{"id":154,"date":"2020-08-04T12:47:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-04T19:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/?p=154"},"modified":"2022-03-03T19:07:45","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T03:07:45","slug":"build-wordpress-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a WordPress Website: A Step-By-Step Beginner&#8217;s Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?resize=1024%2C680&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"How to Build a WordPress Website: A Beginner's Tutorial\" class=\"wp-image-170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?resize=1024%2C680&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?resize=768%2C510&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?w=2400&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?w=3600&amp;ssl=1 3600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_50 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-6a7ea9f5c3ad2\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #204079;color:#204079\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #204079;color:#204079\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-6a7ea9f5c3ad2\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#How_to_Build_a_WordPress_Website_Introduction\" title=\"How to Build a WordPress Website: Introduction\">How to Build a WordPress Website: Introduction<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Why_This_Guide_is_Different\" title=\"Why This Guide is Different\">Why This Guide is Different<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#The_Goals_of_This_Guide\" title=\"The Goals of This Guide\">The Goals of This Guide<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Success\" title=\"Success\">Success<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Savings\" title=\"Savings\">Savings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Simplicity\" title=\"Simplicity\">Simplicity<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#To_Start_%E2%80%93_Why_Should_I_Choose_WordPress\" title=\"To Start \u2013 Why Should I Choose WordPress?\">To Start \u2013 Why Should I Choose WordPress?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Price\" title=\"Price\">Price<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Plugins\" title=\"Plugins\">Plugins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Ease_of_Use_and_Scalability\" title=\"Ease of Use and Scalability\">Ease of Use and Scalability<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SECTION_1_Your_Domain\" title=\"SECTION 1: Your Domain\">SECTION 1: Your Domain<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Naming_Options_with_NameBounce\" title=\"Naming Options with NameBounce\">Naming Options with NameBounce<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#An_Important_Disclaimer\" title=\"An Important Disclaimer\">An Important Disclaimer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SECTION_2_Purchase_the_Domain_Name_and_Website_Hosting\" title=\"SECTION 2: Purchase the Domain Name and Website Hosting\">SECTION 2: Purchase the Domain Name and Website Hosting<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#What_is_Website_Hosting\" title=\"What is Website Hosting?\">What is Website Hosting?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#What_is_the_Best_WordPress_Hosting_Company\" title=\"What is the Best WordPress Hosting Company?\">What is the Best WordPress Hosting Company?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#The_Biggest_Reason_We_Recommend_SiteGround\" title=\"The Biggest Reason We Recommend SiteGround\">The Biggest Reason We Recommend SiteGround<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_1_Choose_a_Hosting_Plan\" title=\"STEP 1:&nbsp;Choose a Hosting Plan\">STEP 1:&nbsp;Choose a Hosting Plan<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#The_GoGeek_Plan\" title=\"The GoGeek Plan\">The GoGeek Plan<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#WooCommerce_Hosting\" title=\"WooCommerce Hosting\">WooCommerce Hosting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SiteGround%E2%80%99s_Pricing\" title=\"SiteGround&#8217;s Pricing\">SiteGround&#8217;s Pricing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_2_Register_Your_Domain_Name\" title=\"STEP 2:&nbsp;Register Your Domain Name\">STEP 2:&nbsp;Register Your Domain Name<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_3_Select_Additional_Options_and_Purchase_your_Hosting_Plan\" title=\"STEP 3:&nbsp;Select Additional Options and Purchase your Hosting Plan\">STEP 3:&nbsp;Select Additional Options and Purchase your Hosting Plan<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Data_Center\" title=\"Data Center\">Data Center<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Period\" title=\"Period\">Period<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Domain_Privacy_If_you_Register_with_SiteGround\" title=\"Domain Privacy (If you Register with SiteGround)\">Domain Privacy (If you Register with SiteGround)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SG_Site_Scanner\" title=\"SG Site Scanner\">SG Site Scanner<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_4_Go_to_the_Admin_Panel_and_Log_In\" title=\"STEP 4:&nbsp;Go to the Admin Panel and Log In\">STEP 4:&nbsp;Go to the Admin Panel and Log In<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SECTION_3_Complete_SiteGround%E2%80%99s_WordPress_Starter_Wizard\" title=\"SECTION 3: Complete SiteGround\u2019s WordPress Starter Wizard\">SECTION 3: Complete SiteGround\u2019s WordPress Starter Wizard<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_1_Launch_WordPress_Starter_and_Choose_a_Theme\" title=\"STEP 1: Launch WordPress Starter and Choose a Theme\">STEP 1: Launch WordPress Starter and Choose a Theme<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_2_Install_Functionality_Plugins\" title=\"STEP 2:&nbsp;Install Functionality Plugins\">STEP 2:&nbsp;Install Functionality Plugins<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#WPForms_Contact_Form\" title=\"WPForms Contact Form\">WPForms Contact Form<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Jetpack\" title=\"Jetpack\">Jetpack<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#WooCommerce_Shop\" title=\"WooCommerce Shop\">WooCommerce Shop<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#The_Events_Calendar\" title=\"The Events Calendar\">The Events Calendar<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_3_Install_Marketing_Plugins\" title=\"STEP 3:&nbsp;Install Marketing Plugins\">STEP 3:&nbsp;Install Marketing Plugins<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Google_Analytics_via_MonsterInsights\" title=\"Google Analytics (via MonsterInsights)\">Google Analytics (via MonsterInsights)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Optimize_for_SEO_Yoast_SEO\" title=\"Optimize for SEO (Yoast SEO)\">Optimize for SEO (Yoast SEO)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Grow_Subscribers_List_OptinMonster\" title=\"Grow Subscribers List (OptinMonster)\">Grow Subscribers List (OptinMonster)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SECTION_4_Add_Content_and_Customize_your_Website\" title=\"SECTION 4: Add Content and Customize your Website\">SECTION 4: Add Content and Customize your Website<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_1_Change_your_Site_Title_and_Tagline\" title=\"STEP 1: Change your Site Title and Tagline\">STEP 1: Change your Site Title and Tagline<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_2_Change_your_Default_Color_Scheme_and_Font\" title=\"STEP 2: Change your Default Color Scheme and Font\">STEP 2: Change your Default Color Scheme and Font<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_3_Add_a_Page\" title=\"STEP 3: Add a Page\">STEP 3: Add a Page<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_4_Add_a_Blog_Category_and_Post\" title=\"STEP 4:&nbsp;Add a Blog Category and Post\">STEP 4:&nbsp;Add a Blog Category and Post<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_5_Modify_your_Menu_Bar\" title=\"STEP 5:&nbsp;Modify your Menu Bar\">STEP 5:&nbsp;Modify your Menu Bar<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_6_Read_our_Elementor_Tutorial_and_Start_Editing\" title=\"STEP 6:&nbsp;Read our Elementor Tutorial, and Start Editing\">STEP 6:&nbsp;Read our Elementor Tutorial, and Start Editing<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Inner_Section\" title=\"Inner Section\">Inner Section<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Image_and_Icon_Boxes\" title=\"Image and Icon Boxes\">Image and Icon Boxes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-49\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Heading_Image_Text_Editor_and_Video\" title=\"Heading, Image, Text Editor, and Video\">Heading, Image, Text Editor, and Video<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-50\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Button\" title=\"Button\">Button<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-51\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Remember_to_Click_%E2%80%9CUpdate%E2%80%9D\" title=\"Remember to Click \u201cUpdate!\u201d\">Remember to Click \u201cUpdate!\u201d<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-52\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SECTION_5_Final_Tweaks\" title=\"SECTION 5: Final Tweaks\">SECTION 5: Final Tweaks<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-53\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_1_Add_a_Terms_and_Conditions_and_Privacy_Policy\" title=\"STEP 1: Add a Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy\">STEP 1: Add a Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-54\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_2_Create_a_Blog_Home_Page\" title=\"STEP 2: Create a Blog Home Page\">STEP 2: Create a Blog Home Page<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-55\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_3_Edit_Your_Site%E2%80%99s_URL_Structure\" title=\"STEP 3: Edit Your Site\u2019s URL Structure\">STEP 3: Edit Your Site\u2019s URL Structure<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-56\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_4_Choose_to_Allow_or_Disable_Comments\" title=\"STEP 4: Choose to Allow or Disable Comments\">STEP 4: Choose to Allow or Disable Comments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-57\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_5_Set_Up_SSL\" title=\"STEP 5: Set Up SSL\">STEP 5: Set Up SSL<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-58\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_6_Set_up_Cloudflare_and_Memcached\" title=\"STEP 6: Set up Cloudflare and Memcached\">STEP 6: Set up Cloudflare and Memcached<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-59\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#STEP_7_Set_Up_SG_Optimizer\" title=\"STEP 7: Set Up SG Optimizer\">STEP 7: Set Up SG Optimizer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-60\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#EXTRA_CREDIT_Additional_Website_Tools_and_Services\" title=\"EXTRA CREDIT: Additional Website Tools and Services\">EXTRA CREDIT: Additional Website Tools and Services<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-61\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Website_Tools_Plugins_and_Integrations\" title=\"Website