Audience
This course is designed for individuals who already have a basic understanding of WordPress and want to expand their knowledge. It is ideal for small business owners, content creators, and developers looking to enhance their website’s functionality and management.
Prerequisites
Participants should have a foundational understanding of WordPress, including creating pages, posts, and managing themes and plugins.
Duration
1 day. Includes practical exercises.
Course Objectives
This course builds on basic WordPress knowledge and introduces intermediate techniques to customise, optimise, and maintain a WordPress site. By the end of the course, participants will understand how to enhance website performance, improve user experience, and use advanced tools for content and functionality.
Hands-on exercises:
- Create and modify a child theme for customisation
- Optimise website performance using caching and optimisation plugins
- Set up a basic WooCommerce store with products and categories
- Implement advanced SEO settings using a plugin
- Test and troubleshoot common issues using WordPress tools
Course Content
1. Advanced Theme Customisation
Using the Customiser for advanced design
Introduction to child themes: why and how to create one
Adding custom CSS for precise adjustments
Theme troubleshooting
2. Working with Page Builders
Advanced features of page builders (e.g., Elementor, WPBakery)
Creating dynamic content with widgets and templates
Responsive design considerations and testing
3. Advanced Plugins and Functionality
Exploring premium plugins for extended functionality
Optimising plugins to avoid performance issues
Understanding plugin conflicts and how to resolve them
4. SEO and Analytics
Intermediate SEO strategies (e.g., keyword optimisation, schema markup)
Setting up and interpreting Google Analytics reports
Using SEO plugins for advanced configurations
5. E-Commerce with WordPress
Introduction to WooCommerce
Setting up products, categories, and tags
Managing payments, shipping, and taxes
Best practices for securing an online store
6. Performance Optimisation
Improving site speed (caching, image optimisation, and minification)
Monitoring performance using tools like GTmetrix
Understanding hosting requirements for high-performing websites
7. Website Security
Strengthening site security beyond the basics
Configuring firewalls and malware protection
Backing up and restoring a WordPress site
8. Introduction to Custom Post Types and Taxonomies
When to use custom post types
Creating custom post types with plugins (e.g., CPT UI)
Adding and managing custom taxonomies
9. Managing Multi-User Sites
User roles and permissions in depth
Managing contributors and editors effectively
Best practices for collaborative website management
10. Troubleshooting and Maintenance
Diagnosing common WordPress issues
Using debug mode and error logs
Strategies for recovering from crashes or hacks