So you want to know how to build a WordPress website. You go to Google and type in “How to build a WordPress website” or “WordPress website tutorial” and get overwhelmed by all the information and options out there. What is a domain name? What is web hosting? Should you go with WordPress? Blogger? You saw a commercial with Karlie Kloss and she talked about this free website on Wix; should you go with them? Well buckle up, Buttercup, we are about to delve into the world of website building and answer all those questions in a simple, easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide.
How to Build a WordPress Website
The Why
Before we get into the step-by-step guide of this WordPress tutorial, some ground work needs to be laid. First of all, is it really worth it to build a website to begin with?
Yes. And here’s why.
Reason #1 – Because it’s 2018 and everyone expects businesses to have a website. According to CNBC, not having a website can hurt your business. Word-of-mouth is not enough anymore, you must also have DIGITAL word-of-mouth. Having a website builds credibility for your business.
Reason #2 – Potential clients and customers can find you easier via search engines. If people aren’t finding a service or product they are wanting by word-of-mouth, they go to Google. Google likes strong, good websites with great content. They will rank these higher in search results. No/Bad website = loss of customers (and money).
Reason #3 – It’s easy. Thanks to website building platforms like WordPress, it is very easy and cheap to build a good website. You no longer need to know HTML or CSS to create a new website that is credible, nor do you need thousands of dollars. Websites can be set up for free or for as little as $30 upfront and $10/month after that.
No, for real.
For plenty of other reasons why you need a website, check out these posts here and here.
Now, as far as why you need to build a WordPress website, there are many articles and blog posts that have been written explaining why having your website on WordPress is the best decision. Here is a quick list of our own:
- You have tons of customization via WordPress’ plugins, widgets, and a huge selection of themes.
- It has an excellent support system via their community forums and if you host your website with a third party many of them can help you out with WordPress issues as well.
- It is very user friendly. If you know HTML or CSS, feel free to go crazy and use it. If you don’t have any idea how to use those things, no problem. It’s not needed.
- It makes SEO easy. Google likes WordPress and just being on WordPress solves a lot of SEO issues. Plus there are a variety of plugins to choose from to help you with it.
- It’s already mobile-friendly. This is VERY crucial nowadays since many people access websites via a mobile device. If it’s not easy to read on mobile, people will not stay.
I am sure you are busting at the seams right now to get started building your own WordPress website, but be patient. We will be getting to the step-by-step guide showing how to build a WordPress website shortly!
The What
Now that you are completely convinced about the importance of a website, the next step is to figure out what you should have on your website. It’s not enough to know how to build a WordPress website if you have no idea what you want on it. So put together a list.
Your website should stand out from your competition, have great content, be visually appealing, be easy to navigate, and have the basics such as contact info, who you are, etc. It also should be mobile friendly, since many people now navigate the web via mobile devices.
The Lingo
As stated earlier, knowing how to build a WordPress website from scratch no longer requires a degree in computer science (especially if you are building a WordPress website), however, there is still some basic lingo everyone should know about.
- Domain name – Your domain name is important. It is the URL for your website that people will type in the search bar. For example, our domain name is www.applesofgoldcommunications.com. You can have one domain or many linked to your website. This is handy especially if your business is abbreviated a lot or known by a few names. Regardless of what you choose, choose wisely. Your domain name is important in regards to SEO and ranking on Google. Once a domain name is purchased it cannot be changed.
- SEO – This stands for “search engine optimization.” In short, it’s what helps your website get found on Google. Keywords, content, key phrases, etc. all contribute to your SEO. It’s what people are typing in search engines to find what they are looking for. To give an example, if someone is trying to find a plumber in New York City most likely they will search “plumber New York City” in Google. SEO can be complicated, and there is a learning curve – plus Google likes to change how they do things. However, check out two of our own posts here and here for how to boost your SEO on your website. SEO is extremely important when learning how to build a WordPress website.
