Whether you are a seasoned website developer or a beginner, it is essential you plan your website carefully. It helps to follow a detailed step by step checklist. In this blog I share my checklist to get a WordPress website up and running. You will also find useful tips and links to the resources you will need to get started.
Things to Know
Here are a couple of key pieces of information that go hand-in-hand with the checklist. It is food for thought as you consider your own decisions.
Bouzane Consulting monitors technical reports to see what the market is saying about current trends and then compares products to determine which ones we consider best for our use. We share that information with our clients along with our recommendations.
Tip: Why WordPress
Every website must have a content management system (CMS) – an application for creating and managing the content of a website. There are quite a few applications to choose from and it can be so confusing when you are just getting started. To name a few, there is: Drupal; Joomla; Squarespace; Shopify; Wix; WordPress … we could keep on going.
WordPress is a powerful, robust and user-friendly. Other reasons to use:
- It Is Secure and Stable
- The CMS is Optimized for Search Engines
- The WordPress Community is Large (Including Users and Developers)
- The Platform Is Great for Small Business and E-commerce Applications
- It Is a Trustworthy, Scalable Platform For Your Website
W3Tech reports that WordPress now powers 41.1% of all websites. Now that is significant! It outplays Shopify, Joomla, Squarespace and Wix.
2 out of every 5 websites now use WordPress
We’ve done the research and make the choice a simple one …
It is WordPress every time
Which Page Builder
Another fact from the marketplace …
Elementor, a WordPress-based website builder, is the fastest growing content management system, besides WordPress itself.
Page Builders are plugins that give you the flexibility to create own layouts for your page content without having to use code. It gives you the ability to structure and design pages with minimal effort and time.
Drag and drop page builders are fantastic tools for building websites. We’ve experimented with a number including SiteOrigin, Beaver Builder, Gutenberg and Elementor.
While each of these provide their own unique features, we have found Elementor the best for functionality, high-end designs and ease of use.
Basic First Steps to Create Your Website
- Determine purpose of your website
- Purchase hosting package
- Choose your domain name
- Install WordPress
- Choose a theme
- Install Elementor and create pages
- Add plugins for functionality
What is the Purpose?
The first step is to give some thought to the purpose of your website. What do you want to achieve? What features do you need right away and what do you want the website to do for you over the long haul.
Is the website for information or for selling or both. Do you want a blog, contact form, online store, reservation systems, memberships, recipes, photo gallery, etc? Make a list of what features you want to see on the website overtime.
Hosting Package
There are a lot of web hosting companies out there. Not all are reliable so choose carefully. We recommend Bluehost for their product, price and excellent service. Check it out and see for yourself.
NOTE: There are ‘free’ hosting sites out there. However, BEWARE! Click here to read more information on Free vs Paid to get a better insight.
Purchase Your Domain Name
Your domain name (url) is your address and how visitors will find you on the web. You receive a free domain (for first year) when you purchase a hosting package with Bluehost. As well, an SSL certificate is provided for each domain that you host with them.
NOTE: Your domain name registration and web hosting packages are easier to manage when done through one company. However, there are circumstances when that may not be possible. For instance, .ca extensions are NOT sold through Bluehost or SiteGround. To purchase a domain name with the .ca extension, please contact Bouzane Consulting for assistance.
Install WordPress
When you choose Bluehost as your web host company, the initial installation of WordPress is a one-step process but if you are new at this, it can be intimidating. No worries! Just contact us and we’ll deal with it on your behalf. NOTE: You will need an SSL certificate to give assurance to Google and your visitors that the connection is secure, i.e., your domain will start with https:// and with show a lock in front of it in your browser. SSL certification is included with all sites hosted by Bluehost and SiteGround
Choose A Theme
Once you’ve installed WordPress, you need a Theme for your site design. Luckily, there are some really good quality themes out there from which to choose. This is where the initial planning starts paying off. You can select one that best suits the purpose of your website.
We have found the Astra Theme ( to be the most versatile. The Brainstorm Force team have done an exceptional job of building a platform that allows you to build your website the way you want. The Astra Theme is also updated regularly to keep up with the latest trends and technology. Such a feature is essential when selecting a theme for your website. There’s nothing worse than developing an amazing website only to find that a year or two later, the theme you selected has been abandoned by the developer!
Install Elementor, Create Pages and Add Plugins
Once you’ve install the Theme, you will need to install Elementor, set up the core pages and add various key plugins to give your site more functionality.
Up and Running in an HOUR
The basic steps to create a WordPress website will not take long to complete – which is GREAT! But don’t underestimate. This is really just the beginning! Before launching your site, here is a list of things you will need to consider:
- social media interface
- security (critical)
- website backup
- website maintenance
- tracking the stats on traffic and visitors
NOTE: Website Maintenance Should Be Part Of Your Ongoing Business Processes!
Now that you’ve invested time and resources into building an amazing website, take care that you keep it maintained properly.