Comments File management Feeds Many other (optional) features KISS vs. go wild A Blog is a Website - A Website is not a Blog Blogs should (be able to) have: © Peter Buechler 2009

Comments

File management

Feeds

Many other (optional) features

KISS vs. go wild

So you want blogging software You’ve got CHOICES:

Downsides/Othersides Why wouldn’t you want WP? You already have a blog elsewhere You want to spend your time writing - not playing with the platform You already have too much to do Spam - can be dealt with but not automatically (Akismet)

You already have a blog elsewhere

You want to spend your time writing - not playing with the platform

You already have too much to do

Spam - can be dealt with but not automatically (Akismet)

Why WordPress? Lots of “Themes” make it look spiffy Open source PHP/MySql Multiple flavors Free hosted version $ hosted version Multiuser/multiblog version Can self-host

Lots of “Themes” make it look spiffy

Open source PHP/MySql

Multiple flavors

Free hosted version

$ hosted version

Multiuser/multiblog version

Can self-host

“ When you come to a fork in the road - take it” Wordpress is popular and powerful. Which version is four you?

Who’s Hosting wordpress. com Free No maintenance Automatic backup Always up to date Variety of themes No 3rd party plugins Sandbox wordpress. org You install You maintain You backup You pay (it’s “free”) Lots more themes Tons of plugins Stadium

wordpress. com

Free

No maintenance

Automatic backup

Always up to date

Variety of themes

No 3rd party plugins

Sandbox

wordpress. org

You install

You maintain

You backup

You pay (it’s “free”)

Lots more themes

Tons of plugins

Stadium

What’s your theme? Numerous designs from the garish to simple Shareware and $ware from 3rd parties Can change on the fly Controls what WP does as well as how it looks Some don’t support full functionality Can modify - if you know how

Numerous designs from the garish to simple

Shareware and $ware from 3rd parties

Can change on the fly

Controls what WP does as well as how it looks

Some don’t support full functionality

Can modify - if you know how

Don’t fidget. Widget By default, WP doesn’t do much Make your blog dance with widgets Just drag these into the sidebar Can only use with a suitable theme Most widgets are really plugins

By default, WP doesn’t do much

Make your blog dance with widgets

Just drag these into the sidebar

Can only use with a suitable theme

Most widgets are really plugins

Plugins (“widgets” on hosted version) Thousands to extend what WP can do. Blurs the distinction between website and blog Not on the free hosted version www.b5media.com/ ewebscapes.com / www.janewilsonmarquis.com / (no blog) mosaic-consulting.com / (no blog)

Thousands to extend what WP can do.

Blurs the distinction between website and blog

Not on the free hosted version

Plugins - .com vs .org

plugins I like: One of many ways of taking polls wp-polls Your latest tweets Twibadge Helps share posts Add to Any Filters SPAM from comments Akismet Converts blog to mobile format, when viewed on phone. Mobile edition

Under the hood WP is built with open source tools and designed to be worked on by the user (x)html css PHP/MySQL Apache Ajax javaScript

(x)html

css

PHP/MySQL

Apache

Ajax

javaScript

Getting Help Who ya gonna call? Do you like selfservice? Community support When it works, it works Professional agencies hire/pay for support

Who ya gonna call?

Do you like selfservice?

Community support

When it works, it works

Professional agencies hire/pay for support

DIY Support How to change the numbers of posts per page (dashboard)? “ YourWordPressFolder/wp-admin/includes/post.php” Look for the code below (should start around line 517) wp(”post_type=post&what_to_show=posts$post_status_q&posts_per_page=15 &order=$order&orderby=$orderby”); Change $posts_per_page to whatever you wish. The default value for $posts_per_page is 15.

Peter Buechler: blog.threshold-group.com marketingGuy2.blogspot.com twitter.com/4ourth [email_address]