This is the third article in the digital guide series: Website Development for Artists: A Simple & Relatable Guide to the Basics of Websites. a guide designed for the artist who is ready to bring their presence to the web. This article explains how to install WordPress.

Once you have purchased a domain, hosting, privacy and an SSL, then the fun can begin. While your hosting provider determines how much space you have to build a website, your content management system determines how the content will be delivered to your website visitors.

A Content Management System is a software application that is used to create and manage digital content. Your hosting provider will offer you wide range of options which all have their advantages; however, in this digital series, I will focus on the WordPress CMS (wordpress.org).

content management system: WORDPRESS

The first step is to select a Content Management System. In this article, I will focus on WordPress. WordPress is free CMS software used by millions of people to power websites across the web.

While your hosting provider determines how much space you have to build a website, your content management system determines how the content will be delivered to your website visitors. A Content Management System is a software application that is used to create and manage digital content. Your hosting provider will offer you wide range of options which all have their advantages. In this digital series; however, I will focus on the WordPress CMS (wordpress.org). If your domain is your street address, then WordPress is the physical house itself. It is the structure that determines the appearance of your digital content.

WORDPRESS

WordPress.org offers open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app. If this is your first time using WordPress, then please read this section closely. The two most important things to understand about WordPress are as follows:

There are two versions of WordPress: WordPress.comand WordPress.org. The instructions in this guide pertain to the software available on WordPress.org.

Once you install WordPress software, the design, structure and delivery of your content on different devices will depend entirely upon your theme. (If you are not familiar with HTML & CSS code then this is an extremely important consideration because changing your WordPress theme after you start designing your website can mean the equivalent of starting all over again.)

INSTALL WORDPRESS

To install WordPress, log into your hosting provider and connect to cpanel. Once in cpanel follow the instructions provided in the images gallery below. Once you are finished you will have installed WordPress and you can move on to selecting your perfect theme! Congrats!