Using WordPress for your church website
What is WordPress? from their own site it tells us:
"WordPress is a state-of-the-art publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability. WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time."
WordPress is FREE but unlike some free software packages it is highly professional, stable and of great quality. WordPress enables you to deploy a whole website at low cost, and the end result will be something you and your church or organisation can be proud of. Having said that, like any good tool, it has to be handled correctly to do its job well. Thankfully WordPress is not difficult to get used to and its admin panel where you control your website content is logical and user friendly. Here are some reasons why WordPress is a great way to go for website creation, and is my tool of choice for a site that needs CMS*, alongside my own *content management system 'Editmode'.
- PHP based (PHP is a powerful software language that is specifically developed for web based usage)
- Very easy installation into your hosting server
- Great blogging system, but also can publish regular webpages. Blogging allows for comments by site users.
- Large and active online community for help and support
- Lots of extras called Plugins and Widgets that enable you to add great features such as Image Galleries, Live Chat, Twitter link-up, e-commerce systems
- Themes; Wordpress appearance can be easily changed through a wide range of off the shelf designs.
Here is a useful article to help you get to grips with what blogging is all about; http://codex.wordpress.org/Introduction_to_Blogging
Ok, so what do you need to get your Wordpress based site up and running?
Firstly you need web hosting, along with your domain name. There are many companies that provide good hosting. You need a MYSQL database for WordPress and PHP support. The last thing you want is to spend money on hosting that does not have suitable elements like the correct PHP modules (web server software that enables WordPress to function well) or does not provide databases. So check your hosting provider has up to date PHP installed and gives you at least one MYSQL database.
I am able to offer hosting that gives excellent WordPress support. http://www.christian-web-design.com/hosting_services.html
Other good host providers: http://wordpress.org/hosting/
So your domain and hosting is in place..
Firstly you need web hosting, along with your domain name. There are many companies that provide good hosting. You need a MYSQL database for WordPress and PHP support. The last thing you want is to spend money on hosting that does not have suitable elements like the correct PHP modules (web server software that enables WordPress to function well) or does not provide databases. So check your hosting provider has up to date PHP installed and gives you at least one MYSQL database.
I am able to offer hosting that gives excellent WordPress support. http://www.christian-web-design.com/hosting_services.html
Other good host providers: http://wordpress.org/hosting/
So your domain and hosting is in place..
You will need a way of uploading files to your hosting space. This tool is called an FTP client and enables you to connect to your hosting and select folders and files on your computer to upload them to folders at your hosting space for display on the World Wide Web.
Here is a great free one; http://filezilla-project.org/
You will need to learn to use it, which is not difficult; http://wiki.filezilla-project.org/Documentation
Lets get going...
Download the latest WordPress release: http://wordpress.org/download/ to your Desktop or other convenient location.
Here is a great free one; http://filezilla-project.org/
You will need to learn to use it, which is not difficult; http://wiki.filezilla-project.org/Documentation
Lets get going...
Download the latest WordPress release: http://wordpress.org/download/ to your Desktop or other convenient location.
You need to unzip the download, giving you a folder on your PC called; Wordpress-2.9.2 or whatever the latest release is.
If you have never unzipped an archive of files before, you can use Windows built-in extractor by right-clicking the downloaded file and selecting 'extract all', or get a tool for the job such as; http://www.7-zip.org/
Within the folder you have unzipped is a folder called 'wordpress'. In there are your entire site contents.
Now create a database for WordPress on your web server, as well as a user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it.
How to create a database
Your host should provide you with a control panel where you can add a MYSQL database, which is simply done by filling in an online form with a username and password and giving the database a name. Make a note of these in your little black book of passwords.
Cpanel is commonly provided, and here is a tutorial; http://www.interspire.com/content/articles/38/1/How-to-create-a-MySQL-database-in-CPanel
If you have never unzipped an archive of files before, you can use Windows built-in extractor by right-clicking the downloaded file and selecting 'extract all', or get a tool for the job such as; http://www.7-zip.org/
Within the folder you have unzipped is a folder called 'wordpress'. In there are your entire site contents.
Now create a database for WordPress on your web server, as well as a user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it.
How to create a database
Your host should provide you with a control panel where you can add a MYSQL database, which is simply done by filling in an online form with a username and password and giving the database a name. Make a note of these in your little black book of passwords.
Cpanel is commonly provided, and here is a tutorial; http://www.interspire.com/content/articles/38/1/How-to-create-a-MySQL-database-in-CPanel
If you do not have Cpanel you will need to consult your host providers online help
Now go back to the wordpress folder you have extracted onto your PC. Open it, find wp-config-sample.php and rename it to wp-config.php
You will need to edit the following parts of that file, adding the MYSQL databse information you entered when creating it. Use a text editor such as notepad (not Microsoft Word) to open wp-config.php and change the parts I have highlighted bold here. Take care not to change anything else, even leaving apostrophes intact.
// ** MySQL settings - You can get this info from your web host ** //
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define('DB_NAME', 'putyourdbnamehere');
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define('DB_NAME', 'putyourdbnamehere');
/** MySQL database username */
define('DB_USER', 'usernamehere');
define('DB_USER', 'usernamehere');
/** MySQL database password */
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'yourpasswordhere');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'yourpasswordhere');
/** MySQL hostname */
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
/** Database Charset to use in creating database tables. */
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8');
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8');
/** The Database Collate type. Don't change this if in doubt. */
define('DB_COLLATE', '');
define('DB_COLLATE', '');
/**#@+
* Authentication Unique Keys.
*
* Change these to different unique phrases!
