What is WordPress?
It was originally started as an open-source (i.e. super-cool) blogging software, but it has since become the world’s most popular content management software (website-building helper tool). Now, in addition to blogs, you can make all kinds of other sites, including single-page scrolly sites, informational sites, pinterest-style grid displays, and much more!
Do all WordPress sites look the same?
No way! There are literally infinite customization options and thousands of themes and plugins already out there for you to choose from. This site runs on WordPress, as do almost 20% of the websites online today. Here are just a few examples of sites I’ve built on the WordPress framework:
- web 13
- stir 1
- The Lover’s Touch
- LSO 1
- FOLSOM mockup2
- About BUTCH Voices
- startup 1
- web 14
Can I do it myself?
Maybe! If you are pretty tech-savvy, you can install WordPress (they have pretty good instructions here to get you going). Make sure you have a high-powered host first (I like a small orange, myself- they have great customer support, and wind-powered hosting). You can start with the smallest account on A small orange (the tiny shared plan), and upgrade if you get lots more traffic down the line.
After you have a domain name registered, pointed at your hosting account, and WordPress is installed, the next step would be to pick a theme or custom create one for yourself. Here’s where it starts to get tricky. You need to know a good amount of PHP and CSS to modify themes or create your own, so if you want something that doesn’t look out-of-a-box, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and learn some programming languages.
That sounds like a lot of work! What if I get stuck?
That’s why I offer WordPress Rescue consulting and tutoring, to help you out if you find yourself in a puzzle a good bout of Googling can’t solve. And if all else fails, remember…