Emily Journey | Emily Journey & Associates

by Emily Journey on November 30, 2022

WordPress Training in Washington, DC

Manage your website with confidence. Learn WordPress.

WordPress training equips you with the knowledge and skills required to manage your WordPress website with confidence. We’re a team of four WordPress experts ready to help you master this sometimes complicated platform. Watch the video above for details or read on to learn more about our customized WordPress training classes for Washington, DC business owners, nonprofit organizations, administrative staff, and marketing teams.
Office: (844) 972-6224 Contact Us Training FAQs »
Have you ever felt frustrated by the unresponsiveness of a website developer or agency? I know we sure have. If you don’t have control of your website, it could take days (or even weeks) to implement small changes.

In the meantime . . .

your company time, money, and reputation circle the drain while you wait for important website updates. You don’t have to let that happen anymore.

INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM TRAINING?

One-on-One Training Training for our Team

One-on-one WordPress Training Washington, DC

Rachel Pfanz WordPress coach — Rachel Pfanz, WordPress Trainer

Do you need a customized, one-on-one training experience? Then you’re probably looking for our one-on-one WordPress training. Meet virtually or in person with one of our WordPress experts to walk through everything you need to know about managing and building your particular WordPress website.

This training is perfect for:

Independent business owners such as retail shop owners, real estate agents, coaches, speakers, and other service professionals
The staff person who got tasked with managing the website–lucky you!
IT professionals, graphic designers, and marketing professionals who want to expand their skill set

Washington, DC WordPress Training Courses

1-on-1 WordPress Training	More Info
Advanced WordPress Training	More Info
Private WordPress Tutoring	More Info
Private Corporate WordPress Training	More Info

Washington, DC Office

5028 Wisconsin Ave NW #100,
Washington, DC 20016

Washington, DC Training Dates

1-on-1 WordPress Training	December 8-9, 2022 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
1-on-1 WordPress Training	December 19-20, 2022 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
1-on-1 WordPress Training	January 5-6, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
1-on-1 WordPress Training	January 16-17, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Advanced WordPress Training	December 8-9, 2022 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Advanced WordPress Training	December 19-20, 2022 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Advanced WordPress Training	January 5-6, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Advanced WordPress Training	January 16-17, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private WordPress Tutoring	December 15-16, 2022 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private WordPress Tutoring	January 3-4, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private WordPress Tutoring	January 19-20, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private Corporate WordPress Training	December 12-13, 2022 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private Corporate WordPress Training	January 5-6, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private Corporate WordPress Training	January 16-17, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997
Private Corporate WordPress Training	January 30-31, 2023 9:00 AM-12:00 PM	Live Instructor	$1997

On-site WordPress consulting in Washington, DC

WordPress Consultant — WordPress Instructor, Emily Journey

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

This training is perfect for:

In-house marketing teams
Your IT department
A group of key staff members

Take back control of your company website.

Do your website change requests 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 digital assets. Sometimes they end up outsourcing these important decisions to a third party.

Lack of in-house knowledge creates a costly dependency upon website developers.

Remove the middle man with WordPress Training. Your team will be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to run, maintain, and update the company’s website–all without having to deal with poor communication from third parties.

What to expect from WordPress 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 WordPress training, be prepared for an interactive, hands-on experience.

Get access to resources for a stronger foundation and preparation.
Two intensive, one-on-one sessions lasting 4-hours each.
Receive the video recordings of your training sessions for review at your convenience (available only with virtual training.)
Receive an additional 2 months of access to your instructor for follow-up questions and consultation.

Get started with one-on-one WordPress training

Step 1: Let’s talk about your goals

First things first. We’ll discuss your website goals and challenges. Understanding what you want to accomplish helps us customize your individual WordPress training for your unique needs. Already know WordPress basics? 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 have the training date(s) decided, we will provide a payment link via email. You will also get some valuable resources based on your unique goals to tide you over until the big day.

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 as you are guided through the steps of managing WordPress.

Stop struggling with WordPress and learn faster.
Contact us today to get started!

On-site Staff WordPress Training in Washington, DC

Give your team the skills they need to be successful

Have your employees ever gotten frustrated or behind schedule due to an unresponsive website developer or agency? You’re not the only one with this concern. Does your sales department consider your company website a valuable asset in closing sales? Too many teams lack internal command of the company website, which affects your bottom line. This lack of control means your staff may have to wait days (or even weeks) to implement changes or new campaigns.

With our staff WordPress training, Emily Journey can help you remove the middle man and give your team control over updates. Each of your team members will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to run, maintain, and update your company website–all without having to deal with poor communication from third parties.

Get started with WordPress training for your staff

Step 1: Let’s talk about your goals

Before we begin, we’ll discuss your goals and website challenges. Understanding what you want to accomplish helps us customize your company’s WordPress training to your unique needs. This is also a great time to ask any additional questions you have about the process. Some of your questions are answered here: frequently asked questions about WordPress training »

Step 2: Schedule the training

We’ll find the perfect times for your staff to get together for training. Once that’s settled, we will arrange for payment. After payment, expect to receive some valuable resources based on your company’s unique goals to prepare you for the training.

Step 3: Put it into action

During your small group WordPress training, we walk through your company website. First, we’ll identify the items that are common to every WordPress website. Then, we’ll get into the unique challenges and structure of your specific website. We will determine what is really possible with your website. And, we will look at workarounds for dealing with difficult areas in your website. Come prepared to get involved, take notes and absorb a lot! Our interactive lessons will equip your team with exactly what they need to make informed decisions and work with confidence.

