WordPress Basics: A No-Fluff Introduction

What it is, how it works, and how to use it without losing your mind

Paquet Media

Presented By

Georg Kevin Paquet @ paquetmedia.com

WordPress Metro East Manila Meetup

ABOUT ME

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• Experience: Using WordPress in basically everything I touch digitally, since 2008.
• Started with WordPress when I was a teen.
• Passion: Teaching and blabbering in front of people (mostly about WordPress)
• Outreach Focus: WordPress, SEO, Human Resources, Reproductive Health, technology in general

What Is WordPress, Really?

Forget the buzzwords. Here's what it actually is.

• WordPress is a website-building platform.
• It powers over 40% of the internet (yes, that much).
• Think of it as your website’s operating system - you can build blogs, e-commerce sites, portfolios, landing pages, and more.
• It's open-source, which means you control it, not some company.

PS: Please for the love of God, always spell WordPress right.

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The Technology behind WordPress

🛠️ Built with: PHP, MySQL, themes, plugins

🌍 Used by: bloggers, agencies, businesses, creators

📌 Bottom line: WordPress gives you control without needing to code (unless you want to).

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And the most important ingredient: the community!

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What Can You Do With WordPress?

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✔️ Build a blog

✔️ Launch an online store (WooCommerce)

✔️ Create a portfolio or resume

✔️ Manage a business website

✔️ Run a membership site or course platform

🎯 It’s flexible enough for newbies and developers alike.

dotCom vs dotOrg

🎯 Rule of thumb:

If you want control and freedom, go with WordPress.org.

If you want simplicity and no server stress, start with WordPress.com.

Basic WordPress Terms You Need to Know

🧱 Themes = the “skin” of your site (design/layout)

🔌 Plugins = extra functionality (SEO, contact forms, backups)

📄 Pages = static content (About, Contact)

📝 Posts = blog entries or news updates

📂 Media = your images, videos, files

📋 Dashboard = your WordPress control panel

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📌 If you can manage a Facebook page, you can learn this.

dotCom Setup WordPress Demo

What You Need to Get Started (WordPress.org)

• A domain name (e.g., yourname.com)
• A web host (SiteGround, Bluehost, Hostinger, etc.)
• A WordPress install (usually 1-click)
• A theme (start with a free one like Astra or Kadence)
• A few essential plugins (SEO, security, backups)

💡 You can have a site up in 1–2 hours. Faster if you follow a guide or hire someone who knows what they’re doing.

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My Go-To Tools & Recommendations

• Hosting: Check out WordPress.org’s Recommended Hosts
• Free Themes: Astra, Kadence, GeneratePress
• Page Builders: Gutenberg FSE (Built In)
• Must-Have Plugins:
• Yoast SEO
• UpdraftPlus (Backups)
• Sucuri (Security)
• Jetpack (additional features and connecting it with dotCom

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📌 Start lean. Add tools as you grow.

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Gutenberg FSE Demo (Self Hosted)

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

❌ Buying expensive themes or plugins you don’t need

❌ Not updating WordPress, plugins, or themes

❌ Using too many plugins (slows down your site)

❌ Ignoring backups and security

❌ Getting stuck in design mode forever—just launch

🎯 Done is better than perfect.

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Security & Maintenance Basics

• Always update your core, themes, and plugins
• Use strong usernames/passwords
• Install a basic security plugin
• Set up regular backups (daily or weekly)
• Use SSL (free with most hosting)

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📌 WordPress is secure—if you do your part.

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Why WordPress Is Still the Best Choice in 2025

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• You own your content, your site, and your stack
• You’re not locked into a proprietary system (like Wix or Squarespace)
• You can scale from blog to full business site without switching platforms
• The community is massive—support is everywhere
• It’s future-proof, if you’re willing to learn

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Q&A

Ask me anything. Seriously.

🔹 Tech questions?

🔹 Hosting?

🔹 Starting from scratch?

🔹 What to avoid?

I’ll break it down. No jargon.

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Next Steps for You

If you’re just starting out:

✅ Set up a free test site at WordPress.com

✅ Explore WordPress.org using local or demo hosting

✅ Follow tutorials from WPBeginner, Learn WordPress, or YouTube channels

✅ Join the WordPress PH community, local meetups, or WordCamps

🧠 Learning by doing is the fastest path.

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