I am not one to pretend that I am something that I’m not. That being said, I am a complete novice at website design and creation. Growing up, I sort of dabbled a little bit in code, mostly just learning how to make fancy text in my MySpace profile, so I’m definitely not an expert.
Prior to creating this website, I had been a blogger. I used WordPress to create quite a few blogs, actually. I always used the free versions and just had fun with creating it, never diving in deep to learning the ins and outs of web design. In my last full-time job, I worked a little bit in paid versions of WordPress, so I had a bit of an idea of the back-end of it.
Again, I had no part in the actual creation of any of these things. But, when it came time to design my own site, I knew I wanted to do it all myself. I don’t have lots of money to invest in my business, so I have to be calculated in how I spend my money. I couldn’t afford a designer, so I did it all on my own.
Web Hosting
As I said before, when I blogged in the past, I used WordPress. I had dabbled in Wix before but I felt comfortable with WordPress. So, there was no doubt in my mind that I would choose them to host my website.
Now, there are a few ways you can go with WordPress. I may be a little off here, but as far as my understanding WordPress.org allows you to be the host, the owner. WordPress.com is where you more or less allow them to be the owner, so to speak. I went with the latter.
Frankly, I didn’t understand the whole hosting thing. But, I’ve always used WordPress.com, so I wanted to stick with what I know. It’s been almost a year since I first signed up and started creating and I have absolutely no complaints. This option worked best for me and I’m very happy with my choice.
I find WordPress to be extremely user-friendly. It’s easy to navigate and figure out how to make all the facets of your website tic. For someone who really doesn’t understand the back-end of websites, WordPress makes it extremely easy to learn.
Website Creation Tutorial
I knew where I wanted to host my site, but creating each and every page was completely new to me. Prior to this, I would just throw a template in and have at it. I knew I needed more than that.
So, where do you go when you need a tutorial? YouTube. I discovered Tyler Moore and his video called How To Make a WordPress Website – In 24 Easy Steps. Tyler made it so easy to follow along with him and figure out exactly what to do to create my website.
Seriously, this guy is awesome. His tutorial helped me go from start to finish in creating my website. He was easy to follow along with and extremely descriptive.
Tyler also created templates (more on that later) you can use to add to your website to build each page. His site has tons of options and can help you get started in creating each section on your website. Whenever I create new pages, I check out his templates for help.
I can’t say enough about how helpful his video was. I spent hours creating my website, going through each section of his tutorial, and succeeding. Huge thank you to Tyler for creating this video and helping me out for free.
WordPress Templates
Through Tyler, I learned about Elementor, a plugin for WordPress with templates to build each of your pages. Elementor made it super easy to design each of pages exactly how I want them.
While there is a free version of Elementor, I chose to splurge on the pro version, as it offers more features to make my website look professional.
When designing each of my pages, I use Elementor to create them. The plugin is super easy to navigate and I’m able to customize everything how I want it. You can create your own templates, use theirs, or download ones you find online (I used a lot of the ones Tyler offers).
Social Sharing
If you have a blog or a website, you want to make it as easy as possible to share your content while at the same time being in control of how it’s shared. I worked with a client in the past who used the Social Warfare plugin, so since I was already familiar and comfortable with it, that’s what I chose to use as well.
With Social Warfare, I’m able to upload images compatible with each social network my content can be shared on as well as craft a meaningful description that will be shown online. This ensures that when someone decides to share my content, potential visitors and readers get the information I want them to have. No need to worry about wonky pictures or lackluster descriptions.
Setting up the plugin is easy and it’s well worth the small rate you pay for it. As I said, it ensures you have control over how content is shared online.
Stock Photos
Having a specific, cohesive design on my website is very important to me. Not only do I want my website to look professional, but I also want it to reflect who I am as an individual and a brand.
On my headers and blog posts, you’ll find images that cohesively match each other. Where did I find these images? Creative Market.
Creative Market has been a true Godsend to me when creating my website. The packages of images I bought resonates well with my theme and has been instrumental in creating a gorgeous vision on my site.
There are tons of ways you can use Creative Market. Aside from finding images that match your branding, you can also find unique fonts to use. It’s a great tool to have in your arsenal to provide a unique look for your website.
You Can Do It!
If you want to create your website all on your own without much design knowledge, believe me, you can do it. There’s something really special about being in control of the content you put out online.
I hope these tools are helpful to you because they’ve been more useful to me than I can express. If you need some help in getting started, shoot me an email! I’d be happy to help you along the way.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. I would never attach my name to something that I do not believe in or support, so rest assured I will only promote products and companies that I personally use and trust in. If you have any questions or need guidance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
