Monthly Archives: April 2011

WordPress for Small Business Websites

Topic: WordPress for website content management

wordpress-for-websites

Podcast Episode #76 of the internet show about small business marketing


One of the biggest headaches for small businesses is their website. When you add the cost of building a website, to the cost and time of maintaining that site, plus the pressure of keeping that website current… Well, maybe that pain is actually in the lower half of your body. Enter WordPress, the free content management software for websites. WordPress allows the entrepreneur to take control of their website and update and refresh the site at a moment’s notice. Depending on the technical savvy of the business owner, maybe even build the website themself.

In this episode of the Power to the Small Business podcast, WordPress coach Bob Dunn joins us from South Puget Sound, Washington to discuss how small business owners can use WordPress to effectively and efficiently manage their own website. Bob will answer several questions, including:

  • What is a content management system?
  • Can anyone put up their own website?
  • Why should WordPress be the choice?
  • How much should it cost?
  • What are the basics of getting a website up?
  • Should you use premium themes or not?

Guests: Bob Dunn – WordPress Coach and Trainer at BobWP.com
Host: Jay EhretTheMarketingSpot.com
Length: 31 minutes


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SHOW NOTES

What is a website content management system?

A content management system is user friendly software that allows the small business owner instantly and directly manage and update their own website. The most popular website CMS are WordPress, Drupal and Joomla.

The Difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?

WordPress.com is a free, hosted blogging platform in which the user does not own the site.
WordPress.org is free software that businesses may use as a content management system on a self-hosted website.

The Steps to Building a WordPress Website

STEP 1: Open up a free sandbox account at WordPress.com to get comfortable with the software.

STEP 2: Register a domain name for your website (if you don’t already have one).

STEP 3: Open a hosting account (we recommend BlueHost or HostGator)

Step 4: Install WordPress on your site. BlueHost and HostGator have an auto-install feature.

Step 5: Find and install a theme that works for you.

Top 5 WordPress Plugins for Small Business websites (premium or free)

  1. Akismet – For catching spam comments
  2. Google XML sitemap – Helps search engines see all of your website content.
  3. All in one SEO – Makes your website content more search-engine friendly.
  4. WPDB Backup or Backup Buddy (premium)- Backs up the data base of your website.
  5. Gravity Forms (premium) – Simplifies contact and other form creation for your website.

Two Bonus Social Sharing Plugins

  1. Digg Digg
  2. Sociable for wp 3.0

Show Links

Bob Dunn’s Website – BobWP.com
Bob Dunn on Twitter – @bobWP
Bob Dunn on Facebook – Savvy WordPress