Introduction to the WordPress dashboard

Key Components of the Dashboard

1. Admin Bar:

The admin bar is a black bar that appears at the top of your website when logged in. It provides quick access to various important functions, including adding new posts, viewing your forms, and the site.

2. Navigation Menu:

The navigation menu is located on the left-hand side, where you’ll find all the essential tools and settings for your website. It includes options for creating and managing content, customizing the appearance, and configuring settings.

3. Welcome Box:

Often found at the top of the dashboard, the welcome box provides you with basic information and links to help you get started with your WordPress site. It may also contain useful tips and resources.

4. At a Glance:

This section gives you a quick overview of your site’s current status, including the number of published posts and pages, comments, and the currently active theme.

5. Activity:

Here, you can see the most recently published posts. It’s a useful way to stay updated on what’s happening on your site.

6. Quick Draft:

This section lets you quickly jot down and save ideas for future posts without navigating to the full editor.

6. Custom Sections:

Depending on your site’s plugins, you may also see your website’s forms and submissions, as well as SEO posts with an overview of the SEO score.

Managing Content

1. Posts:

You create, edit, and manage your blog or news posts in this section. You can organize posts by categories and tags, making it easy for visitors to navigate your content.

2. Custom Posts:

Depending on your site’s settings and content, this section is where you create, edit, and manage your custom posts that will have custom names, for example: Publications, Press Releases, Stories, Case Studies, Team Members, etc. You can also organize custom posts by categories and tags, making it easy for visitors to navigate your content.

2. Pages:

Pages are used for static, timeless content like your About page or Contact page. They are different from posts in that they are not part of a chronological stream.

3. Media:

Here, you can upload and manage images, audio files, videos, PDFs, and other media that you want to include in your posts and pages.

Settings and Configuration

Settings and configuration will be set for your website by the web developer, and you rarely need to change them. Below is an overview of each section.

1. General:

This section allows you to configure basic settings for your site, such as the site title, tagline, and URL.

2. Reading:

Here, you can specify how your content is displayed, including the number of posts shown on the main page and whether your latest posts or a static page is displayed.

3. Permalinks:

Permalinks define the structure of your URLs. It’s important for search engine optimization and user-friendly navigation.

User Management

1. Users:

You can create and manage user accounts, each with different roles and permissions.

2. Your Profile:

This is where you can edit your personal information, change your password, and set preferences for your account.

More Sections

Within your WordPress dashboard, you’ll find additional sections like Appearance, Plugins, and Tools. Plugins serve as powerful tools to extend your website’s functionality. It’s important to have your web developer manage and update them regularly.

With the knowledge of these key components, you’re well-equipped to start navigating and managing your WordPress website effectively.