Is wordpress suitable for a simple business website?

[RobinBHM]

My wife wants a website for her piano tuition -she wants to offer private online tuition and is trying to get new leads.

I suppose it would need a home page, contact page, some pages for articles or blog for SEO -nothing fancy.

Is there simple wordpress theme or ready made template that I could use?

Ive been reading this thread:
https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/lightweight-wordpress-themes.406865/
which has given some tips, but I dont want to butt in on somebody elses thread

TIA

 

[Jasondb]

This was my first thread and does not answer your question though some content may be helpful.
https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/website-construction.387518/

 

[NickGrogan]

Yes, wordpress is ideal for this.

There are 1000's of free/cheap templates to choose from.

 

[RobinBHM]

Yes, wordpress is ideal for this.

There are 1000's of free/cheap templates to choose from.

yes Ive done a bit of research -there are so many themes and so many differing opinions Im not sure where to start really.

some people seem to say themes add tons of code and make the site slow and bad for SEO, others say a site is hard to build without lots of wordpress experience.

 

[fisicx]

yes Ive done a bit of research -there are so many themes and so many differing opinions Im not sure where to start really.

Don't get hung up on the theme. Write the content, set up the pages and menus and whatever then test different themes. You can switch themes without having to change your content

some people seem to say themes add tons of code and make the site slow and bad for SEO, others say a site is hard to build without lots of wordpress experience.

My mum managed it on her own. Some themes are slow but choose any from the wordpress repository and you will be OK: https://wordpress.org/themes/

 

[Ian J]

My mum managed it on her own.

That's the second time today that you've mentioned your Mum. You are Geoffrey Boycott and i claim my £10

 

[RobinBHM]

Don't get hung up on the theme. Write the content, set up the pages and menus and whatever then test different themes. You can switch themes without having to change your content


My mum managed it on her own. Some themes are slow but choose any from the wordpress repository and you will be OK: https://wordpress.org/themes/

Many thanks for the advice, how much will your mum charge?

on a serious note, how do I get started? -I get the impression I need a domain first.

And can I really build a simple site from the wordpress repository without getting bogged down code and stuff. I realise there becomes a point where it is best to pay a website designer to build it.

 

[Scalloway]

You need to sign up with a web host. There are some suggestions here. I use 1 and 1 Ionos for a one page site. I had some content written up and a header picture chosen then it was just a matter of seconds to pick a simple theme and upload my content.

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/best-wordpress-hosting-providers

 

[fisicx]

on a serious note, how do I get started? -I get the impression I need a domain first.

Correct. There are plenty of registrars who will do this for you. Doesn't matter too much which one you use. I use 123reg.co.uk for no other reason than it's simple.

And can I really build a simple site from the wordpress repository without getting bogged down code and stuff.

Yes.

When Wordpress is installed you login to a dashboard which give you access to all the feature and functions.

In the menu there are links to posts and pages. Choose either and you will be presented with an editor and a small guide showing you how to use it.

It's then just a matter of writing. If you want an image you can drag it from you computer and drop it onto the page.

When you are happy you hit the 'publish' button and that's all there is to it.

You can then add more pages and posts, create menus, headers, footers and so on. If you make a mistake everything is recoverable.

If you want to try different themes there is an option to do so in the Appearance menu. You can preview themes to see how they look.

Obviously there is a lot more to wordpress than this - but it should give you a flavour of what's in store.

And no coding required anywhere.

 

[UKSBD]

The people saying setting up Wordpress is simple are the ones who have done it loads of times.

It isn't as simple as is made out though.

You can take shortcuts (register domain with same host), but lots of people say to keep things separate.

1st you need to find a trusted domain registrar, register a domain, then get to know how their admin panel works.

Then you need to find a host who supports Wordpress, get to know how their main account admin panel works.

Then how to add a hosting package, how to add the domain to it and get to know how the hosting admin panel works.

You then need to know what the hosts nameservers are

You then need to log back in to your registrars panel

Find the domain you are working on and get to the settings page to the domain in question

Then find where to input the nameservers and add them

You then need to log back in to your hosts admin panel (not the main account admin panel)

You then need to either create a database, run the database wizard or if host includes it use the Wordpress install tool to install Wordpress (I never do this as I like a clean install)

Once you have done this you need to login to your Wordpress admin panel (you have made a note of username and password haven't you?)

This is all assuming the nameserver changes you made earlier have migrated.

Once logged in to Wordpress you need to learn how to use it

Once you know how to use it you need to change lots of the default settings.

finally you are ready to go.

