So, let’s say that you threw tags onto your posts and–over a dozen posts later–realized that the tag would look better as ‘Portsmouth NH’ not ‘portsmouth nh’.

You could try to change the tag on each post.

Chances are, WordPress would ‘correct’ it to the original, lower-case version.

Or, you can download a useful plugin, Advanced Tag Entry. When you manage any entry, you can scroll down to the Advanced Tag Entry panel, and correct the tag in the section called Create New Tag or Edit Existing Tag.

Bingo, the tag is fixed in all entries that used the older version.  Or, it should be. (I’ve just started using this plugin, so I can’t yet say if it’s totally glitch-free.)

Anyway, this is saving me hours of re-tagging.  Life is good! 

And, since WordPress was created as blogging software, it organizes sites by date, or by date within a category. It wasn’t planned as a content management system (CMS).

The problem is, date order and simple categories are not intuitive for a first-time site visitor, when dates aren’t really relevant. Not when a site is huge, anyway. And, with sub-categories, the sidebar can expand to a ridiculous height.

So, here’s what I’m working with, until someone comes up with a better way to use WordPress as a CMS. All of these are plugins and generate content and site updates automatically.

- A folding navigation system

- A tags list

- A popularity list

- A search form (already in the template)

- A sitemap

All of these are available, free. Generally, I find them through WordPress’s own Plugins lists. Some need minor PHP or CSS tweaking. Some don’t function completely with Branford Magazine (and probably not with Mimbo); that’s okay, they work well enough.

I am learning as I redesign my larger sites. The smaller ones have been easy, but the larger ones–and planning for sites (such as this one) that may expand, big time–is still a learning experience for me. I’m sharing the most important notes with you, so nobody’s reinventing the wheel.

It will get easier.

Since so many of us are using WordPress as a CMS, I’m confident that better plugins will evolve over the upcoming months. And, with WordPress 2.5 scheduled for release soon (March 2008), some plugin developers may be waiting for that.

April 2008 update: I upgraded this site and a couple of others to WordPress 2.5 and I’m not happy about that. Many of the plugins don’t work well, yet.  I know that the plugins will be upgraded as time permits, but — until then — I can’t recommend WordPress 2.5.

For me, using ‘plain vanilla’ Branford Magazine isn’t an option.  Plugins are essential to my design!  So… take my advice and don’t install WordPress 2.5 unless you check the plugins first (and the WordPress Forums for wails) to be sure that everything will play well together.

One of my websites is on another server. And, like most good hosting services, they automatically installed WordPress when I asked them to. It was a fairly recent version of WordPress, so I didn’t update it before installing the Bradford Magazine theme myself.

Big mistake. My Categories didn’t work correctly. Four hours later, I ended up uninstalling WordPress. Then, I had my server reinstall it, and then totally overwrote everything (from the standard WordPress upgrade files) except the config.php file. Yes, I even overwrote everything in wp-content.

After that, I installed the Bradford Magazine theme. Then, step-by-step, I added the tweaks that I’d made in the original template. (I general change sidebar.php, index.php, header.php, style.css and ui.tabs.php. I also create my own header graphic, and sometimes a page background graphic as well*.)

Finally, I changed the Permalinks and header.php, as recommended in WordPress Search Engine Optimization. And, after every step–even tiny ones–I double-checked my site to be sure that everything was still working okay.

If you have a Categories problem after installing your theme, don’t spend four hours trying to fix it, as I did. If it doesn’t resolve with a few simple tweaks, rebuild from scratch.

While I’m talking about WordPress, here are a couple of other tips: If you change the Permalink to the recommended Custom link, your new .htaccess file goes in the WordPress root-level folder.

If you’ve never written an .htaccess file and there is none in your WordPress root folder, create a blank document. In it, paste the code provided on the WordPress page where you made the Permalink change. Upload that to your WordPress root; generally, you’ll call the created file .htaccess.html and then, after upload, rename it to .htaccess (If this sounds like a totally foreign language, do not change the Permalink, unless you can get someone else to handle the .htaccess issue for you.)

I am getting better at this process, and feel more confident recommending both WordPress and the magazine-style themes. Remember, I knew HTML and some (very limited) CSS before this, but I had zero PHP experience.

It’s taken a lot of trial-and-error to get this figured out, but… well, if I can do it, most people probably can. Then again, that’s why I wrote Sites that Soar, so no one has to reinvent the wheel.

