Hi All!

It has been a while since I have talked about the Thesis Theme, but I wanted to take a moment here to offer my feedback on this Theme again. After all, the Thesis banner is the footer of all my posts!

Pre-Thesis and Post-Thesis

Before I bought the Thesis Theme,  I was simple using the free theme that came with WordPress.  I had done some adjustments, but could not get the blog to look the way I wanted.  I began tweaking my blog to find the right look and it was becoming quite the chore.

After I bought Thesis, life got easier and my blog started looking better.  The best part, was I saw in increase in traffic!  I was amazed at the capabilities, the user-friendly design options, and the great support.  I knew I was happy with my decision, even though I had still made some mistakes with design along the way.

One of the things I really love about Thesis is the support!  Not only the forum, but all over the web.  IF you just type in the keywords to your problem along with the word “Thesis,” so many results are returned.  It seems like there are answers to most of the problems I had.  And if I couldn’t find the answer, I used the forum and got a quick response there.

Additional Blogs and More Designing

I had other ideas as to where my online business would take me outside of freelance writing, so after some time went by, I decided to start creating more blogs.  Since I didn’t have the developer’s version of Thesis (which gives multi-site access), I began looking for FREE themes for my other blogs.  While I did find some great free themes like Atahualpa and applied them to my sites, I wanted more options.

So, one night as I started a new website, I just jumped in and upgraded to the Developer’s Option.  I used it on one of my sites and from this point forward, I will be using it on ALL my new sites. The bottom line is it was just an easier way to design my sites.

Is the Thesis Developer Option Necessary?

For most bloggers, no.

If you have every intention on having only one blog, stick with Thesis single license (although the prices are going up for version 2.0).  Depending on your plans for multiple websites (niches, different topics), you may want to consider upgrading. You will have to decide on the upgrade.  Even if you start off with the single edition, you can upgrade later to the developer edition.

What I want to point out about the Thesis Theme in general is that the framework is sophisticated enough for advanced designers, yet simple enough for a non-designer to customize.  For bloggers who just want to tweak a few of the design options  in Thesis to quickly customize the site’s appearance, Thesis makes that very easy.

You can do as little or as much as you want with this theme.

Lifetime Upgrades and Support

The hefty price tag of the Developer Edition (currently $164) gives you LIFETIME upgrades and support.  This is one of the biggest perks on this Theme.  These upgrades are good on BOTH the single and multiple-site licenses.

One of the biggest reasons for upgrading is not only to save time, but to have consistency with my blogs.  If I see something that works great on one blog, I can quickly jump to another blog and make the same changes by easily duplicating my effort.

In then end, I want to save time and I have discovered that designing my blogs is not the most productive way for me to be efficient.  Taking away some of that extra time gives me more time to focus on the things that I enjoy.

If you are interested in the Thesis Theme, you can click here or find the Thesis Theme banner in the sidebar or footer.

If you are a single blogger who does all the writing and administration yourself,  then you only need two types of user roles for your posts: Administration and Subscriber. As a lone blogger, you may not even need to define roles in your posts if you do not have contributors or other editors who do not log in and therefore don’t need a role. This post may not apply to you.

Many bloggers may not know what the heck the difference is between an author and a contributor. For bloggers who have contributing guest posters or authors, here are the definitions of roles and the users permissions.

User Roles Defined

When you create additional user accounts on your blog, you can assign a user to a role for blog posts.  There are five roles: subscriber, contributor,  author, editor and administrator.  Each role has an increasing level of permission to perform actions on your site with administrator being at the top level.

All of the user information is under dashboard -> users -> and only an administrator can assign roles.  By default all new users created on your blog will be subscribers, an administrator level user then will need to edit the user and assign it a new role, if necessary. Each role will have the same permissions as the role beneath it, PLUS any additional permissions as defined below.

