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Many individuals struggle to create a website. However, when you look at the nitty-gritty, you will realize that it is not that difficult to create a website. Once you have a handy guide, it is easy to follow all the steps. Moreover, these days, with the help of content management systems, themes, and plug-ins, you need to struggle a lot when trying to create a website. That is why; it is a good idea to follow the guide which we will share with you today.
We will share with you a beginner’s guide to building a great website. It will cover almost all aspects of creating a great site. Even if you don’t have any prior experience in creating a website, you can do so easily with the help of this guide.
Step 1: Choosing a domain name and web hosting provider:
The first step to creating a website always is to choose the right domain name on the web hosting provider. Both these aspects are crucial to develop a proper website. Also, you have to be careful while choosing the domain name as you cannot change it at a later stage. You can change the web hosting, but the same is not possible for the domain name. We will highlight both of these steps below.
1. Choose the domain name:
The 1st thing which you have to do is to choose the right domain name for your business. There are a few tips which you have to follow. These include:
• You have to choose a catchy domain name.
• You have to select a topic which people can associate with your business.
• You have to choose a domain name which people can recall.
You need to understand that the domain name is the identity of your business online. That is why; it should match the personality of your business off-line. Only when that is the case, it will be easy for you to choose the right domain name. Additionally, instead of selecting any extension, you have to go with the.com, preferably as most people associate .com with the websites. Once you follow these few tips, it becomes easy for you to choose the right domain name for your business.
2. Choose the web hosting provider:
Secondly, you have to choose an appropriate web hosting provider so that your website is up all the time. Any genuine web hosting provider will provide you with an uptime of 99.99%. However, instead of going with the most affordable web hosting provider, you have to take into account a few factors to choose the best web hosting provider. These include:
• You have to select a web hosting provider that has been around for years.
• You have to choose a web hosting provider who does not oversell.
• You have to make sure that it provides proper support.
• You have to always check the reviews and testimonials of the web hosting provider before making a buying decision.
Only once you can follow these few steps, it becomes easy for you to choose the right web hosting provider. You can go with someone like Bluehost that has been around for quite some time.
Step 2: Create your website:
Now that you have got the domain name and web hosting done, it is time to look into the designing aspect of the site. We will today share with you the design aspect, but after that, we will share with you how to choose the right theme.
You need to understand that most of the websites these days use WordPress. WordPress is a content management system which provides you the option to modify the site exactly as per your requirements. You can not only create a blog, corporate website, but even the e-commerce website these days with the help of WordPress. Due to this very reason, when looking to build a great website without getting into coding or programming, it is better to go with WordPress. We will help you understand how you can install WordPress on your domain below.
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WordPress Installation:
When you are choosing a host like Bluehost, the process of installing the WordPress content management system is quite easy. The steps include:
1. You have to log-in to the control panel of your hosting account.
2. You have to look for the WordPress admin.
3. You have to choose the domain name to install the WordPress CMS.
4. You have to click the install button and you can easily create your WordPress website within a couple of minutes.
However, you have to remember that the WordPress CMS by itself is barebones. You have to choose the theme and the appropriate plug-ins to get the kind of functionality which you want.
If your hosting does not provide an automatic option to install WordPress, you can install it by downloading it from the official website and using an FTP connection to upload it. After that, when you visit a site, there will be a step-by-step guide to help you progress through the installation.
Irrespective of the method you choose, installing WordPress will not take more than a few minutes. So, when it comes to creating the infrastructure of your website, the WordPress CMS is the best option.
Step 3: Choose the right theme:
As we stated above, the WordPress CMS is barebones. You will have to choose the right theme to get the look you want. There are a few steps which you want to follow when you wish to create a WordPress website. We will highlight them below.
1. Take into account the type of website:
The first thing which you have to keep in mind is the type of the website. WordPress themes vary from one type of site to another. You can find a suitable WordPress theme for an e-commerce store, blog, or a corporate website. You have to determine, however first the type of the site which you want to create before going through any theme options.
2. Go through the theme options:
To visit the theme options available, you have to go into your WordPress dashboard and then appearance and themes. Once you do that, you will be able to browse over 1500 theme options.
