Bridget Willard | SaaS Marketing Agency

Author: Bridget Willard

  • WordPress Debrief: Thoughts After Building My First Two Sites

    What’s the ROI of three WordCamps?

    Two WordPress Sites.

    (Thank you, thank you very much. I’ll be here all week.)

    You know that not all geeks are created equal, right? A social media geek isn’t necessarily an A/V geek or a hardware geek or a graphic artist geek. I think I blogged about that before.

    It’s funny now that the PTSD has subsided. Seriously. I have just survived the most difficult 20 days of my life. Here are my thoughts — a debrief of sorts, from a social media geek’s perspective.

    Why WordCamp?

    I went to WordCamp Orange County in 2013 because my friend Pam Aungst suggested it. My blogging buddy and BFF Carol Stephen bought tickets, too. Pam’s plans changed. We still went.

    Dot com versus Dot Org

    (WordPress.com v Wordpress.org)

    I’ve been blogging on WordPress.com for longer than I can remember. In 2010, I started the Riggins blog on dot com. My blog was there from 2011 until last week.

    WordPress.com is free.

    You choose a username which becomes your website address (url). Since mine was YouTooCanBeAGuru, the address (url) was youtoocanbeaguru.wordpress.com. It’s here now, so don’t go there.

    WordPress.org is also free.

    It’s an open source data base. Again, this is my lay person’s understanding. I may be corrected. Please correct me.

    “WordPress dot org is the site where you download the files of WordPress to connect to a database on your hosting account.” Russell Aaron 

    • Thanks for the correction, Russell. (He messaged me privately which was so sweet, but I wanted to be corrected.)

    Both sites have free or paid themes to choose from. Dot com does all of the updates automatically. Both options allow you to choose a mobile-responsive or mobile-friendly theme. This is even more important because of the penalty Google is implementing today.

    When you use dot org, you need to buy hosting and you have to be more active in updating your site. But the benefit is ownership. You own the domain. You own the content.

    If geeky stuff inhibits you, then just start writing. Hire someone to help you with the website part. Blogging is super important as part of a content strategy.

    Desktop Server by ServerPress

    So this year I went to WordCamp San Diego to meet in person and to hear Heather Steele of Blue Steele Solutions speak.

    WordCamp San Diego was awesome (my third WordCamp). It was really fun running into people I knew and meeting others.

    But I digress.

    After Heather spoke, but before another class I wanted to attend, was “Installing WordPress Remotely and Locally by Stephen Carnam.” I had no idea what that even meant.

    As the teacher started speaking I realized what I had fallen into. DesktopServer would let me try building a site on my computer (that is what they meant by “locally”) without paying for hosting first.

    I kept saying to Carol, this is what I’ve needed all this time.

    And so, on April 1, I downloaded it. In two days (14 hours) I had both imported the Riggins blog and copy/pasted the pages from the static site.

    It was beautiful. But I had trouble.

    1. I didn’t realize you couldn’t upload (deploy the site) from the free version. I bought the regular one.

    2. I didn’t realize you needed a live (DNS servers pointed to website address) host.

    3. Desktop Server has the best support ever. They heard my cry for help (saw my shoot me now tweets) and began emailing support.

    4. They even had an “assisted deploy” option because I bought the full version. Best $99 I ever spent in my life.

    5. April 8, my site was live. It never would have been without them.

    Seriously, DesktopServer, gave me the courage to try. I never would have even tried to build a site or convince my boss to buy hosting elsewhere unless I had been successful building our site on my computer.

    Domain Name and Hosting:

    Why is this so complicated? Here’s my lay person’s understanding.

    Domain Name:

    The domain name (bridgetwillard.com) is like a corporation name. You pay an annual nominal fee to own it. Like a corporation, you can have your office anywhere.

    Hosting:

    Hosting is like your office. This is the space you pay for on the internet where your website will be stored. You’re paying a host for their computer (server) and customer service and maintenance, etc.

