My lightening talk for the 2016 Sacramento WordCamp in which I cover the best practices of content creation, including why writing your website and blog content in a traditional word processor might not the best approach. Additional information can be found at my blog TheLovelyGeek.com.

1. Best Practices for
Creating Content
Or Why You Shouldn’t Copy
and Paste From a Word
Processor

2. Cristina Robinson
UI/UX Designer at Three29
Blogger at TheLovelyGeek.com
@LovelyGeek #wcsac

3. Best Practices
for Creating
Content
1. Don’t use a traditional word
processor to copy & paste
2. Use the right tool for the job
such as apps or shortcuts
3. Take preventive measures
on your site and with clients

4. Don’t Use a Word Processor for
Creating Your Content

5. Hidden Formatting
Copying and pasting brings
hidden code over that can break
your site.
It looks like you’re trying
to copy and paste into
WordPress. Would you
like some help with that?

6. Inconsistent Styling
Your CSS styles can get
overwritten by your word
processor’s code.
It looks like you’re trying
to copy and paste into
WordPress. Would you
like some help with that?

7. Formatting Isn’t
Guaranteed
E.g. headings in Word aren’t
recognized as headings in
WordPress which is not good
for SEO
It looks like you’re trying
to copy and paste into
WordPress. Would you
like some help with that?

8. Methods and Tools for Bringing
Your Content into WordPress

9. WordPress Editor
• Autosaves drafts
• Distraction-free writing
• Desktop + mobile app

10. Copy and Paste
with No Formatting
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Text editor
• Paste As Text button

11. Use An App
• WordPress - Desktop + Mobile
• Blogo - Mac & iOS only
• Ulysses - Mac only
• Desk PM - Mac only
• BlogJet - Windows only
• ZenWriter - Windows only

12. Preventive Measures to Take
on Your Site

13. Paste as Plain Text
• WordPress plugin
• Forces editor to paste
everything as plain text
• Make sure your WordPress site
is up-to-date!

14. Style the Visual
Editor
• add_editor_style function to
functions.php
• Create separate stylesheet
dedicated to editor styles
• wpfill.me

15. Make the Admin
User Friendly
• Theme Customizer
• Widgets
• Custom Fields

16. Educate Your Client
• Set expectations
• Training
• Paste as Text button

17. Thank you!
www.TheLovelyGeek.com