How to Install WordPress

I remember my first time installing WordPress. I thought it would take hours and require coding skills I didn't have. Turns out? I had my site up and running in literally 8 minutes. No joke.

If you're staring at your screen wondering how to install WordPress on your website, I'm going to walk you through the entire process step-by-step. Whether you're using Hostinger, Bluehost, or any other host, this guide covers everything—from the 10-minute installation to making your WordPress site blazing fast.

Let's dive in.

What is WordPress and Why Should You Care?

Before we get into the technical stuff, let's address the elephant in the room: Is WordPress still popular in 2025? Should you even bother learning it?

Short answer: Yes, absolutely.

WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet. That's not a typo—almost half of every website you visit runs on WordPress. It's used by massive brands like The New York Times, Sony, and Microsoft, as well as millions of small businesses and bloggers.

Despite all the noise about "AI replacing WordPress" or "people moving away from WordPress," the platform is stronger than ever in 2026. Sure, website builders like Wix and Squarespace are popular, but WordPress gives you something they can't—complete control and unlimited customization.

Is WordPress good for beginners?

Here's my honest take: WordPress has a learning curve, but it's not steep. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can use WordPress. The basics are incredibly simple, and you can always grow into the advanced features as you learn.

How to Install WordPress in 5-10 Minutes (The Easy Way)

Most modern web hosts have made WordPress installation ridiculously easy. Gone are the days of manual FTP uploads and database configurations. Now it's literally a few clicks.

Method 1: Installing WordPress with Hostinger (My Recommended Host)

Hostinger has become my go-to recommendation for beginners. It's cheap ($30-50/year), fast, and their WordPress installation is stupidly simple.

Step 1: Sign up for Hostinger

Go to Hostinger.com and choose a hosting plan. The "Premium Web Hosting" plan is perfect for beginners—it includes:

Free domain name for the first year
Free SSL certificate (makes your site secure)
1-click WordPress installation
100 GB storage
Around $2-3 per month

Step 2: Choose your domain name

During signup, Hostinger lets you either:

Register a new domain (yoursite.com)
Use a domain you already own
Start with a free subdomain (yoursite.hostinger.site)

Pick something memorable and relevant to your niche. Keep it under 15 characters if possible.

Step 3: Complete the purchase

Pay for your hosting. Pro tip: Choose the longest billing period you can afford—you'll save 60-70% compared to monthly billing. I paid for 4 years upfront and saved over $200.

Step 4: Access your hosting panel

After payment, you'll get login credentials via email. Log in to hPanel (Hostinger's control panel). This is where the magic happens.

Step 5: Install WordPress (The actual 10-minute part)

In hPanel, look for "Website" in the left sidebar. Click "Auto Installer," or you'll see a big "Install WordPress" button on your dashboard.

Click it. Seriously, that's step one.

Now fill out this simple form:

Site Title: Your website name (you can change this later)
Admin Username: Your WordPress login username (don't use "admin"—it's a security risk)
Admin Password: Make it strong. Use a password manager.
Admin Email: Your email address
Language: Choose your language

Click "Install" and grab a coffee. Actually, don't even grab coffee—it'll be done in 30 seconds.

Step 6: Access your WordPress dashboard

Once installation completes, you'll see:

Your website URL: https://yoursite.com
Your admin URL: https://yoursite.com/wp-admin

Click the admin URL, enter the username and password you just created, and boom—you're in WordPress!

Total time: 8-10 minutes, including signup.

Method 2: Installing WordPress on Other Hosts (Bluehost, SiteGround, etc.)

The process is almost identical across all major hosts:

Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel or custom panel)
Find "WordPress" or "Softaculous Apps Installer"
Click "Install Now"
Fill out the basic form (site name, admin credentials)
Click Install

Every decent host in 2026 has this 1-click installation. If your host makes you manually upload files via FTP, run away—it's 2026, not 2006.

How to Install WordPress Locally (For Testing)

Want to play around with WordPress before going live? Installing WordPress locally on your computer is perfect for learning and testing.

Can I install WordPress locally? Absolutely.

Here's how:

Option 1: Using Local by Flywheel (Easiest)

Download Local from localwp.com (it's free)
Install the application on your computer
Click "Create a New Site"
Name your site and choose environment settings (just use the defaults)
Create your admin username and password
Click "Add Site"

Done. Your local WordPress site is now running at something like "mysite.local" and you can access it only from your computer.

