June 2, 2025

‘I publish great content, but nobody finds it.’ We hear this frustration from WordPress users all the time. We felt the same way when we started our first blog, watching our posts disappear into the vast ocean of internet content because we didn’t understand SEO. Fast-forward to today, and we’ve built multiple successful WordPress websites that rank well in Google. Along the way, we discovered that good SEO isn’t about complex technical tricks—it’s about following a proven system that works. In this complete guide, we’ll share our step-by-step process for optimizing WordPress sites for search engines. Whether you’re just starting out or want to improve your existing site’s rankings, you’ll find everything you need to know about WordPress SEO—explained simply. You have probably heard that WordPress is SEO-friendly, and that is true. This is why a lot of people choose WordPress to start a blog or a website. WordPress is built with clean code that follows SEO best practices, making it easier for search engines to understand and index your content. However, while WordPress provides a solid foundation, there is still work to be done to maximize your website’s visibility and attract organic traffic. This guide provides a comprehensive roadmap to boost your WordPress SEO with actionable strategies you can put into practice immediately. To help you navigate this in-depth guide, we have created a handy table of contents below: Table of Contents Introduction The Basics of WordPress SEO The Best WordPress SEO Plugin WordPress SEO Best Practices Speed and Security for WordPress SEO Finally, see more SEO tools and resources to take your WordPress SEO even further. Introduction We know the idea of optimizing for WordPress SEO can be intimidating for beginners, especially if you are not a tech geek. But don’t worry, it does not have to be complicated. Start here to learn the basics, and then you can start applying them to your own website: What Is SEO? SEO is an acronym that stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s a strategy used by website owners to increase their visibility online and attract more visitors by ranking higher in search engine results, particularly on Google. Think of SEO like organizing a library. Just as books need a clear system to help readers find them, your website needs to be organized so search engines can find and recommend your content when people search for related topics. Search engine optimization is not about tricking Google or gaming the system. It’s actually about creating a well-structured website with optimized code, clear formatting, and valuable content. When people search the web for topics you write about, these optimization efforts help your content appear higher in search results, leading to more visitors finding your website naturally. [Back to top ↑] Why SEO Is Important Search engines are often the biggest source of traffic for most websites. Google and other search engines use advanced algorithms to understand and rank pages appropriately in search results. However, those algorithms are not perfect, they still need your help to understand what your content is about. We’ve seen countless examples where unoptimized content struggles to rank, even when it’s valuable and well-written. If your content isn’t properly optimized, search engines won’t know how to rank it. This means when people search for topics you write about, your website may not appear in the search results, causing you to miss out on valuable traffic. Based on our experience, we believe it’s essential for all business owners to make their websites search engine friendly. This simple investment in SEO can dramatically increase your visibility online and help you reach more potential customers. [Back to top ↑] Basics of WordPress SEO SEO can get technical, but it does not have to be. Just learning a few basic WordPress SEO tips to optimize your site can give you a noticeable boost in your website traffic. You don’t have to be a tech genius to use the techniques below. If you are already using WordPress, then you’ve got what it takes! Let’s get started optimizing your website. Note: If you find that optimizing your website for SEO is too difficult, or you just don’t have enough time, then you can hire the experts at WPBeginner Pro Services to do it for you. We offer WordPress SEO services to help grow your website traffic at affordable pricing. The service includes AIOSEO plugin setup, on-page optimization, Google Analytics with MonsterInsights setup, keyword research, and more. Check Your Site’s Visibility Settings WordPress comes with a built-in option to hide your website from search engines. This option gives you time to work on your website before it is ready to go public. However, sometimes, this option can get checked accidentally, and it makes your website unavailable to search engines. If your website is not appearing in search results, then the first thing you need to do is to make sure that this option is unchecked. Simply log in to the admin area of your WordPress site and visit the Settings » Reading page. You