WordPress for Web Development for Small Businesses
Course Title: WordPress for Web Development for Small Businesses
Course Duration: 8 Weeks
Course Description: This course provides an in-depth introduction to WordPress, tailored specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Students will learn how to create, design, and manage a professional website using WordPress. By the end of this course, participants will have the skills to develop a functional and visually appealing website that meets their business needs.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the Basics of WordPress:
- Explain what WordPress is and its advantages for small businesses.
- Understand the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
2. Set Up a WordPress Site:
- Choose and register a domain name.
- Set up hosting and install WordPress.
3. Navigate the WordPress Dashboard:
- Familiarize with the WordPress dashboard and its components.
- Understand the role of themes, plugins, and widgets.
4. Customize a WordPress Site:
- Choose and install a theme.
- Customize the site’s appearance using the theme customizer.
5. Create and Manage Content:
- Create and manage posts and pages.
- Use categories and tags for content organization.
6. Enhance Site Functionality:
- Install and configure essential plugins.
- Use widgets to add content and features to sidebars.
7. Optimize for SEO and Performance:
- Implement basic SEO practices.
- Optimize site performance and security.
8. Manage a WordPress Site:
- Understand user roles and permissions.
- Backup, update, and maintain a WordPress site.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Set up and configure a WordPress website tailored to their small business needs.
2. Navigate and use the WordPress dashboard effectively.
3. Customize the design and layout of their site using themes and the theme customizer.
4. Create, organize, and manage content including posts and pages.
5. Enhance their site’s functionality using plugins and widgets.
6. Implement basic SEO strategies to improve site visibility.
7. Optimize their site’s performance and ensure it is secure.
8. Perform regular maintenance tasks to keep their site updated and backed up.
Weekly Breakdown:
Week 1: Introduction to WordPress
· What is WordPress?
· WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
· Overview of course objectives and outcomes
Week 2: Setting Up Your Site
· Choosing a domain and hosting provider
· Installing WordPress
· Basic WordPress settings
Week 3: Exploring the WordPress Dashboard
· Dashboard navigation
· Overview of themes, plugins, and widgets
· Configuring general settings
Week 4: Customizing Your Site’s Appearance
· Choosing and installing themes
· Using the theme customizer
· Customizing the homepage
Week 5: Creating and Managing Content
· Understanding posts vs pages
· Creating and editing posts and pages
· Using categories and tags
· Managing media (images, videos)
Week 6: Enhancing Functionality with Plugins and Widgets
· Installing and activating plugins
· Essential plugins for small businesses
· Adding and configuring widgets
Week 7: SEO and Performance Optimization
· Basic SEO practices
· Using SEO plugins (e.g., Yoast SEO)
· Optimizing site speed and performance
· Security best practices
Week 8: Managing and Maintaining Your Site
· User roles and permissions
· Regular maintenance tasks
· Backing up your site
· Updating WordPress, themes, and plugins
Skills to be Learned:
· Domain registration and hosting setup
· WordPress installation and configuration
· Dashboard navigation and management
· Theme selection and customization
· Content creation and organization
· Plugin and widget management
· Basic SEO implementation
· Site performance optimization
· Security and maintenance practices
Assessment and Evaluation:
· Weekly assignments to reinforce lessons learned
· Mid-term project: Set up a basic WordPress site
· Final project/Presentation: Develop a complete WordPress website for a small business, incorporating design, content, and functionality enhancements
Resources:
· Recommended Reading: “WordPress for Beginners” by Dr. Andy Williams
· Online Resources: WordPress Codex, WordPress Support Forums
· Tools: Access to a web hosting service, a domain name, and a computer with internet access
By completing this course, students will gain the practical knowledge and skills needed to build and maintain a professional WordPress website tailored to their small business requirements.
Course Objectives: Creating a website using WordPress requires a mix of basic and advanced skills, depending on the complexity and functionality of the website.
Course Learning Outcomes: After completing the course students will learn the following WordPress skills essential for a website development on their own.
1. Basic Skills
· Understanding WordPress Dashboard: Familiarity with the WordPress admin interface, including how to navigate through different sections like posts, pages, media, and settings.
· Content Management:
o Creating, editing, and deleting posts and pages.
o Organizing content with categories and tags.
o Managing media files such as images, videos, and documents.
· Using Themes:
o Installing and activating themes.
o Customizing themes using the WordPress Customizer.
· Plugins:
o Installing, activating, and configuring plugins.
o Understanding the importance of plugin updates and compatibility.
· Menus and Navigation:
o Creating and managing menus.
o Adding links to posts, pages, categories, and external URLs.
· Widgets:
o Adding and managing widgets in sidebars and other widget-ready areas.
· Basic SEO:
o Using plugins like Yoast SEO to optimize content for search engines.
2. Intermediate Skills
· Customizing Themes:
o Using child themes for customizations to avoid losing changes after updates.
o Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS for styling adjustments.
· Page Builders:
o Using drag-and-drop page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or WPBakery to create custom layouts.
· E-commerce Setup:
o Setting up WooCommerce for online stores.
o Managing products, categories, tags, and attributes.
o Configuring payment gateways and shipping options.
· Form Creation:
o Using form builder plugins like Contact Form 7 or WPForms to create contact forms, surveys, and other interactive elements.
· Performance Optimization:
o Implementing caching solutions using plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache.
o Optimizing images for faster loading times.
3. Advanced Skills
A. Custom Development:
o Proficiency in PHP for custom theme and plugin development.
o Advanced CSS and JavaScript for enhanced styling and interactivity.
B. Database Management:
o Basic understanding of MySQL for database interactions.
o Using phpMyAdmin for direct database management.
C. Security:
o Implementing security best practices and using security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri.
o Understanding user roles and permissions.
D. Advanced SEO:
o Implementing advanced SEO techniques, schema markup, and using Google Analytics and Search Console.
E. Multilingual Websites:
o Using plugins like WPML or Polylang to create multilingual websites.
F. API Integrations:
o Integrating third-party services and APIs with WordPress for extended functionality.
4. Soft Skills
· Problem-Solving:
o Troubleshooting common WordPress issues and errors.
o Debugging conflicts between themes and plugins.
· Project Management:
o Planning and managing website development projects.
o Effective communication with clients or team members.
· Continuous Learning:
o Staying updated with the latest WordPress updates, trends, and best practices.
Conclusion
Mastering WordPress involves a blend of skills ranging from basic content management to advanced development and optimization techniques. Whether you’re building a simple blog or a complex e-commerce site, these skills will enable you to create functional, user-friendly, and visually appealing websites.
A. Create a participant’s directory list with the following information
1. First name
2. Last name
3. Business Name
4. Position in the company
5. Status (no domain/ has domain/ need feature)
6. Preferred mode (online/in-person)
7. wp-admin link
8. User-id
9. Password
10. Logged-in?
11. Created Homepage?
B. Prepare instruction set for the following:
C. Understanding WordPress Dashboard and its toolset – Completed Week 3
D. Prepare instruction sets with screenshot for the following
o How to login to WP admin
o How to create a page?
o How is the toolbox used for editing and formatting text?
o How the toolbox is used for importing an image
o Explain the concept of the blocks in making a WordPress page
o How to create a post?
o How to create a Menu and link pages
o How to create a pictue gallery?
o How to create a form for capturing visitors name and address etc. in Excel sheet?
o How to install an eCommerce plugin?
o How to install Site Optimizaion plugin?
E. Customize the weblabs2024.com website and include the following instruction set
F. Prepare instructions to move a WordPress site from one domain to another.