Option 2: Using XAMPP (More Technical)

Download XAMPP from apachefriends.org
Install it (accept all defaults)
Download WordPress from wordpress.org
Extract WordPress files to C:\xampp\htdocs\mysite
Start Apache and MySQL in XAMPP Control Panel
Create a database through phpMyAdmin
Navigate to localhost/mysite and follow the installation wizard

XAMPP is more complicated but gives you more control. I used it when I was learning web development.

WordPress Login: Accessing Your Dashboard

This trips up a lot of beginners, so let me clarify: there are two parts to your WordPress site.

The frontend: What visitors see (yoursite.com)

The backend: Your admin dashboard, where you control everything (yoursite.com/wp-admin)

To log into WordPress:

Go to yoursite.com/wp-admin
Enter your admin username
Enter your password
Click "Log In"

Forgot your password? Click "Lost your password?" on the login screen. WordPress will email you a reset link.

Pro tip: Bookmark your wp-admin URL. You'll be visiting it constantly.

How to Create a Website in WordPress for Free

Let's address this question honestly: Is WordPress 100% free?

Yes and no. WordPress software itself is completely free and open-source. But you need hosting and a domain, which cost money. However, there are ways to create a WordPress website for free:

Option 1: WordPress.com Free Plan

WordPress.com offers a limited free plan:

Free subdomain (yoursite.wordpress.com)
Limited customization
WordPress.com ads on your site
No plugins allowed
1 GB storage

It's fine for personal blogs or testing, but not for serious business sites.

Option 2: Free Hosting with WordPress

Some hosts, like InfinityFree or 000webhost, offer free WordPress hosting. But honestly? The limitations and ads usually aren't worth it. You're better off spending $30-50/year for real hosting.

The reality: If you want a professional WordPress site, plan to spend $50-100 in the first year for hosting and a domain. After that, it's $30-80 annually. That's incredibly cheap for owning your own website.

Creating Your First WordPress Site: Step-by-Step

You've installed WordPress. Now what? Let's build an actual website.

Step 1: Install a Theme

Your theme controls how your site looks. WordPress includes a few default themes, but you'll want something better.

Finding free themes:

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes
Click "Add New"
Browse themes or search for your niche ("blog," "portfolio," "business")
Click "Install" on a theme you like
Click "Activate"

My free theme recommendations for 2026:

Astra - Lightning fast, highly customizable
GeneratePress - Clean, professional, great for any niche
Kadence - Modern, feature-rich, perfect for beginners
Neve - Fast-loading, mobile-first design

All of these work beautifully and are actually free (not "free trials").

Step 2: Install Essential Plugins

Plugins add functionality to WordPress. Think of them like apps on your phone.

Must-have plugins:

Rank Math SEO or Yoast SEO - Optimizes your site for Google search. Rank Math is my preference in 2026—it's more powerful and completely free.

WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache - Makes your site load faster. WP Rocket costs $49/year, but it's worth every penny. LiteSpeed Cache is free if your host uses LiteSpeed servers.

UpdraftPlus - Backs up your entire site automatically. Free version works great.

Wordfence Security - Protects against hackers and malware. Essential.

Contact Form 7 or WPForms - Let people contact you. Both have free versions.

To install plugins:

Go to Plugins > Add New
Search for the plugin name
Click "Install Now"
Click "Activate"

Don't go plugin crazy! Start with 5-7 essential plugins. Too many plugins slow down your site.

Step 3: Create Essential Pages

Every website needs these basic pages:

Homepage - Your main landing page. About - Tell your story.y Contact - How people can reach you. Privacy Policy - Legally required if you collect emails or use ad.s Blog - Where your blog posts appear

To create a page:

Go to Pages > Add New
Enter your page title
Add content using the block editor
Click "Publish"

Step 4: Set Up Your Menus

Menus help visitors navigate your site.

Go to Appearance > Menus
Create a new menu (name it "Main Menu")
Add your pages to the menu
Assign the menu to the "Primary Menu" location
Click "Save Menu"

Step 5: Customize Your Site Settings

Go to Settings and configure:

General:

Site Title and Tagline
WordPress Address (URL)
Site Address (URL)
Email address

Reading:

Choose what displays on your homepage (latest posts or a static page)
Set posts per page (I use 10-12)

Permalinks:

Choose "Post name" structure (yoursite.com/page-title)
This is important for SEO

Discussion:

Configure comment settings
Enable or disable comments

Step 6: Write Your First Blog Post

Go to Posts > Add New
Enter your post title
Write your content in the block editor
Add images (drag and drop)
Add categories and tags
Click "Publish"

Congratulations! You have a functioning WordPress website.

