Start by installing WordPress through your hosting provider's control panel (most Canadian hosts like SiteGround or WP Engine offer one-click installs). Once logged into your dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes and choose a starter theme. For client work at Ottawa SEO Inc., we typically use GeneratePress, Astra, or Kadence for their speed and flexibility, or premium options like Divi when clients need drag-and-drop control. Free themes work fine for simple sites, but expect limited layout options. Next, map out your site structure. Create pages for Home, About, Services, and Contact at minimum. Use the default block editor (Gutenberg) if you're comfortable with blocks, or install Elementor/WPBakery if you prefer visual page building. The block editor is faster and cleaner code-wise, but page builders give non-developers more creative control. Set your homepage under Settings > Reading to display a static page instead of blog posts unless you're running a content site. Customize your theme through Appearance > Customize. This is where you set logo, colours, fonts, header layout, and footer widgets. Most modern themes let you control typography and spacing without touching code. If you need custom CSS, add it in the Additional CSS panel rather than editing theme files directly, so updates don't overwrite your changes. Install core plugins: Yoast SEO or Rank Math for on-page optimization, a caching plugin like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache, and a security plugin like Wordfence. Avoid plugin bloat. Every plugin adds code and potential conflicts. We've seen WordPress sites with 40+ plugins that load in six seconds, which kills conversions and rankings. Aim for under 20 active plugins. Before launch, test mobile responsiveness using your phone and Chrome DevTools. Check that contact forms actually send emails (test them), navigation works on small screens, and images aren't gigantic file sizes. Run a speed test with GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights and aim for under three seconds load time. WordPress is flexible but becomes slow quickly if you ignore performance from the start.