Alpine Lane

Creative Studio

Archives for January 2016

Why Transfer to WordPress.org?

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I’m sure you’ve heard the buzz floating around blog-land. It seems everyone and their mother is transferring over to WordPress.org, to self-hosting, to the Genesis Framework. The biggest question in your head right now is: Why? Although I hate it (and I’m sure you do too) when someone tells you that you absolutely must do something…here’s a little bit on why you should consider transferring.

 

Transfer

What’s wrong with free hosting sites like WordPress.com or Blogger?

  • Theme limitations and design availability. Meaning you can only customize to a certain point and only download certain premade themes.
  • Lack of plug-in options. I was on WordPress.com for a year, and to be honest they had nothing in the plug-in (widget) department. Blogger’s plug-ins aren’t much better as the selections seem somewhat dated. You have to outsource and use third-party widgets to add convenience to your blog.
  • Limitations on ad networks. WordPress.com has a no-ad policy. Meaning you can’t make money off of any ad networks if you wanted to. On Blogger you can use google adsense as well as have in-post campaigns and blogher, however you cannot hid certain sponsored ads off your sidebar as required by some ad networks.
  • You do not own your content. This is the most terrifying point. The fact that WordPress.com and Blogger literally own all the content on your blog, they can use it however they want to. Also, if they see fit, they can and will delete your blog. It’s happened twice now to two of my friends. Scary stuff!

Why WordPress.org (self-hosted)?

  • You own 110% of your content. You pay for self-hosting. It’s yours forever!
  • Unlimited design and customization potential. There are so many opportunities to make your blog amazing! HTML coding, CSS, Javascript, Themes, Frameworks, plug-ins…the list goes on and on!
  • Full ad integration (add whatever you want, wherever you want)! Due to the fact that you can actually hide widgets on your sidebar and throughout your blog theme (wherever you have them installed), you can actually participate in multiple ad campaigns. It’s awesome and can earn you tons of money.
  • An insane amount of plug-ins to make your life easier and more awesome. Plug-ins for speed, search engine optimization, post organization, sidebar design, nifty little sharing buttons, pinterest ‘pin it’ buttons, you will never see the end of the plug-in list. It’s constantly growing to accommodate what people want. It’s awesome.

What is self-hosted? Basically it means you have to move your site from it’s house (WordPress.com or Blogger) to a new house (yours). You want the ability be comfortable in your own ‘place’ and have the freedom to do all the stuff above! Hopefully that makes since. Now, self-hosting isn’t free, but trust me, it’s totally worth it. I use Bluehost.com for all my hosting, and it’s never failed me. Plus, they have incredible customer service! Once you buy hosting ($3.95-$6.95 per month), the hosting company be where you install WordPress.org. Your eyes are probably glazing over at this point, but that’s why I’m here for you…I take care of 99.9% of this (you have to buy the hosting and that’s it)! Sure transferring to WordPress.org will do wonders for your blogging career, but you can take it one step further with the Genesis Framework (on which I build all my WP.org themes).

The Genesis Framework

  • Integrated SEO Optimization. Meaning people using Google and other search engines can find your blog ALOT easier by searching random things.
  • Gorgeous Mobile Responsive Design. Desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone, your design will always look amazing and will be 100% user friendly. In an age where mobile browsing happens more than computer browsing…it’s something to take note of.
  •  Fast Loading Time. No more waiting hours for all the images to appear on your blog, for posts to show up, or for comments to appear. It’s there almost as fast as you can say “www.yourdomain.com.” Why? Genesis developers use the shortest amount of coding possible so that your computer isn’t bogged down by a ton of useless coding when trying to load.
  • Blogging Security. The Genesis Framework is updated constantly just to make sure your security is safe and hackers stay at bay. Older, never-updated themes are more vulnerable to cyber attacks as those that stay up-to-date. You may be surprised by all the updates with this framework, but I promise you it’s for your best interest!

Convinced and ready to transfer? I’ve been self-hosted since March of 2013 after moving my blog over myself. Since then I’ve been working with clients moving them over to the wonders of .org and giving them the help and support they need to get acquainted with their new hosting services. I’ve also taken online classes so that I fully understand all aspects of the transfer process, and I can ensure my clients’ transfers are smooth and without errors. If you’re considering transferring on over, check out the packages I have below. If you have more questions or are ready to get started, feel free to send me a quick email!

WORDPRESS.COM to WORDPRESS.ORG TRANSFER – $150

  • Installation of WordPress on your hosting site
  • Installing the Genesis Framework ($99.95 dollar value)
  • Point your domain to your new hosting account
  • Transfer your content (posts, pages, images, widgets, comments)
  • Transfer your current design
  • Redirect your RSS feed (if needed)
  • Adding SEO and Speed  Optimization plug-ins
  • Google Adsense and Analytics installation ($15 add-on service)

BLOGGER to WORDPRESS.ORG TRANSFER – $225

  • Installation of WordPress on your hosting site
  • Installing the Genesis Framework ($59.95 dollar value)
  • Point your domain to your new hosting account
  • Redirect your RSS feed
  • Redirect old links to your new site -removing HTML so that your old blogger shared posts (example: via Pinterest or blog linkups) will redirect to your new WP site
  • Fix broken links
  • Transfer your content (posts, pages, images, widgets, comments)
  • Transfer your current design
  •  Adding SEO and Speed  Optimization plug-ins
  • Google Adsense and Analytics installation ($15 add-on service)

 

How to Set up Access to your Blog (but not give your username and password)

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I’ve always felt uneasy about clients giving me their username and a temporary password to go in and install a new design to their blog. Not only is it THEIR space, but they’re giving you private information. Every time a designer is required to log-in to someone’s blog, the client has to change their passwords, and that can just get annoying after a while.

access

Did you know you don’t have to give out your personal information for a blog design install? 

