[Hidden-tech] Looking for Free or Low Cost Blog Platform and Thoughts about Jotform for Registering New Subscribers

Wed May 27 10:42:47 UTC 2020

Welcome, Roger, and thanks for introducing yourself. I turn to this
friendly and knowledgeable group often for advice.

I agree with Rich that WordPress is a terrific platform. I have never heard
of it not working on a site, though if your host company doesn't support
it, you'd need to do a manual installation (there are people on this list
who could help you with that). Most webhosts have one-click
WordPress installation in their CPanels.

You do need to know some things about WP before you set up.

   - There is WordPress.com, which is hosted on THEIR servers, and
   WordPress.org, where your content is hosted on YOUR server (you don't have
   to own your server--let your hosting company do that). You want .ORG, so
   you have full control over the content and cant be held hostage over it.
   Neither one charges money.
   - WordPress is a very simple shell that uses "themes" to determine the
   look and feel. There are thousands of themes out there, some at no cost and
   others for a fee. Find one you like, but play with it to see how easy it is
   to work. There are some that nest text inside Java routines as one example)
   and I have found it's really tough to find the place I need to be to make
   minor edits.
   - Editing in WordPress is really easy, assuming you picked a theme that
   didn't have the issue I just described. The interface is similar to
   Microsoft Word or GMail if you turn off the blocks feature. So you don't
   have to learn any HTML. Instead of e.g. <b>your bold text</b>, you just
   highlight the text and click the B button in the formatting ribbon.
   - Find and install a few key plugins: a backup program so if WP utterly
   collapses, you still have your content; a file-namer that gives your posts
   a meaningful name taken from your headline, probably some others
   - WordPress updates frequently, both to add function and to beef up
   security. Set yours up to automatically run the updater, but remember to
   check every now and then to see if you need to update your plugins.
   Updating is just a few clicks and very intuitive.
   - You have a choice every time you post new content: a post, which goes
   at the top of your blog (which posts in reverse chronological order so the
   newest is on top) or a page, which is part of your permanent website
   structure and can be organized with menus, etc. Posts can also be sorted by
   category, so your reader can see everything you've put in any particular
   category just by clicking on the category name. I find it very worth the
   extra few minutes to add categories, keyword tags (which help people find
   your post), a picture, and an excerpt.
   - Consider having a designer set up the site to begin with, making sure
   they know you want a theme that's easy to edit posts, and then posting your
   own content from there.

Shel Horowitz - "The Transformpreneur"
________________________________________________
Contact me to bake in profitability while addressing hunger,
poverty, war, and catastrophic climate change
* First business ever to be Green America Gold Certified
* Inducted into the National Environmental Hall of Fame
* Certified speaker: International Platform Association
http://goingbeyondsustainability.com
mailto:shel at greenandprofitable.com 413-586-2388
Award-winning, best-selling author of 10 books.
Latest:Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World
(co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson)

Watch my TEDx Talk,
"Impossible is a Dare: Business for a Better World"
http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/11809
(move your mouse to "event videos")
_________________________________________________

On Tue, May 26, 2020 at 10:09 PM Rich at tnr via Hidden-discuss <
hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net> wrote:

> Tell us something about the site you are using now - it looks like a white
> label server with custom web interface.
> For example if it handled wordpress, it would do all you wanted already.
>
> Rich
>
> Sorry, earlier I send this answer to the wrong msg.
> On 5/26/2020 4:50 PM, Roger Magnus via Hidden-discuss wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am long-time reader but first-time poster on this discussion list.
>
> I am hoping to start a blog soon as I transition my business into a new
> area. I am trying to find a free or low-cost blogging platform that I can
> synch with my website domain,  rogermagnusresearch.com.  Does anyone have
> any suggestions? I realize my website is very simple and I hope to upgrade
> it eventually as I have more clients.
>
> Also, I want to sign up clients to the blog and wonder about Jotform to
> capture a name and email address.  One thing I like about it is it replies
> with a thank you message when someone signs up.  Is that something you
> would recommend, something else,  or is a link to my email sufficient?
>
> Many thanks!
>
>
> Best,
>
>
> Roger
>
>
> Roger Magnus
> Roger Magnus Research
> Amherst, MA 01002
> Phone/Text: 413-687-8466
> Web:  http://www.rogermagnusresearch.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.netHidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members
> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>
> --
> Rich Roth
> CEO TnR Global
>
> Bio and personal blog: http://rizbang.com
> Building the really big sites:      http://www.tnrglobal.com
> Small/Soho business in the PV:        http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Places to meet for business:        http://www.meetmewhere.com
> And for relaxation:        http://www.welovemuseums.com
>      http://www.artonmytv.com/
> Helping move the world:             http://www.earththrives.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members
> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.hidden-tech.net/pipermail/hidden-discuss/attachments/20200527/981578c2/attachment.html>