STANDARD WORDPRESS DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Site Shack works with all types of WordPress themes, including premium or high-quality free. We can also build your ideal theme from scratch, based on your design preferences, including color palette, layout, font selection and so on. When needed, Site Shack can also create custom plugins, widgets and page templates to give your website a fully unique look and function.

Development begins with the installation of WordPress.org "core" files or [if using dot com] the typical "dot com" setup. Site Shack begins incorporating security measures and components of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) at this time, both to be implemented alongside the site's build.

Note that the website development takes place online at a "staging" URL or is masked by a tasteful "Under Construction" page. The site is also closed off to search engines until launch.

HOSTING

The web host is the online location where your site lives. Very simply, the host is a computer that operates with a particular set of software programs that connect to the Internet. The host contains the files that make up your website.

The web host is different than the website "registrar," which is where your domain name(s) is purchased and located. Your web host and your registrar may be operated by the same company, and many hosts (including Squarespace) offer the option to purchase a domain name. As a rule, Site Shack recommends using a different registrar and host.

For hosting, Site Shack recommends Pantheon, SiteGround, WPEngine or Flywheel.

MAINTENANCE

WordPress websites require periodic updates (this should be done monthly) of the WordPress software and site's plugins. Site Shack can take care of ongoing WordPress maintenance, or instruct the client in how to do this.

TRAINING

WordPress websites are built to allow non-technical users the opportunity to add, edit and/or delete content, including images and other media. Every website is unique. It may be useful for a client to familiarize herself/himself with the basics of how to update content. Site Shack has been training both WordPress and Squarespace users in the classroom and in one-on-one sessions, since about 2013. See what students have said about Site Shack's training skills and knowledge.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

SEO is the science of implementing multiple elements within a website that will essentially define the who, what, where, when, why and how of your business or organization. The more accurately and thoroughly this definition is implemented, the better your chance of your website being found by search engines (starting with Google) for specific search queries. And once found, good SEO can result in your website being placed high up in a "search engine return pages" (aka SERP).

The first essential element in creating a strategically sound SEO plan is building a keyword list, and carefully integrating certain words and phrases from this list in your website's content, html tags, social media, blogs and really, everywhere. Site Shack works closely with each client to create your list and make sure it's as updated and relevant as possible. We use a suite of different tools to help build your keyword list.

In addition to the website itself being developed with good SEO, a second part of pushing your website to the top of the SERPS is the strategic use of social media and if feasible, a new blog post written on a regular basis.

For websites that use WordPress, Site Shack employs what we consider to be the ultimate SEO plugin: Yoast WordPress SEO plugin.

In recent years, Squarespace has added several significant built-in methods for implementing superior SEO tools, including direct access to your Google Search Engine Console.

Site Shack has extensive experience with SEO, Yoast and Squarespace SEO tools. This knowledge is incorporated in each website we build.

SECURITY

For many reasons, the fully-developed security of your WordPress website is arguably its most important element. This applies to both versions. With over 24 million downloads of the "dot org" version (as of May 6, 2019), WordPress operates as a vast, soft target for hacks of all types — all resulting in varying degrees of damage to the website's performance. Even the web host may be hacked, causing (among many other possible problems) a dramatic slowing down of your website's page load time — one clue that there may be a problem with your site or host's server.

There are also hacks that target a specific vulnerability in a WordPress plugin or template.

The best way to avoid website hacking attacks is to ensure your content management system, plugins, and templates are all up-to-date.

As a company we recognize the extreme importance of implementing the highest level of security for your WordPress website.

RENOVATION & REPAIR

There is a widely held assumption that aside from periodically modifying your website's content, the work of owning a website can pretty much be set aside. However (this is true primarily in the case of WordPress "dot org" sites) long neglected updates can result in serious problems — including hacks, security risks, sites that don't display properly on mobile devices, broken links, broken everything.