Owners of these businesses have busy schedules and sometimes the attention to their website is stop and go. We travel, get ill, have sick relatives and generally just get overwhelmed with too much to do. That’s ok. It allows me to juggle the work and attend to emergencies that sometimes come up from time to time.

A few weeks ago three of our sites went down because of a needed php upgrade which is done on the server. The php 7.1 is a large update that came after a big update to WordPress. All three website’s php were updated and the sites came back immediately. Then, another site was in need of repair and down due to old coding and software. I spent hours on the phone with two Buehost technicians testing and figuring out how to repair a broken website that had been updated to php 7.1. We reverted the php to 5.6 but it was still broken. That particular site was set up by an associate over three years ago, and she came out of retirement to the rescue by reverting it back to php 5.4. It’s theme had been dropped by the developer and could not be updated. Needless to say I am remaking that website into one that can be updated without errors.

I make weekly software updates to all websites that subscribe to the Web Care Plan (see Services page). I also back up your site monthly, or more often at your request. These backups are in addition to ones you may (or may not be) getting through your hosting company. Folks at Bluehost recommend having more than one backup of your website on hand. I use these backups to restore your website if something brings it down, such as malware or unusual circumstances such as those I discussed above.

I understand that your website is important to you and your business and I work hard when you need it most, to get your site back up and running fast!

Here is a way to circumvent the WP builder, which is not at all user friendly. Divi users are already have a beautifully working builder and why would we want to change? Divi also, in answer to this new WP update, went ahead and reworked the design of their interface and it is slightly less user friendly than the Classic, but will be fine once you get used to it.

[Be aware that I may have already changed your settings. If you don’t see any difference, then you are all set.]

Now for the instructions: In your Divi Theme Options, you will see the default General area, turn off the two Minify options which are just above the black css panel. Save. Then go to the Tab labeled “Builder” and open its Advanced tab. Here you turn off what is currently on and enable the New Divi Builder Experience and The Classic Divi Builder. Save.

Now, when you go to your pages, look for the Return to Classic Builder button on the bottom right hand side. Immediately you will return to the familiar interface of the Classic Builder.

During the updating process, a couple of clients, including me, lost some recent edits in their website. I’ve talked to both BlueHost and the Elegant Themes people (who design Divi), and no one seems to know why. Remember, though, that I have monthly backups and can revert you back in time to that version. Some clients may want to consider weekly backups. Let me know if you prefer that service. It is only $2 more per month. All Pro Users now get this in their package as part of their subscription.

For those of you who do not use the Divi Theme, there is a plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/classic–editor/) that will get you back to the classic editor. Support will continue for the Classic Editor into 2021.

Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year with no more big WordPress updates!

1. GET FOUND

Publishing a website is not a “magic bullet.” New customers don’t find us simply because we have a domain name. We want more business. But many website owners are frustrated because they have a website that is not generating new work. Keep in mind that thousands of new websites come online every day; right now, there are over one billion active websites in the world. Whether you are competing in a national or international market, that’s quite a lot of competition.

If someone already knows your name and is aware of your services, they should be able to find you with a Google search. But what if they are looking to hire for the first time? They want to find the best business or person for their needs. If you aren’t sending out leads, you are out of luck.

WordPress is Blogging

You have the power to improve your odds, because you chose WordPress for your website content management system. You can take advantage of its most valuable feature — blogging and easily publish a weekly blog post just writing about WHAT YOU KNOW! Educate your readers on a relevant topic, or bring an industry update to your readers’ attention. After solving a particular website problem that I think would be interesting to others, I write a blog post. Each one of those posts goes out on the internet with a direct link back to me.

Here’s an example: I wrote about malware, because once I clicked on a link that got me into trouble. Months later, I got a call from a local business person who found my post by searching the web and it linked to my website. He called me because he wanted to find out more about what I knew on the subject. I automatically became his local expert on malware! And he said he was sorry he hadn’t found me earlier, having  hired someone else to develop his website.

