Words of Wisdom by MrWes » Blogging

The journey begins

Wes Johnson — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 06:02:43 +0000

When setting up a website you need to consider a few things - who your target audience is, what their needs are and how you can meet their needs. In anticipation of meeting their needs, the Linking209.com website has been setup using WordPress MU and BuddyPress. The MU stands for Multi-User. BuddyPress is a bundle of WordPress plugins to help bring Social Networking to a WordPress site. These two pieces of software working in concert with each other help create a Social Community.

The first part of the journey was the experience of setting up the website. So, far it hasn’t been too painful. Once I figured out the gotchas and did the right things, the installation went pretty smoothly. I also had to get it configured properly so it is fully functional. I believe it is fully functional.

Now I’m on the second leg of the journey. This is the part where I have to learn as much as I can about the features of WordPress MU and BuddyPress. Along this leg of my journey, I have to decide which WordPress MU compatible theme to use. A theme is like a skin over a frame. Some themes are very plain while others are very artistic.

The third leg of the journey will be to set up the Google Analytics, SEO and WordPress statistics by adding the appropriate plugins.

The fourth leg of the journey will be the marketing of the Linking209 website. Essentially, it’s making sure everybody hears about it. Once I’ve completed the second leg and I’m sure the theme is set, I’ll start getting the word out there.

The fifth leg of the journey will be to review and evaluate what has been done on the website, then make corrections as needed to improve the growth and marketability of Linking209.com.

The journey begins is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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Linking209 website is born

Wes Johnson — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:40:40 +0000

In February 2010 some friends and I decided to start a networking group called Linking209. Its name focuses on a specific region covered by the 209 area code. The primary focus at this time is Stanislaus County, San Joaquin County and surrounding areas. In other words the Greater Stockton area, Modesto, Tracy, Manteca and surrounding cities. It’s an open group in LinkedIn. If you want to join and network with us, feel free to visit this link Linking209 in LinkedIn.

The Linking209 mission is to provide networking opportunities for people who live and work in the 209 area code. In order to facilitate this mission, I am in the process of creating a community based website at Linking209.com. I would love for everyone in the 209 area code to join and contribute. Please visit the website and join. If you would like to have a blog on Linking209.com, please feel free to visit the site and contact me. We’ll get you set up. If you know of anyone who has a blog and who would like to be added to our blogroll or be a guest writer, please let them know about Linking209.com. I’ll be happy to add links to city councils, chambers and other organizations in the 209 area code.

It is my hope that the people of the 209 area code will get excited about networking together and contribute by adding value to each other and the group.

Regarding this blog, mrwes.net, it will always be my personal blog. I plan to continue writing as I have little bits of wisdom to share with everybody. However, I also plan to branch out a little into other areas of my expertise. Linking209 will allow me and other subscribers to contribute through blogging and commenting on blog posts.

If you have suggestions, please feel free to share. I’m open to any and all suggestions.
BTW, I have plans for another WordPress theme. I haven’t found the right one yet. The reason I ended up announcing the website is because I already have Linking209 T-Shirts, so it was bound to get out anyway.

Linking209 website is born is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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MrWes celebrates 200th blog post

Wes Johnson — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:58:59 +0000

I’ve reached my 200th blog post. It’s been a long road to get here, but the journey has been worth it.

Where I’ve been:

During this past year, I have done a lot of growing in my blogging and presentation skills. I have written articles on personal networking and personal marketing plus several posts on technology and DIY.

This last month I committed to becoming an iPhone and Mac OS X developer. It has been a while since I last programmed a Mac, but it’s coming back to me. The iPhone is something new for me. If I had only known that the iPhone would be such a productive tool, I would have gotten one many years ago.

Where I’m going:

My interests haven’t changed from what I’ve been sharing over this past year, but they have expanded. These days my attention has been directed toward podcasts, video blogging and podcast production.

In fact, I have already arranged to do an informational interview with local expert Matthew Beckwith to learn more about what it takes to be a podcaster. Matt’s site is PodcastStockton.com.

I have also started collaborating with a colleague, Donal Scully, on my blog. Starting this week, he will be acting as my editor. We’re talking about the possibility of creating another blog that has a more general theme based on local news and events. I see Donal’s role expanding as a contributing editor.

I’ve also been doing lots of reading, so I plan to write plenty of book reviews. We’ll see how that goes.

Please provide your feedback:

If you have any suggestions regarding topics you would like to read (or hear) about, please give a comment in reply to this post. I’d love to hear from you.

MrWes celebrates 200th blog post is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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Are my blog posts too short?

Wes Johnson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:58:26 +0000

Many times, I wonder if I say too little or not enough. When I was in elementary school, my teachers would tell me to write in more detail. They would say I had not written enough detail. I should be more descriptive. In high school, my teachers would tell me to be more succinct. I was giving too much detail. In college, some professors would tell me to write in more detail. At work, I would hear about making sure I was using the write information for the intended audience. Of course, I was to keep the written documents short. “Just the executive summary if you please,” would be the cry.

