How to Create a WordPress Website for Beginners 

Want to create a WordPress website but don’t know where to start? Building a WordPress website takes 2-3 hours for beginners following this guide, and you don’t need coding skills or technical experience.

WordPress powers over 43% of all websites in 2026. It’s the easiest way for beginners to build professional websites without a big budget.

This guide shows you how to create a WordPress website from scratch in 9 steps. Whether you want a blog, portfolio, business site, or online store, you’ll have a fully functional website running by the end.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: What’s the Difference?

When you’re first exploring WordPress, you might come across two different websites: WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

The main difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is in control and hosting:

• WordPress.com is a hosted platform that takes care of your website’s hosting and maintenance. It’s easier to set up and includes automatic updates, but it limits customization, themes, and plugins unless you upgrade to a paid plan.
• WordPress.org is self-hosted, meaning you download the software and host it on your own server. This option gives you full control, unlimited theme and plugin choices, and the ability to monetize. However, it requires managing your own hosting and updates.

In this guide, I’ll focus on using WordPress.org, as it offers more flexibility and control for creating your website. When you see “WordPress” mentioned throughout this article, I’m referring to WordPress.org.

What You Need to Make a WordPress Website

Before we jump into the complete guide, let’s make sure you understand what you need to create a WordPress website and why these elements are essential.

To make a WordPress website, you need:

1. Domain Name – Your website’s address (e.g., www.example.com).
2. Web Hosting – A service that stores your website files and makes them accessible online. Many providers offer WordPress-specific hosting.
3. WordPress Installation – Install WordPress on your hosting server; most hosts offer one-click installations.
4. Theme and Plugins – Choose a theme to control your site’s appearance and plugins to add features like contact forms, SEO tools, and more.
5. Content – Prepare text, images, and other media to populate your pages.

If you’re unsure how to do any of this, don’t worry. I’ll walk you through each part of the process next.

How to Create a WordPress Website for Beginners Step-by-Step

Alright, now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time for the fun part—actually building your WordPress website. Don’t worry if you’re feeling a bit nervous. I’ll break this down into easy-to-follow steps.

Think of this as putting together a puzzle. We’ve already looked at the pieces, and now I’m going to show you how they all fit together. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully functioning WordPress website that you built yourself.

Step 1. Plan Your Website Like a Pro

Planning your WordPress website before you start building saves time and keeps you focused. Here’s what to define upfront.

Your planning checklist:

1. Website Mission: What’s your site’s main purpose? (Sell products, share knowledge, build a community)
2. Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach? (Consider their age, interests, and online behavior)
3. Focus Topic: What specific topic will your website cover? This helps you stand out and attract the right visitors.
4. Content Plan: What will you publish? (Blog posts, videos, images) Use language your audience understands.
5. Competitor Research: Look at similar websites. What are they doing well? What’s missing? Ask your audience what they want to see.

Step 2. Set Up Your Domain Name and Hosting

To build a website, you first need to get a domain name. A well-chosen domain can make it easier for people to remember and find your site.

Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect domain name:

• Keep it short and sweet – easier to remember.
• Use keywords related to your business or niche.
• Avoid numbers and hyphens – they can be confusing.
• Consider different extensions (.com, .org, .net) – pick what fits your brand best.

Now, let’s talk about hosting. This is where your website’s files will live, and there are several types of web hosting to choose from:

Hosting Type	Best For	Price
Shared Hosting	Small websites, beginners	Cheapest
VPS Hosting	Growing websites, need more control	Mid-priced
Cloud Hosting	Websites with changing traffic, high uptime needs	Can be expensive
Dedicated Hosting	Very large websites, ultimate control	Most expensive
Managed WordPress	Easy WordPress hosting, good performance	A bit pricier than basic shared

There are lots of hosting providers out there, but for WordPress, I recommend these top picks:

1. Bluehost: WordPress.org’s official recommendation. They offer great support and throw in a free domain name for the first year.
2. SiteGround: Known for excellent customer service and reliability.
3. WP Engine: A bit pricier, but offers top-notch performance and security.

My Top Pick: Bluehost

I’m a big fan of Bluehost for WordPress hosting. Here’s how to get started with them:

First, go to the Bluehost website and click “Get Started Now”

From there, find a plan that best suits your needs and click the Select button to choose it.

You can choose a new custom domain name for your website on the following screen.

After you choose a domain, enter other account details, such as your name, address, and email address. You can add optional extras to your plan, but we recommend leaving these unchecked to avoid confusion.

