WordPress FAQ for First-Time Website Builders
Starting your own website can feel overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be. This FAQ is here to help you make sense of the most important parts of WordPress. Whether you’re wondering what a plugin is, why themes matter, or how to keep your site secure, we’ve got you covered with clear, simple answers. Think of this as your go-to guide for building with confidence and taking charge of your site like a pro.
WordPress is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) that powers over 40% of all websites. It’s used to build websites without needing to code. It’s flexible, powerful, and widely supported.
Started in 2003 as a blogging platform, WordPress evolved into a full CMS. It now powers blogs, portfolios, shops, and entire business sites globally.
A theme controls the look and layout of your website — fonts, colors, headers, footers, and how content appears. You can change themes without losing your content.
Plugins add new functionality (like contact forms, SEO tools, or backups).
Widgets are small content blocks you can place in areas like sidebars or footers.
Widgets used to be more important; now we use blocks more often in modern themes.
Security: Firewalls, anti-spam, login protection
Performance: Speed, caching, reducing plugin bloat
Backups: Regular site backups in case something breaks
Image Optimization: Compress images for faster loading
Updates: Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated
These are all things agencies usually manage — you’ll now do them or outsource them.
Premium tools (like Astra Pro or Spectra Pro) require a license key for updates and support. You can build a site without renewing the license, but updates and security patches won’t apply.
Administrator – Full control
Editor – Can edit all pages/posts
Author – Can write and manage their own posts
Subscriber – Mostly used for login access
Always assign the right role — not everyone should be an Admin.
Pages are timeless (Home, About, Contact)
Posts are blog articles with categories and dates
If you’re not blogging, stick mostly to pages.
All uploaded files (images, PDFs, video) live in the Media Library.
💡 Tips:
Resize images before uploading
Use clear file names
Don’t delete media unless you know it’s unused
If you’re collecting personal data (forms, analytics, etc.), you’re legally required to:
Add a Privacy Policy page
Show a cookie consent banner
You can use tools like Complianz or CookieYes for this.
A 404 page shows when someone visits a broken or deleted link
A redirect points an old URL to a new one (e.g. if you change page names)
Useful plugin: Redirection
By default, WordPress uses PHP mail, which can land in spam.
To ensure delivery (e.g. contact form submissions), use an SMTP plugin like:
WP Mail SMTP
Brevo or Mailgun for reliable mail routing
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It’s the default editor in WordPress where you build pages with blocks — text, images, buttons, etc. You’ll mostly use Spectra blocks for layouts.
Avoid changing themes once your layout is built
Don’t install plugins randomly
Never delete plugins or themes you don’t recognize without checking
Yes — but most things are fixable. That’s why we back up! Be cautious, but don’t be afraid to try things out. Keep a calm mindset and ask for help when stuck.