Register
Login

Module 1:

Getting Started

Introduction

Hey there! Welcome to Module 1 of our “WordPress for Profit” course. Today we’ll be introducing you to the wonderful world of WordPress and all its benefits. We’ll also cover some basic but important terms like SSL, hosting, domain, and Elementor. Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything in plain English! Plus, we’ll show you how to choose the best hosting package and domain for your website, and walk you through the installation of WordPress and essential plugins. So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Sharmini Fraser

Lesson 1: Introduction to WordPress

Play Video
WordPress is a popular and powerful content management system that allows users to create and manage websites with ease. It’s a great platform for building websites because it’s user-friendly, flexible, and customizable. With WordPress, you don’t need to have extensive technical knowledge or coding skills to create a professional-looking website. Whether you’re building a blog, an e-commerce store, or a portfolio website, WordPress can provide you with the tools and features you need to bring your ideas to life. Plus, it’s constantly evolving, with new updates and plugins being released regularly to improve its functionality and security.
  • WordPress is free and open source, whereas other website builders like Squarespace, Shopify, and Wix, all charge monthly fees.
  • WordPress has a larger community of developers and users, which means more resources, plugins, and support options compared to the other website builders.
  • WordPress offers more flexibility and customisation options, allowing you to create a truly unique website, compared to the more limited templates offered by other website builders.
  • WordPress is better for SEO, allowing you to optimise your website for search engines more effectively than other website builders.

The WordPress dashboard is your main control center for managing your website. Here’s an overview of its main features:

  1. Dashboard Home: This is the first screen you’ll see after logging in. It provides an overview of your website’s activity, including recent posts, comments, and traffic.

  2. Posts: This is where you can create and manage blog posts and articles.

  3. Pages: This is where you can create and manage static pages like your About page, Contact page, and any other pages you want to add to your site.

  4. Media: This is where you can upload and manage images, videos, and other media files that you want to use on your website.

  5. Comments: This is where you can manage comments on your blog posts and pages.

  6. Appearance: This is where you can manage your website’s appearance, including choosing a theme, customizing the design, and adding widgets and menus.

  7. Plugins: This is where you can install and manage plugins to add extra functionality to your website.

  8. Users: This is where you can manage users who have access to your website.

  9. Tools: This is where you can access various tools to help you manage your website, including importing and exporting content.

  10. Settings: This is where you can configure various settings for your website, including your site title, tagline, and other general settings.

Lesson 2: Defining Key Terms

Imagine building a house…
Domain Name

The domain name can be thought of as the address of the house, just as a website’s domain name is its address on the internet. The domain name gives people a way to find your website, just like an address helps people find a house.

Hosting
Hosting, on the other hand, is like the lot on which you build your house. You need a physical location to build your house, just as you need hosting to build a website. Hosting is where your website’s files are stored, and it’s where your website “lives” on the internet.
SSL

An SSL certificate is like the lock on the front door of your house. It provides security and encryption for your website, just as a lock provides security for your house. Without an SSL certificate, your website is vulnerable to cyber-attacks and your visitors’ information is at risk.

So, just like you need an address, a lot, and security to build a house, you need a domain name, hosting, and SSL certificate to build a website.

Domain Names

Chosing Your Domain Name
  • It is important to pick a domain name that is related to your brand to make your website easily found by your customers. Using your business name as your domain name is good practice.
  • You will need to check the availability of the name before you choose your name.
  • There are may different types of domain name extensions such as .com .com.au .org .net etc. Knowing the right extension to choose for your website is important. The benefits of the two most popular extensions for Australian businesses are outlined below.
.com
  • The worlds most popular domain name.
  • It is a great opportunity for businesses trading anywhere in the world.
  • Essential to obtaining high visibility online.
.com.au
  • The official domain name of Australia.
  • A great opportunity for businesses trading in or with Australia to operate with a local presence.
  • Allows you to target the Australian market.
Additional domin extensions
For an extensive list of domain extensions and reasons for selecting each. Please see the guide below.
View Extension Guide
Redirections/Domain Forwarding
It may be in your best interest to secure more than one domain name. For example, you may wish to secure both the .com and the .com.au for your business. If you choose to do so, best practice would be to select one domain as your primary domain and add a domain redirection/domain forwarding to the other.