Taking Your WordPress Website To The Next Level
The super factor approximately WordPress is that it is so easy to use. If you’ve got read our previous article, Start Your Work-From-Home Website With WordPress, you may already recognize the way to installation WordPress, find a notable subject and create a range of pages and posts.

But the simplicity of WordPress hides a complicated gadget that, with a little little bit of extra information, may be made to do fantastic matters. Just searching at a number of the websites which can be powered with the aid of WordPress as a content management device (CMS) says it all – WordPress makes constructing a site less complicated, however never limits what you may do.

Read directly to find out approximately some of the advanced features of WordPress and how you may use those equipment to take your paintings-from-domestic website to the next stage.

Build A Work-From-Home Website With A Blog

Since WordPress was to begin with released as a running a blog tool, even the modern day versions count on that your blog is the heart of your internet site. Although a blog is vital, maximum professional enterprise web sites take a distinct approach, with pages as primary content and weblog posts as a further function.

If you want a static page to seem as your homepage, you may alternate a single setting within your WordPress control panel. First, make certain that you have created the page that you plan to apply as your homepage, and a different page in which your weblog posts may be positioned. You can leave your weblog web page blank, as WordPress will mechanically pull in every post that you add.

Then, from the Settings menu, select Reading. The first placing defines what your front web page, or homepage, will display. Simply pick out the static web page which you need traffic to look when they land on your website, and select your selected posts page for weblog updates or information items.

This fairly insignificant exchange can make a global of difference to how expert your internet site appears. Even higher, you can nevertheless integrate your frequently up to date posts into your homepage the usage of widgets – WordPress includes a Recent Posts widget as widespread.

WordPress Plugins – Making Your Website Do More

Although WordPress comes whole with the maximum usually used tools and widgets that you’ll want, you may without problems upload new capabilities using plugins. Plugins are mounted via the WordPress interface, using the Plugins menu to your control panel.

There are plugins available for pretty much any task, most of which can be available free. At the time of writing, the WordPress Plugins database features 21,500 plugins, all of which can be searchable by means of class, rating and call.

Here are just 3 need to-have plugins for any paintings-from-home internet site.

1. Use Akismet To Stop Spam

WordPress supports consumer comments right out of the container, and your traffic can be capable of put up their mind at the content material that you publish. For your blog posts mainly, that is a excellent way to build a community around your commercial enterprise, enhance your visibility on the web, and enhance your search engine rank.

Unfortunately, as you begin to attract attention from site visitors and capability clients, you’ll also appeal to attention from spammers with a purpose to fill your feedback section with garbage. Spam feedback are easy to identify, however time-ingesting to eliminate separately.

Akismet is by means of far the maximum famous and best anti-junk mail plugin for WordPress. Akismet mechanically detects the signs of unsolicited mail feedback, such as masses of hyperlinks to other web sites and content that does not make experience. When Akismet finds a unsolicited mail comment, it quarantines it and stops it from cluttering up your website. Akismet is available freed from price for personal blogs, or at a low cost for business use.

2. Automate Search Engine Optimization with WordPress

Once your internet site is up and going for walks, the tough paintings definitely begins. Now it is time to get a few site visitors! Search engines are a awesome source of traffic, however best if you manipulate to reap a good seek engine rank. Simply put, the nearer the pinnacle of the effects you are, the much more likely that someone will click on via to your web page. Search engine optimization (SEO) is optimizing your internet site in order that it’s miles easily understood and preferentially indexed via search engines. A exact WordPress search engine optimization plugin can offer you with the whole lot that you need to optimize your web site.

One tremendous SEO plugin is Yoast WordPress search engine optimization. This multi-featured plugin consists of out some of computerized tasks to help improve your function, which include internal links and suggesting the maximum appropriate keywords with a view to target on every page.

Three. Find The Plugin That Suits Your Website Content

As properly as adding new functionality on your present sorts of content, some WordPress plugins are designed to healthy particular types of website. The Plugin seek device that is built into WordPress could be very effective, and an awesome tip is to definitely type in the sort of content material which you want to feature on your internet site.

You may additionally need to feature a portfolio for your internet site, showcasing the paintings which you have accomplished so far. If so, a look for ‘portfolio’ brings up a plugin that is referred to as, unsurprisingly, Portfolio. Portfolio offers WordPress the capacity to run a portfolio section of your internet site, with photographs of projects and outlines of what became involved. Whatever sort of content material you have got in mind for your internet site, you may discover a plugin that will help you create it.