Tools, Plugins, and Integrations\">Website Tools, Plugins, and Integrations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-62\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Hotjar\" title=\"Hotjar\">Hotjar<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-63\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#ConvertKit\" title=\"ConvertKit\">ConvertKit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-64\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Akismet\" title=\"Akismet\">Akismet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-65\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Outside_Services\" title=\"Outside Services\">Outside Services<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-66\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#SEMRush\" title=\"SEMRush\">SEMRush<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-67\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Options_for_Photos\" title=\"Options for Photos\">Options for Photos<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-68\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Books\" title=\"Books\">Books<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-69\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#Making_Websites_Win\" title=\"Making Websites Win\">Making Websites Win<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-70\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#3_Months_to_No_1\" title=\"3 Months to No. 1\">3 Months to No. 1<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-71\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/build-wordpress-website\/#How_to_Build_a_WordPress_Website_Conclusion\" title=\"How to Build a WordPress Website: Conclusion\">How to Build a WordPress Website: Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-a-wordpress-website-introduction\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Build_a_WordPress_Website_Introduction\"><\/span>How to Build a WordPress Website: Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When I started my business, I had no idea how to build a WordPress website. My perception was that creating your own website was difficult. It felt like a black hole with hundreds of steps. I didn\u2019t know what it involved or where to start. I thought I had two options: either spend thousands of dollars on a developer or code it myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That perception stuck with me, even when I learned about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WordPress<\/a>&nbsp;and other beginner-friendly resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This limiting belief was costly. I could have saved a lot of money and time by learning how to build a WordPress website myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are plenty of \u201chow-to\u201d articles on the internet about building a website. Although you might not know that \u2013 I certainly didn\u2019t!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I read these guides, I felt that it was a self-guided process. The other guides didn&#8217;t give me the specific, step-by-step instructions that I needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-this-guide-is-different\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_This_Guide_is_Different\"><\/span>Why This Guide is Different<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I knew that I needed a differentiated guide on how to build a WordPress website. I did this by focusing it around the most supportive WordPress hosting company, <a href=\"https:\/\/siteground.com\/go\/namebounce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SiteGround<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SiteGround has 24\/7 live chat support, and the wait times are often zero minutes. They make it easy for website owners to get started, with innovative in-house solutions like their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/blog\/wordpress-starter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WordPress Starter Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Between this guide, SiteGround\u2019s in-house tools, and SiteGround\u2019s live support team, you will have support every step of the way!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may have wanted to start a business for a long time. Even though it can be hard to start a business, bringing your concept to life is incredibly rewarding. You can start businesses for as little as a few hundred dollars, and new business survival rates are <a href=\"https:\/\/best4businesses.com\/new-business-survival-rates-2017-sba-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">higher than you might think<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After finding a business name, creating your website is the first step in achieving your business dreams. At the minimum, writing posts on your site can give you a fun new hobby!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-goals-of-this-guide\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Goals_of_This_Guide\"><\/span>The Goals of This Guide<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We created this guide with three main goals in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"success\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Success\"><\/span>Success<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At NameBounce, our goal is to help you create a successful business. The first step towards doing that is to create a great website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are super-focused on not overwhelming you in this beginner stage. Our guide, combined with SiteGround, is the easiest way to create a new website without paying a designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have the ability to create an amazing website. Our guide and SiteGround will teach you how to build a WordPress website that you love. It doesn&#8217;t matter if you&#8217;re not skilled or comfortable with technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"savings\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Savings\"><\/span>Savings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to manage your funds wisely in the early stages of starting a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By learning how to build a WordPress website using our guide, you&#8217;ll save <a href=\"http:\/\/howmuchdoesawebsiteco.st\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">thousands of dollars<\/a>&nbsp;on custom design work. Even if you need a designer at some point, you\u2019ll have saved a lot of money by getting the base site completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NameBounce is a self-funded business. We totally understand if money is super-tight, and we still want to help you. We also show you a more affordable option for building your website. It&#8217;s in Section 1 of this guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"simplicity\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Simplicity\"><\/span>Simplicity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As I mentioned in the \u201csuccess\u201d section above, we are super-focused on not overwhelming you. Because of this, we wrote this guide with complete beginners in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You won\u2019t find advanced tutorials in this guide. But you&nbsp;<em>will<\/em>&nbsp;find enough information to get you a complete website that is ready to grow with your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t need to let the word count intimidate you, either. We created the detail to give you more help, not overwhelm you. If you&#8217;d prefer to figure something out on your own, skip through the section!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"to-start-why-should-i-choose-wordpress\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_Start_%E2%80%93_Why_Should_I_Choose_WordPress\"><\/span>To Start \u2013 Why Should I Choose WordPress?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress is the most popular system for building websites in the world. Of all websites that are not custom-coded in HTML,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wpclipboard.com\/wordpress-statistics-infographic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">60%<\/a>&nbsp;use WordPress. These range from small businesses to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wplift.com\/famous-brands-using-wordpress-as-their-cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">major brands<\/a>&nbsp;like TechCrunch and the New York Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re likely debating whether to build your website with WordPress or a popular website builder like Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Website builders work well for many business owners. We even recommend Tailor Brands&#8217; cost-effective website builder at the bottom of Section 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But depending on your business goals, WordPress has many unique advantages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"price\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Price\"><\/span>Price<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest pro of WordPress is that their platform is free to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With some website builders, you have to pay for added features. For example, many SquareSpace plans charge a 3% transaction fee on each sale you make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many free themes and plugins on WordPress. It\u2019s perfectly viable to not pay for anything other than hosting (which we\u2019ll get to later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"plugins\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Plugins\"><\/span>Plugins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Plugins are software tools that add more features to your WordPress site. There are over&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.codeinwp.com\/blog\/wordpress-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">50,000 WordPress plugins<\/a>, and developers are adding new plugins each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since WordPress is such a popular platform, many third-party developers create WordPress plugins. The website builders aren\u2019t as popular as WordPress, and there are fewer plugin options. With fewer plugin options, you\u2019re more limited as to what you can do with your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ease-of-use-and-scalability\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ease_of_Use_and_Scalability\"><\/span>Ease of Use and Scalability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Previously, the primary advantage of choosing the website builders over WordPress was that they were more accessible for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, WordPress is as good for beginners as the website builders. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elementor page builder for WordPress<\/a>&nbsp;changed everything on this front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Elementor, you can create a WordPress site using the same drag-and-drop features as the website builders. The best part is that the core features are free to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, you won\u2019t have to worry about eventually outgrowing your website. Even if your business becomes as big as the New York Times!