Guide Glossary

What Is WordPress? The System for Starting a Website and the Points to Watch

Published: 2024.12.05 Updated: 2026.03.12
Man typing on a laptop

WordPress is one kind of content management system (CMS), and it is an open-source project.

In other words, it can be used for free, and developers around the world contribute to improving it. Put simply, it is a tool for easily creating, editing, and managing websites and blogs.

When you think, “I want to start WordPress,” and search for “WordPress recommendations,” you find all kinds of articles covering personal hosting, options for companies and small businesses, overseas hosting, and low-cost servers. Honestly,

  • which site should you trust?
  • you may just want a simple and understandable answer.
  • you may want to get started with WordPress right away.

That is why this article carefully selects recommended choices from 32 hosting providers for individuals, companies, domestic use, and overseas use. It is explained by the SEO lead at an app development company that uses hosting every day.

Four Steps to Using WordPress

Choosing a Hosting Server

Server

First, to publish a WordPress site on the internet, you need a hosting service, meaning a service that rents server space. Many hosting companies provide features that make WordPress installation easy.

Installing WordPress

Some hosting services offer an option to install WordPress automatically. If they do not, you need to download WordPress from WordPress.org, upload it to your hosting server, and configure it.

Choosing a Theme

WordPress offers many design templates called themes. You can choose and customize one to match your taste and the purpose of your site.

Adding Plugins

To expand WordPress functionality, you can install additional software called plugins. There are many kinds, including plugins for SEO, security hardening, and contact forms.

Things to Watch Out for with WordPress

Security

Because WordPress is popular, it is more likely to become a target of cyberattacks. It is important to take regular backups and keep WordPress, your themes, and your plugins up to date.

Spam Prevention

To prevent comment spam, it is a good idea to use a plugin such as Akismet.

The Cost of Using WordPress

While WordPress itself is free, you still have to pay for hosting and domain names, which are the address of your website. In addition, some themes and plugins are paid products.

Hosting fees vary by service, but they generally range from a few hundred yen to a few thousand yen per month.

Domains cost a few hundred yen to a few thousand yen per year. However, some hosting services provide them free for the first year.

Summary

With WordPress, you can start your own website or blog relatively easily. Before you begin, it is a good idea to learn about security and backups as well.