It’s a common request. You love your WordPress website, the theme is beautiful, and the plugin does almost exactly what you need, but there’s just one thing that you would like to change. You want it to do something differently. How can you modify that WordPress plugin? Are you sure? Before you try to modify …(Read More)
How to add images and media to your WordPress website
Another question that I get asked about using WordPress is, “How do I add photos and video to the website?” And the answer is, WordPress makes it easy for you to add images and media to your web pages and blog posts. Uploading and Managing Images with the Add Media Button While you’re editing or …(Read More)
How to Format Text in WordPress
As you compose content on your WordPress-powered website, you will occasionally wish to format the text in certain ways. I’ve been asked questions about text formatting many times: at my WordPress presentations, and also by my clients during training sessions after I’ve built them a new website. So I have compiled an overview of how …(Read More)
What should you do if you can't contact the person who built your website?
I’ve been asked this question repeatedly, when I am talking with local small business owners who have decided that it’s time to update their company website. People say something like, “My website was set up by someone who no longer responds to messages, or is otherwise unavailable.” And they ask me, what can they do in …(Read More)
What is WordPress, and why do I need it?
As web designers, we tend to “talk tech” without starting at the beginning. This can leave you wondering about the basics, like “Why would I want to convert my business website to WordPress?” What is WordPress? First, the basics: WordPress is an open-source, database-driven content management system. (In other words, it’s a software platform: Not …(Read More)
Managing your marketing campaign
Effectively managing your marketing campaign brings new customers for your business, and leads to the best Return on Investment (ROI) for your marketing spend. Strategic targeting initiatives For maximum effectiveness, narrowly define your best prospects. You’re looking for individuals of a certain age, with a certain income, more likely to be a certain gender, living …(Read More)
WordPress security plugins redux
One of the questions asked by the audience at my WordPress presentation at the Silver Falls Library last autumn was, “What is the best security plugin for WordPress?” It’s an excellent question. The topic is important enough that I had previously addressed it in this post from 2013; but the matter is worth revisiting, because …(Read More)
The difference between menus and widgets in WordPress
This is the first post in a series addressing real-life questions that were asked by people who attended my “What is WordPress?” presentation at the Silver Falls Library last autumn. This post examines the question, “What is the difference between menus and widgets?” What are widgets in WordPress, and how are they different from menus? This …(Read More)
When should you invest in brand design for your startup?
It can be hard to decide when is the time you should start investing in the design of a strong brand for your startup or growing business. The scenario is familiar. You’re a cash-strapped startup trying to go big. If your company is like many small businesses, you probably recognize the general need for a …(Read More)
How to Manage an AdWords Campaign
Managing an AdWords campaign to promote your local small business requires forethought and diligence. You must plan ahead; monitor your campaign’s performance; and make adjustments over time. Otherwise, you may find yourself paying for a lot of irrelevant clicks, or missing out on the best clicks. To get the best ROI from your Google AdWords …(Read More)