Need help with WordPress?

Tailored support for people who prefer to sit down and work through their WordPress problems with a real person.

I’m getting calls from people who are learning WordPress specifically to set up their own websites and blogs. Often they’ve been on a one-day WordPress course to learn the mechanics, but are struggling a bit when it comes to the reality of setting up their own website. Sometimes the problem is using and understanding the WordPress tools themselves, but more often it’s trying to apply them to the website they want to create, or trying to sort out the content in the best possible way. Generally, they are finding that it’s more complicated, and takes a lot more time than they thought it would.

So, I’m starting to do tailored 1-1 sessions with people, working through the things that they are unsure about, don’t understand, can’t get to work, or just need a 2nd opinion on. This is aimed mostly at people who want to use WordPress to set up their own blog/website/project and have been on a 1-day course, but need some specific help with getting it up and running. The face-to-face is important – it’s for people who prefer to sit down and work through their list with a person.

Here is a copy of the flyer - if you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know.  Any questions, please get in touch.

WordPress.org  WordPress.com

GLI UK website – added flexibility

We’ve just upgraded the WordPress theme for the Global Labour Institute UK website - to add a bit more flexibility to the layout and the menu structure, and to allow for the possibility of grouping and regrouping posts and pages as needed. A couple of years old, the site has outgrown it’s skin, and the new layout will provide much more room for growth and development. It’s still very straightforward to add and update news and events, and the new responsive layout will re-arrange itself so the blog is easy to follow on phones and tablets. The theme is from Woo themes.

DIY online publishing with issuu and Peecho
They have also been experimenting using the free web service issuu to publish reports so you can read them online in booklet format, for example: The Political Agenda of the International Trade Union Movement. And if you want a printed copy of the report you can buy one in various formats from Peecho. Which means that a report can be compiled, published and distributed in various formats, with virtually no financial outlay for the organisation. The printed books look reasonably professional, there’s no packing and postage, and no piles of reports using up the shelf space in the office. It’s a good way to self-publish reports, booklets and training materials for any cash-strapped organisation.

Do I need a mobile version of my website?

If you don’t use your website for trading or campaigning (in which case you’ll know the answer to that question) you may think it doesn’t matter, your website will do as it is. But then if the question is really ‘Do I need it to look professional?‘ the answer is probably yes, you should think about it, and you should certainly plan it into your next upgrade.

In the meantime, you can check how it looks on as many differently shaped devices as possible – phones, tablets, laptops, wide screens. Be analytical and look at what happens to it and make a note. Watch out for images and sliders especially. It may be that your website looks pretty much ok, in which case you can relax.

Another way to check is to open up your website in the web browser(s) on your computer or laptop, then gradually resize the browser window making it narrower and narrower. Do this from the right hand side, and watch closely what happens to your website as it gets skinnier and skinnier.

If it doesn’t look too good, then…

Do you use Facebook or Twitter to keep people up to date with changes and developments? If you do, then maybe you don’t need to worry about your website too much. They display fine on most devices. Maybe you can make it more obvious to your website users that this is where your current information is.

Do you use a free blog to publish your newsy items? – WordPress, Blogger or similar? If you do then check how that looks. If you’re using a theme for your blog that’s ‘responsive‘ then it should look ok (but check it). If not, change your theme for one that is. If you check your blog’s settings, there may be options for optimising your blog to work on mobile phones.

If your website is built on WordPress or Joomla, then there are now plenty of options for upgrading your site so that it is ‘responsive‘ – note that keyword. This basically means that it is designed to look good however narrow or wide your screen is, and that the transition is smooth and elegent.

If you are planning a new website, or to upgrade your existing site, then you need to make being ‘responsive‘ one of the main requirements.

Shabby Chocolat – the website

Introducing a new website for Hebden Bridge rococo themed chocolate emporium > Shabbychocolat.co.uk. Visit the website to find out more about the chocolate – this is about the site!

A relatively new venture selling local artisan-made, French and Belgian chocolates both through the shop, and by mail order –  Madame Chocolat already uses Facebook, Pinterest and twitter to build the brand and the ambiance.  The aim of the website is to tie all this together and display a basic catalogue for online customers, without committing too much time and money until she can see how the business takes off.  To keep it simple we built the site on WordPress.com using the appropriately named ‘Chateau’ responsive template.  We added the domain name and linked it to a free Google apps account to add email addresses.  We looked at adding order forms and Paypal links, but for the moment decided to keep it really simple, and take orders over the phone or by email.  The catalogue  pages are WordPress galleries, making it easy to swap out the photos as new chocolates are added to the range.  The shopping cart can wait until Madame Chocolat goes global!

Like chocolate and live near Hebden Bridge? > then keep an eye on Shabby Chocolat, as they’ve got a few exciting plans for the summer!

Homage to Dropbox

Reading this useful update on cloud storage services on the Guardian website this week reminded me just how *convenient* Dropbox is. Just having that little folder on the desktop of all the computers I use regularly – as well as floating around on the internet – makes it really easy to find files whatever machine I happen to be using.  Just drag the file you’ve been working on into that folder, and it updates  all your dropboxes instantly.  It’s easier than the uploading/downloading fandango with Google Docs or my own webspace, and it’s easier than searching through a pocket full of usb flash drives because I’ve forgotten which one I put it on.  I (theoretically) like the fact you only get 2GB because it stops me hoarding.  I like the fact it’s so easy to link a file and send it to somebody.  I like the hand drawn illustrations.  I just like it!

Pinterest can be a useful tool – how people are using it

Pinterest has suddenly started growing (must be the rain).  For a while, I’ve used other people’s boards as a resource for my graphic design course, particularly this one > Kathy Kavan Graphic Finds.  Chatting to one of my clients yesterday about how she uses it, reminded me what a useful tool it can be, particularly if you’re a small business that makes and sells things.  Shop window, scene setter, catalogue, mood boards for individual clients, project management tool – this is how Denise uses her boards > Country Cousins Lifestyle.  And for organisations there’s potential too, see this article by Nell Edgington who works for Social Velocity > Why I love Pinterest and non-profits should too.  So maybe you can do something with it, particularly if you have a lot of posters and leaflets to display, and work with other organisations that do too?

New website for Paul Cowham

Paul has just set up his own accountancy business and this is his new website: Paul Cowham Accountancy. Previously a director with Slade & Cooper, he specialises in charity and social enterprise accounting, and works both from home and the Green Fish Resource Centre in Manchester City Centre.  Get in touch with Paul via his website here. It is a straightforward WordPress  website, which can easily grow and develop along with his business.