Wednesday, March 07, 2007

New To WordPress - Where to Start

If you are new to WordPress (http://www.wordpress.org/) and you're worried about where to start, you've come to the right place! Here is a very simple step-by-step plan for getting started with WordPress. Please remember, if you need help along the way, plenty of options for assistance are listed in this article. Welcome to the exciting world of WordPress!

After installing WordPress and going through the following process step-by-step, consider making your first plugin installation the Codex and Forum Searcher Plugin (http://asymptomatic.net/2005/07/20/1765/codex-searcher/). It allows you to search both the WordPress Codex and WordPress Support Forum (http://www.wordpress.org/support) from your WordPress Administration Panels. Click on one of the search results and the page will open in a new window or tab so you can have the article or discussion open while working on WordPress. This will make your transition to WordPress a much gentler one with information right at your finger tips.



Step One - Read

Before you invest your valuable time and energy into installing WordPress, there are some documents you need to read. WordPress is a great product; it's easy-to-use, it's quite powerful, but it isn't necessarily the site software for everyone. Just like building a house, you have to use the right tool for the right job.


Step Two - Make a Plan

Based upon the information you've just read, including instructions on installing WordPress, you should have a list of the things you need, and the things you need to do. If not, make that list now--you'll want to make sure it includes the following information:

The following documents will help you understand more about how WordPress works and how to make a plan for your WordPress site:

It is important to make a plan about how you want to use WordPress on your site. Here are some questions to ask yourself. Make a list of the answers so you can add to your plan.

  • Will you install WordPress in the root directory, subdirectory, or you just want to make a test site to make sure you want to use it?
  • Have you made a list of your site Categories? Understand that WordPress can only order Categories alphabetically by name or by ID (order entered through the Manage > Categories screen), so if the display order of your Categories is important to you, start making your list of Categories.
  • Have you made a list of Pages you may want to add to your site, such as About, Contact, or Events?

Step Three - Install WordPress

With this information and your plan, it's time to install WordPress.

Step Four - Set Up WordPress

With your installation complete, it's time to set up WordPress so it will work the way you want it to work. As you change various settings, it is recommended you view how those changes impact your site by frequently clicking the View Site link at the top of the Administration Screen. Though you may choose to do these steps in any order, your site will cause you fewer problems if you proceed in the following order:

Take time to explore the WordPress Codex site, the official documentation site for WordPress. You'll find helpful information by reading WordPress Lessons, and these helpful documents:

Presentation and Themes

With the new WordPress version 1.5, changing the look of your WordPress website is possible with just a few clicks. Here is a list of resources and information about changing the look of your site with WordPress Themes.

At this point, there may be something about your Theme choice that is bothering you, or, you really want to get your hands dirty understanding how your WordPress Theme works. These simple guides to help customize your WordPress Theme:

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