Once WordPress is installed, the next job is making the site look and work the way you want.
You can change the theme, upload your logo, build the navigation menu, and add a contact form directly from the WordPress dashboard.
How to change the WordPress theme
Your theme controls the basic design of your WordPress website.
To change it, log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to:
Appearance → Themes
Click Add New Theme.
You’ll see a list of WordPress themes. You can search by name or browse the available options.
When you find one you like, click Install and then Activate.
Your new theme will become active immediately.
So don’t change your theme on a busy website without checking it first. Your menus, widgets, homepage layout, and some custom settings can change when you switch themes.
Customize the WordPress theme
After activating the theme, go to:
Appearance → Editor
If your theme supports the Site Editor, you can edit things such as:
- Header
- Footer
- Colors
- Typography
- Navigation
- Templates
- Homepage layout
Some older themes use:
Appearance → Customize
The exact options depend on your theme.
Take 5 minutes to click around before changing anything. WordPress has a talent for hiding the setting you were looking for directly beside the one you actually needed.
How to add a logo to WordPress
Your logo usually appears in the website header.
With a block theme, go to:
Appearance → Editor
Open the header or the template part containing your site title.
Click the + button and add a Site Logo block.
Upload your logo image, or select one from the WordPress Media Library.
You can then adjust the logo size and link it to your homepage.
If you’re using a classic theme, try:
Appearance → Customize → Site Identity
Look for Logo or Select logo.
Upload your image, crop it if necessary, and save your changes.
A PNG or WebP logo with a transparent background usually works well for a website header.
Keep the file reasonably small. A 4 MB logo doesn’t make your website look 4 MB more professional.
How to create a WordPress menu
Your menu gives visitors a way to move around your website.
For a block theme, go to:
Appearance → Editor → Navigation
Select your navigation menu and add the pages or links you want.
For a classic WordPress theme, go to:
Appearance → Menus
Click Create a new menu.
Give the menu a name, then add your pages.
For a basic business website, you might use:
Home
About
Services
Blog
Contact
You can drag menu items to change their order.
You can also create dropdown menus by moving an item slightly to the right underneath another menu item.
For example:
Services
Web Design
SEO
WordPress Setup
Save the menu when you’re finished.
Then check your website on both desktop and mobile. A menu that looks fine on a wide monitor can become a tiny traffic jam on a phone.
How to add a contact form to WordPress
WordPress doesn’t include a full contact form builder by default, so you’ll usually add one with a plugin.
Go to:
Plugins → Add New Plugin
Search for a contact form plugin.
Popular choices include WPForms, Forminator, and Contact Form 7.
Install and activate the plugin you choose.
The exact setup depends on the plugin, but you’ll usually create fields such as:
Name
Email
Subject
Message
Submit button
Keep the form short.
If someone wants to contact you, asking for their name, email, phone number, mother’s maiden name, blood group, and favorite pizza is probably a little much.
Add the contact form to your page
Create a contact page:
Pages → Add New Page
Add a title such as:
Contact Us
Then add the form using the plugin’s block.
If your plugin gives you a shortcode, you can paste that shortcode into the WordPress editor instead.
Publish the page.
Then add the Contact page to your navigation menu.
Test your contact form
Always submit a test message yourself.
Use a different email address if possible and check whether the message reaches your inbox.
Also check the spam folder.
Then test the form on your phone. Tap every field, type a message, submit it, and make sure the confirmation message appears.
A contact form that looks perfect but quietly eats every message is basically a decorative rectangle.
Check your WordPress website
Once you’ve changed the theme, added your logo, created the menu, and installed the contact form, open the website like a visitor.
Check the homepage.
Click every menu item.
Open the site on your phone.
Submit the contact form.
Check the logo.
And look at the footer too.
These small checks catch the annoying stuff before your visitors do.
