Emily Journey | WordPress Training

by Emily Journey on July 2, 2020

Top 2 themes used by WordPress developers

Two WordPress themes dominate the field of professional WordPress website development. As a WordPress instructor, I train staff members on their brand new company website. During training, I see the theme chosen by the original developer. Eight out of ten times, I guess the theme correctly without seeing it in advance. Two themes are most commonly used by website developers. They are Divi by Elegant Themes and Avada by Theme Fusion. The WordPress Theme for your website is one of the most important digital asset decisions you will make. The right theme can stay with you for years, strengthening your influence as your brand develops. Choose a theme already proven to be flexible and popular.

The wrong theme choice causes increasing headaches and loss of money over time.

That’s why it’s so important to make the right choice from the beginning. As a developer who has worked with WordPress for almost 10 years, I have my favorites. But before I share those, let’s look at some things you should consider while making the choice.

Choose a theme used by WordPress developers

There are thousands of theme options on the market today. It’s easy to get really overwhelmed by the prospect of choosing one for your brand. How are you supposed to know which one will work and which ones won’t?

You don’t.

There are simply too many to consider. Most WordPress developers use the Avada theme or the Divi theme for ALL of their client websites. But, if this is an area you want to spend time…

All web devs have struggled with this process. I’ve put together six things to consider. By examining themes with these elements in mind, you’ll see a few candidates rise to the top.

Price

There are both free and premium WordPress themes. Free themes are unpredictable and not well supported. And, if you don’t think you will need support, then you are kidding yourself. 🙂 Purchase a theme from a company that makes themes as their primary business. Do not purchase a theme from a website development company that also happens to make themes on the side.

Speed

This is an important element in terms of both SEO and user experience. You don’t want a theme that has too much weighing it down. A slow website can turn people off before you ever get them reading the page. If a WordPress theme requires a bunch of plugins to function, then keep looking.

Design

Website developers like to use themes with brand flexibility. Business brands have different design needs. You should be able to customize the theme’s design to match your client brand specifications. But beyond that, the theme should have solid design bones that makes customization as simple as possible.

Responsiveness

You’ve got to have a responsive website. If you’re not on mobile, you’re not only losing potential mobile views, but you could get dinged by Google in terms of SEO. Make sure the theme is responsive. These days, almost all WordPress themes are responsive and mobile friendly. But, some look better than others on mobile. Check it out.

Customization

Business clients have specific ideas regarding every detail of their websites. Total customization is possible by digging into code. But, most businesses want their staff to be able to make changes directly from the WordPress dashboard. Coding up the website backend is not a good idea. Instead, Website developers look for themes that allow for customization and flexibility directly from the WordPress dashboard.

Age

Seriously. How old is it? Did you look? Just because it looks new to you doesn’t mean it isn’t on the verge of old age in terms of it’s latest update. WordPress themes need to be updated often in order to stay compatible with WordPress security updates. These important updates are not just for kicks. They are for security gaps. When you are considering a theme purchase, look at the update history. It will be public and should be visible on the sales page. The most recent update should be less than three months ago. If it has been more than 6 months since the last update, then the theme may have been abandoned by the original creator. Steer clear.

The balance of these 6 elements makes for a complete theme. The themes I suggest below are strong in each of these areas. Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose the best thing for your brand – whether it’s one of these or something else.

My top themes used by WordPress developers

Marketer’s Delight (Great for copywriters and authors)
Authority Pro (perfect for business coaches and real estate agents)
Divi (Flexible and highly customizable. Comes with excellent documentation and creative options)
Avada (ideal for complicated websites needing unlimited functionality. The most flexible theme on the market.)

I also recommend the following theme providers:

Each of these themes are built well. You’ll find each of the 6 selection elements prominent in each choice.

Choose the best WordPress theme for you

Ultimately, the thing that matters most: actually choose a WordPress theme. Don’t fall into selection paralysis by becoming overwhelmed by your options.

I wished I had somebody to just tell me which theme to use when I was just starting out! Instead, I spent too many weekends fiddling around with themes that looked nice but didn’t make the cut.

