In part one of these articles, we to established that you need to clearly define your website objectives, choose a domain name and a good website hosting company if you want to design your website. Peradventure you have not read part one, click FREE GUIDE TO BUILDING A WEBSITE – PART 1 so that you can get along.
We concluded part one of these articles on building a website, and it was well noted that a website can be built either by consulting a professional designer or doing it all by yourself (DIY method). Many people like you have built their websites by themselves, so, why not try it out too? Not having enough money or just wanting to explore could be among a couple of reasons you may want to design your website by yourself!
How to design your website by yourself
Have you decided to go the DIY way and you are bothered that you may not be techy enough? Do not get worried! You are not alone as it is quite easy to design your website by yourself. Yes, that is right! You can design your website by using a Content Management System (CMS) or website builder among which is the popular platform called WordPress. In this article, our focus is on WordPress. Why? Because WordPress is the best CMS to date.
Check our article on 10 New Reasons to Choose WordPress for your Website to learn more.
Install WordPress:
The first step in building a website is to install WordPress. Being one of the most popular website platforms in the world, it has the largest market share among its CMS competitors. Furthermore, it provides the top-notch experience of building a website as it comes with a large number of website designs as well as extensions. The process of installing WordPress is quite simple as it just takes a few minutes to complete.
How to install WordPress
To install WordPress, you need to access your web host. Make sure you confirm the basic system requirements are met. Most web hosts offer several tools that can automatically install WordPress. Once you have installed WordPress through your web host, it is time to input your access credential and visit http://yourdomainname.com/wp-admin. This address will bring you to the back end of your proposed page where only you or other users with admin privilege can access it. Once WordPress is installed, your site will go live with a default theme.
Choose a Theme:
After installing WordPress, it is time to choose a theme for your website. This step is very important as the kind of theme you choose will determine the outlook as well as the appearance of your website. Therefore, it is always better to go for a theme that corresponds with the purpose and service you provide, or the goods you sell. When it comes to choosing a perfect WordPress theme, make a list of do’s and don’ts and invest your time in selecting the best one. Always choose a theme that can not only make your website responsive across devices but can also make it load in the blink of an eye.
Where to get themes
The best place to get started for your search of the right theme is in WordPress repository where you can get thousands of Free themes! You could also search premium themes from trusted markets like Themeforest and others.
Customize your theme
Once you have chosen a theme, it is time to customize it. You can add as many pages as per your business requirements and as many pages you deem fit. You can change images, edit text, change font text and style, and change color, to give your site a unique appearance. For WordPress, you can get your theme by searching within WordPress or using a third-party site. When you finish customizing your theme, it is time to publish it. The good thing about WordPress is that you can always go back to make changes. But all you need to do is save changes after editing!
Install Plugins:
Plugins work the same way as the applications work on your phone. When you need your phone to perform certain functions, you may have to install some apps. Similarly, when you need your WordPress to perform extra functions, you need to install plugins for that functionality. Always keep in mind that plugins extend the functionality of your WordPress website. You can get thousands of free WordPress Plugins at the official WordPress plugin directory.
But what plugin to choose?
It is quite a daunting task to pick the best plugin possible. Before choosing a plugin, make sure that it is up to date and have good ratings. Furthermore, make sure that it is compatible with the latest version of WordPress. You should also check for reviews, that is, what other users are saying about the plugin. Moreover, check for the reviews of the plugins that what other users are saying about them. And one important thing to keep in mind is that avoid installing too many unnecessary plugins otherwise, the performance of your website may become slow!
Where to get plugins
Just like themes, thousands of free plugins are also available in wordpress.org and other trusted markets.
CONCLUSION:
If you have followed this article to this point, I am sure you have been having a smooth journey with us. There are few other things you should do to make your web page top-notch; watch out for our GUIDE TO BUILDING A WEBSITE 3 (Coming Soon) to access those extra secrets to design your website. If you have any glitches while following the process above, click here. We, at Iconic Digital World, are always available for consultancy. If you want to know what our clients say about our web development and design services, please click here!
