Teach Yourself Visually Wordpress

Get your blog up and running with the latest version of WordPress

WordPress is one of the most popular, easy-to-use blogging platforms and allows you to create a dynamic and engaging blog, even if you have no programming skills or experience. Ideal for the visual learner, Teach Yourself VISUALLY WordPress, Second Edition introduces you to the exciting possibilities of the newest version of WordPress and helps you get started, step by step, with creating and setting up a WordPress site. Author and experienced WordPress user Janet Majure shares advice, insight, and best practices for taking full advantage of all that WordPress has to offer.
Presents completely updated coverage of new mobile blogging solutions
Shares advice on customizing sites through use of plug-ins and themes and custom site editing
Details more advanced procedures for self-hosted bloggers, including buying a domain, getting a web host, and installing WordPress
Demonstrates key points with examples from the author's own WordPress blogs

Teach Yourself VISUALLY WordPress, Second Edition clears the air around any blog fog you may find yourself in and gets you started with creating your own dynamic WordPress blog today!

List of contents

Chapter 1 Introducing WordPress

Choose a Version of WordPress 4

Choose a Blog Topic 6

Think Ahead about Passwords 8

Understanding WordPress and Blog Terms 9

Plan Your Blog's Content 10

Research Blog Titles 12

Buy a Domain Name 14

Chapter 2 Set Up Your WordPress.com Blog

Sign Up with WordPress.com 18

View Your New Blog 20

Get to Know Your Blog's Dashboard 22

Understanding the WordPress.com Admin Bar 24

Create Your WordPress.com Profile 26

Select Your General Settings 28

Choose and Install a New Theme 30

Consider Premium WordPress.com Options 32

Choose Your Personal Settings 34

Chapter 3 Set Up Your WordPress.org Blog

Choose a Host for Your Blog 38

Install WordPress via Your Host's Automatic Installation 40

Get an FTP Application for Manual Installation 42

Download WordPress Software 43

Set Up the MySQL Database 44

Upload the WordPress Files 46

Complete the Configuration and Installation 48

Troubleshoot Installation Errors 50

Log On to Your Blog's Dashboard 52

Review the Dashboard 54

Get to Know the Dashboard 56

Understanding the Admin Bar 57

Create Your Profile 58

Choose a New Theme 60

Install Your New Theme 62

Choose among Your Theme's Special Settings 66

Chapter 4 Know Your Administration Tools

Customize and Navigate the Dashboard 70

Review the Writing Settings 72

Set Up to Post by E-Mail 73

Choose the Discussion Settings 74

About Privacy Settings 76

Select Your Privacy Settings 77

Set the Permalinks Structure 78

Consider Other Settings 79

Chapter 5 Create Written Blog Content

Get to Know the New Post Page 82

Introducing the WYSIWYG Editor and Toolbar 84

Introducing the HTML Editor and Toolbar 86

Write and Publish Your First Blog Post 88

Add Formatting to Your Text 90

Recall an Earlier Version of Your Blog Post 92

Write and Publish a Page 94

Edit or Delete a Post or Page 96

Add Text Hyperlinks to Your Post or Page 98

Paste Text from Other Sources 100

Post from Your Mobile Device 102

Create a Post with QuickPress 103

Create a Post with PressThis 104

Consider Using a Blogging Client 106

Create a Post with Windows Live Writer 107

Import Posts from Another Blogging Platform 108

Chapter 6 Create Visual and Audio Content

Consider Media Issues 112

Review Media Settings 113

Prepare Images for Uploading 114

Upload and Insert an Image While Posting 116

Insert Images into the Media Library 118

Insert Images from Web Sources 120

Understanding Featured Images 122

Add a Featured Image 123

Format an Image from the Add Media Window 124

Format an Image from the Edit Image Window 126

Insert an Image Gallery 128

Add a Slide Show to Your Posts 130

Link to YouTube (and Other) Videos 132

Upload Video Files to Your Host 134

Link to a Podcast or Sound File from Your Blog 136

Create and Install a Favicon for a Self-Hosted Blog 138

Chapter 7 Explore Widgets and Plugins

Introducing Widgets and Plugins 142

Choose and Insert Widgets 144

Rearrange and Remove Widgets 146

Add Sidebar Items Using HTML in a Text Widget 148

Get a Key and Activate Akismet 150

Find Plugins 152

Consider These Popular Plugins 154

Install and Activate a Plugin 156

Chapter 8 Make Your Blog Content Appealing

Edit What You Write 160

Use Typography to Enhance Posts 162

Use Images to Enhance Posts 164

Use the More Option to Break Your Posts in Two 166

Understanding Categories and Tags 168

Create Categories 170

Create Tags 172

Apply Categories and Tags to Posts 174

Convert Categories and Tags 176

Create Custom Menus 178

Chapter 9 Build Traffic to Your Blog

Create a Blogroll 182

Create a Comment Policy 184

Comment on Someone Else's Blog 186

What to Say on Someone Else's Blog 187

Moderate Comments 188

Edit a Comment 190

Respond to Comments on Your Blog 192

Deal with Comment Spa

About the author

Janet Majure is an author, writer, and editor with more than 30 years in the publishing industry. She writes or has written for three WordPress blogs (individual blogs Homecooking Revival.com and Foodperson.com plus group blog Ethicurean.com) and has written and edited books, newsletters, articles for daily newspapers, and technical white papers.

Product details

• Authors: Janet Majure
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.03.2012
• EAN: 9781118197875
• ISBN: 978-1-118-19787-5
• No. of pages: 320
• Series: Teach Yourself VISUALLY
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > Application software