This month’s WordPress roundup features WordPress addicts, Gutenberg, an end of the year summary, and responding to online reviews.
Ready? Let’s get going!
WordPress Roundup
10 Useful Blogs for WordPress Addicts – WP Newsify
Check Out These 10 Useful & Awesome WordPress Blogs ✍ for WordPress Addicts #wordpress #blogging https://t.co/CZ1ubDVKS4 pic.twitter.com/NcOGSO0O0K
— WP Newsify (@WPNewsify) December 5, 2017
What is your favorite WordPress blog? Daniel Pintilie of WP Newsify decided to list 10 and, for the most part, these are ten blogs I tend to look at for the WordPress Roundup.
We are in good company, eh?
As with any research, it kind of depends on what you are looking for. Are you looking for general WordPress news? How about a review of new themes? Do you need advanced tutorials? How about the basics.
The list represents every area mentioned.
Notable mentions:
WP Beginner – I think everyone is familiar with WP Beginner launched by Syed Balkhi, the founder of OptinMonster and so many other great WordPress products. It proves to be useful for advanced and beginners alike and has a robust library of resources including coupons, blog posts, videos, tutorials, and plugin reviews.
Code in WP – Code in WP is a fantastic resource for WordPress professionals. You will find some more technical info on that blog geared towards advanced WordPress users.
WPTavern – WPTavern is the unofficial official WordPress news source. They tend to get the inside scoop on things first, largely because they have existed for so long and provide the best info available. It is also home to the WordPress Weekly podcast.
What are some of your favorite WordPress blogs? Let us know in the comments below!
This Changes Everything: Gutenberg is Good Now – WP Shout
Guys, it turns out the Gutenberg editor is really good now.
What happens next? We have some ideas. https://t.co/GkIZsHEeUk
— WPShout (@WPShout) December 5, 2017
Gutenberg has gotten less than positive feedback thus far and since has gotten pushed back.
Fred Meyer goes into a long explanation about how Gutenberg has gotten better and where it needs to go. He also discusses the disruption that will come because of Gutenberg. This will change how plugins and themes will and do operate.
There is still long ways to go he says, but it is much better than previously thought.
Meyer
We’ve just returned from this year’s WordCamp US. In addition to the wonderful opportunity to catch up with the community, we also got to be there for one piece of colossal news: Gutenberg is actually good now.
To be sure, there is still skepticism as noted in the comments. Also, Meyer goes into a long diatribe about the difference between a front-end editor and backend editor which he says is Gutenberg.
With Gutenberg, you only see what your content will actually look like once you Update (on the back end) and refresh (in a second tab, on the front end). Thus it has always been with back-end editors.
Freelancer’s guide to creating an end-of-the-year summary – GoDaddy
— WP TechSpot (@wptechspot) December 4, 2017
The end of the year means finishing projects by year’s end as well as preparing for a new year. Usually, for many of us, it signals a time to begin collecting necessary information for taxes in April.
Every year, we can take time to consider our company from a big picture perspective. Raubi Marie Perilli helps with this post at the GoDaddy Garage blog.
An essential part of growing a business is looking back at your work, successes and failures to see how you can do better. This theory is especially important for freelancers who need to reflect on their own work, as they don’t have a boss to do a review it for them. That’s why every solopreneur or small business owner needs to do an end-of-the-year summary.
Perilli breaks down the various things you should get data for to have a higher level view of your business.
How to respond to online reviews of your business – Yoast
Respond to your customers’ #reviews, it shows you care. It can be hard, especially if a #review is negative. Some tips for responding professionally and polite! https://t.co/GJCE0dtqzu
— Yoast (@yoast) December 4, 2017
As service providers, sometimes we get reviews on Google, Facebook, or some other platform. How do you respond while defending your reputation yet acknowledging the issue from the reviewer?
Marieke van de Rakt has a very nice and practical article on the Yoast blog. She says,
Online reviews are also important for your SEO. There’s an overall consensus among SEO experts about reviews being a ranking factor for local search.
Why react to reviews?
Reviews tell what other people, your customers, think of your product. If you respond to reviews, you show your (potential) customers that you care about their opinion. And that’s something your customers will appreciate.
If you ever wondered how reviews and how you respond to them can affect your SEO or your business, this article will help you wade through those thoughts.
Over to you
Have you tried out Gutenberg? What are your thoughts? Are you as hopeful as Meyer is in his article?
Going into the final month, having an overview of your company can be helpful. What plans do you have for an end of the year review?