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* Yes, you can apply a background image and overlay a header (branding) graphic as well. That’s in the CSS. Just get the repeats right, or it’ll look funky.

This morning, I stumbled onto a blog post in which Robert Plank shares some very good tips for customizing WordPress so that it’s more friendly for search engines. (And, after all, if nobody can find you at Google, Yahoo, etc., you’re missing a lot of potential visitors.)

So, go check out this post: WordPress Search Engine Optimization

Note: If you change your file names as he suggests, remember that you’ll also need to change the HTML for any links to them, if you’ve mentioned them elsewhere.

(Like Mr. Plank, I’m also using the All-in-One SEO Pack plugin now, as well.)

And, while I’m talking about this, here’s another WordPress tip if you didn’t figure it out yourself.  (This pertains to many WordPress themes, but especially Mimbo and Branford Magazine, linked at the foot of this page.)

When you’re making a post and you need to include graphics for the homepage (if it’ll automatically show up there), it’s easy to get the code for images that you use repeatedly. (For this post, I wanted to use the little desktop icon thingie again.)

There are at least two ways to do this. One is to keep a list of the URLs in a Notepad (or other text file) that you keep open on your desktop. Cut and paste the relevant code into your Custom Fields values section, and you’re all set.

Or, if the image is already in your WordPress files:

1. In WordPress 2.3, go to the Upload section of your Post panel.  (In WordPress 2.5, click on the Add Media icon that looks like a dark box inside a white box.  The rest of these directions are for 2.3, but the general idea works in 2.5 as well.)

2. Scroll down to the Upload section and click on “Browse All.”

3. Click on the image that you want to include.

4. When the image opens in that part of the panel, click “Edit” and then place your cursor in the field where the image URL is.

5. Hit the “End” key on your keyboard.

6. Highlight and copy everything after /wp-content/uploads/ in the code.

Example:

The desktop icon image URL is

http://arts-careers.com/success/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/desk75.jpg

The code that I copy is just 2008/03/desk75.jpg

Additional note: I add “75″ to image names of all of my icon-size WordPress images. Then, if I have multiple copies of the same graphic, in different sizes, I’m sure that I’m using the right one. (Also, the 75×75 images tend to be the smallest sizes. The desktop one is 4k.)

7. Paste that into the Custom Fields values section.

The latter sounds a whole lot more complex than it is in real life. I just wanted to make the steps very clear so that you can follow it easily. After you’ve done this once, it’s almost on auto-pilot for the future.

All of this — and a lot more — is in my ebook, Sites that Soar!

Using this as a content management system (aka CMS) makes it possible for me to update my sites in about 1/3 the time that it used to take me.

However, if you’re still learning HTML, I can’t recommend trying to learn the PHP and CSS code necessary to tweak one of these themes.

That said, WordPress is pretty easy, so you could pay someone else to set up the theme, and–with that installed–you can manage the site through WordPress.  (I’ve also written a book to show you how to do this, step by step.  It’s called Sites that Soar!)

As I write this (early March 2008), I’m still tweaking the design and some of the code, so it works for my writing style. But, I think you can see why I’m so enthusiastic about this system for managing websites: it’s easy and largely automated.

Here are the links, if you’re comfortable with code or have a webmaster who can handle this for you:

WordPress: http://wordpress.org/

Branford Magazine

Demo:
http://www.wp-themes.der-prinz.com/magazine/

Download page:
http://www.der-prinz.com/2008/01/20/download-branfordmagazine/

Installation and configuration info (scroll down to it):
http://www.der-prinz.com/2008/01/20/wordpress-magazine-style-theme-branfordmagazine/

Mimbo

Demo & download & some installation info:
http://www.darrenhoyt.com/2007/08/05/wordpress-magazine-theme-released/

Tweaking the template (most of this works for Branford Magazine as well):
http://www.darrenhoyt.com/2007/07/24/in-praise-of-wordpress-template-tags-part-ii-the-magazine-layout/

My own tips (speaking as someone who knows zero PHP and only a little CSS):

1. Use the Mimbo sidebar.php rather than the Branford Magazine one. For some reason, the Mimbo version is more idiot-proof if–like me–you want to modify it.

2. Remember to change the /wp-content/ folder CHMOD to 0777 so that you can import and upload images in your “write post”panel. (The images are uploaded in the “Upload” section.)

CHMOD is usually set via FTP. In FireFTP (a free Firefox utility), I right-click on the folder and select “Properties” to change the CHMOD.

