The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

23

description

A step-by-step tutorial for those who have no prior experience or knowledge in the realm of web design.

Transcript of The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

Page 1: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design
Page 2: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

THE GHETTO GUIDE TO WEB DESIGN © 2014 Benjamin Israel Robinson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the pages that follow are “affiliate links.” I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements andTestimonials in Advertising.”

1

Page 3: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

INTRODUCTIONThe Glories of Ghettofication

My brothers and I grew up doing things the ghetto way . . . We made ghetto bows and arrows out of sticks and strings. We made ghetto forts out of couch pillows and blankets. And we made ghetto nunchucks out of socks and beat the living daylights out of each other with them! My brother Joshua was the master of ghettofication; he was amazing! He once made a ghetto remote control for an old t.v. by running wires out of the knobs and clicking the wires with a nickel. The channels actually changed! He also made ghetto fans in the summer by taking apart a remote controlled car and replacing the wheels with popsicle sticks. And he installed a ghetto tape deck in his old car by wiring a walkman to his stereo speakers. His ghettofication skills never ceased to amaze me!

What is Ghettofication? Ghettofication is the process of achieving a professional result in a non-professional way using the (inexpensive or sub-standard) materials at your disposal. Macgyver was a master of ghettofication, and my brother was like the Macgyver of East Oakland when we were growing up!

This book is called The Ghetto Guide to Web Design because it contains an extremely efficient and inexpensive process for designing and building beautiful websites. I’ve ghettofied the web design process to make it as simple as possible . . . no wire framing, no story boarding, no design sprints, no coding, no complex software, no expensive photo shoots . . . Ain’t nobody got time pho dat! I’ve spent thousands of hours and thousands of dollars working with free and paid platforms, purchasing legions of templates and plugins and software and stock photos and custom graphics . . . In the process I’ve not only built several websites, but I’ve taught others how to build their own websites as well. This little ebook is the fruit of all of my efforts. Yet, I want to emphasize that while the process of building your website will be ghetto, the product will not be. Your website will not look ghetto; in fact, it will be beautiful! We will use ghetto means to achieve professional results. This is ghettofication at its best! Since this is my method for building websites, I’ll be teaching you how to do so using the tools that I use. In order to get you through this process quickly, I’ll refrain from lengthy

32

Page 4: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

explanations of why the tools that I’ve chosen are better than others or how they work. I’ll simply provide you with step-by-step directions for setting up and implementing each tool.

In the pages that follow, I will teach you:

• how to setup your hosting account in 15 minutes • how to setup and build out the template that I use • how to create custom graphics without high end software • where to get free high res stock photos and how to use

them on your site

You don't need to have any prior experience or knowledge in web or graphics design in order to get all that this ebook as to offer. All you have to do is follow my lead and I'll give you the ghetto guide to web design! In fact, here is a screenshot of the homepage of my personal website. By the time you finish this tutorial, you’ll be able to build pages like this, and much, much more!

54

Page 5: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

PRELUDEThe Ghetto Guide at a Glance

For your convenience, you’ll find everything you’ll need to build your website using the ghetto guide organized as clickable links on this page. The chapters that follow will provide explanations and instructions of each of these

steps. The items marked with an asterisk are essential for completing the Ghetto Guide tutorial. All other

resources are simply recommended I added this to the ebook because I know a lot of people don’t like lengthy instructions and descriptions; just get to the point! If you need help you can always refer to the chapters below. Bon voyage!

Hosting: Starter Plan from Bluehost* ($75-$85 per year)

Builder: Wordpress from your Bluehost cpanel* (free)

Template: Divi Theme from Elegant Themes* ($69-$89)

Graphics

Self-made template from canva (free)

Custom logo design from 99designs (from $299)

Stock Photos from New Old Stock, Little Visuals, Unsplash, or Photo Pin (free)

76

Page 6: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER ONESetting Up Your Hosting

What Is Hosting & Why Do I Need It? In order to build a new website, you'll need a hosting account. A hosting account is the rented space on the internet where your website will live. While there are a great many hosting options available to you, I’ll give you the steps for setting up your account with Bluehost, since it’s what I use for all of my web building endeavors.

How Do I Setup My Hosting Account? Setting up your hosting account can be done in less than 10 minutes. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to building your beautiful website.

• Click here to go to Bluehost and then click "Get Started Now.”