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, many online tutorial creators write with WordPress websites in mind. You will have a more difficult time following them if you use another website builder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"section-1-your-domain\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SECTION_1_Your_Domain\"><\/span>SECTION 1: Your Domain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s important to have your domain, logo, and branding before starting your website. Having these will make sure your brand is on point before you start designing your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"naming-options-with-namebounce\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Naming_Options_with_NameBounce\"><\/span>Naming Options with NameBounce<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You probably came to NameBounce to use our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/\">business name generator<\/a>. If you haven&#8217;t, give it a try. It will give you tons of business name ideas with just one keyword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want access to all of our names, <a href=\"https:\/\/plus.namebounce.com\/p\/full-namebounce-access\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">it&#8217;s just $79<\/a>. It also comes with a naming mini-course and several helpful bonuses!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need help, read through the content that we wrote below the search box. And check out our &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/naming\/how-to-name-your-business\/\">How to Name Your Business<\/a>&#8221; post!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We created guides on naming several other types of businesses. Navigate to our &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/list-of-name-generators\">list of name generators<\/a>&#8221; page.&nbsp; We have guides that help you find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/agency-name-generator\">agency names<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/agency-name-generator\">app names<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/free-blog-name-generator\">blog names<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/photography-business-name-generator\">photography names<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/restaurant-and-cafe-name-generator\">restaurant names<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"635\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/01-domain-name-generator-635x380.jpg?resize=635%2C380&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is a screenshot of NameBounce's domain name generator.\" class=\"wp-image-202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/01-domain-name-generator-635x380.jpg?resize=635%2C380&amp;ssl=1 635w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/01-domain-name-generator-635x380.jpg?resize=300%2C180&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"an-important-disclaimer\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_Important_Disclaimer\"><\/span>An Important Disclaimer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>On NameBounce, the domain name availability checks are 97-98% accurate, and many of the false positives are likely to be solid options. Make sure to double-check the domain name\u2019s availability before you add it to your brainstorming list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"section-2-purchase-the-domain-name-and-website-hosting\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SECTION_2_Purchase_the_Domain_Name_and_Website_Hosting\"><\/span>SECTION 2: Purchase the Domain Name and Website Hosting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-website-hosting\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Website_Hosting\"><\/span>What is Website Hosting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you enter a website into your address bar, your computer sends a request to a server. The server holds the files for the website you want to reach. The server will see the request coming from your computer, and \u201cserve\u201d the files to you. Then, you&#8217;ll be able to see the website on your computer. That is the essence of how a website loads!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To build a website, you need <strong>Website Hosting<\/strong> to purchase access to your own server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-the-best-wordpress-hosting-company\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Best_WordPress_Hosting_Company\"><\/span>What is the Best WordPress Hosting Company?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We believe that&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/go\/namebounce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SiteGround<\/a>&nbsp;provides the best WordPress website hosting service on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We love SiteGround for many reasons. SiteGround offers free&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/securing-website-https-ssl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SSL<\/a>, which you need to get the \u201cSECURE\u201d lock next to your website address in your browser. They give you free access to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudflare.com\/cdn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cloudflare content delivery network<\/a>, which makes your site faster and more secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We aren\u2019t the only ones that love SiteGround. They\u2019re one of three hosts&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/hosting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">officially recommended by WordPress<\/a>. There are tons of online reviews and social proof that rave about SiteGround (like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumersadvocate.org\/web-hosting#toc-site-ground\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this one<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinemediamasters.com\/siteground-wordpress-hosting-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this one<\/a>). They have a considerable focus on introducing innovative, in-house solutions that will make your life easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SiteGround\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/blog\/wordpress-starter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WordPress Starter<\/a>&nbsp;wizard is one of them. We&#8217;ll go into more detail on it later in this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, their support is incredible. I usually get no wait when I contact SiteGround\u2019s support team via chat. Having live support is&nbsp;<strong>huge<\/strong> in the early stages of building a website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, SiteGround told me that all of their support representatives go through extensive WordPress technical training. They are willing and able to solve a wide range of WordPress issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many other hosts won\u2019t go as far as helping you troubleshoot your actual website, so that is a massive help for beginners. It\u2019s like having an expert sitting in the next room over, waiting to help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-biggest-reason-we-recommend-siteground\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Biggest_Reason_We_Recommend_SiteGround\"><\/span>The Biggest Reason We Recommend SiteGround<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What we wrote above isn\u2019t the biggest reason we recommend SiteGround.&nbsp;<strong>The biggest reason we recommend them is their overall<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/blog\/best-of-2018\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">98% customer satisfaction rating<\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As I mentioned on our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/about\">About page<\/a>, our most important goal is to earn your trust. To me, that one number speaks volumes about the overall quality of SiteGround\u2019s service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although we think SiteGround is a fantastic web host, we highly recommend that you read other reviews online to make an unbiased decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can install WordPress with any host, and there are many&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.elementor.com\/article\/78-themes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">themes that use Elementor<\/a>. There are a few SiteGround-specific items in this guide, but you can follow the vast majority of it with most other web hosts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/go\/namebounce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;when you\u2019re ready to start the process with SiteGround.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/siteground-logo.png?resize=375%2C77&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is a screenshot of SiteGround's black and green logo.\" class=\"wp-image-163\" width=\"375\" height=\"77\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/siteground-logo.png?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/siteground-logo.png?resize=300%2C62&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-choose-a-hosting-plan\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_1_Choose_a_Hosting_Plan\"><\/span>STEP 1:&nbsp;Choose a Hosting Plan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you arrive at SiteGround, you\u2019ll see three hosting plans:&nbsp;<strong>StartUp<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>GrowBig<\/strong>, and&nbsp;<strong>GoGeek<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>StartUp is SiteGround\u2019s most basic hosting plan, costing $6.99\/month during the introductory period. StartUp still has many of the features I mentioned in the previous section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some features include free SSL (which costs&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.godaddy.com\/web-security\/ssl-certificate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">over $60 per year<\/a>&nbsp;at GoDaddy), free Cloudflare CDN access, and SiteGround\u2019s amazing 24\/7 live support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GrowBig is the hosting plan we recommend for beginners. It costs $9.99\/month during the introductory period. That is only $3\/month more than the StartUp plan. Here are the most significant advantages of the GrowBig plan versus the StartUp plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>You can accommodate up to 25,000 visitors per month, versus 10,000 for StartUp.<\/li><li>The GrowBig plan offers access to all three levels of SiteGround\u2019s SuperCacher. You don\u2019t need to know the technical aspects of the SuperCacher, but the main benefit of using it is a faster website. A faster site results in a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudflare.com\/learning\/performance\/more\/website-performance-conversion-rates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">higher conversion rate<\/a>&nbsp;and more sales.