Learn How to Create and Use a WordPress Website
Whenever someone asks me, “How long does it take to learn WordPress,” I immediately have flashbacks to the first time I used this CMS (Content Management System).
I’ll never forget when I heard that creating a website on WordPress (WP) site involved a steep learning curve. That’s NEVER what you want to hear as a newbie blogger or online business owner.
While learning WP isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s totally doable even if you aren’t a WordPress developer, and that comes from someone who was not very good with technology at all. However, the time it takes to learn WordPress varies.
For a beginner, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to learn, depending on how ambitious your project is. There’s a big difference between a simple blog and a full shop.
The best way to learn is by doing, so let’s dive into all the important things to consider when deciding if WordPress is the best platform for you.
Understanding and Learning WordPress
What is WordPress?
WordPress is the most popular CSM. Over 43% of websites use WordPress, or about 513.58 million sites. It’s the best platform for bloggers and online business owners who want more control over monetizing their websites.
WordPress is also one of the best platforms for SEO, and you can use helpful plugins to make building, managing, and using your website easy.
It’s a free, open-source software, meaning it’s accessible to anyone and can be used for websites, blogs, stores, and even applications.
Overall, WP is a versatile platform with various features and plugins, but it does require continuous learning to navigate WordPress proficiently.
What Can You Do with WordPress?
The platform’s versatility is its superpower, as you can create any website with WordPress, whether e-commerce, blogging, or dynamic website. While it’s the most popular choice, having a good understanding of it is key.
You can create complex projects to personal blogs, and everything in between with WordPress. Because of all these things, this CSM is a great platform for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced WordPress developer.
Free WordPress Vs. Self-Hosted WordPress
Most beginners get tripped up with the free WordPress and the self-hosted version.
WordPress.com is a SaaS (Software as a Service) and, therefore, not free, while WordPress.org is the open-source version that is free to use. You just need to purchase hosting, and you’re good to go.
For this article, we’re focusing on WordPress.org.
Essential Things You Need to Know to Master WordPress
How to Install WordPress
First, you want to learn how to install WordPress. This piece is essentially setting up a WordPress site. It’s the step before building your website.
I’m also going to explain a few technical things for troubleshooting issues as they arise.
The first place to look for help is with your host. I’ve tested several, and they all have different setups. Often, if your new host migrates your WordPress website from another host, they’ll set it up for you.
But if this is your first site, you’ll be starting from scratch, so your host will have plenty of helpful resources for you.
There are a few ways you can install WordPress:
- Auto-installer
- cPanel
- Install WordPress on your computer
- FTP for a manual WordPress installation
WPBeginner’s blog post on installing WordPress is a very helpful article and covers every step.
Choosing a Host
Ahhhh, the great host debate. There is nothing more spoken about when it comes to blogging than choosing the right host. Over eight years, I have tried more than a few, so let me give you my honest opinion.
Bluehost
I see people promoting Bluehost everywhere, and while it is a great, inexpensive place to start, you definitely will not want to stay there forever.
Their customer support was great (when I had them). They were friendly and knowledgeable.
My WordPress guy would not do my speed optimization until I changed hosts, so I recommend you switch to a host like Siteground or BigScoots once you start gaining traction.
NameHero
At one time, people threw NameHero around as another great alternative for new bloggers, and I think it is better than Bluehost, but only marginally.
One of the biggest issues I found with NameHero and Bluehost is that they weren’t fast enough. Having a fast website is key in blogging because people are impatient and won’t wait more than a few seconds for a page to load. If it takes a while, it creates a poor user experience.
They lose a few points for customer service compared to Bluehost. They were quick to respond, but I felt that the Bluehost people were friendlier.
SiteGround
SiteGround is a solid middle hosting option. They still offer hosting at a great introductory rate, and their staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.
I felt like they genuinely cared (unlike NameHero), and I actually had a fun interaction with every person I spoke to.
SiteGround also has its own Site Tools instead of cPanel, and I thought they were easier to use and more intuitive. But that could be because cPanel is confusing to me.
One thing to note is that once your introductory rates are over for most hosts, the renewal price can be twice as much or more. SiteGround sent me a renewal notice with a price over $200, which is when I moved on to my forever host.
BigScoots
BigScoots is popular with more experienced bloggers because while they are more expensive, something many newbies can’t afford, you get more bang for your buck.
I still pay under $46 for hosting for three websites. The two smaller ones are on shared hosting, while my main and largest website is on managed hosting.
Honestly, you can likely use shared hosting for quite a while for a reasonable price.
So, what makes BigScoots superior? So much!
First, migrating my websites was fast and easy; they did it for free, whereas others would have made me pay for the bigger one. Their customer support is amazing. They are very friendly and knowledgeable.
