Velvet Blues Web Design

Turn Off WordPress Homepage URL Redirection

Velvet Blues — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:26:45 +0000

If you are integrating WordPress into a preexisting site that already has its own homepage, or if you are developing a new WordPress website that is hidden behind a Coming Soon page, you will run into one frustrating problem. If you try to access the WordPress installation by visiting the index.php file, you won't be able to see it. Here is a small code sample to turn off WordPress URL redirection.

WordPress Problems with Pasted MS Word Content

Velvet Blues — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:03:24 +0000

Microsoft Word and WordPress don't play well together. Here is a brief tutorial on how to fix problems that happen from copying and pasting content from MS Word into WordPress' WYSIWYG editors.

Alexa’s New Look Is Just What The Doctor Ordered!

Velvet Blues — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:52:17 +0000

Alexa.com just unveiled a brand new website complete with a new color scheme and exciting user enhancements. What do you think about their new look?

Configuring SSH (Secure Shell) on HostGator

Velvet Blues — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:05:40 +0000

A brief overview of SSH (secure shell) and how to set it up on HostGator shared or reseller hosting plans.

What Happens To Your Blog When You Stop Blogging?

Velvet Blues — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:24:28 +0000

Every now and then, a blogger might need to take a break from blogging. If it is a short break, posts can be scheduled in advance. But sometimes, this isn't possible. So, what happens to your blog when you stop blogging?

Is Video The Future Of Blogging?

Velvet Blues — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:48:27 +0000

Video is becoming more and more popular on blogs. Is this the way to go? Or should we stick with text?

Is Comment Spam Getting Smarter?

Velvet Blues — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:54:45 +0000

Blog spam has gotten smarter. It looks just like real comments and it is often undetectable by anti-spam plugins. So how can you beat it?

WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org

Velvet Blues — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:03:26 +0000

WordPress blogging software comes in two flavors: the freely-hosted version available at WordPress.com and the freely-downloadable version at WordPress.org. Which should you choose for your website?

Google Is Finally The #1 Website On Alexa

Velvet Blues — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:59:05 +0000

Yahoo has always outranked Google as the top site in the world. But this has now changed... According to the Alexa Daily Traffic Rank, Google has now overtaken the #1 spot.

Website Ownership: 4 Biggest Myths & Realities

Velvet Blues — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:49:03 +0000

According to a recent study, 44% of small businesses do not have websites! With so many obvious benefits from having a website, what is stopping these business owners from getting on the web?

New Domain Name? Use GoDaddy Discount Codes

Velvet Blues — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:49:50 +0000

The average domain name is fairly inexpensive, not more than $10 - $30 per year, depending on your domain registrar. But as you buy more and more domain names, you will find that it can quickly become very expensive. Fortunately, costs can be kept to a minimum by following these three easy tips.

Would You Get A WordPress Tattoo?

Velvet Blues — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:41:03 +0000

We can all agree that WordPress has some staunch supporters. But who would have thought that one fanatical user would actually get the WP logo permanently tattooed on his arm?!

Is Your Search Engine Optimization Expert Legit?

Velvet Blues — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:10:21 +0000

Search engine optimization, the art of making your website more appealing to search engines, can deliver lots of free high quality traffic. But not all techniques work, nor are they all approved of by Google. If you've hired an SEO expert to optimize your website, how can you determine if he knows what he is doing?

Grade Your Website: Free Online Evaluation Tools

Velvet Blues — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:41:43 +0000

Why pay a professional for a basic website evaluation when you can do it yourself for free? Here is a list free online tools that will help you grade your website.

Google AdSense vs. Affiliate Marketing Programs

Velvet Blues — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:51:53 +0000

Most people trying to make money online with their websites are looking for the easiest solution that will reward them with the highest payout. This usually means that they will implement either Google AdSense or a combination of affiliate marketing programs. But which is more effective, and which should you choose for your website?