need to scroll down to the ‘Search Engine Visibility’ section and make sure that the box next to ‘Discourage search engines from indexing this site’ is unchecked. Don’t forget to click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your changes. [Back to top ↑] Using SEO-Friendly URL Structures in WordPress SEO-friendly URLs contain words that clearly explain the content of the page, and they are easy to read by both humans and search engines. Some examples of SEO-friendly URLs are: https://www.wpbeginner.com/how-to-install-wordpress/https://www.wpbeginner.com/common-wordpress-errors-and-how-to-fix-them/ Notice that these URLs are readable, and a user can guess what they will see on the page just by looking at the URL text. So, what does a non-SEO friendly URL look like? Notice that these URLs use numbers unrelated to the content, and a user cannot guess what they will find on the page by looking at the URL. Using an SEO-friendly permalink structure improves your chances of getting better positions in search results. Here is how you can check and update your WordPress site’s permalink structure. You need to visit

Although I am not a developer, I build my websites on my own for a few reasons. I love working at my own pace, I enjoy the freedom of making changes whenever I want, and most importantly, I DON’T want to spend hundreds of dollars every time I need to update my website. Since 2008, I’ve been on quite a journey with website builders. Over the years, I created several websites, including blogs, small business websites, and eCommerce sites that helped me generate passive income. Through trial and error (and yes, some frustrating moments), I’ve tested practically every major website builder out there. In this guide, I’ll share my honest insights about the best website builders available today. Overview: Best Website Builders In a hurry? Check out this quick comparison of my top picks for the best website builders: # Website Builder Best For Pricing 🥇 WordPress Overall best website builder Starts at $1.99/mo 🥈 Wix Building a free website Starts at $17/mo + Free 🥉 Web.com Easily creating a simple site Starts at $4.99/mo 4 HubSpot Website Builder Built-in marketing automation Starts at $15/mo + Free 5 WooCommerce Creating an online store Starts at $2.99/mo Criteria for My Best Website Builder Review Over the last 16 years, I’ve tested nearly every website builder out there. Trust me, I’ve made all the rookie mistakes so you don’t have to! When I review website builders, I focus on five crucial elements that I wish someone had told me about when I first started: You can also take a look at our editorial process to see how I test and review software. Let’s take a look at the best website builder software to start building your website without hiring a developer or coding HTML from scratch. 1. WordPress WordPress.org (also known as self-hosted WordPress) is the world’s most popular website-building platform. I migrated my first website to WordPress in 2010. Since then, WordPress is my go-to platform for building sites. In fact, 43.5% of all websites on the internet are powered by WordPress. So, I would say that lots of people probably agree with me. If you’re diving deep into WordPress research, we’ve documented my extensive experience in this detailed WordPress review. It covers everything we’ve learned from building countless websites over the years. Here’s something crucial to understand: WordPress.com and WordPress.org are different platforms. Think of WordPress.org as owning your own home – you have complete control but need to set up utilities (hosting). WordPress.com is more like renting an apartment – easier to move in, but with some restrictions. For a detailed breakdown, check out my comparison between WordPress.org and WordPress.com. The beauty of WordPress.org lies in its complete freedom – you own everything about your website. There’s no middleman controlling your content or limiting your choices. This level of control and flexibility is why major organizations like WhiteHouse.gov, CNN, The New York Times, and Microsoft trust WordPress with their online presence. Pros: WordPress became my go-to platform because it lets you build any type of website you can dream of. From an online store selling handmade jewelry to community forums for plant enthusiasts, or even a membership website for your online courses – WordPress handles it all seamlessly. Here is what made me faill in love with WordPress: you don’t need to settle for a boring, cookie-cutter design. You’ll find thousands of beautiful, ready-to-use themes (think of them as your website’s outfit), and each one can be customized to match your unique vision. Remember those frustrating times when you couldn’t make simple changes to your website? With WordPress’s content editor, you’re in complete control. Want to update your header at midnight? Add a new section to your homepage? Change your footer design? You can do it all yourself, no coding required! The real magic happens with WordPress plugins – over 60,000 free add-ons that enhance your website’s capabilities. These powerful