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WordPress Hosting vs Web Hosting: Explained for Beginners

Web hosting provides an online environment for running your website. WordPress hosting optimizes your environment so WordPress websites can operate at their best.
WordPress hosting is often the better choice if your site runs on WordPress, while general web hosting makes more sense if you plan to use other platforms or need a more open setup.
In this guide, we compare WordPress hosting with general web hosting and explain when each option makes sense based on your skills, needs, and budget.
WordPress hosting vs web hosting: What’s the difference?
The main difference is that WordPress hosting is optimized for WordPress with minimal setup, while general web hosting is more flexible, supports multiple platforms, and requires more manual configuration.
Here’s how they compare:
WordPress hostingGeneral web hostingInstallation and setupExperience one-click installation or preinstalled WordPress, which often includes hassle-free WordPress-to-WordPress migrations.It may offer one-click solutions, or you may have to install and set up WordPress manually.Ease of useUse custom hosting dashboards to simplify site administration.It requires third-party control panels like cPanel or Plesk, which may include tools you don’t need.PerformanceOptimized specifically for WordPress with fast, high-performance CPUs, global caching, and CDNs.It may include speed optimization, but you have to configure your own settings and WordPress-specific performance improvements.UpdatesGet automatic updates to WordPress core and components.You are responsible for website updates.BackupsTake advantage of real-time automated backups and one-click restore, depending on your plan.You may have to set up your own backup solution.SecuritySecurity hardening and systems are primed for specific WordPress attack vectors and vulnerabilities.Standard server‑level security is provided, but you are responsible for securing the WordPress application itself.ScalabilityAutomatic scaling of PHP workers accommodates increasing traffic.Depending on the plan and provider, servers may not scale well for WordPress sites with high traffic.FlexibilityIt’s built specifically for WordPress, so it may not support other systems or setups. It allows for various website setups, applications, and server configurations.LimitationsIt may limit certain plugins, themes, and features for security or performance reasons.It offers generic configurations with no built-in optimizations. You can install and manage whatever elements you want — at your own risk.PriceIt might cost more because of premium systems and features.This is often cheaper, but with fewer features and more hands-on management and responsibility.SupportExpert support can troubleshoot specific WordPress errors and problems, as well as hosting issues.General support is available for technical and account issues, but WordPress-specific guidance is limited.Extra features and toolsAdditional features like staging sites make running a WordPress site easier.Extra features designed for WordPress are not included. What is general web hosting? A simple explanation
General web hosting is a service that lets you set up any kind of website by storing your files on an online server where web browsers can find them.
It offers flexibility to build with WordPress or other software, but it requires hands-on setup, website maintenance, updates, and security.
You can choose from different hosting types based on how server resources are allocated:
Shared hosting: Your site shares a server and resources with other websites, which keeps costs low but can impact speed and performance. Virtual private server (VPS): You get your own section of a shared server with dedicated (though limited) resources, which gives you better performance and customization. Dedicated hosting: You get a dedicated server with full resources and better performance, but at a higher cost. Cloud hosting: Your site runs on a network of servers that scales computing power up or down as needed, with costs based on actual usage. What is WordPress hosting? And how is it different?
With WordPress-specific hosting, everything from the server hardware to the software and features is designed precisely for WordPress.
You get the same server options as with general web hosting — shared, VPS, dedicated, and cloud — but they’re specific to WordPress.
With WordPress hosting, typically you can:
Use a server setup designed for the WordPress platform. Have one-click or automatic WordPress installation. Take advantage of built-in performance optimizations, such as caching. Feel confident in security features, like backups and malware scans. Experience support from WordPress experts. Utilize custom website management panels. Enjoy additional features, such as premium themes, plugins, and developer tools. You can also go a step further with managed WordPress hosting, where the provider takes care of setup, updates, security, and ongoing maintenance for you.
Tip: Since WordPress can run on almost any server, many providers label their plans as “WordPress hosting” without actually optimizing them. It’s worth checking which WordPress-specific features are really included — or choosing a trusted hosting provider like WordPress.com instead.
WordPress hosting vs general web hosting: What are their pros and cons?
WordPress hosting makes running a WordPress site easier. General web hosting might give you more freedom and lower costs, but you have to handle more of the setup and maintenance yourself.
WordPress hosting: Pros and cons
WordPress hosting is a strong fit if you want speed, security, and less day-to-day work, but it’s not ideal if you plan to run anything beyond WordPress.
Pros
Less to worry about day to day: Hosting is set up to “just work” with WordPress. Fewer technical decisions: Performance, security, and updates are handled for you. Faster time to launch: You can get a site live without touching server settings. Cons
WordPress-only focus: It’s best suited for sites that run entirely on WordPress. Often priced higher than basic hosting: You’re paying for convenience and optimization. Regular web hosting: Pros and cons
Standard web hosting is a better fit if you want to run multiple platforms or manage your server configuration yourself.
Pros
More control over your setup: You choose your software, stack, and server configuration. Broader flexibility: You can run any type of site, not just WordPress. Often cheaper than specialized hosting: Fewer bundled features can mean lower entry costs. Cons
More to manage day to day: Setup, updates, security, and maintenance are your responsibility. Less platform-specific optimization: Performance and security aren’t specific to WordPress by default. General support only: Help is usually limited to server issues, not application-level problems. WordPress hosting vs general web hosting: Which should you choose?
If you plan to stick with WordPress and don’t want to deal with technical setup, WordPress hosting makes more sense. If you want to use other platforms or keep your setup more open, general web hosting is the better fit.
If you’re just getting started, choosing the simpler option now can save you time and effort early on. For example, with managed WordPress hosting on WordPress.com:
Get a ready-to-run WordPress site. Enjoy 99.999% uptime and reliable performance. Experience no limits as your traffic grows. Have a free domain for the first year. Take advantage of expert WordPress support. Trust in enterprise-grade security.
Get started with WordPress.com View the full article

By Drewfus · Yesterday at 03:00 PM1 day
Monetize Your Website with Our New Free Course

Our new course — Monetize Your Website — helps you turn the value you’re already creating into sustainable income, using the built-in tools available on WordPress.com.
Whether you share knowledge, create content, or offer services, this course walks you through practical, beginner-friendly ways to get paid. No traditional eCommerce setup required.
The course is fully self-paced, so you can dip into individual lessons as needed or follow along from start to finish at your own pace.
Start the free course What you’ll learn
Across a series of practical lessons, you’ll learn how to:
Understand your monetization options — explore the different ways WordPress.com lets you earn, and choose approaches that fit your goals and audience.
Accept payments with confidence — set up simple payments for products, services, or donations without building a full store.
Offer paid content and subscriptions — use memberships and subscriber-only content to monetize your expertise.
Create value people will pay for — package your knowledge, content, or services in a way that feels natural and worthwhile to your audience.
Set realistic expectations — understand how monetization grows over time and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Build a sustainable approach—choose tools and strategies that can evolve with your site and audience.
Why you should take this course
If you’re already creating something valuable, this course helps you take the next step in a way that fits your site.
You’ll learn what’s possible on WordPress.com and get practical steps you can use right away, without setting up a full commerce store or reworking your site.
Start the free course More video resources to explore
If you’re new to WordPress.com or ready to keep leveling up, check out our other popular courses and video tutorials:
Grow your website’s audience Intro to SEO course Create a Website course Start a Blog course View the full article

By Drewfus · Tuesday at 03:00 PM2 days
12 Essential WordPress Plugins for 2026 (Data-Backed Picks)

There are thousands of WordPress plugins out there. But to get started, you really only need a handful.
We pulled real usage data from WordPress.com sites to see which plugins people rely on, and we selected the ones that address core website needs. Then, I personally tested each plugin and looked at user reviews.
This guide covers the most essential WordPress plugins. These are helpful if you’re launching your first WordPress site, filling gaps in your current setup, or something in between:
Jetpack: For all-in-one site management Akismet: For spam protection Page Optimize: For site speed Crowdsignal Forms: For user feedback WooCommerce: For e-commerce Gravatar Enhanced: For user profiles Yoast SEO: For search engine rankings Google Site Kit: For analytics WPForms Lite: For building forms MailPoet: For emails and newsletters Imagify: For image optimization All-in-One WP Migration: For site migration Let’s explore each of them in detail.
1. Jetpack: Essential all-in-one site management
Key focus: Use it for ongoing site security and maintenance. Price: The core features are free on all WordPress.com plans, with advanced features available on Business and above. Best for: Website owners who want a full solution for security, speed, growth, content, and more are the ideal users. The Jetpack plugin is a comprehensive suite of tools that help launch and grow your WordPress site, which essentially replaces five or six separate plugins.
Instead of installing separate tools for backups, security, speed, and analytics, you get everything in a single dashboard.
I like that the essential features activate with one click — no digging through settings:
Unlike smaller plugins that can go months without updates, Jetpack is actively maintained.
You’re not left dealing with compatibility issues or security gaps when WordPress releases new versions.
Key features
Security: It provides brute force attack protection and spam filtering on all plans, real-time backups, one-click restores, malware scanning, and WAF on Business and above. Performance: It offers image CDN, video hosting, and custom site search. Growth: It includes site stats, SEO tools with automatic XML sitemap, and social auto-posting. Content: It comes equipped with an AI writing assistant, forms, payment buttons, and newsletter signups. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If you’re new to WordPress or just don’t want to spend hours researching plugins, Jetpack covers the basics in one install — security, speed, stats, and content tools.
You can always add specialized plugins later, but Jetpack gives you a solid foundation to start.
Install Jetpack 2. Akismet: Essential for spam protection
Key focus: Keep spam, ads, and inappropriate content out of your comment sections. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for sites that allow comments, user-generated content, and/or submissions. Akismet filters out over 99.99% of spam comments, form submissions, and texts, keeping your site and inbox clean.
The best part of Akismet is that you probably won’t even notice it’s there.
Occasionally, I review blocked comments, but I find it to be so good at its job that I do it more out of curiosity than necessity.
Tip: Akismet is included in Jetpack Security, so if you’re a WordPress.com user on any plan, Akismet is already installed on your site.
Key features
AI-driven filtering: Akismet uses machine learning to determine which comments are spam and blocks them before they appear on your site. Analytics: The plugin tracks the total number of spam comments it has filtered and its accuracy in your admin dashboard. Customizable settings: Akismet can automatically filter and delete comments (this is the setting I use) or hide questionable comments until you review and approve them. GDPR compliance: If you have European visitors, cover your bases with Akismet’s GDPR notice on your comment sections. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If your site allows comments or form submissions, spam is inevitable.
Akismet handles it in the background, so you don’t have to manually filter through junk — or worse, let it pile up and make your site look neglected.
Install Akismet 3. Page Optimize: Essential for site speed
Key focus: Keep your site’s code optimized for blazing fast speeds. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for non-developers who want to automatically clean up their site code and theme for optimal performance. Page Optimize speeds up your website by removing unnecessary site code to reduce processing time.
It also optimizes which elements of your site are processed first, so users never see a blank screen.
My years of working with web developers taught me that not all code is created equal. There are many routes to the same destination, but some are more efficient than others.
With third-party themes and plugins adding extra weight, Page Optimize helps keep things clean on the backend.
Key features
Concatenate HTML and CSS: Page Optimize strings together all of your site’s code, removing comments and unnecessary spaces for quicker processing. Execution timing: It also adjusts the timing of non-critical JavaScripts to either run asynchronously or at a delay. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Page Optimize removes unnecessary code and optimizes script timing so your pages load faster — and since it’s built into WordPress.com, there’s no setup or configuration required.
Site speed matters more than most people realize: visitors bounce when pages take too long, and search engines factor load time into rankings.
A faster site means better engagement, lower bounce rates, and more visibility in search results.
Install Page Optimize 4. Crowdsignal Forms: Essential for user feedback
Key focus: Embedded and pop-up user polls are the focus. Price: It’s free for up to 2,500 signals, and then it’s $15–$45/month. Best for: Get ongoing customer feedback or improve site engagement with polls. Crowdsignal Forms is a WordPress plugin that lets you add custom polls to individual pages or as pop-ups on your website.
Polls are one of the easiest ways to boost engagement — readers can respond to your content with a single click and see how others voted.
They’re also great for collecting feedback. Unlike emails or comment boxes (where you mostly hear from unhappy people), quick polls have low friction, which means higher response rates.
For example, a recipe website could create pop-ups with simple questions like “What’s your favorite meal?” to gain real insight into its audience.
Key features
Polls: Crowdsignal Forms lets you add multi-select and single-select polls using the Poll block. Customization: You can also customize your poll to match your site colors and styling for a cohesive look. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Crowdsignal Forms helps boost user engagement, which is a vital element of successful websites.
This plugin is a low-lift way to make your site visitors feel like their opinions are valued.
It can also provide critical information about visitors that might not be available through traditional analytics tools.
Install Crowdsignal Forms 5. WooCommerce: Essential for e-commerce stores
Key focus: Create and sell products on your WordPress website. Price: Use this tool for free. Best for: E-commerce stores, small businesses, and websites that want to sell custom merch will find it most helpful. WooCommerce lets you turn your WordPress site into a full online store — product pages, a shopping cart, checkout, and other essentials.
And unlike selling on marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon, you don’t pay a built-in marketplace commission on each sale — though standard payment processing fees still apply.
The setup walks you through the basics, and there’s a massive ecosystem of extensions if you need extras like subscriptions, bookings, or gift cards.
Key features
Product management: Create listings with images, pricing, categories, stock levels, variations, and custom configurations. Built-in shopping cart: Customers can browse, add items to cart, and check out — all without extra plugins. Guided setup: A step-by-step onboarding flow gets your store running in minutes. Massive extension ecosystem: Hundreds of add-ons are available for subscriptions, bookings, gift cards, shipping integrations, and more. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If you want to sell online with WordPress, WooCommerce is the standard. It’s open-source, so you own your store and data — and with thousands of extensions available, you can add pretty much any feature you need as your business grows.
Install WooCommerce 6. Gravatar Enhanced: Essential for user profiles
Key focus: It creates clickable profiles for WordPress users. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for websites with multiple contributors or large, active digital communities. Gravatar Enhanced humanizes WordPress writers and commenters with customizable and clickable profiles.
If you write for a larger blog with multiple authors (like I do here at WordPress), your Gravatar will show up alongside your posts.
Gravatars are also used for commenting in forums and on your blog posts in the WordPress reader.
Key features
Custom avatars: Users can upload a custom image, add a public display name and bio, and more. Profile blocks: The plugin lets you add profile sections to posts and pages to showcase author information, including bio, social links, and recent posts. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Gravatar Enhanced puts a face and bio behind every comment and post, which helps build trust and a sense of community on your site.
Install Gravatar Enhanced 7. Yoast SEO: Essential for Search Engine Rankings
Key focus: Optimize your website to improve search engine readability and rankings. Price: Use the standard option for free, and pay $99/year for Premium. Best for: Use this if you’re a website owner who wants better visibility in search results for organic traffic. Yoast SEO optimizes your website’s content and structure to improve search engine rankings.
Some of this happens automatically — like generating XML sitemaps and adding schema markup so that search engines understand your content.
Other features work in real time as you write: Yoast flags missing meta descriptions, analyzes keyword usage, checks readability, and suggests improvements before you hit publish.
If you’re new to SEO, it’s a practical way to learn about what matters without getting lost in technical details.
Key features
Automatic structured data and sitemaps: Yoast generates XML sitemaps and adds schema markup behind the scenes, so search engines can crawl and understand your content without you touching any code. Real-time SEO feedback: As you write, Yoast flags missing meta descriptions, grades your keyword usage, and suggests improvements. Readability analysis: Get real-time suggestions to simplify your writing, improve flow, and keep readers engaged. Tip: If you don’t want a separate SEO plugin, WordPress.com includes built-in SEO features powered by Jetpack — including SEO titles and descriptions, sitemaps, social previews, and AI writing assistance.
What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Search is still one of the main ways people discover new websites. If your content isn’t optimized, you’re missing out on traffic.
Yoast gives you clear, actionable feedback on every page — so you can improve your rankings without needing to become an SEO expert.
Install Yoast SEO 8. Google Site Kit: Essential for analytics
Key focus: Add Google’s comprehensive site analytics to your WordPress dashboard. Price: Use it for free. Best for: Try it if you’re a website owner who wants to track key metrics like site visitors and engagement inside WordPress. Google Site Kit is the official WordPress plugin from Google that brings multiple Google tools into one dashboard.
Instead of logging into separate accounts for Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense, you can see everything in one place — right inside WordPress.
You can track how people find your site through Google Search, which pages get the most traffic, how fast your pages load, and how much you’re earning from ads.
If you’re not a data person, don’t worry — the dashboards focus on the metrics that actually matter without overwhelming you with charts you’ll never use.
Key features
One-click Google setup: Connect Google Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense to your WordPress site. Unified dashboard: See traffic, search performance, page speed, and ad earnings in one place — no need to jump between Google accounts. Built into WordPress: Access all your data directly from your WordPress dashboard, right where you’re already working. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Understanding your audience and site performance is critical for growing your website. Without this data, it’s hard to know what’s working and what isn’t.
Install Google Site Kit
Tip: If you don’t need the full Google toolkit, WordPress.com includes Jetpack Stats on all plans — a simpler way to track visitors, top content, and traffic sources without connecting external accounts.
9. WPForms Lite: Essential for building forms
Key focus: Create no-code contact forms, surveys, and lead capture forms. Price: Use it for free, but for advanced features, upgrade to WPForms Pro, which starts at $50/year. Plugin rating: 4.8/5 Best for: It’s ideal for structured data collection, like potential customer info, surveys, special event forms, and more. WPForms Lite is a beginner-friendly form builder that lets you add professional-looking forms to your site in minutes.
Forms are useful when you need specific information from visitors, like contact details from potential customers, project specs from partners, or applications for review.
Instead of messy back-and-forth emails, you get structured submissions with the fields you need — and since forms send to your inbox without exposing your email address, you avoid spam and scraping.
Key features
Drag-and-drop form builder: Create forms by simply dragging fields onto your form canvas — no coding required. Templates: Start with pre-built form templates for common use cases like contact forms, newsletter signups, and feedback surveys. Spam protection: Built-in anti-spam features keep junk responses out of your inbox. Mobile-friendly: Forms automatically adjust to look great on mobile devices. Email notifications: Receive instant notifications in your inbox when you have a new form submission. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Every website needs a way for visitors to get in touch. Forms let you control that process — you decide what information to collect, and submissions arrive organized and ready to act on.
Install WPForms Lite 10. MailPoet: Essential for sending emails and newsletters
Key focus: Use for email marketing and newsletter management. Price: It’s free for up to 500 contacts, with paid plans starting at $10/mo. Best for: Use it for sending regular email communications to customers and subscribers. MailPoet is an email marketing platform built into WordPress. You can send newsletters, one-off campaigns, or automated emails — all without leaving your dashboard.
Because it lives inside WordPress, there’s no need to sync contacts or set up integrations with external tools. Your subscriber data and site activity are already connected.
This WordPress plugin also includes signup forms, pop-ups, subscription blocks, and automated workflows that are all drag-and-drop, with no code required.
Key features
Drag and drop email builder: Design emails, forms, popups, and more with drag and drop tools inside WordPress. Newsletter subscription: You can create a pop-up subscription block or banner to encourage new subscribers. Subscribers will be automatically added to the newsletter segment. Automated emails: The plugin also lets you send emails automatically when readers complete specific WordPress actions, like signing up for your newsletter or purchasing an item from your store. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Email is still one of the most direct ways to reach your audience. Regular newsletters keep your site top of mind and bring readers back, turning one-time visitors into loyal followers.
Install MailPoet 11. Imagify: Essential for image optimization
Key focus: Automatically resize and compress images for quick website loading. Price: Use up to 20MB/month (~200 images) for free; paid plans are available for higher volumes — up to $10/month. Best for: Use for sites with photo galleries, product images, or lots of visual content. Imagify automatically compresses and optimizes images, dramatically reducing page load times. High-resolution images can significantly slow down your site, but Imagify works in the background to shrink file sizes while keeping images sharp.
I especially appreciate that it can retroactively bulk optimize existing images — you don’t need to manually compress or re-upload every photo you’ve already added to your site library.
Key features
Bulk image optimization: The plugin compresses all existing images on your site with one click and automatically optimizes new uploads. Format conversion: It lets you automatically convert images to WebP format for even faster loading. Smart compression: You can choose from three compression levels (Normal, Aggressive, and Ultra) based on your images and quality needs. Imagify uses intelligent algorithms to reduce file size without visibly reducing image quality. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Oversized images are one of the main culprits for slow sites and one of the easiest things to fix. Imagify handles it automatically.
Install Imagify 12. All-in-One WP Migration: Essential for site migration
Key focus: Use for site migration and backups. Price: Use it for free (with size limits); paid extensions are available for larger sites, cloud storage, and automated backups. Best for: Use it to move your WordPress website from one hosting provider to another. All-In-One WP Migration creates complete site backups that you can export and import with a single click, making it simple to move your entire WordPress site between hosts or keep a backup on hand.
I’ve used this plugin multiple times to move my personal website and client websites between hosting providers.
In addition to your site design, All-In-One WP Migration exports databases, downloads media files, and recreates admin settings automatically in the same file, making migration seamless.
Key features
Single-click migration: You can export your entire site (database, media files, plugins, themes) as one file, and then import it to a new host with one click. Backups: It also lets you create full site snapshots before making major changes or updates. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Having a full site backup is critical if you want to change hosting providers or make significant changes to your site. With one click, you can save and re-upload your site design, content, and data.
Install All-In-One WP Migration Bonus: The 11 most popular WordPress plugins
In addition to the essential plugins listed above, we’ve compiled the most downloaded (and beloved) plugins on the WordPress.com Plugin Marketplace — removing any popular plugins that come pre-installed for our users.
Explore this list for further inspiration:
Elementor: Design more flexible, free-form drag-and-drop pages with advanced styling options that go beyond Gutenberg’s base capabilities. AMP: Optimize your website pages and design for mobile and alternative screen sizes to improve mobile user experience and search rankings. WooPayments: Accept a variety of payment types in your WooCommerce store, including credit cards and Apple/Google Pay. Contact Form 7: Create lightweight forms with HTML and text editing for users who are comfortable with basic markup. Google Site Kit: Track comprehensive analytics from Google services directly in your WordPress dashboard. Classic Editor: Disable the visual Gutenberg Editor and re-enable the Classic site editor, for those who prefer the traditional WordPress editing experience. WP Forms Lite: Create flexible website forms with a drag-and-drop editor and collect information from site visitors. Insert headers and footers: Add custom code snippets in your header and footer sections without editing theme files. Google Analytics for WooCommerce: Connect your WooCommerce store to Google Analytics to track e-commerce performance and customer behavior. WooCommerce product add-ons: Create product add-ons, like gift wrapping, personalization options, or extended warranties, for products in your WooCommerce store. Google for WooCommerce: Sync your WooCommerce products to Google Merchant Center and run Google Ads campaigns directly from WordPress. How to choose the right WordPress plugin
To select the best WordPress plugins, start with what your site actually needs, use what’s already built in, and be selective.
The right plugins solve specific problems without adding risk or complexity.
Determine your site’s goals: Before installing anything, be clear on what your site needs to do. Are you collecting leads, selling products, or building a community? Your goals should determine which plugins you install — not the other way around. Check your website’s out-of-the-box functionality: Many hosting providers include built-in features or preinstalled plugins. For example, WordPress.com users get Jetpack features for security, performance, and content by default, so you may not need additional plugins for that. Higher plans include even more functionality. Vet plugins before installing: Any developer can publish a WordPress plugin, so take a minute to evaluate it. Check user ratings, recent updates, which WordPress version the plugin is compatible with, and the available support. Plugins that aren’t actively maintained may break or cause compatibility issues with newer WordPress versions. Keep your plugin stack lean: Install only what you truly need. Too many plugins — or multiple plugins doing the same job — can slow down your site. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have a recent backup before adding anything new. On WordPress.com Business plans and higher, backups are handled automatically. Get started with WordPress.com
The easiest way to try these essential plugins is to start a site on WordPress.com.
You can explore the plugin library directly, see which tools are already built in, and add only what your site actually needs.
WordPress.com plans also include Jetpack features, professionally designed themes, and an AI website builder so you can launch and extend your site without piecing together separate tools.

Start my WordPress website
View the full article

By Drewfus · Monday at 03:00 PM3 days
Andrew Adetitun Successfully Funded His Book on African History. His Website Was the Launchpad.

