How to Build a Website: A Step By Step Beginner’s Guide

Which Website Builder Should You Choose?

Should I use a website builder or a template? What is the quickest and most efficient method of creating a website? These are the kinds of questions we get asked daily. Many questions and a plethora of builders are being asked. We understand that it’s difficult.

That’s why we’ve done extensive research on the subject. Personal experience with website builders is one thing (and we have plenty of it), but we put them through their paces with real people like you. As a result, when it comes to creating your own website, you can rest assured that we have you covered.

Users’ testing and interviews are conducted by our team, and hundreds of features across dozens of products are tracked, allowing you to get an overall picture of the marketplace. We want you to find builders who are a good match for your requirements. That being said, the following information will provide a rundown of the most popular website builders available today.

In addition to being two of the most popular website builders available, Wix and Weebly are also two of the easiest to use, thanks to their intuitive drag-and-drop features that make web design feel like child’s play. Regarding design, Squarespace is a dream come true for creatives, whereas Site123 is ideal for small websites and offers excellent live chat support.

Do You Want to See These Web Builders Side by Side?

Ease of Use

The ease with which the builder can be learned and used. This is determined through user testing, in which participants are presented with a series of tasks and asked to rate how easy (or difficult) they found them to be. Many of our users are looking for the quickest and most straightforward way to create a website.

Value for Money

It is vital to analyze the balance between pricing and features. No one wants to pay through the nose for anything, but the cheapest option is not always the best option. We evaluate pricing plans based on their features in order to find the best of both worlds when it comes to building a website.

Design Flexibility

Each template selection is evaluated based on how aesthetically pleasing, industry appropriate, user-friendly, and modern it is. This was accomplished through consultation with design experts and testing templates’ functionality on various devices.

Features

We evaluate each template selection on how many useful features it comes with, whether they’re industry-appropriate, user-friendly, and modern. This was accomplished through consultation with design experts and testing the functionality of templates on a variety of devices.

Help and Support

We evaluate the strength of each builder’s help and support, taking into consideration everything from knowledge centers to live chat. This is especially important when you are just getting started with an online store.

Customer Rating

Don’t just believe what others say. Experience yourself by testing these builders. Some builders are excellent, and others are not. After the user testing is completed, we ask the participants if they would recommend the product they have been using to other people who are creating websites.

For the avoidance of doubt, the builders listed above are not the only ones who should be considered. By no means, not by a long shot. They outperformed the competition in our research, but, once again, it comes down to your requirements. WordPress.com, for example, is a fantastic website builder for blogging, while Shopify is the industry leader in eCommerce website building.

Prepare by defining your priorities, browsing through our comparison chart and reviews, and settling on two or three home builders who appear to be a good fit for your requirements. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you’ll be ready to begin testing.

Test your website builder

Consultants can advise on the best path, but only you can determine which builder is the best fit for your needs. Mostly every website offers a free trial period, so take advantage of this opportunity. Signing up is a simple process.

2. Sign Up for a Plan That Suits Your Needs and Budget

Once you’ve decided on a website builder, it’s time to figure out what kind of pricing plan you’ll need. If you’re looking for a straightforward website (for example, for a portfolio or a small service business), the more affordable plans will most likely suffice. Consider the more complex features available with the higher-priced plans if you require something more complicated. If in doubt, start with a low-cost option and upgrade later.

It is necessary to sign up for a plan with a website builder once you have made your decision. Website builders frequently offer a variety of pricing options. Different sites have different requirements, and plans ensure that you are not overpaying for services that you do not require.

Plan prices for website builders vary, but in general, they will range between $8 and $40 per month, which is an all-inclusive price. If you’re on a tight budget, either stick with a free plan or get creative.

When comparing website builders to web developers, this is a significant advantage. A web developer can charge between $300 and $1,000 for template customization alone, and a fully customized website built from the ground up can cost thousands of dollars in many instances. When you create your own website using a builder, on the other hand, it is possible to get a fully functional website up and running for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

Which plan is best for you?

The plan you choose will be determined by your requirements. Are you putting together a website to serve as a portfolio for your artwork? Wix’s Combo plan, which costs $13 per month, will most likely suffice. Interested in developing a website for your company that will receive thousands of visitors and accommodate multiple staff accounts? The VIP Plan, which costs $25 per month, may be a better option for you.

