Ceci Dadisman discusses the importance of having an attractive, modern website that can be easily updated without technical expertise. She recommends using an open-source content management system (CMS) like Wordpress, Joomla, or Drupal to build websites that improve search engine optimization and keep customers engaged. Premium templates provide a starting framework that can be customized, and plugins add functionality without coding. Overall, any organization has the right to an up-to-date website that is managed in-house.

1. YOUR WEBSITE
IS UGLY!
make it pretty with
OPEN SOURCE CMS
Ceci Dadismanı
Director of Marketing & PR/Palm Beach Operaı
President/CeciCreativeı

2. Who is ceci?
 Director of Marketing & PR @ Palm Beach
Operaı
 Professional classical singerı
 Arts marketing consultantı
 Digital marketing nerdı
 Native Pittsburgherı
 Pittsburgh Steelers & WVU Mountaineer fanı

3. YOU KNOW
YOUR
WEBSITE IS
UGLY IF…
 Y can’t update it yourselfı
ou
 Y can’t easily add photos and videosı
ou
 It was built or is managed using things like
FrontPage, Contribute, or iWebı
 It takes longer than 5 minutes to update textı

4. IT IS 2011. There is NO
EXCUSE for having a bad
website anymore…

6. Why do I
need to
change my
site?
 Website is #1 piece in the marketing puzzleı
 Content is kingı
 Improves search engine resultsı
 Keeps existing customers engagedı

7. Since I know SOME OF
YINZ like stats…
70% of the links search users 75% of users never scroll
click on are organic – not paid.ı past the first page of search results.ı
OTHER
5%
PAID
25%
ORGANIC
FIRST PAGE
70%
ONLY!ı
Source: MarketingSherpaı Source: Marketshare.Histlink.comı

8. What is
open source
CMS?
 Designed to simplify the publication of web
content to web sites and mobile devices — in
particular, allowing content creators to
create, submit and manage contents Web
Programming Languages or Markup
Languages such as HTML or the uploading
of files.ı

9. Which
one is right
for me?
 Drupal is a favorite among web developersı
 Joomla has more design possibilities built inı
 Wordpress is friendly to developers,
designers, and end users. ı

10. Because I’m
not speaking
to a room
full of
developers
or designers

11. Basics of an
open source
website
 Must have your own hosting and domain
nameı
 Must have access to your serverı
 It’s probably a good idea to hire a Wordpress
expert to help you install your siteı
 Find a framework with a premium templateı

12. Wait, I need
a template?
I want
custom!
 A template provides a starting frameworkı
 Anything can be customizedı
 Premium templates range from $20 - $100ı
 Site elements can be added and removedı

13. some site examples…

14. Where you can get some
template ideas…
www.themeforest.netı www.woothemes.comı
www.premiumwp.comı

15. The backend
interface
 If you can write an email, you should be able
to update your websiteı
 Easy to upload photos and other mediaı
 Access to HTML just in case you need itı

18. Plugins &
extensions
& modules,
oh my!
 Wordpress = Plugins, Joomla = Extensions,
Drupal = Modulesı
 A set of software components that adds
specific abilities to a larger software
application.ı
 Add functionality w/o the need for codingı

19. An example of a
plugin…

20. And another one…

21. And yet another one…

22. The gist: YOU have the
right to a modern
website that you can
update yourself
whether or not you
know html. period.

23. Connect
with me
 www.pbopera.orgı
 561.835.7550ı
 cdadisman@pbopera.orgı
 @palmbeachoperaı
 F
acebook.com/palmbeachoperaı
 @cecidadismanı
 www.cecicreative.comı