If you’ve recently set up a self-hosted WordPress site for your business, congratulations! WordPress is a powerful content management system that can help you create a professional-looking website with ease. However, if you’re new to WordPress, the interface can be a bit daunting at first. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to log in to your WordPress site and navigate the dashboard, so you can start creating content and customizing your site.
Step 1: Open Your WordPress Login Page
The first thing you need to do to access your WordPress site is to open the login page. To do this, simply go to your site’s URL and add “/wp-admin” to the end. For example, if your site is www.example.com, your login URL would be www.example.com/wp-admin. When you navigate to this URL, you should see a login screen like the one below.
Step 2: Enter Your Login Credentials
To log in to your site, you need to enter your username and password. These credentials were provided to you when you first set up your WordPress site. If you don’t remember your username or password, you can click the “Lost your password?” link to reset them.
Step 3: Navigate the WordPress Dashboard
After you log in to your WordPress site, you’ll be taken to the dashboard. The dashboard is the main interface for managing your WordPress site, where you can create and edit pages, add posts, install plugins and themes, and more.
The dashboard is divided into different sections, including:
- Menu: This is the main navigation menu that allows you to access different parts of the dashboard, such as Posts, Pages, Appearance, and Plugins.
- Dashboard widgets: These are small boxes that provide a quick overview of your site’s activity, such as recent posts, comments, and site stats.
- At a Glance: This section provides a quick summary of your site’s content, including the number of pages, posts, and comments.
- Quick Draft: This is a handy tool that allows you to quickly create a new post draft from the dashboard.
- Activity: This section displays recent activity on your site, such as new comments or plugin updates.
Step 4: Customize Your Dashboard
One of the great things about WordPress is that you can customize the dashboard to suit your needs. For example, you can rearrange the dashboard widgets or add new ones that provide more information or functionality.
To customize your dashboard, simply click the “Screen Options” tab at the top of the screen. This will open a panel that allows you to select which dashboard widgets to display, and how many columns to use.
Step 5: Create and Edit Posts and Pages
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the dashboard, it’s time to start creating content for your site. To create a new post or page, simply click the “Posts” or “Pages” link in the menu, then click “Add New.” This will open the post or page editor, where you can add text, images, videos, and more.
To edit an existing post or page, simply click the “Posts” or “Pages” link in the menu, then click on the title of the post or page you want to edit. This will open the editor, where you can make changes to the content. The post editor is a powerful tool that allows you to format text, add images, and embed videos. You can also add tags and categories to your post to make it easier to find.
To add an image to your post or page, simply click the “Add Media” button above the editor. This will open the media library, where you can select an image from your computer or from a URL.
Once you’ve added your image, you can choose its size, alignment, and other settings.
To publish your post or page, simply click the “Publish” button on the right side of the screen. If you’re not ready to publish it yet, you can save it as a draft or schedule it to be published at a later date.
[Graphic 8: Screenshot of the WordPress post editor with highlighted “Publish” button]
Congratulations! You’ve now learned how to log in to your WordPress site, navigate the dashboard, and create and edit posts and pages. With this knowledge, you can start building your site and sharing your content with the world.
Remember that WordPress is a powerful tool with many features and options, so don’t be afraid to explore and experiment with different settings. If you need more help, there are plenty of online resources available, including the WordPress Codex and the Creekside Collaborative blog.
We hope you found this tutorial helpful, and we wish you success with your new WordPress site. As always, never hesitate to send us your questions or schedule a meeting if you need more help with your WordPress site update, maintenance, & hosting.
