the ultimate blog platform - lisa sabin-wilson
TRANSCRIPT
WordPress: Your CMS of Choice
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Lisa Sabin-Wilson Owner, Author, Designer, Developer. WordPress Fan.
Chief Operating Officer & Co-Owner: WebDevStudios.com
Author: WordPress For Dummies; WordPress Web Design For Dummies
Thanks for being here!
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
WordPress Powers Nearly 25% of the
Web.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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WordPress Is The Leading Platform On The Internet Today
W3Techs.com - February 22, 2015
38%
2.9%2.0%
23.4%
> 70%
Joomla Drupal WordPress No CMS / or Other
Content StrategyContent structure, navigation, workflow & governance
Social Media Integration / MarketingIntegration with social like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram - own your content FIRST, then share it out.
Photo Galleries & ShowcasesShowcase your design work by creating beautiful, dynamic galleries that are easy to navigate.
eCommerce & Online ShopsSell products and services online and accept payments, subscriptions and memberships with ease.
Web & Mobile ApplicationsCreate web sites that look beautiful on mobile devices, too! You can also use WordPess to create iOS and Android apps.
★ 22 out of every 100 new active domains in the US are running WordPress.
★ WordPress 4.1 released on December 18, 2014 has been downloaded 9,548,082.
★ The Industry created by WordPress such as website development, hosting, theme and plug-in development, security, and support is responsible for over 1 Billion dollars in earnings annually.
★ A 2014 survey conducted by WordPress showed that 25% of WordPress users earned their income from the platform.
★ WordPress was created in 2003 to fill a void in the emerging market of managing and publishing content on the web.
1 in 5 Sites
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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WordPress FeaturesWordPress has been designed to be extremely user-friendly. Whether you are a novice or a skilled user, WordPress’ Dashboard makes it easy to maneuver your website.
Easy to Use.
Easy Administration
Control Your Content
Flexible User Accounts and Roles
Search Engine Optimized
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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WordPress.com VS WordPress.org
Two different flavors of WordPress
WordPress.com = Hosted Version
WordPress.org = Self-Hosted Version
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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WordPress.com = Hosted Version
Hosted service - you can sign
up for a free account
HostedTool used primarily by people
who run a blog only.
Blogging
You have to use the themes
they give you and you cannot
use plugins.
Limited Customization
There is no software to install,
just sign up, login and start
blogging.
No SoftwareYou can pay to upgrade for
things like your own domain,
premium themes, more space,
etc.
Upgrades
WordPress.com is an excellent way to get a WordPress blog up and running within minutes. If you are interested, primarily, in blogging without any hassle of setting up the software, this may
be the solution for you. You are, however, limited in the design of your site and customizations - the 3,000+ themes and 36K+ plugins found in the WordPress directories cannot be used on
WordPress.com - they limit you to the feature set that they have provided for you. If you want more control over the look and feel of your site, you may wish to consider the WordPress.org
software, instead.
WordPress.com
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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WordPress.org = Self-hosted Version
Requirements: a domain and a web hosting account that supports PHP v. 5.4+ and
MySQL 5.5+
Self-hostedThe open source platform can
be downloaded at WordPress.org - it needs to be installed on your web server.
Software Install
Access and use the thousands of free themes and
plugins available for the WordPress platform.
Flexible & Extensible
Run a blog, a web site, an online shop, a membership site, a photo gallery - the possibilities are endless.
Sky is the limitAs mentioned earlier
depending on your skill level and experience with web
technology - there may be costs involved.
Some cost
At WordPress.org, you find the open source content management platform that is so popular today. It is a piece of software, however, so it does need to be installed on a compatible web
hosting services, like WPEngine.com. Once installed, you can use any number of free themes and plugins to customize your web site to suit your needs. You can run a blog, a web site, an
online shop, a photo gallery, a membership site - there are no limits to what you can do. The beautiful thing is that you own, and are in control of, your own content.
WordPress.org
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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This talk focuses on WordPress.Org
My session today focuses on WordPress.org because I believe that is the best
solution for any individual or business whose primary goal is to market their
product or services on the internet today.
