How to Create a WordPress IT Department Website

A very unique and cool thing about the WordPress community is that anyone can run a WordPress blog almost immediately without much technical knowledge (at least not extensive knowledge). This makes it a really viable option for those who want to find a way to learn technical skills but don’t necessarily want to become a programmer. With that in mind, let’s explore how you can use WordPress to create a professional-looking IT department website for your organization.

Get A Domain Name

One of the first things you will need to do is to register a domain name for your site. It is important to pick a name that is specific and easy to remember. Also, make sure that you register the domain name with a top-level domain like “.com” or “.org” as these are the most reliable and most common domain extensions. If you use WordPress.org and install the WordPress app from the App Store on your iOS device, you can also get a free.wordpress.com domain through the WordPress app. This makes it extremely convenient to type in www.yourblog.com and have your site load instantly without having to worry about setting up A records or pointing your domain to a specific IP address (which you will learn more about in a moment).

Install WordPress

Now that you have your domain name, you can install WordPress on your server. You can use either the WordPress.com or WordPress.org versions as they both work equally well. If you decide to go with WordPress.org, make sure to follow the instructions that come with it to set up a professional-looking website (you don’t need anything flashy, just something that looks clean and tidy). Once you have installed WordPress on your server, you can copy the URL from your browser’s address bar (it should be something like this: http://yoursite.com).

Create A MySQL Database

The next step is to create a MySQL database on your server to store your posts and other data. To do this, simply visit https://wp-admin.com and click the “MySQL” button at the top. A dialog box will open asking you to enter a name for your new database (something unique and memorable). Make sure to use a secure connection when creating your database as you will be entering sensitive information (like your admin email address). Once you have created your MySQL database, you can click the “Create database” button to make it ready for use (it usually takes a few minutes for the database to be ready).

Add A Content Management System

After you have created your database, you can add a Content Management System (CMS) to your WordPress installation. This will give you the ability to easily add new content to your site and update posts and other information (things like theme options, color schemes, and more) without having to touch a line of code (at least not directly). There are many different CMSs available, all with their own unique features so it is important to do some research before making a decision. For now, it is best to go with the standard WordPress install as it is one of the most popular and most well-known. Once you have installed WordPress with a CMS, you can click the “Welcome” button at the top to go to the login screen. You will see that several options are now available to you, including the login for your WordPress install with the CMS (the “Dashboard”) and the login for your database (the “MySQL”). You can select the WordPress.com or WordPress.org version from the drop-down menu and enter your login credentials to log in.

Configure Your Site To Use The Content Management System

Now that you are logged in to both your WordPress database and the Content Management System, you can configure your site to use the CMS. To do this, click the “Settings” tab at the top of the WordPress dashboard. From here, you will be able to update the different options for your site (this includes things like the layout, theme, and more). To make things easier for you, you can click the “+” icon next to “Settings” to expand the options (this is the WordPress equivalent of “CTRL+” on a Mac or “⌘+” on a PC). To change the layout of your site, you can use a grid or masonry layout or you can use flexbox to create a more individualized look for your site. Once you have decided on a layout, simply click the “Save Changes” button at the top right corner of the dashboard to make the settings active and accessible to you (you will return to this screen whenever you edit the settings for your site).

Create A Default Theme

A WordPress theme is just a piece of “skin” that gives the appearance of your blog. Themes can range from very simple (like a basic Bootstrap theme) to extremely sophisticated (like the TwentyFourteen theme from WordPress). For now, it is best to use a basic Bootstrap theme (like the TwentyFourteen or SageBrum Bootstrap themes) as they are extremely easy to edit and customize. Once you have a Bootstrap theme installed, you can click the “Appearance” option at the top of the WordPress dashboard to access the different options (settings) for your theme (this is the WordPress equivalent of “Appearance” on a Mac or “Interface” on a PC). To create a default WordPress theme, simply click the “Add New” link near the top of the Dashboard page and select “Theme from Scratch” from the list that appears. A dialog box will open asking you to enter a name for your new theme (make sure to use a unique name that is easily remembered). Once you have entered your theme name, click the “Save” button to accept the new theme (you can also select a different theme from the drop-down menu to view a list of available themes). You can now access your new theme by clicking the “Themes” option at the top of the WordPress dashboard. You should now see your new theme listed along with the other themes (click the “Use this theme” button to the right of your new theme to use it on your site).

Customize The Appearance Of Your Site

Now that you have access to a reliable and functional WordPress dashboard, you can start to edit the appearance of your site. First, you will want to change the overall look and feel of your site by editing the header (the area at the top of the page that contains your site’s name and branding). To do this, click the “Edit” button next to header in the dashboard (you can also do this by clicking the “Theme” option at the top of the WordPress dashboard and selecting the “Advanced” tab). An interface similar to Splice will open where you can view all the different header options (you can also create a new header for your site from scratch or choose from one of the many headers that already exist for WordPress). To change the color scheme of your site, click the “Settings” tab at the top of the WordPress dashboard and select the different color schemes from the “Colors” drop-down menu. To select a different header or color scheme, simply click the “Save Changes” button at the top right corner of the dashboard.

Install A Plugin

A WordPress plugin is simply a piece of code (a “script” in technical terms) that extends the functionalities of WordPress. Plugins can be used to modify many different aspects of WordPress, from the header of your site to the way comments display (you can choose whether or not to show comments as a list or a graph) and more. Some plugins are designed for specific tasks like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or security (like the Sucuri security plugin). To view a list of all the available plugins, click the “Plugins” option at the top of the WordPress dashboard and select the “All” tab (you can also click the “Search” button at the top of the dashboard and enter a keyword to find the necessary plugins). To install a plugin, simply click the “Install” button next to the plugin you want to install (this is the WordPress equivalent of clicking “+” on a Mac or “⌘+” on a PC). Once the plugin is installed, you can click the “Plugins” tab at the top of the WordPress dashboard to access the different options for your plugin. To remove a plugin, simply click the name of the plugin in the dashboard, select the “Deactivate” option, and click “Yes” to confirm (this is the WordPress equivalent of “Delete” on a Mac or “Del” on a PC).