Posted on 30 September, 2009 By
Kim Woodbridge
29 Comments
8 Online Resources for WordPress Beginners
![absolute beginner (by [auro])](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/64/229883776_68509a9401_m.jpg "absolute beginner (by [auro])")
Recently, I’ve been thinking about the questions people ask me about WordPress. There has never really been a comprehensive guide for WordPress beginners online. Many of us learned through trial and error and muddling along.
So, I’ve located the 8 best WordPress resources and tutorials for beginners and listed them in one location.
If you know of others, please let me know in the comments.
- Getting Started With WordPress – The best place for any WordPress information is the Codex. I know we complain about locating information there and that some of it is hard to understand, but for free software WordPress has some of the best user-generated documentation available. This link goes to the getting started guide and includes topics such as Installing WordPress, Changing File Permissions, Using WordPress Themes, and Creating Individual Pages.
- The Beginner’s Guide to Tricking Out Your WordPress Blog – Lifehacker has posted a beginner’s guide to using WordPress. The article was written by Gina Trapani, Lifehacker’s former editor. Topics covered include Initial Configuration, Must Have Plugins, and Sidebars and Widgets. Lifehacker is not powered by WordPress. ;-)
- WordPress For Beginners – Weblogtools Collection has a series of articles for beginners. I have linked to their WordPress for beginners category. There are a number of topics covering issues such as, Understanding User Roles (I always have to look that up for anything other than Admin), Exploring the Admin Dashboard, and Optimizing WordPress Settings.
- BlogHer Geek Lab: Wordpress for Beginners – Resources – Skinny Minny Media has linked to a number of resources for WordPress beginners. Articles include Moving from WordPress.com to Self Hosted WordPress, Adding Google Analytics and What are WordPress Widgets.
- Beginners Guide from WPBeginner – WPBeginner has a series of tutorials in their beginners guide category. Articles of interest are How to Add a New Post in WordPress and Utilize All of the Features and How to Add Categories and Subcategories to WordPress.
- Top 10 Video Tutorials for WordPress Beginners – A list of video tutorials tailored for WordPress beginners.
- WordPress Video Tutorials on YouTube – A list of video tutorials on YouTube. Some are for beginners and most of them are useful.
- How to on WordPress TV – WordPress video tutorials on the How To Category. This is a great resource for all WordPress users, not just beginners.
If you know of other great resources for WordPress beginners, please let me know in the comments.
This is my 300th post. Yay me!
photo credit: [auro]
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September 30, 2009 at 8:36 am
Congratulations on 300 posts!!!
This is really cool of you, Kim.
Having played around with Wordpress a bit in the past, it can be very intimidating for a newcomer. Luckily I also had an expert to help. :-)
September 30, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Thanks Jim – I think you figured out most of it on your own :-) Now if I could just get you to go back to writing …
September 30, 2009 at 8:37 am
Hi Kim – Thank you for this. I have forwarded this link to some colleagues in the travel business who are just getting started with their website strategies, and have bookmarked it for myself, too. Great list!
Betsy Wuebker´s last blog ..THROUGH A GLASS GRIMLY, PART 3
September 30, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Hi Betsy – Thanks! I hope it’s helpful.
September 30, 2009 at 9:25 am
Thanks! This is something I can really use. Yes, the Codex IS hard to understand. Congratulations on your 300th post!
Dot´s last blog ..Comment on Inspiring People by Dot
September 30, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Hi Dot – Thanks! The codex has a lot of information but it really isn’t written for the beginner.
September 30, 2009 at 9:30 am
Kim,
I posted this on my fan page and got immediate response. Thanks so much for gathering and sharing this information. Very useful for me and for my clients who are just beginning to blog (and find the process of using WP intimidating).
And 300 posts? You’re right. Yay you!
Warmly,
Allen
Allen Mireles´s last blog ..Twitter Account Suspension: What Now? Tips for What to Do Next.
