Overview
Creating a new website is not an easy task if you’re not a web developer. You can quickly get overwhelmed by the amount of information and knowledge you need to make and launch your new website.
That’s why, I’m gonna show you what stuff you need to create and launch your own website and what steps to follow.
What will you need?
- Domain name
- Hosting
- WordPress
- Design (WordPress theme or page builder)
- Learning resources
Now, let’s take it step by step. I’ll describe the whole process and explain the involved actions.
1. Domain name
First of all, you will need to purchase a domain name. Decide what will be the name of your website and go ahead an check the availability of your desired domain name.
If you don’t know what will be the name of your site, but have some generic ideas in mind, you can try and generate one. Here is a list of top 5 random domain name generators. These tools are very handy and will do the job for you.
You can find a decent .com domain name on Namecheap, starting with $7 / year, which is really affordable.
2. Web hosting
Web hosting is a server where you store your website and serve it to your web visitors. You need a reliable hosting provider.
I recommend SiteGround. I’ve been using them for years and had no issues with them. They are reliable, provide a multitude of features, have a professional support team and are reasonably priced.
Here is a guide on how to choose a WordPress hosting plan with SiteGround and what are the prices and options.
There are many other providers, like Bluehost, which are cheaper, but I don’t recommend you going that route. In the end, you might generate more harm than good to your site. Here are the reasons why SiteGround is better than Bluehost.
Expect to pay around $10 / month for a quality hosting like Siteground.
Once you have a domain name and a hosting account, the next step is to point your domain name to your hosting. This means that you need to update your domain nameservers.
It may take up to 1-2 days until your domain becomes operative. This period of time is called DNS propagation.
3. WordPress
After connecting your domain name with your hosting, you need to add WordPress. You can download it for free on WordPress.org and install it, but these days most of hosting providers offer a 1 click install option.
You’ll only have to initiate the install process in your hosting account, and the system will do the job for you. In a matter of minutes, you’ll have the latest version of WordPress installed on your site.
4. Your website is live, what’s next?
Once you’re website is live and functional, you will need to work on its structure, appearance, content and functionality. Here is a list of things you might need to define and implement:
Style guide or brand book
A style guide (also known as brand book) is a set of standards that define your site’s identity. Here you define the logo, fonts, color palette and other aspects of your site’s design.
You can do it by yourself or hire a designer to do it for you. If you decide to try it on your own, you can start by creating your logo online.
Site structure
Next, you will need to define your site structure. For that, write down the main pages of your site: home, about, services, products, contact, etc. and think about your site’s architecture.
Use a flat site architecture, so that users and search engines can easily access any page on your site in maximum 3-4 clicks. That is beneficial for your SEO and user experience.
Site design (WordPress theme)
You’ve defined the visual identity of your site and its structure. It’s time to implement those by using a WordPress theme and a page builder (if required).
Some of the most popular themes on the market are: Astra, OceanWP, GeneratePress, Kadence, etc. These have lots of options and can be used with Elementor page builder, to build even more complex layouts.
You can start by using Astra or Kadence theme + Elementor builder (optional). These 2 themes play well with Elementor and provide plenty of advanced premium features. Learn the difference between Astra Pro and Elementor Pro.
Content
This is probably the most creative part, where you need to create your text, images, videos and any other media content you might require.
Essential plugins
Finally, you can install some essential WordPress plugins to make it work properly and provide some important features. Here is a list of plugins you can use:
5. How to improve your website?
You’ve launched your site, worked on your design and functionality and are satisfied with the final result. Now, you can work on making it better by implementing the following things:
- Set up Google Analytics and Search Console
- Improve your SEO
- Improve your site speed
- Improve your content
- Optimize your images
SEO is a long term investment, if you want to make sure that your site is properly configured and you don’t have any critical issues, consider getting an SEO set up service.
A platform like WordPress has a steeper learning curve, however it offers you more flexibility and customization options. Once you nail WordPress, you’ll be able to adjust your website however you like.
I hope you found this guide useful and can now launch and manage your WordPress site by your own. Let me know if you have questions or want to share your experience creating a website.
