David Martin Design

Category: WordPress

WordCamp US 2024: A Celebration of Community, Collaboration, and Creativity in Portland
There’s something magical about visiting a new city for an event like WordCamp US—the excitement of a vibrant WordPress community coming together combined with the chance to explore the local flavor of the host city. This year’s WordCamp US took place in Portland, Oregon, a city known for its creative energy, lush green landscapes, and incredible coffee (which, let’s be honest, was very much needed!). From the moment I arrived, I could feel the buzz of both the city and the event as hundreds of WordPress enthusiasts, developers, designers, and contributors descended on Portland for three days of learning, collaboration, and community.

A breathtaking view of Mount Hood captured from a Southwest Airlines flight, with the snow-capped peak rising above the clouds and the plane’s wing in the foreground.

Dave Martin and Jarod Maxwell kicking off WordCamp US 2024 in Portland, Oregon, with a photo op at the iconic Oregon welcome sign.

A sign at WordCamp US Portland, Oregon, explains how interaction badges are used to communicate conversation preferences. Green indicates openness to chat, yellow signals limited interaction, and red means no conversation.

Contributor Day: A Day of Giving Back

One of the most fulfilling parts of WordCamp US is Contributor Day, a dedicated day where members of the WordPress community come together to give back to the platform we all know and love. Whether you’re contributing code, writing documentation, or helping others, Contributor Day offers a chance to make a direct impact on WordPress.

I started the day by joining the WordPress Themes table, where the magic of open-source collaboration truly came to life. I had the privilege of sitting next to Manesh Timilsina, a full-stack developer whose expertise and enthusiasm were palpable. Watching him dive straight into making contributions while offering valuable advice to those around him was both inspiring and energizing. It was clear that his deep understanding of WordPress development went beyond technical knowledge—he was also invested in helping others grow.

We delved into work on the upcoming WordPress 2025 theme, and it was exciting to see how ideas and code come together to shape the future of WordPress. Collaborating with the team provided valuable insights into theme development and the direction WordPress is heading.

But the learning didn’t stop there. I also met Alex Lende, a Gutenberg developer from Automattic, who shared the backstory behind one of the features he helped bring to life in WordPress 5.8—the Duotone filters. Alex explained how what seemed like a small addition has since unlocked new possibilities for SVG text effects and other design innovations. Hearing about the evolution of this feature made me appreciate the incremental but impactful advancements that continuously shape WordPress into the powerful platform it is today.

One of the most rewarding aspects of Contributor Day was reconnecting with friends from around the world and making new connections:
- Alicia St. Rose ❤️: Her warm embrace and captivating stories about Burning Man brought a sense of magic to the day. Alicia’s energy is infectious, and her creativity knows no bounds.
- Hans Skillrud & Donata Stroink-Skillrud: Reuniting with them after our epic encounter in the City Museum bird cage was a highlight. Their insights into privacy and legal considerations in web development are always enlightening.
- Wendy Mahoney: Wendy’s kindness shone through and it was great being a volunteer together. She was even to help someone recover their lost phone!
- Eduardo Telaya: Meeting Eduardo was one of the most amazing first impressions I’ve ever had. His warmth and radiance were palpable, especially after he finished his talk. His passion for WordPress and life is truly inspiring.
Dave Martin and Hans Skillrud from Termageddon reunite at WordCamp US 2024 in Portland, Oregon, after first meeting at WordCamp US 2019 in St. Louis. Their beards are as strong as their friendship!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Amy Rosborough, who runs a personal blog about gardening, book reviews, and lifestyle tips. We struck up a conversation about her site, and I was able to help her understand the differences between classic and block themes. Together, we updated her theme to WordPress 2024, enhancing the functionality and aesthetics of her blog. It’s moments like these that highlight the collaborative and supportive nature of the WordPress community.

Engaging with Brian Rotsztein: A Personal Highlight

Before his talk, I had the chance to engage with Brian Rotsztein, who was presenting “Innovative Pricing Strategies to Grow Your WordPress Business.” We discussed my journey, starting at $25/hour back in 2004, and how I wished his advice had been available 20 years ago. He smiled and said that’s exactly why he wrote his book.

Attending his session was the most impactful part of the conference for me. Brian’s insights into pricing strategies were both practical and eye-opening. His realistic, down-to-earth approach empowers freelancers and small agencies to succeed. I’m excited to implement what I’ve learned into my own business practices.

