Here’s that email explaining WordPress conversion:

Your website was made at a different time time in web history, when it was customary to create a website and then consider that task ‘done.’

Meanwhile, discussion, information and news about the work of the organization continued to be created in the offline community, perhaps on a daily basis, but this information was not visible to an online community because it resided mostly on paper and then later, in emails and online via 3rd party sources. The organization website would not reflect these discussions.

Now these discussions are also held on social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, etc.

For an organization to maintain control, they need to have a website that can serve as the official center of their message at all times.

A website needs to stay flexible, current and connected.

The content – the words and images – need to stay separate from the presentation, the structure of the site.

On your current site, knowledge of html is required to make the smallest change or addition. The pages mix content and presentation in their static code, and changes can only be done by editing each page by hand. This means that adding another page to the site would require the image link for the new page to be added to the menu sections for each page manually.

Almost all current websites no longer use this method, but instead are database driven, using a website software that allows a one-time change to propagate across an entire site.

Website software choice is generally divided between proprietary (licensed paid) and open source (license free) choices.

There are many choices for proprietary website softwares. One problem with this approach is that the site will be completely dependent on a small group of developers for new features and support. This tends to drive up ongoing costs.

If the site is also hosted by the developers, this can place further restrictions on flexibility. In some cases, the proprietary route makes sense because the unique needs of the business require it, and the software is focused on that aspect, for example, a wholesale business site.

I work in many proprietary website softwares, but recommend and specialize in using WordPress open source software as the basis for almost all of the informational sites I build.

The basic functions of this license-free software continue to evolve. A world-wide community of developers contribute improvements to the core software on an almost daily basis. It is one of the most popular softwares in the world.

With the addition of add-on free and premium plugins, it is possible to replicate the kinds of functions found on high budget/high traffic sites using WordPress. In fact, some of these sites are using WordPress.

A feature such as donation capability can be relatively easy to add to a WordPress site, and if a new and better service or integration comes along for this function, it is also relatively easy to upgrade.

For your project we would be looking at a conversion of the existing page content, or your updated content, into the new WordPress version of the site.

Accessible via the famously easy to use Dashboard, you would have the ability to edit or add to this material in-house or continue to use my services as a webmaster.

Some of my clients update their sites daily on their own, only needing my help when they would like a new feature or strategy for their promotion efforts.

The existing site presentation graphics can be replicated as a WordPress Theme (a collection of files that controls the position and display of information on the site) or we can engage in a new Theme design process.

I have worked with outside graphic designers to realize WordPress Themes and on other projects I have been both the site and custom Theme developer.

The cost for a WordPress conversion is generally divided between setup of the site structure and function and Theme creation. I can provide prices when I have a clear understanding of your requirements for both.

This scenario allows you to have an attractive and useful web presence, while saving costs by using in house staff to make changes to the site.

I hope this overview helps to understand the process. Please let me know if you require more information.

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BITS & BYTES: U.S. premiere at PS21; Daniel Adam Maltz at Ventfort Hall; Tipsy Carol at The Foundry; Clark Art free admission; Fourth of July Pizza party at Gedney Farm; PCTV and WTBR-FM Pittsfield 4th of July Parade coverage https://theberkshireedge.com/bits-daniel-adam-maltz-at-ventfort-hall-tipsy-carol-at-the-foundry-clark-art-free-admission-fourth-of-july-pizza-party-at-gedney-farm-pctv-and-wtbr-fm-pittsfield-4t/

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We are focusing totally on Classic Editor here because it’s a classic!

First step is to always be logged in or log into your WordPress Dashboard. It’s amazing how many how-to videos I’ve come across that don’t start with this essential step. How many people have made a Post without being logged-in?

You’ll need to go to your Dashboard web address which is usually something like
https://mywonderfulsite.com/wp-admin

There you enter your Username and Password. If you are a Tom Stier customer, you will have received these important items by email. If your Firefox or Chrome browser asks if you want the browser to remember these credentials, go for it! Anything that shaves time off of creating those Posts is a huge plus.

You will eventually see a screen that looks very much like the screen at the 18 second mark in the video below. Pause the video after that point and continue reading below.

