I was interviewed about my WordPress and business journey for the KitchenSinkWP podcast. I met host Adam Silver a few years ago through Dustin Hartzler, host of the Your Website Engineer podcast. Podcast summary Tools mentioned Conclusion What did you find interesting or helpful about this episode? Leave a comment!
Note: The No Longer in Directory plugin was, ironically, removed from the WordPress plugin directory in 2018. There's no direct replacement. The Vendi Abandoned Plugin Check plugin will show on your Plugins screen the number of days since a plugin was last updated, which is useful for detecting abandoned plugins. For plugins that aren't in […]
How do you come up with content for your website? Whether you're creating a new website or revising your current one, the content (text, images, video, etc.) is the most important part. People visit your website for the content, not for the design or functionality. In working with our clients, we've found that this process works […]
I'm going to show you how to use keywords in links, which makes them better for readers and SEO (search engine optimization). Each link has anchor text, which is the text you click to follow the link. For example, in the link the OptimWise blog, "the OptimWise blog" is the anchor text. First, let's look at a […]
Book review and summary of "The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald A. Norman.
Rocket Surgery Made Easy: The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Finding and Fixing Usability Problems by Steve Krug My rating: 3 of 5 stars An easy-to-read guide to doing your own inexpensive usability testing. I liked Krug’s humorous writing and entertaining use of quotations, and the book's cartoons make it even easier to understand. I didn't find it as […]
I gave this presentation, Website Mistakes Small Businesses Make, and How to Fix Them, at WordCamp Grand Rapids 2014. I’ve seen many small businesses make website mistakes that hurt their results. My presentation was about how to fix these mistakes so your site delivers business results. Below are the video, slides, and detailed notes. Not optimizing to sell How […]
I'm very excited to announce that I'll be speaking at WordCamp Grand Rapids 2014! My session is titled, Website Mistakes Small Businesses Make, and How to Fix Them. I'll be giving away free advice, so join in! My speaker interview was just posted. WordCamp Grand Rapids is the annual WordPress conference in Grand Rapids, MI. This […]
Do It! Marketing: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Boost Sales, Maximize Profits, and Crush Your Competition by David Newman My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is an actionable, motivating guide to small business marketing. It instantly became one of my favorite marketing books. I agree with Newman’s approach; it fits the way I like to […]
"Doesn't social media replace the need for a business website?" This was one of the many questions asked at the Small Business Tech Panel at the Warehaüs, a coworking space in Holland, Michigan in March 2014. The short answer is no. Here's an expanded version of the answer I gave. These are the advantages of a business website over social […]
Sliders (AKA carousels or rotators) have become incredibly popular on WordPress websites, and websites in general. Sliders commonly display images, but can also display text and video. They are frequently used on home pages, but can appear on any page. More often than not, clients ask us to put them on their sites. The problem […]
These are the best WordPress podcasts I've found. They have content for WordPress site owners, designers, and developers. My favorites are those that are focused on education rather than news. I listed them in order of preference. If you like these, you should read my other posts about podcasts. I’m always looking for more, so please […]