The Thank You Social: Art, Music, and Connection

The Thank You Social was an evening filled with creativity and camaraderie. I truly appreciated the focus on including art, photography, music, and interactivity. The paint by number station was a delightful addition, allowing us to unwind and express ourselves artistically.

Attendees of WordCamp US 2024 join in a collaborative paint-by-numbers mural during the Thank You Social event, celebrating creativity and connection within the WordPress community.

Thank you to the organizers for the fantastic food trucks! The variety of options catered to everyone’s tastes, and the atmosphere was both relaxed and invigorating. Engaging with fellow attendees, especially Grant Kinney, in such a vibrant setting reinforced the sense of community that makes WordCamp so special.

Embracing the Spirit of Portland

Portland truly played the perfect host. The city’s eclectic vibe and friendly locals made exploring an absolute joy. The food scene was phenomenal—I’ve never had better coffee, and the breakfast burrito at Roseline Coffee was hands down the best I’ve ever tasted. Every meal was a culinary adventure, and the local eateries did not disappoint.

The modern exterior of Roseline Coffee in Portland, Oregon, with sleek black and gray tones, greenery, and a sign guiding visitors inside.

A perfectly crafted latte with intricate foam art served at Roseline Coffee, one of Portland’s top coffee destinations.

I had the opportunity to ride over to the Google Portland office and participate in a special tour discussing exciting new features in Google’s Site Kit and Performance WordPress plugins.

On the train ride over, I met Mackenzie Hartung, Director of Delivery at rtCamp. We bonded over our kids and a shared love for the resurging jam band scene—turns out Mackenzie is also a Goose fan! We reconnected later at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI), further solidifying a newfound friendship. Speaking of Goose, it was awesome meeting Automattician Machelle Cox and working with her on the volunteer team!

Here’s some Goose, one of my favorite bands!!

Reflecting on the Experience

As I reflect on WordCamp US 2024, I am filled with gratitude for the connections made, the knowledge gained, and the memories created. From Contributor Day’s collaborative spirit to the engaging sessions and personal interactions, every moment was enriching.

Special thanks to:
- The Hyatt Regency: Providing such a fantastic place to stay, located right across the street from the Oregon Convention Center. The hotel’s ambiance was welcoming, and its proximity allowed me to immerse myself fully in the event without worrying about transportation.
- All the Volunteers and Organizers: Your hard work and dedication made this event seamless and enjoyable for everyone involved.
The modern exterior of the Hyatt Regency Portland, shining in the morning light, served as the primary hotel for WordCamp US 2024 attendees.

The iconic Oregon Convention Center, with its towering spires and glass exterior, hosted WordCamp US 2024 in Portland, Oregon.

The Portland MAX Red Line train passes in front of the Oregon Convention Center at dusk, offering easy access for WordCamp US 2024 attendees.

Looking Ahead

WordCamp US 2024 in Portland was more than just a conference; it was a celebration of community, innovation, and shared passion. I’m returning home with a wealth of knowledge, a heart full of gratitude, and an eagerness to implement what I’ve learned.

To the friends old and new, the speakers who inspired, and everyone who made this event possible—thank you for an outstanding experience.

Well played, Portland. Until next time!

Stay tuned for more insights and reflections. If we connected during the WordCamp US 2024 conference, feel free to reach out! Let’s continue the conversation and collaboration as we move forward together in this incredible community.

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September 22, 2024
WordPress SEO for the Busy Entrepreneur: Image Optimization
Are you trying to DIY your online presence but are struggling to understand all the search engine optimization (SEO) terms? Are you worried about causing more damage or harm than good, or overwhelmed with deciphering what practices are essential and what could be saved for a rainy day?

Hello and welcome to the first chapter of our WordPress SEO for the Busy Entrepreneur series where we help our clients, fellow entrepreneurs, and aspiring digital marketers better understand the foundational practices of SEO for their website’s organization.

We know the stress of trying to run a business on top of marketing it. That’s why people come to us and we have a business! (Talk about the circle of life!) But we also have many wonderful clients who aren’t at that stage of their entrepreneurial journey, who need a professional website with reliable hosting and can’t afford a marketing agency quite yet. Yet, many have a drive that knows no bounds and are more than willing to put in the work updating their website with edits and blog posts. They just don’t have the time to learn what’s important, what’s less so, what resources to trust and learn from.

