Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Kristy Crabtree, April 26-27 2011
Citation preview
WordPress for your Business
1
More than just a Blogging Platform…
Welcome to WordPress
Do You Use The Internet?
Did you know…In 2010, 221 million people in
the US will be online, about 71% of the total population.
Their numbers will continue to grow, reaching 250 million in 2014—more than 77% of the population.
…and more than 90% of consumers use search engines before making a purchase.
2
If You Have a Business You Best Get Yourself Online ASAP
10 Reasons you need to invest in a website
1) You get to advertise to a pretty BIG audience2) Show off your expertise and demonstrate authority3) Build credibility among peers and competitors4) Share topics of interest any time of the day or night with the
world5) Find your voice and build upon your identity6) Take a peak at who’s visiting through analytical tools7) You can share testimonials and references8) Build an audience and a subscriber base 9) Network and build relationships10) It’s ‘Dirt Cheap’ in comparison to other marketing and
advertising (…a well built website can last for 3 years or longer)
3
OK …First Things First
A Step by Step GuideIf you decide to move forward and develop a website here are a few steps
to take in order to make it as painless as possible.
1) Figure out what you want to talk about
2) Choose a Domain Name ( www.DomainName.com )
3) Setup a Gmail Account using domain name ([email protected] )
4) Register Domain Name
5) Setup Hosting
6) Setup WordPress One-click Install
7) WordPress – What’s it all mean
8) Select a Theme and more
9) Add and publish content
10) Start Networking
11) Build Profiles on Local Pages
12) Plus much more …
4
Choosing a Domain Name
Choose a domain name, that is a URL and that is descriptive of what your website or social media pages will represent:
Your business name - (ex. WestwardStrategy.com) Your first and last name – (ex. KristyCrabtree.com) Keyword specific phrase - (ex. WestwardDesignGroup.com) Include location if targeting the local market –
(ex. RenoWebDesign.com)
Decide what keywords and/or phrase targets the visitors you are looking for, and that best describes what your business offers.
5
Select a Professional Email Address
Do choose an email address that is professional and continues the same naming convention as your domain name.
Examples: Generic Catch-all: [email protected] First Name: [email protected] First Name Last Name: [email protected] Specific: [email protected]
Not so professional when using a personal account: [email protected] [email protected]
6
Web Based Email – My Preference
Get a Gmail account http://www.gmail.com
Create multiple email aliases Over 7+ gigs of space Less Spam Mobile access Share Calendars Create To-Do lists Setup labels (aka folders) Smarter search Desktop email notifications Integrated with other Google
apps…and much more…
7
Domain Registration and Hosting Setup
Select an extension that works for you and your business:
.com .org .edu .net .info .biz .us .tv.co
Registrar’s and Hosting Companies
GoDaddy : http://www.Godaddy.com (*) MediaTemple : http://MediaTemple.com Network Solutions : http://NetworkSolutions.com Dreamhost : http://www.dreamhost.com Bluehost : http://bluehost.com
I suggest that you register your domain name at the same place you setup your hosting account.
8
I Prefer GoDaddy
Keep things simple & keep them in one place
1) Register your Domain 2) Setup your Hosting
o Economy Hosting Plan (or)o WordPress Hosting
3) Use the One Click Install - Setup in 4 simple steps
24 hour service – 7 days a weekBackups of your website
Recommend purchasing for three years if not longer. You save more overall.
9
Why Use WordPress?
Just a few reasons why you should use WordPress
Open-source Software Platform (developed in a public and collaborative manner)
Lots of support from lots of people Regularly updated Minimal financial investment No additional software required Accessible wherever there's internet connectivity Flexible for growth Multiple features Hundreds of Free and Paid themes Multiple plugins (including SEO plugins, Social Media plugins
and eCommerce plugins) Content Management System is pretty easy to use
10
What About The Other Options?
Sure… There are other options out there.
Joomla and Drupal for example…
WordPress is the easiest that I have experienced giving more ease of use and flexibility for businesses to be able to manage themselves.
11
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
What’s the difference?
WordPress.com – “Just Renting”A free account on wordpress.com or purchasing a url through
them is like renting a house - you could be asked to leave at any time. Also there are restrictions with a free account. It is however great for a blog or to use to link back to your own site.
WordPress.org – “I Own”Owning a self hosted account and using wordpress
(wordpress.org) (it is free to download) is like owning a house. It is yours to do as you wish with and provided you keep the URL and hosting it always will be.
12
One Misconception About WordPress
I hear this all the time… “WordPress is just a Blogging tool”…
Not anymore… WordPress started as a blogging tool, Yes - that’s true, but it has evolved into a very customizable Content Management System allowing you to use it for different verticals:
1) updating website pages
2) editing a blog or…
3) using it for both!
