priming your wordpress canvas – essentials for a solid foundation

Priming your WordPress Canvas

Elida Arrizza

WordCamp Montreal 2013

Essentials for a Solid Foundation

slideshare.net/elida-arrizza

Note: The “why” for each topic is not on slides.

who is this for?

“Why didn’t anyone tell me that before?!?Now I have to deal with this ******* problem.”

“I’m really glad I did that a long time ago. Although, I never mastered it – or realized how important it is.”

why?

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/technique/technique_support.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_(Leonardo_da_Vinci)

Vermeer | The MilkmaidDavinci | Last supper | 1970ies

Poorly prepared ground can hinder longevity of a great masterpiece. Meticulous concern for canvas preparing techniques for longevity and optimal surface for crafting artwork.

vs.

why?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montreal_Olympic_Stadium_from_Mont_Royal.JPG http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Aqueduct_Segovia_night_2012_Spain.jpg

vs.

AvoidingCommon Pitfalls

WorkflowStructureExample

PART

APART

B

AvoidingCommon Pitfalls

PART

A

HOSTING SPEED

WEBMASTER STUFF

SETTINGS

BACKUPS SECURITY

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“Future ready” Categories

HOSTING CHOICE1

Pick Your Foundation

• Cost• Features• Customer service• Technical

support

• Value of ‘goods’• Ease of use• Guarantee

General blah blah blahYOU ARE HERE

Detached house

PRIVATE SERVER

Condo/ semi detached

VIRTUAL PRIVATE SERVER (VPS)

Apartment

SHARED HOSTING

TIP: Set your Domain to auto-renew. Don’t unintentionally let it expire. Keep account info up to date.

HOSTING CHOICE1

Other ConsiderationsOptimized server for your WordPress site?

PLATFORM Linux/Apache (not Windows IIS)

Committed to keep up to date with WP?

RELIABILITY & UPTIMELIVE servers status?Do they communicate planned maintenance/downtime?Most online reviews are marketing traps.

PERFORMANCE Are they afraid to reveal the hardware they use?

SCALABILITY If you need “more” in the future, do they offer options/packages for growth?

SERVER LOCATION Can you choose location close to your visitors? (speed)

HOSTING CHOICE1

Good sign server is optimised for

WordPress

WEBMASTER STUFF2

Create a Dedicated Google Account

GOOGLE SERVICES 3RD PARTY EXAMPLES

TIP: If desired name is taken, try website domain.

• WordPress.com (for Automattic plugins)

• Plugin accounts (e.g. WPML)

• Purchased themes accounts

• Google Services• Gmail• Analytics• Webmaster tools• Places• Google+

Hosting/FTP accessDomain registrationWordPress usersGoogle servicesPlugin accountsmySQL databaseetc.

usernames/passwords, email associated with account and login links for:

companyPW-20110421.txt

WEBMASTER STUFF2

Create “Access sheet” Text File

TIP: Google Docs may NOT be the best tool for this.

Webmaster Tools Account

www.google.com/webmasters/tools/

WEBMASTER STUFF2

Lots of benefits• Visibility• Link and query traffic reports• Detailed page reports• Crawls and index info• Sitemaps stuff• Diagnose problems• Tell google how to look at your site• Google will let you know if they are

having problems accessing your site (e.g. malware).

Create account and “verify” it to your WP site

Dear Google,Please take me seriously.Sincerely, newwordpressite.com

XML SitemapsWEBMASTER STUFF2

Create and verify XML Sitemap file to your WP site

Helps search engines crawl your site.

No promises made, but improves site visibility.

A text file that lives in the root folder of your website: example.com/sitemap.xml

Lazy way: Verify using a plugin like “Google-sitemap-generator”

With time your site may be rewarded with mini sitemap

Google Analytics Account

Open an account at google.com/analytics

WEBMASTER STUFF2

Hook up Google Analytics with your WP site

Lazy way: use a plugin like “Google-analytics-for-WordPress” or”Google-Analyticator”

Just connect it NOW. Otherwise you will lose the opportunity to capture the data.

You can learn more later.

Gravatar.com“A Globally Recognized Avatar“Not a plugin and not essential, but a standard thing to do.

http://WordPress.com

Create WordPress.COM AccountWEBMASTER STUFF2

(not .org)

Then hook-up Automattic plugins.

jetpack pluginActivate “Stats” If you want daily overview stats Many other Jetpack goodies

akismet pluginComment Spam filter if you have comments enabled. Get an API key through Akismet.com then apply to plugin settings

This username and password is needed to access Jetpack, Akismet and Gravatar.

CONTENT DATABASE

Option 1: The Manual Way

Google this:“How to download WordPress mySQL database with PHPmyadmin”

BACKUPS3

Via FTP + PHP Admin

Remote hosting FTP website website root/wp-config.php website root/wp-content

Download to Local Computer

3 kb 1 to ~ 10mb

Download to Local Computer

SQL&

!