It’s become clear to us that there needs to be a resource for entrepreneurs who are willing to put in the work, but can’t afford a single moment more. For those who need the pieces broken down and targeted specifically for their WordPress site. For those who aren’t technically savvy and have no desire to be, they just want things to work and for customers to go 📈. If any of these sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

Today, we’ll be talking about Image Optimization, why it’s important and how it plays into your institutions marketing success, and ranking each piece by what’s most important as well as the process we recommend you take for the most efficient use of your time.

What is Image Optimization?

Image optimization is the process of converting high quality photographs, artwork, and graphics from their original state into copies that are optimized for websites and social media platforms. This process involves two main procedures:
1. Cropping, resizing, and saving images into a compressed format while sacrificing minimal quality
2. Correctly categorizing and describing the images you’re using through image metadata
Just like you wouldn’t want to wear a t-shirt that’s 5 sizes too big and claims to be “wrinkle-free” when it’s clearly not, you wouldn’t want an image on your website that takes 2 minutes to load and ends up not being what the user was looking for. The process of image optimization is like tailoring that oversized t-shirt to fit just right.

Image Compression: Tailor Your Images to the Digital World

Image Compression is ultimately about carefully cropping, resizing, and compressing the image file so it loads quickly and looks great on screens – without sacrificing the quality or intent of the original image.

Image Compression can be broken down into 4 steps:
1. Crop: Crop the image so that the main focus is centered, if needed. Consider the platform(s) you’re uploading to and whether they use a square, rectangular, or circular aspect ratio. This not only reduces the file size, but also improves it’s impact.
2. Resize: Digital cameras today are capable of taking superb quality photographs in 4K resolution. But images on web pages or social media platforms are rarely displayed at this resolution, since most images are not displayed full screen and the majority of internet users are using devices lacking 4K output. When in doubt, a 1200px width is more than enough for the vast majority of images used on a web page.
3. Reformat: There are plenty of image formats out there nowadays. Each come with their own benefits and drawbacks, but to keep it simple: Use .jpg for images that have a background, and .png for images that have a transparent or no background. The default quality option should be sufficient.
4. Compress: Using a free image compressor like compressor.io can further reduce the file size of an image by up to 80% sometimes without making a noticeable impact on quality. Now would be a good time to rename your image for SEO purposes (more on that below.) If you follow nothing else in this guide, using these image compression tools are an extremely easy and straightforward way to reduce page load time.
Crop & Resize Images on Windows

Open File Explorer and find the image you want to edit.

Right-click on the image, hover over “Open with,” and select “Photos.”

Click the “Edit & Create” button in the top-right corner.

Select “Edit” from the dropdown menu.

Click the “Crop & rotate” button.

Adjust the cropping frame by clicking and dragging the corners or edges of the frame. Once satisfied, click the “Save a copy” button to save the cropped image.

Open the cropped image in Paint (right-click the image, hover over “Open with,” and select “Paint”).

Click the “Resize” button in the Home tab.

Ensure the “Maintain aspect ratio” checkbox is checked.

In the “Horizontal” box, enter “1200” (the vertical dimension will adjust automatically). Click “OK” to resize the image.

Click “File” in the top menu bar and select “Save as.” Choose the desired location and format, and click “Save.”
Crop & Resize Images on Mac

Locate your image in Finder

Open the image in Preview (double click on the image)

Press and drag your selection

Hover on Tools in the top menu bar, select Crop

Hover on Tools again, select Resize Image

In the width box, put 1200px & confirm

Save the image by hovering on File in the top menu bar and selecting save (or press ⌘ S)
Image Metadata: The Catalogue Card for Your Photos

Before we delve into Image Metadata, let’s back up and ask the question: “What is Metadata?”

Metadata defined for the laymen

To define it simply: Metadata is data about data. It’s information that categorizes and summarizes what something is.

To use an analogy: In the 80’s you needed to find a book (website) at the library (web). You would use the library catalogue (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) to search for the book either by it’s name or author. When you found the right card (search result), it would tell you the call number or location. You would then go through the shelves or ask a librarian for help (click) and eventually find and check out your book (website).

In our case, we use metadata describing your website to help the robots that search engines use to rank search results better understand who your organization is, what you do, when you’re open, how to contact you, etc. and ultimately rank as high as possible.

