The document discusses strategies for building a successful WordPress multi-site network, including focusing on a niche market, improving the signup and support processes, developing custom themes and plugins, and implementing automated backups. Key recommendations are to respect users, expect them to need help, say "no" to bad requests, and offer WordPress as a service tailored to specific industries or niches.
4. }
.com
hosted easy to use
easy +
free limited
programming
limited themes access
limited plugins =
no ftp not much
opportunity
never custom
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Monday, September 12, 2011
5. }
.org
self-hosted unlimited
technical skill needed possibilities
costs +
hard to
install themes master
install plugins =
ftp/shell/etc. opportunity
unlimited custom
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Monday, September 12, 2011
7. installation is hosting compatible?
build contracts, design, programming
training WP is a lot for new users
support upgrades, hacked sites, backups
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Monday, September 12, 2011
8. install build
support train
Monday, September 12, 2011
9. upgrade
install build
backup test
support train
re-train
Monday, September 12, 2011
10. upgrade upgrade
install build install build
backup test backup test
support train support train
re-train upgrade re-train
install build
backup test
support train
upgrade re-train upgrade
install build install build
backup test backup test
support train support train
re-train re-train
Monday, September 12, 2011
11. Have you
heard about
MultiSite?
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Monday, September 12, 2011
12. 1
server
set of core files
set of plugins
set of themes
backup system
upgrade
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Monday, September 12, 2011
13. server
core
plugins
themes
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Monday, September 12, 2011
14. server
core
plugins
themes
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Monday, September 12, 2011
15. centralized
streamlined
known environment
faster development
instant release
built in signups
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Monday, September 12, 2011
31. Introducing
The User
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Monday, September 12, 2011
32. Can I use any
theme I want?
Can I use any
plugin I want?
How do I
make a post?
What is
WordPress?
Do you do
Flash sites?
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Monday, September 12, 2011
33. Give me
a site
made for me!
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Monday, September 12, 2011
35. in nin g... custom websites
the beg
in
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Monday, September 12, 2011
36. in nin g... custom websites
the beg
in
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Monday, September 12, 2011
37. in nin g... custom websites
the beg
in
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Monday, September 12, 2011
38. in nin g... custom websites
the beg
in
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Monday, September 12, 2011
39. in nin g...
the beg
in
similar
features
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Monday, September 12, 2011
40. in nin g...
the beg
in
similar
features
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Monday, September 12, 2011
41. in nin g...
the beg
in
similar
features
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Monday, September 12, 2011
42. in nin g...
the beg
in
and of course blogs...
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Monday, September 12, 2011
43. upgrade upgrade
install build install build
backup test backup test
support train support train
re-train upgrade re-train
install build
backup test
support train
upgrade re-train upgrade
install build install build
backup test backup test
support train support train
re-train re-train
Monday, September 12, 2011
44. server
core
plugins
themes
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Monday, September 12, 2011
45. Most plugins / themes
Uploads work differently
not MultiSite compatible
Backing up large sites No clear way to charge
becomes very difficult per blog
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Monday, September 12, 2011
46. em es
Th
a nd
P lugins
Build a parent theme / framework
Build child themes
Select best plugins
Test (modify) plugins for MultiSite
Custom Plugins when needed
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Monday, September 12, 2011
49. em es
h ild Th
C
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50. m iza ble
Cu sto
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Monday, September 12, 2011
51. m iza ble
Cu sto
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Monday, September 12, 2011
52. Plugins:
Define the Path
SEO
XML Sitemaps
Contact Forms
Pagination
Non-Flash Image Galleries
Twitter / Facebook / Sharing
Monday, September 12, 2011
53. rov ing
I mp
S ignup
P roc ess
Customize the look
Choose a Password
No Email Verification
Make them accept TOS
Add helpful info
Add support links
http://premium.wpmudev.org/
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Monday, September 12, 2011
54. ing the
I mp rov ess
up Pr oc
S ign
Choose a
Password
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Monday, September 12, 2011
55. ing the
I mp rov ess
up Pr oc
S ign
Terms of
Service
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
56. ing the
I mp rov ess
up Pr oc
S ign
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
57. ing the
I mp rov ess
up Pr oc
S ign
Added Info
and
Support Links
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Monday, September 12, 2011
58. ing the
I mp rov ess
up Pr oc
S ign
Instant Login!
