Using WordPress

USING W

ORDPRESS

WEEK 1

1. Why WP?

2. Setting Up WP

3. Exploring the Admin screen

4. Page Organization

5. Posting

6. Polls

WEEK 2

1. Exploring Themes

2. Loading Images

3. The Media Library

4. Exploring Widgets

5. Forms

WEEK 3

1. Usability

2. Connecting to Social Media

3. SEO – Search Engine Optimization

4. Keeping Site Statistics

WHY WP?

• Makes it easier for non technical people without having to create or maintain a database

• Hosted version is free

• Access to themes and widgets

A BLOG VS A WEBSITE

Website

1. A group of pages an entity has made available on the internet

2. Usually contains links

Blog

3. A type of website

4. Often this appears as an online personal journal reflecting the opinion of a person or an organization

5. Allows the posting of comments and links

6. Allows for more two way communication

VERSIONS OF WP

Hosted

1. Free

2. Eliminates headaches of DB hosting and maintenance

Self Hosted

3. Access to many more plugins and themes

4. Have access to core files where which offers more control over your site

SETTING UP WP

1. Open up a browser to http://wordpress.com

2. Click on orange download button

3. Enter a username

4. Choose a password – at least 4 characters all lowercase

5. Capture blog address – can be mixed case with letters, numbers, and symbols

a. must be unique b. make the name meaningful

Blog Address

Username

Password

SETTING UP WP - CONTINUED

7. Log blog address/username/password

8. Go to email to activate your account

EXPLORING THE WP ADMIN SCREEN

URL format for admin screen

http://yourblogaddress.wordpress.com/admin

The Admin Bar

<< Include picture >>

EXPLORING THE WP ADMIN SCREEN

• Notice WP logo on the left

• Next would be your site title if you have chosen one – this will take you to your home page if you click it (TRY)

• User name appears on the far right. Clicking it will open a menu of personal data (TRY IT)

PARTS OF A WP WEBSITE

Front End

This is the area the public can see

Database

This area houses your site content

Back End aka Dashboard

Can only be accessed by admins who manage your site. This is where WP admin area resides.

EXPLORING THE WP ADMIN SCREEN

Main Menu

The left column of every

WP page contains the menu which allows access to every

other page in the admin area

EXPLORING THE WP ADMIN SCREEN – GENERAL SETTINGSTo get here:

1. From Admin menu click >Settings

2. From submenu click > General

Date Format

Time Format

Week Started

Language

Be sure to click SAVE

CHOOSING A THEME

From Admin screen click >Appearance

Using the search bar enter 2014

Click >Activate

Note: Themes will be covered in Week 2 for choosing other themes

SITE PLANNING

1. What is the purpose of my site?

2. Is site more effective as a blog or a website?

a. Common Static pages – About, Fees, Directions

b. Common Time sensitive pages – News, highlighting a product or

service, blogs

3. What type of presentation is most effective –

Will my site use many pictures? Will it post news events?

4. Is feedback needed?

5. Special functions – i.e. News subscription forms, Feedback form, Event calendars and other widgets

PAGE ORGANIZATIONOrganization is important!!

Organization is a hierarchy!!

PAGE BUILDING

1. Click Pages submenu

2. Click About page

3. Change About title to “About Us”.

4. Copy Text

5. Click Update then Preview

PAGE BUILDING – CONFIGURING A PAGE

1. Set Page Attributes

2. Set Order

3. Set Screen Options tab – uncheck Discussion checkbox

4. Click Update

5. Click View page

PAGE BUILDING – CONFIGURING A PAGE

ADDING A NEW PAGE

1. Open Page Submenu

2. Click Add New

3. Add text in Title

4. Add Text to Page Text box

5. In Page Attributes enter 0 into Order

6. Remove check in Discussion area

7. Click Save as Draft

8. Click Preview

ADDING A NEW PAGE

CREATING A CHILD PAGE - SELECT A PARENT

CREATING A CHILD PAGE

1. Select > Pages > Add New

2. Add Title and Text

3. Select a parent under page attributes

CREATING A CHILD PAGE

POSTING - WHY A BLOG?1. Blogs are ideal for time sensitive information

2. Blogs provide an interactive feature

3. Blogs rank high in Search Engines

CREATING A POST

Blogs are a collection of posts.

1. Log back into Admin screen

2. Find Post in Admin menu

3. In the Post Submenu click Add New Post

4. Add a title and text

5. Click the Visual tab

CREATING A POST

ADDING A POLL

ADDING A POLL

ADDING A POLL

ADDING A POLL

TRY

1. Investigate a few themes

2. Design a hierarchy for a website

3. Set up placeholders for page

4. Search some of the current users of WP