Choose a theme that meets most of your criteria and move on to bigger and better things.

Advanced WordPress Training

Learn to use these themes quickly with Advanced 1-on-1 WordPress Training. Watch the video below for details or contact our office at (844) 972-6224.

by Emily Journey on June 29, 2020

Social Media Training in Los Angeles, CA

Social Media Expert, Erin Brooks

Getting one-on-one Social Media training in Los Angeles, CA will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to manage your company’s social profiles with confidence. Erin Brooks is a Social Media business expert ready to help you master this sometimes complicated platform. Need some help with learning Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for business? That’s exactly what Erin does as part of the team at Emily Journey & Associates. Learn more about her interactive, 1-on-1 Social media training session for established Los Angeles, CA business professionals.
Office: (844) 972-6224 Contact Erin

Get one-on-one Social Media training | Los Angeles, CA

Have you ever felt frustrated by social media? Not really sure if it even matters? Sort of dislike social media?

You’re not alone . . .

Many established professionals have been happy to let the social media game pass them by. They prefer to network in person. We know this because we have been there!

Extremely Helpful

"Last week’s social media training was outstanding. Not only did you educate Lisa and me about opportunities to enhance our Facebook and LinkedIn pages, you presented the information in a way that was easy to understand and didn’t feel overwhelming. We were able to cover so much elements of these platforms during the session because you had taken time prior to the training to familiarize yourself with our organization and our social media practices. And the follow-up tutorials have been extremely helpful.We looking forward to connecting with you again during the 30-day follow-up period as we implement our learnings."

Janet Clancy, The Elizabeth Hospice

WordPress Training

2020-06-29T19:33:54-04:00

Janet Clancy, The Elizabeth Hospice

https://emilyjourney.com/testimonials/extremely-helpful/

WordPress Training

Here’s a question: Are you happy with the number of referrals you are getting from your local Los Angeles networking group? We think it’s safe to say you’re not!

Let’s work together instead of watching your time, money, and reputation circle the drain while you wait for things to go back to 1989.

We’ve all heard that you need an average of 7 touches with a prospect before they become your customer. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram can be your best opportunity to be one of those touches!
Office: (844) 972-6224 Contact Erin

One-on-one help with your Social media business profiles

Do you need a customized, one-on-one social media business training experience? Then you’re probably looking for our one-on-one Social media business training. Meet virtually or in person with one Erin Brooks to walk through everything you need to know about managing and improving your social media assets.

This training is perfect for:

Administrative Staff
Real Estate Agents and Established Sales Professionals
Business owners with customers on social media!

On-site Social Media staff training Los Angeles, CA

Do you need two or more of your staff available to manage and improve the company social media profiles? If so, on-site social media training will give your team the skills they need to be successful with this responsibility. Erin will meet with your staff as a group to teach them basic and advanced social media skills–customized to their specific needs and company goals.

This training is perfect for:

In-House Marketing Teams
Your Sales Team
A Group of Top-Level Staff

Take back control of your online reputation.

Does your online presence seem to have fallen into a black hole? Unfortunately, you’re not the only one. Most employees do not have the knowledge required to make informed decisions about what they post on Facebook and LinkedIn. Might this have an impact on your company reputation?

Lack of in-house knowledge creates costly mistakes.

Get your house in order with one-on-one social media training. Your team will be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to run, maintain, and update their own as well as the company’s social media profiles.

Contact Erin

What to expect from one-on-one Social Media training

If you’re looking for a lengthy PowerPoint presentation and generic handouts, this probably isn’t the best option for you. When you book a social media business consultation session with Erin, be prepared for an interactive, hands-on experience.

Get access to resources for a stronger foundation and preparation.
One 3-hour, one-on-one session PLUS a follow-up session to help you stay on track.
Receive an additional 30 days of ongoing support to ask questions after your training.

