Get Started: Theme & Dashboard

Dashboard

The WordPress dashboard is the control center of your website. Here, you can manage and control everything on your website.

On the dashboard, you’ll find various sections and tools that let you do things like create and edit pages (like writing and formatting your website’s content), add new blog posts, customize the look and feel of your site.

Pages

In WordPress, pages are like the different chapters of a book on your website. They are individual sections where you can create and organize specific content. Unlike blog posts that are often arranged by date, pages are more static and typically used for timeless information

Creating a page is simple; you can add text, images, and other elements using an editor, much like writing a document. The Pages section in your WordPress dashboard is where you can manage and edit these pages, giving you control over what your visitors see and how they navigate your site.

Pages are not tagged or categorized.

Posts

In WordPress, a “post” is a blog post, portfolio or custom post type if you have one. Posts are dynamic vs pages and posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order, with the newest posts appearing at the top. Posts are often used for blog updates, news articles, or any content that you want to share in a timely manner.

They can be tagged, categorized and displayed on archive pages.

Archives

An “archive” stores and categorizes your posts, portfolios or custom post types if you have any. It’s a way to group and display your content based on dates, categories, or tags, making it easy for visitors to find specific information.

Media

The WordPress Media Library is like a virtual gallery or storage room where you keep all the images, videos, audio files, and other media that you use on your website. It’s a central hub for managing and organizing your multimedia content.

When you upload an image for a blog post or a video for a page, WordPress saves it in the Media Library. From there, you can easily access, edit, or reuse these files across your site without having to re-upload them every time.

In the Media Library, you’ll find tools to sort and filter your files, making it simple to locate what you need. 

SD Client Admin

The Client Admin is a plugin that optimizes your WordPress experience. It declutters the admin area, updates user roles, removes things you don’t need to worry about while giving you all the power you need to get things done. 

The vast majority of technical items are addressed by us allowing you to focus on your website content, design and your marketing.

Appearance

Themes

A WordPress theme is like the visual design and layout template for your entire website. It determines how your site looks and how content is presented to visitors. In simpler terms, a theme is like the “skin” of your website, providing a cohesive and consistent appearance.

Imagine your website as a house, and the theme is the exterior design, interior color scheme, and overall style. It sets the tone for the user experience. Themes include elements like fonts, colors, page layouts, and styles for headers, footers, and other components.

Themes make it easy for users to change settings, manage your site,  change the look of your website without touching the underlying content or code. 

Themes come with customization options to tweak details according to your preferences. Overall, a WordPress theme is your website’s visual identity, allowing you to create a professional and aesthetically pleasing online presence.

Block Themes

A WordPress block theme is like a customizable set of building blocks for your website, where each block represents a specific piece of content or functionality. Instead of a traditional theme that controls the overall look of your entire site, a block theme focuses on individual sections or “blocks.”

With a block theme, you can easily arrange and customize these blocks to create a unique layout. For example, you might have a block for your site’s header, another for a featured image or video, and more for text, buttons, or social media feeds.

The key feature of a block theme is flexibility. It empowers you to design your pages by combining and arranging these content blocks in various ways. This approach is more visual and user-friendly, allowing you to create a modern and dynamic website without diving into complex coding.

Editor (site editor)

The WordPress block theme site editor is like a user-friendly design studio for your website. It empowers you to visually create and customize your site by using individual content blocks. Think of it as a drag-and-drop interface where each block represents a specific element, such as text, images, buttons, or even more complex features like a gallery or a contact form.

The block theme site editor allows you to easily add, rearrange, and style these blocks without needing to write code. You can see changes in real-time, making the design process more intuitive and interactive.

This editor is a departure from the traditional approach of adjusting settings in different sections of the dashboard. Instead, you directly manipulate the layout and design elements on your pages. It’s like having a dynamic canvas where you can experiment with the look and feel of your website, all within a single, cohesive editing environment.

Block Editor (page/post editor)

The WordPress block editor is a user-friendly tool that allows you to create and edit content on your website pages/posts in a visual and intuitive way. Think of it as a virtual workspace where you build your pages or posts by adding and arranging individual content blocks.

Imagine your content as a series of building blocks—each block represents a specific element, such as text, images, videos, buttons, and more. With the block editor, you can easily insert, move, and customize these blocks directly on the page, without needing to delve into complex code.

The editor is like a modern word processor, but with the added flexibility of designing your content layout visually. You can see exactly how your changes will look in real-time, making it easier to create a polished and professional appearance for your website.

Profile

The WordPress profile section in the admin area is like your personal headquarters where you manage and customize your user account details.

Here, you can set up and modify essential information such as your username, password, and email address. It’s like updating your user credentials to ensure secure access to your WordPress account. You can also personalize your public display name, which is what visitors see when you publish content on your site.

Beyond basic details, the profile section allows you to add a short bio or description about yourself.

Settings

The WordPress settings section in the admin area is like a control center where you can configure various aspects of your website. Let’s briefly discuss some key settings:

Reading Settings

This section allows you to control how your site’s front page displays content. You can choose between a static page or your latest blog posts. It also lets you set the number of blog posts to display.

Discussion Settings

Here, you manage settings related to comments on your site. You can control comment moderation, decide whether comments need approval before appearing, and set up notification preferences. It’s your go-to place for managing interactions and engagement on your site.

Privacy Settings

With increasing concerns about privacy, this setting lets you create a privacy policy page or choose an existing one. It’s a way to inform your visitors about how your site handles their data, contributing to transparency and compliance.

Akismet Anti-Spam

Akismet is a powerful anti-spam plugin that helps filter out spam comments on your site. In the settings, you can configure how strict the spam filtering should be and manage the plugin’s overall functionality. It’s like having a virtual bouncer to keep unwanted comments out of your online space.