<\/li><li>You get access to more server resources. More server resources further increase your website&#8217;s load speed.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-gogeek-plan\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_GoGeek_Plan\"><\/span>The GoGeek Plan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you starting an e-commerce store, or expecting substantial traffic? If so, the GoGeek plan might be for you. It costs $14.99\/month, or an extra $5\/month over GrowBig during the introductory period. Here are the most significant advantages of the GoGeek plan versus the StartUp plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>You can accommodate 100,000 visitors, versus 25,000 for GrowBig.<\/li><li>You get advanced priority support. SiteGround assigns your chat requests to their most experienced support agents.<\/li><li>You get more access to server resources, which further increases your website&#8217;s load speed.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"woocommerce-hosting\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WooCommerce_Hosting\"><\/span>WooCommerce Hosting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As a side note, SiteGround is one of two hosts&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/woocommerce.com\/hosting-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recommended by WooCommerce<\/a>, the leading WordPress e-Commerce plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SiteGround has a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/go\/woocommerceplan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dedicated WooCommerce hosting plan<\/a>. It comes with WordPress, WooCommerce, and a storefront theme preinstalled. Using this plan makes launching an online store a little easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"siteground-s-pricing\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SiteGround%E2%80%99s_Pricing\"><\/span>SiteGround&#8217;s Pricing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a full table with SiteGround&#8217;s pricing and features!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"726\" height=\"602\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/siteground-pricing.jpg?resize=726%2C602&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The introductory pricing on SiteGround hosting ranges from $6.99 to $14.99\/month.\" class=\"wp-image-362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/siteground-pricing.jpg?w=726&amp;ssl=1 726w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/siteground-pricing.jpg?resize=300%2C249&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-register-your-domain-name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_2_Register_Your_Domain_Name\"><\/span>STEP 2:&nbsp;Register Your Domain Name<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After you choose a plan, SiteGround will direct you to the screen below to register your preferred domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have a domain or want to register your domain name elsewhere, select \u201cI already have a Domain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I use&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jdoqocy.com\/click-8755084-11429055\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Namecheap<\/a>&nbsp;as my primary domain registrar. However, I like to manage my domain name and website in the same place, if possible. For any domains where I want to build a website, I transfer it from Namecheap to SiteGround.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s much easier for me to manage my domain and website in one place. But that&#8217;s me, so choose whatever works best for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"644\" height=\"345\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-domain-name.png?resize=644%2C345&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"In this screen, you can choose a domain name for your website.\" class=\"wp-image-155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-domain-name.png?w=644&amp;ssl=1 644w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-domain-name.png?resize=300%2C161&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 644px) 100vw, 644px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-select-additional-options-and-purchase-your-hosting-plan\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_3_Select_Additional_Options_and_Purchase_your_Hosting_Plan\"><\/span>STEP 3:&nbsp;Select Additional Options and Purchase your Hosting Plan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After you select your domain name, you\u2019ll arrive at the final order screen. There are a few additional options and extra services on this page. Here are my recommendations for each of them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"data-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Data_Center\"><\/span>Data Center<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This one is simple; pick the data center closest to your customers. The closer the data center is to your customer, the faster your site will load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"period\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Period\"><\/span>Period<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The introductory pricing applies to your initial term. If money is tight, get the 12-month plan. Otherwise, go for 24 or 36 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"domain-privacy-if-you-register-with-siteground\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Domain_Privacy_If_you_Register_with_SiteGround\"><\/span>Domain Privacy (If you Register with SiteGround)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To register a domain name, you have to list your contact information in the WHOIS database. That means anyone can find your information when they search for your domain name in the database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/kb\/how_do_i_hide_my_personal_information_in_the_domain_name_who\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Domain privacy<\/a>&nbsp;is a service that allows you to keep your contact information private. If I find a cool domain name idea that I want to register, I always purchase privacy protection. Of course, that\u2019s my preference, so feel free to pick whatever is most comfortable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that privacy is free with Namecheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sg-site-scanner\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SG_Site_Scanner\"><\/span>SG Site Scanner<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Cybersecurity is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/cyberchimps.com\/keep-wordpress-websites-safe-from-malware\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a real issue<\/a>. It\u2019s essential to try to limit security risks to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The SG Site Scanner scans your website daily for malware and checks to make sure your domain name isn\u2019t on a blacklist. If it finds any issues, the tool emails you immediately. It costs $1.65\/month, so I\u2019d recommend getting it for your peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-4-go-to-the-admin-panel-and-log-in\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_4_Go_to_the_Admin_Panel_and_Log_In\"><\/span>STEP 4:&nbsp;Go to the Admin Panel and Log In<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After you complete your purchase, you\u2019ll arrive at a page allowing you to start the hosting setup process. Make sure to note your WordPress account login, as you\u2019ll need it in a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After you fill in the details on those pages, you should arrive at SiteGround\u2019s main User Area. From here, you\u2019ll want to click on the \u201cWebsites\u201d tab, then click on WordPress Kit. From there, you\u2019ll want to go to the WordPress Admin panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"section-3-complete-siteground-s-wordpress-starter-wizard\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SECTION_3_Complete_SiteGround%E2%80%99s_WordPress_Starter_Wizard\"><\/span>SECTION 3: Complete SiteGround\u2019s WordPress Starter Wizard<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you&#8217;re finally ready to learn how to build a WordPress website!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-launch-wordpress-starter-and-choose-a-theme\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_1_Launch_WordPress_Starter_and_Choose_a_Theme\"><\/span>STEP 1: Launch WordPress Starter and Choose a Theme<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you log into your WordPress admin panel for the first time with your new site, you should arrive at SiteGround\u2019s WordPress Starter wizard. Going through the wizard will take you through installing WordPress on your SiteGround hosting plan, step-by-step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your next step is to choose a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wpbeginner.com\/glossary\/theme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">theme<\/a>. Themes are design templates that tell WordPress how your website should look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter how you plan to design your website in WordPress, your theme is the base. Themes are highly customizable, but you should pick the best base theme for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-wordpress-theme.png?resize=1024%2C466&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is the first step in using SiteGround's WordPress starter tool.