tools let you add essential features like contact forms, Google Analytics, photo galleries, social media integration, and much more. These plugins serve as practical tools that streamline your daily operations by connecting seamlessly with your favorite business applications, saving you countless hours of manual work. For international reach, WordPress offers support in over 75 languages, making it simple to create multilingual websites. This feature alone opens your content to a global audience. WordPress truly shines with its built-in SEO capabilities. Combined with powerful SEO tools like Cons: Like any powerful tool, WordPress does require some initial learning and ongoing maintenance. However, the learning process is much easier than you might think, especially with the abundance of user-friendly tutorials and guides available online. The maintenance aspect of WordPress is straightforward once you understand the basics. You’ll need to update WordPress core software and plugins occasionally. Pricing: While WordPress is a free website builder, you will need a domain name and web hosting to get your website live, which typically costs $14.99/year and $7.99 per month, respectively. Fortunately, we have worked out a special deal for WPBeginner readers. You can start a website for only $1.99 per month with Bluehost, an official WordPress-recommended hosting provider. They are offering my readers up to 83% off on web hosting that comes with a free SSL certificate, free domain name, great uptime, and 24/7 phone support. → Click Here to Claim This Exclusive Bluehost Offer ← With this special pricing, WordPress is one of the cheapest website builders on this list for small businesses. For more details, see my guide on how to make a website with step-by-step instructions (including a video tutorial). Note: WordPress works with all popular web hosting services, and it’s actually recommended by many other companies, including GoDaddy, SiteGround, DreamHost, Hostinger, and more. Ready to get started but don’t have a business name idea yet? Use my smart AI-powered business name generator tool to come up with your brand name idea. 2. Wix Wix.com is a popular cloud-based website builder software favorite among smaller business owners who need a simple site. In my experience, what makes Wix stand out is their powerful AI features and easy drag & drop design customizer for websites. They also have a lot of templates too. Wix lets you start building your

Starting an online store in 2025 doesn’t require technical expertise or business experience – we know because we’ve helped countless beginners build successful shops. WordPress makes it easier than ever to create your first online store, even if you don’t have any experience with web design or eCommerce. We use WordPress paired with Easy Digital Downloads to sell our own digital products with minimal hassle. And many WordPress users rely on WooCommerce, which is the largest eCommerce platform on the market and super straightforward to use. The benefits of starting an online store are clear: flexible hours, low startup costs, and complete control over your business. While getting started is simple, you’ll need guidance on the basics – from choosing the right platform to setting up payments. In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk you through how to start an online store, step by step. In this guide, we’ll walk you through each step, from choosing the right platform to building your online business to optimizing it for success. But if you’d rather skip the DIY route, you can contact our team at WPBeginner Pro Services and let our experts create a custom online store for you, all from scratch. → Click Here to Book a FREE Appointment With WordPress Experts ← What Is the Best Online Store Platform? 💡 Editor’s Note: In this article, we recommend WordPress.org + WooCommerce because they give you complete control over your online store. If you want to skip this section and jump straight to building your store, go ahead and start reading the tutorial. 😀 Starting an online store is exciting, but we know the first big question can feel overwhelming: which eCommerce platform should you use? We’ve helped thousands of store owners make this decision, so let’s make it simple for you. Essentially, you have two main choices for building your online store. You can either go with WordPress.org and add an eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce or use a hosted platform like Shopify or BigCommerce. Think of it like owning versus renting a physical store. With WordPress.org and WooCommerce, you will own your store completely. You choose your hosting, control all your costs, and can customize everything exactly how you want. Using eCommerce solutions like Shopify is more like renting a store in a mall. While it’s easier to get started, you’ll have less control, and the platform often requires you to upgrade to a higher plan as your business grows. Not to mention, you’re limited to the features they offer. You can read our comparison piece on Shopify vs. WooCommerce for more details. And here’s