Wordpress beginners - here you go, a getting started guide

[Kezz]

I've noticed a tonne of questions popping up all over the place about Wordpress, and I've mentioned before that I plan to put together some screencasts showing everyone how to use it.

So far I just haven't been able to find the time unfortunately, but to get you all going I thought I'd at least assemble some of the existing videos that are already out there, so you can use this as a "Getting started" guide for Wordpress.

These videos reflect my own process for setting up new Wordpress sites, with the absolute essentials covered. There are some other things I do often as well, but these are the steps that get followed every time.

Some of these are a little old, but I've found the best ones available, and they should still give you enough of a start to understand what to do.

Hope this is helpful to everyone trying to setup their first Wordpress sites!


Install Wordpress

* Install with Fantastico:

YouTube - MEWEBHOST - Wordpress Tutorial - How To...

* Install manually, through cPanel:

YouTube - How to Install WordPress 2.7 through...

Setup SEF permalinks:

YouTube - How to setup permalinks in wordpress

Activate Akismet (block spam comments):

YouTube - How To Setup Akismet In Wordpress

Install plugins:

YouTube - How To Easily Search For And Install...

Plugins I personally install as a "must have" each time:

All-In-One SEO
- allows you to optimize your entire blog for search engines - WordPress › All in One SEO Pack WordPress Plugins

Google (XML) Sitemaps
- creates a Google friendly XML sitemap of your site - Google (XML) Sitemaps Generator for WordPress

MaxBlogPress Ping Optimizer
- prevents you from inadvertantly putting out an excess of pings and being marked a ‘ping spammer’ - WordPress › MaxBlogPress Ping Optimizer WordPress Plugins



Install new theme:

* Install a theme in 2.8

YouTube - WordPress 2.8 - How To Install Themes...

* Install a theme in 2.7

YouTube - How to Install a WordPress Theme or...

Configure All In One SEO:

YouTube - Proper Configuration Of The "All In One...

Configure Google XML Sitemaps:

YouTube - Google XML Sitemaps And What To Do With...

Configure MaxBlogPress Ping Optimizer (annoying music, sorry, was the only one):

YouTube - mcbigboy's SEO Blog Plug-In...

I do plan to get around to putting together some up to the minute material, but hopefully this helps in the meantime.

[acedalright]

Good work Kezza mate it's posts like this that make the forum still worth while.

Now if everyone could just add a little value, imagine what we would all learn?


Cheers mate!

[Kezz]

Aww, thanks mate! Appreciation like that makes posting help worthwhile for me!

Gonna have to thank you back

[KaylaB]

Hi Kezz,

These are great videos. Now if only I knew about them last year when I started they would have saved me a lot of time. I learned the hard way!

[Jenb]

I'm setting up my first Wordpress site, starting today. I will be using these, so thank you so much for posting them here, much appreciated!

[Kezz]

Hey folks, you're welcome!

[Kevin AKA Hubcap]

Hi Kezz

Great videos. If I may suggest a few topics; how about how to change a header (along with a theme that lends itself to customization), how to strip a page of unwanted items such as recent posts etc. and hot to make a custom template.

As I said earlier, great videos and thanks.

Kevin

[Kezz]

I'm actually about to start recording some training videos for a free training center, so thanks for the suggestions on topics.

So by a theme that lends itself to customization, you mean some videos showing you how to actually go about customizing such a theme? Do you have any specific themes in mind that you'd like to see training videos on?

And by stripping a page of recent posts, do you mean removing a recent posts widget from the sidebar, or do you mean having your wordpress site behave as a static website rather than a blog?

[zapseo]

Please, please install Wordpress 2.8.4 -- thank you!

Your hosting company may not have upgraded cpanel/fantastico to install 2.8.4 -- but it is VERY SIMPLE to install Wordpress outside of cpanel/fantastico.

There has been an explosion of hacker attacks attacking weaknesses in wordpress versions prior to 2.8.4.

Here are the "5 minute (manual) instructions" from Wordpress.org

Installing WordPress WordPress Codex

I am, of course, available for wordpress installs and upgrades to 2.8.4 for a nominal fee.

Live JoyFully!

Judy

[dubhlinn]

Thank you Kess these are very helpful.

[Kezz]

Originally Posted by dubhlinn

Thank you Kess these are very helpful.

You're welcome

[pcpupil]

I found this site and i just used it to put up my first wordpress site.
Im new so it was a big help.And i am not affiliated with it in anyway.
Just thought i would postit here if im allowed.
[building killer websites dot com].
Its for wordpress and has a free ebook.

[Kezz]

Looks like a pretty good site! I did notice that the ebook is $27 though. Did you manage to pick it free somehow?

[pcpupil]

I have the ebook,but i didnt pay for it.Ill go check back at the site and see how i did it.
Maybe its free if you sighn up on his list.Ill go now and then get back right away.
Matt

[lazavas]

thank u thank u thank u fellow aussie!

[pcpupil]

Well crap.He must have started charging for it or something.Also spmeone can go here and check his blog.Just use his main site then use right slash[/blog].
He has everything posted so ya dont even need the ebook.
The other thing would be for someone to join his list and see if ya get the ebook for free.I cant,because im already on his list.
Maybe ill try again with my gmail account.
Matt

[maab]

Thanks for the great videos....I find this stuff quite confusing sometimes...watching videos is so much easier than reading

[lazavas]

hey guys

i have a question, how do i remove the login link on the right hand side? does that make sense? so when visitors come to my site they cant see it? hope that makes sense, and what is the latest adsense plugin? the one im using is shylock which im assuming is older as the ads arent showing up on my site after i added the adsense code, cheers

[lazavas]

i bought a domain when Michael Jackson passed away to set up a tribute site, ive been working on it today, now please go easy on me as im still just learning wordpress, and this is early stages of the site, can u give me some feedback please people? Michael Jackson Tribute Site

[pcpupil]

Well i tried with my gmail account and only recieved the 5 free themes.
He must have only had it free for a while when he was collecting his list.
Anyway,Kezz has done a fantastic job of posting the videos.Between her vids and the site i suggested there should be more than enough info to please everyones tastes.
Remember to check out the blog,thats where theres a lot of step by step with pics,ect...
Matt

[Sophist]

Great tutorials Kezz. That's some very valuable material material that Im sure will make everybody's lives much easier.

I'll be pm'ing you shortly.

Cheers.

[jacktb]

Good tutorials indeed.

Kezz, can you include a video about upgrading to a new wordpress version?

kudo's and thanks!

[Aitor Astobieta]

Incredible!

You know how much some people will pay for that material you have posted on Wordpress?

Thank you so much!