WordPress Development

How to Develop a WordPress Website in 9 Easy Steps: Introduction to WordPress

Andy Gibson
Andy Gibson
Calender Img
Getweb Inc - Full-Cycle Web Design and Development Services

What is WordPress?

In simple terms, WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that helps create and maintain websites.

It is by far the most widely used CMS platform out there. Around half (43%) of all the websites available on the internet are powered by WordPress.

The key purpose of a content management system like WordPress is to enable everyone around the globe to create and maintain a website without having any prior experience in coding.

The WP community is still working to make websites accessible to everyone.

WordPress Design and Development In 2023

WordPress Design and Development

WordPress developer is a web professional who specializes in building and maintaining websites powered by WordPress.

Usually, WP developers are considered full-stack developers as they work in both the front and back end sections of a website.

When evaluating a WP website, developers mainly focus on these key metrics:

  • CPU use
  • Interaction time
  • Response time
  • Page rendering
  • Error rate
  • DOM processing
  • The most common responsibilities of a WP developer generally include building WP websites and plugins and maintaining existing WP products.

If you want to build and maintain a hyper-functional and fully optimized website/plugin, you’ll need to hire a skilled WordPress developer.

WordPress Developer Responsibilities

WordPress is a versatile engine capable of powering almost any kind of website. From blogs to high-performing conversion sites,

A WP developer has to maintain everything from plugins to security updates. WP developers can practically work in any industry.

The key responsibilities of a WP developer Include:

Building sample sites

Maintaining the overall visual representation of a website

Having sound knowledge of pre-made WP themes and plugins, and WP libraries

Having a basic understanding of programming languages like HTML and JS (optional but recommended)

Communicating website progress and requirements to and from clients

Establishing and guiding the website architecture throughout the process

Finding and eliminating underlying website issues

Migrating WP websites from other CMS platforms

Creating high-value WP products (plugins, themes, and modules)

WP Designer vs WP Developer: What’s the Difference?

WP designers are tasked with designing aesthetically pleasing WP websites. They leverage visual WP front-end elements to craft cohesive and professional-looking WP products.

They are in charge of the visual aspects of any WP products. They are skilled in HTML, CSS, and JS.

WP designer vs WP developer

On the other hand, WP developers are responsible for the functionality of a website. They take the designer’s work and use their deep knowledge to enhance the functionalities.

The key responsibility lies in managing, implementing, and maintaining WP products. These products include websites, themes, and plugins.

Like any other website, WordPress websites are also divided into front and back end. WP developers work closely with front-end designers to refine functionalities over the overall WordPress system.

How to Develop a WordPress Website

Step # 1: Pick domain

The domain name refers to the virtual address of your business. It is similar to the address assigned to your home or the number you use to contact everyone.

If the number or the name is wrong, the visitors won’t be able to find your business. It’s essential to pick a domain name that is unique and easy to remember.

SEO-friendly WordPress Website Domain

You’ll also need to decide on what TLD you are going to use. The Top Level Domain (TLD) refers to the last part of your domain address (like .com, .org, .net).

The ideal domain name should contain a unique name + relevant keyword.

There are many websites (like Godaddy, Hostinger, and Bluehost) that sell domain names along with their hosting packages. We’ll talk more about hosting in step # 3.

The price of a domain address depends on the number of search queries, but usually, you’ll be able to register a unique domain name for about $10-$15 per year.

Step # 2: Get SSL certification

Once you’ve secured a unique domain address, it’s time to get your website a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate.

This certificate will make sure that the data your website sends and receives are encrypted. This also helps in SERP rankings.

The HTTPS you see in the address bar of your browser indicates SSL certificate implication. If a domain has HTTPS, that means it’s a safe web address.

Many browsers mark websites as insecure if they don’t have HTTPS before the domain name.

Step # 3: Choose a hosting provider

To run a WordPress website, you’ll need to store the website files on a server. Many companies sell allocated space for storing website files on a 24/7 basis.

The service is named “hosting” and it usually costs around $5-10 each month for general websites. The cost is slightly higher for WP websites.

Choosing the right WP hosting partner is crucial as hosting plays an important role in how your website behaves online.

Just like quality hosting can ease your management effort, bad hosting can make your life miserable.

Look for an affordable cost, quality uptime, high speed, highly secure, and pleasant customer service before deciding on the perfect hosting package for your WP website.

Dedicated WP hosting will enhance the performance of your WP website.

Step # 4: Install WordPress

Now that you’ve secured a domain address and a hosting plan, it’s time to install the WordPress engine into your server.

The hosting company will provide you necessary credentials for accessing your hosting panel. Once you log in, you can start the installation process.

The process will vary depending on your hosting provider. Some provide fast installation with a couple of clicks while others may require some effort.

Here is a general video guide on how to install WP on your server (Hostinger):

How to Install WordPress | For Beginners

Step # 5: Select and install a theme

Now you have the WP engine up and running and it’s time to choose an appearance for your website.

There are thousands of themes and templates available to choose from. The theme will change depending on your business type and goals.

You are free to use free themes. However, they offer poor security and customizability.

There are dedicated marketplaces where you can browse for paid WP themes. Themes generally cost around $50-70.