Now you can look at themes

All of the above is probably a 10 minute process for those who know what they are doing, it may as well be Chinese to some people though.

You can almost guarantee when you do help people with it they will be asking what their password and username is within a week :-(

 

[fisicx]

The people saying setting up Wordpress is simple are the ones who have done it loads of times.

It isn't as simple as is made out though.

My mum managed this without any help. The client I'm working with today didn't need any help (it's their first ever WP site). It's nowhere near as complicated as you make out.

 

[UKSBD]

My mum managed this without any help. The client I'm working with today didn't need any help (it's their first ever WP site). It's nowhere near as complicated as you make out.

Not all mums are equal

Mine would struggle if I told her to "go and register a domain"

 

[RobinBHM]

When Wordpress is installed you login to a dashboard which give you access to all the feature and functions

many thanks for the detailed post, it is much appreciated -wordpress attracts so much contradictory advice it kind of put me off looking further.

Ill give it a decent try and see how I get on.

 

[RobinBHM]

Can anybody recommend hosting for a wordpress website? -years ago I used 1&1 and they were a nightmare, made it impossible to move my domain.

I will use reg123 for the domain registration, Ive found them ok in the past.

 

[RobinBHM]

You need to sign up with a web host. There are some suggestions here. I use 1 and 1 Ionos for a one page site. I had some content written up and a header picture chosen then it was just a matter of seconds to pick a simple theme and upload my content.

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/best-wordpress-hosting-providers

many thanks -Ill have a good look at that.

 

[Ola (triTunnel)]

Using website for a small website is like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly. Plus the occasional updates of wordpress and plugins is a pain. I would suggest a page builder instead. Something you can drag and drop and not be restricted to a wordpress theme.

 

[Nick Walsh Studios]

A2 Hosting very good for WordPress hosting. Do a search on YouTube for how to build a Wordpress website, watch the video fo say 10 minutes with a laptop and do what the video says on your PC to build your website, rinse and repeat so you get the job done fast. Use a web design checklist to make sure you get everything done that needs to be done.

 

[Ian J]

Why are so many people saying that setting up a website using Wordpress is difficult when it really isn't. If I can do it then so can almost everyone.

If you use someone like Hi Hosting hosting will cost you £30 per annum and includes a free domain name. All of the complicated stuff mentioned earlier like nameservers is done automatically and if you get stuck then Dan at Hi Hosting is very helpful and you can always ask for advice on UKBF too

 

[RobinBHM]

Why are so many people saying that setting up a website using Wordpress is difficult when it really isn't. If I can do it then so can almost everyone.

thanks -thats encouraging, it sounds like it possible for a layman to build a site. Ive looked at your factoring solutions site -which looks great -did you build that? -it looks like that wouldve been done by a pro. A smaller, similar version is what I had in mind.

 

[Ian J]

Ive looked at your factoring solutions site -which looks great -did you build that? -it looks like that wouldve been done by a pro. A smaller, similar version is what I had in mind.

That one is beyond my limited capabilities and was built by forum member @
zigojacko

 

[RobinBHM]

Why are so many people saying that setting up a website using Wordpress is difficult when it really isn't. If I can do it then so can almost everyone.

If you use someone like Hi Hosting hosting will cost you £30 per annum and includes a free domain name. All of the complicated stuff mentioned earlier like nameservers is done automatically and if you get stuck then Dan at Hi Hosting is very helpful and you can always ask for advice on UKBF too

Many thanks, I notice you have a wordpress tutorial "how to create a business wordpress website SEO optimised" which I shall work through later today

 

[RobinBHM]

That one is beyond my limited capabilities and was built by forum member @
zigojacko

thanks for the info -Its certainly a professional website.

 

[gpietersz]

Its not that hard, but as @UKSBD says its not as quick as people make out if you have not done it because and am following from a tutorial, and are picking up lots of new concepts and terminology (like DNS, registration, hosting) at the same time.

I also know lots of people who could not cope with it. Its not unreasonable to get something done by someone who does it for a living - division of labour is more efficient.

I disagree with @UKSBD on some points: you do not need to bother to find a host that supports Wordpress because they all do - how many shared hosts do not support PHP and MySQL (I mean the latter generically to include MariaDB etc.).

More importantly, you can skip a lot of steps by using a host with a one click Wordpress install.

The easiest option: use wordpress.com Run by the company that develops Wordpress and the cheap package is only £36/year. No installation required. If you are going to ignore the advice to separate domain registration from hosting its a relatively good place to do it given they have a track record of decent behaviour. If you are going to follow it, the extra work is limited to setting the DNS at the host.

