How To Make A Transition To A WordPress Blog or Website!

 
Hello ...

Once you know "if" WordPress is for you, what's the next step to take? 

Making a transition to WordPress deserves serious thought as the entire direction of your online presence will at some point be supported by a content management interactive hub.  It is the way the online world is headed for a multitude of good reasons! One major reason is the ability to have up-to-date information immediately available for your prospects and clients! A bit of a competitive "must" .. yes?

Right now the proven leader for an easy to use content management system is WordPress.  It's an excellent platform to implement and will serve you well.

So where do you begin? 

STEP 1: GRASPING THE CONCEPT
The best first step, from my experience, is to understand the WordPress platform.  The end result of a WordPress product can look pretty similar to a traditional newsletter and/or website.  However the "behind-the-scenes" - the how, where and why content is applied within the platform is a bit different and is what makes all the difference!

A kaleidoscope is a great analogy to what happens on a WordPress platform. Do you remember playing with one?  Watching all those different shapes of colors of glass rearrange themselves and take on different looks based upon "reflections from internal mirrors." 

In WordPress, the individual pieces of your business content and the pieces of the WordPress platform become the pieces of colored glass. It can appear in different ways for different types of buyers in different sections of your blog/website as the season, month and time of day changes!!!  AND ... you get to do all this yourself .. without having to pay your web person!

For some of you, the above example might be a "stretch" .. but it gives you at a minimum the right mindset to continue. 

STEP 2: IDENTIFYING YOUR COMMUNICATIONS   
Once you have an understanding of the dynamics, you need to put your basics (the pieces of your business) on paper. It's the same exercise I have my clients do with a traditional website, blog or any communication.  Who are you talking to? How many different types of people do you talk to? What actions do you want these readers to take?  What do you offer, what information is needed, to make them take those actions?  What are the different "seller to buyer" types of connections that will be required?

If you want to go slow you might want to pick just one segment of your business for the above exercise.  Once these elements are identified  you will want to think about how many different combinations, sorts, tallies, etc you will want to create from all your pieces. Again, what are the different "seller to buyer" types of communications that will be required?  Get that nailed and you can move onto setting up your WordPress structure.

STEP 3: CREATING THE STRUCTURE
WordPress Themes are the heart and soul of your structure.  They provide the basic components that will support the presentation of all your different seller to buyer communications identified in step #2. Themes all do different things and have to be chosen carefully. You do not want to be restricted by a theme and not be able to maximize your communications! 

Within each theme, you create the pages of your WordPress blog and/or website. Each page (or communication) will have a different purpose. Which pages have postings? Which are static? Which are both? Where on each page do you want a sidebar? What type of "widgit" will support the type of info you want in a sidebar?  What type of "sorting" of data do you need to give access to (archives, categories, etc)? Are any plug-ins necessary for supporting your varieties of content and/or coding,... and so on. 

One very practical part of a theme is if you outgrow a beginning theme you can just change the theme and your content will find their respective home immediately on the new theme!  It is a transparent transfer!!

Most people require some instruction on the above components of the
WordPress structure.  Some components are pretty self-evident but not all. A good place to "play around" to get familiar before you get serious is on www.Wordpress.com.  Activate a free WordPress blog on the WordPress servers and play!! 

STEP 4: GOING FORWARD WITH YOUR BUSINESS
Transitioning your business to a WordPress platform can be done in different ways. It depends mostly upon your schedule, the amount of content, the timing, the desire, the ability and sometimes the budget!

Some people begin with a WordPress blog. Over time the blog is expanded and enhanced and before one knows.... they have a WordPress website. Anyone who begins this way is more apt to apply self-instruction! Not necessary as there is always instruction available, but often the case. There is a chance of missing some core capabilities if you are on a novice level.

Other people are ready to create a WordPress website immediately.  There are many free themes available to use. However if you go this route of creating a website, let me recommend you invest in a custom designed theme. Get the layout, components, functionality, colors and other that you need for your unique branding and communications. Todays Way offers this service so make sure you speak with us before going forward without!

Know that Today's Way is here to help you with your transition, of any kind.  Don't let yourself be left behind. On your own or with our help, go to www.wordpress.com for free themes and hosting.  You can also go to www.wordpress.org  for themes to install on a private web-hosted wordpress program.  If you already pay for web hosting there is a huge chance that you have Wordpress already sitting there waiting for you to activate.

Visualize that kaleidoscope I previously mentioned and place your business communications inside of it. How great would it be to have the pieces of your business that were just presented to buyer A  be able to appear for  buyer B with just a click. As long as you submit your content to the platform  ... you, yourself, can make all the updates, changes, and additions to your WordPress platform that will achieve this and more!

Structure, step #3,  may require some assistance and I strongly suggest that you do get help in understanding "structure."  It is your driver's license for  driving your business forward into 2012. Well worth any investment

Check out my current Special on "all" of my trainings .. Back To School For Business Owners!  There is a training listed for creating a WordPress blog for $110.  90 minutes plus a 30 minute follow-up call.  Don't miss out!

Keep Your Business Growing!
margie

Don't Forget About Your Website!

With all the focus on social networking and one's mailing list these days, it is important not to forget about your website! Your website remains the central hub of all your communications. It is true that its format is going to be more of a blog very soon, but its purpose will remain the same .... that is to be a central core supporting all the elements of your business - products, services, staff, contact info, etc.

