6 Ways WordPress Makes Websites Faster, Cheaper and Easier

Click the Play button below to listen to the 20 minute teleclass:

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The Slides for the Presentation:

Additional Resources:

- How to Setup Your WordPress Website Checklist (PDF)
- How to Secure Your WordPress Website (PDF)

Answers to Questions from the Live Call and Sign Ups:

Q: Do I need to install anything on my computer to use WordPress?
A: Since WordPress is online software, it’s installed on your hosting space. This means you access it with a website browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox. If you don’t have a browser you’ll need to install one. But if you’re reading this webpage, then you’ve already got a browser. *smile*

Q: Does WordPress work on Macs (or Windows or Linux)?
A: Yes. WordPress is online software. This means you use it by opening a browser window like Firefox or Internet Explorer and then login to a secure area to work on your website. If you have Firefox or Internet Explorer installed, or another compatible browser, it doesn’t matter which type of operating system your computer runs on. I work on both a MacBook and PC running Windows Vista. I edit my sites on both.

Q: I have my own server. Can it run WordPress?
A: Most servers meet the requirements, but here’s where you can find all the nitty gritty details: http://wordpress.org/about/requirements/

Q: How secure is WordPress?
A: For this question, I wrote up the PDF download above. :)

Q: How should someone approach WordPress if they’re technophobic?
A: There are a couple of tips I can recommend if you feel a bit intimidated by technology. First, find a good teacher or coach to help you. This doesn’t have to be a paid coach, it can be a spouse, friend, or even your teenager. To get more comfortable with the internet, start with something enjoyable like emailing family members, researching something you’re interested in on Google, or interacting with friends on a social networking site like Facebook or Twitter. Don’t try to build a website if you haven’t learned how to use your email yet, download a file, or navigate around the internet. You want to start very simple and master one step at a time. I’d recommend a video tutorial series on computer basics, then learning internet basics. Once you’ve got those figured out, you can successfully build a WordPress website. Use the step by step checklist above that links to the video tutorials and follow one step at a time.

Q: How can I get more exposure for my blog or WordPress website?
A: One of my favorite things about WordPress is that it has some great built in promotional tools to help you get your website noticed. Slide 7 in the presentation above (it’s the #5 way) shares some info on these tools. Also check out the article I wrote on how to setup your blog to promote itself here: Easy, Auto-Pilot Ways to Promote Your Blog

Q: Should I combine a website and a blog into one WordPress installation?
A: My opinion would be that it depends. In general, I totally recommend this as it makes everything easier to manage (one login to remember, one place to update, etc). If the blog and website are related it works great. If your blog is on a different topic than your website or directed to a completely different target market, I probably wouldn’t combine them.

Q: Is it possible to use multiple themed templates with WordPress?
A: Yes, but it requires a bit of technical behind the scenes setup. The best way to learn about using multiple templates is here: http://codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layout#Themes_and_Templates and here: http://codex.wordpress.org/Templates