Control WordPress Dashboard
Congratulations! You’ve arrived in the WordPress Dashboard. Please look around the Dashboard, and you’re in control. Everyone starts out not knowing how something works. WordPress explains the functions well.
The WordPress Dashboard
The first thing you should do when arriving in the Dashboard is make sure you’re running an up-to-date version of WordPress.
Update WordPress
If you update WordPress and your website collapses it usually means you’re running a Theme that is not compatible with the latest WordPress update. This is something you want to avoid.
The WordPress Theme
The Theme you’re going to use needs to be uploaded into the dashboard. You upload a .zip Theme file in the Appearance section.
You can use any WordPress Theme. This website is using the Divi Theme. A Theme is an essential part of a website and overlays WordPress. The Theme has a specific design and layout and comes readymade. You can build a WordPress website from scratch, but that’s what developers do.
The makers of a WordPress Theme built the theme readymade for use. There are so many choices when it comes to using a Theme that you might find yourself unable to choose one.
You need to know which theme you are going to use before you arrive in your Dashboard. Otherwise you’ll load any theme and then the problems will multiply. If you need help choosing a Theme read about the theme I’m using.
The Details
Each one of these sections needs to be visited to enable the settings so the website operates the different functions.
All the settings are well explained. Go into each setting and look at the information page. It will make sense because WordPress is intuitive and not difficult to use.
As you go through the various links in the Dashboard you will get to know how the website is organized. This is why WordPress is used for so many websites.
NOTE: these settings are different from your Theme Settings. The Theme overlays the WordPress frame, it sits on top of it but does not disturb the core structure of WordPress.
WordPress Plugins
The functions you can add to enhance your website.
Your Plugin Philosophy
The WordPress Plugin Repository has 44,000+ plugins.
Don’t rely on people to tell you about a plugin always do the research yourself so you know what the plugin does.
Theme Specific Plugins
These plugins may not be in the WordPress Repository and can be purchased directly from the developer.
Using a plugin depends on what functions you want to add to the site.
Theme Settings
The area where you enable the functions of the theme you’re going to use.
After uploading the .zip file and activating the theme you will need to enable the Theme Options so the theme functions. As mentioned this website is using the Divi Theme.
Managing your website from the Dashboard puts you in control. You just have to acquaint yourself with all the settings. It is not possible to go through all of the settings in this blog post.
This can be overwhelming. It took me some time to get to know how WordPress, Themes, and Plugins work. There is a learning curve to with websites. No one starts out by knowing how something works before they’ve used it. If you need help with your website contact me.
