Creating a personal profile website is essential for building your online presence, showcasing your skills, and professionally marketing yourself.
A well-crafted personal site helps you stand out, attract opportunities, and clearly communicate your identity and expertise.
This guide breaks down step-by-step how to build a personal website with Truehost Kenya, using simple terms and practical advice.
1) Choose and Register Your Domain Name
A domain name is your unique online address (e.g., yourname.com).
For personal websites, choose a domain that reflects your name or profession clearly.
If your exact name is taken, add relevant terms like:
- Profession (e.g., janedoephotography.com)
- Location (e.g., johnsmithnairobi.com)
Use our Domain Checker to verify availability and register your chosen domain quickly.
2) Select a Suitable Hosting Plan
Web hosting stores your website’s files, making them accessible online. Here at Truehost, we offer several affordable hosting options:
- WebHosting Starter: Ideal for personal and portfolio sites.
- WebHosting Pro: Better if you plan regular blogging or more media-rich content.
- WebHosting Business: Best for resource intensive sites(VPS Solution for fast loading sites)
How to Register Your Domain and Hosting
Follow these quick steps to secure your website:
- Visit Truehost.co.ke
- Enter your chosen domain to verify availability.
- Add the domain and hosting plan to your cart.
- Complete your payment through convenient methods like M-PESA, bank transfer, or PayPal.
- Confirm registration via email from Truehost.
3) Setting Up Your Website with cPanel
Once purchased, we provide cPanel access for shared hosting plans — a simple interface to manage your website and hosting features.
- Visit yourdomain.com/cpanel.
- Log in using provided credentials.
- Familiarize yourself with the dashboard.
4) Installing WordPress: A Simple Way to Manage Content
WordPress is an intuitive content management system (CMS) that helps you build and manage your website without complex coding.
To install WordPress:
- Log in to cPanel (yourdomain.com/cpanel).
- Find Softaculous Apps Installer.
- Select WordPress, then click Install Now.
- Fill in required details such as site name, description, admin username, and password.
- Click Install. Your website will be ready in minutes.
You could also use our one-click WordPress installer to launch your WP website in minutes
5) Choosing the Right Theme and Designing Your Website
Your website’s design sets the tone of your professional image. To install a theme in WordPress, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Appearance → Themes in your dashboard.
- Browse the free themes
- Select and activate the theme aligning with your style and purpose.
For inspiration, check out Behance or Dribbble for modern, professional designs.
Essential Pages to Include in Your Personal Website
Clearly organized pages improve visitor experience and highlight key information effectively:
- Home Page: Briefly introduce yourself with a catchy headline, professional photo, and quick navigation.
- About Me: Describe who you are, what you do, your experience, skills, and personal interests to create a connection with visitors.
- Portfolio: Display your projects, work samples, or case studies, providing detailed descriptions and high-quality visuals.
- Blog: Share insights, updates, or industry-relevant articles to demonstrate thought leadership and engage visitors.
- Contact: Make it easy to reach you through a form, email, or social links, encouraging direct communication.
Enhancing Your Website with Essential Plugins
WordPress plugins enhance functionality and user experience. Recommended plugins include:
- Elementor: A powerful drag-and-drop page builder that helps create beautiful pages easily. No coding experience needed.
- Rank Math SEO or Yoast SEO: Optimizes your content for search engines like Google.
- FluentForms or Contact Form 7: Creates customizable contact forms.
How to install plugins:
- Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
- Search for your desired plugin (e.g., RankMath SEO).
- Click Install Now, then activate the plugin.
Optimize Your Content for SEO with RankMath SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) makes your website discoverable by search engines, boosting your visibility online.
Here’s how to optimize your website:
- Install the RankMath SEO plugin.
- Use RankMath analysis tool to set focus keywords and optimize your pages and posts for them.
- Regularly publish relevant, original content to increase your visibility on search engines.
Enhance Your Website with Elementor
For better visual design and easy customization, use Elementor—a powerful drag-and-drop page builder.
How to use Elementor:
- Install Elementor via Plugins → Add New → Elementor.
- Click Edit with Elementor when editing your pages.
- Drag widgets onto your page, customize layouts, and instantly preview your changes.
Best Practices for a Professional Personal Website
- Keep content clear and concise: Avoid jargon and clearly present who you are, what you offer, and your professional highlights.
- Regular updates: Keep your site fresh with new content, blogs, and updated projects.
- Professional images: High-quality photos or professional headshots boost credibility.
- Mobile responsiveness: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate on smartphones.
You could also hire our team to design a professional personal website on a budget (Just KES 15,600)
How to Make Your Site Live and Promote It
- After designing your website, preview it thoroughly.
- Publish it from your WordPress dashboard.
- Share your website URL across your social media platforms.
- Engage with online communities and forums relevant to your profession to drive traffic to your site.
By following these straightforward steps, you’ll effectively create and launch a personal website through Truehost Kenya.
With your professional website live, you’ll clearly showcase your capabilities, connect meaningfully with your audience, and open doors to greater career opportunities.