Welcome to the ultimate step-by-step guide on how to make a website in 2025—no technical skills or coding required. Whether you’re looking to start a blog, create a business site, build an online store, or just make a personal portfolio, you’re in the right place.

Today, owning a website is as essential as having a social media presence. Whether you’re a small business owner, a freelancer, a student, or someone with a creative idea, a website can help you showcase your skills, sell your services or products, and reach a global audience.

The best part? You don’t need to hire an expensive developer or learn programming languages. With WordPress, affordable web hosting, and this guide—you’ll be up and running in no time.

BONUS: I’ll be recommending an affordable and beginner-friendly hosting company that gives you a FREE domain, 1-click WordPress install, and 24/7 support.
👉 Get Hosting + Free Domain Here (Special Discount)

In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through every step of building a professional website, from choosing a domain to launching your site and customizing it for SEO, speed, and conversions.

What You’ll Learn in This Guide:

• How to pick the best domain name
• How to choose reliable web hosting
• How to install and use WordPress
• How to design and customize your site
• How to write content and add pages
• How to improve your website’s SEO performance
• How to launch your site successfully
• How to make money from your website

Who Is This Guide For?

This tutorial is ideal for:

> Beginners with zero technical background

> Freelancers & bloggers

> Small business owners

> Coaches or consultants

> Creatives and portfolio-builders

> Anyone who wants to build a website that works

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully functional and professional-looking website that you own and control.

Let’s begin!

Step 1: WordPress vs Other Platforms: How to Choose the Right One for Your Website

Before building your website, your first step is to decide which platform you’ll use.

There are many website builders out there like:

• Wix
• Squarespace
• Shopify
• Webflow
• WordPress

So which one is best?

Short Answer: Use WordPress.
Specifically, the self-hosted WordPress.org version, not WordPress.com.

Why WordPress is the Best Choice (in 2025)

• Free & Open Source > WordPress is completely free to use and install.
• Full Control > Unlike other platforms, you 100% own your website. No platform limitations.
• SEO-Friendly > Search engines love WordPress. Achieve higher rankings easily by optimizing your site structure and using the right plugins.
• Highly Customizable > You can install thousands of free/premium themes and plugins to change the look and features of your website.
• Scalable > Whether you want a blog, business site, portfolio, or eCommerce store, WordPress can handle it.
• Community Support > Millions of tutorials, forums, and help guides are available if you get stuck.

Why You Should Avoid Free Website Builders

Many beginners get tempted to use free website builders like Wix or Weebly, but here’s why that’s a mistake:

• You don’t own your website
• You can’t fully control SEO
• Limited customization
• Can’t scale as your business grows
• It will end up costing you more over time
• Ads and branding from the website builder

With WordPress, you have complete control—just grab a domain and web hosting to launch your site.

What You’ll Need to Build a WordPress Website

• A domain name (like www.yoursite.com)
• Web hosting — This is the place where all your website files are kept.
• About 20–30 minutes to set it all up

🔗 Special Hosting Offer:
Get 70% off your first year + free domain + 1-click WordPress install:
👉 Click Here to Get Hosting Now

Next, let’s walk through how to get your domain and hosting.

Step 2: Register Your Domain & Choose Reliable Web Hosting

Now that you’ve chosen WordPress as your website platform, it’s time to get the two key things every website needs:

1. A Domain Name – This will be the web address people use to visit your site (e.g., yourwebsite.com).
2. Web Hosting – This is the directory where all of your website’s files are securely stored and accessible through the web..

Without these two, your website can’t exist.

What is a Domain Name?

Think of your domain name as the online location where visitors find you. It’s how people find you on the web.

Examples:

• how2makeawebsiet.com
• amazon.com
• yourname.com

Try to choose a domain name that is:

• Easy to remember
• Short and simple
• Brandable or keyword-focused
• Ends in .com (if possible)

Tip: Avoid numbers, dashes, and hard-to-spell words.

What is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is like renting space on the internet where your website’s files are stored. When someone enters your domain into a browser, the hosting server loads and displays your website for them.

Recommended Hosting for Beginners

I highly recommend Hostinger — it’s:

> Affordable (plans start under $3/month)
> Fast and reliable (99.9% uptime)
> Offers a free domain
> Includes 1-click WordPress install
> 24/7 live chat support
> Perfect for beginners

This site (www.how2makeawebsiet.com) is also hosted on Hostinger!

How to Buy Hosting + Domain (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Visit the Hostinger Website

👉 Click here to open Hostinger
Click the ‘Get Started’ or ‘Start Now’ button to begin.