 

[UKSBD]

I disagree with @UKSBD on some points: you do not need to bother to find a host that supports Wordpress because they all do - how many shared hosts do not support PHP and MySQL (I mean the latter generically to include MariaDB etc.).

Maybe not so much nowadays, but it tended to be suggested you have Wordpress on Linux sites, where as hosts gave you a choice of Linux or Windows

 

[Deleted member 59730]

All of the above is probably a 10 minute process for those who know what they are doing, it may as well be Chinese to some people though.

I managed to mess up the whole process. I can't even find my own site again, something which spammers have no problem with.

 

[gpietersz]

Maybe not so much nowadays, but it tended to be suggested you have Wordpress on Linux sites, where as hosts gave you a choice of Linux or Windows

To be pernickety, a Linux or Unix hosting plan. Quite a few hosts still use BSD for shared hosting (BTW: I keep wanting to type your name "UKBSD") and Wordpress is fine on BSD (my only Wordpress site, also my only site on shared hosting, is with a host that runs everything on FreeBSD).

Interesting point about Windows. It would complicate things if someone chose a Windows hosting plan. I think it is a less common option these days though and even those hosts that offer it do not promote it heavily - its not something many people will choose by accident any more.

 

[Mark T Jones]

As someone with minimal IT and zero design skills, I’d say the answer is a definite ‘yes’.


My first Fit Out Finance website was built by me in 4 hours one evening. That would have been a lot shorter if I hadn’t managed to completely lose my first attempt - disappeared into thin air, never to be seen again (limitedIT skills)

The result looked a bit home made, though I was obsessive about grammar and punctuation, but it did the job, to the extent that my 2 biggest customers last year came from that home-made site.

My master stroke was adding Drift Live Chat, which visitors seem to like

I use LCN for domains and hosting. No idea if they’re the best - they are certainly not the cheapest, but they have fantastic free support Line which is well worth their fees

My suggestion would be to get up and running with a home made site, but not to load it too much with whistles and bells.

 

[RobinBHM]

Browsing some threads on here Ive seen recommends for Hihosting.co.uk
Im hearing the best way is to register a domain on say reg123 first then find a host.

So do I then need go to wordpress.org (rather than wordpress.com) ,download the latest version to my desktop, then upload to the host?

Hihosting doesnt seem to have FTP does that mean its difficult to install wordpress?

also Im not sure if Hihosting have a wordpress managed hosting.

and if self hosting wordpress can I still use themes from the wordpress repository?

Apols for the dumb Qs

 

[fisicx]

You don’t have to download anything. If you get the Wordpress hosting package everything is done for you. All you need to do is login and start writing.

You can use any theme you like.

They do have ftp.

 

[RobinBHM]

You don’t have to download anything. If you get the Wordpress hosting package everything is done for you. All you need to do is login and start writing.

You can use any theme you like.

They do have ftp.

Fisicx,
that's great, very helpful.
much appreciated!

 

[UKSBD]

You can get in a right mess if you're not careful

You don't just sign up with a host install Wordpress and start writing (well you can but may get things completely wrong)

Before installing Wordpress you want to decide if your site is going to be
http://www
http://
https://www
https://

Bear in mind some hosts only run the Lets Encrypt set up once in the evening, so if it isn't switched on and you try to install in https it won't work.

You could off course go and switch it on yourself but you need to know how to do that.

You then need to decide whether you want the install in a directory or in the root

 

[Ian J]

Hihosting doesnt seem to have FTP does that mean its difficult to install wordpress?

also Im not sure if Hihosting have a wordpress managed hosting.

If you take a hosting package with Hi Hosting it will include a one click install for Wordpress which does exactly what it says on the tin.

I don't know why UKSBD is trying to complicate everything but it isn't that complicated and all this stuff about http or https isn't that important at the moment.

If you install Wordpress you can mess about to your hearts content whilst learning the ropes and once you have finished you can just delete the lot as a practice run and re-install it.

Turning the site from http to the more secure https is simply a matter of installing a plugin and letting it do everything for you. As I have said before if I can do it then everyone can - well almost everyone and if you get stuck then you can call on the good offices of UKBF members to help you out

 

[gpietersz]

Do Hihosting and other one click installs autmate security updates? Its important to keep anything open to the internet up to date, but doubly so with Wordpress.

I don't know why UKSBD is trying to complicate everything but it isn't that complicated and all this stuff about http or https isn't that important at the moment.

