How to Publish a WordPress Site?

Creating a website with WordPress combines excitement and challenge, given the platform’s user-friendliness and rich features. How to publish a WordpRess site without any problems? Let’s go through each small step of the process. We’ll cover everything from selecting hosting to finalizing your site before launch, aiming to transition you from a WordPress beginner to a confident website owner. Join us as we delve into the potential of WordPress to publish your online project.

Step 1: Choosing a Domain Name and Hosting Service

Before learning how to publish a site on WordPress, choosing a domain name and hosting service are key steps:

• Selecting a Domain Name:
  • Reflect Your Brand: Choose a domain name that represents your brand or site’s purpose, making it memorable and relevant.
  • Keep It Simple: Opt for a short, easy-to-remember name to avoid typos and make it easy for users to recall.
  • Easy Spellings: Use straightforward words for ease of spelling and pronunciation.
  • Use Keywords Wisely: Incorporate relevant keywords for SEO, but maintain uniqueness.
  • Domain Extension: Consider various Top-Level Domains (TLDs) like .com, .net, .org, or niche-specific ones to add character.
• Choosing a Hosting Service:
  • Assess Your Needs: Determine your site’s requirements, like traffic, storage, and support.
  • Uptime and Performance: Look for high uptime rates and fast server performance.
  • Security: Ensure robust security features, including SSL certificates and backups.
  • Scalability: Check if the host offers scalability for your site’s growth.
  • Customer Support: Prioritize reliable 24/7 customer support.
  • WP-Optimized: It’s better to use hostings optimized for WP, such as Kinsta or WP Engine.
• Purchasing Domain and Hosting:
  • Choose a Registrar or Host: Find a reputable company, considering free domain offers with hosting plans.
  • Search and Select: Check the availability of your preferred domain and select a fitting hosting plan.
  • Register and Purchase: Complete the registration and purchase process, then configure your domain and hosting with the provided tools.

Careful consideration of these elements lays a solid foundation for a successful WordPress site.

Step 2: Installing WordPress

How to publish WordPress site if you already have a domain? Installing WP should be the next step. The process involves two main methods: one-click installs and manual installation.

One-Click Installs:

• Easy and Fast: Offered by many hosting providers through their control panels, ideal for beginners.
• Process: In your hosting control panel, find the WordPress installer, often under “Website” or “Softaculous Apps Installer,” and follow the simple installation steps.

Manual Installation:

• Steps: Download WordPress from the official website, upload it to your server using an FTP client or file manager, create a MySQL database, configure the ‘wp-config.php’ file with your database details, and run the installation script by navigating to your domain or WordPress directory.

Setting Up WordPress:

• Admin Account: During installation, create an admin account with a strong username and password, and provide a valid email for password recovery and notifications.
• Completion: Complete the setup to access your WordPress dashboard.

Both methods enable you to efficiently install WordPress and begin website customization.

Step 3: Selecting a WordPress Theme

How to publish work after developing a site with WordPress? With WP installed, the next step is to give your website its look and feel. This is where choosing the right WordPress theme comes into play. A theme is not just about aesthetics; it defines your site’s functionality, user experience, and even impacts SEO. Let’s delve into how to select the perfect theme for your site.

The Importance of Choosing a Theme That Aligns with Your Site’s Purpose

• Reflects Your Brand: The theme should embody your brand’s style and ethos. It’s the digital facade of your business or personal brand.
• Functional Requirements: Depending on your site’s purpose – whether it’s a blog, business site, portfolio, or online store – the theme should provide the necessary functionality. For instance, an e-commerce site would benefit from a theme that integrates well with shopping cart plugins.
• Responsiveness: With the growing usage of mobile devices, selecting a responsive theme that adapts to various screen sizes is crucial.
• Loading Speed: A lightweight, well-coded theme ensures faster loading times, which is vital for user experience and SEO.
• Customization and Flexibility: A good theme offers a balance between customization options and simplicity. It should allow you to personalize your site without overwhelming you with too many choices.

Where to Find Themes

WordPress Theme Directory

• Free Themes: The WordPress theme directory is filled with thousands of free themes. These are tested for standard compliance and are usually more secure and reliable.
• Browse and Filter: You can filter themes based on specific features or layouts, making it easier to find what you’re looking for.

Third-Party Marketplaces

• Premium Themes: Marketplaces like ThemeForest, Elegant Themes, or StudioPress offer a wide range of premium themes. These often come with advanced features and dedicated support. Often, paid themes also come with plugins. Usually, these are paid plugins, but they are included with the theme for free. Therefore, this is cost-effective.
• Check Ratings and Reviews: Look for themes with high ratings and positive reviews for quality assurance.
• Developer Support: Consider themes that offer good developer support and regular updates.

