WordPress Tutorial

This guide is intended to be a simple guide to using WordPress (WP) for those new to managing a WP powered site. It covers the common tasks of writing and managing content and basic site maintenance. It does not cover how to customise WordPress or any advanced coding, which will need to be done by a Web Developer.

WordPress is a pre-built Content Management System (CMS) so there is already a lot of help information out there on the web. However, after installing WordPress onto websites for clients we quickly realised that there is a bit of a learning curve for those new to running a website. Often, these are small business owners who need the ability to update their own website but have no technical web skills, or new bloggers who struggle with using the handy but sometimes overwhelmingly extensive user manual available on the WordPress website.

We plan to keep this WordPress User Guide as simple as we can. There is no need to re-invent the wheel as the WordPress Codex (The online WordPress User Manual) covers all the advanced stuff very well, but we understand that it can be difficult to know where to start. This document aims to cover the basics of writing and managing text content, and adding and formatting images.

Training for WordPress

With any website build we provide bespoke training for your team, enabling them to easily manage your online presence. This will show you around your website and we will answer any questions you have. These sessions are typically conducted via screen-share and can be recorded, giving you a permanent video reference to look back on or to use when training new staff members in the future. These videos and support documents can be added to your website dashboard for easy access ongoing. 

We also offer further training and support for web teams, you can find out more details about this WordPress training here. 

Login to WordPress

To make changes to your website, you first need to log in to the secure administration area.

1. Open your web browser and type your website address followed by /wp-admin (e.g., www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin). 
   NOTE: All websites built by Channel have a unique login URL (not /wp-admin). This is an extra security level we provide for our websites, 
2. You will see the WordPress login screen. Enter your Username or Email Address and Password.
3. Click Log In.

Dashboard and Basic Settings

1. Once logged in, you will be taken to the Dashboard. This is the control center of your website.
2. The Left Sidebar: This is your main navigation menu. From here, you can access Posts, Pages, Media, Appearance, and Settings.
3. The Toolbar: Located at the top of the screen (even when viewing the front end of your site), this bar provides quick shortcuts to create new content or view your site.
4. Screen Options: found at the top right, this allows you to show or hide specific boxes on your dashboard to declutter your view.

Writing Posts

"Posts" are typically used for news, blog updates, or time-sensitive content. They are listed in reverse chronological order on your blog page.

1. Navigate to Posts > Add New in the left sidebar.
2. Add Title: Type the headline of your article in the top field. Edit the URL slug if you wish to include different keywords or make the URL shorter for good SEO.
3. Add Content: WordPress now uses the Block Editor. Click the (+) icon or simply start typing to create a "Paragraph" block. Your website might have a different editor eg. YooTheme, this may give you different options on how to style your content. 
4. Post Settings (Right Sidebar):
   1. Categories: Check the relevant box to organize your post (e.g., "News", "Events").
   2. Featured Image: Upload an image here to represent the post on your blog listing page.
   3. Excerpt: (Optional) Write a short summary of the post.
5. Publish: Before publishing the Post you can first use the Preview button to see how it will look. Click the Publish button in the top right corner to make your post live.

Writing Pages

Pages differ from Posts in that they remain static and outside the flow of chronologically organised posts. They often form the main navigation to sections of your site which tend not to change. For example, they can be as basic as an About Us or a Contact Page or even a whole series of articles and sub-pages that reside away from higher order pages within your site’s navigation structure.

1. Navigate to Pages > Add New

2. Add Title: Enter the name of the page (e.g., "Our Services").

3. Add Content: Use the editor to add text, images, and other blocks just like a Post.

4. Page Attributes: In the right sidebar, you can sometimes select a "Parent Page" if you want to nest this page under another (creating a hierarchy).

5. Publish/Update: Click Publish to make the page live. Before publishing the Page, you can use the Preview button to see how it will look first. 

Formatting Content

Modern WordPress offers flexible ways to layout your content. Depending on your site setup, you will likely use one of the following methods:

The Block Editor

The native WordPress editor treats every element (paragraph, heading, image) as a "Block."

• Headings: Use the H2 or H3 blocks to break up text and improve SEO.
• Columns: Search for the "Columns" block to create side-by-side layouts (e.g., text on the left, image on the right).
• Buttons: Add call-to-action buttons easily by selecting the "Button" block.

Page Builders (e.g., YOOtheme Pro)

If your site uses a dedicated page builder like YOOtheme, you will have more advanced design capabilities.

• Accessing the Builder: When editing a page, look for a button labeled "YOOtheme Builder" or "Open Website Builder".
• Using Layouts: YOOtheme allows you to drag and drop sophisticated elements (grids, slideshows, maps) without code.
• Visual Editing: You will edit the site on the front end, meaning you see exactly what the visitor sees as you make changes.
• Note: If you use a page builder, avoid switching back to the default editor for that specific page to prevent layout breaks.

Adding Images and Other Media

Adding Images is relatively easy using the Image Upload feature in the Post or Page editor.

Be sure to read the “Note on Image Sizes” on the bottom of the next page. It’s quite important.

1. While Editing a Page/Post: Click the (+) button and select the Image block.
2. Upload or Select:
   Upload: Click to choose a file from your computer.
   Media Library: Click to select an image you have already uploaded.
3. Image Settings: Once the image is inserted, look at the right sidebar (or the toolbar above the image) to:
   Add Alt Text (important for SEO and accessibility).
   Change the Size (Thumbnail, Medium, Large, Full Size).
   Align the image (Left, Center, Right) or make it "Wide Width."
4. Documents (PDFs): To add a downloadable file, use the File block instead of the Image block. This will automatically create a download button for your visitors.

A note on image sizes

One of the most important things you can do to keep your website fast and professional is to manage your image sizes before you upload them.

Modern cameras and phones take huge photos (often 5MB or larger). If you upload these directly to your website without resizing them first, it will drastically slow down your page loading times. This frustrates visitors and can hurt your rankings on Google.

We recommend a file size that is under 300KB or smaller if possible. Large full-screen banners should try to stay under 600KB. There is extra compression that can be added so if you are struggling to get the image to look good in a small file do talk to us.

Tip: You can use free online tools like TinyJPG or standard software on your computer (Preview on Mac, Photos on Windows) to resize and compress images before uploading them to your Media Library.

Further Support

Extensive Help information is available from the official WordPress support website,

As always, if you have any questions or problems, don’t hesitate to contact us.