WordPress For Dummies (In 10 Minutes Max)

WordPress is usually a complicated beast for these not but initiated… fortunately a fellow WP dummy (who additionally occurs to be a weblog contributor) is available to clarify WordPress to you in a means that anybody can perceive… in 10 minutes max!

That is actually laborious for me, however I’ve to do it…

Full disclosure:

Whats up everybody, my identify is Rick Crawshaw, and I… am a WordPress dummy.

It’s form of embarrassing, nevertheless it’s true.

I’m telling you this as a result of, in case you take into account your self a newbie…

Or in case you’re new to the juggernaut that’s WordPress…

You’re not alone!

And this text is for you.

It’s additionally for anybody who desires to start out an internet site or weblog with WordPress and doesn’t have the slightest clue of the place to start.

However the query begs:

Why Ought to You Take WordPress Recommendation From A Fellow Newbie?

Now though I’m undoubtedly a “newb” on the subject of WordPress, from the day I began writing for WPMU DEV, I’ve continued to study increasingly more about this well-liked platform.

I’ve additionally taken it upon myself to study as a lot as I can about WP so I can achieve my new function.

And I believe that’s why I’m the right candidate to provide you an introduction to the fundamentals of the platform, and hopefully clarify it in a means that ANYONE can perceive.

In any case I’ve been in your sneakers and the fundamentals are nonetheless recent in my thoughts.

However Earlier than We Go Any Additional, Let’s Maintain These Pesky Attorneys At Bay…

By acknowledging the superb Lisa Sabin-Wilson and her vary of “WordPress For Dummies” publications (not an affiliate hyperlink fyi) so we don’t get in bother for utilizing the coined time period.

In all seriousness, these books are unbelievable sources for attending to know extra about WordPress in case you’re simply beginning out.

Okay, now that’s out of the best way, let’s bounce into our personal WordPress article for dummies, delivered to you by an actual life WP dummy!

Right here’s what we’re going to cowl immediately:

What Is WordPress?
Setting Up Your WordPress Web site
Navigating And Utilizing WordPress (Dummies Model)
WordPress Nonetheless Feeling Like A Thriller?

What Is WordPress?

In easy phrases, WordPress is a well-liked piece of software program you should use to create your personal web site or weblog.

Actually, if you wish to know simply how well-liked WordPress is, right here’s a enjoyable reality for ya:

WordPress Powers Over 43% Of The Web sites On The Total Web!

To place this into perspective, you may’ve heard of different well-liked web site platforms like Shopify, Squarespace, and many others…

Effectively, they host a mere 4.4% and 1.8% respectively, test it out beneath:

WordPress outranks all different CMS.

It additionally implies that roughly one out of each three web sites on your entire web are powered by WordPress!

Sorry, However I Have To Get Technical For A Second…

Sure, I do know it form of defeats the aim of this text…

However don’t fear, if I can get it, so are you able to.

WordPress can be what’s often known as an “open-source content material administration system (CMS).”

Enable me to interrupt this definition down a bit of additional:

“Open-source” basically implies that anybody can use or modify WordPress’ software program without cost.

And a “CMS” is a software that makes managing the content material of your web site straightforward for individuals who know nothing about programming or coding (rating!).

How Did WordPress Come To Be?

WordPress was created again in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, and was initially meant to be nothing greater than a platform for bloggers.

After all, since that point WordPress has developed right into a full-blown CMS with 1000’s of plugins, widgets, and themes for customers to entry (which we’ll get to later).

As we’ve already touched on, WordPress can be open-source, so quite than two folks, because it was in the beginning – these days WordPress is up to date and improved by a large group of 1000’s of builders and contributors.

It’s additionally for that reason that WordPress continues to get higher and stays the most well-liked web site platform out there for customers in 2022.

Why Does Everybody Love On WordPress So A lot?

So why are 40%+ of all web sites on-line powered by WordPress? And what makes WordPress superior to the opposite web site or CMS platforms on the market?

Listed here are just a few causes which may assist clarify why:

It’s open supply – As talked about earlier, WordPress is open supply and labored on and improved by a group of 1000’s of builders and specialists from across the globe.

It’s free! (effectively form of) – You possibly can set up WordPress proper now and it gained’t set you again a cent… after all, you have to internet hosting and a site, however that ain’t WP’s drawback!