Are You Taking Advantage Of The Permalinks Settings?

By now, your work-from-domestic website is taking shape. You’ve started to write pages of content, possibly were given the weblog started with a few posts, and brought the proper capability to your precise desires. All of that is extraordinary for seo and attracting new visitors, but there’s a selected setting that can be used to assist search engines like google locate their way round.

When you create a weblog put up, it’s miles added to your primary ‘blog’ page, and additionally published as an individual web page. This page is referred to as the Permalink web page, due to the fact it’s far placed at an deal with as a way to usually factor without delay to the precise submit in question.

Confusing Permalink addresses can purpose search engine crawlers to overlook wonderful content for your website online. Fortunately, you may personalize your Permalinks to lead them to both seek engine and visitor-friendly.

Under the Settings menu, pick the Permalinks alternative. You will see that, by using default, every page which you create is given a unique variety. As you reach your hundredth or thousandth submit, retaining tune of these numbers is hard!

There are a few distinct options that WordPress can implement mechanically – certainly select the one that you decide on. Ideally, choose a Permalink placing that consists of the identify of your submit. This way that you may always apprehend what the hyperlink is pointing to, and engines like google will fee the inclusion of key phrases in your web addresses.

You can even define your personal custom Permalink shape. For more records on doing this, visit codex.Wordpress.Org/Using_Permalinks.

Backing Up Your WordPress Website To Protect Your Data

Launching your paintings-from-home website is a proud moment, specially whilst your content is well organized and your layout seems tremendous. Conversely, there is nothing worse than the sensation to your intestine when you realise which you have misplaced all of your difficult work! So many WordPress users do not again up their websites on a normal basis. Don’t take the danger!

WordPress makes backing up your database and related documents clean. One feature is below the Tools menu, named Export. This will shop all your posts, pages, remarks and menus in a single record that may be imported again into WordPress.

Alternatively, why now not don’t forget a plugin to attend to back-americafor you? There are a number of lower back-up plugins available, including a few that lower back up locally on your server and a few that again as much as outside services, along with Dropbox.

Finally, your net website hosting control panel have to offer the functionality to returned up your documents and MySQL database.

For complete peace of thoughts, use all 3 strategies collectively.

You Have A Great Website – Now Make It Social!

A proper commercial enterprise internet site isn’t always just a showcase of what you may do. Successful small companies use their internet site as part of a far larger on line method that covers a wide range of social media. Your website must no longer be an island. Instead, it should be linked to every a part of your on-line character.

It is easy to integrate your WordPress internet site with social media using plugins. One top notch social media plugin is the aptly-named Social Media Widget. This can be added to any widgetized phase of your internet site and displays icons that hyperlink in your social media bills, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

You can also add social media sharing buttons to every of your posts, giving site visitors an easy way to share your incredible content with their personal followers. Check out Slick Social Share Buttons for an all-encompassing tool that may help your content go viral.

Finally, take into account that your internet site can also ship traffic outwards in your social media. You want capability customers to get in touch with you, so make doing in order smooth as viable!

You can add your maximum current tweets or Facebook fanatics on your website using plugins, or through copying and pasting prepared-made code.

For Twitter, go to twitter.Com/approximately/sources/widgets

For Facebook, visit facebook.Com/badges

New Content, All The Time – The Secret of Online Success

You’ve installed WordPress. You’ve spent hours attempting to find the proper subject. You’ve custom designed your installation with widgets, plugins and bespoke settings. Now it is time to make the maximum of WordPress’s excellent function – the reality that it disappears.

Over the approaching weeks and months, you may note WordPress less and much less. It is a tool that never gets within the way, but just makes preserving your internet site simpler. So do not be concerned approximately the information – WordPress will contend with the ones for you. Instead, take gain of what WordPress can do and get to work developing the first-class viable content that your clients will love.

We all know that it is possible for an online business to generate significant income that, ultimately, can be earned with minimal input from the business owner. This is due to the fact that so many processes can be automated on the Internet thus saving the need for an individual to carry out these tasks.

BUT no online business is going to generate a worthwhile income without at least some hard work – usually several months worth at the bare minimum.