What do I need to know about image metadata?

Image metadata is important not only because it helps these robots understand images they can’t actually see (yet) and determine if they’re relevant or not, but also ensures your website remains accessible for those with sight disabilities or a painfully slow internet connection by providing descriptions of what they’re viewing.

Image metadata can feel complex to understand considering all the various elements that go into it, and even harder to know what to prioritize. But luckily, the elements that have the greatest visibility impact are also some of the simplest to incorporate. Here are the three most important elements concerning image metadata:
1. Alt Text: Alt text, short for Alternative Text, is the most important part of image metadata. This is really just a brief description of what the image is. It’s used for people who rely on screen readers, when the image fails to load to give context (common for those with slow internet connections), and for showing search engines that this image is relevant in relation to your organization.
2. File Name: An images name before uploading it plays a huge factor in helping search engines better understand the image content and increase it’s visibility. This is a great place to tie your images with your company and it’s specific services or people. Instead of “mark.jpg”, something like “Mark-Scott-Sales-Manager-Generica-Inc.jpg” helps search engines recognize that Mark Scott is the Sales Manager at Generica Inc, this is his picture, and that this image is relevant to the blurb describing him below it.
3. Title: The title tag is used as a tooltip description, providing supplemental information when the user hovers over an image. However, the this only applies to users on desktop. This is a good place to add keywords if warranted.
Let’s get to work: An actionable Image Optimization checklist

Now that we’ve explained the abstract concepts behind Image Optimization and it’s two major components: Image Compression and Image Metadata, let’s go through a step by step process on how to actually incorporate these pieces efficiently:
1. Gather your images into a folder called something like [subject]-originals
2. Decide where you’re uploading these images and crop each one as needed
3. Resize the width of each image to 1200px
4. Reformat each image. Are they photographs? Go with .JPG. Are they graphics or use transparent backgrounds? .PNG is the way to go
5. Create a folder called [subject]-optimized and upload your edited images to compressor.io
6. Download each image, saving it into the [subject]-optimized folder and rename each image to relate to your organization and the relevent service or person
7. If you want a break, now’s a good time
8. Login to your WordPress website, and navigate to the Media tab in the admin panel
9. Upload your optimized images
10. Return to the media library, click on the first image thumbnail in the upper left. This will open the image metadata panel. In the alt field, write a brief description of the image in question either manually or use AI to assist you. If you have a premium ChatGPT plan, use our A11y SEO Image Wizard.
11. Fill out the alt text (and optionally the title) for the remaining images. Congratulations! You’ve now optimized the images on your website. Your images can be now be added to the posts or pages of your choosing.
If you followed this checklist, you can rest easy that the most important standards concerning image optimization are being met. Your web page will now appear more attractive to search engines, as well as improve the page load times and accessibility for your visitors.
July 18, 2024
Web Development Resources for Setting Up Your First Website
The ability to create and maintain your own website is a skill that can bring tremendous value. While there are numerous resources available for creating and maintaining your own website, it’s always best to work with a local web designer whenever possible. Local designers are not only easily accessible, but they also understand the local market and can better tailor your website to meet the needs of your local audience. They are also more likely to provide personalized service and support. However, if you choose to go the DIY route, the following resources and tools can be quite helpful in your web development journey.

For beginners, resources like GreenGeeks (https://www.greengeeks.com/how-to-create-a-website) offer a comprehensive guide on how to create a website, from domain registration to web hosting. It’s an excellent starting point for anyone looking to build their first website.

Choosing the right domain registrar is key to ensuring your website’s success. Some of the top domain registrar companies include NameCheap (https://www.namecheap.com/) and Squarespace (https://domains.squarespace.com/). A domain name is your online address; it’s how people find you on the internet. Therefore, it’s crucial to select a name that is memorable, easy to spell, and reflects your brand.

When it comes to web hosting, there are various options available depending on your needs. Services such as IndianaWebHosting.com, GreenGeeks.com, & BlueHost offer reliable and scalable hosting solutions. These platforms ensure that your website is always available and accessible to your target audience.