It’s straightforward to make use of – WordPress is extremely accessible and prides itself on being user-friendly. As talked about earlier, the beauty of this platform is that you simply don’t must know learn how to write code to have the ability to create your personal web site. It may also be utilized by these with impaired imaginative and prescient.

It provides you entry to all the most recent and best developments – As a result of WordPress is a staple within the web site and improvement world, you possibly can make certain that any of the most recent software program or plugin initiatives are being crafted with WordPress in thoughts.

It’s extremely versatile – It doesn’t matter what kind of web site you’re attempting to arrange… whether or not it’s a private weblog or a excessive finish e-commerce retailer – you can probably create it in WordPress.

It’s customizable – It’s straightforward so as to add new options and performance to your web site with WP themes and plugins. Consider these as helpful apps or add-ons in your web site.

It may be accessed on all gadgets – You’re free to make use of WordPress on gadgets of all styles and sizes, and you may entry your web site whether or not you’re in your desktop, laptop computer, or cellphone.

Maintain On! Earlier than We Go Any Additional, Don’t Get “WordPress.org” and “WordPress.com” Confused Like I Did…

Earlier than we press on, I must also point out that after I speak about “WordPress” on this article I’m referring to “WordPress.org.”

Take it from me, it may be straightforward to get WordPress.org and WordPress.com combined up, or to not even realise there are two completely different WordPress platforms.

So What Is The Distinction Between The Two?

“WordPress.org” which is called the “self-hosted” WordPress – is a free open-source software program you possibly can set up by yourself internet hosting and create an internet site that you simply 100% personal.

“WordPress.com” alternatively, is a for-profit piece of software program that’s powered by WordPress.org.

It’s easy to make use of, it’s free, nevertheless, the web site is hosted by WordPress, versus being your personal web site.

This implies you possibly can’t have your personal area identify, and your URL will probably be one thing alongside the traces of: “http://examplewebsite.wordpress.com.”

You even have restricted entry to themes and plugins, so the adjustments you can also make to your web site are restricted.

Normally, in case you’re chatting with somebody about WordPress, they’ll greater than possible be speaking about WordPress.org.

Alrighty, now that we all know some extra about what WordPress (.org!) is… let’s get into some fundamentals of establishing and truly utilizing the software program.

Setting Up Your WordPress Web site

Earlier than we are able to get began with WordPress itself, you’ll must type out just a few minor particulars first.

Beginning with securing your area and internet hosting:

Buying A Area

Earlier than you arrange your web site or weblog you’re going to want a site identify – the deal with of your web site basically.

You should purchase domains from a spread of various Area Registrars, and your area will be separate out of your internet hosting supplier (which we’ll get into in a second).

Your Area Registrar may be native, in case you’d choose your web site deal with to be nationwide (.co.nz) as a substitute of worldwide (.com).

Area prices can fluctuate, however on the whole a site ought to set you again not more than $10 – $15.

Setting Up Internet hosting

Like domains, there are a variety of various internet hosting supplier choices on the market.

However earlier than you choose a supplier, you’ll additionally need to select the TYPE of internet hosting that most closely fits your web site.

Right here’s a fast run down of some completely different internet hosting sorts:

Shared Internet hosting – With shared internet hosting the service supplier can serve a number of web sites from a single net server. That is often the least costly choice and is usually a good selection for smaller web sites and blogs.

Digital Personal Server (VPS) – A VPS means you might have your personal sources put aside for you on a shared server. This mainly implies that your web site is not going to be affected by another websites in your server on the subject of safety and efficiency. This can be a nice choice in case your web sites are beginning to achieve extra site visitors.

Managed WordPress Internet hosting – Should you want the ability of a VPS, however you might use extra help out of your supplier – managed WordPress internet hosting may very well be the best way to go. The sort of internet hosting provides you all {that a} VPS does, together with the added benefit of ongoing help and steerage.

A Devoted Server – These kind of servers are perfect for bigger corporations which have huge quantities of site visitors to pouring into their web site. With a devoted server you might have entry to the complete sources of a whole server. Should you solely care about efficiency this feature could be the best way to go. Simply bear in mind this energy comes at a hefty value.

Cloud Internet hosting – Cloud internet hosting works by spreading your web site content material all through a number of servers, which helps to enhance your web site’s “uptime”. Nonetheless, the elevated uptime and safety will be pricey, however this can be a nice choice for many who need to make sure that their web site is reside for customers 99.999% of the time.

