Class 1

In today’s class I will demonstrate live websites showing the wide variety of ways it’s currently being used. This demonstration will help to stimulate the creative side of your brain as you begin the process of planning your own website. A survey of the current state-of-the-art social networking environment to see how free tools such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & Twitter may be integrated into a WordPress website to leverage this powerful marketing engine.

You’ll create your first WordPress website using free WordPress.com. Using the dashboard you’ll start building pages and menus and learn to change the design of your site with WordPress Themes.

Phyllis Erck, Instructor
(406) 546-6327
phylliserck@gmail.com

Housekeeping: Class cost $7 – If you haven’t paid, please send check.
make checks payable to Adult Ed
mail to:
attn:  Ryan Pesanti
Anaconda Jr/Sr High School
515 Main St
Anaconda, MT  59711

WordPress Overview & Demo

WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS)

With a BLOG component

WordPress Demos

BREAK

Step away from your computer.

Satisfaction guarantee.  If this class is not what you were expecting you may drop it after the 1st class and not have to pay.

We’ll begin again at 5:15

Introductions

  • Introduce yourself
  • Describe your website idea.
  • Do you have an existing website?
  • Previous experience developing websites?

Lab

  1. Register on the class website* and login (see instructions here)
  2. Add your first & last name to your user profile (see instructions here)
  3. Post a comment on this class webpage with the Mission Statement for your website.

*Use something to keep track of your logon info. Even if it’s as simple as a notebook. It’s impossible to keep your usernames and passwords in your head.

Beyond WordPress but covered in this class.

Your website is part of the bigger picture which is your Web Presence.  In this class we discuss the importance of of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how to leverage blogging and Social Networking tools to create organic search results.  We’ll also learn how to use WordPress Plugins to help with your website placement with Search Engines.

Social Networking

Social Media

 

The Separation of content and design

This principle is not a rigid guideline, but serves more as best practice for keeping appearance and structure separate. In many cases, the design and development aspects of a project are performed by different people. Although you’ll most likely be developing both aspects, you will be using different parts of your brain to do each. WordPress allows this separation by using Themes. Themes are built on Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). These harken back to styles in Microsoft Word Documents. Experience using styles will help you to adapt to composing in WordPress. The entire look and feel of a site can be changed by changing a single CSS file.

Visit the CSS Zen Garden to see this in action. CSSZenGarden.com demonstrates this concept very well.

WordPress Theme Repository

Checkout the 7,465 free Themes available in the WordPress Theme Repository by going to WordPress.org -> Themes

 http://wordpress.org/themes/

BREAK

Step away from your computer. Turn on some music. Make a cup of tea.

We’ll resume at 6:15

Lab

  1. Create your first WordPress website on WordPress.com.
  2. Change the Theme to Twenty Twenty
  3. Post the URL of your wordpress website as a comment on this class webpage.  It will look something like http://phylliserck.wordpress.com

The Editor

You’ll edit the content of your pages using the Editor. WordPress recently introduced a new WYSYWYG Editor which is called the Block or Gutenberg Editor. See how easy it is to use.

Don’t be afraid of breaking things.  Explore and let your imagination go free.

Homework

Market Research
  1. Search the internet for websites in your same market looking  at the type of content that are on these sites and how it is organized.  Also, note any cool functionality (like the free campsites map) that you might eventually want to add to your website.
  2. Based on this research:
    Post a comment on this class webpage with your website menu items.
    e.g.   Home, About, Contact, Products, Photos
Design Research
  1. Surf the internet looking at the overall design of websites that appeal to your taste.  
    Collect links to 3 sites that you like.
  2. Browse WordPress Theme Repository to find similar designs to those found in 1.
  3. Begin to draft the Content for your website Sections.  These will be Pages/Posts in WordPress.
  4. Start collect graphics for your website.  Items you’ll need are a logo, pictures of products and your picture.

HAVE FUN! Set aside a few minutes each day. It’s better to have several shorter sessions than one long session.

7 Comments

This is the first class. So far so good. I like blogs because they allow my website to be interactive. The provide a way to build relationships with your visitors.

Leave a Reply

Related Posts