a quick comparison table of the different options for online stores: WordPress.org + eCommerce Plugin Hosted Solutions (Shopify, BigCommerce) 👍 Pros • Complete customization control• Lower long-term costs• Own all your data and content • Easier to set up• Built-in technical support• Regular automatic updates 👎 Cons • Initial setup takes longer• Responsible for updates• Need to handle security • Higher monthly costs• Limited customization options• Locked into the platform’s features Best For • Growing businesses wanting full control• Budget-conscious store owners• Unique or complex store needs • Beginners wanting quick setup• Hands-off management• Simple stores with basic needs Overall, our advice is to go with WordPress.org for eCommerce. We’ve had plenty of experience using this platform, and we’ve never felt locked in or limited by what we can create. Plus, you won’t face surprising cost increases as your store grows. WordPress also lets you choose the perfect eCommerce plugin for your specific needs. Want to sell physical products? WooCommerce has you covered. Looking to sell digital downloads? Easy Digital Downloads works perfectly. Or need to create a membership site? Check out MemberPress. In this complete guide on how to start an online store, we will use WordPress.org with WooCommerce, as it’s the most popular eCommerce plugin. Here are the simple steps we will cover, and you can use the links below to skip to your preferred topic: Ready? Let’s get started. 💡 Want to create an online store without all the hassle? Let WPBeginner Pro Services help! Our expert team can create a custom WooCommerce site easily and affordably. From design to SEO, we’ve got you covered. Get Our WordPress Website Design Services Today! Step 1: Choose a Product to Sell The first and perhaps most important step in launching your WordPress online store is deciding what to sell. Your product choice shapes everything about your business, from your brand identity and website features to your marketing strategy and operational needs. To find the right online business idea, you can start by asking yourself these questions: After identifying potential products, you’ll need to decide how you’ll produce, source, and manage them. The table below shows some of your main options: Business Model What Is It? Requirements Best For 🎨 Homemade Products Make products by hand using your personal skills and creativity • Working space and basic tools• Creative skills and time• Quality materials Creative people who want to sell unique, handmade items 📦 Wholesale Buy products in bulk at lower prices to resell • Storage room for inventory• Money to buy stock upfront• Organization skills Sellers who want proven products and can handle storage 🖼️ Print-on-Demand Put your designs on products that get made after each sale • Basic design skills• Computer and internet• Photo editing knowledge Artists and creators who want to start with low risk 🚚 Dropshipping Sell products that others store and ship for you • Research and marketing skills• Customer service• Basic tech setup Beginners who want to start with minimal investment 💻 Digital Products Create and sell downloadable items like courses or eBooks • Expert knowledge• Content creation skills• Basic tech understanding Experts and creators who want passive income potential 🏭 Manufacturing Partner with factories to make your product ideas • Product designs• Larger starting budget• Patience for development Businesses ready to create unique products at scale Additionally, you should consider how to price your eCommerce products properly. This decision affects everything from your profit margins to your target market. For more information, we have broken down all the proven pricing strategies in our beginner’s guide to eCommerce pricing models. Once you know what

When we first started WPBeginner back in 2009, we had one main goal: teaching people how to succeed with WordPress. Even though we’ve now spent 16+ years helping more than 2 million people build their WordPress websites, we totally understand if you’re feeling overwhelmed right now. You might be wondering whether to use WordPress.com or WordPress.org, why you need to pay for hosting if WordPress is free, or if you’ll need to learn coding. These are questions that we hear from our readers every day. In this guide, we will show you how to make a WordPress website the right way. Whether you’re looking to launch a simple blog or a site for your online business, we will teach you everything you need to know. Don’t worry – you won’t need any technical skills or coding knowledge. Simply follow our simple instructions, and you’ll have your website up and running today. We will walk you through everything, from setting up WordPress to adding your first pages and installing must-have plugins. We will also share the tried-and-tested tools and methods we use to build successful WordPress websites. But if you need more assistance, our team will happily set up your WordPress website for FREE. → Click Here to Get Your Free WordPress Website Setup! ← Choosing a Website Platform: WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org 💡Editor’s Note: This article recommends WordPress.org since it gives you full freedom. If you’d rather skip this section and cut straight to the chase, you can go ahead and start reading the tutorial Before we start building your website, let’s clear up something important. There are two types of WordPress: WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Yes, this confuses many beginners, but don’t worry – we will make it simple. WordPress.org is the popular open-source software that powers over 43% of all websites on the internet. It’s often called ‘self-hosted WordPress’ because you’ll need to get your own hosting and domain name to use it. The key benefits of using WordPress.org are complete control over your website, the ability to install any plugins and themes you want, and full ownership of your content. However, you’re responsible for hosting, updates, and maintenance. Meanwhile, WordPress.com is a hosting service that uses the WordPress.org software. Although it has a free plan, it offers limited functionality and doesn’t let you customize it the way you want. Plus, features like installing plugins and themes are only available on higher-tier plans, starting at $25/month. WordPress.org WordPress.com Customization Complete control Limited by plan tier Hosting Self-managed Included in all plans Plugins & Themes Install any you want Available on Business plans and up ($25/mo) Monetization Complete freedom Limited by plan tier Maintenance Self-managed Handled for you Best For Complete website control Hands-off hosting You can also check out our infographic that compares WordPress.org, WordPress.com (Free), and WordPress.com (Business). While WordPress.com might seem easier at first, we’ve noticed that most users quickly outgrow its limitations. With WordPress.org, you’ll have full control from day one. That’s why this guide focuses on creating a website with WordPress.org. We will show you the exact process we’ve used to help thousands of beginners build successful websites. Here are the steps we will cover, and you can use the links below to skip to your preferred topic: Let’s get started! Step 1: Define Your Website Goal First things first, let’s talk about what you want to achieve with your website. One common mistake we often see is people jumping straight into design and features without having a clear goal in mind. This often leads to wasted time and a website that doesn’t serve its purpose. At WPBeginner, our main goal is to help people learn WordPress. This shaped how we built our website: clear navigation to find tutorials easily, free resources that are simple to access, and an email newsletter to share WordPress tips. Your website goal might be different. Here’s what different types of websites typically focus on: Website Type Main Goal Key Features Needed Business Site Generate Leads Contact forms, email signup, testimonials Online Store Make Sales Product pages, shopping cart, payment system Affiliate Promote Products Product reviews, comparison tables, tracking links Membership Restrict Content Member login, subscription plans, protected pages Education Teach Skills Course pages, member access, progress tracking Portfolio Showcase Work Image galleries, project pages, contact info Blog Share Content Clean layout, categories, search function Also, it’s normal if your website has multiple goals. For example, our partner website OptinMonster has the goal of selling their lead generation software product. But they also have a blog with the goal of educating readers about conversion optimization and growing their businesses. That being said, it’s important to define a main goal because it will decide what call-to-action to highlight and how to steer users in that direction. This clarity will help you make better decisions about your website’s design, features, and content strategy. Now that you have a clear picture of what kind of website you want to build, let’s move on to the next step. Step 2: Choose a Domain Name & WordPress Hosting To use WordPress.org to build your website, you will first need a domain name and WordPress hosting. Many new website owners confuse domain names with hosting or think they’re the same thing. Let’s break it down. A domain name is your website’s address on the internet. Think of it as your website’s street address. For example, our domain name is wpbeginner.com – that’s what people type into their browser to find us. Domain names typically cost around $14.99 per year, with prices varying based on the extension (.com, .org, .net, etc.). On the other hand, WordPress hosting is where your website’s files actually live. If your domain name is your street address, then hosting is the actual house. It’s where all your website’s content, images, and files are stored. These days, you’ll find dozens of WordPress hosting providers offering different types of hosting plans. You’ll see shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, VPS hosting, and more. We know it can feel overwhelming. Our recommendation? Go with Bluehost. Here’s why we love them: Our founder,