BigScoots’ cPanel is easy to use, and every time I run into technical issues, I get help quickly. Best of all, unlike my previous hosts, their hosting is fast and never a problem.
Familiarizing Yourself With the WordPress Dashboard (aka Backend)
Once you install WP, it’s time to learn how to navigate the WordPress dashboard, as this is where all the magic happens. While I could write a whole series of articles just on the backend of WordPress, I just want to cover some of the most important features and elements.
Things to explore include:
Posts – This is where you create your blog posts.
Media Library – Where all the images, videos, and other media you upload are saved
Pages – This is where you create and manage the pages on your website, such as your home page, about page, privacy policy, etc.
Comments – Manage all the comments on your blog here.
Appearance – This is where you can manage and customize your theme, patterns, widgets, menus, and more.
Plugins – Add, remove, and manage the plugins on your website.
Users – Where you manage the users of your website, including yourself
Tools – Manage the available tools in WordPress.
Settings – This is an integral part of the backend of WordPress to learn because it’s where you manage your permalink structure as well as general, writing, reading, and discussion settings. Some plugins will show up in this area, depending on their functions.
You’ll be using the above elements and functions a lot, and it may take a while to learn what they all do well. The more you work in the dashboard, the more familiar you will get with it.
WordPress Themes and Plugins
These add-ons allow you to customize the functionality and appearance of your WordPress site. There are thousands of free and premium plugins to choose from.
These tools allow you to easily build your website and make it look exactly how you want. They also provide the best possible experience for your visitors.
WordPress Themes
After you explore the dashboard, you’ll want to choose a theme for your website. Learning to use WordPress is one of the most important parts of building a website.
There are many free and paid themes to choose from. If you want to focus on SEO and performance, Astra and Kadence are two great themes because they are built to be faster.
There are thousands of free and paid themes available for WordPress, and you’ll customize them in the WordPress Customizer under Appearance on the left side of your dashboard.
WordPress Plugins
Plugins are tools that improve the functionality of your site without having to learn complex coding. They are essentially apps that give you more control over your site content.
Plugins can make certain aspects of building a complex or simple website easier.
I use many plugins on my site that allow me to connect various services. For example, I can use a plugin from my email marketing service provider to easily add forms and create landing pages.
My affiliate marketing software, Thirsty Affiliates, connects using a plugin, allowing me to customize and manage my affiliate links.
You can also use plugins for maintenance tasks like WordPress security or performing regular backups. Plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math can help you SEO-optimize your content so search engines can rank your content.
Plugins can also change your site features in various ways, such as plugins for accessibility to meet Americans With Disability Act standards or even adding social media share buttons to your website.
How to Install Plugins on WordPress.org
Select plugins in your WordPress dashboard. This will take you to the plugins page, where you can search installed plugins and manage them or add a new one.
When you tap the ” Add a New Plugin” button, you can search for plugins to add or upload a plugin. You typically upload plugins that you purchase from somewhere else. They give you a file to download, and then you upload it here in WordPress.
What Factors Determine the Time It Takes to Learn Basic WordPress
The time it will take to learn WordPress depends on several factors that we are going to discuss here.
Basic Computer Skills
You should have fundamental computer skills to learn basic Wordpress. Experience with image manipulation and word processing software is also helpful.
Most of us already have these general skills because computers and software are such a big part of our lives today.
If not, they are easy to learn, and working in WordPress will help, though having basic computer skills already will help you navigate the dashboard and do basic tasks.
The good thing is there are tons of tutorials on the internet for almost everything you need to do. You can even ask ChatGPT! It’s great for troubleshooting and getting instructions on how to do things.
Learning Approach and Motivation
Your motivation and approach to learning will also affect how long it will take to master WordPress.
If you’re really motivated to learn, you’ll be more likely to absorb what you learn.
But if you’re not motivated now, another reason to learn WordPress is that it is a valuable transferable skill even if you don’t want to go into web development. Knowing WordPress is also great for your professional and personal growth.
Working in the system consistently or with a more structured learning approach will also help you with the WordPress learning curve; otherwise, you’ll forget everything you learn.
Prior Knowledge and Experience
Experience with other CSMs and prior computer software and operations knowledge will also help you learn WordPress faster.
One thing essential to building a website is logical thinking; otherwise, you will struggle a little bit. Also, if you’ve worked in WordPress before, even if it hasn’t been recently, it will help you learn how to use this CRM faster.
Estimated Time on How Long It Takes to Learn and Use WordPress
Before you give up on WordPress because you think it’s too complicated, consider how difficult building a blog or online store 20 years ago would be. WordPress allows you to create a website without coding, so it’s much easier than it used to be.
Let’s look at a beginner and intermediate-level learning path.
The Beginner’s Learning Journey
You can learn the basics for a simple blog or website and be up and running in a few days. Understanding how a CSM like WP manages all your content, including tags, categories, pages, and posts, is important because they all play key but different roles.
