The Kim Doyal Show

The Kim Doyal Show

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The Kim Doyal Show episodes

  • SIDEKICK for WordPress – A Total Game Changer: My Interview with Ben Fox WPCP: 043
    You probably know by now that I'm a TOTAL geek about finding cool tools and resources to make online business and WordPress easier (and sometimes it's just about finding something cool, because really... I probably have more tools than I have time for), so to say I was absolutely in AWE when I found SIDEKICK would be an understatement.
    I was FLOORED.
    SIDEKICK is a game changer. And that's being conservative.
    I think the day I found it I must have told as many people as possible about it, then every time I talked to a coaching client or fellow WordPress business owner it was like I was 5 years old and someone had just told me I was going to Disneyland.
    I found SIDEKICK via Twitter, which is one of the ways I find cool new tools & resources (and trust me, it's not rocket science, I just click through to websites from people I follow or are following me when I go to follow them back. We all know my activity on Twitter needs a little help). I think the day I found SIDEKICK I asked to interview them for the Podcast. Fortunately Ben Fox followed up with me to make that happen (why I need a project manager to help with my schedule).
    I want you to listen to the entire interview, but I have to at least explain what SIDEKICK is.
    SIDEKICK is a set of interactive walkthrough  tutorials for WordPress and WordPress plugins (although the platform is available for non-WordPress websites or web-based platforms, but we're just going to talk about WordPress).
    How it works (this is the free version- for the paid version you'll need to add your activation code):
    - Install the plugin like you would any other plugin
    - An orange bar appears at the bottom left of your Dashboard menu that says 'HELP ME'
    - Click the 'HELP ME' button and the SIDEKICK menu of Walkthroughs appear.
    - Select the walkthrough you want (ex: How to Create a Post) and the animated walkthrough will be begin. Step by step instructions telling you how to create a post WHILE you create the post!
    BOOM!
    Enter Composer for SIDEKICK
    In case you were thinking you might be interested in creating your own guided walkthroughs, you can.
    SIDEKICK just opened their beta for Composer which allows you to create your guided walkthroughs (I'll let you know how my first run at it goes. I'm in the beta and will be working with it this week). You can get in on the beta for Composer here.
    Like my other interviews, I asked Ben about his life pre-SIDEKICK (he's been involved with WordPress for a while) as well as the development of SIDEKICK, his partnership and how they funded their business (the good ol' fashion way... simply through hard work and determination).
    Listen to the entire interview to get the inside scoop on Ben, the entire team at SIDEKICK and they're growing an amazing tool through an awesome company culture (look at the footer on their website and then you'll hear in the interview how this one fun thing is bringing everyone at SIDEKICK together).
    Links from this episode
    SIDEKICK.PRO
    SIDEKICK WordPress Walkthroughs
    SIDEKICK Composer
    Enter the Contest to win one of THREE great prizes from SIDEKICK!
    a Rafflecopter giveaway
    55 min
  • Ready to Write Your Book? My Interview with Joshua Sprague WPCP: 042
    Ready to share your Message with the world?
    That's one of my favorite elements to having a business today. The internet, social media and technology in general has given everyone the same opportunity to get your message out into the world. The trick is that it's up to YOU to make it happen.
    About a year or so into my business I already knew I wanted to write my story. Share my journey. I haven't started this yet, but I will in the next year or so. I'm not putting it off for any reason other than I know now isn't the right time, but it's coming.
    My guess is that there are some of you out there who ARE ready to write your story and get your message out to the world.
    That's where this podcast interview can help.
    I met Joshua Sprague in my mastermind earlier this year at our event in San Diego. As the mastermind has grown and evolved I've been able to connect more one on one with people to dig a little deeper into their businesses, how they got to where they are and what they're doing today to grow and live the lifestyle they desire.
    Like most of us, Joshua went through some personal struggles which ended up being the catalyst for what he's doing today (you have to listen to the interview to get the full scoop). What I LOVED about this interview was that Joshua was how he was able to step into his 'purpose' with his business as opposed to just trying to create something that would make money.
