Below you’ll find a list of resources you can use to learn more about WordPress.
Many of these resources contain tutorials for beginners who need help with WordPress.
If you need to find solutions to problems, these resources are amongst the best available.
Support Forums
- WPQuestions.com – Another excellent solution to finding the answers you need help with to solve problems with WordPress.
- WordPress Stack Exchange – If you have a technical issue especially related to php coding, the WordPress Stack Exchange is an excellent resource to help you fix this type of problem.
- Kolakube – Check out their showcase to view the sites beginners have created using Kolakube skins. If you want Thesis as your premium theme framework, the support you receive from Sean Davis on their forum is outstanding. Ask for any php or css code and they will write it for you.
Code
- HTML DOG – A website containing tutorials for beginners that assumes that you have no previous knowledge of HTML. The purpose of this guide is to teach the bare essentials of both HTML & CSS – just enough to get started. Also contains tutorials for beginners, intermediates & Advanced users.
- W3 Schools – An excellent resource for learning how to use CSS to control the style and layout of multiple Web pages all at once. Includes tutorials about HTML, XML, Javascript, PHP & SQL.
- Github – A free resources of code snippets, plugin & theme code you can use or fork to make your own
- Thesis Users Guide – An excellent list of code snippets produced by DIY themes. Includes tutorials on how to customize the Thesis theme framework.
Video’s
- WP101 – Regarded as the best WordPress video tutorials on the internet. Some are free, most are premium. Used by 1,000’s of web developers to teach their clients the basics of WordPress.
- WordPress Training Video’s from Lynda – Extensive range of high quality beginner level video tutorials. You’ll learn how to get a web host, set up a domain and install WordPress to your web server. Includes access to intermediate and advanced level tutorials for WordPress users.
Premium Resources – Products & Services
This list of premium WordPress resources includes all products and services which i have used and recommend.
I also own over 40 different premium plugins and premium themes.
Hosting
Problem: If you are a beginner you probably have little or no knowledge of WordPress, Blogging or setting up websites.
Solution: Bluehost helps you avoid any frustration that most beginners go through when they start their first website or blog.
All In One Domain & Hosting
The solution Bluehost offer is simple.
When you buy a hosting plan from them they factor in the cost of a free domain.
The reason they do this is to make it easier for you to install WordPress.
Otherwise you have to know how to point the DNS name servers from your existing Domain Registrar, to your new web host.
All you need to do is choose the domain name you want for your site.
I use and recommend Bluehost on my smaller sites and recommend them for beginners who can benefit from the simple setup they offer.
Migration
Problem: Moving hosts and moving WordPress?
Solution: Hostgator offer a free transfer service included in a yearly package. Most other hosts don’t offer this.
The service at Hostgator is excellent, available 24/7 by online chat if you’re not in the U.S and amongst the cheapest on the planet.
Excellent value for money.
Speed & Security
Problem: You’ve tried upgrading to a Pro shared, VPS, Cloud or Grid type hosting plan and are still frustrated with slow loading times and security issues.
Solution: WPEngine provide the best WordPress only hosting plans which focus on speed & security.
You’ll also find a coupon code which gives you the first 3 months at a cheaper price than basic shared account.
Seo
The Must Have Keyword Research Tool – Market Samurai If you don’t know which keywords have the traffic and make the money, you are wasting your time. Market Samurai is the leading keyword research tool that all serious internet marketers use.
Discover how it can help you in our Market Samurai review…
Plugins
The problem: Want to move your site to a new domain, host or server yourself or simply want to protect the time, effort and expense you have put into your WordPress site from hackers?
Solution: Backup buddy covers all this and more so you can sleep at night knowing you have a full copy of all your WordPress sites and can easily restore them to any server or domain quickly and easily.
The most valuable plugin in my opinion is this premium backup plugin which i own and use every day.
Why is it so valuable? How would you feel if you lost everything? Your whole site gone forever with no chance of recovery.
Ask 4,800 Aussie website and blog owners who experienced this recently when someone hacked into their hosting service and deleted all the files and backup as well.
Google it and read the story.
Forms
The problem: Need to design your contact form visually without any knowledge of CSS or PHP coding?
There no other plugin that makes it so easy.
Solution: Gravity forms enables you to pretty much make any type of form you want with class.
It offers a huge range of features and options so you can easily create the best forms available.
You can offer a free ebook or sell products with this form as its integrates perfectly with Paypal and Aweber as well as includes an auto responder which is easier to setup than Aweber.
This enables list building and secure downloads for digital products. I use and recommend Gravity forms.
Sales/Landing Page
The problem: You don’t understand CSS or PHP coding so even buying a script to so you can create a sales, squeeze or landing page is a nightmare as you can’t install it.
I’ve tried several plugins already for these purposes and haven’t been very impressed.
The Solution: Max Foundry have produced the easiest to use landing/Squeeze/Sales page plugins for WordPress.
Try this free button creator plugin and you’ll see what i mean before you decide on the others. Its incredibly easy to use and produces great looking buttons.
I own all these premium plugins and recommend them.
Themes
There’s too many to list and its a very personal decision.
The Problem: Themes (premium & free) are used thousands of times and aren’t meant to be altered. Need a unique look that’s also visually stunning.
Solution: Invest in a premium framework (still called a theme) which you can easily make your own.
The Thesis theme for WordPress is one solution. There’s also a few others like the Genesis framework which also produce an excellent range of themes.
The difference: Thesis offers world class technical support because their staff are not volunteers. They are paid experts specializing in different areas of Web development.
Ever have any sort of problem, needs or wants, they cover all bases better than any other Theme creator. They don’t offer themes or skins rather a premium framework which is easy to select design options so its totally unique and stands out from the crowd.
Woo themes have created over 100 WordPress themes since starting in 2008. The Woo framework is one of the most popular in the industry for features, even better than Thesis is this respect.
List Building
The Problem: The costs are starting to add up and you’re not making any money from WordPress blogging yet or seeing any return on your investment.
You know Aweber is the best but another ongoing monthly expense isn’t attractive at the moment as you’re not seeing a return on your investment.
The Solution: Find the best free email marketing software that builds your list so you do start making money from WordPress and get the results.
How about if i told you there’s an email marketing service that’s easier to use than Aweber and its free for the first 12000 emails you send every month.
You also get free storage for up to 2,000 email addresses. I use and recommend MailChimp. Integrates with Gravity forms, Paypal etc.
Without a list your going to have to get on the first page of Google if you want to make money online.