WordPress is another essential resource for web development. With its user-friendly interface, it is an excellent platform for beginners and experienced developers. The platform has an extensive library of resources at (https://learn.wordpress.org/) to help you get familiar with WordPress and create a functioning website. Moreover, there are courses and playgrounds available, such as Getting Started With WordPress: Get Familiar (https://learn.wordpress.org/course/getting-started-with-wordpress-get-familiar/) and Creating a 4-page business website (https://learn.wordpress.org/course/creating-a-4-page-business-website/). These provide hands-on experience and step-by-step guidance for building your website with WordPress.

The digital landscape is always evolving, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies can give you an edge in creating better, more responsive websites. Building a successful web presence requires a blend of the right resources, continuous learning, and practice.

https://www.greengeeks.com/how-to-create-a-website

Domain Registration

https://www.greengeeks.com/how-to-create-a-website#domain-name

Domain Registrar Companies
- NameCheap
- Squarespace
Web Hosting

David Martin Design cPanel Business Web Hosting powered by IndianaWebHosting.com

GreenGeeks

BlueHost

WordPress Resources

https://learn.wordpress.org/ Whether you’re a first-time blogger or seasoned developer, there’s always more to learn. From community members all over the world, these vast resources will help you learn more about WordPress and share it with others.

Getting Started With WordPress: Get Familiar – Click here to open a private and secure WordPress site that only you can access.

Creating a 4-page business website (11 days to complete)
October 30, 2023
Essential Web Design Components for Secure Business Websites

Web developers and web designers need to take into account security measures and appropriate payment processors when designing and developing websites. Heavily regarded payment processors certified with PCI compliance, such as Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net should be considered.

Web hosting also needs to be taken into account, as the hosting company must offer secure encryption protocols such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS). Additionally, the hosting company should provide daily backups. This way, customers can be sure that their private data is safe and secure.

When it comes to web design, WordPress and WooCommerce are two of the most popular content management systems for e-commerce sites.

WordPress and WooCommerce are the perfect foundation to build a successful e-commerce business or to simply collect payments. WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress that adds a range of e-commerce features. With WooCommerce, designers can create an online store in minutes, and can easily begin collecting payments with Stripe PCI compliance. Lastly, web designers should be sure to adhere to all web design standards to ensure the website is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

When developing websites for small businesses, e-commerce, HOA neighborhoods, and other organizations with customers’ sensitive data, designers need to be vigilant and strategic in their plans. In these scenarios, web designers should employ secure certificates, trusty web hosting, and payment processors with PCI compliance. By following these guidelines, businesses can be certain that they are providing a secure and protected online experience for their customers.

September 13, 2023
Introducing Michael Dopp’s Transformed Website: Powered by Jarod Maxwell & WordPress

Welcome to the new and improved website of artist Michael Dopp! We are excited to show off the new redesign created by Jarod Maxwell, a senior at Indiana University.

Michael Dopp’s website now features a modern WordPress platform, making it easier and more efficient for Michael to showcase his artwork and share his stories with the world. The WordPress platform makes it easy for Michael to quickly and easily make changes to his website. With the power of WordPress, he can easily update images, add new blog posts, and manage any new information.

Visit MichaelDopp.com

December 11, 2022
A Fresh New Design, Email, & Web Hosting Platform for IUStudentApts.com

We are proud to announce the launch of their newly redesigned website. In a few short weeks of work with David Martin, IUStudentApts.com has developed a website that offers a modern, intuitive, and streamlined user experience.

Newly Redesigned Website Powered by WordPress

The newly redesigned website is now powered by WordPress, a feature-rich and secure content management system, allowing for a seamless transition to the optimal online rental experience. The website’s intuitive user interface and optimized search functions make it easy to find the perfect rental for students at Indiana University. In addition, the website has been optimized for SEO, ensuring high rankings in search results and easy access to IUStudentApts.com’s rental offerings.

Enhanced Productivity with Email, Forms, & a Google Workspace For Their Domain Name

In addition to the website redesign, IUStudentApts.com is now using Google Workspace for its email accounts. This lets users securely access their emails from any device without needing to install any software.

Using Google Forms for their website contact forms allows users to provide their information quickly and securely. This ensures that all inquiries are answered in a timely manner and customers see a swift response from the IUStudentApts.com team.

IUStudentApts.com can enjoy a stress-free technology experience with advanced security, collaboration, and productivity features with Google Workspace.

