Create WordPress Website: How It's Done
WordPress powers over 43% of all websites worldwide. In this guide, we show you how to create a professional WordPress website - from scratch.
Prerequisites
Before you start, you need:
- Domain (e.g., yourcompany.com)
- Web hosting with PHP and MySQL
- FTP access or hosting panel
- 2-4 hours of time
Step 1: Choose Hosting
Recommended Hosting Requirements
- PHP 8.0 or higher
- MySQL 5.7 or MariaDB 10.4
- HTTPS/SSL support
- At least 128MB PHP Memory
Hosting Recommendations
For beginners:
- Bluehost
- SiteGround
- Hostinger
For performance:
- Raidboxes (WordPress-specialized)
- Cloudways
- Kinsta
Step 2: Install WordPress
Option A: 1-Click Installation
Most hosts offer automatic WordPress installation:
- Login to hosting panel
- Find WordPress installer
- Select domain
- Enter admin data
- Click install
Option B: Manual Installation
- Download WordPress from wordpress.org
- Upload files via FTP
- Create MySQL database
- Configure wp-config.php
- Start installation in browser
Step 3: Basic Settings
After installation, configure important settings:
General Settings
- Website title and tagline
- Timezone
- Date and time format
Permalinks
Important for SEO: Change permalink structure to "Post name":
Settings → Permalinks → Post name
Discussion
- Enable comment moderation
- Configure spam protection
Step 4: Choose Theme
Free Themes
- Starter theme like Astra, GeneratePress, Kadence
- Lightweight and customizable
- Good for beginners
Premium Themes
- Divi, Avada, Enfold
- More features
- Support included
Custom Theme
- Tailored for your business
- Best performance
- Unique
Our recommendation: Start with a lightweight theme like Astra and a page builder.
Step 5: Install Important Plugins
Must-Have Plugins
Security:
- Wordfence Security or Sucuri
- Regular backups with UpdraftPlus
SEO:
- Yoast SEO or Rank Math
- Automatic XML sitemap
Performance:
- WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache
- Image optimization with ShortPixel
Forms:
- Contact Form 7 or WPForms
Plugin Ground Rules
- Less is more (max. 15-20 plugins)
- Only from trusted sources
- Update regularly
- Delete unused plugins
Step 6: Create Pages
Basic Pages
Every business website needs:
- **Home:** First impression, key info
- **About:** Build trust
- **Services/Products:** What you offer
- **Contact:** How to reach you
- **Legal Notice:** Legally required
- **Privacy Policy:** GDPR requirement
Use Page Builder
For easy design without code:
- Elementor (free + Pro)
- Beaver Builder
- Divi Builder
- Gutenberg (already integrated)
Step 7: SEO Optimization
On-Page SEO
With Yoast SEO or Rank Math:
- Optimize title tags (max. 60 characters)
- Write meta descriptions (max. 155 characters)
- Maintain H1-H6 structure
- Add alt text to images
- Internal linking
Technical SEO
- Enable SSL certificate (HTTPS)
- Create XML sitemap
- Configure robots.txt
- Connect Google Search Console
Optimize Performance
- Enable caching
- Compress images
- Minimize code
- Use CDN
Step 8: Security
Basic Security Measures
- Use strong passwords
- Change admin username (not "admin")
- Two-factor authentication
- Regular backups
- Keep WordPress and plugins up to date
- Limit login attempts
Step 9: Launch Checklist
Check before go-live:
- All links work
- Test forms
- Check mobile view
- Measure loading time
- Legal notice and privacy policy
- SSL active (https://)
- Backup created
- Google Analytics connected
- Search Console set up
When You Need a Professional
DIY is not always the best solution. Get help when:
- You don't have time
- Design should be unique
- E-commerce is planned
- Performance is critical
- Multilingual is needed
Conclusion
Creating a WordPress website yourself is possible but time-consuming. For professional results, we recommend working with an experienced WordPress agency.
Next Step: Contact us for a free consultation about your WordPress project.