WORDPRESS
FOR BEGINNERS
ALICE PHIEU
WordCamp Montreal
July 2016 | #WCMTL
2016.montreal.wordcamp.org
SLIDES:
slideshare.net/alicephieu
MEET YOUR TAs
• Ann Cascarano
• Brian Zerkler
• Elida Arrizza
• Élise Desaulniers
• Jonathan Perlman
• Kathryn Presner
2003
Hi. I’m Alice.
www.alicephieu.com

hello@alicephieu.com
@alicephieu
2011
TODAY
Graphic Designer
Attended my
first WordCamp!
User Experience &
Interface Designer
What we will
be covering
today…
1. What is WordPress?
2. WordPress.com and
WordPress.org

3. Workshop
4. WordCamp Montreal
5. Post WordCamp
• It is a content management system (CMS) used to
create blogs and websites.
• Created primarily in PHP, MYSQL and JAVASCRIPT
• The software is free and open-source.
• Powers 26% of the internet.
What is WordPress?
puttylike.com
carlalexander.ca
Blogs!
gamerwife.com
cultmontreal.com
outside-music.com
dawsoncollege.qc.ca
Websites!
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
WordPress site
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
WordPress core and plugins are written in PHP
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
Database used for storing website information
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
Used for building the basic structures of your website
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
Responsible for the visual styling of the website
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
Responsible for the actions and interactivity
JAVA-
SCRIPT
PHP
MYSQL
HTML
CSS
WordPress site
All these are hosted on a server
• dreamhost.com
• bluehost.com
• siteground.com
• getflywheel.com
• Cost: anywhere from $5 to $20,000
• more info at wordpress.org/hosting
Web Hosting Companies
Your WWW address
• namecheap.com
• hover.com
• Web hosting companies will offer
it too
• Cost: starting at ~$15/year
Domain Hosting Companies
WORDPRESS.ORG
&
WORDPRESS.COM
WORDPRESS.ORG WORDPRESS.COM
Web Hosting
Domain Name
Design (Themes)
Plugins
Backups
Security
X
X
FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE
FULL CONTROL
SELF MANAGED
SELF MANAGED
FREE
FREE *
LIMITED *
LIMITED *
INCLUDED
INCLUDED
* upgrades will cost $
Today, we’ll be
exploring….
WORDPRESS.ORG
PAGES
• Home
• About
• Blog
• Contact
THEMES
• Twenty Sixteen (default)
• Hemingway
EXTRAS
• Widgets
• Plugins
Installing WordPress
Famous 5-Minute Install
https://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress#Famous_5-Minute_Install
MANUALLY 1-CLICK INSTALL
Your hosting’s control panel

aka cPanel
2 ways to do it
Installing WordPress
WP ADMIN DASHBOARD
BUT WAIT…
NO WEB HOSTING!
NO DOMAIN HOSTING!
OMG.
THANK YOU!
STEP 1:
http://wpcourse.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/####/wp-login.php
STEP 2:
Enter username and password
STEP 3:
You’re in WP Admin Dashboard!
Shortcuts to:
- view your website
- return to Dashboard
blog entries
images, PDFs, etc
menu items
themes & widgets
add-on functionalities
user management
visitor feedback
import/export
website settings
Post Type #1: Posts
• Used for date-based content (ex: Blog and News)

• They’re listed in chronologically, with the newest first.

• They can be assigned CATEGORIES and TAGS
Post Type #2: Pages
• Used for static content (such as About and Contact)

• Pages have a hierarchy to their structure

(Ex: Career > Job Postings)

• Cannot have taxonomies (categories and tags)
Exercise: Create 3 Posts
• Use these sites to
generate

dummy text:



baconipsum.com

hipsteripsum.me

cupcakeipsum.com

• Nice images:

unsplash.com
Click here to add a new post!
Exercise: Create 5 Pages
• Home - Front Page
• Blog
• About
• Gallery
• Contact
Fill each page with text
Click here to add a new page!
Exercise: Create a menu
1.Menu Structure
2.Menu Settings
Exercise: Customizer
• Go to “Site Identity” and modify SITE TITLE &
TAGLINE

• Modify HEADER IMAGE
View your site
Themes
• Templates that are responsible for the styling (visual) of your
website
• Option 1: Free Themes 

• Option 2: Premium Themes 

• Option 3: Child Themes (a modified version of a Parent Theme)

• Option 4: Custom Themes, using a starter theme such as
Underscores.
Exercise: Add a new theme
• Search for “Hemingway”
• click “Live Preview”
• click “Save & Activate” if
you like the new look
Widgets
• An easy way to add content and features to your
sidebars or footers
• Use cases: Categories, Archives, Search bar

• Create spaces for some plugin display such as Twitter
feed, social media icons

• Quick and easy. No code experience required.
Demo: Widgets
Plugins
• Ways to extend and add to the functionality of your WordPress
site without you creating them from scratch.
• Many were created by third-party companies and developers.

• It can save you time and make your life easier. 

• A few examples:

Jetpack - improve efficiency and security of your site

WPML - to help you run a multilingual website

BackupBuddy - best backup plugin ever

Instagram Feed WD - display your latest Instagram pics

https://en-ca.wordpress.org/plugins/
Demo: Plugins
Plugins
• Free and Premiums
• Occasionally requires some maintenance.

• Too many plugins can slow down your site and affect other
areas of your website’s performance.
• Choose your plugins wisely:

- Check out the reviews

- Look at the stats (# of downloads, installations, last update)

- Check documentation (description, tutorials, screenshots)
https://en-ca.wordpress.org/plugins/
Quick peek at WORDPRESS.COM
This year at
WordCamp
Montreal…
https://2016.montreal.wordcamp.org
GENERAL
DESIGN
MARKETING
CODE
SESSIONS
This year at
WordCamp
Montreal…
https://2016.montreal.wordcamp.org
https://2016.montreal.wordcamp.org/schedule/
HAPPINESS BAR
This year at
WordCamp
Montreal…
https://2016.montreal.wordcamp.org
Credit: Elida Arrizza
Post-Wordcamp
1. WPMTL.org Meetups
2. WPMTL.org Social Events

3. facebook.com/groups/wpmtl
4. Exchange contact info. Inspire
and motivate each other.
Partner up.
STAY IN TOUCH
Post-Wordcamp
1. wpbeginner.com
2. wordpress.org/support

3. wordpress.tv
4. make.wordpress.org
KEEP LEARNING
Questions?
WORDPRESS
FOR BEGINNERS
ALICE PHIEU
WordCamp Montreal
July 2016 | #WCMTL
www.alicephieu.com
hello@alicephieu.com
2016.montreal.wordcamp.org

Alice Phieu - WordPress For Beginners