WordPress Melbourne User Group

WordPress Melbourne February 2013 Beginners Meetup

February 13 · 6:30 PM
Inspire9

Arrive from 6:30pm for a 6:45pm start.

This month's meetup is targeted at WordPress beginner users.

WordPress developers and advanced users are encouraged to attend next month's meetup (March) instead.

The agenda is as follows:

How to Add Content to your Website - for WordPress Beginners (Andrew Davis)

Andrew will run an introductory presentation showing business users (i.e. non-techies) how to add content - such as text, images, videos and maps - to WordPress-based websites.

About Andrew
Andrew's company Boxless provides IT consulting and training on WordPress, and on "cloud" services such as Google Apps and Salesforce.com.

How To Write For An Online Audience - Vikki Maver

This talk will help business owners learn how to create online content that gets results.

With so much emphasis on web design, writing effective content is often overlooked.

Vikki will explain why specialist writing techniques are needed for the web – and show you how to make your website message clear and compelling.

About Vikki

Since 2008, Vikki has been training other professionals on how to improve their writing at work through her business Refresh Marketing. Vikki finds helping people improve their writing skills extremely rewarding and loves meeting interesting people along the way.

Free Pizza

Free pizza (provided by Envato).

WordPress Beginners' Q&A (Time Permitting)

Bring along your question (on a WordPress beginners topic), and we'll hopefully be giving attendees an opportunity to ask their question to the group.

Please note that this Q&A session will only be run if we have time after the two presentations.

Open Discussion and Socialising

At the nearby Post Office Hotel in Richmond.

Join or login to comment.

Dee Teal

A great evening, as always. For those interested in the finer details of WordCamp Melbourne 2013 - here's the website http://2013.melbourne.wordcamp.... - and if you were also keen to have some say on what we put in the User stream, here's the link to the survey I was talking about. http://wcmelb.wufoo.com/forms/w...

2 · February 14
- kittybaroque
  
  I'm a total newbie but had already bought a ticket so hoping I can cope at this point......
  
  1 · February 14
- Dee Teal
  
  Kitty, the program will be announced next week. I think you'll find a heap of sessions that will help. I'm really excited about it!
  
  0 · February 22
James Collins

Hi everyone,

Vikki has been nice enough to put a summary of her presentation online:

Summary: How to write for an online audience - https://docs.google.com/document...

Thank you Vikki!

1 · February 22
Jane D

Enjoyable and informative. Still scope for more beginner stuff.

0 · February 14
- Jane D
  
  Thanks for the night James, Andrew, Vikki and Envato. Useful session. Cheers, Jane D
  
  1 · February 14
Anthony Hortin

Good to see so many new faces at last nights meetup. For anyone that missed the url, you can find my easy to follow WordPress manual at http://easywpguide.com. You can read the guide online or download it in PDF or Word doc format. It's also available in ePub & Mobipocket eBook format if you have a mobile device such as an iPad, iPhone or another tablet device.
Enjoy!

0 · February 14
kittybaroque

Thank you so much guys for such a great evening, Pizza AND new writing skills...not withstanding.
Still Wordpress phobic but heading to both wordcamp & recommended site to figure things out.

1 · February 14
Michael

Thanks guys for the great event, looking forward for the next event for developers.

0 · February 14
Teresa

Yeah, cheers guys for the talk/s. Learned a bit. And yeah thanks for the pizza. I'll be at the next one for sure.

0 · February 14
Janice

Thanks for the great information yesterday evening and of course the yummy pizza. PLease send me the details to the WP camp in April. Thanks Janice

0 · February 14
Markus

Really good and informative for beginners

0 · February 14
Athy Giannopoulos

Thought the second presentation was not only informative, but entertaining. A very worth while refresher for me. However, I probably could have skipped the initial presentation - a bit too basic for me.

1 · February 13
Lifey

Thanks to the presenters and organisers of this meeting. Now I know just how little I know, learned a bit and learned where to get more help and information. An evening well spent.

0 · February 13
claire

Sorry. Cobfirnation at too short notice. Cant get there in time so not able to make it

0 · February 13
Jann

Sorry I won't make it tonight, started a new job this week and am whacked!

