What are the best resources for Wordpress these days?

September 11, 2014 8:54 AM

I started a Wordpress blog a few years ago and then ignored it soon after. This time around I'd really like to create the best Wordpress site that I possibly can. I'm looking for any resources that would help to achieve that goal -- themes, tutorials, podcasts, etc. I'd also like to learn more about search engine optimization and monetization in regards to a Wordpress site. Suggestions?

(I searched the archives for this question, but the answers were several years old -- I'm looking for more recent resources).

posted by Ostara to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

There's no magic involved, and themes and suchlike aren't the answer.

If you want an awesome blog, write and keep writing. Post every day. Post worthwhile things, that people will want to read. (Which means it takes talent.)

As to SEO, forget it. Not gonna happen. And that's no answer; it's cheating.

Finally, be patient. It goes slowly. There's no formula here for instant success. It takes years of constant effort to build a reasonable presence and a substantial readership.

As to monetization? There's no better way to drive readers away.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:23 AM on September 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

If you want an awesome blog, write and keep writing. Post every day. Post worthwhile things, that people will want to read. (Which means it takes talent.)

Yep. I got a boring-ass design for my own Wordpress Blog (linked in my profile), but I do produce content consistently (at least once a week right now, and I'm ramping up). Throwing too many bells and whistles at it will turn it into something that feels more like when Homer Simpson tried to make a web page.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:51 AM on September 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

Keep it clean, keep it simple, and keep it filled with great content.

You can use an SEO Plug In like Yoast's, but all it's going to do is help you think about the various parts of your post (headline, H2 headers, synopsis) and phrase them in such a way that no matter what algorithm Google uses, you can still be found and it's an accurate find.
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 10:03 AM on September 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: It may seem like it's just for novices at first (and indicated from the title), but I am constantly finding new and useful information via WPBeginner. Invariably, there's some quirk or hack I wish existed, but Googling fails me, and then I happen on a WPBeginner post that clarifies a simple solution.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:34 PM on September 11, 2014 [3 favorites]