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Monday, September 12, 2011
59. rov ing
I mp
Su pp ort
P roc ess
Getting Started Guide
Documentation
Videos
Forum
Support Tickets
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Monday, September 12, 2011
60. ing the
I mp rov ess
rt P roc
S up po
Download link
added to signup
sent in welcome email
available everywhere
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Monday, September 12, 2011
61. ing the
I mp rov ess
rt P roc
S up po
Video Tutorials
VideoUserManuals.com
Videos right in Admin
White labeled
Every version of WP
Use on all sites
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Monday, September 12, 2011
62. ing the
I mp rov ess
rt P roc
S up po
Documentation
We tried a WP theme
Ended up with Zendesk
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Monday, September 12, 2011
63. ing the
I mp rov ess
rt P roc
S up po
User Forums
Tried several WP plugins
Ended up with Zendesk
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
64. ing the
I mp rov ess
rt P roc
S up po
Support Tickets
Tried several WP plugins
Ended up with Zendesk
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
65. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
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Monday, September 12, 2011
66. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
Fully
Brandable
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Monday, September 12, 2011
67. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
68. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
69. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
Start
with
Search
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
70. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
71. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
72. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
Docs
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Monday, September 12, 2011
73. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
74. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
75. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
Forums
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
76. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
77. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
78. Zend esk
W hy
is co ol
Support
Tickets
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Monday, September 12, 2011
80. The lan
acku pP
B
Server Backed up daily
But what do we do with that?
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Monday, September 12, 2011
81. The lan
acku pP
B
Version Control:
Mercurial repository for Core
Mercurial repository for /wp-content/
Shell scripts via cron:
Blogs.dir to server and Amazon S3
Database to server and Amazon S3
New Plugin - Blog Status Manager
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
83. Takeaways
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
84. Focus on a Niche Market
Respect the User
Expect the User
Be ready to say No! to the User
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
85. Foc us
o na ark et
N ich eM
Similar Users
Similar Features
Similar Plugins
Theme Framework
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
86. E xp ect
eU ser
th
Enable Customization
Improve the Signup Process
Improve the Support Process
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
87. Re sp ect
eU ser
th
Listen
Amazing support
They have great ideas
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
88. No !”
Sa y“
eU ser
to th
Position yourself
as an expert
Just because they ask
does not mean they NEED it
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
89. No !”
Sa y“
eU ser
to th
bad practices:
splash pages
flash
bad SEO ideas
disable right-click
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
90. it atio ns
Lim
o nU ser
no ftp
no direct access to files
not a full hosting account
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
91. Why would they want this?
Why would they NOT want this?
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
92. There
is
a
learning
curve
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Monday, September 12, 2011
93. The
user
needs
your
help
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
94. WordPress as a Service
For Photographers
For RealEstate
For Restaurants
For ______________
@photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011
95. T HE
TH IRD
PR ESS
W O RD s for
et work
ulti Site N
remi um M
P
Mar kets
N iche
Monday, September 12, 2011
96. WPMU DEV
Marty Thornley premium MultiSite Plugins
@martythornley http://premium.wpmudev.org
marty@photographyblogsites.com
http://martythornley.com Mercurial
http://photographyblogsites.com
http://mercurial.selenic.com/
Mercurial GUI for Mac
Blog Status Manager (and more) http://www.sourcetreeapp.com/
http://bitbucket.org/martythornley
Mercurial GUI for PC
http://tortoisehg.bitbucket.org/
All Film Stills from
“The Third Man” (1949)
Directed by Carol Reed Zendesk
Written by Graham Green http://www.zendesk.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/
@martythornley @photoblogsites
Monday, September 12, 2011