    It’s good to get a referral. Hosting does matter for security and site maintenance. Well, this is what I hear. I am, by no means, a hardware or server geek. I barely blog.

    The point is that you should see what your needs are and get a recommendation from someone you trust. For this site, I took advice from Oscar Gonzalez and am using .

    The complication:

    For me, it was two-fold.

    I bought my domain name from a different provider than the hosting (in both instances). The one was more complicated because email servers were not being changed and I didn’t have the password. Blah blah get the IT guy involved, etc.

    Some hosts will move your stuff for you, I hear. Apparently, I like doing things the hard way. (What would I write about if I didn’t?)

    The hosting company who says “just forward the email from your domain name vendor to us and we’ll do the rest” will make millions of dollars. Millions.

    Themes:

    For this blog, I was lucky. The theme I was using was also available in the WordPress repository (directory).

    For Riggins, I found a theme I loved. But it was funky on my phone even though it was supposed to be responsive. After falling in love, it took about three days to find an alternate.

    I feel like I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say what a time sucking black hole it is to find a theme you like. I didn’t want our website to look like a blog. I finally settled on the one you see in the tweet below. One day, I may change it. But for now, it’s staying. I have a day job, you know.

    Not being a graphic artist and DIY-ing this whole thing was another layer of frustration.

    Sure, it’s easy to switch themes (I didn’t take this class but check out the slides). However, in a WordPress (hosted) site, you have to find the theme, then install it. After it’s installed you can do a live preview.

    However, the live preview doesn’t show everything. So you have to activate it. Every theme has different header dimensions, too, just to add to the fun. Is my sarcasm showing?

    If I had found a better theme while I was messing about in DesktopServer, I wouldn’t have gone through this frustration.

    The web designers whose prices seem high probably take this into account. I say it’s worth it.

    Plugins

    So the structure (functionality and design) of your site is controlled by the theme. But sometimes you need more functionality. Those come in the form of a plugin.

    Think of it this way:

    You bought a set of pots and pans from Costco. It comes with a few different sized pans and pots with lids, of course. But it doesn’t come with a springform pan you need to make a cheesecake or the special whisk you need to beat the eggs for your prize-winning soufflé.

    The advice I got from WordCamp is to search the WordPress repository (directory) of highly rated and highly downloaded plugins that have been updated recently. This is especially important if you don’t know what you’re doing (me). Seriously, what I got out of my first WordCamp is “your site will crash.” It’s no joke.

    I downloaded plugins for Google Analytics, XML Sitemaps, Social Sharing, Photo Galleries, and other miscellaneous functions. I check every day for updates and I run the updates.

    The Results

    I’m happy to say that rigginsconst.com was completed 4/8/15 and received the “mobile-friendly” blessing from Google on 4/10/15.

    This site is also (but was before) mobile-friendly.

    The perils of just doing stuff

    My content strategy was backwards. Sure, free is better. In the long run, though, it seems easier to start from scratch on your own domain with a blank slate.

    Instead, I merged a site I built in CSS with a blog for Riggins. This took a week to build and fix.

    For this site I just imported the blog. I say “just” but in comparison it was easy.

    The downfall with both sites was fixing all of my links back and forth within my own blog posts.

    Everything I ever did for rigginsconst.com or rigginsconst.wordpress.com before 4/8/15 was broken. The link structure with a WordPress blog is totally different. I knew I’d break it but in the long run it will be worth it.

    Of course for the Guru blog it moved from youtoocanbeaguru.wordpress.com to bridgetwillard.com. I broke all of those links, too.

    My Re-Sharing Strategy

    I knew since I broke my links, I’d have to re-share the posts that I deem most important.

    I first share them on Google Plus. They are, after all, Google. I think it helps the ranking.

    “If there’s anything close to a short-cut, it’s Google Plus.” Pam Aungst

    I’m cycling through about ten posts on each site, making sure the featured image is set, and sharing on my social platforms. Not in a spammy way, mind you, just sharing. One post a day, once a day.

    My Advice:

    If you’ve been on my path, perhaps this post lets you know that you are not alone.