Can you make a website for free?

It is possible to create a website for free, but there are some restrictions. Free accounts on website builders are severely limited in terms of important features. You will not be able to use custom domains, and your free website will contain advertisements for the website builder. If you’re interested in learning more about website development, the free resources available are well worth your time. A professional and feature-rich website, on the other hand, will require at the very least a few dollars per month in maintenance fees.

3. Choose a unique and relevant domain.

A domain is the portion of a URL (the site address entered into your browser’s search bar) that uniquely identifies a web page — in this case, your website — on the internet. Website builders, on the other hand, will register them for you when you sign up with them. You can register them separately at sites such as hostpapa.com. Most of them do so for free (at least initially), while a few others charge a small fee to use their services.

Make your domain name count because it is one of the most important ways a site presents itself to visitors on the internet. Here are a few guidelines to follow when selecting a domain name.

Make it relevant to your audience. This may seem self-evident, but it is worth mentioning. Make certain that the domain name corresponds to what visitors see when they arrive at your site.

Keep it brief, or at the very least memorable. Don’t choose a domain name that is more than a few characters long if you want people to remember your website. It will appear ridiculous, and no one will remember it.

Stay away from numbers. When it comes to domain names, it’s best to stay away from numbers. Although it (generally) appears to be unprofessional, it adds yet another element for people to recall.

Make certain that the branding does not already exist. There are already millions of websites available on the internet. In other words, there are millions of domain names already registered. Before committing to a design, make sure it will stand out from the crowd.

4. Pick a design template that you love

The design of your website should be established by selecting a ‘template’ or ‘theme’ from which to work. After you’ve signed up for a website builder, you’ll be guided through this process. Templates are organized into categories based on their industry or site type.

So, after following the instructions and the guidelines – you’ve selected a website builder, signed up for a plan, and registered a domain name. Now what? You are now prepared to begin the process of developing a website. Instead of leaving you to figure everything out on your own, website builders provide you with templates to guide you through the process.

Templates are basically the framework of your website, serving as a blank canvas on which you can paint the content of your site. They are the means by which you can create a visually appealing website without having to hire a designer.

No matter which website builder you choose, you’ll be able to choose from a large number of different design templates. Generally speaking, the better your plan, the greater the number of templates you’ll be able to choose from. The best website builders offer hundreds of templates divided into dozens of categories. Whatever the primary focus of your website is, there will be a template to fit the needs of your visitors. For example, if you’re considering launching a fitness website, most website builders will allow you to narrow down your template search results accordingly.

Look at some of the categories you can expect to encounter when creating your own website:

• Photography
• Restaurants
• Stores that are accessible online
• Portfolios
• Blogs

Templates can be thought of as ‘blueprints’ for your website. If you don’t like the framework you can simply switch to a different set to give your website a completely different look and feel. And, once again, don’t rush into anything. Choose from a variety of templates, browse through them, and see if any of them work for you. Since the whole point of using templates is to have options, jump right in and choose one that feels right for what you want to accomplish.

5. Customize your template design

It’s time to personalize your template by adding your own text and images to it. Although most builders will walk you through this process, it’s actually quite simple once you get the hang of things. Within a short period of time, your website will begin to truly resemble your website.

Given the large number of people who use website builders to create websites these days, there is a good chance that there are a few websites out there that use the same template as yours. In contrast, you will need to customize a template by adding content that is unique to your company. And, in order to really stand out, you’ll want to customize your website.

Building a website is analogous to preparing a meal. Knowing how to build a website from the ground up is similar to learning to cook: with the right tools and instructions, it becomes much easier. A template provides you with a recipe; you can choose to follow it exactly or you can experiment with different ingredients and styles to make your dish uniquely yours.

What factors go into making a website unique? That is, to a large extent, up to you. These days, website builders are extremely adaptable. Customization can include the following features:

• The addition of new pages to your navigational structure
• Changing the button’s size, colour, and font is possible.
• Adding new elements to your websites, such as contact forms and menus
• Changing the images in your homepage gallery is simple.
• A new colour scheme is being implemented.
• Social media channels are being linked to and embedded.

Avoid being intimidated by the fact that the best website builders will walk you through every step of the process. They are well aware that their goal is to make web design as simple as possible. Don’t be afraid to experiment with website builders, as has been the case in the past. You’ll be amazed to see how much you’ll be able to accomplish.