Andrew Adetitun runs The King’s Monologue, a media network teaching African history to over 160,000 followers across different channels.
He noticed that African history wasn’t just underrepresented — it was actively obscured. Achievements credited to the wrong civilizations. Truth buried in books most people would never read.
So he started making content. First on TikTok. Then YouTube. One video went viral — a few million views in days. The audience grew from there.
From a viral TikTok to 160,000 followers
What started as a few videos turned into something much bigger:
120,000+ YouTube subscribers 160,000+ followers across platforms A library of documentaries and original research Museum visits, trips to Egypt, academic papers Andrew is a qualified teacher by training. He spent years teaching high school.
But his real passion was history — specifically, making African history accessible to people who’d never pick up a niche textbook.
YouTube became his classroom. Documentaries became his lesson plans. And the community that formed around The King’s Monologue became his students.
Why Andrew needed a website
Social platforms are borrowed land. Andrew knew that.
He wanted a home base. A place he actually owned. Somewhere to:
Host images from museum visits and statue reconstructions Publish academic papers and articles Build search engine visibility so his content would rank Support initiatives like his Kickstarter book launch A Linktree wouldn’t cut it. He wanted control.
A former WordPress developer who didn’t have time to develop
Here’s the twist: Andrew used to be a WordPress developer. He knows how to build sites from scratch — find hosting, install WordPress, customize themes, write code.
But he didn’t have time for any of that.
So he went the simpler route. He signed up for WordPress.com, saw the AI website builder, and gave it a try.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now
The structure of his new website came together in minutes. No code. No theme hunting. Just prompts and tweaks:
He kept the design simple — limited colors, consistent thumbnails — and let the builder do the rest.
What the website does today: Funding the Kickstarter and creating organic content
At the end of last year, Andrew launched a Kickstarter for his book on African history. The website was the launchpad.
The campaign was successfully funded.
Besides, the site is an educational resource, which includes:
Articles and original research An image gallery with museum photos and reconstructions (optimized for search) A donation feature for supporters From here, Andrew wants to expand. He already hired a website admin to help populate content — transcribing his videos and livestreams, editing, and posting.
Next, he plans to attract contributing authors — vetted and edited — filling the site with hundreds, eventually thousands of articles.
A searchable archive of African history that ranks in Google and serves researchers, students, and curious minds.
Your story deserves a home, too
Andrew is a former WordPress developer who chose not to build his site the hard way.
WordPress.com gave him a faster path. The AI website builder got the structure up in minutes. Managed WordPress hosting also means he’s not dealing with updates, security, or server maintenance.
He focuses on the mission. The platform handles the rest.
Andrew’s story started on TikTok. It grew on YouTube. But his website is the place he actually owns — and the launchpad for everything that comes next.
Yours can be too.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now View the full article

By Drewfus · February 6Feb 6
It’s official: WordPress.com has a Claude Connector

WordPress.com has launched an official connector for Claude — the first of its kind for a WordPress host.
This means that you can now safely connect Claude to your site and know that the integration is officially supported by both Anthropic and WordPress.com.
Check out the WordPress.com Claude Connector From MCP access to an official connector
A few months ago, we introduced MCP access to let AI agents work with real WordPress.com site context — something most standalone AI tools don’t have.
With our recent addition of OAuth 2.1 support, those integrations became both more secure and easier to authorize using the agents you already rely on.
This partnership builds on that foundation by bringing WordPress.com into Claude’s connectors directory — a curated set of trusted tools with clearly defined permissions.
For WordPress.com users, this removes the setup hassle. You can connect Claude to your site in a few clicks and always see what it can access.
Let’s get connected
Ready to use the WordPress.com Claude Connector? Here’s how to get set up:
Enable MCP on your WordPress.com account. Note that MCP access is only available for sites on paid WordPress.com plans. Specify which tools you want to make available to Claude. A full reference of tools can be found in our developer documentation. On Claude desktop or web, go to your Settings. Click Connectors, and then click the “Browse connectors” button. Search for “WordPress.com” and click the + button to connect. You’ll be prompted to log in to WordPress.com and grant secured access to your sites, thanks to OAuth 2.1. This connection gives Claude read-only access to your site content, meaning it won’t be able to create, delete, or update content. You can also revoke Claude’s access at any time by removing it from your connected apps in Claude or disabling MCP access on WordPress.com.
What this partnership unlocks for you and your site
Once set up, Claude can answer questions using your real WordPress.com site data, not estimates or generic guidance.
For example:
“Show me my site’s traffic for the last 30 days.”: Identify traffic insights for your site in just a sentence. “Summarize recent comments across my site.”: See what readers are responding to and where conversations are happening. “Which posts haven’t been updated in over a year?”: Surface content that may need refreshing based on publish and update history. “Show me pages with high traffic but low engagement.”: Spot opportunities for improvement using real site data. “Looking at my last 10 posts, generate a document reflecting my writing style.”: Create a style guide you can reference to keep your voice consistent. “Based on my last 10 posts and recent trends online, what should I write about next?”: Spot content gaps where your unique perspective meets current demand. “Read my last post and suggest resources I can link to.”: Tighten your narrative with relevant supporting articles. “Find posts with broken external links or outdated information.”: Keep your content credible and your readers’ trust intact by catching link rot before they do. “Which posts mention topics I’ve written about elsewhere but don’t link to them?”: Build internal links and surface old content to your readers. These prompts are grounded in the same data and tools you already use in WordPress.com — they’re now all easily surfaced through the Claude interface.
For more ideas, explore the set of example prompts in our documentation.
What’s next for WordPress.com and AI?
We’re thrilled to share this partnership with you, and we encourage you to connect Claude to your WordPress.com sites today for easier site analysis and site-specific insights.
And because this connector is built and supported in partnership, it’s designed to evolve alongside both platforms.
You can connect Claude to your WordPress.com site now, explore the documentation to get started, or share feedback with us as we continue building deeper AI integrations into WordPress.com.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
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By Drewfus · February 5Feb 5
Great Writing Deserves a Spotlight: Freshly Pressed Is Back

Finding your next favorite blog shouldn’t feel like scrolling through an endless feed, hoping something good appears. And for creators, getting discovered shouldn’t require figuring out an algorithm.
Back in 2009, WordPress.com launched Freshly Pressed, a curated collection of posts that entertained, enlightened, and inspired. It was our way of saying “we like you, we really like you” to creators, and amplifying their great work for others to find.
We paused Freshly Pressed a few years back, but the idea never really went away. And the case for human-curated discovery is stronger than ever.
It’s time to bring Freshly Pressed back.
What is Freshly Pressed?
Freshly Pressed is where we highlight standout content in the WordPress.com Reader. Unlike algorithmic feeds that reward engagement metrics, Freshly Pressed features posts because they’re genuinely good. Thoughtful, well-crafted, and worth your time.
You’ll find a blogger sharing travel stories next to a hobbyist breaking down sourdough science next to a poet who just hit publish for the first time.
Where to find it
The WordPress.com Reader: Featured posts appear in Discover with a dedicated section. This is the best way to discover Freshly Pressed alongside everything else you follow. Freshly Pressed webpage: Visit the Freshly Pressed page for the full collection. Your RSS reader: Enjoy the best of WordPress.com in your favorite RSS reader. Simply add the URL of the Discover page or the RSS feed link to your feed reader. Jetpack mobile app: Coming to iOS and Android in the next release. Stay tuned! Be discovered in the Reader
Freshly Pressed lives in the WordPress.com Reader, where your post reaches readers who are actively looking for new voices to follow. When you get featured, you’ll see it — in traffic, in new subscribers, and in comments from people genuinely interested in what you have to say.
How to get featured
Want to get featured? Just keep publishing. There’s no application, no special settings to enable. If you’re on WordPress.com or use the Jetpack plugin on your WordPress site, you’re already in the running.
We’re drawn to posts that surprise us. If it made you excited to hit publish, we want to read it.
We look for posts that:
Tell a compelling story or share a unique perspective Show care in the writing and presentation Stand out with humor, originality, or strong points of view When your post gets featured, you’ll receive a notification and a boost of traffic and subscribers from readers actively looking for quality content.
Not publishing on WordPress.com yet? Get started for free and your next post could be the one we feature.
Discovery without the anxiety
There’s no engagement score. No trending algorithm to chase. Freshly Pressed is a slower, more deliberate kind of discovery — one that rewards the writing itself. We think that’s worth protecting.
Ready to discover something new? Find your new favorite blog. Ready to be discovered? Start publishing on WordPress.com.
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By Drewfus · February 4Feb 4
15 Unique and Fun WordPress Websites to Inspire You in 2026

WordPress powers everything from personal blogs to large-scale community projects — but the most interesting sites aren’t always the biggest ones.
In this guide, we’ve handpicked 15 unique WordPress website examples that stand out for their ideas, storytelling, and design choices.
Some attract significant traffic, while others serve smaller but highly engaged communities. All of them use WordPress.com in thoughtful, creative ways.
Along the way, you’ll see practical design and content ideas you can apply to your own site, whether you’re starting fresh or refining what you already have.
1. Hidden Gem Animal Rescue: Foster-based rescue organization
Website type: Nonprofit Theme: Custom Logan and Murphy founded Hidden Gem Animal Rescue out of a shared love for animals.
While many animal welfare websites rely on gloomy colors and emotional imagery to drive support, this animal rescue takes a different visual approach.
Working with Automattic’s Special Projects team, the organization chose a soft pastel palette that feels optimistic and hopeful, bringing youthful energy to a serious cause.
Because the muted colors feel quieter, bolder tones stand out — the founders’ picture and mission statement catch your eyes instantly.
The playful language reframes the tough realities of pet adoption into celebratory moments.
For example, Hidden Gem Animal Rescue describes the adopted kittens as “Rescue Graduates.”
It calls to mind our college graduation, a universally joyful milestone — exactly how adoptions should be.
What we love about this website
The Welsh Corgi separates the hero section from the remaining content. It adds adorable appeal, unlike a standard divider line or color block. Hidden Gem Animal Rescue deliberately chose an image of a Corgi with its head tilted. The dog’s gaze refocuses your attention to the call-to-action (CTA) button, nudging you to adopt a pet. Tip: WordPress.com supports all types of websites. With pre-built templates, styles, plugins, and patterns, you can quickly design a personal, small business, or ecommerce site. Paid plans include managed hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and expert support.
2. Job.blog: Personal and professional blog
Website type: Personal and business blog Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five “Focus on one topic to build an authoritative blog,” — that’s the common advice to new bloggers.
Job’s blog goes against the grain.
A longtime WordPress.com user before joining the company, Job wrote about theology and culture.
These days, he blogs about technology and leadership as the Chief Customer Officer at WooCommerce. It’s rare to hear from a customer, let alone an employee deep in the ecosystem.
The website serves as a creative outlet for Job to express his opinions freely.
Fun fact: Job created his blog via the WordPress.com Site Editor with no custom code.
What we love about this website
The masonry layout of photos is a visual feast. Despite the different heights and widths, the photo journals flow organically, creating a scrollable experience.    The 404 page injects humor to ease frustration when users can’t access a page. The Pulp Fiction “Looking Confused” GIF acknowledges the awkwardness and lightens the mood. Tip: Likewise, you can use humor in your 404 page to show your personality. To customize the default 404 error page template on WordPress.com, go to Appearance → Editor and edit the Page: 404 template.
3. PostSecret: Community mail art project
Website type: Community-driven blog Theme: Custom PostSecret publishes anonymous secrets that people around the world mail in on handwritten postcards. It shares these secrets exactly as submitted.
Founded by Frank Warren, the project spotlights deeply human stories from all walks of life.
The site’s minimal text and design are intentional; as you scroll, handmade postcards — from childhood memories to heartbreak — take center stage.
These unfiltered confessions keep people coming back to the point that PostSecret has attracted 881,000,000+ visitors, a rare milestone that the site footer notes.
Today, the 21-year-old community art project has grown into a global movement, raising over $1 million to support suicide prevention.
What we love about this website
All eyes are on the postcards, thanks to the single-column layout against a plain background. Each postcard resembles a framed artwork in a modern art museum. PostSecret relies on its community to keep the project alive, directing you to its Patreon — a platform for recurring creator support — near the end of the page. The community’s support also keeps PostSecret free of ads, creating a pleasant user experience. Tip: Want to sync your Patreon posts with WordPress.com? Install the Patreon plugin to connect your site in a few clicks.
4. Bedfordshire Bird Club: Birdwatching community
Website type: Knowledge base and membership Theme: Custom Bedfordshire Bird Club is an ornithological community that started in 1992. After a collaboration with the Automattic Special Projects team, the new website now boasts a striking brand identity.
Most importantly, its birding sites deserve a deeper look.
The location search bar is prominently displayed, allowing birdwatchers to easily plan their next visits.
Each birding site provides extensive information like interactive maps, GPS coordinates, viewpoints, and the bird species you can see during each season. This allows you to easily explore the birdwatching spots.
What we love about this website
Bedfordshire Bird Club spotlights members’ photography to foster community. The credited photos instill pride and motivate continued engagement with the site. The homepage adapts its bird sightings to the current season. Bedfordshire Bird Club can keep its content fresh and timely all year round. 5. Engnovate: English and IELTS resource hub
Website type: Online courses and e-learning Theme: Astra Engnovate is an online IELTS test preparation platform with over 1 million monthly learners — and over 350K in monthly traffic according to Semrush.
At first glance, Engnovate resembles most test preparation platforms: writing tasks, speaking evaluation, grammar checker, etc.
Yet as you scroll through the site, you notice a differentiating feature: interactive elements and AI.
The self-introduction exercise, for instance, assigns an AI English coach. Like one-on-one guidance in a professional school setting, it evaluates and deepens your English skills in real time.
What we love about this website
The hero section promotes Trustpilot reviews, but the CTA is intentionally muted so it doesn’t compete with learning-focused actions. The site offers ungated interactive tools that help you practice. These tools function as traffic magnets that encourage you to explore and stay longer. Because task answers are public, learners can see real examples from others, compare approaches, and understand how their own answers measure up. 6. Cozy Grove Camp Spirit: Mobile game microsite
Website type: A site to promote a mobile app Theme: Custom Cozy Grove Camp Spirit is a cozy adventure game, and its website pulls you into that world from the start. Whimsical visuals — from character art to a hand-drawn forest landscape — evoke childlike wonder and invite exploration.
The premise is simple and intriguing: You play as a Spirit Scout helping friendly ghosts on a haunted island.
A single-column layout uses gameplay videos and screenshots to show daily quests like fishing, crafting, and rebuilding the island — moments fans recognize from the original game.
What we love about this website
The microsite mirrors the game’s distinctive charm. It delights fans and new players alike. Vivid phrases like “soothe the local ghosts” position you as the hero, while playful section dividers act as Easter eggs. 7. Brodo: Bone broth ecommerce store
Website type: Ecommerce shop Theme: Custom Marco Canora founded Brodo after turning to bone broth during his own health recovery — and the website now attracts over 40K visitors monthly according to Semrush.
On the website, that personal story takes a back seat to conversion. Instead of leading with a mission or ingredient sourcing, the homepage quickly highlights a starter box with a default “Subscribe & Save” option.
For this direct-to-consumer brand built on subscriptions, this sales-first layout supports Brodo’s core revenue model.
To drive subscriptions, Brodo anchors its pricing by listing the same product at a higher one-time price. Paying 20% more for a single order makes the subscription feel like the better deal, as do the additional sign-up perks beyond delivery frequency:
What we love about this website
There is a “Shop all broths” CTA in all customer reviews, creating a frictionless shopping experience. Spotted a review that resonates? Just click the link below to order. Each expert testimonial features a specific benefit of bone broth, addressing different customer segments. For example, Bobbi Brown’s testimonial about protein targets athletes who want to increase their protein intake and build muscle growth: 8. The King’s Monologue: African history resource hub
Website type: Knowledge base and creator site Theme: Assembler The King’s Monologue uniquely redefines the participation of indigenous Africans in the global history of Black people. Andrew Adetitun-King, a reconstruction artist, researcher, and YouTuber with over 100K subscribers, is its founder.
The site features thoughtful essays, such as critiques of Eurocentric interpretations of the Tomb of Seti I, offering perspectives that standard history curricula rarely cover.
Beyond the content, the activist-focused language shines.
The 1,000 book giveaway callout urges you to support Andrew’s new book, Reconstructuring Egypt:
Fun fact: Andrew created The King’s Monologue on our AI website builder in just one day. Your new website is also only a few prompts away.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now What we love about this website
The site’s visual identity and content are tightly aligned. The regal imagery, typography, and academic tone reinforce the project’s mission to reframe African history through a research-driven lens. By placing the full name and initials around the site icon, the circular logo reinforces brand recognition across the site and beyond. 9. ArtLesson: Illustration website
Website type: Blog Theme: H4 ArtLesson offers free creative art ideas for teachers and students. The site skips a traditional top menu, instead using colorful doodles below the hero section and in the sidebar as navigation.
Clicking the green “Year 4” icon, for example, takes elementary school teachers to current lessons like color blending and pattern drawing.
What we love about this website
Doodle-based navigation makes it easy to find popular illustration, cardboard sculpture, and lettering lessons while reinforcing ArtLesson’s visual identity. You can’t help but smile scrolling through ArtLesson; it feels like you’re learning from your favorite teacher.   Tip: To replicate ArtLesson’s creative approach, use graphic design platforms (e.g., Canva) or install a graphic plugin to customize images directly on your WordPress.com site.
10. Jia: Writing portfolio
Website type: Portfolio Theme: Custom Jia Tolentino’s website opens with an artistic portrait — a bold choice in a space where most writers rely on standard headshots.
The minimalist design keeps the focus on her work, stripping away distractions like subscription boxes or social feeds. The result is a clean, calm space that supports a text-heavy biography and curated writing clips.
What we love about this website
The vertical artistic portrait resembles a magazine cover and creates a strong first impression. It suits Jia’s line of work because she’s written for magazines like The New Yorker and The Hairpin. The two-column layout breaks up the long text, allowing you to pause between lengthy paragraphs. Note how the empty columns provide a natural stopping point. It’s a simple trick with minimal layout edits — and you can easily create these columns on WordPress.com.
11. BCSP: Academic center website
Website type: Academic Theme: Custom BCSP curates its extensive psychedelic research into one compact website. Each section features bold fonts and neon headers, creating an uncluttered user experience — even a layperson can navigate with ease.
The groovy design echoes a trendy digital magazine, not a research center’s website. The varying blocks of copy are evenly distributed, maintaining your interest.
What we love about this website
The custom clinical trial map for therapists and patients to navigate past, ongoing, and future trials. It’s intuitive to add filters like eligibility criteria and trial status thanks to the user-friendly interface. The menu gives a bird’s-eye view of BCSP’s content. Once clicked, it opens and displays all links in a structured panel. To highlight the researched substances, BCSP assigns each compound a unique neon color button.   12. Fit For Golf: Golf app website
Website type: Website to promote an app Theme: Custom Fit For Golf is a golf training app focused on strength and mobility. Mike Carroll, a fitness coach for PGA and DP World Tour players, founded the app. Fit For Golf’s website relies on workout GIFs to immediately show how the program works:
Mike demonstrates the workouts himself, adding a strong personalized touch. He also personally answers all training-related questions from app subscribers. This quick access to an experienced coach is a huge selling point.
What we love about this website
The 4.9-star rating pop-up on the bottom left instills trust, but its small size doesn’t interrupt the user experience. The video testimonials and highly specific results customers achieved boost credibility. Pairing each golfer’s testimonial with their workout results creates an emotional connection through a relatable journey. 13. This Sweet Life: Luxury family travel blog
Website type: Blog Theme: Veni Travel blogs need to inspire exploration while making trip planning easy — and This Sweet Life does both.
Natalie Sullivan, a traveler who’s visited 40+ countries, founded the blog. It blends luxury family travel with personal experience, from five-star stays to hotel collaborations as a mom influencer.
Natalie focuses on four passion-led topics — luxury family travel, mentorship for mom influencers, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and party planning — capturing the everyday celebrations of a vibrant life.
What we love about this website
The clever use of negative space highlights the hero image and vivid copy in a balanced way. The beach background elicits feelings of escape, while the candid shot of Natalie’s family adds warmth. The core message is clear, triggering your wanderlust.   The lead magnet, The Influencer Starter Kit for Moms, drives subscribers and nurtures them for a paid upgrade. It allows Natalie to build her email list and earn revenue simultaneously. Tip: You can replicate This Sweet Life’s paid upgrade using WordPress.com’s Paid Content block. It lets you accept one-time, monthly, or annual payments for access to your exclusive content.
14. Robert Brancatelli: Personal essays
Website type: Personal Theme: Hermes Robert Brancatelli’s life as a professor, author, and taxi driver shapes the offbeat voice he uses across his blog.
His magazine-style site publishes recurring features on a set schedule, building anticipation over time.
The “Mittwoch Matinee” series, for example, ties each post to a notable event from the publication date — like an October 8, 2025, essay reflecting on Don Larsen’s perfect game in World Series history.
What we love about this website
The sidebar display of subscriber avatars shows you that the site has an active, engaged readership. 15. Maybe It’s Just Me: Health, wellness, and self-improvement website
Website type: Personal and portfolio Theme: Custom Maybe It’s Just Me is a personal health and wellness site by journalist Kaitlin Vogel, who showcases her magazine bylines across the site. By blending professional credentials with personal storytelling, the site clearly establishes her expertise — an important signal for a creator working with wellness brands.
“Maybe it’s just me” is Kaitlin’s signature phrase, repeated throughout her writing — much like Carrie Bradshaw’s recurring “I couldn’t help but wonder” and “just like that.”
In her Summer Reading List post, for example, Kaitlin opens with it before sharing her book recommendations:
What we love about this website
Generous spacing and simple typography make longer wellness posts easy to read, supporting a calm, distraction-free browsing experience. Many websites prioritize popular content to prevent newer posts from burying it, but Maybe It’s Just Me shows the newest blog posts by default to drive quick buzz. Tip: That said, you can pin any post to the top of your WordPress.com blog by marking it as “Sticky” in the post’s Status settings.
Launch a unique website on WordPress.com today
Building a site that stands out takes more than a good idea. Design, content, and structure all play a role in how people experience and remember your website.
These 15 examples show there’s no single formula. Some stand out through storytelling, others through design, navigation, or community. What matters is choosing the approach that fits your unique story.
WordPress.com gives you the flexibility to start with a template and shape it over time, whether you’re building a personal blog, a small business site, or something more experimental.
Behind the scenes, reliable hosting matters too. WordPress.com includes managed hosting, security, and performance features to keep your site running smoothly as it grows.

Launch your unique website today

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By Drewfus · February 3Feb 3
21 Types of WordPress Sites You Can Build with AI

WordPress has evolved far beyond its blogging roots and can now power almost any kind of site — from personal sites and portfolios to memberships, news sites, and full business websites.
And with its new AI website builder, designing a website has become even easier — simple text prompts are enough to turn your ideas into a working site for any need.

I challenged myself to build 21 different types of websites using this tool.
Here are the results, along with pro tips for prompting, design, page structure, and more.
1. Portfolio website
A portfolio website helps share your creative work, whether that’s writing, photography, design, video production, or something else.
You can send it to clients to highlight your expertise and share work samples.

Here’s the prompt I used with the AI site builder to build a portfolio site:

“Create a portfolio website called ‘Rochi’s Portfolio’ to display my long-form writing services for tech companies. There should be five sections on the site: Introduction, Work Samples, Testimonials, How I Work, and Contact Form. Use warm colors, a minimalistic design, and a friendly tone.”
In under five minutes, I got a clean, ready-to-use portfolio site that I could refine with the AI chat by adding content, examples, and customizations.
Key pages and features of portfolio sites
Work samples: Add a dedicated page showing your work samples, or use a new section in a one-page website to showcase your top portfolio pieces.
Service details: Add a page or section about the services you offer, including your timeline, working process, and prices (if you’re comfortable). This gives a potential client a good idea of what they can expect while working with you.
Contact methods: Make it clear how visitors can inquire about your services. You can mention your email, or better yet, use a Form block so leads can fill out the necessary details without leaving your website. You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now -> 2. Resume/CV website
A resume website is your CV in digital form. It offers a unique and interactive experience for hiring managers and more room for creativity when showcasing your skills.

Here’s the prompt I used in WordPress.com’s AI website builder to create a resume site:

“Build a resume website for Rochi Zalani to showcase my abilities as a content writer. The design should feel professional, minimal, and easy to scan. Include four pages: Home, About, Testimonials, and Contact.”
Key pages and features of resume/CV sites
About page: Your homepage is your resume itself. But beyond that, it’s a great way to demonstrate your personality and skills beyond the work-related confines of a CV. You don’t need to complicate it — talk about your hobbies, interests, and professional journey.
Testimonials and endorsements: Ask your previous employers to write a brief testimonial about what it’s like working with you. Add a new page or a section on your homepage with their endorsements. This social proof will help you build trust with future employers.
Contact methods: Use a Form block or include your email on your homepage so prospective employers can easily reach out. Tip: Keep your initial prompts detailed and specific, but focused. Always use the AI chat to refine your initial site — add pages, adjust content, request new features, and ask for improvement ideas.
3. Personal website
A personal website can be anything — a blog about your hobbies, a creative outlet, a journal, a place to build your side projects, etc. It’s your own corner of the internet and helps you connect with people who share your interests.