How to Create a New Site in WordPress (Multi-Site Setup)

If you want multiple websites under one WordPress installation, you need WordPress Multisite. This is advanced, so skip this section if you're just starting.

When you need multisite:

Running multiple related websites
Creating a network of blogs
Managing client sites from one dashboard

Setting up WordPress Multisite:

Edit your wp-config.php file (via FTP or cPanel File Manager)
Add this line before "That's all, stop editing!": define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
Save the file
Go to Tools > Network Setup in the WordPress dashboard
Follow the configuration instructions
Add new sites from Sites > Add New

Honestly? Most people don't need multisite. It's complex and creates more problems than it solves unless you specifically need multiple sites sharing users and plugins.

How Much Does WordPress Pay for 1,000 Views? (Monetization Reality Check)

I see this question constantly: "How much does WordPress pay for 1000 views?"

Here's the truth: WordPress itself doesn't pay you anything. WordPress is just software. But you can make money FROM your WordPress website through ads, affiliates, and products.

How much can you actually earn per 1,000 pageviews?

It depends entirely on your monetization method:

Google AdSense: $2-10 per 1,000 views (average $3-5) Mediavine: $15-30 per 1,000 views AdThrive: $20-40 per 1,000 views Affiliate Marketing: $10-100+ per 1,000 views (varies wildly by niche)

So if you get 50,000 monthly pageviews with Mediavine, you're looking at $750-1,500 monthly. At 100,000 views, that's $1,500-3,000.

How do websites make over $1 million per month?

Sites earning $1M+ monthly typically combine:

Massive traffic (millions of monthly visitors)
Premium ad networks
Multiple affiliate programs
Their own products (courses, software, membership sites)
Sponsored content
Email marketing

They're not relying on ads alone. They've built diversified income streams and scaled content production.

Why is WordPress Very Slow? (And How to Fix It)

If your WordPress site loads like molasses, you're not alone. Slow WordPress sites are frustratingly common. But they're almost always fixable.

The most common reasons WordPress sites are slow:

1. Crappy hosting

Your $3/month shared hosting with 500 other websites on the same server? That's your problem. Cheap hosting = slow sites.

Solution: Upgrade to better hosting. Hostinger Premium, SiteGround GrowBig, or managed WordPress hosts like Kinsta or WP Engine. Yes, it costs more, but speed matters.

2. Too many plugins

Every plugin adds code. 50+ active plugins? Your site will crawl.

Solution: Deactivate and delete plugins you don't actually use. Run your site through GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights to identify problematic plugins.

3. Unoptimized images

That 5MB photo from your camera is killing your load time. Large images are the #1 speed killer.

Solution: Compress images before uploading. Use tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel. Install an image optimization plugin like Smush or Imagify.

4. No caching

Without caching, WordPress rebuilds your entire page for every visitor. That's insane.

Solution: Install a caching plugin. WP Rocket is the best but costs money. Free options: LiteSpeed Cache, WP Super Cache, or W3 Total Cache.

5. Using too many external scripts

Every font from Google Fonts, tracking pixel from Facebook, and widget from third-party services adds load time.

Solution: Minimize external requests. Host fonts locally. Use Google Tag Manager to load scripts efficiently.

6. No CDN (Content Delivery Network)

If your server is in the US and someone visits from Australia, your site will be slow for them.

Solution: Use a CDN like Cloudflare (free plan works great) or BunnyCDN ($1/month). They serve your content from servers closest to each visitor.

How to Speed Up WordPress Website Load Time (Advanced Tactics)

Want your WordPress site to load in under 2 seconds? Here's the complete optimization checklist:

Step 1: Choose the Right Hosting

I cannot stress this enough—hosting is 50% of your speed. Moving from cheap shared hosting to quality hosting can reduce load time by 70%.

Fast hosting options for 2026:

Hostinger Premium ($30-50/year) - Best budget option
SiteGround ($80-150/year) - Great all-around
Kinsta ($300+/year) - Managed WordPress, blazing fast
Cloudways ($10-50/month) - Cloud hosting, very fast

Step 2: Install WP Rocket (Best Caching Plugin)

WP Rocket is $49/year and worth every cent. After activating:

Enable file optimization (minify CSS/JS)
Enable lazy loading for images
Enable page caching
Preload cache
Enable database optimization

Your site will be noticeably faster instantly.

