Imagine building your house without hammering a single nail. Sounds impossible! Right? That’s exactly what WordPress lets you do when creating websites!
Here’s one of the most beginner-friendly guides on ‘What is WordPress?’ and why you’ll love to use it.
Let’s keep building momentum!
1.1 WordPress in a Nutshell
WordPress is free software that helps you build any website without writing a single line of code. Think of it like a magic toolbox using which you can build different types of websites, such as:
- Blogs: Creating a blog helps you to share your travel stories, recipes, or tech tips. Problogger
- Business Websites: You can showcase your services, products, or portfolio by building a business website. Bluehost
- Online Stores: Creating an online store website helps you sell handmade crafts, digital courses, or even yoga classes. Amazon
- Forums/Communities: This website helps you create spaces for people to discuss hobbies, like photography or gaming. DigitalPoint
- Question & Answer: Build a Q&A website where you can ask questions and get answers from the community members. Quora
There are different kinds of websites, each designed for a certain purpose. The types of websites provided above are only to give you a basic idea. If you are interested in learning more about it, I recommend you read the full list of different types of websites.
Did You Know? Over 40% of all websites use WordPress, including big names like Sony Music, The New York Times, The Walt Disney Company, and many more.
1.2 WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: What’s the Difference?
I’m sure you might be getting a little confused here. Don’t worry—here’s the simple breakdown:
WordPress.com
- What it is: It is a “ready-to-use” platform (like renting an apartment where you don’t need to do any hard work to build it by yourself).
- Pros: Easy to set up, no hosting required, and free to use.
- Cons: It has limited customization features. You can’t install plugins or themes freely.
- Best for: It is best for hobbyists and beginners who want to learn and try something quick and free.
Visit WordPress.com
WordPress.org
- What it is: It is a self-hosted version (like owning a house). A little hard work is required as you need to do some customizations.
- Pros: Full control over the whole site! Easy to add plugins, customize designs, and monetize freely.
- Cons: Requires hosting (but it’s cheap—we’ve covered this in Setting Up Your Domain and Hosting).
- Best for: Everyone else (businesses, serious bloggers, creatives).
Visit WordPress.org
Example: Sarah chose WordPress.org for her bakery blog. She added a recipe plugin and monetized it with ads—something she couldn’t do on WordPress.com.
1.3 Why is WordPress Perfect for Beginners?
Reasons why you’ll love WordPress:
No Coding Skills Needed
- Use drag-and-drop builders (like Elementor) to design pages and posts.
- Add multiple features with plugins (apps for your website). For example, if you need a contact form, there’s a plugin for that!
It’s Affordable
- Build a professional website for under $100/year (hosting + domain).
- Most plugins and themes are free.
You Own Everything
- Unlike social media, you control absolutely everything.
- There’s no risk of losing your site because of platform rule changes.
- You’ll get unlimited customization, easy monetization options, and full content ownership.
Community Support
- Thousands of independent contributors worldwide support WordPress’s growing ecosystem.
- This shared environment makes WordPress perfect for beginners who want to build their first website.
- The platform’s extensive community provides plenty of resources, tutorials, and support for users at every skill level.
1.4 Who Should Read This WordPress Guide?
This guide is for YOU if:
- You’ve never built a website before.
- You’re a small business owner tired of paying developers.
- You want to turn your hobby (baking, photography, etc.) into a side hustle.
- You’re a blogger ready to upgrade from free platforms like Wix or Blogger.
Example: Mike, a guitar teacher, used this guide to create a website where he shares free lessons on his blog and sells premium video courses.
1.5 Common Myths About WordPress (Debunked!)
Myth 1: WordPress is only for blogs.
Truth: It powers online stores, membership sites, portfolios, and even apps!
Myth 2: You need to be tech-savvy to use WordPress.
Truth: If you can use Microsoft Word, you can use WordPress.
Myth 3: It’s not secure.
Truth: It is super secure if you follow basic steps (we’ll cover security in Chapter 13).
1.6 What You’ll Learn in This WordPress Tutorial?
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll learn how to:
- Buy a domain name and hosting (without getting ripped off).
- Install WordPress in 5 minutes.
- Design a beautiful website with drag-and-drop tools.
- Add must-have features like contact forms and social media buttons using free plugins.
- Make money from your site with ads, affiliate links, or selling digital products.
1.7 Let’s Get Started!
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be! Consider this tutorial your friendly GPS—it’ll guide you turn by turn. Grab a coffee, open your laptop, and let’s build something amazing.
WordPress Step-by-Step Tutorial (Chapter 1) Checklist
1️⃣ What is WordPress?
2️⃣ Understand the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
3️⃣ Decide what type of website you want to build (blog, business, forum, etc.).
4️⃣ Get excited—you’re about to create something awesome!
Quick Tip: Bookmark the Glossary at the end of this tutorial (or follow the link) for simple definitions of terms like “themes,” “plugins,” “hosting,” and many more.
Next Up: In Chapter 2 (Planning and Structuring a Website (Sketch Important Steps!), we’ll plan your website’s purpose, niche, and target audience. No tech skills are required—just your creativity!