I wanted to create a personal website documenting my travel experiences and recommendations.
Here’s the prompt I used to create this site:

“Create a personal website documenting my travel experiences and recommendations called ‘The Nomad Freelancer.’ Include five pages: Home, About, Budget Trips, Luxury Travel, and Travel Tips. The design should be bright and colorful.”
Key pages and features of personal websites
About page: Include a page with details about you and your website so readers know what to expect from it. Share why you began your site, and sprinkle it with some personality.
Social links: Invite visitors to connect with you beyond your site. Use the Social Icons block to integrate your social media accounts into your website. 4. Link‑in‑bio page
A link-in-bio site is mainly for social media creators who send followers to their bio to get a link, a download, an offer, etc.
Since most platforms limit how many links you can add to your social media profile, a link-in-bio page is a great workaround.
You can combine everything in one place and use it to share affiliate links, discount codes, freebies, and more.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a link-in-bio page:

“Create a link-in-bio website called ‘Rochi’s recs.’ Include the following pages: Home, Instagram, TikTok, Top recommendations, and Newsletter. The CTA on the homepage should be to “Stay connected,” which leads to the Newsletter page. Use bold colors and eye-catching visuals.”
Key pages and features of link‑in‑bio pages
Top recommendations: Add a separate page for your most-loved product recommendations. This allows your followers to find your favorite items without digging through your social media posts.
Platform-specific pages: If you have built a presence on multiple social media sites, add separate pages for each platform. Your audience can easily navigate to the profile where they already follow you to find your recommendations.
Newsletter: Add a newsletter to your site to grow your email list. This helps you deepen your relationship with your social media audience and connect with them beyond the algorithm. 5. Blogging website
A blogging website can be a part of a larger business or a personal endeavor.
You can create a blog around your hobbies (similar to a personal site) or focus on a niche topic to build an audience and monetize through ads, sponsored content, affiliate links, and more.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a blogging website about influencer marketing:

“Build a website called ‘Influencing Right’ for influencer marketers looking for pro tips to improve their creator marketing strategy. Include five pages: Home, Research Reports, Sponsored Campaigns, Free Strategy Template, and About. The tone should be warm and friendly.”
Key pages and features of blogging websites
Category pages: Use different pages to categorize various posts on your blog. For example, if you’re starting a productivity blog, you can create categories around time management, productivity tools, and organization tips. Use the Categories List block on WordPress.com to display the various topics on your site.
Lead magnet page: Create a freebie that you can offer to your website visitors as a lead magnet. This lets you collect their emails so you can stay connected with readers and encourage recurring visitors to your site.
About page: Explain why you’re starting the website, and establish your expertise. This helps build trust and lends authority to your posts. 6. Business website
You can also create a business website to sell almost anything — digital products, merchandise, services, etc.
Your small business needs a site so people can learn about your products, company, or services. It establishes credibility and allows customers to learn more about your brand.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a site offering cleaning services:

“Create a multipage website for a cleaning business. Add pages: Home, About, Services, Pricing, Testimonials, Contact. Use a clean, modern layout with blue colors and simple, professional but friendly copy.”
Key pages and features of business websites
Appointment booking: Use a scheduling plugin that allows potential customers to check your availability and book a service appointment through your site.
FAQ answers: Have a section or page dedicated to answering your customers’ common questions. For example, if you sell merch, answer questions about your refund or exchange policy.
Business details: Depending on your business model, create a section or website page sharing key product or service information. For example, if you have a brick-and-mortar store, enter your business hours and map location. 7. Landing page
A landing page is a single, focused page designed to drive one action — for example, collecting emails, promoting a product, booking a call, launching something new, or running paid ads.
Landing pages work well when you want a clean, distraction-free layout that guides visitors toward a single CTA.
Here’s the prompt I used to create a high-converting landing page:
“Create a conversion-focused landing page for a digital product called ‘Influencer Briefs,’ which are brief templates used by marketers. The page should include: a strong hero section with a centered headline and one CTA (‘Download the template’), a problem/solution section, what’s included, testimonials, and a FAQ. Use clean, modern design with bold accents and minimal distractions.”
Key pages and features of landing pages
Hero section: Add a centered headline with one clear CTA, plus a short value statement that explains what the visitor gets. Offer overview + social proof: Combine your problem/solution, what’s included, and a few testimonials or logos into one streamlined section. Conversion elements: Include a simple form or repeated CTA at the bottom of the page, plus a short FAQ to resolve hesitation (questions about refunds, access, delivery, etc.). 8. Nonprofit website
Nonprofit websites can help nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) promote their work, raise funds, recruit volunteers, and provide a company history.
A dedicated website also makes it easier to organize events and stay connected with your community.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a nonprofit website for an educational organization:

“Create a modern, inspiring website for an educational NGO called ‘Education for All.’ The site should feel hopeful, community-driven, and trustworthy, with bright, positive colors and warm photography. Include the following pages and sections: Homepage with a prominent CTA to ‘Get involved,’ Mission Statement page, Programs page, and Impact page. Make the overall site feel credible, community-focused, and mission-driven.”
Key pages and features of nonprofit websites
Programs and impact pages: Create separate pages for future campaigns and to highlight successful past events. This can help attract more volunteers and donations.
Mission page: Dedicate a page to explaining what you do, along with a brief company history. Spotlight the founders and the team to help people understand and connect to your company’s values and goals.
Donate and volunteer page: Use the Donations Form block to accept donations via your site, and use a Form block for people to register their interest in volunteering. 9. Restaurant or café website
A restaurant or café site helps familiarize people with key information, such as your working hours, menu, prices, location, and special offers.
You can also use it to encourage customers to sign up for a loyalty program, book a table, or order online.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a site for a Japanese restaurant:

“Create a clean, modern website for a Japanese restaurant called Sakura, inspired by minimalist Japanese design and warm, natural textures. Include the following pages: Home, Menu, Reservations, Contact, and Locate Us. The homepage should feature a hero image of signature Japanese dishes, highlighted specials, operating hours, and a clear ‘Reserve Now’ button. Make the website elegant, mobile-friendly, and visually focused on authentic Japanese cuisine.”
Key pages and features of restaurant sites
Locate us: Have a dedicated page or section with your address so people can locate your restaurant or café easily. If you have multiple locations, create a dedicated page to highlight their precise locations. You can also use the Map block feature to make your customers’ experience interactive and ease site navigation.
Menu: Upload a snapshot of your menu in a dedicated page so people can see exactly what you offer, including prices. Include CTA options to book a table and order online on this page as well.
Special offers: Use the homepage to highlight any special or seasonal offers you’re running. Add a newsletter form or a website chat plugin encourage customers to sign up for regular updates. 10. Educational or course website
You can also create an educational site, whether it’s a knowledge base for a specific topic or a site to inform your customers about business-related topics.
Course websites allow you to host and sell an educational course, making it interactive through features such as polls or community plugins.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a site selling a course on YouTube growth:

“Create a modern, conversion-focused website for an online course brand called ‘Freelance Writer Pro,’ which teaches people how to earn money via freelance writing. Include the following pages: Home, Courses, Pricing, Testimonials, and About. The homepage should highlight the main course, student success stories, and a strong CTA saying ‘Earn your first $100 via freelance writing.’ Use bold, energetic colors, clean typography, and visuals. Make the site mobile-friendly and optimized for selling digital courses.”
Key pages and features of educational course websites
Courses or topics overview: Create an overview page or section that lists the topics of your educational site. If you’re selling a course (or multiple courses), you can create a page to describe the course’s content. This helps readers easily navigate your site and get clarity on your offerings.
Pricing page: If you’re selling a course, create a pricing page with your payment policy, refund options, and FAQs. If you’re offering tiered pricing, include a table about what each plan includes.
About page: Use the about page to showcase your expertise in the site topic. Explain why you’re the right person to learn from, highlighting your experience or credentials to build trust. 11. Membership or subscription website
If you sell a membership or subscription of any sort, you need a website to manage it.
This enhances your members’ experience, makes it easy to share exclusive content, and encourages community participation.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a membership site for content marketers:

“Build a modern, professional membership website called ‘Content Marketer Collective,’ designed for content marketers who want ongoing training, templates, and community support. Include these pages: Home, Membership benefits, Pricing, Content library, About, Support, and Login. The homepage should highlight the core value — weekly resources, templates, live sessions, and expert feedback. Make the design clean, editorial, and conversion-focused.”
Key pages and features of membership websites
“Who is it for” section: Add a dedicated section about who your ideal member is. This helps ensure the right people self-select themselves for your subscription, reducing your need to filter applicants manually.
Membership overview: Include a page or section explaining the benefits members can expect from a membership or subscription. If you have them, add a few testimonials from existing members to build some social proof.
Special features and member-only content: Offer paid content behind a paywall, run subscriber-only newsletters, and create full membership platforms with user accounts, tiers, dashboards, and restricted content using a membership plugin. 12. Podcast website
Having a website for your podcast gives you a dedicated home for your episodes, including which streaming platforms they’re available on, and full control over your brand presentation.
You can also use it to share extra details — transcripts, guest info, sponsor notes, and more — for each episode.
If you want your podcast to feel more interactive, enable comments and engage with your audience directly on your site.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a podcast website about a marketer’s show:

“Create a clean, engaging website for a marketing podcast called ‘Marketer Secrets,’ focused on interviewing top marketers about their content strategy and digital marketing insights. Include four pages: Home, Episodes, About, and Sponsor Us. The homepage should have a CTA button saying ‘Listen Now’ or ‘Subscribe on Your Favorite App.’ There should also be a Newsletter block in the second section.”
Key pages and features of podcast websites
Episode archives: Have a page that contains all your podcast episodes, along with a quick excerpt for each. Use the Podcast Player block to allow your audience to filter and search the episodes (by most recent, most popular, etc.).
Sponsorship page: Dedicate a page on your site to attract sponsors. Include details such as audience demographics, past results, previous sponsors, pricing, and any testimonials. This gives you a professional link to share with prospects. You can also use specialized sponsorship plugins to enable various features.
Newsletter block: Include a newsletter block on your site so listeners can sign up for new episode notifications. Offer a free resource to encourage more people to subscribe. 13. News or magazine website
News and magazines need a website to host their content, connect with readers, and achieve wider distribution.
WordPress.com is a great choice to build this type of site because it offers plenty of multimedia embed options, including podcast and video embeds, plus helpful features such as an option to add multiple authors or newsfeed plugins.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a magazine website:

“Create a bright, engaging website for a digital magazine called ‘Nourish Weekly,’ focused on nutrition, healthy eating, and science-backed wellness tips. Include five pages: Home, Articles, Healthy Eating, About, and Previous Issues. The homepage should feature top stories, trending topics, a featured expert column, and a clear ‘Read the Latest Issue’ CTA. Use a fresh, editorial design with clean typography, soft colors, and plenty of white space.”
Key pages and features of news and magazine websites
Topic hubs: Use categories to organize your news or magazine content so it’s easy for readers to navigate your website and find exactly what they need.
Author widget: Author widgets allow you to seamlessly indicate authorship and establish expertise. You can also use it to give credit to experts, along with pullquote blocks to highlight key quotes.
Archives: Include an archives page so readers can quickly find old issues or news pieces. It’s also a good idea to use a search bar plugin so visitors can easily search through large archives. 14. Community forum website
Community forum websites help you gather a group of people with similar interests on one site.
You can use it to facilitate discussion, share knowledge and updates, and enable collaboration among members.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a community forum website centered around fitness:

“Create a community forum website called ‘Female Fitness Forum,’ where women can discuss workouts, nutrition, weight loss, strength training, and overall fitness. Include five pages: Home, Forum, Guidelines, Contact, and About. The homepage should have a CTA like ‘Join the Community.’ Use a clean, energetic design with easy navigation, mobile-friendly layouts, and features like search, tags, upvotes, and notifications.”
Key pages and features
Community guidelines: Have a page or section where you share the guidelines for joining your community and any member rules to follow once you enter the forum. Your audience will know what to expect, and moderation rules promote healthy, respectful communication.
Interactive features: Allow members to interact with community posts using features such as liking, commenting, and sharing. You can use vote, poll, and upvote blocks to achieve this on WordPress.com sites.
Discussion boards: Add discussion boards on your site using community plugins. Doing this for various subjects allows members to interact with each other on the topics they’re interested in. 15. Photography gallery website
Photographers can use a website to showcase their work with full creative control and create a professional home for their portfolio.
It also serves as a central hub for bookings, inquiries, and service packages.
A site can host high-resolution galleries, content carousels, and organized albums, giving your photos the space and quality they deserve.
Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a website for a wedding photographer:

“Create a romantic, elegant website for a wedding photographer called ‘Captured Promise Weddings.’ Include four pages: Home, Gallery, Packages, and Contact. The homepage should feature a clear ‘Book Your Date’ CTA button. Use a soft, timeless aesthetic with warm tones and refined typography.”
Key pages and features of photography gallery websites
Galleries: Add a dedicated page on your site for your photos, dividing them into categories for easy browsing. For example, a wedding photographer can use subcategories such as engagement or candid. Use photo gallery plugins to make organizing your portfolio easier.
Pricing and FAQs: Include a page or section about your pricing — how you charge (by hour, project, etc.), “starting at” ranges if your price depends on project scope, and a list of services you offer. Add an FAQ section to answer common questions such as turnaround times for photos, what clients can expect during a session, and how they can help you succeed.
Testimonials: Feature testimonials from previous clients to build trust and social proof. You can choose how you display these reviews on your site via WordPress.com. 16. Recipe/food website
If you create recipe or food content, a website gives you far more control and a better user experience than social posts.
A food blog lets you organize recipes, add clear, step-by-step instructions and videos, and offer extras (such as printable recipe cards).

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a vegan recipe website:

“Create a bright, inviting vegan recipe website called ‘Plantful Kitchen,’ focused on sharing healthy plant-based recipes for busy moms. Include five pages: Home, Recipes, Meal Prep, Contact, and About. The homepage should highlight featured recipes, trending dishes, seasonal picks, and have a clear CTA button ‘Browse all recipes.’ Use a clean, fresh aesthetic with soft greens, warm neutrals, and easy-to-read layouts.”
Key pages and features of recipe websites
Recipe pages: Use a consistent format across all your recipes so readers can build familiarity with the structure and your work. Recipe plugins give you plenty of ready-to-use template options.
Social sharing plugins: Make it easy for yourself to promote your website and recipes to social media, directly from your site. On WordPress.com, you can instantly reshare (or schedule a reshare) to any of your social media accounts.
Like button: Add a like button to all your recipe pages so you can find out which recipes are the most popular. This can help you pinpoint what your audience loves. 17. Event/conference website
If you are hosting an event or conference, a site allows you to build a central hub for all information and updates, instead of attendees relying on scattered social media posts.
Having a dedicated website also makes it easy for participants to register and sign up for future events.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a website for a marketing event:

“Create a sleek, high-energy conference website for a marketing event called ‘Marketing Momentum Summit 2026’ held in London for content marketers. Include four pages: Home, Speakers, Tickets, and Sponsors. The homepage should feature a bold hero section with event dates (31 Jan–2 Feb), location, and a clear ‘Get your ticket now’ CTA button.”
Key pages and features of event websites
Tickets and pricing: Add one page for all ticket details, including pricing tiers, refund policy, venue information, and cancellation charges. Use the Payments block on WordPress.com to collect ticket fees right from your site.
Agenda and schedule: Dedicate one section of your homepage to the agenda and schedule of the event or conference. Share details about what you’ll discuss each day and at what time. This helps attendees plan their day accordingly.
Countdown section: Use the Event Countdown block on your homepage, which updates automatically, to garner excitement among your attendees. 18. Health/fitness website
Fitness professionals benefit immensely from having a site — it can become a singular place to update your class schedule, host memberships, upload free workouts or meal plans, and streamline booking.

Here’s an AI prompt I used to create a fitness website for a pilates instructor:

“Create a calming, elegant website for a Pilates instructor called ‘The Pilates Room.’ Include five pages: Home, Classes, About your instructor, Group sessions, and Contact. The hero image of the homepage should feature a soothing image of a woman doing pilates on a reformer and a clear CTA button ‘Book a session.’ Use a clean, airy design with neutral colors and gentle typography.”
Key pages and features of fitness websites
Calendar block: Use a Calendar block on your scheduling or classes page to display your availability. You can combine this with a Table block to show your class schedule if you offer group classes or a set schedule for 1:1 sessions.
Members-only area: If you offer subscriptions to your visitors, you can create members-only areas using subscriber logins and paywall plugins. These features allow you to host your free and paid content under one site.
About page: Add a detailed about page with your credentials and certifications. Put a spotlight on your fitness journey to build trust. 19. Author/book website
A polished author website builds credibility with agents, media, and publishers. It also gives you a direct channel to reach readers without relying on third-party algorithms.
You can use it to promote events you’re part of and publish additional writing, such as blog posts or short stories.
Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a website for a young adult (YA) fiction writer:

“Create a bold, character-driven author website for Rochi Zalani, a YA fiction writer. Include five pages: Home, Books, About, Events, and Blog. The CTA button on the homepage should say ‘Get the first chapter for free.’ Use an atmospheric, youthful design with strong typography.”
Key pages and features of author websites
Freebies: Offer a free chapter of your book, a sneak peek into your next book, or some other incentive. Use this freebie to build your email list, establishing a direct line of communication with your readers.
Books page(s): Dedicate one page to each book, including available purchasing options such as via Kindle, Amazon, or local, independent bookstores. You should also add a synopsis for each book, along with a few reviews to build excitement.
Events page: If you’re doing book signings, hosting events, or speaking at conferences, use a page on your site and update it regularly. Upload recordings of past events if you can — this allows people to see what an event might look like. 20. Travel guide website
A travel recommendations website boosts visibility through SEO and gives you space for long-form guides and monetization.
You can also offer downloadable resources, such as itineraries and checklists.
Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a travel guide site:

“Create an inspiring, easy-to-navigate travel guide website called ‘Wander With Rochi’ — focused on destination guides, itineraries, and travel tips. Include five pages: Home, Destinations, Blog, Contact, and About. The homepage should highlight featured locations, trending guides, a ‘Start planning’ CTA button, and a search bar. Use an artsy, editorial design with travel-friendly visuals.”
Key pages and features
Strong search and filtering: Make it easy for fellow travelers to seek recommendations from you by using a search bar and filter plugins. If you want to go even further, create quizzes that readers can take to determine the type of traveler they are (adventurous, offbeat, relaxed, etc.) and customize the content they see.
Map block: Use the Map block to highlight the exact locations you recommend. It makes it easier for your audience to view — and navigate to — those places directly from your site.
Table of contents: If you’re writing a long and detailed guide about a place, add a Table of Contents block at the top so readers can easily jump between sections and find exactly what they need. 21. Music/band website
Musicians and bands can use their website to keep their audience informed about upcoming shows, sell tickets, and organize their albums in one place.
A website also makes it easy to build a direct connection with fans and connect with the press.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a music website:

“Create an indie, atmospheric website for a musician called Rochi Zalani. Include five pages: Home, Tours, Music, Press, and Contact. The homepage should feature cinematic visuals, a featured track, and a ‘Listen now’ CTA. Use a moody, artistic aesthetic with soft colors, expressive typography, and a mobile-first layout.”
Key pages and features
Music players: Use music player plugins so visitors can easily access and play your songs directly from your website. This removes the friction for someone encountering your work for the first time.
Tour page: If you’re on tour now or in the future, add a page for visitors to see when you’re performing in their city. It’s also a great idea to include a Subscribe block so people can sign up for notifications when you visit (or revisit) their city in the future.
Merch store: You can sell merch such as t-shirts, posters, and hoodies using your site. Use the Payments block to receive payments directly. Tell your unique story with our AI website builder
Exploring these 21 websites shows how easily you can create almost anything with our AI website builder.
No developer help, design skills, or long setup is required — the AI handles the structure, layout, and starter content, so the creative work is what matters.
Plus, nothing is fixed. You can further customize every page, block, color, and element through AI commands or manual editing.
The best part: You can launch instantly with WordPress.com’s managed hosting, built-in SEO tools, essential security and performance features, and more.

You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
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By Drewfus · February 2Feb 2
Tammy Silva Built a Career Helping Others Build Theirs. Her New Website Scales That Mission.

Tammy Silva started sharing remote job opportunities on LinkedIn during the pandemic.
When she moved back to Brazil after years in Singapore and Australia, she noticed something: most Brazilians had no idea they could work remotely for U.S. companies and earn in dollars.
So she started posting about it on LinkedIn. Job openings. Resume tips. Interview advice. All free.
“I wasn’t doing it for work,” Tammy says. “I was just trying to reach people. If I helped 10 or 20 people get better jobs, that was enough.”
But people kept following. The audience grew. What started as a side project became a full-time business — and a website she built in one day using our AI website builder.
From a side project to a full-time business
What began as a volunteer effort turned into something bigger:
A recruiting agency connecting Brazilian talent with U.S. startups A growing audience of job seekers Tammy educates for free Speaking engagements, coaching sessions, and a newsletter Over 190,000 LinkedIn followers Tammy’s approach was simple: give everything away for free. No gated content. No paywalls. Just genuine help.

She spent hours a week hunting for remote roles that would hire Brazilians — work she did voluntarily, on top of her day job. She posted resume tips, interview advice, and job openings.
People followed because the help was real. And what started as a passion project became a full-time business.
The inbox problem
But with scale came a problem.
Every day, Tammy’s inbox flooded with the same questions: What do you do? Can you help me? Is this free? How do I work with you?
Tammy needed a website. And she’d been putting it off for too long.
From an idea to a website — in one afternoon
Tammy had wanted a website for months. But between running the business, creating content, and managing clients, it kept sliding down the list.
Then one Friday evening, she decided she’d had enough.
She opened WordPress.com, found the AI website builder, and got to work:
The tool generated a website to match Tammy’s vision and needs She used the drag-and-drop blocks to further structure the site The AI helped her refine her copy to match her tone of voice and the visual look She also used AI to add extra features, like embedding a newsletter signup form All of it runs on WordPress.com’s managed hosting — set up and maintained for her And of course, she picked a pink color palette to match her brand…
…and her hair:
In a couple of hours, her website was live.
23K site visitors and counting
Today, tammysilva.com.br works as a self-serve hub:
Explains who Tammy is and what she offers Separates free resources from paid services Collects resumes directly into her candidate database Drives newsletter signups Links to events and speaking engagements The result? People now check the site before reaching out.
Since launching in August, the website has helped Tammy achieve:
Almost 23,000 site visits Monthly views reaching over 7,000 in peak months Fully booked 1:1 coaching sessions — 10 slots filled in 2 days Massive reduction in inbox volume Your story deserves a home, too
Tammy is already building her second WordPress.com site — this one for her B2B recruiting business.
She didn’t need to hire a developer for the first site. She won’t need one for the second either.
That’s what makes WordPress.com special — the AI website builder gets you started fast, and managed hosting means you’re not stuck dealing with updates, security, or backups.
You focus on your business. The platform handles the rest.
Tammy’s story started on LinkedIn. But her website is where it all comes together — a place she owns, controls, and can grow however she wants.
Yours can too.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now ->
Where did your story start — and where does it live now? Tell us in the comments.

