8 Common Questions About Using WordPress

Last week, I exchanged several emails with a woman who wanted to revise her website. She wondered if she should use WordPress to create her new site. She was hoping to do most of the work herself and, also, wanted to be able to maintain the site. What kind of site could she build using WordPress, she asked. What did she need to get started? Was it really that easy to work with? As I corresponded with her, it occurred to me that others might have the same questions.

Here, then, are answers to some common questions about using WordPress to create a website.

1. What do I need to get started?
   1. A domain name — for example: www.mybusinessname.com.
   2. A hosting account — in simple terms, this is your website’s home. Hosting costs vary widely, starting as low as $5.00 a month. Choose a company that is reliable and offers good customer service. You want to be able to reach “a human” when you have a question or a problem.
   3. WordPress software — it’s free and available for download at WordPress.org.
   4. A WordPress theme — the theme controls the design and the functionality of your WordPress site. WordPress comes with a basic theme, but it’s pretty boring, and one of the first things most users do when working with WordPress is to change their site’s theme. You can find free themes at WordPress (others can be found by searching “free WordPress themes”), or you can purchase a professionally designed “premium” theme. A partial listing of premium WordPress themes can be found at Premium WordPress.
2. Can I convert my current website into a WordPress site?
   There is no “conversion button” to take your current site and convert it into a WordPress site. However, you can take many elements of your existing site and use them in a WordPress site. For example, you can use the same website copy (by copying and pasting text), but you will have to “rebuild” many of the elements of your site (for instance you will need to create pages to hold your copy). If you like your current website’s structure, you can use it as a guideline when creating a WordPress site. If you want to use your current site’s design, you can hire someone to create a WordPress template that duplicates that design or you can do this yourself.
3. Can I sell products from a WordPress site? Yes. There are several ways to do this, but if the primary purpose of your website is to sell products, you may need an e-commerce solution. Learn more here.
4. Does WordPress work with SEO and AdSense? Yes and yes.
5. Can I create a form to collect email addresses for my newsletter? Yes.
6. Can I have a blog and a “regular” site? Yes.
7. Can I have more than one blog? Yes, but each blog must have its own WordPress installation (meaning you will have multiple copies of WordPress software installed). If you will be maintaining many blogs, you might consider using WordPress MU.
8. Is WordPress easy to use? Can I really create my own site and maintain it myself?
   Yes. But the skills required to create and maintain a WordPress site increase as the functionality of the site increases. If you want to move beyond a basic WordPress site, you are going to have to learn some new skills. Some of the things you might want to do will be easy to implement; others might be difficult. Before diving in, take a look at the WordPress Codex. If you feel comforted by what you learn, then go ahead and get started. But if what you read raises more questions than it answers, consider hiring someone to help you with this project.

Contact me if:

• You have other questions about WordPress I haven’t answered here (you can leave a comment below and I’ll respond); or
• You’d like my help in creating a WordPress site: (610) 935-1255 or info@rmfcommunications.com.