How to Start a Website with WordPress CMS
How to Start a Website with WordPress CMS
The 2023 Complete Beginner's Guide for Businesses and Content Creators
Table of Contents
In the previous lessons, we’ve recommended WordPress as the overall best content management system that automatically comes installed with WPEngine managed web hosting service. We also outlined the steps how to choose and install WordPress website templates.
Now, let’s start building your website by setting up a home page, navigation, and publishing webpages. We are using Divi prebuild templates as an example for this lesson.
How to Start a Website by Setting Up a WordPress CMS Home Page
Before getting started, make sure you have a website template installed in WordPress. If you need help finding a website template, refer to our lesson on how to choose and install a website template in WordPress.
First log into your WordPress admin panel. Here is a refresher on how to access WordPress admin panel in WPEngine.
How to Access WordPress CMS Admin Panel in WPEngine
- Login to your WPEngine account.
- Select your website’s domain.
- Click on the triple-dot icon to the right of the screen.
- Click “WP Admin,” which opens up a new tab on the browser to access your WordPress admin panel.
How to Use Divi WordPress Website Builder to Create a Home Page in 6 Steps
Next, let’s walk through how to build a home page for a website in WordPress CMS. The home page is a crucial landing page on the website, as it is the storefront that represents your brand image.
Step 1: Create a New Page in WordPress CMS
To build a home page, start by creating a blank page in WordPress.
- Go to “Pages” and click on “Add New.”
- Give the page a title and a short description.
- Next, click on the button “Use the Divi Builder.” You will then have three options to choose from.
Step 2: Choose a Home Page Layout
Select “Choose a Premade Layout” and click on the button “Browse Layouts.”
Choose your desired Divi theme from the “Premade Layouts” library.
Select the page “Home” in the layout pack, then click on “Use this Layout.” This step will set up the home page from your Divi template.
Step 3: Add Text and Visuals to Home Page
Click the button “Build on the Front End” to start editing the text and visuals on the page.
You can easily make changes to the title, layout, modules, and images.
Step 4: Publish the Home Page
Once you are satisfied with the home page design, click “Publish” on the bottom right of the screen to make your page live.
Step 5: Set the Published Webpage as Home Page
In the final step, let’s set the page you just published as your home page. Here’s how to do it:
- Navigate to “Settings” on the left side navigation.
- Go down to “Reading,” then select “Home Page” from the drop-down and choose the page you designed.
- Don’t forget to click “Save Changes.”
Congratulations! The home page is up and running.
You are almost done, be sure to complete one more important step.
Step 6: Home Page Search Engine Visibility
Make sure your home page is searchable on Google. To do this, uncheck the box “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” from the option “Search Engine Visibility” so Google can index your website and make it visible through organic search.
Official Guide on How to Use the Divi Builder on WordPress CMS
Now that you have gone through the basics of creating your home page on Divi through WordPress, check out the Divi Builder Plugin Documentation on how to make visual edits through The Divi Builder tool.
How to Start a Website by Creating a WordPress CMS Navigation
Creating a user-friendly navigation is another milestone step in building a website. A clearly mapped-out navigation guides visitors to the right landing pages and helps them find what they are looking for quickly.
How to Create a WordPress CMS Navigation in 2 Steps
Step 1: Access WordPress CMS Admin Page
To start creating your website’s navigation in WordPress, log in and head over to the admin page of your WordPress instance.
Click on “Appearance,” then go to “Menus” from the left side of the screen.
Step 2: Drag and Drop Content to Build Website Navigation
As you create pages and posts, you can drag and drop content to build out the navigation further. The left-aligned modules are your top-tier navigation, while the right-aligned modules contain the sub-navigation items.
Click “Save Menu” once you have completed the navigation.
How to Start a Website by Creating WordPress CMS Landing Pages
Once the home page and navigation are complete, you can start creating content by publishing landing pages for product and service solutions, or blog posts. Content boosts search visibility of your website and is the foundation of your digital market strategy.
We will use blog posts as an example below to show you how to publish a WordPress landing page with content.
How to Start a Blog with WordPress CMS in 3 Steps
Step 1: Create a New Post
To start publishing a blog post page, select the left menu item “Posts,” then click “Add New.”
Step 2: Add a Title and Content
- Give your blog post a title, then start typing in the content box.
- Add a few compelling images to support and boost the content quality, authority, and appeal.
- Tag the blog post to a category to organize and assign hierarchy to the content.
Step 3: Tag the Post and Publish Content
- Once the blog post is complete, tag it to a category to organize and assign a hierarchy to the content.
- When the blog post is done, hit the “Publish” button to make the post live.
You have successfully completed a home page, navigation, and landing page for your website. Way to go!
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