Build a New Site

Creating a website on WordPress.com is a straightforward and user-friendly process that allows you to establish an online presence quickly. Whether you’re looking to create a business website, portfolio, or blog, WordPress.com offers a versatile platform to bring your vision to life. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of building your site, from selecting a design to customizing its appearance.

Choose a Theme

Selecting a design is one of the first decisions you’ll make when building your site. WordPress.com offers a variety of professionally designed themes tailored to different business and personal needs.

To get started, make sure that you’re logged into your WordPress.com account and navigate to Appearance → Themes.

You have four main options:

Pick an Existing Theme

Browse through the extensive library of professionally designed themes. Themes are categorized based on business types, such as Restaurant, Blog, Real Estate, and Store. Choose a theme that resonates with your brand identity and suits your content.

There are two main kinds of themes:

Block/Full-Site Editing themes (recommended): Block themes are becoming the standard theme type and are fully compatible with the WordPress Site Editor. To view all Block themes:
1. Navigate to Appearance → Themes
2. Click the “Add New Theme” button
3. Select the “Block Themes” tab
Classic themes: These themes use the Customizer for most site-wide visual changes, but the overall structure and layout are typically set by the theme and can’t be adjusted to the same level of control as what is offered by block themes.

Start from a Blank Canvas

If you prefer a more personalized approach, begin with the Blank Canvas theme and customize your site layout, colors, fonts, and more from scratch. This option gives you full creative control over your website’s appearance without the use of code.

Check out our Design Your Own Theme webinar series for tips on using this feature.

Install a New Theme

Install a third-party or custom theme on a Creator or an Entrepreneur plan. See our Upload a Theme guide for instructions.

Use a Page Builder Plugin

Install third-party page builder plugins (like Elementor or Divi) on a Creator or an Entrepreneur plan. See our Install a Plugin guide for instructions.

Use the Pattern Library

To preview patterns at different screen widths and check the responsiveness of the designs, you can use WordPress.com’s Pattern Library. The library not only allows you to browse, search, and preview patterns at different screen widths, but it also enables you to copy and paste patterns into the block editor.

Learn more about the Pattern Library here.

Theme Recommendations

Unsure where to start? WordPress.com provides curated business themes tailored to specific industries, ensuring a cohesive and professional look for your website. Here are some of our favorites:

Iotix Theme: Iotix provides a great starting point for creating a business or startup website.
Bibimbap Theme: Perfect for a restaurant website, Bibimbap allows your client to showcase their menu, incorporate their reservation system, and create a beautiful and enticing online presence for their eatery.
Dawson Theme: Dawson is designed to highlight a visual portfolio with stunning galleries with five distinct style variations.
Spiel Theme: Your clients can publish news, reviews, guides, and more with this magazine theme.

If you plan to create an online store, WordPress.com offers curated shop themes to enhance your e-commerce experience. Consider:

Winkel Theme: Tailored for clothing and accessory stores, Winkel features product showcases, easy navigation, and secure checkout options.
Amulet Theme: Ideal for artisans and creators, Amulet provides you with a platform to display unique products and manage inventory effortlessly by leveraging the power of WooCommerce.
Tsubaki Theme: Tsubaki puts the spotlight on your products and leverages WooCommerce to provide you with intuitive product navigation and the patterns your client needs to master their digital merchandising.

Last updated: April 11, 2024