So I’ve installed Divi, now what?
So you have installed the Divi Theme for WordPress. Congrats! I love it, and I know many other people do. But I also remember that feeling of being lost and being overwhelmed when I created my first site (far too many years ago to mention). The theme website looked fancy, it looked simple. Even the people who recommended it to me raved about it. But that moment when you use a software for the first time, it can feel like you are caught in the headlights. So what next?
I would like to share my guidance on the steps to take.
Coming soon
If you are just starting out then a coming soon is a great place to start. A coming soon can be used to let your visitors you are building your site. A way to collect their email address to keep them updated.
So how to set up a coming soon page when you don’t know how to use Divi yet. Simples. Let a plugin do the initial heavy lifting for you. There are many ‘coming soon’ plugins, personally, I use this one (its Free) minimal-coming-soon-maintenance-mode it’s lightweight and simple to follow. If you don’t know what a plugin is, basically it is a bunch of code wrapped up in a fancy little package.
But wait, I already have a live site
But wait, I already have a live site. If this is the case, then have a think about what approach you want to use. Some people make changes to their site gradually over time. This is good for people who know it will take more time than they currently have spare. So they want customers to continue to use it as it is, and alter it over time. While others have set aside a week or so to just focus on this. If that is the case putting up a coming soon page is a good idea and you can make revealing your new site as an event.
Testing, testing, 1, 2
After you have set up a coming soon page then the next best step is to get playing. Create a test page (which you will keep in draft mode so no-one can see it). Once you have created a page then select the Visual Builder. You will get to see a live preview of any changes you make. Start playing with the modules you think you may use the most. My suggestions would be the Text, Image, Button, Contact Form, Email Optin. Getting to grips with these first will stand you in great stead. You will start to get familiar with the three main tabs for each module.
Step by step
Just take it step-by-step. Work your way through each tab. Open up the different sections and see what it does. Have a play. You can’t break anything. Remember there is an undo button as well. Also, Divi has an inbuilt training video on every element. So you don’t even have to leave Divi. I’m sure this is one of the reasons people love Divi so much.
Give me Space
Once you have entered some text and altered the font type, font colour and font sizes; start to play with the margin and padding. See how that changes the look of what you have created. Use this virtual space to get creative.
Keep a note
Remember with anything new it takes time. So I suggest creating a note or two of what settings you use the most. Making it easier when you do it the next time. Also, plan some time every day (even if it’s 5 or 10 minutes) to experiment with Divi. Each time learn one more new module, setting or element. It will help you in the long run as you become more familiar with the software.
After you have nailed the main modules, move on to play with the rows and sections. I hope you have fun using Divi and can’t wait to see what you create. If you need to book a 1-2-1 session to help on your way, click here.