5. Subscriber

Subscribers is the lowest level and these users have the ability to read all of your blog posts.  Subscribers have the same permissions as an unregistered reader or any visitor to your blog.   Why do you need to assign a role for this user?  In most cases, you will not need to, but some blogs have features that are only available to registers users.  Some examples may be:

• Allow user to leave comments to prevent spam control
• Allow user to read certain posts
• A private blog which only grants registered users access to your blog

Having this role allows flexibility if that is required.

4. Contributor

The next level for a user role is contributor.  Contributors can create content on your blog. The contributor can create and edit posts from the dashboard.  They can also delete their own posts which have not been published.

The big thing to point out about contributors is that they can create draft posts but cannot publish them.  This is a great role for one time guest bloggers or a writer you may not have a long-standing relationship with.  A higher user level is required to edit and publish the post.

3. Author

An author is a more trusted level of contributor.  Authors have all of the permissions of a contributor, but they can also publish their posts and delete their own (published) posts.  In addition, they can upload files to add to their posts (e.g. images or videos within a post).

*Authors and contributors only have control over their own content!

2. Editor

When a user is granted editor level,  site wide permission is allowed.  This is only recommended for a highly trusted user and a regular contributor to your blog.  As the name suggests, editors have full control over your blog posts. They can create, edit, publish, and delete ALL users content (including private posts). In addition, an editor can:

• create, amend and delete pages
• create categories
• add blog roll link entries
• moderate comments
• create and amend users.

As I have mentioned, editors are trusted members of your blog and can affect your blog at a fundamental level.  But, they cannot change the actual look and feel of the website.

1. Administrator

The administrator level user is the highest level user for the site.  This is the role of the blog owner who has complete control and access to the blog.   Along with all of the other capabilities mentioned above, they can change the theme, any CSS or HTML code to change the look of the site, upload and install plugins, etc.  Administrators control everything under the dashboard.

Administrator access is typically only assigned for the blog owner with few exceptions.  Temporary admin control may be used for web designers to tweak your blog.  You can create a admin user with a temporary password to enter your blog to make these adjustments, but should change the password as soon as the design is complete!  Control of  the administrator role is critical for a site security.  Be sure you have a strong password, and consider changing the log in username to something other than “admin”.

Other Tips on Roles and Capabilities

If you have multiple writers contributing to your blog, assign them the minimum permission required to contrubute.  Even if you trust them, if they are only writing blog posts, there is no reason to give them editor or admin permissions! After a significant amount of time, you can upgrade the level, but be sure you trust the user.  You will want to inform them of this upgrade and lay down some ground rules for this new level of permissions.

I would also recommend disabling NEW user registration for security reasons.  Only you should decide who is going to be a user on your blog.  Uncheck “anyone can register” under dashboard -> settings -> general.

Change the default displayed name of the admin account from admin to your own name.  This is done from  dashboard-> users ->edit the admin account -> complete first name and last name, then from “Display name publicly as” set your full name.  This makes the blog more personal instead a post written by “admin” on your blog.

User roles can be a great tool if used properly and securely.  It can cut down on some of the work if people can put posts directly into your blog.  Use the roles appropriately and check your draft posts in case a contributor wants to add a guest post!

I have began creating multiple blogs and it is getting a little bit easier – at least the set up part!  I decided to create a quick checklist for those that are starting in the blog business (or for those that list to have checklists).  It is not going to be detailed, just a quick down and dirty guide so you know where to begin.

1. Keyword Research.

The first thing you need to do is do your keyword research.  There are many tools for this. Find one that works for you.  This step is really important because it will play into Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which gets people to your site on the search engines.

2. Find a Domain.

Once you have your keyword and title of your blog, you will have to see if that domain is available, using the EXACT keyword.  One quick way to do this is going to Instant Domain Search.  This site will turn green as you type if the name is available.  It gives you the availability of .com, .net. or.org sites which I highly recommend using those (in that order).

3. Get a Domain Host.

This is necessary to get your blog to work and go live online.  There are plenty of host sites out there, I recommend  web hosting with Host Monster. Read why here.