This video miraculously begins with a blank ‘Add New Post’ screen.

People will not see an ‘Add New Post’ screen after logging in. Not until they click on one of the two wonderful add new Post links.

In the WordPress Dashboard there are two places where you can click “Add New” to create a blank ‘Add New Post’ screen. On the left side of the screen, you’ll see a ‘push-pin’ icon and ‘Posts’ with an ‘Add New’ choice. At the top of the window you’ll see a black bar with a “+ New.” Hovering on that link brings up the first choice in a drop-down menu: ‘Post’. Click one of these links to create a blank ‘Add New Post’ screen

If you accidentally click on ‘New Page’ don’t worry about it. Try again on ‘New Post’.

Then, you are on the ‘Add New Post’ screen!

There are  three vertical sections on this screen.

One is the left side menu.

A middle section with two fields – Title and Post Body.

A skinnier section on the right has the very useful ‘Publish’ section, plus additional settings for your Post. If your screen doesn’t look exactly like this, it’s because some genius has tarted-up the site.

The Title and Post Body section

For now, ignore the ‘Add Media’ button. To the right of that button, you’ll see two tabs. ‘Visual’ is the default and it should be slightly lighter than the one that says ‘Text’.

Add a Title. And don’t spend a lot of time worrying over it. You can always change it later. Don’t call your Post “My First Post.” Be original.

Add the Post Body. Most people write the ‘body’ of their Post in a text editor like Microsoft Word.

They ‘Select All’ in their Word doc, select Copy. Then they click the blinking cursor in their WordPress Post Body field and select Paste.

Or, you can do like I do and just start writing in the Post Body field.

Now, scroll back up to the top right of the WordPress screen and click ‘Save Draft’.

See all those little icons at the top of the Post Body field? The ones you’ll  use at first are the Bold, Italic and little ‘chain link’ icon that makes a link.

You always highlight the text first, then click one of these icons to make that text Bold, Italic or a link. Want to find out what the other icons do? Make a test Post and go wild on it.

OK, now we get to the ‘Add Media’ button!

This is where we add images to your WordPress Post. Click your blinking cursor at the beginning of a paragraph in the Post Body field. Click on the the ‘Add Media’ button.

A pop-op screen will give you the options of selecting an image from the Media Library, selecting an image from your computer or dragging an image from your computer desktop into the pop-up screen.

Small images can be left or right justified to paragraphs. Bigger images should be centered between paragraphs. Experiment with the icons you see when clicking on the images. All your choices will show.

This should give you a very good start.

Now, scroll back up to the top of the WordPress screen and click ‘Save Draft’.

Let’s now go over to the skinnier column on the right side of your screen.

Here are the sections (Some genius may have re-ordered these):

Publish – choose ‘Save Draft’ after every few changes, click Publish after you finish your Post. Made a mistake? Need to change something? You can always return to the edit screen and make changes.

Featured Image – skip this until your web-guy tells you you need it.

Categories – these determine placement on the public side of the website. Pick one or two or make a new one. I suppose they are also informative.

Tags – Ugh. Too much work. Skip it.

Format – Leave it alone.

As you become a Posting maven, there’s plenty of time to get into these other aspects of posting.

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Here’s the definition of a virtual telecom. “A virtual network operator (VNO) is an entity that does not own a telecom network infrastructure but provides telecom services by purchasing capacity from telecom carriers.”

In my case I needed to transfer the number from a virtual telecom to a real telecom – ATT.

The phone number was bundled into the plan with our Internet Provider. At the time, this was a great setup. We were able to dump the $65 monthly charge with Verizon for the bundled $12 a month phone plan with the Internet provider.

One drawback was giving up a physical landline for a virtual phone that only worked over the Internet connection, in a rural area that had at least one major power outage a year. That Trimline phone had it’s own power!

The other drawback became apparent when we needed to leave our Internet Provider and take our phone number with us.

This resulted in a protracted process of contacting the previous Internet Provider, who in turn needed to contact the bundled virtual telecom, and then contacting a REAL telecom. We were only able to ‘rescue’ our phone number after the situation was escalated to the highest levels at all 3 companies. This took twenty phone calls.

