Learning how to build a website using WordPress is indeed easy. However, to create a website that is both simple, fast, good, and professional, it is imperative to have knowledge of the basic elements that contribute to creating a successful WordPress website.
Understanding the basics of website creation in WordPress is essential for individuals who aspire to construct successful and professional websites without the need for coding skills. And also a very good 1st step for those who want to learn WordPress development.
For example:
- If you want to build a good and successful business website, then learning WordPress basics will help you to create a responsive, professional, high-quality, and SEO-friendly website.
- If you want to learn WordPress development or want to work as WordPress Developer or want to become able to create any type of custom WordPress website then learning the basics of the WordPress website creation process and things is of utmost importance.
- Once you learn the basics of WordPress you will be able to learn advanced WordPress Development skill skills such as plugin development, theme development, and custom WordPress development.
Top 10 Basic WordPress Website Design and Editing Skills to Create a professional website
1. Domain buying and hosting setup for WordPress websites
Mostly if you work as Freelancer, you will get WordPress Pre-installed by the client. But in many cases, you have to install and set up everything to build WordPress Website. Also, if you’re creating a website for your own business or creating a portfolio, affiliate marketing, and blog website you have to go through domain and hosting.
So, learning about domain and hosting is almost essential. And it’s actually the 1st practical step to creating a professional WordPress website.
Following are the skills and knowledge you must learn related to domain and hosting:
- Learn to purchase domain names from domain registrars like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains.
- Learn the importance of relevant and memorable domain names for WordPress or any type of website.
- Knowledge of different hosting providers such as Bluehost, SiteGround, or HostGator, and the ability to set up hosting accounts for WordPress websites.
- Configure domain settings to connect the purchased domain with the hosting provider.
- Familiarity with DNS (Domain Name System) settings and their role in directing visitors to the correct server.
- Install and set up WordPress on the hosting server using tools like cPanel or one-click installers.
- Understand the process of creating databases and configuring database settings for WordPress.
- Manage domain-related settings, such as domain mapping or domain redirection, to ensure the proper functioning of the website.
- Familiarity with essential hosting features like FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access, file management, and server security settings.
- Ability to troubleshoot common domain and hosting issues, such as DNS propagation, server errors, or SSL certificate installation.
- Understand the different hosting plans, resources, and limitations to make informed decisions based on the website’s requirements.
2. Theme selection, installation, customization, and initial plugin setup after WordPress installation:
Learn to research to select a suitable WordPress theme for a website, considering factors such as design, responsiveness, speed, functionality, and compatibility with other plugins such as page builders.
- You must learn to install themes through the WordPress theme directory or by uploading a theme file in ZIP format using FTP. FTP is useful if the theme file size is larger than recommended server configuration.
- Configure basic theme settings, including site identity (logo, site title, tagline), menus, widgets, and front-page displays.
- Learn to create and install child themes and the importance of using child themes to customize the theme’s default code and functionality.
- Identify and install essential plugins for common website requirements, such as SEO optimization, caching, security, backup, contact forms, and social media integration.
- Learn to configure initial plugin settings, including adding API keys, connecting to external services, and setting up plugin-specific options such as google maps, google Reviews.
- Learn to Utilize WordPress theme customization options and plugin settings to personalize the website’s appearance, layout, and functionality according to client or project requirements.
- Ensure that websites are optimized to display properly on all devices, including desktops, mobile devices, and tablets. Use online screen resolutions testing tools and also check it manually by opening or using a website on your mobile phone.
- Learn about user experience and its importance in website success.
- Learn to customize the appearance, layout, and functionality of themes using WordPress theme customization tools such as custom CSS.
- Ability to import and configure demo content provided by themes or templates. For example, if you select and buy a premium WordPress theme then you will get options within theme options to import demo content.
- Modify and adapt the demo content to meet specific requirements and replace the demo content later with the original content.
- Knowledge of techniques and plugins to optimize images for web use, ensuring fast loading times and better user experience such as the use of EWWW Image Optimizer, WebP Express etc.