• Next, Bluehost will prompt you to choose your plan. You probably won’t need anything bigger than the starter plan at this point. If you need to, you can always upgrade in the future. I still use the starter plan and it’s working fine for me. Select your plan and you’ll be on your way!

• Next, Bluehost will invite you to choose a domain (or url). If you have one already you can import it in from another site.

• If not, you can go ahead and create a new one. Try to find something that is as close to yourname.com as possible, unless you’ve already chosen a name for your business. Don’t get too bogged down here; you can always change your domain name in the future if you get a better idea. Bluehost’s stellar customer service team can handle that for you!

• Once you’ve discovered a url that is available, Bluehost will prompt you to enter your account information (name, address, phone, email). Enter this info and scroll to the next section.

• Now you get to choose your specific package. The dropdown menu will allow you to choose between 36-month, 24-month, and 12-month starter packages. Make your selection. And you do not need any of the extras that they offer you here.

• Once you’ve selected your package you’ll find the billing information section at the bottom of the page. After you complete this portion of the process, you’ll be ready to rock!

In the next chapter I’ll help you install Wordpress from your cPanel so that we can begin building your website!

98

Page 7: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER TWOInstalling WordPress

Your next step will be to install Wordpress as your web building software. Wordpress is the standard for web building. It is by far the most robust, yet simple to use, web building platform on the market right now. And it’s free!

Here are the steps for installing Wordpress as your web building software for your site:

• In your Bluehost cPanel, look for Web Builders and select Wordpress.

• Click “Install” for a brand new install. • Click “Check Domain” and click “Continue” (it will tell you

that there are files there, just disregard that. It’s ok, I promise!)

• Click “Show Advanced Features” and give your website a title (probably your name), a username, a password, and a good email address. I recommend taking a screen shot of this page before moving on, just in case you forget.

• Click install now

That was a piece of cake, wasn’t it? Your Wordpress software is all setup! In the next chapter I’ll help you select and install just the right template for building the site that you desire!

1110

Page 8: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER THREEAcquiring & Installing Your Template

The advent of the Wordpress template is momentous, to say the least. Using a template means that a professional web developer has already done all of the heavy lifting for you. Purchase the theme for a few dollars and you can simply fill in the blanks! On the other hand, I have literally spent thousands of hours working with scores of Wordpress templates (both free and premium), and I’ve spent thousands of dollars buying premium templates as well. But I’ve often been disappointed by the complexity of the buildout process with most of these themes. Getting my website to look like the theme preview was never as easy as it was cracked up to be! But then I found Divi Theme, the magnum opus of the Elegant Themes library. It was for me the theme to end all themes. Since I found it I have used it exclusively to build multiple websites, and I've had great success teaching many other people to build their own websites using it as well. Divi Theme is a template, yes, but it does not restrict you to one particular layout. Divi Theme allows you to insert a section, select the number of columns you want in that section, and then choose from a list of 28 different modules to

fill that section with content. I’ll explain all this later, but suffice it to say for now that Divi Theme is the bomb.com, and this is why it’s become my template of choice for building any kind of website, from blogging to business and beyond!

1312

Page 9: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

The rest of this course will consist of step by step instructions for building your website using Divi Theme. This is the second of two necessary purchases associated with my process of web ghettofication.

Here are the steps for downloading and installing it.

• Click here to visit the Elegant Themes website and select Plans & Pricing

• Select your plan. I would suggest the developer package because of the photoshop docs & plugins, but whichever plan you choose will work. The cool thing is that you get not only Divi Theme when you sign up, you get access to the whole Elegant Themes library!

• Once you’ve signed up, go to the theme library and download the theme package for Divi Theme.

• Login to your Wordpress dashboard (yourdomain.com/wp-admin)

• On the sidebar hover over "Appearance" and choose "Themes"

• Click "Add New" at the top of the page • Click "Upload Theme" at the top of the page • Click "choose file”

• Locate and select the divi theme zip file in your downloads • Click "Install Now" and then “Activate"

If you now hover over “Appearance” and select “Themes,” you should be able to see that Divi Theme is active. This means that any changes you make within Divi will now show up immediately on your domain.

In fact, if you go to your domain right now, you’ll see the divi theme logo at the top right of your screen. In the next chapter we’ll start by putting your name there!