Step 2: Choose a Hosting Plan

The Premium Web Hosting plan is perfect for beginners, offering you:

• Free domain for 1 year
• 25 websites
• Free email
• Free SSL
• Unlimited bandwidth

Click “Add to Cart” or “Select”.

Step 3: Choose the Plan Duration

You’ll get the best price by choosing the 48-month plan, but 12 or 24 months also work.

You’ll see the total cost at the bottom.

Step 4: Register Your Free Domain

During checkout, you’ll be asked to choose your free domain name.
Type your desired domain and check availability.

Pro tip: Use your brand name or a variation of your niche (e.g., myfitnesshub.com, besttoolsnow.com)

Step 5: Create Your Account

Sign up with email or Google. Very easy.

Step 6: Complete Payment

Pay with card, PayPal, or local payment methods (based on your country).

Done! You now have your domain and hosting.

Step 7: Set Up WordPress Automatically

After completing your payment, you will be automatically taken to Hostinger’s website setup wizard.

Select “Set up WordPress”

Hostinger will walk you through:

• Creating a WordPress username & password
• Choosing a theme (you can change this later)
• Installing WordPress on your domain

In just 2–3 minutes, your WordPress website will be live!

Secure Your Site with SSL (Free)

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) adds https:// to your site and shows the padlock icon in browsers.

Hostinger enables this for free by default. No action needed!

Step 3: Install and Set Up WordPress

Now that you’ve purchased your domain name and hosting, the next step is to install WordPress — the powerful platform that will run your website.

If you used Hostinger, Bluehost, or any beginner-friendly hosting provider, WordPress is already installed for you during setup.

But let’s walk through everything so you fully understand what’s going on and feel confident managing your site.

How to Log in to WordPress

After installing WordPress, you can log in anytime by going to:

www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

You’ll see a login screen. Enter the username and password you created during setup.

Bookmark this login page for future access.

WordPress Dashboard Overview

After logging in, you’ll arrive at the WordPress dashboard — your website’s main control panel.

Let’s break it down:

• Posts – Manage blog posts
• Pages – Create pages like Home, About, Contact
• Appearance – Customize the design of your site using themes, menus, and widgets
• Plugins – Add features like contact forms, SEO tools, speed optimization
• Settings – General site settings
• Media – Upload images, videos, files

Spend a few minutes clicking around. You won’t break anything, and you’ll learn fast.

Basic WordPress Settings You Must Change

Before you start designing your website, change the following key settings:

1️⃣ General Settings

Go to: Settings → General

• Site Title – This is your website’s name (e.g., “How 2 Make a Website”)
• Tagline – A short slogan or leave it blank
• Timezone – Set to your local time

Click “Save Changes”

2️⃣ Permalink Settings

Go to: Settings → Permalinks

Choose:
Post Name – This makes your URLs SEO-friendly.

Example:
https://yourdomain.com/how-to-make-a-website/

Click “Save Changes”.

3️⃣ Delete Default Content

Go to:

• Posts → All Posts – Delete the “Hello World” post
• Pages → All Pages – Delete the sample page

These are default placeholders you don’t need.

4️⃣ Set Up Your Site Language

If you’re targeting a global audience, English is fine. But if your audience is local, change it under:

Settings → General → Site Language

Create a Strong Admin Password

Go to: Users → Profile → Change your password

For maximum online security, use Strong Password Generator to create strong and secure passwords in seconds.

Check Your Site on Mobile

Most of your traffic will come from phones, so open your site on a mobile browser and see how it looks. We’ll fully optimize it in later steps.

What If You Didn’t Install WordPress Yet?

If you’re using a host other than Hostinger or Bluehost, here’s how to manually install WordPress:

cPanel WordPress Install

1. Log into your hosting dashboard
2. Find “Softaculous Apps Installer” or “WordPress Installer”
3. Click “Install”
4. Choose your domain
5. Set username, password, email
6. Click “Install” — done!

Still stuck? Contact your hosting’s support — they’ll help for free.

Congratulations!

At this point, you’ve successfully:

• Logged into WordPress
• Customized key settings
• Prepared your dashboard for building your site

Step 4: Choose & Customize a WordPress Theme

Now that your WordPress site is live and the basic settings are in place, it’s time to give your website a professional look.

This is where WordPress themes come in.

What is a WordPress Theme?

A theme controls how your website looks — its layout, colors, fonts, and overall style.

Think of it like choosing a design template that you can fully customize later.

There are thousands of free and premium themes available, and the good news is:
You don’t need any design skills or coding experience to make your site look great!