If those template customizations aren’t sufficient for your needs, you might want to consider building your website on an open-source platform such as WordPress.org. However, if you aren’t a coder, learning WordPress will take a significant amount of time — especially when compared to drag-and-drop builders. You will gain greater flexibility.

The free trials almost always include the ability to experiment with templates, so you can get a sense of how simple customization is without spending a penny.

6. Upload and format your own content

You should start adding content to your website after you’ve experimented with the colours and layout. This includes images, videos, and written text.

Please note that if you are looking for writing tips, you have arrived at the correct location. We have previously published an in-depth guide to web writing which includes research, expert opinions and our own personal experiences.

When it comes to selecting the appropriate images for your website, quality is essential. Images that are hazy are simply out of the question.

Some website builders provide you with a library of free images that you can use on your website. There are numerous free image sites available online, including Unsplash and Pixabay.

7. Choose and download apps

Whatever it is that you require your website to do, you can be sure that there is an app for it. Obtaining and installing these applications is extremely simple – simply navigate to the App Market (or equivalent) for your builder. Similarly to the App Store, you can see how much an app will cost (although many are free), what it does, and how well it is rated by other users there.

Wix’s App Market contains over 300 different applications. You can search for what you’re looking for, then hover over the app you’ve selected and click ‘Add+.’

8. Preview and test your website

After you’ve selected and customized your website template, you’re probably itching to publish and make your website live. Please take it easy there. Knowing how to create a website is one thing. Knowing how to market a website is another. Another option is to publish your website blindly.

Always check that your website changes have been successfully implemented before publishing them. You must ensure that everything is functioning in the manner in which you desire. Check the important points that need to be considered:

• Is everything written correctly in terms of spelling and grammar?
• Do all of the buttons on the menu appear to be functional?
• Is the purpose of your website clearly defined?
• Is your formatting consistent across the board?
• What about desktop and mobile phone screens? Does it work on them both?
• Is the website responsive? Does it load quickly?

You’ll be glad to make it this far. Maintain vigilance. It is a waste of time and money creating your own website only to have it published as a half-finished product.

How do you preview your website?

Previewing your website is made extremely simple by website builders. In most cases, all you have to do in the editor mode is click on the preview button to see what your website would look like when it is live. A toggle is provided by the majority of them so that you can see how it works on different screen sizes.

Don’t forget about your mobile device! More than half of all Google searches are now conducted on mobile devices, and this figure is only increasing. Making your mobile experience as seamless as possible is essential for any successful website – particularly because of the benefits that mobile responsiveness can provide in terms of making your website more accessible to people with disabilities.

Preview mode, which is simple to use, saves you a lot of time because you won’t have to constantly save changes and switch between editor and preview mode. You can make a change and then click on the preview button to see how it would appear in real-time.

Still searching for a perfect builder?

Sometimes all you want is a quick, side-by-side comparison of your options rather than having to navigate through a slew of tabs on the internet.

9. Publish your website on the internet

You should be ready to go once you’ve completed all of this. Just before you press the ‘Publish’ button and send your website out into the cold, unforgiving world, take a moment to review the procedures you should have followed in order to arrive at this point:

• Choose the most appropriate website builder for your needs.
• Sign up for a plan that meets your requirements and is within your budget.
• Select a domain name that is both unique and relevant.
• Choose a design template that you like.
• Make changes to the design of your template.
• Make your own content by uploading it and formatting it.
• Apps can be selected and downloaded.
• Check out your website and put it through its paces.

Is everything finished? Splendid. Click on the ‘Publish’ button! Inform your friends, shout about it in crowded streets, hire a blimp — do whatever you can to spread the word. Your website is now available to the public for viewing. You can, of course, continue to customize and develop it, but you’ve already taken the plunge. What a thrilling prospect.

If you’re still not sure if you’re up to the task, especially if you don’t consider yourself to be particularly creative, we have a comprehensive What You Need to Build A Website guide that covers all of the items on the checklist above, as well as Google Analytics, logo design, and images, in great detail, that you can consult. Learn how to create a booking website or how to build an online membership website from the many different guides available on our site for more specific website creation instructions.

Anyone can create a website, and it costs nothing (literally) to learn how to do so. Take a couple of construction workers out for a spin and see what they produce. It’s possible that you’ll come up with something fantastic.