0 · February 13
Judith

Unfortunately I won't be able to come! Really disappointed :( there will be 2 spots available since I had a +1

0 · February 13
Helen

May I come since some people dropped out?

0 · February 13
Cat

Im so sorry i cant make it now apologies for the last minute notice

0 · February 13
Hannah O'Brien

Sorry, I'm stuck at work - have fun!

0 · February 13
Tim Osborn

bummed i can't make it guys - see ya next month!

0 · February 13
Murat Atar

Hi all, forgot to ask, how long should we allow for our meetup tonight?
My first one so not sure how long they usually go for.
Looking forward to meeting you all.

1 · February 13
Sandra Geitz

Great if I could attend if there's many cancellations. Here's hoping...
Sandra

0 · February 12
Nesim Guzel

Please let me know if a place comes up. I'm really really really interested.
Cheers,
Sim

0 · February 12
Ronan Murphy

Getting back into the blogging and creating themes. I would be interested in learning a thing or two! Thanks.

0 · February 12
Tania

Hi - I am zero in technology so looking forward to meeting some IT geniuses and learning about wordpress.

0 · February 11
Inna

My friend (Craig Oliver) and i are both interested in attending.

0 · February 8
Celso

Looking forward to it

0 · February 7
justin hill

Hey! Would love to make it to the meetup if there's a spare chair :)

0 · February 7
Chessy Di Giovine

Hi Guys,
I have limited knowledge when it comes to IT but am willing to learn. Looking forward to my first WP meetup. Cheers Chessy

0 · February 6
Bala

Look forward to attend the first 2013 Event and pick-up few techniques and implement them.

0 · February 2
Jane

would like to know when next beginners group is scheduled?

0 · February 2
Kimberley

Hello! I'm a newbie and this will be my first wordpress meetup, so just thought I'd introduce myself. Looking fwd to it! :)

1 · January 23
- Anthony Hortin
  
  Welcome Kimberly! I think you'll find this meetup really useful. Hope you enjoy it :-)
  
  0 · January 31
- Kimberley
  
  Thankyou Anthony! Looking fwd to the meetup :)
  
  0 · January 31
michael stone

Is it okay just to turn up on the night? i see theres a wait list.
I would be coming from Mt Macedon, wouldn't want to be turned away.
Regards, Michael

0 · January 31
- Aaron Rutley
  
  Hey Michael, It's normal for a few people to change their RSVP closer to the date so I'd expect you to move from the wait list to the attending list before the Meetup (it happens automatically).
  
  0 · January 31
Craig Oliver

Bringing along Inna Fourer, another fellow designer who is interested in learning about the power of Wordpress

0 · January 30
Lee Speedy

Coming with Esther

0 · January 29
Adam Wensor

Looking forward to getting involved and networking with the group! Cheers Adam

0 · January 29
Tania

Hi - I am zero in technology so looking forward to meeting some IT geniuses and learning about wordpress.

0 · January 29
Anthony Hortin

Great to have these meetups starting again!

0 · January 29
A former member

Looking forward to it. Cheers

0 · January 29
Tim Osborn

yeeha!

0 · January 29
Michael

is there any fees for this event?

0 · January 27
rudi stepan

The WP designers and developers have provided for people like me who want different themes from different vendors for different content types on 1 site as a basic necessity of design life.
Is that right?

0 · January 8
- View all 5 replies
- Phil
  
  Can you please clarify rudi?
  
  0 · January 21
- rudi stepan
  
  want to be able to select a theme from a collection of themes for any page on a web site, . Is it possible to have multiple themes, not child themes, on 1 web site?
  
  0 · January 24
- Jack Barker
  
  Hi Rudi, this is not standard WordPress functionality
  
  0 · January 25
- Jack Barker
  
  my suggestion would be to use completely different sites (if they are really, different types of content, and are suited to having their own unique appearance). Otherwise, you could also look at WordPress's "Page Templates" functionality. It might be possible to write a theme, in such a way that different layouts/colours/styles are applied... and available within a single theme.
  
  0 · January 25
- rudi stepan
  
  thanks Jack for yr lateral thinking, muliple sites is an excellent idea, solves the multiple theme functionality problem plus eliminates the need for Groups plugin for user access to content definition
  
  0 · January 27
V Rak Seng

looking forward to this exciting meeting.