    We've all been there.
    Doing it just for the money will NEVER work.
    Which is when Joshua realized he needed to create his 'MESSAGE' and help others do the same... and then help them spread their message to the world.
    A few days before our interview Joshua and I had a chance to catch up and talk about where things were in my business as well. I shared some of my frustration (I'll get into more of that later) and he said a few things that really resonated with me.
    One of which was not to be afraid to "Dominate your market". What does that mean exactly? For me it means to start using my voice more. On my KimDoyal.com site I have a free report on 'Unleashing Your Voice + Vision"... but I don't think I've stepped into that quite as fully as I want to. I'm sure there are a few reasons... fear being one of them.
    Which is also something we discussed in this interview.
    When it comes to writing a book and getting their message out into the world fear is one of the biggest obstacles Joshua helps his clients through. Which is brilliant. I truly believe that you have to do the personal work while you're doing the business work... especially because they tend to go hand-in-hand for most entrepreneurs.
    I won't give too much more away here because you need to listen to the full interview, but if you're ready to get your book written and share your message with the world NOW then you can join Joshua for his live event in San Diego in early August (next week actually).
    There are a few spots left for this event where you're going to get your book written in 3 days.
    Not too bad, huh?
    Details
    3 Days Live in San Diego  - August 4-6
    Breakfast & Lunch Included
    Click the button below to get more information to attend Joshua's Messenger on A Mission Bootcamp.
    Links from this episode
    Messenger On A Mission
    Joshua J. Sprague
    1 hr
  • Pinterest is a Search Tool – My Interview with Cynthia Sanchez of Oh So Pinteresting WPCP: 041
    Before we get into the heart of the interview, let me just say that you might want to have a pen & paper handy (or Evernote...) to take some notes while you listen! I've been a fan of Pinterest since I joined a couple years ago. Part of me is quite proud of the fact that I was sort of an 'early adopter' (in my humble opinion anyways), but then I have to fess up to not really using Pinterest to its full advantage and understanding how it works as a search tool (yea, I had NO idea about this).
    Cynthia and I had connected some time last year and then I decided I needed to follow up and get her on the show.
    Not only is her story amazing but it is SO full of valuable information you may need to listen a second time. :-)
    From Nurse to full time Pinterest Coach, Speaker and Consultant
    Like many other online marketers, Cynthia was inspired to start her online business after finding Pat Flynn's podcast, Smart Passive Income (who doesn't love Pat, right?). The best part about her decision to start a blog was that she decided to pick something that would be fun and let it evolve. She originally thought she was going to set up an online business relative to her career as an oncology nurse but decided that learning how to do it with something fun would be smart.
    Starting with Pinterest
    Deciding to start her online journey with something 'fun' was not only smart it clearly was 'meant to be'. To anyone who is even considering something online this is something you should really take to heart... it's O.K. to approach it in a way that feels right for you.
    Cynthia is also a wife and mother to 4 kids... so having a full time job on top of life at home didn't make starting her online business easy, but she stuck with it.
    Before she knew it she was asked by a local business to help them with Pinterest marketing.
    Then asked to speak at Social Media Marketing World as a Pinterest expert (Michael Stelzner & Social Media Examiner).
    And did I mention that Cynthia has a Podcast? Her podcast is also one of the reasons she was invited to speak at Social Media Marketing World.
    Not too shabby for a new business, huh?
    Pinterest is a Search Tool  - Not A Social Media site
    What floored me the MOST about my interview was the education I got on Pinterest and that they consider themselves a search tool, not a social media site! Cynthia shared her favorite WordPress plugin for Pinterest, the Pinterest "Pin It" Button by Phil Derksen (link below as well) and why she likes this plugin the most.
    *side note*
    With the sharing of content via social media being able to dictate meta information for your images is HUGELY valuable!
    I don't want to give away the full interview in the post, so be sure to listen to the entire show for all of Cynthia's fantastic tips!
