Building a website can seem daunting, but WordPress makes it incredibly easy. With WordPress powering over 43% of the web, it’s become the go-to platform for creating websites of all types—from blogs to eCommerce websites. With the added power of Bluehost’s AI WordPress Website Builder, the process becomes even more streamlined and accessible.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a WordPress site. By the end, you’ll have your site up and running, optimized for search engines and built to last.
What is WordPress and why do you use it?
A WordPress website is built on an open-source content management system (CMS) that simplifies website creation. Offering immense flexibility and thousands of themes and WordPress plugins. WordPress allows you to customize your site for any purpose, whether you’re building a blog, portfolio or online store.
A WordPress site is also user-friendly, making it perfect for beginners. The open-source nature of WordPress enables users to modify and extend functionality without knowing how to code. With options for both WordPress.com and WordPress.org, it offers a solution for every type of website owner, regardless of their technical skills.
Do I need coding skills to use WordPress?
No! One of the best things about WordPress is that it’s designed for everyone, from total beginners to experienced developers. Even if you don’t know HTML, CSS or any programming language, WordPress dashboard makes it easy for the clients to build a professional-looking site without handling a single line of code.
For those looking for an even more straightforward process, Bluehost’s AI-powered WordPress website builder offers step-by-step guidance to help you build your site in minutes. But first, let’s go through the basic steps you’ll need to follow to create a website.
A step-by-step guide to building a website with WordPress
Now that we’ve covered WordPress basics, let’s dive into the steps you’ll need to follow to create a website. In this guide, you will get everything from selecting a domain name to customizing your WordPress site’s design and functionality.
1. Choose your domain name and hosting
The initial step in creating your WordPress website is selecting a domain name—this will be the address of your website (for example, www.bluehost.com). When picking a domain name, keep these tips in mind:
- Your domain name must be short and memorable; avoid long or complex names.
- The domain name should be easy to spell and pronounce as it helps users remember and find your site easily.
- The foremost important thing is that the domain name must be relevant to your brand and must reflect your business or purpose.
Bluehost offers a domain name search tool that allows clients to quickly check the availability of their desired domain. Furthermore, you can use an AI Domain Generator that provides a suitable domain name that aligns with your business.
Once you’ve settled on a domain name, you must choose a web hosting provider. Web hosting is where your website files are stored and served to visitors. Some popular web hosting options include:
- Shared hosting: A cost-effective solution for smaller websites.
- WordPress hosting: A hosting service specifically optimized for WordPress sites.
- Cloud hosting: A scalable option for growing websites with fluctuating traffic.
For beginners, Bluehost’s WordPress hosting is an excellent choice, as WordPress comes pre-installed with Bluehost plans, meaning you can skip the manual setup and dive straight into customizing your WordPress website. With WordPress hosting, you receive a free domain for the first year, a free SSL certificate to secure your website and automatic WordPress installation.
Bluehost’s WordPress hosting is optimized for performance, providing high-speed servers and 24/7 customer support. With automatic WordPress updates, you’ll always have the latest version of WordPress, ensuring your WordPress site remains secure and up to date. Whether you’re building a blog, online store or eCommerce website, Bluehost’s WordPress hosting services make the process effortless by including all these essential features in one package, allowing you to focus on building and growing your website.
Install WordPress
After choosing web hosting, the next step is to install WordPress. WordPress installation is a one-click process offered by a bunch of web hosting providers, allowing you to set up the latest version of WordPress website in minutes. If you choose Bluehost, WordPress is already pre-installed, simplifying this process even further.
2. Launch the AI website builder
If you choose Bluehost as a web hosting provider, you have three options for building your business website: DIY, AI website builder or hiring a developer.
AI website builder streamlines the process of creating a website.
This saves you the hassle of manually picking a theme, adjusting layouts or deciding colors. The builder makes recommendations and adjustments automatically, meaning even those unfamiliar with web design can have a professional-looking business website in no time.
Select the AI website creator to customize AI-generated design and content in minutes.
Begin by setting up the site title and domain name. You’ll also have the option to choose a free domain if it’s your first time setting up a WordPress website with Bluehost.
Next, there will be a screen asking you for a brief description of the business website you want to create. Provide as much detail as possible to guide the AI in generating the most suitable design for your needs.
Next, if you have a Facebook account and want to connect here, then you can do this. It will fetch details and images about the website. Also, you can skip this step if you don’t have a Facebook page.