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By Drewfus · January 29Jan 29
11 Steps to Build a Strong Online Presence for Your New Business: Lessons from Founders

If you’re launching a new business — whether it’s ecommerce, a consultancy, or a creator project — one of your first moves is to build an online presence, usually starting with a website.
Going online itself isn’t the hard part. The real challenge is knowing what to focus on first.
This guide walks through the key steps required to build an online presence, focusing on what actually matters in your first few months.
We spoke with founders and small business experts to pull together practical advice and examples you can learn from.
Step 1: Define your business in one sentence
Start by writing a one-line descriptor that clearly explains what you do, who you help, and which problems you solve.
This sentence becomes the baseline for your homepage, service pages, and how you talk about your business everywhere else.
Take Coa — a platform providing a therapist-led learning experience. Its “gym for mental health” tagline works because it borrows a familiar concept everyone understands (gym as a place for regular practice, professional guidance, and ongoing improvement) and applies it to mental wellness.
Use this template to write your own one-line description:

“I/We help [who] [do / achieve] by [how you do it], so they can [solve problems or get outcomes].”
Let’s say you have a business selling ready-made meals for busy moms. Your description line could be shaped as:
“We help busy moms feed their families healthy, balanced meals without the hassle of cooking every night.”
The sentence is simple, shows exactly the value offered, and makes it clear who it’s for.
Step 2: Focus on one audience (not everyone)
Choose one specific audience to focus on and make sure your website is built primarily for them.
When you try to speak to everyone, your messaging gets vague and harder to act on.
Prioritizing one target market early makes your site clearer, faster to build, and easier to improve.
To identify this ideal customer profile, narrow your focus using the criteria below:
Who has the problem you solve: Think about who needs your services or products right now.
Who can you reach: There might be a large market for your business, but think about a smaller audience segment you can reach right now.
What they need: Once you’ve narrowed down your target audience, focus on understanding their pain points and how you can address them. Kat Boogard demonstrates this on her hiring page by clearly defining the types of businesses she works with — such as software companies in the “world of work” space that already have a strategy and understand results take time:
Tip: Whenever you redefine your ideal customer profile — or learn more about your audience — make sure you update your one-line business description.
Step 3: Create a homepage that explains what you do
Your homepage should make it crystal clear what you do and who you serve within five seconds.
This means writing headlines and copy that your target audience can understand instantly — clarity beats cleverness every time:
Your homepage needs three core elements:

A one-line description of the problem you solve and who it’s for, written as a clear, specific tagline. Content that shows what makes you different or better than other solutions. A clear call to action to buy, explore, or learn more about your products and services, or sign up for a lead magnet.
Using our meal service business as an example, I applied these elements to build a homepage with WordPress.com’s AI website builder using the following prompt:

“Create a website called “Easy Nourish” that provides meal services for busy moms who want to feed healthy meals to their families every night without the hassle of cooking every day. Keep the tone lighthearted and empathetic. The color palette should be sky blue.”
The homepage makes the value clear at a glance: ready-to-heat meals for busy moms, with a clear next step to try the service.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now -> Step 4: Create niche-specific pages on your site
Next, create dedicated pages for your main offers, so visitors can land directly on what they need.
Separate your core services and offerings into their own pages, then keep foundational pages such as About and Pricing focused and easy to scan.
This makes navigation clearer, improves search visibility for specific queries, and gives each offer a place to explain outcomes, proof, and next steps.
For example, Justin Moore has a standalone page for each of his offerings (coaching, course, and event) on his website:
When mapping out your pages:
Write down the exact services or offers you want people to pay for (for example: career coaching, website design, tax consulting) and create one page per service. Focus on long-tail phrases such as “career coaching for women working in tech in Barcelona” to attract people with a clear, specific need. State clearly what the service is, who it’s for, and how to get in touch or buy, without making people hunt for information. Tip: A simple way to check if your pages work is to ask a few people to click through your site and tell you what feels unclear or hard to find.
Step 5: Show the human(s) and vision behind the business
Share your story on your site — who you are, why you do this work, and what you care about — not just what you sell.
For small businesses, trust is the differentiator and a way to compete with bigger brands. People trust people, not logos or vague brand statements.
Here’s how you can achieve this with your new website:

Include real people: Add your (or your team’s) image over stock images. It will help people instantly recognize and connect with you.
Share why you care: Explain the mission behind your work. When your audience understands your why, it helps them trust you more.
Add your background story: Briefly explain how you came to start your business. Use first person language if appropriate and don’t be afraid to showcase your expertise in the business. Tammy Silva embodies humanizing your site perfectly.
Instead of hiding behind a logo or generic brand language, she puts herself front and center — Tammy with pink hair, openly sharing her goal of helping people find remote work opportunities.
The key is to write the way you speak and let your personality shine. Avoid fussing too much over sounding smart, professional, or clever.
Step 6: Set up the technical basics to go live
Your site should be reliable, secure, and easy to manage from day one, so you can focus on growing your business instead of troubleshooting technical issues.
These technical foundations create a smooth experience for your customers while freeing you to do what you do best:

Reliable web hosting: Your site needs to load fast and stay online 24/7. Tight security: An essential investment to ensure your site remains free of malware, hacks, and spam. Regular updates and backups: This will ensure your site continues to run smoothly and there is no risk of data being lost. Basic site analytics: These will provide essential and usable data on how people are finding and using your site.
Tip: Many small businesses choose WordPress.com’s managed hosting because these essentials are built in without extra setup. If you’re creating your site with the AI website builder, you can simply choose a relevant plan after you finish building your site.
Get WordPress.com for your business Step 7: Create high-impact assets for your site
From here, focus on publishing a few high-quality pieces — comprehensive guides, detailed case studies, or in-depth tutorials that genuinely help your audience.
It’s tempting to pad your site with lots of surface-level blog posts just to “have content,” but that often backfires.
Thin, semi-useful pieces quietly erode trust and leave visitors unimpressed. Quality beats quantity every time.
Take The King’s Monologue, for example.
Instead of publishing dozens of thin articles on history, the site only shares deeply researched, well-written, in-depth articles and academic papers:
As a starting point, concentrate your efforts on three or four core topics you can cover exceptionally well — fewer pieces, higher standards, and content that actually earns attention.
Step 8: Join the conversation in your niche
Build relationships in your niche by joining communities where your target audience already gathers — both on public platforms such as LinkedIn and in smaller, targeted communities.
This helps you build an online presence through real relationships and understand your niche on a deeper level.
Show up consistently, pay attention to what people are asking, and contribute helpfully before promoting anything.
Here’s how you can build a network strategically:
List the people who lead or influence communities in your niche. Send personalized connection requests focused on starting a conversation, not making an ask. Show up consistently over time so your feed reflects the people and topics you actually care about.
Tip: Look for the smaller, intentionally-built communities where your target audience gathers.
For example, The Mom Collective is a community of moms in Barcelona where participants discuss the challenges they are facing, share new things they’ve learned, and organize meet-ups.
If you’re running a business catering to this audience and you meet the criteria, it’s a good idea to join this group.
Step 9: Contribute to external sources to boost your visibility
Instead of waiting for people to find your site, borrow attention from places your audience already trusts.
This can include guest appearances on podcasts, writing for industry blogs or newsletters, being quoted in articles, or collaborating with complementary businesses.
Visibility opportunities will come your way organically when you focus on building a community in your niche. To take a more proactive approach:

Research the intricacies of the influential voices and platforms in your niche — what do they publish, which topics they cater to, what is missing from their catalog, and what value can you add.
Pitch yourself as a guest by showcasing the value you bring to the table — highlight your unique perspective and explain why you’d be a good fit in the community. For instance, marketer Katelyn Bourgoin has appeared in many podcasts, provided insights for articles, and partnered with other companies — not just to gain early traction, but to sustain momentum as her business continues to grow.
Step 10: Treat effort and consistency as your KPIs
In the early days, measure your success by effort and consistency — not external metrics.
Traffic and subscriber metrics take time to grow. In the early days, it’s more useful to measure your effort with internal benchmarks such as:
Content published: guides, service pages, or guest posts you’ve published. Collaborations initiated: podcast appearances, guest articles, or partnerships started. Real conversations: calls, DMs, or feedback sessions with customers and potential partners. Growing your online presence from zero requires time and effort and doesn’t typically provide immediate rewards — but the payoff is totally worth it.
Step 11: Build community through real conversations
Finally, have direct conversations with your audience to understand their real needs, gather feedback, and refine your business based on what you learn.
This can include:

Scheduling regular 1:1 calls with early customers to gather feedback. Participating in community discussions where your target audience is present. Maintaining relationships with your peers who share the same target audience and want to solve similar problems.
Rishabh Goyal — founder of Dodo Payments — demonstrates this well. He interacts with relevant Reddit threads without pushing his product, staying genuinely helpful and curious about solving problems.
This provides him with understanding of his audience’s real needs and builds direct, two-way communication with the community.
Build your online presence in 2026
Building an online presence for your new business doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

The secret is knowing what to tackle first: Get clear on what you do and who you serve, create a homepage that reflects that clarity, and build momentum through real conversations and consistent effort.

WordPress.com makes this entire process simpler.
With the AI website builder to get you online quickly and managed WordPress hosting to handle the technical side, you’re free to focus on your audience and your business.

Build your site with WordPress.com
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By Drewfus · January 28Jan 28
WordPress Studio 1.7.0: Meet the New Studio CLI

Version 1.7.0 of WordPress Studio is a major upgrade for anyone building WordPress sites locally, especially developers and power users who like to automate tasks and work from the terminal.
In earlier releases, the Studio CLI focused mainly on creating and managing preview sites.
With version two, it becomes a full-featured command-line companion for much of your Studio workflow, including creating and managing local sites, running WP-CLI in the right context, connecting to WordPress.com, and more.
In this post, we’ll review what’s new and share practical ways to incorporate the Studio CLI into AI-assisted workflows.
Try WordPress Studio now
For the full command reference and advanced options, see the updated Studio CLI documentation included with this release.
What is a CLI?
A CLI (command-line interface) lets you control tools and applications by typing commands into a terminal, instead of clicking through menus. Developers tend to like CLIs because they’re:
Fast: Spin up, change, or remove environments with a single command Repeatable: Run the same commands on any machine, or bake them into scripts Automatable: Let build systems and AI agents run commands for you Even if you don’t typically work in the terminal, the Studio CLI is still worth paying attention to.
It’s the common “language” automation tools can use to interact with Studio. Once it’s enabled, your editor, scripts, or AI coding assistants can do things like create a new site, run database upgrades, or publish a preview without you having to navigate through multiple screens in the Studio application.
Getting started with the Studio CLI
To begin using the Studio CLI, complete the following steps:
Open the WordPress Studio application on your machine. From the main menu, open the Settings modal. You can also click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the app. Enable the Studio CLI option and click Save. On macOS, you’ll be prompted for your computer password to allow installation. Once the Studio CLI is enabled, you will have access to a global studio command from your preferred terminal application:
studio <area> <command> [options] In Studio 1.7.0, the CLI now covers four main areas:
Authentication: Manage your WordPress.com account for features that require it Preview sites: Create and update WordPress.com hosted preview sites Local site management: Create, start, stop, configure, and delete Studio-managed local sites WP-CLI integration: Run WP-CLI commands inside correctly configured Studio environments, without installing WP-CLI yourself You can see an overview at any time by running studio --help:
Most commands are designed to be run from the root folder of a Studio-managed site.
For quick access, you can open that folder directly in your terminal by clicking the Terminal button on the site’s Overview tab.
Managing local Studio sites
One of the biggest upgrades in Studio CLI v2 is end-to-end local site management from the terminal.
Rather than switching back to the Studio user interface for routine tasks, you can create a site, check its status, start or stop it, and clean it up when you’re finished.
It’s a faster day-to-day workflow, and it also makes automation much easier, whether you’re writing scripts yourself or using an AI agent to do it for you.
At the center of it all is the studio site command. The available options include:
studio site status # Get status of sitestudio site create # Create a new sitestudio site list # List sitesstudio site start # Start sitestudio site stop # Stop site(s)studio site delete # Delete sitestudio site set # Configure site settings Create local sites with a single command
Use studio site create to spin up a new site in your current directory or at a specific path. Here are a few examples of what you can do:
# Create a new site with default options in the current folderstudio site create# Create a new site with a custom domain and HTTPSstudio site create --https --domain hello.wp.local# Create a site in a different directorystudio site create --path /path/to/site The CLI will:
Set up a local WordPress environment. Start the WordPress server. Open WP Admin in your browser when it is ready. You can run this from an empty folder, or from a directory that already contains a WordPress site that is not yet registered within the Studio app.
List, inspect, start, and stop local sites
When you are working with multiple local sites, the `list` and `status` commands make management much easier:
studio site list # Show all local sites known to Studiostudio site status # Status of the site in the current directory Status output includes:
Whether the site is running The local URL, for example http://localhost:PORT Key configuration details such as PHP version and login information Starting and stopping sites is also straightforward:
studio site start studio site stop This works well in scripts that need to start a site, run tests or content operations, and then stop it again.
Delete and configure sites safely
When you are finished with a project, you can remove it from Studio and, if needed, delete all the associated files from your machine with the following commands:
studio site delete # Remove the site from Studiostudio site delete --files # Remove the site and files For configuration changes, studio site set lets you adjust settings for a specific local site:
studio site set [options] You can, for example:
Change the PHP or WordPress version. Update the local domain or port. Toggle features that affect how the local environment runs. Tip: Run studio site set --help for the full list of available options.
Authentication from the terminal
Some Studio features, such as creating or updating preview sites, require a logged-in WordPress.com account.
Studio CLI v2 gives you dedicated studio auth commands so you can manage this from the terminal:
studio auth login launches a browser flow and gives you a token to paste back into your terminal to complete the login. studio auth status tells you whether you are authenticated and which account is active. studio auth logout disconnects the CLI from your WordPress.com account and clears stored credentials. If you run a command that needs authentication while logged out, such as studio preview create that we will review next, the CLI will guide you to log in.
Preview sites from the CLI
Preview sites are temporary, shareable environments hosted on WordPress.com that mirror your local Studio site. They are ideal for sharing work with others who do not have a local environment.
The CLI provides a complete set of commands:
studio preview create # Create a preview sitestudio preview list # List all your preview sitesstudio preview update <host> # Redeploy changes to a previewstudio preview delete <host> # Remove a preview site Tip: Run studio preview list to see all previews associated with your WordPress.com account, then use the host value from that output with studio preview update or studio preview delete.
Built-in WP-CLI, configured for you
WP-CLI is the official command-line interface for WordPress itself. Studio CLI v2 integrates it directly through a dedicated studio wp command, so you do not need to install or configure WP-CLI on your own:
studio wp [<wp-cli-command>] [<wp-cli-arguments>...] From your site’s root directory, you can run common WP-CLI tasks like:
studio wp core version shows the WordPress version for the current site. studio wp plugin list lists installed plugins (and their status). studio wp core update-db runs any required database updates after a WordPress update. Studio sets the environment variables, paths, and credentials for you, so these commands run against the correct database and files with no extra setup.
Using Studio CLI with AI coding tools
One of the biggest advantages of Studio CLI v2 is how naturally it fits into AI-assisted development workflows, especially with tools like Claude Code and Cursor.
These agents read the code in your local project (including themes and plugins) and run commands in your environment, which makes it possible to offload much of the repetitive work. For example, they can:
Use studio site commands to create, start, stop, and manage local environments. Run studio wp for diagnostics, database tasks, and content management. Create and update WordPress.com preview sites for review without leaving your editor. Provide context
The AI tool you’re using may not automatically understand WordPress Studio or the Studio CLI. To get useful results, start by giving the AI agent a bit of context about what it’s looking at and what tools it can use.
For example, imagine you’ve opened a local Studio site folder in your terminal.
Begin by telling the AI agent what this directory is, and that it can run the Studio CLI.
In this example, we’ll use Claude Code and explicitly note that it can invoke the CLI via studio.
“This is the folder for a WordPress Studio site. You have access to the Studio CLI, which can be invoked by running studio. Start by exploring the available options.”
From there, you should get a response that looks like this:
With a simple prompt, the AI now has a solid understanding of the Studio CLI. This example was generated using Opus 4.5.
Automate environment setup
Once the AI understands what Studio can do, you can start handing off routine setup tasks. For instance, you might tell your agent:
“Set up a new local WordPress site using Studio with the name “Nick’s Site””
Behind the scenes, it may run something like:
studio site create --path "../nicks-site" --name "Nick's Site" --skip-browser Here’s an example of the output from Claude Code, again using Opus 4.5.
Debugging and verification with WP-CLI
Studio also makes it easy to troubleshoot issues using WP-CLI — especially when you’re staring at an error and don’t want to manually hunt down the cause.
You might say:
“Use the Studio CLI to run WP-CLI checks and figure out why this site is failing, then propose fixes.”
From there, the agent can:
Run studio wp commands (for example, plugin list, theme list, or core update-db) to collect diagnostics. Suggest (or apply) code and configuration changes based on what it finds. Re-run the same WP-CLI checks to confirm the issue is resolved. If you haven’t already, check out this great overview of WP-CLI to get a sense of what it can do.
Creating preview sites
Preview sites are one of the most popular features in WordPress Studio, but creating them and keeping them updated can feel a bit tedious if you’re doing it through the Studio user interface.
The CLI streamlines the workflow, and it becomes even easier when you pair it with an AI agent.
When you’re ready to share your work with a client or teammate, you can simply ask your AI to create a preview site:
“Can you spin up a preview site for me?”
If you’re not already authenticated, the agent will prompt you to log in, then it will create the preview and return the URL. The output should look something like this:
As you continue working locally, you can periodically ask the agent to update the preview site.
If you’re also using the AI to help build the site, theme, or plugin, you can even add a rule like: after any major change, update the preview site automatically so your shared link stays current.
Best practices when using AI with Studio CLI
AI agents can be incredibly effective copilots when you pair them with the Studio CLI. They can speed up setup, troubleshooting, preview deployments, and run real commands against your environment.
That said, a little structure up front helps you get the benefits while avoiding unpleasant surprises.
Work from the Studio site root (or use `–path`). This ensures commands run against the project you actually intend, especially if you have multiple sites on your machine. Set clear boundaries in your prompts. For example: “Do not delete sites,” “Only run read-only studio wp commands,” or “Ask before running database migrations.” Double-check destructive operations. For commands like studio site delete and studio preview delete, have the agent show you the exact commands it plans to run before it executes anything. Used thoughtfully, AI plus Studio CLI can remove much of the repetitive setup, testing, and deployment friction, so you can focus more on designing and building great WordPress experiences.
Start building with Studio CLI
Studio CLI v2 makes WordPress Studio more scriptable and automation-friendly for everyday development, whether you’re running commands yourself or working with an AI agent.
If you want to go further, the Studio CLI documentation walks through everything you can do and how to fit it into your workflow.
If you haven’t tried WordPress Studio yet, or it’s been a while, this is a great time to jump in. Download Studio, spin up a site, and take the updated CLI for a quick test drive.
Try WordPress Studio now View the full article

By Drewfus · January 27Jan 27
12 Top WordPress Themes People Actually Use in 2026 (Tested & Ranked)

A great theme makes building your WordPress site feel effortless.
I went through the most popular options on WordPress.com — based on real usage data — and tested each one.
From personal blogs to online stores, I looked at what works best for different types of sites.
Here are the 12 best WordPress themes worth considering in 2026.
TL;DR: The best WordPress themes
Here are our top picks of WordPress.com themes based on real usage data from WordPress.com:
Twenty Twenty-Four: Best for content-focused sites. Retrospect: Best for photography websites. Twenty Twenty-Three: Best for getting a flexible starting point Twenty Twenty-Five: Best for building an adaptable, creative site Zoologist: Best for all types of blogging websites Hey: Best for personal blogging Tsubaki: Best for ecommerce websites Fewer: Best for portfolio sites Poema: Best for poetry or pure text sites Nook: Best for hobby and community-driven sites Aether: Best for small business sites Vivre: Best for magazine sites. Pro tip: Set up and customize your site in minutes with our AI website builder, using simple text prompts to define the layout and visual look.
1. Twenty Twenty-Four
Best for: Content-focused sites Price: Free
Twenty Twenty-Four is a great WordPress theme for beginners who want a clean, simple, and minimalist design.
It’s one of the most popular themes in the WordPress.com universe, with 9.78% of sites using it based on our data.
The theme’s simple yet powerful features make it perfect for content-focused sites, such as blogs and portfolio sites.
My experience
Right from the start, I loved the styling options. The typography and color choices are excellent and offer a lot of diversity.
Each option looks elegant and professional. You can easily pick one that fits your brand and tweak it to your liking.
I also liked the template options.
They felt especially geared toward content-heavy sites, with layouts for pages with sidebars, index pages, blog homepages, and single posts.
Twenty Twenty-Four also comes with over 200 patterns — predesigned blocks you can drop into your pages.
I found them helpful for building layouts quickly without starting from scratch.
Choose this theme to:
Build a content-heavy site, such as a blog or personal writing website. Showcase your creative work. Create a clean, minimal, and modern design.
Activate this theme on your site 2. Retrospect
Best for: Photography websites Price: Free
Retrospect is a perfect WordPress theme for photographers. It displays images at full resolution alongside your post content.
Over 5.93% of WordPress.com users choose this theme for photo blogs and visual-first sites.
My experience
I liked the minimalist approach of the Retrospect theme. It’s a strong choice for art, travel, or photography blogs, where the focus should stay on visuals.
The layout is distraction-free, so your images can shine without clutter.
It also comes with patterns for newsletter sign-up, booking forms, and contact sections.
Setup is fast and intuitive. On mobile, images still look sharp without taking over the whole screen.
Choose this theme to:
Build a visual-first site, whether that’s a photo journal or personal blog. Run a low-maintenance site that’s easy to set up. Create a clean, distraction-free layout.
Activate this theme on your site 3. Twenty Twenty-Three
Best for: Getting a flexible starting point Price: Free Twenty Twenty-Three is a minimalist theme that gives you a clean starting point without heavy styling.
It offers plenty of style variations, but the base design stays flexible — more blank canvas than finished product.
About 5.53% of WordPress.com users choose this theme.
My experience
I liked the style variation options in this theme. The color palettes and typography options are vastly different from one another, making it easy to match the look to different kinds of sites.
If you’re building a simple one-page website, the template library and patterns make it easy to get started.
The minimal base also gives you room to experiment, which is great when you want more creative control over the design.
Choose this theme to:
Create a minimal design without heavy styling. Maintain full creative control over your website’s design.
Activate this theme on your site 4. Twenty Twenty-Five
Best for: Building an adaptable, creative site Price: Free
Twenty Twenty-Five sits at the cusp of a blank canvas and a fully designed premium theme.
It hits the right balance if you want something that looks and feels polished but is still easily customizable to your needs.
This theme is chosen by 3.83% of WordPress.com users.
My experience
My favorite part about this theme is the new and improved patterns.
There’s a wide variety of choices, from online store layouts to poster-style sections and event RSVP blocks.
No matter what type of site you’re building, you’re guaranteed to find something valuable here, which makes it a strong choice for beginners and more advanced users.
The style variations are also ready to use. You can switch between different color palettes and typography options without extra tweaking.
The bottom line: Twenty Twenty-Five sits between Twenty Twenty-Four, which is more specialized toward blogging with a clearly defined design, and Twenty Twenty-Three, which is broader and more open in its design.
Choose this theme to:
Gain a versatile base for many kinds of sites. Build pages visually using patterns and templates. Customize the appearance of your site easily. Activate this theme on your site 5. Zoologist
Best for: All types of blogging websites Price: Free
Zoologist is an ideal theme for all sorts of blogging websites.
The single-column layout displays your posts in a clean, linear format, with no sidebars or distractions.
My experience
Zoologist has strong blogging roots.
To me, it felt like a great choice for anyone publishing long-form, whether that’s a business blog, a personal website, or a journal.
You can choose from several color variations to customize the visual design of your site.
The theme also offers templates and patterns similar to Twenty Twenty-Four, which help you add essential elements such as newsletter sign-up forms and waitlists.
My favorite part of this WordPress theme: It has little noise, with no unnecessary bells and whistles — just set it up and start publishing.
Choose this theme to:
Publish content using a simple, clean, single-column layout. Build a straightforward blog or content-centric site. Create a lightweight, minimal design.
Activate this theme on your site 6. Hey
Best for: Personal blogging Price: Free If you want a site that feels like your creative playground but is still easy to use, it doesn’t get better than the Hey theme.
It’s designed for personal blogging and keeps things simple with a ready-to-go setup.
My experience
The Hey theme instantly reminds me of a personal diary or journal. It works well for founder or artist notes or for logging your creative progress.
The focus is purely on the reading and writing experience, with no extra frills or complex customization options.

Choose this theme to:
Get your website up and running quickly. Prioritize readability and simplicity over fancy layouts. Create a blank-canvas feel with generous whitespace.
Activate this theme on your site 7. Tsubaki
Best for: E-commerce websites Price: Available on the Business plan ($25/month on the annual plan)
If you’re building an online store, Tsubaki is a WordPress theme worth considering.
It’s designed for e-commerce and integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, so your store, blog, and site all live in one place.
My experience
Tsubaki is built around e-commerce from the ground up.
The layout, navigation, and structure all support product displays and shopping flows.
The patterns are e-commerce-focused, with options for product categories, new arrivals, checkout sections, and more.
The additions don’t detract from the core blogging features, though. You can use this theme to host your blog while selling your physical or digital products.
Choose this theme to:
Build an online store or e-commerce site. Combine shop and blog content on one site. Use WooCommerce with an e-commerce-friendly layout.
Activate this theme on your site 8. Fewer
Best for: Portfolio sites Price: Free Fewer’s clean content presentation and project-driven focus, which combine text and visuals neatly, make it an excellent choice for building portfolio sites.
Its design is clear and readable without being noisy, which helps keep the spotlight on your work.
My experience
I was immediately impressed by Fewer’s style variations.
The designs are versatile but not so loud that they shift focus away from the projects you want to highlight.
I found the typography especially clean and balanced.
Fewer is a solid choice if you want an elegant, content-first site that displays your work with minimal clutter.