Free vs Premium Themes: What’s Better?

Feature	Free Theme	Premium Theme (e.g., Astra Pro, Kadence, Blocksy Pro)
Cost	Free	$40–$70 (one-time or annual)
Customization	Limited options	Full design freedom
Speed	Good	Excellent
Support	Community forums	Dedicated customer support
SEO Optimization	Basic	Advanced tools built-in

For most beginners, starting with a free theme is absolutely fine. You can always upgrade later.

Top Free WordPress Themes (2025)

Here are some of the best free themes to choose from:

1. Astra – Lightweight, fast, customizable
2. GeneratePress – Simple, fast, ideal for blogs
3. Kadence – Full-featured, drag-and-drop support
4. Blocksy – Built for speed and modern design
5. Neve – Business-friendly with starter templates

How to Install a WordPress Theme

1. Go to your dashboard
2. Navigate to:
   Appearance → Themes → Add New
3. Search for a theme like Astra
4. Click Install → then Activate

That’s it! Your site now uses the new theme.

Customize Your Theme (Live Preview)

To change how your theme looks, go to:
Appearance → Customize

You’ll see the WordPress Customizer, where you can:

• Add your logo
• Change colors and fonts
• Adjust header and footer
• Set homepage layout
• Modify menus and widgets

Everything you change here can be previewed live, before you hit “Publish.”

Use a Page Builder for Full Control

If you want full design freedom, use a drag-and-drop builder like:

• Elementor (recommended for beginners)
• Beaver Builder
• Kadence Blocks
• Gutenberg Block Editor (built-in)

🔄 How to Install Elementor:

• Go to: Plugins → Add New
• Search for: Elementor
• Click Install → then Activate

You can now edit any page with Elementor’s easy interface by clicking “Edit with Elementor” at the top of a page.

Create a Stunning Homepage with Elementor

Here’s a basic structure for a homepage:

• Hero Section: Large headline + short intro + call-to-action button

• About You: About You and the Services Your Website Provides

• Services/Topics: What you provide or write about

• Testimonials (optional)

• Contact or Call to Action (CTA)

Using Elementor, drag sections like:

• Image + text
• Buttons
• Icons
• Testimonials
• Pricing tables

Build stunning pages in minutes — no coding required.

Upload a Logo & Favicon

Go to: Appearance → Customize → Site Identity

• Upload your logo (Canva is great for making one)
• Add a favicon (the small icon shown in the browser tab)

Tip: Use PNG format for crisp logos and favicons.

Mobile-Friendly Design

Make sure your theme is responsive — most are by default.

Still, test your site on a phone or tablet to ensure buttons, text, and sections look good.

Elementor lets you design separately for mobile and tablet, which is a huge bonus.

Bonus: Use Starter Templates (1-Click Website Layouts)

Some themes like Astra, Neve, and Kadence offer ready-made website templates you can import.

Example:

1. Install Astra Theme
2. Install Starter Templates Plugin
3. Choose a layout like “Blog”, “Business”, or “Portfolio”
4. Import it in 1 click — done!

Add your own text and images, then publish with ease

Changing Your Theme Later?

You can change your theme anytime. WordPress will keep your content safe (posts, pages, images). Some design settings may need to be reconfigured.

Step 5: Install Essential WordPress Plugins

Plugins make WordPress incredibly powerful and flexible.

They let you add powerful features to your website without needing to code.

Want a contact form? Use a plugin.
Want SEO optimization? Use a plugin.
Need a backup system? Plugin!

Let’s go through what plugins are, how to install them, and which ones are essential for every new website.

What Is a Plugin?

A plugin is like an app that adds new features to your WordPress site.It helps expand your website’s functionality by adding valuable features, such as:

• Forms
• Sliders
• SEO tools
• Speed boosters
• Security measures

WordPress has over 60,000 free plugins available in its official directory.

How to Install a Plugin

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to:
   Plugins → Add New
2. Use the search bar to quickly find the plugin you need
3. Click Install Now
4. Then click Activate

That’s it! The plugin is now live.

Must-Have WordPress Plugins for Beginners (2025)

Below is a list of 10 essential plugins you should consider installing immediately.

1️⃣ Rank Math SEO (or Yoast SEO)

👉 Helps optimize your site for search engines.

• Adds meta titles and descriptions
• Generates sitemaps
• Analyzes SEO for each post
• Helps rank your content on Google

🔍 Install: Rank Math

2️⃣ WPForms Lite

👉 Easy drag-and-drop form builder.

