Her theme from 2011

and 2010

I admit, I don’t adapt to UI changes well myself. This one is an exception.  I think this change is going to keep Facebook relevant for a few more years. Let me tell you why.

1. No need for personal fan pages

   Allowing users to opt for private and public status is a lot like Google + and it’s a good idea. I am not going to accuse anyone of copying anyone else because I know that Facebook has been working on this new UI since before Google launched Plus. I find the synchronicity of choosing what percentage of the internets I would like to know about my dog’s recent adventure at the dog park pleasant. Users are going to naturally set their default to “Friends Only” but their are enough users (like myself) who will select “Public” a few times a day to keep their cover pages fresh.

2. Subscribe option

   Now you can have the public updates of other users you are not friends with appear in your news feed. They did this one right by making it opt IN. That was a good call. The outcry would have been far louder if our exes and in-laws been able to subscribe to our updates right away.

   I think this is going to eventually take away the need to send the awkward “My facebook page is very private, I only friend those I know in real life. Please “like” my fan page to receive my public updates.” messages that get sent out everyday. I could subscribe to feed of someone I admire but don’t know in person.

3. Cover Pages

   

   Developers have been allowed to test out new features, such as cover pages aka timelines.

   This feature warms why aesthetic heart. Yes, It’s reminiscent of MySpace’s dying gasp revamp. But that was a GOOD feature at a bad time. The stars are aligned for Facebook to use this layout. On September 29th, all users will be able to make pretty pages for their potential employers and babysitters to see.

   If you ar not a developer and would like to try this out before it hits the shelves, check out Mashable’s tutorial. It’s very easy.

The one thing that bothers me is the auto-updating ticker in the right sidebar. The constant movement distracts me. how ridiculous does that sound? I am distracted on a timesuck social media service!

Xhibit said it best.

He’s right, it’s redundant!

How are you feeling about the recent changes?

Photographers, internet servers, banks, governments, and home computer users keep the 3-2-1 Rule.

• Make three copies of all important files. This is time well spent.
• Store as two different types of media. For instance, burn a CD (or fifty thousand) monthly.
• Keep one copy offsite. I have heard of many methods for this. Mailing the disks to your sister on the opposite coast, utilizing a safe deposit box or online backups are ideas. I use SugarSync.

This all applies to your self-hosted WordPress site, too. Servers crash, its sad but true. Reputable host servers have redundant backups of all of their systems but you should always keep your own copies. I will explain the monthly backup strategy I use for my clients’ sites.

1. Export content- this option is accessed in the Tools menu of your WordPress dashboard.
2. Database backup- I use Lester Chan’s WP-DBManager Plugin. this plugin optimizes your site’s MySQL database and creates a backup file. This can be sent to you via email. I have theses files emailed directly to my SugarSync Magic Briefcase. This creates a cop on my hard drive(s) and in my SugarSync account.If you were to lose you site content or theme, you can recover it from the file stored in your site directory via the plugin’s menu.
3. Copy FTP- with FileZilla, I copy the entire website directory into my hard drive.
4. Load into secure cloud drive. In addition to my SugarSync account, I have a second DreamHost account that I use for backup storage. Unlimited storage and bandwidth FTW!

In summary, backup fully on a regular basis. You don’t want to be left crying when you have a hacked site. If you don’t want to do it yourself, check out ExpandSM’s WordPress Service Contract option.

“Comforting?!” you say. Yes, because if everyone drops, that means the algorithm is fair. The playing field has been leveled. Content farms have dropped more significantly that personal blogs. News sites dropped less. This means quality and relevance are back on top.

“But my site rank DROPPED!” you scream. Take a deep breath. Imagine we are all at the starting line of the Olympic marathon. We all take one large step back. look too your left, look to your right. Almost all of your competitors have fallen back with you. A page rank of 4 is not as bad as it could be when we’re all set to 4 now.
Now for the good news; it can go back up.

This updated search method has promoted content to supreme ruler of the internet. SEO specialists have been telling us “Content is king!” Loaded in that expression was that keywords were Prime Minister and links as Secretary of Foreign Affairs. This triumvirate has been dissected. Keywords and links are handservants now. If you post fresh, relevant, content several times per week, your site will continue it’s upward rise. Making few adjustments to your site will keep it on the correct path.

Whether it’s the carpool line or the boardroom, women swap stories, and in that sharing there’s value. Through stories we grow, inspire, and connect.

Women Create Media

Winners will be drawn at random from comments on the Google Plus status. Names will be drawn 6:00 Pacific, July 22nd, 2011.

This design was a migration from Blogger to WordPress than became a full-fledged BuddyPress site. Connections directories and Gravity Forms are integrated in along with a SnapEngage live chat customer service pop-up. The Society of Socialpreneurs Ning Community member profiles were ported into BuddyPress to allow current members to jump into the new site right away.

Built on Studio Theme by WPMU DEV. Graphic art created by Julie Farber of Deluxe Designs.