Having a digital presence has become a necessity for success in this age. While there was a time when merely having a profile on social media platforms could’ve done the trick, there’s an undeniable need nowadays for also having a website. That could have sounded overwhelming once upon a time, but thanks to WordPress, creating your own website is now easier than ever. Whether you’re launching an online business, want to scale up your current company, or you just want to start your own blog, you’ll be able to utilize WordPress along with all of its infinite features to create a top-selling website.
However, finding your way around WordPress can surely be confusing. If you’re still getting started with this ingenious site, here are some essentials you need to know to get off on the right foot.
1. About WordPress
If you’ve come across different versions of WordPress, then it’s time to clear up the confusion. WordPress is an open-source software that enables anyone around the world to create their own website, blog, or app. You can visit WordPress.org to install the software package and create your website, join the forum to ask or answer questions and go through documentation that guides you in using WordPress. Moreover, you can visit WordPress.com to run your website directly. To put it simply, WordPress is a software that you can use to build, customize, and manage a website.
2. Domain Name
To visit any website, you first type in its URL. The URL consists of many elements, but the main element is the name of the website you’re visiting. For instance, if you’re visiting “www.wordpress.com”, then the domain name here is “WordPress”. Choosing the right domain is a crucial cornerstone in creating your website. It’s going to be equivalent to your title, so you need to make sure it represents your brand effectively and properly. While it’s tempting to go for fancy, creative, and out-of-the-box domain names, it’s always better to choose one that is easy for your users to remember while still representing your brand properly. When you’re choosing your domain name, make sure you don’t violate any trade name copyrights with your choice.
3. Web Host
You can think of purchasing a field name as purchasing a car. You now have complete ownership of this vehicle, but you’ll still need a place to park it and operate it on. This is where web hosting comes to play as web host providers allow your website to come online through their servers. You won’t be able to operate a website without subscribing to a web host. You’ll probably find that all web host providers also sell domains, but choosing separate providers may be a wiser choice for security reasons. However, if you’re still getting started, then getting your domain name and web hosting from the same provider can be much more convenient for you.
4. Using a WordPress Theme
After setting up the domain name and web host, and installing WordPress, it’s time to create your website. One of the greatest things about WordPress is its library of infinite themes, out of which you can choose anyone you desire. You’ll be able to install many themes for free while other themes will need to be purchased. However, the quality of the theme you use has little to do with its price and everything to do with its code. You can find free themes that work great and other expensive ones that fall short on many essentials. It all comes down to the purpose of the website and how you want it to operate. You can test a theme before settling on it, but first, you should have a clear idea about the website you want to create.
5. Choosing & Installing Plugins
The theme you choose will lay out the foundation for your website with the features it provides. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be limited to those features; another great advantage of using WordPress is the number of plugins available for installing. The huge number of plugins available can be quite overwhelming; however, Rafal Alitojc from AliveBetter explains that you only need to install a few depending on how you want your user interface to function. Finding the right plugin can be a piece of cake once you’ve identified the specific purpose you want to use it for. For instance, Akismet is the top plugin when it comes to preventing spam comments. You can back up all the data on your website to an external storage space such as BlogVault and you can use Elementor to enhance your content.
6. WordPress Security
One of the first rules of doing anything over the internet is to ensure security. When it comes to your WordPress website, this means following a few steps to maximize its security. The most obvious and simple rules are to create strong passwords (that are regularly updated) and keep all your plugins as well as your theme up-to-date with the latest upgrades. However, there’s another vital aspect of WordPress security which is getting an SSL certificate to encrypt all the data sent and received from your website.
7. User Experience
So far, we’ve only discussed setting up your WordPress site. Your next steps will focus on creating the website that your visitors and users will come to experience. Throughout the process of building your website, you should always keep the end-user in mind. If your website will be an e-commerce store designated to visitors who shop for products, you optimize their journey starting from surfing the products to adding items in their carts, checking out, and then making secure payments. If your website is going to be a blog in which your in-house writers will create posts, you should provide them with a login page and plugins for content creation.
Getting started with WordPress can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be at all. To get started, you’ll choose a domain name, subscribe to a web hosting service, and install WordPress. Moreover, with the availability of themes, plugins, and guidance from countless resources, you’ll be sure to create the website of your dreams.