Google Analytics to Track Website Performance

Google Analytics allows IUStudentApts.com to track and analyze website performance. This allows the team to better understand how customers are interacting with the site and make adjustments as needed for improved website usability. They can now see the metrics that matter most, such as page views, average time spent on site, and conversions.

Visit the IUStudentApts.com Website

December 11, 2022
David Martin Design Joins The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce

We are pleased to announce that David Martin Design has become the newest member of The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce! This is a great occasion to celebrate as it will definitely help the community to have another verified member in the Bloomington Website Design category.

Since 2004, David has designed websites with Bloomington business professionals, entrepreneurs, & individuals. David offers website design, web hosting, & helps business owners become more capable with digital marketing tools to make their lives better.

I’m excited to be joining The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce because I see it as an opportunity to network with other business professionals who are also looking for creative solutions.”

David Martin, owner of David Martin Design

The Chamber strives to promote the continuous improvement of the common good and the quality of life in the community through the pursuit of new business; the cultural, social, and economic education of our citizens; and by providing accurate and timely assistance to the business community.

Learn more about The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce at their website: https://www.chamberbloomington.org/

October 18, 2021
Blogging for Business: What You Need to Know About WordPress and Content Management
Blogging is rapidly becoming an integral part of running an online business. While some business owners are quick to dismiss blogging as a waste of time and energy, the statistics are suggesting otherwise. As more and more websites start maintaining a blog, there’s an increased demand for a more blog-friendly content management system (CMS).

Although WordPress started out as a meager blogging engine, it is now considered the preeminent content management platform. As the largest CMS in the world, WordPress powers roughly 39% of websites. Its flexibility, reliability, and customizability attract web designers over other CMS competitors.

Here, we’ll explore why it’s important for businesses to understand WordPress and why publishing fresh content is a must.

WordPress JetPack Plugin – Artist Wall at the 2019 WordCamp US in St. Louis

Why Businesses Need to Know About WordPress

Whether you’ve heard about WordPress in your research about website development or this is your first exposure to it, you might be wondering what makes it so different. With dozens of other reputable platforms from which to choose, what makes WordPress so unique?

That’s a great question and one which has no shortage of answers. However, we’ll only stick to a few of the most compelling to help small business owners understand what they’re missing out on. Here are a few reasons why businesses need to know about WordPress.
1. It’s completely free.
Free…it’s music to any business owner’s ears. Unlike other content management systems, WordPress operates under what’s known as a GNU General Public License which essentially means it’s free for anyone to download, edit, and customize. When compared to other, more costly CMSs, WordPress has risen through the ranks as one of the most popular among small businesses that are trying to keep costs down. While you’ll eventually need to spend money on web hosting and domain names to get your website up and running, WordPress saves you on costs other platforms wouldn’t spare you.
1. WordPress is totally customizable.
As a business owner, you know just how vital it is to set yourself apart from competitors. A common complaint among web developers about more rigid CMSs is their lack of customizability. Due to WordPress’s open-source design, anyone is free to upload add-ons, plug-ins, and other features that maximize customizability and flexibility. If you can think it up for your website, there’s a good chance somebody has already contributed the functionality to WordPress. With a single click, you have access to tens-of-thousands of unique features. As the needs of your online business change, WordPress can easily keep up with its unmatched flexibility.
1. It’s SEO-optimized by default.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the method through which your website is primed for optimal exposure on search engines like Google to increase your chances of reaching your target audience. Without an SEO-optimized site, your content can easily get lost in the shuffle. WordPress takes the stress away by ensuring all sites made on the platform are SEO-optimized by default since their structure is recognized by most search engines. However, your website SEO can further be maximized by downloading SEO-focused plug-ins that are available to everyone.

Business Blogging Statistics

As a small business owner, it’s understandable why you might be hesitant to dedicate valuable resources to developing and maintaining a blog. You can’t afford to waste time and energy on areas of your business that won’t offer a return. Fortunately, there’s a wealth of data underscoring the positive impact that blogging can have on businesses.