    Links from this episode
    Oh So Pinteresting
    Cynthia Sanchez on Pinterest
    Oh So Pinteresting Podcast
    Pinterest "Pin It" Button WordPress Plugin
    54 min
  • WordPress Hosting, Cool tools and an Invite WPCP: 040
    The term WordPress hosting isn't something you would have heard 4 or 5 years ago.
    It was just 'hosting', not WordPress specific hosting.
    That's changed dramatically in the last few years as WordPress has grown and become the powerhouse that it is today (I could throw in a statistic for you but then this post might not make it out this week, because once you start 'researching' things the rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper. You know what I'm talking about, right?).
    I debated on talking about WordPress hosting because, well, frankly it's not the most exciting topic (no offense to all the amazing WordPress hosting companies, mine included). We know I get more excited about fun graphics or cool plugins. But I digress.
    The trick with choosing a WordPress hosting company is that you need to find one that's right for YOU. If you're just starting out with your WordPress site and online business, it doesn't always make sense to jump into the the high end hosting option, because when you're starting out every $15/mo. subscription counts. And not just because of the cost involved. You need to work with a hosting company that fits what you're looking for and suits your needs.
    When you're just getting started online there are a few things I would look for when selecting WordPress hosting:
    - Support: First and foremost! Make sure the hosting company you select offers the kind of support that YOU prefer. Personally I love live chat support... please don't make me call you.
    - Dashboard: If you're a visual person then Cpanel is a great choice (control panel). If you're technically savvy then you're probably fine with a company that provides FTP or SFTP access (and if you don't know what those are, then go with cpanel).
    - They keep things up to date: Because WordPress updates often and there are SO many 3rd party tools for WordPress (plugins, themes, etc.) you want to make sure that your hosting company keeps EVERYTHING up to date (ie, the latest php too!).
    - Who is behind the company? Never something I thought I'd consider, but as WordPress hosting is getting more popular you have the opportunity to host your site where you know who the people are who are running your hosting company.
    My Hosting Company
    I've been hosting The WP Chick on Flywheel for a little over a year now and I'm THRILLED with their services and support. I have also set up multiple client sites on Flywheel for the exact same reason. I love that I can set up a client site then when it's done simply click a button to send an email to a client to take over the billing. Easy Peasy.
    My only complaint with Flywheel (and it's really not a complaint, it's more like a 'whine') is that they don't have an affiliate program or referral program up yet. I know they're working on it and plan to have one, so I won't be a complete 2 year old and throw a fit. :-)
    Two New WordPress Hosting Companies
    So these probably aren't new to other people, they're just new to me.
    The first hosting company is Cloudways
    I was introduced to Cloudways by their WordPress Community Manager , Syed Wasseem Abbas. Syed sent me a msg via Twitter asking if they could interview me (written interview) and of course I said yes and I would be honored. They sent me a link to checkout their new cloud hosting called 'Cloudways' and I recently did a new WordPress install and set up a site for an event I'm hosting (by the way, other than an affiliate link there's no other incentive here). I wanted to check them out because I wanted to have other options for people if they didn't want to use Flywheel.
    The installtion and set up was a breeze and it was easy to find everything I needed (including a link to a tutorial on how to set up your ANAME record to point your domian name. Great instructions every step of the way). Keep in mind that Cloudways does not have cpanel if that's something you're used to. So far so good! I'll let you know if I run into any snags or issues,
    48 min
  • WordPress Business – My Interview with Troy Dean WPCP: 039
    I had the good fortune of being on the WP Elevation podcast a couple of months ago and after talking with Troy I KNEW I needed to get him on my show (which, FYI, the interview was recorded before 3.9 was released).
    I have to warn you though.
    There is a TON of information in this episode. Information that you can take and apply to your WordPress Business immediately.
    I love that Troy takes a business approach to WordPress (of course while loving it and working with it all the time). As someone who isn't a coder or programmer but has built a thriving business with WordPress I was thrilled to get Troy's insights and experiences on building a successful business with WordPress.
