Tech4Good Denver asked Bethany Siegler (of UniqueThink) to speak to their community of Non-Profit Organizations. The topic was whether to use WordPress for their Content Management System (CMS), to build their websites. These are the slides from the presentation. The include recommendations of must have plugins, themes and hosting. - http://www.t4gdenver.org/ - http://UniqueThink.com

1. Should You Use
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For Your Non-Profit Website?

2. Presented by: Bethany Siegler
at http://www.t4gdenver.org/
!
Slides available at www.UniqueThink.com/t4g
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Let’s Connect:
!
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/uniquethink/
Google+: http://google.com/+Uniquethink
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/UniqueThink
Twitter: http://Twitter.com/uniquethink
LinkedIn: http://www.Linkedin.com/in/uniquethink

3. What is WordPress?
• Originally
– Created for Blogging
– To easy add new posts (content)
!
• Now
– Used to run a complete website
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4. Who Uses WordPress?
• WordPress is used by 59.9% of all the
websites whose content management
system we know.
!
• This is 22.1% of all websites.
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http://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress/all/all

5. From Your Community
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Thanks Sarah Mapes
for pointing out these
and other sites

6. From Your Community
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http://www.boettcherfoundation.org/
http://www.hungerfreecolorado.org/
http://cchn.org/
http://familyvoicesco.org/
http://www.ccmu.org/
http://coloradohealthstory.org/

7. What is WordPress?
• WordPress Software/Application:
– Lives online - NOT on your computer
– Browser-based editing
!
– Suggestion: Use Firefox or Chrome
to edit content
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8. CMS: Content Management System
– System that Manages Your Content:
• Organizes content into:
– Pages, Posts, Media (images, video...)
– Add, find, edit and archive content
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9. The Technology Behind it
–GEEK TALK:
•WordPress uses:
– PHP files: talks to the Database
– MySql Database: stores YOUR
content and settings
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10. How does it function?
– GEEK TALK:
– HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
» displays web content
» creates the site’s structure
– CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
» defines appearance
» stylizes: fonts, colors and sizing
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11. Why do they say it’s so easy?
• You don’t need to know how to
code to add content
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12. Why is it so popular?
• Easy to:
• add, change and style text copy
• add images and PDFs
• embed a YouTube Video
• Can use existing layouts - called “themes”
• easily brand it - make it your own
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13. The Tool that Makes it Easy
• Visual Editor (WYSIWYG):
– What You See is What You Get
– Toolbar with buttons for stylizing your
content (as in Word and other text
editors)
– Don’t need to know HTML
(but sometimes helpful)
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B for Bold
I for italics

14. View of Visual Editor
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15. Visitor’s View:
Theme control the Look
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• Current Default Theme: TwentyFourteen comes installed on WordPress
• Check out theme Demo: https://twentyfourteendemo.wordpress.com/

16. Make it Their Own
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http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/customizing-twenty-fourteen/

17. What is a Theme
!
– Controls the PRESENTATION (look) of site
– Separate from Content (text and media)
– Can be easily switched
(to give a site a new look)
– 1000s and 1000s of free and
premium (paid) themes available
– Not all are created equal
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18. .com (720) 771.3271 18
http://www.healthislocal.org/ Built on the DonateNow Theme
Thanks Sarah Mapes for pointing these out
Making a Themes Your Own

19. Making a Themes Your Own
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http://historicorps.org/ Built on the Dandelion Theme

20. Responsive Designed Theme
Scales to any Device
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http://AgingServicesFoundation.org/ Built on the Akita Theme
Making a Themes Your Own

22. Action Steps: Ask Yourself
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‣ What is your site’s purpose?
!
‣ How do you want it to look?
!
‣ What do you want it to do (functionality)?
!
‣Will media (images/videos) be prominently
featured? And how will it display?
!
‣ Will you be Blogging?
!
‣ How will the navigation work?
!
‣ How will it look to mobile visitors?

