It’s been a long ride to get here, hasn’t it? By flicking through this post, dear reader, you are officially reading the fifth article from our series How to Get Your Business Started. In the following post, we will explain how to create a website from scratch using WordPress and get a beautifully designed website. Come and enjoy the ride!
If this is your first time visiting our Blog (it’s O.K, we don’t judge), you might be wondering Why would I use WordPress to create a site when there are so many other website builders?. That’s an excellent question and here’s an answer to it.
Out of the three ways you can choose from to build a website, a website building platform proved to be the most efficient and the most reliable option. Additionally, out of the three most popular website building platforms (or content management systems), WordPress came through as the most accessible CMS to use with fantastic performance and security level.
As you can see, all our previous articles led to this one, the part when we actually help you build a website from scratch.
So, how to create a website from scratch using WordPress?
In just 7 easy steps.
Step 1: Choosing between WordPress.org and WordPress.com
The first question of this How to Create a WordPress from Scratch Using WordPress guide you need to ask yourself is: Which one should I choose ー the .org or the .com one?
In the post that covered WordPress vs. Joomla vs. Drupal comparison, we explained the differences between these two.
To remind you: WordPress.org is a self-hosted software that you install on a web server when you want to create a website from scratch, that is entirely your own. This also means that you need to set up your own hosting provider. WordPress.com is based on WordPress.org but doesn’t require installing the software or self-hosting. In fact, to use our WordPress Themes, you need to install the software.
Be careful when choosing between these two, especially if you are building a business website. WordPress.com is going to give you the commodity of having a site that works in just a few minutes but what it won’t give you are a unique domain name and the option to choose your host.
Are you really going to settle for a domain name like nameofyourbusiness.wordpress.com? You shouldn’t. Also, keep in mind that having your own hosting provider improves site’s performance.
Step 2: Choosing a web hosting service provider
The first, actual step of building a website from scratch using WordPress starts with choosing the right web hosting provider. All you need to do is to type in the Google search bar “web hosting wordpress” and get started.
What is a web hosting provider? A web hosting service provider is a company that offers technologies and services you can use to officially launch your website and present it to the great people of the Internet.
Websites “exist” or are hosted on servers. Every time a user types your domain name in a search bar, their computers connect to your server and deliver web pages.
When it comes to building a website on WordPress and hosting, we have good news. The fact that 32,2% of all sites use WordPress does make a bit easier to choose the right web hosting provider.
WordPress.org suggests choosing between BlueHost, DreamHost and SiteGround. There also NameCheap, which is a great option.
Note: Themes Kingdom team is not affiliated with any of the mentioned providers nor do we make a commission if you end up purchasing BlueHost, DreamHost, SiteGround or NameCheap through referral links in this blog post. We simply wanted to name some web hosting providers that offer easy install for WordPress based sites.
Is that all web hosting providers offer?
Not quite.
Most hosting providers also offer domain email accounts. So, if your website goes by the name YourCompanyName.com, you will even get an email with YourName@YourCompanyName.com.
Which one to choose?
Building a website from scratch using WordPress is as easy as you make it be.
To help you make a choice WordPress created requirements a web hosting provider needs to support. Alongside these requirements, there are also two factors you need to keep in mind.
The first one is the monthly cost of a hosting provider. You’ll need to set aside somewhere between $3 and $12 each month, depending on the hosting company and the plan you choose to go with. These numbers won’t break the bank, and you’ll get a reliable provider for your business website.
The second one is the fact that you have to pay attention to is how easy it is to get started with a plan. If you are not sure what we mean, check out DreamHost ー it offers a 1-click install for WordPress. Also, keep in mind that some hosting providers also offer additional features, after you choose a hosting plan. One of those features is privacy protection of your domain which we highly recommend you check.
If you want an in-depth analysis of how to choose the right hosting provider, don’t worry, we got you covered. Stay tuned for our next article!
Step 3: Choosing a domain name
Note: Keep in mind that the third step of this How to Create a Website from Scratch Using WordPress guide is still connected to web hosting provider. So, after you chose a web hosting plan, you can move onto choosing a domain name.
Is choosing a domain name important? Don’t even dare to question it!
Think of a domain name as your (or your business’) chance to make a first impression. Like the tie you put on when you have an important business meeting.
The truth is, choosing the right domain name is even more important than putting on the right tie in the morning. Here’s why.
When you are wearing a new tie to a business meeting, you are trying to impress your colleagues and show how serious and dedicated you are to the work you do. However, your “new look” is visible to how many people? Ten, fifty, seventy and a few people you greet on your way to work? Well, guess what? Your domain name will, hopefully, be seen by millions of people. Each of those people is going to, at least subconsciously, remember you by it.
So, by choosing the right domain name, you are making your first steps towards defining your brand. You are selecting a factor that is going to attract users and drive traffic to your website. Don’t believe us? Check out the article on Allbusiness.com.
How are you going to choose it?
First of all, keep it simple. The easiest option is to go with YourCompanyName.com or if you are building a website for yourself YourName.com.
Second, remember that people like names that are memorable and easy to type.
Third, spend time analyzing your domain name. For example, does your domain name contain words that have a double meaning? Are there any potential trademark issues regarding the words you want to include in your domain?
