Editing Your Website With WordPress

Without WordPress, you may have to hire a web designer or web developer to edit text and add photos to your website after it has been completed. In some ways, using WordPress is like using Microsoft Word from within a web browser:

Customizing Your WordPress Website

The appearance and functionality of your WordPress website can be dramatically altered by changing your Theme:

Although not recommended, predesigned (one-size-fits-all) WordPress Themes are readily available for non-exclusive use (i.e., the same design is repeatedly sold to others), for well under $100.

You may also hire a WordPress Theme Designer, like myself, to custom-build a Theme exclusively and specifically for the needs of your own business.

Getting Help

Because WordPress is the world’s most popular Content Management System (CMS) on the Internet, it is also well-supported and well-documented in the form of online tutorials, user forums, books, and classes. And, WordPress specialists are easy to find.

* As with a free puppy, your WordPress website does require proper care and feeding (i.e., maintenance). For example, you will need to backup and update WordPress on a regular basis, but actually, that’s better than cleaning up after a puppy.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you’ll need to consider when hiring a freelance web designer or web design firm…

Pricing & Qualifying Design Talent

First of all, as you may have already discovered— pricing for new websites is all over the place. Depending on where you look, you will get estimates from $0 to $10,000+ for a small business website.

Unfortunately, web designers are not licensed or certified. Therefore, anyone— from a kid in a 3rd world country who doesn’t even own a computer, to an experienced professional like myself, can claim to be a web designer. So, your job of hiring and qualifying a web designer is far more difficult than we’d like it be.

Here are a few articles I’ve written to help you identify and qualify your web designer or web design firm:

• How to Identify and Qualify Core Talent for Your Small Business Website
• WordPress: Exposing the Hidden Costs of “Free”

Creating Blueprints

Once you’ve found a competent designer (or several), you need to be able to tell him (them) what you have in mind. Details, and often there are many, really matter to someone like myself who has worked on both small- and large-scale websites.

For example, if you walk into a construction company and ask what it will cost to build a building, they’ll need to know what kind of building you’re talking about (commercial? residential? high-rise? 1-story? wooden? metal? etc.). In the absence of blueprints, the best they’ll be able to do is give you a very rough estimate.

So, if you want to compare apples to apples, all of the designers/firms you’re requesting estimates from will need to review the same set of “blueprints”. Otherwise, some designers may not know enough to ask important questions, or worse, they’ll bet that you’ll be willing to accept whatever they throw at you (including significant cost increases and shoddy work you didn’t anticipate).

At the very least, consider sending the web designer(s) your top 3 favorite websites and tell them what you like/dislike about those websites, and why. You’ll also want to create (or, for larger websites, hire a designer to create) a “Site Map” to determine roughly how many pages there will be, and what features and content will be on each page (or page variation). Better yet— put together a rough draft of the text that you plan to include in your website.

• Information Architecture 101: Defining Web Content and Estimating Costs

Note: The level of work mentioned in the article above is typically for my high-end websites (i.e., my Custom Websites & Applications). And like an architect, I must charge to create “blueprints” (particularly when they are as complex as those mentioned in the article).

Choosing Custom or Prefab

Now that you and the designer(s) have a better idea of what you have in mind, and everyone within your organization agrees with your vision, it’s time to decide if you should buy a website “off-the-shelf”, or build one from scratch (or even somewhere in between).

A pre-designed website (or “kit”) can be purchased for $0 to roughly $100. You’ll have to search through thousands of designs— and in the end, it may look like a hardware store forced into an abandoned McDonald’s restaurant. But the price is right… until you try to build it out and move in.

When you consider all the headaches (possibly including loss of revenue due to unhappy customers and no sales), it may be far more cost- and time-efficient to go “custom”.

• WordPress Themes: Predesigned or Custom. Which is a Better Choice for Your Business?

Should You Do It Yourself?

Like a prefab building, your pre-designed website kit will include instructions. However, you may not have the expertise or equipment you’ll need to properly construct it. And if you hire a third party to put it together for you, he may blame the prefab manufacturer (and vice versa) if something doesn’t fit properly. In other words, the guy that created the predesigned website kit may not be willing (or able) to assist you or the guy that’s putting it together. Or worse, you discover that you bought the wrong “prefab kit”.

As far as my services are concerned…

1. I can design and construct a custom website for you (Custom WordPress Websites); or
2. I can custom-design a “prefab website kit” for you (or someone else) to assemble (Custom WordPress Themes/Templates); or
3. I can assemble a third-party’s “prefab website kit” (WordPress Theme Installation & Customization).