When you’re ready, enter your payment details and complete your purchase.

That’s it. You’ve got your domain name and hosting set up. You’re one step closer to your very own WordPress website.

Step 3. Install WordPress

Bluehost often pre-installs WordPress when you set up your hosting account. If WordPress isn’t already installed, you can add it in just a few clicks.

Here’s how to install WordPress on Bluehost:

1. Log in to Your Bluehost Account: Access your Bluehost dashboard by entering your credentials.
2. Navigate to the Website Section: Go to the My Sites section and click the Create Site button.

3. Enter Site Details: You’ll be prompted to enter your site title and a tagline. Fill these in and click Next.

4. Choose Domain: Select the domain name you’ve registered from the dropdown list.

5. Install: Click the ‘Install’ button. Bluehost will take care of the rest, installing WordPress for you.

After installation completes, you’ll receive login details for your WordPress dashboard. This is your website’s control center.

From the WordPress dashboard, you can add content, change your site’s design, install plugins, and manage settings. Don’t worry if it looks overwhelming at first—you’ll get familiar with it as we go.

Step 4. Choose a WordPress Theme

A WordPress theme controls how your website looks and feels. It determines your site’s layout, colors, fonts, and overall design.

WordPress comes with a basic theme installed, but you can choose from three types:

Theme Type	Best For	Price
Free Themes	Getting started, small budgets	$0
Premium Themes	More features and support	$30-100
Page Builders	Full customization with drag-and-drop (SeedProd, Elementor)	Varies

How to Choose the Right WordPress Theme

Choose a theme based on these factors:

• Your Niche/Industry: Does the theme’s style fit your website’s purpose (blog, portfolio, online store)?
• Design and Layout: Do you like the overall aesthetic? Does it have layout options that suit your content?
• Features: Does the theme include features you need (contact forms, image galleries, e-commerce integration)?
• Responsiveness: Your site must look good on all devices (phones, tablets, desktops). Test the theme’s responsiveness.
• Customization: How easy is it to make changes (colors, fonts, layout)? Do you need a page builder for that?
• Reviews and Support: Read reviews from other users. Does the theme developer offer good documentation and support?

For help, you can see our list of the best and most popular WordPress themes.

If you want to create a unique site without coding, check out SeedProd. It’s a drag-and-drop WordPress website builder that powers over 1 million websites.

With SeedProd, you can build your site using drag-and-drop, customize every part of your website, and create a site that perfectly matches your brand. No coding or tech skills required.

After installing the SeedProd plugin, you’ll find a ‘Theme Builder’ option in your WordPress dashboard under the SeedProd menu.

On this page, you can choose from pre-designed templates or start from scratch.

Once you’ve picked a website theme, SeedProd shows each part of the theme in a list. You can edit these templates visually with the drag-and-drop page builder.

SeedProd’s builder lets you easily add elements like text, images, and buttons to any web page. For example, you can set up a custom homepage and add widgets like a recent posts list, social media buttons, or a search bar.

This guide shows you how to create a custom WordPress theme with SeedProd. It covers everything from setting up a custom header and footer to building sidebars, blog pages, archives, and other essential static pages.

Step 5. Add Content to Your Website

Your website needs content to attract and engage visitors. WordPress lets you create two types of content: pages and posts.

Creating Pages in WordPress

Pages are for static content that doesn’t change often, like your ‘About Us’ or ‘Contact’ pages. To create a new page, go to Pages → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.

You’ll see the WordPress block editor, where you can add content. The block editor lets you add different types of content (text, images, videos) as ‘blocks’ that you can easily move around.

You can also use SeedProd to customize pages. When you create a new page, click the Edit with SeedProd button.

You’ll see the same drag-and-drop page builder you used to create your theme.

Depending on your website niche, you can create these essential pages:

• About page
• Contact page
• Services page
• Team Members page
• Testimonials page
• Author page
• Login page

Once you’re satisfied with the content on each page, click the Publish button to make it live.

Creating WordPress Blog Posts

Posts are for content you’ll update regularly, like blog articles. To create a blog post, go to Posts → Add New in your dashboard.

Use the block editor to write your post, then click ‘Publish’ when you’re ready to share it.

If you’re using SeedProd, you can customize the look of your blog page and individual posts. Click the ‘Edit Design’ link on your Blog Page or Single Post template, and customize the design with the drag-and-drop page builder.

Expert Tip
Has content already been written somewhere else? You can often import it into WordPress. For example, you can import .docx files into WordPress. Check this guide on how to do this.

