How to Build a WordPress Website With the Genesis Framework in 2023

Creating a WordPress website with Genesis Framework isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Many hurdles come up, especially for beginners, as the Genesis Framework has a more developer-friendly approach.

However, when you combine the Genesis Framework with the Genesis child theme, the website creation process becomes smooth and easy.

Regardless of your experience, with the Genesis Framework and Genesis child theme, you can easily create a WordPress website with ease. You’ll have more control over the customization options, which helps you craft the website of your dreams.

If you’re looking to create a WordPress website with Genesis Framework, you are in the right place.

In this guide, we have featured a step-by-step walkthrough to help you create a WordPress website with Genesis Framework with ease.

The guide we have featured here is dedicated to beginners; we have explained each step precisely to help you craft a professional WordPress website with ease.

This guide to creating a WordPress website with the Genesis Framework only includes four easy steps.

Here’s a quick index to help you navigate this article:

The Basic Overview of Genesis Framework and WordPress
What Are the Essential Requirements to Start Creating Your Website With Genesis Framework?
Step 1: Choosing a Reliable WordPress Hosting Provider
Step 2: Installing the Genesis Framework
Step 3: Finding & Installing the Best Genesis Theme
Step 4: Basic Settings of the Genesis Framework
Conclusion: How to Build a WordPress Website With the Genesis Framework

So let’s dive in.

How to Build a WordPress Website With the Genesis Framework (Step by Step)

The Basic Overview of Genesis Framework and WordPress

WordPress is a well-known content management system (CMS) that powers almost 30% of the websites on the Internet.

The reason people choose WordPress is simple – it’s flexible, easy to use, and free.

WordPress makes it super easy to create a professional website on the go with the help of WordPress themes. With the help of WordPress plugins, you can easily add robust functionality to WordPress.

StudioPress is a popular platform that creates the most popular mobile-responsive themes and design framework for WordPress.

StudioPress has developed the Genesis Framework, which enables you to craft custom themes and WordPress websites with ease.

Genesis Framework has a more developer kind of approach; however, when you blend the Genesis Framework with the Genesis Child themes, it’s super easy to design professional websites in minutes.

To have better insights into Genesis Framework, check out our in-depth Genesis Framework review here.

What Are the Essential Requirements to Start Creating Your Website With Genesis Framework?

We have narrowed down the process in four simple steps. To start building your website with the Genesis Framework, you need to have some essential things, such as a domain name, WordPress hosting, Genesis Framework, and Genesis Child theme.

In this guide, we’ll not go through the basics, such as choosing a domain name. We cut down the process and get straight to building a WordPress website with the Genesis Framework.

However, we’ll walk you through how to choose a reliable WordPress hosting provider. What’s more, we’ll walk you through the complete steps on how to get Genesis Framework + StudioPress Premium Themes for free.

There isn’t a scam here: WP Engine, a reliable managed WordPress hosting provider, has acquired StudioPress. If you choose WP Engine hosting, you’ll also get access to Genesis Framework and 35+ Genesis Child themes for FREE.

So with WP Engine WordPress hosting, you will get access to Genesis Framework + Premium Genesis Child Themes.

So let’s get into the walkthrough of creating a WordPress website with Genesis Framework.

Step 1: Choosing a Reliable WordPress Hosting Provider

For creating your WordPress website with the Genesis Framework, you will use the self-hosted version of WordPress.

To get started, you’ll need a domain name and to pick a reliable and affordable WordPress hosting service.

You can choose a domain and then host it from a reliable WordPress hosting provider.

When it comes to hosting for WordPress, managed WordPress hosting stands apart from the rest. When you choose managed hosting, the hosting provider will provide everything under the hood.

Furthermore, the hosting provider will manage all the aspects of your hosting to keep it running smoothly.

You need to be careful when choosing a managed WordPress hosting provider and check price, uptime, customer support, etc. You should also check whether the hosting provider is WordPress optimized or not.