Okay, when you’ve chosen the kind of internet hosting, now you’re free to pick a supplier.

There’s no proper or flawed reply on the subject of deciding on a supplier, as talked about earlier, it may largely rely in your funds and the kind of internet hosting you require.

When you’ve selected a number, you’ll simply must determine on the internet hosting package deal for you.

Most internet hosting suppliers may also embody a free area of their plan, in any other case you’ll be given the choice to combine out of your Area Registrar.

Putting in WordPress

Set up WordPress With “One Click on”

When you’re in a with a internet hosting supplier and you’ve got a site, you’ll often be capable of set up WordPress in “one click on” by way of your host homepage as beneath:

You’ll then be given some prompts which fluctuate from firm to firm, however the arrange ought to be pretty easy and simple.

Or Strive The Well-known WordPress 5 Minute Set up…

An alternative choice can be putting in WordPress manually via the method famously often known as the: “5 minute WordPress Set up.”

Take a look at the video beneath to see the 5 minute set up in motion:

When you’re all able to go and you’ve got WordPress put in, now you can begin to familiarise your self with the platform.

Navigating And Utilizing WordPress (Dummies Model)

The WordPress Dashboard

When you’ve logged in you’ll be greeted with the primary administration display screen, which is often often known as the dashboard.

It’s right here you possibly can manage and put collectively your web site. It’s the place the entire magic occurs mainly.

On the high of your display screen you’ll additionally see the toolbar. Right here you possibly can click on in your web site identify and also you’ll be taken on to your web site or weblog.

Again to the dashboard… you’ll discover immediately it exhibits you the latest exercise of your web site.

It retains you within the loop with insights, info, and information, courtesy of quite a few completely different WordPress sources.

Whenever you’re first beginning out, you’ll additionally discover WordPress provides you prompts that will help you get began creating your web site:

You possibly can select to disregard these, or usually they are often fairly helpful in case you’re caught on the place to start out.

To the left aspect of your dashboard you’ll see the primary navigation menu which provides you entry to quite a few completely different administration capabilities.

Below every menu merchandise, sub-menus may also seem for every.

Let’s briefly go over every menu merchandise and the way it capabilities…

First up we’ve got posts:

Posts

Most web site homeowners (particularly blogs) understand how necessary posting common content material will be.

Each from an website positioning (search engine optimisation) and an viewers standpoint (offering related and attention-grabbing content material).

Via the posts menu merchandise you can begin writing and including new posts, in addition to modifying posts which have already been printed, or drafts that also require some work.

Writing and modifying a put up is completed via the newly launched Gutenberg WordPress editor.

This editor works as a easy drag and drop, making it good and straightforward for non-techies and builders.

When you’re performed writing and modifying your put up, be sure you preview it first… when you’re blissful, click on publish and the put up will go reside!

Media

The media menu merchandise means that you can add new recordsdata, in addition to view the entire media recordsdata you’ve uploaded to your WordPress web site.

This consists of photographs, audio recordsdata, video recordsdata and extra.

You can even add, handle, and edit your whole particular person photographs and movies by way of this built-in media uploader.

Pages

Very similar to the posts, pages means that you can draft and publish static pages in your web site.

You possibly can edit and delete already printed pages, you may as well apply customized web page templates to your pages.

Enhancing and publishing pages can be performed utilizing the Gutenberg editor, nevertheless, if wanted you may as well select to make use of the traditional editor by going to formatting after which deciding on traditional editor.

You possibly can additionally obtain the traditional editor plugin if all else fails (unsure what plugins are but? We speak about them beneath!).

Feedback

The feedback menu merchandise allows you to view, edit, and delete the entire feedback posted to your web site.

In addition to this, you may as well view and handle feedback that will require some moderation.

For instance, primarily based in your settings this may very well be feedback that comprise sure phrases that you simply deem inappropriate.

You can even select to blacklist sure URLs or customers that will have spammed you with feedback previously.

Look

The Look menu allows you to handle your WordPress themes, permitting you to view, activate and edit them utilizing the Theme Editor.

In a nutshell, themes are what give your web site it’s total look in addition to offering it with particular functionalities.

Not proud of the best way your web site seems? Choose a brand new theme!

