Tag Archives: Wordpress

Does Your Small Business Need a Website?

Does your business have a website? If not, you are not alone. The question is, does your small business need a website?

Chris Brogan said, “60% of U.S. businesses are not online in any fashion — a huge mistake in an age in which most people rely heavily on search engines to find information about businesses.”

Consumer shopping often starts online where we begin our research. If your company is not online, you miss the opportunity to be considered in the first round. Without an online presence, your company is eliminated before you have a chance to compete for the sale.

Brogan compares using a Facebook page instead of your own website to living in a hotel rather than a home. The content is yours through the site owner can kick you out or change the rules at any time.

The same holds true for other free hosting sites like wordpress.com, Blogger and Typepad. The sites are attractive to those just starting out. If you are just getting started with your first site, you may consider free hosting as a place to experiment with layout and content. These sites have tools and templates to get your site up and running within minutes. Advanced technical skills are not required.

Business Website
Does your small business need a website?

Once you determine the type of site and content that works for your company, consider moving to your own domain. The benefits of hosting on your own domain include:

  • More credibility for your business
  • Full control over your site and content
  • Greater flexibility of platforms and software
  • Improved optimization for higher search engine ranking
  • Ability to monetize your site

Costs to register a domain are about $10 a year. Hosting fees vary. If you are serious about your business, it is worth investing in your online presence with your own business website.

New Blog With Professional WordPress Theme

Our new blog built with a professional WordPress Genesis Serenity Theme from StudioPress is here. This website is built with a WordPress blog foundation then a Studio Press professional Genesis WordPress theme for additional functionality and design elements.

Not only do professional WordPress themes give a blog more more flexibility, they give a business more credibility.

What I really like about the StudioPress Genesis themes is the support forums. The users and designers are very responsive and helpful as I develop this site. These themes were also used to create our “Where Are You Today?” travel blog.

As for our new blog, let us know what you think, we always like to hear from you. You can leave a message on our voice mail at 414.604.6635 anytime.

For information on professional WordPress templates, check out the variety of StudioPress professional Genesis WordPress themes available. Disclosure: this is an affiliate link.

For more information on becoming a blogger and creating your own blog, just give me a call. I’ll even help you install your StudioPress professional WordPress theme you purchase through this link.

StudioPress Premium WordPress Themes

A Picture is Worth 1K Words

The classic saying says “a picture is worth a 1000 words”. Your online brand includes your picture, avatar or graphic representation. What does your profile picture say about you?

When you post on a blog or website, your picture helps to enforce your message. Do you want to project a professional image? Choose an avatar that complements your message in a professional manner.

You can create your own unique Gravatar image to follow you around from website to website appearing beside your name when you write a comment or post on a blog. Avatars help identify your posts on blogs and web forums, so why not on any site?

Gravatar pluggins are available for WordPress blogs and other websites. You can learn more at the Gravatar website.

You can select different avatars to appear for each email address. Just log into Gravatar and set up your free account. Add each email address you use and confirm by clicking on the email you receive in that account. Log into Gravatar to upload your pictures and images. Select the image you choose for each email account you registered.

Post a comment here and let us see your Gravatar.

Myself
Creative Commons License photo credit: erikpaterson

Professional WordPress Blog Themes

Are you using a WordPress blog for Your Business? Are you using a professional blog theme?

Some of you may be just getting started with blogging and find your choice of free themes limited or cumbersome. If you are ready to take your blog to the next level, check out the professional themes from StudioPress. They have a variety to choose from and each can be customized to reflect your business look and feel. Colors, fonts and graphics can be configured.

I installed the Serenity theme on another blog site recently and like the ease of installation and support that comes with all the themes. Each theme comes with text and video tutorials to get you started. If you get stuck, send an email to the forum for a quick response.

Check out the professional looking themes from StudioPress available for your blog. Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. I will help you install this theme for free if you purchase through my link.
StudioPress Premium WordPress Themes

What questions do you have about setting up or upgrading your business blog?

Blog 30 Day Challenge is On

Today, June 1, 2010 is Day 1 of the Blog 30 Day Challenge. My goal is to post 30 new blog postings here over the month of June. Inspired by Connie Green, I accepted the first Blog 30 Day Challenge in April. I had fun, learned a few tips and met interesting bloggers from around the world. I decided to participate in the new challenge as a way to stretch outside my comfort zone and learn more about blogging.

Web 3.0
Creative Commons License photo credit: videocrab

Over the past two years I started two blogs. I am learning more about working with WordPress blogs and I’ll be sharing this experience with you on this site in the near future. You will see changes to the look and feel of this blog also.

What do you to stretch outside your comfort zone? Where do you look for inspiration and information?

To find other bloggers who have joined the Blog 30 day challenge, search Twitter for hash tag #blog30