To ease the process, we have few recommendations for managed WordPress hosting providers.

How to Get Genesis Framework and Genesis Child Themes for Free?

WP Engine is a reliable managed WordPress hosting provider, which offers managed WordPress hosting at an affordable cost starting at $25/month.

The benefit of choosing WP Engine is that you will also get access to the Genesis Framework and 35+ Genesis child themes for FREE. What’s more, WP Engine also offers a risk-free 60 day money-back guarantee.

In addition, if you want to choose another reliable managed WordPress hosting service, you can go to SiteGround managed WordPress hosting, which starts at $3.95/month.

The other best option is WPX Hosting; it’s the world’s fastest managed WordPress hosting provider and its plans start at $20.83/month. Check out our in-depth WPX Hosting review here.

Choose the best option available, and host your website with a recommended WordPress hosting provider.

We highly recommend using WP Engine, as you’ll be getting access to Genesis Framework and Genesis Child theme for FREE.

Let’s move to the next step.

Step 2: Installing the Genesis Framework

Now the next step is to install the Genesis Framework on your WordPress site. Installing the Genesis Framework on WordPress is the same as installing Genesis child themes.

Note: If you already purchased WP Engine hosting, log in to your WP Engine account page. Once you’re on the User Portal, navigate to Tools >> Themes, and you can easily download the Genesis Framework to install on your WordPress website from here.

If you have chosen a different hosting provider, you need to follow the steps given below.

To get started, you need to purchase the Genesis Framework from StudioPress. Follow the exact steps to purchase the Genesis Framework:

Step #1: Go to the official website of StudioPress and navigate to a dedicated page of the Genesis Framework page.

Step #2: The Genesis Framework costs a one-time payment of $59.95. Click on ‘Buy Genesis Framework Package’ and then run through the checkout process.

Step #3: After making the purchase, download the Genesis Framework from your StudioPress account panel.

From the account panel, you will download the zip file of Genesis Framework, which can then be uploaded to WordPress.

You can check out our step by step guide to installing Genesis Framework on WordPress. Follow the exact steps given in the above post; you’ll be able to install the Genesis Framework with ease.

Step 3: Finding & Installing the Best Genesis Theme

As of now, you have successfully installed the Genesis Framework. Now it’s time to choose and install a robust Genesis child theme.

As mentioned earlier, we have discussed the fact that Genesis Framework requires a dedicated Genesis child theme to help you create websites.

There are various premium WordPress themes available; however, they don’t integrate well with the Genesis Framework. In this case, you need to choose a lightweight, fast, and responsive theme.

Also, you need to make sure the theme is easy to customize to help you build the website hassle-free.

We have already compiled a list of best Genesis child themes; you can choose the Genesis child theme to get started quickly.

Once you have selected a Child theme, you need to install that Genesis child theme on your WordPress website. Installing a Genesis child theme is the same as installing the Genesis Framework.

We have already covered a step by step guide to install Genesis child themes. Follow the guide and install the Genesis child theme on your WordPress website.

Activating the Genesis Child Theme

Once you have installed your Genesis Child theme, time to activate the child theme. You don’t need to activate the Genesis Framework; it will run automatically in the background.

To activate a Genesis Child theme, make sure the theme is installed on your WordPress site.

If you have installed the child theme inside your WordPress dashboard, you need to click on the Activate link, which appears on the screen once the theme is activated.

And if you have installed the child theme via FTP, you need to log in to your WordPress dashboard.

Next, navigate to WordPress dashboard Appearance >> Theme to activate the theme directly on the themes page. Now hover over the installed Genesis child theme and click on the Activate button.

Once you activate the child themes, it will appear first in the list of the theme. When you hover over the newly activated theme, you will be able to see the Customize button.

Step 4: Basic Settings of the Genesis Framework

The Genesis Framework basically comes with many basic settings and options that can help you customize the look and feel of your website.

