COMPLETE WORDPRESS GUIDE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORDPRESS AS A BEGINNER
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WordPress is one of the most user-friendly and time-saving platforms for creating a professional-looking website. This guide covers everything a beginner needs to know about WordPress. If you’re just getting your feet wet with WordPress, this is the article for you.
When I say that sometimes we don’t know where or how to start, I speak for every tech enthusiast. This post is written to help you get through your dilemma. WordPress can assist you with a wide range of topics, and we know how effective it is because it powers 43% of the internet.
Today, we’ll discuss the things we need to know in order to get started.
What is WordPress?
WordPress launched as a blogging tool in May of 2003, but it has since evolved to include a wide range of features in addition to blogging. You don’t need to have knowledge of any programming languages to get started; it handles all the complex aspects for you so you can focus on your work. However, a little knowledge of HTML and CSS is a plus. All you have to do now is log into your hosting account and install WordPress. Many products, such as blog writing, website building, professional email writing, and so on, are easily accessible. You can also change themes and apply plugins that best fit your needs.
How to Use WordPress to Create a Website?
While it is easier to design a website using it than with other methods, it still takes time for a rookie to learn how to get around properly. There are several customization choices available, after which you may choose from a variety of plugins. Themes and plugins are essential resources for website creation.
In this article, we’ll take you through the fundamentals of WordPress, and here’s what you can expect to learn by the end of it:
- Make a Domain Name Selection
- Create a hosting account and select a hosting plan
- Install WordPress
- Understand the WordPress Dashboard
- Themes
- Plugins
- Pages and posts
- Optimizing WordPress site
1. How to Make a Domain Name Selection?
The collection of characters that users type into their browser to access your website is referred to as a domain name. Though it may not seem necessary to invest time deciding on a domain, you should be aware that it is one of the most important aspects. Your domain name should always be something that conveys the objective of your website and is consistent with your brand. For example, if I’m constructing a website to market my icy beverages, the domain name ought to be “fizzydrinks.com”. The goal of your domain name is to make it easier for people to find you and the services you offer. So, rather than complicating your domain name and limiting your website’s reach, it’s always a good idea to keep it simple.
- How to Create a Hosting Account and Select a Hosting Plan?
After deciding on a domain name, the next step is to select a hosting package. This stage requires some research to choose a hosting package that meets your budget and service requirements. You must be cautious when reviewing the terms and conditions, cancellation policies, and the services you will receive once you sign up.
Prices differ amongst hosting providers, so pick the one that best suits your needs (no more, no less). People routinely rush this procedure and wind up with a subscription that has far more features than they require at a much greater expense. To avoid this, always be aware of your priorities before deciding on a plan. Most hosting companies now provide WordPress-optimized hosting plans, making it easier for consumers to choose a plan.
- How to Install WordPress?
Installing WordPress is the procedure that follows after choosing a hosting plan. Mainly, there are two ways to install: Manually or Using Softaculous. The easier way is to install using softaculous. To install WordPress using softaculous, you need to follow the steps below.
Login to your cPanel account. Navigate to the Software tab and select the Softaculous icon. Select the WordPress logo from the drop-down menu. This will bring up a screen with numerous alternatives. Install, Overview, Features, and Import will appear on the screen. Select the Install option from the drop-down menu. Fill in the details of your WordPress installation. Softaculous will validate the information you’ve provided and install the necessary WordPress files on your server. In your browser, go to your domain.com/wp-admin to login into your Dashboard and you’re good to go.
- How to Understand the Dashboard?
After logging into your WordPress account, you’ll see the dashboard. You can personalize your site in a number of ways, from picking themes to managing plugins to creating pages and posts. Before you start designing your website, you should consider learning about the features and how they work. The following are some of the most important features to learn:
- Choosing a theme
For the website you’re developing, there are thousands of themes to choose from. If the offered themes don’t pique your interest, you can upgrade to premium to gain access to more. You can choose from a variety of themes as per your requirement (business, portfolio, blog site, e-commerce and so on). This process is entirely dependent on your personal preferences.
- Managing plugins
Plugins are the backbone of your site since they give you a lot of choices for customizing your website, such as page builders like Elementor, Visual Composer, and Divi. Additionally, plugins can be used to manage SMTP, pop-ups, and form creation.
- Creating pages and posts
You can add material to your WordPress site as either a “post” or a “page.” You write a post when you write a standard blog entry.
Pages, on the other hand, are used for non-chronological content, such as “About” or “Contact.” Pages exist outside of the typical blog timeline and are frequently used to offer timeless information about yourself or your website that is always relevant. You can utilize Pages to organize and manage your website’s content structure.
- How to Optimize your WordPress Site?
It is critical to understand your site’s performance in order to provide a good user experience. You can use Google Page Insight or GTmetrix to determine your site’s performance score. These sites also offer guidance on how to enhance the performance of your website. One of the most important phases for a competent developer is to go through this step. Plugins like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, also help optimize your site by providing you with various options.
WordPress stands out from other website development platforms because of all the useful features it offers. Whether a novice or a seasoned pro, everyone uses it. To summarize, WordPress is an ideal tool to begin your website development career.
