Lesson 1: What WordPress Is (and What It Isn’t)
Overview
Before you start editing your website, it helps to know what WordPress actually does.
Think of WordPress as the framework that holds everything together. It’s not a website builder like Wix or Squarespace. It’s a content management system or CMS.
A CMS is nothing more than a flexible tool that lets you control your website’s content, design, and structure.
You don’t need to know any code to use it effectively. Once you understand the basics, you can update your pages, add text and images, and make small design changes with ease.
The WordPress Building Blocks
Every WordPress website has three main parts:
- The Dashboard – where you manage and edit your content.
- The Theme – which controls the look and layout of your site (for this course, that’s Blocksy).
- Plugins – small add-ons that give your website extra features such as forms or SEO tools.
Why This Matters
Understanding how these parts fit together helps you feel confident when editing. You will know where to look when something needs updating, rather than worrying you might “break” the site.
Key Takeaway
WordPress is designed to make editing simple once you know where things live. You don’t need to know everything, just enough to move around confidently.
Practical Task
Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Find the main menu on the left-hand side.
- Click through the sections labelled Pages, Posts, and Media to see what each one contains.
- Notice how every change you make can be updated or undone before it goes live.
Lesson 2: Touring the Dashboard
Overview
The WordPress dashboard is your website’s control centre. This is where you manage pages, upload images, and adjust settings. It can look a little overwhelming at first, but most of what you will use regularly is in just a few key sections.
The Main Areas of the Dashboard
- Dashboard Home – an overview of your site activity.
- Pages – where you edit and publish the main content of your site.
- Posts – used for blogs or news updates.
- Media – where you upload and manage your images, videos, and files.
- Appearance – where you access your theme settings (you will use this rarely).
- Plugins – where you can see what tools are installed on your site.
- Settings – where you control basic site details like your site title or email address.
Understanding Edit Mode
When you edit a page, you will see the Block Editor. This is where you add or move content using “blocks”. WordPress blocks are small, flexible pieces of text, images, or layout elements.
You will learn more about blocks in the next module, but for now, just notice how simple it’s to click, type, and update.
Key Takeaway
Once you know what each menu item does, the dashboard stops feeling intimidating and starts feeling like a workspace.
Practical Task
Open your WordPress dashboard and click Pages > All Pages.
- Find your Home or About page.
- Click Edit and look at the top toolbar and side menu.
- Hover over each icon to see what it does.
Don’t make changes yet. This is just about familiarising yourself with the layout.
Lesson 3: Pages, Posts, and How They Differ
Overview
WordPress uses two main types of content: Pages and Posts. They look similar at first, but behave differently. Knowing the difference helps you keep your site organised.
Pages
Pages are for content that stays the same. For example, your Home, About, and Contact pages.
They form the main structure of your website.
Posts
Posts are for time-based or regularly updated content such as blog articles, news, or updates.
They appear in reverse order (newest first) and often have categories or tags.
When to Use Each
- Use Pages for information people need to find easily at any time.
- Use Posts for ongoing updates, articles, or announcements.
Example:
A photographer might have a Services page that stays the same, and then write blog posts showing recent shoots or client stories.
Key Takeaway
Pages keep your website consistent. Posts keep it alive. Both work together to show what your business offers and what it’s up to.
Practical Task
Look at your Pages and Posts lists in the dashboard.
Ask yourself:
- Which pages make up the main structure of my website?
- Do I have any posts yet, or do I plan to add a blog later?
Write down one idea for a post or page you could update during this course.
End of Module Encouragement
You’ve just taken the first step towards feeling confident in WordPress.
You now understand what the platform does, how to move around the dashboard, and how Pages and Posts work together.
Most people stop before reaching this point, but you’ve already started to demystify the tech.
Next, we’ll look at how to edit and style your content using blocks: the building elements that make WordPress so flexible.
You’re ready to start exploring.
Support+
If you’re still unsure about where to find things on your dashboard or you’d like a quick walkthrough, bring your questions to the next Support+ live session.
You can share your screen, get help finding the right settings, or we can practise editing a page together and I’ll guide you through it.