essential components of an engaging blog/magazine wordpress website
DESCRIPTION
Learn the most crucial elements of an engaging blog or magazine website built in WordPress. Covering essential plugins and tactics, writing engaging posts, monetization, organizing content, managing multiple writers and more.TRANSCRIPT
Fort Lauderdale WordPress Development & Consulting
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WordPress ConsultingWordPress Training
Website DevelopmentGraphic Design
Social MediaSEO
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Essential Components of an Engaging
Blog/Magazine WordPress Website
Presented by:
BRETT NAPOLIWordPress Developer & Web Consultant
Founder & CEO of Ambition InsightDean of WebsiteSchool.com
Your business can’t be something to everyone. It needs to be everything to someone.
- Jon Taffer
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Golden Rule of Business:How to Make Money
Anywhere
Solve ProblemsReduce CostsCreate Value
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Golden Rule of Blogging
Post Quality, Unique, Interesting Content
Consistently Over Time
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Today’s Lessons
• 10 Most Important Web Design Tips• What You Need to Get Started• Concept Development Checklist• 14 Key Blogging Practices• Design, Layout & Widget Placement• 12 Key WordPress Plugins• 4 Software Add-Ons• Growing & Increasing Pageviews• Primary & Secondary Revenue Streams• Maximizing Display Ad Revenue
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Background: Brett Napoli
• Founder/CEO of Ambition Insight, a Fort Lauderdale WordPress Development & Consulting Agency started in 2007
• Built 250+ WP sites, worked on 1000+• Created WebsiteSchool.com, a
WordPress Training Videos & Tutorials Website with over 130 Videos
• First WP blog once reached 880,000 Pageviews in 24 hrs
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Blogging Experience
• Primary Blogs include: thatDROP.com, CollegeCures.com• 300MM+ pageviews & 500MM+ ad impressions since
2011
Some of our blog advertisers include:CollegeCures.comSony, Microsoft, Adobe, Vonage, Samsonite, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Chegg.com
thatDROP.comDr. Pepper, Levi’s, Coca Cola, Pepsi Co., Nike, Calvin Klein, McDonalds, Live Nation, Taco Bell, Dockers, the United States Marine Corps, HBO
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10 Most Important Web Design Tips
1. Websites are here to help you.2. Find the primary income source/message and
make it ridiculously obvious3. Simplify everything and focus only on key points4. User experience is paramount5. Websites are built around content6. It’s all in the details7. Photos are not an option8. Flexibility is Essential9. Quality Matters10.The Future
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What You Need to Get Started
• A great, memorable .com domain name• A great idea, solution or purpose• Quality Web Hosting• A Premium WordPress Theme• Premium WordPress Plugins• Simple Design• Responsive/Mobile Friendly• Quality, Unique, Interesting Content• Consistency• Social Presence• Collaboration• Time• Money
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Concept Development Checklist
• Idea• Primary Focus 3 Target Keyword/Objectives• Identify the Market How/Why Are Others Making
Money• Competitors Where Successful / Where to Improve• Differentiation from competition• Future• Potential• Benefits On site vs. Off Site• Timeline Total Investment over 24 Months• 7-12 month incubation period• Revenue Streams/Ideal Exposure
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14 Key Blogging PracticesYour blog/magazine site needs:
1. Focused Categories/Sections2. Clear, concise, informative and captivating post titles
“Tuna Casserole Recipe” vs. “Delicious Tuna Casserole Recipe in 5 Easy Steps”
3. H1, H2 + H3 tags4. Bold text on key points5. Avoid long paragraphs6. Outbound/Inbound links7. Use Photos - Caption & credit properly8. Add rich media – infographics, YouTube videos, lists & questionnaires9. Proofread and view live before posting10. Post thumbnails11. Short/no excerpt (depending on post frequency)12. Schedule posts13. React/Comment/Link to content on other sites14. Use keyword rich permalinks that show blog title
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Layout, Widget & Design Guide
Important Layout/Design Guides2 column layoutKeep logo/header small & simpleBig, easy to read TitlesBright link colorInclude Post DateUse Post ThumbnailsClean + Uncluttered
Suggested Pages/SectionsAdvertiseJoin the TeamBest OfSubmitContactAboutPrivacy Policy
Key sidebar placements
Mailing ListCalendarRecent PostsGraphics Highlighting Key Pages/AreasSearch AreaBrowse by CategoryArchivesTag CloudKeep “lightweight”/limited sidebar
Key footer placementsLogo ThumbnailTaglineFocal Points/Site DescriptionSocial Media LinksLess Important sections (Join the Team, Privacy Policy, Contact)
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12 Key WordPress PluginsUse 5-15 Plugins, as few as possible
1. Members / Roles2. WordPress SEO by
Yoast3. Special Recent
Posts4. MailChimp5. Batcache6. Disqus7. Gravity Forms
8. Pippity or OptInMonster
9. WP PageNavi10. WP Touch Pro11. AddThis12. s2Member
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Great Add Ons
• CloudFlareCaching/Traffic Filtering• YesWare
Email Templates• ManageWP
Manage multiple sites• Tynt
Content attributionWWW.AMBITIONINSIGHT.COM
Grow & Increase Pageviews• Post Multiple Page Posts
<!--nextpage-->Link to next page by linking to article title + page #http://www.yourblog.com/blog-post/2
• Analyze Key Metrics over time w/ Google Analytics– Site Entrances– Traffic Sources– Time on site/page– Popular content/posts/pages– Popular categories– Mobile performance
• Make layout adjustments & troubleshoot regularly (weekly)– Rearrange widgets, menu, plugins
• Order navigation menu by top performing
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Primary Revenue Streams
• Display Advertising – eCPM, CPC, Banner,
Leaderboard, Popunder, Corner Tear, Pushover, High-Impact, Background Takeover
– Lijit (sovrn.com), Google AdSense, AdMedia.com, Advertising.com, Chitika.com, Admedia.com, SpecificMedia.com, Sonobi.com
– Partner with an Ad Network
• Branded Content
• Advertorial & Press Release
• Video Preroll• Reviews & Giveaways• Related Posts
– Content.ad, Gravity.com, Taboola.com, nrelate.com
• Text link units/plugins– Media.net, Disqus.com
• Affiliate Ads & CPA– Amazon Affiliates, CJ.com,
LinkShare.com
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Secondary Revenue Streams
• Mobile Ads• Social Media Posts &
Sponsorship• Email Blasts &
Newsletters, Build a Database
• Google Custom Search (Search Results)
• Message Board or Forum• Directory / Classifieds• Sell Products• Sub-Domain Affiliates
• Job Board• Merchandise
• Membership Site – Access to info product, Resources, Recurring Billing, Per-Page or Per-Post Access
• Music or Digital Delivery Goods – eBooks, Webinars, Interviews
• Lead Generation
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Maximize Display Ad Revenue
• Limit display ads to 2 per page• Use Premium ad agency/network for your vertical• Integrate Video – Video eCPMs ~ 2-3X• Prominently display high impact ads• Place primary ATF ad before any design/layout
components. Just below <head> tags• “Creative Ads” are probably worth more money• Intrinsic value of Freebies and other offerings comes
first• Understand ATF and BTF ad inventory• Be Creative with Advertisers• Use Ads/Sponsorships to Create Value for Brands
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Questions?
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We can help with:
WordPress ConsultingWordPress Training
Website DevelopmentGraphic Design
Social MediaSEO
…and much moreWWW.AMBITIONINSIGHT.COM
Contact Ambition Insight
Brett Napoli203-233-1686
Also visit WebsiteSchool.com
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Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
- Dr. Seuss
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