Step 6. Tweak Your Website Settings

After adding content, configure these three essential settings: your homepage display, site title and tagline, and comment moderation.

Create a Welcoming Homepage

WordPress displays your latest blog posts on the homepage by default. If you want a static homepage with information about your business and services instead, you’ll need to change this setting.

Go to Settings → Reading from your WordPress dashboard. Under ‘Your homepage displays,’ choose ‘A static page’ and select the pages you created earlier for your home and blog pages.

Save your changes. Your site will now use your ‘Home’ page as the front page and your ‘Blog’ page to show posts.

Perfect Your Site Title and Tagline

You chose a site title during setup, but you can add a tagline to provide more context. Go to Settings → General in your WordPress dashboard.

Here, you can edit your site title and add a brief tagline that summarizes your site. Click Save Changes when you’re done.

Manage Your Comments Section

Comments can engage your audience, but they can also attract spam. Set up comment moderation to keep things tidy.

Go to Settings → Discussion in your dashboard. Scroll down to ‘Before a comment appears’ and check the box next to ‘Comment must be manually approved.’

Save your changes. You can now review comments before they appear on your site, giving you control over the conversation and keeping spam at bay.

Step 7. Install Essential WordPress Plugins

WordPress plugins add new features and functionality to your site. They’re like apps for your website.

Here are the best WordPress plugins for beginners:

• SeedProd: Hide your site behind a coming soon page while working on it.
• All-in-One SEO: Help search engines find your site.
• WPForms: Add contact forms easily.
• MonsterInsights: See how many people visit your site.
• OptinMonster: Create eye-catching sign-up forms.
• Duplicator: Keep your site backed up.
• Sucuri: Keep your site safe from hackers.
• WooCommerce: Turn your site into an online store.

To install plugins:

1. Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Search for the plugin you want to install using the search bar.

3. Click the Install Now button next to your desired plugin.
4. Click Activate once the installation is complete.

You can also upload plugins from other sources. Click Add New → Upload Plugin, select the plugin’s .zip file from your computer, and click Install Now.

Step 8. Launch Your Website on WordPress

Before launching your website, run through this pre-launch checklist to catch any issues. Then you can make your site live.

Pre-launch checklist:

1. Enable Coming Soon Mode: Hide your site behind a coming soon page so you can test new features before going live.
2. Content Review: Check all pages and posts for errors, broken links, and incomplete sections.
3. SEO: Ensure all meta descriptions are filled out and your content is optimized for relevant keywords.
4. Mobile Responsiveness: Test your site on various devices to ensure it’s fully responsive.
5. Page Speed: Run speed tests to ensure your site loads quickly, optimizing any elements that slow it down.
6. Backup: Make a complete backup of your site.
7. Legal Pages: Ensure your site has essential legal pages like a Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

For a more detailed list, see our 24-point checklist for a successful website launch. Also check out these mistakes to avoid when building your first site.

To make your website live, you’ll need to deactivate your coming soon page. In SeedProd, click the toggle under Coming Soon Mode until it’s inactive.

If you’re using SeedProd’s theme builder, ensure it’s active. Go to SeedProd → Theme Builder and turn the toggle labeled “Enable SeedProd Theme” to the active position.

If you’ve built your site on a temporary domain or subdomain, you’ll need to point your primary domain to your new website. Most hosting providers offer detailed guides to help you through this process.

Step 9. Take Your Website Further

In this guide, I’ve shown you how to make a website, choose a theme, build your pages, install must-have plugins, and successfully launch your site. But with WordPress, you can create a niche website that can do so much more, like:

• Build a personal trainer website
• Start a mom blog
• Make a wedding website
• Start a fashion blog
• Create an author website
• Build a church website
• Create a real estate website
• Design a restaurant website
• Set up an online store
• Create a photography website

See our guide for a list of all the types of websites you can create in WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next, Discover More WordPress Guides

And there you have it! You’ve successfully navigated the process of creating a WordPress website from scratch in 8 simple steps. It’s a significant achievement, and now the world is ready to see your professional website design.

If you’re concerned about the learning curve of WordPress, tools like SeedProd can make the design and customization process much smoother and more intuitive.

If you need more help, please check out our other ultimate guides for WordPress:

• How to Rank a New Website (16+ Proven Tips)
• How to Create a Landing Page in WordPress (Step-by-Step Guide)
• The 15 Most Common WordPress Issues (And How to Resolve Them)
• How to Make a Click-to-Call Link in WordPress
• How to Set Up Link Tracking in WordPress (the Easy Way)
• Law Firm Website Examples

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