Discussion points include:

1. How is a blog similar to / different from a website?
2. What are static pages and how are they different from posts?
3. Blog sidebar elements and which ones are mandatory.
4. SEO (search engine optimization) to get rankings in the search engines.
5. What you needed to present your images properly online.

This interview originally aired July 2010 as part of “Artist Conspiracy” online course at Artbizblog.com

Listen to the interview 60 min

Resize Images Step 1

The first thing you have to do in preparation to add content to your site is to optimize your images. Optimizing is a term used to indicate a change to a photo or a graphic, to reduce it in both visual size and file size, for use in other programs.  For use in an Artbiz website I ask clients to resize to no larger than 800px in any one direction and no larger than 50 to 100 kbs.

Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

1. Choose  “File” > “Save for Web & Devices” (Photoshop)
2. Choose “File”>”Save for Web” (Photoshop Elements)
3. Use the Save For Web dialog box to preview the effects of different optimization options on a photo you want to share on the web. The process is simple: Open a photo in the Editor and choose File > Save For Web. Then choose a format from the file format menu (GIF, JPEG, PNG-8, or PNG-24) and set options as desired. (The file format menu is directly the Preset menu.) This saves a copy of your file, without overwriting the image.

More information and visual aids

Resize your images online

This is an online tool provided by shrink pictures

1. Browse your computer and select your image/photo to resize
2. Select the new size for your picture –choose a custom size and enter 800 (it will keep the aspect ratio)
3. Optionally, add an effect to your image
4. Select output image/picture quality Lower quality means a smaller file- select “Better”
5. Click “Resize” and wait for the processed images to be displayed, depending on the file size it may take a few minutes.

Once complete you will be prompted to download the file. I recommend that you do a “save as” and rename the file with a name that is more relevant that the name provided by the online tool and put it into a folder called website.

There is also a video tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbR5DVZBkPw&feature=player_embedded

Change from a blog to a static website

Manage Your Artist Portfolio in WordPress is a guest post that I wrote forcmsartbizblog.com last August. In it I show you how you can configure WordPress to function as a website without a blog.

You can manage your portfolio, update your CV, and post upcoming shows and exhibitions by using WordPress PAGES. Imagine being able to update your website anytime, anywhere and without having to ask, wait or pay someone to do it for you!

There are the 5 steps you will need to take in order to use WordPress as a CMS–provided you already have WordPress installed with a suitable hosting company.

Once the 5 steps are complete you will have WordPress configured to use as a content management system without the blog component. All you have to do from here is add your content.

To review these 5 steps please read Manage Your Artist Portfolio in WordPress at artbizblog.com

WordPress is user friendly and easy to use. When asked how easy I usually say if you can attach an image to an email and type in text editor like Word then you can use WordPress.

I would love to help you with your WordPress site. Please visit my services page to review all the services I offer.