Here are a few of the most impressive statistics:
- Blogs can lead to a 97% boost in indexed links and a 434% boost in indexed pages. (Demand Metric)
- 8 out of 10 internet users engage with both blogs and social media sites. (Demand Metric)
- Businesses with blogs generate 67% more monthly leads on average than their counterparts that don’t have blogs. (Demand Metric)
- Blogging businesses see 55% more online visitors than companies that don’t blog. (HubSpot)
- In 2019, marketers prioritizing blogging saw 13X more return on their investments than those who didn’t. (HubSpot)
The Importance of Publishing Fresh Content

Of course, having a blog doesn’t do small businesses any benefit if they’re not regularly updating it. Although there are several advantages of maintaining a constant stream of fresh content, there are two primary reasons:
1. Search engines prefer newer content.
2. It’ll be easier to keep your audience engaged.
When forced to choose between ranking an older site that regularly posts new content and a site of the same age that hasn’t posted in months or years, Google will rank the former website higher even if the content is relatively similar. Reflecting the demand for new and updated content, Google wants to present its users with the freshest content. Most search engines work in the same manner. In order to prime your website for higher rankings in search engines, you need to post new content regularly.

Another critical reason to keep your site updated with fresh content is to keep your audience engaged. Whether you’re wanting to catch the attention of new users or keep regular visitors coming back, you need to make sure your site is providing something worthwhile. While the content you put out matters, the rate at which it’s produced also plays a role in the overall success of your site.

If you’re a small business owner who’s ready to reap the benefits of having an optimized blog, feel free to reach out to David Martin Design. With decades of experience building and managing websites for small businesses, David knows how to maximize the return on your website investment.
March 1, 2021
A New WordPress Website for Artist & Musician Henry Leck
David Martin Design has launched a new WordPress website for Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington member, Henry Leck at https://henryleck.com.

Henry Leck – Artistic Director & Internationally Recognized Choral Director
Visit https://henryleck.com

It was a challenge at first to figure out how to best work together due to the Covid-19 pandemic and technology restrictions. We began with a Google Meet and it was great to meet online. It was really easy to use and helpful to see Henry face to face and to be able to share screens with each other.

Henry’s New WordPress Website

Henry and David discussed where it was best to store information for the new website. Using a shared Google Drive folder, Henry could upload photos of his artwork, an Excel spreadsheet of inventory, and a Pages file of painting information. After securing the digital workspace folder it was time to work on developing the website content. Henry & David created a very organized Google Sheets spreadsheet, assigned SKU numbers, and developed product descriptions, captions, and filenames based on the shared online inventory catalog.

Optimized Filenames with Keyword-Rich Information

David renamed all of the images with the sku number and hyphens between keywords that would describe each one. Instead of uploading an image from the camera with a default name like “IMG6480.jpg”, it’s important to rename the image henry-leck-art-195-Harbor-Scene-after-C-Curry-Bohm.jpg so if someone were searching for this type of image it would be more relevant and come up in a search.

Organized WordPress Pages, Posts, Tags, & Categories

After learning about search engine optimization (SEO), Henry understood the importance of optimizing images with keyword-rich file names, optimizing title tags, using headings, meta tags, the taxonomy of WordPress pages, posts, tags, and how to name categories. After organizing all of this information, it was clear that David could begin building the website.

Preferred Domain Name: HenryLeck.com

Henry let David know that he had worked with a web designer previously and they decided to try and recover the old domain rather than starting out with a new one. This was an important decision because not only is it better for branding, but how long a domain name has been registered for is definitely a search engine ranking factor.

Fast Web Hosting with David Martin Design

After transferring the domain registration and updating the contact information, David set up a new cPanel business web hosting account and pointed Henry’s domain to his new web hosting server. The web hosting service that David Martin Design provides includes a FREE SSL certificate, email service, spam filtering, and lots of other great features.

After installing WordPress and configuring the optimal settings David built all of the pages, posts, categories, and tags. David installed the WordPress Twenty Twenty theme and worked with Henry to choose the preferred layout and colors. David set up plugins for website security (WordFence), spam (Akismet), SEO (Yoast SEO), and others to add more options to his WordPress website.

Tracking to Understand How Customers Use The Website

In addition to building the website it’s important to track how it performs. David setup Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Microsoft Clarity for Henry in order to see reports about how people interact with his website.

David & Henry have built a great website at https://henryleck.com and we hope that you’ll go check it out and see what you think.

About Henry Leck

An internationally recognized choral director, Henry Leck is a professor emeritus in choral music at Butler University, where he served on the faculty for 27 years. He is the Founder and Conductor Laureate of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir where he served for 30 years. He has conducted on podiums throughout the world, and still finds some time to teach, conduct, and edit.

