Aden Clark
Introduction
The video above reveals the simple process I use to build WordPress websites for any type of business and you don’t need to be a coding genius, expert web designer or have a massive budget to build an amazing website.
Believe it or not, Hosting Spy (the website you are reading right now) cost less than £100 to build and the websites I show you to build in the video cost you nothing but the domain and hosting fee.
If you feel overwhelmed at the thought of building a website yourself then you must watch this video, as I promise you that once you realise how easy it is, you’ll have the confidence to make it happen.
Below you will find a little more information about the video and will give you a better idea of why its best to use the free versions of the software featured in the video if you are building your own website for the first time.
Domain Name & Web Hosting
Before you can start building your website, you’ll need to register a domain name and order web hosting that are both connected together so your website can be found online when people visit your domain name.
Think of your domain name as the address to your house. Without the address no one will be able to find your house and without a domain name no one will be able to find your website.
Think of your web hosting as the land you would have to buy if you wanted to build a house. Without the land you would not be able to build a house and without web hosting you cannot build a website.
If your business is based in the UK then there is only one web hosting company you should be dealing with and they are called Krystal Hosting. This service performs better than any other service I have tested.
Krystal Web Hosting
This is the exact company I use to host all my own websites and is the same company I use throughout the tutorial, so it would make it easier if you use the same, although it’s not required if you already have hosting and know how to install WordPress on your domain.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a powerful and popular open-source content management system (CMS) used for building and managing websites.
It was first launched in 2003 as a blogging platform but has since evolved into a full-fledged website builder, powering over 40% of all websites on the internet.
One of the reasons for WordPress’s widespread popularity is its ease of use. It has a user-friendly interface and a straightforward design, making it accessible to individuals and small businesses with little to no technical expertise.
With WordPress, you can create a variety of websites, from business websites, personal blogs to e-commerce sites and portfolios.
In addition to its ease of use, WordPress is also highly customisable. With thousands of plugins and themes available, users can enhance their website’s functionality and design to meet their specific needs.
Themes determine the overall look and feel of a website, can be easily changed to update its appearance and there are literally 1000’s of free and premium WordPress themes to choose from.
Plugins provide additional features and functions, such as contact forms, social media integration, online bookings, online payments and security measures.
Another advantage of WordPress is its flexibility as it can be used to build websites of varying sizes and complexity, and it can scale to accommodate growing needs.
It’s also compatible with a wide range of hosting services, making it easy to find a hosting provider that fits your budget and performance needs.
Finally, WordPress is a search engine optimized (SEO) platform as it has built-in features that help improve a website’s visibility in search engines, such as customisable permalinks, meta descriptions, and header tags.
It also integrates well with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO, making it easier for users to optimize their website for search engines.
Why choose WordPress?
User-friendly: WordPress has a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for individuals and small businesses to create and manage their own website without technical expertise.
Customizable: With thousands of themes and plugins available, WordPress allows you to customize the look and functionality of your website to meet your specific needs.
SEO-friendly: WordPress has built-in SEO features, and it integrates well with popular SEO plugins, making it easier to improve your website’s visibility in search engines.
Responsive design: Many WordPress themes are designed to be mobile-friendly, ensuring that your website looks great and works well on all devices.
Secure: WordPress is regularly updated to fix security vulnerabilities and improve its security features, and there are many plugins available to help secure your website.
Cost-effective: WordPress is free to use, and many plugins and themes are also free. This makes it a cost-effective option for building and managing a website.
Scalable: WordPress can be used to build websites of varying sizes and complexity, and it can scale to accommodate growing needs.
Widely supported: WordPress has a large community of users and developers, making it easy to find support and resources when you need help.
Integration with other platforms: WordPress integrates well with other platforms, such as social media networks, e-commerce platforms, and email marketing tools.
Accessible: WordPress is designed to be accessible to users with disabilities, ensuring that your website is accessible to as many people as possible.
In conclusion, WordPress is a versatile, easy-to-use, and customisable platform that offers a wide range of features and functions. Its popularity and widespread use make it an excellent choice for individuals and businesses looking to build and manage a website.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced web developer, WordPress is a platform that has something to offer and gives you the power to build a website for any purpose without needing an expert.
What is Elementor?
Elementor is a popular page builder plugin for WordPress that allows users to create custom, professional-looking websites without writing any code.
It was first launched in 2016 and has since become one of the most popular page builders on the market, with over 5 million active installs.
One of the standout features of Elementor is its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. Users can add, arrange, and customize elements on a page simply by dragging and dropping them into place.
This makes it easy to create custom layouts and designs, even for users with little to no technical expertise.
In addition to its drag-and-drop interface, Elementor offers a wide range of pre-designed templates and blocks that can be easily imported and customized. This can save a lot of time for users who want to create a professional-looking website quickly.
Elementor also offers a range of advanced design features, such as animation, parallax scrolling, and custom CSS. These features allow users to create dynamic, interactive websites that stand out from the crowd.
One of the biggest advantages of Elementor is its integration with WordPress. It works seamlessly with the platform, allowing users to create custom pages and templates while still taking advantage of all the features and functions of WordPress.
Another advantage of Elementor is its affordability. While there is a paid version of the plugin with more advanced features, the free version provides more than enough functionality for many users.