I often refer to myself as a lazy Internet marketer because I know that there are many things I could be doing to further improve my businesses but often prefer not to. My problem is that I can always find something better to be doing than working! But it wasn’t always this way and in the early years of my online career I worked some serious hours to get things up and running – certainly a lot more than I had ever worked in any job.

As many of you know, my offline career had been spent in the banking industry which meant that I was no computer expert and I had no particular Internet skills or abilities. I therefore spent days reading and learning how to do the tasks that I wanted to do – how to build a web page, how to integrate payment facilities, how to send customers emails after they had purchased etc. Whilst now there seems to be an online video or eBook about pretty much all Internet marketing topics, going back a few years, this wasn’t the case and I often only discovered how to do something by trial and error.

So why am I telling you this?

Well quite simply because of an email exchange that I had with someone this week which made me realize how lazy some people can be and how they genuinely expect to have an online business handed to them on a plate.

In a nutshell, this person purchased a product from me that came with resale rights – nothing unusual there. I then got an email from them asking how to get the sales page for the product online. Again, nothing unusual in that, it happens quite a lot. I answered the question and there then followed what can only be described as a barrage of further questions asking how to set up a payment processor, how to deliver the product, how to integrate an autoresponder system into the processor (the buyer even asked what messages he should put in the autoresponder!), how to market the sales page and how to get the page into Google!

I have had similar requests in the past and obviously it is simply impossible to answer all of these questions in a single email (quite apart from the fact that it would take me an age). I therefore answered some of the questions and referred the buyer to my forum and some other resources which I knew had the answers to the remaining questions (as well as a lot more free information).

So imagine my surprise when the response that I got back was basically along the lines of ‘You aren’t helping me here – I step by step instructions as to how to do everything that I have asked you.’

The fact that I had proved links to resources that answered his questions was not enough. Apparently he didn’t have the time to read through those resources and wanted me to summarize everything for him!!

Now, bear in mind that this guy spent less than $50 with me and you might begin to see where I am coming from. Does anyone really think that $50 buys several hours of one to one consulting with ANYONE? Why do people think that they shouldn’t have to put any effort into building a business?

How can someone expect to generate a living online when they can’t even be bothered to spend a few hours learning how to do some of the most basic tasks?

You might think that you don’t need to know how to do some of the things involved with running an online business if you can get someone else to do them (even if you have to pay them) but there is no substitute for knowing exactly how your business works from the ground up. If you follow step by step instructions from someone else, the chances are that you won’t really be taking note of what is happening, you won’t make mistakes and therefore you won’t LEARN.

I have recently hired a web designer to build a new site for me. This is the first time that I have ever done this and it did feel very weird at first. The site in question is quite technically complicated – not so much the actual pages but the scripting behind the scenes that make it work. Now, whilst my new web designer is very knowledgeable and capable of doing exactly what I want, the fact that I have a good understanding of how scripts/databases etc work and how it is possible to get things to happen on a website means that both of our jobs have been a lot easier than they might have been. I was able to go to him and say, ‘I want it to do this and I think the best way of doing it is …….’. Now, I can’t write the scripts or software required but I do have a pretty good idea of the best way for someone else to write them. How did I build up this knowledge?

Simple. By sitting in front of my computer for hours working things out for myself and LEARNING. Remember, your online business is more important to you than anyone else. Regardless of how much someone tries to help you, if you want it to succeed, YOU are the one that needs to put the effort in.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/151433

If you operate a business where you schedule appointments, class attendance, consultations, seminars, workshops, or any other type of event from which you earn revenue, it is critical that you use easy-to-use, yet powerful and interactive small business scheduling software.

I also encourage, if it’s possible with your business, to look for scheduling software that enables your customers to schedule themselves.

This not only makes your life easier, but is an outstanding website conversion tool. What I mean by this is new customers to your website can instantly book themselves for your service. No phone calls or any other obstacles that might lose the sale.

Ask Yourself:

When you book a customer, how much time does it take? Yeah, scheduling customers and clients takes time – yours and/or your staff’s time. How about the time you spend playing phone tag just to book an appointment?

That’s why if you can set up software where your customers can book their own appointments, you’ll free up a great deal of your time. You’ll also be offering a very worthwhile customer service (and impress them). Even if only 1/3 of your bookings do it themselves, you’ll be way ahead – and probably book more clients than otherwise.

