The document discusses simplifying small city websites using GovPress, a free WordPress theme for governments, and WordPress, a free content management system. It provides an overview of WordPress and GovPress, including features, popularity, and timeline. A case study of the City of Ferndale, WA is presented, which migrated to GovPress from a previous system. Key metrics on site usage and performance improvements are shared. Recommended WordPress plugins are also listed. The document promotes open government and offers free website design services using GovPress.
5. Why GovPress + WordPress
● Small cities with limited budgets need to be
empowered to manage their websites without
prohibitive license, service, maintenance fees
● It should be easy for governments to deploy a simple,
elegant website design using a modern content
management system
● Easily solves CMS + design hurdles
7. WordPress
WordPress is a free,
open source content
management system
(CMS) that can be
self- or third-party
hosted.
8. WordPress by the numbers
● Founded: 2003
● Most popular content management system, powers
more than 60 million websites
● Powers ~23% of the top 10 million websites (as of
August 2013)
● More than 30,000 plugins (SEO, forms, security,
administration, etc.)
12. GovPress timeline
● January 2010: First version theme launched (City of Manor, TX)
● September 2010: Launched City of De Leon, TX, released theme
to public
● 2012: Deleted theme, moved on
● December 2012: City of Ferndale, others began contacting, asking
about
● 2013: Started to rebuild theme to be mobile-friendly
● January 2014: Started working with Devin Price to build official
version
● March 2014: GovPress becomes official WordPress theme
13. GovPress features
● Free
● Simple (not an art project)
● Mobile-friendly
● Easy to customize (colors, hompage, etc.)
● Easy to add navigation menus, widgets
● Free updates
18. Ferndale by the numbers
● Population: 12,710
● City of Ferndale Total Employees: 62
● City Clerk’s Office Employees: 2
● City of Ferndale General Fund Budget:
$7.9 million
● City Clerk/Finance Department’s
Budget: $407,203
● Website Budget: $0
● IT Team - Contracted
19. cityofferndale.org timeline
● 2004: First website
● 2007: Overhaul
● 2011: Began researching content management options
● January 2013: Requested IT contractor to load up new
website server box so I could start building new site
● January 2013: Box set up, WordPress loaded using
original GovFresh WP theme
● June 13, 2013 - New site live (198 pages)
● March 2014: Launched using new GovPress theme
27. Recommended plugins
● Jetpack by WordPress (Swiss army knife)
● Askimet (spam)
● WordPress SEO by Yoast (search engine optimization)
● Limit Login Attempts (security)
● WP Super Cache (site performance)
● Formidable Forms (forms)
● Easy Fancybox (navigation)
28. Open government
● CMS makes it easier to post timely information in a machine-readable
format
● Built-in /feed functionality allows users to easily subscribe to RSS
feeds
● WordPress Jetpack JSON API allows you to authorize applications
and services to securely connect to your blog and to use your content
in new ways and offer citizens new functionality
● Additional plugins let you quickly and easily build in search engine
optimization, social sharing, etc.
● Mobile-friendly theme makes your website more user-friendly for
citizens, adapts based on their device (phone, tablet, laptop,desktop)
