Can I Learn WordPress On My Own?

Yes, WordPress can be learned on your own. It can take more time and effort, but there are a variety of free and low-cost self-teaching materials that students can use to learn basic and advanced WordPress topics. As you contemplate whether to learn WordPress on your own or take a class from a live instructor, consider the benefits of self-teaching alongside some of the drawbacks and alternatives. 

Advantages to Self-Teaching WordPress

When considering whether to self-teach, there are many advantages. Two of the most important advantages of self-teaching are cost and flexibility. It is often much more cost-effective to learn WordPress from free materials or even low-cost paid on-demand courses. Additionally, self-teaching offers more flexibility for those with busy schedules who cannot commit to attending a class with other students either part-time or full-time. With self-teaching, you can determine when and where you learn and practice WordPress skills, making it a great option for self-motivated learners. 

Another benefit of self-teaching is that students can cater the learning experience to their own needs. For those who learn best on their own, self-teaching allows learners to move quickly past aspects of WordPress website creation that are easy and go into more depth with those difficult topics that are necessary to create a website for oneself or start creating websites professionally. By contrast, WordPress bootcamps often cover more general topics in addition to specialized and advanced topics and skills. With self-learning, you can go into greater detail on what you need to learn, practice, and review, whether that is up-to-date SEO strategies for WordPress, artificial intelligence integration, or mastering WooCommerce for an online store. 

WordPress Self-Teaching Tools

For those looking to learn WordPress on their own, there are a variety of free resources. A good first place to start is by looking at the resources that WordPress offers for users. WordPress provides free online courses for beginners and those looking to learn more advanced topics like using the site editor to build a custom theme. Additionally, the official WordPress Codex is a frequently updated online user manual for WordPress and there are official discussion forums that users can post in to either get help with their WordPress site or talk with other WordPress users. 

Outside of WordPress’s own offerings, there are a variety of video lectures, on-demand classes, eBooks, blogs, and other instruction guides and tutorials that are readily available for free online. Many local libraries also offer access to LinkedIn Learning (or Lynda.com), which provides WordPress video lectures, with a library subscription. Consider starting with those materials that aim to familiarize learners with the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, provide instructions for how to install WordPress software, and provide basic knowledge about the dashboard, adding material, and publishing content. Noble Desktop’s free Introduction to WordPress seminar is a great option for beginners to learn WordPress basics and prepares self-learners to utilize WordPress software and all of its features. 

Self-learners will want to make sure to find resources catered to their own level of knowledge and experience. For those with no knowledge of coding, this means looking for resources about how to start a blog or build a no-code website using the themes and plugins that others have created for WordPress. Be aware that most forms of website creation or customization will require knowledge of some HTML and CSS. JavaScript and PHP knowledge is necessary for those looking to create interactive, responsive websites. Those with knowledge of programming will want to look for resources that build on their knowledge rather than repeating instructions for skills they have already learned.

WordPress self-learners should also consider on-demand classes, which offer more structured ways to learn WordPress on one’s own. There are both free and paid options online, with services like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare being some of the major providers for on-demand WordPress classes. These classes offer self-paced learning that allows students to move through the material at their own speed and practice skills alongside video lectures and written material. On-demand classes also allow for a more tailored educational experience, as students can choose from a variety of different classes, like no-coding-necessary WordPress classes, comprehensive WordPress classes, or even classes that offer continued practice in creating a variety of WordPress websites.

Drawbacks to Learning WordPress on Your Own

Important drawbacks to learning WordPress on your own include the limitations of self-teaching materials, the lack of expert guidance, and the difficulty of keeping oneself motivated. Self-teaching materials are readily available and easy to access, but mastering WordPress takes time and practice. While some self-teaching materials offer students the ability to practice site design and editing, there is very little individualized guidance for self-learners and this may become more necessary as you learn more advanced skills like creating and managing child themes, configuring an online store, or debugging issues that arise with a WordPress website. Other than asking for help in online forums, there is little direct troubleshooting help for those choosing to learn WordPress entirely on their own.

Learning on one’s own is also best for self-motivated learners. Even on-demand classes do not offer any external motivating source, like an instructor, deadlines, or other students, to push someone to complete the course. That can often lead to people getting discouraged and giving up on learning WordPress or taking a longer amount of time to learn skills than might be otherwise necessary. Most free resources and on-demand classes also do not offer mentorship, networking, or career services, making it hard to move from learning WordPress on your own to successfully navigating the job market and communicating your newly gained WordPress skills to potential employers. 

Alternatives to Learning WordPress on Your Own

The primary alternative to learning WordPress on your own is taking an in-person or live online class from an instructor. Taking a WordPress class is often a faster way to learn WordPress than self-teaching and there are many additional benefits to receiving instruction from an instructor instead of trying to learn everything you need to know on your own. Instructor-led classes, bootcamps, and certificate programs offer students hands-on guidance for learning WordPress and can provide individualized feedback as students practice WordPress skills. While it is relatively easy to get started learning WordPress on your own, when it comes time to put skills to the test, it is useful to have an instructor there to answer questions, provide further examples, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. 

Taking a class is a good alternative for those who not only need more guidance but for those who want to learn both basic and advanced skills in a relatively quick timeframe. Many WordPress bootcamps, for example, offer intensive instruction over a few days or a week, aiming to get students quickly using WordPress and creating custom themes by the end of the class. Additionally, many classes, bootcamps, and certificate programs will allow students to build up their professional portfolio and offer career services to help navigate the job market. 

Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool can help you find WordPress classes in your local area if you are looking for a WordPress class. Noble offers part-time and full-time live online and in-person WordPress classes. Their three-day intensive WordPress Bootcamp is a comprehensive course of study that introduces WordPress basics and guides students through hands-on training to create their own custom theme by the end of the class. WordPress training is also offered as a part of Noble’s career-oriented certificate programs for the Front-End Web Development Certificate and the Web Design Certificate. It is also an optional add-on to the Full-Stack Web Development Certificate. For those looking to jumpstart a career in web development and design, a certificate program can offer the comprehensive training, knowledge, and career support to do so.