Ever read a “new” post someone has just shared and realize it sounds familiar? Often, once you get to the bottom, it’s noted that the post is “Edited from the Archives” or “A Re-Post.” Bloggers everywhere are re-posting their old posts. Often the re-posted version gets more attention and interaction, presumably since they now have…
In October I joined 1,575 other bloggers around the world in blogging for 31 days. I survived! But in the process, I learned some lessons about writing, blogging, and community. And since I’ve had 10 days to recover from blogging every day, I’ve been itching to get back. Here are 13 lessons I learned from…
When I first started writing, I felt like Jo March up in the garret scribbling furiously–but never showing my words to anyone. When I first started blogging, no one knew about RSS feeds or email subscriptions. I was literally sending my posts out into the nameless void. After a few years virtually offline, I reentered…
If these 31 days “inside” WordPress have left you with more questions than answers, then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve compiled some of your most FAQ in this post. And when you have more? Just comment and ask! I’ll do my best to answer them. Social Media & Blogging What’s the best way…
You don’t have to be a social media ninja to be a successful blogger. In fact, your blog posts can go viral without you ever having to share them on Facebook or Twitter. All you have to do is make your posts shareable. (And have quality, compelling content worth sharing, of course.) Here are ten ways…
Your tech-savvy blog readers can subscribe to your blog using an RSS feed reader like Feedly or Bloglovin’, but the rest of them might not even know what that little RSS symbol stands for, let alone how to use it. (Don’t miss the 5 Minute Guide to RSS Feeds in WordPress.) The key to getting…
What is an RSS feed? RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. An RSS feed is the latest content of a blog surrounded by special code that makes it available for “syndication” across the world wide web. Using a popular feed reader like Bloglovin’ or Feedly, or any number of other apps or programs, your visitors…
A cache plugin creates a “cached” or pre-loaded version of your WordPress site’s pages that can be quickly accessed without checking the host files and database to see if there is newer information. Or, in the more technical terms of a WPMU blogger, “Caching is reusing data from previous requests to speed up subsequent requests.” By…
When it comes to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), WordPress is top of the line. And if you use a theme from a professional source like StudioPress or WooThemes, your theme is designed to take advantage of the power of WordPress SEO. But if you want to really optimize your site’s SEO and take it to…
A WordPress shortcode is a code word or phrase enclosed in square brackets: [sampleshortcode]. Depending on the shortcode, its output can be customized by parameters: [sampleshortcode category=”tech” display=3]. You see the code in the brackets when you are editing the post or page (no matter whether you’re in the Visual or Text editor), but when…
That little “Add Media” button is the secret to adding images (as well as videos and document files like PDFs) in WordPress. But clicking Add Media before you’re ready, or without filling out the necessary information, can have disastrous results for your site load time as well as for your post’s success. Here are 5…
Want to link to another post, page, or site in your own post or page? It’s simple. But you don’t want to just paste the ugly http:// link in your visual editor like this: https://gretchenlouise.com/wordpress-visual-editor/. Here are 5 rules to remember when inserting links in WordPress. 1. Type the text then select before clicking Insert…
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