The fact is in today’s fast-paced world, customers want immediate gratification. If your phone line is busy or you have to put customers on hold, you could lose that booking. Why not eliminate those losses and poor customer service with implementing online scheduling?

How Does Online Scheduling Work?

It’s simple, and you don’t have to worry about giving up control of your schedule with the right business scheduling software.

There are different uses of scheduling software – it depends on your business

1. Simple Schedule Viewable Online

Some businesses, such as yoga studios, dance studios, martial arts schools, and health clubs may simply wish to display class schedules on their website(s).

The key is getting scheduling software that makes it incredibly easy for you to change the schedule in one central location – which changes then appear on your website(s). Let’s face it, class times, instructors, etc. change regularly.

Instead of displaying your schedule in a fixed table on different pages in your website(s), which is inconvenient to change, use a central schedule dashboard where you can easily make changes.

Have you ever forgotten to change the schedule on your website? When you maintain separate schedules, it’s very easy to forget to update your schedule on your website(s). I don’t have to tell you how customers feel about being misinformed and relying on an out-dated schedule.

Solve this problem by using scheduling software you manage in one easy-to-access location – which updates all your schedules wherever posted.

Moreover, look for scheduling software that let’s you present pop-up descriptions of your classes and perhaps brief bios of the instructor teaching particular classes. The more information you place where it’s easy to find for your customers, the better service you’re providing.

2. Self-Booking Capability

Other businesses require customers to schedule appointments or reserve rooms/facilities. Examples of these types of businesses include hair salons, spas, tattoo parlours, massage therapists, physical therapists, etc. Take yourself as much as possible out of the booking process by getting scheduling software that enables your customers to book their own appointments.

The process is simple with the right software. Your customers register and you provide them log-in information to your online scheduling system. Once logged in, your customers see only availability and then book in available time-slots. Moreover, you then add a contact to your database.

Online booking puts the scheduling power into your customers’ hands. If they need to change an appointment, they can easily do so without taking up your time.

What Other Features to Look for With Business Scheduling Software?

1. Look Only For Cloud Computing Scheduling Software

Without a doubt, the most important feature to look for with business scheduling software is that it’s cloud-based. This means the software you use is hosted with the service provider.

A classic example of cloud-based software is Google Docs. You simply log in to your Google account and use their fleet of document-producing software (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.).

I’ve used desk-top scheduling software and like most desk-top software, it costs much more in the long run, and is very difficult to add new users (i.e. adding computers to the network).

The bulk of the long-term cost with desk-top software is paying a tech consultant to network the software among your computers. Moreover, your scheduling software is not available anywhere – only on computers on which it’s installed. Don’t even think about the cost when you upgrade computers or if you use a server.

Cloud computing solves all these problems because all you need is an Internet connection in order to access your software dashboard. You don’t have to pay for networking, installation, and/or have a server. Instead, most cloud-computing software services simply require a monthly payment for access. It’s easy to scale up – you simply add new users to your account. Your cost only increases as your business grows.

2. Get E-Commerce and Credit Card Payment Processing Integration

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you could have customers pay upon self-booking their appointments? This frees up you and your staff from two time-consuming activities – booking appointments and taking payment.

Moreover, you can book appointments if you’re busy, thus reducing lost appointments. Often saving one booking will pay for an entire month’s software cost. Not to mention gain you another potentially loyal customer.

If you’re looking to get top-of-the line scheduling software, look for software that can process payments automatically upon a booking.

3. E-Mail and Text Messaging Reminders & Notices

Do you and your staff send out appointment reminders via e-mail and/or text messaging? This too is time-consuming. Maybe you don’t do this because you’re too busy – but wish you had the time or resources to send out reminders to reduce no-shows.

When deciding on scheduling software, be sure to opt for the capability for automated reminders. Yes, this is available. Once you have a customer’s contact information in your system, and a customer books an appointment, you can set up the software to automatically send e-mail reminders and text messaging reminders about upcoming appointments.

This serves three very important functions:

• You’ll provide a great service reminding your customers about their upcoming appointment;
• You’ll reduce no-shows; and
• If a customer realizes they can’t make an appointment, they can re-schedule. This frees up appointment space which you can fill from your wait-list.

