I met with a friend on a coffee, few days ago.

He had an idea to start a blogging business. (Very innovative, I know. ☺)

So, anyway, he wanted to know how can he create a website, but without spending too much money on a web designer. And without having to learn HTML/CSS and other programming languages.

I told him I can show him how can he create a professional-looking website for less than $60.

He said that I’m crazy, and that it can’t be done.

So, I decided to show him that IT IS possible, and to document the entire process here.

Let’s start, shall we?

STEP #0: Stuff you’ll need

In order to do this, you’ll need:

Self-hosted WordPress blog (don’t worry, I’ll show you how to install it) Memento WordPress Theme (we use this theme because it comes with a great plugin called Frontend Page Builder. You’ll see why this plugin is important)

STEP #1: Let’s install WordPress

To install WordPress, we’ll need a hosting and a domain name.

If you already have a hosting, domain name, and WordPress installed, you can skip this step.

If you don’t have them, you can use Hostgator.com to register a domain and get a hosting account. I use them myself, and I’m very satisfied. If you are a new user, you can use HowToCreateWebsite coupon, and get your first month for just 1 cent.

Once you register an account, open your cPanel (there will be a link and a login info in an email you receive from Hostgator).

There you’ll find great tool called Fantastico De Luxe.

Fantastico will enable you to create a WordPress site in just a few clicks.

Let’s do that now.

Open Fantastico, and click the WordPress link on the right side.

Choose “New Installation”

On the next page, all you need to do is to enter the basic info, like your username password, name of the blog, where you want it to be installed, etc.

After you enter, click Install.

Fantastico will now ask you to confirm that you want to install WordPress.

Just click Finish installation.

And now you have WordPress installed for your site.

Now, the Fantastico will show the login info you’ll need.

Enter your email, and you’ll receive your login info in your inbox, so you don’t have to write it down.

STEP #2: Install Memento WordPress Theme

Now, it’s time for you to install Memento WordPress Theme.

Login to your WordPress dashboard. (NameOfYourWebsite.com/wp-admin)

Once you login, go to Appearance → Themes

Great.

Now, click Add New button, located above the default themes.

And then click Upload Theme, located at the same place.

Now, you need to upload and install Memento theme.

Click Choose File, and find Memento .zip file you just downloaded. Once you choose it, click Install Now, and wait for the file to upload and install.

Once the uploading and installation process is done, just click Activate, and you are done!

STEP #3: Add your logo

Let’s add your logo.

Head over to Appearance → Memento Options

You’ll see bunch of options here. You can “play” with them later, and test each one. But for now, we just need to change the logo.

Click General Settings, and upload your logo here. And don’t forget to save changes.

STEP #4: Add menus

This step is optional.

But, let’s say you want to have navigation bar at the top of your site.

And let’s say that you want to have Home, About Me and Contact Me in the navigation bar.

Go to Appearance → Menus.

Enter the name for your menu and click Create Menu.

Now, let’s add menu items. I’ll assume that your About and Contact pages are located at: NameOfYourWebsite.com/about and NameOfYourWebsite.com/contact.

Click the Links tab, and add pages, one by one, and click Add to Menu.

After you finish, click Save Menu.

Then, click Manage Locations.

Choose the Menu your want to use as Primary Header Menu, and click Save Changes.

And you are done!

STEP #5: Create new page

Why are we creating new page?

Because we are going to edit this page, the way we want, and then we are going to set this page to be shown as homepage.

And using Frontend Page Builder that comes with Memento Theme, we are going to create a website just by dragging elements on the page.

Cool, right?

Go to Pages → Add New

Enter the name of your page.

You can name it the way you want, but I recommend you name it:

Name of Your Website | Description of Your Website

Then click Publish, and then click the Frontend Builder tab.

You’ll see this:

Click Edit page, and you are ready to start building your website!

STEP #6: Add Feature Box

OK.

Now, your screen should look like this. Of course, with your own logo and menus.

First, we’ll add Feature box.

Feature box is a great place to add your opt-in form and start collecting emails.

Derek Halpern is, as far as I know, the first one who started to use this. He says that feature box on his SocialTriggers.com is generating lot’s of subscribers.

SocialTriggers.com Feature Box

So, it’s obvious you should have one.

Here’s how to create it.

Click +Add new row, and choose Two halves. You can choose different row sizes, but I’ll use Two halves here.

You’ll see this:

On the right side, you have various blocks that we’ll use. And on the left, there are setting for each row you create, and for blocks that you use.

Now, let’s grab Image block, and drag it to the left column.

On the left side, you see various options, but the most important one for now is this place where you enter the URL of your image.

You can put your image. Or an image of your product. Or image of something you give to your audience if they subscribe.

Alternatively, you can add video. It’s the same process. Just a different content block you choose on the left.

In the right column, we’ll add header, few bullet points, and an opt-in form. Of course, you don’t have to use the same elements. It’s just something I choose for this tutorial.

So, grab Header block and drag it to the right column. Drag Bullet List below Header. And drag Text/HTML blox below Bullet List.

For each block, on the right side you’ll have text editor like this. In the Heading block, enter the main headline.

In Bullet List, enter some key features.

In the Text/HTML block, enter the HTML code of your opt-in form, from your mailing service provider (AWeber, MailChimp, or whatever you use).

That’s it! You have feature box for your site!

STEP #7: Add blog layout

You have multiple options here.

You can have content area on the left, and sidebar on the right. Or you can have sidebar on the left, and content on the right. Or sidebars on the both side, and content in the middle. Or… You got the idea.

I’ll just use regular style, with content on the left, and sidebar on the right.

Click +Add new row, and choose, let’s say, Two thirds + One third.

STEP #8: Add sidebar

Now, grab the Sidebar block and drag it to the right column.

On the right side, choose which sidebar you want to show here.

NOTE: You can add or remove the elements of each sidebar if you go to Appearance → Widgets.

STEP #9: Add recent posts

To add recent posts, you must change the block group.

Click the Change shortcode group, and choose the icon in the middle.

Now, drag the Posts block to the left column.

On the right side, you choose how you want posts to be sorted, from what category, etc.

For this tutorial, I’ll set 1 Column (which means only one post in one column), 10 Rows (which means ten posts will be shown on homepage), and to sort everything by date, starting from the last one.

Of course, you are free to set everything to fit your needs.

And voila! You have an awesome front page of your website!

Now, we just need to make this page a homepage!

STEP #10: Set this new page as homepage

From the WordPress Admin panel, go to Settings → Reading

Choose A static page option, and from Front page drop-down menu, choose the page you've just created.

Now just save changes, and you. Are. Done!

Congratulations! You now have a great website, ready to collect emails and build your business.

BONUS TIPS:

a. Change permalinks

You don’t want your URL to be ugly, right?

OK, go to Settings → Permalinks

And choose Post name.

Now, instead those ugly /?p=123 URLs, your website will have nice looking URLs, NameOfYourWebsite.com/your-post-name.

b. Write quality stuff

A.K.A. epic shit.

That’s the only way to keep people on your website.

c. Find your own “design”

I showed you how to create a website. Now, you can use the exact same structure. Or you can test with different structures.

There is no the right one. Nor every blog structure and blog design fits to everyone’s needs. You've noticed that I didn't add any backgrounds or special colors here.

That’s because I don’t need them. But, maybe you’ll need them.

Feel free to play with settings and find the design and structure that fits your needs and the needs of your audience.

d. Read 101 Blogging Tip for Newbie and Experienced Bloggers

I've listed some great tips there that you’ll find helpful.

Enjoy!

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