How To Build a WordPress Website

Creating a WordPress website can be a rewarding experience, especially when you have the right tools and guidance at your disposal. At FoCo Web Design, we’ve built countless WordPress websites for our clients and have gained valuable insights and expertise along the way. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of building a WordPress website from scratch using Elementor as the page builder and LiteSpeed paired with QUIC.cloud as the server and CDN of choice. So, let’s dive in!

Setting Up Your Domain and Hosting

1. Choose and Register a Domain Name

First and foremost, you need a domain name for your website. This is the unique web address where your site will be found, such as www.yourwebsite.com. To choose a domain name, consider your target audience, the purpose of your site, and the keywords related to your niche. There are free tools you can use to check the availability of domain names such as GoDaddy’s domain name lookup tool Once you’ve settled on a name, register it through a domain registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap, or you can call FoCo Web Design to take care of this for you as well.

2. Select a Hosting Provider

A hosting provider is essential for making your website accessible on the internet. We recommend using LiteSpeed-based hosting, as it offers superior performance, security, and scalability. At FoCo Web Design, we provide top-notch website hosting services that leverage LiteSpeed technology for optimal results. Not only do we charge only $12/month for hosting, but that includes server side caching techniques as well as a hookup to the CDN QUIC.cloud network. QUIC.cloud is the first and only complete WordPress Optimization Solution. CDN’s are networks of servers that are global that can serve your site to an IP address close by so the site load quicker than relying on servers located in one location. Speeding up the website improves SEO and user experience.

3. Install WordPress

After setting up your domain and hosting, it’s time to install WordPress, the world’s most popular content management system. Most hosting providers offer a one-click WordPress installation, which makes this step quick and easy. Once installed, you’ll have access to the WordPress dashboard, where you can manage your website’s content and appearance. With FoCo Web design you have access to softaculous and a one click WordPress installer within your personalized cPanel account.

Designing Your Website with Elementor

1. Install Elementor Page Builder

Elementor is a powerful and user-friendly page builder that allows you to create stunning websites without any coding knowledge. To install Elementor, navigate to the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New, search for “Elementor,” and click “Install Now” followed by “Activate.”

2. Choose a Theme

Next, select a WordPress theme that’s compatible with Elementor. Astra, GeneratePress, and OceanWP are some popular options. Personally at FoCo Web Design Astra is the choice to go with as it is the most popular and maintained and perfectly integrated with Elementor. To install a theme, head to Appearance > Themes > Add New, search for your preferred theme, and click “Install” followed by “Activate.”

3. Customize Your Site

With your theme in place, it’s time to start building your website. Click on “Elementor” in the WordPress dashboard to access the Elementor editor. From there, you can:

• Add and arrange sections, columns, and widgets
• Customize fonts, colors, and other design elements
• Upload images and other media files
• Create responsive designs for different devices

Remember to save your changes as you go, and preview your site to ensure it looks and functions as expected. If you prefer to have FoCo Web Design build the website you will also recieve a tutorial in the end showing you how to make basic changes to the content and images on your new website. The tutorial is personalized to your website and tailored to your needs for any specific functions you might like to learn. FoCo Web Design is all about teaching Web Design and opening the book of free sourced information to all. It’s your website after all, you should have the ability to own and operate it completely at your will.

4. Create Essential Pages

When building your website, make sure to create essential pages such as:

• Homepage: The main entry point for your site, which should include a clear call-to-action and an overview of your offerings.
• About Us: A page that introduces your company, team, and mission.
• Services or Products: Showcase your products or services, highlighting their features and benefits.
• Contact Us: Provide your contact information and a form for visitors to get in touch.

As you create each page, be sure to optimize them for search engines using SEO best practices.

Enhancing Performance with LiteSpeed and QUIC.cloud

1. Install LiteSpeed Cache Plugin

LiteSpeed Cache is a powerful plugin that works with LiteSpeed Web Server to improve your website’s performance. To install the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard, search for “LiteSpeed Cache,” and click “Install Now” followed by “Activate.”

2. Configure LiteSpeed Cache Settings

After activating the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, configure its settings to maximize performance. Navigate to LiteSpeed Cache > Settings, and adjust the following:

• Enable cache for desktop, mobile, and logged-in users
• Set the cache expiration time
• Enable browser cache, object cache, and minification
• Optimize images, CSS, and JavaScript files

Remember to save your changes.

3. Set Up QUIC.cloud CDN

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) distributes your website’s content across multiple servers around the world, reducing loading times for visitors. QUIC.cloud is a high-performance CDN that works seamlessly with LiteSpeed. To set it up, follow these steps:

• Create an account on QUIC.cloud
• Add your domain and verify ownership
• In your LiteSpeed Cache settings, navigate to CDN > General, and enable QUIC.cloud CDN
• Enter your QUIC.cloud API key and domain key

Once configured, QUIC.cloud will automatically optimize and distribute your website’s assets, improving load times and user experience.

If you are confused about the process in general watch this video here to help –

Or If you are having trouble connecting your QUIC.cloud cname to your zone records in your cPanel account this video here might help

 Finalizing Your WordPress Website

1. Install Essential Plugins

Enhance your WordPress website’s functionality with essential plugins, such as:

• Yoast SEO: Optimize your content for search engines and improve your search engine rankings.
• XML Sitemaps: To archive your websites sitemap with Google automatically.
• Fluent Forms: If you need conditional logic in your forms.
• Wordfence Security: Protect your site from malware and other security threats.
• Schema Markup – To enhance your SEO. Schema tells site crawlers information in a more streamlined way.

2. Test Your Site’s Responsiveness

Make sure your website looks and functions well on different devices and browsers. Use the Elementor editor’s responsive mode to preview your site on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Additionally, test your site using tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting. FoCo Web Design specializes in responsive web design and makes sure every website looks great on any device type or screen size. Here is an article written on the subject of responsive web design and how it is our specialty

3. Optimize Your Site for SEO

Optimize your website’s content, images, and meta information using SEO best practices. Yoast SEO can help you analyze your content and provide recommendations for improvement. Again SEO is a specialty of FoCo Web design. You can check out our SEO services here.

4. Set Up Google Analytics and Search Console

Track your website’s performance and gather insights using Google Analytics and Google Search Console. To set up these tools, create an account, verify your domain, and add the tracking codes to your website. This will enable you to monitor your site’s traffic, user behavior, and search engine rankings. This is also included in every FoCo Web Design SEO plan.

Conclusion

Building a WordPress website requires time, effort, and attention to detail. By following this guide and using Elementor, LiteSpeed, and QUIC.cloud, you can create a professional and high-performing site that attracts and engages your target audience. If you need assistance with web design, hosting, or SEO, don’t hesitate to contact FoCo Web Design for expert help and support.