Last week WordPress released ‘Thelonius’ or WordPress 3.0, the latest version of their popular CMS.

There are a number of new features and upgrades in this version of WordPress that make this blogging platform even more powerful and usable that previous versions.

Here are the highlights:

• WordPress and WordPress MU have merged, allowing the management of multiple sites (called Multisite) from one WordPress installation.
• New default theme “Twenty Ten” takes full advantage of the current features of WordPress.
• New custom menu management feature, allows creation of custom menus combining posts, pages, categories, tags, and links for use in theme menus or widgets.
• Custom header and background APIs.
• Contextual help text accessed under the Help tab of every screen in the WordPress administration.
• Ability to set the admin username and password during installation.
• Bulk updating of themes with an automatic maintenance mode during the process.
• Support for shortlinks.
• Improved Custom post types and custom taxonomies including hierarchical (category-style) support. (Try the Custom Post Type UI or GD Custom Posts And Taxonomies Tools plugins to see the possibilities.)
• A lighter admin color scheme to increase accessibility and put the focus more squarely on your content.

Here’s a short video discussing some of these highlights and an intro to the latest version.

If you have logged into your WordPress admin recently you will notice that at the top of the dashboard the following message “WordPress 3.0 is available! Please update now.”

Remember to completely backup your database and website files before performing an upgrade.

Today I attended a Webinar by Guy Kawasaki on WebEx, entitled, Get “Social” with Guy Kawasaki, his secrets plus live Q&A. Mr Kawasaki is a managing director of Garage Technology Ventures, a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine, a previous Apple Fellow at Apple Computer, Inc. and author of nine books including Reality Check, The Art of the Start, Rules for Revolutionaries, How to Drive Your Competition Crazy, Selling the Dream, and The Macintosh Way.

Mr. Kawasaki’s talk today demonstrated how he uses Twitter as a marketing weapon. He wisked back and forth showing examples of how he sets his tweets up to repeat every so often during the day, while searching for new content, garnering new followers, and really how to get the most out of Twitter. He actually offered up some great stuff that got me rethinking Twitter and how I can serve my clients and my own business better.

One of the biggest takeaways both James and I got out of the event was his language around getting people to notice you. He spoke eloquently about how it’s easy to be charming, fascinating and enchanting if you are a big celebrity, but much harder to do when you are not.

Those three words got to me. In a world full of technology it’s so easy to lose grace and flounder into the depths of trying to sell services or products to an unknown world. But I like those three words and they connote what seems to be lacking in our technology driven lives. Oh we try to be clever and playful on our facebook pages, and a little more professional on our LinkedIn sites, but the real question is, how do we engage people in a longer conversation or a longer look at our products or services?

I imagine the use of Twitter this way. There’s a dinner party being held.  Different companies are represented at the table. Many times when we speak about branding we talk about the personality of a company. For now I’ll use Monopoly game pieces of the Shoe, the Wheelbarrow, the Dog, and the Top Hat to represent the different companies.  The Shoe seems quiet and reserved, while the Dog and the Top Hat bounce around from topic to topic, making pleasant conversation and capturing the attention of others in the room. This is charming, fascinating and enchanting in action. In the immediate world of Twitter are we always trying to be the life of the party so people recognize us, and follow us. The Wheelbarrow becomes a follower and soon the Shoe joins in.  The Shoe however gets indignant about something the Top Hat has said or done and lambasts the Top Hat on his Twitter. The Top Hat now has two choices. He can either address the issues of the Wheelbarrow or simply “Block” him.  By responding at first politely to the Wheelbarrow, he engages his adversary and may even make him a believer or regain his confidence. But if the Wheelbarrow insists on being indignant, it is probably not a customer the Top Hat wants to have anyway.

The point is this. With Twitter we engage at a dinner party level. We bring topics to the table that some may find interesting and we don’t get a chance to delve too deeply. We flit around within an area of interest or expertise, and people follow because there are mavens who are seen as great sources of information and we keep them on our “good” list. By being charming, fascinating and enchanting a company or person can be held in high esteem as a subject matter experts, and garner lots of good attention. I like to think that even Twitter can be used to show there are good conversationalists out there even in its most shorthanded form.

If you would like to learn more about Guy Kawasaki’s presentation on How to Use Twitter as a marketing weapon, start here.