23. Finding Themes
23.com (720) 771.3271
‣ What to Look for:
‣ How it looks and functions
‣ Does it have/do what you need
‣ Documentation and Support
‣ Reviews and Ratings
‣ Browser Compatibility
‣ Responsive Design - Mobile-Friendly

24. Finding Themes
(Recommendations)
24.com (720) 771.3271
Free Premium

25. Finding Themes
(Recommendations)
25.com (720) 771.3271
Free
Premium
https://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
http://weavertheme.com/
http://themeforest.net/user/ThemeBlvd?ref=uniquethink
http://bit.ly/studiopresswpthemes

26. What Are Widgets?
!
• Add Content and Features
to your sidebar
• Want to show your Recent
Posts on your sidebar?
• Automate the process
• A piece of code or script
does the work for you
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27. More Widget Sections:
• Widgets aren’t only for sidebars, anymore
– Some themes allow these codes/scripts in the footer
area
–Some themes also allow them to be placed within the
content area of a page
*check with your theme’s developer
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28. What Are Plugins?
• They Plug Into the Site
– A mini piece of software/app
– Automates or adds functionality
– May be for visitor or admin’s experience
– Like the iPhone has Apps, WordPress has
plugins to do most things you need
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29. About Plugins
• Remember, in most cases these developers are
doing it on their own time and giving it away free
• Not all plugins are created equal
• Sometimes developers don’t continue to support
future changes
• Too many plugins can weigh down your site
• Plugin conflicts can bring down your whole site
• Look for up to date and highly recommended
• Check the WordPress’s Plugin Directory for more
insights: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins
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30. Plugin Suggestions:
These are my free must have plugins
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• Akismet- http://akismet.com/ - Eliminates Spam in Comments
• All in One SEO Pack - http://semperfiwebdesign.com/documentation/all-in-one-seo-pack/all-
in-one-seo-faq/ Helps you add keywords to titles and descriptions for search engines
• Broken Link Checker http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/broken-link-checker/ Checks for
broken links and missing images
• Custom Post Widget https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/custom-post-widget/ Adds 'content
blocks' to a widget - without knowing code
• Google Analyticator: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-analyticator Adds Google
Analytics code (a tool to track visits to your site)
• Google XML SiteMap: https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-sitemap-generator/ Adds a
sitemap to help the search engines index you better
• TinyMCE Advanced http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tinymce-advanced/ Add on tools for
your editor tool bar.
• BackWPup Free https://wordpress.org/plugins/backwpup/ Schedule complete automatic
backups of your WordPress installation. Decide which content will be stored (Dropbox, S3…).
• WordFence https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/
Security plugin - with a notification system, of when plugins need to be updated
!

31. GetJetpack!
• Lots of tools from this one WordPress created
plugin. Learn about it: http://jetpack.me/about/
• It has options for stats, comments, subscriptions,
contact forms, sharing, photo gallery extensions,
and can even handle the load time on images
for you.
• You will need a WordPress.com free account to
get access
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32. • UniqueThink.com Helps Build Your
Complete Online Presence with:
!
• WordPress Websites & Blogs
• Social Media
• EMail Marketing
• Web Usability and SEO Lite
• Bethany Siegler can be reached at 720.771.3271 or
email at Bethany@UniqueThink.com
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Slides available at www.UniqueThink.com/t4g

33. Take 10% off my
WordPress workshops
in Boulder or Denver
!
Use Coupon Code: SieglerBDA16
!
http://boulderdigitalarts.com/training/details.php?
offering=217&source=bethany
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34. !
!
Bonus Materials
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35. Same, but Difference?
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https://wordpress.org https://wordpress.com/

36. WordPress.COM
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• Free hosting: No install/upgrades, but domain
contains WordPress.com:
www.YourBlogName.WordPress.com
1. Use a domain you already own on WordPress.com
account - $13.00 per domain, per year.
2. Register a domain thru WordPress.com, starting at
$18.00 per domain, per year
• Themes: Limited to 266 (some premium from $20 up)
• Custom Design: a paid upgrade that costs $30.00 per year.
• Tools: Limited 3rd party tools, no plugins
• Ads: They can place ads to your site. You can pay to remove
ads from WordPress.com - No-Ads Upgrades cost $30.00 per
year
• Space: 3GB free -10GB Upgrade: $20.00 per year
!
!
.COM Options: either use Free As Is
OR get WordPress Value Bundle a $99 yr