• Create contact forms in minutes
• No coding required
• Add to any page with a shortcode

🔍 Install: WPForms

3️⃣ Elementor

👉 Comes with a drag-and-drop page builder — you may already be using it.

• Design beautiful pages with zero code
• Add buttons, images, testimonials, pricing tables, etc.

🔍 Install: Elementor

4️⃣ UpdraftPlus

👉 Backup your site in case anything breaks.

• Schedule automatic backups
• Save backups to Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
• Restore your site in one click

🔍 Install: UpdraftPlus

5️⃣ LiteSpeed Cache (if using Hostinger)

👉 Makes your website load faster.

• Compresses images
• Enables caching
• Boosts mobile speed

🔍 Install: LiteSpeed Cache

💡 If you’re not using Hostinger, use WP Fastest Cache or W3 Total Cache

6️⃣ Wordfence Security

👉 Protects your website from hackers.

• Firewall + malware scanner
• Login attempt monitoring
• Email alerts for suspicious activity

🔍 Install: Wordfence

7️⃣ Akismet Anti-Spam

👉 Stops spam comments.

• Filters out bots and spam submissions
• Especially useful if you have a blog

🔍 Install: Akismet Anti-Spam

8️⃣ SiteGround Optimizer (if using SiteGround hosting)

👉 Built-in speed and performance plugin for SiteGround users.

• Optimize images
• Enable CDN
• Cache settings

(Use only if hosted on SiteGround)

9️⃣ Pretty Links

👉 Converts lengthy affiliate links into concise, branded URLs.

Example:
🔗 yourdomain.com/go/bluehost

Perfect for tracking clicks on your hosting affiliate links.

🔍 Install: Pretty Links

🔟 Insert Headers and Footers

👉 Easily integrate Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or custom code snippets.

• No need to edit theme files
• Great for adding tracking scripts

🔍 Install: Insert Headers and Footers

Important Plugin Tips:

• Don’t install too many plugins.
  10–15 is ideal. More can slow down your site.
• Only install plugins with strong reviews and many active users.
• Keep plugins updated regularly for security and performance.
• Deactivate or delete plugins you’re not using.

How to Manage Plugins

Go to:
Plugins → Installed Plugins

Here you can:

• Activate / Deactivate
• Delete unwanted plugins
• Update with one click

Step 6: Create Important Pages

Your website is now functional, secure, and optimized — but it’s not complete without core pages that make it useful, professional, and trustworthy.

These essential pages help users navigate, learn about your brand, and get in touch with you. They also assist Google in better understanding your site, which can boost your SEO.

Top 5 Pages Every Website Should Include

• Home Page

• About Page

• Contact Page

• Blog Page (if publishing content)

• Privacy Policy & Terms of Service (for transparency and legal compliance)

Let’s break each of these down.

1. Home Page (Your Website’s Front Door)

Your homepage sets the tone for your entire site. It should quickly explain your website’s purpose and direct users toward your primary call to action.

What to include on your home page:

• Hero section: A big headline + short intro + call to action (CTA)
• What you do or offer (briefly)
• Features or services (icons/sections)
• Testimonials or trust elements
• Email opt-in (optional)
• Clear navigation to other pages

2. About Page

An About page builds trust by showing visitors who’s behind the website.

What to include:

• Your story or mission
• Why you started this site
• Who it helps (target audience)
• A personal photo (optional)
• Call to action (CTA) at the end

3. Contact Page

A must-have for all websites — helps users, clients, or potential partners get in touch.

What to include:

• Simple contact form (use WPForms)
• Your email address (optional)
• Links to your social media
• Google Map (for businesses)

💡 Use WPForms to add a contact form:

• Go to: WPForms → Add New

• Choose “Simple Contact Form”

• Customize fields if needed

• Copy the shortcode

• Paste it inside your “Contact” page

4. Blog Page (Dynamic Content Hub)

If you plan to publish blog posts (which is great for SEO), set up a blog page.

How to do it:

• Go to: Pages → Add New → Title it “Blog”
• Publish it (leave blank)
• Go to: Settings → Reading
• Under Posts Page, select “Blog”

Now WordPress knows where to show your future posts.

5. Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions Pages

These are required by law (especially if collecting emails or showing ads).

How to create:

• Go to: Settings → Privacy
• Click Create a New Page
• Edit the template if needed
• Publish

You can also use free generators like PrivacyPolicies.com.