The software available at WordPress.org offers you the flexibility and
extensibility you need to create a web site that is as unique as you are.
WordPress.org
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
WordPress is free…. …as in Puppies
You can get it for free…
but you have to babysit it
and make sure it doesn’t poop on your couch.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Domain Registration & Web Hosting
To run the WordPress software you need
you own domain name and a web hosting
account so you have a web server to
install and run your WordPress web site.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Theme Design & Development
Out of the box, WordPress is free.
If you want a custom look and feel, be
prepared to pay a professional to do it for
you - unless you have the talent,
experience and time to make it happen
yourself.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Ongoing Maintenance &
SupportYour website is kind of a big deal.
Protecting your WordPress investment
is a no brainer.
Think of ongoing security checks,
updates, backups and development
needs.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
These Business Brands Are Turning to WordPress
WordPress Showcase
These brands learned how to leverage the WordPress to use the features they love to connect
with customers, track growth, and expand their reach.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Microsoft Europe
US Microsoft News Center
The New Yorker
Sony Music MTV
WeTV
Beyonce Playstation
Best Buy Microsoft Lumina
Rush TIME, Inc
http://microsoft.eu http://news.microsoft.com http://newyorker.com
http://sonymusic.com http://mtv.com/news
http://wetv.com http://beyonce.com http://blog.us.playstation http://stores.bestbuy.com/890/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/ http://rush.com http://timeinc.com
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These Notable Brands Use WordPressOne of the common misconceptions about WordPress is that since it is open source, it may not be good
enough for big brands. To disprove this myth, here is a list of most notable big name brands that are
using WordPress on their websites.
WordPress Showcase
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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WordPress Applications for Marketing & BusinessSome popular, and useful, applications of WordPress for your company
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Easily Embed VideosVideos from services such as YouTube or Vimeo can be easily embedded in any WordPress post or page
WordPress currently allows you to easily embed videos from the
following services: YouTube, Vimeo or Vine.
OR
Upload your own videos and embed them.
Video isn't just for entertainment anymore. It's quickly becoming the preferred medium for marketing teams to communicate with prospects and customers online. Millions of videos are added to the internet each day
and they are making a huge impact on how people market their businesses online. Videos keep your audience interested and its easier to persuade people with video and a lot of times, decision makers don’t have the
time to read a bunch of lengthy text.
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Web Lead FormsCreating custom forms in WordPress is pretty easy - - you can even connect them to your favorite CRM
Easily create web forms to allow your customers to communicate
with you directly.
——-
Hook those web forms into popular CRM solutions like Marketo or
Salesforce to collect and manage web leads.
Use the Gravity Forms plugin for WordPress to build custom forms that suit your needs: http://gravityforms.com
For Marketo integration - there is a plugin for Gravity Forms that adds users into your Marketo account when users submit the form: https://wordpress.org/plugins/marketo
For Salesforce integration - there is a plugin for Gravity forms that adds contacts into your Salesforce account when users submit the form: https://wordpress.org/plugins/gravity-forms-salesforce
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Photo Galleries & ShowcasesA picture tells a thousand words! If I am searching for interior design samples or services - I want to see examples!
Easily create stunning photo galleries to showcase your work with
the built-in photo gallery feature in WordPress - - or extend the
feature by taking advantage of one of many free photo gallery
plugins available for WordPress.
Visual imagery is important in interior design - everyone from the DIY’er to the person who hires you to do it for them wants to see samples of your work and ideas and there is no better way to convey that than to
provide a visually rich experience on your web site to allow your work and ideas to speak for themselves! Luckily, WordPress has built-in photo gallery capabilities allowing you to upload photos and create stunning
photo galleries, out of the box. If you need more than what WordPress offers, there are several plugins available to enhance the experience: https://wordpress.org/plugins/search.php?q=photo+gallery
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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eCommerceDo you sell products and/or services? Sell them on your web site, collect money online and manage your inventory and digital goods in WordPress!
