WordPress is today’s most flexible CMS performer, preferred by millions of users for all sorts of blogs and websites. The catchiest part about it is the lack of expenses, as the platform allows people to build custom blogs and professional websites at no cost. At the same time, mastering WordPress is made easy even for the least-savvy users, as the open source platform doesn’t require coding, and has a user-friendly interface and simple features.
That’s why we can confidently call WordPress the king of blogs and websites creation, which has recently become an essential skill which can lead you to your dream job the way Photoshop and PHP can. Check job boards, and you will confirm that by yourself.
For beginners and online startups, it is of vital importance to learn how to use this system, being probably one of the most rewarding investments they’ll ever make for the purpose of earning money. WordPress is a business platform, where retailers maintain e-shops, digital agencies sell services, and leading newspapers make content publicly available.
Technology improvements have only reinforced WordPress’s leadership position, and have made it even more relevant for foundational business operations. It is never too late to start learning more about it, and we are going to suggest you the best online resources, textbooks, and tutorials which can help you override the challenge.
1. Official WordPress Lessons
If you’re an absolute beginner in the WordPress world, we perceive official lessons to be the best course of action. Just go on WordPress.com, pick a theme, and follow instructions to customize it.
Most probably, you will be able to create pages, add menus, and attach multimedia content since day one, while fast learners may even go as far as designing for mobile usage. All of this speaks in favor of how easy and intuitive WordPress actually is, and how it leads non-savvy users to perfect websites in less than no time.
A good starting point for learning to use WordPress is to use the resources offered on the official site. These lessons go over all the basics, including picking a theme, customizing the site, creating pages and menus, making posts, using multimedia features to enhance a site, and even instructions on how to update a blog using a mobile device.
This site also includes a page that explains a lot of the lingo associated with web pages and blogs so that even beginners can quickly dive into the world of blogging without feeling completely lost. All the content on the official site is free.
2. WordPress TV
WordPress TV is a great source of knowledge for first-time learners that require a visual and comprehensive tutorial in order to grab hands around the system. Experienced users can also benefit from advanced tips on various topics, or ask questions directly in order to make the most of what this system offers.
A large portion of the content is devoted to plugins, add-ons, and out-of-the-box functions. The TV is based on community concepts, meaning that everyone can open a discussion, share a best practice, or upload a useful video.
3. WordPress Visual Quickstart Guide
Visual Quickstart Guide was designed for visual learns, whose favorite learning method is still the traditional textbook one. Here, all basics related to WordPress management are neatly explained, and users can familiarize with the entire process for setting blogs and websites and estimate the real value of their theme.
The book is brought to us by experienced business designers and is therefore written in a friendly and easy-to-digest tone, unlike technical guides that require coding knowledge to be understood.
4. WPBeginner
WPBeginner is another free resource designed for beginners, where you can read some interesting tricks, tips, and even hints related to this CMS that can’t be found in any similar tutorial. The concept is to show bloggers how to maximize WordPress benefits, and then offer some detailed training and consultancy services to help them hit off.
Within the guide, users will also find a handy glossary of lingo terms, and a number of practical articles they can use while building or maintaining their website. Some of those articles will treat common blogosphere issues and concerns, theme advice, and analyses of compatible plugins for every website.
5. Hongkiat
Hongkiat.com is mostly intended to serve designers, as it tackles more complex aesthetics issues, rather than explaining the core values of WordPress or the basis of its performance. You should consider it as your own resource for teaching future designers, as it explains all specific features, functions, and shortcodes editors will eventually need when running their websites. It is the most frequently praised WordPress tutorial and one users like to describe as the ‘perfect place to add value to your WordPress knowledge base’.
6. Lynda.com
Lynda.com is not free, but it is often essential for covering specific WordPress topics, and training professionals to use it. It is a suite of few different courses you can use depending on your membership plan, while the provider also offers a free trial version where you can examine the classes.
Crafted in a highly professional way, Lynda categorizes users as beginners, intermediate, and advanced ones, and adjusts the topics to be covered for each of them. The learning concept is interactive and interesting and offers access to highly technical information.
7. WordPress Codex
This is another resource hosted on WordPress.org, currently targeted as the most updated information/documentation resource and handiest manual for basic information seekers.
In it, you can read all details related to creating and running sites, or use it as an invaluable technical manual for complex installation and upgrades.
Using it, you will also learn how to join forums, link content to other important resources, or even troubleshoot issues and solve them yourself. There are even more advanced sections in the Codex that treat theme development and customization.
8. Udemy
Udemy is a type of interactive WordPress academy with more than 50 useful WordPress courses users can purchase at any time. Once brought to you, these courses can be reused to any point of time, and without any maintenance.
Each course features approximately thousands of interesting classes, testing quizzes, and tips for advanced users. Design students consider it to be a compulsory asset in their digital library, and they use it as their reference in all occasions.
9. WP101
WP101 is a frontrunner in the group of professional WordPress tutorials which walk users through the core functionality of this system. There, you will find all topics related to publishing content, installing plugins, optimizing performance, and customizing themes, but also read advanced-grad information related to custom fields, permalinks, theme updates, and much more.
All tutorials in the set are in fact creative videos which make learning WordPress easier than before and pay special attention to Yoast and its amazing SEO functions. Most hosting providers sell these videos to their users at a fraction of the price, so don’t forget to ask them for assistance.
10. Treehouse
Team Treehouse is a robust website where users can read amazing content, or watch inspiring videos in order to learn how to improve WordPress performance. Alongside basic WordPress tutorials, this website features advice on web design, IOS apps development, security software, and much more.
There are several different types of materials, including forum comments, transcripts, project files, and so on. The most recognizable feature is ‘Workspace’ where beginners can obtain their first coding skills, and test them using some of the interesting quizzes offered by the system.
Team Treehouse offers a special Android and iOS app which allows users to learn on the go, and the app is absolutely free of charge. As satisfied users confirm, there is almost no difference between the desktop and the mobile performance of this system.
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