Using a website builder: FAQs

How do you create a website for free?

Nowadays, creating a free website is fairly common practice. The majority of website builders provide a free plan or a trial period. You can create your own website without spending a single cent, but it will lack the bells and whistles of a paid-for subscription. Overall, Wix provides the most comprehensive and feature-rich free plan of any of the website builders available.

Can I move from one website builder to another?

You can, but there are usually a lot of red tapes associated with it. The majority, if not all, of the content, will need to be transferred manually. Website designers are a little too attached to their work. This is why it is so important to try out a few different competitors before committing to one of them.

How long will it take to build a website?

The majority of website builders allow you to create your website in less than an hour. Our advice is to proceed with caution and avoid being overly impatient. The most effective way to create a website is to set aside a full day to experiment with the software and fine-tune your site’s functionality. It is possible that creating a website will take much longer than this – the length of time will depend on the number of pages you have and the amount of customization you require.

Will my site appear in search engines?

If you create a website that is optimized for search engines, then yes, it will help you rank higher. Although it’s a common misconception that website builders cannot rank well in search results, this is not true. How to create a website that ranks well on Google will necessitate the creation of quality content as well as some preliminary research into search engine optimization. Building websites that are easy to find is essential to a successful website marketing strategy, and it is not that difficult to do.

How do I build an online store?

If you have a Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace website (or any other generic website builder), you can upgrade to an eCommerce price plan, which will give you access to sales features and tools that are not available on other plans. For eCommerce platforms, we recommend Shopify or BigCommerce, which are eCommerce-specific platforms that provide the best tools for expanding your business.

Which is the easiest website builder?

Wix is the best all-around website builder, primarily due to the fact that it is extremely simple to use. You’ll never get lost because it has the most intuitive drag-and-drop design on the market and provides plenty of visual cues to keep you on track. Weebly is a website builder that is similar to Wix, but it is not as simple to use at first.

How do I make a website to sell products and make money?

Website builders such as Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace, can create an online store by upgrading to their eCommerce plans, which will provide you with access to their sales tools. Experts, however, do recommend that you use an eCommerce-specific platform such as Shopify or BigCommerce because they have more robust sales capabilities.

What do I need to create a website?

Website builders provide you with everything you need to create a website in one convenient location. You don’t have to know how to code to add imagery, videos, new pages, contact forms, and anything else you can think of. When using open-source platforms such as WordPress, you must code everything from scratch and arrange for web hosting and security certificates on your own.

How much does it cost to create a website?

It all depends on what you want your website to accomplish for you. Website builders have set pricing plans, but the majority of apps and integrations are chargeable extras. There are free plans available on some platforms, such as Wix and Weebly, but other platforms can cost anywhere from $8 to $40 per month.

What is the best software to make a website?

What you’re looking for in a website builder will influence your decision. They all have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, but the best website builders are as follows:

• Wix is the best all-around website builder available.
• Weebly is the best website builder for small businesses.
• Squarespace – the most beautiful design
• Site123 provides the best customer service.

How many different ways are there to make a website?

A website builder is the most straightforward and cost-effective method of creating a website. They do not necessitate the use of coding, and some platforms even provide completely free plans. You can use a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress, but this is not an option for non-technical people. Alternatively, you could hire a web designer, but this will be more expensive.

How can I build a professional-looking website?

Every website builder, thanks to their sleek templates and user-friendly design tools, allows you to create websites that are professional in appearance. Squarespace is the best design platform available, allowing you to create truly stunning websites that would be worthy of any web designer, and it is currently offering a 14-day free trial period.

Where can I hire someone to build a website?

There are some paid portals where you can select a web designer from a large pool of freelancers all around the world. The best ones are as follows:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Freelancer.com
• Peopleperhour
• 99designs

Option 2: Use WordPress

How to Create a Website with WordPress in 8 Steps:

1. Decide if WordPress is right for you

WordPress is the platform on which nearly one-third of all websites are built. A subtly important component of the internet’s functionality. There is more setup and maintenance required with this website builder than with the majority of other website builders. The first step in creating a website with WordPress is to take stock of your situation and understand what you’re getting yourself into.

