January 3rd, 2008 by Robert · 6 Comments ·
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Have too many blogs? Do you spend too much time upgrading WordPress installs, updating plugins, and changing themes? Your hosting provider may not be happy with you installing WordPressMU, but Stephen Rider has released a modification for WordPress that allows you to run multiple blogs off of a single WordPress installation.
Stephen made some improvements on a system originally created by Allan Mertner. Per Nerdaphernalia:
WordPress holds all of its data in a MySQL database, and there is a single file called wp-config.php that holds the database login information. Allen looked at this and realized that if you can change that one file, you can completely replace the blog. With this key realization he came up with a cunningly straightforward multi-blog system:
1. Replace the standard wp-config.php file with a new version that calls a different configuration set depending on what directory it’s in.
2. Set up symbolic links that serve as “virtual directories” that all point to the WordPress directory.
Using the example of this site, I have an install of WordPress in my /blog/ directory, and a symbolic link called “nerdaphernalia” (that’s right, you’re soaking in it!) that points to /blog/. The modified wp-config file points to either the blog or nerdaphernalia config file, depending on which of those two directories it thinks it’s in.
…
So first off, I tucked all the files, except for the one modified wp-config.php, into a folder in a safe place. Next, I greatly streamlined the install process. At a minimum, the user only need edit a single configuration file, autoconfig.php. If desired, the various blogs can each have individual config files, but it’s no longer necessary.
What Are The Benefits?
Instead of uploading and installing a new copy of WordPress, your theme(s) of choice, and all 30 of your favorite plugins every time you get a new blogging idea, you can use Virtual MultiBlog for WordPress and all you need do is update a configuration file, set up a symlink, and you can get started. If you’re running up against a limited number of databases from your provider, you can also use the database prefix scheme and run the blogs out of a single database, too. (Note that this is a WordPress feature that you can already do without Virtual MultiBlog.)
When it’s time to upgrade anything, be it WordPress itself, plugins, or themes, you need only do it once and cover your entire blogging empire. Trust me, move beyond a couple blogs and you will drool over this! It also cuts down on necessary FTP navigation when doing updates, since everything is in a single directory structure.
Securing your WordPress is even easier — you don’t have to remember to go through a list of changes for each new blog, and security is able to be applied for all at once.
Potential Downsides
You’ll have to be careful about using domain-specific changes to your .htaccess files. The default WordPress .htaccess rules pose no problems, however, as they are fairly generic.
If you’re doing site-specific modifications to your themes, then you may need to make multiple copies of your themes and use them in different folders. This is something to be aware of, but wouldn’t be more work and hassle than it would be with them in different WordPress directories, and will require less navigation to get in and out of.
While not a downside, you will need to note that most of your configuration options are in the database itself, so these will still need to be manually updated. You can disable or enable plugins individually on each blog, set different themes for each blog, set up widgets, etc. without conflicts. They will be completely separate WordPress installs with reduced file maintenance requirements.
I’ve started doing some work with Virtual MultiBlog for WordPress and it’s gone well so far. I’m quite happy about the simplicity it brings. Sure, you still have to administer each blog separately, but it saves you all sorts of time with updating files.
Tags:
virtual multiblog,
Virtual MultiBlog for WordPress,
WordPress,
WordPress multiblog,
WordPress multiblog plugin,
WordPress Plugins
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Tags: Site Updates · WordPress · WordPress Plugins
December 31st, 2007 by Robert · No Comments ·
WordPress 2.3.2 has been released. It is an urgent security fix for a bug that can expose your draft posts and also suppresses database error messages that can reveal critical information about your installation. This release also allows you to define a custom database error page. See the list of bugs fixed in WordPress 2.3.2 and the changelist from 2.3.1 to 2.3.2 for specific details.
Download WordPress 2.3.2 here.
Tags:
WordPress
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Tags: WordPress
December 29th, 2007 by Robert · 1 Comment ·
Blogs aren’t good at selling two completely different types of things at once. You may not realize it, but if you’re trying to make money off of your blog, you have to sell something.Social networking is the big thing right now, where people are focused on building communities and throngs of loyal readers. You want to bring readers in, inform them on the topics they’re interested in, and have them clicking throughout your blog and all that wonderful content you’ve got. You’re building an online network of people with similar interests. Now, how do you convert that network to cash? Everyone likes to think they could take their blogging hobby and do it full time, if only…
Do you sell ads? Not very effectively, no. Most of the crowd joining social networks is going to be more experienced online. Many will use Firefox, which comes with ad-blocking software built right into it - they’ll never even see those ads. Internet Explorer is further behind, but catching up. This site focuses on a more technically involved crowd, with 90% Firefox users and only 8% Internet Explorer. However, if we look at a couple of my other sites with a different focus, I see that 70% IE and 20% Firefox might be more average. Sometimes I disable Adblock and have a look at what I’m “missing” and it sure can be a disappointing experience.
Do you sell reviews and paid links? Google is starting to take a harsh stance on these, since people are gaming the system by attempting to pass on page rank. You’re going to see big changes in these in the future, and I’d be careful about these before Google slaps you down for them.
