Taking the Leap into Website Creation
When I first learned that our assessment involved creating a blog, I felt a wave of anxiety, as website creation was totally new for me.  In my job at work I frequently update examination information on my university’s website as a new revision to an existing site, and building a website from scratch felt daunting and an entirely different challenge—or so I thought.

• Choosing a Web Content Management System – After some consideration, I decided to use WordPress.com., as I have some familiarity with using it at work, but I had never used it for website creation and design. This assignment turned out to be an exciting opportunity to expand my skills and tap into my creative side—something the artistic and creative side of me truly enjoys!

• Setting Up a Custom Domain Name and Blog URL – Why Choose BlueHost – One of my first concerns was how to create a custom domain name and URL for my blog. I wasn’t sure where to start, but after researching and speaking with a friend who’s a content creator, I decided to go with BlueHost, a web hosting provider that integrates seamlessly with WordPress.

Ease of Setup
✅ I subscribed to BlueHost at a reasonable cost.
✅ Within a few clicks, I had a domain name and a working URL for my blog.

The process was surprisingly smooth, and was an empowering, and exciting moment to see my blog come to life with its own unique web address!

Content Creation – Exploring WordPress and BlueHost
Even though I had only used WordPress for minor content edits before, this experience has helped me grow my confidence in website design. And along the way, I discovered several useful features:

Consistency:
WordPress and BlueHost helped maintain a unified colour scheme across pages, ensuring a visually appealing design.

Layouts & Themes:
I had access to thousands of free and premium themes, making customization simple and exciting.

Responsiveness:
WordPress ensures websites work seamlessly across all devices, from desktops to smartphones., which is so important in this digital world.

Drag & Drop Functionality:
BlueHost’s drag-and-drop feature was a time-saver, allowing me to add media easily without uploading it manually.

Overcoming a Design Challenge
While working on my blog, I encountered a frustrating design issue: a persistent black banner had appeared at the top of every page, and was not aesthetically appealing to me, and it’s removal presented a challenge for me.

• Challenge – I couldn’t remember how I had added it or where to remove it, and after trying multiple attempts to remove it (and almost giving up), I took a break and came back to it later, with fresh eyes.
• Solution – Finally, I discovered that the issue was within the ‘Appearance’ section of WordPress, and after a  few quick adjustments, the unwanted banner was gone!

The result? A clean, polished, and professional website.

Final Thoughts

My Reflection – Despite my initial hesitation, this experience has been incredibly rewarding and I’ve gained valuable digital skills. in addition to boosting my confidence in website creation, and how to navigate challenges with patience and perseverance.

Encouraging you – If you’re considering building your own blog but feel intimidated—just go for it!  With the right tools and confidence you’ll be amazed at what you can create.

Questions & Comments
Have you ever built a website, if so, what challenges did you face?

Feel free to drop a comment below!