    If you haven’t started yet, spend the $150 to buy your name and hosting – on the same site if possible.

    If you can hire a professional, do it. They won’t be frustrated and you can just write.

    Love,
    Bridget

  • How Social Media Managers Are Like Secretaries (And How To Find One)

    I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a long time now but afraid that people would burn my effigy in their front yards.

    Give me some leeway.

    Disclaimer: I’ve been some form of an office worker from 14–42. I became a Marketing Manager at 42 years old. I’m big on analogies. I realize that a social media manager is a better paying and more highly esteemed profession than secretary, administrative assistant, office manager, or whatever other title given to this type of work.

    Office Work.

    It’s routine. It’s perfect for a task-oriented, routine oriented person like myself. Papers come in, papers go out. They get sorted, filed, distributed. Phones ring, calls are transferred, messages are taken. This is the essence of a secretary. You’re filling in for someone who is otherwise occupied at present.

    It’s a thankless job. Like laundry, no one notices your work until it’s not done or until you make a snafu like mixing red fabric with whites.

    You write memos, answer emails, and open physical mail. All communication, both incoming and outgoing, goes through you.

    Discretion, organization, and reliability are key components to any office worker’s persona. After all, you’re representing your boss and their company. You’re at the front line of their branding.

    Social Media Management

    Much like office work, effective social media management requires a routine oriented person who can effectively respond to several sources (social media platforms) of communication.

    Lots of people are really more idea-oriented. That’s great! You need good ideas. But then you need to do the work. You get new followers. They need to be filed (listed) and possibly followed back. You need to respond.

    You become the middleman between the public and your company, just like a secretary. You make quick decisions constantly. No one wants a secretary who goes to them for approval on every email. You have to use your best judgement. This comes from experience.

    It can also be a thankless position, more often than not, going outside of the Monday-Friday 8–5 hours, too.

    Proud of the perfectly-composed, less-than-140 character tweet, no one cares except for you. Your only recognition is from generous, non-competing peers.

    People who don’t understand the intricacies of your position and the skills it takes to do it well often discount your position. This is not unlike how a secretary is viewed.

    The Myths and Job Requirements

    This is where the analogy breaks down. As an office manager no one expects me to be the CPA. Sure, I have a basic understanding of general ledger codes and I know how to enter invoices and journal entries. However, I do not, nor am I expected to, do a financial audit, come up with financial statements, make recommendations for tax or accounting purposes, or file corporate taxes.

    A CPA is a highly-trained, highly-specialized position just like a SEO consultant. Though a Social Media Manager should have a basic understanding of SEO which translates into good headlines, proper use of social platforms, and possibly blogging (but not all social media managers blog), a Social Media Manager would almost never be considered an expert.

    A Social Media Manager is also not a graphic designer. I love this post by Amy Donohue because she comes across this all of the time. We’re also not web developers.

    Now, it may be that a web developer and/or graphic artist can be a Social Media Manager, but not all Social Media Managers have that skill set. Nor should they.

    I find it absurd that Social Media Managers are required to be jack of all trades. Would you expect a salesman to be an accountant? No. Just because a computer is used doesn’t mean the skills are automatic.

    How Do You Find A Good Social Media Manager?

    Do you hire for company culture? Do you ask for the last ten years of their work written out on a PDF? Or are your requirements so stringent that Jesus, Himself couldn’t get the job?

    Carol Stephen has some suggestions in this blog post. She gives you good questions to ask.

    My suggestion is this: ask for as many of their Twitter handles as they’ll give.

    Twitter Tells you Everything You Need to Know.

    Look at their own Twitter account. Twitter is a primary way to meet people, extend reach, and explore based upon hashtags. From there you should be able to find out everything you need to know.

    Look for grammar.

    Look for concise writing style.

    Look for humor.

    You’ll know if they fit in your company.

    How automated are they? Are they using if this then that to tweet out Mashable articles? Are 90% of their posts from Paper.li or Triberr? Automation is a helpful tool for anyone but it shouldn’t be the majority of their tweets. I’d say 50% or less is good.