Other helpful legal pages:

• Disclaimer (if using affiliate links)
• Cookies Policy

How to Create Any Page in WordPress

1. Go to: Pages → Add New
2. Enter your page title (e.g., “About”)
3. Add your content using:
   > Gutenberg blocks (headings, paragraphs, images)
   > Or click ‘Edit with Elementor’ to unlock full design control.
4. Click Publish

Repeat this for each page.

Set a Static Home Page (Important!)

By default, WordPress shows your latest blog posts on the homepage — but you probably want to show a custom designed home page instead.

How to do it:

1. Go to: Pages → Add New → Title it “Home”
2. Design it using Elementor or blocks
3. Go to: Settings → Reading
4. Set:
   > Homepage → Home
   > Posts page → Blog

Click Save Changes.

Done! Now your homepage is your custom welcome page.

Add Pages to Your Navigation Menu

After creating your pages, add them to the top menu.

1. Go to: Appearance → Menus
2. Create a new menu (e.g., “Main Menu”)
3. Add pages like Home, About, Contact, Blog
4. Set it to display in the Primary Location
5. Click Save Menu

Now visitors can easily navigate your site!

Pro Tips:

• Keep your text clear and beginner-friendly
• Use high-quality images (optimize with TinyPNG)
• Enhance readability using bullet points, clear subheadings, and relevant icons
• Conclude every page with a clear and compelling call to action (CTA)

Step 6: Website Design Tips for Beginners

You’ve built your site, installed a theme, added key pages — now let’s make it look amazing!

Website design isn’t just about beauty. A good design:

• Builds trust
• Improves user experience
• Keeps visitors on your site longer
• Encourages people to take action (like buying or signing up)

Here are simple but powerful design tips anyone can follow — even if you have zero design experience.

1. Use a Clean & Simple Layout

Don’t try to impress with flashy animations or overly complicated designs. Visitors want clarity.

• Stick to a simple layout
• Leave white space between sections
• Make your headings stand out
• Keep it mobile-friendly

Bad Example:
The homepage appears cluttered with excessive fonts, colors, and design elements.

Good Example:
Clear sections with space, one font family, and a clear CTA

2. Stick to 2–3 Colors Only

Too many colors look unprofessional.

Use your brand’s primary and secondary colors, paired with a clean, neutral background such as white or light gray.

You can use tools like Coolors.co to find matching color palettes.

Tip: If you use Elementor, you can set your brand colors under:
Site Settings → Global Colors

3. Use One or Two Fonts

Too many fonts = design disaster.

• Use one font for headings (e.g., Poppins, Lato, Montserrat)
• One font for body text (e.g., Open Sans, Roboto)

Elementor allows you to set global fonts under:
Site Settings → Global Fonts

4. Use High-Quality, Optimized Images

Images matter. Use relevant, crisp images that match your content.

Free high-quality image sites:

1. Pexels.com
2. Unsplash.com
3. Pixabay.com

Before uploading, compress your images with TinyPNG to improve speed.

5. Design for Mobile First

Since mobile users drive over 60% of web traffic, optimizing for small screens is key to ranking and retaining visitors.

To preview mobile version in Elementor:

1. Click the “Responsive Mode” icon
2. Switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile
3. Adjust padding, text size, and spacing as needed

💡 Tip: Avoid large paragraphs and make buttons big enough to tap easily on phones.

6. Use Section-Based Layouts

Structure your pages in clear sections, such as:

• Header → Intro
• About Section → Short bio
• Services or Offers
• Testimonials
• Contact / CTA

With Elementor, you can simply drag and drop to add new sections, columns, and widgets—no coding needed

7. Add a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

What do you want visitors to do?

• Sign up?
• Click your affiliate link?
• Contact you?

Use buttons with short, strong CTAs like:

• “Start Your Website Today”
• “Get Hosting + Free Domain”
• “Contact Me for Help”

Place them on the homepage, at the end of pages, and inside blog posts.

8. Use Consistent Button Styles

Ensure all buttons share a consistent design, including color, size, and font. This gives your site a professional feel.

In Elementor, set your button styles under:
Site Settings → Buttons

9. Use Trust Elements

Make your site look safe and credible.

• Add an SSL certificate (Hostinger provides this for free)
• Use a professional-looking logo
• Showcase testimonials or brand logos from your previous clients
• Include privacy/legal pages in your footer

10. Avoid These Common Design Mistakes

• Using too many colors or fonts

• Writing large blocks of text

• Not checking how it looks on mobile

• No clear CTA

• Using blurry or stretched images

• Slow loading time due to uncompressed media

Bonus: Test Your Site with Real People

Request feedback from friends or family by inviting them to explore your website.