Blogging directly impacts your success

A client recently told me her company was not bringing in leads. It’s a well-designed site with lots of content so I suspected she was not using the full marketing capability of WordPress. I asked if she was blogging and she said she wasn’t. Another client also said she wasn’t blogging because she could not think of what to write about. Since her company has a weekly meeting, I suggested she ask for topics to write about. Someone may come up with just the right story or idea.

It’s very important to write on a regular basis. There are many posting features, such as scheduling your blog posts to run on a calendar. Write several posts for later and they will publish at just the right day and time. Consistent blogging has a compounding effect so that posts which are many months old can bring in the most traffic. Search for anything on the internet and you will find articles still hanging around that are two or three years old!

What to write about

Here are more ideas for what you can write about in your blog. Don’t forget to set up categories and tags and use them to create an index of your topics. Try to come up with a consistent voice and write about what you know. Remember, you are the expert!

1. News and events: Is your company hosting an event or attending one? Did you just hire a new employee or did someone in your company receive recognition for a job well done?
2. Client Education: Your customers are looking for advice and guidance. If they purchased your product, perhaps there is more information you can give them about it.
   c. Case Studies: Write about a product or business success story. Start with an issue or problem the client brought to you and how you resolved it. There are potential customers looking at your site who may relate. It also establishes trust in your company.
3. Invite guest writers: A great way to attract readers is by inviting someone who already has a following to write a guest post… especially if their service is complementary to yours. You’d be surprised how many people will accept your invitation. It’s a win-win for both parties.

Check out this CoSchedule.com article that outlines how to write successful blog posts. It covers the gamut from writing good headlines to building content that drives traffic.

9 Types Of Blog Posts That Are Proven To Boost Traffic

2. EXPAND YOUR AUDIENCE

You are writing about what you know… but how can you get that out to as many people as possible? Social media is one great way to expand your audience. Most themes have a place for adding your social media links and you can upload a share plug-in (which invites readers of your blog to share on their socials, such as Facebook, Linked In and Twitter.) Two that I have used are AddtoAny and MashShare.

Another nifty tool that can save you time is a Cross Posting Plug-in such as WordPress to Buffer and CoSchedule. Write your post and within an hour it publishes on your social networks, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. It’s an efficient way to get a lot of mileage with one post. Some writers recommend tailoring the article for different social networks and audiences, known as “Cross Promoting”.

3. CONVERT YOUR VISITORS TO CUSTOMERS

Once you begin to blog, you are only half the way there. Now you have to interest your visitors long enough to make them stay more than eight seconds, the average length of a visit. But how do you achieve this? It’s all about the content and where you place it.

My aha! moment came with an article I read about Purposeful User Flow. It is a content layout system that instructs and informs your potential customers about how you help them, and leads them to a page that describes your services. By adding sections of case studies and testimonials to the mix you can convince them to get in touch. It is also makes for great UX – User experience — because you are giving the reader what he or she needs to know to make an informed decision and takes them on a path that makes sense.

With this structure in place, you can create marketing campaigns that link to Landing Pages within your site. The visitor will inevitably go to your home page, where the User Flow starts the flow of information they are seeking. At the bottom of every page add a Call to Action. The Call to Action is a usually a row with headline text and a button link, making it easier for the reader to get in touch with you. What makes Purposeful User Flow so appealing is it is used by large agencies as well. I love to tell the story that my husband came home one day from working as an editor of publications at a large research hospital. He attended a meeting about their new, very large website. The agency’s representative talked about Purposeful User Flow. For me, that sealed the deal. It is an industry-wide standard.

4. RETAIN CUSTOMERS

Keeping in touch can be difficult in this fast-paced world. If the posts aren’t getting much of a reaction, use these additional methods of getting a response.

For instance, you can add a newsletter service to your WordPress website. Some are free and can be written right in the WordPress dashboard, such as MailPoet. I like to combine several of my blog posts and send them out in one newsletter. My clients are more likely read them and I feel confident that I am keeping them informed. Email opt-ins can be easily set up using JetPack on a web page as a pop-up or embedded in the footer or side bar. With it, you can start collecting new subscribers for your publications.

Another way to add value to your WordPress website is to set up surveys from forms to find out how you are doing. This will give you valuable information to improve your methods as well as collect testimonials. There are many ways to get a response with a form: How about special offers or coupons for filling out the form? Don’t forget you can also collect information on your Facebook page.