All you have to do is make the designer a temporary admin on your site, and then after they’re finished, the designer can be easily deleted off your admin list. No more changing your password a million times!

FOR BLOGGER: 

Sign in to your blogger account. Click on the blog you’d like to add the administrative position to, and on the left hand side you’ll see your blog menu with SETTINGS at the bottom. Click on SETTINGS>Basic. You’ll see a spot under PERMISSIONS where you can enter an email address to add an author. Enter your designer’s google email address, and then wait for the designer to confirm the authorship confirmation. Add Blogger USEROnce they have done that (this is important), you’ll have to go back to settings>basic and choose ‘admin’ from the drop down menu next to their name instead of ‘author.’ If only author is selected, the designer only has permission to write posts, not do anything behind the scenes!Add Blogger User

FOR WORDPRESS:

Sign into your WordPress.org account. On the left hand side in your toolbar menu, right below Plugins you’re going to find and click on USERS.  Then at the top of the page you’ll see (highlighted) ADD NEW. Click on that. Add New User WordPressWordPress then gives you the option to create a new user, putting in a username (get creative), password, email address, and the option to send them all the information. At the bottom of the form you’ll find a drop down menu. Be sure to mark the new user’s role as administration, because just like Blogger, the designer won’t be able to do anything design-wise without being assigned to that role.

Add A WordPress User

Once your design has been installed, feel free to delete the new users/admins you have created!

Questions?

Get the most out of your blog designer

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Get the most out of your blog designer

Hiring a blog designer can be a scary thing. Especially when it means forking over a load of cash you worked hard for, and hoping that the finished product is something you like. If you’ve picked a good designer, odds are they know this and will do everything in their power to make sure they fully understand your vision, goals, and aspirations for your blog/website.

As a blog designer myself, I love a client that’s organized, thorough, and is not afraid to voice opinions. That being said, I also like to have a little creative reign on a project. There’s nothing worse than stifling my artistic approach than a client telling me exactly how things should be done. I’m sure the same goes for painters, photographers, musicians…basically any other artistic job.

So, as a client, how can you make the most of your time, vision, and personal style while letting go of the steering wheel and giving the blog designer their creative freedom to come up with something extraordinary and uniquely you?

1. Create a Pinterest board for your dream blog design. I can’t stress how great it is when clients have Pinterest boards for their new design. Like the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” We like to know what you like! Throw anything in it that inspires you and that makes you want to blog: color palettes, typography, paintings, jewelry…the list could go on and on! By seeing what you have in your Pinterest board, we can get an immediate idea of who you are and what style you’re going for.

2. Have a clear vision on what direction you want your blog to go. Your blog niche can affect the direction of your blog design. For example, if you own a travel blog, odds are you aren’t wanting glitter and hearts everywhere if you have a travel blog with glitter and hearts, don’t mind me over here.  The minute a potential reader loads your blog, you want them to know who you are and what you’re about,whether it means adding certain things design-wise, or making sure relevant content is featured.

It’s really hard to create designs for clients that aren’t really sure what they want to do long-term with their blog. As designers, we’re here to help you take the next step forward in growing your blog and enabling you to become a successful blogger. Without a ‘vision’ of the future, our work may quickly be outgrown. Does that make sense?

Some things to ask yourself would be: What is my niche  (Lifestyle blogger, family blogger, travel blogger, photographer, etc)? Who reads my blog? How am I wanting readers to access my content and interact with me? What areas of my blog am I wanting to improve? How can I keep readers engaged?

3. Educate yourself on WordPress or Blogger (layouts, plugins, tech specs). By knowing how your blog runs, you can be well informed on what a designer can and can’t do for your blog. Quick example: A designer cannot change the look of your WordPress dashboard beyond what WordPress allows you to change. A designer is there to change the look of your blog and not the way WordPress runs.

Yep that’s an extreme example, but it’s happened before. That being said, learn the different blog layouts available to you, so you can ask for something specific if you’d like that from a designer. Do you like two sidebars? Three footer widget areas? A widget area above the content? A full width content (sans sidebars)? I know, there are so many things to learn, but the more you know, the more you benefit yourself.

There are also multitudes of plugins out there, Google something you’re wanting for your blog and see if it’s something you can load yourself and say a few dollars. :)

4. It’s ok to dream big. I love it when clients come to me with their ‘reach for the stars’ ideas. Just because I haven’t done something before doesn’t mean I’m not willing to give it a try! I’ve learned the most from clients that push me beyond my limits and force me to learn more. That being said, there are certain things that aren’t possible no matter how hard we try. :) So have understanding with us too!

5. All good things come with time. A good blog design doesn’t happen overnight. By emailing a potential designer, “Hey I need a new custom design done in two days. Can you do it?” You leave the designer in a rock in a hard spot. Most will blow you off, but you’ll have that one brave soul that needs a job just at that exact time who will take it. Odds are they’ll work those 48 hours straight through for you, and somehow pull it off.

The problem is, by giving such a short time frame, you don’t allow the designer to really get to know you and explore options with you. By rushing a job you may just not get everything you needed in your design (things that you didn’t know that you needed yet).

Each designer has a different timeline for their custom designs, but I have to say at least 70% of that also depends on the client and how much they want to be involved in the process.

Be patient. Learn some things. Grow with your blog (in knowledge, inspiration, and passion). Create the best design ever.

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