Ever dreamt of having a website for beginners, but coding roadblocks hold you back?
Don’t let technical jargon and complex coding languages turn your website dream into a nightmare! This step-by-step guide empowers YOU to build a website for beginners, with zero coding required.
We’ll break down the entire process into easy-to-understand chunks, guiding you from selecting a memorable domain name to publishing your content and establishing your online presence. So, say goodbye to intimidation and unleash your creativity – website building for beginners is finally here!
Whether you are a small business just starting out or an established company looking to expand your online presence, a professional website is key. There are many ways to build a website, (square space, WIX) but WordPress is one of the most popular options due to its versatility.
As a beginner, you can actually build a website with WordPress without knowing how to code. With the right steps, you can have a professional-looking website up and running in no time.
Don’t worry, this article will help you get through the process with ease. I will cover everything from choosing a domain name and web hosting to installing WordPress, selecting a theme, customizing your website, and promoting it.
Delving straight, here are steps on how you can build a WordPress Website for your business:
- Define the purpose of the website.
- Choose a domain name and web hosting
- Install WordPress
- Design your Website
1. Define The Purpose Of The Website
Although this might not be considered an important step in creating a website, it will help you in making certain choices. So, the first and most important thing to do before you launch a WordPress site is to know what kind of website you want to build. Is it a blog that will receive heavy traffic? Is it an eCommerce site? etc.
This will help you to consider your choice of hosting package. The more traffic on a website, the greater the hosting package.
2. Choose A Domain Name And Web Hosting
Although WordPress is a free website builder, you must use a web hosting service for your site to be available on the web. Bearing this in mind, you need to note that a domain name is needed – as it is the address people will use to access your website, while web hosting is where your website files and data will be stored. It doesn’t matter which you get first but it is preferable to secure a domain name first before hosting. There are many hosting companies available, but I recommend Hostinger as a beginner-friendly web hosting and domain provider.
There are important factors to put into consideration before or while choosing a domain name. They include the following:
- The shorter the better – Your domain name is the web address that visitors, customers, etc will use to discover your site. For instance, my360va.com. This is very short and easy to remain plus the domain extension (.com) is a very common one. Try to stick with.com, but there are other good options too. So, go for short domain names with common domain extensions.
- Choose domain names that are relatable – It is a very common thing for businesses. There are cases where a business that has operated with a particular business name will discover that the domain name is no longer available because someone may have purchased it. In such cases, they will have no choice but to go for other available domain names.
- Don’t use words that are difficult to pronounce or spell – In addition, before choosing a web hosting company, research and look out for hosting companies that are tested and trusted for speed.
3. Install WordPress
Once you’ve purchased and signed up for web hosting, you can install WordPress with just a few clicks. Most web hosts have an automatic installation process that makes it easy to get started.
Installing WordPress simply means connecting your web hosting service to WordPress. This process can take a few minutes and the steps will vary slightly by the web hosting provider.
To install WordPress on Hostinger, here are the steps to follow:
i. Once you access Hostinger’s dashboard, click on the Auto-Installer icon.
ii. Find the WordPress button and click on it.
iii. Type in the necessary details such as:
- URL – your registered domain or address of your WordPress website.
- Language – pick the primary language for WordPress.
- Administrator Username – the username you’ll use to log into the WordPress dashboard.
- Administrator email – enter an active email address as it’ll be used for notifications and password reset.
- Administrator Password – the password that you have to type in to enter the WordPress admin area.
- Website Title – your website’s title
- Website Tagline – a slogan or a short description of what your site is about.
iv. Click on the Install button.
4. Design Your Website
This particular step is what will determine the look and feel of your website and as such it requires you to put in a high level of creativity. This step is where you are required to pick and activate a theme suitable for your website and install plugins to customize your website.
Choose a theme:
WordPress has thousands of free and paid themes to choose from. A theme will determine the overall design and layout of your website. In other words, a theme is responsible for how your site looks. So take your time to find one that fits your style and goals.
There are thousands to choose from, with sites such as ThemeForest where you can browse and buy premium templates, so it’s worth investing the time upfront to find one that best matches the site you want to build. Once you find the best theme for you, purchase it, and then download the theme files. Not all themes are paid.
Customize your website:
The goal of customizing a website is to give it a personal feel. So, with your theme in place, you can start customizing your website to make it your own. You can change the colours, fonts, and other design elements to match your brand. You can also add pages, posts, and media to your website.
Install plugins:
WordPress plugins allow you to add new features and functionality to your website. There are many plugins available for things like contact forms, social media integration, and SEO optimization.
However, try to limit the number of plugins you use as too many can affect the speed of your website.
For example, I recommend the following plugins for every business website:
- Yoast SEO: Best and most trusted plugin for site optimization
- Gotmls: This acronym which stands for “Get Off Those Maliciously Loaded scripts” is a plugin that cleans the site from malware attacks.
- Sucuri: This is a security plugin that protects your websites from hackers and malware.
- Elementor: This plugin allows for site customization. It is a drag-and-drop page builder for WordPress that helps you create beautiful pages using a visual editor.
- Loginizer: This is another security plugin which helps you fight against brute-force attacks by blocking login for the IP after it reaches the maximum retries allowed.
In other words, this plugin blocks suspicious login attempts after the specified number of login attempts has been exceeded.
5. Promote Your Website
Once your website is live, it’s time to start promoting it. Share it on social media, reach out to your friends and family, etc.
Conclusion
Building a website with WordPress is an exciting and rewarding process. With the right tools and a bit of patience, you can create a professional-looking website that reflects your personal brand or business.
Whether you’re starting a blog, an online store, or a portfolio, WordPress provides a flexible and user-friendly platform to help you achieve your goals. By following this easy guide, you will be well on your way to building a successful website that you can be proud of. So, get started today and let your creativity take over.
Good luck, and happy building!
PS: We all win when you share this content with friends and colleagues! 🏆
=> Felix (@thaRealFelix)
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