Speaking of wait-lists – with the right software, you can configure it so that once an appointment slot becomes available, e-mail notices are sent to your wait-list giving them an opportunity to take up that time – all done automatically.

4. Additional Sale Opportunities

Recurring Bookings:

Most small businesses earn the bulk of their revenues from loyal, repeat customers (especially service-based businesses that book appointments). With the right software, you can make it extremely easy for customers to book recurring appointments.

Perhaps they like to visit your business on the same day of each month. Instead of having to enter in their booking information manually for each month, use software to automate recurring bookings. Better yet, with self-scheduling, make it easy for your customers to book their own recurring appointments.

Packages:

Many small businesses that are appointment-based offer a variety of services. If you do, make it easy for your customers to create customized booking packages or you can create pre-arranged packages they can easily choose and book. This is a powerful up-selling option to earn more revenues per customer.

Gift Cards:

Gift cards are a very powerful sales tool. Not only do you make sales, but it’s a way to attract new customers. If you’re looking for powerful scheduling software, look for the ability to sell gift cards within the system.

Referral Tracking:

Do you offer referral incentives to your existing customers? If not, you’re missing out on using an extremely powerful sales tool. If you don’t, it’s probably because it’s a hassle to track referrals. You can automate referral tracking with some business scheduling software.

When a customer makes a referral, the software tracks that referral and credits the referring customer with whatever incentive you offer (i.e. discounts, free services, gift cards, etc.).

Online Point-of-Purchase Opportunities:

If you get scheduling software that has e-commerce capabilities, you automatically have a shopping cart available with which your customers can access while booking an appointment.

Point-of-purchase works both in-store and online. Why not increase sales by making it easy for your customers to buy your services and products online while they’re already in your system booking an appointment?

5. User-Friendly

If your customers can’t figure out how to book their appointments online or read your class/event schedule, then you’ve wasted your money. Sure, automated scheduling software will save you time – but the main goal is serving your customers. Look for a user interface that is extremely easy to use and pleasing to the eye.

6. Centralized Contact Database

Integrating your scheduling software with your contact database is absolutely crucial in order to get the most out of your scheduling software. Why? Because you can then use that contact database to manage your operations, financials, and of course leverage it for marketing.

When a new customer signs up with your business, you want scheduling software that automatically adds their data and profile to your contact database. Once in your database, you can leverage that information throughout your entire business’ operations from client management, report generation (to track your sales, attendance, etc.) to your marketing campaigns.

Impress Your Customers with Your Scheduling Software

If you offer self-booking capability and/or extremely informative up-to-date schedules on your website, you’ll impress new and existing customers. When they get reminders, they’ll be delighted. When you send them notices for openings, they’ll think the world of you and your business.

Even if you’re a small business, the right software doesn’t need to break your bank in order to appear and offer a level of service large, resource-rich companies offer. When you deliver a high level of customer service, you’ll build trust and make dealing with your business a pleasure.

Look for scheduling software that makes it extremely easy for your customers to use your services – and you’ll not only get more customers, but you’ll get regularly attending customers.

How Much Should You Pay for Business Scheduling Software?

This will depend on the size of your business and how many users you’ll need. Most cloud computing software pricing is based on the number of users. If you’re looking for some or all of the capabilities set out above, expect to pay at least $40 per month for a starter package.

I know getting desk-top software, which usually is a one-time payment, seems more attractive cost-wise. However, you’ll give up features, and in my experience, the cost for maintaining and upgrading desk-top scheduling software costs much more than the initial purchase cost.

I know, because I’ve used desk-top scheduling software and the cost alone for my tech consultant over the years is staggering.

Think of your “on-the-cloud” scheduling software as an investment. Better yet, if your software, because of its automation in booking and sending out reminders saves you one sale, that sale likely pays for your entire month’s cost of the cloud-computing solution.

As you can tell by reading much of the other content on this site, I’m in-tune with a great deal of software applications available for small businesses. I’m a small business owner and am always looking for ways to improve my customer service with technology (and automate processes to save me time).

I’ve used many business scheduling software applications, including Google’s online calendar. The problem with many scheduling software services is they are limited in features.

Sure, you might be able to integrate it with other software applications you have, but the ideal software is one that has all the features you’re looking for built-in the system itself. Integration sounds great on paper, but can be a real nightmare in practice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5492265