5. KEEP YOUR TOOLS SHARP

WordPress makes it easy to update your site to ensure security and better functionality. The good folks at Automattic work hard to improve the components of the software and respond to any bugs or potential threats to the community. All you have to do is review the dashboard after you log in to write your new post and see what needs to be done. You will also update any plugins and your theme if needed. If you manage more than one website check out ManageWP. With ManageWP you can update all the software at the same time. Updating is super important because if you are using your website as your main marketing tool, as you should be, you’ll want it to keep up with the ever-changing and wonderful internet.

1. THE WEBSITE IS BROKEN

Which of these can break your website?
(a) You did not renew your domain
(b) Your hosting company went out of business and dropped your site
(c) You have malware and Google has blocked you
(d) All of the above

If you purchased your domain or domains from a different company than where you are hosted, be sure to stay on top of when they need to be renewed. I had a client lose a domain only to have it snatched up by a web shark who held it ransom for thousands of dollars.

2. NO ONE CAN FIND YOU

Reasons why people can’t find your website?
(a) Your site is broken (see above)
(b) You never submitted your site to search engines
(c) You have not added keywords or used a Search Optimization Plugin
(d) All of the above

It’s important that your website is built with content that includes many of the keywords people use to find you. This is called “on-page” search engine optimization. It should be included in the fee for building the website.

3. NO ONE STAYS ON YOUR WEBSITE

Reasons why people don’t stay on your website
a. People can’t read the text
b. The menu is confusing
c. The map was set for the wrong address.
d. All of the above

These days, attention spans are short. If your content does not catch the eye of the visitor, they are gone within seventeen seconds on average. Work with your web designer to create “Purposeful User Flow” and good visuals to beat your competition.

4. YOUR WEBSITE IS STATIC

Reasons why you should be able to edit your site
a. It costs less if you can make small changes
b. Being able to write blog posts increases traffic
c. Your webmaster went on a long vacation
d. All of the above

You should be able to edit blog posts and/or add new ones to keep your site fresh. Ask your webmaster to give you editor status so you can make changes and additions on a regular basis.

5. YOUR WEBSITE IS OVER THREE YEARS OLD

Why should you update your website every three years
a. The internet and software that supports it changes
b. Your brand is in need of an update
c. Your text and graphics are not attracting new clients
d. All of the above

The plugins and even some themes have a shorter lifespan than you may think. If they don’t keep up with the WordPress updates, they may even be inviting malware.

6. YOUR WEBSITE IS NOT RESPONSIVE

Why Should Your WordPress be Responsive?
a. Over 70% of visitors access the web with their cell phone
b. You will lose business if it isn’t
c. People will think you are not paying attention to your website
d. All of the above

If your website looks great on a laptop but fails to adjust for tablet and especially mobile, then you are missing a lot of opportunities to find new customers.

7. YOUR WEBMASTER IS NOT RESPONSIVE

Why you might need a new Webmaster
a. They graduated from high school and moved away
b. Your site is written in a code that only they can understand
c. Your webmaster is not updating your website
d. All of the above

Make sure you hire a professional who is in this business to stay. Custom websites may make the web developer feel accomplished but if they fail to update the code, then your site will quickly fail. A well established theme company with Premium Themes is a safer bet.

8. IT’S NOT MADE WITH WORDPRESS

Why is WordPress the most used CMS?
a. The software is open source
b. The software is free
c. It is the most widely used CMS Worldwide
d. All of the above

There are thousands of web developers and web designers around the world who use wordpress. New plugins are constantly coming on market so that you can find all the functionality you need.

P.S. Did you guess “d” on all the questions? You are correct!

At first it was mostly graphics for magazines and other publications, then I did more general graphic design projects such as annual reports, brochures, invitations, logos, etc. Technology was changing and I grasped the ring that came my way and started making html websites.

But as I reflect on the changing technology for design and marketing, I can appreciate what we have now that is so affordable or even FREE! I am a WordPress web designer. I (and my clients) get the WordPress software absolutely free thanks to Matt Mullenweg and his company, Automattic. I also get my favorite 80 themes cheaply, thanks to a special lifetime deal from Elegant Themes which I pass on free to clients. Many plugins that bring amazing functionality to your website are free as well.