0 · January 24
Joel Eade

Alas, I have double booked. See you in March, I promise :)

0 · January 23
Jack Barker

May be an advanced topic; but has anyone got any experience writing unit tests for their wp plugins/themes? I'd like to stop accidentally breaking things!

Might be a good topic for someone to talk on (hint hint).

0 · January 21
- Phil
  
  I'm interested in this as well. Sounds like a good topic for the advanced wordpress meetup.
  
  0 · January 21
- James Collins
  
  Jack/Phil that sounds like a great Advanced/Developer topic for the March meetup. I've added your comment there so we can try and find someone to present on it.
  
  0 · January 23
Lifey

Not only am I an absolute beginner, but a computer illiterate, when it comes to terminology. Is it pitched in such a way that a septuagenarian grandmother can understand? And should I bring a computer? (My phone is a dumb phone. lol)

Am I able to park right near the building entrance, and is the building 'accessible'? I am not able to walk far, and have great difficulty with stairs.

Despite those difficulties, I do not want to pass up this opportunity of finally learning how to do Wordpress.

Lifey

0 · January 22
- View all 3 replies
- Jack Barker
  
  Hi Lifey, I'm sure you'll benefit from coming along. Leave the computer at home, but you may want to bring some paper + pen to jot things down. I have never had troubles parking on Stewart street if I arrive at 6:30 or before. The area can get bit busy later on (especially if there's a band booked at the nearby corner hotel).
  
  0 · January 23
- Lifey
  
  Thank you Jack, for that encouragement.
  
  0 · January 23
- Lifey
  
  I have no idea how long it will take me to get there, so will plan on getting there early.
  
  0 · January 23
Judith

Is this workshop okay for ABSOLUTE beginners (with zero knowledge)? Thanks :)

0 · January 21
- View all 5 replies
- Jack Barker
  
  Absolutely.
  
  That said, looking at some basic online tutorials/videos beforehand (can anyone suggest some good resources?) will be helpful if you get the opportunity.
  
  In my experience, the speakers will often pick a small area of WordPress, assume you have no experience of it, and proceed to "break it down into something that's digestable". If you've used/seen the basics of WordPress, it may be easier to see where this piece fits within the overall WordPress, or within a project you've got planned.
  
  The meetup is also a great place to ask others for help - if you were reading or hearing about something that didn't make sense, just ask.
  
  0 · January 21
- Andrew Davis
  
  Hi Judith - Jack is spot-on. Absolute beginners are strongly encouraged to attend. I'll be doing one of the presentations, and I'm going to be focusing specifically on how to add content web pages (or blog posts) on a WordPress-based website.
  
  0 · January 21
- Judith
  
  Ok awesome. Look forward to it !
  
  0 · January 21
- Phil
  
  The guys I've met that go along are awesome at showing you the way for the basics: they make hard shit simple. Are you interested in the writing or the tech side of it?
  
  0 · January 22
- Judith
  
  Both! I just read the agenda. Should be exciting
  
  0 · January 22
Janice

Hi I am Janice and I built my ecommerce website on WP. Would like to know more.

0 · January 21
Helen Siddel

Looking forward to seeing what I can learn!!

0 · December 7
- View all 4 replies
- Helen Siddel
  
  BTW - Are there any short courses for WordPress in Melbourne that people think are good value??
  
  0 · December 7
- Steve
  
  Hi Helen, I'm new to the group as well. I have only used some prerecorded online courses for Wordpress so far. They have been fine, but difficult if you need to ask questions and not always customised to exactly what you need. Hopefully the meetings shuld give us more information.
  
  0 · December 19
- Jack Barker
  
  Hi guys,
  
  0 · January 21
- Jack Barker
  
  if you do have specific queries, the meetup is a great place to ask them. If anyone wants to get there a bit earlier (6pm), I don't mind offering a bit of support. Let me know.
  
  0 · January 21
kittybaroque

Overcoming the overwhelm of WP.org

0 · January 21
Jason D'souza

looking forward to this. feb is so far away...

0 · January 2
Steve

Is there anyone in the group that offers one on one help. I set all this stuff up and have no idea if I have done it right

0 · December 19