So what do you sell? Yourself, of course. You’re selling your knowledge or name. Ads aren’t going to do it. Take John Chow, for example. What is his number one product? His dignity. If you pay him, he’ll hawk any old product you want. Even better, he’ll sell whatever you want, AND himself at the same time. Well, it’s better for him at least. The vast majority of bloggers will never make it to that level anyway.
If you can’t quite bring yourself to that, you still have options, never fear! If you bring something of value to the table, then people will pay you for that knowledge. You can sell custom themes, web design, consulting, etc. What is it that you do that someone would actually pay for? That’s where you’ll make your money. It will still take time. You won’t see success here until you’ve got a body of work that people want and need.
I don’t know if this blog will lead to any kind of commercial success, but I feel good about how I plan to get there. I won’t lie to you, I won’t distract you, and I won’t beg for donations. I know that if I bombard you with ads and hawk the “get rich quick” method of the month, you won’t stick around. Beyond that, well, we’ll see how it shakes out, won’t we? 
Tags:
advertising,
Monetization
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Tags: Monetization
December 27th, 2007 by Robert · 5 Comments ·
This new marketing scheme is really burnin’ up the net these days. People are falling over themselves to promote it, but will it last?
What Is Pay-Per-Play?
In a nutshell, when a visitor arrives at your website, a 5 second audio clip will start playing automatically. You get paid on 100% of the page views that have the NetAudioAds javascript loaded. Their search engine will crawl your site and make sure that you are only getting contextually-relevant ads.
What’s the Catch?
First off, it’s self playing audio. Audio that starts playing automatically when you enter a site can be startling if you don’t expect it. It’s annoying to the users in most cases, just like popups and blinking banner ads. Speaking of that, per their FAQ: (http://www.sellingppp.com/faq.html)
QUESTION: Since website owners are PAID PER PLAY, will there ever come a time (like pop-ups or spam) that this too will be overwhelmed and overexposed and end up having more than one play per page (since more plays = more $)?
ANSWER: Only one audio ad can be played per page, per visitor, If someone wants to display a pop-up that plays another audio ad then they will need to understand that annoying their visitors will drive them away.
I agree 100%. When I get to a site that’s going to play it’s own audio or music, I close that tab / browser window. I am suddenly not interested in what that site has to offer.
The major issue I see with the whole program is that it’s designed to irritate and intrude into the user’s web experience. I’m not sure how you turn that into a strength. To quote the sellingppp.com website itself: “The truth is, people hate commercials.”
Another issue I have is the whole “selling technique”, not to mention the necessity of having one. The sellingppp.com website is a simple 1-column sales pitch that reminds me of a bad “get rich quick” scheme, using all the same techniques. They claim “no hype intended or implied!” but that’s EXACTLY what they’re doing:
The NetAudioAds PPP network has supposedly been running already for 2 1/2 years with 66,000 advertisers and over 550,000 websites serving their ads. This leads, according to the website, to up to 43 million ad impressions per month.
They have gone with a tiered system of affiliates to help expand. You can get paid 25% of ad income generated by your site, 5% of what the advertisor spent to have the ad played on your referrals’ websites, and 5% off the people signed up under them. Now I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear about these tiered arrangements, I think MLM scam. Call me skeptical by nature.
The sales technique continues, telling you it’s such a limited opportunity and you need to do this NOW NOW NOW before they close the doors. The whole technique to me is such a turn off, as they wind up sounding like the same old snake-oil salesmen and AMWAY marketers we’ve all heard before.
The Agenda?
I think the new hosting offer for affiliates they came out with just underlines my low opinion of this operation. For $59.95 they’ll register a domain, and create pages for you to hide your affiliate links with, so you can promote your “business”. Tsk tsk…you’re not in business with them, you ARE their business. They’re making money off of your desire to make money, offering hosting for those who don’t understand it at rates easily beatable, while still retaining control. It’s an old story. I’m not going to link it, but the page is here: http://www.sellingppp.com/hosting.html
I notice also that their blog has a link where you can go sign up for training. Any bets that there’s a free package and an upgraded package of training that will help you be more successful, for just a few dollars more?
Well, it’s not just me that’s unimpressed or concerned — take a look at some other links from folks:
I Won’t Be PaidPerPlay by Ben Cook over at The Blogging Experiment
Pay-Per-Play Advertising for Affiliates By Shawn Collins
Net Audio Ads - PayPerPlay by Kevin Lam
PayPerPlay: The Next Generation of Intrusive Internet Marketing on IMScamAlert.com
These next two sites may be this same gentleman as above, who may be a bit disgruntled. I’m always the skeptic, and always looking for the angle, but the information seems sound.
NetAudioAds Voice2Page and Pay Per Play Affiliate Abuses and Pay Per Play a Spammers Delight
What are your thoughts? Does it seem on the level to you? Have you signed up, with or without doubts?
Tags:
Affiliate Programs,
NetAudioAds,
Pay-Per-Play,
PayPerPlay,
voice2page,
voice2page and payperplay abuses
Related posts
Tags: Affiliate Programs