Since Henry’s “semi-retirement” in 2016 he has taken up painting …. oil painting to be specific. While continuing to conduct, teach, and edit music, painting has quickly become one of his passions in life. He is an active member of the Upland Plein Air Painters and the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association.

We invite you to learn more about what Henry likes to paint.

Art (97)
- Architecture (15)
- Figurative (4)
- For Sale (40)
- Landscape (42)
- Portrait (5)
- Seascape (4)
- Still Life (27)
November 29, 2020
The Top Plugins To Enhance Your WordPress Website
These are the top FREE plugins for WordPress according to WordPress.com. This data is from September 2019.
- Akismet Anti-Spam – Used by millions of websites, Akismet filters out hundreds of millions of spam comments from the Web every day. Add Akismet to your site so you don’t have to worry about spam again.
- All in One SEO Pack – Use All in One SEO Pack to optimize your WordPress site for SEO. It’s easy and works out of the box for beginners, and has advanced features and an API for developers.
- All-in-One WP Migration – This plugin exports your WordPress website including the database, media files, plugins and themes with no technical knowledge required.
- Classic Editor – Classic Editor is an official plugin maintained by the WordPress team that restores the previous (“classic”) WordPress editor and the “Edit Post” screen. It makes it possible to use plugins that extend that screen, add old-style meta boxes, or otherwise depend on the previous editor.
- Contact Form by WPForms – Drag & Drop Form Builder for WordPress – WPForms allows you to create beautiful contact forms, feedback form, subscription forms, payment forms, and other types of forms for your site in minutes, not hours!
- Contact Form 7 – Contact Form 7 can manage multiple contact forms, plus you can customize the form and the mail contents flexibly with simple markup. The form supports Ajax-powered submitting, CAPTCHA, Akismet spam filtering and so on.
- Duplicate Post – This plugin allows users to clone posts of any type, or copy them to new drafts for further editing.
- Elementor Page Builder – A page builder that delivers high-end page designs and advanced capabilities.
- Google Analytics Dashboard for WP by ExactMetrics (formerly GADWP) – This Google Analytics for WordPress plugin enables you to track your site using the latest Google Analytics tracking code and allows you to view key Google Analytics stats in your WordPress install.
- Google Analytics Dashboard Plugin for WordPress by MonsterInsights – With over 2 million active installs, MonsterInsights is the most popular Google Analytics plugin for WordPress.
- Google XML Sitemaps – Use this plugin to greatly improve SEO to create special XML sitemaps which will help search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Ask.com to better index your site.
- Jetpack by WordPress.com – Jetpack is a popular WordPress plugin created by Automattic, the people behind WordPress.com. The plugin brings many of the most powerful features available on WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress sites and thereby contributing greatly to the improvement of WordPress powered blogs and websites.
- Really Simple SSL – Really Simple SSL automatically detects your settings and configures your website to run over https. To keep it lightweight, the options are kept to a minimum.
- TinyMCE Advanced – TinyMCE Advanced introduces a “Classic Paragraph” block for the block editor (Gutenberg). If you are not quite ready to switch to the block editor or have plugins that cannot be used there (yet), using the Classic Paragraph block is your best option. It lets you continue to use the familiar TinyMCE editor for most tasks, and at the same time gives you full access to all blocks and new features in the block editor.
- UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin – simplifies backups and restoration. It is the world’s highest-ranking and most popular scheduled backup plugin, with over two million currently-active installs. Backup your files and database backups into the cloud and restore with a single click!
- WooCommerce – With 80,876,475 downloads, WooCommerce is the most popular eCommerce platform for building an online store (stats from Builtwith).
- Wordfence Security – Firewall & Malware Scan – Wordfence includes an endpoint firewall and malware scanner that was built from the ground up to protect WordPress.
- WordPress Importer – The WordPress Importer will import the following content from a WordPress export file: Posts, pages and other custom post types, Comments, Custom fields and post meta, Categories, tags and terms from custom taxonomies, & Authors.
- WP Super Cache – This plugin generates static html files from your dynamic WordPress blog. After an html file is generated your webserver will serve that file instead of processing the comparatively heavier and more expensive WordPress PHP scripts.
- Yoast SEO – Yoast SEO is the most complete WordPress SEO plugin. It handles the technical optimization of your site & assists with optimizing your content.
December 5, 2019