Last week I wrote about my favorite podcasts about the business of web design. There are a lot of web design podcasts that aren't specifically about the business of web design, but that occasionally discuss web design business topics. I've included my favorites below, ranked according to frequency of business content. If you like these, […]
These are my favorite podcasts about the business of web design. They frequently cover topics including marketing, pricing, project management, productivity, client relations, entrepreneurship, freelancing, proposals, and contracts and other legal issues. If you like these, you should read my other posts about podcasts. I’m always looking for more, so please add your favorites in […]
I've been impressed by the Wordfence Security plugin after running it on several sites for a few months. Here are some of my favorite features of this plugin: Scans core files, themes and plugins against WordPress.org repository versions to check their integrity. Lets you see how files have changed, and optionally repair changed files. Scans […]
Since we started using the CloudFlare (free plan) on a few sites a few months ago, it's greatly reduced comment spam and contact form spam. According to our CloudFlare dashboard, it's also blocked many botnet zombies and other threats, reducing the risk of sites being hacked. It also serves as a CDN (content delivery network), but sites […]
For my 2013 redesign of OptimWise.com, my primary goal was to better showcase my portfolio. Secondary goals included refining information about the business, making it easier for people to contact me, and making the blog more visually appealing. My Portfolio page has been one of my most visited pages since I added it, so I decided […]
I use the WP-DBManager plugin to keep my WordPress databases clean. I like things neat and tidy, so it annoys me when I see unnecessary tables in my WordPress databases. These are often left over from deleted plugins. Some plugins delete their data from the database, but many don't, preserving your data in case you […]
These are my favorite audio podcasts about WordPress. The last time I posted this list was May 2012, so it needed an update. Sadly, many of the WPCandy podcasts have podfaded since my last list, but I'm glad that a couple new groups have launched WordPress podcasts. I’ve listed these from most to least favorite. […]
For simple contact forms, I've been using the contact form in Jetpack rather than Contact Form 7, which is my go-to contact form plugin. One thing I missed was having a subject field in the form. I wanted a visitor to be able to type the subject of their message, and have that be the […]
BackWPup is a free WordPress plugin that automatically backs up your WordPress database and files. You can back up to your web server, or send your backups offsite (highly recommended). I back my sites up to SugarSync, but you can also back up to Dropbox, Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Rackspace Cloud, and other services. […]
Step-by-step instructions to copy and migrate a WordPress site with the free Duplicator plugin.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to WordPress by Susan Gunelius My rating: 3 of 5 stars An easily understood, very basic WordPress guide for beginning users. It's focused on blogging rather than building traditional websites. The first half covers WordPress.com, and the rest covers WordPress.org. The Attracting an Audience section has valuable chapters on SEO, feeds, […]
These are excellent tutorials and resources for learning the WordPress Admin Area (AKA Administration Screens). I first published these resources for my WordCamp Grand Rapids presentation The WordPress Admin Area: A Guided Tour. Free Text & Screenshot Guides Free Video Tutorials Paid Video Tutorials Paid Books Need Help with WordPress? The resources above will put you on […]