WARNING: Advanced procedure

WP-DB Manager

Cron jobs (advanced) Hosting add-on service

BACKUPS3

WordPress backup to Dropboxwpb2d.com

Option 2: Use Plugin or Service

FREE PAID

OR

Ensure BOTH content + database are covered

Speed Checking

Pingdom

tools.pingdom.com

YSlow browser extension by Yahoo

developer.yahoo.com/yslow

3 NEED FOR SPEED

If you find your webpage load is dial-up-ish...

The report will give you hints to “optimize”

TIP: It could also be your internet connection. Test it at speedcheck.net

Caching Plugins4 NEED FOR SPEED

vs.WITHOUT WITH CACHING

Can help serve pages faster and reduce server load

Plugin Examples: W3 Total Cache, Super cache, Quick cache, etc

Database Love4 NEED FOR SPEED

Install a DB optimization plugin and schedule

Take out the trash

•Page and Post Revision•Empty/unneeded tables•Comment Spam•Trashed items•Post Meta orphans

What gets purged?

Ensure your Database gets backup before doing this.

Plugin suggestions: Yoast Optimize DB, “Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions”, “WP CleanFix”

Flush unneeded revisions

4 NEED FOR SPEED

Database LoveDeleting number of “saved revisions” can significantly lighten the DB.

You can schedule to Revision deletion (and qty) in many Database optimization plugins.

Many revisions in the database can make it heavy and sluggish.

Toss the revisions!Enable Revision

visibility here

WP dashboard>Categories WP dashboard>Post>EditWP dashboard>Tags

3 WP SETTINGS

Basic TaxonomyCategories + tags

Manage and create Apply to a post

Remember, Pages do not support Categories and Tags (only Posts).

3 WP SETTINGS

Basic TaxonomyCategories + tags

Remember, Pages do not support Categories and Tags (only Posts).

TAGSOne-off instances & specific

CATEGORIESReusable & more general

Example: mechantmangeur.com

Watch&eatFoodRecipesLiving

HOW MANY TO USE?1 category is better nothing.

2 to 10 total per post is a good base.

WP dashboard>Settings>Permalinks

3 WP SETTINGS

PermalinksChange default

OOOoogly URL Default

Prettier URL, Also good for SEO

When you become more advanced

Don’t use “admin” as username

6 SECURITY BASICS

WordPress Admin User DefaultsDon’t use default username (admin) and weak password

Choose a custom username in the one-click-install, because Usernames cannot be changed later.

Passwords can be changedEnsure that it is strong!

WP dashboard>Users

Hosting dashboard> one click install

6 SECURITY BASICS

Hosting AccountChange the password at LEAST once per yearMake it a strong password

Hosting dashboard> account > password

6 SECURITY BASICS

Flawed or outdated Themes+Plugins

Unistall inactive T+PsUnused T+Ps mean more time+storage to backup. So keep your WordPress clean and un-install them.

Use trusted T+PsThemes that releases updates once in a while offer better se-curity. “Premium themes” generally offer updates.

!BEWARE: Free themes, low quality themes and outdated themes leave your site more vunerable to being hacked.

6 SECURITY BASICS

Core updatesWait a few days to a month after update release

TIP: Wait for your important plugins to offer an update for the latest release before updating core.

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6

HOSTING CHOICE NEED FOR SPEED

WEBMASTER STUFF WP SETTINGS

BACKUPS

SECURITY BASICS

Informed decision based on needs and priorities

Speed checking Caching Database optimization

Set permalinks Establish basic taxonomy

WP user/PW Hosting PW Flawed themes and plugins Updates

Create Google Account Create Access sheet Create wordpress.COM account Analytics Webmaster tools + XML Sitemap

Understand Content + Database Manual Backup Plugin or paid service

“Future ready” checklist

OMG

Workflow Structure

PART

B

M&Ms OCD scale

Where are you?

#puppyfail

Admin

WebmasterStuff

Brand Assets

Facebook

Print

Backups

Newsletter

Content

Development

Example StructureDefine your own in advance, and adapt as you go.

OCD/WP Friendly Working Folders

Non-WP “containers” in a WP ecosystem

AssetsContent BackupsDevelopment WebmasterStuff

Admin

Design Brief

Strategy Plan/ Marketing Plan

Audits

Timeline

Content calendar (xls)

Post Visuals

Copydecks

etc.

Moodboards

Mockups

Wireframes

Content

Staging

Logos

Fonts

Page Content

Photos

Avatars

Favicons

Brand Guide

Analytic Reports

Webmaster Access Sheet

Webmaster Tools Stuff

SEO docs

Original Site

wp-content

Database

Keeping working files organized

Analysis and Planning

Design and Development

Maintenance

Design Brief Strategy

AuditsTimeline

Mood BoardsWireframes

ContentStaging

New ContentUpdates

UpgradesMonitoring

Phases1 2 3

Questions?

BACKGROUNDS by SubtlePatterns.comFONTS by Type Together, Bree and Bree serif

Thanks for listening! slideshare.net/elida-arrizzaelida@elida.ca