Weekend Website Bootcamp

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Overview of the WordPress Dashboard

11 minutes

Step 1: Accessing the Dashboard

  • Log in to your WordPress admin panel by visiting yourdomain.com/wp-admin.
  • Enter your username and password to access the dashboard.
  • Alternatively, log in using the Login button in your CloudAccess portal.

Step 2: The WordPress Dashboard Overview

After logging in, you’ll see the WordPress dashboard, your command center for managing the site.

Key Areas of the Dashboard

  1. Admin Toolbar (Top Bar)

    • Visible at the top of the screen.
    • Provides quick access to:
      • Your site (via the “Visit Site” button).
      • Comments moderation.
      • Plugin updates and notifications.
      • User profile settings.

  2. Left-Hand Menu (Navigation Panel)
    This menu contains links to all major sections of your website:

    • Dashboard: The home screen with quick links and stats.
    • Posts: Manage blog posts (add, edit, or delete).
    • Media: Upload and manage images, videos, and other files.
    • Pages: Create and manage static pages like Home or About.
    • Comments: Approve, delete, or respond to user comments.
    • Appearance: Customize your site’s design (themes, menus, widgets).
    • Plugins: Add or manage additional functionality.
    • Users: Add, edit, or manage site contributors.
    • Settings: Adjust global site settings (e.g., site title, time zone).

  3. Main Workspace (Center Panel)

    • This area changes depending on what section you’re viewing.
    • Examples:
      • A list of posts when viewing the Posts section.
      • Customization options when editing the site’s appearance.

  4. Activity Panel (Dashboard Screen)

    • A quick summary of recent activity on your site:
      • Latest posts.
      • Recent comments.
      • WordPress news and updates.

  5. Welcome Panel (Dashboard Home)

    • A beginner-friendly guide with links to set up your site, create content, or customize settings.

Step 3: Customizing the Dashboard

  • Rearrange widgets on the main dashboard by dragging and dropping them.
  • Hide unnecessary widgets:
    • Click Screen Options (top-right corner).
    • Uncheck boxes for widgets you don’t want to see.

Step 4: Key Settings to Familiarize Yourself With

  1. General Settings (Settings > General):

    • Site title and tagline.
    • URL settings.
    • Time zone and date format.

  2. Permalinks (Settings > Permalinks):

    • Define how your URLs will appear (e.g., yourdomain.com/blog-post).
    • Choose “Post Name” for SEO-friendly links. Otherwise your URLs will be yourdomain.com/page4727.

  3. Appearance > Customize:

    • Use this to adjust site colors, fonts, and layout via the WordPress Customizer.

Step 5: Explore Basic Features

  • Create a Post: Go to Posts > Add New and draft a blog post.
  • Upload Media: Visit Media > Add New to upload an image or video.
  • Add a Page: Navigate to Pages > Add New and create a page.

Step 6: Troubleshooting and Help

  • Use the Help tab in the top-right corner of any section for contextual guidance.
  • Search for documentation or contact CloudAccess for additional help.

Homework & Action Items

  • Log in to your WordPress dashboard and explore each menu item.
  • Rearrange the dashboard widgets and hide unnecessary ones using Screen Options.
  • Practice creating a test post, uploading an image, and previewing your changes.

You did great.

We can take it from here.

Thanks for purchasing the course and giving it a try! As a thank you, we’re offering you 20% off a 10-page website build. We’ll get it up for you within a week. Let’s chat about it!