This virtual scenario also happens in web hosting and domain name registration. Many hosting companies make things easier for customers by allowing them to purchase hosting and a domain name at the same time.

Some hosting companies, such as, say, CartoonHosting (not a real host) are not real domain name registrars. So, in CartoonHosting’s case they farm out your domain name to a real registrar – say, Launchpad – and CartoonHosting becomes your ‘virtual’ registrar.

In this virtual setup, the customer has no direct login to manage their domain name at Launchpad. They need to manage the name in CartoonHosting’s rudimentary domain options panel. I know of one instance where renewing the domain in CartoonHosting’s panel did not actually renew the name at Launchpad. This resulted in downtime for the website the domain was attached to.

Some other hosting companies who act as virtual registrars have no options panel for managing domains. You need to call and spend time on the phone with their virtual support for any change.

A bigger issue becomes apparent when you want to leave your hosting company and take your domain name with you. That process will put you right in the middle of the same three way tug-of-war I described with virtual and real telecoms.

I’m no fan of GoDaddy, but they are a real domain Registrar. They have a good do-it-yourself options panel for changing domain name settings. You just have to avoid all their endless marketing.

If your web hosting company provides virtual domain registration, don’t use it. Keep your domains registered with a real Registrar like GoDaddy.

Remember that Registrars are only required to contact you at an email address you likely used 10 years ago to setup your account.

Remember also that short domain names are very valuable, and Registrars would much rather  make thousands of dollars compared to the $20 or so they make when selling a long, hard to remember domain name.

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Tom, how do I get people to come to my website and see all the cool stuff I’m putting up?

1. Add interesting content to your website as frequently as possible. What separates the champs from the scrappers is frequency. Successful people just produce a heck of a lot more of whatever they are producing. One trick is to realize that a post is not an “article.” A post is 3 or 4 short 2, 3 sentence paragraphs on one topic, plus a nice picture. Spread your other ideas over several posts. I’m actually violating this right now. Darn.

2. Get your name “in the papers.” Do public appearances. Podcasts, video, radio, TV. This requires being an annoying presence to some, but who cares about them. Toot your own horn.

3. Have more popular websites link to your website. I have seen what a mention or link from NYTimes or a major news outlet can do for traffic, and it is awesome. Robbing a bank can get you this notoriety temporarily. But try to think more long-term. Unless you plan to write that great prison novel.

4. Have changing home page content. Something new for visitors and Google to latch onto. Show those latest posts on your home page. Don’t use licensed images without a license. What goes on Wix, stays on Wix.

Credit: Joshua Woroniecki

5. Enable visitors to subscribe to new posts. This is semi-automatic. You write a post, and when you Publish, an email ‘teaser’ is sent to all your subscribers. They need to go to your website to read the whole post. Pro: The post doubles as a post on your website and as an email blast to subscribers. Con: You don’t get the same in-depth reporting about “opens” like you’d get on MailChimp or Constant Contact.

6. Enable visitors to sign up for email blasts. Create and send email blasts as often as you can. Pro: Great for sending well designed emails about events, excellent reports on opens. Con: More work than subscribe to posts.

7. Use an automated posting app for social media – Write once, schedule to appear on multiple social networks. Because some of your audience is on Twitter and some is on Facebook and some is on Instagram. And never the Twain shall Mark my words.

Credit: Matteo Panara

8. Post on social media as often as you can. Use the exact address (URL) to a post on your website. Stick to a schedule. Fall off the treadmill. Get back on the treadmill. You are supposed to interact with other peoples’ social media. But, that is just asking for too much.

9. Determine how many of these tasks you can handle, and stick to a routine. Don’t worry about the other stuff too much.

10. Realize that a one person operation, busy creating the reason for all this promotion, can’t do it all. No “Social Media Guru” can understand what makes your topic unique as well as you can. The website owner needs to take on as many of these tasks as they can, and decide which tasks to entrust to other people. All within a scenario where cost maintains some reasonable balance to benefit.

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