{"id":21075,"date":"2019-01-07T08:27:36","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T13:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=21075"},"modified":"2020-07-28T10:11:14","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T15:11:14","slug":"website-building-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/website-building-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"Website Building for Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building your own website isn\u2019t as hard as it used to be, even if you\u2019ve never touched a piece of code in your life. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the simple thought of building a personal or business website sounds intimidating, we have good news: it\u2019s something that you can easily accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are multiple approaches you can take to build your own website or blog, even as a complete beginner. Building your website can actually be fun!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This step by step tutorial will guide you through the process of selecting the best website building route for you and show you exactly how to do it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In our <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">website building for beginners<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> guide, you\u2019ll learn why building your own site is easy, the most popular methods for building a site today, and the step by step approach to building your first site. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/website-builder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"470\" height=\"60\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/470x60-Blog-DragNDrop.png\" alt=\"drag and drop website builder\" class=\"wp-image-21576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/470x60-Blog-DragNDrop.png 470w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/470x60-Blog-DragNDrop-300x38.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are You Sure I Can Build My Own Website?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create a website you used to have to possess certain technical skills, or you had to hire someone that did. But, with the revolution of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/website-builder\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">website builders<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and beginner-friendly CMS, it\u2019s become easier than ever to learn <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/how-to-build-a-website\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to build a website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in record time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No longer do you have to spend years educating yourself on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/web-design-best-practices-guide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">web design best practices<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and teaching yourself how to program. There are tools available today that can help you build your own professional looking website or blog, all without having to touch a line of code. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, there are other things you\u2019ll need as well, like registering a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/domains\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">website domain name <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;and finding the right web hosting. There are a few different approaches to acquiring these, depending on which approach you\u2019re taking to build your site.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, if you\u2019re using a website builder, you can probably purchase web hosting and a domain name at the same time. It may even be included in the monthly price. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re using a CMS like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/managed-wordpress-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress hosting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to build out your site, then you\u2019ll need to purchase these separately. However, with some companies, like HostGator, you can get all of these in the same place. It\u2019s as simple as adding a domain name to your order when you purchase hosting.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If that sounds confusing, don\u2019t worry, we\u2019ll cover this in-depth below. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Most Popular Approaches to Building a Site Today<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three common ways for creating a website today. Of course, there are variations of all these methods highlighted below, but beginners will want to stick to one of the three approaches. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some are easy and some require more technical skills or even patience. We\u2019ll start with the easiest approach, and each option will get more complex as the list goes on. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Build Your Site with a Website Builder<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest approach is going to be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/why-use-website-builder\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">using a website builder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to build your website. Website builders provide everything you need to build your own website. You can think of them as one-stop shops for all of your website needs. Instead of having to get your domain name, hosting, and website tools from various sources you can do it all from one place.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, website builders are created for total beginners. These tools are designed to have little to no learning curve. You simply decide on which website builder you want to use, select your theme, use the included tools to customize your site, and you\u2019re all set.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You also have the benefit of all your website maintenance, updates, and security completely handled for you. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, there are still some downsides that you\u2019ll want to be aware of. When you decide to use a website builder you do sacrifice some flexibility, as you\u2019re limited by the templates and features offered by the tool. Usually, website builders aren\u2019t used to create very complex websites either, such as sites that require using a database. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, if you\u2019re looking to build a simple website that looks professional, and in record time, then consider using a website builder. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Build Your Site with a CMS <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next option you have is using a CMS, or content management system. There is a steeper learning curve for building your site using a CMS, but you also gain more control and flexibility over the final web design of your site. Plus, websites built with a CMS like WordPress also offer you a greater ability to scale your site.