Because some people will not cope.

Its not only about knowledge at the start. Its about willingness to learn and problem solving abilities and confidence.

Some people will get themselves into a mess.

Also, @Mark T Jones said it took him four hours to do it. If you have a 10 minute alternative that gives you what you want, why not use it?

 

[Ian J]

Do Hihosting and other one click installs autmate security updates? Its important to keep anything open to the internet up to date, but doubly so with Wordpress.

I guess so as mine seem to be automatically updated

Because some people will not cope.

Using Hi Hosting as an example again (I'm not getting paid to promote them ) a starter hosting plan will cost £30 per annum and comes with a free domain name so if one really cannot cope with wordpress it will only cost you £30 to find out

Its not only about knowledge at the start. Its about willingness to learn and problem solving abilities and confidence.

Some people will get themselves into a mess.

Also, @Mark T Jones said it took him four hours to do it.

Mark isn't very bright so if it took him four hours it would normally only take someone else five minutes

Seriously though if anyone gets into a mess then there are people here that will help sort it out. I'm sure that I remember fisicx sorting out one or two minor problems for me back in the day

 

[Alan]

Mark isn't very bright so if it took him four hours it would normally only take someone else five minutes

That is a bit unfair - most people that think things take 5 minutes are not tracking their time.

I have been building & setting up WordPress websites for over 11 years, and I track my time.

The last one I created ( Friday ) took 35 minutes 18 seconds, which included
- setting up the DNS A records
- setting up the host account
- checking the SSL auto installed
- using the hosting package 'installatron' installation package to install WP
- install a premium theme ( Genesis + Genesis Sample)
- install and configure 2 plugins
- set the home page to a static page
- test the plugins working
- add a user for the client
- email the client to tell them it is ready to test

 

[Ian J]

- install and configure 2 plugins

Just two?

 

[UKSBD]

That is a bit unfair - most people that think things take 5 minutes are not tracking their time.

I have been building & setting up WordPress websites for over 11 years, and I track my time.

The last one I created ( Friday ) took 35 minutes 18 seconds, which included
- setting up the DNS A records
- setting up the host account
- checking the SSL auto installed
- using the hosting package 'installatron' installation package to install WP
- install a premium theme ( Genesis + Genesis Sample)
- install and configure 2 plugins
- set the home page to a static page
- test the plugins working
- add a user for the client
- email the client to tell them it is ready to test

Was the domain already registered

In Wordpress
Did you edit the Title and tagline
Did you have to alter the language
Did you have to alter the time zone
Did you create an appropriate category, set it as the default, then delete uncategorised
Do you use the classic editor and do that's required to use it
Did you adjust how many posts show in categories and feeds
Did you change the feeds to a summary
Did you double check the search engine visibility
Did you double check comment settings to make sure comments don't appear where you don't want them too.
Did you adjust the max widths and heights of images to suite your width setting
Did you uncheck where images are loaded rather than the default pain of them going in monthly folders
Did you set the permalinks

When setting up the new user did you make him an admin
Did you disable syntax editing (if you or he needs it disabled)

Like you say, these people who say they can get a site set up and running in 5 minutes are amazing.

It takes nearly 5 minutes just registering a domain at 123-reg now, what with having to avoid and uncheck all the addons they push on you

 

[UKSBD]

After doing the above
Did you create a folder on your desktop (or wherever) and transfer the htaccess file, wp-config file, the theme and uploads folder to it?
Did you make a note of his username and password, for when he rings you and says he can't remember how to login

 

[Alan]

Was the domain already registered

In Wordpress
...
It takes nearly 5 minutes just registering a domain at 123-reg now, what with having to avoid and uncheck all the addons they push on you

After doing the above
Did you create a folder on your desktop (or wherever) and transfer the htaccess file, wp-config file, the theme and uploads folder to it?
Did you make a note of his username and password, for when he rings you and says he can't remember how to login

No, but those 35 minutes 18 seconds was not creating a client website to be released in to the world. But a sub domain for UA acceptance of a custom plugin modification only.

There were a couple more tasks that I missed out to mention
1. discourage search engines
2. add the users at editor level but add a code snippet to allow editors to manage options
3. dissallow file editing

 

[RobinBHM]

It takes nearly 5 minutes just registering a domain at 123-reg now, what with having to avoid and uncheck all the addons they push on you

Ive sorted a domain for this project using reg123 and had exactly this trouble -I missed one and they wanted to charge £1 a month......which then took me ages to trawl through the 'my account' menu to find.