    From Voice Over artist and Musician to WordPress
    Like many other people with WordPress, Troy started building websites for friends and once he found WordPress he never looked back. He did a lot of client sites for people in his industry (voice over / music studios) and began his freelance design. He looked at his journey as a paid education and from day one approached it as a business and knew the key to growing his business is leverage.
    "One of my passions is leverage"
    - Troy Dean
    Building the platform for leverage.
    Troy knew something early on that took me a lot longer to learn... it's NOT cost effective to do little support jobs for clients. Which is what inspired him to create a 'user manual' for a client of hist (over 100 pages, printed and delivered  to his client, which allowed the client to manage their site and kept him free from niggly support calls).
    Video User Manuals is Born
    Realizing he created something that gave him massive leverage, Troy took his PDF to his friend and now business partner, who said "we need to turn this into a plugin".
    You'll hear how Troy and Bryan have built a team that keeps Video User Manuals up to date (in different accents even! AND.. it will shortly be launched in Spanish!).
    Building a Team
    I loved that Troy approached building a team from a perspective of value. Meaning, if he brought on more people to his team could he then provide more value to his audience? Would the team allow him more time to create content, connect with his audience and grow his business?
    Brilliant.
    WP Elevation
    WP Elevation was born out of necessity. For the audience.
    They asked their audience why they hadn't purchased the Video User Manuals and the answer they got was overwhelming.
    "We don't have enough clients! How do we get more clients?"
    You're going to have to listen to how they approached the launch of this, met the demand and their business blew up. I don't want to give too much away (truly, the interview is great!). They launched WP Elevation to a limited number of people, closed it for a couple months, got their systems in place and re-opened the doors.
    And haven't looked back since.
    Make sure to check out WP Elevation, Video User Manuals and connect with Troy, you won't be disappointed.
    Links from this episode
    Video User Manuals
    WP Elevation
    Troy Dean
    Troy Dean - The Voice Over artist
    1 hr 4 min
  • WordPress Themes – Picking the Right One for Your Business – WPCP: 038
    I kind of surprised myself when I realized that I hadn't done a podcast episode about WordPress themes.
    Seems like a little bit of a 'duh' moment, right?
    I'm going to approach this from a little bit of a different angle than simply discussing different theme companies and the pro's and con's of each (and not just because we know all I use are Genesis themes).
    When I first started working with WordPress and doing client sites I just went with what the client wanted to use. As soon as I found StudioPress and purchased the Pro Plus All theme package I stopped looking around at other themes and stuck with what I knew and what I loved. Once Genesis was released I knew that was all I was ever going to use. And not because there aren't other WordPress themes and frameworks available that are good, I didn't have the time to dive into other themes or frameworks (of course that doesn't stop me from looking at other themes for inspiration, design, styles, features, etc.).
    Why I use the Genesis Framework
    It's no secret that my favorite themes for WordPress are by StudioPress and are built on the Genesis framework.  I started using StudioPress themes pre-Genesis so needless to say when they launched Genesis I was in for the ride. There are a few reasons I use Genesis.
    Good themes, great code
    Constantly improving and stay up to date with WordPress
    Flexibility for content (I'm all about content formatting)
    Updates don't effect the way the theme look
    The selection. There are a ton of great third party companies developing Genesis child themes
    Fast forward to today and there's an additional reason I use Genesis.
    A much less sexy reason I guess but it's the truth.
    I simply don't have the time to try another framework or theme... and the few times I've done this I instantly wonder what the bucket I'm doing.
    But this episode isn't just about Genesis, so let's move on.
    Picking the right WordPress theme for your Business
    This is something that took me a while to grasp because as someone who tends to get overly geeked about the visual side of things I had a tendency to approach theme selection based on what I liked and what I wanted.
    What's missing here?
    How about the user /reader / visitor?
    Duh. :-)
    Before you begin doing ANYTHING about the design and what theme you're going to use, take the time to outline a few things:
    - WHO is your audience?
    - What do you want to happen when people come to your site? (opt-in, watch a video, etc.)
