WordPress website development. Steps and implementation

Do you want to create a WordPress website and want to know the steps to follow to get there? In this article, we will see together what is important, namely when you want to create a site. We will talk about the steps to follow, the mistakes to avoid, the choices and the implementation.

Why build a WordPress website?

Before embarking on the steps of WordPress website development, it is crucial to give some key points regarding WordPress.

Building a website with WordPress has several interesting advantages, here are some of them:

1 – Ease of use

WordPress is known for its intuitive user interface. This makes content management and site maintenance accessible even to beginners. In just a few steps, you can create and use a WordPress website.

2 – Customizable

With thousands of themes and plugins available, WordPress offers immense flexibility. This allows you to customize the appearance and functionality of your website to your specific needs.

3 – Community and support

As one of the most widely used content management systems (CMS) in the world, WordPress enjoys a large community of users and developers. This means that help and resources are readily available.

Ready to be indexed on search engines

WordPress offers many plugins and tools that make it easy to optimize your site for search engines (SEO). This can help improve your site's visibility in search results.

Scalability

WordPress can handle sites ranging from simple personal blogs to large business sites with complex needs. Its ability to evolve with your needs is a major asset.

Effective media management

The built-in media manager makes it easy to upload, organize and manage media files (images, videos, etc.).

Security

With regular updates and dedicated security plugins, WordPress helps strengthen the security of your site.

Cost

WordPress itself is free and open source software. Although some themes and plugins are paid, the overall cost of developing and managing a WordPress site can be relatively low compared to other custom solutions.

These points make WordPress a very attractive option for many types of websites, from blogs to business sites.

What to plan before starting to create a WordPress website

Before you start creating a WordPress website, it is important to properly prepare and plan certain essential elements. Here is a list of what you should consider during the restart phase:

Definition of site objectives

Clarify what you want to accomplish with your site. Is it to sell products, inform, collect contacts, etc.? ? Your goals will influence all other decisions.

Target and audience

Identify who your target visitors are. Understanding their age, interests, and online behaviors can help better tailor the design and content of the site.

Content structure

Plan the structure of your site (often called information architecture). Determine what pages are needed and how they will be organized and linked together.

Choice of domain and hosting

Choose a domain name that represents your brand or purpose well and is easy to remember. Also select a hosting service that suits your needs, taking into account reliability, speed and support.

Budget

Establish a budget for the project. Include costs for development, hosting, maintenance, marketing, etc.

Choice of theme

Look for a WordPress theme that aligns with your goals and is responsive. Make sure it is well rated and regularly updated by its developers.

Necessary plugins

Identify the specific features you need (e-commerce, SEO, security, backups, contact forms, etc.) and the plugins that can help implement them.

Legal compliance

Make sure your site will comply with relevant regulations, such as GDPR for data protection in Europe.

Content strategy

Develop a content strategy that includes the types of content you will post, the frequency of posts, and how you will engage your audience.

SEO planning

Plan a natural referencing (SEO) strategy to improve the visibility of your site in search engines from its launch.

Analysis tools

Plan to integrate tools like Google Analytics to track your site traffic and analyze visitor behavior.

Backup and security strategy

Plan security measures to protect your site from threats and establish a routine of regular backups.

By taking the time to carefully plan these aspects before you begin building your WordPress site, you will position yourself for a more successful launch and a more effective site in the long run.

How to create a WordPress website?

To create a WordPress website, you generally have two options:

1. Use WordPress.com services. For this fact, you do not need hosting. It will simply be a matter of creating your account on their website, choosing a package and creating it.
2. Download and use the WordPress.org version. This is the Open-source version of WordPress which allows you to create your website from the software version that you can install on your web server.

In the following, we will see the steps to follow to create a website with WordPress. It should be noted that for a website on WordPress.com, you must skip the steps of hosting and probably installing WordPress. This is because these parts are considered by WordPress' parent company.

Creating a website with WordPress can be a rewarding and accessible task even for beginners. Here are the basic steps to get started:

1. Planning

Before you begin, clearly define the objective of your site, the target audience, and the content you want to offer. This will help you choose the right design and features.

2. Choice of domain name and hosting

• Domain Name: Choose a domain name that reflects your brand or purpose and is easy to remember.
• Web hosting: Select a hosting provider that offers specific WordPress installations. Hosts like Bluehost, SiteGround, and WP Engine offer good WordPress performance and support.

3. Installing WordPress

• Manual installation: Download WordPress from the official WordPress.org website and follow the instructions to install it on your web server.
• Automatic installation: many hosts offer tools to install WordPress automatically via their control panel.

4. Site Configuration

• Log in to the WordPress dashboard, usually accessible via www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin .
• Configure essential settings like site title, language, time zone, and date and time formats.

5. Choice of theme

• Installing a theme: Go to “Appearance” > “Themes” > “Add” and explore the thousands of free or paid themes available. Install the one that best suits your needs and activate it.

6. Installing Essential Plugins

• Install the necessary plugins to add specific functionality (e.g. Yoast SEO for SEO, WooCommerce for an online store, etc.). Be careful not to overload your site with too many plugins.

7. Content Creation

• Pages and Posts: Start creating basic pages (Home, About, Contact) and blog posts via “Pages” > “Add” and “Posts” > “Add”.

8. Site customization

• Use the “Customizer” (in “Appearance” > “Customize”) to change the colors, header, menu and other visual elements of your theme.

9. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Configure SEO plugins to improve your visibility on search engines.

10. Launch

• Before officially launching, test your site on different devices and browsers to ensure it is responsive and works properly.
• Once everything is ready, launch your site and start promoting your content.

11. Regular maintenance

• Keep WordPress, themes and plugins up to date.
• Make regular backups and monitor the security of your site.

By following these steps, you can create a WordPress site that not only meets your needs, but is also secure, performant, and SEO ready.