3. Proficiency in using page builders for WordPress:
With WordPress page builders, you can effortlessly create, edit, and publish visually appealing websites and landing pages. These intuitive tools provide a user-friendly interface where you can simply drag and drop elements, eliminating the need to write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code. By utilizing page builders, you can achieve professional-looking designs without requiring extensive coding knowledge. So having knowledge of page building is very important if you want to build a good and professional website in WordPress.
- Learn the popular page builders plugins such as Elementor, Gutenberg, Divi, or Beaver Builder. Mastering in anyone page builder is enough.
- Ability to create and customize complex page layouts and designs without coding knowledge.
- Learn to use blocks, drag-and-drop functionality, and pre-designed elements, blocks to build visually stunning pages.
Read more about page builder’s here: What does it mean to use page builder in WordPress?
4. Learn to create backup and security measures for WordPress websites:
- Knowledge of backup plugins or services to regularly and securely back up and restore WordPress websites is essential.
- Learn security measures such as using secure passwords, updating WordPress core and plugins, and installing security plugins. Learning this will help you to prevent fake and spam comments, and messages as well as block fake traffic.
- Familiarity with security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to protect websites from malware, hacking attempts, and other security threats.
5. Proficiency in configuring and managing WordPress site security:
- Secure WordPress installations by implementing appropriate security settings and measures.
- Utilize SSL certificates to enable secure communication between the website and visitors.
- Monitor and manage user roles, permissions, and access to protect sensitive information.
6. WordPress speed optimization:
- Learn the techniques and use of plugins to optimize website performance and loading speed. This will help in SEO and ranking your website’s top 10 search results.
- Implement caching, minification, and other optimization practices to improve the overall speed of the WordPress website. For this, you can also use CDN such as Cloudflare.
7. Designing lead generation landing pages (social media ads/Google ads)
- Proficiency in creating visually appealing and user-friendly websites, landing pages, and online stores using WordPress.
- Incorporate effective design principles, clear navigation, and engaging elements to enhance user experience and conversion rates.
8. Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS for WordPress:
Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS is a bonus for small business owners and essential for WordPress freelancers or for those who want to become WordPress developers.
- Understand the structure and syntax of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets).
- Familiarity with HTML tags and elements used in WordPress templates, such as headers, paragraphs, lists, images, links, and forms.
- Ability to modify and customize HTML templates in WordPress themes to achieve desired layouts and structure.
- Understand CSS selectors, properties, and values to apply styling and formatting to WordPress websites.
- Modify the appearance of WordPress elements, including fonts, colors, margins, padding, and background styles.
- Utilize CSS media queries to create responsive designs that adapt to different screen sizes and devices.
- Understand the concept of CSS specificity and how it affects the application of styles to HTML elements.
- Familiarity with CSS frameworks, such as Bootstrap or Foundation, commonly used in WordPress theme development.
- Ability to inspect and modify HTML and CSS code using browser developer tools for troubleshooting or customization purposes.
9. WooCommerce customization and development:
- Knowledge of WooCommerce, a popular WordPress plugin for creating e-commerce websites.
- Customize and extend WooCommerce functionalities to meet specific business requirements through extensions and add-on plugins.
- Knowledge to integrate payment gateways (e.g., PayPal, Stripe) in WordPress websites using appropriate plugins.
10. Live chat integration in WordPress websites:
- Proficiency in integrating live chat functionality into WordPress websites using plugins or third-party services such as Tawk.To Live Chat
Conclusion:
- After learning about skills, you will be able to create any type of business, eCommerce, and blog website in WordPress for your business and clients.
- After learning about the above WordPress skills and things or experience in doing the above works you are best fit for learning more advanced WordPress website development skills.
- After learning the above skills, you will be able to work as a WordPress admin, WordPress Website Virtual Assistant, WordPress website designer/editor, WordPress Expert, etc.
- Even if you want do not want to build the websites of others, you can build your online businesses just with WordPress skills such as blogs, local portals, and marketplaces by using themes and monetizing the websites through display ads, affiliate products, and memberships.