We’ve been quietly experimenting on some really amazing new sites including our own. Our work over the last six months is more focused on creating great custom designs using WordPress blog technology to allow our customers access to their content. It’s not just for blogs. That’s right, we’re teaching our clients how to make updates and we proudly admit it.

The money you save by learning how to update your site yourself or through an employee means you can use those funds for help with direct email marketing, print ads, social media areas, or adding new useful features to your site. It’s about looking at the big picture, not just your website.  We’ve put together a few questions put forth to us by some of our customers. We hope you find it useful.

1. 

   Screenshot of the admin used to create this article.

   What is WordPress?
   While initially created as blogging software, WordPress makes a great light version of a CMS (Content Management System). The software is free, and is supported by most good web hosting companies. It is also fairly straightforward in terms of installation and administration. WordPress has a large, active user community that provides forums for tips and support. When the code running your site is up to date it helps prevent security risks. Because the software that runs WordPress is open source, any amount of customization is possible and in fact, encouraged. If you really get into it, you can even blog by downloading an app for your iPhone.

2. Can I still have some bells & whistles?
   Absolutely.  Plugins can be installed directly in the WordPress admin and there are thousands to choose from. Some examples are site stats, e-commerce, image galleries and site security. By making use of plugins, users can customize the performance of a blog or site according to need. Some famous plugins are All in one SEO, Akismet, Robots meta, and the SEO friendly images plugin.
3. How does search engine optimization work in WordPress?
   Out of the box, WordPress is a pretty well optimized system, and does a far better job at allowing every single page to be indexed than some other CMS systems out there. It also allows you to put in keywords for pictures or blog entries so people can find you. At Rhizome we have seen a dramatic increase in site traffic for clients who move from a traditional website to a customized WordPress site.
4. Can I interact with my customers? What about social media?
   WordPress allows you to directly interact with your clients. By allowing comments, visitors have a voice on your site. By making an RSS feed available clients can easily see when the site has been updated. Social media applications like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn also tend to dovetail nicely with WordPress sites, for example, your blog postings can be set to automatically update your Twitter account.
5. How do I update my site to a WordPress site?
   Just ask us how. It doesn’t take us very long to take an existing site we may have done for you in the past and upgrade it. Chances are we can get it done within a week or two depending on the complexity of the site, as long as there are no other major design modifications. We set everything up and then arrange a time to tutor our customers on how to use it.
6. But what if I mess up my site?
   Trust us, you won’t mess up your site. We’ve already put this through the “Emily-Corey-fear-of-html” test. Emily is a writer who wanted to be able to put in articles and posts for clients.  After we talked her through how to do it, she is zipping right along, fear-free. What we call the “shell” of the site is hard-coded and will not be affected by any of the content text you wish to publish.

Below are some examples of our latest sites employing great custom design with WordPress technology. Feel free to peruse them and get some ideas for yourself.

Bill Nye the Science Guy
A site worth experimenting on, I challenge you to take the POP Quiz. It’s really tough! Find your favorite episode guides and see what’s brewing inside Nye Labs. This customized WordPress theme allows for video, a database, custom PHP scripts, and flash elements. In the first month this site received over 15,000 visitors. The stats have steadily climbed to over 72,000 a month.

Valley Cultural Center
VCC provides one of the largest outdoor Summer concerts and movies in the park in Southern California with over 50,000 visitors in a season. Being a non-profit does not always mean no profit, and better online functionality proved to be a prudent decision. New event features, and an online marketplace directory for those businesses in the San Fernando Valley that support the arts through VCC were included. This provided an alternative revenue flow for VCC, making it possible to bring their site to the next level and fundraise with firepower.

NBIS
James recently updated the entire Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability website in two weeks. We had originally created the site in standard HTML, but because NBIS needed multiple admins for different events, and pages, we needed to make it easy. In the course of upgrading the site, we now have featured company profiles automatically available on home page, as well as feeds for Ecozome Journal articles. We kept our news feed powered by Google AJAX and databases for the Resources and Members pages.

The Gear Works
One of the largest industrial gear manufacturers in North America, we helped TGW reinvent their brand through a new logo and matching communication materials. As part of the scope of this project, we were asked to work closely with an employee there who would be managing updates and content for the site. Their new site brought back to life old newsletters through an online WordPress blog area. A Flash showcase allows the users to take a tour of their facility complete with captions and thumbnails.

