Learning WordPress

     It's been awhile since I last posted. I took a break from the Blog, as well as posting on LinkedIn, for the past few weeks. I had a phone interview for a job last month that I thought would pan out. It wasn't quite in the tech field like I wanted, but it was a tech company, which was a step in the right direction. Ultimately the recruiter ghosted me though, so I took some time away and to try and pivot mentally. I landed my first client though. I was tasked with building a website for their appliance repair business. The only specifications that I was given were that it should be basic and contain an appointment calendar. Since I would be building my first professional site, I thought it would be a good opportunity to start learning WordPress and how to host a site outside of GitHub. I chose WordPress because I have seen a lot of job listings referencing it, so figured it would be a useful skill to learn. I knew also that WordPress would require at least a little basic knowledge of coding. Maybe seeing the website come together in real time would provide me a better understanding of developing.

    I chose Hostinger as my hosting platform. My reasoning behind this choice was mostly the discounted cost, but it also seemed user friendly for beginners. I found a tutorial on YouTube posted by Metics Media that was very helpful and easy to follow. I will include a link below. I will admit that the learning curve was steeper than I imagined it would be. I did not use AI and instead chose templates that I could alter. As suggested by Metics Media, I downloaded the Starter plug in and chose to use Elementor for building. I made a lot of mistakes during the beginning setup and when learning the drag and drop aspect. I often found myself getting frustrated and then would delete my entire site because I figured it would be easier to start over. I can happily say though, that I got better at problem solving and being able to fix the problem instead of starting over. It took me about 3 weeks overall to build the site. I chose the Simply Schedule Appointments plug in to create my clients appointment calendar. This plug in was free and allowed me to set up blocks of time where customers could request an in person consultation. These appointments are sent as notifications to my clients business email and can be cancelled on both sides if needed.

    I also set my client up with a Google business account, that I attached provided images and linked the website to. I even designed and printed business cards. I chose Canva for this process and upgraded to the pro feature, which I will comment is absolutely worth the money. I designed and printed my own business cards using Canva. I use it for everything now, including editing and downloading images for my web projects. I even created an instructional brochure for another client's business. In my opinion, it is hands down one of the best tools a business owner or freelancer can utilize.

    My client really appreciated all of my effort and will be suggesting my services for other business owners. While I continue to search and apply for tech jobs, I will be freelancing on the side to build up experience and my portfolio. Right now I am currently working on creating a second portfolio for myself to showcase my WordPress projects. I also have plans to eventually start learning PHP, because I know the two usually go hand in hand. On top of that, I will have to find the time to continue to improve my JavaScript skills. I included an image of my new business card below. I wanted to create something eye catching as a designer. I also chose rounded corners to make it unique and stand out.

Hostinger WordPress Tutorial 2024 - Metics Media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxuNU2LkZo&list=PLZ6tVdGwDSGZ60Y6Abllw8O3_IJsMaUd-&index=7