You’ve signed up and created your very first WordPress.com website. Congrats, but now what?
Two of the biggest challenges new users have when starting out on WordPress.com are choosing a theme and learning the basics of site set up. WordPress.com helps you select an initial theme based on the information you provide about what your site content will be and how comfortable you are in setting up a site, but you aren’t locked in to staying with that theme forever.
The first resources you should check out on your WordPress.com learning journey include Learn WordPress.com or WPcourses Intro to Blogging and your current theme’s Showcase page, which gives detailed set up instructions. These resources are a great place to start when you have the time. If your goal is to get your WordPress.com site set up quickly, then check out Build Your Website in 5 Steps and Set Up Your Blog in 5 Steps.
More recently, WordPress.com created specific tutorials for niche sites. Currently on offer, as of September 2021, are:
- Build a Business Website Tutorial
- Build a Photography Website Tutorial
- Build a Site to Help Sell Your House
- Build a Virtual Classroom Website Tutorial
- Build a Wedding Website Tutorial
- Decision Guide to Build a Membership Website
Each tutorial is full of great suggestions and tips for selecting a theme, editing your About page, adding a Contact page, setting up a static front page, creating a customized navigation menu, adding images, sharing to social media, adding mailing lists and many more topics. If you want to dig deeper into each of these topics, links are included to in-depth guides in our WordPress.com Support site.
Excellent resources for new and experienced users, combine them with Blogging U’s courses* on everything from Blogging 101 to Building a Business Website to really take charge of your online presence.
*Note that BloggingU, while no longer active, still offers several topical, self-study courses by email. For anyone wanting to learn the ins-and-outs of blogging, head to WP Courses.
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