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[Joseph McDevitt Contribution Level: 2]

I downloaded a wordpress.org blog. Also uploaded custom theme called "Affiliate Theme" . I had someone install certain plugins too. I don't know the first thing about wordpress or customizing my blog. Can anyone provide some guidance for me??? Thanks, Joe

[Josh Thomas Contribution Level: 3]

Where to begin my friend. What do you want to know?

I can go on for hours about this very topic, but here are a few nuggets...

In the admin panel (yourdomain.com/wp-admin), there are several
things you will need to familiarize yourself with.

Trick 1: Creating "pretty URLS" (/my-blog-post vs. /pageid=?3)

At the bottom in settings, go to "Permalinks". Change to "Custom"
and type in: /%postname%/ exactly like that. Done.

Trick 2: Showing a static landing page (as in, NOT your latest posts)

Go to settings and click on "Reading". Change the top option to
static page and select a page that you want people to see when
they first arrive. This is good if you want to create a squeeze page
or opt-in. So, when people visit you.com, they will actually go to
you.com/whatever and not know the difference.

Trick 3: Theme customization

Under "Appearance" select "Editor". Be careful here if you don't know
anything about HTML or PHP. The best file to edit that has the biggest
impact is "header.php". A good deal of what you see on the page is
managed in the header. This is where you go to change navigational
functions and whether or not something will show on your blog.

You can also go to "style.css" to adjust colors, padding, text fonts
and the like. But again, you should have something specific in mind
before you just start changing stuff. ALWAYS keep a backup. ALWAYS.

Trick 4: Use The Kitchen Sink

When you are in the post/page editor, there is a bar across the top with
text decorations, add photos, etc. On the end is a little box with a bunch
of smaller boxes in it. That's called the "Kitchen Sink". When you click it,
you get a whole slew of other options. Be sure to use header tags when you
are writing instead of just bold and italics. Header tags are much more
friendly if you know they exist. In the box that says "paragraph", try selecting
a line of text and changing it to "Heading 1". See what happens? Awesome.

Well, that should be enough get you started. But there's a TON more to
Wordpress that you will figure out as you continue to explore. Good luck!

[Paul Murphy Company: Vitamark International Contribution Level: 7]

If you have a difficult time understanding all that, I can plug you into a free audio training that will walk you through step by step, like it's your Grandmother learning to blog. Just PM me for directions to the training Joseph!

[Sandeep Nath Company: MyLeadSystemPRO Contribution Level: 6]

Ask specific questions and you shall know. Visit blogs and see what the blog owners have done... write to them or post them here and someone will show you how its done.

[Erica Jones Company: Talk Fusion Global Contribution Level: 3]

Hey Joseph
I totally understand what a challenge it is to do this the first time. My first blog took me weeks and weeks to get right. Then even longer to learn where everything was and how to use it all.

If you want a full A- Z guide to using wordpress for your business and help customizing your site, send me a message - I'll hook you up.

Cheers!
Erica