Creating your first website can seem complicated, especially without prior technical experience. This guide walks you through the key steps - from choosing a domain to publishing and maintaining your site.
Step 1 - Choose a domain name
A domain is the address where your website will be located. It should be short, easy to remember, and relevant to what you are publishing. Avoid complicated names and long strings of words. For practical guidance on choosing a name, see: Choosing a domain name - what to consider
Step 2 - Choose a hosting plan
Hosting is the service that keeps your website available on the internet around the clock. The right hosting affects your site’s loading speed, stability, and security.
mybox offers One Box - a free hosting plan that includes everything you need to get started: 5 GB NVMe storage, free SSL, malware scanning, and no ads. If your project grows, you can expand with optional add-ons or upgrade to Flex Box or Prime Box.
Step 3 - Plan your website structure
Before building, define what your website is for - a blog, a business site, a portfolio, or an online store. A clear goal helps you decide on structure, content organisation, and the tools you need. Think about your main sections: about, services, blog, contact.
Step 4 - Choose a platform and install it
The most widely used platform for building websites is WordPress. It gives you full control over your site’s design and functionality, with thousands of themes and plugins available.
Installing WordPress on mybox takes a few clicks. In your mybox panel, click +Add, select Application installations, then choose WordPress. During setup, you can launch the AI Website Builder - a guided wizard that builds your site automatically based on your answers. It is the fastest way to get a working website live.
Step 5 - Choose and customise a template
A template defines the visual appearance of your website. Choose one that fits your purpose and looks good on both desktop and mobile. WordPress includes thousands of free templates, and paid templates are available for additional features and support.
Step 6 - Create and optimise your content
Content is the core of your website. Write clearly and avoid technical language where possible. For better visibility in search engines, use relevant keywords, structure your text with headings (H1, H2, H3), and include internal and external links. This process is called SEO - Search Engine Optimisation.
Step 7 - Connect your social media
Linking your website to your social media profiles makes it easier for visitors to share your content and helps you reach a wider audience.
Step 8 - Install essential plugins
Plugins extend the functionality of your WordPress site. Key categories include SEO (e.g. Yoast SEO), security (e.g. Wordfence), and performance (e.g.LiteSpeed Cache). Installing a plugin takes a few clicks from the WordPress dashboard.
Step 9 - Secure your website
Basic security steps include keeping WordPress and all plugins up to date, using strong passwords, and installing a security plugin. SSL is included automatically with every mybox website - this encrypts data between your site and its visitors and is required for any site that collects user information.
Step 10 - Test before publishing
Before going live, check that all links work, contact forms submit correctly, and the site loads properly on different devices. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to assess loading speed and identify optimisation opportunities.
Step 11 - Publish, maintain, and monitor
Once everything is in order, publish your site. After launch, keep your content, plugins, and WordPress installation updated regularly. Use Google Analytics to monitor traffic - where visitors come from, which pages they visit, and how long they stay. This data helps you improve your content and site structure over time.