Fourth, if you are struggling to choose a domain name, be sure to read our post on how to choose a domain name that will drive traffic to your website. If nothing seems to work, you can always use a domain name generator, like Namemesh.com?
Step 4: Filling in the details and finishing your registration
Stage four of building a website from scratch using WordPress is finishing your registration. It’s that simple.
Once you choose a domain name, all that is left to do is to fill some other details regarding your account information (first name, last name, country, city, etc.) and the plan you chose to go with.
Step 5: Installing WordPress
This is the step in which you install your WordPress software.
All you need to do is to go to your web hosting account and find “Install WordPress” section. As you can see, this is the time when 1-click install option can come in handy.
If your host doesn’t offer a one-click install, you need to do it manually. You can check the official WordPress guide, under the section Famous 5-Minute Installation. There is also an in-depth explanation of how this 5-minute installation works.
Is that all there is?
Well, pretty much. This is all there is to installing WordPress. The annoying part or building a website from scratch using WordPress is officially over.
All that is left for you to do is to choose a WordPress theme and customize it.
Note: Customizing a WordPress theme is a process that can take a while and requires modifying more than just a couple of website segments. In the following text below, we are going to give you some basic tips on how you can customize a WP theme.
Step 6: Choosing the right WordPress theme
To choose a WordPress theme all you need to do is to log into a WP Dashboard, by typing in the Google search bar: https://YourCompanyName.com/wp-admin.
To get access to themes, all you need to do is to select Appearance and choose Themes. As you will be able to see, there are multiple free themes you can choose from.
When it comes to this part, we have to mention that we are not big fans of free themes. Sure, all you need to do is click on Install and then Activate, but there are a lot of issues that come with free themes. Some of these problems are:
- When you choose a free theme, there is a chance you won’t get extra features. You need those additional features if you want to create a credible business website.
- Your site can end up looking like just another look-alike since a lot of blogs and websites use free themes.
- Free themes usually don’t come with documentation. The support is pretty limited, as well, so you’ll end up being the only one that can fix the problem.
- You can say goodbye to in-depth customization of the theme.
- There are fewer updates on free WP themes, and sometimes those updates are far between. This is a serious issue since it can cause security problems.
As you can see, there are multiple reasons NOT to choose free themes. Premium themes can cover all the previously mentioned issues, and the best thing about it is that there are numerous marketplaces and online shops you can choose from.
Note: As you might know, Themes Kingdom team also makes WordPress themes so be sure to check them out. We also prepared documentation that covers all themes we released, and you can always reach out to us via our support center.
Stop for a minute with reading. Take a pause and a deep breath. You have officially gone through all the steps to building a website from scratch using WordPress.
Congratulate yourself and be proud! All that is left to do is to customize your WordPress theme.
Step 7: Customizing a WordPress theme
No matter which theme you choose, you’ll need to customize it to fit the best your business’ needs. Here are some basic customization steps:
Changing your site’s name
Site Title and Tagline are essential parts of any website because they can determine how well you rank in search results.
All you need to do is select Settings, then General and change these two parameters.
Additional tip: A Tagline is added next to the Site Title and should consist of your business’ keywords.
Adding a new [age
If you want to create a website that is going to have a menu bar (which consists of several pages) in the top part of a homepage, all you need to do is to go to Pages and select Add New. Then, you can enter a title and click Publish.
Editing your website’s URL structure
As a default option, WordPress uses a URL structure that has a lot of question marks and numbers. You definitely want to avoid this form and make an URL structure that will help you rank better.
Go to Settings, choose Permalinks and select how you want your links to be displayed. There’s also an option of adding a custom URL structure.
Adding a blog post
To add a blog post, all you need to do is select Post, and the option Add New. That’s it!
Adding widgets
Widgets are small elements that provide some kind of functionality to your website. They complete the overall design, and the best thing about them is that you can just drag them and drop into the widget area.
Some examples of widgets are RSS Links, Facebook Like Boxes, etc.
To add these extra features, select Appearance and choose Widgets.
Adding plugins
The fun part of building a website from scratch using WordPress is playing with WP plugins.
Plugins are like WordPress’ gifts to you, as they can extend your site’s functionality and features. Sometimes they can be an easier step to get the feature you want like Instagram Feed, while other times plugins can serve as a tool to, let’s say, optimize your website content (Yoast).
To add a new plugin all you need to do is select Plugins and choose Add New. Once you find the one you need, click Install and you’re all set.
Just like with themes, there are free and premium plugins. If you are in desperate need of plugins, check out an article on WPBeginner.com that covered 24 must have WordPress plugins for business websites.
If you are interested to read a more detailed article on how you can customize any WordPress theme, be sure to let us know. We would be glad to help!
Conclusion
We hope that this short guide on how to create a website from scratch using WordPress helped you get started with your business website.
As you’ll be able to see, using WP to build a website is one of the most comfortable options out there. The only two tasks that tend to be a bit more time-consuming are choosing the right domain name and the right theme.
Is there anything you would like to add? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section down below.
4 thoughts on “ How to create a website from scratch using WordPress (step-by-step guide) ”