Can't afford WP Rocket? Use LiteSpeed Cache (free) if your host supports LiteSpeed, or W3 Total Cache (free but more complex).

Step 3: Implement Lazy Loading

What is lazy loading? Images below the fold don't load until the user scrolls down to see them. This dramatically improves initial load time.

How to do lazy loading in WordPress:

WP Rocket includes lazy loading. Just enable it in settings.

Or install a dedicated plugin like Lazy Load by WP Rocket (free) or a3 Lazy Load.

How do I get rid of lazy loading? Just deactivate the plugin or toggle it off in WP Rocket settings. Some themes have built-in lazy loading you'll need to disable in theme options.

Step 4: Optimize Images Aggressively

Use an image optimization plugin:

ShortPixel - My favorite, 100 images/month free
Imagify - Beautiful interface, 25MB/month free
Smush - Completely free, unlimited compressions

Also, serve images in next-gen formats (WebP). WP Rocket and most image plugins can convert your images automatically.

Step 5: Use a CDN

Create an account at cloudflare.com
Add your website
Change your domain nameservers (Cloudflare gives you instructions)
Enable Auto Minify in Cloudflare settings
Enable Brotli compression

Your site now loads faster globally.

Step 6: Clean Up Your Database

WordPress stores everything in a database. Over time, it fills with trash—post revisions, spam comments, transients.

Use WP-Optimize (free plugin) to:

Delete post revisions
Remove spam comments
Clean up transients
Optimize database tables

Run this monthly.

Step 7: Disable Unnecessary Features

WordPress loads a lot of stuff you might not need:

Disable embeds (if you don't embed YouTube/Twitter): Add to functions.php: remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_oembed_add_discovery_links');

Disable emojis (seriously, who needs emoji support): Use a plugin like Disable Emojis

Limit post revisions: Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', 3);

Step 8: Use a Lightweight Theme

Your theme controls a lot of your site's speed. Bloated themes with tons of features you don't use will slow you down.

Fastest WordPress themes:

GeneratePress
Astra
Kadence
Neve

All of these load in under 0.5 seconds on decent hosting.

Can a WordPress site be fast? Absolutely. I have WordPress sites loading in 0.8-1.2 seconds. It just takes proper optimization.

How to Load a WordPress Website Faster (Quick Wins)

Don't have time for all that? Here are the fastest improvements:

Install WP Rocket (5 minutes, instant speed boost)
Compress your images (use ShortPixel, 10 minutes setup)
Remove unused plugins (5 minutes, check GTmetrix for slow plugins)
Enable Cloudflare CDN (20 minutes setup, free)
Upgrade your hosting if you're on $3/month shared hosting

Do these five things and you'll see 40-60% speed improvement.

How to Make Your Website Load Fast (Beyond WordPress)

Some speed principles apply to any website, not just WordPress:

Minimize HTTP requests - Fewer files = faster loading

Enable GZIP compression - Makes files smaller during transfer

Use browser caching - Stores files locally so repeat visitors load faster

Optimize CSS delivery - Inline critical CSS, defer non-critical

Reduce server response time - Better hosting helps here

Use async or defer for JavaScript - Don't let JS block page rendering

Most of this is handled by WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache automatically. This is why I love WordPress—plugins solve these problems for you.

How to Set a WordPress Site to Coming Soon

Want to work on your site before making it public? WordPress has several "coming soon" options.

Method 1: Built-in WordPress Maintenance Mode

Many hosting providers add a default "coming soon" page during WordPress installation. This usually disappears after your first login, but you can re-enable it with plugins.

Method 2: Using SeedProd (Best Coming Soon Plugin)

Install SeedProd plugin (free version works)
Go to SeedProd > Landing Pages
Click "Set Up a Coming Soon Page"
Choose a template
Customize with drag-and-drop builder
Save and activate

Your site now shows a coming soon page to visitors while you work on it. You can still access the site by logging in.

Method 3: Using Your Host's Settings

Hostinger and some other hosts have a "coming soon" toggle right in the hosting panel. Just flip it on.

The 7 Steps to Creating a Website (Any Website)

Whether you're using WordPress or not, creating a website follows this pattern:

Step 1: Define your purpose - What is this site for? Blog? Business? Portfolio?

Step 2: Choose a domain name - Your site's address on the internet

Step 3: Purchase hosting - Where your website files live

Step 4: Install your platform - WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or custom code

Step 5: Design your site - Choose a theme/template, customize colors and layout

Step 6: Create content - Write pages, blog posts, and add products

Step 7: Launch and promote - Make it public and drive traffic

WordPress makes steps 4-6 significantly easier than building from scratch.

