WordPress For BeginnersLesson 2

From Last Week

1. Any questions?

2. Learn anything from when you were looking for a domain name?

3. Get a chance to play with WordPress.com?

a. Likes and dislikes?

Purchasing Domains and Setting up Hosting

● Please take this time to provide me with your chosen domain name.

● If you have missed this class, you can email me your domain name and I can get it set up for you for the next class.

● After the purchase of domain name, I will set you up with your hosting account. You will have one year of hosting and the domain name (exp 09/16/2016) with me for your class. At the end of the year I will email you to see if you want to keep your website.

While you wait… Let’s talk about themes

As I set up your domains and hosting accounts, please take a look at

https://WordPress.org/themes

You will find many themes to choose from. Write down 3 you like.

https://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPress

Please make note of any questions you have

Download at WordPress.org/Download

Logging Into Your cPanel for the first time

We will walk you through your cPanel login.

Please refer to the sheet you were given with login information for the cPanel

The cPanel

MySQL DatabaseFirst, we make a database for the website using the MySQL Database Wizard and we will follow the directions to make the database. Please write down your information. You will need it later.

File Manager

This is where your files live and where we will upload the WordPress core files to. Please click on the “File Manager” icon in your cPanel.

Installing WordPress

We will now upload your files.

Please click on the “Upload” button in your File Manager. It will open to a new page.

Click the “Choose File” button and we will look for the “WordPress.zip” file.

We do not navigate off of this screen until the bottom right box states completed.

Then you can click the button in the middle to return to the File Manager.

Opening the WordPress files

Once uploaded we will first extract the files.

Please select the WordPress.zip file and then click extract.

Exit off of the box when it pops up. If you do not see the “wordpress” folder click reload.

Moving the WordPress Files

We now will move our files. Please go into the WordPress folder.

Highlight all of the files and folders.

Click “Move”.

In the box remove the word “wordpress” and click to move the files.

Click the “Up One Level”

Delete the empty “wordpress” folder and the zip

The 5 minute Install

Please open a new browser tab and go to your new domain name

Pick your language

Enter in your Database information leaving localhost different and changing the wp_ to something else but leave the “__” at the end

Hit install

Setup your login information

You now have a brand spanking new website!

The Dashboard

This is the backend of your website. It will look familiar if you have made a site on WordPress.com but it has some added features. We will go through all the features one by one and if you have any questions please let me know.

Posts vs Pages

Posts are like news entries that are listed in reverse chronological order on the site’s home page or the page set for the blog. A site does not require to have a blog but there is always the option to have one.

A page is a static page that are not listed by date. Examples of a page are the contact us, about, and product pages. These do not change except when updated or deleted.

Comments

Comments are interactions between your site visitors and yourself.

By default comments are on but can be shut off.

Please use a comment spam blocker to avoid comment spam.

Media for your site

Images, videos, and PDF’s can be uploaded to your site.

The Media Library saves all of your uploaded media and gives you options on how to use the media.

Please remember to not use copyrighted media without the express consent of the owner.

Next Wednesday’s Virtual ClassPosts vs Pages & Categories vs Tags http://wordpress.tv/2015/09/11/shanta-nathwani-posts-pages-categories-tags/

Introduction to the Dashboardhttp://wordpress.tv/2015/08/25/shanta-r-nathwani-introduction-to-the-dashboard

Jetpack Essentials for the Beginner Bloggerhttp://wordpress.tv/2015/08/21/jen-hooks-jetpack-essentials-for-the-beginner-blogger/

User Experience in WordPresshttp://wordpress.tv/2015/06/01/sara-cannon-user-experience-in-wordpress/

Homework for 09/30/2015

1. Make an outline of what you want on your website (Example Following)

2. Think of some content for your site. What do you want to say?

3. Start thinking of any media you want to put on your website but take into consideration copyright laws.

4. If you will want email with your site you can have up to 5 email addresses. We can set those up next meeting.

Website Outline Example1. Home2. About (Business)

a. Ownerb. Mission Statementc. Staff

3. Contact (Form)a. Business Hours

4. News (Blog)a. Category 1b. Category 2c. Category 3d. Archives

5. Products (Directory)a. Sub Menu

i. item 1ii. item 2

b. Sub Menui. item 1ii. item 2