As a new user to WordPress, you’ll soon discover that this platform is a powerful tool to create and manage websites. Here at Ribbon Gang, we’ve got you covered with a crash course in the basics of WordPress. This guide will help you navigate through the initial stages of setting up your business’s website, no matter where you are in Australia, Singapore or South-East Asia.

Understanding the WordPress Dashboard

When you first log into your WordPress site, you’re greeted by the dashboard. This is the control panel for your website where you can add new content, manage existing content, and change the overall look and feel of your site. On the left-hand side of the dashboard, you’ll see a vertical menu. This is where you’ll find most of the features you’ll be using:

• Posts: Here you can create new blog posts, manage existing ones, and organise your posts into categories and tags.
• Media: This is where you can upload and manage media files like images, videos, and documents.
• Pages: This section allows you to create and manage static pages on your site like an ‘About Us’ page or a ‘Contact’ page.
• Comments: Here you can manage the comments left on your blog posts by visitors.
• Appearance: This section allows you to change the look of your site. You can choose a new theme, manage your site’s menus and widgets, and edit your site’s code.
• Plugins: Plugins are additional pieces of software that you can add to your site to extend its functionality. In this section, you can add, remove, and manage plugins.
• Users: Here you can manage the people who have access to your site. You can add new users, edit existing ones, and change their roles and capabilities.
• Settings: This section allows you to configure your site’s basic settings like the site title, tagline, date format, and more.

Pages vs Posts

Understanding the difference between pages and posts is essential in WordPress. Posts are time-based entries that are displayed in reverse chronological order on your blog page. They’re ideal for regular content updates, news items, or articles. Pages, on the other hand, are more static and timeless in nature. They’re ideal for content like ‘About Us’, ‘Contact Us’, or ‘Services’ that doesn’t change frequently.

Themes and Plugins

WordPress themes are the design templates that dictate the appearance of your website. There are thousands of free and premium themes available for you to use. Plugins, on the other hand, are like apps for your website. They add additional features and functionality that aren’t included in WordPress by default.

Comments and Users

Comments allow your website visitors to engage with your content, and you have full control over them. You can moderate, edit, delete, and reply to comments. You can also control who can register on your site and assign different roles to different users.

This is just a basic overview. If you’re ever stuck or need further assistance, Ribbon Gang offers personalised support across Australia and South-East Asia. Just reach out to us through our support/ticketing form or request a new knowledge base article through a separate form. Remember, WordPress may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but with time and practice, it will become second nature. Stay tuned for our next guide, which will walk you through setting up a new WordPress site.