Note: Although I do not publish my fees, I typically provide starting prices or price ranges for serious prospects. Please inquire.

But nearly 2 years after Apple released the iPad, I’m appalled to see so many blank screens for home pages.

And sadly, many of the firms who attempted to accommodate iPad users, failed miserably. For example, one firm had an all-text page with no photos of their work. Another had illegible text and a broken navigation menu on a 1994-style layout. And another still had placeholder text (i.e., greeking) and precious outbound links to unrelated websites (e.g., wordpress.org).

I also discovered the iPad version of an architect’s website that had sexy female lingerie models for photos! It just doesn’t get any worse than this! Do you know what’s on your website?

So, after my review of hundreds of architects’ websites, I became disheartened, particularly because architects’ websites are typically among the best, compared to those of other industries. However, architects are just as guilty of ignoring their own websites. “Set it and forget it”, just doesn’t work anymore.

Here’s a very small sampling of what I found…

In addition to a broken image on the home page, this website simply doesn't work without Flash at all. No apologies to iPad users here.

Same as above... "get Flash or leave our website".

And another attractive blank screen prompting iPad visitors who can't even run Flash, to install it.

A clean, text-only version for iPad users. But no photos? Why would I go to an architect's website to read lots of text?

OK, so maybe I can see photos and text on my iPad, but it's not very attractive or user-friendly.

This is the iPad version of an architect's website that includes lingerie models in its portfolio of work (example appears below).

Yes, I really found this on a "real" architect's website. Very classy. Do you know what's on your website?

OddoMotif Embark is a new, one-page WordPress theme for your company by Oddo Design that is a simple and attractive alternative to those gaudy, ad-infested placeholder pages that so many hosting companies force upon their customers.

This WordPress theme has a traditional, corporate feel that’s perfect for small companies and independent consultants who sell their products and services to other companies, but aren’t quite ready to invest in a full-featured, OddoMotif for WordPress Theme.

It is very easy to install and edit, and it’s a great first step toward learning how to use the world’s most popular content management system (WordPress) so that when you’re ready to expand, you will already be familiar with the editing process.

The OddoMotif Embark WordPress theme features:

• 6 eye-pleasing colors;
• a standard web logo with matching icons;
• a search-engine-friendly design;
• an easy-to-edit, single-page WordPress design;
• an easy-to-edit text and graphic banner (layered photoshop file included);
• a Setup & Features Guide;
• valid HTML.

See This Business Theme for WordPress in Action:

Blue | Copper | Green | Olive | Purple | Red

Price: $15*

*Plus applicable sales tax for Texas residents; single website license.

A few weeks ago, a prospective client told me that a web design firm she interviewed, advised against the use of WordPress, in favor of static HTML pages, because “search engines do not like WordPress”.

I politely expressed my skepticism, but after 15+ years of designing websites, I’ve learned that the only constant in web design is rapid change. Maybe I have something new to learn today, I thought. So, after our meeting, I did some research that would hopefully confirm or deny such a belief.

However, the only negativity I could dig up about the world’s most popular content management system (CMS) and search engine optimization (SEO) was completely anecdotal…

For example, Gary-Adam Shannon wrote an interesting, but heavily criticized article on SearchEngineWatch.com which suggests that search engines are biased against WordPress. He argues that “WordPress has become the spammer’s choice for mass site deployment” because of its low barrier to entry (no argument there). He also says that search engines know when you’re running WordPress (probably), and in a later article, offers a few basic suggestions to make WordPress’ footprint more stealthy for the paranoid:

• Remove the WordPress version number from your code;
• Keep up with your WordPress updates;
• Remove the “readme.txt” file from your installation;
• Use a plugin (which happens to be poorly rated) to hide certain files and folders.

My advice? Do the first 3, but not because you want to make WordPress’ footprint invisible. Do them because they make your site more secure.

In another article, a colleague of Gary-Adam Shannon’s, Kevin Gibbons, claims that “WordPress is naturally very well set up for SEO, in terms of header optimization, title tags, internal/cross-linking, etc”. This is consistent with what Michael David, author of “WordPress 3 Search Engine Optimization“, has to say: “WordPress has innate characteristics that search engines love such as simple navigation, SEO-friendly URL-naming conventions, easy publishing, and many more”.

I could go on to quote other experts who genuinely believe that WordPress is in fact great for SEO.

And then there are major brands like CNN, eBay, Forbes, New York Times, Sony, TechCrunch, UPS, Volkswagen, and others who rely on WordPress. Do they not care about SEO?

