Building your own website can feel like a big job, especially if you’re new to it. WordPress makes it a lot easier. It’s simple to use and offers plenty of
customisation, so you can build a site that fits exactly what you need. Before you start, it helps to know the basics, so let’s walk through how to get going with WordPress.
An Introduction to WordPress
WordPress is a
content management system (CMS), which simply means it gives you one place to create, store and display your web content. It’s easy to use and hugely popular. According to W3Techs, it powers over 43.3% of all websites on the internet.
What kind of websites can WordPress make?
WordPress started out in 2003 as a platform for blogging. It has come a long way since then and can now run just about any kind of website, including:
- Business websites
- eCommerce stores
- Blogs
- Portfolios
- Resumes
- Forums
- Social networks
- Membership sites
So the short answer is yes, WordPress can build almost any site you can think of. Once you’ve decided what kind of site you want, you can get to the fun part: setting it up.
How to set up a WordPress site
Set up your domain name and hosting provider
Think of your domain name as your home address. It’s how visitors find your website online, and it looks something like www.example.com. Your
hosting provider is the house itself, the place where all your website files are stored.
With WordPress.org, you register your own domain and find a third-party host. With WordPress.com, the hosting is taken care of for you, and depending on the plan you pick, you can choose whether to use a custom domain.
Choose your theme
Once WordPress is installed, it’s time to pick a theme. There are hundreds of themes and templates to choose from, and they suit all kinds of businesses. Each one gives you different options for layout, formatting, colours and fonts. WordPress comes with a default theme, but it won’t be as engaging or eye-catching as a custom one.
Add posts and pages to your website
Next, you’ll want to add some posts and pages. Posts are usually used for blogs and portfolios because they put your newest content at the top. Pages are static, so their content stays where you put it. To add a new post, head to the admin dashboard, click ‘Posts’, then ‘Add New’.
From there you can add a title, place photos, change the format, and insert page elements using blocks and shortcodes. When you’re done, click ‘Save Draft’ to keep your changes or ‘Publish’ to make the post live.
There are plenty of plugins that make creating pages and posts even easier than the default setup. We’ll get to those shortly.
Optimise your website
Loading speed is a big part of optimising your site. If it’s slow, visitors get frustrated and leave for another one. A good place to start is browser caching, which stores your website’s data in visitors’ browsers for a short time.
That means the content doesn’t have to be sent from the web server every time someone visits, so your pages load faster. To turn it on, all you need to do is install and activate a caching plugin.
Slow sites can have many causes, including image sizes and page content. If you’re struggling with speed, it might be worth getting an expert to optimise your site for you.
Customising WordPress with plugins
WordPress plugins are packages of code that add extra features to your site. Developers around the world build them for all sorts of purposes, and there are over 50,000 free plugins plus plenty of premium options. That’s a lot of choice, but more isn’t always better. Loading your site with too many plugins, especially ones that do the same job, is one of the most common reasons sites run slowly.
What to consider when choosing WordPress plugins
With so many plugins on offer, you’ll want one that suits the job without causing problems for your site. Ask yourself these questions before you decide:
Are they secure?
Security should be at the top of your list. Make sure the plugin is well tested and secure, so it doesn’t put your site at risk.
What support do they offer?
If something goes wrong, you’ll want help on hand. Check whether the plugin has an active support forum, and look closely at how the creator responds. That will tell you whether the developer is still looking after the plugin.
Do they have a positive reputation?
Plenty of good reviews is a strong sign of quality. A few one-star reviews don’t automatically mean a plugin is bad, though. What matters is what most people are saying about it.
Should I use plugins on my site?
Plugins offer a lot of benefits, but poorly built ones can leave your site open to hacks, and some don’t play nicely with other plugins. They can also slow your pages down, since many load extra CSS and JavaScript files.
Choosing the right plugins might feel daunting, but you can lower the risks. Pick a reputable plugin and test it on a staging site first. That lets you confirm it works the way you expect and check for any clashes with the plugins you already use.
Best practices for WordPress web development
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can start making your site more user-friendly and help it stand out from the crowd. Every website is different, but these tips apply to just about any site.
Opt to make site updates in a test environment if possible
Making changes directly on your live site is risky, particularly if it gets a lot of traffic or you’re changing something that appears across the whole site. Downtime is costly, especially if your website is tied to your business, because it can mean lost sales. A test environment such as a staging site removes that risk. It isn’t strictly necessary, but it’s well worth doing for larger sites.
Make sure your themes and plugins are up-to-date
Keep your themes and plugins up to date. It’s one of the easiest ways to keep your site secure and running smoothly, since older versions can contain vulnerabilities that put your site at risk.
Make sure your sites are mobile-friendly
While you’re checking your themes and plugins, make sure your site works well on mobile too. If everything is up to date, it should look good on smaller screens. If you’re using a custom web design, though, you’ll need to test it more carefully.
Ensure your site is easily accessible
The easier your site is to use, the longer people tend to stay. Aim for a clear layout, quality content and a search option. Label everything clearly so visitors can find their way around without effort.
Utilise WordPress’ online support
If you hit a snag while building your site, chances are someone else has run into it before. Check the WordPress forums or contact the WordPress team for help.
Not quite ready to dive into
web development, or just want a hand making your website shine?
OMDIGI can help!
Get in contact with us to find out more.
