How to Make a WordPress Website

There are five steps to make a WordPress website:

Step 1: Get a domain name and website hosting

1. Decide on your deisred domain name (the www.yourdomainname.com).
2. Go here to sign up for hosting.
3. Click “Sign up now”.
4. If you already have a domain name registered, enter it.
5. If you don’t already have a domain name registered, enter your desired domain name (no www.) where it says “I need a domain name”.
6. Follow the prompts to pay.
7. Write down all the various logins and passwords; you will need them later.

Step 2: Activate your domain name

1. If you registered your domain name at the same time as you signed up for hosting, you are good to go. Skip to next section.
2. If your domain name is registered somewhere else, you need to point the DNS nameservers to the hosting company. Ask support how to do this. I use the real-time instant messaging chat support and find it very efficient.

Step 3: Install WordPress

1. login to your hosting account (Bluehost – which you signed up for in Step 1)
2. click the navigation tab labelled “cpanel” and login to your cpanel
3. scroll down to the area labelled “Software/Services” and click “Simple Scripts”
4. look for “WordPress” and click it.
5. follow the prompts to install WordPress

After you have installed WordPress your site will be active on the Internet. You can go over and look at it!

Step 4: Make your WordPress site look nice

1. WordPress works on “themes”
2. the default theme (it is there automatically) is very nice, and you can customize it to your heart’s content.
3. it’s easiest to stick with the default theme.
4. another option is to choose one of the hundreds of free or paid WordPress themes that are out there. Just Google “WordPress themes”
5. something to be aware of is that even though a theme may look very attractive, there’s a chance that it is poorly coded. As a result, it may operate slowly, inconsistently, or be difficult to update. That’s why I usually recommend that people stick with the default theme, at least at the beginning.

Step 5: Put your content on your site

1. There are lots of tutorials online that teach you how to put your content (words and pictures) on your website. Look on YouTube or better yet, get a one month subscription to www.lynda.com and then look for “WordPress-beginner-essentials.”
2. In fact, you may want to get your subscription as a first step to the entire process, and then you can watch the video tutorials about how to do it all. Lynda.com is a fantastic learning centre for EVERYTHING computer-related. I think there is a Lynda.com app for iPad and mobile devices, as well.
3. If you run into problems, a good place to get freelance help is www.fiverr.com – where skilled people do specific small tasks for five dollars.
4. For example, if you didn’t want to learn how to change the DNS nameservers, just do a search on fiverr for “WordPress – DNS” and you will certainly come up with someone who does exactly that for $5. You give them your site details and voila! it’s done, usually within 24 hours. Afterwards, you can go back and change your password.

Have fun!

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