The next step is to create a logo or upload an existing one. If you already have a logo, simply attach the file here to proceed. In addition, you can use platforms like Canva to create a logo. Keep it simple, intuitive and aligned with your brand identity. This logo will be displayed on the title of your site and throughout your website.
Once these details are set, the AI website creator will generate three different variants of your WordPress website. Each version will be customized according to the details you provided, including your site title and business website requirements. You can see the full preview of each version, complete with free themes and design elements tailored to your specifications.
3. Customize your WordPress site
After the AI has built the foundation of your WordPress website, as per your ideas, you have the option to customize it to fit your brand. WordPress themes are more flexible, allowing you to change everything from fonts and colors to page layouts.
Customizing a WordPress theme
If you’re not satisfied with the website version generated by the AI builder, you have the flexibility to change your WordPress theme anytime. WordPress themes are pre-designed templates that control the visual layout and style of your WordPress site. While the AI builder selects a suitable theme for you, you can easily switch to a different theme if needed.
Here’s how to change your WordPress theme:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- From the left-hand menu, navigate to Appearance and click Themes.
- Click on the Add New Theme button.
- Browse through the WordPress theme directory, where you get an option to select from thousands of free themes and premium themes.
- Once you find a theme you like, click Install and then click Activate to apply the theme to your WordPress website.
Pro Tip: When selecting a new WordPress theme, ensure it is mobile-responsive and compatible with WordPress plugins to ensure the best performance and SEO optimization.
WonderBlocks for customization
With Bluehost, you can use WonderBlocks, a drag-and-drop tool that makes it even easier to customize pages without coding. Add images, buttons, text and more with a simple click.
SEO Tip: Choose a mobile-responsive WordPress theme to improve user experience and website traffic on Google.
4. How to Install a new plugin
The functionality of your WordPress website can be expanded by installing WordPress plugins. The given plugins allow you to add features like SEO tools, contact forms and enhanced security to your site.
Here’s how to install a WordPress plugin:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- From the left-hand menu, navigate to Plugins and click add New Plugin.
- In the search bar, type the name of the plugin you want to install (e.g., Yoast SEO).
- Once you find the plugin, click Install Now and then click Activate to enable the plugin on your WordPress site.
Essential plugins for a WordPress website
WordPress plugins add additional features and functionality to your WordPress site. WordPress has over 59,000 plugins, allowing you to customize your site to meet your needs. Here are some essential plugins:
YoastSEO
It aids in optimizing the content for search engines, ensuring your WordPress site ranks well on Google. It offers on-page optimization, keyword analysis and readability scores.
Jetpack
Enhance your site’s security, monitor traffic and improve performance with Jetpack, an all-in-one plugin created by WordPress.
WPForms
Need a contact form or newsletter sign-up? With WPForms, it becomes easy to create forms and collect information from your visitors.
W3 Total Cache
A caching plugin that improves your site’s speed and performance, ensuring that your WordPress website loads quickly for visitors.
Smush
A plugin that is used to compress an image without reducing quality, improving site speed.
Link to Bluehost’s Plugin Guide: For a deeper dive into recommended plugins, check out Bluehost’s WordPress Plugin Guide.
5. How to add a new page to your WordPress site
To ensure your WordPress website delivers a professional experience to visitors, you’ll need to create essential pages such as About, Contact and Services. Here’s how to add a new page to your WordPress site:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- From the left-hand menu, navigate to Pages and click Add New.
- Enter the title of your new page (e.g., About Us, Services, Contact).
- It is easy to add content on the page by using the WordPress block editor. You can add text, images and videos.
- Once you’ve added your content, click Publish to make the page live on your WordPress website.
Essential pages for your WordPress website
After adding a new page, it’s important to create the following essential pages for your WordPress website:
About page:
This page introduces your business or personal brand and explains the purpose of your WordPress site. It helps build trust with your audience.
Make it easy for visitors to reach you by including a contact form, your email address and phone number. You can use plugins like WPForms to create custom contact forms.
Services or products page:
If you’re offering services or selling products, create dedicated pages that explain each offering clearly and include pricing details. This is crucial for any e-commerce website or online store.
Blog page:
If you plan to create content regularly, it is essential. It helps attract more traffic to your WordPress site and improves your SEO ranking.
Privacy policy and disclaimer:
These pages are legal requirements, especially if you’re collecting data from users. Make sure your visitors know how their data is being used and protected.