While it’s great for portfolio sites, it’s also flexible enough to work for business or blog sites.
Choose this theme to:
Take advantage of style and typography variations. Build a blog, portfolio, or content-driven site. Keep the focus on your content or visuals through good typography and design.
Activate this theme on your site 9. Poema
Best for: Poetry or pure text sites Price: Free Poema is a simple black-and-white text site built in honor of writer and poet Fernando Pessoa.
It’s designed to focus 100% on the writing material, with no visuals or design elements overpowering the text.
Poema is perfect for poetry sites, personal journals, or anywhere writing needs to take center stage.
My experience
Entering the Poema theme feels like opening a poetry book.
The design is clean and clutter-free — just your words on the page. The layout feels classic and literary, with serif fonts, neutral colors, and lots of whitespace.
Despite the name, it works just as well for long-form essays, journal entries, or personal reflections.
Choose this theme to:
Create an elegant site focused on typography and reading. Set up a simple site that’s easy to maintain. Publish writing without complex layouts
Activate this theme on your site 10. Nook
Best for: Hobby and community-driven sites Price: Free Nook uses a classic two-column layout with a sidebar structure, giving it a familiar blog feel.
It’s a strong choice for someone creating a personal site, food blog, journal, or craft-focused blog.
My experience
Nook has a warm, nostalgic blog feel.
If I were building a site for fun or to explore a hobby, this is the theme I’d pick. It’s great for getting creative and connecting with people who share your interests.
The templates and patterns are especially helpful if you’re a beginner or want to get started quickly.
I also liked the overall familiarity of the theme. Everything feels intuitive — easy to set up for you and easy to navigate for your visitors.
Choose this theme to:
Create a classic two-column blog layout with a sidebar. Design a warm, comfortable, and timeless site. Build a blog or personal site.
Activate this theme on your site 11. Aether
Best for: Small business sites Price: Available on the Premium plan ($8/month on the annual plan) Aether is a great WordPress theme for small-scale stores that want to weave storytelling into their business site.
It’s particularly suitable for handcrafted goods, boutique products, or small merch brands, where you want clean presentation and built-in store-style flows.
My experience
As soon as I entered the Aether theme, its focus was clear: it’s built to help you sell your products while combining shop functionality with a brand story, an About page, a testimonials section, and a visual gallery.
The homepage includes sections for best-sellers, brand story, testimonials, and contact info, so you can launch a shop with minimal custom work.
The patterns are small business-friendly, with options for Instagram grids, sitewide notices, product displays, and more.
Choose this theme to:
Run a small jewelry, accessories, or artisan brand store. Showcase products with a focus on style and storytelling. Launch quickly with a ready-to-use homepage and store-oriented sections.
Activate this theme on your site 12. Vivre
Best for: Magazine sites Price: Free Vivre is heavily inspired by fashion and lifestyle magazines, making it a good fit for publication sites.
The design has a stylish, editorial feel that enhances the reading experience. The font pairing (heavy sans with elegant serif) and generous whitespace give it a traditional magazine vibe.
My experience
Vivre feels like a magazine from the moment you open it.
It features bold visuals, strong headers, and stylized typography that feels like ink on paper, making it well-suited for editorial or publication sites.
The patterns are also especially helpful when finishing your site. You can quickly add a hero post, a recent content section, and a posts grid.
It’s a great theme if your site relies on strong visuals or a distinct brand style.
Choose this theme to:
Create a bold, magazine-style look. Balance style with readability. Build a fast-loading site, even with heavy stylistic elements.
Activate this theme on your site How to choose the right WordPress theme
The best WordPress theme is the one that matches your site’s purpose and saves you time down the road.
Use this quick checklist:
Does it match your use case? If you’re building a blog, pick a blogging theme. If you’re building a portfolio, choose one designed for showcasing work. You’ll get the right features without extra customization. Does it fit the visual style you want? Most themes offer style variations, so check them all before committing. Think about the impression you want to make, whether it’s calm, minimalist, bold, or editorial. Does it have the features you need? For example, if you’re selling products, you’ll want a theme with WooCommerce support. If you’re a beginner, look for a solid pattern library to help you build pages fast. Can it scale with you? If you’re planning to add pages, products, or content over time, make sure the theme can handle it. Is it well-maintained? Themes from trusted developers get regular updates, which means fewer bugs and better performance. You can always switch themes later — it’s not irreversible. But investing time upfront helps you avoid dealing with broken layouts and user experience headaches down the road.
Get started with WordPress.com
WordPress.com gives you plenty of themes to build any kind of site.
But themes are just the start.
WordPress.com also takes care of the essentials that keep your site running smoothly:
Power your site with specialized WordPress hosting so it always stays up. Get a free domain name for one year with paid plans. Add unlimited pages and users, with pricing that doesn’t scale with traffic. Protect your site with built-in security against spam and attacks. Expand your site with hundreds of plugins, AI features, and more.
Create your website with WordPress.com View the full article

By Drewfus · January 26Jan 26
Connect AI Agents to WordPress.com with OAuth 2.1 and MCP

In October, we announced that WordPress.com now supports MCP (Model Context Protocol), enabling AI agents to interact with your sites.
Today, WordPress.com supports OAuth 2.1, making MCP integrations simpler.
MCP clients work natively with OAuth 2.1, so authorizing the AI tools you already use is as straightforward as adding a URL and approving access — no workarounds or manual configuration required.
With MCP, AI agents can help with everyday tasks on your WordPress.com site, such as finding posts, pulling site details, or drafting new content, while you control what they can access.
How OAuth 2.1 powers MCP integrations
When an AI assistant (like Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, or a custom AI tool) wants to access your WordPress.com content, OAuth 2.1 now handles the secure connection:
The MCP client requests authorization. You’re redirected to WordPress.com to approve the connection. After approval, the client receives secure tokens. The client uses those tokens to access the WordPress.com MCP. Tokens refresh automatically as needed. All of this is protected by PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange).
Even if someone intercepts the authorization code, they can’t use it without the secret verification code that stays on your device.
Simple setup: Just add a URL
WordPress.com provides an MCP server that AI tools can connect to using OAuth 2.1.
All you’ll need to do is:
Create a custom connector or app in your AI tool Add the WordPress.com MCP server URL Authenticate and approve access through WordPress.com using OAuth 2.1 That’s it.
WordPress.com handles authentication and permissions, so there’s no manual credential setup and no passwords to share.
Tip: View the MCP connection guide in the developer documentation for Claude Desktop and ChatGPT–specific instructions.
What MCP clients can do with WordPress.com
Once authenticated, MCP clients can interact with your WordPress.com sites through the MCP API:
Search and retrieve posts: Find content across your sites Read post details: Access full post content, metadata, and comments Access site information: Get site settings, statistics, and user data All of this happens with the permissions you’ve explicitly granted, and you can revoke MCP access at any time from your WordPress.com MCP settings.
Get started with MCP and OAuth 2.1
OAuth 2.1 is available now for all AI agents to connect to WordPress.com.
Whether you’re building a custom integration or using existing MCP-compatible AI tools, it provides the secure authentication foundation for your work.
If you haven’t already, enable MCP on your WordPress.com account to start connecting your AI assistants.
Useful resources
WordPress.com MCP documentation Available MCP tools reference MCP prompt examples Model Context Protocol documentation Share Your Feedback
We’d love to hear how you’re using OAuth 2.1 and MCP with WordPress.com. Have questions or suggestions? Drop a comment below or share your experience in the developer forums.
Start building with OAuth 2.1 → View the full article

By Drewfus · January 22Jan 22
Introducing the Enhanced Code Block: Syntax Highlighting and More

Last year, WordPress.com introduced new code editors for the block editor and the Additional CSS input box in the WordPress admin. This was the first stage of a larger effort to make editing code a more enjoyable experience.
Today, I’m happy to announce the launch of the second stage of that effort: introducing the new and improved Code block.
This is not a new block. It’s an enhancement to the current Code block that you’ve likely already been using, which includes several improvements over the original:
Syntax highlighting: Supports color-based syntax highlighting for over 100 common languages. Configuration: Decide to show the filename, language name, line numbers, and even include a copy button for visitors. Drag-and-drop: Dragging a code file from your computer to the editor will automatically transform it to the Code block with the language set. Transforms: Transform other code-supported blocks on WordPress.com, such as Syntax Highlighter, to the new Code block. Styles: Customize syntax colors directly from the editor or via ‘theme.json’ if you’re a developer. Using the enhanced Code block
You do not have to enable anything to begin using the new version of the Code block. It’s already available to use. Just insert the Code block anywhere in the block editor and add your code.
By default, when adding a Code block and inserting code, you will see your code in Plain Text:
Of course, Plain Text doesn’t include any syntax highlighting since it’s not a language. To change this, choose a code language from the Settings → Language dropdown in the sidebar:
Syntax highlighting will then be applied based on the language that you selected, making the code much more readable for both you and your visitors!
Pro tip: If you type three backticks followed by the language name (e.g., ```php) and then hit Enter, the editor will automatically create a new Code block instance and auto-fill the Language setting.
If you want to kick your Code block’s features up a notch, you can also configure several other settings besides the language:
Filename: Add a custom filename to display in the top left of the code block (useful when walking readers through tutorials). Show language name: Displays the language name in the top right corner of the block. Show copy button: Inserts a Copy button in the top right of the block, allowing site visitors to copy the entirety of the code. Show line numbers: Displays line numbers next to your code on the left. Line numbers start at: Choose a starting line number. This will make your site’s code examples much more reader friendly:
Customizing the Code block colors
There are multiple ways to customize the syntax highlighting and colors shown with the enhanced Code block. In this section, I’ll walk you through each from the quickest/simplest to the more advanced techniques.
Selecting a block style
The Code block ships with four block styles out of the box:
Default: Will use the default styles and colors from your theme. No Highlight: Disables syntax highlighting. Solarized Light: A light color scheme. Solarized Dark: A dark color scheme. Themes can also register additional styles. Selecting one of these styles is the quickest way to change how your Code block is output:
Customizing colors from the editor
You can also customize the colors directly from the editor via the Styles → Color panel in the block sidebar. The block has an extensive array of color options for customizing every aspect of the syntax highlighting:
You are not limited to only colors either. You can customize any of the other available styles, such as Typography, Border, and more. These options haven’t changed with the latest enhancement.
Customizing the Code block via theme.json
If you’re a developer or theme author, you’ll most likely want to define default syntax colors and other styles for the default output of the block. theme.json support is included with this batch of enhancements.
Here’s what my custom Code block styles look like after a few tweaks in theme.json:
Because the WordPress software itself doesn’t support custom colors via theme.json, the developers at WordPress.com built in custom support for this feature.
You can customize any of the syntax colors via settings.custom.core/code in theme.json. This is an object where each key is the syntax color name and the value is the color itself.
Here’s an example snippet that you can use to customize your own colors:
theme.json { "$schema": "https://schemas.wp.org/trunk/theme.json", "version": 3, "settings": { "custom": { "core/code": { "comment": "#94a3b8", "keyword": "#8b5cf6", "boolean": "#f59e0b", "literal": "#10b981", "string": "#06b6d4", "specialString": "#ec4899", "macroName": "#8b5cf6", "variableDefinition": "#3b82f6", "typeName": "#14b8a6", "className": "#f97316", "invalid": "#ef4444" } } }} Any valid CSS color is supported, so you’re not limited to hex color codes. Use CSS custom properties, RGBA, and more.
If you want to borrow my full theme.json customizations, copy and paste the following code. It includes additional custom styles to make the Code block even nicer:
theme.json { "$schema": "https://schemas.wp.org/trunk/theme.json", "version": 3, "settings": { "custom": { "core/code": { "comment": "#94a3b8", "keyword": "#8b5cf6", "boolean": "#f59e0b", "literal": "#10b981", "string": "#06b6d4", "specialString": "#ec4899", "macroName": "#8b5cf6", "variableDefinition": "#3b82f6", "typeName": "#14b8a6", "className": "#f97316", "invalid": "#ef4444" } } }, "styles": { "blocks": { "core/code": { "border": { "color": "#e2e8f0", "style": "solid", "width": "1px", "radius": "8px" }, "color": { "background": "#f1f5f9", "text": "#1e293b" }, "typography": { "fontSize": "15px" } } } }} Start sharing code now.
Whether you’re publishing snippets or full-blown tutorials, the enhanced Code block makes sharing and styling code in WordPress.com smoother and more customizable than ever before.
Syntax highlighting, block styles, and custom color options put you in full control of how your code appears.
With these improvements, you can focus less on formatting and more on writing great content that helps your readers learn and build.
View the full article

By Drewfus · January 19Jan 19
What is Managed Hosting? A Practical Guide

Managed hosting means your hosting provider takes care of the technical maintenance of your website, including updates, security, and performance.
I didn’t realize how much that mattered until I built my first site. I thought my job was just to write and publish — then the updates, security alerts, and performance issues started piling up.
In this guide, I explain what managed hosting includes, how it compares to regular hosting, and its advantages.
What is managed hosting?
Managed hosting is a type of web hosting where the provider takes care of the technical work behind your site for you.
Instead of dealing with things like updates, security, and ongoing maintenance yourself, you rely on the host to handle them.
Here’s what you typically get:
Automatic updates: The host takes care of important system and platform updates in the background. Security monitoring: Your site is checked for security issues and protected against common threats. Regular backups: Backups are handled automatically by the host, making it easier to recover your site if something goes wrong. Performance optimization: The host handles speed-related setup and optimizations to help your site load faster. Uptime monitoring: Your site is monitored to make sure it stays online, and issues are caught early. Tip: WordPress.com offers managed hosting out of the box. The technical setup is handled for you, so you don’t need to worry about maintenance or configuration.
Managed hosting vs. unmanaged hosting
The key difference is who handles the technical work. With managed hosting, your provider takes care of it; with unmanaged, you do everything yourself.
This applies across hosting types — VPS, dedicated, cloud — as any of them can come in a managed or unmanaged version.
In practice, managed hosting gets you up and running faster and keeps the technical workload off your plate long-term.
Here’s how the two compare across key areas:
FeatureUnmanaged hostingManaged hostingTechnical setup & managementYou install software, configure the server, secure it, and keep everything updated.Your provider manages setup, configuration, updates, security, and ongoing maintenance.MaintenanceYou manage backups and troubleshoot issues yourself, often using plugins or external tools.Your host takes care of backups, monitoring, and security tasks. PerformancePerformance depends on how well the server is configured.Built-in optimization for faster, more reliable performance.SecurityYou add protections manually.Built-in protections like SSL, firewalls, and malware scanning.SupportGeneral hosting support; expertise varies.Support teams are familiar with the platform your site runs on. For example, WordPress.com offers 24/7 expert support from specialists who know WordPress inside and out. When is managed hosting the right choice?
I recommend managed hosting if you want a reliable website without taking on the technical overhead of running it.
WordPress.com users, for example, often choose managed hosting so they can focus on building their site and publishing — not troubleshooting updates or security issues.
Here’s how managed hosting helps me day to day:
No surprise maintenance tasks: Routine updates and server work happen automatically. Fewer disruptions: Issues are handled before you ever notice them. Stable, predictable performance: No juggling settings or extra tools. More time for real work: Publishing, designing, or growing your business takes center stage. Peace of mind: You’re not the one troubleshooting issues. Key features of managed hosting to look for
If you consider opting for managed hosting, look for features that keep your site running smoothly with minimal maintenance.
These are the ones that make the biggest difference:
Server management
Check that setup, configuration, and ongoing server maintenance are included.
A managed host should give you a ready-to-use environment without requiring server knowledge, while still letting you access server settings when needed.
Performance optimization
Look for built-in performance features like caching and server-level tuning.
These help keep your site fast and stable, with less need for extra plugins or manual setup.
For example, WordPress.com includes server-level caching by default, so key performance optimizations are handled at the hosting layer.
Tip: If your audience is global, also check whether the host provides edge caching or a distributed data-center network. On WordPress.com, Global Edge Caching across 28+ data centers helps pages load quickly for visitors worldwide.
Security and backups
Look for built-in security protections and automatic backups that run without manual setup.
A managed host should handle malware scanning, firewalls, and regular backups so that you don’t need to worry about running scans or remembering backup schedules.
Tip: WordPress.com includes SSL certificates, malware detection, and brute-force protection on all plans. Business and Commerce plans add real-time backups with one-click restore and advanced security features.
Support and expertise
Check what the support team is trained to help with — for example, whether they have experience with your specific CMS.
Managed hosting often includes support that’s familiar with the software your site runs on, which can be helpful when issues go beyond basic hosting questions.
With managed WordPress hosting, this usually means access to WordPress-specific support.
Tip: All WordPress.com paid plans include direct support from WordPress experts. Business and Commerce plans also include priority 24/7 support.
Scalability and reliability
Opt for hosting that can handle traffic spikes and keep your site stable as it grows, without you having to manage servers or make technical decisions.
For example, WordPress.com runs your site across multiple locations worldwide, so pages load quickly for visitors everywhere.
When traffic spikes, the system automatically handles the extra load — and you don’t need to add any manual changes.
How to select the best managed hosting provider
The best managed hosting provider will make running your site easier and take most of the technical work off your hands.
Because “managed” can mean very different things depending on the provider, I recommend focusing on how much responsibility they take off your plate and whether they fit your setup.
Here are a few questions to guide your decision:
How much technical work does the host handle for you? The more setup, updates, and security they manage, the less you have to worry about.
Is the hosting environment optimized for your platform — e.g., WordPress? For instance, some hosts simply install WordPress on a generic server and leave the rest to you.
Others, like WordPress.com, are optimized for running WordPress, so your site runs faster and stays stable without extra tuning.
What kind of support will you receive? Support teams familiar with your website platform can solve problems faster and with less back-and-forth.
Will the hosting grow with your site? Your site should be able to grow and receive more traffic without forcing you to switch plans or providers. For instance, WordPress.com includes unmetered traffic on every plan, so your costs don’t increase as your audience grows.
How transparent is the pricing? Look for plans where essential features — like backups, security, and SSL — are included upfront, so you’re not surprised by extra charges as your site scales.
Does the host keep your site online if something goes wrong? Some managed hosts use a distributed infrastructure, so your site stays available even if a server in one region has issues.
For instance, during a recent AWS outage that took many websites offline, WordPress.com sites continued running without interruption:
Get started with WordPress.com managed hosting
If you’re building a site with WordPress, managed hosting can take a lot of work off your plate — from updates and backups to security and basic maintenance.
On WordPress.com, managed hosting is built in, so you don’t need to set up servers, install performance tools, or manage updates yourself.
That’s the setup I wish I’d had when I started. Once I made the switch, the updates, security alerts, and performance issues that used to eat up my time disappeared. Now I just focus on the site itself.
Sound like something you’d benefit from?
Launch your site on WordPress.com View the full article

By Drewfus · January 13Jan 13

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nataliedrk8798 Newest Member · Sunday at 01:21 AM4 days

WordPress Hosting vs Web Hosting: Explained for Beginners

Web hosting provides an online environment for running your website. WordPress hosting optimizes your environment so WordPress websites can operate at their best.
WordPress hosting is often the better choice if your site runs on WordPress, while general web hosting makes more sense if you plan to use other platforms or need a more open setup.
In this guide, we compare WordPress hosting with general web hosting and explain when each option makes sense based on your skills, needs, and budget.
WordPress hosting vs web hosting: What’s the difference?
The main difference is that WordPress hosting is optimized for WordPress with minimal setup, while general web hosting is more flexible, supports multiple platforms, and requires more manual configuration.
Here’s how they compare:
WordPress hostingGeneral web hostingInstallation and setupExperience one-click installation or preinstalled WordPress, which often includes hassle-free WordPress-to-WordPress migrations.It may offer one-click solutions, or you may have to install and set up WordPress manually.Ease of useUse custom hosting dashboards to simplify site administration.It requires third-party control panels like cPanel or Plesk, which may include tools you don’t need.PerformanceOptimized specifically for WordPress with fast, high-performance CPUs, global caching, and CDNs.It may include speed optimization, but you have to configure your own settings and WordPress-specific performance improvements.UpdatesGet automatic updates to WordPress core and components.You are responsible for website updates.BackupsTake advantage of real-time automated backups and one-click restore, depending on your plan.You may have to set up your own backup solution.SecuritySecurity hardening and systems are primed for specific WordPress attack vectors and vulnerabilities.Standard server‑level security is provided, but you are responsible for securing the WordPress application itself.ScalabilityAutomatic scaling of PHP workers accommodates increasing traffic.Depending on the plan and provider, servers may not scale well for WordPress sites with high traffic.FlexibilityIt’s built specifically for WordPress, so it may not support other systems or setups. It allows for various website setups, applications, and server configurations.LimitationsIt may limit certain plugins, themes, and features for security or performance reasons.It offers generic configurations with no built-in optimizations. You can install and manage whatever elements you want — at your own risk.PriceIt might cost more because of premium systems and features.This is often cheaper, but with fewer features and more hands-on management and responsibility.SupportExpert support can troubleshoot specific WordPress errors and problems, as well as hosting issues.General support is available for technical and account issues, but WordPress-specific guidance is limited.Extra features and toolsAdditional features like staging sites make running a WordPress site easier.Extra features designed for WordPress are not included. What is general web hosting? A simple explanation
General web hosting is a service that lets you set up any kind of website by storing your files on an online server where web browsers can find them.
It offers flexibility to build with WordPress or other software, but it requires hands-on setup, website maintenance, updates, and security.
You can choose from different hosting types based on how server resources are allocated:
Shared hosting: Your site shares a server and resources with other websites, which keeps costs low but can impact speed and performance. Virtual private server (VPS): You get your own section of a shared server with dedicated (though limited) resources, which gives you better performance and customization. Dedicated hosting: You get a dedicated server with full resources and better performance, but at a higher cost. Cloud hosting: Your site runs on a network of servers that scales computing power up or down as needed, with costs based on actual usage. What is WordPress hosting? And how is it different?
With WordPress-specific hosting, everything from the server hardware to the software and features is designed precisely for WordPress.
You get the same server options as with general web hosting — shared, VPS, dedicated, and cloud — but they’re specific to WordPress.
With WordPress hosting, typically you can:
Use a server setup designed for the WordPress platform. Have one-click or automatic WordPress installation. Take advantage of built-in performance optimizations, such as caching. Feel confident in security features, like backups and malware scans. Experience support from WordPress experts. Utilize custom website management panels. Enjoy additional features, such as premium themes, plugins, and developer tools. You can also go a step further with managed WordPress hosting, where the provider takes care of setup, updates, security, and ongoing maintenance for you.
Tip: Since WordPress can run on almost any server, many providers label their plans as “WordPress hosting” without actually optimizing them. It’s worth checking which WordPress-specific features are really included — or choosing a trusted hosting provider like WordPress.com instead.
WordPress hosting vs general web hosting: What are their pros and cons?
WordPress hosting makes running a WordPress site easier. General web hosting might give you more freedom and lower costs, but you have to handle more of the setup and maintenance yourself.
WordPress hosting: Pros and cons
WordPress hosting is a strong fit if you want speed, security, and less day-to-day work, but it’s not ideal if you plan to run anything beyond WordPress.
Pros
Less to worry about day to day: Hosting is set up to “just work” with WordPress. Fewer technical decisions: Performance, security, and updates are handled for you. Faster time to launch: You can get a site live without touching server settings. Cons
WordPress-only focus: It’s best suited for sites that run entirely on WordPress. Often priced higher than basic hosting: You’re paying for convenience and optimization. Regular web hosting: Pros and cons
Standard web hosting is a better fit if you want to run multiple platforms or manage your server configuration yourself.
Pros
More control over your setup: You choose your software, stack, and server configuration. Broader flexibility: You can run any type of site, not just WordPress. Often cheaper than specialized hosting: Fewer bundled features can mean lower entry costs. Cons
More to manage day to day: Setup, updates, security, and maintenance are your responsibility. Less platform-specific optimization: Performance and security aren’t specific to WordPress by default. General support only: Help is usually limited to server issues, not application-level problems. WordPress hosting vs general web hosting: Which should you choose?
If you plan to stick with WordPress and don’t want to deal with technical setup, WordPress hosting makes more sense. If you want to use other platforms or keep your setup more open, general web hosting is the better fit.
If you’re just getting started, choosing the simpler option now can save you time and effort early on. For example, with managed WordPress hosting on WordPress.com:
Get a ready-to-run WordPress site. Enjoy 99.999% uptime and reliable performance. Experience no limits as your traffic grows. Have a free domain for the first year. Take advantage of expert WordPress support. Trust in enterprise-grade security.
Get started with WordPress.com View the full article

By Drewfus · Yesterday at 03:00 PM1 day
Monetize Your Website with Our New Free Course

Our new course — Monetize Your Website — helps you turn the value you’re already creating into sustainable income, using the built-in tools available on WordPress.com.
Whether you share knowledge, create content, or offer services, this course walks you through practical, beginner-friendly ways to get paid. No traditional eCommerce setup required.
The course is fully self-paced, so you can dip into individual lessons as needed or follow along from start to finish at your own pace.
Start the free course What you’ll learn
Across a series of practical lessons, you’ll learn how to:
Understand your monetization options — explore the different ways WordPress.com lets you earn, and choose approaches that fit your goals and audience.
Accept payments with confidence — set up simple payments for products, services, or donations without building a full store.
Offer paid content and subscriptions — use memberships and subscriber-only content to monetize your expertise.
Create value people will pay for — package your knowledge, content, or services in a way that feels natural and worthwhile to your audience.
Set realistic expectations — understand how monetization grows over time and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Build a sustainable approach—choose tools and strategies that can evolve with your site and audience.
Why you should take this course
If you’re already creating something valuable, this course helps you take the next step in a way that fits your site.
You’ll learn what’s possible on WordPress.com and get practical steps you can use right away, without setting up a full commerce store or reworking your site.
Start the free course More video resources to explore
If you’re new to WordPress.com or ready to keep leveling up, check out our other popular courses and video tutorials:
Grow your website’s audience Intro to SEO course Create a Website course Start a Blog course View the full article

By Drewfus · Tuesday at 03:00 PM2 days
12 Essential WordPress Plugins for 2026 (Data-Backed Picks)

