Ok, you have WordPress installed and you’re looking at the Admin panel wondering what to do first.
This guide should help you get things set up and familiarize you with the Admin Panel.
The left side of your Admin page is where you will find settings for everything. Each tab heading has a small gray arrow to the right, which you can click to show the options available.
Personal Settings
Find the “Users” section, expand it open, and click on “Your Profile.”
The first setting is the color layout of your WordPress admin panel. You can change this from gray to blue if you like.
The next section shows your username as “admin” and this cannot be changed. This is also used as your Author name when you post. This can be changed.
In the boxes below you can enter your full name if you want along with a Nickname. I simply enter a Nickname that I want to appear as my Author name. The box below allows you to select the name you want to use for Authoring.
The next section is contact info. make sure your email is correct and fill out any other contact info you want.
You can also change your login password if you like. Don’t forget to write it down.
Click the Update Profile button and you’re done.
Site Settings
Expand the “Settings” tab and click on “General.” This is where you put the Title of your site, Tagline (description), Site URL, email address, time zone, etc.
Tip: Leave the Title and Tagline blank if you are using the “All in One SEO” plugin. Use the Title and Description sections in the plugin control panel instead.
Adjust these settings to your preference then click the Save Changes button.
Now click on the “Permalinks” tab and adjust these settings. Permalinks are the URL structure of your posts. To keep this simple, choose either the “Day and Name,” or “Month and Name” option.
This will make your Permalinks friendlier.
Click the Save Changes button.
Cleanup
Now you want to go to the top of the page and just click on “Posts.” This opens a page showing all your posts. You should only have one, “Hello World.”
This is a default post, and unless you really want this showing, hover your mouse over the title and a sub-menu will appear. Click ‘trash” and get rid of it.
You will also want to go to the “Comments” section and do the same as there is a default comment posted there.
Nuts and Bolts
The basic settings are done and now would be a good time to fill out your “About” page. This tells visitors about you and/or your site. If you do not plan on using an “About” page you can either delete it or change the name to “Contact,” or whatever you like.
Your next step should be to find the theme you want to use and install it.
Read my post – Adding Themes and Plugins to WordPress
Themes Junction has tons of free themes to choose from.
Once you get your theme installed and activated you should browse through the “Theme options” if there are any. These are usually found either in the “Appearance” tab or under “Settings.”
Get to know how the theme works and adjust any settings to your preference. Not all themes have their own control panel, but many do.
Write a practice post or two, insert a picture, experiment with the “Widget” section, and get to know how things work.
The next step is to add some functionality, automation, and SEO to your site.
Read my post - Recommended Plugins for WordPress then install the plugins that you want, activate, and configure them.
Time to Go Live
Write your first post, check it over carefully, and save as a draft. Check your About page, Contact page, sidebar content, ads, etc.
If everything is satisfactory, go to “Privacy” in the settings tab and check the top option enabling everyone, including search engines, to see your site. Save this setting.
Go back to Posts, click “Edit” under your saved draft, and make sure it is ready to publish. Don’t forget to add Tags and set the proper category (s).
You should also check all the settings below to be sure your plugins are set correctly.
If all is OK then click “Publish” and you are live. Start working on your next post and promote your blog.
Good luck and have fun!
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