You must also know how to install a site theme and use WordPress’s customizer to switch fonts, change the color scheme, or tweak the layout.
Additionally, you’ll need to understand how to install and use plugins to increase your site’s functionality and make it easier to customize to your needs.
Learning the ins and outs of the simpler features may take a week or two of consistent work. But remember that your WordPress knowledge is always a work in progress.
The Intermediate Learning Journey
While you don’t necessarily need to be a WordPress expert, the bigger the project, the more time you’ll spend learning WP’s various features and technical aspects.
One of the most significant things you’ll need to figure out is how WP works, as well as how plugins, themes, and everything else interact with the database.
You’ll also need a firm understanding of WordPress functions to build your website and how to configure it and connect to your host’s server. Your host will be a good source of knowledge here.
Resources to Learn WordPress
The good news is that if you want to learn how to use WordPress, there are plenty of resources out there, from online tutorials to community forums and WordPress documentation.
Online Courses and Tutorials
There are many WordPress tutorials, trainings, and courses out there. You can probably even find a WordPress BootCamp or two!
Websites like Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, WordPress.org, and WP Beginner have WordPress courses. Many resources include video tutorials so you can follow along in real time if you’re a visual learner like me.
Documentation and WordPress Community Forums
The WordPress.org website provides documentation that can help you learn WP. The self-hosted WordPress doesn’t have fun or email help, so it can be a little frustrating. However, there are many community forums out there that have experienced web developers who can offer help and valuable insights.
The WordPress community is also great for finding the best plugins and themes.
You can even ask for help in some blogging Facebook groups because many members are experienced bloggers who use WordPress and have been in your shoes. You are definitely not the only one struggling with WordPress.
Hands-on Training and Practice
Honestly, the best way to learn WordPress is through practice and hands-on training. Building your actual website can help you learn WP, even if it is slow-going at first.
Creating your website is one thing; customizing it to how you want it to look is another whole thing. That’s what takes the most time.
Advanced WordPress Skills
WordPress is by far one of the best platforms to build your website on. And even if you don’t ever plan on becoming a WordPress expert or developer, it’s good to know about the advanced WP skills people learn. Who knows, you may decide to go further with it.
Custom Theme Development
More advanced WordPress developers build custom themes. To do this, you must learn HTML, PHP, and CSS. With dedicated practice and study, it takes about three to six months.
Plugin Development
Another advanced skill is the development of plugins. You can learn to create basic ones in a few months, but getting proficient can take a year.
To do this, you’ll want to start with understanding WP actions, filters, and hooks (to be honest, this is wayyy out of my expertise).
WordPress Security and Performance
Having a secure WordPress website is critical for you and your website visitors. Many vulnerabilities come from plugins and themes; in fact, over 92 percent of all vulnerabilities come from here.
It takes the least amount of time to learn of the advanced things we’ve talked about, approximately two to four weeks. Using secure plugins effectively, setting up the proper file permissions, and implementing strong passwords are essential.
How Long Does It Take to Learn WordPress FAQs
Is WordPress harder than coding?
Nope — and that’s the beauty of WordPress!
Unlike coding, which requires learning programming languages, WordPress is beginner-friendly with visual tools that let you build a site without writing code.
It’s like using a cake mix instead of baking from scratch — way easier, but still gets the job done beautifully.
How long does it take to be proficient in WordPress?
It can take several months to become proficient at WordPress. Don’t let that scare you! Learning how to use this CSM won’t take nearly that long. It can take some time before it becomes really comfortable or even easy to work in WordPress.
How many days does it take to learn WordPress?
It depends on your goals, but most beginners can learn the basics in just a few days. If you’re sticking to simple tasks like publishing blog posts or customizing a theme, you can get comfortable with WordPress in a weekend.
Mastering advanced features like plugins, SEO, or eCommerce might take a few weeks to months, depending on your computer skill level — but you can learn as you go!
Can a beginner build a website on WordPress?
Absolutely, because I did with no experience. That’s not to say there won’t be times you want to tear your hair out or throw your computer across the room. Mastery of WordPress can take a while, but it’s totally worth it.
Final Thoughts on How Long Learning WordPress Takes
Learning WordPress is an ongoing process and requires a strong understanding of the essential concepts. Since it’s a more complicated platform, it will take longer to learn than some other CMSs.
I don’t want you to get discouraged when you hear me say it can take months to learn to be comfortable using WP. You just need to keep working on your skills consistently and stay current on all the new additions and updates.
The versatility of WordPress and the ability to customize your website and functionality with plugins and other features is well worth putting in the time to learn it.
I’m certainly glad I did! Learning about WordPress was one of the best things I ever did for my blogs. Who knows, you may want to become a professional WordPress developer!
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