WordPress is one of the most popular and powerful platforms for creating websites. Whether you want to start a blog, an online store, a portfolio, or any other type of website, WordPress can help you achieve your goals. In this blog post, I will show you how to create a WordPress website from scratch in 2023, step by step.
What You Need to Start a WordPress Website
Before you can create a WordPress website, you need two things: a domain name and a web hosting service.
- A domain name is the address of your website on the internet, such as www.example.com. You can register a domain name from various providers, such as Bluehost, GoDaddy, or Namecheap. The cost of a domain name varies depending on the extension and the provider.
- A web hosting service is the place where your website files are stored and delivered to your visitors. You can choose from different types of web hosting, such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, or dedicated hosting, depending on your needs and budget. For beginners, I recommend using Bluehost, which is one of the best and most affordable web hosting services for WordPress. Bluehost also offers a free domain name for the first year when you sign up for their hosting plan.
How to Install WordPress on Your Web Hosting
Once you have registered your domain name and purchased your web hosting service, you are ready to install WordPress on your web hosting. There are two ways to do this: manually or automatically.
- Manually: This method involves downloading the WordPress software from [wordpress.org], uploading it to your web hosting via FTP or cPanel, creating a database and a user for WordPress, and running the installation script. This method requires some technical skills and can be time-consuming and error-prone.
- Automatically: This method involves using a one-click installer that is provided by your web hosting service. This method is much easier and faster than the manual method and does not require any technical skills. Most web hosting services, including Bluehost, offer a one-click installer for WordPress.
I recommend using the automatic method to install WordPress on your web hosting. Here are the steps to do that with Bluehost:
- Log in to your Bluehost account and go to the My Sites section.
- Click on the Create Site button.
- Enter your site name and tagline and click on Next.
- Select your domain name from the drop-down menu and click on Next.
- Wait for a few minutes while Bluehost installs WordPress on your web hosting.
- Congratulations! You have successfully installed WordPress on your web hosting.
How to Choose a WordPress Theme
A WordPress theme is a collection of files that define the appearance and functionality of your website. WordPress offers thousands of free and premium themes that you can choose from depending on your niche, style, and preferences.
To choose a WordPress theme, you need to go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Appearance > Themes. Here you can see the default themes that come with WordPress, such as Twenty Twenty-One, Twenty Twenty, or Twenty Nineteen. You can also add new themes by clicking on the Add New button at the top.
You can browse through the featured, popular, latest, or favorite themes or search for a specific theme by keyword, category, or feature. You can also upload a theme that you have downloaded from another source by clicking on the Upload Theme button at the top.
To preview how a theme looks on your website, you can hover over it and click on the Preview button. To activate a theme on your website, you can hover over it and click on the Activate button.
How to Customize Your WordPress Website
After you have chosen and activated a theme for your website, you can customize it according to your needs and preferences. You can do this by going to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard.
Here you can see various options to customize different aspects of your website, such as site identity, colors, fonts, menus, widgets, homepage settings, additional CSS, and more. You can also see a live preview of how your website looks as you make changes.
To customize an option, simply click on it and make the changes you want. For example, if you want to change the site title and tagline of your website, you can click on Site Identity and enter the new title and tagline in the text boxes.
To save your changes and publish them on your website, click on the Publish button at the top.
How to Add Content to Your WordPress Website
The main content of your WordPress website consists of two types of posts: pages and posts.
- Pages are static content that do not change frequently, such as your about page, contact page, privacy policy page, etc.
- Posts are dynamic content that are displayed in reverse chronological order on your blog page, such as your blog posts, news articles, product reviews, etc.
To add a new page or post to your website, you need to go to Pages > Add New or Posts > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
Here you can see the WordPress editor, which is where you can write and format your content. The WordPress editor uses blocks, which are individual elements that you can add, move, and customize on your page or post. For example, you can add a paragraph block for text, an image block for images, a heading block for headings, a list block for lists, and so on.
To add a new block, you can click on the plus icon at the top or at the bottom of an existing block. You can also type / and the name of the block you want to add. To move a block, you can drag and drop it or use the up and down arrows on the left. To customize a block, you can use the options on the right panel or the toolbar above the block.
To add a title to your page or post, you can enter it in the title box at the top. To add a featured image to your post, you can click on the Featured Image option on the right panel and select or upload an image. To add categories and tags to your post, you can click on the Categories and Tags options on the right panel and select or create them.
To save your page or post as a draft, click on the Save Draft button at the top. To preview how your page or post looks on your website, click on the Preview button at the top. To publish your page or post on your website, click on the Publish button at the top.
How to Install WordPress Plugins
WordPress plugins are pieces of software that extend the functionality and features of your website. WordPress offers thousands of free and premium plugins that you can install and use depending on your needs and goals.
To install a WordPress plugin, you need to go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Here you can see the featured, popular, recommended, or favorite plugins or search for a specific plugin by keyword. You can also upload a plugin that you have downloaded from another source by clicking on the Upload Plugin button at the top.
To install a plugin, simply click on the Install Now button below it. To activate a plugin and start using it on your website, click on the Activate button below it.
Some plugins may require additional settings or configuration after activation. You can find these settings either under the plugin name on the Plugins page or under a new menu item on your WordPress dashboard.
Conclusion
Creating a WordPress website from scratch in 2023 is not as hard as it may seem. With this guide, you can easily create a WordPress website in less than an hour. All you need is a domain name, a web hosting service, a WordPress theme, some content, and some plugins.
WordPress is a powerful and flexible platform that allows you to create any type of website you want. Whether you want to start a blog, an online store, a portfolio, or any other type of website, WordPress can help you achieve your goals.
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