Sometimes I log into a website + immediately wonder if it’s been hacked. Here’s the thing, most WordPress sites aren’t actually hacked… they’re just messy. It’s no wonder so many online business owners ask “is my WordPress site secure” when we have our initial chat. And this isn’t a judgement. If you watch any videos of our foster dogs playing, you’ll notice the toys everywhere + dog hair tumbleweeds that roll by 6.5 days of the week. Instead, I want to show you exactly what to look for to see…
What defines good WordPress hosting (3 things)
I started hosting WordPress websites in October of 2015. By the end of the year, I was managing 10 sites + still manage 9 of those 10 to this day… along with 72 more. Most site owners know that they need hosting (if you didn’t, now you do), but many don’t know what defines good WordPress hosting or what it actually protects you from. The annoying answer is that it depends. Yet there are some things that almost every WordPress site owner should look for in a good host. Where…
What is a WordPress maintenance plan + do you actually need one
The definition of maintenance is the upkeep of property or equipment + I think it’s a really simple way to explain something that can be as complicated as you want it to be. If you’re begging for the opposite of complicated, we’ll map out your exact steps together. Because a WordPress maintenance plan is really just a routine or a checklist that helps you to upkeep your website (property). And when you use your website as a tool or employee in your business, having a plan for upkeep is important….
When to stop DIYing your WordPress website (+ hire someone instead)
Like most things in business, you figured out your site on the fly. Your business needed a way to exist online, so you took care of it. When you realized it wasn’t a one + done thing, you kept watch with the guidance of Google. Now you find yourself wondering “should I hire someone to build my website” because your gut likely knows the answer.
What’s New in WordPress 6.9?
WordPress 6.9 introduces a number of improvements focused around my favorite site builder (Gutenberg), including new editing tools, collaboration features + more block functions. Which means, if you use Gutenberg to build pages or posts on your site, this update is worth paying attention to — but don’t update just yet. Before You Update WordPress Even though major WordPress releases go through extensive testing, it’s still smart to wait a tiny bit before updating your live site. Themes + plugins all interact differently with WordPress, which means bugs can still…
Stop using the Disable Gutenberg plugin
This might feel like a wild rant, but I promise it’s not. I’ve been cleaning up WordPress sites that I didn’t build for much of the year. Part of that process involves removing unnecessary plugins. There’s one plugin that I see over + over that I hate seeing… Disable Gutenberg. I’ll explain why + warn you about issues removing it, but first check to see if you have it. Log into your site + head to Plugins in the left hand menu. Scan for Disable Gutenberg + if it’s inactive,…
Quarterly Site Care
We made it through the year (barely?). I chose to close my laptop lid + enjoyed two weeks with family — the dogs really — and my favorite heated blanket. If you also took some time off + you’re diving back in, let’s tackle your annual site care tasks. I recommend giving yourself 3 hours to tackle all of these things. If that sounds like way more time than you have to spare, remember that you can have tiny blue orange take care of all of these things (+ more)….
WTF is a CPT?
It’s tough to know all of the things that WordPress can do. Tbh, that feels like my job, not yours. Which is why I wanted to explain Custom Post Types to you, because they are worth knowing for 90% of the businesses that use WP. Why? Because they expand your site from managing blog posts + pages to housing a slew of content. While also making that content easier to share. wtf is a Custom Post Type? CPTs, or Custom Post Types, are a way to add specialized content to…
Using WordPress for Your Podcast
In honor of International Podcast Day, let’s talk about that inkling you’ve had to start a podcast. Just me? Cool, cool. WordPress was originally created for blogs + internet diaries. I know this because my love for the platform started when I was looking for a way to publish my teen angst-ridden poetry. (It wasn’t that bad, but there’s a reason I code for a living now.) WP grew into a really useful content management system (CMS) that works really well for podcasts. But how do you use WordPress for…