AITP hosted a Wordpress Workshop 101 with Hossam Aljunaidi as our primary speaker. His presentation consisted of several topics which not only assisted our Officers but was open to the Students on Arkansas State University’s campus.

Why Wordpress?

1. “I can’t update my website!”
2. “I’ve got to get my webmaster to do that, but it’s going to cost me…”
3. “Nooooo, I just hosed my website!”

So why is WordPress a good choice?

1. SEO – WordPress provides good search engine optimization (SEO) right out of the box.
2. Content – it is easy to update content on your website without knowing HTML. 
3. Extensions – There is a large ammount of developers creating themes and plug-ins – imagine free design themes, or the ability to extend your website with polls, contact forms, ratings or hundreds of other cool features without having to hire a web developer.
4. Support – If you do have problems, or want to add very custom features, it is easy to find support and developers who can help you.
5. Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Types of WordPress

1. WordPress.org

2. WordPress.com

WordPress.com

• Pros:

1. Easiest way to get started
2. Pick from list of available themes
3. Hosting is free (there is a $15/year charge to use your own domain name)

• Cons:

1. Must choose only from their list of themes available, and you cannot customize them directly
2. Cannot install plug-ins to extend the functionality of your site
3. Sometimes they show ads on your site

WordPress.org

• Pros:

1. You have complete control over the look and feel of your site
2. You can install any WordPress plug-in to extend the functionality of your site (customizing the site)

• Cons:

1. A hosting provider that allows you to have MySQL databases and FTP access.
2. Knowledge of how to use FTP to transfer files, create a MySQL database, and edit configuration files. Note: many hosting providers now have a one-click WordPress installation that handles this for you.
3. You need to manage your own backups. (However, there are free plugins to automate this easily.)

Wordpress Requirements

• A hosting provider :        

1. http://Bluehost.com
2. http://GoDaddy.com
3. http://Powweb.com

Hosting Inquiries

1. Bandwith
2. Space
3. PHP
4. Mysql database

Wordpress Requirements Continued

•  FTP Client :

        Filezilla

Summery Requirements:

1. Web Host
2. Download the script from here
3. FTP client to upload the script ( like  Filezilla )
   

Various Themes

1000+ Themes (click for the full list)
     Coffee News                         News                                  Annotum Base
                   

 Neon                                   Suffusion                         Adventure Journal

1. Many Others to Choose From Also ?....

Plugins

Featured Plugins

WP Super Cache

Download A very fast caching engine for WordPress that produces static html files.

Jetpack by WordPress.com

Download Supercharge your WordPress site with powerful features previously only available to WordPress.com users.

WPtouch

Download WPtouch: A simple, powerful and elegant mobile theme for your website. WPtouch automatically transforms your WordPress blog into an iPhone applicatio

BuddyPress

Download Social networking in a box. Build a social network for your company, school, sports team or niche community.

Tumblr Importer

Download Import posts from a Tumblr blog.

Theme-Check

Download A simple and easy way to test your theme for all the latest WordPress standards and practices. A great theme development tool!

Mobile Apps

Blogging with WordPress is great, and these applications make it even better by giving you more ways to post. Whether you're blogging from your desktop or on the go, make sure to check out these other ways to post to your WordPress blog.

WordPress for iOS

WordPress for iOS is the app that lets you write posts, upload photos, edit pages, and manage comments on your blog from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. With support for both WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress (2.92 or higher), users of all experience levels can get going in seconds.

Learn more | Download

WordPress for Android

Write new posts for your WordPress blog, edit content, and manage comments with built-in notifications, all on your Android device.

Learn more | Download

WordPress for BlackBerry

Post to your WordPress blog from your BlackBerry. Manage comments and media, upload videos and more with this BlackBerry native app.

Learn more | Download

WordPress for Windows Phone 7

WordPress for Windows Phone 7 makes it easy to manage your blog or website while on the move. Writing and editing Posts and Pages is a breeze, as well as being able to quickly moderate comments and check statistics. And it's all made to get you in and out quickly.

Learn more | Download

WordPress for Nokia

WordPress for Nokia allows you to edit your existing blog content, add new posts and pages, manage comments, and more — directly from your S60 or Maemo-powered Nokia.

Learn more | Download

WordPress for WebOS

WordPress for webOS represents a new way to blog while on the go. It uses Sliding Panels that makes managing existing content on your blog intuitive and powerful. And when you're ready to start posting, the visual editor helps you compose beautiful posts.

Learn more | Download