Installing and Activating a WordPress Theme

• From the WordPress Dashboard: Navigate to ‘Appearance’ > ‘Themes’ > ‘Add New.’ Here you can either choose a theme from the WordPress directory or upload a theme you’ve purchased from a third party.
• Upload a Theme: If you have a .zip file of a premium theme, click on ‘Upload Theme,’ choose the file, and click ‘Install Now.’
• Preview and Activate: Once installed, you can preview the theme to see how it looks with your content. If satisfied, click ‘Activate’ to apply the theme to your site.
• Customize Your Theme: After activation, you can customize the theme to your liking under ‘Appearance’ > ‘Customize.’

Pro tip: For paid themes, demo content is often available, which we recommend installing. To do it, you need to read the documentation. 

Selecting the right theme is a pivotal decision in your WordPress journey, setting the stage for your site’s future growth and success. Take your time to explore and choose a theme that aligns seamlessly with your vision and goals.

Step 4: Customizing Your Site

We’re getting closer to learning how to publish a site from WordPress. Customizing your WP resource comes first, and it involves transforming a generic theme into a unique representation of your brand and purpose. Here’s how to do it:

• Use the WordPress Customizer: Access it via ‘Appearance’ > ‘Customize’ for a live-preview interface. Customize your site identity (title, tagline, icon), color schemes, fonts, and layout settings (like sidebars and page templates). Ensure your site is responsive across different devices.
• Widgets and Menus: Add functional widgets (like calendars or recent posts) through ‘Appearance’ > ‘Widgets.’ Create and adjust navigation menus under ‘Appearance’ > ‘Menus’ for effective user navigation.
• Theme Settings and Options: Utilize your theme’s custom options panel for advanced customization, available under ‘Appearance.’ Set your homepage preferences and add custom CSS for detailed design tweaks.
• Integrate Plugins: Incorporate plugins for added functionality like SEO, social media, and security, ensuring compatibility with your theme.
• Regularly Save Changes: Consistently save and preview changes to ensure your site looks and functions as intended.

Customizing your WordPress site is an ongoing process that adapts to your content and audience needs, allowing you to continually refine the user experience and site aesthetic.

Recommended: How to Embed YouTube Video in WordPress

Step 5: Creating Essential Pages and Content

Once your WordPress site is set up, the next step is to populate it with essential content and pages:

• Home Page: This should clearly represent your site’s purpose and guide visitors to important sections.
• About Page: Share your or your business’s story to connect with your audience.
• Contact Page: Include ways for visitors to reach out, such as contact forms, email, phone numbers, and social media links.
• Blog Page: If your site includes a blog, have a dedicated page for blog posts to keep content organized.
• Legal Pages: Create Privacy Policy and Terms of Service pages for legal compliance.
• Additional Pages: Add other relevant pages like ‘Services,’ ‘Products,’ or ‘FAQ,’ depending on your site’s purpose.

When creating content:

• Use the WordPress editor to add text, images, and media.
• Apply basic SEO principles like proper headings, meta descriptions, and keywords.
• Preview your content before publishing.
• Organize posts with categories (broad groupings) and tags (specific topics) for better navigation and SEO.

Consistency in content management is key. Adjust and expand your content strategy as your site grows, focusing on quality to engage your audience and improve visibility.

Step 6: Configuring WordPress Settings

Configuring WordPress settings is a fundamental step in optimizing your website for both users and search engines, it’s also vital to know how to change WordPress site URL if needed. These settings, though sometimes overlooked, play a crucial role in the site’s functionality, SEO, user engagement, and privacy. Let’s explore the key configurations you need to consider.

Setting Up Permalinks for SEO-Friendly URLs

• Accessing Permalink Settings: In your WordPress dashboard, go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Permalinks.’
• Choosing the Right Structure: Opt for a URL structure that includes post names (Post Name option), as this makes URLs readable and SEO-friendly. For example, ‘yourdomain.com/sample-post’ instead of ‘yourdomain.com/?p=123.’
• Custom Structure: You can create a custom structure using available tags if you need more control over your URLs.
• Consistency: Once you’ve set your permalinks, try not to change them frequently. If you must change them after publishing content, ensure proper redirects are in place to avoid 404 errors.

Configuring Reading, Writing, and Discussion Settings

Reading Settings

• Front Page Displays: Choose whether your home page displays your latest posts or a static page.
• Blog Pages Show at Most: Set the number of posts to be displayed on the blog page.
• Search Engine Visibility: Ensure the box for discouraging search engines from indexing this site is unchecked unless you’re working on a private or development site.

