sarah humphrey 94westdesign€¦ · create blog headers or images to share on social media: •...
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Sarah Humphrey94WestDesign.com
Blogging Basics with WordPress Plugins, Tips & 3rd Party Tools
Hi! I am Sarah HumphreyI love the intersection of design, content, and technical nerdery, which makes website design a perfect fit!
• Designing websites since 2002, started website design business in 2011
• Specialize in SEO, eComm, and WordPress
• Owner of 94 West Design
• Away from the keyboard, I love live music, walking my naughty hound dog, and exchanging fart jokes with my two boys.
No Distractions
Limit temptation.
Block Websites• Freedom – Works on all devices
• Blocks apps, websites, or the whole internet
• Create whitelists
• Schedule blocks
• Sync across devices
• Cheapest plan is $2.42/mo for annual
• Cold Turkey is a similar alternative for blocking websites
Get in the Groove
Creating the habit
750 Words
• Hardest part of content creation can be getting started
• Based on an exercise in The Artist’s Way
• 750 words is 3 pages. By writing 750 words every morning, you prime your brain to write.
• It gamifies the writing habit to encourage success
• It tracks speed, distraction, words, mood, themes, etc.
Find the Words
Picking a topic
Research Tools
• SEM Rush
• Moz – free version
• Ahrefs
• AnswerThePublic
• Article on WP Beginner
There, their, or they’re?
It’s important
Grammarly• Can use the app or as a browser
extension.
• Get corrections from Grammarly while you write on Gmail, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all your other favorite sites, including your WordPress site.
• Analyzes grammar, spelling, style, and tone.
• Free and paid versions – starting at $11.66/mo if you pay annually.
• Includes a free plagiarism checker.
Hemmingway Editor• Desktop version ($19.99) or free app.
• “Hemingway helps you write with power and clarity by highlighting adverbs, passive voice, and dull, complicated words.”
• Format your text in the app, and do a one-click integration with WordPress or Medium.
• Exports HTML.
• Save marked-up text as a PDF.
A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Find great images
Free Stock Images
• Pixabay
• Unsplash
• Pexels
• Free Images
Paid Stock Images
• 123RF - buy credits or subscriptions, some free)
• Envato Elements –includes Twenty20($16.50/month)
Design & Share ItCreate blog headers or images to share on social media:
• Canva – free or Pro version ($9.99/mo). Pro version includes free photos, elements, fonts, re-sizing, animations, and more
• Adobe Spark - social graphics, web pages, and short videos – limited free version – Black Friday sale for $60/year
• Both have mobile app versions
Sharing is Caring
Scheduling and Sending
Managing Social
• Buffer – starts at $15/month – Plan and publish your content for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, all from one simple dashboard
• Advance scheduling
• Team collaboration
• Review drafts and approvals
• Respond in one place
• Analytics and reports
Sharing via email
• Mailchimp is one of the easiest email services to use, and integrates easily with WordPress
• Easy sign-up forms to place on your site
• Free version available
• Use segments instead of multiple lists to keep your costs down
• Pro version starts at $9.99/mo
Track It
Measuring engagement
Google Analytics• Campaign URL Builder – use a tracking URL to
more easily track clicks in Google Analytics
• A link to my blog about blogging… includes the URL, the source (newsletter), the medium (email), the campaign (WordPress Meetups), and the content (blogging):
https://94westdesign.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WP-Meetup&utm_content=blogging
• Google now integrates directly with bit.ly for a short link
THANK YOU!!
Need help? Have questions?
Slides will be posted at 94WestDesign.com
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Email me [email protected]
Leave me a Google Review!!