    - What do you want them to do after landing on the homepage? (start here, watch this, etc.)
    - How do you want your visitor to feel?
    - Are you an agency, individual or brand? Does this personality come through?
    These probably seem like sort of obvious questions, but you'd be surprised how many people don't think about this or don't address these questions when choosing a WordPress theme.
    Once you've answered all these questions I would recommend visiting as many sites as you can and take some notes. Pay attention to why you like the site outside of the visual appeal. Is it easy to navigate? Is it clear what the site is about? Do you want to spend time digging around on the site and exploring?
    *SIDE NOTE*
    Always try to think from your visitors perspective but don't get caught in the trap of asking everyone and their mother for an opinion... nothing will make you crazier than the opinions of the peanut gallery.
    And if you're a web developer or are planning on having yout site re-done, there is a HYSTERICAL comic over at "The Oatmeal" about how a web design goes straight to hell.
    Don't work with those customers or don't be that customer.
    Links from this episode
    Genesis Framework
    Divi theme - Elegant themes
    Divi tutorial by Keith Davis
    How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell - The Oatmeal
    39 min
  • Ozzy Rodriguez in The House and Getting Real WPCP: 037
    I had the good pleasure of meeting Ozzy Rodriguez in person at WordCamp San Francisco 2013. We had connected on Twitter prior to meeting in person and I thought he was just a great guy, then when I met him in person it was confirmed. :-)
    Like many of the other web developers, Ozzy's journey into WordPress wasn't anything he saw coming. His background is technical and the evolution into creating websites kind of happened by accident. He started doing it for fun, then for friends and pretty soon he had website clients, AND... he's totally self taught. Love it. I asked Ozzy if he went to school or took any classes in programming or design and his answer:
    "I learn by doing"
     
    Which I love because when you see some of Ozzy's work (which is brilliant) it shows you that if you WANT to get really, really good at something you can.
    Because our businesses are so different (mine is still evolving... what can I say. Eventually I'll figure out what I want to do when I grow up) it was fascinating to discuss blogging, marketing, list building and social media. The night before our interview I had hosted a webinar where I talked about list building and the importance of growing your audience (always providing VALUE of course) and Ozzy had attended. We continued the discussion about blogging, marketing and growing your list.
    And then I asked Ozzy why he doesn't have an About page on his site (yep, you have to listen to the interview to get his answer).
    This was also the first time an interviewee turned the tables on me and asked me a question (which of course, I didn't mind). One of the things I loved most about my interview with Ozzy was that he shared his own doubts about things (like blogging) as well as the fact that he doesn't really market his business (because he provides such a great product that his work speaks for itself and he gets tons of referrals).
    Challenges and Obstacles
    This is always one of my favorite questions (probably because it reminds me I'm that I'm not alone in my struggles) I ask every interviewee. Ozzy said something that most people don't address, and that is that it's great to have big dreams about your business but you also need to keep it real. Pay attention to the day to day, stick with it and be prepared to FAIL... a lot.
    We also talked about starting a WordPress Business.
     What to do.
     What NOT to do.
     And more than that... WHO to be.
    Ozzy gives some suggestions on what he thinks are some good opportunities for building a WordPress business and shared that he has a theme coming out and possibly some plugins (I'll keep you posted on the release, they're not out yet but will be available on WP Bacon).
     Links from this episode
    OzzyRodriguez.com
    WPBacon.com
    48 min
  • Ozzy Rodriguez in The House and Getting Real WPCP: 037
    I had the good pleasure of meeting Ozzy Rodriguez in person at WordCamp San Francisco 2013. We had connected on Twitter prior to meeting in person and I thought he was just a great guy, then when I met him in person it was confirmed. :-)
    Like many of the other web developers, Ozzy's journey into WordPress wasn't anything he saw coming. His background is technical and the evolution into creating websites kind of happened by accident. He started doing it for fun, then for friends and pretty soon he had website clients, AND... he's totally self taught. Love it. I asked Ozzy if he went to school or took any classes in programming or design and his answer:
    "I learn by doing"
    Which I love because when you see some of Ozzy's work (which is brilliant) it shows you that if you WANT to get really, really good at something you can.
