WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Professional blog designer Lisa Sabin-Wilson shows you how to use all the latest upgrades to WordPress and helps you decide whether to use the Wordpress.com hosted service or self-host your blog with WordPress.org. Topics covered include: theme development, plug-ins, archiving, domain registration, template tags, MySQL, RSS feeds, Dashboard, and permalinks. Introducing WordPress. What WordPress can do for you -- WordPress blogging basics -- Using the WordPress hosted service. Getting started with WordPress.com -- Writing and managing your blog -- Enhancing your blog with themes, widgets, and upgrades -- Self-hosting with WordPress.org. Setting up blogging base camp -- Understanding the WordPress.org administration panel -- Establishing your blog routine -- Flexing and extending WordPress. Media management: images, audio, and video -- Making the most of WordPress plugins -- Finding and installing WordPress themes -- Customizing WordPress. Understanding themes and templates -- Tweaking WordPress themes -- Beyond blogging: WordPress as a content management system -- Deciding to bring in the pros -- The part of tens. Ten WordPress web sites used as a CMS -- Ten popular WordPress plugins -- Ten free WordPress themes -- Migrating your existing blog to WordPress WordPress for Dummies, 2nd Edition 3 Table of Contents 9 Foreword 16 Introduction 17 About This Book 18 Conventions Used in This Book 19 What You Are Not to Read 20 Foolish Assumptions 20 How This Book Is Organized 21 Icons Used in This Book 22 Where to Go from Here 23 Part I: Introducing WordPress 25 Chapter 1: What WordPress Can Do for You 27 Discovering the Benefits of WordPress 27 Choosing a WordPress Platform 31 Chapter 2: WordPress Blogging Basics 37 This Crazy Little Thing Called Blog 37 Dipping Into Blog Technologies 39 Moving On to the Business of Blogging 46 Part II: Using the WordPress Hosted Service 47 Chapter 3: Getting Started with WordPress.com 49 Creating a WordPress.com Account 49 Navigating WordPress.com 52 Using the WordPress.com Dashboard 54 Setting Important Options Before You Blog 60 Getting Help 70 Chapter 4: Writing and Managing Your Blog 71 Ready? Set? Blog! 71 Organizing Your Blog by Subject 82 Creating and Categorizing Your Blogroll 84 Managing and Inviting Users 88 Managing Comments and Comment Spam 91 Creating a Static Page 97 Setting Up Your Front Page 99 Publishing a Public or Private Blog 101 Establishing Trust Relationships with OpenID 102 Chapter 5: Enhancing Your Blog with Themes, Widgets, and Upgrades 103 Changing Your Blog’s Look 103 Widget Wonder: Adding Handy Tools to Your Sidebar 105 Upgrading Your Hosted Service (For a Fee) 109 Naming Your Domain 111 Part III: Self-Hosting with WordPress.org 113 Chapter 6: Setting Up Blogging Base Camp 115 Establishing Your Domain 115 Finding a Home for Your Blog 118 Transferring Files from Point A to Point B 122 Installing WordPress 123 Chapter 7: Understanding the WordPress. org Administration Panel 135 Logging In to the Administration Panel 135 Navigating the Dashboard 137 Arranging the Dashboard to Your Tastes 146 Setting Options in the Administration Panel 148 Configuring the Settings 149 Creating Your Personal Profile 167 Setting Your Blog’s Format 170 Chapter 8: Establishing Your Blog Routine 175 Staying on Topic with Categories 175 Link Lists: Sharing Your Favorite Sites 181 Examining a Blog Post’s Address: Permalinks 187 Discovering the Many WordPress RSS Options 193 Blog It!: Writing Your First Entry 195 Look Who’s Talking on Your Blog 202 Part IV: Flexing and Extending WordPress 207 Chapter 9: Media Management: Images, Audio, and Video 209 Inserting Images into Your Blog Posts 210 Inserting Video Files into Your Blog Posts 219 Inserting Audio Files into Your Blog Posts 221 Keeping Media Files Organized 222 Chapter 10: Making the Most of WordPress Plugins 225 Finding Out What Plugins Are 226 Getting the Most out of the Plugins Included with WordPress 231 Using Plugins: Just the Basics 234 Installing Plugins Manually 236 Uploading and Activating Plugins 241 Setting Plugin Options 243 Uninstalling Plugins 244 Understanding the Open Source Environment 246 Chapter 11: Finding and Installing WordPress Themes 249 Getting Started with Free Themes 249 Activating a New Theme 254 Deciding to Use Premium Themes 256 Part V: Customizing WordPress 261 Chapter 12: Understanding Themes and Templates 263 Using WordPress Themes: The Basics 264 Contemplating the Structure of a WordPress Blog 266 Examining the Anatomy of a Template Tag 269 Getting Familiar with the Four Main Templates 270 Customizing Your Blog Posts with Template Tags 281 Putting a Theme Together 282 Using Tags with Parameters for Sidebars 286 Checking Out Miscellaneous but Useful Template Tags 297 Chapter 13: Tweaking WordPress Themes 299 Styling with CSS: The Basics 300 Changing the Background Color 304 Using Your Own Header Image 306 Changing Font Styles, Colors, and Sizes 309 Finding Additional CSS Resources 311 Chapter 14: Beyond Blogging: WordPress As a Content Management System 313 Creating the Front Page of