Fonts, that we used to spec and order from Type Houses was expensive. And every new line of copy added up. Now, many fonts are free. In addition, clients enjoy free use of my font library. If you want to market your services, all you have to do is Blog (free) or use Social Media (free). Free Newsletters are possible with Mail Poet in your WordPress dashboard.

Are you noticing the word FREE a lot? Does anyone remember the days of news or magazine ads? Yes, you still have to be clever to convert visitors to customers, but the inbound marketing opportunities are there for the taking.

So, no, I don’t mourn for the Good ‘Ol Days. I’m happy for the Good New Days! I just wish they had come sooner!

Pages are the main pages on your site that rarely change such as Contact Us or About Us. (Example: The About Us Page has a typo)
Posts are smaller publications that you create on a weekly basis and are generally newsy. These can be categorized. (Example: I don’t know what to write for my next post. Can you help me?)
Menu defines the navigation buttons that are typically present near the top of a site’s pages. (Example: I want to remove one of the pages off the top menu.)
Headers are the images and text areas displayed at the top of a site’s various pages. (Example: Can we change the header’s background color to blue?)
Footer is the area in a box at the bottom of the site and found on every page. These are usually made with widgets. (Example: I forget how to access the footer area from the dashboard)
Sidebar is a side column usually found on the blog page but can be used elsewhere. It also contains widgets. (Example: I want a sidebar to appear on another page.)
Widgets provide an easy way to add little programs, such as the current weather, to a sidebar or footer. (Example: Is there a widget of a contact form?)
Background is the background image and color of a site or module. (Example: I want a background image to be on the home page)
Plugins are custom functions created and imported to extend the core functionality of WordPress. (Example: Is there a plugin for an Event List?)
Parent Page is a main page with top hierarchy (Example: The parnet of the child page is “About Us”)
Child Page is a secondary page under the Parent Page. (Example: The first child page of “About Us” will be a biography of the owner.)
HTML is Hypertext Markup Language, some very simple coding that is handy for creating widgets. (Example: It is necessary to use HTML in the widget areas to create links.)

1. Best Buy is the largest speciality retailer of consumer electronics in the United States. The company, which is based in Minnesota, has more than 150,000 employees and $40 billion in revenue.
2. The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world.
3. Sony Music Entertainment is a United States music corporation owned and operated by Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony Corporation, and includes such music labels as Columbia Records, Epic Records, RCA Records, and numerous Sony Music national companies.
4. The official site for rapper and actor LL Cool J.
5. The engaging UX/design and the large scale of the Bates.edu site powered by WordPress – over 130 networked sites and over 100,000 pages/posts.
6. The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) was founded by Dr. Jane Goodall with the inspirational message that the well-being of our world relies on people taking an active interest in all living things.

The most amazing experience working with WordPress is the open source community. Designers, Developers and people all over the world design and create sites, develop plugins, create themes or build websites from the ground up. Just within the relatively small community of one particular theme, DIVI by Elegant Themes, are 8000 + members in a Facebook Forum from all over the world. If you have a specific question, you can post it at midnight and it is someone in Portland, Oregon or Pakistan will answer your query within a few hours. We help each other. It is free.

Some developers have created plugins to enhance the already great features of the aforementioned DIVI Theme. For a small one time fee of $20 you can extend the rather static form module in the theme with DIVI KK Modules, by James King. Elegant Themes Marketplace has many other plugins and Child Themes you can buy to add even more design features and functionality. You can also chat with them online in the Facebook group or email them through the website.

Last but not least, the website you build is yours. You don’t have to pay monthly fees (except for hosting and domain fees). You can switch host companies and migrate your site whenever. You can decide to add a shopping cart. You can blog or not. You can edit your text and posts or not. You can rant. You can sell. You can save the environment. Ain’t it Awesome?

What is WordPress?

Matt Mullenweg, founder of the open source and free software WordPress, is interviewed in this informative video. The WP philosophy is insured by his refusal of an offer to sell it for a large sum.