- Web Hosting – Web hosting is simply whoever is providing storage for your website. Web hosting is free or paid, depending on what you are wanting from your website. We will get into the pros and cons of a free or paid website a bit further down. Popular web hosts include HostGator, GoDaddy, plus others. Check out PC Magazine’s list of the best web hosting sites for 2018.
The Money
Now that you are more familiar with the lingo involved in learning how to build a WordPress website and what you need to have on your website, you need to decide whether to have a free website or a paid one. To put it simply, if you are a business that wants to be taken seriously, you need to pay for your website. Here is why:
- Free websites really limit customization.
You can set up a free WordPress website, but it will be very simple and does not allow you to monetize your website with ads (if you choose to do so). Also, the design of your website will be greatly limited due to free layouts and themes not being very versatile. Your website should reflect who you are or what your business is – not who a theme designer is. - A free website also means free web hosting which does not give you a custom domain name.
For example, if you create a free WordPress website you can “choose” your domain name but it will have “wordpress.com” at the end of it. So instead of www.smithandsons.com, for example, your domain name would be www.smithandsons.wordpress.com. Not very professional sounding, right? - With a free website you do not actually own the website.
This is important. Since WordPress, or whatever free platform you choose, is hosting your website for free, that means THEY own it, not you. This means they can delete your website if they want and you have lost all of your content. Not good! When you pay for your own web hosting and domain name, you can back up your entire website and take it anywhere, even if you choose to change web hosts or what website platform you use (for instance, you can move your blog from Blogger to WordPress if you choose)
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How to Build a WordPress Website, FREE Version (Step-by-Step)
Now we will get in to the step-by-step guide showing you how to build a WordPress website for free. If you wish to see how to set up a paid-for website scroll down a bit further for the WordPress tutorial for paid versions. To see each screen shot larger, just click on the picture and a new tab will open with a larger picture.
1. Go to www.wordpress.com
2. Click on “Get Started” at the top right hand corner. 
3. Go through the “Let’s create a site” steps. Do know whatever name you choose for your blog, you can change later. 
4. Choose your domain name. Type in what you want and WordPress will show you what is available. This CANNOT be changed so choose wisely! For a free website, select the domain name that says “Free.” Other ones you will have to pay for.
5. To continue on with a free site select “start with free.” 
6. Create your WordPress login account (or you can connect with Google). If you already have a WordPress account you can just log in. 
7. CONGRATS! Your WordPress site has been created! Pretty easy, yes? Now is the time to choose your theme, start blogging, etc. 
How to Build a WordPress Website, PAID Version (Step-by-Step)
There are several different ways to start a paid WordPress website. We are only going to focus on the two easiest ways:
- Upgrading your current free WordPress website
- Paying for web hosting and domain through WordPress
If you already have a free WordPress website set up and want to upgrade it, it is very simple. Just go to your dashboard and click “upgrade.” From there you can choose which web hosting plan you want. Your domain name will be the same except “wordpress.com” will be removed. 
If you are wanting to go ahead and learn how to build a WordPress website from scratch that is paid for, follow steps 1-3 from the “How to Build a WordPress Website, FREE Version” section above. When you choose a domain name, choose one that states “included in WordPress.com premium.” For step 3, choose what web hosting plan you want (seen below). You can always downgrade or upgrade your web hosting plan in the future. 
Once you pay for your domain and web hosting, your website has been created! Start customizing, choose your theme, add content, etc.
Wrap-Up
As you can see, it’s easy to learn how to build a WordPress website. There is no excuse for any business wanting one not to have one. But if you still need help or just don’t have the time, it’s very inexpensive to delegate this to a web design firm (like us!) either to build the site or to walk you through with one-on-one consulting. Either way, get started today bringing your business up to speed online. You won’t regret it!
BONUS: The Next Level
If you wish to be more technical with building your own WordPress website or dig deeper and learn something more in-depth than just the basics of how to build a WordPress website, check out these articles below:
10 Tips Before You Buy a Domain Name
Compare the Best Domain Hosting of 2018
How to Register or Move Your Domain Name with HostGator