Get one-on-one help with your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram profiles

Step 1: Get in Touch

First things first. We’ll discuss your social media goals and challenges. Understanding what you want to accomplish helps us customize your individual social media consultation for your unique needs. Already know the basics of social media? Great! Your training experience will be more advanced. This first conversation is also a great time to ask any additional questions you have about the process.

Step 2: Set a Date

We’ll get things off the ground by securing a spot on our calendar. Once we’ve have your training date(s) decided, we will provide a payment link via email.

Step 3: Learn by Doing

We are big proponents of kinetic learning – aka, learning by doing! And since you’re seeking some personalized training, it’s pretty safe to assume you’d like that kind of atmosphere too. We’ll meet in-person or via GoToMeeting or Zoom as you are guided through the steps of improving and managing your social media assets.

Stop struggling with social media and let us help you get up to speed.
Contact Erin Brooks today to get started!

by Emily Journey on June 29, 2020

Social Media Training in San Diego, CA

Social Media Expert, Erin Brooks

Getting one-on-one Social Media training in San Diego, CA will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to manage your company’s social profiles with confidence. Erin Brooks is a Social Media business expert ready to help you master this sometimes complicated platform. Need some help with learning Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for business? That’s exactly what Erin does as part of the team at Emily Journey & Associates. Learn more about her interactive, 1-on-1 Social media training session for established San Diego, CA business professionals.
Office: (844) 972-6224 Contact Erin

Get one-on-one Social Media training | San Diego, CA

Have you ever felt frustrated by social media? Not really sure if it even matters? Sort of dislike social media?

You’re not alone . . .

Many established professionals have been happy to let the social media game pass them by. They prefer to network in person. We know this because we have been there!

Extremely Helpful

Janet Clancy, The Elizabeth Hospice

WordPress Training

2020-06-29T19:33:54-04:00

Janet Clancy, The Elizabeth Hospice

https://emilyjourney.com/testimonials/extremely-helpful/

WordPress Training

Here’s a question: Are you happy with the number of referrals you are getting from your local San Diego networking group? We think it’s safe to say you’re not!

Let’s work together instead of watching your time, money, and reputation circle the drain while you wait for things to go back to 1989.

One-on-one help with your Social media business profiles

This training is perfect for:

Administrative Staff
Real Estate Agents and Established Sales Professionals
Business owners with customers on social media!

On-site Social Media staff training San Diego, CA

This training is perfect for:

In-House Marketing Teams
Your Sales Team
A Group of Top-Level Staff

Take back control of your online reputation.

Contact Erin

What to expect from one-on-one Social Media training

Get access to resources for a stronger foundation and preparation.
One 3-hour, one-on-one session PLUS a follow-up session to help you stay on track.
Receive an additional 30 days of ongoing support to ask questions after your training.

Get one-on-one help with your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram profiles

Step 1: Get in Touch

Step 2: Set a Date

We’ll get things off the ground by securing a spot on our calendar. Once we’ve have your training date(s) decided, we will provide a payment link via email.

Step 3: Learn by Doing

Stop struggling with social media and let us help you get up to speed.
Contact Erin Brooks today to get started!

by Emily Journey on May 5, 2020

Our Team

Hi, I’m Emily Journey. I am a WordPress Trainer and consultant for marketing teams, IT departments, business owners, and administrative staff. When you have knowledge, understanding and control over the WordPress platform, you can:

Increase profit margins
Make more sales
Decrease web development costs

Personally, I don’t know any professional that would pass up those benefits. (Myself included!)

I’ve spent almost a decade delivering and refining my comprehensive WordPress Training program. Each of our instructors is personally trained by me and use my specific training methods.

Rachel Pfanz, B.S.
Lead Instructor
Vice-President

Rachel Pfanz joined us in Spring, 2017 and serves as the leader of our website management and training team. She is an expert with Genesis, Divi, and Avada WordPress themes.

