7: The Finale
One more Path: The Finale
Every designer I’ve met has their own idiosyncratic way of working. We all have our opinions about which software, which hosting company, and which coffee shop is best. For me, the process I’m going to outline below works well. I’m not saying this is the best way to go, but it is my preferred working method and I think that for someone getting into the game it can also be the best way to work; many designers have switched to this method as well.
You can go from having no website to having a site within three hours. This is not an exaggeration.
What is this Process?
It’s simple. I use WordPress and CSS and a specific WordPress Theme that I’ve paid for called Thesis. Those are the technologies that I use. My design process is the same as I laid out in Putting It All Together, with the addition of working with a client.
I like this method because it allows me to create a site quickly, using a very SEO friendly platform with an extremely easy way to add content and make changes. As I’ve said in the CMS lesson, WordPress is easy to use, easy to learn, and easy to teach. And almost all of my clients want to update their sites themselves and WordPress makes this possible.
WordPress designs are based off of Themes. With the click of a button you can choose any of a number of designs. But I like to design my sites like I want. So I choose to use a Theme as a base to build from and there is one theme that I prefer.
I use the WordPress theme Thesis because it is set up to do everything I need better and faster than I could do. With the click of a, “Big Ass Save” button I can change the structure of the site with in thirty seconds. I can modify the colors of the site that fast as well. There are so many different things that I can do with it, with such speed and efficiency that I really don’t want to work any other way.
Here are two videos, one is an example of how easy it is to update a web page using WordPress, the second is an example of what can be done with the Thesis Theme.
So that is the technology and the process that I use. To do this all you need to do is sign up for a hosting plan with either Bluehost, Dreamhost, or your choice of hosting companies. Install WordPress. Purchase the Thesis Theme, if you choose to go that route – if not you can use other themes if you’d like, but Thesis is not like the others. The other themes don’t give you the options that Thesis does. Nevertheless, please look at the themes that come installed with WordPress.
I am going to reiterate this process one more time for you, because I really want you to get this. I am going to give you a time scale as well, of course this is an approximation, but I think it is pretty much right on.
(30 minutes): 1. Purchase a hosting plan and domain name with Bluehost, or Dreamhost.
(10 minutes): 2. Install WordPress.
(45 minutes): 3. Purchase, then install Thesis into your Themes folder by FTPing it. Activate Thesis in your WordPress Dashboard and Voila.
That is it. You now have a website. All you need to do now is add your content and work over the CSS until the site matches the design you sketched.
(5 – ? hours): 4. Populating and Designing your site will take as long as it takes you.
(All The Time) 5. Tell Everyone About your New Profession.
(5 – ? hours) 6. Do exactly as you have done for your self, for them.
(5 – ? hours) 7. Affiliate marketing. Yaro, Thesis, Hosting Companies.
Making money while helping others:
I want to tell you about affiliate marketing. You know those ads you see on websites, those are affiliate links. The links to Bluehost, or Dreamhost and Thesis are affiliate links. I am going to explain the hosting company affiliate program because this is something that you will want to take advantage of. It will let you help your client, while helping yourself, as you help the hosting company.
Hosting plans cost around 90 to 130 dollars per year. That is the cost, that is what you will have to pay; however, by becoming an affiliate you can earn a percentage of those fees for leading a client or a visitor of your site to the company. In fact some affiliates will allow you to take a cut in your percentage so that you can pass on a discount to your clients or viewers. It’s a win win situation for everyone.
Some may say that I shouldn’t tell you that I’m an affiliate for the companies I listed above, but I believe in clarity and absolute honesty. On top of this I would never suggest someone use or purchase a product through me that I didn’t believe in. I refuse to help perpetuate crap. That’s how I am.
Let’s look a little more out how this will work for you. For every client you have, you will more than likely have to purchase a hosting plan, a percentage of that money will go to you instead of the hosting company. If you find a product or service that you really like, it only makes sense to share it with others.
There are quite a few ways to monatize your web business if that is what you choose to do. I’ve read quite a bit about it and there are a few sites that I really like:
Take a look at Yaro Starak’s site Blog Mastermind Program. You don’t have to buy anything, simply sign up and you will receive an Ebook that he has written called Blog Profits Blueprints . It’s free and full of great information. He is selling a product and maybe you will be interested in it but there is no need to buy it unless you really want to; I’ve seen his paid materials and they are well done. He has two free PDF Ebooks that are beneficial. The other Ebook is Membership Site Master Mind, a good read as well. The material in his books, especially the Membership Site Master Mind has given me a greater understanding of marketing on the web.
www.dreamhost.com