* You can generate these using the {@link https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/ WordPress.org secret-key service}
* You can change these at any point in time to invalidate all existing cookies. This will force all users to have to log in again.
*
* @since 2.6.0
*/
define('AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('LOGGED_IN_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('NONCE_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
* Authentication Unique Keys.
*
* Change these to different unique phrases!
* You can generate these using the {@link https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/ WordPress.org secret-key service}
* You can change these at any point in time to invalidate all existing cookies. This will force all users to have to log in again.
*
* @since 2.6.0
*/
define('AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('LOGGED_IN_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
define('NONCE_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
The four lines above where you place 'keys' are to help security. Simply go to this webpage https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/ which will generate your four keys, copy and paste the four lines of code in place of the ones above, into your wp-config.php file. You do not need to remember these key.
SAVE wp-config.php
Now you are ready to upload all your files that are in the wordpress folder to your hosting, using the FTP client, such as Filezilla previously mentioned. http://filezilla-project.org/
Now you are ready to upload all your files that are in the wordpress folder to your hosting, using the FTP client, such as Filezilla previously mentioned. http://filezilla-project.org/
upload all its contents to the root location of your hosting, which is usually a folder called 'public_html' or 'www'
This will mean that the location of your Wordpress site will be www.bridgfordbaptistchurch.org.uk
After all files are uploaed, run the WordPress installation script by going to wp-admin/install.php in your favorite web browser. eg; www.bridgfordbaptistchurch.org.uk/wp-admin/install.php
Complete the install instructions given and your site is all up and running!
Now you can add content such as pages and posts with text and graphics. This is all done via the online admin panel.
Adding Pages
Pages are different to 'Posts'. Pages are for holding content such as 'About Us' or 'What we Do' or 'Our Staff'. Pages are not placed under categories but you can have sub-pages under pages !
From your WordPress admin Dashboard you simply add pages by selecting 'Add New' from under the 'Pages' option in the left menu. Give your page its title and click the 'Publish' button over to the right. The Page will appear at your website, listed in the navigation.
Adding Posts
Posts are part of the blogging system and are organised under Categories. So lets just look at Categories for a moment. You can build your site as large as you want and organise the Blog articles content into whatever categories you want. A category is a site 'section' such as...'Prayer', Teaching', 'Events', 'News', You add categories by using the option from the left menu in the Dashboard 'Categories' which can be found under the 'Posts' menu.
Please note that a Category will not appear in your website navigation until there has been a Post added to it.
Posts are entries or articles you want to provide to your site visitors/users and are chronologically organised, the most recent listed first. Posts are all about keeping your site flowing with up to date content, as opposed to the more static unchanging 'general information' nature of content you add to 'Pages'.
To add a new post simply complete the form that is provided when you click the 'Add New' option in the Posts menu at your Dashboard. When you add a post, you need to select which categories you want the post to appear in.
Content
WordPress comes with great tools for adding content. You can add text and images with the online editor provided for each Page and Post. Its a matter of learning by doing, if you have used programs like Microsoft Word, it should not take you long to get used to the content editor in WordPress. You can preview your content before you actually publish it to the website. Use the 'Visual' mode unless you are familiar with working directly in HTML. Remember that any images you add to pages need to be prepared first. An image from your digital camera is often far too large to simply upload and add to a webpage. Photographs should be resized appropriately in a photo editing package before being added to a page or a post.
This article has explained the benefits of using Wordpress as your website creation tool, and how to install it on your hosting. There is much more to discover such as controlling the look of your website through themes, and adding new features by uploading ready made Plug-ins. I shall provide further articles looking into these very soon!
Now you can add content such as pages and posts with text and graphics. This is all done via the online admin panel.
Adding Pages
Pages are different to 'Posts'. Pages are for holding content such as 'About Us' or 'What we Do' or 'Our Staff'. Pages are not placed under categories but you can have sub-pages under pages !
From your WordPress admin Dashboard you simply add pages by selecting 'Add New' from under the 'Pages' option in the left menu. Give your page its title and click the 'Publish' button over to the right. The Page will appear at your website, listed in the navigation.
Adding Posts
Posts are part of the blogging system and are organised under Categories. So lets just look at Categories for a moment. You can build your site as large as you want and organise the Blog articles content into whatever categories you want. A category is a site 'section' such as...'Prayer', Teaching', 'Events', 'News', You add categories by using the option from the left menu in the Dashboard 'Categories' which can be found under the 'Posts' menu.
Please note that a Category will not appear in your website navigation until there has been a Post added to it.
Posts are entries or articles you want to provide to your site visitors/users and are chronologically organised, the most recent listed first. Posts are all about keeping your site flowing with up to date content, as opposed to the more static unchanging 'general information' nature of content you add to 'Pages'.
To add a new post simply complete the form that is provided when you click the 'Add New' option in the Posts menu at your Dashboard. When you add a post, you need to select which categories you want the post to appear in.
Content
WordPress comes with great tools for adding content. You can add text and images with the online editor provided for each Page and Post. Its a matter of learning by doing, if you have used programs like Microsoft Word, it should not take you long to get used to the content editor in WordPress. You can preview your content before you actually publish it to the website. Use the 'Visual' mode unless you are familiar with working directly in HTML. Remember that any images you add to pages need to be prepared first. An image from your digital camera is often far too large to simply upload and add to a webpage. Photographs should be resized appropriately in a photo editing package before being added to a page or a post.
This article has explained the benefits of using Wordpress as your website creation tool, and how to install it on your hosting. There is much more to discover such as controlling the look of your website through themes, and adding new features by uploading ready made Plug-ins. I shall provide further articles looking into these very soon!
Dave Wilson
