Step by step Guide to Creating a WordPress Website

Are you looking to make a website? Starting a website can be a terrifying thought, especially when you’re not tech-savvy. But don’t worry, you’re not alone.

At Scrollreads, we have helped over 400,000 people create a website with WordPress. And now, we have created the most comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to create a WordPress website without learning how to code.

This guide is useful for users of all ages and skill levels. However, if you need help, you can contact our expert team to help you set up your website for free.

What do you need to build a website?

Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let’s quickly go over the three things you need to start your WordPress site:

1. A domain name: This is the name of your website, such as scrollreads.com. You can find and register a domain name for free.

2. WordPress hosting: This is where your website files are stored. We recommend using Bluehost for reliable and affordable hosting.

3. 45 minutes of your undivided attention: Building a website doesn’t have to be time-consuming. With our step-by-step guide, you can create a website in just 45 minutes.

How much does a WordPress website cost?

The cost of a WordPress website depends on the type of website you want to build. A typical personal website can cost as low as $100, while a business website can range from $100 per year to $30,000 per year.

We recommend starting small and adding more features as your business grows. In this guide, we’ll show you how to build a website for less than $100.

Which is the best website builder platform?

There are many website builders available, but we recommend using self-hosted WordPress as your website platform. WordPress is the most popular website platform in the world, powering nearly 43% of all websites on the internet.

WordPress is free, open-source, and comes with thousands of pre-built website designs and extensions. It is extremely flexible and works with almost every third-party tool and service available to website owners.

How to make the most of this website design tutorial?

This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the entire process of creating a website with WordPress. We have divided it into different steps, and we’ll walk you through everything from start to finish. Just follow along with the instructions, and you’ll have a professional-looking website in the end.

We’ll also provide additional resources and tips to help you take your website to the next level based on your needs.

Now, let’s get started with the step-by-step process of creating a WordPress website.

Step 1: Website Setup

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is choosing the wrong website platform. Thankfully, you won’t be making that mistake.

For most users, a self-hosted WordPress.org site is the perfect solution. It comes with thousands of designs and addons that allow you to create any kind of website you can think of.

To get started with WordPress, you’ll need to sign up for a domain name and hosting provider. We recommend using Bluehost, as they offer a free domain name and over 60% off on web hosting for Scrollreads users.

To sign up with Bluehost, visit their website and click on the green “Get Started Now” button. This will take you to a pricing page where you can choose a hosting plan.

Next, you’ll be asked to select a domain name for your website. Ideally, you should choose a .com domain name that is related to your business and easy to remember.

After choosing your domain name, you’ll need to provide your account information and complete the payment process to finish the purchase.

Once you’ve completed the purchase, you’ll receive an email with details on how to log in to your web hosting control panel (cPanel). This is where you’ll install WordPress.

Step 2: Install WordPress

When you sign up with Bluehost, they will automatically install WordPress for you. To access your WordPress dashboard, you can click on the “Login to WordPress” button in your Bluehost account or visit yoursite.com/wp-admin/ directly from your browser.

Your WordPress dashboard is where you’ll manage your website, create content, customize your design, and more.

Step 3: Select Your Theme

A WordPress theme controls the visual appearance of your website. By default, WordPress comes with a basic theme that may not be very appealing.

But don’t worry, there are thousands of free and paid WordPress themes that you can install on your site to change its appearance.

To install a theme, go to the Appearance » Themes page in your WordPress admin area. You can search for themes by name or browse through the available options.

For the sake of this guide, we’ll be using the Astra theme. It is a popular multi-purpose free WordPress theme with flexible design options.

Once you’ve installed your theme, you can customize it by clicking on the “Customize” link under the Appearance menu. This will launch the theme customizer, where you can change your theme settings with a live preview of your website.

Step 4: Add Content to Your Website

Now that you have selected your theme, it’s time to add content to your website. WordPress comes with two default content types: posts and pages.

Posts are part of the blogging functionality and appear in reverse-chronological order. Pages, on the other hand, are meant to be static content such as your about page, contact page, and more.

To add a new page, go to the Pages » Add New page in your WordPress admin area. You’ll need to provide a title for your page and add content in the text editor below.

Repeat this process to add more pages for different sections of your website, such as an about page, contact page, and blog page.

To add a new post, go to the Posts » Add New page in your WordPress admin area. You can add a post title and content in the visual post editor. You can also add categories and tags to organize your posts.

