…for beginners Class #3
Logistics • New WiFi password • newusername: event0988 • newpassword: ve44_vv78_qh27 • New slides on website: http://seeMeRoar.com • Recommended read: • WordPress for Dummies (5th ed.) • free eBook: Getting Started with WordPress • Want more? 2-3 slots open in next week’s workshop: http://classesandworkshops.com/computer-classes/wordpress-workshop/
SeeMeRoar sites go away in 1 week • http://seeMeRoar.com > “Get Hosting” • OK: Dreamhost (infinite disk space, but slow/limited) • 2-weeks* FREE (*always if 501c3) • usually $120/year but I’ve provided some discounts: • sign up at http://tinyurl.com/JonPress & enter code: • wp2013 = $40 off (makes it $80 for 1 year of hosting) • wp2013domain = $30 off + extra free domain for life • wp2013ip = $20 off + extra free domain + free unique IP • GREAT: MediaTemple (very fast, many different plans) • 15% off: http://tinyurl.com/hostMT • …during signup, use special offer code “jonpeck”
Course Roadmap • Internet Basics • Dashboard, Administration • Posts vsPages • Editing: rich- vsHTML; Drafts/Visibility/Pubdate • Navigation, Parents, Order • Media library (& links to) • Comments • Settings: title/tagline, etc • Permalinks • Homepage / posts page • Header & Background img • Updating • User management • Import/Export • Widgets • Themes: find, customize • Other ways of posting • Email • bookmarklet (“press this”) • iOS/Tablet apps • Plugins • SEO, videos, music/audio • E-Commerce, PayPal • shortcodes, inserting PHP
User Management • Generally, these are people who contribute to and/or manage your site • Unique usernames & email addresses • Can have one, or many Users, of various levels • Subscriber: has a profile but can’t contribute • Useful for knowing your reader base and/or with plugins • Contributor: create posts, but not publish • An Editor would approve (publish) their drafts • Author: can publish their own posts • Editor: can create/manage any post or page • Administrator: can do everything (& add/del Users)
Other ways of posting Bookmarklet: add this to your browser bookmarks Post via email: can do via a dedicated GMail account, but DANGEROUS! Check this to use the Android/iPhone app…
Android/iPhone/iPad app
Export: text content only, not images/themes/etc(for better exports, use BackupBuddy)
Import: from other Blogs, or from an Export
WordPress Multisite (WPMU) • Allows many sites on one WordPress Installation • Adds a ”Network Admin” user level to manage sites • Individual sites can have their own Admins, but have some features removed (can only install Plugins/Themes the Net Admin has approved, etc) • A little complex to set up, should do when first install WordPress on your host: see this guide
eCommerce in 3 not-so-easy steps • get a PayPal account (or a full Payment Processor) • For most purposes a “Personal” account is fine • they accept payments for you (incl Credit Cards), then you transfer $ to your bank account on a regular basis • view, refund, manage payments at http://PayPal.com • install/configure a PayPal plugin (there are lots!): • single “buy now” buttons: Easy PayPal Custom Fields • single w/ custom forms: CP Contact Form with Paypal • cart: WordPress Ultra Simple Paypal Shopping Cart • for custom forms w/ Ultra Simple, also install cforms II (complex) • full shopping setups: WooCommerce, WP e-Commerce, Easy Digital Downloads (not just for digital goods, AFAIK) • sell stuff!
PayPal standard = annoying! or
PayPal Pro +plugin = stay on site! or
MUST-HAVE Plugins • Security:WordFence • …and maybe Captcha too • Backups: • Online Backup for WordPress: full schedulable file & database backup; requires a professional to restore • Better (but not free / $80): BackupBuddy easy backup, restore, and migrate without a programmer’s help • Editing pages: TinyMCE Advanced • Analytics: Google Analytics • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): • WordPress SEO by Yoast: complex but great • Google XML Sitemaps (also hits Bing, Yahoo) • to add pics to searches: Google Plus Author Info {
Useful Plugins • Audio: MP3-jPlayer or HTML5 jQuery Audio Player • Video: Smart YouTube PRO or YouTube Shortcode • Shortcodes: [name param=“value”] • Categories for Media Library: Media Category Library • Image Gallery/LightBox: NextGen Gallery • Sliders: SlideDeck2 • Make nav menu items go elsewhere: Redirection • Hide pages from nav: Exclude Pages from Navigation
Useful Plugins • Post lists on multiple pages: TPG Get Posts • Social: Social Media Widget • Favicon: All-in-One Favicon • Calendar: All-in-One Event Calendar or Google Calendar • Forms: • Contact Form or Contact Form 7 • Google Forms (surveys, etc) • Membership: s2Member (adds paid members, protected downloads, membership levels, etc)
Workshop time / Future classes • Next week’s workshop: http://classesandworkshops.com/computer-classes/wordpress-workshop/ • If you want to contact me in the future: admin@jonpeck.com • Occasional questions are fine! • More in-depth consulting/site-building: $50/hr