Using a custom coded theme? Rachel will help you navigate obstacles and evaluate workarounds unique to your website situation. She will also help you figure out exactly what is possible and what is not possible with your particular custom theme.
Wondering what it will really take for your website to rank high in search results? As an expert in SEO, Rachel has answers to your questions about Search Engine Optimization.
Inquire about working with Rachel »

Kris Clifford is our only team member 100% dedicated to website management services. She does not split her time between WordPress training and website management. Kris is responsible for managing our own website at emilyjourney.com as well as client websites. Kris is a master at applying good old fashioned common sense to technically sophisticated problems.
Inquire about working with Kris »

Eve Peratopoulos joined us in Spring 2020 and is dedicated to website management services. In addition to her WordPress expertise, she excels in solving coding problems that require programming knowledge. She is passionate about programming because it is a powerful tool for practical problem solving. The rest of us turn to Eve whenever we are dealing with an advanced coding problem in our client websites. We admire her use of creative problem-solving to fix complicated website problems quickly.
Inquire about working with Eve »

Mark McPhilimy has a reputation for going the extra mile for his clients. Is your website dependent upon a builder plugin for its page structure? Mark can help you understand and design with:

WP Bakery
Gutenberg Builder
Elementor
Cornerstone
Fusion Builder (Avada Theme)
Divi Builder, and more!

Starting your website from scratch or converting your website to a new theme? Mark has been there, done that. Got a Wix or Squarespace website? No sweat. Mark knows his way around these platforms, too.
Inquire about working with Mark »

Spanish WordPress Trainer — Jica Nava, B.A.
WordPress Instructor

Jica Nava is our Spanish language WordPress instructor. Jica has lived in the U.S. since 2010 and her country of origin is Venezuela in South America.
She has more than five years of experience with coaching and training individuals and small groups.
Inquire about working with Jica »

Erin Brooks works to ensure everything in our office runs smoothly so we can focus on what we do best–WordPress! Erin is your first contact when you call or email our office which makes her job very important to all of us.
Needless to say, we trust her with our business.
You know who else trusts her with their business?
Our clients!
Erin manages the online reputation of several companies through social media management and promotion. Whether you need help with LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram, she has got you covered with all three platforms.
Contact Erin about Social Media Management for your business »

Adam Knolls is a practicing Certified Public Accountant and works to ensure our company doors stay open. He truly understands what it means to protect our company interests all of the time–while the rest of the team looks out for yours!
If you get the rare chance to hear from Adam, it’s only because Erin is on vacation and he loves to answer the phone when she is out of the office! (Who knew?)

Getting here

When I started learning WordPress, I did it the way many of you have tried: without help.
Finally, after almost two years of persistent effort and building a few websites on trade, I had a solid handle on the platform.

I didn’t stop there.

I hired a virtual coach in Denver to teach me Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

During our virtual training sessions, I was impressed with how easily he communicated his knowledge and authority on the topic – he provided answers for questions I didn’t even know to ask! That was my first experience with virtual learning and it was worth every penny.

Despite my initial hesitations about virtual training, I am thankful that I took the plunge. I know it can seem “not quite as good” as face-to-face learning. I wondered:

Could I really learn this way?
Would I get as much value from the training?

Thankfully, I didn’t let my doubts get the best of me. That virtual training experience not only changed the way I did business – it changed my life.

I invested in WordPress and training for the same reason you’re here today: independence. For me, I wanted the independence to transition from selling for other people to selling my own material.

For you, independence may mean something different. Maybe you want to:

Save money by not having to hire someone to do this for you.
Break free from a reliance on an unresponsive marketing agency.
Equip your marketing department to handle the website work in-house.
Handle this responsibility that’s been handed to you by your boss.

My path to mastering WordPress led me down a road of trial and error, a bad experience with an affordable website designer, launching my own web design agency, and meeting all kinds of business owners.

Your journey may look a bit different, but I hope I can help you end up at a similar destination: independent mastery over this powerful platform.