The bottom line? Bad SEO is bad SEO no matter what you use! In fact, several years ago, even my all-Flash website (now in moth balls) performed quite well in the search engines, which resulted in a very healthy return on my investment. And it continues to pay dividends. Why? Because I found ways to make it work. WordPress just makes it a lot easier.

SEO is a complex endeavor. It requires a lot of hard work and knowledge to do it well. That’s why it is best left up to a reputable firm like Houston SEO Company to do it for you.

By the way, guess what CMS Gary-Adam Shannon uses. You got it– WordPress!

I have yet to use a single app on the Mac or iPad that excels at BOTH Wireframe AND Sitemap creation… however, Omnigraffle Pro* for Mac and iPad come close in that regard. When I create sitemaps (complex or otherwise), I always rely on Omnigraffle Pro.

* If you’re on a PC, consider Visio.

For rough, non-detailed, and rapid creation of wireframes, again, Omnigraffle Pro is my favorite. There are many things I like about OmniGraffle Pro— including the ability to create my own “Stencils” and work interchangeably on both Mac and iPad. The iPad version is a beautiful, and surprisingly very useful app by the way (I like using my fingers to create and move elements on the screen).

However, for precise, detailed Wireframes, I prefer Adobe Illustrator, in part because it is what I’m comfortable with, and, because I can easily cut and paste between Illustrator and Photoshop.

Basically, just about every website I work on ends up in Photoshop (prior to CSS/HTML). So, in an effort to streamline my process, I’ve also used Photoshop for wireframes (using vector shapes). It just depends on the project and client I’m working with. I’m also experimenting with the use of working directly in CSS/HTML… but this is not a very fluid approach.

Just as important as the tool, is the system or process you use. Check out http://960.gs/. At the top of the page, you’ll see that it (the grid system) is available for use in Fireworks, InDesign, Illustrator, OmniGraffle, Photoshop, QuarkXpress, and others. I’ve actually created my own version— with grids, shapes, widgets, and lorem ipsum snippets of my own for rapid development.

Also, as weird as it may sound, don’t rule out InDesign for wireframing either— it keeps getting more and more “interactive” every day.

Yes, there is quite a selection here— in the end, you’ll have to use tools that work best with your own workflow, relative to the project you’re working on.

I hope that helps!

Step 1:

To spend your marketing dollars wisely, you must begin with a sound marketing strategy— one that clearly defines your primary objectives, your target audience, your success metrics, top competitors, marketing channels, traffic generation, and so on.

Step 2:

Next, you’ll need a company name and a matching domain name. Create a list of possibilities with your target keyword phrases and narrow it down to your favorite three names, and then, get some feedback from those who best represent your target audience. Which available name works best?

Step 3:

Once you’ve settled on a name you can legally use, hire an experienced freelance graphic designer to create a logo for your new company. This will make it easy for customers to quickly identify your company– not only when they visit your website, but also when they receive emails, flyers, pdf files, and other advertising and marketing collateral from your company. And, if designed correctly, it will save you thousands of dollars— i.e., you won’t have to redesign everything to match your official logo six months later.

Step 4:

I recommend taking WordPress for a test-drive, mainly to gain a better understanding of the Content Management System that you’ll likely use to manage your website (and, by the way, it doesn’t have to be a blog). This will also help you determine what kind of help you will realistically need to design and launch your website. Note: For greater flexibility, scalability, power, and performance, you will ultimately want to host your WordPress website with a reliable hosting company like MediaTemple— NOT wordpress.com (where you’ll actually do the “test-driving”).

Step 5:

Now that you’ve taken WordPress for a spin, what do you think? What kind of help do you think you will need and can afford? Although not ideal, will one of the many standard WordPress Themes work for you? Or, how about a semi-custom design? Do you need help with coding? Need professional graphics to make a good impression? How much time can you realistically devote to keeping the content on your website fresh? And so on. Chances are, you will need help. So, be sure it’s in your budget before you quit your day job!

In either case, you’ll need to actively drive customers to your new website (yes, this will also cost time and/or money). You’ll have to decide on which marketing channels will be most successful… and constantly monitor  your web stats to see where your visitors are coming from, what keywords they are using to find your website, and so on.

Good luck!

DESIGN DEFINED

Design, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, is “a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is built or made”.

WHAT IT’S NOT

No matter how skilled, talented, or experienced— a web designer cannot possibly produce a good plan or drawing (i.e., a good solution), until he, and his client, have identified and prioritized the problems he is being hired to solve.

Otherwise, your website may be attractive to you and/or the designer, and yet, fail to satisfy the real needs of those who matter most— your customers! Even though it may look like it, that is not good web design!

