WP for beginners? How do I set this thing up? I'm totally confused

17 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
  • |
Hi to All,

I'm so confused right now with this Worpress thing. I've already installed it and have installed the Atuhualpa theme, I think it's called. But I don't even know where to start.

All I want to do is to create a simple Adsense website (very basic), not a blog. So far, I've gone in to create "pages". I copy and paste my text in the box, and put in a title. So when I click publish and view the page, the title shows up as a tab right under my header. First of all, I don't want any tabs up top.

All I want is a left hand sidebar that shows clickable links to all my main pages or (tier 2 pages). But I just can't seem to figure out how to do that. I've tried so many different ways, but just can't seem to understand how to get something that seems so simple to work for me.

I'm not techie at all. And I've gone to a few websites for WP beginners tutorials. But I still can't seem to follow them.

So far, I haven't installed any plugins. I'm not sure which ones I will need anyway.

I just want to start adding content to my website.

Another problem I'm having is adding the sidebar links. I'm just confused.

Will somebody please guide me a little?

Thanks!
#beginners #confused #set #thing #totally
  • Profile picture of the author Jesus Perez
    Pages will appear at the top with that theme. So delele your page.

    Posts will appear on the right sidebar only if you've enabled the "Recent Posts" widget.

    Go to your Admin area, click on Appearance > Widgets and find the one called "Recent Posts". Drag it to the correct sidebar box on the right side of your screen. This will enable Recent Posts to appear on the sidebar.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991525].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author supergirl
      Originally Posted by Jesus Perez View Post

      Pages will appear at the top with that theme. So delele your page.

      Posts will appear on the right sidebar only if you've enabled the "Recent Posts" widget.

      Go to your Admin area, click on Appearance > Widgets and find the one called "Recent Posts". Drag it to the correct sidebar box on the right side of your screen. This will enable Recent Posts to appear on the sidebar.
      Hi Jesus,

      Thanks for your input. I'm trying to build a website, not a blog. I just want it look like a basic website with pages linking to each other.

      But I also did the drag and drop with the "Pages" widget. But I still couldn't seem to set it up right.

      Thanks anyway.

      I'm a real dummy when it comes to this kind of stuff. LOL
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991826].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author stevebcfc
    Whenever i get stuck with wordpres i just go to u-tube and search for a video on the subject im stuck on, example "left hand sidebar wordpress" there are thousands of them, then log into wordpress in one tab and have the video in anouther tab, and just follow along, works for me, good luck steve.
    Signature

    Have A Good Day

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991567].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author supergirl
      Originally Posted by stevebcfc View Post

      Whenever i get stuck with wordpres i just go to u-tube and search for a video on the subject im stuck on, example "left hand sidebar wordpress" there are thousands of them, then log into wordpress in one tab and have the video in anouther tab, and just follow along, works for me, good luck steve.
      Hi,

      This is exactly what I did. I found a couple videos on YouTube today regarding WP sidebars, but I still didn't quite follow them. I can almost always go there to find step-by-step videos about anything. It's wonderful.

      But I'll keep searching. I'm sure I'll find just the right one for me. I think this is what I'm going to have to do every step of the way in learning how to use WordPress.

      Thanks!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991857].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
        Atahualpa isn't simple for beginners - but with practice you can make any kind of site you want with it.

        To remove the menubar from the header - click on Atahualpa Theme Options in the wordpress menu.

        Then, in the theme options menu, go to Header Area/Style and Edit Header Area.

        In the "configure header area" box delete %pages. That will delete the page menubar.

        If you need more help, PM me. Are you a skype user?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991888].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author supergirl
          Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

          Atahualpa isn't simple for beginners - but with practice you can make any kind of site you want with it.

          To remove the menubar from the header - click on Atahualpa Theme Options in the wordpress menu.

          Then, in the theme options menu, go to Header Area/Style and Edit Header Area.

          In the "configure header area" box delete %pages. That will delete the page menubar.

          If you need more help, PM me. Are you a skype user?
          Thanks,

          I think I'm just going to go with a much simpler theme, like the WP default theme. But I really appreciate your help. If I do decide to use this theme in the future and experience any problems with it, I'll definitely contact you then.

          Thank you much!
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991978].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Vincenzo Oliva
    My advice would be to start with a much simpler theme. I know the "Atuhualpa" theme and all the options can be overwhelming.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991596].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author supergirl
      Originally Posted by Vincenzo Oliva View Post

      My advice would be to start with a much simpler theme. I know the "Atuhualpa" theme and all the options can be overwhelming.
      Thanks. But I thought Atuhualpa was a simple theme. Can you suggest a really simple theme for using Adsense?

