WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world and around 36% of websites run on WordPress. So, learning WordPress allows you to independently build websites for you and your clients. WordPress knowledge also gears up the professional skills that can offer you a prosperous career with a good reputation and revenue. Did you know that several full time and freelance WordPress developers are earning a huge income every month and a good number of entrepreneurial individuals are also able to start their agency within a few years? You may be eager to know how to learn WordPress Development but WordPress is a vast area and starting your learning journey could be bit difficult. So, we have carefully compiled this guide that mentions the key features/functionalities of WordPress that a beginner should learn while starting the course. We have also mentioned the best sources and actionable self-learning tips that will make your learning journey easier and more streamlined. So, are you ready to start learning WordPress? Here we go:
Introduction: The first phase of learning
If you wish to explore all the features of WordPress then it is best to start with WordPress.org instead of WordPress.com. It makes sense to create your own WordPress website as it will allow you to experiment freely and practically apply the acquired theoretical knowledge and see the live results.
· The first thing is to buy web hosting and domain name. Some of the best WordPress hosting providers are Kinsta, BlueHost and Hostgator. Due to the affordable pricing it is recommendable to buy domain and hosting from BlueHost.
· The next thing is to install WordPress which is not a difficult task. Several web hosting providers offer you single-click installation right from your dashboard or you may choose the 1-click application installers like Softaculous to install the WordPress easily
· You can create a site on your computer (while learning WordPress development) and when you would transfer it to the live site it would be accessed by the global internet users
· After installation you would see the WordPress dashboard which is also known as the admin area. It is neat uncluttered and straightforward
· The top pane contains the toolbar and left pane had the admin sidebar menu containing all the key features and commands
Learning functionalities
The WordPress offers easy to use functionality options that are displayed intuitively in the left bar. Creating a basic website or blog with WordPress isn’t a difficult task but you need a professional website with appealing looks and awesome features if you wish to extract the best benefits out of your online presence and build a distinct digital identity. For that you need good knowledge on how to use each functionality option like a pro.
Here is your go-to source for gaining practical knowledge on how to use key WordPress features while creating a website:
Learn block editor features to polish the content presentation
Writing good content is quintessential to gain a good ranking and build a loyal community of readers. However, presentation is equally important.
· A well-formatted content with appealing visual overviews instantly attracts the visitors and urge them to read it.
· An ideal formatting and content structure also helps the search engine bots easily navigate yours through your posts which eventually helps you in improving the ranking.
· For that you need to learn the advanced features of the WordPress block editor.
You can create professional content presentation by learning this course: https://yoast.com/academy/free-block-editor-training/
Learn to enhance WordPress capabilities with plugins
Plugins can be defined as detachable external apps that can be integrated with your WordPress website to add some purpose-specific functionalities or features on your website. For instance you may like to add coupons on your site add interactive games or puzzles or make your content shareable by adding advanced social media options. Plugins add the required capabilities to meet your specific purpose.
Some plugins like plugins for adding interactive games or coupons are meant for specific types of websites like digital stores or gaming websites but many other plugins are ideally suitable for all types of websites regardless of niche or industry.
Here are some important online sources to consider:
· Essential plugins: https://themeisle.com/blog/must-have-plugins-for-wordpress/
· Create your WP plugins: https://www.dreamhost.com/wordpress/guide-to-wp-plugins/
Create unique website designs with templates
Templates or themes refer to the pre-built customizable website designs that determine the visual appeal of your website. You can either choose from lots of free WordPress themes or buy a premium theme for a more sophisticated and professional look.
The free themes can be found in the default themes directory while the premium themes can be purchased from online theme marketplaces.
Here are some important digital sources:
· Themes marketplaces: https://themeforest.net/
· Creating your own theme: https://www.dreamhost.com/wordpress/guide-to-developing-a-wp-theme/
Customizing the WordPress
Once your website seems professional, it is the time to make it more relevant to your varying business purposes to meet short and long term goals.
You may wish to offer a festive theme to your digital store during Christmas and offer special Christmas discounts. Again, during New Year you may need to tweak the design and add special effects to align with the New Year theme. You may also add more relevant products to the list of discounted items.
Similarly, relevant website changes are required while launching new products, introducing new promos, and running last minute sales.
So you need to have good knowledge about customizing the WordPress sites and if, and how the backend features like hosting/software/specs should also be changed to align with the latest customization.
You can consider checking this link to learn proper customization: https://websitesetup.org/customize-wordpress-101/
Master WordPress by learning the languages it is written in
The coding part of WordPress is more difficult and for that, you would first need to learn the language in which the WordPress is written. Here are the languages used for writing WordPress and we are presenting them in the ascending order starting with the easiest one and going ahead to the more difficult language. The readers are advised to learn these languages thoroughly if they wish to code their WordPress site like a pro:
· HTML
· CSS
· PHP
· JavaScript
All these languages can be learnt at https://www.w3schools.com/. The best thing is that with TryIt editor you can see the live outcome of your code in the real time.
Conclusion
Learning WordPress opens a number of business and professional opportunities for you. You can either create your own digital store or build/maintain websites for your clients. However, learning WordPress may seem a bit challenging for the beginners especially the one with non-programming background. In this article we presented a carefully compiled guide on how to start your WordPress learning journey for ensuring streamlined learning. It also contains links to the important learning sources as well as practical actionable tips. The readers are advised to constantly assess their skills during learning process and schedule the process wisely to make sure that there are no learning gaps. If required, you may also take help of an instructor or join a WordPress course to acquire advance knowledge.