Simple guide to becoming a WordPress expert
There are many questions about WordPress and how it works. That’s why, to help you further in creating or maintaining your new website, I wrote this post so you can learn everything about this powerful software.
First, what is WordPress?
WordPress is a CMS or Content Management System that allows you to create and publish content on the internet. It is designed for creating websites, blogs, and online stores. Developed in PHP, it uses databases (MySQL) to store all the data you manage (images, texts, etc.). It was created in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little.
According to data from Automattic, 31% of websites on the internet use it. It stands out from other CMSs due to its licensing, ease of use, and above all, its versatility.
WordPress is open-source software, which means it is free and available for personal and commercial use. It is distributed under the GPL license.
What’s the catch between .com vs .org?
Here’s the truth: there’s no difference in the software itself. Both platforms run the exact same WordPress code. The difference lies in how you access and use it. Both are great tools — it just depends on where you’re at and where you’re headed.
Use .com if you’re not tech-savvy, or if you want a quick, simple, beginner-friendly start and you’re okay with a few limits. This is perfect for beginners who want to launch a blog or website quickly and without diving into technical stuff. Ideal for beginners, bloggers, etc.
- Just choose your blog name, select a service plan (Free, Personal, Premium, or Business), and you’re up and running — no installations, no hosting, no database setup. Automatic takes care of it all for you.
- Hosting is provided and managed by WordPress. No need to purchase separate hosting services.
- Automatic updates, backups, and security handled by WordPress.
Choose .org if you want complete control, customization, room to grow and if you’re comfortable handling things like hosting and databases. Ideal for developers, businesses, and users requiring full control and customization capabilities.
- Requires you to purchase and manage your own hosting through a third-party provider.
- You are responsible for updates, backups, and security measures.
- You can install any plugin, any theme, customize everything, and even monetize your site however you like.
Administration screens
The administration screen provides access to the control features of your WordPress installation.
Posts
Posts are publications that will feed your blog. You can categorize them according to the topic they belong to and also use tags to further classify them and aid in SEO.
Essentially, posts are what make up a blog. They represent the dynamic part of your site, continually updated with new content related to the goal of your business.
Within the body of each post, you can add links, photos, and videos. Additionally, you can include a featured image related to the post, which will appear at the top of the entry.
Posts can be classified according to their format into:
- Standard
- Quote
- Video
- Audio
- Gallery
- Link
To help you organize your blog, WordPress offers two built-in tools and together, they make your content easier to browse and discover:
Are fixed and will always contain multiple posts. This organization allows readers to click on a category and see all posts sorted by that type.
I recommend setting up your category structure before starting your blog and keeping it to no more than 10 categories.
For instance, if you write about culture, your categories might include: Interviews, Chronicles, News, Reports, etc. And your tags might include: music, cinema, theatre, books, etc. You can also add tags like the city, venue name, artist name, etc.
Pages
A page is where you’ll put all the static content that doesn’t need frequent updates. Examples of pages include legal information, cookie policies, about you, portfolio, services or products, and contact details.
Pages cannot be categorized or tagged. They can only be organized into pages and subpages.
Builder
It’s a plugin that you install in WordPress, allowing you to design the website you want with little or no coding knowledge. With just drag-and-drop functionality or a few clicks, you can have your website completed in just a few hours. The advantage is the speed and the minimal knowledge required to use it, enabling you to create a more visually appealing and attractive design.
Currently, WordPress has its own free visual editor called Gutenberg . According to its creators, it is designed to revolutionize the publishing experience. And it seems to have achieved this, as by 2021, it already had over 300,000 active installations.
Other popular but paid site builders include Divi by Elegant Themes, Page Builder by SiteOrigin, Beaver Builder , Elementor and my personal favorite, WP Bakery (formerly known as Visual Composer).
However, its biggest drawback is that these page builders use shortcodes that only the plugin can interpret. This means that once you use one to build your website, you have to continue using it until you decide to redesign your site.
Appearance
This section lets you control how your site looks and feels. From choosing a theme to customizing menus, widgets, and layouts, this is where you shape your site's visual identity. Whether you’re going for minimal, bold, or something totally custom, this is your creative control center.
