What is WordPress?
WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) that was created in 2003 by Automattic, Inc., a company based out of San Francisco, California. WordPress powers over 30% of the world’s websites. A content management system (CMS) is software that allows users to create and edit websites.
How Many Websites are Built on WordPress?
According to Burn2, ‘as of 2022, there are about 1.4 billion total websites on the web. More than 455 million sites use WordPress. And, with over 2 million downloads every year, WordPress usage continues to rise steadily.’
Why is WordPress so Popular?
Before we dive into How to Build a WordPress Website, it’s important to understand what makes WordPress so popular.
The adaptability WordPress offers customers as a potent content management system is one of the many factors contributing to its success. This goes hand in hand with the sizable community of website developers who provide support via online forums, tutorials, and self-help content.
More than 54,000 plugins, 11,000 themes, and limitless choices for layout modification are all part of the WordPress ecosystem. This indicates that WP can accommodate the needs of companies of all sizes, including corporate websites, blogs, membership websites, and online storefronts.
How to Build a WordPress Website
1. Choose a domain name
A domain name is the address of your website. You need to choose something unique and catchy, but not too long. If you’re having trouble coming up with a good idea, check out Namecheap’s Domain Name Generator.
2. Pick a hosting service
Hosting services act as your website’s home base. Your web host should offer reliable service and have great customer support. Hosting services range in price and feature set, so shop around to find the best fit for your business. Bluehost offers unlimited email accounts and free site transfers.
3. Install WordPress
WordPress is the world’s most popular blogging platform. It’s a free tool that makes setting up a blog fast and easy. You don’t need any programming knowledge to get started. Once installed, you’ll want to create a username and password for yourself (not your email). Then, install the Jetpack plugin to make managing comments easier.
4. Choose a Theme
WordPress themes are what make WordPress websites look unique. There are thousands of free and premium themes out there, each with its own style and features. You can find them at ThemeForest.net.
5. Install plugins
Plugins are small programs that add extra functionality to your site. They’re often developed by third-party developers who want to make money off their work. You’ll need to install these plugins manually.
6. Add images and videos
Images and videos help break up text-heavy blog posts. Test different image sizes and aspect ratios to determine what works best. Videos require a separate hosting plan, so consider using YouTube instead of Vimeo.
7. Create content
Once you’ve got your domain and hosting set up, it’s time to start writing! Write about things you know and care about. Start small — post once per day at first. As you gain momentum, try writing two or three times per week.
8. Optimize your site (SEO)
To make sure your readers can find you, use keywords throughout your copy. Include these terms in your title, URL, headers, and body. Use keyword research tools to identify additional opportunities.
9. Promote your work
Use social media to spread the word about your posts. Use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr to share links to your site. Also, add relevant hashtags to your posts to increase engagement.
How To Build a WordPress Website Conclusion
This article on How to Build a Successful WordPress Website can help you with great insights to start building your website right away. However, this isn’t a quick fix to becoming a WordPress guru overnight. Building a website on WordPress might be easy. But the real task comes when doing upgrades when you experience issues like the white screen of death, the 503 errors and many other errors which you will need to fix once in a while. It is therefore advisable that you take your time to learn the WordPress fundamentals and to know how to deal with any issues that may arise along the way. This also involves learning basic coding languages such as HTML and CSS.
If you are stuck and need help with your website, you can hire one of our WordPress specialists to help you build your WordPress website.