WordPress 3.0 Has Been Released!

WordPress has done it again. They’ve released version 3.0, one of the most important updates of this popular blogging platform in some time.

But I have a confession to make: I was looking at this update with a bit of trepidation, concerned that some of the problems uncovered in past major updates would find their way into this one. I manage eight blogs and I really DID NOT want to have to update them over several days. Thankfully, the updates went smooth and all eight sites are now running on WP 3.0 including this one.

If you’re running WordPress, your admin panel should have signaled you on June 17 to make the update. Surprisingly, there was very little I needed to do other than to back up my database and hit the update button. A few of the plugins were out of date, but I bulk updated those as well. So smooth…so very wonderful!

As you might expect there were a number of important changes with this update including:

The merger of individual and multi-use (MU) versions of WP. Writing for Information Week, Allen Stern said, “The new functionality, called multi-site, will allow blog administrators to manage one or any number of blogs from one install.” Stern expressed concern that a hacker could wreck multiple blogs if they share a singular set-up as WP 3.0 allows. This is something worth considering if you manage more than one blog.

You will also find a new default blog theme called “Twenty Ten” in honor of this year’s big release. I took a look at it and won’t be using it, but it can make for a nice default theme if you need one while looking for a fresh theme for your site.

Introduction of custom post types. Pages that used to be tagged as posts no longer have to be.  According to PC World, “…each page could represent a product, for instance, and have specific fields relating to that category, such as price and model.”  This could prove to be a better model for promoting a page featuring a particular service or product you have to offer.

Easier to do stuff. Bulk updates of plugins is now a reality for WordPress. The interface is lighter, easier on the eyes and more than twelve hundred bugs have been eradicated.

WordPress, which has been constantly updated, will not see its next update for some time.  WP star, Matt Mullenweg says, “We’re going to take a release cycle off to focus on all of the things around WordPress. The growth of the community has been breathtaking, including over 10.3 million downloads of version 2.9, but so much of our effort has been focused on the core software it hasn’t left much time for anything else.”

Yes, WP has certainly come a long way and has brought along millions of new users with it. Since first using WP in December 2005 I have observed how the WP team works and am satisfied with their product. I am not a WP evangelist per se, but when it comes to blogging WordPress is simply the best!

Killing Your Customers Softly – Simplify Your Site!

In case you haven’t noticed, my articles lately have focused on writing and marketing to the exclusion of nearly everything else. I haven’t abandoned my other topics, but I believe that a review of the fundamentals of freelance writing from time to time is necessary. Plus, I must assume that a number of my followers are new and may have missed some of my earlier articles which are now part of the archives (and available for your review at no cost to you).

I was paid an important compliment recently regarding this blog. A visitor liked the two-column layout, remarking that the site was clean and easy to read. I was happy to hear what I had long felt – that a two-column blog is much more pleasing to the eye, inviting readers to stop in and spend some time on the site. In addition, if my everyday readers like the look of this blog, then potential customers probably do as well. Which leads me to my point – is your blog harmful to your customers?

6 Easy Blog Clean Up Tips

Here’s what I mean – I’ve come across blogs that are guilty of one or more of the following points, any one of which usually encourages me to move on. Include two or more of these egregious points and you have a real problem on your hands, perhaps without even knowing it:

1. Pop Ups – Please, do I really need to know that you’re running a special? Well, maybe you want to get the word out, but anything that messes up with the navigation of the screen is just plain annoying. Find another way to state your business, perhaps using a starburst widget and placing that in your blog’s header.

2. Music – I’ve made the mistake several times of surfing the ‘net unaware that my PC’s speakers are on. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a rock opera blares forth which usually means that I’ve already hit the forward or back key to leave your site before shutting off my speakers. I can’t see any reason for having sound on a website.

3. Widgets – Speaking of widgets, do you need every single widget currently occupying your sidebar? I’ve gotten lost on some sites where people add widget after widget in a bid to fill their site up with stuff. You’d do better if you removed every widget that doesn’t have to do with your site, limiting yourself to a handful which your readers would find to be unobtrusive and helpful.

4. Buttons, Badges – Much like widgets, buttons and badges are taking over some blogs. Why you would have links to other sites is beyond me especially when those sites are unrelated to yours. If you’ve been using buttons as links, get rid of the buttons and add the link to your Links category. Even better, create a separate links page for all of your link exchanges.

5. Ads – Placing gazillions of advertisements on your blog, especially when it is new is tempting for some people. After all, if people click on your ads you’ll get paid. Instead, resist the temptation to include ads until your site has been running for a few months. That way, you can work on building up content and evaluating traffic, before adding two, perhaps three ads on each page. Take care how you place your ads and stick with those which actually provide relevant content.

6. Categorization – You can save room on your sidebar by removing the META tag; limiting your recent comments and/or recent posts to the last five posts; tossing tags and cloud category; as well as a calendar, unrelated plug ins, and welcome messages.

When surveying your blog, you want visitors to see your blog’s name, tag line (if used), navigation bar and your content which are your blog posts. Secondarily would be what you have featured on your sidebar which shouldn’t detract from your blog’s primary mission – to convey information, including important details telling your customers how to find you.

3 Tips To Help Your Blog Shine

Just in case you think that all I have is negative criticism to offer, consider the following three blog shining steps you can take:

1. Pillar Articles – Most blogs contain a handful of pillar articles, which are those defining posts which are worth reviewing again and again. Don’t allow them to get lost in your archives. Instead, create a widget for your sidebar and title that “Featured Articles.” List three or four of your favorites, making it easier for people to find them once again. These types of articles are what your writing clients want to see as well.

2. New Theme – Is your theme tired looking? I’m amazed at the number of attractive, enjoyable blog themes which are constantly being made. If your blog is established, consider investing in a paid theme, one that offers support from the theme maker and is easy to use.

3. Use Images – Relevant images within your posts (not on the sidebar) can draw the reader’s attention to what you wrote. I’m surprised that some of the more well known bloggers don’t use imagery as a well thought out picture is certainly worth many words.

That’s it for now! Go and shake things up on your blog with an eye on what your customers are reading. With less clutter to pick through, you just may discover that one of your readers is a customer in the making.

Photo Credit: Scott Adams

See Also — Wise Article Marketing Strategies