4. Register the Domain.

Once you sign up with the host and have an account, register the domain.  You can register with a variety of sites, like GoDaddy.com.  However, to keep them all in one spot, if you have the option to register through the host – do it!  You will still have to pay to buy the domain, but Host Monster allows you to have unlimited registered domains hosted on one site.

5. Assign the Domain.

In your host Control Panel, you will have to assign the domain after you purchase it.  Make sure you do this in order to go on to the next step.

6. Download WordPress Software.

Once again, if you can download the software FROM the hosting site, this will be 100% times easier and only takes a few minutes.  If this is is your first blog, and you can not download from host, here are some instructions on how to download WordPress.

7.  Add a Theme to File via FTP.

Assuming you have already completed researching WordPress Themes, you will have to add it to your host’s file via File Transfer Protocol (FTP).  If you have not researched themes yet, there are plenty of free ones out there.  If you are considering premium themes, I would recommend Thesis Theme or Elegant Themes.

8.  Login in to Your Admin Page.

Once you are setup, log in to your WP Dashboard.  You should see the Theme you uploaded to your file server. Start tweaking the design or create your first post (Delete the “Hello World!” post first.)

You know should have all the basics in place to begin.  Your blog should now be live online.  Have fun!

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Phyllis Zimbler Miller.  Phyllis has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the social media marketing company Miller Mosaic Power Marketing.  Her company now has a collaboration with Doron Orenstein of Magnetic Webworks who builds WordPress websites for clients and Miller Mosaic provides social media coaching for those clients.

Grateful for WordPress

When I first started Internet marketing I hired a web person to create four different sites for me.  And with each site, although there was some content management, I was very frustrated that I had to wait for – and pay – the web person for minor changes.

That’s when I first heard about WordPress websites.  Of course, when I first heard about these I didn’t know the difference between the hosted ones at WordPress.com and the self-hosted ones using WordPress.org (usually referred to as just WordPress).

But when my younger daughter Yael K. Miller joined with me to create the social media marketing company Miller Mosaic Power Marketing, I told Yael we had to learn about having WordPress websites that we could control ourselves.

Yael dove into this project, including choosing Thesis for our sites’ theme, and soon she could build our own sites.  At that point I walked away from the four sites I had paid a great deal for and never looked back.

Building WordPress Sites for Others

And then we started building WordPress websites for clients because we wanted others to enjoy the power of controlling one’s own sites the way we did.

Now the truth is that, unless you are a techie person, it is probably a very good idea to have someone else build out your WordPress site.  There are many backend steps that are very important for search engine optimization and other purposes.

Plus, before you have a WordPress site built for you, it’s important to have decided on your Unique Selling Proposition – your USP – your brand.  In other words, how you want to position what you are offering on your site/blog.  This is especially important in choosing the domain name for your site.

For example, Yael and I worked with nonfiction authors who we encouraged not to use the book’s title for their website URL.  Instead we worked with these authors to come up with domain names that included the “promise” of what the book offered readers.

Now we do remind our clients that it is important to update their WordPress websites – and this means both updating WordPress as well as updating Thesis.  This is a task that can get overlooked but should be carried out.

I have to admit that, every time I make a change on one of our websites, I still get a thrill at being able to do things myself without being a techie.  I love being in control of my own destiny.

© 2010 Miller Mosaic, LLC

The initial process of making any significant changes to your website design can be daunting and a tad overwhelming.  This is especially true when your knowledge of code is at an elementary (or preschool) level.

After moving my blog from Blogger to WordPress, the next step was to set up a new theme on my site.   After looking into DIYthemes website, I realized the Thesis Theme was a pretty awesome theme.  It is more of a community than just a theme, with tons of resources on how to get started and maintain your blog.

Although the road to setting up my theme was paved and marked pretty well, it was not easy, flat, or straight.  The process was challenging for someone (like myself) who is not a web design guru, or even a novice for that matter. BUT, it can be done!

To help others, I want to point out some important lessons I learned along this journey.

Always Backup Your Site!!