Writing Settings

• Default Post Category and Format: Set these according to your typical content.
• Post via Email: An optional setting if you want to publish posts via email.

Discussion Settings

• Comments Settings: Configure settings around who can comment, comment moderation, and notifications. This is crucial for community engagement and controlling spam.
• Avatars: Customize the display of avatars in comments.

Ensuring Privacy and Maintenance Settings are Correctly Applied

• Privacy Policy Page: Create a privacy policy page and link it in your privacy settings (‘Settings’ > ‘Privacy’). This is especially important if you collect user data.
• Maintenance and Updates: Keep your WordPress, themes, and plugins up to date. Configure auto-updates where appropriate for security and performance.
• Backup Settings: Set up regular backups for your site. While this is sometimes managed by the host, there are also plugins available for this purpose.
• Security Settings: Implement basic security measures, like strong passwords, and consider using security plugins for additional protection.

Correctly configuring these settings from the outset can save a lot of time and trouble down the line. It’s about laying a strong foundation for everything from user experience to SEO and security.

If this seems difficult or like too much work, you can always hire WordPress developers to work with the settings and finally publish your WP site.

Step 7: Adding Functionality with Plugins

One of the great advantages of using WordPress is its vast ecosystem of plugins, which allows you to extend the functionality of your site in almost limitless ways. From enhancing SEO to bolstering security, plugins can significantly improve your site’s capabilities. However, it’s important to choose wisely to ensure your site remains fast and secure.

Identifying Essential Plugins for Your Site

SEO Plugins

• Examples: Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack.
• Purpose: They help optimize your site for search engines, improve your rankings, and manage sitemaps, meta tags, and social media integration.

Security Plugins

• Examples: Wordfence, Sucuri Security.
• Purpose: These plugins protect your site from hacking attempts, malware, and other security vulnerabilities.

Caching Plugins

• Examples: W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache.
• Purpose: Caching plugins enhance your website’s speed by storing static versions of your content, reducing load times.

Other Categories

• Backup Plugins: For regular backups of your site’s data.
• Contact Form Plugins: To create and manage forms.
• E-commerce Plugins: If you’re running an online store, plugins like WooCommerce are essential.
• Page Builder Plugins: For drag-and-drop layout design, like Elementor or Beaver Builder.

How to Install and Activate Plugins

• Finding Plugins: In your WordPress dashboard, go to ‘Plugins’ > ‘Add New.’ Here, you can search for plugins based on your needs.
• Installing a Plugin: Click ‘Install Now’ on the plugin of your choice. WordPress will download and install the plugin.
• Activating the Plugin: After installation, click ‘Activate’ to start using the plugin on your site.
• Uploading Plugins: For premium plugins not listed in the WordPress directory, upload the plugin files via ‘Plugins’ > ‘Add New’ > ‘Upload Plugin.’

Configuring Plugin Settings for Optimal Performance

• Plugin Settings Panel: Most plugins add a settings panel to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to the specific settings page for each plugin to configure it.
• Read Documentation: Understanding each plugin’s features and settings is crucial. Refer to the documentation provided by the plugin developer.
• Testing: After configuring a plugin, test your site to ensure that everything works as expected and the plugin doesn’t conflict with other elements of your site.
• Performance Considerations: Monitor your site’s performance as some plugins, especially poorly coded ones, can slow down your site. Use performance plugins and tools to gauge the impact.
• Regular Updates: Keep your plugins updated to the latest version for security and functionality.

By carefully selecting and configuring plugins, you can greatly enhance the functionality, performance, and user experience of your WordPress site.

Step 8: Testing Your Site Before Publishing

Before officially launching your WordPress site, thorough testing is crucial. This step is about ensuring everything works perfectly and provides a great user experience. Testing can identify potential issues that could affect your site’s performance or reputation. Let’s walk through the key areas you should focus on during this phase.

Checking for Broken Links and Errors

• Broken Links: Use tools like Broken Link Checker or online services to find and fix broken links. Broken links can negatively impact user experience and SEO.
• 404 Errors: Check for any 404 errors, which indicate that a page can’t be found. Ensure all your pages and posts are properly linked and accessible.
• Load Errors: Look out for any resources that fail to load, such as images or scripts, which can impact page performance.

Ensuring Mobile Responsiveness and Cross-Browser Compatibility

• Mobile Responsiveness: Test your site on various mobile devices to ensure it looks and functions well. This is crucial as a significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile users.
• Cross-Browser Compatibility: Check your site in different browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge) to ensure consistent performance and appearance. Discrepancies between browsers are not uncommon.
• Tools for Testing: Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test or BrowserStack for thorough testing across devices and browsers.