There are various other WordPress theme websites as well, which provide you access to paid WordPress themes. It means that you can easily find the themes you want. Once you have shortlisted the themes, installing it is again very easy.
3. Install the theme:
Once you find the right theme, you have to click the install button and activate the theme. You do not have to upload any files manually.
On the other hand, if you find the theme from another website, you have to download it and then, go to the appearances section and click on themes and click upload. You have to upload the zip file of the theme and click the activate option. Doing so will help you in installing the WordPress theme from any website.
4. Install the right plug-ins:
Without the right plug-ins, the functionality of the WordPress theme is quite limited. If you want to find the right plug-ins, once again you have to go to the appearances section and then click Plug-ins. You can search through the various options available and upload one manually in the same manner as you uploaded a theme.
The internal repository linked to the WordPress official website has thousands of plug-in options available. You need to search for the right name and read the description and then click the install button. It will help you install countless plug-ins in no time. With each plug-in, the functionality of your website increases multifold, which in turn will help you create the type of site you want.
Up until now, we were creating the infrastructure of the website. We will progress to create content and marketing your website to make it a great one.
Step 4: Populate your website with proper content:
Without the right content, your website will not be a good one for the visitors. That is why; you have to always start by adding proper content to your site. We will highlight a few steps below, which will help you create content for your website.
1. Add pages:
The pages of the website include the content which changes less frequently. You can create various pages for your site like:
• About Us
• Products and services
• Contact us
Irrespective of the type of website which you want to create, these pages are standard across most of the sites. With the creation of a blog or e-commerce website, you would have to create these pages on your website. Moreover, these appear in the top navigation bar, which means that the visitors to your website can access these quite easily.
2. Add content:
The next thing which you need to keep in mind is to create the post. These posts are frequently updated. Also, you need to publish multiple posts and go on adding these posts on your website so that users have something new to browse through. To create such a post, you have to not only visit the competitor’s website or blog but also look into your niche. Once you do so, there will be plenty of options when it comes to adding content on your website.
More content on your website betters your chances of getting visitors. Without great content, you cannot create a great site. Due to this very reason, adding content to your website is the way to go.
Step 5: Create a marketing blueprint:
Now that the content is ready, it is time to create a proper marketing blueprint. It is essential to market your website without which, visitors would not find out about the great content on your website. We will share with you a few steps which you can undertake to create a proper marketing blueprint.
1. Create a Social Media presence:
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Social media is the easiest way to get some visitors to your website. You can quickly spread the word out about your website as well. If the content is excellent, you can get repeat visitors as well. There are multiple social media websites which you can use. These include:
• YouTube
You have to create a social media presence on these websites. Only once you do so, you can spread the word out about your website. You have to not only create a presence, but also ensure that you can use that presence to bring visitors to your site.
While the techniques to become famous on each of these social media websites is different, but by buying followers or paid promotions on social media websites, you can improve your community. On Instagram, you might have to use the following form of technique. On Reddit, you need to buy reddit accounts to get a few upvotes. Similarly, on Facebook, you have to go for paid promotion. Each of these social media websites has a different marketing technique which you need to follow.
Once you create a social media presence and try to market your website, it is easy to bring in the new visitors.
2. Monetize your social media audience:
You have to monetize your social media audience by putting in a call to action to your website. Only when you do so, you can bring in more visitors to your site. Without a proper call to action, it is simply not possible to do so. That is why; including multiple calls to action is a necessity.
3. Using different marketing techniques:
You have to also keep in mind that you should use different marketing techniques. Some of these include:
• Paid advertising
• SEO
• Media buying
A great website can be built when you have a large enough audience. That is why, in addition to creating a great site, you have to ensure that you leave no stone unturned to bring in more visitors so that the word can spread about your website and it can indeed become a popular and authoritative website.
So, when looking to create a great website, instead of believing in trial and error, you can use our guide above. The guide above will not only help you create a great website but also sustain it. We have covered every aspect of creating a great site, and therefore, you will face no problems at all once you follow the guide above. It is simple and easy to follow the guide, which means that even if you have no prior experience in creating a website, you can easily do so with the help of this guide.