37. WordPress.ORG
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• Self-hosted: Pay for hosting - and domain name - need to install
and maintain upgrades
1. hosting can cost about $83 in the first year with free domain registration
thru HostMonster, BlueHost or HostGator
2. Use 1-click install to get WordPress set up
• Themes: Unlimited free and premium (between $25-$150)
• Custom Design: to get a look that really meets your vision, you could move to
WordPress.ORG and use any theme (layout, the look of your site) or have
someone custom create a look for you
• Tools: Unlimited 3rd party tools and plugins
• Ads: You can either run ads or not, it is up to you
• Space: depends on hosting plan
!
You have to host, install, backup and upgrade on your own - but it is fairly easy to do
.ORG Options: Get started at about $83 using Twenty
Eleven or another free theme
OR Use a Premium Theme
OR Hire a developer for a unique custom look

38. Hosting Service Providers
Here
are
a
few
hos+ng
solu+ons
I
recommend:
!
HostMonster:
This
company
has
a
low
yearly
price,
24
hour
Utah
based
“technical
support”
(not
just
customer
support,
but
folks
who
can
answer
technical
quesIons)
and
are
good
with
WordPress/security
and
backup
issues:
hOp://www.hostmonster.com/track/uniquethink/
!
They
also
recently
added
a
“PRO”
account
–
which
is
more
money,
but
provides
faster
speed,
your
own
dedicated
IP
address,
and
more
!
BlueHost
is
the
sister
company
of
HostMonster
and
offers
the
same
product
for
about
$1
more
a
month
–
and
are
a
recommended
WordPress.ORG
vendor:
hOp://www.bluehost.com/track/unqiuethink/
!
HostGator:
This
company
has
reasonable
monthly
plans
and
uses
renewable
energy
–
they
are
also
a
good
choice
for
folks
with
are
planning
to
have
a
store
on
their
site.
They
also
offer
plans
for
sites
that
might
grow
too
large
or
prefer
not
to
be
on
a
shared
server
(which
I
can
explain
beOer,
if
you
have
a
need
for
this):
hOp://secure.hostgator.com/cgi-­‐bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=bethink
!
WP
Engine:
This
company
is
considerably
more
expensive,
but
has
a
lot
to
offer.
They
specialize
in
hosIng
WordPress
sites,
do
backups
and
upgrades
for
you,
so
you
don't
have
to
worry
about
doing
them
on
your
own.
The
one
draw
back
is
they
do
their
support
via
email,
not
phone.
If
you
are
not
the
type
to
maintain
updates
on
your
site,
you
should
seriously
consider
this
type
of
opIon
(or
one
of
the
other
plans
and
then
hire
someone
to
do
the
maintenance
for
you):
hOp://uniquethink.com/wpengine
!
HostMonster,
BlueHost
and
HostGator
were
all
recently
purchased
by
EIG,
who
owns
many
other
hosIng
companies.
!
There
are
a
lot
of
companies
I
would
not
recommend,
they
either
for
price,
security
or
other
factors,
so
please
consider
of
these
as
an
opIon.
!
I
typically
encourage
folks
to
purchase
their
domain
name
registraIon
somewhere
else
and
then
point
it
to
your
hosIng
company
(think
of
it
like
forwarding
a
phone
number).
The
reason
for
this
is
if
you
ever
want
to
change
hosIng
companies,
it
is
potenIally
easier.
!
These
are
affiliate
links,
but
the
reason
I
recommend
them
is
because
I
think
they
are
beOer
soluIons
than
other
providers
like
GoDaddy
and
Network
SoluIons.
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39. WordPress Installation
• 1-click install of WordPress makes it easy
• DEMO it on HostMonster:
http://www.hostmonster.com/cgi/demo
Notes on how to use:
https://my.hostmonster.com/cgi/help/wordpress
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40. Resources
• WordPress.org: http://wordpress.org/
• WordPress Plugin Directory: https://wordpress.org/extend/
plugins/
• WordPress Themes Directory: https://wordpress.org/
extend/themes/
• How-To Videos from WordPress.com: http://wordpress.tv/
category/how-to/
• WP101 Videos: http://www.wp101.com/videos/
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41. • UniqueThink.com Helps Build Your
Complete Online Presence with:
!
• WordPress Websites & Blogs
• Social Media
• EMail Marketing
• Web Usability and SEO Lite
• Bethany Siegler can be reached at 720.771.3271 or
email at Bethany@UniqueThink.com
.com (720) 771.3271 41