SEO Tip: Ensure each page includes a clear call-to-action to guide visitors towards specific actions, such as contacting you or purchasing a product.
6. Optimize your website for SEO and speed
Search engine optimization is an important tool for driving organic traffic to your WordPress website. Luckily, WordPress is SEO-friendly right out of the box. Still, you can make additions to ensure your site ranks well on search engines.
Use SEO plugins
Yoast SEO is one of the best tools to help in optimizing your content for keywords, add meta descriptions and improving the overall readability.
Compress Images
Your website may load more slowly and rank lower in searches if it has large image assets. Use tools like Smush or Imagify to compress images without compromising quality.
Leverage caching
Caching plugins like W3 Total Cache help speed up your site by storing a version of it for quick access.
Enable HTTPS
Google prioritizes secure sites in its rankings. Use the free SSL certificate provided by Bluehost to make sure that your WordPress website is secure.
7. Launch your website
Once everything is set up and optimized, you’re ready to launch your WordPress website! But before you hit the “Publish” button, follow these final steps:
Preview your site: Use the WordPress dashboard to preview your website on different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) to ensure it looks great everywhere.
Test functionality: Check all links, buttons and forms to ensure they work properly.
Monitor for errors: Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor your site for potential SEO or technical issues.
After testing, hit the “Publish” button and share your WordPress site with the world!
Why use Bluehost’s AI WordPress website builder?
Bluehost’s AI builder offers several advantages that make it perfect for those looking to create a WordPress website:
Beginner-friendly
AI website builders make website creation accessible to everyone, regardless of technical skill level. This allows anyone, from small business owners to freelancers, to build a professional-looking eCommerce website or online store without prior experience.
Fast setup
It is very simple to create a WordPress website in minutes without sacrificing quality. The AI Builder automates everything, from installing WordPress to choosing themes and adding essential pages.
AI builders significantly reduce the time it takes to create a website. Instead of manually designing and adjusting the layout, you can launch and operate a fully functional website in minutes. This is perfect for individuals or businesses looking to launch quickly without sacrificing quality.
Automated layout and design:
By answering a few simple questions about your industry and preferences, the AI builder automatically generates a professional layout. It selects appropriate color schemes, fonts and content structure tailored to your brand, removing the need for manual adjustments.
Customizable
Even though much of the design is automated, AI website builders still give you the flexibility to customize elements like text, images and layout. You have control over the final look and feel of your site, ensuring it aligns with your brand’s vision.
Optimized for performance
Bluehost’s infrastructure ensures your WordPress site is not only fast but also secure, with SEO-optimized features right from the start. At present, mobile devices are the main source of web traffic and therefore, AI builders ensure your WordPress website is fully optimized for smartphones and tablets. The AI automatically configures the layout to be responsive across all devices, enhancing the user experience without extra work on your end.
Affordable plans
With competitive hosting plans that include free domains and SSL certificates, Bluehost is an all-in-one solution for website builders. Bluehost offers affordable web hosting plans that include an AI website builder for free with each plan.
Final thoughts
With AI-powered tools, you can install WordPress, choose a free theme and create a website on WordPress in minutes. Whether you are a beginner or a professional developer, this guide ensures your WordPress website is fast, responsive and optimized for success. The AI tools take care of the technical aspects, allowing you to focus on what really matters—building a beautiful, functional website.
Start your website journey with Bluehost, get a free domain name along with other features and see how easy it is to bring your ideas to life.
FAQs
A WordPress website is built on a powerful content management system (CMS) that allows clients to make and handle websites without any coding skills. It’s highly user-friendly and customizable, making it accessible to everyone. The intuitive WordPress dashboard allows for effortless management, while WordPress plugins can be installed with just a few clicks, further extending your site’s functionality.
No, the WordPress dashboard and page builders make creating a WordPress site accessible to everyone, regardless of technical skills.
It is very easy to install WordPress. In the market, there are a bunch of web hosting providers that offer one-click WordPress installation, but with Bluehost, WordPress comes pre-installed, saving your time and efforts.
The Wonder Theme by YITH is the best WordPress theme. The best WordPress plugins are Yoast SEO, Jetpack and WPForms to enhance functionality and performance.
Use WordPress plugins like Yoast SEO, compress images and ensure your WordPress website ranks well and loads quickly. Enable SSL for security and better SEO ranking.
Yes, AI builders can help you efficiently build a blog page on your WordPress site, allowing you to add posts and drive traffic.
