Designing a website from scratch has never been easier–what used to take hundreds or thousands of lines of code has now been exponentially simplified, thanks to sites like WordPress.
If you are unfamiliar with basic web design, you might wonder how much it costs to build a WordPress site, or if WordPress is good for small businesses. The average cost is between a few hundred dollars in basic design template and hosting fees if you design it yourself, and if you choose professionally developed sites by recognized WordPress experts, it could end up costing quite a bit more.
What Are the Steps in Making a WordPress Site?
Whether you hire a web developer or go your own route, the steps to creating a WordPress site are the same. Here are the basic steps everyone needs to complete:
Choose a Domain Name
One of the most important things you will ever do as a business or website owner is choosing your brand name. Ideally, your brand name should be the same as your domain name, or something relatively close if your chosen domain name is already taken. For example, if you want to start Mary’s Pizza Restaurant in Chicago, Maryspizza.com might be taken, but you could choose Maryspizzachicago.com if it is available.
Decide on a domain name that is preferably both short and easy to remember. You need a name that rolls off the tongue and can be typed in a few keystrokes.
Purchase the Domain Name and a Hosting Plan
Fortunately, many of the same sites that you purchase domain names from also offer website hosting. There are hundreds of hosting companies to choose from, such as GoDaddy or Bluehost. Many offer various tiered plans, from as low as $30 a year to thousands of dollars a year for higher traffic or high bandwidth sites.
Choose a Theme or Start From Scratch
Starting from scratch is recommended for advanced users of WordPress or other Content Management Systems (CMS). A great way to start from scratch is to hire a freelancer to help you build the site as you want it, which frees up time for you to focus on how the business will be run rather than worrying about how to professionally create a website.
However, if you are unfamiliar with the process of web design, it is recommended you choose a template. With templates, the layout is chosen for you from various proven designs that various websites have been using to make their businesses successful.
Design Your Site
Whether you are creating an ecommerce site or a travel blog, design the site to suit your needs. Ensure that your website is eye-catching and easy for visitors to navigate.
Publish Your Site
Once your site is ready to go, all you need to do is publish the site and test it for any errors. When your site is up and running, simply pay your domain and hosting fees as per your contract, and you will continue to have a fantastic website ready for the world to access!
In Summary
Designing a website with WordPress has never been easier. The costs of a do-it-yourself WordPress site are often just a few hundred dollars in domain and hosting fees per year. For those who are less tech-savvy, it may be beneficial to hire a freelancer to design your site for you.This will cost considerably more; however, your completed WordPress site will be professional-looking and functioning with best-practices in mind.
There are thousands of freelance web designers for whom using a tool like WordPress is as easy as pie–they can create websites in a matter of days for a reasonable price that can be negotiated based on your needs. If you have an idea for a new website, let one of Guru’s freelancers bring that idea to life while you focus on making your business grow by providing valuable services to your customers!
