Mixing Business and WordPress for Fun and Profit
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The document recounts Mary Anne Shew's journey in web development and business coaching, emphasizing her transition to using WordPress as a primary tool for creating websites. It highlights the importance of effective marketing strategies and the necessity of adapting to new technologies while leveraging the benefits of WordPress for business growth. Additionally, Shew shares insights and challenges faced in learning and applying WordPress, along with key takeaways for others in web development.
Mixing Business and WordPress for Fun and Profit
- 1. For Fun and Profit Mixing Business & WP Mary Anne Shew www.BizVitality.com ROC WP 03/16/2015
- 2. 2 • Started making web sites in 1998 First client: About.com’s Rochester NY site Hand-coded HTML + used clip art FTP, hosting console, email setup, etc. • Thru 2013 hand-coded sites (Dreamweaver) Created modest graphics (Fireworks) Used ASP for “includes” (repeatable snippets) Learned basic CSS (TopStyle) ABOUT ME
- 3. 3 • 2004: Formally added business coaching Had been informally coaching to get marketing info sm biz clients didn’t have Became certified business coach Business owners, professionals as clients Maybe a site involved, often not • 2013: WordPress here to stay • Am I in or out of the web site business? ABOUT ME + Biz Coaching
- 4. 4 • 2014 focus: Learn WP and all it entails • Hired experienced WP developers to help me through the hard parts of first few client sites (and my own) • Did two client sites on my own successfully • Decided I was still IN the web site business ABOUT ME
- 5. 5 Business First Add WordPress Profit from the Mix Mixing Business & WordPress
- 6. 6 Business First A. Selling a service creating web sites for businesses B. Selling something other than web sites and using your web site to: • Market your business • Sell online • Both YOUR BUSINESS IS FOCUSED ON EITHER…
- 7. 7 A. It’s a fast, flexible, reliable, (relatively) safe, (relatively) easy tool for creating client web sites. B. You need/want to build and run your business web site yourself. Plus A above. YOU’RE USING WORDPRESS BECAUSE… Add WordPress
- 8. 8 Profit from the Mix A. Producing high-value sites that clients can afford and get business from. B. Saving money by not paying a web designer, especially in early stage of your business. YOUR PROFIT COMES FROM…
- 9. 9 • Marketing works the same way. • All the site prep work is the same. Targeted audience, keywords, etc. Choose design. Site pages and hierarchy decided. • Under the hood, it’s still a web site. Site architecture still made sense. Still have hosting console, FTP, etc. HAPPY SURPRISES
- 10. 10 1. Make people want to do business with you. 2. Make people want to buy your product or service. (Slide from 2007) For Both A & B: Marketing Goals
- 11. 11 For Both A & B: Online (STILL) Just a Part of Strategy Products and Services Online Marketing Channels Your Billing Process Your Sales Process Your Product/ Service Delivery Process Your Customer Service Process Offline Marketing Channels Brochure Business Card Promotional Items Ads Press Releases Articles Sponsorships Your Employees and Subs (Slide from 2006)
- 12. 12 Domain Name Web Site Email Address Email Signature File • Tag line • Web site name • Office/fax numbers • HTML: Title, Metatags, img ALT parameters • Navigation • Text-based content What the USER sees Web Site Components Search Engines Links from Other Relevant Sites • Web sites • E-zines • Blogs Newsletter Forwarded Newsletter Purchased Ads on Other Sites • Google • Yahoo • MSN Word of Mouth You can control the “ovals.” You can’t control the rest. (Slide from 2007) For Both A & B: Online Marketing STILL Works the Same Way
- 13. 13 Products & Services Home Page * * * * = Link appears on every pg About Us History Employment info (with PDF application) Map to Office Mission/Values Executive Profiles Certifications, Awards Press Releases Privacy/Copyright Statements SamplesClients/ Portfolio * * CONTACT INFO ON EVERY PAGENews Announcements Events List of clients Testimonials Samples of work Photos of work Description of benefits How you do business How to do business with you Contact Us * For Both A & B: Site Layout STILL Important (Slide from 2007)
- 14. 14 web site hosting service viewer’s PC/Mac Your PC/Mac •dial-up •RoadRunner viewer’s Internet access •dial-up •RoadRunner Internet browser http://www.yourname.com wp-content folder ftp software (copy files--maybe) Your Internet access If site designer is YOU: • Red italic items cost you money • Blue items cost you your time (+ money if paid theme) your share of hosting server For Both A & B: When Site Designer Is YOU (Slide from 2007--modified) your browser WP Dashboard
- 15. 15 • Internal SEO still works the same: Page title, meta desc, paragraph tags, image ALT/TITLE, file names, cross-links • HTML still comes in very handy. • CSS still part of it (but more complicated) • Graphics became easier—now a puzzle of good images that theme pulls together. • Can set up pages for content very quickly. • Changing navigation a breeze. HAPPY SURPRISES
- 16. 16 • Theme? Child theme? Widgets? Plugins? • Dashboard? • Why doesn’t the installed theme look like the demo?? • Where the heck is the menu? • There’s only one menu in this theme? I need TWO! • Why isn’t there a home page? • Categories versus tags? “FUN” CHALLENGES
- 17. 17 • Where can I test site before it goes live? • What do I do for backups? Restores? • Whaddya mean I shouldn’t change the theme’s CSS? • How the heck do I create CHILD theme? • Where are the <HEAD> meta tags? • How do I overwrite uploaded files? • Where does Google Analytics code go? “FUN” CHALLENGES
- 18. 18 • Overall amount of development work is the same; just allocated differently. WP requires installation on host. Less hand-coding but more pieces to understand, choose, deal with. Theme tools vary considerably. WP not as easy to use as “sold.” I developed guide for clients who blog. WHAT I LEARNED
- 19. 19 • Ongoing WP, theme, and plugin updates and backups are a MUST. Set expectations if client chooses not to have me do that. Insist they do a backup themselves after they make changes. Good idea to get to know your hosting backup system also (ask me how I know). WHAT I LEARNED
- 20. 20 • Overall amount of development work is the same Less hand-coding but more pieces to understand, choose, deal with. Understanding CSS is critical. WP and plugin security an ongoing challenge. It’s not as easy to use as perceived. For clients who blog, set boundaries. WHAT I LEARNED
- 21. 21 • Paid themes and plugins are worth the money Paid themes less likely to be a security risk. Paying for backup plugins are worth it. • TRACK SUPPORT SITES and PASSWORDS See ROC WP FB>Files>customer_site_info_v1 .doc WHAT I LEARNED
- 22. 22 • Keep a notebook! Develop standard list of your favorite plugins. Where WP dashboard, theme, plugin settings are. Make note of why you created each bkup. Results when you try something new. WHAT I LEARNED
- 23. 23 Learning WordPress is like raising a child—it takes a village. Many have helped me, and I’m happy to help you, if I can! Mary Anne Shew 585-746-9140 mashew@BizVitality.com Contact Me