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The 3 Phases of Website Development
Like a story, website development has a beginning, middle, and end.
Beginning
Only 2 things need to be purchased to get your website up and running:
1. Your Domain (www.yoursite.com)
2. Hosting space on a server
Middle
In this construction phase the website is built using WordPress & Elementor (a live page builder) to get all the content and info forms to fit together aesthetically.
End
Go Live! Take Elementor out of Coming Soon Mode and the site goes live. Manage the site by adding content and doing frequent backups and site updates.
Phase 1
Beginning | Website Setup
Purchase Domain
Use a domain registrar like Google Domains to check for availability and purchase your site address.
Example | www.YourSite.com
Purchase Hosting
Website Hosting is open space on a secure server where your website and all related files exist.
We use | www.SiteGround.com
Create New Website With Fresh WordPress Install On Your Website Hosting Service
With just a few clicks you can ‘spin up’ a new (empty) website on your website hosting service – it’s exceptionally easy on SiteGround (affiliate link), a hosting service we use and recommend.
SiteGround, and many other hosting services, also make it easy to automatically install WordPress for easily building your website with. It’s just a box you check while creating the new site.
Copy/Paste DNS Settings From Host To Registrar
This will tell your domain registrar where to automatically direct people looking for your domain and website. Your actual website structure and files are located on your website hosting servers.
DNS stands for Domain Name Server and you want to copy/paste the DNS settings from your website hosting service provider and replace the current settings in the registrar’s record.
DNS Settings
The DNS settings can be found your website hosting service. This is where your website structure and files will be.
Registrar
Update these settings to match with your website service provider DNS settings.
Finished!
Log In To Your Website Admin Account
Log in to your website’s admin account by appending /wp-admin to your website’s URL address | www.YourSite.com/wp-admin
Use the login credentials you created on SiteGround (website hosting service) when you created the website with the fresh WordPress install.
Phase 2
Middle | Building The Site
Header
Logo, Navigation Menu, Buttons
Sections
Copy, Forms, Menu Anchors
Multiple Sections
Footer
Widgets, Copy
Phase 3
End | Go Live
Disable Coming Soon Mode
During Phase 2 you will have installed the Elementor Plugin and activated Coming Soon mode, which puts up a page site visitors will see unless they are logged in.
Start Receiving Traffic
Track visitor statistics using Google Analytics, via a light weight WordPress Plugin recommended in the Phase 2 deepdive post.
Management | Backups/Security/Updates
With just a few clicks you can ‘spin up’ a new (empty) website on your website hosting service – it’s exceptionally easy on SiteGround (affiliate link), a hosting service we use and recommend.
SiteGround, and many other hosting services, also make it easy to automatically install WordPress for easily building your website with. It’s just a box you check while creating the new site.
