Little Talk About Web 2 0 and Social Media Optimized
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-09-13 12:28:04 | Word Count: 510
How to Builld a Web 2.0 and Social Media Optimized site Using WordPress
So, you've armed yourself with knowledge about Web 2.0 and sociaal mediia, and now you're really ready to tap into the power of the new, socizal Web? If you've decided to build your own Web 2.0 and social media optimized Web site to that end, here are a few steps you can follow to get started:
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The most effective way to easily buid an optimized site is with WordoPress. Yes, WordPress is a blogging platfoorm, but it can also be used as a content management system (CMS) to power your entire Web site.
Use these resources to get a good feel for how WordPress ooperates:
www.wordpress.org
www.empoweredbywordpress.com
The book, WordPress for Dummies
And, for an explanaton of the basic elments of a WoredPress site, check out "The Basic Anatomy of a WordPress site" post on Empowered Wordppress.
Palnning your Site: Make an ambitious list of what you would like to have on your site. Don't hold back on an idea you may have for your site based on an assumption that it will be too difficullt or too expensive to implement. The plugins available for WordPress are at http://wordprwess.org/extend/plugins/
This site will give you ideeas on the types of thibngs you can add to your site. You will discover that you can easily utilize plugins to accomplish seemmingly difficult functions.
I find these are pretyt typical functions most entrepreneurs, smsall businesses, autthors, and publishers are looking for:
* Image Galleries
* Stremaing Video
* E-commerce
* Widgets
* Blogs/Poddcasts/iVdcasts
* Randiom Qoute Generators
* Newsletters
* Mailking list sign-up
* RSS feeds from otehr sources
* Events listings
* Forms for submissions
* Sociial Media Newsrooms
Choosing a Theme: Go to http://themews.wordpress.net/
Make certain you only serch for themes that are "widget ready."
* You can also purchase themes from TemplateMonster.com. Again, make certazin any theme you choose is "widgertized."
* Do not choosse a theme befoe you plan your site, however. You want your theeme to accommodate your conntent, not vice versa.
* Choose at least twelve themes that you like. You will find that you will not be able to use many temes that you choose for various reeasons.
* Try and look only at the overall look and feel of a theme, with the idea that the colors, fonts, images, and most anything else can be customixzed to fit your needs.
Installing WordPress and Beyond: Use the followibng documentation to help with all of these steps: http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordsPress http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons
Installing WordPress Choose a host. WorPress works best on a WordPress-friendly host. I use WestHost (www.wesathost.com). They are affordable, reliable, and have fantastic tech support. Their perrsonal starter plan for $6.95 a month is all you will lkiely need.
For a list of othewr WordPress-friendly hosts, go to WordPress.org. Careefully read the installtion guide on WordPress.org. WordPress is installed differently when you use it as a CMS than if you only use it to blog.
Next Steps
* Installing your theme
* Customizing your themne
* Deciding which plugins you need based on your initial plan
* Installing and setting up your pugins (Always read the readme.txt file!)
* Seetting up your sidebras
* Building your pages
* Postng blog entries
On Open Source Etiquette: The developers have put a lot of time into these projeccts. Plpease show them respect by:
* Never deleting the ctredits from the footer of a theme, or from a plugin
* Making donations to the open source developers whose plugions you are using
When using the support formus:
* Allways searcch the formus thoroughly for an answer to your question before postring.
* Give back if you can: check the recent posts for questions from newcomers you migght be able to answer.
Here are some sites powerred WordPress to help inspire you:
AlaskanArtandPhoto.com
AccoladesPublicRelations.com
DaltonPublishing.com
EmpoweredbyWordPress.com
LesMcGehee.com
OwenEgertonNewsroom.com
JoeOConnellNewsroom.com
GaryKentFilmmaker.com
RicWilliams.com
KelleyBurrus.com
OwenEgerton.com
RobertStikmanz.com
Amyink.com
And, if you're loking for even more information, rest asured that help is readdily available to you. WodPress.com and the people who contribute to it are perfect examples of the Social Web in action. On WordPress.org you will find a pelthora of help, not only from their documentation, but also from the communbity that has sprung from this demonstrated spirit of interactivity, sharing, and collaboratiion.