This is so critical. I learned this lesson about day three into the change.  Back it up DAILY! I messed up badly and could not figure out how to fix it.  I asked around the forums, did web searches, and everything.  So, I figured I would just go back to my last update.  Except my last update was the first day I changed over to WordPress – BEFORE I downloaded Thesis!  Yuck!  So, essentially I had to start over.  Luckily, I still had the files on my computer, so it was just a matter of transferring them back to the host via FTP.  But, still!

You can do this with the WP-DBManager plugin and customize your settings. This can be a life saver.  Your hosting site may only do a backup once a week. In the initial stages of the design changes, you may want to backup every hour with all the changes you will be making.

Use the Forums

The forums in WordPress are a great resource filled with web developer expert advice.  In addition to the forums in WordPress, DIYThemes forums are also helpful. These forums offers topics on installation, WordPress or Thesis tips, troubleshooting, design, or a variety of topics you may have questions about.  I forgot about this resource until I realized it was a viable information for help and information. You will have to sign in using your WordPress.org login or your DIY Themes login.

Download a Local Copy of WordPress

I mentioned this in my post about moving from Blogger to WordPress. The video tutorials mentioned there are helpful.  This is a mistake I learned early on.  It is better to mess with your local copy than the site live online.  When you are aware that no one can see your website due to the screw-ups you made, you stress just a little.  For minor changes, it is probably okay.  But, once you start messing with the code or getting deep into the weeds, use the local version of WordPress!

Consider Hiring a Web Design Expert

I got to a point where I was spending WAY too much time customizing my theme, so I decided to look for web designers (cheap!) that could possibly just fix it for me. You know – hire a professional when you can’t do the job yourself.  I could not afford thousands of dollars either, so I was not sure if this was even an option.  But, if you want just some basic coding done to set up a nice foundation, it is worth spending a couple hundred bucks.

I went back to the DIYThemes forums and perused the Classified section. There is a great deal of information there.  Consider soliciting your need for help there.  If you are an “expert” yourself, this is another way to drum up business. Another great resource is the Top 100 Graphic Designers listed on Sociable Blog.

Bookmark Great Tutorials or Websites

There is nothing worse than finding a great resource and then have no idea where to look for it later when you need it.  Bookmark tutorials and useful websites or blogs when you need to go back.  I found this helpful when I knew I could jump on YouTube and look under my ‘Favorites’ to find the information I was looking for.

There is so much information out there on the Thesis Theme. These lessons learned were from my initial design experience.  I am sure I will have more lessons learned as I continue on this road.  I know web design and switching to Thesis can be intimidating for some, but in the long run, it is worth it. Trust me, if my non-programming self can do it, anyone can.

Please share your tips and lesson learned in the comment section!

You may have noticed that I have drastically changed the look of my blog and decided to take it to the next level. I have been considering moving over from Blogger to WordPress for some time now. I decided to do this switch almost completely due to  the Thesis Theme for WordPress. The reason I have been putting it off for so long is I knew what a time-consuming process the switch would entail.

So, I took the plunge.  I was right, it took a lot of work to switch over.

Everyone will have a different experience in this transition. For some javascript-CSS-knowledgeable-geeky-technical-savants this may be a walk in the park. I did not have a clue.

My Migration Situation

Some bloggers may use a blogspot extension and others may have their own domain.  I had my own domain already and was switching from a hosted blog, like Blogspot.com or WordPress.com to a self-hosted blog like WordPress.org.  In addition, I decided to run my blog under the Thesis Theme. Lots of work and time!

Valuable Steps and Lessons Learned

Get a host for your “self-hosted” blog

This is a good first step once you decided to take the plunge.  Since you will no long have a built in host like Blogger, you will need to get your own host to utilize WordPress.  There is a monthly fee for this service. Yes, you are now crossing over to serious blogging.  The kind that costs money.

I had no idea which hosting company to use.  I have seen BlueHost, iPage, HostGator, and many others on various blogs. To see a side by side comparison of host sites, check out  WebHostingSearch, Hosting Review Center, and WebHostingGeeks. These get updated quite often, so ultimately, the choice is yours.

