Setting Up Your First WordPress Website

Creating your first WordPress website is an exciting effort. So, you’ve decided to build your first website, and you’ve chosen WordPress as your platform.

WordPress is an excellent choice for beginners, blogger, a business owner, an artist, or simply someone who wants to establish an online presence and seasoned web developers, thanks to its user-friendly interface, versatile platform and extensive customization options for building a website that suits your needs.

Define Your Website’s Purpose and Goals

Before you dive into the technical parts of setting up your website, it’s extremely important to clear up your website’s purpose and goals.

Ask yourself the following questions:What is the first reason for creating this website?

• Who is your target audience?
• What content or products will your website feature?
• What do you want visitors to do when they land on your site?
• Having a clear understanding of your website’s purpose will guide your design choices and creating documents.

Choose a Domain Name

Your domain name is your website’s address on the internet (e.g., www.yourwebsitename.com). It’s extremely important to choose a domain name that reflects your website’s purpose and is easy to remember.

Here are some tips for choosing a domain name:

• Make it short, memorable and easy to spell.
• Keep it relevant to your website’s content or purpose.
• Use keywords that reflect your niche. Avoid special characters and hyphens.
• Check for domain availability using a domain registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap.

Selecting a Hosting Provider

Web hosting is like renting space on the internet to store your website’s files and make it easy to understand to users. Choose a reliable hosting provider to ensure your website’s performance and uptime. There are different web hosting providers to choose from, and we recommend starting with a reliable and beginner-friendly option.

Reliable hosting providers include

• Bluehost
• SiteGround
• HostGator
• DreamHost

Follow these steps to get web hosting:

1. Visit your chosen hosting provider’s website.
2. Select a hosting plan (usually, the “shared hosting” plan is suitable for beginners).
3. Register your domain name or use an existing one.
4. Complete the registration process and make the payment.

Install WordPress

Most hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installations, simplifying the setup process. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to your hosting account’s control panel (cPanel).
2. Go to your hosting dashboard.
3. Click on “WordPress” or “One-Click Installs.”
4. Select your domain name, set up your WordPress admin username and password and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Click “Install Now.”

The installation process may take a few minutes, after which you’ll receive login credentials for your WordPress dashboard.

Access Your WordPress Dashboard

To access your WordPress dashboard, visit your website’s URL (e.g., www.yourwebsitename.com/wp-admin) and log in using the credentials provided during the installation process.

The WordPress dashboard is your control center, where you can manage all parts of your website. Take some time to explore its key sections:

Dashboard: An overview of your website including recent activity and statistics.

Posts: Create and manage blog posts.

Media: Upload and manage images, videos, and other media.

Pages: Create static pages (e.g., About, Contact).

Appearance: Customize your website’s design using Themes, Customize, Widgets and Menus features.

Plugins: Add and manage additional website’s functionality through plugins.

Users: Manage user roles and permissions.

Settings: Configure essential settings like site title, tagline, and reading settings.

Choose a WordPress Theme

Your website’s theme controls its design and layout. WordPress offers a wide range of free and premium themes. Choosing a good theme is extremely important task. Here’s how to select and install theme:

Some popular themes are:

1. Astra: It’s a free theme with a premium upgrade available.
2. OceanWP: It’s a free theme with a premium upgrade available.
3. GeneratePress: It’s a free theme with a premium upgrade available.
4. Divi: It’s a premium theme.
5. Newspaper: It’s a premium theme.

In your dashboard,

1. Go to Appearance > Themes.
2. Click “Add New” to browse the theme repository.
3. Use the search bar to find themes based on your niche or preferences.
4. Click “Install” and then “Activate” to apply your chosen theme.

Customize Your Website

Customizing your website is where the fun begins. You can personalize your site’s appearance and functionality using the following options:

• Customizer: You can modify your site’s title, tagline, colors, fonts, and more.

In the dashboard, Go to “Appearance > Customize” to access the Customizer.

• Widgets: You can add widgets (small content blocks) to your website’s sidebar, footer, or other widget-ready areas to display information like recent posts, categories, or social media links.

In the dashboard, Go to “Appearance > Widgets” and drag and drop widgets into widget areas.

• Menus: Create and customize menus for your website’s navigation.

