How to start a website for a beginner

The key to making money online is having a website. Launching a website can be a daunting challenge when you have no knowledge of how to go about it or where to start. One thing I will tell you is that you will learn something new every day in your journey to getting a website online and being successful at it.

Having a functioning website is the first step on your journey to making money online and living independently anywhere you choose. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide for beginners on how to start a website.

Learn the easiest way to start a website for a beginner with our step-by-step guide. Discover essential tips and tricks to kickstart your online presence today
Essential things to know before starting a website as a beginner

It will not be a quick process, don’t think you can just get a site up online and the money will start flowing. Be prepared to put in a lot of hours during this journey, and to be honest, it will take years.

If it were an easy journey, everyone would do it, and it will not always succeed. The most important thing is to start a website about something you’re passionate about, know about, and something you will find easy to write about. Let’s walk you through a process that will get you online and on your journey to content creation.

How to start a website for a beginner – Section 1: Planning and Preparation

Determine the Purpose: Define the purpose of your website, whether it’s for personal blogging, business, or showcasing your portfolio.

Identify Your Target Audience: Understand who your website will cater to and what content they might be interested in. If you’re writing about something you love, what would you be interested in, and what made you interested in this in the first place? This may resonate with an audience. We loved talking about travel, so it was a travel blog.

Choose a Domain Name: Select a unique and memorable domain name (the address we type into a computer to find a site, like google.com) that reflects your brand’s or website’s purpose. We have a number of travel blogs, and they always contain the name of the destination. Names like Things to Do in Sanur and Poland Travel Expert. Consider using a reputable domain registrar to check the availability and register your chosen domain. You can buy a domain name for your website at namecheap.com.

Section 2: Setting Up the Basics of the website for a beginner

Think of this step as much like setting up a streaming service account. For example, you either choose Netflix or Paramount, figure out how many screens you can watch it on, or whether you want HD, and then sign up for it.

  1. Choose a Reliable Web Hosting Provider: Research a web hosting provider that offers good uptime, good customer support, and affordable plans suitable for your needs. Companies such as Bluhost and Siteground offer value-for-money plans for new bloggers for the first 12 months.
  2. Select a Hosting Plan: Determine the appropriate hosting plan based on your website’s requirements (e.g., shared hosting for small websites or dedicated hosting for larger websites). We suggest starting with a 12-month plan in case you find blogging is not for you.
  3. Set Up Your Hosting Account: Sign up for a hosting account and follow the provider’s instructions to complete the setup process. Your provider will have live chat or email support to answer your questions and guide you through any issues you have.
  4. You may need a good VPN if you are working away from home.

Section 3: Installing WordPress for Beginners

All companies will have customer service that can help you with this if you get lost.

  1. Most hosting companies, including Blue Host, have one-click WordPress installation for you.
  2. Locate the One-Click WordPress Installer: Look for an option like “Softaculous” or “QuickInstall” within your hosting control panel.
  3. Install WordPress: Follow the prompts and provide the necessary details (e.g., domain name, website title, admin credentials) to install WordPress on your chosen domain.
  4. Access Your WordPress Dashboard: Once the installation is complete, you can access your website’s WordPress dashboard by adding “/wp-admin” to your domain name (e.g., www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin).

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Section 4: Customising Your Website

Customisation may be the hardest part for beginners, but what I will tell you is that you will get better at it the more you learn about it. If you just feel totally lost, you can reach out to people in Facebook Groups, professionals like Chris at Assistant, or us at We Travel Alone.

  1. Choose a Theme: Browse through the vast collection of free and premium WordPress themes to find a design that suits your website’s style and functionality. Think of a theme as the frame of a house; once the frame is in place, you can build everything around it (with a little practise, I must say). Don’t be in a rush, play around with your design and maybe watch some YouTube tutorials on what you can do with your theme.
  2. Install and Activate Your Theme: Download the chosen theme as a zip file, then navigate to your WordPress dashboard and go to “Appearance” -> “Themes” to upload and activate the theme.
  3. Customise Your Website: Utilise the theme’s customisation options to modify your website’s appearance, including the header, colours, fonts, and layout.
  4. Add Essential Plugins: Enhance your website’s functionality by installing essential plugins like security plugins (e.g., Wordfence), SEO plugins (e.g., Yoast SEO), and contact form plugins (e.g., Contact Form 7).

Beginner’s guide to starting a website, Section 5: Creating and Managing Content

  1. Create Pages and Posts: Start building your website by adding relevant pages (e.g., About, Services, Contact) and publishing posts (e.g., blog articles).
  2. Customise Permalinks: Optimise your website’s URLs by customising the permalink structure. Go to “Settings” -> “Permalinks” and choose a suitable structure (e.g., “Post name”). So you always want your website address to be something like this https://blahblah.com/likethis
  3. Organise Content with Categories and Tags: Categorise and tag your blog posts to help users navigate and find relevant content on your website.
  4. Add Media: Enhance your content by uploading and inserting images, videos, and other media files using the built-in media library. Before adding images, read up on image optimisation.

Easy ways to start a website for beginner Section 6: Launching Your Website

  1. Proofread and Test: Before launching, thoroughly proofread your content and test your website’s functionality across different browsers and devices.
  2. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Optimise your website for search engines by using relevant keywords, adding meta tags, and optimising page titles and descriptions.
  3. Set Up Google Analytics: Install Google Analytics to track your website’s performance, visitor statistics, and other important metrics.
  4. Go Live: Once you’re satisfied with your website, it’s time to launch.

Some of this may be confusing when you read it, especially for people with no prior experience setting up websites. You will find plenty more information online by googling any of the points in this article. Blogging is a learning curve, and no one knows everything, but as you go along, you will learn more every day.

Who are we?

Meet the team behind We Travel Alone.
Mark Wyld
Blogger, Content Creator, Website Design
I am Mark. I set out on a journey of blogging and creating content nearly ten years ago. Having travelled to over 45 countries inspired me to create some outlets to share our experiences. Through this, Bec and I have made a living online and plan a future as digital nomads.
Bec Wyld
Blogger, Content Creator, Editor
I am Bec. Mark dragged me kicking and screaming into blogging and content creation. We have enjoyed travelling as a family over the past 18 years, and now Mark and I plan to head off as a couple. I have been featured on national radio Radio 2GB in Sydney, Australia, discussing travel with teens.

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