1514

Page 10: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER FOURCreating Your New Logo

Now your website is setup; all we have to do is build it out! In fact, if you open up another tab on your web browser and go to the url you just purchased through bluehost, you can see what your website looks like right now.

You'll notice immediately that the divi theme logo is featured at the top right of your screen. We can't have that, can we? So creating your logo and replacing the divi theme logo will be our first priority.

This means that we are going to do a little bit of graphics design right quick! But we're going to ghettofy your graphics, cause ain’t nobody got time to learn photoshop!

Creating this logo will be easy because all we will need is text and a white background (or no background).

Here's how to create your logo:

• Go to canva.com (an incredible resource!) • Select either a facebook cover or a facebook ad • Choose "Text" from the menu to the far left of the screen

• Select "Add Text" • Replace the text in the text box that appears with your

name or the name of your site (play with different fonts till you like it)

• Adjust the size so that the text covers at least 75% of the length of the space

• To the left of the twitter share button above your graphic, give your logo a name

• Click "Download or Link at the top right, and select "image" • Open your image with Preview, or whatever photo/graphic

viewer your computer defaults to • Crop the extra white space from above, beneath, and

beside your logo

Booya! You've got yourself a new logo!

On a side note, if you are building a business and need something more professional, I’d suggest checking out 99designs. I’ve used them for several projects, and I’ve been pleased with the results! The thing I like about 99designs is that when you create a project, any designer in their network can submit a design for your review. You get to choose the

1716

Page 11: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

design that you like, and if at the end of the process you don’t like any of the designs, you get your money back! I’ve found the prices to be affordable, and I’ve always been pleased with the designs I’ve received. If you have a few extra dollars to spend on your site, having a custom logo designed is well worth the cost!

Also, in my online course I provide a much more in-depth description of the design process using canva, powerpoint, and keynote. In the course I demonstrate, through screencasts, each step that I describe in this ebook.

But if you’re in the market for a more professional design for an affordable price, I’d recommend 99designs. 99designs allows you to create a contest that will potentially draw dozens of designers from their network who will all submit designs for your review. You have a few days to request changes from as many of them as you wish. Then you pick the winner. I’ve used them for several projects and have always been pleased with the results.

However you come about creating or obtaining your graphics, I’ll show you how to use them in your website in the next chapter. You are making great progress!

1918

Page 12: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER FIVEUploading Your New Logo

Now we are ready to make some actual changes to your website! This is so exciting!

The first step is to log back into your Wordpress dashboard (yourdomain.com/wp-admin) if you're not still logged in. Take a look at the elements listed on the left hand sidebar. Some of them are self-explanatory, but most of them aren't.

The cool thing is that you won't need the majority of those elements. But you will need to get acquainted with the Appearance section of your website, and this is where we will need to go in order to upload your logo.

Here are the steps:

• Locate and hover over "Appearance" on the left sidebar • Select "Divi Theme Options" • Click "Upload Image" under "Logo" • Locate and select the logo you created at canva.com • At the bottom of the box that appears click "Use for Logo" • Scroll down to the very bottom of the epanel and click

"save"

And just like that, you've updated your logo! Go on over to your url in another tab just to make sure you like the look of it. If you don’t, you can always go back to canva and try a different font, a different size, a different color . . .

Now go back to your Wordpress dashboard and hover over Appearance again and this time select "Customize."

Under "Theme Settings" you can experiment with different layouts, as well as header styles (place the logo in the middle, if you want).

2120

Page 13: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER SIXFinding Free Stock Photos Online

A key difference between great looking websites and drab looking websites is high resolution photography. Without high res photos, your website will lack color, vibrancy . . . it'll feel dead regardless of how well you shape the layout;

In 2013 I spent a fortune (about $2,500) on stock photography. But in 2014 I discovered that there are some great sites out there that are dying to give you their high res stock photographs for free, and they will look absolutely beautiful on your site!

Here are a few of the best places to find them:

• New Old Stock: Vintage Photography • Little Visuals: They'll send you 7 high res photos per week • Unsplash: They'll send you 10 high res photos every ten

days • Photo Pin: A huge library of free stock photos

High res stock photos are great for a variety of uses.

• Blog entries • Backgrounds for sliders or headers • Background images for sidebar elements

You can also upload as many images as you want into canva and use them to build your own graphics using their tool I create the vast majority of my graphics this way. It's ghetto, but it works!