Robert Loe and Associates
As Robert Loe, our CPA likes to say, “accounting is boring, but important.” But there’s nothing boring about this website. In fact, the look is quite fun. We used nostalgic ledger-style art with new-fangled technology to create a contrast between old-fashioned common sense and a modern way to communicate to clients. BTW, there’s lots of love in this site, because Robert has been my accountant since I moved to Seattle 16 years ago.

Kenyon Homecare Consulting
We just launched this very elegant site about two weeks ago. This Homecare Consulting agency needs to add content frequently to its news section, and WordPress allows them the flexibility of having staff add content directly into the site.

Interested in finding out more? Call Jen at 206.937-9911

This little guide goes out to all photographers, designers, and clients. It is your chance to stand up and fight against the evil beige background that is often found behind so many uninviting corporate portraits. In the Rhizome world, beige walls are evil. They are subtle purveyors of sadness and a subliminal identification with the DMV (not a good experience normally). Mug shots at the police station at least have context and props! And for Pete’s sake, even the big department stores spice up their backgrounds (ok, the mottled texture is not so great either, but let’s not go there). So I invite all my fellow business people to stand with me and say, “Death to the beige wall!”

For the clients:
If you are a consultant or company muckity-muck, you are the face of your company and your brand. If you are still using a digital shot of yourself or your employees against a beige (or even gray wall) well, we’re here with an intervention.  Of all the marketing you can do, your mug is the most important thing to get right! So put down that digital camera, send Jimmy the nephew home, (unless of course he is a professional) and call for professional help. It costs way less than you imagine and the benefits you reap are long-term.

For the photographers:
Help your clients and the designers who work for them understand what to expect from a photoshoot and what rights license usage means. Send the model releases ahead of time to review, alleviate any fuss there might be, and you’ll have relaxed, willing subjects, which translates into smiles and no sour expressions.

For the designers:
You are the keeper of your client’s brand look and feel. You are in charge of making your clients look good, not just their products and services. If you have to explain how a photoshoot works, make sure you clearly communicate the details, and how rights-usage works. Explain that a good photo is worth it’s weight in gold, and you’ll eliminate having to Photoshop out the bar sticking out of the top of their head, or worse, using a cutout and plopping it on—dare I say it—a beige background.

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Corporate portrait examples by Robert J. Pennington

The Corporate Portrait top 10 arguments.

1. The “I’m not a model, who wants to see a picture of me?” argument
I am the absolute worst at getting my picture taken, just ask my husband, but even I know I need to let people know who I am. Look, the Heidi Klum’s or George Clooney’s of the world are not the average person. You just need to convey a presence that says, “I’m a good person, I’m approachable, and most importantly, I’m a professional.”  You need to let people know that you care deeply about your own company image because it will reflect how your customers perceive your products or services.

2. The “why should I hire a professional? I have my own digital camera,” argument
Yeah, and I own a set of wrenches, but that doesn’t mean I’m a plumber. Do you come complete with a set of lights? Do you know how to stand or sit for a photo? Do you know how to get people to smile so it looks natural and not like you are gritting your teeth together, painfully? Do you know how to compose a photo so you don’t have a cabinet corner, picture frame or my favorite, another company’s brand like a Starbucks mug sitting in front of you? Trust me Starbucks doesn’t need any more advertising. A good professional photographer can capture you in your work environment and make it look absolutely natural. Good photogs have an eye for composition, look for the details, know how to work with people and bring out your best qualities.

3. The “hiring a photographer is expensive,” argument
So is losing a business opportunity to impress someone. You hand out business cards right? Well if a potential prospect meets you for the first time, there’s a good chance they are going to check out your bio on your website, so you better show off your best side. This is especially true in this day and age when so many long-distance business relationships are formed. You need to think of your photo as an investment and asset to the company. In the big scheme of things, it’s less expensive than having your designer try to retouch a badly done portrait, and charging you for that work.

