Confessions of WordPress Site Convert
Let me start by saying I’ve been using WordPress for quite some time now. I do own multiple blogs, all of which use WordPress. But for the first time ever, I’ve created a “real” site using only WordPress.
My long ago forgotten recipe site, Recipes For Mom, has been completely redesigned. All the recipes that use to be on static pages are now being entered as blog posts with new URLs and all. It was a risky move to say the least, as I may lose my search engine rankings. Although the current income on that site is only about $50 per month, so it won’t be a huge lost should things not work out the way I had planned. I still think the rewards are going to outweigh the risks on this one though.
It hasn’t been easy changing everything. With my SEO addiction, this has been one serious uphill battle, and it isn’t over yet. I’m still tweeking, adding, testing, and pulling out hair just to get the everything “just so”. Since I like to hard code everything, this has been a bear getting use to. It may seem easy to just enter the content in a blog post, but I swear it takes me longer than it did to just make a new page.
I gave up searching for a plugin or hack that will allow me to change the category titles without changing the way it reads in the navigation, but I found a slight work around that pleases me for the time being (only good for a niche site such as this, but hey, it works). I also fought for half the day on getting a subcategory list on the category pages, only to figure out it was one simple snipit of code that I had overlooked in the beginning of my search. Can we say “grr”?
Overall, I’m liking the way it’s looking. I now have a nicer layout, easy to navigate site, and some other cool “toys” added on (such as a rating and review system – a must on a recipe site!).
Yes, I do believe I like this. *GRIN*
Your fellow WAHM in success,
Kara
Topics: Business Stuff | 3 Comments »
February 13th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Looks good, Kara! I think with your knowledge, you’ll build this site up to make way more than $50 a month. You’re one smart cookie!
Wish you the best with it.
Angie (Losing It and Loving It)’s last blog post..Feel the Bloggy Love
February 13th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
May I do the “I told you so song and dance”??
February 13th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
LOL Anita yes you may!
Thanks for the comments Angie – about time I stopped just sitting on that gold mine and started digging.