2322

Page 14: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER SEVENCreating & Inserting a Fullwidth Slider

So we’ve made good progress so far . . . you’ve setup your hosting, installed wordpress, activated Divi Theme, and customized your main header with a custom logo. Now it’s time to create and install a fullwidth slider to your site. This will really cause your site to stand out! Here are the steps:

• Go to your wp dashboard and find Pages on the sidebar • Click New Page and then give the page a title like "Blog" or

"My Blog" or "Articles" • Click "Use Page Builder" • Click "Add Fullwidth Section" • The new section will appear below the existent section.

Drag it above so it looks like this: • In the newly created fullwidth section, click "Insert

Module(s)” and select "Fullwidth Slider.” This screen will appear:

• Click “Add New Slide.” A window will open up called “Slide Settings.” You can enter a title in the heading section if you want, or you can simply create a graphic that contains your desired text.

• Your graphic will need to be at least 1280 pixels wide. 1280x500 pixels is a good size.

• Start with one of the stock photos you downloaded from one of the sites I mentioned in the previous chapter. You can also use your own images, or a pic of yourself. Just make sure the resolution is high enough to look clean.

• Go to canva.com and select “Use custom dimensions” at the top right. Set the width at 1280 and the height at 500 (and make sure it’s using px instead of mm or in).

• Click “Upload” on the left sidebar and then click the green “Upload your own images” button. Select the image(s) you want to use in your slider and upload them to canva.

• Click the image after it uploads. It should appear on the blank canvas to the right. Click the image and then stretch it out till it fills the canvas (a consider amount will probably fall outside of the canvas. That’s ok!).

2524

Page 15: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

• Click “Text” on the left sidebar. Then click “Add text.” A text box will appear on the canvas with the words “Add text” in it. Highlight the text to change its color (make it white if your image is dark; make it dark if your image is light). You can also change the font and move the text where you want it. And you can also click the “Add text” module again to add sub text to your graphic.

• Make sure both your text and sub text are above the center of the graphic if you plan on adding a (Learn More or Buy it Now) button to your slider.

• You may also want to add a filter to the image to adjust the color and appearance. To do so, simply click the image and then select “Filter” in the box that appears. You’ll have several preset filters to choose from, or you can also create your own by changing the settings provided.

• Once your image looks good to you, click “Download or Link.” Under “Publish,” click “Image.” Your graphic will now download onto your computer as a jpg.

• Back at the Slide Settings window, scroll down till you see “Background Image” and click “Upload an image.” Click “Upload Files,” find the image you just downloaded from canva, upload it, and select “Set As Background.”

• Your “Fullwidth Slider Module Settings” window will appear. Use “Hide Arrows” and “Hide Slider Controls” settings. You should also experiment with the “Parallax effect” setting to see if you like it or not.

• Click “Save" at the bottom right.

You’ve just setup your slider image that will appear at the top of your site! Under “Publish,” click “Preview.” A new tab will open so you can see what your page will look like once you publish the page. If you like what you see, you’re ready to move onto the next step. If not, go back to canva and experiment with the image until you get it looking the way you desire. It can be a bit of a learning curve, but once you get it down, you’ll be creating new graphics for your site in no time!

2726

Page 16: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER EIGHTAdding Your Blog Module

One of the most powerful features of your new website is the blog feature. Your blog feature allows you to update your site with a continual stream of fresh information designed to draw people back your site again and again. In this chapter we are going to tell Divi Theme where to put your blog entries when you add them.

For now, we are going to tell divi to put your most recent blog entries right below your fullwidth slider. In my online course I provide more in-depth instructions for adding other features to your website (like graphic blurbs, use of icons, sidebar graphics, etc). When you are ready to learn how to add these, I’d encourage you to sign up for that course by clicking here.

In the meantime, here are the instructions for setting up your blog module:

• Click "Insert Column(s)" in the (green) section below your fullwidth section in your page builder.

• Select the one-column option in the top right of the box that appears.

• Now click "Insert Module(s)" in the green section and find and select “Blog” in the list of modules that appears. Make sure the layout is “Fullwidth” and specify the number of posts you’d like to display on your main page. Then click “Save.”

Now all you need to do is tell Divi Theme to make this page the main page of your site. You can always change this if and when you decide to add a more sophisticated homepage to your site. In the meantime, you have just created a platform for presenting the content that only you can provide to the world!

