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New to WordPress: Full Walkthrough Please?

  1. wallyworld924
    Member

    Alright, so I'm totally new to wordpress. I started my blog last night, and I've made 2 posts. I just don't really understand all the different features that there are...For example, the widgets, how to change my banner image/background on my blog, where I go to change my profile picture, and so on and so forth.

    Anything that you can think of that you had trouble or has been troublesome for others would be greatly appreciated.

    Any tips that anyone can give me for the about me section, what to put instead of "Just another wordpress.com site" (or, at least, where I can go to change it).

    I'm also having trouble figuring out the navigation to view my blog from my dashboard and so on and so forth.

    On a final note, I'm a stumbleupon user, but I don't see any way to include a stumbleupon button on my blog. Anybody know a solution to this?

    Sorry for having this post which I'm sure has been answered all the questions I have, but there's just so much stuff to look over in the forum. Thank you all for your help!

    The blog I need help with is beerwax.wordpress.com.

  2. timethief
    Member

    The main link to support documentation is this one http://en.support.com

  3. wallyworld924
    Member

    It's not a tech support issue. I don't have problems with anything happening or not happening. I just don't know how to use the site or navigate around.

  4. jayantraj7
    Member

    #1 Search google and you will know many things
    #2 Explore the features of wordpress.com [it's dashboard] and see everything and you'll know many things then..believe me

    for most of the things regarding theme options go to appereance and do whatever you want

    and edit many of the Settings default options and you'll get your desired blog...

  5. shimworld
    Member

    Hi,

    I'm a photographer and the very first thing I did with any new camera I bought is to read the manual. Not once but as many times it takes to familiarize myself with the new features it comes with. When I signed up WordPress blog in Nov 2006, there weren't as many cool great-to-have features then as they are today but the concept of familiarizing still remains the same.

    Start off with your dashboard http://beerwax.wordpress.com/wp-admin/ and work your way downwards from Blog Stats all the way down to Settings. There are a number of features you need no bother with at this time such as Upgrades | Ratings | Polls unless they matter to you. I don't know if there's a WordPress manual but most if not all of us refer to forum discussions for help. Good luck!

  6. justjennifer
    Member

    If you need a little extra help working your way around, I recommend getting a copy of Lisa Sabin-Wilson's book "WordPress for Dummies (2nd edition)" from your library. It has three chapters about using WordPress.com and is laid out in a progressive manner leading you through the various features. (NAYY)

    FWIW her book is already out of date as WordPress.com is constantly being updated in the background.

    Also, we have contextual help in the Dashboard. If you are stuck at any point, just click on the "Help" button in the upper right corner of your screen and a drop down menu will appear with links to the relevant Support Docs.

    HTH

  7. panaghiotisadam
    Member

    @dzarovit: The link given in the first reply is incorrect. The Support docs (FAQs, if you prefer) are here:
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/
    You should spend some time exploring those, and some time exploring your blog's dashboard.
    Then search the forum for replies to your questions: most questions have been answered countless times, and we can write on specific questions only, not on "anything that we can think of" "and so on and so forth".

  8. wallyworld924
    Member

    @panaghiotisadam Gracias! I didn't realize that was what that was, since it just said something about tech support issues. Anyways, I'll look through that, and then I'll post here if I have any other problems.

    @justjennifer Thanks for the suggestion.

    Cheers!

  9. tfockler60
    Member

    @dzarovit Hello and Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging. I can sympathise with you 100% as I was in your shoes not long ago and after many hours of headbagging the keyboard I have learned (and taught) myself most of the how's and why's of this site and I am offering to help you any way I can do to do the same.

    There are many great posts, and pages for support here about all the various area's you are seeing and what they do. The problem I found was that most of them seem to assume you have a basic understanding of this site. For some that maybe ok but for others (like me and many I have spoken to) its not so easy when you run across explainations that don't really give you step by step instructions.

    The support forum as well as the main Forums can be a good source too but I found there are some limitations as well. Again its with the way information is presented and not the information itself.

    The best advise I can offer is to read, then just try it. The best help I can offer is to tell you to drop me a line (you can find my e-mail on my blog) @ http://www.tfockler60.wordpress.com if you like and I will walk you through step by step.

  10. timethief
    Member

    @dzarovit
    I'm sorry that I posted the wrong link above. Thanks to Panos for providing the correct one.

    I hesitated to give you a list of links last night because Akismet will perceive that I am a spammer if I do so and my comment will be made invisible. Simply remove the square brackets from the links below and copy them into your upper browser bar and click.