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are tons of different CMS available like, Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress. However, WordPress is the most commonly used CMS and currently powers around 30% of the internet. Not only that, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/reasons-why-wordpress-website\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">installing WordPress on your site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can be very easy too, thanks to the one-click install software that a lot of hosting companies offer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re going to build your site with a CMS you\u2019ll also need to acquire your hosting and a domain name separately. Fortunately, this process is very straightforward (as you\u2019ll learn below). Once you install WordPress you\u2019ll have access to a library of thousands of themes, and even more <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/most-popular-wordpress-plugins\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">popular WordPress plugins <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which let you add more features to your site.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can technically build out your entire WordPress site without having to touch any code. But, the process is a little more technical in nature. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With WordPress, you get the freedom to choose your own hosting provider,, along with a nearly unlimited ability to build your site as you see fit. However, it can get more expensive with paid themes and plugins. It also requires more technical knowledge, or at the very least a willingness to learn the ins and outs of WordPress. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Build Your Site From Scratch <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final option is undoubtedly the hardest. It involves either learning how to program yourself, or hiring someone else to do it. This process is possible, but it\u2019s very time-consuming. Becoming a web developer will take a lot of time and effort on your part, but with the vast amount of educational resources out there, it is possible to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/learn-code-places\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">learn how to code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and build your own website.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teaching yourself how to program will give you a nearly endless ability to build your website as you see fit. Beyond education, the only other investment you\u2019ll have to make is in a domain name and your website hosting.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This path isn\u2019t recommended for beginners unless you\u2019re looking to build up a career in web development. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want their website online as fast as possible consider using a website builder. If you want more creative control and don\u2019t mind a steeper learning curve, then consider using a CMS like WordPress. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Else Do I Need to Get My Website Online?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll also need a domain name and a web host if you want a website that\u2019s live on the internet. Your domain name is what visitors will type into the web browser address bar to visit your site. And your host is where you\u2019ll store all of your website\u2019s files. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can either purchase these together or separately. Most people who are just starting online will purchase them together as it\u2019s easier and you\u2019ll only have to deal with a single platform for any support issues.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Website Building Tutorial for Beginners<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have a better understanding of the approaches you can take to build a website, and what you need to actually build one it\u2019s time to show you how to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the sake of the tutorial below, we\u2019ll walk you through the first two approaches highlighted above, using a website builder, and installing a CMS like WordPress on your site. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready? Let\u2019s jump in. &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>1. Purchase a Domain Name and Hosting<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing you\u2019ll need to do is purchase your domain name and hosting. There are a ton of different providers you can use, but to keep things simple we\u2019re going to use HostGator.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, head over to this page and select your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/web-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">web hosting package<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. A basic shared hosting package is fine for those just getting started. <\/span>In addition to shared hosting, HostGator offers other options including WordPress Hosting, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/vps-hosting\">VPS Hosting<\/a>, and Dedicated Server Hosting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"812\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-shared-web-hosting.png\" alt=\"hostgator shared web hosting\" class=\"wp-image-21082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-shared-web-hosting.png 812w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-shared-web-hosting-300x260.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-shared-web-hosting-768x665.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, you can add your domain to your order. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"875\" height=\"237\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/register-domain.png\" alt=\"register domain\" class=\"wp-image-21086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/register-domain.png 875w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/register-domain-300x81.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/register-domain-768x208.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type in your domain name of choice to see if it\u2019s available. You might have to try a few different domains until you find one that\u2019s available. If you\u2019re having trouble thinking of a domain, then check out this post about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/whats-in-a-name-choosing-the-right-domain-name-for-your-website\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">finding the perfect domain name<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, complete the rest of the steps to finalize your purchase. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Choose Your Website Building Platform<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, it\u2019s time to decide how you want to build your personal or business website. Here you can decide to use the bundled website builder, or install a CMS like WordPress. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing you\u2019ll need to do is login to your web hosting account control panel. You should have received a link to your cPanel, along with your login info upon registering your web hosting account.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"528\" height=\"482\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-cpanel-login-1.png\" alt=\"hostgator cpanel login\" class=\"wp-image-21081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-cpanel-login-1.png 528w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-cpanel-login-1-300x274.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve logged into your cPanel you\u2019ll be able to get started with the included website builder or use the app called '\u02dcQuickInstall\u2019 to install WordPress. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Building Your Site with a Website Builder<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to use the included website builder then click on the icon called '\u02dcWebsite Builder\u2019 from within your cPanel.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the next screen, you\u2019ll be able to choose from different website templates by category, keyword, or just browse through the entire library.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"920\" height=\"711\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/choose-website-builder-template.png\" alt=\"choose website builder template\" class=\"wp-image-21080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/choose-website-builder-template.png 920w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/choose-website-builder-template-300x232.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/choose-website-builder-template-768x594.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve found a template you like click '\u02dcSelect\u2019. The website builder will load, and you can start customizing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"582\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/use-website-builder-1024x582.png\" alt=\"use website builder\" class=\"wp-image-21087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/use-website-builder-1024x582.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/use-website-builder-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/use-website-builder-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/use-website-builder.png 1123w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a built-in tutorial which will walk you through customizing your site, or you can jump right in and figure it out as you go.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll be able to change things like your page text, add new pages, change colors, font choice, add page sections, create a blog and a lot more. Have fun exploring and once you\u2019ve satisfied just click the '\u02dcPublish\u2019 button in the upper right-hand corner. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Building Your Site with WordPress<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want more creative freedom over the process of building your site, then here\u2019s how you can install and start building your site using WordPress.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do this head back over to your control panel and search for an app called '\u02dcSoftaculous Apps Installer\u2019 that looks like the one below:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-17-at-4.20.16-PM-1024x522.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-17-at-4.20.16-PM-1024x522.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-17-at-4.20.16-PM-300x153.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-17-at-4.20.16-PM-768x392.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-17-at-4.20.16-PM.png 1233w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the next screen select the WordPress option and follow these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/help\/article\/how-to-install-wordpress-with-softaculous\">instructions to install WordPress using Softaculous<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"501\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Softaculous_SelectWordPress-1024x501.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Softaculous_SelectWordPress-1024x501.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Softaculous_SelectWordPress-300x147.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Softaculous_SelectWordPress-768x376.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Softaculous_SelectWordPress.png 1386w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The installer will do all of the hard stuff for you. Once it\u2019s complete you\u2019ll receive an email that contains all your login information. It could take a little while, so be patient.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve received the email click on the link that says something like 'yoursite.com\/wp-admin'\u009d, and enter the login information contained in the email.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you\u2019ve logged in you\u2019re now in the backend of your WordPress site, aka your Dashboard. Navigate to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Appearance&gt;Themes<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then select '\u02dcAdd New\u2019. Now it\u2019s time to select your theme that will form the foundation for your site.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/add-wordpress-theme-1-1024x613.png\" alt=\"add wordpress theme\" class=\"wp-image-21078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/add-wordpress-theme-1-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/add-wordpress-theme-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/add-wordpress-theme-1-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/add-wordpress-theme-1.png 1159w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of the themes listed here are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/best-free-wordpress-themes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free WordPress themes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But, there are also thousands of paid themes you can install on your site as well. Some of the most common places to purchase a paid theme include StudioPress, ThemeForest, Elegant Themes, or the WordPress Premium Theme marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, to keep this simple we\u2019ll just go with a free theme. Browse through the list until you\u2019ve found a theme you like. Then hover over it and click '\u02dcInstall\u2019, then '\u02dcActivate\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To customize your theme go to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Appearance&gt;Customize<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On this screen, there\u2019s a left-hand sidebar where you\u2019ll be able to make basic modifications to your theme.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to add more pages to your site then navigate to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pages&gt;Add New<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Likewise, if you want to add blog posts to your site navigate to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Posts&gt;Add New<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a ton more you can do to customize your WordPress site. Now you at least have a solid foundation to work from and can start exploring!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Will You Build Your Website?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By now you understand <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/basics-website-building\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">everything you need to know about website building<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You also know that today it\u2019s easier than ever to get a website online. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re looking to showcase your creative work, bring in leads for your offline business, or create an entirely new stream of income a website can help you get there.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, if you just need a simple site online as soon as a possible, then use a website builder. 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