Small Business | Forum « WordPress Websites

WordPress Websites (10 posts)

Topic tags: websites, Wordpress

erica insley said
1 year, 5 months ago:
I was wondering if anyone had experience with creating their own wordpress website (not the free version) and could share their good/bad experiences and any tips you may have? I have recently taken a wordpress class and I’m trying to decide if I can create a new site or whether I should have someone set it up and me just manage it…Thoughts / Suggestions?
@einsley | # | Top
Laura Christianson, Blogging Bistro said
1 year, 5 months ago:
@einsley Erica,
The company I own (Blogging Bistro) creates WordPress websites. For some of our clients, we customize a premium WordPress theme (template). For others, we design and program from scratch.
If you are not a graphic designer or programmer, you can create an attractive, professional-looking WordPress site. I started out that way. Then I saved my money and hired people to upgrade my site (it’s still WordPress) once I could afford it.
It was money well spent, and I can’t emphasize that enough. Now, I get comments from people nearly every day about how appealing my site is, and my client base has skyrocketed. I know that’s partly because I present my small business professionally online.
My website portfolio includes several examples of WordPress sites we’ve created. I love WordPress because it’s so versatile. Your site can be as simple or as complex as you want, and you have complete control over all the content — it’s easy to go in and change text, images, etc.
In five years, I haven’t had any “bad” experiences with WordPress that I can think of. All in all, I’ve been very satisfied with the platform.
@laurachristianson | # | Top
Shannon Caldwell said
1 year, 5 months ago:
I setup my website myself on WordPress and I would say it depends on your level of experience and time you have to do it. I started with a template from Elegant Themes and went from there. I started with a pretty basic website and have changed it as I learn about plugins and decide what additional functionality I want. There were a few times I had to restart do to user error.
I had time to learn and wanted to. If you do not have the time or the desire to learn WordPress is greater detail, I would suggest you hire someone.
@caldwellmarcom | # | Top
Mike Wainwright said
1 year, 5 months ago:
@einsley, I am just beginning the wonderful experience (being sarcastic) of trying to develope my website using WP. I started with a free template and am trying to make it custom; not sure this is the right approach but this is how I’m going about it. I have the benefit of having Photoshop to add or manipute text/ pics but have so far found it somewhat difficult to create a page due to the fact I’m on business in Vegas and can only work on it in the evenings while I’m at the hotel…we will see how this looks when I get back home.
@laurachristianson, I jumped over to your site and it is very well done AND professional looking! A couple of the sites in your portfolio caught my eye; I love the look of Davis Bunn’s website, not sure it would work for my site but love the way it looks. Rich’s For The Home was another site I looked at since was more in line with my business. He has a pic of a BBQ on his site from Vermont Castings. Can I ask if he had to get permission from them to use that pic on his website? I would like to put pics of BBQ’s on my website from companies like VC but don’t want to obtain them illegally. What would be the best method for me to get quality pics?
Mike
@mwwazup | # | Top
Lukas Pleva said
1 year, 5 months ago:
All of the websites that I’ve developed and/or worked with have a self-hosted Wordpress backend. Here are some reasons for making it your CMS (Content Management System) of choice:

– Active support community: Whenever I run into an issue, I can almost always get help on the Wordpress forums within a couple of hours.

– Lots of pre-existing themes: There are literally tens of thousands of free and premium themes that you can download and start using right away. Of course, you can develop and deploy your own templates if that’s your cup of tea. Even with very high-end, super eye-catching themes, you won’t usually have to shell out more than $60-$70.

– Wealth of add ons and plugins: seems like there’s a plugin for anything these days, and since Wordpress is open source, you can always hire a developer to put together a custom solution for you. Pretty much all of the plugins that I use (e.g. Custom Sidebars, Yoast SEO, Exclude Links, etc.) are free.

– Easy to get started: on the whole, I found the deployment process very self-intuitive. Here’s a simplified version:

—> Register a domain via a registrar like GoDaddy (just an example, there are other domain registrars)
1. Sign up for a hosting account (I am using JustHost, but I hear good things about HostGator and BlueHost as well)
2. Install Wordpress on your server (you can do this automatically via an app called Fantastico. Allows you to install platforms like Wordpress and phBB forums with a few clicks)
3. Download and install a theme (you can do this within the Wordpress interface; takes a few clicks)
4. Modify your template as necessary (the options are limitless, and pretty much a function of how much CSS and PHP you know)
On the whole, I’ve been very happy with Wordpress and plan to continue to use it for all future sites that I develop. That said, there ARE other frameworks (e.g. Joomla and Drupal), so it’s not like you don’t have a choice
@lukaspleva | # | Top
Christy Kiltz said
1 year, 5 months ago:
@einsley, I’ve been doing web design for 12 years now, but I love being able to look someone in the eye & say “yes, you can”
I wanted to add my voice to the Yes vote that you’ve already gotten.
Most hosting companies offer some kind of “auto install” of Wordpress. GoDaddy has their version & hosting companies like Hostgator have Fantastico as a part of your Control Panel where it doesn’t take any technical expertise to get it installed.
For the look of your website – there are hundreds/thousands of quality themes out there, and you’re safe from people potentially siphoning off information if you go with a professional/premium theme. [Some free themes have additional code inserted by the theme creator that sends them information about your site visitors - if you need it, I can dig up the article that I read on that for the details]
Expanding on the basics of what Wordpress offers is given to you in the Plugins that are there. And, there’s an excellent thread in the Blogging club on people’s favorite plugins.
Learning Wordpress – there are so very many resources out there including many video resources (http://wpacademy.tv/, http://www.wp101.com/ – etc) that you’ll easily find the steps you need depending on your bent towards “geek” or “extreme simple”.
Go for it , beat on it, & as @laurachristianson said, when you grow to the point that you can pay someone to take you to the next level, what you have learned will be invaluable because you’ll know the process & the expected outcome.
@designbykiltz | # | Top
Susan Newman said
1 year, 4 months ago:
Hi Erica,
Lots of great information in the above comments and agree with all.
I have some added details for you.
I have also been designing and building websites for 13 years and have built many custom themes using Wordpress for the CMS. I will add this. Using Wordpress is always going to depend on what type of website you need. If your site is pretty basic, a few pages and blogging area, then fire away. If however your site needs extra things, for example products for sale, or galleries, like a photographer might need, then I would recommend Concrete5 instead of Wordpress.
I wrote an article with lots of video screencast tutorial videos which can help you decide.
Click here
If you want to talk about functionality, just ask me whatever you like, Wordpress is my speciality.
Susan
@sndinc | # | Top
Susan Newman said
1 year, 4 months ago:
PS: Another post with videos will be coming on some of the coolest plugins I have been installing and trying out in Wordpress.

@sndinc | # | Top
erica insley said
1 year, 4 months ago:
Wow thanks to all for the wonderful comments!!
If we already have a web host provider can i still use wordpress and the site i would develop or do you have to use GoDaddy, etc?? @lukaspleva
Love your site!! @laurachristianson
@einsley | # | Top
erica insley said
1 year, 4 months ago:
I have found a site that we like the look of, does anyone have any suggestions on best way to find a WP theme based on that? So far looking threw many themes i have been unsuccessful.
@einsley | # | Top