Installing Themes & Designing Pages in WordPress
So you’ve got WordPress installed. ✅
Your domain is live. ✅
Now it’s time to make your website look amazing.
Whether you’re building a personal blog, portfolio, or business site, how your website looks matters — it sets the tone, builds trust, and improves user experience.
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
- What WordPress themes are
- How to install a theme (free or premium)
- How to design pages using a drag-and-drop builder
- Tips for making your site clean, responsive, and professional
🎨 What Is a WordPress Theme?
A theme controls the design and layout of your WordPress site — including fonts, colors, menus, page styles, and mobile responsiveness.
Think of it like a template that gives your site structure and style, without touching a single line of code.
✅ Popular Free Themes:
- Astra – Lightweight, fast, beginner-friendly
- Neve – Great for mobile-friendly designs
- OceanWP – Feature-rich, flexible layout options
- Blocksy – Clean and modern look
You can find these in your dashboard under:
👉 Appearance → Themes → Add New
🛠️ How to Install a Theme (Step-by-Step)
Option 1: Install a Free Theme
- Go to Appearance > Themes
- Click “Add New”
- Browse or search for a theme (e.g. “Astra”)
- Click Install, then Activate
That’s it — your site now has a new look.
Option 2: Install a Premium Theme
- Buy a theme from sites like:
- ThemeForest
- Elegant Themes
- GeneratePress
- Download the .zip file
- In your WordPress dashboard:
Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme - Upload the .zip, install, and activate
🧱 Designing Pages with Elementor (Drag-and-Drop Builder)
Most free themes give you a nice base, but to really customize your pages, use a page builder plugin like:
🔧 Elementor
- Drag-and-drop interface
- No coding required
- Create custom layouts (headers, columns, sliders, buttons)
- Works with most themes
✅ How to Install Elementor:
- Go to Plugins > Add New
- Search for “Elementor”
- Click Install and then Activate
Now go to Pages > Add New, name it (e.g. “Home”), and click “Edit with Elementor”.
📄 Must-Have Website Pages
As a beginner, start with these essential pages:
| Page | Purpose |
| Home | Introduce your business or blog, key message, CTA |
| About | Share your story, mission, or expertise |
| Services | Outline what you offer |
| Contact | Include a form, map, and your contact details |
| Blog | Publish helpful content (optional but great for SEO) |
✍️ Tips for Good Page Design
- ✅ Keep it simple and clutter-free
- ✅ Use consistent colors and fonts (brand style)
- ✅ Make your headlines clear and bold
- ✅ Add calls to action (CTAs) like “Learn More,” “Contact Us,” “Buy Now”
- ✅ Make sure it’s mobile-friendly (Elementor does this well)
🎯 Bonus Tip: Check your site on desktop AND mobile to ensure it looks great everywhere.
✅ Task for Today
- Install a WordPress theme (Astra or your choice)
- Install and activate Elementor
- Create 2 pages: Home and About
- Use Elementor to add sections like:
- Headline
- Image or banner
- Text block
- Button or link
No need to be perfect — just practice!