Here's how to tell Divi Theme to make this your main page: • In your wp sidebar, hover over "Appearance" and select

“Customize." • The bottom option should be "Static Front Page." Click it

and select "A static page" for your "Front page displays" option.

• In the "Front page" dropdown menu, select the new blog page you just created.

• At the top of the screen click "Save & Publish"

2928

Page 17: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER NINEAdding Entries to Your Blog

Your blog entries are perhaps the most important component of your website, regardless of what business you are in. A static site with unchanging content is only good for one visit. But a site that provides a steady stream of useful and engaging content will draw people back again and again.

Blogging is arguably the most powerful, accessible, and adaptable platform for mass communication in the world today. In you have a message . . . if you have something to say . . . if you have a contribution to make to the world that requires communication . . . there is no better way to say it than by creating a blog!

For years I couldn’t see the power of blogging because I was overwhelmed by the sheer immensity of the blogosphere. There are around 31 million bloggers in the United States alone, and that number is rising every day! But what I have discovered is that I am the only me, and that I have something to say that none of those other 31 million bloggers can say (at least not the way I say it). Blogging gives you the opportunity to learn how to say what only you can say, as only you can say it. As you hone the skill of consistently giving yourself away

through your blog, you’ll slowly but surely build a gathering around your message. Seth Godin refers to this gathering as your Tribe.

Adding entries to your blog is exceedingly easy. Here are the steps:

• Find "Posts" in your wp sidebar and select "Add New" • Give your entry a name • In the space provided, add your text • Scroll down to the bottom right and click "Set featured

image" • Click "Upload Files" and then "Select Files" • Locate the image that you want from your computer, add it,

and click "Set featured image" • Click “Publish" and voila!

It's best to make sure that the images that you use for your blog entries are always the same size. This will give your website a sense of symmetry and equilibrium, which will make people feel good about being on your site.

3130

Page 18: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

You should also try to post entries on a regular schedule, whether once, twice, three times, or four times a week. Being consistent with your posting schedule will build trust with your audience, as they begin to depend upon your content in a particular way. This trust-factor is perhaps the essential component for building a viable platform.

Finally, your blog entries should be a minimum of 300 words. And try not to exceed 700 words unless your material is mad juicy!

Your posts should be . . .

• Geared toward helping people, rather than yourself. Don’t share your goals and objectives, or ask for people’s support. If you make your blog about you, you will be its only reader. If you make it about helping others, others will read it.

• Around 500 words. You can go a little higher or lower if your content is really good. But don’t exceed 700 words. Ain’t nobody got time pho dat! People who read blogs are looking for a quick infusion of information, wisdom, and whit. Whatever you say in your blog entries, say it concisely.

• Thematic. Try to hone in on a concept that people can instantly see by looking at the title of your blog so that they know what they can expect to receive from you. For instance, the title of my personal blog is Benjamin Israel Robinson: Spirituality & Leadership. What that title tells people is that my posts are going to help them draw closer to Christ (spirituality) and move forward in life (leadership).

• Personable. Don’t just give people wisdom and data; give them your life. Tell your story. Relate your posts to real life so that people feel privileged when they read your posts. When people read any of your entries, they will immediately search for the answer to one prominent question: what does this have to do with me? That question can also be stated, why do I need to read this? You need to answer this question explicitly if you hope to draw readers to your blog.

And remember: writing a blog is not writing a book. If you write a bad book, that can put a taint on your reputation that follows you for years. But if you write one bad blog post (or even a year of bad blog posts), it will soon get buried under the many, many posts that follow it, as long as you KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

3332

Page 19: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER TENCustomizing Your Main Navigation Bar

Next we need to customize your navigation menu. This also is very easy to do. Here are the steps:

• Hover over "Appearance" in your wp sidebar and select “Divi Theme Options”

• Select "Navigation" in the sidebar of the epanel that appears

• Deselect "Sample Page" under the "Pages" tab (you can also choose to enable or disable "Display home link" in this tab).

• Click the "Categories" tab and deselect "Uncategorized" • Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Save”

As you create and publish new pages you can come back here and enable them for your navigation menu. You can also create primary and secondary navigation menus in the "Menus" section of the "Appearance" section.

Ok, your blog is now functional, and you can begin to share your entries on your social media outlets.

