Joomla Tutorial for Beginners: How to Get Started Today

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joomla tutorial for beginners

Nearly 13,840 of the top one million websites based on content management systems use Joomla. This represents a market share of 6.6% for Joomla. In this Joomla tutorial for beginners, you will learn why you should use Joomla CMS for website creation.

Not so long ago, building a website was close to impossible without technical knowledge. At the very least, you needed to have basic knowledge of the programming languages. HTML, CSS, and Javascript were a requirement in building a simple website.

Thanks to technological advancements, all those requirements are no longer necessary. In the current day, almost anyone can build a fully functional and beautiful website without technical knowledge. All you need to do is choose a great content management system.

Joomla is one excellent choice for beginners. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use the CMS.

Let’s get right to it!

Get a Domain Name

Before you start off with Joomla, you need a domain name that reflects what your website does. This is a requirement for any content management system you choose. It is the first point of reference that creates an impression to your site visitors.

A domain name should be simple and easy to remember. Long domain names are also subject to spelling errors and mistyping. Other tips in choosing a domain name are:

  • Avoid words that have multiple spellings to avoid confusing your visitors. For example, if you are selling goods to your clients, qualitygoods.com is a better choice than qualityguds.com.
  • Try to incorporate keywords in the domain name. It will improve your ranking, and your visitors will quickly find your site. For example, if your site is about printing services, include the phrase “printing services” in the domain name.
  • Choose a .com extension if possible. It is a top-level domain extension that is easier to find than most others like .club, .online, or .tips. The .com TLD extension has been around longer, and people type it without thinking.

Once you have created a domain name, you need to register it if it is available. Make use of domain name search engines to check if the name you chose is available, the available extensions, and how much it will cost to register.

If the one you want is not available, you will get suggestions for closely related ones. Register the domain name but keep in mind that you do not own it. For as long as you keep paying for it, you can use the name indefinitely.

Find a Web Hosting Service

Apart from finding a domain name, you will also need to find a hosting service. Every website is hosted on a server that is somewhere in the world. The server is what allows you to connect and interact with a site through the code stored on the server.

For you to have a Joomla website, you need a server where you will store your code. This is what web hosting service means. Hundreds of companies offer a range of the services, including shared hosting and unlimited disk space.

Other services are the easy setup of your website, unlimited email addresses, dedicated servers, and free domain names for one year. There are hosting fees payable, starting from a few dollars per month for the cheapest plan. It should be adequate for you as a beginner.

A few tips when choosing a web hosting service:

  • Choose a company that offers customer support all round the clock. There are those down times when you need help as quickly as possible. Check customer reviews to see what other clients have to say about the service you choose.
  • Choose a service with 99.9% uptime. If your website is business-oriented, every second it is down could mean losses for you.
  • The company should have an easy to use control panel that allows you to install software.

Joomla offers free web hosting if you do not want to use the paid services. They will host your site and give you a free subdomain. However, you will only have access to a small selection of themes and extensions.

The mailing functionality is also limited. It is a good starting point for beginners who are looking for a simple non-commercial website.

Install Joomla

Joomla makes interaction with your website easier. You can install by one of the two options available. The first option is to download the Joomla source files and installing them manually. Alternatively, you can do a one-click installation using the auto installer.

1. One-click Installation

Depending on the hosting provider you choose, you should see the Joomla name and icon on the control panel. This option is the easiest in installing Joomla. All you have to do is:

  • Go to the control panel
  • Look for the Joomla icon and click on it
  • Click “Install Now”

If you do not see the Joomla icon, you probably might want to change the hosting service you are using. The truth is that it might not be the best in other areas too.

2. Manual Installation

Here is a Joomla tutorial for beginners for installing the CMS manually. The process might be a little complicated but is achievable.

Step 1: Download the Joomla Software

Ensure that you are getting the right file by downloading from Joomla.org website. Avoid downloading from third party sites the as the files might be infected with viruses.

Step 2: Create a Database

This is a collection of tables that store all the information on your website. The database makes the information available at short notice.

You can create a MySQL database which is available on the control panel. Create a database user and an individual database. Add the user to the databases and move to step 3.

Step 3: Get Started with the Joomla Engine

Upload the downloaded Joomla package to your sites root folder. You will unzip it from there.

Step 4: Set Up Your Website

Type your domain name in the URL bar. Use the file manager in the control panel or an FTP client to transfer the files. Locate your root folder and upload it. Click on the “extract” button.

If you did everything right, Joomla installation page should show up. Enter the name of your site and click “next.”

  • Enter the details from the database you earlier created
  • Check that the installation details for your site are correct and “install.”
  • Wait for a validation message that the installation process ended successfully.
  • Enter your administration panel and proceed to your website.

Step 5: Create New Website Pages

A page is different from a post in that it forms the structure of the website. Posts are time-related in that as you create new ones, the older ones are pushed further down the list.

It is through posts that you add new information to your site. They also encourage conversation between you and your visitors.

Most websites are made up of more than one page where the posts go. Examples of pages are

  • Homepage
  • About page
  • Products page
  • FAQ page

It is not necessary to add pages often as long as you structure them well in the initial formatting of your website.

Step 6: Install a Theme

If you want to enhance the look of your website, it is advisable to install a theme, also known as a template. It makes it easy to change the design and style of your site to make it more appealing to your visitors.

There are free and paid templates available for you. Look for one that automatically gives a new look to your website, is easy to update regularly, and provides excellent support. Do not limit yourself to one template; browse and switch between them to find the one that is most suitable.

Step 7: Add Some Extensions

Extensions enhance the functionality of your site. Joomla contains all kinds of extensions to help you with a variety of tasks. Some of them are:

  • FaLang- allows you to offer multiple languages to your visitors
  • JEvents- adds events and calendar management function
  • Google Maps Plugin- enables you to embed maps on the site
  • Akeeba Backup- you can create a backup for your website and easily restore, migrate or deploy sites.

Step 8: Write Your First Article

You will notice an icon inviting you to write a “new article” on the left sidebar. Once you click on it, you will get a text editor where you can create and edit your first post.

Once it is ready, you can click on “publish.” Other things you can do before publishing include:

  • Setting up a calendar for publications
  • Optimize your page by adding SEO elements like meta descriptions and keywords
  • Select if the article should be displayed on the homepage
  • Set the settings for accessibility- who can see the post?
  • Organize the post with tags
  • Organize your posts into categories. This ensures that it appears at the right place on your website.

Keep in mind that quality content matters in running a successful Joomla site.

Joomla Tutorial for Beginners – Take Away

If you have made it this far, it means that you have a basic Joomla website that is ready for use. Adding posts, pages, managing menus, and changing the template of your site are the necessary things that you need to get right. Joomla is powerful software that can help you customize your website to make it incredibly competitive.

You need to explore other functionalities that Joomla has to offer. You will then see why it has gained popularity among the best content management systems. Remember that this is just the beginning.

With this Joomla tutorial for beginners, you need to keep working on your site to reap the benefits and get a return on your investment. If you have any ideas, share them in the comments below.