So here is the dilemma, am I writing too much or not enough? It seems like no matter which way I would write, someone would always want it different. So, what is a writer to do?

Pictionary is a game like charades, except that you draw out the word while your teammates guess the word. When I play pictionary, I like to draw the background or supporting information first. Basically I draw the context of the item. Then I draw the item in its proper context so everybody knows exactly what I am drawing. For some people, this drives them nuts. For others, they understand that I am drawing the details or setting up the context. They wait until I had given them the context of the item, then they can figure out the item I am drawing.

Getting back to blog writing. Is the practice of setting up the background or context first being too wordy? I see many other established blogs have posts that contain at least 1000 words if not more. My blogs up to this point are somewhere between 250 to 500 words. Of course I’ve been blogging for a relatively short amount of time compared to many professional bloggers. I am sure I can make my posts longer, but should I?

What do you think about my blogs? Are they too short? Do I go into enough detail? Are they interesting enough? Any and all comments or suggestions are welcome.

Please post a reply and let me know what you think.

Are my blog posts too short? is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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8 questions and answers about Twitter

Wes Johnson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:59:37 +0000

The other day, I received a question regarding how all this Twitter stuff works. I spent a little time explaining the concepts and then decided that I should write a blog about it. I’m sure everyone would like to hear about Twitter and how it’s being used for Social Networking and Social Marketing.

A few questions:

What is Twitter?
- Twitter is a microblog that allows the Tweeter to share a complete thought with their followers in 140 characters or less?
- There is a short video by http://CommonCraft.com on this subject at the end of this post.
What’s a Tweet?
- A Tweet is a message that is posted via Twitter.
Why only 140 characters or less for a Tweet?
- Based on Text Messaging in phones, you only have 160 characters for texts. If you reserve 20 characters for the user address, that leaves you with 140 characters to do your message
Do I need a Twitter account to use Twitter?
- The short answer is NO.
  - If all you want to do, is see what people are Tweeting about you can do a few things:
    - To see what I’ve been Tweeting about you would visit an individual Tweet account http://twitter.com/mrwes
- If you want to participate in all the fun then YES you will need a Twitter account.
- You need an account if you want to
  - Send your own Tweets
  - follow interesting Tweeters
  - see who is following the Tweeter
  - see who the Tweeter is following
  - Send private Tweets back to the Tweeter
Can I quickly see what other people are Twittering about?
- You can do Web based searching by visiting
  - http://search.twitter.com/
  - http://collecta.com/
- For Windows you can install software that will help to organize Twitter searches & see nicely formatted tweets from people you’re following.
  - http://tweetdeck.com/beta/
  - http://seesmic.com/desktop.html
Do I have to have a phone to use Twitter?
- No, you can use a browser or a desktop Twitter application to send messages.
What will I get out of using Twitter?
- It depends on how you use it.
  - If you want to build social networks and community, Twitter can help you do that.
  - If you want to utilize it as a marketing tool, you might increase brand awareness.
  - If you want to make lots of money selling Twitter marketing gimicks, I’m not sure if you will be able to pull that one off. So far, most of what I’ve seen in the way of Twitter marketing gimicks has been unacceptable in my eyes.
Where can I find out more about Twitter?
- The twitter Guide Book - http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/
- How to find a job on Twitter - http://mashable.com/2009/03/13/twitter-jobs/

8 questions and answers about Twitter is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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Finding the right WordPress Theme

Wes Johnson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:32:56 +0000

Choosing a WordPress theme is a very formidable task. Not only do you have the challenge of finding something that looks good to you, but you also have to worry about whether your viewers will appreciate it. Your big question should be, ”does this theme represent the brand I am trying to promote to my customers?”

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a theme:

Is the theme easily customizable without programming?
Will it support the widgets I’ve been using?
Will it support my plugins I’ve been using?
Is it compatible with the latest version of WordPress?
Is it following the documented API to ensure future compatibilty?
Will this theme meet my present and future needs without customizing?
Is there a large community of users that endorse this theme for their own websites?
What is the performance like? Does it load quickly?
Is there a support forum for it?
How quickly do the developers respond to issues?

At the time of this post, there were 1,029 free themes to choose from just on the WordPress.org website. That doesn’t even include any of the premium themes available. The premium themes range in price between $5 and $100. Some are priced a little higher but you get more support.

I think the major decision boils down to the kind of customization you are willing to do.

Things you might have to customize:

CSS (Style elements)
- background color
- font color
- font size
- positioning
content
- images
PHP (Logic)
- how content or comments are being displayed
- disable code that isn’t necessary
- adding scripts for plugin support

So, what am I going to do? The themes I am currently looking at are all FREE themes. The only problem is that these themes kind of meet my needs, but not exactly. I have chosen one that will suffice until I find one that meets my needs. I have been avoiding the premium themes, but I have a gut feeling if I start looking into the premium themes, I’ll quickly find exactly what I’ve been looking for. If I put a price on my time, the cost of using a premium theme isn’t so bad.