Some people feel that there can be security issues with CHMOD 0777. Many people change back to 0755 after importing the images they’ll need. But, others aren’t concerned about selected use of 0777.

3. In Branford Magazine, here’s the “cheat sheet” to remember which images (and image sizes) go where.

In the Custom Fields section…

leadimage is the large-ish picture in the main story near the top of the page. It can be any size that looks good to you. The demo site shows an image that’s 300 wide x 200 high.

featuredarticleimage is the field for the horizontal images associated with the article excerpts in the left column of the homepage. Each image should be 255 x 88.
rightcolimage is the field for the icon-type images in the right column. Each image should be 75 x 75.

To understand the radio buttons in the Custom Fields section, visit http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Image_and_File_Attachments and scroll down to “Inserting Images.”

Note: In my WordPress panel, the value for the image is everything after the uploads/ section of the image URL. So, for the icon-style image of a desktop, my value is “2008/03/desk75.jpg” (Your values may be different, but this is worth trying if you’re having problems.)

4. The files you’ll probably tweak: The index.php has the info for the left column and right column. The sidebar, at the far right side of the page, is in sidebar.php.

The tabs below the navigation bar are in ui.tabs (The navigation bar is a list of Pages, which you create in “Write Page” in WordPress.)

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Those are my best tips, and I hope that they save you some time.

However–and this is important–I can’t answer questions about PHP, CSS, HTML, WordPress, or using templates.

For almost any question that you have, you can find answers online if you search on the most likely words. Each of the templates have their own FAQ-type pages and forums, and the WordPress site has massive documentation and forums.

Or, you could spend $12 for my book, Sites that Soar!, and save yourself a lot of time and headaches.  I mean, you can figure all of this out yourself, especially if you’re accustomed to WordPress and know enough PHP to get by.  But… why would you, when my book shows you the steps that I took to create this site?

(Okay, there is the $12 price, but I wish I’d had this book when I was setting up this site.  It took me more than 40 hours — a full week — to sort everything out.  Now, I can set up a site in a little over an hour.)

Important: It’s in LiveJournal’s terms of service that you can’t use your LJ membership as a blatant marketing tool outside of your journal itself. Be sure to check this if your primary interest in LiveJounal is PR.

(Related rules can be seen at LiveJournal’s Abuse Policies)

But, as a means of self-expression and networking, LiveJournal may be a great choice for you. Then again, it may be a “time sink” and/or a tabloid.  (LJ’s management changes starting in late 2007 are a separate issue.  For this article, we’ll ignore those.)

For self-expression

It’s one of the largest, most reliable, and easiest-to-use online journaling communities. If you want to post your life amid a sea of others’ journals–either to “hide in plain sight” or connect with like-minded people, LiveJournal is a good choice.

As a networking tool

I’ve been at LiveJournal (aka “LJ”) for since 2000, and I’m a Permanent Member. But, some people join, start a journal, create a few communities, decide that it’s not as much fun as they’d hoped, and they’re gone in a blink. This is fairly routine.

You may want to try it anyway. Add a few people to your Friends list, read their LJs and see how you like LiveJournal as a way of staying connected. You’ll find many familiar faces behind the usernames listed among my Friends list and Eliza Badurina’s.

You also have added controls at LiveJournal. You can filter your posts so that only selected people see them.

You can set an individual entry so that the whole world sees it (“Public”) or so only those who’ve you’ve noted as friends (“Friends-only”) see it. And, in LiveJournal’s “Custom Friends Groups”, you can filter your posts even further.

For those of us who work alone in our studios, LJ can be a great amazing. That’s why some refer to it as a “tabloid.”

It’s okay if you keep a cool head

I’m still at LiveJournal (as aisling), so–obviously–I like what I get from it. I don’t post there as often as I used to, but I stil use LiveJournal as a way to connect with many real-life friends as well as online acquaintances.

But, if you join LiveJournal thinking that it’s all nice, chummy people… Well, it can be a rude discovery the first time you’re the butt of jokes, or discover that something you said wasn’t kept in confidence.

Add a dash of common sense

LJ user Kate Johnson‘s advice is good: Use LiveJournal to talk about your art, the weather, and light personal info.

Use it to keep in touch with friends, and other professionals in this field. Speak from your heart if you like, but don’t bare your soul there.

Avoid sarcasm, and sarcastic humor. Often, people don’t realize that something is supposed to be funny; they’ll take it at face value. The results are often unfortunate.

Never expect to enlighten others by pointing out the error of their ways. It annoys them, and they’ll build it into a flame war to get attention.

