{"id":39986,"date":"2021-11-02T10:54:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-02T15:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&p=39986"},"modified":"2025-11-25T09:59:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:59:24","slug":"how-to-use-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/how-to-use-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use WordPress: The Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At its core, WordPress is a free online tool for creating and publishing content on the web. It\u2019s a scalable, feature-rich Content Management System<\/a> (CMS) that allows users to build, design, and manage content without requiring a technical background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over 40% of the web relies on WordPress, and for good reason\u2014it\u2019s powerful, dependable, and easy to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this beginner\u2019s guide to WordPress we\u2019ll cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The benefits of using WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WordPress is open-source<\/a> software, which means its codebase is public for anyone to see and use. This has several benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, you can use the same adaptable and user-friendly publishing system that many internationally-known brands and publications<\/a> use. What\u2019s more, WordPress is always free to download and has many free plugins<\/a> and themes<\/a> you can use to enhance your website and customize it to fit your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the WordPress community is vast. When you use WordPress, you gain access to a wealth of expert knowledge and friendly assistance. Since WordPress is open-source, there\u2019s also a constantly growing community of developers working on new projects related to the CMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re a WordPress beginner or a seasoned expert, the benefits of using WordPress are widespread. In the following sections, we\u2019ll highlight some of these benefits in practice as we show you how to create WordPress pages, add videos, plugins, and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make a WordPress website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Spinning up a new website with WordPress is a relatively quick and easy process. Let\u2019s walk through how it works, one step at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy and register a domain name<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you create your website, you\u2019ll need to have a domain name<\/a> and web hosting<\/a> ready to go. Your domain can be thought of as your \u201caddress\u201d on the internet. Most often, you\u2019ll purchase it through a dedicated registrar (such as Whois<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cost of a domain name will vary based on its availability. Something that is trending or more popular might be quite expensive. However, you can typically get a domain name<\/a> for your WordPress site for under $20 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose a host that understands WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As for your web hosting provider, that\u2019s even easier. WP Engine is the leading provider of managed hosting for WordPress<\/a>, and we have plans<\/a> available for every budget and niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find out more about our hosting features and additional tools here<\/a>, or read real-life success stories from our customers here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have a domain and web hosting in place, it\u2019s time to actually install WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Installing WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many web hosts provide various ways to install WordPress. However, you\u2019ll often still need some technical knowledge<\/a> in order to get your site up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, WP Engine users have it much easier. We\u2019ve covered how to set up the platform in a previous Resource Center article<\/a>. To sum the process up, you\u2019ll want to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n