\" class=\"wp-image-156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-wordpress-theme.png?resize=1024%2C466&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-wordpress-theme.png?resize=300%2C136&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-wordpress-theme.png?resize=768%2C349&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/choose-a-wordpress-theme.png?w=1264&amp;ssl=1 1264w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SiteGround has themes designed for several categories. Click the filter on the left side to narrow down your options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t like the theme options, don\u2019t worry. Pick the default theme, and install a <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberchimps.com\/premium-wordpress-themes\/elementor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">theme<\/a> from a third party. Make sure that the theme is <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.elementor.com\/article\/78-themes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">compatible with Elementor<\/a>&nbsp;so that you can use Elementor when building your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After you select your theme, a screen will appear that asks if you want to install Elementor. Keep the box at the top checked and click \u201cconfirm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-install-functionality-plugins\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_2_Install_Functionality_Plugins\"><\/span>STEP 2:&nbsp;Install Functionality Plugins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll arrive at a screen asking if you want to install four separate functionality plugins. Remember that if you don\u2019t want to install them now, you can do so later. Here are my recommendations for each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wpforms-contact-form\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WPForms_Contact_Form\"><\/span>WPForms Contact Form<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend keeping the contact form selected. The form will make it easy for your visitors to contact you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to get an idea of the form&#8217;s appearance on your site? Take a look at the \u201cscreenshots\u201d section of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wpforms-lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the official plugin page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"jetpack\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Jetpack\"><\/span>Jetpack<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Jetpack is a plugin developed by Automattic, the company behind WordPress. It has a ton of different useful&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/jetpack.com\/features\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">features<\/a>, and you can pick and choose which ones to install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Installing it now is up to you. The features are beneficial, but the functionality this plugin has might be overwhelming at this early stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"woocommerce-shop\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WooCommerce_Shop\"><\/span>WooCommerce Shop<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/woocommerce.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WooCommerce<\/a>&nbsp;is the leading plugin for adding e-commerce functionality to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend installing it if you plan to sell any products through your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-events-calendar\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Events_Calendar\"><\/span>The Events Calendar<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Install this plugin if you want a calendar&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wpshindig.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">like this<\/a>&nbsp;on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t want one, or want to build one later, I\u2019d recommend leaving this unchecked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"935\" height=\"778\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-functionality-plugins.jpg?resize=935%2C778&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is a screenshot of the functionality plugins you can install for your website.\" class=\"wp-image-165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-functionality-plugins.jpg?w=935&amp;ssl=1 935w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-functionality-plugins.jpg?resize=300%2C250&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-functionality-plugins.jpg?resize=768%2C639&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 935px) 100vw, 935px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-install-marketing-plugins\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_3_Install_Marketing_Plugins\"><\/span>STEP 3:&nbsp;Install Marketing Plugins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After you make your functionality plugin selections, you\u2019ll arrive at a similar page for <a href=\"https:\/\/digital.com\/marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">marketing<\/a> plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"google-analytics-via-monsterinsights\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Google_Analytics_via_MonsterInsights\"><\/span>Google Analytics (via MonsterInsights)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This plugin is a must-have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/analytics.google.com\/analytics\/web\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Analytics<\/a>&nbsp;is a free tool that tracks a huge amount of data about your website. The MonsterInsights plugin lets you set Google Analytics up in a few clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"optimize-for-seo-yoast-seo\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Optimize_for_SEO_Yoast_SEO\"><\/span>Optimize for SEO (Yoast SEO)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Yoast SEO plugin is another must-have. SEO stands for search engine optimization, which is the process of achieving better rankings and higher-quality traffic from search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yoast SEO<\/a>&nbsp;plugin will allow you to optimize your site for search engines with ease. It\u2019s an excellent way for beginners to get started with SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"grow-subscribers-list-optinmonster\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Grow_Subscribers_List_OptinMonster\"><\/span>Grow Subscribers List (OptinMonster)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/optinmonster.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">OptinMonster<\/a>&nbsp;provides a set of tools that help you convert more of your visitors into sales. They have great software \u2013 my favorite is the exit-intent popup, which shows an offer to users as they are about to leave your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend waiting to install OptinMonster. OptinMonster is the first tool on the list that doesn\u2019t have a permanent free tier. It\u2019s better to start the free trial after you build out your website and are ready for traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that you\u2019ll need to configure some plugins before they start working on your site. After you\u2019ve installed the plugins, you can configure them on the WordPress Dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"562\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-marketing-plugins.jpg?resize=1024%2C562&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is a screenshot of the marketing plugins you can install for your website.\" class=\"wp-image-166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-marketing-plugins.jpg?resize=1024%2C562&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-marketing-plugins.jpg?resize=300%2C165&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-marketing-plugins.jpg?resize=768%2C422&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-starter-marketing-plugins.jpg?w=1266&amp;ssl=1 1266w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"section-4-add-content-and-customize-your-website\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SECTION_4_Add_Content_and_Customize_your_Website\"><\/span>SECTION 4: Add Content and Customize your Website<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you should have your domain selected, hosting plan purchased, theme installed, and base plugins installed. See, learning how to build a WordPress website isn&#8217;t as hard as you think!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, if you have questions, SiteGround\u2019s support team is available live 24\/7. They are there to help you, and eager to help you get your site launched!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-change-your-site-title-and-tagline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_1_Change_your_Site_Title_and_Tagline\"><\/span>STEP 1: Change your Site Title and Tagline<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After you pick your plugin choices, you should arrive at the main WordPress Admin Dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing you\u2019ll want to do is title your site, and enter your tagline!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to the left side of the page. Under the \u201cAppearance\u201d section, click \u201cCustomize.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"334\" height=\"282\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-customize-ribbon.png?resize=334%2C282&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is the customization bar on the WordPress admin dashboard.\" class=\"wp-image-157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-customize-ribbon.png?w=334&amp;ssl=1 334w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-customize-ribbon.png?resize=300%2C253&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After that, your website will appear, with several options in a bar on the left side of the page. To start, click on Site Identity. You can change the Site Title, Tagline, and Site Icon here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>OK, that was easy! Let\u2019s keep going!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-change-your-default-color-scheme-and-font\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_2_Change_your_Default_Color_Scheme_and_Font\"><\/span>STEP 2: Change your Default Color Scheme and Font<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll want to customize the color scheme and fonts. Try to use a similar color scheme to your logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the customization bar appears on the left side, click on General Options, then \u201cGeneral Styling\u201d to change the colors. You\u2019ll see many of the changes live and see how they affect your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A couple of items might confuse you. These are the \u201cHover Primary Color\u201d and \u201cLink Hover Color.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Hover Primary Color is the color that appears when you bring your mouse pointer over a button or another interactive element.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Link Hover Color is the color that appears when you bring your mouse pointer over a link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For fonts, click on \u201cTypography\u201d and you can change the settings from there. Generally, the fonts that are selected by default go well with the theme. You can choose to leave them alone if you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re going to change it and need some help, ThemeIsle has a great blog post on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wordpress-fonts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">choosing WordPress fonts<\/a>. If you purchased a Tailor Brands plan, you can use the fonts listed in your brand book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-add-a-page\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_3_Add_a_Page\"><\/span>STEP 3: Add a Page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First off, it\u2019s important to know what a&nbsp;page&nbsp;is and how it differs from a&nbsp;post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pages<\/strong>&nbsp;do not&nbsp;have a publishing date. The best practice is to use them for content that will stay static. Your company\u2019s \u201cAbout\u201d page is a great example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Posts<\/strong>&nbsp;are chronological blog entries on your website (with the newest coming first). If you create a post, it will appear on a blog section of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add a new page, you\u2019ll want to close out the customization bar and return to your Admin Dashboard. Next, look along the sidebar on the left side. Highlight \u201cPages\u201d and click \u201cAdd New.