wp engine

This week’s WordPress and web marketing links.

Thinking about monetizing your blog and are not sure how to get started? Here’s a podcast transcript from ProBlogger that describes 6 common ways that beginners start making money from their blogs. He recommends affiliate marketing as one of the best ways to monetize.

And speaking of money…. just yesterday I chatted with a client about how easy it is to take credit card payments from her site. Thanks to companies like Stripe, it’s super-simple to set up and get started. Here’s a roundup of the top 5 ecommerce payment gateways for WordPress sites. I’ve used all of them except Braintree, and Stripe is by far my favorite. It integrates with the most common plugins I use, like Gravity Forms and WooCommerce, and is very easy to deal with when it’s time to do your accounting (one of the reasons I don’t use Paypal very often).

Here’s something that all of us can benefit from: How to Manage a WordPress Site Like a Pro. You’re a pro, right? Pay special attention to #1 – Good Hosting. This is so important, so basic, and bad hosting is behind so many of the client complaints I receive. Slow websites, slow or poor support, outdated server software, obscure server setups that don’t allow WordPress to run at its best. So many problems can be traced back to a low-quality host.

I can’t recommend our host of choice WP Engine enough, they are the best I’ve ever used since my first site in the mid-90’s. Contact me if you’re interested in getting the best hosting at a significant discount.

Finally, here’s a roundup of 12 of the best plugins for tabs and accordions on your WordPress site. Tabs and accordions can be great for presenting a lot of information in a smaller space and also give a nice interactive experience for your visitors.