I’ve been thinking about recent and past discussions with people who are new to WordPress. They seem overwhelmed and are frustrated. WordPress can seem overwhelming but is it really? For some it’s daunting and overwhelming and to others it just seems second nature. I fall into the the second category where it is second nature to me. I have worked with a lot of content management systems and WordPress was a software I could relate to and use pretty quickly. I’m wondering if it would have been the case if I hadn’t ever used a content management system before.
Going Back To The Beginning
When I first became aware of WordPress it was at work. We had an agency create a micro site and they used WordPress. As soon as I had access to the dashboard I was hooked! I wanted to know more!
I went to my first WordCamp in 2011 at the University of Nevada Reno. I didn’t know what to expect but I thought this was a good place to start! The Reno Tahoe WordCamp was amazing but I do remember feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. There were all these people and I wasn’t sure how I fit in. I attended several sessions and left excited and looking forward to learning more.
I remember going to a Meetup for WordPress users. It wasn’t very useful for me at the time because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with WordPress. I was still figuring it all out.
I found WP101 was a fantastic resource to learn more about how WordPress worked. I built my first website shortly after that for the doggy daycare service Truckee Canine Truckee I using for our dog Buddy who eventually became a paying client.
Building websites for others and using a tool like WordPress to help them maintain their own content changes really spoke to me! I wanted to empower others to be able make changes to their websites so they didn’t have to rely on others.
Is WordPress Overwhelming
So, back to the question: “Is WordPress Overwhelming?” I would have to say yes! So, why is it overwhelming? I know the WordPress community works really hard to help one another and to help new comers. There are plenty of resources out there about WordPress and maybe that’s the problem. There are so many resources out there a new comer doesn’t know where to start.
Suggestions For Someone New To WordPress
Take A Class
There are many ways to learn what you need to about WordPress. My first suggestion is taking a class. There are online courses, workshops, or even a class at a local community college.
Go To A MeetUp
Go to a meetup where you can start meeting others in the WordPress community. The meetup’s I’ve been to have a variety of attendees from beginner to expert and there all at the meetup to learn and grow.
Go To A WordCamp
WordCamp’s are a great place to meet and learn as well. You should check to see if there is a WordCamp near you and go and check it out!
Check Out WordPress.com & WordPress.org
If you want to start your WordPress website quickly and without worrying about hosting I would suggest WordPress.com. If you are planning on hosting your website through a web hosting company you will probably be able to a 1 Click install of WordPress to get up and running. Even if you have that option I do recommend you take a look at WordPress.org for themes, plugins, and questions you might have. The support forum is very helpful there.
Mostly what I would like to suggest is take it one step at a time. If you break it down into small steps you will eventually get there.
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