Your Web Site 314 Adding a Blog to Your Web Site 320 Defining Specific Templates for Static Pages 322 Creating a Template for Each Post Category 326 Pulling in Content from a Single Category 327 Using Sidebar Templates 330 Custom Styles for Sticky, Category, and Tag Posts 332 Optimizing Your WordPress Blog 333 Finding CMS Resources 339 Chapter 15: Deciding to Bring in the Pros 341 Checking Out the Types of Blog Professionals 341 Hiring a Professional 346 Part VI: The Part of Tens 353 Chapter 16: Ten WordPress Web Sites Used As a CMS 355 New Music Nation 355 AlexKing.org 357 Mosaic Consulting, Inc. 358 CSS Collection 358 b5media 359 Hot Air 360 MommyCast 361 Jane Wilson-Marquis 362 Weblogs at Harvard Law School 362 E. Webscapes Design Studio 363 Chapter 17: Ten Popular WordPress Plugins 365 WP Print 365 Subscribe to Comments 367 ShareThis 367 All in One SEO Pak 368 WordPress Mobile Edition 369 WP-DB-Backup 369 WP Ajax Edit Comments 370 cformsII 370 Google XML Sitemaps 371 WordPress.com Stats 371 Chapter 18: Ten Free WordPress Themes 373 Cutline 374 Tarski 375 SandPress 376 xMark 376 Stargaze 377 Revolution Two Themes 377 iTheme 378 Redoable 379 Una 379 Gridline Lite 380 Appendix: Migrating Your Existing Blog to WordPress 381 Movin’ On Up 381 Preparing for the Big Move 382 Converting Templates 383 Moving Your Blog 384 Finding Other Import Resources 394 Index 395 Bloggers Love Wordpress! If You're Ready To Start Using This Free Blogging Software, Wordpress For Dummies, 2nd Edition Is Just What You And Your Blog Need To Make A Splash. Explore Theme Development And Learn Where To Find Free Wordpress Themes Extend Wordpress Through Plug-ins, Css, Custom Fields, And More. Find Out About Archiving, Interacting With Readers Through Comments, Tracking Back, And Handling Spam. Get The Scoop On Domain Registration, Web Hosting Providers, Basic Tools Like Ftp, And More. Create A Unique Blog Theme And Presentation By Using Template Tags With Css. Sign Up For Wordpress.com, Log In, Set Options, And Create A Profile. Install Wordpress.org, Set Up A Mysql Database, Explore Rss Feeds, And Organize A Blogroll. Discover The Secrets Of Creating A Blog That Draws Readers. Get Tips On Wonderful Widgets, Upgrades, And Plugins You Can Add To Make Your Blog Extra Cool. Learn How To Use The Dashboard, Manage Comments, And Make Permalinks Work With Your Web Server. With Wordpress For Dummies, 2nd Edition On Hand, It's Easy To Make The Most Of The Free Software And Build A Blog That Stands Out In A Crowd--resource Description Page. Introducing Wordpress: What Wordpress Can Do For You -- Wordpress Blogging Basics -- Using The Wordpress Hosted Service: Getting Started With Wordpress.com -- Writing And Managing Your Blog -- Enhancing Your Blog With Themes, Widgets, And Upgrades -- Self-hosting With Wordpress.org: Setting Up Blogging Base Camp -- Understanding The Wordpress.org Administration Panel -- Establishing Your Blog Routine -- Flexing And Extending Wordpress. Media Management: Images, Audio, And Video -- Making The Most Of Wordpress Plugins -- Finding And Installing Wordpress Themes -- Customizing Wordpress: Understanding Themes And Templates -- Tweaking Wordpress Themes -- Beyond Blogging: Wordpress As A Content Management System -- Deciding To Bring In The Pros -- The Part Of Tens: Ten Wordpress Web Sites Used As A Cms -- Ten Popular Wordpress Plugins -- Ten Free Wordpress Themes -- Migrating Your Existing Blog To Wordpress. By Lisa Sabin-wilson ; Foreword By Matt Mullenweg. Description Based On Print Version Record. Includes Index. Bloggers love WordPress! If you're ready to start using this free blogging software, WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition is just what you and your blog need to make a splash. Professional blog designer Lisa Sabin-Wilson shows you how to use all the latest upgrades to WordPress and helps you decide whether to use the Wordpress.com hosted service or self-host your blog with WordPress.org. Whether you're just venturing into the blogosphere or you want to shift an existing blog to WordPress, WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition will help. Explore theme development and learn where to find free WordPress themes Extend WordPress through plug-ins, CSS, custom fields, and more Find out about archiving, interacting with readers through comments, tracking back, and handling spam Get the scoop on domain registration, Web hosting providers, basic tools like FTP, and more Create a unique blog theme and presentation by using template tags with CSS Sign up for WordPress.com, log in, set options, and create a profile Install WordPress.org, set up a MySQL database, explore RSS feeds, and organize a blogroll Discover the secrets of creating a blog that draws readers Get tips on wonderful widgets, upgrades, and plugins you can add to make your blog extra cool Learn how to use the Dashboard, manage comments, and make permalinks work with your Web server With WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition on hand, it's easy to make the most of the free software and build a blog that stands out in a crowd.