The Secret of Wordpress

For those people new to Internet Marketing there is some software that is so simple to use it make you laugh. Gone are the days of learning HTML code and in are the days of Wordpress.

Wordpress was originally created for Blogging and Bloggers but an increasing number of people have begun to use it for Static Websites. A simple way of explaining it is to imagine that you have purchased a Domain name and have directed it to a hosting company that supports Wordpress. The way it works is you install Wordpress directly from your Host and create a user name and password. Then when you want to add text, photographs, video or Audio onto your site you can do so by clicking on the appropriate button and once you Save you’re done.

One special feature about Wordpress is the list of developers who have written software to do additional things. These plugins as they are called are programs designed to add additional features; for example the other day I wanted to create a membership site so that my members could log onto secure areas where I was making available some advanced tutorials. The intention was to make the information available only to Gold Members. Fortunately these were two plugins that seemed to do exactly what I wanted.

I downloaded them, unzipped them and transferred them to my site using some free ftp software (File Transfer Protocol.) Both were great and, although I had only one site to install the software on, I ended up getting both packages.

Many of these plugins are free for Wordpress and most do exactly what they claim. There are a few that I’ve tried without success but bye and large they work.

But the benefit of Wordpress doesn’t end there. You can easily; and I do mean easily, install free themes to make your website look just as you like. Themes, for those who don’t know the terminology, are the way a site looks. Sometimes a single page isn’t suitable and you might like to add a sidebar to help people navigate to other Pages and Posts on the site. Sometime you may feel that two sidebars would be better. You may elect to have them both on the right or on the left or even have one on each side. The choice is up to you and adding themes is easy.

What’s the difference between a Wordpress Post and a Page?

Well a Post is a bit like an online Diary. Posts are for Blogging you add comments and information whenever you like and even invite people to add their own thoughts and comments.

A Page on the other hand is more of a traditional Website (Sometimes referred to as a Static Page). It provides information but is not interactive in the same way a Post would be. Government sites, for example, are usually Static Pages. This isn’t a rule because when they want to gauge public opinion they do, occasionally, use Posts to solicit feedback but, bye and large, it is the politicians themselves who use this Blogs method.

I did once send a message to the Downing Street Blog to tell Tony Blair my opinion but, as he is still alive, it seems he didn’t take my advice.