# WordPress Website Masterclass
## Build and Launch Your Professional Website in One Weekend—No Coding Required

### Course Description
You have been putting off building your website for months. Maybe you got quotes from developers that made your eyes water. Maybe you tried once and got lost in a maze of technical settings. Or maybe you just do not know where to start.

This course changes that. In one weekend, you will go from zero to a fully launched WordPress website that looks professional, loads fast, and actually brings in customers. We will cover everything from choosing hosting to adding your first blog post—with zero coding and zero overwhelm. By Monday morning, you will have a live website you are proud to share.

This is not about becoming a web developer. It is about getting your website done so you can get back to running your business.

### What You Will Learn
- Set up professional web hosting and install WordPress in under 30 minutes
- Choose and customize a theme that matches your brand (no design skills needed)
- Create essential pages: Home, About, Services, Contact, and Blog
- Set up contact forms that actually send you emails
- Implement basic SEO so Google can find you
- Launch your site with confidence and a pre-flight checklist

### Prerequisites
- A computer with internet access
- A business idea or existing business to build a website for
- Budget of $50-100/year for hosting and domain
- No technical skills required—we start from absolute zero

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## Module 1: Setup & Quick Win
**Objective:** Get WordPress installed and see your site live (even if it is ugly)
**Duration:** 45 minutes

### Lesson 1.1: Why WordPress (And Not Wix, Squarespace, etc.)
- **Objective:** Understand why we are using WordPress and feel confident in the choice
- **Key Concepts:** WordPress.org vs WordPress.com, ownership, flexibility, cost comparison
- **Activity:** None—this is mindset setting
- **Duration:** 8 min

### Lesson 1.2: Buying Your Domain Name
- **Objective:** Own your domain name by the end of this lesson
- **Key Concepts:** What makes a good domain, where to buy, .com vs alternatives, avoiding trademark issues
- **Activity:** Purchase your domain through Namecheap (walkthrough)
- **Duration:** 12 min

### Lesson 1.3: Setting Up Hosting
- **Objective:** Have WordPress installed and accessible
- **Key Concepts:** What hosting is, recommended hosts for beginners, one-click WordPress install
- **Activity:** Sign up for hosting, install WordPress, log into dashboard
- **Duration:** 15 min

### Lesson 1.4: Your First Quick Win—Going Live
- **Objective:** See your website live on the internet (even with default theme)
- **Key Concepts:** Dashboard overview, viewing your live site, coming soon mode
- **Activity:** View your live site, take a screenshot, share in community
- **Duration:** 10 min

**Module 1 Quiz:** 5 questions on hosting, domains, and WordPress basics

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## Module 2: Design Without Designing
**Objective:** Transform your site from default theme to professional appearance
**Duration:** 1.5 hours

### Lesson 2.1: Choosing the Right Theme
- **Objective:** Select a theme that matches your business and skill level
- **Key Concepts:** Free vs premium themes, theme red flags, recommended starter themes
- **Activity:** Browse and install Astra theme (or alternative)
- **Duration:** 15 min

### Lesson 2.2: Starter Templates—Your Design Shortcut
- **Objective:** Import a professional design template as your foundation
- **Key Concepts:** Starter templates explained, choosing by industry, what you can customize
- **Activity:** Import a starter template that matches your business
- **Duration:** 12 min

### Lesson 2.3: Customizing Colors and Fonts
- **Objective:** Match the template to your brand colors and style
- **Key Concepts:** Brand color basics, font pairing, global customizer settings
- **Activity:** Update colors and fonts to match your brand
- **Duration:** 18 min

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## Module 3: Essential Pages
**Objective:** Create the 5 pages every business website needs
**Duration:** 2 hours

### Lesson 3.1: Homepage That Converts
- **Objective:** Create a homepage that clearly communicates what you do
- **Key Concepts:** Above-the-fold content, hero section, value proposition, CTAs
- **Activity:** Edit homepage template with your content
- **Duration:** 25 min

### Lesson 3.2: About Page That Builds Trust
- **Objective:** Write an about page that connects with visitors
- **Key Concepts:** Story structure, credibility elements, photo importance
- **Activity:** Write and design your about page
- **Duration:** 20 min

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## Module 4: Polish & Launch
**Objective:** Add finishing touches and go live with confidence
**Duration:** 1 hour

### Lesson 4.1: Basic SEO Setup
- **Objective:** Configure your site so Google can find and index it
- **Key Concepts:** Yoast SEO plugin, titles and meta descriptions, sitemap
- **Activity:** Install Yoast, configure basic settings, write page meta descriptions
- **Duration:** 18 min

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## Implementation Notes

**Suggested Recording Order:**
1. Record Module 1 first (gets you comfortable)
2. Do Module 4 second (while setup is fresh)
3. Module 2-3 in order (the meaty content)

**Content Batching Tips:**
- Record all screencasts in one session
- Batch all talking head intros separately
- Write all worksheets together