Let me show you… http://wordpress.org/showcase/
13
Custom Designed Websites using WordPress
14
Customized Themes using WordPress
15
Blog Themes using WordPress
16
Ok… Let’s Get Familiar with WordPress
‘Reverse Aging for Me’http://Reverseagingforme.comhttp://Reverseagingforme.com/wp-login.php/
LOGINUsername: AdminPassword: reverseaging29
17
WordPress - Essential Steps After WordPress Installation
These are some essential first steps to take regardless of what kind of WordPress website you’re creating. Update Your Settings Update Users Install ‘Must Have’ Plugins
- Akismet – one of the best SPAM Filters- All in One SEO Pack – ability to optimize individual pages- WordPress DB Backup – gives you ability to backup your
website data Install ‘Recommended’ Plugins
- Google Analytics for WordPress – track visitors- Google XML Sitemaps – generates XML sitemap for
submission to search engines
18
WordPress - Other Optional Plugins
Optional Plugins
BM Custom Login – useful for branding Contact Form 7 – setup forms WP-Testimonials – display random testimonials ShareThis – email and posting to social bookmarking sites SexyBookMarks (by Shareaholic) – compliant list of social
bookmarking icons Print Friendly and PDF – optimizes your pages for
printing Vipers Video Quicktags – make it easy to embed videos
19
WordPress – Free and Paid Themes
There are also hundreds of Free and inexpensive WordPress Themes available to choose from that represent several business styles.
Blog/Magazine Creative Corporate Retail Technology NonProfit Entertainment Real Estate Miscellaneous and More
20
WordPress ThemesFree Themes Directory
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes
Themeforest
http://themeforest.net/category/wordpress
WooThemes
http://www.woothemes.com
DIY themes
http://diythemes.com
Facebook Tools and References
Buttons, Plugins, Badges, Likes and more… oh my
Share your Facebook Likes, Fans and
Friends with the use of Badges:http://www.facebook.com/badges/ Add social plugins to your site with just one
line of HTML:http://developers.facebook.com/plugins
Explore how sites integrate FacebookLearn how to drive growth and
engagement through social and personalized features.
http://developers.facebook.com/showcase/
21
Twitter Tools and References
Twitter Buttons, Widgets, logos and iconshttp://business.twitter.com/about/resources
22
Marketing - Setup a Gravatar
Your Gravatar is an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you do things like comment or post on a blog. http://en.gravatar.com
23
Marketing - Create a Quick Profile Page
Create a Google and Yahoo Profile
What do people see when they find you online? You can control how you appear in Google and Yahoo by creating a personal profile...
Help people find the right information when they search for you on Google.
Create a personal page that links to your blog and other profiles.
24
Google Profile Page:http://www.google.com/profiles
Yahoo Profile Page: http://profiles.yahoo.com
Marketing - Claim Your Business
25
Get the most out of Google Places Add your business information Add your logo Add product photos Add your hours Create coupons (free)
Google Places
Google.com/profiles
Marketing - Claim Your Business …continued
Claim your business
Add links to sites, logos, services, products, coupons, and any additionalinformation like business hours..etc.
1) http://www.google.com/places/
2) http://local.yahoo.com/
3) http://www.bing.com/businessportal/
4) http://www.yelp.com/
5) http://www.linkedin.com/directory/companies/
26
Optimization Tips - SEO Checklist for Your New Website
1) Title tags are the words that appear on site visitor’s browser tabs as they navigate through your site. Clearly define your title tags for each individual web page making sure that it is accurate and descriptive of the page’s content. Keep it 70 characters or less.
2) The meta description is the primary source of information search engines review, and this is also the information that appears along with your site name in the search engine results. Clearly define your meta descriptions for each individual web page making sure that it too is accurate and descriptive of the page’s content. Keep it 155 characters or less
3) Develop keyword rich content on all pages including the keyword and/or phrase within the content4) Use descriptive words for your navigation when it makes sense5) Name all images on website with descriptive image names: (Example) chocolate-lab-running.jpg vs.
img0893.jpg6) The title tags are the words that visitor’s click to reach the hyperlinks behind them. Add descriptive title
tags to anchor links: (Example) title=” Descriptive Title Tag” vs. title=”Click Here”7) Setup Google Analytics and see who’s visiting your website and who’s giving you referral’s:
http://www.google.com/analytics8) Create a sitemap and submit to Google Webmaster Tools and other search engines. The free tools give
you a look under the hood at your website performance: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools9) Add new website to local free business listings and other free directory sites
27
The End
Remember that when you create a website be sure to: Get in there and have fun Update content frequently Share information that matters Strengthen your online presence you will attract people to
you… Connect with other people
If you have any questions on anything we’ve discussed please feel free to connect with me.
Kristy Crabtree
Phone: (775) 626-8330
Website: WestwardStrategy.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: twitter.com/gowestward
28