Finally, Elementor has a large community of users and developers, making it easy to find support and resources when you need help.
The plugin is regularly updated to fix bugs and improve its functionality, ensuring that it continues to work well with the latest version of WordPress.
Why choose Elementor?
User-friendly: Elementor’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for individuals and small businesses to create and manage their own website without technical expertise.
Customizable: With a wide range of pre-designed templates and blocks, Elementor allows you to customize the look and functionality of your website to meet your specific needs.
Responsive design: Elementor’s templates and blocks are designed to be mobile-friendly, ensuring that your website looks great and works well on all devices.
Time-saving: With pre-designed templates and blocks, Elementor can save you time compared to building a website from scratch.
Advanced design features: Elementor offers advanced design features, such as animation, parallax scrolling, and custom CSS, allowing you to create dynamic, interactive websites.
Seamless WordPress integration: Elementor integrates seamlessly with WordPress, allowing you to take advantage of all the features and functions of the platform.
Affordable: While there is a paid version of Elementor with more advanced features, the free version provides more than enough functionality for many users.
Regular updates: Elementor is regularly updated to fix bugs and improve its functionality, ensuring that it continues to work well with the latest version of WordPress.
In conclusion, Elementor is a powerful and user-friendly page builder plugin for WordPress that offers a wide range of features and functions.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced web developer, Elementor is a great choice for creating custom, professional-looking websites.
Astra WordPress Theme.
In the digital age, a strong online presence is paramount for businesses to thrive. However, not all business owners are tech-savvy or possess website building experience.
This is where the Astra WordPress theme comes into play. Astra, renowned for its versatility and user-friendliness, offers a tailored solution for business owners who want to build their websites without any prior experience.
In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the reasons why Astra stands out as the best option for such business owners.
We will explore its beginner-friendly features, the ease of website creation using its starter templates, and the seamless integration with the Elementor page builder.
Astra’s Appeal to Beginners.
The primary reason Astra has gained popularity among beginners is its simplicity and intuitive design.
For business owners with limited technical knowledge, navigating the complexities of website building can be daunting. Astra addresses this concern by offering a user-friendly interface that is easy to comprehend and navigate.
Upon installation, Astra provides a setup wizard that guides users through the initial steps of customizing their website.
This wizard ensures that even those without any website building experience can select a suitable design, customize colors, fonts, and layout, and get their website up and running within minutes.
Starter Templates.
One of Astra’s standout features is its collection of starter templates. These templates cover a wide range of industries and design aesthetics, providing business owners with a variety of options to choose from.
These templates are pre-designed layouts that include everything from headers and footers to content sections. For business owners who want to hit the ground running, these starter templates offer an invaluable advantage.
Instead of starting from scratch, you can choose a template that aligns with your business’s identity and customize it to your liking.
This approach significantly reduces the learning curve and time investment required to create a polished website.
Elementor Integration.
Elementor, a popular page builder plugin for WordPress, seamlessly integrates with the Astra theme, enhancing the website building experience further.
This integration brings a visual drag-and-drop interface to the table, allowing users to design their websites by simply dragging and dropping elements onto the canvas.
The combination of Astra and Elementor creates a dynamic duo for business owners with no website building experience.
Elementor’s intuitive controls enable users to add and rearrange elements, customize colors and typography, and experiment with different layouts—all without any coding knowledge.
The real-time preview feature ensures that changes can be seen immediately, providing a true “what you see is what you get” experience.
Simple Website Creation Process.
Let’s walk through the step-by-step process of creating a website using Astra’s starter templates and Elementor page builder:
Step 1: Installation and Setup:
Upon installing the Astra theme, you are guided through a setup wizard that helps you select a starter template. These templates are thoughtfully designed to cater to various business types, ensuring a seamless alignment between design and business identity.
Step 2: Customization:
Once a template is chosen, customization begins. With Astra’s intuitive customization options, you can easily modify colors, fonts, and layout.
Elementor’s visual editor empowers you to add and rearrange content elements, such as text, images, videos, buttons, and more.
You can also personalize each element’s properties, such as size, spacing, and alignment.
Step 3: Adding Content:
Business owners can create and organize pages using Elementor’s sections and columns. Adding new sections or duplicating existing ones is a breeze.
This is where business-specific content is added, such as about us, services, products, testimonials, and contact information.
Step 4: Fine-Tuning and Mobile Responsiveness:
Astra’s dedication to responsive design ensures that the website looks and functions seamlessly across different devices and screen sizes.
With Elementor’s responsive editing mode, you can make adjustments to ensure that your website maintains its appeal on smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Step 5: Preview and Publishing:
Astra’s real-time preview feature allows you to see exactly how your website will appear to visitors. Once satisfied with the design and content, you can publish your website with a few clicks.
Final Thoughts On Astra.
The Astra WordPress theme has earned its reputation as the best option for business owners who want to build their own websites without any prior experience.
Its user-friendly interface, extensive collection of starter templates, and seamless integration with the Elementor page builder make it a powerhouse of website creation.
Through its intuitive customization options and visual design controls, Astra empowers beginners to create professional-looking websites that align with their business identity.
With Astra, business owners no longer need to rely on expensive web development services—instead, they can confidently take charge of their online presence and create a website that makes an impact.