• Is anything confusing?
• Is it easy to read?
• Does the design look trustworthy?
• Do they know what action to take?

Small tweaks can make a big difference.

Your site should now look beautiful, load quickly, and guide visitors toward action.

Step 7: SEO Optimization – How to Rank Your Website on Google

You’ve built a beautiful site — but none of that matters if no one finds it. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in.

With proper SEO, your website can appear on Google’s first page, attracting free, targeted traffic every day — without ads.

Let’s walk through simple, proven SEO steps to make your website search-engine friendly and optimized for top rankings.

What Is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving your site so it shows up higher in Google results when people search for keywords related to your niche.

For example:

If someone searches:
“How to make a website”,
You want YOUR site (how2makeawebsiet.com) to show up at the top.

SEO Setup Checklist:

• Install a WordPress SEO Plugin

• Optimize Your Site Title and Meta Description

• Research Keywords with High Potential

• Add Keywords Naturally to Your Content

• Use Internal Linking

• Write SEO-Friendly URLs

• Submit Your Website to Google Search Console

• Create and Submit a Sitemap

• Optimize for Speed and Mobile

• Track Your Performance

Let’s go through each of these.

1️⃣ Install an SEO Plugin (Rank Math)

We’ll use Rank Math, the most powerful and beginner-friendly SEO plugin.

How to Install Rank Math:

• Go to: Plugins → Add New
• Search for: Rank Math SEO
• Click Install, then Activate

Set it up:

Use the Setup Wizard

• Connect a free Rank Math account
• Choose your site type (e.g., Personal Blog or Small Business)
• Enter your site name, logo, and social profiles
• Enable recommended SEO options

Done! You now have SEO tools built into every post and page.

2️⃣ Optimize Title Tag + Meta Description

Your title tag and meta description are what people see on Google’s search results. They must be clear, click-worthy, and keyword-rich.

Example:

Title: How to Make a Website in 2025 – Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide
Meta Description: Build a stunning professional website from scratch—in just 1 hour Easy, beginner-friendly guide with hosting, design, and SEO tips.

In Rank Math, scroll down when editing a page or post → customize the SEO title and meta description.

3️⃣ Do Keyword Research

Find keywords (phrases people type in Google) that you can rank for.

Use free tools:

• Ubersuggest
• Google Keyword Planner
• AnswerThePublic

Look for:

• Keywords with high search volume
• Low to medium SEO difficulty
• Clear search intent (e.g., “how to start a blog”)

✅ Create content around those keywords.

4️⃣ Add Keywords Naturally

Don’t stuff keywords. Use them naturally in:

• Page/post title
• First 100 words
• Subheadings (H2, H3)
• Image file names and alt text
• URL slug
• Meta description
• Throughout the content

Focus on readability first, then SEO.

5️⃣ Use Internal Linking

Add internal links to related posts or pages within your website. This helps:

• Google crawl your site faster
• Distribute ranking power
• Reduce bounce rate
• Increase time on site

6️⃣ Write SEO-Friendly URLs

Keep your page URLs short, readable, and keyword-rich.

Bad URL:
www.how2makeawebsiet.com/post?id=123

Good URL:
www.how2makeawebsiet.com/start-a-website-guide

To change URL (slug), go to the post or page editor → Permalink section.

7️⃣ Submit Your Site to Google Search Console

Google Search Console helps Google find your website faster and lets you track your rankings.

Steps:

1. Go to: https://search.google.com/search-console
2. Click Start Now → Log in with Gmail
3. Add a new property (your domain)
4. Choose “Domain” or “URL Prefix”
5. Verify ownership (via DNS record or HTML tag)

Done! Now you can see how your site performs on Google.

8️⃣ Create and Submit a Sitemap

A sitemap helps Google crawl all your pages.

Rank Math creates a sitemap automatically:

• Go to: Rank Math → Sitemap Settings
• Copy your sitemap URL (usually yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml)
• Go to: Google Search Console → Sitemaps
• Paste your sitemap URL and submit

Now Google will track your entire site for indexing.

9️⃣ Optimize Website Speed and Mobile

Google rewards fast-loading, mobile-friendly websites.

Tips for speed:

• Use lightweight themes (like Astra)
• Compress images using TinyPNG
• Install a caching plugin (e.g., WP Super Cache)
• Avoid too many plugins

For mobile:

• Use Elementor’s responsive editor
• Make sure buttons, text, and images scale properly
• Test with Mobile-Friendly Test 

🔟 Track SEO Performance

Use Google Search Console and Google Analytics to monitor how your site performs and how visitors interact with it

• Which pages get the most traffic
• Which keywords you rank for
• Click-through rates
• Bounce rate and session duration

Check these regularly and update your pages accordingly.

