If you are a tech-savvy professional looking to master the art of WordPress, or if you are just setting foot in the visual world of website development, the ubiquity of WordPress is one to prioritize.
WordPress is no more just a tool for blogging; it has become a digital powerhouse. Still wondering how 43% of all websites are built on the WordPress platform? The influence it has had on businesses is unparalleled. With its distinguishing professional and business plans, brands have the leverage of setting up their eCommerce stores in no time. Or they can simply turn to designing a website to authorize their online presence in style.
In this article, we will delve into the depths of what makes WordPress development the first choice for both businesses and developers.
Understanding the Basics of WordPress
WordPress, founded in 2003 by two bloggers, is a content management system. It initially began with a platform for bloggers to share and connect through their content, but it soon gained popularity and evolved into a versatile CMS as we know it today. It also powers the development of websites across different domains with just a few clicks. The drag-and-drop feature of WordPress offered an ease of accessibility to even those who had zero familiarity with coding. Users can use its intuitive interface to perform many activities, from building a website to maintaining and optimizing it.
WordPress helps users in organizing and streamlining their content. You can make any random modifications in real-time through its customization feature.
What are the Key Components of WordPress Development?
There are two main components of WordPress that add to its functionality and usefulness.
- Themes
The aesthetics of WordPress are courtesy of its artistic themes. They are interior decorations in a newly constructed building. They offer a whole new vibe to the visitors. With themes, you have the right to govern the layout of your website, the color palettes, and overall design features.
You can choose from free and premium themes based on the plan you subscribe to. Most of these themes are SEO-friendly. So, make sure to take advantage of them while choosing. Remember, wordpress themes development is not just about the presentable look but also about the functionality that leads to fast loading and optimization of your overall website.
- Plugins
Themes and plugins go hand in hand. Plugins come to the party to make the most of the themes. They are like add-ons enhancing the functionality of your website. There is a plugin for every task, from SEO to social media. From contact forms to eCommerce capabilities, you have a whole list to choose from. Plugins prove influential in WordPress development and determine your website’s functionality.
How Does WordPress Work?
- Choose a hosting provider
Before everything, you need to choose a domain name for your website and a hosting platform to make your website accessible to all. You can choose from hosting a website on WordPress itself or externally on popular hosting providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, Hostgator, etc.
Also, within WordPress alone, you have two hosting options, one with WordPress.com and another with WordPress.org. With .org, you will have more customization options to the themes you install.
Popular hosting providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator often pop up in discussions. They offer user-friendly interfaces, solid performance, and excellent customer support. It’s like choosing a dependable neighborhood for your website to reside in.
- Navigate through your WordPress dashboard
After installing and setting up your WordPress website, it’s time to learn about the customization schemes WordPress offers.
Right at the heart of your screen, you will navigate through the dashboard that controls your site and offers access to everything you need. Like posts, pages, tags, categories, media, appearance, etc. There is a tab for each, so you will have no difficulty accessing them.
In the Settings section, you can fine-tune the behavior of your website. You have DNS support, permalink structures, and post customization, too. You will also find a sub-section where you can connect your social media profiles so that you can easily choose them while posting a blog or a page to share.
How to Create Content with WordPress?
Posts vs. Pages
Posts are a medium for you to connect with your audience frequently. Posts help you tell your story. They can be informative and authoritative; it’s up to you. But with posts, you can position yourself as a trustworthy brand. Your most recent post ranks at the top, and that’s the reverse chronological order to follow.
Whereas pages are like steady ships. They are timeless because you seldom make any noticeable changes to them. Like, your About Us, Meet Our Team, Contact Us, etc., will be your pages.
Media Management
When you click on the Media tab on your dashboard, a dialog box will open on your screen. You will see the “Add New” tab. Just click on it and choose the images you want to add. But managing your media is more than just uploading and showcasing them on your website. Optimization is the key here, too. You can compress images to increase your site loading speed. You can add Alt text for SEO benefits and easy accessibility.
You can easily add captions, align your images, or even resize them as per your requirements on your blogs or pages. Remember, a high-quality image doesn’t necessarily have to be of the largest file size.
You can also embed videos on your website pages and posts from Vimeo or YouTube. If you are looking to gain attention and increase your engagement rates, using video content will offer a richer experience.
Using Categories and Tags
Categories and tags on your website don’t directly help your SEO. But it adds a lot of ease to website navigation. Categories, as the name suggests, are meant to segment your content basis specific similarities and grouping them together. Tags, on the other hand, can be different for each post or page. Tags will help your website visitors locate specific keywords they might be looking for.
Most pages or posts include category names in their permalinks(URLs). This will help search engines learn about your website and that it has been organized and put up. This can be crucial in boosting your website’s SEO.
Key Takeaways
To wrap up, we would like to highlight the importance of WordPress in shaping your online presence in an ethereal manner. From running an online store to simply designing a website to gain trust and authority in the online space, WordPress can do it all for you.
Most of the WordPress themes are already SEO-optimized, so very little needs to be done there. Overall, WordPress isn’t just a platform to exist anymore. It has instead become a platform to educate, to sell, and to help.
I hope, with this knowledge in this article, you are in a better position to make an informed decision.