    How cross-posted are they? This is another controversy. But cross-posting is lazy. I said, it, but I’m not alone. It shows they don’t want to or cannot craft a post that fits the platform’s culture. Gary Vaynerchuk talks about knowing a platform’s culture in this post.

    How many retweets are in their feed? Why does this matter? I think it’s a branding issue. I prefer old-school retweets.

    Do they ever respond to people? On Twitter.com, check their “tweets and replies” column to see if they ever respond to people. If they only tweet out their own blog posts, they are not engaging.

    Though numbers isn’t everything, check out their following to follower ratio. If you were asking me to help you find someone, I’d say that should be close to 1:1. If they’re not following people back because the Twitter stream overwhelms them, that tells you they don’t know how to use lists.

    If the person’s online accounts pass these things, then look granular toward your culture. You can tell if someone is generous, kind, appreciative, and appreciated by the community they built. If they’re like this on Twitter, I’d bet they’d be good at Instagram, Facebook, and any other platform that’s thrown our way.

    I Know What You’re Thinking: “You’re Off Track.”

    Not really.

    At 14, I started on a typewriter, graduated to DOS, Windows 95, and am now on an iMac.

    A secretary, like a social media manager, has to contend with ever-changing technology, office politics, and management style.

    Look for those skills and you’re sure to find a winner.

    Originally posted on LinkedIn 2/6/15

  • How Do I Promote My Blog Post?

    You wrote a post. Great. Now what? How do you promote your blog post? What is your social media strategy? Do you even have an infrastructure?

    How are you going to tell people about it? If you can’t promote it, does it even exist?

    How do I promote my blog post?

    If you post a blog in a deserted internet, did it even happen?

    Would you play your heart out at a piano recital with no one in the theatre? No. You wouldn’t. Yet people publish a blog post and expect a Pulitzer.

    It’s true that blogging produces authority, but that’s over the long haul. You have to put in the work to gain an audience and their respect. We’re talking about influence.

    [bctt tweet=”If content is your vehicle, then social media is your infrastructure.” username=”bridgetmwillard”]

    The thing is that it takes years to build up your social capital and your community (social infrastructure).

    So many people think social media (or blogging) will produce and instant community like Sea Monkeys. It’s not Sea Monkeys. It’s not instant. I mean, you can buy followers, but those aren’t people who will care you just wrote the blog post forever to be your crowning glory.

    You Need Social Media

    Start with one platform. Follow people. Share their content. Keep writing. Don’t stop doing that. Post if you want.

    Go to other people’s blogs and comment on them. Some bloggers get picky about comment length or that it should add value to the conversation. I’m happy to have any interaction. But you should have fair warning.

    to help get your blog and social coordinated.

    If you give in social media, it will come back to you.

    Build up the roads your content will travel on and you’ll reach your audience.

    Watch the Guru Minute here.

  • How Do You Start A Blog?

    Revised February 4, 2025

    You know you need a blog but you’re not even sure how to start. Should you go with a free platform or buy a domain and hosting? I recommend getting your own domain name, hosting, and using WordPress. There are a lot of questions. Here are some answers.

    I talked about why you should blog here. This article says what you need to start a business website.

    If you need help writing blog posts, I have a free ebook and a free WordPress plugin with blogging prompts, too.

    In my view, there are two aspects of blogging: the writing and the technical.

    What if I have nothing to say?

    We know that one of the keys to being social is content. Too many people, including myself, think there’s nothing more to be said. Here’s an excerpt from that post.

    Have you ever thought to yourself that everything meaningful has already been said? Maybe it has. I’m sure there is another blogging series or posts that are better than this one. But this is my creation and the words come out in my voice.

    Believe me, you, too, have ideas. You have your own style. You have a voice. You can add value to the world. Are you worried you’ll just state the obvious? Maybe the obvious isn’t that obvious.