Let’s take a look at how we’ll help you get there…

by Emily Journey on April 23, 2020

Website Maintenance Services San Diego

Hi, I’m Rachel Pfanz and I lead the San Diego Website Maintenance team at Emily Journey & Associates.
We provide WordPress website maintenance services and training for thriving businesses all over the United States. As a website consultant and WordPress expert, I am often disappointed in the reputation of my industry. I hear quite a few stories from business owners.
Lots of them.
Mostly from business owners feeling held hostage by their website developer–who fell off the face of the earth.
I’ll go ahead and say it.
Unreliable and unresponsive website developers and agencies are a serious problem in my industry.

Want reliable website maintenance services for your website?
Contact Us Testimonials Pricing Packages

The truth about website maintenance services

As the business manager, you don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge base to devote to your own WordPress website maintenance—or maybe you do, but you’d rather spend your resources directly on product development or relationship building or whatever it is that makes your company tick.
In addition to our work in website maintenance in San Diego, we serve as website instructors and advisors. We meet people all the time who decide to take back the reigns of their company website by learning WordPress. All too often, that decision is fueled by negative experiences with website developers.
Too many website maintenance service agencies are thrilled to take your business, but when it comes to fulfilling their promises, they just don’t show up.

They don’t listen to you.
They don’t get back to you.
They don’t know what you need, so they can’t give it to you.

Eventually you come to realize: it’s time to get out of this relationship.

Are we any different?

Look at it this way . . . we don’t build websites. We definitely get plenty of referrals for lucrative website development projects but taking on those projects would be a distraction. We prefer to fill our workdays with the special projects and updates requested by our website management clients.
Several years ago, our founder Emily Journey made the decision to shut down the website development part of our company. Instead, we focus on website maintenance services and WordPress training exclusively.
That decision has changed the quality of our work lives dramatically! It means we can be available to our clients for those seemingly small but important updates to their websites.

And, our clients are happy.

Unprofessional, overpriced web developers and designers are the reality for many businesses today. But it doesn’t have to be your reality. Whatever your company website needs are, let’s talk about them!

How to tell when your San Diego website maintenance services are NOT adding value

How can you recognize when your website management agency is working for itself—and not for you?

Every situation is unique, but here are five tell-tale signs that your WordPress website maintenance services may not be giving you a fair return on your investment:

1. Failing to communicate

As I’m sure you’ve heard, communication is a two-way street. You want to work with someone who can speak AND listen: someone who not only hears what your website maintenance needs are, but who can translate them into actionable steps and keep you informed about progress.

You should never be left to wonder what your developer or content manager is up to. If she drops off the planet for weeks at a time, you’re wasting valuable time and money trying to keep track of a lost cause.

2. Over-promising and under-delivering

When it comes to website maintenance services, the old adage is true. If it sounds too good to be true…

This can be a hard line to walk, especially if you’re relatively new to working with web content management agencies. You want to work with an ambitious team with big ideas, but you don’t want to be paying month after month for promises that never materialize. Don’t even get me started on so-called SEO services that produce zero results!

To gauge whether your agency’s promises are realistic, ask questions. Don’t be afraid to request examples of past work that point to your agency’s success with similar business needs and KPIs.

3. Not being flexible

Sometimes even successful businesses become stuck in their own processes and old ways of thinking. Always remember that your website maintenance services should work for you. Your website manager should be willing to listen to your needs and adapt as necessary.

Of course, if your ideas will totally tank your SEO or otherwise cause harm to your business, your developer should provide respectful pushback. You can respect that, right? But refusing to consider your scheduling preferences or waiting weeks to push a standard update to your CMS? Big. Red. Flags.

4. Refusing to provide administrator level access

I’ve talked about this all-too-common problem before: it’s unethical for your web developer to restrict your access to your own website. At the beginning of your working relationship, make sure it’s clear that you will register your own domain name and expect top level access to your hosting account and WordPress dashboard.

It’s simple: your site is yours. If your web developer, designer, or content manager won’t give you access, don’t work with them!

5. Just…being…too…slow…

Even though this issue comes last, it may be the most common problem with website maintenance services today. I can’t count the number of times clients have approached me feeling utterly defeated by an unresponsive, almost-comically-slow web developer. The key word, though, is almost—it’s never funny when your website goes offline or your registration form breaks on the last day of sign-ups for your webinar.

