A Beginner’s Guide to WordPress
If you plan to start a WordPress site soon, there is much to be learned about this platform and its amazing options. To help you on this long journey, we created a beginner’s guide to WordPress. So, let’s start.
WordPress, in shortest, is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the World. As the leading platform for creating websites or blogs, WordPress allows you to easily write, edit and publish any kind of content on the web. With WordPress basically anyone can create WordPress blog posts in literary no time.
The best thing about WordPress is it allows anyone to use or modify the WordPress software for free and without knowing a single line of code. Statistically, at the moment, WordPress powers over 33% of all websites in the huge Internet sphere. This means that more websites are powered by WordPress than any other CMS in the world. In other words, WordPress powers 4.5% of the entire Internet. These impressive numbers show that people recognize this platform as their CMS of choice on a large scale.
But this isn’t the only reason why people trust this platform. With WordPress possibilities are limitless. No matter what type of website you need to create, there is an option for you. From business websites, eCommerce stores, blogs, portfolios to social networks and forums, WordPress covers pretty much anything you could ever wish for.
In our beginner’s guide to WordPress you will learn:
Easy to Use
WordPress requires zero coding experience or expert skills. To start using it, all it takes is to type your site’s URL and log in. Simple as that. This platform is made with a wide array of users in mind, so it’s intuitive and easy to use. Since it has been tested and improved through the years, its interfaces are polished in every aspect.
Created for Publishing
There is no surprise that many bloggers choose WordPress when starting their first blog. Practical options make sharing content and attracting readers to website as easy as pie. As WordPress is a well-known content-publishing platform, it takes only a few clicks to reach the potential readers and allow them to subscribe or share the content they love in a flash.
Large Community
WordPress community enlarges each day. Its numerous users have already solved many challenges and are always open to help to WordPress newbies. Plus, WordPress comes with more than 50,000 free, open-source plugins and themes which number grows from day to day.
Open and Transparent
WordPress is constantly improving. Built by numerous developers and experts, this platforms offers frequent updates and always up-to-date software, all with no licensing fees or direct costs.
It’s Your Software
Another super thing about WordPress is the fact it’s made to be installed on your own web server, in the cloud or elsewhere. This means you’ll be able to access and modify everything related to your website, with ease. WordPress is available for the installation both on your personal computer or corporate intranet.
Vast possibilities, practical options and ease of use are the main reasons people choose WordPress. But they’re not the only ones. Some big brands we all know about, also built their websites in WordPress.
Popular brands that use WordPress like Skype, Etsy, Mercedes-Benz, Sony music, Forbes and so on, definitely are a proof you should trust it too. This famous list also includes People Magazine, The Rolling Stones, Vogue, MTV News, etc.
Want to add new features and functionality to your WordPress website? WordPress plugins for starting a new website are the easiest and the most popular way to do this. In short, plugins are the apps that allow you to add extra options and elements to your website so it can offer a better experience for the visitors. After you find the one that works the best for you, install it in a few clicks, and share your content like a pro.
There is a wide spectrum of plugins out there, but some of them are essential for your website. Here are some of the most popular.
WpBakery Page Builder
This is the most popular WordPress page builder that powers millions of website over the World. It comes with a wide array of features that allow anyone to create any layout with complete ease. WPBakery Page builder doesn’t require any coding knowledge and it comes with drag&drop fronted and backend editor.
WooCommerce
A must-have plugin if you want to add anything to sell on your website. This popular plugin allows you to create any type of online store. It comes with tons of features including free shipping, local pickups, flat rates, etc. No matter what kind of product you want to sell, this plugin is a great choice. Plus, it has a lot of payment options for your customers. They can make a payment using a check, cash on delivery, credit cards or PayPal as well.
Google Analytics
If your search for a free statistical tool for following & analyzing the website traffic, Google analytics is an ideal choice. Made to help you understand your audience better, this plugin may give you directions for improving your user traffic. Google analytics allows you to monitor a wide variety of real-time stats regarding your website. Also, you can track user views from multiple platforms or receive various demographic and interest reports.
MailChimp
If you heard about email marketing, you must as well be familiar with MailChimp. With this plugin, you can manage subscribers, send emails and track results. Easy to integrate, this free plugin allows you to add stunning subscription forms in your WP blog and to create beautiful opt-in forms to add more subscribers to your email list. Also, there is a premium version for everyone who wants to use the plugin for commercial purposes.
Yoast SEO
A website is worthless unless it’s visible to the search engines. Fortunately, there is a great plugin like Yoast SEO for WordPress users. This awesome plugin will give you the instructions for creating better content and improving ranking on search results. It will help you create content that is both easy to read and SEO friendly.
Akismet (Freemium)
The great thing about this plugin is that it comes with every new WordPress installation. At its core, Akismet is an anti-spam plugin which checks all comments and filters out the spam comments. With Akismet, you will be able to see a status history for each comment. This is how you can learn which comments were found spammy by this plugin. Furthermore, as a moderator you can view the number of approved comments for each user, see the URLs in the comment body and remove the links you find suspicious.
No matter what type of website you’re planning to start, its look and feel can play an important role in its overall reputation. The way your website is designed can make it popular among visitors. On other hand, its features and the way it’s organized can also make it stand out from the crowd.
If you are a WordPress beginner and still are not sure how your website should look, the good news is there are many free, nicely-looking WordPress themes. Although there are some important differences between free vs premium WordPress themes, they both have their advantages.
For instance, premium themes are known for their pro support, frequent updates and modern design with a large collection of layouts. Just go to the Theme Forest and search for the theme of your dream. You can find it at the great price!
WordPress is constantly changing and improving. One of the biggest updates came last year. It’s new, intuitive and easy-to-use editor – Gutenberg. Based on the concept of blocks, this new editor brings new features and aims to change the way content is created and edited within the WordPress platform.
If, for some reason, you don’t feel comfortable with these changes, don’t worry. You can still use the Classic editor by the end of 2021.
In order to make the most of your WordPress website, you should have in mind some tricks and useful tips. Since there are some awesome online WordPress knowledge resources, you can easily improve your knowledge wherever you are. Here are our favorites.
WordPress TV
WordPress TV is a perfect choice for everyone who prefers video tutorials and lessons. Here you can find a lot of practical topics from basic questions to very specific themes related to WordPress features and add-ons.
WordPress Codex
WordPress Codex covers all the basic information that relates to creating WordPress sites. Suitable for beginners and experienced users, this resource offers information about getting started, installing WordPress, upgrading to a newer version, theme development, design.
Lynda.com
You have probably already heard about Lynda.com. This site offers online courses on almost any WordPress topic. From basic tips to advanced courses, here you can find anything you may need. Although access to these courses is paid, it will surely pay off in short term.
WPKlik
This WordPress knowledge base gathers WordPress professionals who share their knowledge through tips, tutorials, and texts on plugins and themes. WPKlik regularly brings a bunch of interesting news and tends to help both beginners and experts with the doubts they have.
AprendeConWp
In case you need more online resources for learning about WordPress in Spanish, AprendeConWp is a great platform to do so. There you can find WordPress theme reviews, plugin comparisons, and WordPress turorials which will help you create your own website easily and quickly.
We hope our beginner’s guide to WordPress was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!