    Because our businesses are so different (mine is still evolving... what can I say. Eventually I'll figure out what I want to do when I grow up) it was fascinating to discuss blogging, marketing, list building and social media. The night before our interview I had hosted a webinar where I talked about list building and the importance of growing your audience (always providing VALUE of course) and Ozzy had attended. We continued the discussion about blogging, marketing and growing your list.
    And then I asked Ozzy why he doesn't have an About page on his site (yep, you have to listen to the interview to get his answer).
    This was also the first time an interviewee turned the tables on me and asked me a question (which of course, I didn't mind). One of the things I loved most about my interview with Ozzy was that he shared his own doubts about things (like blogging) as well as the fact that he doesn't really market his business (because he provides such a great product that his work speaks for itself and he gets tons of referrals).
    Challenges and Obstacles
    This is always one of my favorite questions (probably because it reminds me I'm that I'm not alone in my struggles) I ask every interviewee. Ozzy said something that most people don't address, and that is that it's great to have big dreams about your business but you also need to keep it real. Pay attention to the day to day, stick with it and be prepared to FAIL... a lot.
    We also talked about starting a WordPress Business.
    What to do.
    What NOT to do.
    And more than that... WHO to be.
    Ozzy gives some suggestions on what he thinks are some good opportunities for building a WordPress business and shared that he has a theme coming out and possibly some plugins (I'll keep you posted on the release, they're not out yet but will be available on WP Bacon).
    Links from this episode
    OzzyRodriguez.com
    WPBacon.com
    48 min
  • Using Plugins… or not. Time to retire this discussion WPCP: 036
    Am I right?
    Are you tired of this discussion too? I know, kind of ironic that I say it's "time to retire this discussion" through writing a post about it (kind of like needing to get the last word in, huh? This is pretty funny as I write this. Guess we know what direction this post is going in). To be quite frank, I really don't know why this continues to be a discussion. There are so many factors that go into someone's choice to use (or not use) a plugin that I really think it's best to try to stick with a 'best practices' for plugins and do what you feel is right for you, your site and your business (if in fact your WordPress site is for your business also).
    Before we get into the 'For' or 'Against' plugins discussion (note I didn't say argument, because really... why argue, right?), here's a few things I cover in the first part of this episode:
     My trip to Infusioncon (what I learned, what I thought of the conference and why I'm going back next year)
     What I'm going to be focusing on in my business moving forward
     Why I'm not going to do website development work anymore
    Using Plugins
    First, because this is how I roll, I want to give a little disclaimer.  I FIRMLY believe that the decision to use or not use plugins is a personal choice. One that's based on someone's individual skills, knowledge and desire (because let's be honest... no matter how much we love WordPress we don't all want to get into the code, right?). That being said, there are some best practices.
    Most people install plugins because they're looking to add additional functionality to their site. Something they need done and don't know how to do without coding it (ie, learning to code it themselves or hiring someone to do it). Of course there are also those people who just love plugins and install and try anything they come across. :-)
    And guess what? That's O.K. too, just know there may be consequences for doing that.
    My rule of thumb for using plugins is to always stop and ask yourself if the plugin you're installing and the functionality it adds is an added value to your reader / visitor (and I'm not referring to plugins that are good for your site like WordPress SEO or a database backup plugin). If it's not something that adds value or makes it easier on your visitor (like a social sharing plugin - which makes it easier for your reader to share your content), then is it really something you need to install?
    The podcast goes into more detail on this so we'll move onto the argument for NOT using plugins.
    Not using Plugins
    This argument is going to be less wordy because it really comes down to just a couple things:
    Site load time
    Having a clean & efficient running site
    Both of which are extremely important and of course help in your SEO, stats, visitor engagement and bounce rate (how long someone stays on your site before they 'bounce'). But the idea that everyone who uses WordPress is capable of coding in the functionality that is created by plugins is pretty ridiculous. I'm going to bet that it's safe to say that the majority of my audience isn't interested in coding. Even those of you who have a WP Web dev business. Many of you are great at customizing WP and giving the client a great product but you also want some leverage in your business and the time for money thing gets old sometimes.