I don't know if you think this way already, but your website should be where you are eventually plannning to have all your other types of communications end up at and center around. If you are going to make this happen as successfully as possible, it is important that your website speaks clearly and distinctly to all its visitors.

Far be it for you to build a huge following on the social networks only to have your connections get to your website and not understand what you do! They will still like you out there on the social nets, but you won't get as much business as you could! Hmmmm.... :-)

Here are are few questions to ask yourself about your website:

1. Can a first time visitor "instantly" know what you do upon arriving at your website?
   x
2. Can a first time visitor "instantly" know if they should stay or go upon arriving at your website? Upon gettting througth item #1 above, the visitor now asks, "So What?" Do your have an answer for your visitor? Do they know upon landing on your site "what's in it for them?"
   x
3. If your visitors decide to stay on your website, is it easy for them to know where to go next on your site? Is the navigation clear and easy to follow?
   x
4. Is the text on your website easy to read at a glance?
   x
5. Do you have a path for a visitor's eye to follow on your website pages ... is text broken up into manageable paragraphs? Are images placed so that their eye will continue down the page ... or maybe text headlines are used for this?
   x
6. Can your visitors review your entire website with ease and comprehension?
   x
7. Are you following the Golden Rule of online communcations - Convenient to the reader and no "greys," thinking not required!

Hope you've discovered that you are in good shape! If not let me know your questions and/or concerns. Maybe you question some of the above? As always ... please share your thoughts here on my blog! Or ... contact me privately.

Keep your business growing ...
margie

What Makes A Good Website?

There is one continuous question out there, no matter how few (as in the beginning) or many website design resources exist. That question is, " what makes a good website?"

I always say, one that is used! It is really that simple. What say you? Think about it. Is it the flash design? Is it the audio welcome? Is it the video presentation? All of the items I mentioned are good resources, good techniques, good technology, but are they making your website a good website? Maybe! Maybe not!

Hmmm..... basically it gets back to, don't get caught up in the "how" ... pay more attention to the "why" when choosing your design elements. The "why"consist of providing your site visitors with the information "they need" to take the actions "you need" for business success. What do you want your website visitors to do? What do you offer to make them do that? Why should they stay on your site? Why should they buy from you?

When you get to the "how" of getting the "why" done ... use the "golden rule" of online commmunications - "convenient and hassle free communications." Choose your design elements accordingly. Upon using a video, audio, flash, pictures, etc ... if the shoe fits, perfect! If not, leave it for another foot (so to speak :-) )

What do you think? Have you had any experience with this?? How is your website working? Let me know ... I would love to get your comments.

Keep your business garden growing,
margie

Give Your Website A Review.

When was the last time you gave your website a serious review? Take a few moments and look at it as if you were a first time visitor.

Here are a few tips for what to look for:

1. Immediate Clarity On What Your Site Provides
   Probably the most important question to ask yourself when looking at your website is, "Can a visitor, within nanoseconds, know what you do and how you will benefit them?" If the answer is "no"... you are in trouble. If your visitors can't confirm that your site is where they want to be almost instantaneously to their arrival... then the next action they take is to click "off" your site. It's on to the next! Don't even kid yourself that a cute photo or a large heading will inspire curiosity. Clarity is what visitors want.
   
   Use the Golden Rule of online communications,
   Thou shall be ...Convenient & Hassle-Free!
   removing any need for the reader to think!
   x
2. Convenient & Hassle-Free To Navigate
   The Golden Rule doesn't stop with the first connection to your site. If you make it past "step one" the visitor needs to immediately know where to go next inside your site! You must make it convenient and hassle-free for the eye to "see" where "more" of what the visitor is looking for can be found. If not ... the next click is off your site!
   x
3. Convenient & Hassle-Free To Read
   Can the information on your website be read "easily and quickly?" Most online readers read from top to bottom ( not left to right) and initially all text is scanned. Some details to check on include:
   
   Choice of font style - Arial continues to be the cleanest and is seen from all computers. Paragraph Headings can vary in font style which can often help provide a path for the eye to follow.
   
   Choice of font size- Use a size that allows your quantity of text to be taken in "easily" with a glance. Not too big and not too small. Arial size 10 is a good choice. Size 12 can be appropriate if it is just a small quantity of text.
   
   Grouping of text - Is your text grouped in small paragraphs? Remember that the average reader is simply scanning your information. If you can group your text into smaller groupings, having the first line of each paragraph carry an important point ... you will be more successful in making your text work for you.
   
   Focal Points For The Eye To Follow - As you review your website pages, Do you find that your eye is directed through the pages? Does the use of bold, spacing, titles, background colors, pictures assist your reading of the pages or does it get in your way? Hopefully you are finding that your eye is following a directive path so that as you scan from top to bottom you actually get to the bottom! If you find that your eye gets confused or that your are "working" to read your information .. it's time for some changes!
   x
4. Clean & Appropriately Sized Images
   Are your images and/or photos up to date? Are they clear or fuzzy? Do they sit on your pages or have a white background around them? Do they need to have a drop shadow or a border or "something" to provide a more professional look?
   
   Photos can play a huge role in delivering your message to your website visitors. Make sure the quality of your images match the quality of your business!See what you come up with as you do your review! Very often the smallest of changes can make the largest of differences.
   

What did you discover about your own website? Do you have questions or even more input ??
Post a comment ... share with all of us.