Free Recorded WordPress Workshops for Beginners (2023)

Are you looking to learn WordPress and build your own website? The best way to develop your WordPress skills is by attending a hands-on beginner workshop. But for many, attending an in-person WordPress class isn‘t feasible due to schedule conflicts, location, or cost.

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The good news is, in 2023 you have access to a wealth of free online resources that can teach you the same fundamentals you‘d learn in a live WordPress workshop, at your own pace. Over 43% of the web is built on WordPress (W3Techs), and the vast community has created comprehensive guides and tutorials for users of all skill levels.

In this post, we‘ve curated the best free WordPress workshops, courses, and training videos so you can give yourself a strong foundation in the world‘s most popular website platform. Let‘s dive in!

What Do You Learn at a WordPress Workshop for Beginners?

First, let‘s cover what you can expect to learn at an in-person beginner WordPress workshop. The typical curriculum aims to get you comfortable with the basics of WordPress in a single day (or multi-day workshop).

Common topics covered in WordPress 101 workshops include:

What is WordPress? Overview of WordPress as a content management system and how it powers 43% of websites online
WordPress.com vs WordPress.org and why self-hosted WordPress.org is recommended
How to purchase a domain name and hosting to install WordPress
Walkthrough of the WordPress dashboard and settings
Creating, editing and organizing pages and posts
Formatting content with blocks (or page builders)
Customizing your site appearance with themes
Extending functionality with plugins
Optimizing your site for search engines
Securing your WordPress site from hacks and threats

The format is usually demonstration-based, with the instructor showing each concept on a live WordPress installation. Some workshops include hands-on exercises for participants to try things on their own WordPress sandbox site.

The goal is by the end of the workshop, you feel empowered to build your own basic website on the WordPress platform. But what if you don‘t have access to an in-person WordPress workshop?

Top Free Online WordPress Workshop Alternatives

If you can‘t attend a WordPress class in-person, you‘re in luck. Thanks to WordPress‘ global popularity, there is no shortage of free resources you can use to master WordPress on your own time.

Here are some of the most comprehensive free WordPress workshop alternatives we recommend for beginners in 2023:

1. WPBeginner Free WordPress Courses

Here at WPBeginner, we‘ve created a library of free WordPress video courses that mirror the curriculum of a live WordPress beginner workshop:

WordPress for Beginners Course – In this course, Syed Balkhi takes you through the full process of setting up your WordPress site, step-by-step. From purchasing a domain and hosting, to installing WordPress, to customizing your site‘s design and functionality.
WordPress SEO Course – Learn proven strategies to optimize your WordPress site for search engines and drive free organic traffic to your content.
WordPress Landing Page Course – This training teaches you how to use WordPress to create high-converting landing pages for your products, services, and email list.

These free courses include on-demand video lessons, written tutorials, worksheets and quizzes to test your knowledge. Think of it like a WordPress workshop you can take at your own pace!

2. WPBeginner YouTube Channel (1000+ Free Videos)

In addition to our courses, the WPBeginner YouTube channel is packed with 1000+ free WordPress tutorial videos. It‘s like a WordPress workshop that never ends, with new videos published weekly!

Some of our most popular workshop-style tutorials include:

Our YouTube tutorials have helped over 56 million people learn WordPress. Subscribe today and join our community of happy WordPress learners!

3. WordPress.org Workshops and Lesson Plans

Did you know WordPress.org has a whole section with free lesson plans from WordPress workshops around the world? These detailed outlines walk you through what‘s covered in beginner WordPress workshops.

Some standout workshop plans include:

WordPress for Beginners Workshop – Covers the benefits of WordPress, how to install WordPress on a host, how to use the WordPress dashboard, and extending WordPress with themes and plugins.
Making Your First WordPress Site – Aimed at users with zero WordPress experience who want a basic understanding of the platform and how it works.
Intro to Site Building with WordPress – Starter workshop that covers signing up for hosting, registering a domain and installing WordPress, as well as choosing a theme and creating content.

You can use these comprehensive outlines to guide your own self-study journey through the WordPress beginner workshop curriculum.

4. LinkedIn Learning WordPress Courses

If you prefer a more structured learning approach, LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) offers a number of WordPress courses led by expert instructors. Most offer a free 1-month trial.

Top WordPress courses for beginners on LinkedIn Learning:

WordPress Essential Training – A comprehensive foundation in building and maintaining WordPress websites with the Block Editor. This course teaches you how to create posts and pages, customize your site, insert media and add plugins.
WordPress Plugins for SEO – Discover the top WordPress plugins for optimizing your site‘s search engine rankings, like Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, and Jetpack. Includes over-the-shoulder training of how to use each plugin.
WordPress Plugins for e-Commerce and Beyond – Learn how to select and implement powerful WordPress plugins to enhance your site, from e-commerce tools like WooCommerce to contact forms, security, caching and more.

While not free, LinkedIn Learning is a solid option if you want a more interactive, professional development style WordPress workshop experience online.

Benefits of Attending a Live WordPress Workshop

Now you know some of the top free and paid online WordPress workshops that can teach you the platform quickly. But there are still some major benefits to attending a WordPress workshop in-person if you can:

Direct interaction with the instructor to ask questions and get immediate clarification or feedback.
Opportunities to network with other local WordPress users, from fellow beginners to more experienced developers and professionals.
Focused time dedicated to just learning and practicing WordPress without distractions (harder to do with online learning).
Fun free swag like stickers, t-shirts and resources from WordPress companies and sponsors.

The face-to-face connections and relationships you build at in-person WordPress workshops can prove invaluable. You‘ll have people to reach out to if you get stuck or need advice as you progress in your WordPress journey.

To find a live WordPress workshop near you, we recommend:

Searching Meetup.com for local WordPress groups. Many WordPress meetups hold beginner-focused workshops, or can point you to other groups that offer them.
Attending a WordCamp in your area. These casual conferences have multiple tracks with workshops for WordPress users of all levels.
Checking with your local library, community college or technical school. They may offer free or low-cost WordPress workshops periodically.

Don‘t be afraid to attend a WordPress workshop or event as a beginner. Everyone starts somewhere, and most WordPress events are very welcoming to new users eager to learn.

Wrapping Up: Never Stop Learning WordPress

Whether you learn WordPress at an in-person workshop, online course, or cobbling together YouTube tutorials, the important thing is to start. WordPress does have a learning curve, but it‘s more accessible than you may think. With some focused effort and the right resources, you can master the basics in a matter of days.

To recap, here are the best free resources to learn WordPress like you would in a beginner‘s workshop:

WPBeginner‘s library of free WordPress courses
WPBeginner‘s YouTube channel with 1000+ free WordPress video tutorials
WordPress lesson plans from workshops around the world
LinkedIn Learning‘s WordPress courses (free 1-month trial)

Looking for even more? Check out our guide on how to learn WordPress for free in a week or less.

The most important tip for learning WordPress is to practice. As you‘re learning, actually try things out on a live WordPress site. WPBeginner‘s tutorials make it easy to follow along and implement what you‘re learning.

You‘ll make mistakes – that‘s part of the process. But the good news is WordPress is very forgiving. It‘s hard to break things permanently as long as you‘re backing up your site regularly (here‘s a tutorial to follow for that!).

Are you ready to become a WordPress expert? Choose one of the resources above and make a commitment to go through it over the next month. By this time next year, you could be the one leading the WordPress workshops!