In the dashboard, Go to “Appearance > Menus” and drag and drop menu into header or footer areas.

Installing Essential Plugins

WordPress plugins add extra features and functionality to your website. Here are some essential plugins every beginner should consider:

1. Akismet Anti-Spam: Protects your website from spam comments.
2. Wordfence Security: Enhances website security.
3. UpdraftPlus: Enables automatic backups of your website.
4. All in One SEO: Helps with search engine optimization (SEO).
5. W3 Total Cache: Improve website performance with caching.
6. Contact Form 7: Add a contact form to your site for user inquiries.

In your dashboard,

1. Go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for the desired plugin.
3. Click “Install Now” and then “Activate” to enable the plugin’s functionality.

Creating Your First Pages

Now that you have your theme in place, it’s time to start adding content to your website. Most websites have extremely important pages like

• Homepage: The main landing page of your website.
• About Page: Information about you or your business.
• Contact Page: A way for visitors to get in touch with you.
• Blog Page: Regular articles and updates for your audience.
• Services/Products: If you’re selling products or offering services.

To create a new page: In your dashboard,

1. Go to Pages > Add New.
2. Enter a title for your page.
3. Use the block editor to format text, images, embed videos and other available blocks elements.
4. Click “Publish” when your page is ready to make it live on your website.

Creating Your First Posts

If you have a blog on your website, writing your first blog post is an exciting step.

To create a new blog post: In your dashboard,

1. Go to Posts > Add New.
2. Enter a catchy title.
3. Use the block editor to write your post. Add images, headings, and formatting.
4. Click “Publish” when your post is complete to make it live on your website.

Configuring Website Settings

WordPress offers various settings to customize your website’s behavior. Here are some key settings to configure:

Reading Settings:

Choose your homepage display, whether it’s a static page or latest blog posts. In the dashboard,

1. Go to Settings > Reading
2. Choose a permalink structure that includes your post/page title and keywords.

Discussion Settings:

Control comments and engagement options. In the dashboard,

• Go to Settings > Discussion
• Choose a permalink structure that includes your post/page title and keywords.

Permalinks:

Permalinks are the permanent URLs that link to your website’s pages and posts. A clean and SEO-friendly permalink structure is crucial for your website’s search engine ranking. In the dashboard,

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks
2. Choose a permalink structure that includes your post/page title and keywords.

Enhancing Security

Website security is vital to protect your website from hackers and malware. Here are some security best practices:

• Limit login attempts and set up two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Use strong passwords and change them regularly.
• Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated.
• Install a security plugin like Wordfence Security to protect your site from threats and vulnerabilities.

Backing Up Your Website

Regular backups are essential to safeguard your website’s content and data. You can use the UpdraftPlus plugin to automate backups. Be sure to store backups in a secure location, such as a cloud storage service or an external hard drive.

Optimizing for SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential to improve your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. Here are some basic SEO tips:

1. Install and configure All in One SEO plugin.
2. Use descriptive and keyword-rich titles and headings.
3. Write high-quality, informative content.
4. Optimize images for faster loading times.
5. Enable schema and breadcrumbs for rich search results.
6. Create a sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console.

Install Google Analytics

To track your website’s performance and visitor statistics, set up Google Analytics:

1. Create a Google Analytics account if you don’t have one.
2. Get your tracking code.
3. Install a Google Analytics plugin like MonsterInsights.
4. Configure the plugin with your tracking code.

Testing and Launching Your First Website

Before launching your website to the public, thoroughly test it to ensure everything works as expected. Check for broken links, formatting issues, and mobile responsiveness. Additionally, test your contact forms and other interactive elements.

Once you’re confident that your website is ready, it’s time to make it live. Simply remove any “Under Construction” or “Coming Soon” pages or settings from your WordPress dashboard.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up your first WordPress website.

This step-by-step guide has provided you with the foundational knowledge needed to create a functional and appealing website. Remember that building and maintaining a website is an ongoing process, and you’ll continue to learn and improve as you go along. As you become more comfortable with WordPress, you can explore advanced customization options, e-commerce integration, and more. WordPress offers endless possibilities, so don’t be afraid to explore and experiment to make your website uniquely yours.

Enjoy your journey into the world of WordPress web development!