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After you click \u201cAdd New,\u201d you should arrive at the page below. Your first step is to add a title to the page. Since the theme I chose didn\u2019t have an about page added by default, I made the page title \u201cAbout Us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that you can change page titles and URLs quickly. Go to Pages\/All Pages, highlight a page, and click \u201cQuick Edit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"311\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/add-a-page-wordpress.png?resize=1024%2C311&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to edit a page title in WordPress.\" class=\"wp-image-158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/add-a-page-wordpress.png?resize=1024%2C311&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/add-a-page-wordpress.png?resize=300%2C91&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/add-a-page-wordpress.png?resize=768%2C233&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/add-a-page-wordpress.png?w=1064&amp;ssl=1 1064w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, start adding text and images in the blocks below. Start writing, and press enter to move to a new paragraph (like in Microsoft Word).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add an image, click on the \u201cplus\u201d icon on the left side of the block. You\u2019ll notice that there are several blocks to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Click the \u201cpublish\u201d button, double-check the settings on the page, and you\u2019re all set!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-4-add-a-blog-category-and-post\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_4_Add_a_Blog_Category_and_Post\"><\/span>STEP 4:&nbsp;Add a Blog Category and Post<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of creating a blog post is no different from building a page. The two significant differences are where you make them, and the need to add a category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you\u2019ll want to create a category. Highlight \u201cPosts\u201d and click \u201ccategories.\u201d Fill out the information on the next page, and you\u2019ll have added your category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"488\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-add-category.jpg?resize=488%2C297&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to add a blog category and post.\" class=\"wp-image-159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-add-category.jpg?w=488&amp;ssl=1 488w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-add-category.jpg?resize=300%2C183&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll highlight \u201cPosts\u201d again, and click \u201cAdd New.\u201d Write your post like you wrote your page above. If you need ideas on what to write, check out this&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/startbloggingonline.com\/blog-post-ideas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">impressive list<\/a> of 134 potential post topics, or this post on <a href=\"https:\/\/semify.com\/?How-to-Create-a-Killer-Content-Marketing-Strategy-For-Your-Business&amp;AID=1881\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">creating a content strategy<\/a> for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After you\u2019ve written your post, scroll down the sidebar on the right, and select your category. Click publish to bring the post live. Hopefully, you\u2019re getting the hang of it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-5-modify-your-menu-bar\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_5_Modify_your_Menu_Bar\"><\/span>STEP 5:&nbsp;Modify your Menu Bar<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll want to start modifying your menu bars. On the sidebar, highlight \u201cAppearance,\u201d and click on \u201cMenus.\u201d You can select which menu you want to edit at the top of the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve selected the menu you want to edit, you should see the screen below. WordPress will show pages by default, but you can add posts, categories, custom links, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"624\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-edit-menu-bar.jpg?resize=624%2C260&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to modify your menu bar.\" class=\"wp-image-160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-edit-menu-bar.jpg?w=624&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/wordpress-edit-menu-bar.jpg?resize=300%2C125&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Click on the items that you want to add to the menu. Next, drag and drop on the right side to change the order. You can change the menu titles using the arrows next to each menu item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Click \u201cSave Menu,\u201d and you\u2019re done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-6-read-our-elementor-tutorial-and-start-editing\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_6_Read_our_Elementor_Tutorial_and_Start_Editing\"><\/span>STEP 6:&nbsp;Read our Elementor Tutorial, and Start Editing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, we\u2019re ready to start using Elementor. This section serves as the bulk of our guide to Elementor. It\u2019s short, but you will find that using Elementor is intuitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t HAVE to use Elementor; as you can see, the pages and posts that you created should look great on their own. The advantage of Elementor is the ability customize any page to look exactly how you want it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to your page you want to edit, and look at the top bar. On most Elementor themes, there is an \u201cEdit with Elementor\u201d button there. Alternatively, you can go to the page or post within your WordPress Admin Dashboard, and click \u201cEdit with Elementor\u201d there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elementor will appear on the left side of your screen. Let\u2019s start on the page itself. Highlight an individual section, and you\u2019ll see the icons below appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"135\" height=\"39\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/elementor-icons.png?resize=135%2C39&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"These icons appear when you try to edit a section in Elementor.\" class=\"wp-image-161\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The plus icon adds a new blank section above the section you highlighted. The dots allow you to edit the section, and the X deletes the section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve added sections, drag and drop the widgets on the left side within the section to customize your website. Below are some critical widgets to understand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"inner-section\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Inner_Section\"><\/span>Inner Section<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Inner Section widget allows you to create additional columns within a section. The inner section comes loaded by default with two columns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to add more columns? First, highlight one of the columns. Then, right-click the book icon that appears in the top left corner. The last step is to click \u201cduplicate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"image-and-icon-boxes\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Image_and_Icon_Boxes\"><\/span>Image and Icon Boxes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>These boxes allow you to add an image or icon, along with a header and text underneath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"heading-image-text-editor-and-video\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heading_Image_Text_Editor_and_Video\"><\/span>Heading, Image, Text Editor, and Video<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Using these widgets should be straightforward. The only confusing part is the Heading widget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For SEO, it\u2019s important to use HTML header tags to structure your content. (Don\u2019t get scared hearing the word HTML here! It&#8217;s really easy to change the header tag in the heading widget&#8217;s dropdown box.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With headers, you should make sure to use the H1 tag for the title of the page. The H1 tag is the most important for communicating your page topic to search engines. Think of H2 tags as sub-headers, and H3, H4 and beyond as sub-sub-headers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Structure your content naturally, like you would if you were writing a paper. It\u2019s helpful to go into Microsoft Word, and try out using the Heading Styles on the top of the \u201cHome\u201d ribbon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"button\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Button\"><\/span>Button<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to add a \u201cclick here\u201d button to the page? Use this widget to add it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"remember-to-click-update\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Remember_to_Click_%E2%80%9CUpdate%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Remember to Click \u201cUpdate!\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve made your desired changes, make sure to click the green update button in the bottom left corner. You don\u2019t want to lose all of your work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"372\" height=\"881\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/elementor-widgets.jpg?resize=372%2C881&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This is Elementor's navigation pane.  It allows you to fully customize your website.\" class=\"wp-image-167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/elementor-widgets.jpg?w=372&amp;ssl=1 372w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/elementor-widgets.jpg?resize=127%2C300&amp;ssl=1 127w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 372px) 100vw, 372px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"section-5-final-tweaks\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SECTION_5_Final_Tweaks\"><\/span>SECTION 5: Final Tweaks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re almost there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you should have completed the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Picked a theme from SiteGround\u2019s WordPress starter<\/li><li>Installed functionality plugins, like the WPForms contact form<\/li><li>Installed marketing plugins, like Google Analytics<\/li><li>Changed your site\u2019s title, tagline, and color scheme<\/li><li>Added pages and posts (or at least templates to add in content later)<\/li><li>Updated your menu bars<\/li><li>Modified any pages that you wanted to be more customized with Elementor<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll probably notice that there are a few additional items to clean up on your website. In this section, we\u2019ll go through the most common tweaks that you\u2019ll need to make to truly complete your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-add-a-terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_1_Add_a_Terms_and_Conditions_and_Privacy_Policy\"><\/span>STEP 1: Add a Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every site should have a Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. These documents outline the conditions that your visitors agree to by using your website, and tell them how you\u2019ll use their data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most sites don\u2019t need to spend money on a lawyer to get a Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Plugins will do this for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting these documents completed is much more straightforward than you might think. To get started, download the \u201cWP AutoTerms\u201d plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After you activate the plugin, you\u2019ll want to click the new \u201cWP AutoTerms\u201d item in the menu on the left side. Go to \u201cAdd Legal Pages.