3534

Page 20: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CHAPTER ELEVENYour Social Media Strategy

Despite the astounding amount of foolishness found in the world of Facebook, social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter are absolutely essential to the building of your online platform. Don’t let the foolishness drive you away! Redeem it by using your Social Media outlets to connect people to life-transforming truths!

In this chapter I will provide you with a clear strategy for establishing your social media outlets and using them effectively. This strategy will also be easy to implement because I will also give you step-by-step instructions. Once you get started, you are just a few clicks away from laying a solid foundation for a powerful platform.

But before you plunge into the world of social media you should know that the realm of social media can suck you in and suck the life out of you if you are not careful. It is important to be strategic, rather than haphazard. My suggestion is that you create a daily time allotment for using social media, and stick to it. As Michael Hyatt says in his book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, your social media outlets are important, but they are your embassies, not your home

country. Your blog is your home country, but we’ll get to that in another post.

I would suggest beginning with what I would consider to be the two most important social media outlets for your platform: Facebook and Twitter. Here are the components:

• Your Facebook Profile: Your goal is to connect a large number of people to the message that God has put in you. The good news is that, because of Facebook, you don’t have to start from scratch. Your Facebook profile enables you to go back as far as you can remember and connect with hundreds of old friends, family members, as well as new friends and acquaintances. But don’t try to use your profile to get your message out; simply use it to connect relationally with as vast a network as you can possibly build. At the same time, don’t just accept anyone as your Facebook friend. A friend’s request is often nothing more than a shell of a connection. You only have 5,000 spaces available in your friend’s list. Use them wisely; build connections with people, share appropriate pieces of your

3736

Page 21: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

life with them, have a little fun, and keep them connected. Tip: take two minutes to say Happy Birthday everyday to the friend’s who’s birthdays appear next to the cake icon near the top of the right sidebar of your home page. This will put your face on the homepage of everyone of your fb friends at least once a year, and it’ll only take you a few minutes a day. If you don’t have a facebook profile, you can sign up for one here.

• Your Facebook Fanpage: To get your message out, you’ll need a fanpage/orgpage. Use your fanpage to communicate bite-sized pieces of meaningful content. You will use your profile to connect people to your fanpage, and you will use your fanpage to communicate 140-character installments of your message. Once you release your fanpage, you need to update your status at least once a day. This is important because it keeps people coming back. Once people start sharing your status on their profile, their friends will start visiting your fanpage and liking it. They in turn will share your status updates on their profiles, and their friends will start visiting . . . While your profile is designed to connect people to your life, your fanpage is designed to connect people to your message.

This is important for piquing people’s taste for your real material, which you will provide in your blog. And, btw, the relatively short articles you post on your blog will pique people’s taste for the arrival of your book! It starts with a tweet and ends with a tome! You’ve got to draw people one step at a time! If you don’t have a facebook fanpage, you can create one here.

• Your Twitter Feed: What I recommend is connecting your Twitter feed to your Fanpage so that whatever posts to your fanpage automatically posts to your Twitter feed. This way you communicate with two different audiences at the same time. This is also why your fanpage posts must be 140 characters or less. Any more and it will be too long for a tweet. The discipline of writing them will make you a master of the one-liner! You will also need to supplement your Twitter feed from time to time with responses to tweets directed towards you. Also, Jon Acuff suggests live-tweeting (providing a running commentary of) a major event at least once a year. This will increase your flow of new followers and strengthen your platform. If you don’t have a Twitter feed, you can create one here.

3938

Page 22: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

The key to the strength of your social media platform is consistency. Update your status at least once a day to keep people connected.

Set aside time every day for social media engagement, and try to stay within that time limit.  The power of your platform is primarily in your content, not in your technology, so make a decision to provide

meaningful content that encourages and empowers.

Do this, and you’ll be on your way to building a powerful online platform!

4140

Page 23: The Ghetto Guide to Web Design

CONCLUSIONThe Sky’s the Limit!

Now that you’ve finished this guide, you’re on your way to the website of your dreams! While this ebook didn’t cover everything, it covered just enough to get you exploring, and a little exploring is all it takes to get the hang of the divi theme environment.

In my online course, which is the companion to this ebook, I cover several more levels of functionality, including sidebar customizations, plugin installations, search engine optimization, and more. If you want a more in-depth overview of the core functions of divi theme, that’s a good place to start!

At any rate, I hope you experience as much joy as I do as you progressively and perpetually develop your site and enhance the quality of the resources that you provide there.

4342