September 30, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Hi Allen – Thanks! That’s great. I hope people find it useful.
September 30, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Great list! I wish I’ve known about these resources when I first stared using Wordpress but I’m sure they will still come in handy for me.
Congratulations on your 300th post!
Carla´s last blog ..Arachnophobia
September 30, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Thanks Carla :-) And thanks for the tweet too.
September 30, 2009 at 2:10 pm
This is going to be useful. Thanks, Kim.
vered | blogger for hire´s last blog ..Internet Addiction Rehab Center: Do We Really Need It?
September 30, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Hi Vered – Thanks :-)
September 30, 2009 at 5:14 pm
YAY on post #300!
Here’s my favorite Wordpress compilation:
http://elitebydesign.com/beginner-wordpress-help-guide/
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach ´s last blog ..Long Tail SEO tips for local business high visibility
September 30, 2009 at 6:45 pm
HI Barbara – Thanks! And thanks for the link :-)
October 1, 2009 at 12:15 am
Hi Kim,
Man, I wish I would have known enough to look for these kinds of things when I got started. I slugged my way through lots of poo.
Good on you for helping folks out with this list!
George
George Angus´s last blog ..Nine and a Half Ways to Send Your Writing Into the Stratosphere
October 1, 2009 at 9:11 am
Hi George – Me too – it was hard when I first started using WordPress. There was hardly any documentation back then and I really learned through trial and error.
LOL – “a lot of poo”.
October 1, 2009 at 5:11 am
I agree with you. Most of us learned through trial and error. Once I made a big mess with my database and thought it was gone forever.
I never forget the issues I had with missed schedules, problems with WordPress and Windows Live Writer and the problem with my contact form as my web host had disabled smtp realaying in the server.
It took mistakes, experience and instinct to solve these problems.
Yohan Perera´s last blog ..Audio Sermon Podcast: The Gospel of Miracles
October 1, 2009 at 9:13 am
Hi Yohan – A lot of times we avoid asking the host for help and frequently
they can change a setting and correct our problems.
The good thing about learning through trial and error is that you learn a lot more.
I had a site “disappear” too and thought it was gone forever.
October 7, 2009 at 10:24 pm
You are right Kim. The first step to troubleshooting is to contact your web host. It will avoid a lot of heart aches.
Yohan Perera´s last blog ..Winning over worry
October 1, 2009 at 11:39 am
Very helpful ! I sent this information to many friends and colleagues. They enjoyed.
and congratulations for your 300 posts !
October 1, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Hi Phu – Thank you! And I called the resources are useful.
October 1, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Wow! thanks for this I need it very much! Just moved from blogger to my own hosted site using word press and it is quite intimidating getting used to it. These site will be a great help.
Christine from http://www.colormepink.com sent me your way and I am going to send her a thank you note right now! :)
October 1, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Hi Julie – I am so glad these will help you out. Moving from Blogger can
be a steep learning curve. And that’s awesome that Christine sent you over :-)
October 3, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hey Kim,
Thanks for these wonderful WP resource. I liked the all of them however I have checked the lifehacker post that you have linked to, but including that you have managed to pile up some good links that will surely help the novices.
Thanks for these wonderful links.
Ravi Kuwadia´s last blog ..5 Tips to Becoming a Better Leader
October 4, 2009 at 8:25 am
Hi Ravi – I thought it would be good to pull the resources for beginners in
into one location. I’m glad you think they are useful.
October 6, 2009 at 10:33 am
Great resources Kim. Would be useful for Wordpress beginners
Madhur Kapoor´s last blog ..Know About Your Personal Browsing Statistics with about:me Firefox Extension
October 6, 2009 at 10:44 am
Thanks Madhur – I wish I had a list like this when I first got started :-)
October 22, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Thanks “Kim” I am thankful for such a great post about WordPress Beginners, you cleared up some things for me. :)
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October 22, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Hi – I’m glad the articles help :-)