Start by logging into your WordPress dashboard. From the left-hand menu, go to Appearance > Themes. You’ll find two types of themes available: free and paid. Free themes like Astra and Phlox are beginner-friendly and easy to customize. Paid themes can be found on platforms like ThemeForest and Envato Elements, offering advanced design and functionality.
To install a new theme, click Add New, search for your desired theme (e.g., Astra), then click Install followed by Activate.
Next, clean up your plugins. Go to Installed Plugins, select all, click Deactivate, then Delete. This ensures a fresh start without unnecessary bloat.
Now, install the essential plugins for a digital marketing or portfolio website. Go to Plugins > Add New and search for the following:
- Elementor – Page builder
- WPForms – Contact forms
- Element Kit Lite – Elementor widgets
- Big File Uploads – Increase upload size
- WP-Optimize – Clean and speed up your site
- UpdraftPlus – Backup solution
- Yoast Duplicate Post – Clone pages easily
- WPCode – Add custom code snippets safely
After installing, activate all the plugins to complete the setup.
With your theme installed and essential tools in place, your site is now ready for customization and content. This setup ensures a clean, optimized foundation to build a high-performing WordPress site.