Finding the right WordPress Theme is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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Being critiqued is hard to do

Wes Johnson — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:59:53 +0000

I recently joined a blogging community called Problogger.com. This is a group of bloggers that range in experience full time proffesional bloggers to bloggers who are just starting out.

There is a section in the Problogger forum to invite fellow bloggers critique your blog, so you can improve and produce a higher quality blog. The feedback I received was very enlightening and provided me with several action items to help my blog improve. Everyone who commented about my blog was very helpful. I plan over the next couple of days to address those issues and then try again. Hopefully, everyone will agree with the changes I make.

My first change everybody might have already noticed. If you are reading this post, you either landed directly on this page from a referral on another sight or you arrived here through the front page. If you arrived through the front page, then you clicked on the “Read More” link.

The “Read More” link is a little part of the new way I am writing my posts. It gives just enough of a taste for the reader to see if they might be interested in the post. It also makes the home page load a little more quickly.

Over the next couple of days I plan to better define my niche, my personal brand message and make sure my theme reflect this.

Being critiqued is hard to do is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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I learned something new today

Wes Johnson — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:04:44 +0000

I have learned a new lesson related to my craft. Apparently, some websites practice what is called website scraping. This is where they grab your content and then republish it as their own. Yesterday, I posted “9 ways to keep your mind sharp“. On that very same day, another site took my post and posted it on their website. No mention of my name, just a Read More link that pointed to my post. I discovered this post because of this thing called a pingback.

Pingback:

A pingback is a message that tells your website that they are linking to you. The website doing the pingback usually expects that you will link back to them. I am totally amazed that anyone would do either of these practices. The pingback just took me by surprise. The idea that someone who stole an idea and claimed it as their own would then they want you to link to them. Sorry, that’s not how I reward people who steal.

Many thanks:

thanks to Matthew Mullenweg for Akismet. This tool is invaluable for catching SPAM producers. I can prevent the link-back from being posted, so that’s part of my battle
thanks to the ProBlogger.com community for their suggestions on dealing with link-farms.
thanks to Joost de Valt for the wonderful plugin RSS Footer. This tool makes sure the credit line gets inserted in the RSS feed.

One of my fellow bloggers suggested that I should be flattered that someone likes my stuff so much that they would claim it was theirs. I guess, I’ve made it to the bigtime. I’m starting to be copied by other websites.

I learned something new today is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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Google Analytics and Internet Demographics

Wes Johnson — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:59:12 +0000

One of the goals I have for my blog is to be visited by someone from each of the 50 United States. Tracking this data has been easy with Google Analytics. My blog has been consistently visited by people from 45 states.

The only states not visiting are:

State	Population Rank
Rhode Island	43rd
Montana	44th
Delaware	45th
Alaska	47th
Wyoming	50th

In my quest to meet this goal, I have been looking into the demographics of these states. I am trying to figure out why I haven’t received any visits from these states. So far, the only thing I see in common are they have the lowest rank in population.

State	Cybercafes
Rhode Island	0
Montana	1
Delaware	1
Alaska	8
Wyoming	1

Only Alaska has more than 1 Cybercafe.

State	Economy	median household income
Rhode Island	healthcare and education services	$47,037
Montana	agriculture and microbrewery beers	$35,574
Delaware	agriculture and industrial	$49,545
Alaska	oil, gas and seafood	$52,141
Wyoming	mineral extraction, travel and tourism	$43,785

The economies are different.

What are the people from these states interested in? Any ideas?

Google Analytics and Internet Demographics is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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An elevator speech for my blog

Wes Johnson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:53:56 +0000

The first exercise in 31 Days to Build a Better Blog is to write an elevator speech for my blog. This has been a little challenging for me because I never though of trying to describe my blog to someone in an elevator speech before. But this is a great exercise to try and put in words what this blog is about.

The short elevator speech:

Wes’ Words of Wisdom teaches through sharing life lessons learned.

The long elevator speech:

Wes’ Words of Wisdom is a collection of reviews, tutorials, technical guides, and inpirational essays usually anecdotal in nature. The primary focus of this blog is to share Wes’ life experiences, peppered with a little humor, and the corresponding lessons he has learned. My life mission is to inspire learning. It is my hope that this blog will live up to the mission.

Your Feedback requested:

Anyone who has read my blog must have an opinion. Please reply to the Post and tell me what you think.

What do you think of my elevator speeches? Do they convey what this blog is about?

Thanks for your feedback. Your participation will help me know if I’m on target or not.

An elevator speech for my blog is a post from: Words of Wisdom by MrWes thank you for reading my blog.

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