2. Aboutme
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
Program Manager, Hostopia
• WordPress Strategy
Professor, George Brown College
•Intro to WordPress
•intro to Web Development
Former Organizer
•WordCamp Toronto
•Toronto WordPress Meetup
Owner
WPTeach.com
3. WheretoStart?
The first question I get asked almost every semester is....
.comor.org?
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
4. What is
Wordpress.org
This is the website where the core software lives, along with
thousands of themes and plugins.
And they are all free!!
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
5. What is
Wordpress.com
Is a commercial website where you can host a free WordPress site.
It runs on a feature of WordPress called MultiSite
It’s free as well!!!!
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
6. So if they are both free, whats the big deal?
Why do I have to choose?
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
7. Why choose
WordPress.com
• Up and running in mere moments
• No need to have any technical knowledge
• No need to worry about Backups- done
automatically for you
• You’ll often get new features before they are made
available to .org
• Security of knowing the company behind
WordPress is looking after your site
• Limited functionality compared to .org versionCan
only use themes providedSite has ads on it unless
upgrade purchased to remove
• Cant add plugins- limits ability to extend your
site’s functionality
• no FTP access= no access to files
Pros Cons
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
8. Why choose
WordPress.org
• Full Functionality
• Use any theme or plugin you want
• Full control over your content- no Ads
• Able to fully customize- full access to all code
• Able to monetize site
• Ecommerce capabilities
• Need to have some technical knowledgeYou are
responsible for backing up and maintaining your
siteYou break it? You fix it
• Additional cost for hosting
• Can add additional functionality- Custom Post
types, Event calendars etc.
Pros Cons
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
9. Howtochoose?
WordPress.com WordPress.org
I want to sell online and need
ecommerce capabilities
I want nothing to do with
maintaining my site
I think FTP is something I order at
Starbucks and want to keep it
that way
I have a lot of videos and images I
want to use on my site
I don’t have a development
budget and dont want to DIY
I want to start a membership site
I want to see if I like WordPress
I’m all about the freedom- at least
when it comes to plugins and
themes
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
10. WordPress needs to be installed on my computer.
FALSE
I can’t do ecommerce with WordPress
ALSO FALSE
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
Misconceptions
Common
11. The Dilemma
PageorPost?
What is a Page?
•Static Content- About Us, Contact Form, Services, Location
• Content that won’t change often (if ever)
• Content that you don’t want people commenting on
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
12. The Dilemma
PageorPost?
What is a Post?
•Timely information- News, Announcements, Articles ( but no cat pictures)
• Content that changes and gets added to often
• Content that you want people commenting on
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
13. Please explain
CategoriesandTags
Categories and tags are applied to your posts only- not pages
•Think of categories as your table of contents for your posts
•Tags are then the index words at the back of the book
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14. Example Time
Categories
Newspapers have been doing this for years in print
•News
•Entertainment
•Sports
•Classifieds
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
15. Example Time
Categories
Lets move online- Real Estate Site
•Cities
• Buffalo
• Cheektowaga
• Orchard Park
• North Townawanda
•Types of Properties
• Detached
• Semi-Detached
• Condo
Other potential Categories
•Local Real Estate News
•Helpful tips for home buyers
•Community Events
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
16. Wise Man time
You must strike a good balance
between offering as few options as
possible, while giving your reader
enough choice to satisfy them
Lessismore
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
17. You’re it
TagMe
Tags are descriptors for your content
•Recipe site example
•The recipe is for Lemon Meringue Pie
•Categories could be
• Baking
• Dessert
• Pies
Tags could be
• Eggs
• Custard
• Meringue
• Lemon
• How much can Al eat in one sitting?
www.wpteach.com al@wpteach.com (416)907-8396
19. Wise Man time
50% discount on my Ultimate Guide to WordPress Video Series
http://bit.ly/11BjMDV
Discount code- WPBuff
BonusTime
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