If your requests take weeks to get a response, let alone a solution, your website manager is not providing you value.

Are you ready to take back your website?

Even if your webmaster is putting up all of these red flags, it may be tempting to think, “But I’ve already spent so much money on this agency’s website services. I can’t afford to drop them now!” And this makes sense—in fact, it’s so common that there’s a whole field of study around this sunk cost fallacy.

But the truth?

You can’t afford not to.

Consider all the time you spend, wasted, on chasing down your developer or arguing for the right to access your own content. Think about the hours you could spend on value-added activities or on taking a little extra time off . . . ugh.

If your website manager isn’t responsive, reliable, and 100% focused on you, it’s time—fire your website manager! You’re in the driver’s seat.

Whatever your company website needs are, let’s talk about them!
Contact Us Testimonials Pricing Packages

by Emily Journey on April 23, 2020

Website Maintenance Services Columbus, OH

Hi, I’m Rachel Pfanz and I lead the Columbus Website Maintenance team at Emily Journey & Associates.
We provide WordPress website maintenance services and training for thriving businesses in Columbus, OH and all over the United States. As a website consultant and WordPress expert, I am often disappointed in the reputation of my industry. I hear quite a few stories from business owners.
Lots of them.
Mostly from business owners feeling held hostage by their website developer–who fell off the face of the earth.
I’ll go ahead and say it.
Unreliable and unresponsive website developers and agencies are a serious problem in my industry.

Want reliable website maintenance services for your website?
Contact Us Testimonials Pricing Packages

The truth about WordPress maintenance services

As the business manager, you don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge base to devote to your own WordPress website maintenance—or maybe you do, but you’d rather spend your resources directly on product development or relationship building or whatever it is that makes your company tick.
In addition to our work in WordPress maintenance in Columbus, we serve as website instructors and advisors. We meet people all the time who decide to take back the reigns of their company website by learning WordPress. All too often, that decision is fueled by negative experiences with website developers.
Too many website maintenance service agencies are thrilled to take your business, but when it comes to fulfilling their promises, they just don’t show up.

They don’t listen to you.
They don’t get back to you.
They don’t know what you need, so they can’t give it to you.

Eventually you come to realize: it’s time to get out of this relationship.

Website Maintenance Services for Columbus, OH small business

Are we any different?
Look at it this way . . . we don’t build websites. We definitely get plenty of referrals for lucrative website development projects but taking on those projects would be a distraction. We prefer to fill our workdays with the special projects and updates requested by our WordPress site management clients.
Several years ago, our founder Emily Journey made the decision to shut down the website development part of our company. Instead, we focus on website maintenance services and WordPress training exclusively.
That decision has changed the quality of our work lives dramatically! It means we can be available to our clients for those seemingly small but important updates to their websites.

And, our clients are happy.

How to tell when your WordPress maintenance services are NOT adding value

How can you recognize when your website management agency is working for itself—and not for you?

Every situation is unique, but here are five tell-tale signs that your WordPress website maintenance services may not be giving you a fair return on your investment:

1. Failing to communicate

2. Over-promising and under-delivering

When it comes to website maintenance services, the old adage is true. If it sounds too good to be true…

To gauge whether your agency’s promises are realistic, ask questions. Don’t be afraid to request examples of past work that point to your agency’s success with similar business needs and KPIs.

3. Not being flexible

4. Refusing to provide administrator level access

It’s simple: your site is yours. If your web developer, designer, or content manager won’t give you access, don’t work with them!

5. Just…being…too…slow…

If your requests take weeks to get a response, let alone a solution, your website manager is not providing you value.

Website Maintenance Services Columbus

But the truth?

You can’t afford not to.

If your website manager isn’t responsive, reliable, and 100% focused on you, it’s time—fire your website manager! You’re in the driver’s seat.

Whatever your company website needs are, let’s talk about them!
Contact Us Testimonials Pricing Packages