Outdated Blogging Resources and Advice

by | Building a Blog

Starting Your Blog

In updating my Blog Resource Page, all the information written moved here. It is still current and helpful, but things I recommend and why need revision. This post has more explanation of the why and wherefore for using certain choices than I think is best for a no-frills resource list.

If you are new to blogging, sort through the following advice for timesavers and tips.

Free Themes

I recommend the default WordPress themes to start out with, unless you are sure you know what you want. There are free child themes available for them. Between the choices that all have the name “Twentysomething” (series starting with ten, you should be able to find a theme that suits your blogging needs.

History of the default themes

The Swift theme was one that I used on this site for awhile and  warmed up to it.

Update I had to change the Swift theme to the PageLines since the hackers kept getting into the Swift theme, which shows that security is a big deal in choosing a theme.

I have always liked the typography of PageLines, though I did miss the bright colors of Swift. Plus, I don’t think there should be a free theme that only gets updated to work well, forcing you to buy the premium version. That is something to watch out for, although it is much less likely to happen now. Not a problem with the bigger theme developers who have a reputation to stake.

I did a test-drive of the default free themes on this site before deciding to use Divi.

 

Paid Themes

I use Elegant themes (Divi) in my garden sites, and one of the earlier ones on TrueGrit, a religion blog.

I switched from experimenting with their new themes to using mainly their pride production: the Divi theme.
It has pros and cons. Although as time goes on the improvements are wiping out the negative opinions.

Pros

Divi is highly customizable and can do about anything you want it to.

It is responsive (extremely important, now).

Easy to work with.

Cons

The main thing I don’t like is one of the things I also do like: the pagebuilder.

The pagebuilder uses shortcode components that helps you build a page the way you want it. Making landing pages, etc is simple. But if you change from the Divi to another theme like the WordPress default, all the pages which you built show only the shortcode blocks .

This is highly inconvenient, to be locked into one theme.

Solution?

A plugin that helps to sort out the shortcodes coding on the site, or changes made by the ET developers to make all of the shortcode reside within a plugin that remains no matter what theme is chosen.

 

Looking For A Theme

  • Find features you need.
  • Pleasing layout and typography for readability.
  • Responsiveness now tops the list of needed features.
  • Support might be important for you, and regular updating certainly will be.

Now Using Fourteen Sixteen Theme

 

Further Update: WordPress made the good looking magazine theme for 2014 and I switched to it. I am very happy with so many of its features that I imagine staying with it for quite awhile.

Further, Further Update: I kept updating until the twentysixteen theme. It doesn’t have the customizing plugins, nor is it easy to change the look. I love it for its functionality, though.

It is a good beginning theme. However I will say that for a complex site like my Garden site, the Divi pro theme from Elegant Themes is better suited to what I ask from WordPress.

  1. It supports a large number of post formats
  2. Good looking with cool feature image looks
  3. Showcases content well
  4. Safe and well updated
  5. Plugins made to provide extended control

Plugins

  • Color plugin for the fourteen theme
  • Fourteen extended plugin for the fourteen theme
  • Editorial Calendar is truly useful for anyone. I just started using one for my garden site and wished I had discovered it years ago.
  • SEO is super important and I like Yoast’s plugin the best.
  • There are several good social sharing helps, right now I use Shareaholic, which includes related posts I used YARPP for years, and that worked well, too -especially with new improvements it has now.
  • Akismet to deal with Spam. Bruteprotect to deter hackers. These are in the Jetpack. Yes, I use it.

There is controversy about the Jetpack, but I used enough of its features to make it worthwhile. It disturbs me to know that some feel it bloats and greatly increases loadtime for the site.

I switched back to YARPP after Shareaholic made changes that I really didn’t like. I no longer recommend it and deleted the plugin from all my sites.

I wrote about some of my favorite plugins, here.

Disclosure: I use affiliate links for some of the resources. This in no way influences the opinions I post. Everything written is transparent and based on my experience.

Blogging Resources and Advice

by | Building a Blog

Starting Your Blog

I am updating my Blog Resource Page, all the outdated information previously written moved here. So much has changed and is now so radically different that this post has to be completely re-written. If you are new to blogging, sort through the following advice for timesavers and tips.

Free Themes

I still recommend the default WordPress themes to start out with, unless you are sure you know what you want. The format that the present form of WordPress uses utilizes blocks. Use this and familiarize yourself with it since it will save you lots of hassle. I am still not used to it, and have a “classic” plugin to help me write posts with the editor I am most familiar with- but if you get used to the block system that is much better.

The Themes that come Automatically

Choices all have the name “Twenty[something]” (series starting with twenty, you should be able to find a theme that suits your blogging needs. History of the default themes I used all sorts of themes until settling onto the Divi from Elegant themes. I had fits and starts with many of the themes-  I would recommend finding the one you like and sticking with it. I did a test-drive of the default free themes on this site before deciding to use Divi. It is a very powerful theme and probably more than most people need for their sites.  I also used Genesis. It is not updated as often.  

