DIY WordPress: 7 “How to” Procedures You Need to Know for Running WordPress

(Reading time: 7 – 11 minutes)

Can you operate Microsoft Word? That’s just about all you really need to know to be effective with WordPress.

Ok, maybe you need to know a little more than that, but not that much more. Mostly, you need to know when to get the help you need.

Here’s a checklist for your minimum skillset.

1. How to use FTP.

I realize that FTP is almost unnecessary these days. But if you have had a “classic” internet geek ever touch your site, they used a command line to do everything, and don’t count on being able to use anything other than FTP to get to some of your files.

Besides, using FTP is a little bit like riding a bicycle. After 150 years, bicycles aren’t going anywhere, and you only need to learn to ride it once.

2. How to keep your blog secure.

Security is a process.

It’s not a problem. You can’t “solve” security, once and for all.

If you don’t keep your blog secure from spammers and scammers, from malicious hackers and crackers, you are going to regret it very much. It’s going to cost you time to fix it, possibly money. You will lose traffic from readers. You will lose traffic from search engines. You will develop strange gastro-intestinal diseases. Your dog will run away.

The moon will curdle and stars will fall from the sky.

You don’t want those bad things to happen to you, do you?

Developing an effective security process will let you sleep better at night, please real and electronic readers, and make you more attractive to cute furry mammals, children, and pretty girls. Or boys. Whatever.

Here’s some Website In A Weekend WordPress security resources for you:

• WordPress Simple Security — Replace the “admin” account. Replacing the default “admin” user account after installing WordPress to reduce the potential for malicious hacker attacks.
• Advanced WordPress Security Tips. These advanced tips are easy to implement and will help rain contempt on hackers and crackers trying to destroy your WordPress blog. Take action now!
• More WordPress Simple Security: 5 Plugins to help you lock out unwanted visitors. These 5 simple plugins for securing your WordPress blog against malicious hackers were selected for their high protection factors and simple ease-of-use.

3. How to back up your entire blog.

If you are on the internet long enough, and your website gets enough traffic, you are going to get hacked. It’s almost certain. And if not you directly, then your hosting provider will be attacked.

It’s part of doing business on the internet.

And if you don’t have backups for both your database and your blog’s files and images… You. Are. Toast.

Don’t believe me? Read what happened to the Ma.gnol.ia social bookmarking service. Don’t let that be you.

Instead, make sure you back up both your database and file system at periodic intervals. Website In A Weekend gets backed up daily because we don’t want to lose any articles or comments.

Here’s two articles to get you started:

1. Keep Your Website Safe & Secure — Make regular backups for security. Backing up WordPress blogs is easy, but tedious. Find out how to use plugins for fast and easy backups.
2. Managing Site Backups For WordPress Blogs. Site backups are a critical part of maintaining a WordPress blog. Are you backing up correctly? Do you even know if you’re backing up at all? Do it! It’s easy!

Anyone up for a “blogging fire drill?”

We’ll grab the latest back up of our database and blog files, and reinstall everything on a fresh blog. Let’s just see how good we really are!

4. How to upgrade your WordPress system.

The WordPress system includes plugins, themes and the WordPress core.

Very good news!

Upgrading WordPress plugins and core has never been easier. However, you still have to make the decision on exactly when to update. Occasionally, WordPress will release a version that isn’t quite ready for prime time. The reason this happens is easy to understand: WordPress developers maintain very high quality and up-to-date operating systems and software.

But many WordPress users may have older or even outdated hosting environments.

So sometimes, a release slips out that doesn’t work perfectly with a small number of users.

This is normal.

Not upgrading may expose you to security holes. Remember those falling stars above? Don’t let that be you.

Staying current with WordPress core keeps your maintenance chores manageable. For example, I’m in the middle of upgrading a client’s Wordpress installation from 2.5 to 2.9… without having access to the database. That’s a tough one. Much better to stay current.

Likewise for plugins. Check out this screencast I made for Mo Mellady to help her understand how to update plugins on her new Planet Check website:

Updating plugins is very simple, no excuse not to learn.

The weak point for WordPress is updating themes. Currently, you have to manually update themes, and that’s a big hassle. Perhaps in the near future, theme updating will be as easy as plugin and core updating.

5. How to write a killer blog post.

My goodness.

This article started as a short list of bullet points, and has practically morphed into an ebook! It was supposed to be short, snackable. But it’s only point 5 of 7, and it’s pushing 1000 words. Since it’s getting late in the afternoon… I’m going to skimp on these last 3 points… I’ll add more later.

In any case, the fact remains: if you want to blog, you need to write, and the better your writing the more likely you will be read.

Writing posts for blogs is distinctly different than writing for other media. Check out Writing For Readers — 5 writing styles for maximum impact to get some tips for writing killer blog posts.

Then, refine your writing style with these 3 Excellent Techniques for Writing Scannable Blog Posts. Scannability is really important. You want your readers to scan first, to make sure they will benefit from your article. Catch your readers on the scan, and they will back up and read your entire article on a second pass.

6. How to write an informative blog page.

Blog pages are not the same as blog posts.

Blog posts almost have to be scannable due to the nature of the medium: ephemeral, transient, information that may go stale.

In contrast, blog pages promise long term, lasting value.

Put some thought into your pages, both content and structure. If you want more information or help with your blog pages, leave a comment describing your situation, and I’ll extend this section or write a post – just for you – with some pointers to get you going.

7. How to get the help you need, when you need it.

Even the most diehard do-it-yourselfer needs help once in a while.

I’m getting really tired here, so I’m going to bail out with a list of links!

• First, dig around here on Website In A Weekend. If it’s anything about how to blog, I”ve probably got it covered. I’ve also got a 1000s of words about WordPress, from beginner to intermediate level. Feel free to ask questions.
• The WordPress Codex should be your second stop. The Codex has information on how to use WordPress, and forums where users discuss various features and possible bugs. You should get an account on the Codex, and pay attention to conversations that interest you.
• Last but not least, Google can be your friend.

  However…

  “WordPress” is now a really hot search term, so don’t limit your search to the top page. Dig down into the top 10, or even top 20 pages returned by Google to get away from the keyword-chasing army. Seriously, if these people put as much energy into creating super high quality content, they would still rank high, and they wouldn’t have to worry so much about “S.E.O.”

  But it is what it is.

That’s all I have this evening.

Long time readers (bofem) know I’ll be back later to do some cleanup, using my Publish, then Polish procedure for rapid, high-quality content creation.

Is this list complete?

Does that seem like a lot?

It’s not that much, really, compared to the power you get to establish a world wide presence on the Internet.

But is that it? Or maybe there’s more… speak your mind in the comments.

(If you want to operate your own website, there is more. A lot more, but that’s the subject of another long article.)

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Tagged as: DIY WordPress, Do it yourself, Novice, WordPress basics