The 7 C's of a Website (Design Principles)

This framework helps create effective websites:

Context - Users should immediately understand what your site is about

Content - Valuable, relevant information that serves your audience

Community - Ways for users to interact (comments, forums, social media)

Customization - Personalized user experiences when possible

Communication - Clear calls-to-action and contact methods

Connection - Integration with other platforms and services

Commerce - Easy path to monetization or transactions

WordPress excels at all of these with the right plugins and setup.

The 13 Parts of a Website (Essential Elements)

Every successful website includes:

Header - Logo, navigation, branding
Navigation menu - Easy site exploration
Homepage - Clear value proposition
About page - Your story and credibility
Service/Product pages - What you offer
Blog - Fresh content and SEO value
Contact page - How to reach you
Search functionality - Help users find stuff
Footer - Secondary navigation and info
Call-to-action buttons - Guide user behavior
Social proof - Testimonials, reviews, client logos
Legal pages - Privacy policy, terms, disclaimers
Mobile responsiveness - Works on all devices

WordPress makes creating all these elements straightforward.

The 5 Golden Rules of Web Design

Keep these principles in mind when building your WordPress site:

1. Simplicity - Less is more. Clean, uncluttered design wins.

2. Consistency - Use the same fonts, colors, and style throughout.

3. Navigation - Make it obvious how to get anywhere on your site.

4. Mobile-first - Design for phones first, desktop second.

5. Speed - Fast loading trumps fancy features every time.

Following these rules makes your WordPress site more effective, regardless of your niche.

What Website Builder is 100% Free?

If you absolutely can't spend any money (though I really recommend investing $50/year in proper hosting), here are completely free options:

Google Sites - Yes, it's 100% free. You get a free subdomain (sites.google.com/view/yoursite). It's incredibly basic but functional for simple sites. No ads, reasonable customization, and it's actually pretty fast.

WordPress.com Free Plan - Free subdomain, limited features, ads on your site.

Wix Free Plan - Free subdomain, Wix ads on your site, limited to 500MB storage.

Weebly Free Plan - Similar to Wix, free but with ads.

Is Google Sites 100% free? Yes, completely. No hidden costs, no forced upgrades. But you're limited to the google.com domain and can't add custom functionality.

Honestly? These free builders are fine for personal projects or testing ideas. But if you're building anything serious, spending $30-50 for real hosting and a custom domain is worth it.

Can I Learn WordPress in 3 Days? (Realistic Learning Timeline)

Can you learn WordPress basics in 3 days? Yes, absolutely.

Can you master WordPress in 3 days? No chance.

Here's a realistic WordPress learning timeline:

Day 1:

Understanding what WordPress is
Installing WordPress
Basic dashboard navigation
Creating pages and posts
Understanding themes

Day 2:

Installing and configuring plugins
Customizing your theme
Creating menus
Understanding widgets
Basic SEO setup

Day 3:

User management
Basic troubleshooting
Site security basics
Creating backups
Publishing your first real content

After 3 days, you'll be functional. You can build a basic site. But becoming truly proficient takes weeks or months of practice.

Can I learn HTML in 7 days? Basic HTML? Sure. You can learn HTML fundamentals in a week of dedicated study. But here's the thing—you don't NEED to know HTML to use WordPress. The block editor is visual and intuitive.

That said, knowing basic HTML helps when you need to customize things. It's worth learning over time.

Can I Build a Website in One Day? (Speed vs. Quality)

Can I make a website in 2 days? Yes.

Can I build a website in one day? Technically, yes.

Can I make a website in 3 days? Easily.

But here's the real question—should you rush it?

What you can build in one day:

Basic 5-page site
Installed theme and plugins
Essential content
Functional navigation
Basic SEO setup

What you probably can't do in one day:

Write high-quality, comprehensive content
Proper keyword research
Custom design work
Thorough testing
Building email list infrastructure
Creating lead magnets

I've built WordPress sites in 4-6 hours for clients when time was critical. They functioned, but they weren't my best work.

Realistic timeline for a quality WordPress site:

1 day: Basic functional site
3 days: Good site with decent content
1 week: Professional site with strong content
2-4 weeks: Exceptional site with comprehensive content and optimization

Don't rush. A website is your online presence. It's worth doing right.

How Many Hours Does it Take to Build a WordPress Website?