After reviewing the reviews, I decided that Host Monster would be the best choice!  It has worked out great for me. They offer professional web hosting for only $6.95. Many times they will run specials for even cheaper! Can’t go wrong!

What the heck is a FTP and why do I need it?

This is a new concept that is also not a requirement for hosted sites.  But, the good news is you can find one to download for FREE.  Bottom line is if you have your own host, there has to be way to get files from your computer to the host and vice-versa. This is where File Transfer Protocol (FTP) comes in. It is essentially a network protocol used to get files from one host to another over the Internet. You WILL need this if your site is self-hosted. There are a variety of options to choose from here as well. I use Filezilla.

Download WordPress

Once you have a host and a FTP solution in place, it is time to get the WordPress software. You can download this directly from their website, WordPress.org. This is a pretty easy process, just follow the steps. After you download WordPress, you are ready to go.

Note: If you have your own domain and want to keep it, change your own domain on Blogger to Blogspot domain BEFORE you transfer anything.

After you are set up with WordPress, you will have a basic theme on the site you can customize.  It is up to you whether you want to set your blog up using the Thesis Theme.  If you do, you can click on it in the sidebar of my blog and ENJOY!!

Resources for Moving From Blogger to WordPress

MamaBlogga maintains the Ultimate Guide for migrating from Blogger to WordPress. Lots of information here and she will respond to any comments you may post. This is old, so be sure you are aware of any updates Blogger or WordPress may have.

SEO Chat has good info on Moving from Blogger to WordPress using your own domain.

Clazh – Move from Blogger to WordPress and Maintain Permalinks and Traffic – This has a step-by-step guide, specifically by having a local version of WordPress (which I highly recommend!).

More great information in a three-part series from iBlog Zone.

Blog Bloke gives a Complete Guide on how to move over to WordPress!

Video Tutorials

Chris Arthur had a good tutorial on how to download WordPress locally or for Mac users, here is another option.  Having a local version allows you to mess with the code without messing up your live blog.

Lisa from 2CreateaWebsite has AWESOME tutorials on youTube, including creating a local copy of WordPress and a Filezilla FTP tutorial.

Sherple also has Thesis 101 tutorials for those that get Thesis.

Hopefully, loaded with this information you will not feel COMPLETELY overwhelmed like I did when considering this transition.  Good luck and look for future tips on WordPress and Thesis!

When I started looking into moving my blog over to the WordPress host, I discovered it is more difficult than I first imagined.  First, I did not even realize that there is a difference between WordPress.COM and WordPress.ORG.  Yes there is a difference.  And, THAT is where I became hesitant to change from Blogger.  At least for now.

The two main blogging platforms are Blogger (blogspot) and WordPress. Moving a blog from Blogger to WordPress is not a simple process and takes some time. I am going to compare Blogger and WordPress.com, but first I want to mention a few things about WordPress.org

WordPress.com versus WordPress.org

WordPress.org is basically the full version of WordPress.com.  WordPress.org allows bloggers to choose customizable themes and provides more flexibility.  However, these themes cost money. You also need your own web host with WordPress.org. WordPress.com does offer free themes to choose from, but editing CSS costs money.  Essentially, WordPress.com is developer hosted and WordPress.org is self-hosted.

Blogger versus WordPress (the .com version)

Blogger Pros:

• Google based and integrated with otehr Google applications
• Easily integrate Google Adsense
• Map to your own domain for free
• Can edit CSS for free
  

Blogger Cons:

• Have to understand CSS to edit theme
• The look is not as professional as WordPress
• Comment system could be improved

WordPress Pros:

• Better commenting system than Blogger
• More professional look

WordPress Cons:

• Can not advertise
• Cost money to edit CSS
• Pay to map own domain

Ultimately, I think Blogger is good for beginner bloggers because it is free and offers flexibility with themes.  However, if you are looking for a more professional look, WordPress may be the better choice.

Decision time.  I would love to hear comments from readers that have been down this decision-making road.