I believe a website shouldn’t be like a brochure. It should be more like a binder you keep adding to.

When I first started building websites, one of the first things a client would ask me was, “Can I take care of updating the content myself?” And I always had to sadly shake my head and reply in the negative. I had to agree that it certainly would be a wonderful thing if everyone could take care of that part themselves.

Having someone else take care of keeping your website up-to-date can be both expensive and time consuming. Ultimately, it can cause you to put off making changes in a timely fashion.

A couple of years ago, a solution came into view using PHP code in addition to HTML and CSS, the two languages most web pages are built on. Blogging had become popular using this PHP-driven web language and newspapers used it to gather syndicated materials together for editing and publishing. Designers found that by using shared WordPress templates and plugins, we can put together gorgeous, flexible layouts while offering our clients the ability to take care of the content.

WordPress is widely-known, efficient, stable open source web software that enables anyone to update and add to the content of their website personally from any browser. It requires no financial investment on your part. You don’t have to buy a copy of the software to use it to work on your site. The WordPress software resides on the hosting computer where your website files are stored.

I spent months investigating how to customize WordPress layouts and I was profoundly impressed by the large community of WordPress users. But even with my experience with HTML and CSS, I found that customizing a layout can be mighty tricky. Though not hard to learn, the average person will not get far on their own trying to learn to use WordPress online. So I came up with a business plan to train people how to maintain their own WordPress site and I would handle the customization part.

Kirk and I have the current version of WordPress Multi-User (WPMU) on our server and we like everything about it. Now I can say YES! when someone wants a personal site they can update themselves. If you can use Microsoft Word or a similar application, you can manage the content on your own site.

Truthfully, it’s the most economical way I can provide anyone with a knock-out website.

For $600, I will provide you with a custom website and train you how to maintain it in your home or at your office.

• I’ll help you select and purchase a domain name if you don’t have one.
• I’ll set up a customized WordPress website for you on our server.
• Change your content, add pages, menu items and links, add images and audio files, add YouTube movies to your pages, and keep up a calendar all from your browser window on your own computer.
• I’ll help you learn how to blog if you’re interested.
• We’ll set up a photo gallery and I will show you how to add photos, captions and tags.
• We can set up a PayPal account for you if you hope to sell a product or services online.
• I will code in appropriate metadata (known as Search Engine Optimization or SEO) so your site can be located by potential visitors.
• I’ll show you how to “tag” your pages and posts so search engine robots can find them more easily.
• I can host your site here for $5 a month (that’s $60 prepaid annually).
• If you don’t have enough composition or computer skills to be able to run your own site, I can take care of your updates with a maintenance agreement for as little as $15 a month.

Extras:

• If you’re a musician or band, you can get an online, downloadable press kit — bio, publicity photos, plus a discography — all things you need to do business in today’s marketplace.
• You can have people “join” your site and host a blog to attract folks.
• You can add advertising to your site. I can train you how to manage it.
• I do video post-production if you have a video that needs edited.
• I can take photos if you need them.

Please let me know if you’d like to talk it over.