I signed up. Yay! Now, how do I log in?

Your website should now be located at zwoodle.com/yoursitename.

For example, https://zwoodle.com/lilysnaturals.

By default, there should be a widget in the sidebar of your homepage that says META. Beneath that, you should see a “site admin” or “login” link. The direct link, which you might want to take note of, will be zwoodle.com/yoursitename/wp-admin. Just log in with the username and password that you selected. 🙂

How do I set my domain name?

Great question! It’s an easy, four-step process.

  1. Register your domain. If you haven’t already done so, register your domain name. We recommend Google Domains, as they only charge $12/year and have free privacy services.
  2. Update the DNS record. Once your domain name is registered, set the DNS “A” record to 184.168.203.1. You’ll have to follow your domain registrar’s instructions on how to do this. Although it may sound difficult or intimidating, if you are unfamiliar with these terms, it is usually a fairly painless process. On Google, it will look like this. This tells your registrar to point your domain to zwoodle.
  3. Contact us and let us know that you would like to add this domain. The process often takes 24-48 hours. We will respond and let you know when your domain has been added to our hosted domains.
  4. Add your domain to your site. After you get an e-mail confirmation that the domain name has been processed, visit Tools > Domain Mapping (in your admin area) and enter the URL. Select it as your primary domain, if you wish.

That’s it!

What is a plugin?

If we continue with the “WordPress as a person” metaphor, you can think of plugins like giving your person skills and abilities.

A basic WordPress site will, among other things, allow you to add pages (usually static information) and posts (such as news and other information that needs to change).

A plugin will add additional functionality to your site that doesn’t come straight out of the box. Although they often have to be configured, you can add a calendar of events, a shop to sell physical or virtual goods, and even an entire social network, such as BuddyPress, with a one-click installation.

What is a theme?

If you think of your WordPress site as a person, you can think of a theme as how the person looks, such as their skin tone and clothing they might wear.

Themes are an easy way to adjust the color and style of your virtual extension, so be sure to pick something that is visually appealing and appropriate for what the presence you want to convey. How would you dress for an interview in your field?