WordPress is not a one-stop shop for all of your needs. It is referred to as a Content Management System (CMS). A content management system (CMS) allows you to create and organize digital content. Hosting and domain registration are two additional components that are best handled separately. It is your responsibility to bring these elements together in the service of a WordPress site. It isn’t as difficult as you think it might be, but it isn’t also the most straightforward method of creating a website. Those who are uncomfortable with technology should avoid it, according to us.

2. Buy the right hosting plan – We recommend HostPapa

Creating a website with WordPress requires you to sign up for a hosting plan to reserve a virtual space on the internet for your website to be hosted on. It will be fine for most new websites to start on a shared hosting plan and then upgrade later on if necessary. Hosting plans can range in price from $4 per month to $100 or more per month.

Choose a Provider such as HostPapa – is one of the services openly recommended by WordPress because it received the highest rating in our research for WordPress hosting. It performs particularly well when used with shared WordPress hosting, which is ideal for newcomers to the platform.

Pick up a plan

To begin the process of creating your WordPress website, you must first find a suitable location for it to reside. This necessitates the purchase of a hosting plan. It is simple to sign up for a web hosting plan. The part where things get a little more complicated is choosing the appropriate hosting plan.

Different types and tiers of hosting are available to accommodate everything from small blogs to large online stores that receive millions of visitors per month.

Some common types of hosting you may encounter are as follows.

Web hosting. This is where your website is hosted on a virtual server or cloud. All your data is secured and can be accessed from any location. These plans are best suited for small and new websites with a small amount of traffic. Price ranges from $3.95 to $12.95 per month.

VPS (Virtual Private Server) is an abbreviation for Virtual Private Server (VPS). These servers are designed to mimic the control of a dedicated server while still sharing resources with other websites. If you’ve outgrown your shared hosting plan but don’t want to commit to the higher cost of dedicated hosting, this is a good compromise. Price ranges from $19.99 to $249.99+ per month.

Reseller Hosting. This hosting is perfect for those who are operating a software house or running a digital agency and have several clients to take care of. You can share the hosting access with the clients individually. Reseller hosting is reserved for the most elite of websites. Price ranges from $29 to more than $110 per month.

WordPress. This can be in the form of shared or managed WordPress hosting, and it includes additional features to assist those who are using WordPress to power their websites, such as one-click WordPress installation and automatic software updates. Price: $3.95 – $69.95 per month depending on the plan.

3. Choose and register a domain

It is the virtual address of your website that is represented by a domain name. Our domain name is hostpapa.com. That’s where you’ll find us. And so forth. One is required for your website as well, and when setting up a WordPress site, this is something that you may have to take care of on your own. As part of the signup process, HostPapa provides you with the option to select a free domain name. You can even purchase your domain separately on the HostPapa website if you want to without having any hosting, search for a name that you like and is available, and purchase it. That is all there is to it. Once you’ve purchased the domain, the registrar will provide you with a user name and password. It is through this process that you can associate a domain with a website.

How much does a domain name cost?

For domain names, there is no set fee to pay. The market tends to determine the value of these assets. Facebook purchased the domain name fb.com in 2010 for $8.5 million, while the purchase of lasvegas.com in 2005 cost a whopping $90 million.

But don’t get too tensed about it because you won’t have to pay millions of dollars for your domain. The cost of a regular, non-famous domain would cost you nearly $12 per year. This is much more affordable.

Choosing a good domain name

There is no secret formula for selecting a great domain name, however, there are some general guidelines that should be followed when launching a new website or blog.

The importance of relevance cannot be overstated. Make certain that your domain name corresponds to your website.

Find a relevant domain. If your company is called ‘Blue Water Ltd,’ do not register the domain name rainysky.com.

Short and to the point. Remember, you want your URL to be memorable, so make it as short as possible!

Don’t use any numbers in your sentences. Being able to have numbers in your domain name is somewhat awkward because people aren’t sure whether to type the number three or the word three.

Be one of a kind! Check to see if the domain name is already taken. It may seem obvious, but it will save you time in the long run.

Once you’ve registered a domain name, it’s yours for life. When you choose not to renew your membership, it will be placed back on the market for purchase.

Is your domain still available?

No one else will be able to use a domain name once it has been registered by someone else. Check to see if your desired domain is still available with HostPapa – don’t miss out on this opportunity!

4. Install your WordPress site with one click

When you sign up for a hosting plan with HostPapa, an account will be created for you automatically; however, you will need to do something to get a WordPress website up and running: click.

