Problem
WordPress edit/insert link, target=”_blank” drop-down is not working.
Solution
Upgrade TinyMCE Advanced plugin.
11
Jun
2013
Wordpress Tips
03
Apr
2013
Use your blog!
The “Blog” function is included with all new CMS websites installed by Redback Graphics. Rather than calling it a blog, you might utilise it’s function to promote products, services and events, which in hand, will greatly increase your SEO ranking for all of the information you include in those “posts”.
By using “posts” a user can quickly promote an item, service or event, and that is automatically archived for future reference, while keeping current content fresh and updated regularly.
Website “pages” (ie Home, About, Contact etc) can easily be updated, but once updated the old information is lost. By using “posts”, old posts remain archived and accessible to visitors and Search Engine Ranking, while new posts add to the information within your website and keep it active.
- Google likes websites that are updated regularly. It will gradually ignore websites that are not updated as there is no new information to index and your site will slowly drop down the search results.
- People are searching for particular “strings” (sentences, words or groups of words), your challenge is to INCLUDE those strings within your website content.
- DONT over-use strings, words or phrases that you think Google will find. Google will find, and Google will black-list your site.
- Use RELEVANT, DESCRIPTIVE information.
- Include your location (at very least on your contact page), but it would be beneficial if included throughout your website content (dont over-use).
- Make sure you include descriptive Titles with all images inserted into pages or posts.
- Adding an image with a descriptive, informative title is an easy way to make your site more interesting both to your readers, and to Google.
Write your first post
Login to your dashboard, on the left, choose Posts, see pic (1), Add New (2). Give it a title just as you would a new page (3), add some content (4), choose (or add a new) category (on the right, mid screen (5), choose multiple categories if the post is relevant to multiple categories, then hit the blue “Publish” (6) button on the right. You can also edit the date it was published (top right corner, “Published”), and add a featured image that will display when readers view archives of posts. Set the featured image via link bottom right corner, choose “Set featured image”, find a picture relevant, upload it, choose “Set featured Image” button bottom right, and then “Update” the post.Once you have a few posts written, you can allow the public to read them by adding a few widgets that display your posts. Go to Dashboard/Appearance/Widgets and drag and drop “Recent Posts”, “Archives”, and/or “Categories” into one of your available widget areas (in a “sidebar” or “footer” area on the widgets page). Refresh your dashboard screen (with F5 for PCs), then view your website to see the blog in action. You can run a blog without displaying the widgets on your website. That is, you can achieve the SEO benefit without openly running a blog. Without the Recent Posts, Archives or Categories displayed, the public can’t navigate to the blog posts unless its via Google or another search engine. Removing the widgets from displaying the posts does not remove the posts.
To Set a Featured Image (Thumbnail)
While editing your post, see on the far right bottom corner, “Set featured image”. Choose an image from your computer or existing image in your media gallery and set it as the Featured image. Update the post. The image will now appear as a thumbnail when viewing it’s “category”.
23
Jan
2013
Add/edit Navigation items
If you have a Redback Graphics installed CMS website
To add a page to your Navigation/Menu
This assumes that the page you want to add to navigation has already been created. If not, see Adding/editing pages.
Login to your Dashboard, under “Dashboard”, click once on “Appearance” (1), then once on “Menus”(2).
If you have more than 1 menu enabled, check that you are editing to correct Menu (3) and (4). Select the page name you want to add to Navigation from list of Pages available, see bottom left “Pages” (5), then “Add to Menu” button. It will then appear in the Menu pages (6).
You can rearrange the order of the navigation by dragging and dropping the “page buttons” in the main navigation area (6). Dragging an item to the top, will make it appear first left in the navigation, the item on the bottom will appear far right in your navigation. Indented items will appear in the “sub menu” of the “parent” menu items.
Save your Menu changes with the blue “Save Menu” button, and the updated Menu will be live.
To edit or remove existing items
You can modify the “Label” of any item by clicking the grey down arrow (right end of “page button” (area 6), edit Menu item) to reveal the “Navigation Label”. That is what appears in the Navigation/Menu on your website. Edit and save as required. Click the red “Remove” from this dropdown screen to remove the item from Navigation, then “Save Menu” button to save. Note, this does not remove the Page, only the reference to it in the Navigation.
Search Engine Optimisation
It is also beneficial to give your page names SEO friendly labels where possible.
See also Ordering pages in navigation.
Tip 1
It’s always handy to have another browser window open to view the “public” side of your website to see the changes without having to log in and out of your Dashboard to see the public website. The changes will be live immediately. Use CTRL+F5 in your live website browser window to force a refresh of the web page you are viewing to see the updated image and link.
Tip 2
Always backup your website before doing any updates until you are very familiar with updating pages and images etc.
See backing up your website.
12
Dec
2012
New Business – What’s first?
A first time business owner?
What do you need? Where do you start?
You have a great business idea but don’t know where to start?
First, research your market, your product or services, be sure you have a better product than your competition or can provide a better service and/or delivery of that product or service. Consult Small Business advisors for more in-depth information to ensure your business idea is worth pursuing. Talk to an accountant and Business Consultant to discuss tax and business structure options and implications.
Decide on a great business name.
Check that domain/s are available. You might want to register www.mynewbusiness.com.au AND www.mynewbusiness.com. Are they both available? Both will cover Australian and global markets (someone else could register the .com at some point).
If it/they are available, apply to register your business name. See www.asic.gov.au for more information.
At the same time, you could register the domain name/s. Domain names are cheap in comparison, so if the Business Name you want is not successful, then at least you have secured domain names that can be associated with your business, no-one else can then purchase them.
Once you have a registered Business Name and a domain (hopefully of similar names), then you need a logo, web hosting and a website.
Web hosting provides the server on which your website files are housed. Servers run 24/7 to make your website available 24/7.
While a logo could be optional at this point, if you have a professionally designed logo, your new website will be branded around that design.
Design, build and upload your website. While building a website is not rocket science, it is a specialist field, so for a professional business image, use a professional website designer. They will design and build your website, install the information you provide to them, then, with most websites these days, they will hand over your login details so that you are able to add and edit content 24/7.
Your web hosting allows you to setup your business Email addresses. ie yourname@mynewbusiness.com.au
Organise Business Cards and business stationery with website and email details.
Business Cards, company stationery, vehicle and premises signage should all reflect the same brand as your website.
Ready for domain name, web hosting and a website?
See also Websites/Getting Started and Complete small business design bundles.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this website does not constitute legal, tax , business or accounting advice, but is designed to provide general information relating to business and setting up your web presence. Please obtain the advice of a competent professional, licensed attorney, business consultant, law firm, accountant or financial adviser before making any final decisions.
21
Nov
2012
WordPress Installations
So you’ve done the homework, WordPress is fantastic, but not sure you can tackle the installation?
You’ve realised the standard themes leave little to be desired and want a custom designed Theme, so your website wont look anything like a WordPress site?
You need extra functionality built in to the standard WordPress installation, maybe add a gallery, image slider or custom built navigation?
That’s what Redback Graphics does.
Send an Email or give us a call, see Contact page for details.