This first week of my Promotions with WordPress marketing class is going to be a BIG one. Welcome back to school! I’ve got two video screencasts for you. The first one is an introduction video and the second one is a video that demonstrates how to create a Google Apps custom email account and import the email account into an @gmail email account.
Promotions with WordPress semester introduction video
youtube.com/watch?v=qSnh1DG9CRw
How to create a Google Apps custom email account and import the email account in an @gmail email account
youtube.com/watch?v=v7SKToFGStw
If you have never heard of Lynda.com, Kelby Training, SEOmoz, Tuts+, Rockable Press, and Digging Into WordPress then you are in for some serious learning treats.
WordPress
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordPress
WordPress has accomplished some amazing feats.
WordPress and Photoshop Excitement
People like WordPress and Photoshop so much that they get together to talk about it.
Ebook Topics
The ebook contains my favorite educational resources on how to buy a domain name and hosting, start a WordPress website, create a custom email address with Google Apps, use WordPress, learn Photoshop, add Photoshop graphics to a WordPress website, add Photoshopped photographs to a WordPress website, learn about Photoshop website mockups, customize the HTML and CSS of a WordPress theme, use a custom WordPress theme, customize WordPress navigation, widgets, plugins, optimize a WordPress website for search engines, and add video to a WordPress website.
Materials
I recommend reading the ebook Digging Into WordPress. It’s over 300 pages of WordPress awesomeness.
I recommend getting a Lynda.com video tutorial subscription so that you can have expert video tutorials guide you through learning Adobe Photoshop and WordPress. These programs are not easy to learn and substandard tutorials cause frustration. Purchasing a Lynda.com video tutorial subscription will be the best $25/month you have ever spent (on marketing education). Try a free week pass and decide for yourself.
Kelby training is geared more towards photographers and graphic designers and has lots of great content, but if you get a Lynda.com subscription you’ll have more than enough video tutorials to keep you busy this semester.
Adobe has free tutorials at Adobe TV, which you can search by product.
Domains
sixrevisions.com/resources/12-excellent-tools-for-picking-a-domain-name
smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/29/10-tools-find-register-manage-domain-names
Search for buying a domain name resources.
You should buy a domain name that is short, memorable, easy to get a tattoo of, and easy to shave into your hair. Search domai.nr to see what’s available. Don’t buy an international domain name unless you want to wait a month to get started. I buy domain names at GoDaddy. Don’t let GoDaddy pull any used car salesman moves and upsell you fancy services. You should be aware that the address and phone number you give GoDaddy will show up online. If you are concerned about privacy you might want to pay extra to keep your address and phone number hidden.
Hosting
Search for buying website hosting for WordPress resources.
I use Media Temple right now and I have used GoDaddy in the past and it’s been fine. Just start with the cheapest plan possible and don’t let your host pull any used car salesman moves and upsell you any fancy services.
Tools
Adobe Photoshop, iMovie, a text editor, and an FTP program.
Adobe Photoshop CS4 is in the computer labs and Adobe Photoshop CS5 is the current version. You can download Adobe Photoshop CS5 at adobe.com and use it free for 30 days.
TextWrangler is a text editor available in the labs, and Chapter 1 of Digging Into WordPress recommends other Mac and PC text editors.
FireFTP is a free FTP program that’s available in the labs, and Chapter 1 of Digging Into WordPress recommends other Mac and PC FTP programs.
I also recommend getting a Gmail and Dropbox account.
Do you like to watch commercials? No. Do you get spam in your email and social networks? Yes.
This is not good.
Get a Gmail account and import all of your email accounts into one Gmail account.
Filter all of your email that is spam and stop deleting emails. Life is too short to delete emails.
Don’t email yourself every time something happens on Facebook and block people that Facebook spam you.
Start using Google Reader and iGoogle to get the news updates that you want.
Dropbox
Dropbox is available for Mac and PC and can be accessed via the web (on school computers).
1Password
agilebits.com/products/1Password
The students who have trouble in my classes are the students who aren’t prepared to manage multiple account usernames and passwords.
It’s just going to get worse, so you might as well figure out how to get your usernames and passwords organized now.
1Password is great, but it’s not free.
You can also save your usernames and passwords in a Dropbox text file or with Google Bookmarks in your iGoogle.
Google Apps (Free)
google.com/apps/intl/en/group/index.html
google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=60216
google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=33352
mail.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=12913
Create a Google Apps (Free) account.
Verify domain name ownership by customizing a TXT record in your DNS. GoDaddy or whoever you bought your domain name from can help you with this. You are paying for their phone service so don’t be shy about calling them.
Enable Google Apps email and customize your MX records (call GoDaddy for help with the MX record customization).
Import your Google Apps email (You@DomainName.com) to your Gmail (You@gmail.com). Google is not going to help you with this, so google your error message if you get stuck.
Access your Gmail with your email client of choice on your PC and phone.
