If you have carefully followed the steps mentioned in PART-1, then you have successfully installed WordPress on your Server. Now, the important question is how to use WordPress to the best of its utility? For this purpose, you will have to go through the varied features of the WordPress installed on your server and learn all its functions. This will help you in making use of all the functions available in WordPress and change the look and operation ability of your website.

Remember to log into your administration panel. The administration panel is where you can play around with the various features offered by WordPress. It is through the administration panel that you will also be able to organize your website. You can access your administration panel through the following URL:

http://yourdomainname.com/wp-admim/

In the Administration Panel, from the top left of the screen menu choose View Site.

Now you can see your website with WP default theme.

Take your time to look at the site before you get into changing of things and figuring out how all of this works, it’s important to see how the default WordPress Theme is laid out and works. Consider this the test drive before you start adding on all the special features.

The layout you are looking at is called a “Theme.” It is the presentation of your website, styling the look of the site. The default WordPress Theme features a blue “header” at the top with the title placeholder of your site. Along the right side you will see some titles and links. This is your “sidebar menu.” Within the main middle section of the page is the “post.” At the bottom of the page is the “footer.”

Scroll down the page and notice the bar at the end of the page. This is called the “footer,” and for now it says “(your blog) is proudly powered by WordPress.”

Back to the sidebar, you will see different sections with information. Among these you may find a list of Search bar, Pages, Categories, Archives, Calendar, and Dates. This is part of the menu or navigation panel that people will use to move around your site, visiting posts from different categories or time periods.

Now that you have an idea of how your site looks and what the different layout sections are called, it’s time to test drive the WordPress Administration. Go back to your Administration Panel–Dashboard. In fact, the first page you see after logging in is called “The Dashboard.” On the left side of your dashboard, you will see menu panel, where you’ll see different controlling sections.

On top of the Admin screen, you’ll see “Visit Site” button and to the right of the top panel you can find two more buttons “Turbo” and “logout” in version 2.9.2

wp_dashboard
wp_dashboard

To the left of the Admin screen is the main menu, which consists of:

  • Dashboard
  • Post
  • Media
  • Links
  • Pages
  • Comments
  • Appearance
  • Plugins
  • Users
  • Tools
  • Setting


Configure WordPress

With the above work complete, it’s time to set up WordPress so it will work the way you want it to work. As you change various settings, it is recommended you view how those changes impact your site by frequently clicking the View Site link at the top of the Administration Screen.

  • Users > Your User Profile – set the user information you want published on your site.
  • Your User Profile > Other Users – add authors and users that will be using your site, if applicable.
  • Setting>Options > General – set your site name and other site information.
  • Setting>Options > Writing – set the settings of your Write Post screen.
  • Setting>Options > Reading – set how many posts to show on the front page and in categories and your feed requirements.
  • Setting > Discussion – Turn on or off comments and set how to handle them.
  • Setting> Permalink- Set SEO firndly permalink.
  • Plugins> Add required plugins.
  • Appearance> Change your theme and add widgets.
  • Post > Categories – add a few categories to get started from your category list
  • Post > Posts – After you have written a few posts, this is where you will manage them by editing or deleting.
  • Pages> – add a Page or two like “About Us” or “Contact Me”
  • Post>Write > Write Post – start adding content to your site.