Step 8: How to Monetize Your Website

You’ve built your website, made it look amazing, and optimized it for SEO. Now it’s time to turn your website into a source of income.

Whether your goal is to earn a few hundred dollars a month or build a full-time income, this guide will walk you through the best monetization methods — especially affiliate marketing (where you’ll add your hosting affiliate links).

1. Affiliate Marketing (Best for Beginners)

Affiliate marketing involves promoting someone else’s products and earning a commission for each sale made through your unique referral link.

Why It’s Perfect for Beginners:

• No need to create your own product
• No customer service required
• You can start immediately
• Passive income potential

How It Works:

1. You join an affiliate program (like Hostinger or Bluehost)
2. You get your unique affiliate link
3. You insert this link into your blog post
4. A commission is earned each time a user clicks your link and successfully makes a purchase.

Join These Popular Web Hosting Affiliate Programs:

Company	Commission per Sale	Notes
Hostinger	Up to $60+ per sale	Fast payouts, great for beginners
Bluehost	$65–$130 per sale	Well known and beginner-friendly
Namecheap	35–50% commission	Great for domains and SSLs

💬 You can sign up for the Hostinger Affiliate Program here:
https://www.hostinger.com/affiliates

Once approved, they’ll give you your affiliate dashboard where you can track clicks and earnings.

📍 Where to Place Your Affiliate Links:

1: Top of your homepage:
“Start your website with Hostinger – Get 75% Off + Free Domain!”
(Use a bold button)

2: Inside blog posts:

“We recommend Hostinger for beginners – It’s cost-effective, dependable, and user-friendly.”

3: Call-to-action (CTA) buttons:

✅ Get Hosting + Free Domain (Click Here)

4: Comparison tables:

Hosting	Features	Starting Price	Link
Hostinger	Free SSL, 24/7 Support	$2.99/mo	Join Now

5: End of articles:

“Ready to start your website? Click here to get Hostinger hosting + domain.”

Use disclosure somewhere like:

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a commission if you click and make a purchase—at zero cost to you. Thank you for your support!

2. Display Ads with Google AdSense

Once you have some traffic, you can apply for Google AdSense — it lets you earn money just by displaying ads.

How it works:

• Google places ads on your site
• You earn money when visitors view or click them
• Earnings increase as traffic grows

You’ll need at least 10–15 quality posts and steady traffic to get approved.

Alternatives to AdSense:

• Ezoic (min. 10,000 visits/month)
• Mediavine (50,000 sessions/month)

3. Offer Your Services

If you know how to:

• Make websites
• Set up WordPress
• Design logos
• Write content

You can sell services directly through your website.

Add a “Hire Me” Page:

Include:

• What you offer
• Portfolio or past work
• Pricing (optional)
• Contact form or WhatsApp button

Example: “Need help setting up your website? Click here to work with me”

4. Sell Digital Products

Once you build an audience, you can sell:

• Ebooks (e.g., “Ultimate WordPress Starter Guide”)
• Templates (e.g., Canva templates, website templates)
• Online courses or tutorials
• Web design packages

Use platforms like:

• Gumroad
• WooCommerce
• Payhip

Turn your blog traffic and email list into a steady stream of passive sales.

5. Build an Email List

Email is still one of the highest-converting tools.

Why you need it:

• Stay in touch with visitors
• Promote affiliate products
• Announce new content or offers

Tools to start with:

• • Mailchimp (free up to 500 subscribers)
  • Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

• MailerLite

Embed forms using Elementor or pop-ups.

6. Use YouTube + Website Together

You already plan to create informative YouTube tutorials. This is a killer combo!

• Link from YouTube → Your website
• Add affiliate links under your YouTube videos
• Capture traffic from both Google + YouTube

YouTube can drive hundreds of visitors per day to your blog — FREE.

Tools That Help You Make More Money

Tool	Purpose
Rank Math	SEO & Google rankings
Pretty Links	Mask your long affiliate links
Elementor	Design high-converting pages
Canva Pro	Make graphics, thumbnails, templates
ChatGPT	Write blog posts, email content, scripts
Hostinger	Hosting + Free domain (affiliate product)

Smart Monetization Tips:

Always recommend products you trust

• Use comparison posts (e.g., Hostinger vs Bluehost)
• Include step-by-step tutorials on how to use each recommended tool.
• Mention your affiliate link in multiple places
• Use heatmaps (like Hotjar) to see what people click on

Step 9: Website Maintenance – Keep Your Site Secure, Fast, and Updated

Launching your website is just the beginning. To ensure it stays live, fast, secure, and ranking well, you need to do regular maintenance.