Because of WordPress’s enormous popularity, it is in the best interests of hosting providers to make the installation process as simple as possible. As a result, the majority of them provide one-click WordPress installation.

5. Choose a theme for your site’s design

WordPress themes differ from website builders in that they are not pre-designed. Your website’s appearance is influenced by the theme you choose. There are free themes and paid themes to choose from, and you can change the theme of your website as often as you like.

The obvious advantage of free themes is their low cost, though keep in mind that a nice free theme is likely to be used on a large number of websites already. In this sense, paid themes are more ‘exclusive’ than free themes. Some only require a one-time payment, while others require a monthly subscription fee in exchange for support, updates, and maintenance services.

Once you have selected your WordPress site, you will be taken to the WordPress administration area. From now on, this will serve as your online control panel, and it is from here that you can manage themes. When you first log in, you’ll find a handful of pre-installed themes, and adding new ones is a simple process that takes only a few minutes.

Add a new theme by selecting ‘Appearance’ from the drop-down menu. By selecting ‘Add New’ from the drop-down menu on the right, you will be taken to the WordPress Theme Directory, where you can browse for a new theme.

There are thousands of templates to choose from in the WordPress Theme Directory, which has thousands of options. Look for the types of themes that you are interested in learning more about. If you’re starting a newspaper, type ‘newspaper’ into Google, and if you’re looking for a website for your café, type ‘cafe’ into Google. The number of contenders will number in the dozens, if not hundreds. When you click on a theme, you will be taken to its own page where you can read user reviews and see a demonstration of the theme in action.

Customization on WordPress necessitates a significantly higher level of technical expertise than it does with website builders. To make the changes you desire, you’ll need to delve into the source code. If you’re already familiar with HTML, CSS, and Javascript (or are interested in learning more about them), this shouldn’t be a problem for you. Just be cautious. WordPress provides greater control over a website than website builders, but only to those who are familiar with how to use it.

6. Create and customize your content pages

The process of creating new content in WordPress is much more structured than it appears. There are two types of content on WordPress sites: pages and posts, and each have its own set of rules. The appearance of your pages will be determined by the theme you choose.

Pages are static, one-time pages that serve as the foundation of your website’s structure. For example, your homepage and contact page would both be considered pages. Posts are more up-to-date. When there is a blog on your website, each entry in that blog would be considered a post.

Creating pages and posts is a simple process. To do either, a couple of clicks are required in the WordPress dashboard. Pages can be created by selecting ‘Pages’ and then ‘Add New’. To create new posts, navigate to ‘Posts’ and then ‘Add New’. Both of the ‘Add New’ options will take you to the editor, where you can enter content, preview it, and publish your work.

To add pages to your main menu, simply navigate to the ‘Appearance’ and ‘Menus’ sections of your website. You can then choose which pages appear in which menus by using the drop-down menu. Most sites and themes will only require a single navigation menu, making the creation of one a straightforward process.

Ready to take your first steps?

A great WordPress hosting provider is essential for a successful WordPress website. You may have noticed that we recommend HostPapa as the best WordPress hosting provider.

7. Choose and install useful plugins

Plugins are small pieces of software that can be added to a WordPress site to enhance the functionality of the site in question. Although the default features are sufficient to create a perfectly serviceable website, plugins are frequently required to take it to the next level.

Tens of thousands of plugins are available for WordPress, covering a wide range of topics from search engine optimization (SEO) to image compression. If you look around the WordPress plugin directory, you’ll quickly see how vibrant and creative the community is. Each plugin has its page, complete with descriptions, screenshots, user reviews, and other useful information about it.

It is more convenient to browse through your WordPress dashboard when installing plugins. To do so, navigate to ‘Plugins’ and then ‘Add New’. There, you can browse through featured, popular, and recommended plugins, as well as search specific plugins on the website. To begin, simply click on the ‘Install Now’ button.

If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some of the most popular plugins:

Jetpack. This plugin, developed by Automattic, the team behind WordPress, is essentially dozens of plugins contained within a single plugin. A few of the features available are in-depth site statistics, automated social media posting, and lazy loading (a method of making pages load faster).

Google Analytics Dashboard is a graphical representation of the data collected by Google Analytics. This is a no-brainer, in our opinion. Google Analytics is a fantastic, free tool for tracking the amount of traffic that your website receives. This plugin lets you see everything displayed in your WordPress administration area.

