Beginner’s Guide to Wordpress 2.6 without Blogroll/Links Instructions
We created this guide for clients who are new to Wordpress and not terribly comfortable with computers in general. The current version does not include information on creating and managing your blogroll or links. We will post the longer version with that information soon. We will also start migrating the information to individual posts for those with slower connections.
Meanwhile, we hope this helps.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Good post, I like your writing style! I’ve added http://carolynecooper.com/ to my feed reader, and will be reading your posts from now on. Just a quick question – did you design your header image yourself, or have it done professionally? If you had it done by a professional, who was it?
John, sorry I didn’t get your comment approved earlier. It got lost amongst some others that weren’t valid. I’m glad you like the Wordpress 2.6 Beginners Guide. Thanks for the link, too. I’m working on a new guide for 2.7. It’s going to be multimedia and should be up by Epiphany (Jan. 6th). Sort of an interactive training guide. Be sure and check back. BTW, how are you liking squidoo.com? I’ve checked a few things on it, but haven’t built a lens yet.
Yes, I do my own design although the site is currently based on the Nature’s Highlight Theme http://refueled.net/wordpress-themes/” rel=”nofollow”>byrefueled.net.
Hi, Carolyn, you mentioned a willingness to answer a few questions so I’ve got one.
I’ve run into a snag. A Wordpress plugin, Akismet, that can help with spam requires that I have an API number to activate it. I’ve wadded through their documentation and help blogs etc., but without any luck. I am using a separate Wordpress account I set up, not the blog editing password and account, but no API shows when I go to edit the user profile as one and all indicate it should. I’m wondering if installing Wordpress twice (which I may have done) could have fouled it up or if using Simple Scripts to install Wordpress could be the culprit here. Also, I registered my domain name with directNIC, then chose Bluehost as the host and redirected the DNS from directNIC to Bluehost. In early Nov. it will have been 60 days since I acquired the domain name, janechilders.com, and I’ll be able to transfer the domain name to Bluehost. Perhaps that will fix things as a matter of course.
I’ve already found scores of pending comments regarding a waaay off color site. So Akismet looks like something we could use more than we’d ever imagined. I’d be very grateful for any help here.
By the way your class was great and Wordpress is pretty cool.
The email address I had for you failed, so I’m trying this route. Hope that okay.
Thanks,
Gary Childers
Gary,
Great to hear from you and hear you are working away! I’m working on the Wordpress 2.7 Beginners Guide as well as my outlines for the Winter 2009 Entrepreneur Institute classes: Optimize Your Wordpress Site: Administration, Plugins and Basic Theme Modification for SEO & Branding, Maximize Your Small Business Marketing Budget in 2009 & How Am I Doing?: Analyze and Improve Your Web Site ROI. With all the holidays and nasty weather, I’m starting the New Year running to catch up already. (And this is different from past years how?)
Anyway, to get to your questions. First, to run the Askimet plugin (which everyone should do), you have to get an Askimet key by starting a Wordpress.com account (yes, .com and not.org). There are two ways to do this:
1. If you still have Askimet installed, look at your Askimet plugin in your Plugins list and you’ll see the description reads something like:
Akismet checks your comments against the Akismet web service to see if they look like spam or not. You need a WordPress.com API key to use it. You can review the spam it catches under “Comments.” To show off your Akismet stats just put < ?php akismet_counter(); ?> in your template. See also: WP Stats plugin. By Matt Mullenweg.. Click on the Wordpress.com API key link and you’ll be taken to the Wordpress.com site.OR
2. You can type the URL directly into your browser: http://wordpress.com/api-keys/
This gives you the 411 about the Askimet key.
What you will discover is that you must sign-up for a Wordpress.com account. Don’t panic, it is FREE! If you don’t want to deal with having a Wordpress.com blog right now (I don’t but I will be setting one up later this month for reasons I will be blogging on http://carolynecooper.com/marketing-now ), you can select just the account. You’ll get an email with further instructions to confirming and setting up your account. You will also get your API key. (You can always retrieve your API key once your account is set up by logging into Wordpress.com and going to your profile. It’s at the top of the Profile page.)
Once you have your API key, you can configure your Askimet. If it is not installed and configured, you will see a link to setting the plugin up. Otherwise there should be a Askimet configuration link in your administration or plugin menu — depending upon which version of Wordpress you are using.
I hope that helps, Gary. If you are still having a problem, drop me a line and I’ll either stop by or try to walk you through it over the phone.
There are a couple of other plugins that are useful for limiting spammers which I’ll be writing about on the site in the next few weeks, but you’ll notice I still have my site on Moderated Comments right now. I’ve been monitoring the spam issues. Once Askimet is installed you should have very few spammers get past it.
Hi, Carolyn, good to hear from you. I had already signed up for two accounts under Jane’s name in an attempt to get an API, but apparently both were for administering a blog and not for an Account, which apparently is a separate matter.
So, I signed up for yet another account under my name, turned down get a blog, and was given an API key, which to my surprise activated Askimet on Jane’s blog, janechilders.com .
The twists and turns here are worthy of “The Perils of Pauline” and I wish I could retrace my steps to specify where I went right and wrong for others that might bump this road, but I’m still squinting and blinking in surprise at suddenly standing in the light of day.
Thanks again for your help.
Gary Childers