WordPress is one of the most popular platforms on the planet. It's grown to be much more than a simple blogging platform, but millions use it as their go-to, simple to install, fairly simple to learn, first step into a digital presence.
This month we will cover the essentials of blogging.
Pros and cons of WordPress, Blogger, Medium etc.
How to create content in a manner that attracts readers.
First steps and next steps to move you towards success.
Plugins.
8. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
Optimize Your Images
Why worry?
• Large image increase
loading time, which
decreases SEO AND drives
away your visitors
• Uses up your bandwidth
meaning you’ll need to pay
more for hosting
8
9. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
Optimize Your Images
What to do about it…
• Save down using a photo editing tool 600x400, (or your
theme preferred size) under 100kb
• Use an image optimizer tool like
http://www.smushit.com
• If you use many images in your posts, show fewer posts
on your home page
• Use a CDN like Jetpack Photon or Cloudflare
9
22. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
One or Both?
RSS Subscribe
• Sends an email to subscribers
with your latest blog post
(through Feedburner service)
• Low levels of tracking
• Does not allow you to send
composed emails
Mailing List
• Allows you to compose and
send emails AND auto send
blog posts
• Higher level of tracking
• Ability to gather more user
information
22
23. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
Plugins to Consider for Blogging
(no more than 12)
• Related Posts
• Popular Posts
• Recycling Old Content
• Comment Spam
• Comments
• SEO
• Backups
• Security
• Social Sharing
• Image Optimizer
• Post Scheduling/Editorial
Calendar
• Caching (be careful!)
23
24. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
Plugins to Consider for Blogging
(no more than 12)
• Yet Another Related Posts
Plugin (YARPP)
• WordPress Popular Posts
• Revive Old Posts
• Akismet
• Comments
• WordPress SEO Yoast
• Backup Buddy
• WordFence
• Shareaholic
• Eww Image Optimizer
• WordPress Editorial Calendar
• W3 Total Cache
24
25. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
Don’t Use Plugins For…
It’s fairly easy to hard-code these things. Don’t waste your
plugin power on these…
• Connecting Google Analytics
• Google Authorship
• Mailing List Forms
• Google Fonts
• PayPal Buttons
• Blog Roll
• Social Media Icons
25
26. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com26
• Created by Matt Mullenweg
• Doesn’t really do much
• May have originally been an
example for developers
• WordPress major releases are
named for Jazz musicians
The Hello Dolly Plugin
27. @WPPluginCoach WPPluginCoach.com
Steps to Success
• Define your goal (blogging/content marketing)
• Choose the plugins that help you achieve your
goals
• Create a process for posting that includes
SEO/Marketing
– Define how you will SEO every post
– Let plugins help you publicize
27
Photon in Jetpack CDN – caches on WP.com - no way to clear the cache
Photon in Jetpack CDN – caches on WP.com - no way to clear the cache
Phil says no
When to use a page and a post
Feedburner reports on how many people “requested” the feed which can vary daily and based on how aggregators like Bloglovin or Feedly report.
Mail poet