Why is learning to manage web content useful?
- You don't want to rely on a developer.
- You'd like to expand your professional skills.
- You want to build your personal/organizational brand.
- You want to become a designer, information architect, or developer.
What is WordPress?
An open source content management system!
A content management system or CMS eliminates the need for any kind of programming by the users of a web publishing system.
Open source software – including the underlying programming code – is licensed for anyone to freely use, copy and modify in any way they choose.
WordPress Powers 27% of the Web
Millions of websites are built on WordPress, including:
WordPress has Four Parts
- WordPress Core
- A database
- A theme
- Plugins
Websites have Two Parts
What the Visitor Sees
- The website homepage, content pages, search pages, etc.
What the Site Manager Sees
- The WordPress Dashboard
- Administrative pages to edit content
- Tools to manage menus
- Tools to manage site settings
- Lots of other tools!
WordPress Permissions
- Subscriber – somebody who can only manage their profile.
- Contributor – somebody who can write and manage their own posts, but cannot publish them.
- Author – somebody who can publish and manage their own posts.
- Editor – somebody who can publish and manage posts, including the posts of other users.
- Administrator – somebody who has access to all of the administration features within a single site.
- Super Admin (multi-site installations only) – somebody with access to the site network administration features and all other features.
Where to Start: WordPress.com or WordPress.org?
WordPress.com
- Free websites and hosting
- The URL will always include wordpress.com (e.g. https://bethsoderberg.wordpress.com/).
- Paid upgrades (e.g. using your own domain name)
- Restrictions on theme, plugin, and customization
- Free personalized support
Where to Start: WordPress.com or WordPress.org?
WordPress.org
- Free download of WordPress software to run on your own server
- Can fully customize all parts of the website
- Access to support forums
Plugin Directory
- WordPress.org Plugin Directory plugins are reviewed, but can be submitted by anyone. There are also premium versions of some plugins.
- A limited number of plugins are available on WordPress.com.
Resources
Online
* paid
** only for sites on WordPress.com