      I'm going to start out with Adsense, then eventually add a few affiliate ads I think.

      Thanks!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991843].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author satrap
    I am no expert. But I think this will help you a bit. Here is a simple way to get almsot what you want with wordpress:



    1- Find a simple theme with not many features. I would suggest using the default wp them. Its simple and doesn't have all the extra stuff that other themes have that you don't need

    2- Write your articles for each page, but instead of publishing it using the "add a new page" feature, use "add a new post". Then each of your posts will be a page. (use the "add a page" to make pages like "about", "contact me" and things like that.)

    3- And if you don't want the sidebar to show "recent posts" and instead you want it to say "navigation", "pages" or whatever else you want, Go to Appearance- editor- and find the sidebar.php file. Open it up and search for "recent posts" text and change it to whatever you want it to say "pages" or navigation" or whatever.

    As a beginner its hard to use wordpress the way you want. In wordpress usually when you create a page it automatically shows up in the navigation link. But to make page the way you want, you need to use "add a post" features whcih whatever content you publish using it becomes a separate page.


    There are so many wp expert on this forum that I am sure will reply to you here and give you the right answers.

    I was in the same situation last year. I was so confused. I spent days and weeks trying to learn things. You will get through it. Just keep working and trying. I know now it all seems so crazy. Every time you figure out how to solve one problem, you face another one that takes you another few days to solve and it just keeps going like that. You feel like you can not understand these things ever and your just so frustrated because all you want is a simple site with a few pages where you can start publishing your articles and add a few adsense on it.

    But don't worry, this learning process actually helps you much more than just teaching you how to do the technical things. And trust me, you are not losing any money by not having your adesne ads up and running. There is much more to making money with adsense than making a site and putting a few page of content on it. It takes time and hard work. But if you commit yourself to it, you will get there. I just want you be realistic so you don't become disappointed.



    By the way, If you think you cant do the 3 steps above, contact me and give me your log in info and I will set it up for you for free. I don't mind it, but I would suggest you do it yourself because in the long run its much better for you to learn things than to have things handed to you. Either way I will be glad to help much as I can. Good luck.
    Signature
    60 Awesome Ways to Make Money Without a Job
    .................................
    Check out my blog Survey Satrap featuring honest reviews of paid survey sites.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991799].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
      I agree with the above.

      You are complicating the process for yourself.

      I'd browse around for a simple template - or even do a search on google for "adsense wordpress theme"

      I'd suggest get a site up for the sake of getting it up - and if you are unhappy with the theme stuff keep in mind you can change the theme at any time. Just get one you can live with for now - simpler the better.

      When you change a theme, your primary content will stay.

      Otherwise if you have the patience and the time, please know it will likely take you a bit of time before you are able to customize a theme the way you want it.

      The last option is to hire a designer here on the forum (or elsewhere) (can be done fairly inexpensively) and let them take a couple of days to get you what you want.
      Signature

      "May I have ten thousand marbles, please?"

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991830].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
        I agree with the others that you should start with an easy theme, the 2010 theme that you will find in the dashboard theme section should be fine. I've got loads of blogs but I don't find Atuhualpa easy to set up.

        The beauty of wordpress is that you can experiment and not mess up too much. Try the different options using 2 browsers, one for the dashboard and one for siteview and refresh the page every time you change something. If you don't like what you see change it back.

        Use posts for your articles not pages and don't worry too much about plugins, the more you have the more problems you can create for your site. The only ones I wouldn't be without are All in One Seo, Akismet, Google XML Sitemaps and Secure WordPress.

        Once you've got the hang of using wordpress with an easy theme you can easily change to something more to your liking, or try different themes until you find what you like. With a little patience you will probably start to enjoy running your blog.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991902].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author supergirl
        Originally Posted by avenuegirl View Post

        I agree with the above.

        You are complicating the process for yourself.

        I'd browse around for a simple template - or even do a search on google for "adsense wordpress theme"

        I'd suggest get a site up for the sake of getting it up - and if you are unhappy with the theme stuff keep in mind you can change the theme at any time. Just get one you can live with for now - simpler the better.

        When you change a theme, your primary content will stay.

        Otherwise if you have the patience and the time, please know it will likely take you a bit of time before you are able to customize a theme the way you want it.

        The last option is to hire a designer here on the forum (or elsewhere) (can be done fairly inexpensively) and let them take a couple of days to get you what you want.
        Hi Avenuegirl,

        Hiring a web designer right now is just out of the question for me. Can't afford that expense at this time.

