SEO best practices for WordPress websites include:
- Using SEO-friendly URL structures
- Uploading an XML sitemap
- Adding your website to Google Console
- Conducting keyword research
- Including keywords in strategic locations throughout your web pages and blog posts
- Arranging your blog posts into thoughtful categories
- Using tags to sort your blog posts
- Internally linking your web pages
- Ensuring a fast-loading page speed
- Having an SSL certificate
If you don’t know how to employ these SEO practices, don’t worry. WordPress already implements many of these best practices on your behalf. You can ensure the rest of your SEO is on point by using an SEO plugin, such as Yoast SEO, SEOPress, or All in One SEO Pack.
Step 9: Promote your website and grow your online presence
Your website is just one part of your online presence. You can expand your online reach even further by leveraging various social media platforms. Depending on your business and industry, you may want to set up professional business profiles on:
- Youtube
- TikTok
You can also nurture your relationships with website visitors by encouraging them to sign up for your email list or newsletter. After all, email marketing still boasts the highest ROI out of all marketing mediums. Just set up an email subscription field on your WordPress site by installing an email marketing platform plugin, such as MailChimp for WordPress or Newsletter.
Step 10: Monitor and maintain your WordPress website
Once you start attracting website visitors from your digital marketing efforts, you may assume that your job is done. However, this isn’t the case.
Websites need methodical maintenance to ensure:
- Up-to-date security – Outdated plugins and themes are vulnerable to security threats. Thus, you should update your plugins and themes on a regular basis.
- Continuous website traffic growth – Search engines reward websites that keep their content fresh, so it’s a good idea to update your web page content from time to time and contribute to your blog consistently.
- A positive visitor experience – A poorly maintained website can put off new website visitors. As a result, you’ll want to monitor your website’s loading time and promptly address any errors that arise.
Website maintenance can be a lot of work. Luckily, when you use Name.com’s WordPress hosting, we can take care of it for you. Our hassle-free maintenance and support services can ensure that your WordPress site stays in tip-top shape at all times.
Launch your WordPress website with confidence and ease with Name.com
If you clicked on this article after searching “WordPress how to build a website,” you now know the basic steps to get started.
You can get this process underway by heading over to Name.com today and signing up for our cheap WordPress hosting. We make the website-building process simple, fast, and easy.
Sources:
W2 Techs. Usage statistics and market share of WordPress.
https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress
WordPress. WordPress Themes.
WordPress. WordPress Plugins.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/
WordPress. Plugins categorized as popular.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/browse/popular/
Forbes. What Is An SSL Certificate?
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/what-is-an-ssl-certificate/
Britannica. WordPress.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/WordPress
Forbes. Email Marketing: Still The Most Powerful Tool To Take Your Business To The Next Level.
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