Welcome to another edition of Sites Weekly.
In this week’s edition, you will find links to articles about the following:
- Content. A simple way to think about the value you create
- Design. How to create digital assets
- Technology. What Google’s new ad settings mean for your remarketing campaigns
- Strategy. What you can learn from the way some media companies are adapting to Facebook’s changes
- Bonus. What two drastically different leaders can teach you about building trust
But first …
Did you realize that WordPress is now 15 years old? It’s true.
And on the one hand, that seems like such a long time when you consider that WordPress started before the iPhone and so many other technological advancements that have radically changed society.
But on the other hand, it’s only been around for 15 years. That’s barely even a ripple off of a drop in the bucket of human history, and then think about all of the achievements WordPress has enabled, all of the lives it has transformed, and all of the promise that it still holds for the future.
So happy belated 15th birthday, WordPress (the actual date was January 25).
Here is the simple comment that started it all. (WPTavern.com)
Oh, and the Site Success podcast returned this week, so you’ll get links to the new episodes in next week’s newsletter (but for a sneak peek, click here). Not only does the show have a new name, but it also has a new schedule and format as well. I’m really looking forward to what we have planned for 2018!
Subscribe at Apple Podcasts here: sites.fm/apple.
Or just search for “StudioPress Sites” wherever you listen to podcasts.
And now, on to this week’s links …
Content: A simple way to think about the value you create
When we’re trying to convince people to join, or subscribe, or buy, we often focus on comparing features and benefits. And with good reason. Doing so allows us to position ourselves against the competition our audience members and potential customers are seeing elsewhere.
But what if there is another way — maybe even a better way? — to think about the value we are delivering to our audiences?
If you click on this very short blog post by Bernadette Jiwa, you’ll spend a teeny tiny amount of time reading … but then a lot of time thinking and considering.
Design: How to create digital assets
This blog post is targeted at designers, but it provides useful lessons for any online content creator who is creating digital assets to be served on their website.
If you are creating the digital assets yourself, you’ll learn some useful tips for the creation process. If you are hiring someone to create the digital assets for you, then you’ll have a short checklist of questions to ask your designer to make sure the deliverable you get is ready to go.
Two of the most important decisions you will make about your WordPress website are your theme and your hosting. Wouldn’t it be great if they worked together to make your website more powerful?
Now they can.
Discover why over 213,675 website owners trust StudioPress.
Technology: What Google’s new ad settings mean for your remarketing campaigns
Facebook isn’t the only Internet giant making important changes to how it distributes content and serves ads. Google also recently announced changes to the control that users will have over what ads are served to them, and what happens when they choose to mute an ad.
This article, by Allen Finn, at WordStream is worth reading for two reasons:
- As a general web user, it’s a good reminder of the control you have with your Google account.
- It provides useful advice for how to respond to these changes from a publisher perspective.
Strategy: What you can learn from the way some media companies are adapting to Facebook’s changes
Chances are, your website isn’t driving the amount of traffic and making the amount of revenue that sites like Topix and Fatherly are. Still, you can learn from the ways in which these big-time publishers are adapting to Facebook’s recent algorithm changes that de-prioritize organic brand content in news feeds.
One big idea is that you can still see results on Facebook if you’re willing to pay. Just make sure you have a smart strategy so that you’re reaping a reward on the investment.
Another big idea is that going all-in on Facebook (or any single channel) is never the best idea. Diversification helps future-proof you against potential changes on platforms you don’t control.
Bonus article: What two drastically different leaders can teach you about building trust
Going whitewater rafting or sitting around telling stories don’t sound like the best paths to productive problem solving, do they? Well, perhaps it’s time to rethink that.
This blog post, by Shane Show, shares what he learned from General Stanley McChrystal and Evernote CEO Chris O’Neill about leadership. In the end, it’s about trust. And you don’t build trust just by working. You have to have experiences that help you get to know people on a deeper level. (Note: the same can be applied to building audiences, too.)
So …
Which of the ideas in these posts will you put to good use immediately?
I’ll be back with a new edition next week.
Keep building.