There are thousands of WordPress plugins out there. But to get started, you really only need a handful.
We pulled real usage data from WordPress.com sites to see which plugins people rely on, and we selected the ones that address core website needs. Then, I personally tested each plugin and looked at user reviews.
This guide covers the most essential WordPress plugins. These are helpful if you’re launching your first WordPress site, filling gaps in your current setup, or something in between:
Jetpack: For all-in-one site management Akismet: For spam protection Page Optimize: For site speed Crowdsignal Forms: For user feedback WooCommerce: For e-commerce Gravatar Enhanced: For user profiles Yoast SEO: For search engine rankings Google Site Kit: For analytics WPForms Lite: For building forms MailPoet: For emails and newsletters Imagify: For image optimization All-in-One WP Migration: For site migration Let’s explore each of them in detail.
1. Jetpack: Essential all-in-one site management
Key focus: Use it for ongoing site security and maintenance. Price: The core features are free on all WordPress.com plans, with advanced features available on Business and above. Best for: Website owners who want a full solution for security, speed, growth, content, and more are the ideal users. The Jetpack plugin is a comprehensive suite of tools that help launch and grow your WordPress site, which essentially replaces five or six separate plugins.
Instead of installing separate tools for backups, security, speed, and analytics, you get everything in a single dashboard.
I like that the essential features activate with one click — no digging through settings:
Unlike smaller plugins that can go months without updates, Jetpack is actively maintained.
You’re not left dealing with compatibility issues or security gaps when WordPress releases new versions.
Key features
Security: It provides brute force attack protection and spam filtering on all plans, real-time backups, one-click restores, malware scanning, and WAF on Business and above. Performance: It offers image CDN, video hosting, and custom site search. Growth: It includes site stats, SEO tools with automatic XML sitemap, and social auto-posting. Content: It comes equipped with an AI writing assistant, forms, payment buttons, and newsletter signups. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If you’re new to WordPress or just don’t want to spend hours researching plugins, Jetpack covers the basics in one install — security, speed, stats, and content tools.
You can always add specialized plugins later, but Jetpack gives you a solid foundation to start.
Install Jetpack 2. Akismet: Essential for spam protection
Key focus: Keep spam, ads, and inappropriate content out of your comment sections. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for sites that allow comments, user-generated content, and/or submissions. Akismet filters out over 99.99% of spam comments, form submissions, and texts, keeping your site and inbox clean.
The best part of Akismet is that you probably won’t even notice it’s there.
Occasionally, I review blocked comments, but I find it to be so good at its job that I do it more out of curiosity than necessity.
Tip: Akismet is included in Jetpack Security, so if you’re a WordPress.com user on any plan, Akismet is already installed on your site.
Key features
AI-driven filtering: Akismet uses machine learning to determine which comments are spam and blocks them before they appear on your site. Analytics: The plugin tracks the total number of spam comments it has filtered and its accuracy in your admin dashboard. Customizable settings: Akismet can automatically filter and delete comments (this is the setting I use) or hide questionable comments until you review and approve them. GDPR compliance: If you have European visitors, cover your bases with Akismet’s GDPR notice on your comment sections. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If your site allows comments or form submissions, spam is inevitable.
Akismet handles it in the background, so you don’t have to manually filter through junk — or worse, let it pile up and make your site look neglected.
Install Akismet 3. Page Optimize: Essential for site speed
Key focus: Keep your site’s code optimized for blazing fast speeds. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for non-developers who want to automatically clean up their site code and theme for optimal performance. Page Optimize speeds up your website by removing unnecessary site code to reduce processing time.
It also optimizes which elements of your site are processed first, so users never see a blank screen.
My years of working with web developers taught me that not all code is created equal. There are many routes to the same destination, but some are more efficient than others.
With third-party themes and plugins adding extra weight, Page Optimize helps keep things clean on the backend.
Key features
Concatenate HTML and CSS: Page Optimize strings together all of your site’s code, removing comments and unnecessary spaces for quicker processing. Execution timing: It also adjusts the timing of non-critical JavaScripts to either run asynchronously or at a delay. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Page Optimize removes unnecessary code and optimizes script timing so your pages load faster — and since it’s built into WordPress.com, there’s no setup or configuration required.
Site speed matters more than most people realize: visitors bounce when pages take too long, and search engines factor load time into rankings.
A faster site means better engagement, lower bounce rates, and more visibility in search results.
Install Page Optimize 4. Crowdsignal Forms: Essential for user feedback
Key focus: Embedded and pop-up user polls are the focus. Price: It’s free for up to 2,500 signals, and then it’s $15–$45/month. Best for: Get ongoing customer feedback or improve site engagement with polls. Crowdsignal Forms is a WordPress plugin that lets you add custom polls to individual pages or as pop-ups on your website.
Polls are one of the easiest ways to boost engagement — readers can respond to your content with a single click and see how others voted.
They’re also great for collecting feedback. Unlike emails or comment boxes (where you mostly hear from unhappy people), quick polls have low friction, which means higher response rates.
For example, a recipe website could create pop-ups with simple questions like “What’s your favorite meal?” to gain real insight into its audience.
Key features
Polls: Crowdsignal Forms lets you add multi-select and single-select polls using the Poll block. Customization: You can also customize your poll to match your site colors and styling for a cohesive look. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Crowdsignal Forms helps boost user engagement, which is a vital element of successful websites.
This plugin is a low-lift way to make your site visitors feel like their opinions are valued.
It can also provide critical information about visitors that might not be available through traditional analytics tools.
Install Crowdsignal Forms 5. WooCommerce: Essential for e-commerce stores
Key focus: Create and sell products on your WordPress website. Price: Use this tool for free. Best for: E-commerce stores, small businesses, and websites that want to sell custom merch will find it most helpful. WooCommerce lets you turn your WordPress site into a full online store — product pages, a shopping cart, checkout, and other essentials.
And unlike selling on marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon, you don’t pay a built-in marketplace commission on each sale — though standard payment processing fees still apply.
The setup walks you through the basics, and there’s a massive ecosystem of extensions if you need extras like subscriptions, bookings, or gift cards.
Key features
Product management: Create listings with images, pricing, categories, stock levels, variations, and custom configurations. Built-in shopping cart: Customers can browse, add items to cart, and check out — all without extra plugins. Guided setup: A step-by-step onboarding flow gets your store running in minutes. Massive extension ecosystem: Hundreds of add-ons are available for subscriptions, bookings, gift cards, shipping integrations, and more. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
If you want to sell online with WordPress, WooCommerce is the standard. It’s open-source, so you own your store and data — and with thousands of extensions available, you can add pretty much any feature you need as your business grows.
Install WooCommerce 6. Gravatar Enhanced: Essential for user profiles
Key focus: It creates clickable profiles for WordPress users. Price: It’s free, included for all WordPress.com users. Best for: It’s ideal for websites with multiple contributors or large, active digital communities. Gravatar Enhanced humanizes WordPress writers and commenters with customizable and clickable profiles.
If you write for a larger blog with multiple authors (like I do here at WordPress), your Gravatar will show up alongside your posts.
Gravatars are also used for commenting in forums and on your blog posts in the WordPress reader.
Key features
Custom avatars: Users can upload a custom image, add a public display name and bio, and more. Profile blocks: The plugin lets you add profile sections to posts and pages to showcase author information, including bio, social links, and recent posts. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Gravatar Enhanced puts a face and bio behind every comment and post, which helps build trust and a sense of community on your site.
Install Gravatar Enhanced 7. Yoast SEO: Essential for Search Engine Rankings
Key focus: Optimize your website to improve search engine readability and rankings. Price: Use the standard option for free, and pay $99/year for Premium. Best for: Use this if you’re a website owner who wants better visibility in search results for organic traffic. Yoast SEO optimizes your website’s content and structure to improve search engine rankings.
Some of this happens automatically — like generating XML sitemaps and adding schema markup so that search engines understand your content.
Other features work in real time as you write: Yoast flags missing meta descriptions, analyzes keyword usage, checks readability, and suggests improvements before you hit publish.
If you’re new to SEO, it’s a practical way to learn about what matters without getting lost in technical details.
Key features
Automatic structured data and sitemaps: Yoast generates XML sitemaps and adds schema markup behind the scenes, so search engines can crawl and understand your content without you touching any code. Real-time SEO feedback: As you write, Yoast flags missing meta descriptions, grades your keyword usage, and suggests improvements. Readability analysis: Get real-time suggestions to simplify your writing, improve flow, and keep readers engaged. Tip: If you don’t want a separate SEO plugin, WordPress.com includes built-in SEO features powered by Jetpack — including SEO titles and descriptions, sitemaps, social previews, and AI writing assistance.
What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Search is still one of the main ways people discover new websites. If your content isn’t optimized, you’re missing out on traffic.
Yoast gives you clear, actionable feedback on every page — so you can improve your rankings without needing to become an SEO expert.
Install Yoast SEO 8. Google Site Kit: Essential for analytics
Key focus: Add Google’s comprehensive site analytics to your WordPress dashboard. Price: Use it for free. Best for: Try it if you’re a website owner who wants to track key metrics like site visitors and engagement inside WordPress. Google Site Kit is the official WordPress plugin from Google that brings multiple Google tools into one dashboard.
Instead of logging into separate accounts for Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense, you can see everything in one place — right inside WordPress.
You can track how people find your site through Google Search, which pages get the most traffic, how fast your pages load, and how much you’re earning from ads.
If you’re not a data person, don’t worry — the dashboards focus on the metrics that actually matter without overwhelming you with charts you’ll never use.
Key features
One-click Google setup: Connect Google Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense to your WordPress site. Unified dashboard: See traffic, search performance, page speed, and ad earnings in one place — no need to jump between Google accounts. Built into WordPress: Access all your data directly from your WordPress dashboard, right where you’re already working. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Understanding your audience and site performance is critical for growing your website. Without this data, it’s hard to know what’s working and what isn’t.
Install Google Site Kit
Tip: If you don’t need the full Google toolkit, WordPress.com includes Jetpack Stats on all plans — a simpler way to track visitors, top content, and traffic sources without connecting external accounts.
9. WPForms Lite: Essential for building forms
Key focus: Create no-code contact forms, surveys, and lead capture forms. Price: Use it for free, but for advanced features, upgrade to WPForms Pro, which starts at $50/year. Plugin rating: 4.8/5 Best for: It’s ideal for structured data collection, like potential customer info, surveys, special event forms, and more. WPForms Lite is a beginner-friendly form builder that lets you add professional-looking forms to your site in minutes.
Forms are useful when you need specific information from visitors, like contact details from potential customers, project specs from partners, or applications for review.
Instead of messy back-and-forth emails, you get structured submissions with the fields you need — and since forms send to your inbox without exposing your email address, you avoid spam and scraping.
Key features
Drag-and-drop form builder: Create forms by simply dragging fields onto your form canvas — no coding required. Templates: Start with pre-built form templates for common use cases like contact forms, newsletter signups, and feedback surveys. Spam protection: Built-in anti-spam features keep junk responses out of your inbox. Mobile-friendly: Forms automatically adjust to look great on mobile devices. Email notifications: Receive instant notifications in your inbox when you have a new form submission. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Every website needs a way for visitors to get in touch. Forms let you control that process — you decide what information to collect, and submissions arrive organized and ready to act on.
Install WPForms Lite 10. MailPoet: Essential for sending emails and newsletters
Key focus: Use for email marketing and newsletter management. Price: It’s free for up to 500 contacts, with paid plans starting at $10/mo. Best for: Use it for sending regular email communications to customers and subscribers. MailPoet is an email marketing platform built into WordPress. You can send newsletters, one-off campaigns, or automated emails — all without leaving your dashboard.
Because it lives inside WordPress, there’s no need to sync contacts or set up integrations with external tools. Your subscriber data and site activity are already connected.
This WordPress plugin also includes signup forms, pop-ups, subscription blocks, and automated workflows that are all drag-and-drop, with no code required.
Key features
Drag and drop email builder: Design emails, forms, popups, and more with drag and drop tools inside WordPress. Newsletter subscription: You can create a pop-up subscription block or banner to encourage new subscribers. Subscribers will be automatically added to the newsletter segment. Automated emails: The plugin also lets you send emails automatically when readers complete specific WordPress actions, like signing up for your newsletter or purchasing an item from your store. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Email is still one of the most direct ways to reach your audience. Regular newsletters keep your site top of mind and bring readers back, turning one-time visitors into loyal followers.
Install MailPoet 11. Imagify: Essential for image optimization
Key focus: Automatically resize and compress images for quick website loading. Price: Use up to 20MB/month (~200 images) for free; paid plans are available for higher volumes — up to $10/month. Best for: Use for sites with photo galleries, product images, or lots of visual content. Imagify automatically compresses and optimizes images, dramatically reducing page load times. High-resolution images can significantly slow down your site, but Imagify works in the background to shrink file sizes while keeping images sharp.
I especially appreciate that it can retroactively bulk optimize existing images — you don’t need to manually compress or re-upload every photo you’ve already added to your site library.
Key features
Bulk image optimization: The plugin compresses all existing images on your site with one click and automatically optimizes new uploads. Format conversion: It lets you automatically convert images to WebP format for even faster loading. Smart compression: You can choose from three compression levels (Normal, Aggressive, and Ultra) based on your images and quality needs. Imagify uses intelligent algorithms to reduce file size without visibly reducing image quality. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Oversized images are one of the main culprits for slow sites and one of the easiest things to fix. Imagify handles it automatically.
Install Imagify 12. All-in-One WP Migration: Essential for site migration
Key focus: Use for site migration and backups. Price: Use it for free (with size limits); paid extensions are available for larger sites, cloud storage, and automated backups. Best for: Use it to move your WordPress website from one hosting provider to another. All-In-One WP Migration creates complete site backups that you can export and import with a single click, making it simple to move your entire WordPress site between hosts or keep a backup on hand.
I’ve used this plugin multiple times to move my personal website and client websites between hosting providers.
In addition to your site design, All-In-One WP Migration exports databases, downloads media files, and recreates admin settings automatically in the same file, making migration seamless.
Key features
Single-click migration: You can export your entire site (database, media files, plugins, themes) as one file, and then import it to a new host with one click. Backups: It also lets you create full site snapshots before making major changes or updates. What makes this WordPress plugin essential
Having a full site backup is critical if you want to change hosting providers or make significant changes to your site. With one click, you can save and re-upload your site design, content, and data.
Install All-In-One WP Migration Bonus: The 11 most popular WordPress plugins
In addition to the essential plugins listed above, we’ve compiled the most downloaded (and beloved) plugins on the WordPress.com Plugin Marketplace — removing any popular plugins that come pre-installed for our users.
Explore this list for further inspiration:
Elementor: Design more flexible, free-form drag-and-drop pages with advanced styling options that go beyond Gutenberg’s base capabilities. AMP: Optimize your website pages and design for mobile and alternative screen sizes to improve mobile user experience and search rankings. WooPayments: Accept a variety of payment types in your WooCommerce store, including credit cards and Apple/Google Pay. Contact Form 7: Create lightweight forms with HTML and text editing for users who are comfortable with basic markup. Google Site Kit: Track comprehensive analytics from Google services directly in your WordPress dashboard. Classic Editor: Disable the visual Gutenberg Editor and re-enable the Classic site editor, for those who prefer the traditional WordPress editing experience. WP Forms Lite: Create flexible website forms with a drag-and-drop editor and collect information from site visitors. Insert headers and footers: Add custom code snippets in your header and footer sections without editing theme files. Google Analytics for WooCommerce: Connect your WooCommerce store to Google Analytics to track e-commerce performance and customer behavior. WooCommerce product add-ons: Create product add-ons, like gift wrapping, personalization options, or extended warranties, for products in your WooCommerce store. Google for WooCommerce: Sync your WooCommerce products to Google Merchant Center and run Google Ads campaigns directly from WordPress. How to choose the right WordPress plugin
To select the best WordPress plugins, start with what your site actually needs, use what’s already built in, and be selective.
The right plugins solve specific problems without adding risk or complexity.
Determine your site’s goals: Before installing anything, be clear on what your site needs to do. Are you collecting leads, selling products, or building a community? Your goals should determine which plugins you install — not the other way around. Check your website’s out-of-the-box functionality: Many hosting providers include built-in features or preinstalled plugins. For example, WordPress.com users get Jetpack features for security, performance, and content by default, so you may not need additional plugins for that. Higher plans include even more functionality. Vet plugins before installing: Any developer can publish a WordPress plugin, so take a minute to evaluate it. Check user ratings, recent updates, which WordPress version the plugin is compatible with, and the available support. Plugins that aren’t actively maintained may break or cause compatibility issues with newer WordPress versions. Keep your plugin stack lean: Install only what you truly need. Too many plugins — or multiple plugins doing the same job — can slow down your site. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have a recent backup before adding anything new. On WordPress.com Business plans and higher, backups are handled automatically. Get started with WordPress.com
The easiest way to try these essential plugins is to start a site on WordPress.com.
You can explore the plugin library directly, see which tools are already built in, and add only what your site actually needs.
WordPress.com plans also include Jetpack features, professionally designed themes, and an AI website builder so you can launch and extend your site without piecing together separate tools.

Start my WordPress website
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By Drewfus · Monday at 03:00 PM3 days
Andrew Adetitun Successfully Funded His Book on African History. His Website Was the Launchpad.

Andrew Adetitun runs The King’s Monologue, a media network teaching African history to over 160,000 followers across different channels.
He noticed that African history wasn’t just underrepresented — it was actively obscured. Achievements credited to the wrong civilizations. Truth buried in books most people would never read.
So he started making content. First on TikTok. Then YouTube. One video went viral — a few million views in days. The audience grew from there.
From a viral TikTok to 160,000 followers
What started as a few videos turned into something much bigger:
120,000+ YouTube subscribers 160,000+ followers across platforms A library of documentaries and original research Museum visits, trips to Egypt, academic papers Andrew is a qualified teacher by training. He spent years teaching high school.
But his real passion was history — specifically, making African history accessible to people who’d never pick up a niche textbook.
YouTube became his classroom. Documentaries became his lesson plans. And the community that formed around The King’s Monologue became his students.
Why Andrew needed a website
Social platforms are borrowed land. Andrew knew that.
He wanted a home base. A place he actually owned. Somewhere to:
Host images from museum visits and statue reconstructions Publish academic papers and articles Build search engine visibility so his content would rank Support initiatives like his Kickstarter book launch A Linktree wouldn’t cut it. He wanted control.
A former WordPress developer who didn’t have time to develop
Here’s the twist: Andrew used to be a WordPress developer. He knows how to build sites from scratch — find hosting, install WordPress, customize themes, write code.
But he didn’t have time for any of that.
So he went the simpler route. He signed up for WordPress.com, saw the AI website builder, and gave it a try.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now
The structure of his new website came together in minutes. No code. No theme hunting. Just prompts and tweaks:
He kept the design simple — limited colors, consistent thumbnails — and let the builder do the rest.
What the website does today: Funding the Kickstarter and creating organic content
At the end of last year, Andrew launched a Kickstarter for his book on African history. The website was the launchpad.
The campaign was successfully funded.
Besides, the site is an educational resource, which includes:
Articles and original research An image gallery with museum photos and reconstructions (optimized for search) A donation feature for supporters From here, Andrew wants to expand. He already hired a website admin to help populate content — transcribing his videos and livestreams, editing, and posting.
Next, he plans to attract contributing authors — vetted and edited — filling the site with hundreds, eventually thousands of articles.
A searchable archive of African history that ranks in Google and serves researchers, students, and curious minds.
Your story deserves a home, too
Andrew is a former WordPress developer who chose not to build his site the hard way.
WordPress.com gave him a faster path. The AI website builder got the structure up in minutes. Managed WordPress hosting also means he’s not dealing with updates, security, or server maintenance.
He focuses on the mission. The platform handles the rest.
Andrew’s story started on TikTok. It grew on YouTube. But his website is the place he actually owns — and the launchpad for everything that comes next.
Yours can be too.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now View the full article

By Drewfus · February 6Feb 6
It’s official: WordPress.com has a Claude Connector

WordPress.com has launched an official connector for Claude — the first of its kind for a WordPress host.
This means that you can now safely connect Claude to your site and know that the integration is officially supported by both Anthropic and WordPress.com.
Check out the WordPress.com Claude Connector From MCP access to an official connector
A few months ago, we introduced MCP access to let AI agents work with real WordPress.com site context — something most standalone AI tools don’t have.
With our recent addition of OAuth 2.1 support, those integrations became both more secure and easier to authorize using the agents you already rely on.
This partnership builds on that foundation by bringing WordPress.com into Claude’s connectors directory — a curated set of trusted tools with clearly defined permissions.
For WordPress.com users, this removes the setup hassle. You can connect Claude to your site in a few clicks and always see what it can access.
Let’s get connected
Ready to use the WordPress.com Claude Connector? Here’s how to get set up:
Enable MCP on your WordPress.com account. Note that MCP access is only available for sites on paid WordPress.com plans. Specify which tools you want to make available to Claude. A full reference of tools can be found in our developer documentation. On Claude desktop or web, go to your Settings. Click Connectors, and then click the “Browse connectors” button. Search for “WordPress.com” and click the + button to connect. You’ll be prompted to log in to WordPress.com and grant secured access to your sites, thanks to OAuth 2.1. This connection gives Claude read-only access to your site content, meaning it won’t be able to create, delete, or update content. You can also revoke Claude’s access at any time by removing it from your connected apps in Claude or disabling MCP access on WordPress.com.
What this partnership unlocks for you and your site
Once set up, Claude can answer questions using your real WordPress.com site data, not estimates or generic guidance.
For example:
“Show me my site’s traffic for the last 30 days.”: Identify traffic insights for your site in just a sentence. “Summarize recent comments across my site.”: See what readers are responding to and where conversations are happening. “Which posts haven’t been updated in over a year?”: Surface content that may need refreshing based on publish and update history. “Show me pages with high traffic but low engagement.”: Spot opportunities for improvement using real site data. “Looking at my last 10 posts, generate a document reflecting my writing style.”: Create a style guide you can reference to keep your voice consistent. “Based on my last 10 posts and recent trends online, what should I write about next?”: Spot content gaps where your unique perspective meets current demand. “Read my last post and suggest resources I can link to.”: Tighten your narrative with relevant supporting articles. “Find posts with broken external links or outdated information.”: Keep your content credible and your readers’ trust intact by catching link rot before they do. “Which posts mention topics I’ve written about elsewhere but don’t link to them?”: Build internal links and surface old content to your readers. These prompts are grounded in the same data and tools you already use in WordPress.com — they’re now all easily surfaced through the Claude interface.
For more ideas, explore the set of example prompts in our documentation.
What’s next for WordPress.com and AI?
We’re thrilled to share this partnership with you, and we encourage you to connect Claude to your WordPress.com sites today for easier site analysis and site-specific insights.
And because this connector is built and supported in partnership, it’s designed to evolve alongside both platforms.
You can connect Claude to your WordPress.com site now, explore the documentation to get started, or share feedback with us as we continue building deeper AI integrations into WordPress.com.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
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By Drewfus · February 5Feb 5
Great Writing Deserves a Spotlight: Freshly Pressed Is Back

Finding your next favorite blog shouldn’t feel like scrolling through an endless feed, hoping something good appears. And for creators, getting discovered shouldn’t require figuring out an algorithm.
Back in 2009, WordPress.com launched Freshly Pressed, a curated collection of posts that entertained, enlightened, and inspired. It was our way of saying “we like you, we really like you” to creators, and amplifying their great work for others to find.
We paused Freshly Pressed a few years back, but the idea never really went away. And the case for human-curated discovery is stronger than ever.
It’s time to bring Freshly Pressed back.
What is Freshly Pressed?
Freshly Pressed is where we highlight standout content in the WordPress.com Reader. Unlike algorithmic feeds that reward engagement metrics, Freshly Pressed features posts because they’re genuinely good. Thoughtful, well-crafted, and worth your time.
You’ll find a blogger sharing travel stories next to a hobbyist breaking down sourdough science next to a poet who just hit publish for the first time.
Where to find it
The WordPress.com Reader: Featured posts appear in Discover with a dedicated section. This is the best way to discover Freshly Pressed alongside everything else you follow. Freshly Pressed webpage: Visit the Freshly Pressed page for the full collection. Your RSS reader: Enjoy the best of WordPress.com in your favorite RSS reader. Simply add the URL of the Discover page or the RSS feed link to your feed reader. Jetpack mobile app: Coming to iOS and Android in the next release. Stay tuned! Be discovered in the Reader
Freshly Pressed lives in the WordPress.com Reader, where your post reaches readers who are actively looking for new voices to follow. When you get featured, you’ll see it — in traffic, in new subscribers, and in comments from people genuinely interested in what you have to say.
How to get featured
Want to get featured? Just keep publishing. There’s no application, no special settings to enable. If you’re on WordPress.com or use the Jetpack plugin on your WordPress site, you’re already in the running.
We’re drawn to posts that surprise us. If it made you excited to hit publish, we want to read it.
We look for posts that:
Tell a compelling story or share a unique perspective Show care in the writing and presentation Stand out with humor, originality, or strong points of view When your post gets featured, you’ll receive a notification and a boost of traffic and subscribers from readers actively looking for quality content.
Not publishing on WordPress.com yet? Get started for free and your next post could be the one we feature.
Discovery without the anxiety
There’s no engagement score. No trending algorithm to chase. Freshly Pressed is a slower, more deliberate kind of discovery — one that rewards the writing itself. We think that’s worth protecting.
Ready to discover something new? Find your new favorite blog. Ready to be discovered? Start publishing on WordPress.com.
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By Drewfus · February 4Feb 4
15 Unique and Fun WordPress Websites to Inspire You in 2026

