Using WordPress as a CMS

**deeziner** · 22 July, 2009, 03:50 AM

Hi - I am trying to learn how to set up WordPress as a CMS for several web sites. I borrowed the "WordPress for Dummies" book at the library and you know - I just don't get it!

Can you help me please?

- I have WordPress installed on my server.

- How do I set up a WP theme and make the site look like a web site instead of a blog?

Thank you! All help is gratefully appreciated

**m42** · 22 July, 2009, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by deeziner

Hi - I am trying to learn how to set up WordPress as a CMS for several web sites. I borrowed the "WordPress for Dummies" book at the library and you know - I just don't get it!

Can you help me please?

- I have WordPress installed on my server.

- How do I set up a WP theme and make the site look like a web site instead of a blog?

Thank you! All help is gratefully appreciated

Are you migrating from a custom site or do you have enough leeway to start with a generic/premade Wordpress theme?

**mixke** · 22 July, 2009, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by deeziner

- How do I set up a WP theme and make the site look like a web site instead of a blog?

If you want to have a static page as homepage, then change the settings from your WP admin panel. Go to Settings>Reading>Edit the options available for front page display.

Some useful links -

101 Techniques for a Powerful CMS using WordPress | Noupe
40 Exceptional “CMS Enabling” WordPress Plugins | Noupe
25 Unique uses of WordPress as CMS | Noupe
The Comprehensive Guide for a Powerful CMS using WordPress | Noupe

SmashingMagazine also has some interesting articles on this topic.

**Jorge05r** · 22 July, 2009, 07:26 AM

I suppose you're not very familiar with wp since you don't know how to set up a theme so if I was you I would focus on learning the basic stuff first, and then step up to learn how to set up WordPress as a CMS

You will need to study and practice it for a few days minimum, making wordpress to work as a CMS is not very easy that you would learn in 1 day. Also it may depend on what you're trying to achieve, there's some CMS features which are very easy and some that may require a lot of work and skills.

If you're looking into learning everything, then I would recommend every tutorial out there, Google it or Bing it!

Wordpress has infinite ways to make websites such as image galleries, discussion boards, membership sites, Questions and answers sites, gaming site, clan site, calendar, and so many more it's unbelievable how such a simple blog could turn into many types of sites but there's a lot of learning required.

**Hellas** · 22 July, 2009, 08:39 AM

Wordpress is alreday cms. It manages content.
Blogging platform is just a type of cms, forums are some kind of CMS too.

Here is one link for you:
use wordpress as cms - Google Search

**Jorge05r** · 22 July, 2009, 17:55 PM

Some people may call it a CMS, even myself sometimes because it works almost like one and you can make it work like one but Wordpress is not really a CMS like joomla, drupal and some others actual CMS applications.

Saying that WordPress is a content management system is not very accurate. I don't think that wordpress itself would like to be recognize as a CMS, otherwise it would have not become as popular as it is.

Another point would be, if wordpress was a CMS, there would not be any "wordpress as a CMS" tutorials and plugins becuase if it was then we wouldn't need those tuts and plugs.

**Hellas** · 22 July, 2009, 19:22 PM

Originally Posted by Jorge05r

Some people may call it a CMS, even myself sometimes because it works almost like one and you can make it work like one but Wordpress is not really a CMS like joomla, drupal and some others actual CMS applications.

Saying that WordPress is a content management system is not very accurate. I don't think that wordpress itself would like to be recognize as a CMS, otherwise it would have not become as popular as it is.

Another point would be, if wordpress was a CMS, there would not be any "wordpress as a CMS" tutorials and plugins becuase if it was then we wouldn't need those tuts and plugs.

Can you give me definition of CMS?

**deeziner** · 25 July, 2009, 21:02 PM

Originally Posted by m42

Are you migrating from a custom site or do you have enough leeway to start with a generic/premade Wordpress theme?

I'm starting from scratch.

I have several sites I want to build using WP as the CMS to make it simpler for the client to maintain their own content. For 1, I have a WP template they selected for use. The other, I have another design of my own I want to use but it is not a WP template.

thanks!

**deeziner** · 25 July, 2009, 21:04 PM

Originally Posted by Jorge05r

Some people may call it a CMS, even myself sometimes because it works almost like one and you can make it work like one but Wordpress is not really a CMS like joomla, drupal and some others actual CMS applications.

Saying that WordPress is a content management system is not very accurate. I don't think that wordpress itself would like to be recognize as a CMS, otherwise it would have not become as popular as it is.

Another point would be, if wordpress was a CMS, there would not be any "wordpress as a CMS" tutorials and plugins becuase if it was then we wouldn't need those tuts and plugs.

I'm not here to argue semantics. There are countless references on the 'net to "Wordpress as CMS" so I don't think I'm mis-stating it by also using that reference.

Thanks to all for your input, I appreciate it.