Step 5: Customizing and Tweaking Your Website

Now that you have added content to your website, it’s time to customize and tweak it to your liking. There are a few key areas you’ll want to focus on:

• Setting up a static front page: By default, WordPress shows your blog posts on the front page of your website. You can change this and set a static page as your homepage.

• Changing site title and tagline: You can update your site’s title and tagline from the Settings » General page in your WordPress admin area.

• Adding navigation menus: Navigation menus allow users to browse different pages or sections of your website. You can create and customize navigation menus from the Appearance » Menus page in your WordPress admin area.

• Installing plugins: Plugins are like apps for your WordPress site. They allow you to add features and customizations. You can install plugins from the Plugins page in your WordPress admin area.

Step 6: Installing Plugins in WordPress

WordPress plugins are essential for adding functionality to your website. There are thousands of free and paid plugins available for WordPress.

To install a plugin, go to the Plugins page in your WordPress admin area. You can search for plugins by name or browse through the available options.

Here are some essential plugins we recommend installing:

• WPForms Lite: Allows you to add a contact form to your website.
• MonsterInsights: Connects your website to Google Analytics.
• All in One SEO: Improves your WordPress SEO.
• WP Super Cache: Improves your website’s speed.
• Updraft Plus or Duplicator: Creates automatic backups of your website.
• Sucuri: Provides website security audit and malware scanning.

Step 7: Mastering WordPress

Congratulations! You have successfully created a WordPress website. But the learning doesn’t stop here. To make the most out of your website, it’s important to master WordPress.

At Scrollreads, we have a wealth of resources to help you learn and improve your WordPress skills. Here are some key resources you can take advantage of:

• WPBeginner Blog: Our blog is filled with tutorials, how-tos, and step-by-step guides on various WordPress topics.
• WPBeginner Videos: Our YouTube channel features video tutorials to help you learn WordPress.
• WPBeginner Dictionary: Our dictionary is a great resource to familiarize yourself with WordPress terminology.
• WPBeginner Blueprint: Discover the plugins, tools, and services we use on WPBeginner to grow our business online.
• WPBeginner Deals: Get exclusive discounts on WordPress products and services for WPBeginner users.
• WPBeginner Engage Group: Connect with our WordPress experts and other website owners in our Engage Group.

With these resources, you can continue to grow your online presence and make the most out of your WordPress website.

Taking it Further

Now that you have learned how to create a WordPress website, you can take it even further. WordPress is a powerful platform that can be used to build various types of websites.

Here are some ideas to take your website to the next level:

• E-commerce store: You can easily add an online store to your WordPress website using the WooCommerce plugin.
• Discussion board / forum: You can create a website with a discussion board or forum using a forum plugin for WordPress.
• Social network: With the right plugins and customization, you can turn your website into a social network similar to Facebook.
• Auction website: You can create an online auction website using an auction plugin for WordPress.

These are just a few examples of what you can do with WordPress. The possibilities are endless, and with the right tools and resources, you can create a website that suits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about creating a WordPress website:

1. Is WordPress the only way to create a website? No, there are other website builders available, but WordPress is the most popular and easiest platform to build a website.

2. Can you build a website from scratch with WordPress? Yes, you can build a completely custom website from scratch using WordPress and a drag-and-drop page builder plugin like SeedProd.

3. How much traffic can WordPress handle? WordPress can handle virtually unlimited website traffic, depending on your hosting platform and caching setup.

4. Do I need to know HTML/CSS to create and customize my website? No, you don’t need to know HTML/CSS. You can use a drag-and-drop page builder plugin to customize your website without any coding.

5. How can I start a website where I can sell products? You can easily add an online store to your WordPress website using the WooCommerce plugin.

6. Can I start a website with a discussion board/forum? Yes, you can create a website with a discussion board or forum using a forum plugin for WordPress.

7. Can I get a free domain for my website? Some web hosting companies offer a free domain if you choose to start a website with them.

8. Can I create a website like Facebook? Yes, you can use WordPress to create a website similar to Facebook.

9. Can I start a website for free? While some website builders offer free options, we recommend purchasing your own domain name and hosting for full ownership of your website.

10. Can I switch from another website builder to WordPress? Yes, you can switch your website from another website builder to WordPress. We have tutorials on how to properly migrate your website to WordPress.

11. How do I grow my online presence? There are many ways to grow your online presence, including email marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimization. We have resources and guides to help you with these strategies.

Building a website with WordPress is an exciting journey. With our step-by-step guide and resources, you can create a professional and functional website that meets your needs.