WordPress powers everything from personal blogs to large-scale community projects — but the most interesting sites aren’t always the biggest ones.
In this guide, we’ve handpicked 15 unique WordPress website examples that stand out for their ideas, storytelling, and design choices.
Some attract significant traffic, while others serve smaller but highly engaged communities. All of them use WordPress.com in thoughtful, creative ways.
Along the way, you’ll see practical design and content ideas you can apply to your own site, whether you’re starting fresh or refining what you already have.
1. Hidden Gem Animal Rescue: Foster-based rescue organization
Website type: Nonprofit Theme: Custom Logan and Murphy founded Hidden Gem Animal Rescue out of a shared love for animals.
While many animal welfare websites rely on gloomy colors and emotional imagery to drive support, this animal rescue takes a different visual approach.
Working with Automattic’s Special Projects team, the organization chose a soft pastel palette that feels optimistic and hopeful, bringing youthful energy to a serious cause.
Because the muted colors feel quieter, bolder tones stand out — the founders’ picture and mission statement catch your eyes instantly.
The playful language reframes the tough realities of pet adoption into celebratory moments.
For example, Hidden Gem Animal Rescue describes the adopted kittens as “Rescue Graduates.”
It calls to mind our college graduation, a universally joyful milestone — exactly how adoptions should be.
What we love about this website
The Welsh Corgi separates the hero section from the remaining content. It adds adorable appeal, unlike a standard divider line or color block. Hidden Gem Animal Rescue deliberately chose an image of a Corgi with its head tilted. The dog’s gaze refocuses your attention to the call-to-action (CTA) button, nudging you to adopt a pet. Tip: WordPress.com supports all types of websites. With pre-built templates, styles, plugins, and patterns, you can quickly design a personal, small business, or ecommerce site. Paid plans include managed hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and expert support.
2. Job.blog: Personal and professional blog
Website type: Personal and business blog Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five “Focus on one topic to build an authoritative blog,” — that’s the common advice to new bloggers.
Job’s blog goes against the grain.
A longtime WordPress.com user before joining the company, Job wrote about theology and culture.
These days, he blogs about technology and leadership as the Chief Customer Officer at WooCommerce. It’s rare to hear from a customer, let alone an employee deep in the ecosystem.
The website serves as a creative outlet for Job to express his opinions freely.
Fun fact: Job created his blog via the WordPress.com Site Editor with no custom code.
What we love about this website
The masonry layout of photos is a visual feast. Despite the different heights and widths, the photo journals flow organically, creating a scrollable experience.    The 404 page injects humor to ease frustration when users can’t access a page. The Pulp Fiction “Looking Confused” GIF acknowledges the awkwardness and lightens the mood. Tip: Likewise, you can use humor in your 404 page to show your personality. To customize the default 404 error page template on WordPress.com, go to Appearance → Editor and edit the Page: 404 template.
3. PostSecret: Community mail art project
Website type: Community-driven blog Theme: Custom PostSecret publishes anonymous secrets that people around the world mail in on handwritten postcards. It shares these secrets exactly as submitted.
Founded by Frank Warren, the project spotlights deeply human stories from all walks of life.
The site’s minimal text and design are intentional; as you scroll, handmade postcards — from childhood memories to heartbreak — take center stage.
These unfiltered confessions keep people coming back to the point that PostSecret has attracted 881,000,000+ visitors, a rare milestone that the site footer notes.
Today, the 21-year-old community art project has grown into a global movement, raising over $1 million to support suicide prevention.
What we love about this website
All eyes are on the postcards, thanks to the single-column layout against a plain background. Each postcard resembles a framed artwork in a modern art museum. PostSecret relies on its community to keep the project alive, directing you to its Patreon — a platform for recurring creator support — near the end of the page. The community’s support also keeps PostSecret free of ads, creating a pleasant user experience. Tip: Want to sync your Patreon posts with WordPress.com? Install the Patreon plugin to connect your site in a few clicks.
4. Bedfordshire Bird Club: Birdwatching community
Website type: Knowledge base and membership Theme: Custom Bedfordshire Bird Club is an ornithological community that started in 1992. After a collaboration with the Automattic Special Projects team, the new website now boasts a striking brand identity.
Most importantly, its birding sites deserve a deeper look.
The location search bar is prominently displayed, allowing birdwatchers to easily plan their next visits.
Each birding site provides extensive information like interactive maps, GPS coordinates, viewpoints, and the bird species you can see during each season. This allows you to easily explore the birdwatching spots.
What we love about this website
Bedfordshire Bird Club spotlights members’ photography to foster community. The credited photos instill pride and motivate continued engagement with the site. The homepage adapts its bird sightings to the current season. Bedfordshire Bird Club can keep its content fresh and timely all year round. 5. Engnovate: English and IELTS resource hub
Website type: Online courses and e-learning Theme: Astra Engnovate is an online IELTS test preparation platform with over 1 million monthly learners — and over 350K in monthly traffic according to Semrush.
At first glance, Engnovate resembles most test preparation platforms: writing tasks, speaking evaluation, grammar checker, etc.
Yet as you scroll through the site, you notice a differentiating feature: interactive elements and AI.
The self-introduction exercise, for instance, assigns an AI English coach. Like one-on-one guidance in a professional school setting, it evaluates and deepens your English skills in real time.
What we love about this website
The hero section promotes Trustpilot reviews, but the CTA is intentionally muted so it doesn’t compete with learning-focused actions. The site offers ungated interactive tools that help you practice. These tools function as traffic magnets that encourage you to explore and stay longer. Because task answers are public, learners can see real examples from others, compare approaches, and understand how their own answers measure up. 6. Cozy Grove Camp Spirit: Mobile game microsite
Website type: A site to promote a mobile app Theme: Custom Cozy Grove Camp Spirit is a cozy adventure game, and its website pulls you into that world from the start. Whimsical visuals — from character art to a hand-drawn forest landscape — evoke childlike wonder and invite exploration.
The premise is simple and intriguing: You play as a Spirit Scout helping friendly ghosts on a haunted island.
A single-column layout uses gameplay videos and screenshots to show daily quests like fishing, crafting, and rebuilding the island — moments fans recognize from the original game.
What we love about this website
The microsite mirrors the game’s distinctive charm. It delights fans and new players alike. Vivid phrases like “soothe the local ghosts” position you as the hero, while playful section dividers act as Easter eggs. 7. Brodo: Bone broth ecommerce store
Website type: Ecommerce shop Theme: Custom Marco Canora founded Brodo after turning to bone broth during his own health recovery — and the website now attracts over 40K visitors monthly according to Semrush.
On the website, that personal story takes a back seat to conversion. Instead of leading with a mission or ingredient sourcing, the homepage quickly highlights a starter box with a default “Subscribe & Save” option.
For this direct-to-consumer brand built on subscriptions, this sales-first layout supports Brodo’s core revenue model.
To drive subscriptions, Brodo anchors its pricing by listing the same product at a higher one-time price. Paying 20% more for a single order makes the subscription feel like the better deal, as do the additional sign-up perks beyond delivery frequency:
What we love about this website
There is a “Shop all broths” CTA in all customer reviews, creating a frictionless shopping experience. Spotted a review that resonates? Just click the link below to order. Each expert testimonial features a specific benefit of bone broth, addressing different customer segments. For example, Bobbi Brown’s testimonial about protein targets athletes who want to increase their protein intake and build muscle growth: 8. The King’s Monologue: African history resource hub
Website type: Knowledge base and creator site Theme: Assembler The King’s Monologue uniquely redefines the participation of indigenous Africans in the global history of Black people. Andrew Adetitun-King, a reconstruction artist, researcher, and YouTuber with over 100K subscribers, is its founder.
The site features thoughtful essays, such as critiques of Eurocentric interpretations of the Tomb of Seti I, offering perspectives that standard history curricula rarely cover.
Beyond the content, the activist-focused language shines.
The 1,000 book giveaway callout urges you to support Andrew’s new book, Reconstructuring Egypt:
Fun fact: Andrew created The King’s Monologue on our AI website builder in just one day. Your new website is also only a few prompts away.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now What we love about this website
The site’s visual identity and content are tightly aligned. The regal imagery, typography, and academic tone reinforce the project’s mission to reframe African history through a research-driven lens. By placing the full name and initials around the site icon, the circular logo reinforces brand recognition across the site and beyond. 9. ArtLesson: Illustration website
Website type: Blog Theme: H4 ArtLesson offers free creative art ideas for teachers and students. The site skips a traditional top menu, instead using colorful doodles below the hero section and in the sidebar as navigation.
Clicking the green “Year 4” icon, for example, takes elementary school teachers to current lessons like color blending and pattern drawing.
What we love about this website
Doodle-based navigation makes it easy to find popular illustration, cardboard sculpture, and lettering lessons while reinforcing ArtLesson’s visual identity. You can’t help but smile scrolling through ArtLesson; it feels like you’re learning from your favorite teacher.   Tip: To replicate ArtLesson’s creative approach, use graphic design platforms (e.g., Canva) or install a graphic plugin to customize images directly on your WordPress.com site.
10. Jia: Writing portfolio
Website type: Portfolio Theme: Custom Jia Tolentino’s website opens with an artistic portrait — a bold choice in a space where most writers rely on standard headshots.
The minimalist design keeps the focus on her work, stripping away distractions like subscription boxes or social feeds. The result is a clean, calm space that supports a text-heavy biography and curated writing clips.
What we love about this website
The vertical artistic portrait resembles a magazine cover and creates a strong first impression. It suits Jia’s line of work because she’s written for magazines like The New Yorker and The Hairpin. The two-column layout breaks up the long text, allowing you to pause between lengthy paragraphs. Note how the empty columns provide a natural stopping point. It’s a simple trick with minimal layout edits — and you can easily create these columns on WordPress.com.
11. BCSP: Academic center website
Website type: Academic Theme: Custom BCSP curates its extensive psychedelic research into one compact website. Each section features bold fonts and neon headers, creating an uncluttered user experience — even a layperson can navigate with ease.
The groovy design echoes a trendy digital magazine, not a research center’s website. The varying blocks of copy are evenly distributed, maintaining your interest.
What we love about this website
The custom clinical trial map for therapists and patients to navigate past, ongoing, and future trials. It’s intuitive to add filters like eligibility criteria and trial status thanks to the user-friendly interface. The menu gives a bird’s-eye view of BCSP’s content. Once clicked, it opens and displays all links in a structured panel. To highlight the researched substances, BCSP assigns each compound a unique neon color button.   12. Fit For Golf: Golf app website
Website type: Website to promote an app Theme: Custom Fit For Golf is a golf training app focused on strength and mobility. Mike Carroll, a fitness coach for PGA and DP World Tour players, founded the app. Fit For Golf’s website relies on workout GIFs to immediately show how the program works:
Mike demonstrates the workouts himself, adding a strong personalized touch. He also personally answers all training-related questions from app subscribers. This quick access to an experienced coach is a huge selling point.
What we love about this website
The 4.9-star rating pop-up on the bottom left instills trust, but its small size doesn’t interrupt the user experience. The video testimonials and highly specific results customers achieved boost credibility. Pairing each golfer’s testimonial with their workout results creates an emotional connection through a relatable journey. 13. This Sweet Life: Luxury family travel blog
Website type: Blog Theme: Veni Travel blogs need to inspire exploration while making trip planning easy — and This Sweet Life does both.
Natalie Sullivan, a traveler who’s visited 40+ countries, founded the blog. It blends luxury family travel with personal experience, from five-star stays to hotel collaborations as a mom influencer.
Natalie focuses on four passion-led topics — luxury family travel, mentorship for mom influencers, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and party planning — capturing the everyday celebrations of a vibrant life.
What we love about this website
The clever use of negative space highlights the hero image and vivid copy in a balanced way. The beach background elicits feelings of escape, while the candid shot of Natalie’s family adds warmth. The core message is clear, triggering your wanderlust.   The lead magnet, The Influencer Starter Kit for Moms, drives subscribers and nurtures them for a paid upgrade. It allows Natalie to build her email list and earn revenue simultaneously. Tip: You can replicate This Sweet Life’s paid upgrade using WordPress.com’s Paid Content block. It lets you accept one-time, monthly, or annual payments for access to your exclusive content.
14. Robert Brancatelli: Personal essays
Website type: Personal Theme: Hermes Robert Brancatelli’s life as a professor, author, and taxi driver shapes the offbeat voice he uses across his blog.
His magazine-style site publishes recurring features on a set schedule, building anticipation over time.
The “Mittwoch Matinee” series, for example, ties each post to a notable event from the publication date — like an October 8, 2025, essay reflecting on Don Larsen’s perfect game in World Series history.
What we love about this website
The sidebar display of subscriber avatars shows you that the site has an active, engaged readership. 15. Maybe It’s Just Me: Health, wellness, and self-improvement website
Website type: Personal and portfolio Theme: Custom Maybe It’s Just Me is a personal health and wellness site by journalist Kaitlin Vogel, who showcases her magazine bylines across the site. By blending professional credentials with personal storytelling, the site clearly establishes her expertise — an important signal for a creator working with wellness brands.
“Maybe it’s just me” is Kaitlin’s signature phrase, repeated throughout her writing — much like Carrie Bradshaw’s recurring “I couldn’t help but wonder” and “just like that.”
In her Summer Reading List post, for example, Kaitlin opens with it before sharing her book recommendations:
What we love about this website
Generous spacing and simple typography make longer wellness posts easy to read, supporting a calm, distraction-free browsing experience. Many websites prioritize popular content to prevent newer posts from burying it, but Maybe It’s Just Me shows the newest blog posts by default to drive quick buzz. Tip: That said, you can pin any post to the top of your WordPress.com blog by marking it as “Sticky” in the post’s Status settings.
Launch a unique website on WordPress.com today
Building a site that stands out takes more than a good idea. Design, content, and structure all play a role in how people experience and remember your website.
These 15 examples show there’s no single formula. Some stand out through storytelling, others through design, navigation, or community. What matters is choosing the approach that fits your unique story.
WordPress.com gives you the flexibility to start with a template and shape it over time, whether you’re building a personal blog, a small business site, or something more experimental.
Behind the scenes, reliable hosting matters too. WordPress.com includes managed hosting, security, and performance features to keep your site running smoothly as it grows.

Launch your unique website today

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By Drewfus · February 3Feb 3
21 Types of WordPress Sites You Can Build with AI

WordPress has evolved far beyond its blogging roots and can now power almost any kind of site — from personal sites and portfolios to memberships, news sites, and full business websites.
And with its new AI website builder, designing a website has become even easier — simple text prompts are enough to turn your ideas into a working site for any need.

I challenged myself to build 21 different types of websites using this tool.
Here are the results, along with pro tips for prompting, design, page structure, and more.
1. Portfolio website
A portfolio website helps share your creative work, whether that’s writing, photography, design, video production, or something else.
You can send it to clients to highlight your expertise and share work samples.

Here’s the prompt I used with the AI site builder to build a portfolio site:

“Create a portfolio website called ‘Rochi’s Portfolio’ to display my long-form writing services for tech companies. There should be five sections on the site: Introduction, Work Samples, Testimonials, How I Work, and Contact Form. Use warm colors, a minimalistic design, and a friendly tone.”
In under five minutes, I got a clean, ready-to-use portfolio site that I could refine with the AI chat by adding content, examples, and customizations.
Key pages and features of portfolio sites
Work samples: Add a dedicated page showing your work samples, or use a new section in a one-page website to showcase your top portfolio pieces.
Service details: Add a page or section about the services you offer, including your timeline, working process, and prices (if you’re comfortable). This gives a potential client a good idea of what they can expect while working with you.
Contact methods: Make it clear how visitors can inquire about your services. You can mention your email, or better yet, use a Form block so leads can fill out the necessary details without leaving your website. You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now -> 2. Resume/CV website
A resume website is your CV in digital form. It offers a unique and interactive experience for hiring managers and more room for creativity when showcasing your skills.

Here’s the prompt I used in WordPress.com’s AI website builder to create a resume site:

“Build a resume website for Rochi Zalani to showcase my abilities as a content writer. The design should feel professional, minimal, and easy to scan. Include four pages: Home, About, Testimonials, and Contact.”
Key pages and features of resume/CV sites
About page: Your homepage is your resume itself. But beyond that, it’s a great way to demonstrate your personality and skills beyond the work-related confines of a CV. You don’t need to complicate it — talk about your hobbies, interests, and professional journey.
Testimonials and endorsements: Ask your previous employers to write a brief testimonial about what it’s like working with you. Add a new page or a section on your homepage with their endorsements. This social proof will help you build trust with future employers.
Contact methods: Use a Form block or include your email on your homepage so prospective employers can easily reach out. Tip: Keep your initial prompts detailed and specific, but focused. Always use the AI chat to refine your initial site — add pages, adjust content, request new features, and ask for improvement ideas.
3. Personal website
A personal website can be anything — a blog about your hobbies, a creative outlet, a journal, a place to build your side projects, etc. It’s your own corner of the internet and helps you connect with people who share your interests.

I wanted to create a personal website documenting my travel experiences and recommendations.
Here’s the prompt I used to create this site:

“Create a personal website documenting my travel experiences and recommendations called ‘The Nomad Freelancer.’ Include five pages: Home, About, Budget Trips, Luxury Travel, and Travel Tips. The design should be bright and colorful.”
Key pages and features of personal websites
About page: Include a page with details about you and your website so readers know what to expect from it. Share why you began your site, and sprinkle it with some personality.
Social links: Invite visitors to connect with you beyond your site. Use the Social Icons block to integrate your social media accounts into your website. 4. Link‑in‑bio page
A link-in-bio site is mainly for social media creators who send followers to their bio to get a link, a download, an offer, etc.
Since most platforms limit how many links you can add to your social media profile, a link-in-bio page is a great workaround.
You can combine everything in one place and use it to share affiliate links, discount codes, freebies, and more.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a link-in-bio page:

“Create a link-in-bio website called ‘Rochi’s recs.’ Include the following pages: Home, Instagram, TikTok, Top recommendations, and Newsletter. The CTA on the homepage should be to “Stay connected,” which leads to the Newsletter page. Use bold colors and eye-catching visuals.”
Key pages and features of link‑in‑bio pages
Top recommendations: Add a separate page for your most-loved product recommendations. This allows your followers to find your favorite items without digging through your social media posts.
Platform-specific pages: If you have built a presence on multiple social media sites, add separate pages for each platform. Your audience can easily navigate to the profile where they already follow you to find your recommendations.
Newsletter: Add a newsletter to your site to grow your email list. This helps you deepen your relationship with your social media audience and connect with them beyond the algorithm. 5. Blogging website
A blogging website can be a part of a larger business or a personal endeavor.
You can create a blog around your hobbies (similar to a personal site) or focus on a niche topic to build an audience and monetize through ads, sponsored content, affiliate links, and more.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a blogging website about influencer marketing:

“Build a website called ‘Influencing Right’ for influencer marketers looking for pro tips to improve their creator marketing strategy. Include five pages: Home, Research Reports, Sponsored Campaigns, Free Strategy Template, and About. The tone should be warm and friendly.”
Key pages and features of blogging websites
Category pages: Use different pages to categorize various posts on your blog. For example, if you’re starting a productivity blog, you can create categories around time management, productivity tools, and organization tips. Use the Categories List block on WordPress.com to display the various topics on your site.
Lead magnet page: Create a freebie that you can offer to your website visitors as a lead magnet. This lets you collect their emails so you can stay connected with readers and encourage recurring visitors to your site.
About page: Explain why you’re starting the website, and establish your expertise. This helps build trust and lends authority to your posts. 6. Business website
You can also create a business website to sell almost anything — digital products, merchandise, services, etc.
Your small business needs a site so people can learn about your products, company, or services. It establishes credibility and allows customers to learn more about your brand.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a site offering cleaning services:

“Create a multipage website for a cleaning business. Add pages: Home, About, Services, Pricing, Testimonials, Contact. Use a clean, modern layout with blue colors and simple, professional but friendly copy.”
Key pages and features of business websites
Appointment booking: Use a scheduling plugin that allows potential customers to check your availability and book a service appointment through your site.
FAQ answers: Have a section or page dedicated to answering your customers’ common questions. For example, if you sell merch, answer questions about your refund or exchange policy.
Business details: Depending on your business model, create a section or website page sharing key product or service information. For example, if you have a brick-and-mortar store, enter your business hours and map location. 7. Landing page
A landing page is a single, focused page designed to drive one action — for example, collecting emails, promoting a product, booking a call, launching something new, or running paid ads.
Landing pages work well when you want a clean, distraction-free layout that guides visitors toward a single CTA.
Here’s the prompt I used to create a high-converting landing page:
“Create a conversion-focused landing page for a digital product called ‘Influencer Briefs,’ which are brief templates used by marketers. The page should include: a strong hero section with a centered headline and one CTA (‘Download the template’), a problem/solution section, what’s included, testimonials, and a FAQ. Use clean, modern design with bold accents and minimal distractions.”
Key pages and features of landing pages
Hero section: Add a centered headline with one clear CTA, plus a short value statement that explains what the visitor gets. Offer overview + social proof: Combine your problem/solution, what’s included, and a few testimonials or logos into one streamlined section. Conversion elements: Include a simple form or repeated CTA at the bottom of the page, plus a short FAQ to resolve hesitation (questions about refunds, access, delivery, etc.). 8. Nonprofit website
Nonprofit websites can help nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) promote their work, raise funds, recruit volunteers, and provide a company history.
A dedicated website also makes it easier to organize events and stay connected with your community.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a nonprofit website for an educational organization:

“Create a modern, inspiring website for an educational NGO called ‘Education for All.’ The site should feel hopeful, community-driven, and trustworthy, with bright, positive colors and warm photography. Include the following pages and sections: Homepage with a prominent CTA to ‘Get involved,’ Mission Statement page, Programs page, and Impact page. Make the overall site feel credible, community-focused, and mission-driven.”
Key pages and features of nonprofit websites
Programs and impact pages: Create separate pages for future campaigns and to highlight successful past events. This can help attract more volunteers and donations.
Mission page: Dedicate a page to explaining what you do, along with a brief company history. Spotlight the founders and the team to help people understand and connect to your company’s values and goals.
Donate and volunteer page: Use the Donations Form block to accept donations via your site, and use a Form block for people to register their interest in volunteering. 9. Restaurant or café website
A restaurant or café site helps familiarize people with key information, such as your working hours, menu, prices, location, and special offers.
You can also use it to encourage customers to sign up for a loyalty program, book a table, or order online.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a site for a Japanese restaurant:

“Create a clean, modern website for a Japanese restaurant called Sakura, inspired by minimalist Japanese design and warm, natural textures. Include the following pages: Home, Menu, Reservations, Contact, and Locate Us. The homepage should feature a hero image of signature Japanese dishes, highlighted specials, operating hours, and a clear ‘Reserve Now’ button. Make the website elegant, mobile-friendly, and visually focused on authentic Japanese cuisine.”
Key pages and features of restaurant sites
Locate us: Have a dedicated page or section with your address so people can locate your restaurant or café easily. If you have multiple locations, create a dedicated page to highlight their precise locations. You can also use the Map block feature to make your customers’ experience interactive and ease site navigation.
Menu: Upload a snapshot of your menu in a dedicated page so people can see exactly what you offer, including prices. Include CTA options to book a table and order online on this page as well.
Special offers: Use the homepage to highlight any special or seasonal offers you’re running. Add a newsletter form or a website chat plugin encourage customers to sign up for regular updates. 10. Educational or course website
You can also create an educational site, whether it’s a knowledge base for a specific topic or a site to inform your customers about business-related topics.
Course websites allow you to host and sell an educational course, making it interactive through features such as polls or community plugins.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a site selling a course on YouTube growth:

“Create a modern, conversion-focused website for an online course brand called ‘Freelance Writer Pro,’ which teaches people how to earn money via freelance writing. Include the following pages: Home, Courses, Pricing, Testimonials, and About. The homepage should highlight the main course, student success stories, and a strong CTA saying ‘Earn your first $100 via freelance writing.’ Use bold, energetic colors, clean typography, and visuals. Make the site mobile-friendly and optimized for selling digital courses.”
Key pages and features of educational course websites
Courses or topics overview: Create an overview page or section that lists the topics of your educational site. If you’re selling a course (or multiple courses), you can create a page to describe the course’s content. This helps readers easily navigate your site and get clarity on your offerings.
Pricing page: If you’re selling a course, create a pricing page with your payment policy, refund options, and FAQs. If you’re offering tiered pricing, include a table about what each plan includes.
About page: Use the about page to showcase your expertise in the site topic. Explain why you’re the right person to learn from, highlighting your experience or credentials to build trust. 11. Membership or subscription website
If you sell a membership or subscription of any sort, you need a website to manage it.
This enhances your members’ experience, makes it easy to share exclusive content, and encourages community participation.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a membership site for content marketers:

“Build a modern, professional membership website called ‘Content Marketer Collective,’ designed for content marketers who want ongoing training, templates, and community support. Include these pages: Home, Membership benefits, Pricing, Content library, About, Support, and Login. The homepage should highlight the core value — weekly resources, templates, live sessions, and expert feedback. Make the design clean, editorial, and conversion-focused.”
Key pages and features of membership websites
“Who is it for” section: Add a dedicated section about who your ideal member is. This helps ensure the right people self-select themselves for your subscription, reducing your need to filter applicants manually.
Membership overview: Include a page or section explaining the benefits members can expect from a membership or subscription. If you have them, add a few testimonials from existing members to build some social proof.
Special features and member-only content: Offer paid content behind a paywall, run subscriber-only newsletters, and create full membership platforms with user accounts, tiers, dashboards, and restricted content using a membership plugin. 12. Podcast website
Having a website for your podcast gives you a dedicated home for your episodes, including which streaming platforms they’re available on, and full control over your brand presentation.
You can also use it to share extra details — transcripts, guest info, sponsor notes, and more — for each episode.
If you want your podcast to feel more interactive, enable comments and engage with your audience directly on your site.

