Last updated on December 27th, 2024 at 01:31 pm
[This article is a part of the WordPress Basics series. This series will help you understand WordPress enough to be confident to use it for your business or hobby without being too overwhelmed with technical stuff.]
This article teaches you five fundamental and simple steps of setting up your WordPress website. In the end, you’ll understand the role of each website component, know how to set up your site, and add the necessary tools!
The components of a functional WordPress website are a domain name, a web host, WordPress installation, a theme, and plugins.
Here’s how they all work together
Let’s say, you know what to call your business and what you want to become known by your audience. You use that name as your domain name, e.g. gifttanakan.com. You want to sell your products/services online, so you use WordPress to build and manage your site. Once you install it via your web host, you begin creating your site’s structure and appearance by choosing and customizing a theme. Then you add functions that will drive your website goals such as inquiry form, shopping cart, and payment gateway by adding plugins. Now that the basic setup is completed. You can add more content (pages, posts, events, products, etc.) and launch your site.
Once launched, your audience lands on your site through your domain name. Whenever they interact with your content, their browser sends a signal (a request) to your web host to fetch the requested information. The web host sends the information back to the user’s browser. This process happens within seconds, but speed also depends on several factors, such as server performance, caching, and the website’s optimization.
That should paint a clearer picture of how a website works. Let’s continue with the steps of setting up your WordPress site.
The 5 simplified steps to set up your WordPress site include:
Step #1: Get a domain name
Your domain name is your website’s unique address, like gifttanakan.com. Think of it as your brand’s home on the internet.
How to do it:
- Visit a domain registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains. Web hosts usually offer special domain name deals when buying a hosting plan.
- Search for your desired name. If it’s available, register it.
Cost: Expect to pay $10–$20/year, but some registrars offer discounts for multi-year registrations.
Note: I keep my domains in my web host account, Krystal Hosting, mostly because I want to manage both hosting and domains in one place.
Pro Tip: Choose a .com if possible—it’s the most recognized and trusted.
Step #2: Buy a web hosting plan
Web hosts’ main roles are keeping your content (texts and media) safe and serving data when requested (when someone views and interacts with your site). Think of it as your data holder, server, and security guard.
Types of Web Hosts:
- Shared Hosting (Cheapest): Your site shares server resources with other websites. With this plan, you likely have to do site maintenance yourself. Suitable for beginners and small businesses. Example: Bluehost.
- Virtual Private Server Hosting (VPS) (Mid-tier): Similar to shared hosting but you have more dedicated resources and control. Ideal for growing sites or website agencies. Example: SiteGround.
- Managed WordPress Hosting (Premium): The web host takes care of site maintenance and other technical tasks for you including tool updates, optimized performance, security, etc. Example: WP Engine.
- Dedicated Hosting (Exclusive): You rent a physical server for your site. All the server resources and access are yours alone—suited for websites with high traffic and resource demand.
*Don’t worry much about how each type differs. If you are a beginner with a small site, go with a shared hosting plan.
How to do it:
Get a shared hosting plan. Be selective before buying one because it will tremendously affect your site’s health (performance, security, and sustainability). This article will help you choose the right web hosting plan: How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting in 2024 (Compared).
Cost: It often starts at $3–$10/month.
Step #3: Install WordPress in your web host account
How to Do It:
- Log in to your hosting account.
- Look for the 1-Click WordPress Installation feature (most hosts offer this).
- Follow the prompts to install WordPress and connect it to your domain.
- Cost: WordPress itself is free.
Step #4: Choose a theme
Your WordPress theme is the look and feel of your website. [Learn the WordPress theme basics and how to choose a theme.]
How to Do It:
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes.
- Browse free themes or purchase a premium one from marketplaces like ThemeForest. Choose one that is highly rated, has no known vulnerabilities, gets consistent updates, and is optimized for accessibility.
- Install and customize your theme to fit your brand.
Cost: Free themes are great, but premium themes can range from $20 to $100+.
Step #5: Install the plugins
Plugins, like contact forms, e-commerce, or SEO tools, add functionality to your site. Depending on your website goals, you might need only a contact form as the main function, or three different functions especially if you sell products online.
- How to Do It:
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for and install the plugins you need. If you want to keep the costs minimum, here’s a list of reputable, highly-rated, and commonly used free plugins for a blog-based website like mine and most small businesses (main functions: blog and contact forms):
- Contact Form 7 – for contact forms, inquiry forms, etc.
- Akismet/Advanced Google reCAPTCHA – for blocking spam
- Elementor/GenerateBlocks – for building and customizing pages
- Yoast SEO – for SEO
- Sucuri Security – for scanning malware
- UpdraftPlus – for backing up/restoring site
- LiteSpeed Cache/W3 Total Cache – for caching site
Cost: Many plugins are free with premium versions costing $20–$200/year.
Summary
Setting up a WordPress site involves five simple steps: grab a domain name, pick a web hosting plan, install WordPress, choose a theme, and add website functions with plugins. That’s it. Now you’re all set to kick start your site building and launching process!