When websites first made appearance they took weeks and weeks from conception to live, these days you can have a website up and running within hours (subject to the Internet picking up the changes). This Create a Website using WordPress checklist is for UK businesses as there are a couple of laws that need to be compiled with and assumes that a content management system (CMS) called WordPress that makes it super fast to get up and running without having to write any ‘code’ will be used. This checklist isn’t targeted at web designers as that’s going to be a different, more detailed checklist.
- Choose a domain name that’s available
- Register the domain name
- Purchase website hosting (which supports WordPress)
- Install WordPress on your hosting account
- Change the Media setting to NOT store images by date/time
- Change the Permalinks setting to use post name
- Choose a WordPress theme
- Install and activate the chosen theme
- Create your website content and don’t forget:
- Home page
- About page
- Terms page
- Privacy page
- Security page
- Change settings for all pages so that comments are disabled
- Add copyright with year information in footer
- Add company registration number and address (UK law requirement)
- Install and activate a Cookie Law plug-in (UK law requirement)
- Ensure that contact details listed on website are correct
- Double check for spelling errors in your website content
- Make sure that some basic Search Engine (SEO) optimisation is done
- Promote your website by adding your website address to all your marketing material including:
- (Paper) letterheads
- Email signature
- Business cards
- Social media websites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest
Handy Plugins
- Akismet
- AWeber Web Forms
- Cookie Law Info
- Jetpack by WordPress.com
- Redirection
- WordPress Backup to Dropbox
- WordPress SEO
- WP-Optimize