Social Media Share Buttons. You want people to share your content, don’t you? This plugin allows you to add fully customizable social share buttons to your posts in order to ensure that they receive the most exposure possible.

Plugins are managed in the ‘Installed Plugins‘ section of the ‘Plugins’ tab, which is accessible from the ‘Plugins’ menu. You can make changes to plugin settings and turn installed plugins on and off from this page.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. You stand to gain significantly more from plugins than you stand to lose. Even in the worst-case scenario, you can simply deactivate a plugin that you no longer wish to utilize.

8. Make the final checks and publish!

All right, we’re getting close to finishing. Before you publish your WordPress site, take a moment to review the steps you should have taken to get to this point.

Determine whether or not WordPress is a good fit for you.

Purchase the most appropriate hosting plan (we recommend HostPapa).

Selecting and registering a domain name is essential.

You can have your WordPress website up and running with a single click.

Select a design theme for your website’s layout.

Organize and personalize your website’s content and pages.

Useful plugins should be selected and installed.

Is everything finished? You’re ready to get started. Don’t get the impression that the work is finished. Creating a good website is a never-ending process. You’ll see what I mean. Technology is continuously changing, and your website will change along with it. When it comes to maintaining a WordPress site, it’s a revolving door of stages six and seven, with a little theme customization thrown in for good measure.

It is a tremendously rewarding experience to create and maintain a WordPress website. You will gain knowledge of design, content, search engines, coding, and other topics, and the structured framework WordPress provides will help you keep things under control at all times.

Using WordPress: FAQs

1. Is WordPress free?

WordPress is, in fact, completely free; it’s just that everything else isn’t. You’ll have to pay for hosting and a domain name, and you might want to consider purchasing some premium themes or plugins as well.

2. Is WordPress easy to maintain?

You’d be surprised at what you find. WordPress is a relatively simple platform to manage once it has been set up and running. In fact, it is the elements that go into a WordPress site, rather than WordPress itself, that are the real challenge.

3. Should I use Wix or WordPress?

Wix is much simpler to use than WordPress, so the decision is largely dependent on your level of technical expertise. With Wix, everything you need to create a website is in one place, and you don’t have to know how to code. WordPress usually demands technical expertise or the use of code throughout the process

4. Do I need a web host to create a website?

Because WordPress is an open-source platform, you will require a web host to set up your WordPress site. For those who use website builders such as Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace, you are not required to find web hosting because everything you need to get online is included in the price of the website builder itself.

5. Is WordPress the best CMS?

WordPress is widely regarded as the best content management system (CMS), and it is certainly the most popular.

6. What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

Website builders such as WordPress.com are available, as is the WordPress.org version of the content management system (CMS) that we’ve been referring to throughout this article. WordPress.org is more difficult to set up, but it provides greater flexibility in terms of customization. WordPress.com is easy to set up, but it has limited functionality – we’d recommend it for blogs but not much else. If you want to learn more about the differences between the two, we’ve written an entire article about it.

Would you prefer to find a web designer?

It depends upon the complexity of your project. If your project demands hiring a web designer or you want to have a picture of how your website will look after the development, then it is recommended to hire a web designer.

Should you use a website builder or WordPress?

With website builders, anyone can go online. Coding knowledge isn’t required in order to use them, and they come with a variety of templates to help you make your website stand out from the crowd.

WordPress is more difficult to use. Because it’s an open-source platform, you’ll have to code everything yourself and arrange web hosting for your website. WordPress gives you complete creative freedom, but it demands a higher level of technical expertise than website builders do.

Website Builder Pros

• It is simple to use
• There is no need for coding.
• Exceptional customer service

Website Builder Cons

• The restriction applies only to templates
• It could be quite expensive.
• There isn’t as much freedom to create as there is with Open Source platforms.

WordPress Pros

• Customization is virtually limitless.
• There are over 54,000 plugins to choose from.
• Software that is well-known and dependable

WordPress Cons

• This is not for those who are new to technology.
• Because of the cost of purchasing hosting, security, and plugins, it is difficult to estimate prices.
• There is no dedicated customer service.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision about which option you will use to build your website will come down to personal preference and technical ability. As with many other things in life, the most important part of launching a new website is simply getting it up and running. So don’t be concerned if you aren’t 100 percent certain about either option just yet – you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying them both out.