\u201d You should arrive at the screen below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image.png?resize=1024%2C470&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Learn how to add a Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy with WP AutoTerms\" class=\"wp-image-205\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image.png?resize=1024%2C470&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image.png?resize=300%2C138&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image.png?resize=768%2C352&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image.png?w=1613&amp;ssl=1 1613w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you update your settings page from the reminder banner on the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating your Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions is straightforward. Click \u201ccreate,\u201d follow the wizard, and click \u201cPublish\u201d on the right side you create the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After that, you should see both documents at the bottom of each page of your website!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-create-a-blog-home-page\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_2_Create_a_Blog_Home_Page\"><\/span>STEP 2: Create a Blog Home Page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>On average, companies with blogs produce&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.constant-content.com\/content-writing-service\/2018\/10\/blogging-stats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">67% more leads each month<\/a>. Even if you don\u2019t write regularly, having a blog is important for the success of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your home page doesn\u2019t contain all of your recent posts, don\u2019t worry! It\u2019s easy to create a separate home page for your blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, create a blank page containing \u201cBlog\u201d as the title. Enter your title and click \u201cpublish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll want to go to Settings on the left sidebar, then to \u201cReading.\u201d If your homepage doesn\u2019t display your latest posts, you\u2019ll be able to pick your newly-created blog page as the posts page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"693\" height=\"275\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-1.png?resize=693%2C275&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to adjust your WordPress home page settings.\" class=\"wp-image-206\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-1.png?w=693&amp;ssl=1 693w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-1.png?resize=300%2C119&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Save, add your blog page to your menu bar, and you\u2019re done! Now, your new posts will appear on that page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-edit-your-site-s-url-structure\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_3_Edit_Your_Site%E2%80%99s_URL_Structure\"><\/span>STEP 3: Edit Your Site\u2019s URL Structure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You might want to make your URL structures more friendly to users and search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing this is simple! Go to Settings\/Permalinks on the sidebar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend either using the structure I outlined in the picture below, or using the \u201cpost name\u201d structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"161\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-3.png?resize=1024%2C161&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to edit your site's URL structure.\" class=\"wp-image-208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-3.png?resize=1024%2C161&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-3.png?resize=300%2C47&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-3.png?resize=768%2C121&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-3.png?w=1345&amp;ssl=1 1345w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-4-choose-to-allow-or-disable-comments\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_4_Choose_to_Allow_or_Disable_Comments\"><\/span>STEP 4: Choose to Allow or Disable Comments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to enable or disable comments from visitors on your site\u2019s pages, this is the place to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to Settings\/Discussion, and make your choice in the \u201callow people to post comments on new articles\u201d line below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"962\" height=\"148\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-4.png?resize=962%2C148&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to allow or disable comments on your website.\" class=\"wp-image-209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-4.png?w=962&amp;ssl=1 962w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-4.png?resize=300%2C46&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-4.png?resize=768%2C118&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-5-set-up-ssl\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_5_Set_Up_SSL\"><\/span>STEP 5: Set Up SSL<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, we\u2019re going to go to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/my.siteground.com\/websites\/list\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SiteGround user area<\/a>. Instead of going to \u201cWordPress Kit,\u201d click on Site Tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look towards the menu on the left side of the page. The first section you\u2019ll want to go to is \u201cSecurity.\u201d Click on SSL manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the \u201cInstall new SSL\u201d section, select \u201cLet\u2019s Encrypt,\u201d and click \u201cGet.\u201d After the certificate installs, click \u201cEnforce HTTPS.\u201d From there, turn on the \u201cHTTPS Enforce\u201d and \u201cExternal Links Rewrite\u201d sliders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any trouble, contact SiteGround\u2019s support team. Once you\u2019re done, you\u2019ll have HTTPS enabled on your website!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-6-set-up-cloudflare-and-memcached\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_6_Set_up_Cloudflare_and_Memcached\"><\/span>STEP 6: Set up Cloudflare and Memcached<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your website is slow, your users will&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/neilpatel.com\/blog\/loading-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get frustrated and leave<\/a>. Fortunately, SiteGround has made it simple to get your website loading faster in a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your first step is installing Cloudflare. You can select it on the left side of the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is helpful to read the top section of the page to understand what Cloudflare does. Basically, it makes your website faster and more secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re done, click \u201cSet Up\u201d in the bottom section. Create a new account, follow the steps, and you\u2019re done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-5.png?resize=1024%2C381&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This screenshot shows you how to set up Cloudflare.\" class=\"wp-image-210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-5.png?resize=1024%2C381&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-5.png?resize=300%2C112&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-5.png?resize=768%2C286&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-5.png?w=1463&amp;ssl=1 1463w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After this, go to Speed\/Caching. Make sure that you enable Static Cache, then click on Memcached and enable that too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"230\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-7.png?resize=1024%2C230&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-7.png?resize=1024%2C230&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-7.png?resize=300%2C67&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-7.png?resize=768%2C172&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/image-7.png?w=1472&amp;ssl=1 1472w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-7-set-up-sg-optimizer\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_7_Set_Up_SG_Optimizer\"><\/span>STEP 7: Set Up SG Optimizer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we\u2019re ready to speed up your site!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go back to your WordPress admin dashboard. Then, look to the bottom of the left side menu, and click \u201cSG Optimizer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, enable as many of these features as you can. The only ones that I would recommend leaving unchecked are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Browser-specific caching: SiteGround doesn\u2019t recommend adding this unless you\u2019re experiencing issues.<\/li><li>Enable HTTPS: Since you did this, I wouldn\u2019t touch it here. If you\u2019re having issues getting the \u201csecure\u201d lock to appear, contact SiteGround.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After configuring SG Optimizer, you will have a much faster website!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that this section doesn&#8217;t cover everything from a WordPress speed enhancement perspective. My goal was to give you a few easy ways to improve your site&#8217;s load speed. If you want to dive into speed optimization, I highly recommend Tom Dupuis\u2019 fantastic blog,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinemediamasters.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Online Media Masters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"extra-credit-additional-website-tools-and-services\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EXTRA_CREDIT_Additional_Website_Tools_and_Services\"><\/span>EXTRA CREDIT: Additional Website Tools and Services<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re exhausted right now, please take a breather! Once you\u2019ve recovered, I\u2019ve got some extra credit work for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll remember the plugins that you installed during Section 3 of this guide. The list below outlines more tools and services that we recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This extra credit work will give you an edge on your competition. It\u2019s more than likely that your competitors aren\u2019t using all of these tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part is that many of these tools have a \u201cfree forever\u201d tier, so there\u2019s no reason not to install them. For each one, I list the starting pricing tier, and the best time to start using each tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"website-tools-plugins-and-integrations\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Website_Tools_Plugins_and_Integrations\"><\/span>Website Tools, Plugins, and Integrations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hotjar\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hotjar\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hotjar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hotjar<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Hotjar is an all-in one website experience solution. It allows you to see heat maps of where your users are clicking, watch visitor session recordings, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out their&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hotjar.com\/tour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Product Tour<\/a>&nbsp;for more detail. They do an outstanding job explaining what the tool does!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part? Their basic plan is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hotjar.com\/pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free forever<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Recommended Installation Timing:<\/strong> Immediately<\/li><li><strong>Starting Pricing Tier:<\/strong>&nbsp;Forever Free<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"convertkit\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ConvertKit\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.convertkit.com\/users\/signup?plan=AffiliateTrial&amp;lmref=-rUuVg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ConvertKit<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most valuable assets for any company is their mailing list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know those pop-ups that you see when you go to certain websites? Usually, the creators offer a helpful free guide in exchange for your email address. The marketing world calls the free guide an <strong>opt-in<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019re on the email list, it allows the website\/creator to build a relationship with you over time. Their goal is to get you comfortable buying one of their products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/app.convertkit.com\/users\/signup?plan=AffiliateTrial&amp;lmref=-rUuVg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ConvertKit<\/a>&nbsp;is the most beginner-friendly email list management system. They will help you get ready for list subscribers within an afternoon. And the best part is that they have a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Recommended Installation Timing:<\/strong>&nbsp;Immediately<\/li><li><strong>Starting Pricing Tier:<\/strong>&nbsp;They have a free plan! After that, the cheapest paid plan is $29\/month.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"akismet\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Akismet\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/akismet.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Akismet<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Akismet\u2019s purpose is straightforward. If you allow users to leave comments on your website, it will block spam comments from coming in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re planning to allow comments on your website, Akismet is a must-have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Recommended Installation Timing:<\/strong>&nbsp;Immediately, if you\u2019re planning to allow comments<\/li><li><strong>Starting Pricing Tier:<\/strong>&nbsp;Free for personal websites and blogs, $5\/month for commercial websites<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"outside-services\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Outside_Services\"><\/span>Outside Services<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"semrush\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SEMRush\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/sem2\/?ref=5337806026&amp;refer_source=&amp;utm_source=berush&amp;utm_medium=promo&amp;utm_campaign=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEMRush<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>SEMRush is one of the most useful tools out there for search engine optimization (SEO) and competitive market analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most valuable features for beginners are organic research (to see where your competitors are ranking within search engines), keyword research (to find the right Google keywords to target), and paid search analytics (which shows search terms your competitors are bidding on).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend signing up for an account when you\u2019re ready to start optimizing your site for search engines. If you plan to follow the SEO blueprint using the \u201c3 Months to No. 1\u201d book below, I recommend waiting until you need it as part of the blueprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t want to do SEO, I still recommend signing up for an account. The free trial and free tier will give you valuable information on your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>When to Start Using SEMRush:<\/strong>&nbsp;When you\u2019re ready to start SEO<\/li><li><strong>Starting Pricing Tier:<\/strong>&nbsp;10 requests per day are free if you sign up for an account; free trial + $99\/month otherwise.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can sign up for a free trial with SEMRush\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/lp\/sem\/en\/?ref=5337806026&amp;refer_source=&amp;utm_source=berush&amp;utm_medium=promo&amp;utm_campaign=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pro plan<\/a>&nbsp;(their most basic paid tier at $99\/month), or their&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/sem\/?ref=5337806026&amp;refer_source=&amp;utm_source=berush&amp;utm_medium=promo&amp;utm_campaign=link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guru plan<\/a>&nbsp;(the next level up at $199\/month). Click whichever link you would prefer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One final note on SEMRush. There are some SEMRush affiliates out there who offer a 14-day free trial (versus the standard 7-day). Feel free to Google \u201cSEMRush 14-day trial,\u201d and you\u2019ll likely find some!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"options-for-photos\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Options_for_Photos\"><\/span>Options for Photos<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need free stock images for your website, try looking on <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unsplash<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/pikwizard.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pikwizard<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/photos-unlimited\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canva Pro<\/a>, which costs $9.95\/month but has more stock images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>When to Start Getting Photos:<\/strong>&nbsp;As soon as you need stock images for your website<\/li><li><strong>Starting Pricing Tier:<\/strong>&nbsp;Unsplash and Pikwizard are free! And Canva is $9.95\/month.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"books\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Books\"><\/span>Books<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"making-websites-win\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Making_Websites_Win\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/conversion-rate-experts.com\/book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Making Websites Win<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This book is worth its weight in gold. The authors are the founders of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Conversion_rate_optimization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Conversion Rate Optimization<\/a>&nbsp;(CRO) field. In the book, they give you a ton of information to improve your website experience. Having a better website experience will lead to more leads, traffic, and revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can\u2019t do it justice in this short section, so click on the link and start reading the sample. These principles will help your company get on the fast track to growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-months-to-no-1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Months_to_No_1\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.willcoombe.com\/3-months-no-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">3 Months to No. 1<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to learn SEO and get your site ranked in Google search results, this is the best book to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s an easy read, and Will (the author) outlines a week-by-week action plan that you can follow. I highly recommend it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-build-a-wordpress-website-conclusion\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Build_a_WordPress_Website_Conclusion\"><\/span>How to Build a WordPress Website: Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You made it to the end! I hope you enjoyed the guide, and finally know how to build a WordPress website!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a success story building a website using this guide, I would love to hear about it! I have a passion for helping people start businesses, and I love seeing ideas come to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m planning to add a testimonials page at some point. I&#8217;d love to include some of you when the time comes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the meantime, we wish you the best of luck in continuing to build your website and your business. If you stick with it and have a great product or service to offer, results will come!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our step-by-step beginner&#8217;s guide will show you how to build a WordPress website in a few hours. No coding skills required. Click here to get started!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[9,5],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/how-to-build-a-wordpress-website.jpg?fit=3872%2C2571&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":506,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154\/revisions\/506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namebounce.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}