    “Everybody’s ideas seem obvious to them. Maybe what’s obvious to me is amazing to someone else.” Derek Sivers

    Just Write

    You just have to do it. This is what all of my friends tell me. I tend to write in binges, much like everything else in my life.

    Carol Stephen recommends using a timer:

    “Yes, you can write in small increments. Yes, it will help your startup. Back when I started to exercise, I gave myself an out whenever I went to the gym. If I didn’t feel better after 15 minutes, I allowed myself to leave. During many years of exercising, I’ve only left twice. So set that timer for 15 minutes and get going! You can do it!”

    Tips for Amping Up Your Writing

    Get a blogging buddy

    Carol Stephen is mine and she writes about it here. Some people need gym buddies, I need a blogging buddy. We brainstorm, she asks me about my drafts (in a very nice way but I know she’s like – why haven’t you clicked publish yet?), and otherwise toss around crazy ideas.

    Catch Your Ideas

    I write my ideas in notes on my iPhone. I can add to it later and copy and paste elsewhere. You may want a paper and pen. Whatever works for you is what works. Period. If the technology hinders the writing, it’s not helpful.

    Compose In Plain Text

    Formatting uses a different part of the brain. Formatting is about space and art and writing is different. If you focus on formatting you will write differently. Some people call this distraction-free writing. Every computer has a plain text editor — even your phone does. I prefer to use Google Docs to compose for clients. I also use Hemingway to check for readability. For myself, I write directly in my WordPress editor.

    Proofreading is Your Best Friend

    Proofread by reading your post backward and out loud. Spell check doesn’t catch grammar issues, double words, or something that doesn’t make sense. Trust your ears. Often, I read it to my husband. If I’m writing something technical, I may have him read it to make sure I’m communicating with “the regular Joe.”

    Many of my friends recommend building up a backlog of posts so they can be more evenly or regularly published. Clearly, I don’t do that. But you may want to follow their advice.

    What Is A Blog Post?

    A blog post is an article on your blog. Blog is short for web log. Think of a ship captain writing a log. This is a log for your website.

    A blog post is not an essay or thesis paper. Google may like 2,000 word posts, but will your audience? Will writing 300 to 500 words be easier for you? I find 750 words to be my sweet spot.

    A good blog post educates. Inform and ask for a response. Solve a problem. Use humor (what not to do).

    Just start. Make some short, some long. Do what feels good for you. You’ll get a sense of who your audience is and what the length tolerance target should be.

    Find at least one photo for each post because it looks better. It should be 1200 x 628 pixels but don’t get overwhelmed. I usually take my own photos and use Canva for the graphics.

    Easy. But I have also used photos from a Creative Commons Flickr search. Don’t steal images. You could really get yourself in some serious legal trouble. Training yourself to look for shots that might be good for blog posts also sparks ideas. Win-Win.

    What Do You Need to Blog?

    You’ll need a computer and an internet connection for sure. You can’t always choose your provider but Consumer Advocate analyzed the best by region in the US. They chose AT&T for my current area and I love the Fiber connection. It’s also significantly cheaper in Texas as opposed to California.

    Some blog platforms allow you to write or edit mobile phone or tablet (like Medium) but that can be really frustrating. You can get a Chromebook for a very good price (not an affiliate link) on Amazon.

    My SEO friends Pam Aungst and Oscar Gonzalez say your blog should be on your own website (domain name). If you don’t have a website, you can buy a domain and hosting for reasonable prices. I am using NameCheap for domain names and Rocket.net for hosting.

    However, people don’t always have the budget for a website and hosting. Don’t let that stop you.

    Think of a Name

    It might be you “Bridget Willard” or your Persona — “You, too, Can Be a Guru” used to be mine. Think of a tagline, graphics, and/or photos that will represent your new brand.

    All of this can be changed, but in order to get a username, blog name, and/or domain name. Create a list of choices because the first or second choices may be taken already.

    Find a Blogging Platform

    I started with wordpress.com. I had my blog there from 2011 until April of 2015. It’s free and easy. Create a username, blog name, choose a theme, and publish. There are other blogging services but I’m not a fan of them all.