4. The, “I don’t want my photo to look like everyone else’s,” argument
Now you’ve got the right idea. What is your brand about? Is it playful, industrial, serious? Do words like warm, clinical, or bright come to mind? Talk to the photographer you hire to brainstorm ideas. Stay away from cheesy, unless of course cheesy is part of your brand. Lately many of the portraits we do are environmental. This means placing someone in the context of a busy office, industrial setting or outside to convey a sense of vitality, energy, and location.

5. The, “I look terrible in pictures” argument
Self deprecation is not attractive. If you arrive with a defeatist attitude on picture day, guess what, chances are you won’t like your shot no matter what. Relax! Trust in the fact that you’re in the hands of a pro, and a good pro knows how to bring out your good side. If there’s something you really do not like about yourself, talk it over with the photographer and let them know you are sensitive about showing your teeth, a mole, or whatever else. Many will be sensitive to how you feel about something. But do be open to suggestion, have fun and who knows you may want to order some prints for your family.

6. The, “I have nothing to wear” argument
That’s right, you go to the office everyday in your birthday suit. Just be yourself. Keep clothing and jewelry simple. Try to stay away from stripes, bright patterns, or plaid. Unless you coach rugby or look like Charlie Brown, big striped polo shirts might not be the right look. Understand how you will be shot. In your office? Outside? A hint of color might be nice, or a well-tailored shirt with a sweater, or jacket. Business casual works great, but just be sure you don’t look too casual if you are a professional consultant or overdressed if that is not appropriate either. Unless of course you do environmental work and you’re out in the field in mudboots and a fly-fishing hat. Then the look totally applies. Ladies, keep the make-up clean and simple, and watch the cleavage, or you might have different types of prospects contacting you for reasons other than your fabulous mind. Tammy Faye makeup is out, and you’re not posing for the red carpet. Gents, a little grooming goes a long way. Do I really have to tell you to shave that morning?

7. The “I own the copyright to my photo” argument
Okay, now we’re into the nitty gritty. No, you do not own the copyright to your photo, unless you want to pay an exorbitant amount or you’re dealing with an amateur photographer who doesn’t know better. Owning the copyright to your photos whether it be your portrait or a product is not worth it unless you’re a really, and I mean really big company with plenty of big bucks. Buying out a copyright can be multiple times the creative fee. Talk to your photographer and understand how a license for image use works. Photography is an artful service not a product you buy off the shelf. It is like music, books, or film, all artists have copyrights. You read, listen, or view them but the artist owns the copyright.

8. The “I don’t need a model release, I’m not a model,” argument
What? Of course you do, don’t be silly. Believe it or not, this protects you, your company and the photographer. Generally, it will say you will not be paid as a model, (for valuable consideration) and allows the photographer permission to alter your image or retouch a photo of you to remove blemishes, fix stray hairs, or whiten teeth, for example. Basically to give you a natural, cosmetic makeover so your portrait looks great. Below is a typical model release example:

For valuable consideration received, I grant to Name of Photographer (“Photographer”) the absolute and irrevocable right and unrestricted permission concerning any photographs that he has taken or may take of me or in which I may be included with others, to use, reuse, publish, and republish the photographs in whole or in part, individually or in connection with other material, in any and all media now or hereafter known, including the internet, and for any purpose whatsoever, specifically including illustration, promotion, art, editorial, advertising, and trade, without restriction as to alteration; and to use my name in connection with any use if he so chooses. I release and discharge Photographer from any and all claims and demands that may arise out of or in connection with the use of the photographs, including without limitation any and all claims for libel or violation of any right of publicity or privacy. This authorization and release shall also inure to the benefit of the heirs, legal representatives, licensees, and assigns of Photographer, as well as the person(s) for whom he/she took the photographs. I am a legally competent adult and have the right to contract in my own name. I have read this document and fully understand its contents. This release shall be binding upon me and my heirs, legal representatives, and assigns.

Most photographers have some version of this in their records. Trust me Bob Pennington had 20 lawyers he was shooting sign this at one sitting and with no hesitation. This is standard procedure.

9. The “I’m going to wind up in Getty, Flicker or Corbis,” argument
In rare cases, a smarmy photographer might do that, but the professionals would never do that without first obtaining permission from their clients. It’s just ethical, good business. This is also why you hire a real pro. It’s in their best interest to have a good ongoing relationship with their clients. So why would they do that? And let’s be honest here. We love our clients, and no offense, but many of you are not professional models. Those business people you see in pictures. Well, um, most of them are staged and the professional actors or models are compensated for that purpose.