WHAT IT IS

Good web design is visually attractive, but it also makes websites easier to use. Good web design supports a company’s strategic objectives and success metrics— and, it delivers a return on your investment.

Good web design clearly differentiates products and services; delivers highly-targeted, engaging content that both search engines and humans devour; and it builds a visually consistent, more recognizable brand across all marketing channels.

WHY IT’S SO ELUSIVE

Many web designers begin the design process by focusing on aesthetics rather than gaining a full understanding of a client’s strategic objectives. These strategic objectives should be the guiding light (i.e., the logic) for every recommendation a designer makes.

It’s simply not enough to like a designer’s portfolio when making a hiring decision— you have to understand and appreciate his process (the part you don’t see and may not want to know about).

WHY YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW

It’s true— good web design typically requires a larger initial investment and more patience than bad web design. You need to know why your designer chose to guide your visitors’ eyes to your most important calls to action, or why he recommends a more progressive design for your target audience. You’ll need to review site maps; co-author a strategy brief; help create and analyze user personas; review wireframes; and more. And it doesn’t end there… you’ll need to continuously monitor the health of your website and make incremental design improvements along the way.

But if failure isn’t an option for your website, neither is bad web design!

Well, not really. In fact, for most entrepreneurs and marketing professionals, determining how much to invest in a new website can be a real challenge (to say the least).

As I pointed out in a previous article, one can easily purchase a WordPress Theme (a Website Template) for under $50, and pay less than $20 per month for hosting. So why does one web designer give you a low, firm, easy-to-understand estimate, while the other gives you a high estimate with lots of fine print and technical jargon?

WHOM CAN YOU TRUST?

Generally speaking, if a web designer is inexperienced; unqualified; re-sells/re-uses pre-designed Themes; is desperate for work; and/or lives in an area with a low cost of living; he will likely present a low estimate. When hiring such a web designer, ignorance is bliss… until you get half way through the project and realize you have to start over with another designer and/or abandon your original objectives! Those with higher estimates, and typically with more experience and better qualifications, are more thorough— they raise important strategic questions that can prevent costly mistakes and improve your return on investment.

GETTING A STRAIGHTER ANSWER

If you want to custom-build or modify a building, you’ll need to hire an architect to create elevation sketches, blueprints, and architectural renderings. Although he can provide estimates for his services, he will not be able to tell you exactly how much a “building” will cost. Without a final, client-approved set of blueprints in his hands, he simply can’t tell you. And so it is with a website…

An experienced web designer can certainly provide a “guesstimate” without “blueprints”, but until then, he often has no idea if you have a copywriter on staff; he may not know if you intend to enter the majority of content into WordPress yourself and/or if your employees will need training. He may not know if you have the budget or desire for custom vs. stock photography, illustration, animation, video, music— or, professional voiceovers. And he often has no idea how many of these images or videos will be needed. He may also not know if you expect to do something complex that a WordPress plug-in can’t handle. He may not even know how many pages will be in your website (i.e., how many custom templates he’ll need to create)— unless you can provide all of this information with your estimate request.

And remember, a seasoned web designer is aware of a greater range of possibilities. He’s worked on large and small projects and understands that no two clients will have identical needs.

OH, YOU’RE ON A BUDGET?

Let’s say you simply can’t justify the investment for a custom anything. In that case, you might decide to buy a pre-designed WordPress Theme, but quickly realize you’re in over your head, and ask for help. One web designer is happy to assist and is immediately available for $X per hour. That was simple, but you have no idea how many hours it will take this particular web designer to complete a given task. The other wants to provide a firmer estimate, but asks questions that you cannot yet answer.

Neither designer is trying to pull the wool over your eyes— they simply need more information.

In such a scenario, it may be best to start with a web designer— get him involved with the WordPress Theme selection. Perhaps he’ll even have a few pre-designed WordPress themes of his own, so that he can better accommodate clients with lower budgets.

COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES

Whatever you do, be sure to provide the exact same information to every web designer that is invited to participate in the proposal process. What isn’t in the estimate, is just as important as what is. So, ask questions, and lots of ‘em!

To learn how to identify and qualify core talent for your website, you may be interested in reading one of my previous articles. And to learn more about the differences between pre-designed and custom-designed WordPress Themes, here’s another: “WordPress Themes: Pre-Designed or Custom? Which is a Better Choice for Your Business?“.

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All of this code appears directly above my wp_head(); action hook which appears directly above my closing head tag.

And last but not least, credit is due to shutao.info who kindly posted the loop code on the Adobe Forum.

I hope this helps!