Once you select the theme, the next job is to import that theme into your website. Like WP installation, this process also depends on the hosting provider.

Some offer quick and easy imports, while others need manual effort.

WP themes usually come in zip files. Once you have the zip file, you’ll need to log in to your WP dashboard.

Now, click on Appearance themes Add New Theme Upload Theme. Select the zip file, and the uploading will begin.

The theme will be installed once the upload is complete. Now, you’ll be able to customize the theme however you like.

Basic customization doesn’t require any coding knowledge, but advanced customization requires PHP knowledge as it is the language the entire WP engine is based on.

If you don’t have any technical knowledge, you can hire a WordPress developer or an agency for professional WordPress development services.

They can help you create stunning and mobile-optimized WordPress websites.

The agency will provide WordPress web design packages, and an individual developer will most likely work on a per-project/hour basis.

If you’re more interested in learning how to make your own WordPress website, follow the below steps:

Step # 6: Create basic pages

By now, you have a functional WP website with a great appearance. The next step is to create basic web pages.

Practice creating sample pages until you are satisfied with the result. The process is pretty straightforward.

You just need to click on the “Add a New Page,” and you can start editing. Once you are done, click “Publish”. This will publish your page and its content online.

After creating all the pages, you’ll need to add those pages to your navigation menu.

To do this, click on the Theme Option Navigation. Here, you’ll be able to remove the dummy web pages and add your newly designed ones.

Step # 7: Get the plugins

Plugins are used to enhance the performance of a website. They can help improve security, UX, SEO, and other metrics, but you’ll need to find and install the right one.

Go to Plugins Add New and search for the plugin you’re looking for. Once you find the perfect plugin, install and activate the plugin to see its effect.

However, you’ll need to make sure that your site’s WP version is compatible with it.

You can do almost anything with the help of WP plugins. They can help you secure your site, optimize the content, manage schedules, track transactions, and many more.

From creating an SEO-friendly WordPress Website to managing complicated tasks, plugins can do it all.

However, you’ll have to be cautious about installing the right plugin as some of them may pose security threats that can become a problem down the line.

Always keep your core WP version updated to minimize security issues.

Step # 8: Add a blog (optional)

This is optional but a recommended step. No matter what type of business you are running, a blog is the best way to provide information to your clients.

A blog can help you brand better, gain SEO advantages, increase web traffic, and create new opportunities.

Provide accurate and relevant information on your blog posts. Share posts that help your visitors solve their problems. Over time, this will build your credibility/authority, and help you gain more web traffic.

Step # 9: Maintenance

Regular maintenance is a key part of building a WordPress website. Whether you take professional WordPress web design help or try to do it yourself, you’ll need to maintain the website regularly.

There will be times when your website will be under bot attacks (DDoS), SQL injection, Brute force attacks, or malware.

Although you can try troubleshooting these problems yourself,  it would be better to seek professional help.

Things to keep in mind

User experience & User intent

No matter how aesthetically pleasing your website is, it is bound to fail if the user experience isn’t good enough.

It’s also crucial in SERP ranking as Google uses this as a ranking metric. If left untouched, a UX issue can dramatically reduce your traffic and conversions.

If you want to create a loyal user base, don’t ignore the user experience.

No matter what WP product you end up creating, it’s crucial to establish a positive experience so the end users can complete their tasks effortlessly.

User intent refers to what exactly your users want. It wouldn’t be wise to design an eCommerce website for users who want quality blog posts.

Many businesses fail to utilize user intent and lose valuable traffic in the process.

That’s why you need to pay extra attention to decorating your website with content that is relevant to what your users are looking for.

No matter which product you develop, it’ll fail if you fail to address user intent.

Most users want a web solution that loads fast, helps to complete certain tasks efficiently, is responsive across multiple devices, and provides the content they are looking for.

Make sure your WP product has all those capabilities.

Eye-catching design

Last but not least, appearance also plays an important role in any kind of web solution. Visuals help in attracting, retaining, and satisfying end-users.

That’s why selecting the right theme and template can boost your performance significantly.

FAQs

FAQs

How much does WordPress design and development cost?

The cost of professional WP design and development can reach anywhere between $35,000-$90,000, depending on where the website (server) is located.

The price also varies on factors like website complexity, resource cost, and team composition.

What is the best website builder platform?

WordPress. Although multiple platforms can offer similar services, WordPress has protected its crown primarily through its open-source model.

What makes WordPress the best is the combination of a massive resource collection, outstanding flexibility, and superior ease of use.

How long does it take to design a website?

Around 2-4 months for a hyper-functional and secure website. However, each website is different and so are its features.

Depending on the website’s complexity, features, and functionalities, it can take even longer than that.


Andy Gibson
VIP Contributor
Andy Gibson
WordPress Developer

Andy began using WordPress since its inception. He has worked on numerous projects designing, coding, and operating WP sites for over a period of more than 14 years.

Andy has a knack for developing a complete platform from just an idea and enjoys optimizing complex integrations so they run for years on their own requiring little or no maintenance. He also crafts features based on what the job at hand calls for; rather than using pre-existing plugins and themes for an easy way out.


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