Custom WordPress

Posted on August 20, 2009 | Filed Under Smart Business, Website Design, WordPress

What is the difference between Customizing an existing WordPress Theme and Designing a Unique (sometimes called “Custom”) WordPress Theme?

I’m asked this question alot…

The most important thing to remember when you’re comparing prices, is to make sure you’re comparing “apples to apples” when it comes to what you’re getting.

website design and development Whether you download a “free” theme from the WordPress Theme Gallery, or you purchase the license for a theme…you already have a majority of the work done for your design. The coding of the theme is there, you just need it “tweaked” to be what you want for your website. That “tweaking” means creating/adding/editing some graphics such as your logo, buttons, headers, etc. and editing the color scheme in most cases. If you’ve found a theme that meets most of your needs, there’s no reason to pay the higher rates associated with something totally custom!

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Moving Your WordPress Website

Posted on August 14, 2009 | Filed Under Website Design, WordPress

It can be very simple to move your WordPress website to a new host. WordPress has some built in features that, when used along with a plugin or two makes it a very simple process.

Step 1: Back up your database. You can use the WP Database Backup Plugin for this step.

Step 2: Back up your Theme files. FTP or download (through your cPanel) all of the files in your Theme’s folder to your computer.

Step 3: Export your WordPress Files using the Export feature in the left navigation (Tools>Export).

Step 4: Get the latest version of WordPress. Be sure you create a new wp_config.phg file and also download the latest versions of all your plugins!

Step 5: Create or set up a temporary URL at your new host (at mine, I created a subdomain that pointed to my regular domain).

Step 6: Upload the core WordPress files to the temporary URL (include all plugins and your Theme files).

Step 7: Install WordPress (type the temporary URL/wp-admin/install.php and follow the directions).

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Your Web Host DOES Matter

Posted on August 14, 2009 | Filed Under Smart Business, Website Design, WordPress

Your website hosting company DOES make a difference!

For a while now, I’ve had email server issues, and it’s driven me to the brink of insanity! Last week, my site’s load time slowed down so much that even I was frustrated by it. Posting to my blog became a 2-3 hour ordeal!

Time to take action! Just because my site had been hosted at the same place for 5 years didn’t mean that I needed to stay loyal! I finally took some time out, and moved my entire site to Classic Hosting. All of my other sites were there, and just because my main site is done in WordPress didn’t mean it would be impossible to move!

What a difference! My site is now FAST and my email troubles are all gone! There were only a couple of bumps in the road during the move, but my tech guys were there in a flash to help me.

Don’t be intimidated by the fact that your site is in WordPress. It’s much easier to move than you think! I’ll post all the steps to easily moving your WordPress site, next.

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Doing Business with Friends

Posted on August 14, 2009 | Filed Under Smart Business

I’ve been wanting to blog about my crazy Summer for months now! I started June this year, with a situation that truly frustrated me, and it quickly turned into one of those “What??!” types of things. I’m hoping I can help you avoid the same type of situation with some advice:

1) Never hire friends just to “help them out”. If they need help, there’s probably a reason and you should stay clear from a business standpoint. Be a FRIEND-listen and respond, but don’t take their issues into your business. Keep in mind, though…if you know your friend well, and know their work ethic is excellent, that changes the dynamic completely!

2) Before you recommend another service provider to your clients, be sure you know that provider’s work ethic very well. Recommending someone without a good one [work ethic] can and will come back and reflect poorly on you…causing you to have to repair relationships.

I’ve spent too much of my Summer recovering from my “What??!” situation – and it’s been a heart breaking waste of energy (because I could have avoided it all).

Friends are personal, Clients are business. Sometimes one can also be the other. Use your judgment and think it through seriously, before mixing them.

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