Don’t worry — it’s not technical or hard. It’s all about knowing what to check and when. This step will guide you through how to maintain your WordPress website like a pro.

1. Keep WordPress, Plugins & Themes Updated

WordPress is always releasing new updates to fix bugs and security issues. Keeping your site updated is the first line of defense.

✅ Update regularly:

• WordPress Core
• Plugins
• Themes

🔔Log in each week to check your dashboard for updates.

In WordPress:
Dashboard → Updates

Turn on auto-updates for trusted plugins/themes when possible.

2. Install a Security Plugin

Hackers target outdated or unprotected WordPress sites. A good security plugin can prevent most threats.

Top Free Security Plugins:

• Wordfence Security

• iThemes Security

• All-In-One WP Security & Firewall

These plugins protect your login area, scan for malware, and block suspicious IPs.

Extra Tips:

• Use strong passwords (use a password manager like Bitwarden or LastPass)
• Limit login attempts
• Avoid using “admin” as your username

3. Speed Up Your Website

Website speed directly affects:

• User experience
• SEO rankings
• Conversion rates

Ways to speed up your site:

1: Use a caching plugin:

• WP Fastest Cache (easy for beginners)
• LiteSpeed Cache (best if using Hostinger or LiteSpeed server)

2: Compress images:

• Use TinyPNG before uploading
• Or install Smush or ShortPixel plugin

3: Use a CDN:

• Hostinger provides free CDN
• Or connect your site to Cloudflare

4: Keep plugins minimal:

• Only install the plugins you need
• Delete inactive or unused ones

5: Use a lightweight theme:

• Astra, GeneratePress, or Hello (Elementor)

4. Back Up Your Website Regularly

Mistakes happen — updates fail, hacks occur, or you might delete something by accident.

Having regular backups gives you peace of mind.

Free backup plugins:

• • UpdraftPlus (most popular)

• Jetpack Backup

• All-in-One WP Migration (great for full-site export)

With UpdraftPlus, it’s easy to set up weekly automatic backups that go straight to:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• OneDrive

✅ Tip: Always create a full backup before performing major updates.

5. Monitor Website Performance & Traffic

Use tools to track how your site performs and who visits it.

Must-Have Tools:

• Google Analytics: Track traffic, popular pages, visitor locations
• Google Search Console: Monitor rankings and resolve SEO problems
• UptimeRobot: Free tool to monitor if your site ever goes down

✅ Set them up once and monitor monthly.

6. Clean Up Unused Files and Spam

Over time, WordPress can get messy. Cleanups help speed and security.

✅ Monthly Tasks:

• Delete spam comments
• Remove unused themes & plugins
• Clean your media library
• Empty the trash

Use these plugins to help:

• WP-Optimize

• Advanced Database Cleaner

• Akismet (for spam comment filtering)

7. Test Your Website Every Month

Make sure everything works as expected.

✅ Test:

• Contact forms
• Affiliate links
• Checkout or service pages
• Buttons and menu links
• Mobile responsiveness
• Use multiple devices and browsers occasionally to ensure proper display.

8. Update Content Regularly

Google loves fresh content.

• Update older blog posts with new info
• Add new internal links
• Fix broken links
• Keep tutorials and pricing info up-to-date

You can update your homepage every few months to reflect:

• New affiliate offers
• Fresh testimonials
• New services or blog posts

9. Run a Monthly Maintenance Checklist

Here’s a simple monthly maintenance checklist:

Tasks:

> Backup website

> Update WordPress, plugins, themes

> Run malware scan

> Test contact forms & links

> Clean up spam & drafts

> Check website speed

> Review analytics & traffic

> Refresh homepage if needed

You can even create a Google Sheet or Notion template to track this.

10. Secure Your Site with SSL & HTTPS

If you’ve followed earlier steps, you already have SSL installed (most hosts like Hostinger do this automatically).

To double-check:

• Visit your site — it should show a 🔒 lock
• Your URL should start with https://

If not, consider installing a plugin such as Really Simple SSL to resolve the issue.

Final Words: You’re Now Ready to Launch, Rank & Earn!

Congratulations! 🎊

You’ve built a fully functional, SEO-friendly, money-making website from scratch — all from one powerful guide.

Need Help?

If you need help making your website, I offer affordable website setup and design services.
👉 Click here to contact me now  Or email: engr.babardaud@gmail.com