If you sell physical products, digital good or services - there are
plugins for WordPress that make it easy to collect payment,
display your inventory and track sales.
My favorite, and recommended, plugin for eCommerce today is WooCommerce: http://woocommerce.com
WooCommerce is the most popular WordPress eCommerce plugin. And it's available for free. Packed full of features, perfectly integrated into your self-hosted WordPress website. Manage products, payments,
shipping, inventory, reporting, marketing, taxes - everything that goes into creating an online shop on the web is bundled for you in the WooCommerce plugin for WordPress.
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Social Media IntegrationBeing social is everything for websites! Your audience isn’t just on your web site - they are on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and more!
Give your web site visitors the ability to share your content on
various social media networks like Facebook, Twitter and
Pinterest so others are able to find you there! Social media
sharing capabilities has become a critical tool for findability on
the web today!
Social media sharing is not just for articles and written content - but videos, photos and photo galleries can also be, individually, shared on social networks. When you give your site visitors the ability to share your
content on the various networks, it increases the possibility that others will find you and your company/brand represented on popular networks, too. Your audience is there - you should be there as well!
The Jetpack plugin for WordPress gives you the ability to provide those sharing tools for content, videos and images: http://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Mobile Apps with WordPress
Social Sharing, Stats, and moreEverything you need to make a great mobile app
Fast, Beautiful Apps for All Online stores, restaurants, churches, gyms, bands,
magazines, and lots more WordPress based businesses.
Simple to use Build your app with no coding, and no hassle
Integrate your WordPress content Add WordPress posts, pages, products, media and more.
Reactor by AppPresser - http://reactor.appresser.com
Convert your WordPress website into a mobile app, publish on the app stores. It’s easy and affordable. Allows you to build mobile applications to compliment your existing web site. These apps can be distributed via the popular application
stores for Apple and Android. This is a great companion network that you can distribute your web site content and offerings to
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Search Engine OptimizationWordPress is optimized for search engines, out of the box - it’s a great platform for it by default!
Hundreds of businesses vying to appear on Google’s first page and in the “7-pack” of business listings. Designers often have
limited time for online marketing, working seemingly around the clock to design spaces,
meet with clients, and oversee contractors. Even so, local SEO is a must-have to ensure
that clients can find you in the first place
SEO is similar to interior design in some ways — elements can be placed within a space, but if placed optimally they work together better and make the space both functional and simultaneously more attractive. As
with an interior space, if a company’s online presence isn’t optimal, it’s less attractive to visitors. The next few slides contain some SEO tips for your business - but as far as WordPress in concerned, you can utilize a
great plugin for SEO called WordPress SEO by Yoast: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/
Special Features
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
• Write better content with Yoast SEO • Page Analysis • Social Media Integration • XML Sitemaps • Image optimization
Market your Business with the
Best KeywordsGoogle Trends shows that “Interior
Design” has the most search volume in
the United States. Also mentioning
your specializations or types of
building interiors or businesses that
you focus on
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Company Info on your Home & Contact
PagesInclude your company name, address, and phone
number in plain text on your site’s home page and
contact pages. Doing this makes it easier for search
engines to crawl your site and verify that it should
be associated with your business listing in their
databases.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Add your Company Listing in Online
DirectoriesIf your business is new, listing in
online directories is critical because
your information won’t magically get
distributed by itself.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Share Photos on Pinterest, Flickr, and
InstagramPeople frequently browse Pinterest,
Flickr, Instagram, and similar sites for
ideas on decorating, inspiration, and to
find vendors of furnishings or even to
find designers to hire.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Make Site Images Crawlable
Designers sometimes get too uptight
about allowing others to access their
images, which can result in shooting
themselves in the feet — as far as
marketing — if taken too far.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
Post Videos of your Designs on YouTube
Videos can rank well in search results by
themselves, and they also can include links
back to your business website.
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015
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Thank You!Find me on Twitter: @LisaSabinWilson
These slides are available online: http://lisas.co/designbc
design-‐bloggers-‐conference.com @LisaSabinWilson -‐ February 26, 2015