I have received many questions about how I built this portfolio website, so I figured I would write a post to share some advice! If you are new to WordPress.org, below is some helpful information that I wish I knew before I got started. I built this website with WordPress.org and the Elementor Pro plug-in; although I did use some custom CSS and HTML, you can do this without knowing how to code. Here are some helpful tips for you:
- WordPress.org vs WordPress.com: What is the difference? In a nutshell, if you want to use your own domain name, you need to use WordPress.org. It is more customizable than the .com version, however, it has a steeper learning curve. If you don’t mind having a site with “wordpress.com” at the end of your domain name and are looking for an easier experience, then WordPress.com may work for you. To view a full comprehensive list of the differences, check out this infographic.
- Use a plug in like Elementor for templates and support: I spend $50/year for the Pro version of the Elementor plug-in for WordPress.org, which gives me access to a variety of templates for pages and sections as well as customer service support when I run into technical issues. I feel that this cost is well worth what I have gotten out of it. Usually the help I get is quick and effective, but my tickets have been lost in the system a few times. Overall, I feel it is worth it!
- Use premade “kits” for building your website: Although I didn’t do this, if you want to make your life easier as a beginner, you can take advantage of full websites that are already ready to fill in using the Elementor Pro plug-in. I would have probably tried this but I built my pages one section at a time before signing up for the Pro version.
- Be sure to back up your site regularly: I ended up using the JetPack plug-in to do daily back ups for about $5/month. Can you imagine losing all your work after dozens of hours building your site? I am not willing to take that risk so I think this is a small price to pay!
- Shop around: There are many “website builder” sites out there and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. I am not an expert in this area, but there are many resources out there that can help you understand the differences so you can pick what is best for your needs. For example, I know many people who use SquareSpace as it is pretty easy to build eye-catching websites with, however, it is not as customizable as other website builders, like WebFlow. Check out this article to learn more from the experts
Happy building, folks!