WordPress is among one of the most popular content management systems available, powering over 26 percent of the web. WordPress allows novice bloggers and business owners to build their sites themselves without any coding knowledge.
It’s more powerful than popular DIY website builders, but unfortunately, that means it comes with a learning curve. Though it becomes pretty simple once you learn the basics, you’ll need somewhere to start if you’re new to WordPress. Luckily, there are numerous online resources available. Check out these recommended places to learn WordPress
WordPress.org
WordPress’s official website is packed with information about how to work with the content management system. Not only can you download the WordPress software from this site (although that may not be necessary if your web host provides one-click installs), but there’s also is a range of information to explore, from finding a hosting provider to installing WordPress to working with themes. One of the most useful areas, however, is the support forum, where members of the WordPress community can help you solve specific issues.
WebsiteSetup.org
If you find the official WordPress website a bit overwhelming, WebsiteSetup.org is a great place to start when you need a short step-by-step guide. It covers all the basics in an easy-to-digest manner for beginners.
Start by choosing the guide best suited for you, whether you’re building a generic website or a blog, and then explore the additional resources and content if you have further questions. Information ranges from commonly asked questions to comparison guides to WordPress customization tips and more.
The site owner will even answer your WordPress-specific questions if you get in contact through Facebook or email. Best of all, this resource is completely free.
WP101.com
WP101.com is another great place to start for beginners. This site focuses on video tutorials and teaches you the basics of getting started with WordPress all in about an hour, which is perfect if you’re short on time. Once you understand the basics, you can continue with more in-depth tutorials.
WP101 boasts helping over 1 million people learn WordPress through their tutorials. They also guarantee that their videos are always up-to-date by updating them with every new version of WordPress. That way, you can be sure that the lessons cover the version you’re currently working with rather than an older version that may not look the same or have the same features. These tutorials are great whether you’re building your site on your own or if you’re looking to gain more control of your WordPress site after having a developer set it up for you.
Memberships start at $29 per year or $69 for lifetime access. Although the tutorials come with a price, you’ll get perks like a members-only forum where you can ask questions and get personalized answers from the community, along with access to over 200 WordPress experts who can help make minor tweaks to your site.
Lynda.com
Once you become familiar with WordPress and move past the beginner stage, one of the best sites to improve on your WordPress skills is Lynda.com. This is a site dedicated to helping you learn new skills online. With over 4,000 courses covering all types of creative and business skills, you’ll find plenty of content that will teach you more about WordPress.
You can start out with the basics, such as tutorials that walk you through setting up a portfolio or small business website, or you can go through courses that dig into the more complicated side of WordPress, such as creating your own themes and plugins.
These in-depth tutorials aren’t necessary for beginners, but they’re immensely useful for anyone who wants to take their WordPress knowledge to the next level. These skills can prove very useful, and you can even turn them into a sustainable career, whether you want to make money building WordPress themes and plugins or you want to work as a freelance site designer who specializes in WordPress.
Lynda.com costs between $19.99 and $29.99 per month, but you can start your free 10-day trial now. With the advanced WordPress skills you’ll learn in these courses, the cost to join is well worth it.
TeamTreehouse.com
Update: All WordPress courses and workshops were retired by Treehouse on 07/06/2019
TeamTreehouse.com features tutorials on all areas of web design and coding. In the WordPress track, you’ll learn basics like how to make a website with WordPress and SEO for WordPress. You’ll also learn about theme and plugin development, PHP for WordPress, and action and filter hooks.
The site stays frequently updated so you’re always working with the latest versions of the software you’re learning about. In addition to tutorials, the site also offers practice quizzes to help you test your knowledge. As you move through the tutorials, you will also earn badges—which anyone can view, including recruiters if you’re wanting to use your skills to get a job in development.
Start with a free trial to gain access to the full course library, which includes thousands of hours of content, including on JavaScript and iOS in addition to WordPress. If you enjoy the tutorials during your free period, you can continue your membership for $25 per month.
Though there are numerous resources available online to help you learn WordPress, these suggestions will help get you pointed in the right direction, whether you’re looking for free articles as a beginner or more in-depth courses that will help you become a WordPress expert. Which one of these resources will you start with?