The following tips will help you get help for WordPress problems. If you don’t follow my tips, your question will get ignored, no matter who or where you’re trying to get help from.
Search Before You Ask
WordPress.org, Google.com, within the site you’re trying to get help from, etc.
Double Check the Read-Me File
Themes, plugins, and even WordPress have installation and usage instructions. They’re usually in the readme.html or readme.txt file.
Find the Right Place to Ask
Do not email or postcodes in the comments if the site or author specifically told you not to. Email is probably the worse tool to get and give support by. Even if you have a unique problem, avoid email.
Skip the Introduction and Just Get to the Question
Don’t say “I’m a total newbie.” It’s one of the most annoying signs of possible laziness. Ask for a solution, what you need to know, and what you need to search for.
Link to the Problem
Even if your description of the problem is understandable and thorough, it’s best to link to your blog or a specific page and point out the problem.
No Customization Questions
Unless it’s obviously very technical and requires a great deal of knowledge and experience, do not ask “How Do I Customize ______” questions. WordPress volunteers and individual theme and plugin authors do not have the time to help you tweak your blog and then re-tweak it because maybe you don’t like the color. Show that you respect their time and they’ll try to get your problem solved ASAP. Avoid asking the following quesitons:
- How do I change the header image?
- How do I change link colors?
Those are general XHTML and CSS questions. They don’t have anything to do with WordPress. Your best guide for those questions is W3schools.com or one of those “how do I make a website” sites.
Don’t Be Lazy
If it looks or even sounds like you’re not willing to do the work in order to fix the problem, good luck because you’re on your own. NEVER ask for copy and paste. Also, if it sounds like you haven’t done any searching, then good luck because you’re on your own again.
Actually Follow the Instructions
If the answer or instruction is too technical, it’s understandable and someone will clear it up for you if you point out the parts where you don’t understand, but make sure what you don’t understand is more than just a term, which you can look up on Google.
On the flip side, it is NOT understandable and people will ignore you if you don’t follow the instructions while you keep saying that it doesn’t work.
What Your Question Should Look Like:
- Here’s my problem and where/what it is.
- How do I solve it and what do I need to do or know?
- Which file should work with?
- Thank you (this would be nice)
