I really want to get into Wordpress but I'm still very confused! I've been playing around with it and still find it difficult to learn. Why is everyone saying its so easy?? I'm usually pretty good at figuring out these things but I don't have the time right now.

I've been hearing a lot about these two Themes: Headway & Thesis Theme

Are certain themes easier to learn than others or the process is the same for all themes? I have no problem paying for a theme if it makes the learning curve easier.

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Genevieve Lachance
VA Simple Services

Let's say this, everything is easy once you are shown how! LOL!

I guess it depends what you are trying to do in Wordpress as there are many different elements. Learning to post a blog post is straight forward once you are shown the way, adding a page is also straight forward once shown how.

The Wordpress.org support forums are fantastic for find answers to what you might be looking for. Depending on how far you want to go with Wordpress depends alot on your technical abilities. What's great about Wordpress is that it is open source software and because of that there is a ton of support out there. People are very will to share the tricks and tips they have learned.

Doing customization with plugins and editing themes can get a bit tricky depending on what you desired outcome is.

I'm a fan of Thesis, and I know that Headway has a very similar format. Thesis allows for lots of customization without the need to learning a bunch of code and the support out there to get an answer to something is amazing. I'd suspect it would be the same with Headway, so choosing one over the other would depend on your personal preference.

Yes, there is a learning curve but once you start to learn some of the basic elements of Wordpress and installing some plugins you quickly learn the power behind the platform.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you might have about using Wordpress as I'm pretty comfortable with it and use it for ALL of my clients sites, well other than the occasional sales page or mini-site.

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Renee Shupe, Become a Techie Virtual Assistant
eMail Marketing & Aweber Training Starts May 15! - Save 50% using VAFAweber

I guess it's all relative. If you're comparing Wordpress.org (self-hosted) with building your own site from scratch, it's a lot easier. If you're comparing it with Blogger, Wordpress.org is harder.

Thesis is great. It saves me a lot of time customizing and seo'ing. It does have a learning curve though for customizing - but it's a lot less work than doing it from scratch. Thesis has control panel areas where you can easily set a lot of things, a very helpful forum and several how-to areas. I hear Headway is very good as well.

I haven't used any other themes, but a friend tells me that the free ones she's tried have been a lot harder to customize. It depends on what level of customizing you want to do I guess.

I agree with Renee. Nothing is easy when you don't know how it works. In my opinion though, Wordpress is so worth the initial effort.

Deb

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Deb at Ivy Freelance
Metrics, Marketing and Macros

Since you don't have the time get someone to do it for you. Once they're done (and you have time) they can show you how to use it.

If you find a student to do it sometimes they charge on a learning curve.

thanks for sharing the sites, something new to learn every day. Need to be awake 24/7

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Classic Exec
Your Virtual Administrative Consultantwww.classicexec.com

i love ithemes.com i highly recommend them and they are very easy to use too.

using wordpress is very easy however not for the beginner. let me know if you need a hand. i can show you around

I'm going to chime in just because I'm such a huge believer in Wordpress and themes like Headway & Thesis for building easy to update, extremely customizable business websites.
I agree with Renee and Deb, the effort to learn WordPress is worth it.
My own sites and many of my client sites are on Headway/WordPress.

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~Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage
& founder of VA Survival School

Thank you so much everybody for all your input! I really want to get into this as soon as possible. I'll take everything in and figure out the best route. You're all amazing!

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Genevieve Lachance
VA Simple Services

My client's and my site are both WP. I just built my first site for another client using WP. I'm not an expert (yet :P) but would be glad to help with what I can.
Also, I have a book that was good to get started with and to use as a ref. --WordPress Visual Quickstart Guide by Jessica Neuman Beck/Matt Beck

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Amy
www.porterofficesolutions.com

I agree, Genevieve, that it seems a bit daunting at first - it did to me as well. The assistance available online helped me get through the initial learning curve and navigate some pretty unfamiliar territory.

I had tried dreamtemplate.com - but didn't like the inflexibility of many of their free templates - and then attempted to write the code for my site myself in xhtml strict 1.0. After spinning my wheels for a few weeks, I gave WordPress a shot and had the bare bones of my site up in a weekend. Of course, it's still under development, but it was by far the best - and easiest - option I've come across.

Don't give up. It's worth hanging in there!

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Your Administrative Asset,
Daniela Chase