I repeat: Don’t think that all 5+ million people at LJ are nice OR chummy, or even who they appear to be.

Use it to connect with people you know offline, and perhaps a few you’ve gotten to know very well online. Have fun with it, but never take it too seriously. And… LJ can be a h-u-g-e time sink! Be sure that the benefits outweigh the liabilities.

Bottom line for business use

Is LiveJournal a good PR tool? It can be. Some artists at LiveJournal get most of their business through their daily or weekly posts there.

With a large enough LiveJournal audience–which takes time to build–you can promote your online shop, your eBay auctions, and offline exhibits and sales, too. I know people who swear by LiveJournal as the best promotion tool.

But, while I have wonderful and loyal friends there–many of whom collect my art–it’s one of many potential PR tools if you aspire to earn a living from your artwork.

To get an idea of your blogging options, use any search engine to find “free blog hosting.” Sites come and go. In 2006, the top sites were Blogger.com, LiveJournal.com, MySpace.com, plus free software sites such as WordPress.com. Since then, the list has expanded to include arts-related sites and more.

Like the annual school essay, “How I spent my summer vacation,” many people write in their blogs describing how they spent their day, or they may share personal opinions as if writing an editorial.

I’ve kept an online diary since the mid-1990s. I was one of the first to do this, long before it was called a blog. (I’m member #44 of Open Pages, started in July 1996.)

I wrote my pages by hand, using HTML, and posted them daily. It was tedious, but I also felt driven to do this during some difficult pre-divorce years.

I talked about my life and about my art. When people asked to see my art, I posted it online, and Aisling.net was launched.

Today, I blog more than ever… via LiveJournal, WordPress, and Blogger, mostly.  (I’m phasing Blogger out, but it’s easy for beginners, which is why I still list it.)

I’ve tried other blogging sites such as MySpace.com, but didn’t like them nearly as well. That said, as of early 2008, a presence at MySpace is almost essential. It’s where many people look first.

As a professional artist, blogging is a way to connect with others–artists, collectors, and friends–as well as general PR.

The “voice” (the way that you write, and “sound” in text) should be uniquely yours. Just as we step up saturation slightly to make photos of our art look more “real” on the monitor, it can be helpful to write bigger, bolder, and more stylized than you would say the same thing in real life.

What’s key is a clean, simple page design, with navigation that makes it easy for the reader to find related (date or topic) posts.

Illustrations enhance the reading experience, when you’re talking about art. Ditto audio effects, if you can add them. (Some blog software limits the kinds of files that you can embed in your blog.)

There are blogging programs (software) that you can install on your site to automate the process as much as possible. These include WordPress (free) and Movable Type.

There are also content management systems (called “CMS”) that can be adapted to blogging. Some are free, like Mimbo, Mambo/Joomla and some PHP products.

Blogger is another option, hosted at their site or at yours. LiveJournal posts can be embedded in your website, too.

Blogging is a huge field and it can be an asset or a time sink, depending upon how you manage your time.
Related articles at this site

Live Journal – pros and cons – An overview.
Embed your Live Journal entries at your website
The perils of Live Journal, My Space, etc. – Keep it professional!

Related links:

Popular blogging websites
• Blogger – Host your blog at their website or theirs. It’s free, and fairly easy. Minor HTML skills are helpful for tweaking the template, but otherwise not necessary.
• LiveJournal – An easy interface makes this a prime choice for many people. The blog is hosted at their website, free of charge. You can also embed your blog in your website automatically. (Paid accounts have more embedding options.)
• My Space – Enormously popular with young adults and some celebrities (and wannabes), MySpace.com is also categorically disliked by people who object to slow-loading pages and visual clutter.

Blogging software

• WordPress – Open-source software to install on your website. Popular with many people, it’s not always easy for beginners to set up and customize.  I use it on this website and others, to make updates easy.
• Movable Type – Not free, but highly respected and widely used for corporate blogs.

Content Management Systems/Software

• Mambo – A very simple, free content management system (CMS). The learning curve may make it impractical for some beginners, and even for some pros.
• Joomla – Evolved from Mambo, and–like Mambo–it’s open source, with a steep learning curve for some.
• Mimbo – Cool, and the basis of my current website.  (I’m using Branford Magazine, which is based on Mimbo and a couple of other templates, but Mimbo seems to be the bulk of it.)
• Open Source CMS – Review and test open source options before installing them. This site offers a wide array of current options for blogging and website management.