    Links From this Episode
    RODE Recorder App for iOS
    Infusionsoft
    Seth Godin
    Simon Sinek
    Peter Shankman
    Plugins I mentioned
    Gravity Forms
    TinyMCE Advanced
    Shortcodes Ultimate
    WordPress SEO
    And.. like I mentioned at the end of the episode, here's the link to support the WordPress SEO plugin by Yoast! Rate the plugin or make a donation.
    1 hr 3 min
  • Using Plugins… or not. Time to retire this discussion WPCP: 036
    Am I right?
    Are you tired of this discussion too? I know, kind of ironic that I say it's "time to retire this discussion" through writing a post about it (kind of like needing to get the last word in, huh? This is pretty funny as I write this. Guess we know what direction this post is going in). To be quite frank, I really don't know why this continues to be a discussion. There are so many factors that go into someone's choice to use (or not use) a plugin that I really think it's best to try to stick with a 'best practices' for plugins and do what you feel is right for you, your site and your business (if in fact your WordPress site is for your business also).
    Before we get into the 'For' or 'Against' plugins discussion (note I didn't say argument, because really... why argue, right?), here's a few things I cover in the first part of this episode:
    My trip to Infusioncon (what I learned, what I thought of the conference and why I'm going back next year)
    What I'm going to be focusing on in my business moving forward
    Why I'm not going to do website development work anymore
    Using Plugins
    First, because this is how I roll, I want to give a little disclaimer. I FIRMLY believe that the decision to use or not use plugins is a personal choice. One that's based on someone's individual skills, knowledge and desire (because let's be honest... no matter how much we love WordPress we don't all want to get into the code, right?). That being said, there are some best practices.
    Most people install plugins because they're looking to add additional functionality to their site. Something they need done and don't know how to do without coding it (ie, learning to code it themselves or hiring someone to do it). Of course there are also those people who just love plugins and install and try anything they come across. :-)
    And guess what? That's O.K. too, just know there may be consequences for doing that.
    My rule of thumb for using plugins is to always stop and ask yourself if the plugin you're installing and the functionality it adds is an added value to your reader / visitor (and I'm not referring to plugins that are good for your site like WordPress SEO or a database backup plugin). If it's not something that adds value or makes it easier on your visitor (like a social sharing plugin - which makes it easier for your reader to share your content), then is it really something you need to install?
    The podcast goes into more detail on this so we'll move onto the argument for NOT using plugins.
    Not using Plugins
    This argument is going to be less wordy because it really comes down to just a couple things:
    Site load time
    Having a clean & efficient running site
    Both of which are extremely important and of course help in your SEO, stats, visitor engagement and bounce rate (how long someone stays on your site before they 'bounce'). But the idea that everyone who uses WordPress is capable of coding in the functionality that is created by plugins is pretty ridiculous. I'm going to bet that it's safe to say that the majority of my audience isn't interested in coding. Even those of you who have a WP Web dev business. Many of you are great at customizing WP and giving the client a great product but you also want some leverage in your business and the time for money thing gets old sometimes.
    Links From this Episode
    RODE Recorder App for iOS
    Infusionsoft
    Seth Godin
    Simon Sinek
    Peter Shankman
    Plugins I mentioned
    Gravity Forms
    TinyMCE Advanced
    Shortcodes Ultimate
    WordPress SEO
    And.. like I mentioned at the end of the episode, here's the link to support the WordPress SEO plugin by Yoast! Rate the plugin or make a donation.
    1 hr 3 min

About The Kim Doyal Show

From the publisher's feed

This podcast isn't just about digital marketing; it's about creating a business and a life you love on your terms. I’m here to explore how you can harness the power of email marketing, newsletters, content marketing, and even artificial intelligence to create value and serve your audience in a meaningful way.