Getting Started with WordPress

There are many ways to get started with WordPress, and thus, many questions surrounding where to begin. Should you choose WordPress.com or WordPress.org? Where should you look for themes? What plugins should you get? Come and learn how to get up and running quickly. We’ll navigate through the various web hosts, themes and plug-ins to get your website up and running in no time. Learn the best place to get started with your next website!

Transcript

1. WordPress: Up & Running AJ Morris
2. About • Working with WordPress on and off since 2006. • Develop Themes & Plugins • Consult as Freelancer • Work for CovenantEyes, Inc
4. Do I need a blog?
5. How a Blog helps your Business • Way of branding yourself • Gives you creditability • Reach customers • Get feedback
6. WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
7. WordPress.com vs self- hosted WordPress • WP.com - basic service is free, add-ons such as domain, extra space, etc. cost more • WP.com - keeps you updated and backedup
8. Self-hosted WordPress • Need to pay for hosting • Need a domain • Need to keep it updated & backedup
9. Other differences? • Setup & Installation • WP.com - through signup • Self-hosted - varies by host
10. Other differences? • WP.com - Limited to 75 Themes + some premium themes • Self-hosted - Essentially limitless
11. Other differences? • WP.com - Widgets, but they release new ones from time to time • Self-hosted - Essentially limitless
12. Other differences? • WP.com - Monetizing, read their terms of use • Self-hosted - Monetize any way you want, ads, affiliates, etc.
13. Getting Started with self-hosted WordPress
14. Themes • Free - Available WP.org (Don’t search via Google!) • Premium - A few places
15. Free Themes
16. Free Themes • Don’t search for free themes! • Don’t search for free themes! • Some premium theme companies have a free / lightweight free theme
17. Premium Themes • Tons of places! Here’s just a few!
18. Premium Themes • Tons of places! Here’s just a few!
19. Premium Themes • Be careful of themeforest • Some developers produce crap code • Stick to the popular authors
20. Free Plugins • http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/ • Tons of Free plugins for just about anything! • Stick to the popular authors
21. Premium Plugins
22. Getting Started with self-hosted WordPress
23. Picking a Domain • Short • Catchy and memorable • Easy to pronounce • Easy to spell • Not too similar to competing domain names • Not a violation of someone else’s trademark
24. Domain Name • http://www.name.com/ • https://www.hover.com/ • http://www.namecheap.com/
25. Types of Web Hosts • Shared hosting account • Shared VPS • VPS • Dedicated • Managed WP Hosting
26. Selecting a Web Host • PHP 5.2.4 or higher • MySQL 5.0 or higher • Apache or nginx recommended • Check out http://wordpress.org/hosting/
27. Non-Managed Hosting
28. Managed Hosting
29. Ready to Begin? ✓ Domain ✓ Hosting ✓ WordPress Download
30. Install Time!
37. Beginner Resources • WP101 - http://bit.ly/wp101-gr2012 • WPBeginner - http://bit.ly/wpbeginner- gr2010 • WP Codex - http://bit.ly/wp-get-started- codex • Lynda.com - http://bit.ly/lynda-wp • Untame - http://bit.ly/get-going-wp
38. Questions?
39. Thank you!