Conducting a Pre-Launch Checklist

• Content Review: Ensure all content is free from typos, grammatical errors, and is SEO optimized.
• Functionality Test: Test all functional aspects, like forms, e-commerce checkout processes, search functionality, etc.
• Speed Test: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s loading speed and make necessary optimizations.
• SEO Basics: Ensure that meta titles and descriptions are properly set for pages and posts.
• Security Check: Review your security settings and plugins to ensure your site is protected against common threats.
• Backup System: Confirm that your backup system is in place and functioning correctly.
• Analytics and Tracking: Make sure tools like Google Analytics are properly installed for tracking your site’s performance post-launch.
• Compliance Checks: Verify that your site complies with legal requirements, including GDPR if you’re dealing with EU visitors.

Testing your site thoroughly before launch can save you from potential pitfalls and ensure a smooth, successful launch. This phase is about fine-tuning and preparing your site to make a great first impression.

Step 9: Going Live

The moment has arrived to unveil your WordPress site to the world. Going live is a pivotal moment, and while it’s exciting, it’s also crucial to ensure everything is correctly set up for a smooth transition. Here’s how to make your WordPress site public and what to do immediately after launch.

Pointing Your Domain to Your Hosting Server

• Update DNS Settings: If you purchased your domain and hosting from different providers, you need to point your domain to your hosting server. This is done by updating your domain’s DNS settings, specifically the nameservers, to the ones provided by your hosting company.
• Propagation Time: Be aware that DNS changes can take anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours to propagate worldwide. During this time, some users may see the new site while others may not.
• Verify Settings: Check that your domain settings are correct in your hosting account, and your website is set up to respond to your domain.

Making Your WordPress Site Public

• Adjust Visibility Settings: In WordPress, ensure that the ‘Search Engine Visibility’ option under ‘Settings’ > ‘Reading’ is unchecked. This allows search engines to index your site.
• Final Check: Do a final run-through of your website. Check all pages, links, and functionalities to ensure everything is working as it should.
• Clear Cache: If you’re using a caching plugin, clear your site’s cache. This ensures that visitors will see the latest version of your site.

Monitoring Your Site After Launch for Any Issues

• Monitor Traffic: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor traffic to your site. Pay attention to how users are interacting with your site and where they are coming from.
• Check for Errors: Keep an eye on your website’s performance and functionality. Look out for 404 errors, loading issues, or any broken functionalities.
• Feedback Loop: Encourage feedback from users and be ready to make adjustments. Early user feedback can be invaluable in identifying issues you may have missed.
• Security and Backups: Regularly check your site for security threats and ensure your backup systems are working correctly.
• Performance Optimization: Continuously optimize your site’s performance based on traffic and user behavior. This might include optimizing images, using a CDN, or adjusting caching settings.
• SEO Monitoring: Keep track of your site’s search engine performance and rankings. Tools like Google Search Console can be valuable for this.

Going live is not the end of the journey; it’s the beginning of a new phase where monitoring, maintenance, and continuous improvement become key. Your WordPress site is now a dynamic entity that will grow and evolve with your audience and objectives.

Step 10: Maintaining Your WordPress Site Post-Launch

Maintaining your WordPress site post-launch is crucial for its security, efficiency, and alignment with evolving goals:

• Regularly Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins: Keep everything updated to ensure security and functionality. Consider enabling automatic updates, but be aware of potential compatibility issues.
• Backups and Security Measures: Schedule regular backups of your site and store them off-site. Use security plugins to guard against malware and attacks, enforce strong passwords, and keep your SSL certificate updated.
• Monitor and Optimize Site Performance: Regularly check loading speed and optimize your site accordingly. This can include compressing images, minimizing CSS/JavaScript, and using a CDN.
• SEO and Content Updates: Keep an eye on SEO performance and update content regularly to stay relevant and rank well.
• User Feedback and Analytics: Pay attention to user feedback for potential improvements and use tools like Google Analytics to understand audience behavior.

Consistent maintenance ensures that your WordPress site remains secure, performs optimally, and continues to engage your audience effectively.

Conclusion

Publishing a WordPress site is a blend of creativity and technology. This guide covered essential steps like choosing hosting, installing WordPress, theme selection, site customization, content addition, and maintenance. WP’s flexibility and user-friendliness make it suitable for various users, from beginners to experts, and for different purposes, including blogs, business websites, or online stores. Remember, managing a WordPress site involves continuous learning and adaptation to new trends and best practices. Utilize the vast WordPress community and professional resources for assistance. Your WP website is a dynamic entity that grows with your goals, so enjoy the creative process and take pride in your online presence.