Guide to using WordPress – Volume 2
This is the second installment of a three part guide to using WordPress. In this volume, I will provide a brief explanation of what a WordPress page is, show you step-by-step how to create a new page, cover how to create links, and provide a few quick tips on how you can format you text.
If you have not had a chance to read the first volume 1 of “Guide to using WordPress” please click here. Otherwise, stay tuned as the last volume of “Guide to using WordPress” will be posted on our blog next week.
3. Pages
Pages are content entries that are typically static. While pages are easily editable, it is rare to add new pages to a website. The following information will guide you in making edits to your sites existing pages. You may notice the steps for editing a page are nearly identical to those used to edit a post.
Caution: Adding new pages to your site may affect your site’s navigation or worse. Please consult with Pivot Communication prior to adding new pages to your site.
3.1 Editing Pages
1. Click on the Pages tab
Click on the “Pages” tab. This will open and display the PagesManagement area.
2. Locate the page
Within the Page Management area, locate the published page that you wish to edit within the list of recently published pages. Published pages are listed to mirror your site’s navigation. If your website has many pages you may need to scroll down and use the index numbers to find your desired page. Or, if you know the page title or any key terms found within the post, you can use the “Search Pages…” feature, which will return any pages that match your search term(s). There is also a dropdown menu that allows you to sort your pages by the date they were published.
3. Click Page title
Locate the page you would like to edit; click its title to launch the “Edit Page” panel.
4. Edit your page
Your page should now appear in the “Edit Page” panel. You may now use this panel to edit your page or add additional content.
5. Update your Page
Once you have finished editing your page, click the “Update” button to finalize the changes
Note: Failure to click the “Update” button before leaving the Edit Page panel may cause WordPress to erase your changes. Always be sure to click the “Update” button prior to leaving!
After finalizing the page, check it online to make sure everything went according to plan. If you currently have the site open in your browers, you will need to click “refresh” to view the updates.
4. Links
Here are the steps required to place a link within the text of a post or page.
1. Highlight text
While in the edit panel of a post or page, use your cursor to highlight the portion of text in the content area that you would like to make into a hyperlink.
2. Click Link Icon
Click the link icon in the formatting menu above the content ares.
3. Specify Link
Type or paste the URL of the website you wish to link to in the “Link URL” section. In the “Target” section, specify if you want the link to open in a new window.
4. Click Insert
5. Text Formatting
The tools used to format text in WordPress are very similar to those used by Microsoft Word. You can learn about a specific formatting option by holding your cursor over its icon.
Text Styles: Your website comes with preset text styles for mastheads, headlines, sub-headlines, and tags. These preset formats were designed to compliment the look and feel of you website. To use these presets, highlight the desired text then select the appropriate style from the style menu.
Even though WordPress is extremely intuitive, it can be a little daunting for anyone who is unfamiliar with the program. I hope this guide is a useful resource for anyone who is jumping into the WordPress pool for the first time. Please stop back next week to read the last volume of our guide to WordPress.