Themes
A theme or template is a set of files that defines the appearance of your website. This includes fonts, colors, logos, layout, content distribution, and more.
WordPress comes with 3 very basic themes upon installation, but there are thousands of themes (both free and paid) created by developers that you can choose from. You can visit the official WordPress repository for a selection.
Are more basic in customization and offer far fewer advantages compared to paid ones. However, this doesn’t mean they’re not good. In fact, free themes are great for getting started. They allow you to experiment with functionalities and get used to using WordPress.
There are many websites like Theme Forest and Template Monster where you can find amazing paid themes for all types of businesses. Paid themes, once purchased, are yours for life, but updates and technical support generally last for only 1 year.
I recommend that before purchasing a theme, you conduct thorough research on different template websites. Compare the functionalities of each theme, the number of plugins included, and check the reviews of each developer. This ensures that you are buying a theme that will last you many years and that you will have support from the developer in case of any issues.
Widgets
It’s a small piece of code used to add specific functionalities to designated areas (widget areas). Generally, widgets are placed in sidebars (left/right), the footer, and sometimes in the header, depending on the theme.
In widgets, you can include elements such as recent blog posts, categories, your Twitter timeline, and more.
Plugins
Plugins are software that allow you to add additional features not included in your theme. For example, if you want to track the number of visitors to your website, display your latest Instagram photos, or make your website multilingual, you would need a plugin for each function.
There are many plugins available, both paid and free. The difference lies in the complexity of the functions these plugins perform.
You can find plugins directly in your WordPress panel under the Plugins section, or you can download them from websites like CodeCanyon . Always try to source plugins from the developer’s website or certified plugin sales sites to avoid potential issues with malicious code that could harm your website.
Paid plugins, once purchased, are yours for life, but updates and technical support generally last for only one year.
Remember to back up your website before installing any plugins and avoid overloading your site with too many plugins to prevent performance issues.
Users
Are used to differentiate the level of access a person has within the blog’s admin panel. They define the set of tasks that users are allowed to perform. This means a person can create, modify, and/or delete content depending on the type of role (profile) assigned to them.
WordPress has 5 predefined roles for its users:
- Administrator: grants access to all administrative features (code, themes, plugins, pages, posts, users, etc.) of a particular site.
- Editor: can publish and edit posts, both their own and those of other users.
- Author: can publish and edit their own posts.
- Contributor: can write and edit their own posts but cannot publish them. An editor must review and publish these posts.
- Subscriber: used by regular visitors. Can only edit their profile and comment on posts.
FAQ's
- A domain
- A hosting
- A theme
A domain is the unique name given to a website on the internet, allowing anyone to access it. In my case, it's ireneabongiorno.com
The domain can be any word you choose, as long as it is available. Domain extensions can vary according to the nature of the website. There are now hundreds of extensions to choose from, but .com and .net remain the most common.
Imagine for a moment the folders and files you store on your computer's hard drive. A website is made up of many files and needs a "place" to be stored, but that place must be always operational so it’s available 24/7 to anyone who wants to view it from anywhere in the world. These computers, known as servers, are connected to the internet 24/7 through a network with a higher bandwidth than home connections.
Web hosting companies sell storage space, known as hosting, to store anyone's website on their servers.
Some of the hosting providers I recommend are GoDaddy , Ionos y Raiola Networks .
Of course, you can, but it's generally better to have a single provider for both services. This will save you headaches and time when making claims or resolving any issues with the services. Additionally, your website will load a bit faster.
You can migrate all your posts, images, and comments. However, the structure and design will need to be created from scratch, as these cannot be migrated.
I always recommend that my clients update to the latest official version of WordPress to avoid vulnerabilities. However, the first thing I suggest is to make a complete backup of your entire installation, including posts, pages, and the database, before proceeding with any updates.
When it comes to updating themes and plugins, I recommend doing so only if the developer specifies in the changelog that the new version is 100% compatible with your current version of WordPress.
I hope you found this post helpful! If you did, give it a like, share it with someone who’s debating between WordPress.com and .org 🚀