        I'm just going to learn it on my own. I'm so ready to get my site up and running. But I think you're right when you say that I'm just making it difficult on myself. I'm taking everyone's advice here to just get a simple theme to work with.

        Thanks
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991967].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author supergirl
      Originally Posted by satrap View Post

      I am no expert. But I think this will help you a bit. Here is a simple way to get almsot what you want with wordpress:



      1- Find a simple theme with not many features. I would suggest using the default wp them. Its simple and doesn't have all the extra stuff that other themes have that you don't need

      2- Write your articles for each page, but instead of publishing it using the "add a new page" feature, use "add a new post". Then each of your posts will be a page. (use the "add a page" to make pages like "about", "contact me" and things like that.)

      3- And if you don't want the sidebar to show "recent posts" and instead you want it to say "navigation", "pages" or whatever else you want, Go to Appearance- editor- and find the sidebar.php file. Open it up and search for "recent posts" text and change it to whatever you want it to say "pages" or navigation" or whatever.

      As a beginner its hard to use wordpress the way you want. In wordpress usually when you create a page it automatically shows up in the navigation link. But to make page the way you want, you need to use "add a post" features whcih whatever content you publish using it becomes a separate page.


      There are so many wp expert on this forum that I am sure will reply to you here and give you the right answers.

      I was in the same situation last year. I was so confused. I spent days and weeks trying to learn things. You will get through it. Just keep working and trying. I know now it all seems so crazy. Every time you figure out how to solve one problem, you face another one that takes you another few days to solve and it just keeps going like that. You feel like you can not understand these things ever and your just so frustrated because all you want is a simple site with a few pages where you can start publishing your articles and add a few adsense on it.

      But don't worry, this learning process actually helps you much more than just teaching you how to do the technical things. And trust me, you are not losing any money by not having your adesne ads up and running. There is much more to making money with adsense than making a site and putting a few page of content on it. It takes time and hard work. But if you commit yourself to it, you will get there. I just want you be realistic so you don't become disappointed.



      By the way, If you think you cant do the 3 steps above, contact me and give me your log in info and I will set it up for you for free. I don't mind it, but I would suggest you do it yourself because in the long run its much better for you to learn things than to have things handed to you. Either way I will be glad to help much as I can. Good luck.
      Hi satrap,

      Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. I'm going to get back at it a little later today and try those steps. I sure hope I can get it right. I was thinking of using the basic WP theme at first, but I had been hearing so much good stuff about the Atahualpa theme that I just couldn't resist.

      I really do want to figure out on my own how to do this. But if I just can't seem to figure it all out, I'll give you a shout.

      Thanks a bunch!!!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991915].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author donhx
    Originally Posted by supergirl View Post


    I just want to start adding content to my website.


    Thanks!

    Many people think WP is fairly easy, including templates, and I suppose I am one of those.

    But there is something I have learned and hope you find helpful... many people simply do not learn well from reading a manual and/or by trial and error. They get lost and frustrated, and you may fall into that category.

    How can you learn quickly? Probably by you watching someone do it. Hands-on lessons. I bet you pick it up in 20 minutes that way.

    I usually don't recommend Craigslist, but this is ideal. Find a knowledgeable person in your area and pay them $25 for an hours training at a Starbucks. I bet you will find this a great investment that will save you hours of frustration.

    We all learn best in different ways. Do what works best for you.
    Signature
    Quality content to beat the competition. Personalized Author Services
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2991977].message }}
  • There are a number of resources online to help you as well as a few places that offer free videos.

    If you're objective is an Andsense site, then I would search for a theme that is built for Adsense. PM us if you need suggestions.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2992021].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author flowers4love
    I personally very much recommend the "regular" Twenty Ten 1.1. theme. It's very flexible and you can customize the graphics to fit your niche. It's also very user-friendly and easy to use. It also supports RTL languages it you want to make the site multilingual. Another theme I recommend is the BuddyPress Default 1.2.6; however it's a little bit more complex than the Twenty Ten 1.1. theme.
    Signature
    "Let Love Blossom Like a Flower in Spring"
    http://judaicaunlimited.com/
    You can use the coupon code "flowers4love" and receive a discount for any item from our 1000's items.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2992933].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ukbuddy2
    This is a nice easy one - Remedy theme

    I agree go youtube and look up you will defo find answers there

    Or google for 10 lessons on installing wordpress brings a plethora
    or the wp tuitorials are quite simple too
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2994678].message }}

Trending Topics