How to Set Up a Website on WordPress.com Business Edition
If you’re looking for a free, simple and affordable way to set up a professional-looking website, then you’ve come to the right place! In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to install a fully featured, business-class site on the popular WordPress.com platform.
Why Should You Choose WordPress.com Business Edition?
WordPress.com Business Edition is a dedicated, free version of the WordPress.com platform developed specifically for business websites. With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can have a professional-looking, multipurpose website up and running in no time!
WordPress.com Business Edition is completely free, with no extra costs or fees of any kind. This is ideal for anyone looking to create a simple, affordable, or even free website for their business. They don’t need to worry about paying for extra features or handling excess costs associated with premium plans.
Step 1: Sign Up For An Account
The first step in the process is to sign up for a free account on WordPress.com. This will allow you to establish your email address and create a simple password.
You don’t need to create a new account if you already have a personal account on WordPress.com. Just log in and click the ‘Create New Post’ button to get started.
You can also find the WordPress.com Login button at the top of any page.
Step 2: Install WordPress
Once you’ve signed up for a free account, you can begin the installation process by clicking the ‘Install Now’ button. You’ll see a popup appear, prompting you to enter a name for your site (this will be your website’s URL).
Then, choose the Domain option and enter the domain name you’ll use for your site. Finally, click the ‘Install Now’ button again.
Once WordPress has been installed, you can log in using the username and password you created earlier. To create additional content, such as blog posts, head over to the dashboard and click the ‘Create New Post’ button.
Step 3: Activate Theme Chooser
If you’ve ever installed WordPress, you’ll know that it comes with a built-in theme (template) that can be used to create a basic, blog-like website. This is known as the ‘blog’ theme, and it’s extremely customizable.
However, if you’ve ever tried to install the blog theme on your own website, you’ll know that it’s not the same as the demo. You’ll find that the default theme doesn’t have all the features the blog theme has, which is why you’ll need to choose the right theme for your needs.
The good news is that WordPress.com includes a Theme Chooser tool that can help you find the right theme for your needs. Just click the ‘Welcome’ button on the dashboard and you’ll see a popup appear. From here, you can click the ‘Choose a Theme’ button to browse the available themes.
Here, you can choose from a wide variety of pre-made themes and add-ons that are specifically designed for business sites. You can also create your own unique design by clicking the ‘Skip to the Theme Settings’ button and adjusting the theme’s colors and layout to your liking.
Step 4: Customize Header
WordPress.com sets up your website with a special header (usually a small image or GIF at the top of each page). This is known as the ‘OGN Header’ and it’s made to fit all websites, regardless of their size.
To change the header for your site, go to the ‘Appearance‘ menu on the dashboard and click ‘Header’ under the ‘Page Elements’ heading. Here, you can upload a new image or choose from a selection of pre-made headers and background images.
To create your own customized header, click the ‘Custom HTML’ link and begin typing your HTML code. Once you’ve saved it, preview how the header will look on your site by visiting any page or post on your website.
Step 5: Add A Menu To Your Website
WordPress comes with a set of standard menus that can be used to create a header at the top of each page. However, if you’ve ever used a WordPress template designed for a church or non-profit website, you’ll know that they don’t have the same functionality as the default menus. For example, if you’d like to add a ‘blog’ section to your website, you can’t simply drag and drop a blog menu from the default list.
To solve this problem, you can download any one of the many church/non-profit WordPress templates from the internet and modify it to your liking. Then, upload the modified file to your WordPress site and enjoy the additional features!
Step 6: Add Social Media Icons
Did you know that Google Analytics keeps track of how many people are using social media to find your website? In addition to this, you can install the WordPress.com widgets and widgets from the social media platforms you use (such as Twitter and Facebook) to make your site more engaging.
To add social media Icons to your site, go to the ‘Appearance‘ menu on the dashboard and click the ‘Social’ icon under the ‘Page Elements’ heading. Here, you can drag and drop the different social media platforms you use to add their icons to your site’s header.
Step 7: Install Google Maps
Did you know that almost all major search engines, including Google, give preference to websites that have a Google Maps widget on them? The reason is that almost everyone owns a mobile phone and can access Google Maps on their phones. For this reason, if a website doesn’t have a Google Maps widget on it, it will most likely appear as though the site is not responding when searched from a mobile phone.
To add a Google Maps widget to your site, go to the ‘Appearance‘ menu on the dashboard and click the ‘Maps’ icon under the ‘Page Elements’ heading. Here, you can drag and drop the different Google Maps APIs you’ll need to create a reliable mapping function on your site.
When you visit your site from a mobile device, the Google Maps widget will appear on the top left corner of the screen. If the user mouses over the map, they can see a popup with additional information – this is known as Open Street Maps (OSM) and can also be used to find addresses and businesses near your current location.
Step 8: Install Contact Form 7
Did you know that WordPress comes with a Contact Form 7 widget? This is a free form that allows you to easily add a contact us page to your website without the need for any programming knowledge. Just click the ‘Contact Form 7‘ icon under the ‘Page Elements’ heading on the ‘Appearance‘ menu on the dashboard.
Contact Form 7 can be used to send a form with questions to the user. When they submit the form, a notification will appear on the dashboard confirming that their contact details have been received.
If you’d like to add a contact us page to your website with the ability to receive emails, you can download and install the Contact Form 7 plugin from wordpress.org.
Step 9: Activate WordPress Custom Menu
By default, WordPress comes with a set of standard menus that can be used to create a menu on the right side of the header. However, if you’ve ever used a WordPress template designed for a church or non-profit website, you’ll know that they don’t have the same functionality as the standard menus. For example, if you’d like to add a ‘blog’ section to your website, you can’t simply drag and drop a blog menu from the standard list and have it appear on your site.
WordPress.com includes a Custom Menu tool that can help you create a unique navigation bar for your website. Just click the ‘Custom Menu‘ link on the dashboard and scroll down to the ‘Create New Menu’ section. From here, you can enter the name for your new menu (this will be the name you’ll see when you use the menu), the description, and click the ‘Create New Menu’ button.