    1. Blog visibility - The Privacy Settings control what type of visitors can read your blog. [http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/privacy-settings/]

    2. Dashboard display. [http://en.support.wordpress.com/dashboard/]

    3. Set up your Screen Options and full accessibility (button on top right hand corner of the Admin side of your blog). [http://en.support.wordpress.com/screen-options/]

    3. The General Settings let you change many of the items that control how your blog is displayed, such as the title, tagline, timezone, and date/time formats. Dashboard > Settings > General [http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/general-settings/]

    4. Dashboard > Users > Personal Settings [http://en.support.wordpress.com/personal-settings/] If you wish to work only on the HTML editor then checkmark this below and "Save Changes" and the Visual Editor will not appear. If you want access to both editors then make sure there is no checkmark.
    Visual Editor ___ Disable the visual editor when writing

    5. gravatar/avatar/blavatar [http://en.support.wordpress.com/avatars/]
    These are the best practices for uploading your gravatar:

    • Prepare the image prior to uploading it and make sure it’s 512 x 512 pixels or larger so it will look the best in the widest range of uses.
    • The image filetype has to be either PNG, GIF or JPG. Make sure the file name contains only letters and numbers – no special characters – and make sure all letters are in lowercase.
    • Also make sure the image file name has an extension (Example – image.jpg)
    • Note that there is a time delay while your gravatar image propagates. If you are experiencing problems then go to the gravatar site and read the FAQs as it contains common questions and answers to them http://en.gravatar.com/site/faq/

    6. Dashboard > Settings > Writing
    Be sure to checkmark this below and then click "Save Changes" when you have made your selections on this page.
    ___ WordPress should correct invalidly nested XHTML automatically

    more coming ...

  11. timethief
    Member

    7. The Reading Settings control how a blog is displayed to visitors. [http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/reading-settings/]
    Dashboard > Settings > Reading
    Make your choices and then click "Save Changes"

    8. Dashboard > Settings > Discussion
    The Discussion Settings for comments are used to control how visitors and other blogs interact with your blog. [http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/]

    9. Select a theme here > Dashboard > Appearance > Themes
    You can use the search utility and Feature Filters in your Dashboard > Appearance > Browse Themes > Feature Filters to locate themes of interest to you. (A-Z, Popular, Features)

    It's important to note that these themes are not all cookie cutter themes with the same features. Although the basic functions are all universal the optional features are often the selection criteria bloggers use to make choices with. It's just as important to know that you can change themes as many times as you wish without losing any data.

    how to change my banner image/background on my blog

    Some themes do have customizable image headers and some do not. Some themes allow do for uploading of a colored background or an image background and some do not.

    Each theme has a thumbshot and a features summary description. You can browse and when you find one of interest you can click “Preview”. When you are ready to make your selection you can click “Activate”.

    10. For example, the widgets

    The main widget page link is the one and on that page you will find you will find links to descriptions of and instructions for installing individual widgets.
    [http://en.support.wordpress.com/topic/widgets-sidebars/]

    Each theme you choose from here > Appearance > Themes will provide a default sidebar display of suggested widgets to use. When you install a single widget that default sidebar display will disappear. Simply make your choices and drag the widgets of your choice out of the available widgets box and drop them one by one into the sidebar(s) box(es). Click the right hand corner of the widgets to open them and configure them and then click "Save" and "Close".

    11. Any tips that anyone can give me for the about me section, what to put instead of "Just another wordpress.com site" (or, at least, where I can go to change it).

    What you are referring to is the Tagline. Both the Blog Tile and Tagline are found on this page. They can be changed at any time. Note the the blog URLs cannot be changed. Dashboard > Settings > General

    12. On a final note, I'm a stumbleupon user, but I don't see any way to include a stumbleupon button on my blog. Anybody know a solution to this?

    Yes, but read on please. It's important to know that we do not have FTP access to wordpress.com blogs and we cannot install themes, plugins, or anything else into the templates. We are limited as to what codes we can use and the software will strip out any code that threatens security on this multiuser blogging platform.
    [http://en.support.wordpress.com/code/]
    IMPORTANT > [http://support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/]

    All the various social bookmarking options we have are found reviewed here > http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2010/04/08/social-bookmarks-for-wordpress-com-blogs/

    Basically the correct answer to your question is this: We have excellent support documentation and the entries are constantly being updated as support documentation is a a "living document". Urging you to become familiar with the support documentation there and the use of the searchbox is the best advice we can give you. When you use the searchbox in support documentation the results will include links to related forum threads. If you cannot find what you need using those resources then post to this peer support forum and Volunteers will help you.

    If you have a technical problem that requires a backend fix Volunteers will provide the contact link for Staff as only Staff have backend access to blogs.

    PHEW! I hope this helps you. :)

  12. t3ck
    Member

    [[[[Off Topic]]]] Wow this is by far the longest reply I have seen from TT since I started here but very useful information thank you TT for taking the time to write out your reply. =)

  13. timethief
    Member

    @t3ck
    Thanks. I will now be flesh it out, improve it, and make into an illustrated tutorial when I have the time to do that. :D

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