A while back, I wrote an article that talked about how to build a WordPress blog. In case you missed that article, you can find it here:

How to Build a WordPress Blog

Today, I’m going to walk you through the entire process of creating a custom website using WordPress. I’m using the amazing service, StudioPress, to create this tutorial. You can find out more about the service here:

Why Use StudioPress?

There are a lot of reasons why you might want to use a WordPress template builder instead of creating your own WordPress install. For one, StudioPress can build you a fully-functional blog in just a few minutes. In addition, they have a really amazing customer support team that is always ready to help. Furthermore, with StudioPress, you can choose from hundreds of professionally-designed templates to build your website on. As you might imagine, this saves you a lot of time and effort. Just remember, though, if you want to take advantage of all of the features that the template offers, you have to pay for the template package. Luckily, you can always download the free version and you’ll be able to enjoy most of the features.

The First Step

The very first step in the process is to choose your web host. There are a lot of hosting companies out there, but I would recommend going with one of the following:

• Bluehost – (Paid) – This is one of the most popular and trusted hosting companies out there. You can find out more about them here. (Paid) (Bluehost)
• Hostgator – (Paid) – This company, too, is pretty popular and has a good reputation. You can find out more about them here. (Paid) (Hostgator)
• Dreamhost – (Paid) – This is another good web host that you can use. They’ve been around for a while and have a good reputation. You can find out more about them here. (Paid) (Dreamhost)

When you’ve picked your web host, it’s time to move on to the next step. This is where you’ll need to decide on what type of software you want to use to build your website. There are a lot of options, so take your time and think hard about this decision. If you’re planning on using WordPress to build your site, the choice is obvious. You can find out more about WordPress here:

The Second Step

You’re almost done! You’ve decided on your web host and now you need to decide on which WordPress theme to use. This is a really important step because not only will this determine the overall look and feel of your website, but it will determine how much functionality you can get on your WordPress blogs. If you’re struggling with this decision, I would recommend going with one of the following:

• Twenty Ten – (Free) – This is the default WordPress theme and it is extremely popular. If you’ve ever built a WordPress website, you’ll definitely want to go with this option. It’s easy to use, it looks great, and it has a lot of functionality. You can find out more about it here. (Twenty Ten) (WordPress)
• Bella – (Free) – This is another popular WordPress theme. It was built with simplicity in mind and it offers quite a few features. If you want to keep things simple, go with this option. You can find out more about it here. (Bella) (WordPress)
• Copenhagen – (Paid) – This is a premium WordPress theme. It has a lot of awesome features and it looks fantastic. If you’re looking for something sleek and modern, this is the theme for you. You can find out more about it here. (Copenhagen) (WordPress)
• Archer – (Paid) – This is another great option and it has a lot of amazing features. If you want a unique blog that looks great, go with this option. You can find out more about it here. (Archer) (WordPress)
• Shiny – (Free) – This is a great option for new bloggers. It is extremely simple to use and it is completely free. If you don’t want to go down the path of regular blogging, you might want to try out this option. You can find out more about it here. (Shiny) (WordPress)

When you’ve decided which WordPress theme you want to go with, it’s time to move on to the final step. This is where you’ll install WordPress on your web host. Just make sure you follow the instructions carefully because if you miss a step, you’ll have to start over from the beginning. Once you’ve installed WordPress on your web host, it’s time to create a password and to login with that password. Once you’ve logged in, you can begin building your site. You’ll walk through a few basic steps and then you can start adding content to your blog. Once you’ve got your content, start testing it out by using the Preview button to see how it looks in real life. If everything is OK, you can go ahead and publish your blog post. Finally, don’t forget to come back and let us know how you’re doing.