From my experience building 30+ WordPress sites:

Simple blog or portfolio: 4-8 hours Small business site (5-10 pages): 12-20 hours E-commerce site (basic): 20-40 hours Complex business site with custom features: 40-80+ hours

This includes:

Planning and strategy
Installation and setup
Theme selection and customization
Content creation
Plugin configuration
Testing and optimization
Launch

Content creation usually takes the longest. Writing 10 high-quality pages can easily take 10-15 hours.

How Much Does a 10-Page Website Cost?

If you're building it yourself with WordPress:

DIY cost breakdown:

Domain: $10-15/year
Hosting: $30-150/year
Premium theme (optional): $30-60 one-time
Premium plugins (optional): $50-200/year
Your time: 15-25 hours

Total DIY cost: $90-425 first year, $80-365 annually after

If you're hiring someone:

Freelancer on Upwork/Fiverr: $300-1,500 Professional freelancer: $1,000-5,000 Agency: $3,000-15,000+

Price depends on complexity, custom features, copywriting needs, and ongoing maintenance.

I charged $2,500-4,000 for 10-page business websites when I did freelance web design. That included custom design, SEO optimization, training, and 30 days of support.

Can I Use AI to Create a Website? (The 2026 Reality)

Can ChatGPT build a website? Kind of. But not exactly.

AI tools like ChatGPT can:

Generate website copy and content
Write HTML/CSS code
Create SEO-optimized blog posts
Suggest site structure
Debug code issues
Provide design recommendations

What AI can't do (yet):

Actually upload and configure everything for you
Make strategic business decisions
Understand your brand voice without extensive prompting
Handle hosting and technical setup
Design truly original, on-brand visuals

AI-powered website builders in 2026:

Hostinger AI Website Builder - Describe your site, AI builds it
Wix ADI - AI designs your site based on questions
Durable.ai - Generates complete business sites with AI
10Web - AI-powered WordPress site builder

These work surprisingly well for simple sites. But for anything custom or complex, you still need human expertise.

Will AI replace WordPress? Not anytime soon. AI might change HOW we build WordPress sites, but WordPress's flexibility and ecosystem are irreplaceable. AI is a tool, not a replacement.

Why Are People Moving Away from WordPress? (Is WordPress in Danger?)

I see this question a lot, and it bugs me because the premise is misleading.

The truth: Some people are moving away from WordPress. But more people are adopting it. WordPress market share has remained stable or grown every year.

Why do some people leave WordPress?

1. Maintenance overhead - Updates, backups, security monitoring. Some people just want "set it and forget it."

2. Learning curve - Page builders like Wix and Squarespace are more intuitive for non-technical users.

3. Analysis paralysis - Too many themes and plugins. Beginners get overwhelmed by choices.

4. Cost creep - Free WordPress + free hosting seems great until you need premium themes, plugins, and better hosting. Costs add up.

5. Overkill for simple sites - If you just need a 3-page portfolio, WordPress might be more than you need.

Why WordPress isn't going anywhere:

Flexibility - You can build anything literally with WordPress
Ownership - You control your site completely
Ecosystem - 60,000+ plugins and themes available
SEO-friendly - WordPress sites rank well naturally
Community - Massive support network
No platform lock-in - You can move your site anytime

Is WordPress still popular in 2025? More than ever. It powers 43% of all websites. That percentage hasn't dropped—it's grown.

WordPress isn't dying. It's evolving. The addition of the block editor (Gutenberg), full-site editing, and improved performance show that WordPress is actively developing.

Is WordPress in danger? Only if it stops innovating. But current development suggests it's not slowing down.

WordPress Alternatives and Competitors

If you're considering alternatives:

Wix - Best for: Complete beginners who want simplicity. Squarespace - Best for: Creatives and portfolios. Webflow - Best for: Designers who want control without coding.g Shopify - Best for: E-commerce only. Ghost - Best for: Minimalist bloggers and newsletters,s Joomla/Drupal - Best for: Enterprise sites with specific needs

Each has advantages, but WordPress's flexibility and ecosystem remain unmatched.

What's the Easiest Website Maker?

If "easiest" means "requires zero technical knowledge":

Wix - Drag and drop, AI design assistant, everything included
Squarespace - Beautiful templates, simple customization
Google Sites - Ridiculously simple, completely free
Carrd - One-page sites, super easy, $19/year
WordPress.com - Easier than self-hosted WordPress, more limited

If "easiest" means "easiest to scale and customize long-term":

How to Install WordPress on Your Website in 10 Minutes