Welcome to WordPress.com! This guide will walk you through the essential steps to get started with WordPress.com, from understanding what it is to launching your first website.
WordPress.com is a website-building platform that handles all the technical aspects of running a website for you. When you create a site on WordPress.com, you get:
- Web hosting: Your website files are stored on our servers.
- Domain name options: A free WordPress.com web address or the ability to use your own domain name.
- Design tools: Hundreds of professional themes and customization options.
- Content management: Tools to create and organize your posts, pages, and media.
- Security and updates: Automatic backups, security monitoring, and software updates.
WordPress.com offers several plans, from free options for personal projects to advanced plans for businesses that need additional features like custom plugins and advanced design control. Learn more about our plans.
Many people get confused between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Here’s the key difference:
WordPress.com (what you’re using): A complete website platform that handles hosting, security, and maintenance for you. You sign up, choose a design, and start creating content.
WordPress.org: Free software that you download and install on your own web hosting. You’re responsible for hosting, security updates, backups, and technical maintenance.
WordPress.com uses the WordPress.org software but provides it as a hosted service, so you get the power of WordPress without the technical complexity. Learn more about the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
WordPress.com offers three approaches to get started:
- AI Website Builder: Answer a few questions and get a complete site in seconds. Build a website with AI.
- DIY setup: Choose your own theme and build step-by-step. Build your website in five steps.
- Express Website Design Service: Have our team build your site professionally. Learn about our Express Website Design Service.
WordPress.com is organized into three main areas:
- Site dashboard: Individual control panels for each website.
- Sites list: Your central hub for managing all sites and account-wide settings.
- My profile: Your personal account settings and preferences.
Learn how to navigate between these areas and find specific features in our navigate WordPress.com guide.
WordPress.com organizes content into posts and pages that serve different purposes on your website. In this section we will introduce you to the basic functionality of your WordPress.com site.
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Consider taking our free Create your website on WordPress.com video course for a guided, step-by-step approach to building your first site.
Posts are for dynamic, time-sensitive content like blog articles, news updates, or announcements. Learn how to create and manage posts.
- Appear in reverse chronological order (newest first)
- Can be organized using categories and tags
- Are great for regular updates and building an audience
- Show up in your site’s RSS feed (a web feed that allows readers and other websites to access updates to your site in a standardized format)
Pages are for static information that doesn’t change often, like an About page or Contact page. Pages typically appear in your site’s navigation menu and represent the core structure of your website. Learn how to create and manage pages.
You will use the WordPress Editor (also known as the block editor) to create your site’s content. Think of blocks as individual building components:
- Each paragraph, image, heading, or video is its own “block”
- You can rearrange blocks by dragging and dropping
- Different blocks have their own settings and style options
- You can save combinations of blocks as reusable patterns
Ready to create your first post? Follow our step-by-step guide to using the WordPress Editor.
You will use the Site Editor to design your website’s layout and consistent features, like navigation menus. The Site Editor uses the same block editing functionality you use to edit your site’s content.
Themes are your overall site’s design. Browse over 200 themes and choose the one that most closely matches the look you want for your site. Learn more about themes.
Templates are part of our block themes (which give you more design flexibility than “classic” themes) and give you greater control over how different page types (home, page, post, archives, etc.) look. Learn more about templates.
Menus are a crucial part of your site’s functionality. Add pages, buttons, and social icons to your site’s menu. Learn more about menus.
When you create a site on WordPress.com, we provide you with a free site address that includes .wordpress.com or wpcomstaging.com as part of the address. You can change the address people use to access your site by registering, transferring, or connecting a domain name to your site.
Learn more about domain names.
When you first create a WordPress.com site, it starts in “Coming Soon” mode. This means only you can see your site while you’re building it. When you’re ready to make your site public, you can change it from “Coming Soon” to “Public” in your settings.
Learn the complete launch process in our launch your website guide.
Promote your new website to grow its audience and boost visibility, revenue, and engagement. Focus on quality content, SEO, and social media to broaden your reach and achieve your website’s goals.
Discover strategies to attract more visitors.
WordPress.com provides comprehensive support through guides, video tutorials, courses, community forums, and direct assistance on paid plans.
You can access help anytime by clicking the help icon in your dashboard or browse all options in our help and support guide.