You possibly can obtain and select from an enormous assortment of free themes you’ll discover on WordPress.

Or, in case you can’t discover what you’re searching for, you possibly can at all times go off-site to seek out extra premium themes from websites like ThemeForest.

In addition to themes, the looks menu means that you can immediately customise what your web site seems like, together with managing the menus of your web site and the way they work collectively.

You can even handle your widgets, that are little options that add extra performance to your pages or posts.

These may very well be issues like a search area, a “latest posts” part, or modifying what shows on the sidebar of your weblog put up web page.

Plugins

Ah good previous plugins… now these are a set of instruments you’ll be utilizing A LOT.

Plugins are just about further options you possibly can add to your web site that your present theme or widgets should not have.

This may very well be something from a contact kind plugin, to a plugin that helps with website positioning in your web site.

Via WordPress you immediately have entry to 1000’s of various plugins made by a group of different customers and builders, out there at WordPress.org and by way of the ‘Plugins’ menu.

Via this menu merchandise you might have the choice of including new plugins, in addition to managing your current plugins. As usually you’ll discover that new updates will probably be out there in your plugins recurrently.

Customers

The customers menu means that you can handle your customers and subscribers, in addition to edit your personal profile.

Should you’re the one one posting or modifying your web site you then’ll solely want to fret about your personal profile.

Nonetheless, in case you have a staff, or perhaps you might have folks contributing to your weblog, it’s right here that you would be able to present them with their very own profile.

You can even present customers with completely different ranges of accessibility.

For instance, for somebody contributing to the weblog, you’ll solely need to give them entry to the put up editor, quite than entry to the design or coding of the remainder of your web site.

Instruments

Utilizing the instruments menu merchandise you possibly can import knowledge from one other content material administration platform, otherwise you may select to export your present web site knowledge right into a backup file in case you select.

You can even test on the well being of your web site, which is helpful for ensuring any plugins you might have put in are free from viruses or hacking.

And you may as well import or export private knowledge in case you select.

Settings

Lastly we’ve got the settings, the place (as you guessed) you possibly can handle the final choices and preferences of your web site.

Right here’s a fast breakdown of what you possibly can alter and alter:

Basic settings – Right here you possibly can alter issues just like the title of your web site, the deal with and the time zone.

Studying settings – Alter the readability of your web site, for instance, what your homepage shows, what number of weblog pages to point out, and whether or not or not you need search engines like google to see your posts.

Writing settings – Change the default put up class, the put up format, and your e mail if you wish to put up to WordPress by way of e mail.

Dialogue settings – As touched on above, utilizing these settings will help you handle and filter any feedback you may obtain or your web site or posts.

Media settings – Set some defaults for the sizes of your photographs in addition to the way you’d wish to organise the media recordsdata in your library.

Permalinks – That is barely techie… however mainly adjusting the permalink settings will alter how the URLs of your posts and pages are displayed within the deal with bar.

Privateness – Lastly, you possibly can edit or preview your privateness coverage web page. As an internet site proprietor there are some nationwide and worldwide privateness legal guidelines you’ll have to make sure you adhere to. WordPress routinely units you up with a web page you possibly can edit, however you even have the choice of making your personal privateness coverage.

And There You Have It!

A fundamental breakdown of what WordPress is and the fundamentals it is advisable learn about utilizing the favored software program… as instructed by a fellow WP dummy.

However even after this inexperienced persons rationalization, in case you’re nonetheless having bother understanding WordPress…

By no means concern!

WordPress Nonetheless Feeling Like A Thriller?

Should you’re nonetheless having issues figuring out WordPress there are many assist boards, video tutorials, and documentation out there within the WordPress group that may level you in the appropriate path. You can even try this WordPress consumer guide for non-techies.

Right here at WPMU DEV we even have loads of WordPress documentation and tutorials you possibly can faucet into, and our extremely rated help staff are available 24/7 that will help you with any issues you could be having.

All this apart, studying WordPress is all about… utilizing WordPress!

So in case you take into account your self a WordPress dummy like myself, begin utilizing the platform and have a go at the entire objects talked about on this article.

Create your first web page, publish your first put up, activate your first plugin…

And I promise you ultimately utilizing and navigating WordPress will really feel like second nature.

Editor’s Observe: This put up has been up to date for accuracy and relevancy. [Originally Published: Sept 2019 / Revised: March 2022]