WP101: Introduction to WordPress Elements

For Beginners! Introduction to the basic "elements" of WordPress: PAGES vs. POSTS, Templates, Plugins vs. Widgets. Learn the differences and when to use which element!

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1. ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
2. Announcements  Upcoming WordPress Meetups  SoCal: 3rd Wednesday  Topanga: 3rd Thursday  Pasadena  Orange County  WP 101 (this group): 1st Tuesday & 3rd Saturday **********************************  Please rate on Meetup!  Connect w/me on Social Media! (see my meetup Profile) ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
3. Tonight’s Topic: WordPress Elements  Pages  Posts  Templates  Plugins  Widgets ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
4.  Purpose: for “evergreen” or “static” content  Examples  HOME page  ABOUT page  CONTACT page  PRIVACY POLICY/DISCLOSURE  As PARENT for sub-pages, for user navigation  Codex: http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages  Difference from Posts:  No Categories or Tags  No Comments (typically) Pages ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
5.  What is a Post? ◦ Often most confusion… ◦ Posts are what makes WordPress so powerful!  If you’re coming from “static” html web sites ◦ Remember that WordPress is a CMS ◦ WordPress dynamically serves all content  Purpose: for current or news-y content  Examples: ◦ Articles (as on my sites) ◦ “Blog” posts (examples) ◦ Galleries ◦ Portfolios  Use Categories & Tags for organization Posts ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
6.  Purpose: for special-purpose content  If you’re coming from “static” html web sites, NOTE:  WordPress Templates are NOT “themes”  “HTML templates” duplicate the layout (structure & CSS) for “static” sites  “HTML templates” must be hand-coded to customize  Codex: http://codex.wordpress.org/Templates  Examples:  Articles (as on my sites)  “Blog” posts (examples)  Galleries  Portfolios  Sales Pages  “Squeeze” Pages Templates ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
7. Plugins  What is a Plugin?  Think “applets”  WP Codex: http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins  Why…  …use them?  …aren’t they included in WordPress? ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
8. Plugins (continued)  Two Types  Internal: ◦ add functionality to your Dashboard or "backend“ ◦ They do not impact your site load times!  External: ◦ add functionality to your site or "frontend“ ◦ These DO impact your site load times ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
9. Plugins (continued)  Examples  Internal: ◦ Post Notes ◦ Lorem Ipsum ◦ Duplicate Posts ◦ Editorial Calendar  External: ◦ Subscribe Form (such as MailChimp) ◦ Adsense ◦ Related Posts ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
10. Plugins (continued) I Use & Recommend  Internal:  Akismet*  SEO  Backup  XML Sitemap  Cache  External:  Related Posts  Contact Form  Adsense  Subscribe Form *shipped with WordPress! ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
11.  Purpose:  for special-purpose content & “features” (not “functionality”)  Adds content to specific areas ◦ Header ◦ Footer ◦ Sidebar(s)  Widgets are NOT the same as PLUGINS!  Theme-specific Widgets ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
12.  Codex: http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Widgets  Examples:  Twitter Feed (real-time)  Recent Comments  “Editorial” Theme  “Headlines” Theme  “Karma” Theme  Theme Widgets: MySiteMyWay Themes Widgets (continued) ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com
13. ©2014 Karen McCamy  FreelanceTechnologyReview.com