🧱 What you need before installing
WordPress needs a domain, hosting with PHP and MySQL support and access to a control panel (usually cPanel). If you have none of that yet, read how to choose hosting and which domain to choose.
🛠️ Installation in 6 steps
- Log in to cPanel and find Softaculous or "WordPress Manager".
- Choose the domain and https. Install straight to the
https://address, without a folder. - Enter the site name, username and a strong password. Do not use "admin".
- Click install and wait a few minutes.
- Log in at /wp-admin and check the site works.
- Delete the sample content: the example post, page and unneeded plugins.
If the host has no automatic installer, WordPress is installed manually: create a MySQL database in cPanel, upload the files to public_html and run the installation from the browser.
⚙️ First settings that are often skipped
- Settings > Reading: make sure "Discourage search engines from indexing this site" is not ticked when the site goes live.
- Settings > Permalinks: choose "Post name" for clean addresses.
- Updates: enable automatic updates for security releases.
- Time zone and language of the site.
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🎨 Theme and plugins
Choose a light theme without dozens of options you will not use. Every plugin adds code and a possible vulnerability, so install only what you need: caching, security, backups and SEO basics. So that it all does not slow the site, see how to speed up a WordPress site.
🔎 SEO basics straight away
Set page titles and descriptions, one H1 per page, heading structure and a sitemap. WordPress has a built-in sitemap, explained in the article on the XML sitemap in WordPress.
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🔐 Security to start with
A strong password, two-factor login, limited login attempts, regular backups and regular updates. If you do not want to look after this yourself, see website maintenance.
🤝 When it is better for someone else to do it
Installation is simple, but a good site needs design, structure, copy and optimisation. If you want a WordPress site that is fast and Google-ready from day one, see WordPress website development.