    Start an Editorial Calendar

    Most content marketing experts suggest having some kind of idea of what you will post and how often. Google Sheets is just fine. I also block out time for writing on Fridays.. Co-schedule is another popular option, too. I’m not a fan.

    Grab a pice of paper. Write down some ideas. Choose a publishing day (Tuesday, for example). Plot them on a paper calendar. The holidays may inspire your posts. For example, if you are a home economics major you may have an idea for “Valentine decorations.” That would be perfect the first week of February and a “Valentine Breakfast” menu for the second. Holidays can give you a lot of idea fodder. It’s okay to exploit that. I mean, that’s half of Pinterest’s pins.

    Learn Basic HTML

    You may want to take a class or go through the tutorial at w3schools.com. This will help you overcome the fear of the tiny bit of code required for blogging (links, images, etc.).

    Just do it!

    No one can do it for you. Well, you can hire people. But you know what I mean.

    to help get your blog and social coordinated.

  • 7 Selfie Tips That Will Help Your Brand

    Are you reluctant to take selfies? Maybe you hate how you look. We all do. But your mobile device has a great camera. You can do this!

    I started taking selfies as a proof of life, way to celebrate spending time with my friends, and my health; also, my mom likes them.

    We need photos for every network there is from Facebook to LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. It’s an endless list.

    It’s not always convenient to have professional headshot taken or even for a second person to photograph you. And so, the ultimate DIY for the social media enthusiast is the self portrait, forever now known as the “selfie.”

    I’m also a stickler for changing your profile photo / avatar when you make significant changes to your look (hair length, style, color, glasses, etc.)  You do want people to recognize you, right?

    Frankly, sometimes you just feel good and that’s the best time to take one.

    Seven Selfie Tips to Level It Up

    1. Take Your Photo Outside

    This is even better if you can find a plant, tree, or beautiful outdoor location (beach, park, etc). Early mornings and late afternoons seem to lend the best light.

    The neighbor’s green fence was the latest background for my October 2014 LinkedIn, Twitter, and Gravatar avi. People responded well to it.

    2. Look at the Camera

    Actually look into the camera on your phone, not the screen. (Yes, that tiny dot.) This is the hardest thing to get used to.

    Looking into the camera is looking at your viewer. That fosters connection. After all, it’s all about connecting with your audience whether it’s words or photos.

    3. Smile

    Seriously, unless you’re trying out for Top Model or something, we’re tired of the apathetic looks.

    As people, we are wired to mirror expressions. When we see a photo of you smiling, we smile. When we smile, we feel good. That evokes an emotional, subconscious response. That usually translates into positive comments and likes.

    A friend taught me years ago that if you tilt your head to the side and open your mouth, you look like you’re having fun. She’s right.

    Otherwise, think of something that makes you really happy, wait a moment, and then click. Laughing helps, too. My ultimate tip is to close your eyes, think of a secret, open your eyes, and snap.

    I told the guys at Bluehost this and the following tweet with photo was the result.

    4. Ditch the Seatbelt

    I know it feels less conspicuous in the “privacy” of your car’s interior, but it looks bad.

    5. Have Fun

    If you’re trying to convey a certain emotion like sadness, doubt, confusion, or anger, a selfie can do the trick.

    Be creative. Use props if you like. Try a profile, upshot, or downshot. See what you like.

    But, if you’re using this photo for a professional site, be aware that it’s a headshot, showing your face. (Enough said.)

    6. Use Tools

    Almost every smart phone has tools in their camera. These include enhance buttons, filters, and other swanky things. Sometimes it’s easy to put your photo into Instagram, use one of their filters, and then you already have a square avatar.

    If you want to invest in a tripod and phone adaptor, do that. Most phone cameras have timers, too.

    7. Practice Taking Selfies

    Everything gets better with practice. People really won’t give you a hard time, I promise. But if they do, are they really people you want to be around?

    Am I a professional photographer? No. But these are some things I’ve learned along the way.