10. The “I don’t have time to find a photographer,” argument
Ask your designer or an outside agency (someone who is used to buying art) to help you with this. Have them email you websites of the photographers they think would be a good match. Look at their online portfolios. Do you like the lighting? Do the photos compliment the person? These are the things to look for.

I hope this little guide has helped, and if I see any one of you against a plain beige wall, I’m coming after ya.

Okay, so as much as the above is  a good overview, I’m not lawyer, I’m an artist and none of this is legal advice. Always discuss this with the photographer you hire and if you still have questions, run it past your own lawyer.

All photos are copyright Robert J. Pennington, even this one of me.

Technical Support
While we are always supportive of our clients, Rhizome does not officially provide tech support. We are happy, when time and expertise permits, to talk clients through problems, but for large, time-intensive issues, we recommend hiring professional help or researching issues via the Internet.

* Proof thoroughly
* Ask yourself if you are missing any part numbers, dates, credits, or copyright notices
* Check all phone numbers and addresses each time you receive a new proof!
* Have someone who knows nothing about the project proof for you-a pair of fresh eyes always finds something
* Double check to see if names are spelled correctly

The difference between Web maintenance and a complex update relates to the amount of time the programmer has to spend working on the site. Site maintenance generally takes between 1 and 3 hours. A change that involves database programming, administration tools, form, etc., is considered a complex update. In all cases, the client is informed if it turns out that a “maintenance” request is actually an “update,” an estimate is provided.

Flowcharts are charts that organize content into various categories and subcategories and the structure of a project is “mapped” out. This is extremely useful for the creation of Web sites when clients are not exactly sure how many pages or where certain types of content should go. Once a flowchart is approved, the designer can then use this input to inform the design he or she is creating. Generally these take the form of design comps.

Comps are generally design concepts that imply potential direction for projects. It’s a sampling of flavors, so to speak, where a client may choose ideas that appeal and resonate with their own vision. Once certain specifics become more apparent, the design is finessed over several rounds until final approval.

1. Start with a company acronym and an underscore. For Rhizome Design we use “RD”
2. Name the project with a short title. For example: brochure
3. Add a “V” for version and number. For example: V1
4. Add the .dot extension to the end of the file name. Example; .doc

The file should then read: rd_brochureV1.doc

Version Control
If the above process is followed. Version control becomes a snap.

Make changes to your doc and send it back to the originator named exactly the same thing with the exception of the version number. Just make it the next number up.

rd_brochureV2.doc

If multiple people are looking at the same doc and all want to make changes, just have them add their initials to the end of the doc. Like so:

The file would then read: rd_brochureV2_ec.doc

Once all the changes are in on “V2” – a new “V3” can be created.

Draft Copy & Final Copy
At Rhizome, we rarely, if ever use the word “final” with a piece of copy. We refer to text using version numbers (see above) and when copy is approved for print, we use the most recent version of the text. In a normal project, we show a client a first draft and make requested changes. As with design, three rounds of text changes is considered “normal” and within the realm of the project fee. Additional changes, unless deemed minor, will be charged an additional fee after three rounds.

Rhizome is a design agency, but we are also a vendor. This means we work under specific, vendor-like parameters that, when met, allows work to flow more smoothly and effectively. For example, if a client wants to place an ad in a newspaper, its not enough to tell us you want a half or quarter page ad because all publications are different.
Clients need to find out the following:

Ad specs:

* Exact ad dimensions
* Is it full-color? 2-color? Grayscale? Pure black and white?
* What is the deadline? ESSENTIAL!
* Can the publisher accept digital files?
* What is the resolution needed?
* What file format will the printer or publisher accept?
* Do they need laser proofs?
* What is their contact information, including phone and email address.
* Do they have a specifications sheet we can look at?

Tradeshows:

* What are the specific file formats for delivery?
* What are the dimensions involved?
* What type of substrate and finishing specifications (grommets, Velcro or other adhesives)?
* The delivery date (remember to allow for shipping long distances and specify whether you want materials delivered to your office or directly to the tradeshow location. If it is the tradeshow location, please include address, contact person and a phone number).