Blog
What is WordPress: The Filing Cabinet Analogy
I think that non-designers get hung up by asking, What is WordPress? Really, it's a lot of things: a blogging platform, a website platform, an e-commerce platform. But that's more about what it can do. WordPress is a CMS Long story short: WordPress is a...
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WordPress.org VS. WordPress.com
Something I’m seeing a lot from WordPress newbies? “I had no idea there was a wordpress.org AND a wordpress.com.” We in the design industry talk about WordPress so often, but we forget about the important qualifiers.
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WordPress Basics for Beginners
You gotta love WordPress. No, really. You gotta love Wordpress! Lots of people do. Nearly 30 percent of all websites are built using WordPress. When you think about how many websites actually exist, you realize that is a huge number, and it is constantly growing. ...
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Why I Dumped Bluehost for Siteground
If you've followed me for any length of time, you know that for several years, even in the midst of flagging public enthusiasm, I used and recommended Bluehost for website hosting. I'd been using it for close to 10 years, on the recommendation of several of my graphic...
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3 More Things You MUST Have Before You Start Building Your Website
You can't do anything about building your website without having your hosting squared away. Even if you know the hosting direction you plan to take, you still need a few more pieces in place before you begin building your website. Domain Name If finding your host is...
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The #1 Thing You MUST Have Before You Start Building Your Website
You can't just jump in feet first when it comes to creating your website. It pains me to say that, being a feet-first-jumper any time "creating" is involved, but it is true. There are steps that must be taken and pieces that must be in place before you begin building...
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Domain Name Best Practices
Some people agonize for days and weeks over choosing a domain name, only to land upon the perfect one and find it is unavailable when they go to register. I, too, know that frustration.
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Templates: The Key To Consistency
Typically, "template" is a dirty word around here. Templates – when used incorrectly – result in your business coming across as cookie cutter. You don't stand out from your competition, and end up drowning in a sea of similars. Templates make you forgettable. But,...
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It is totally okay to redesign your logo 100(000) times
I have a sickness: I am never satisfied with the state of my logo or business card or website — or just about anything I've designed for my business. I barely complete one version before I'm already revising it in my head. It always seems like the brilliant idea I had...
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What is a Self-Hosted Website and Why Do I Want One?
All websites need a way to be stored and accessible on the Internet. There are many, many options for hosting your site, including free platforms (Blogger, WordPress.com), DIY platforms (SquareSpace, Wix) that are similar to free platforms but are not free, and, of...
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Confessions of a website snob
When you've been building websites for as long as I have, it's hard not to develop some snap judgments when looking at new sites. In the interest of making sure YOUR websites aren't passed over, here are some of the faux pas that make me turn up my nose at a website....
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Web design tips for creatives
It might seem contradictory, but creative entrepreneurs often have a lot of trouble building their websites. This is because website design is not strictly a creative endeavor. There are creative elements, but websites are a different beast than other creative...
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