Archive for Resources
Cool changes coming with WordPress 3.0
Posted by: | CommentsWordPress 3.0 is on its way soon…
This is a major update to WordPress software, full of lots of exciting changes. Some of the changes are more exciting to developers and designers than anyone else, but there are some that the average user will be thrilled with right away. (Plus you’ll be thrilled with what the developers find exciting, too, because it means they can do that much more for you!)
- a very cool drag and drop menu feature (like on the widget management page) based on the navigation styling from Woo Themes. Not only will it make it easier for you to order what goes where on your menu, you’ll be able to easily combine pages, categories, and even specific posts or other links, on the menu. So if you wanted a link to BasicBlogSetup.com to show up on your site’s navigation bar, you could do it in a snap!
- a new default theme – “Twenty Ten” – way more fun than the Kubrick and Class you’re used to.
- custom background support – so with a teensy addition to the code to the default theme, you’ll be able to upload your own custom background. (Some themes, like many of the iThemes, already have this. But for people using the default theme – and others that support this function – this will be huge.)
- author specific templates – so not everything has to look the same.
- new support for child themes, which may not be relevant for everyone, but will be if you are using a theme like Builder.
- and a Welcome Guide to help users get familiar with WordPress. That should make many new users very, very happy.
There are some other new features, such as the ability to host multiple sites on one installation (sort of like WordPress.com does – there are thousands of sites, all on the same domain, WordPress.com) and Custom Post Types, but the average user won’t get going with these right away.
Release of WordPress 3.0 is anticipated in mid-June, which means any day now! Look for my post this afternoon on how to get ready!
Let me know if you have any questions or need help getting ready.
Best WordPress Plugins for 2010
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This Wednesday at 1pm (Eastern) I’ll be the featured expert on Free Webinar Wednesdays.
Nina East, Lead Developer at www.BasicBlogSetup.com and WordPress expert, knows plug-ins – the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you use WordPress to run your site or blog, you most likely have plug-ins installed on your site. And, if you’re like most WordPress users, you probably have some that you don’t use or don’t understand. The problem with this is that you may have some that conflict with your theme, interfering with performance, or even worse, shutting down your site.
Nina has more than a thousand of hours of experience working with WordPress and a whole variety of plug-ins. In this webinar, Nina will show us her favorite WordPress plug-ins and how they work, as well as how to evaluate if they are right for you.
If you use WordPress to run your website or blog, this webinar is a MUST.
Join us on Wednesday, February 17, to learn about the best plug-ins for 2010, and how to select the ones that make your site work better so that you can work less.
Register Today:
If you are not yet registered for the Free Webinar Wednesdays series, click here to register. We look forward to seeing you online!
Free Webinar Wednesdays was created as a community building tool to bring professionals together to share pertinent business development information, provide subject matter experts with a platform to open a learning dialog, and inspire small business owners to reach their professional goals.
Free Webinar Wednesdays is sponsored by Community Bank Consulting, Inc. and WSI Internet Consulting.
Ever wonder what info about you is really visible to the masses?
Posted by: | CommentsGeekSugar, one of my favorite geeky-yet-girly sites, introduced me to WebMii, a fun way to identify what information about you is available on the internet. 
If you’ve got a social networking account – and who doesn’t these days?! – WebMii runs a simple search that gives you a rundown of how much of your content is accessible to the masses on the web right now. It can also show you if anyone else with the same name is showing up as part of your historical internet record.
WebMii is great for those of you who want to monitor and reduce your online presence by limiting what strangers have access to online, but if you’re looking to become an Internet superstar, WebMii will also give you a PeopleRank score to show how visible you are online.
Take a look and make a comment below about what you learned…
2010 Blog Planning Guide
Posted by: | CommentsFREE Blog Planning Guide – to keep you blogging throughout 2010.
Just put your name and email in the space below the yellow envelope, and you’ll get the 2010 Blog Planning Guide sent right to your inbox.
It will help you be more consistent and creative in your blogging, as well as allow room for spontaneous posting on current events. No more wondering what in the world to talk about each week or month.
p.s. this is a total freebie – and can be shared with others. 
Live WordPress Training – by iThemes
Posted by: | CommentsI frequently get questions about how to begin working with WordPress – from basic questions to more advanced. Live, visual training, where you can see exactly what it is being done – and be able to ask questions about how and why – is really the best training.
iThemes, one of my all-time favorite premium theme companies, is offering a live, in-person 2-day workshop in Dallas, Texas, Jan. 29 & 30 (Friday and Saturday).
I just finished a 6-hour webinar training led by the same people who will lead the 2-day training.
Yes, 6 hours. On a FRIDAY, no less.
It was amazing. I don’t really think I’m all that geeky – I do ride a Harley, after all – but I was totally engaged the entire time. I can only imagine what having 2 full days with these guys will be like.
They will answer a lot of questions, including:
- How do I customize my theme with CSS and graphics?
- How do I setup and optimize WordPress?
- How do WordPress themes work and how can I take them to the next level?
- How can I leverage WordPress as a CMS? (cms = content management system)
So as you can see, it’s not just for developers. Basic users who want to know more will gain tremendously. Not just skills…but also the confidence to take steps on your own. (I know, I shouldn’t be pushing that since this is how I make a living, but it really is so great that I think it’s worth it if you have even the teensiest interest.)
Plus they’ll also cover things like:
- The keys and benefits to using WordPress as a CMS
- How to install and optimize WordPress for search engine optimization and every day use
- The best plugins to extend the power of WordPress
- How to backup, restore and secure your WordPress sites
- What WordPress theme files do and how they work
- Graphic design tips and tricks to personalize your WP sites
- Tips for customizing WordPress themes with CSS
- Using the WordPress Widgets feature to fine tune your sites for conversion
They are only accepting 50 people, so if you want to go, you’ll want to hop on the bandwagon.
It’ll be great. And I hear Dallas is beautiful in winter. [superemotions file="icon_cool.gif" title="Cool"]
Let me know if you sign up!