You can easily configure these options within the WordPress customizer, and they can also be configured from the Genesis-specific settings pages.

Let’s take a look at the settings and customization options available with the Genesis Framework and theme you have chosen.

Theme Settings in the WordPress Customizer

By using the WordPress customizer, you can easily edit the Genesis child theme’s options and even preview the changes before publishing it.

To get started, navigate to the WordPress dashboard Appearance >> Customize to access the customizer.

Once you open the customizer, you can easily see a menu on the left and a preview of your website on the right side of the screen.

You will be able to see the customizer menu on the left side, which shows the various options available to edit the Genesis child theme you have installed.

From there, you can customize various settings, such as Site Identity, Colors, Background Images, Menus, Widgets, Site Layouts, Static Front Page, Content Archives, and so on.

You can edit these theme-setting options, and you can also check the preview in full-screen mode. You can use an option to collapse the triangle at the bottom of the menu of the left side.

Once you are finished making changes in every customization option, you need to Save & Publish the customizations you have made.

Let’s customize some of the important theme settings from the WordPress customizer.

Site Identity

In the site identity settings, you can easily set up your website tagline, and upload your website icon (favicon) here.

The activation of the theme, which doesn’t include the Header Image settings, allows you to choose whether you want to display an image logo or dynamic text for your website.

Colors

Many of the Genesis Child themes allow you to choose the section of a custom background color which will be displayed behind the content area of your website.

Also, some of the themes allow you to select a custom link color or accent color. All these colors will be applied to the link types: navigation menu link hovers, buttons, widget background, etc.

Once you’re done making the changes, don’t forget to click on ‘Save & Publish“.

Header Image

If the Genesis child theme that you have installed on your website includes Header Image options, you can easily upload a new header image or logo; you can even select an image from the Media Library.

Background Image

Many Genesis child themes provide options to set a custom background image that will be displayed behind the content area of your website.

Just select the image that you want to add, and then upload and use it. Don’t forget to hit Save & Publish, once you’re done making changes.

Menus

The Genesis child themes make it super easy to create menus. From WordPress customizer, you can create and edit menus; you can even manage their location within the customizer.

The availability of the menu location depends on the kind of theme you have activated on your website.

To see the available Menu Locations, click on Menu Location in your theme. Now you need to use the drop-downs to choose a navigation menu to display for each available location.

To add a new menu, you need to click on Add a Menu; then, you need to enter the name of the menu and click on the Create Menu button. Also, you need to click Add Items to start adding links to the navigation menus.

Now click on the titles of the menu to expand your view of the options. Once you are done adding all the menu items, click Save & Publish to make the changes live.

Widgets

Some of the themes offer unique widget areas that enable you to add widgets to display important information. The widget options available depends upon the Genesis child theme you’re using.

Just click on any widget area to open a new panel where you can add and configure various widget options.

Now you need to click on Add a Widget to display the widgets that you can add to the widget area.

After that, you’ll be able to see all the available widgets, which you can easily add to the available widget areas. You can click on any widget you want to add, or use the Search Widget box to locate the widget you want to use.

Once you select the widget, you have the option to configure it, and after all the changes you made, don’t forget to click on Save & Publish to make the changes live.

Also, you have the option to click Reorder to rearrange the widgets as you prefer.

These are some of the basic customization options that you can configure from the WordPress customizer.

The design of your website plays an important role, so make sure you have a clean and responsive design that seamlessly works on any device.

Conclusion: How to Build a WordPress Website With the Genesis Framework

This has been the step by step walkthrough to create a WordPress website with Genesis Framework.

When you combine the Genesis Framework with the Genesis child theme, you can easily create a professional website on the go with ease.

The Genesis child theme is fast, responsive, and lightweight, which makes your website load quickly and provides a rich user experience.

Have you used the Genesis Framework before, or are you using it for the first time? Which Genesis theme are you using for your WordPress website?

Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comment section below.

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