Paid Themes

Most paid themes have a base engine theme with childthemes to give the look and elements you desire. Elegant Themes has reduced its efforts to two main themes, but Divi is the main one, and its newest form Divi 5 is very different than the older forms.

Pros

Divi is highly customizable and can do about anything you want it to. Easy to work with.

Cons

The main thing I don’t like is one of the things I also do like: the pagebuilder. The pagebuilder moved away from shortcode components. It now uses a block system as far as I can explain it, and you really need to learn how to navigate around all the customizations. Because it is so popular there are many resources to help you with this theme. There is a very helpful blog to train in all the features as well as give some freebies. You are still locked into this theme if you use it.  

Looking For A Theme

  • Find features you need.
  • Pleasing layout and typography for readability.
  • Speed now tops the list of needed features.
  • Support might be important for you, and regular updating certainly will be.
 

What About Plugins?

  1. These provide features for simpler themes,
  2. They can be ways to speed up the site but condensing your images and other optimizations.
  3. Don’t overload with plugins, try to find just the ones you need.

Plugins I Need

  • I like Yoast’s plugin for SEO and readability analysis.
  • Elegant themes has Monarch, I like those within the Yoast plugin. Simple Social Plugins is good.
  • Akismet to deal with Spam. Protections included in the Jetpack plugin. Yes, I sometimes use it. It has a lot of bloat. I no longer use it on this site, only the Akismet.
There is controversy about the Jetpack, but I used enough of its features to make it worthwhile. It disturbs me to know that it can greatly increase loadtime for the site. I used YARPP (Yet Another Related Posts Plugin) but it is not longer used in WP sites. That’s okay, there are built-in related posts in the theme now. I wrote about some of my favorite plugins, here.

Hosting Your Site

This is a hard decision, much more difficult than it should be. I will write more in this space. but for now… I have chosen Siteground for probably the past ten years. Ever since I left Netfirms, however long ago that was! Disclosure: I use affiliate links for some of the resources. This in no way influences the opinions I post. Everything written is transparent and based on my experience.

Trying To Do The One Thing That Leads To Better Blog Success

by | Building a Blog

Write

That is the one regret for my blogging in the past ten years. I should have developed the habit of writing … more … longer posts… greater frequency.

I am convinced that today’s blogosphere requires a regular writing schedule. And the more we write the better we become. The only caveat is that when we speed up our output, our writing will deteriorate.

So, a balance of well-written articles that are posted with regular frequency is key to growing a blog.

My main advice on posting frequency is to be consistent and keep the quality of your posts as high as possible.Problogger Darren Rowse

See, Darren said it long before I realized, the hard way, how important this is to blogging.

Will It Translate To Dollars?

source: Ilona Erwin

I don’t believe it will translate to very much of an increase of income on its own, no.

Growing a business online is a changing proposition, and I don’t claim to be an expert on what creates success in earning an income from a blog.  Just reporting on what I and others are experiencing.

I will say that even very successful bloggers are struggling with blogs alone. It is becoming harder.

Factors in the changes:

  • Google has changed what it demands for good search engine placement and ranking
  • Readers are more sophisticated in what they do and what they desire.
  • Competition has gone through the roof! There is an explosion of blogs in every conceivable subject.

Hard Work Is Key

This has always been true in every endeavor, especially when competition picks up, the way it has on the web.

Observations And Advice Out There

More traffic, more clicks but each click was worth less. Hey Google, I held up my end of the bargain – made my websites better. You screwed up yours. Work harder, work smarter, still make less money.Doug Green

A garden writer I like and who has been thriving in the past with his blogging and writing has revealed some of his present disappointment and struggle with trying to make an online business and living income.

What are some observations?

  • Google adsense income is a small fraction of what it was… sometimes only pennies, literally. I have noticed this in my own sites. but not just Google, other sources of ad income are also smaller and more difficult to earn.
  • It is hard to capture peoples interest and loyalty. a lot of work on social media is a necessity.
  • Peripheral efforts are a must: a newsletter, at the most basic, podcasts, youtube video, e-books. These are all part of the package. Each having its own learning curve and work to produce.

Don’t Get Discouraged

This is meant to give a realistic view, not to discourage anyone.

There are lots of varying factors, including the niche you choose to write within, your ability to catch opportunity and see trends (or fall into them!), and many others.

But if you are going to blog, commit yourself to writing frequently and as well as possible.

I do have to say that I have always put real life first, and that meant blogging had to take a back seat. I also spent lots of time learning things, and not always “producing”.

The lesson there? Do what is best in your own life, and don’t apologize for it or waste time regretting the trade-offs.

There are lots of gains that aren’t quantified by dollars and cents in these blogging efforts of ours.

Keep at it. Keep improving and make your mark on the world- your own way.

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