Here’s the prompt I used to create a podcast website about a marketer’s show:

“Create a clean, engaging website for a marketing podcast called ‘Marketer Secrets,’ focused on interviewing top marketers about their content strategy and digital marketing insights. Include four pages: Home, Episodes, About, and Sponsor Us. The homepage should have a CTA button saying ‘Listen Now’ or ‘Subscribe on Your Favorite App.’ There should also be a Newsletter block in the second section.”
Key pages and features of podcast websites
Episode archives: Have a page that contains all your podcast episodes, along with a quick excerpt for each. Use the Podcast Player block to allow your audience to filter and search the episodes (by most recent, most popular, etc.).
Sponsorship page: Dedicate a page on your site to attract sponsors. Include details such as audience demographics, past results, previous sponsors, pricing, and any testimonials. This gives you a professional link to share with prospects. You can also use specialized sponsorship plugins to enable various features.
Newsletter block: Include a newsletter block on your site so listeners can sign up for new episode notifications. Offer a free resource to encourage more people to subscribe. 13. News or magazine website
News and magazines need a website to host their content, connect with readers, and achieve wider distribution.
WordPress.com is a great choice to build this type of site because it offers plenty of multimedia embed options, including podcast and video embeds, plus helpful features such as an option to add multiple authors or newsfeed plugins.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a magazine website:

“Create a bright, engaging website for a digital magazine called ‘Nourish Weekly,’ focused on nutrition, healthy eating, and science-backed wellness tips. Include five pages: Home, Articles, Healthy Eating, About, and Previous Issues. The homepage should feature top stories, trending topics, a featured expert column, and a clear ‘Read the Latest Issue’ CTA. Use a fresh, editorial design with clean typography, soft colors, and plenty of white space.”
Key pages and features of news and magazine websites
Topic hubs: Use categories to organize your news or magazine content so it’s easy for readers to navigate your website and find exactly what they need.
Author widget: Author widgets allow you to seamlessly indicate authorship and establish expertise. You can also use it to give credit to experts, along with pullquote blocks to highlight key quotes.
Archives: Include an archives page so readers can quickly find old issues or news pieces. It’s also a good idea to use a search bar plugin so visitors can easily search through large archives. 14. Community forum website
Community forum websites help you gather a group of people with similar interests on one site.
You can use it to facilitate discussion, share knowledge and updates, and enable collaboration among members.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a community forum website centered around fitness:

“Create a community forum website called ‘Female Fitness Forum,’ where women can discuss workouts, nutrition, weight loss, strength training, and overall fitness. Include five pages: Home, Forum, Guidelines, Contact, and About. The homepage should have a CTA like ‘Join the Community.’ Use a clean, energetic design with easy navigation, mobile-friendly layouts, and features like search, tags, upvotes, and notifications.”
Key pages and features
Community guidelines: Have a page or section where you share the guidelines for joining your community and any member rules to follow once you enter the forum. Your audience will know what to expect, and moderation rules promote healthy, respectful communication.
Interactive features: Allow members to interact with community posts using features such as liking, commenting, and sharing. You can use vote, poll, and upvote blocks to achieve this on WordPress.com sites.
Discussion boards: Add discussion boards on your site using community plugins. Doing this for various subjects allows members to interact with each other on the topics they’re interested in. 15. Photography gallery website
Photographers can use a website to showcase their work with full creative control and create a professional home for their portfolio.
It also serves as a central hub for bookings, inquiries, and service packages.
A site can host high-resolution galleries, content carousels, and organized albums, giving your photos the space and quality they deserve.
Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a website for a wedding photographer:

“Create a romantic, elegant website for a wedding photographer called ‘Captured Promise Weddings.’ Include four pages: Home, Gallery, Packages, and Contact. The homepage should feature a clear ‘Book Your Date’ CTA button. Use a soft, timeless aesthetic with warm tones and refined typography.”
Key pages and features of photography gallery websites
Galleries: Add a dedicated page on your site for your photos, dividing them into categories for easy browsing. For example, a wedding photographer can use subcategories such as engagement or candid. Use photo gallery plugins to make organizing your portfolio easier.
Pricing and FAQs: Include a page or section about your pricing — how you charge (by hour, project, etc.), “starting at” ranges if your price depends on project scope, and a list of services you offer. Add an FAQ section to answer common questions such as turnaround times for photos, what clients can expect during a session, and how they can help you succeed.
Testimonials: Feature testimonials from previous clients to build trust and social proof. You can choose how you display these reviews on your site via WordPress.com. 16. Recipe/food website
If you create recipe or food content, a website gives you far more control and a better user experience than social posts.
A food blog lets you organize recipes, add clear, step-by-step instructions and videos, and offer extras (such as printable recipe cards).

Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a vegan recipe website:

“Create a bright, inviting vegan recipe website called ‘Plantful Kitchen,’ focused on sharing healthy plant-based recipes for busy moms. Include five pages: Home, Recipes, Meal Prep, Contact, and About. The homepage should highlight featured recipes, trending dishes, seasonal picks, and have a clear CTA button ‘Browse all recipes.’ Use a clean, fresh aesthetic with soft greens, warm neutrals, and easy-to-read layouts.”
Key pages and features of recipe websites
Recipe pages: Use a consistent format across all your recipes so readers can build familiarity with the structure and your work. Recipe plugins give you plenty of ready-to-use template options.
Social sharing plugins: Make it easy for yourself to promote your website and recipes to social media, directly from your site. On WordPress.com, you can instantly reshare (or schedule a reshare) to any of your social media accounts.
Like button: Add a like button to all your recipe pages so you can find out which recipes are the most popular. This can help you pinpoint what your audience loves. 17. Event/conference website
If you are hosting an event or conference, a site allows you to build a central hub for all information and updates, instead of attendees relying on scattered social media posts.
Having a dedicated website also makes it easy for participants to register and sign up for future events.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a website for a marketing event:

“Create a sleek, high-energy conference website for a marketing event called ‘Marketing Momentum Summit 2026’ held in London for content marketers. Include four pages: Home, Speakers, Tickets, and Sponsors. The homepage should feature a bold hero section with event dates (31 Jan–2 Feb), location, and a clear ‘Get your ticket now’ CTA button.”
Key pages and features of event websites
Tickets and pricing: Add one page for all ticket details, including pricing tiers, refund policy, venue information, and cancellation charges. Use the Payments block on WordPress.com to collect ticket fees right from your site.
Agenda and schedule: Dedicate one section of your homepage to the agenda and schedule of the event or conference. Share details about what you’ll discuss each day and at what time. This helps attendees plan their day accordingly.
Countdown section: Use the Event Countdown block on your homepage, which updates automatically, to garner excitement among your attendees. 18. Health/fitness website
Fitness professionals benefit immensely from having a site — it can become a singular place to update your class schedule, host memberships, upload free workouts or meal plans, and streamline booking.

Here’s an AI prompt I used to create a fitness website for a pilates instructor:

“Create a calming, elegant website for a Pilates instructor called ‘The Pilates Room.’ Include five pages: Home, Classes, About your instructor, Group sessions, and Contact. The hero image of the homepage should feature a soothing image of a woman doing pilates on a reformer and a clear CTA button ‘Book a session.’ Use a clean, airy design with neutral colors and gentle typography.”
Key pages and features of fitness websites
Calendar block: Use a Calendar block on your scheduling or classes page to display your availability. You can combine this with a Table block to show your class schedule if you offer group classes or a set schedule for 1:1 sessions.
Members-only area: If you offer subscriptions to your visitors, you can create members-only areas using subscriber logins and paywall plugins. These features allow you to host your free and paid content under one site.
About page: Add a detailed about page with your credentials and certifications. Put a spotlight on your fitness journey to build trust. 19. Author/book website
A polished author website builds credibility with agents, media, and publishers. It also gives you a direct channel to reach readers without relying on third-party algorithms.
You can use it to promote events you’re part of and publish additional writing, such as blog posts or short stories.
Here’s the AI prompt I used to create a website for a young adult (YA) fiction writer:

“Create a bold, character-driven author website for Rochi Zalani, a YA fiction writer. Include five pages: Home, Books, About, Events, and Blog. The CTA button on the homepage should say ‘Get the first chapter for free.’ Use an atmospheric, youthful design with strong typography.”
Key pages and features of author websites
Freebies: Offer a free chapter of your book, a sneak peek into your next book, or some other incentive. Use this freebie to build your email list, establishing a direct line of communication with your readers.
Books page(s): Dedicate one page to each book, including available purchasing options such as via Kindle, Amazon, or local, independent bookstores. You should also add a synopsis for each book, along with a few reviews to build excitement.
Events page: If you’re doing book signings, hosting events, or speaking at conferences, use a page on your site and update it regularly. Upload recordings of past events if you can — this allows people to see what an event might look like. 20. Travel guide website
A travel recommendations website boosts visibility through SEO and gives you space for long-form guides and monetization.
You can also offer downloadable resources, such as itineraries and checklists.
Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a travel guide site:

“Create an inspiring, easy-to-navigate travel guide website called ‘Wander With Rochi’ — focused on destination guides, itineraries, and travel tips. Include five pages: Home, Destinations, Blog, Contact, and About. The homepage should highlight featured locations, trending guides, a ‘Start planning’ CTA button, and a search bar. Use an artsy, editorial design with travel-friendly visuals.”
Key pages and features
Strong search and filtering: Make it easy for fellow travelers to seek recommendations from you by using a search bar and filter plugins. If you want to go even further, create quizzes that readers can take to determine the type of traveler they are (adventurous, offbeat, relaxed, etc.) and customize the content they see.
Map block: Use the Map block to highlight the exact locations you recommend. It makes it easier for your audience to view — and navigate to — those places directly from your site.
Table of contents: If you’re writing a long and detailed guide about a place, add a Table of Contents block at the top so readers can easily jump between sections and find exactly what they need. 21. Music/band website
Musicians and bands can use their website to keep their audience informed about upcoming shows, sell tickets, and organize their albums in one place.
A website also makes it easy to build a direct connection with fans and connect with the press.

Here’s the AI prompt I used to build a music website:

“Create an indie, atmospheric website for a musician called Rochi Zalani. Include five pages: Home, Tours, Music, Press, and Contact. The homepage should feature cinematic visuals, a featured track, and a ‘Listen now’ CTA. Use a moody, artistic aesthetic with soft colors, expressive typography, and a mobile-first layout.”
Key pages and features
Music players: Use music player plugins so visitors can easily access and play your songs directly from your website. This removes the friction for someone encountering your work for the first time.
Tour page: If you’re on tour now or in the future, add a page for visitors to see when you’re performing in their city. It’s also a great idea to include a Subscribe block so people can sign up for notifications when you visit (or revisit) their city in the future.
Merch store: You can sell merch such as t-shirts, posters, and hoodies using your site. Use the Payments block to receive payments directly. Tell your unique story with our AI website builder
Exploring these 21 websites shows how easily you can create almost anything with our AI website builder.
No developer help, design skills, or long setup is required — the AI handles the structure, layout, and starter content, so the creative work is what matters.
Plus, nothing is fixed. You can further customize every page, block, color, and element through AI commands or manual editing.
The best part: You can launch instantly with WordPress.com’s managed hosting, built-in SEO tools, essential security and performance features, and more.

You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
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By Drewfus · February 2Feb 2
Tammy Silva Built a Career Helping Others Build Theirs. Her New Website Scales That Mission.

Tammy Silva started sharing remote job opportunities on LinkedIn during the pandemic.
When she moved back to Brazil after years in Singapore and Australia, she noticed something: most Brazilians had no idea they could work remotely for U.S. companies and earn in dollars.
So she started posting about it on LinkedIn. Job openings. Resume tips. Interview advice. All free.
“I wasn’t doing it for work,” Tammy says. “I was just trying to reach people. If I helped 10 or 20 people get better jobs, that was enough.”
But people kept following. The audience grew. What started as a side project became a full-time business — and a website she built in one day using our AI website builder.
From a side project to a full-time business
What began as a volunteer effort turned into something bigger:
A recruiting agency connecting Brazilian talent with U.S. startups A growing audience of job seekers Tammy educates for free Speaking engagements, coaching sessions, and a newsletter Over 190,000 LinkedIn followers Tammy’s approach was simple: give everything away for free. No gated content. No paywalls. Just genuine help.

She spent hours a week hunting for remote roles that would hire Brazilians — work she did voluntarily, on top of her day job. She posted resume tips, interview advice, and job openings.
People followed because the help was real. And what started as a passion project became a full-time business.
The inbox problem
But with scale came a problem.
Every day, Tammy’s inbox flooded with the same questions: What do you do? Can you help me? Is this free? How do I work with you?
Tammy needed a website. And she’d been putting it off for too long.
From an idea to a website — in one afternoon
Tammy had wanted a website for months. But between running the business, creating content, and managing clients, it kept sliding down the list.
Then one Friday evening, she decided she’d had enough.
She opened WordPress.com, found the AI website builder, and got to work:
The tool generated a website to match Tammy’s vision and needs She used the drag-and-drop blocks to further structure the site The AI helped her refine her copy to match her tone of voice and the visual look She also used AI to add extra features, like embedding a newsletter signup form All of it runs on WordPress.com’s managed hosting — set up and maintained for her And of course, she picked a pink color palette to match her brand…
…and her hair:
In a couple of hours, her website was live.
23K site visitors and counting
Today, tammysilva.com.br works as a self-serve hub:
Explains who Tammy is and what she offers Separates free resources from paid services Collects resumes directly into her candidate database Drives newsletter signups Links to events and speaking engagements The result? People now check the site before reaching out.
Since launching in August, the website has helped Tammy achieve:
Almost 23,000 site visits Monthly views reaching over 7,000 in peak months Fully booked 1:1 coaching sessions — 10 slots filled in 2 days Massive reduction in inbox volume Your story deserves a home, too
Tammy is already building her second WordPress.com site — this one for her B2B recruiting business.
She didn’t need to hire a developer for the first site. She won’t need one for the second either.
That’s what makes WordPress.com special — the AI website builder gets you started fast, and managed hosting means you’re not stuck dealing with updates, security, or backups.
You focus on your business. The platform handles the rest.
Tammy’s story started on LinkedIn. But her website is where it all comes together — a place she owns, controls, and can grow however she wants.
Yours can too.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now ->
Where did your story start — and where does it live now? Tell us in the comments.

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By Drewfus · January 29Jan 29
11 Steps to Build a Strong Online Presence for Your New Business: Lessons from Founders

If you’re launching a new business — whether it’s ecommerce, a consultancy, or a creator project — one of your first moves is to build an online presence, usually starting with a website.
Going online itself isn’t the hard part. The real challenge is knowing what to focus on first.
This guide walks through the key steps required to build an online presence, focusing on what actually matters in your first few months.
We spoke with founders and small business experts to pull together practical advice and examples you can learn from.
Step 1: Define your business in one sentence
Start by writing a one-line descriptor that clearly explains what you do, who you help, and which problems you solve.
This sentence becomes the baseline for your homepage, service pages, and how you talk about your business everywhere else.
Take Coa — a platform providing a therapist-led learning experience. Its “gym for mental health” tagline works because it borrows a familiar concept everyone understands (gym as a place for regular practice, professional guidance, and ongoing improvement) and applies it to mental wellness.
Use this template to write your own one-line description:

“I/We help [who] [do / achieve] by [how you do it], so they can [solve problems or get outcomes].”
Let’s say you have a business selling ready-made meals for busy moms. Your description line could be shaped as:
“We help busy moms feed their families healthy, balanced meals without the hassle of cooking every night.”
The sentence is simple, shows exactly the value offered, and makes it clear who it’s for.
Step 2: Focus on one audience (not everyone)
Choose one specific audience to focus on and make sure your website is built primarily for them.
When you try to speak to everyone, your messaging gets vague and harder to act on.
Prioritizing one target market early makes your site clearer, faster to build, and easier to improve.
To identify this ideal customer profile, narrow your focus using the criteria below:
Who has the problem you solve: Think about who needs your services or products right now.
Who can you reach: There might be a large market for your business, but think about a smaller audience segment you can reach right now.
What they need: Once you’ve narrowed down your target audience, focus on understanding their pain points and how you can address them. Kat Boogard demonstrates this on her hiring page by clearly defining the types of businesses she works with — such as software companies in the “world of work” space that already have a strategy and understand results take time:
Tip: Whenever you redefine your ideal customer profile — or learn more about your audience — make sure you update your one-line business description.
Step 3: Create a homepage that explains what you do
Your homepage should make it crystal clear what you do and who you serve within five seconds.
This means writing headlines and copy that your target audience can understand instantly — clarity beats cleverness every time:
Your homepage needs three core elements:

A one-line description of the problem you solve and who it’s for, written as a clear, specific tagline. Content that shows what makes you different or better than other solutions. A clear call to action to buy, explore, or learn more about your products and services, or sign up for a lead magnet.
Using our meal service business as an example, I applied these elements to build a homepage with WordPress.com’s AI website builder using the following prompt:

“Create a website called “Easy Nourish” that provides meal services for busy moms who want to feed healthy meals to their families every night without the hassle of cooking every day. Keep the tone lighthearted and empathetic. The color palette should be sky blue.”
The homepage makes the value clear at a glance: ready-to-heat meals for busy moms, with a clear next step to try the service.
You bring the idea — AI makes it real
Use our AI website builder for free today.
Try it now -> Step 4: Create niche-specific pages on your site
Next, create dedicated pages for your main offers, so visitors can land directly on what they need.
Separate your core services and offerings into their own pages, then keep foundational pages such as About and Pricing focused and easy to scan.
This makes navigation clearer, improves search visibility for specific queries, and gives each offer a place to explain outcomes, proof, and next steps.
For example, Justin Moore has a standalone page for each of his offerings (coaching, course, and event) on his website:
When mapping out your pages:
Write down the exact services or offers you want people to pay for (for example: career coaching, website design, tax consulting) and create one page per service. Focus on long-tail phrases such as “career coaching for women working in tech in Barcelona” to attract people with a clear, specific need. State clearly what the service is, who it’s for, and how to get in touch or buy, without making people hunt for information. Tip: A simple way to check if your pages work is to ask a few people to click through your site and tell you what feels unclear or hard to find.
Step 5: Show the human(s) and vision behind the business
Share your story on your site — who you are, why you do this work, and what you care about — not just what you sell.
For small businesses, trust is the differentiator and a way to compete with bigger brands. People trust people, not logos or vague brand statements.
Here’s how you can achieve this with your new website:

Include real people: Add your (or your team’s) image over stock images. It will help people instantly recognize and connect with you.
Share why you care: Explain the mission behind your work. When your audience understands your why, it helps them trust you more.
Add your background story: Briefly explain how you came to start your business. Use first person language if appropriate and don’t be afraid to showcase your expertise in the business. Tammy Silva embodies humanizing your site perfectly.
Instead of hiding behind a logo or generic brand language, she puts herself front and center — Tammy with pink hair, openly sharing her goal of helping people find remote work opportunities.
The key is to write the way you speak and let your personality shine. Avoid fussing too much over sounding smart, professional, or clever.
Step 6: Set up the technical basics to go live
Your site should be reliable, secure, and easy to manage from day one, so you can focus on growing your business instead of troubleshooting technical issues.
These technical foundations create a smooth experience for your customers while freeing you to do what you do best:

Reliable web hosting: Your site needs to load fast and stay online 24/7. Tight security: An essential investment to ensure your site remains free of malware, hacks, and spam. Regular updates and backups: This will ensure your site continues to run smoothly and there is no risk of data being lost. Basic site analytics: These will provide essential and usable data on how people are finding and using your site.
Tip: Many small businesses choose WordPress.com’s managed hosting because these essentials are built in without extra setup. If you’re creating your site with the AI website builder, you can simply choose a relevant plan after you finish building your site.
Get WordPress.com for your business Step 7: Create high-impact assets for your site
From here, focus on publishing a few high-quality pieces — comprehensive guides, detailed case studies, or in-depth tutorials that genuinely help your audience.
It’s tempting to pad your site with lots of surface-level blog posts just to “have content,” but that often backfires.
Thin, semi-useful pieces quietly erode trust and leave visitors unimpressed. Quality beats quantity every time.
Take The King’s Monologue, for example.
Instead of publishing dozens of thin articles on history, the site only shares deeply researched, well-written, in-depth articles and academic papers:
As a starting point, concentrate your efforts on three or four core topics you can cover exceptionally well — fewer pieces, higher standards, and content that actually earns attention.
Step 8: Join the conversation in your niche
Build relationships in your niche by joining communities where your target audience already gathers — both on public platforms such as LinkedIn and in smaller, targeted communities.
This helps you build an online presence through real relationships and understand your niche on a deeper level.
Show up consistently, pay attention to what people are asking, and contribute helpfully before promoting anything.
Here’s how you can build a network strategically:
List the people who lead or influence communities in your niche. Send personalized connection requests focused on starting a conversation, not making an ask. Show up consistently over time so your feed reflects the people and topics you actually care about.
Tip: Look for the smaller, intentionally-built communities where your target audience gathers.
For example, The Mom Collective is a community of moms in Barcelona where participants discuss the challenges they are facing, share new things they’ve learned, and organize meet-ups.
If you’re running a business catering to this audience and you meet the criteria, it’s a good idea to join this group.
Step 9: Contribute to external sources to boost your visibility
Instead of waiting for people to find your site, borrow attention from places your audience already trusts.
This can include guest appearances on podcasts, writing for industry blogs or newsletters, being quoted in articles, or collaborating with complementary businesses.
Visibility opportunities will come your way organically when you focus on building a community in your niche. To take a more proactive approach:

Research the intricacies of the influential voices and platforms in your niche — what do they publish, which topics they cater to, what is missing from their catalog, and what value can you add.
Pitch yourself as a guest by showcasing the value you bring to the table — highlight your unique perspective and explain why you’d be a good fit in the community. For instance, marketer Katelyn Bourgoin has appeared in many podcasts, provided insights for articles, and partnered with other companies — not just to gain early traction, but to sustain momentum as her business continues to grow.
Step 10: Treat effort and consistency as your KPIs
In the early days, measure your success by effort and consistency — not external metrics.
Traffic and subscriber metrics take time to grow. In the early days, it’s more useful to measure your effort with internal benchmarks such as:
Content published: guides, service pages, or guest posts you’ve published. Collaborations initiated: podcast appearances, guest articles, or partnerships started. Real conversations: calls, DMs, or feedback sessions with customers and potential partners. Growing your online presence from zero requires time and effort and doesn’t typically provide immediate rewards — but the payoff is totally worth it.
Step 11: Build community through real conversations
Finally, have direct conversations with your audience to understand their real needs, gather feedback, and refine your business based on what you learn.
This can include:

Scheduling regular 1:1 calls with early customers to gather feedback. Participating in community discussions where your target audience is present. Maintaining relationships with your peers who share the same target audience and want to solve similar problems.
Rishabh Goyal — founder of Dodo Payments — demonstrates this well. He interacts with relevant Reddit threads without pushing his product, staying genuinely helpful and curious about solving problems.
This provides him with understanding of his audience’s real needs and builds direct, two-way communication with the community.
Build your online presence in 2026
Building an online presence for your new business doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

The secret is knowing what to tackle first: Get clear on what you do and who you serve, create a homepage that reflects that clarity, and build momentum through real conversations and consistent effort.

WordPress.com makes this entire process simpler.
With the AI website builder to get you online quickly and managed WordPress hosting to handle the technical side, you’re free to focus on your audience and your business.

Build your site with WordPress.com
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By Drewfus · January 28Jan 28

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