Intro to WordPress:

The Absolute Basics

Instructors: Gordon Seirup & Jess Quig

http://slides.com/gordonium/wp-intro-lesson-1

What is WordPress?

• An open-source content management system (CMS)

• • ​Open-source:

    • ​Code is freely available (free to use, allowed to be edited)

    • Developed and supported by a volunteer community

  • CMS: Interface for creating/editing digital content; users don’t have to be coders

• The most popular CMS - WP powers:

  • ~27% of all websites

  • ~50-60% of all websites using a CMS *

*  Source: https://www.codeinwp.com/blog/wordpress-statistics/

Why WordPress?

• WordPress is a publishing platform

• Highly customizable (even without touching code)

  • ​​Themes <-- more later!

  • Plugins <-- more later!

• Easy to learn​

  • Tons of support available in all forms (classes, text & video tutorials, forums…)

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) friendly

• Can handle simple sites to (fairly) large e-commerce

  • ​WordPress Showcase

WordPress.com   vs   WORDPRESS.org

3 Main Parts of Wordpress: Core

CORE

Theme

Plugins

• WordPress core: all of the files WordPress needs to run 
  • Download from wordpress.org (pre-installed on some hosting)
  • Usually gets updated a few times a year (currently 4.6.1)
  • You will never touch most of these files

3 Main Parts of Wordpress: THeme

CORE

Theme

Plugins

• Themes: files layered on top of WordPress core that modify the appearance and (sometimes) functionality of a site (usually on the front-end, but sometimes on the backend, too - ex: Divi)

  • Free vs premium

  •  Ex: Genesis child theme shop

3 Main Parts of Wordpress: Plugins

CORE

Theme

Plugins

• Plugins: Software pieces that can be uploaded to your site to expand its functionality

  • Free vs premium vs custom

  • Ex: WordPress plugin library (free plugins)

  • Ex: Wellmont widgets (custom plugin)

Log into our test site!

• URL: http://classdemo.copperleafcreative.com/​wp-admin

• USER: lcsclass

• PASS: lovelandcreatorspacerocks

Try It Out! 

Pages              vs              Posts

• Relatively static content (ex: About page, Contact page)
• Usually provide the base structure of your website

Both:

• Text editor
• Status (published, draft, etc)
• Visibility
• Publish date
• Featured image

• Usually time-oriented content that is updated often (ex: journal, announcements)
• Usually displayed in date order
• Can use tags and categories (user sorting)
• Displayed in RSS feed of site

TRY IT OUT! 

Media

• Upload images, documents, and small videos:
  • Drag & drop or regular media uploader
  • Max upload size: 1MB
  • (can also add to images folder in FTP)
• Edit:
  • Very basic image editing (rotate, flip, resize)
• Use:
  • Add in widget areas / page editor

STOP! Just Watch For This!

widgets

• To edit, go to Appearance > Widgets

• Widget area: a specific location on a page or post that contains widgets
  • ​Ex) Sidebar
• Widget: a small area that serves a specific function
  • Ex) Search bar

STOP! Just Watch For This!

Menus

• To edit, go to Appearance > Menus
• Location options will vary by theme

STOP! Just Watch For This!

Settings

• General: Site title, tagline, timezone, etc

• Reading: Front page display, SE visibility, etc

• Discussion: Allow comments, etc

• Permalinks: Set to 'post name' unless you have good reason

Hosting

• Regular hosting: Stores your website on a server and makes it available on the internet 

• Managed WordPress hosting: Usually have beefed up services specifically targeted at the needs of WordPress sites
  • Example services: WP-specific security, speed, updates, daily backups, website uptime monitors

Homework

• Pick WordPress.com or WordPress.org 
  • If .org, pick regular or Managed hosting (click linked images below)
• Set up an account, install WP (if not provided by host), dink around 'til next week.
• Questions? Things you'd like to cover?
  • Email jess@copperleafcreative.com
  • Subject: CreatorSpace class