Disable Automatic Restart after Windows XP Update

Velvet Blues — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:29:24 +0000

If you are on a Windows XP system, you are probably very familiar with the automatic updates which interrupt you as you work and prompt you to restart your computer. Tired of seeing it or losing unsaved work? You can turn the automatic restart off.

Can Your Website Handle A Traffic Surge?

Velvet Blues — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:30:40 +0000

The problem with traffic surges is that you never know what to expect. So how do you prepare for a sudden increase in traffic and make sure that your website does not become inaccessible?

WordPress 2.7.1 Released, Automatic Upgrade Works!

Velvet Blues — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:02:36 +0000

WordPress just released version 2.7.1, and you should upgrade now. There are some very useful bug fixes and enhancements.

Should You Blog Anonymously?

Velvet Blues — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:16:42 +0000

When you write a blog online, your posts can be read by anyone with an internet connection. And now, with free on-demand translation services, language is no longer a barrier. This is great news for those of us who are looking for more visitors, but this also creates a few important privacy and safety concerns.

Is The Top Commentator Plugin Worth It?

Velvet Blues — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:09:27 +0000

The Top Commentator WordPress plugin is very popular both for increasing comments and rewarding faithful visitors. But there are some negative things about it as well, which have caused many bloggers to remove it from their blogs. So we ask the question: "Is The Top Commentator Plugin Worth It?".

How To Publicize Your WordPress Plugin

Velvet Blues — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:24:11 +0000

There are so many great WordPress plugins out there. Unfortunately, most of them get very little exposure and usage because they are not well publicized... Here are three tips for getting the word out about your new plugin.

Smarty Templates: How To Create Custom Functions

Velvet Blues — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:00:33 +0000

The popular Smarty Template Engine is full of great features, but is not the most intuitive system for developers to learn to use. And it doesn't help that the documentation is a bit scanty. So here is the simplest and most complete tutorial you will find on writing a custom function for your Smarty templates.

Your FeedBurner Subscriber Count Is Not Accurate

Velvet Blues — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:33:06 +0000

One of the things that drives bloggers crazy is a wildly fluctuating FeedBurner subscriber count that goes up and down with no apparent explanation. But before you go into another chaotic panic, trying to figure out what you might be doing wrong (or right), here is a little secret that many people do not know: the FeedBurner subscriber count is not accurate.

Does Your Blog Need A Makeover?

Velvet Blues — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:28:12 +0000

Everyone seems to be giving their blogs a makeover. What are their reasons? And does your blog need a makeover too?

Are Plugins Ruining Your WordPress Website?

Velvet Blues — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:31:34 +0000

Plugins have helped transform WordPress from a simple blog-publishing application to a versatile content management system. But the very plugins that have made WordPress so great, could also be ruining it.

Does Your Website Need A Sitemap?

Velvet Blues — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:52:38 +0000

What is a sitemap? And how do you know if your website needs one?

How Slow (or Fast) Is Your Website on Dial Up?

Velvet Blues — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:26:44 +0000

The other day, Gary Conn discovered that a lot of his visitors used a dial up internet connection to access his website. He also admitted that he had recently tested his site on dial up and was horrified at how slow it was... How well does your website measure up on a dial up connection?

Boost Traffic With A Website Contest

Velvet Blues — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:59:10 +0000

In this worsening economy, online contests provide websites with a cost-effective way to generate traffic, build a mailing list, and gain inbound links. But not all contests work... Here are 4 tips to make sure that your contest is successful.

Is Your Website Leaking PageRank?

Velvet Blues — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:35:44 +0000

Improving and maintaining PageRank is a top priority for webmasters because it affects how much traffic a website will receive from Google. But what many webmasters do not realize is that their websites are leaking PageRank, causing their overall site-wide PageRank to be lower than it should be.

Are You Really Getting 99% Uptime From Your Host?

Velvet Blues — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:19:29 +0000

Most web hosts today have an uptime guarantee. They promise that your website will be available a certain percentage of the time, with some hosting companies promising as much as 99.999% uptime! But what does this guarantee REALLY mean? And are you truly getting the uptime that your host has promised?