What to expect during WordPress training in DC

If you want your team to sit through a lengthy PowerPoint presentation and generic handouts, this probably isn’t what you want. Emily provides your staff with an interactive, hands-on experience every step of the way.

Get access to resources for a stronger foundation and preparation.
Your team gets two customized training sessions (4 hours per session).
Receive an additional 2 months of on-going email and phone support after the class.

by Emily Journey on November 18, 2022

The Simple Guide to WordPress Security (2023)

WordPress security doesn’t need to be complicated. But, if you search the web for the best way to secure your WordPress website, then you will get complicated results. That’s why I’ve written this simple guide to WordPress security. If you’re like me, then you want a step-by-step guide that is uncomplicated and effective.

As WordPress consultants, we work with a diverse group of business owners. Even though our clients vary in size and industry, their concerns about WordPress security are the same. In my own conversations with business owners and IT managers, I am frequently asked, “Is WordPress secure?”

The answer?

Yes . . . and no.

It’s about you

WordPress is an incredibly popular website management system. In fact, according to recent surveys, over 27% of all websites on the internet are powered by WordPress. And because WordPress is so popular, it is a regular target for hackers.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s not secure. In fact, WordPress is just as secure as any other platform as long as you take the correct security measures.

Luckily, these measures aren’t complicated—they’re mostly housekeeping. But if you let these things slide, then yes, your WordPress website is easily hacked. In the end, your website security is about you.

WordPress Security Methods

Follow these industry best practices for WordPress security:

1. Choose a well-known, reliable website hosting company

Website security starts not within WordPress itself, but with your hosting company.

There’s a time and a place for local businesses (I love Small Business Saturday)—but your website hosting is not it. Your choice of hosting company is one of the most important choices you’ll make for your website security.

Do not allow your website developer to host your website. A skilled website professional can support your website through the hosting company of your choice. Instead of trusting your website hosting to your developer’s server, go with known names in the website hosting industry.

I started my website agency in 2012 and I’ve worked with many different hosting platforms. A good indicator of quality is 24-hour telephone or chat customer service with a real human being. I personally use and recommend Siteground and WP Engine.

Read my article about WordPress hosting companies for detailed recommendations.

2. Click the update buttons for your theme, plugins, and WordPress software

This one is pretty easy—whenever you see the little red-orange flag next to your plugins (or a banner at the top announcing an update from WordPress), click on it to execute the update.

Updates are not just about adding new features that you can do without. They contain essential security patches and fixes. In my experience, the majority of WordPress hacks originate from outdated WordPress installations, themes, or plugins.

But, what if your website crashes whenever you process an update? I’m glad you asked!

3. Replace custom themes and plugins

Now is the perfect time for an important note: Customized themes and plugins make updating WordPress, plugins, and the theme itself risky. If you’ve heard the words, “Whatever you do, don’t update anything!” from your website developer, then you have a WordPress security problem.

Companies end up trapped. They must depend upon the original theme or plugin developer to make little tweaks to their own code in order to stay compatible with WordPress and plugin updates. And let’s be real: it’s only after a website problem comes up that these coding gaps are noticed and addressed.

This is a security nightmare.

Insist on only premium themes and plugins that don’t require hard coded customizations. A theme with good documentation and a wide user base, provides the support you need. With an established theme provider, you get regular security updates. You won’t have to chase down a developer to keep your site secure.

Read my article about the top 2 WordPress themes for design flexibility and security. Or, contact my office to discuss our WordPress theme conversion services.

4. Have a WordPress backup plan

A good WordPress backup contains everything on your site: your pages, blog posts, comments, images . . . everything. But, have you thought of the steps you would take if you ever actually needed to use that backup to restore your website? You need a plan.

To make sure your website content is secure (and never gets lost), ensure that you have a daily backup of your database and files. This can be time consuming! Pro tip: make sure these services–backup and restore–are included with your hosting plan. WP Engine and Siteground provide this daily full backup and restore service at no additional cost.

What if your hosting company doesn’t offer an easy backup and restore method? Although it’s possible to do manual backups of your WordPress website, the steps to actually use that backup to restore your website are intimidating for the inexperienced. Many WordPress users install plugins to create backups manually. I personally use and recommend the plugin Duplicator Pro on websites lacking a modern hosting platform with backups.

5. Only download trustworthy plugins

This is the WordPress version of the classic Nigerian prince email: you wouldn’t wire transfer $10,000 to rescue far-off royalty—so why would you give an unknown plugin from an unknown developer access to your website?

It’s simple: check the trustworthiness of anything you install on your WordPress website.

Do this by looking for recent activity from the plugin’s developers: When was the plugin last updated? You should also thoroughly read the reviews and ratings: Have users had issues with bugs, crashes, or hacks? Look for these red flags:

The plugin version is 1.0 or 1.1.
The plugin was last updated more than a year ago.
The link to the plugin website is broken.
The plugin has only a handful of reviews
The plugin has been downloaded fewer than 10,000 times.

6. Deactivate and delete unneeded plugins

Apply the principles of spring cleaning to your website. If you don’t use a plugin, don’t remember why you have it, or aren’t sure what it even does, remove it.

Outdated and custom coded plugins are the most common source of malware insertions. Plugins get abandoned by their creators and it’s hard to predict when that will happen. Part of website maintenance requires checking in on your plugins. Are they still receiving security updates from their creator? Or, are they a little too quiet–never bothering you with an update request?

Like any room in your home, over time, we accumulate stuff we don’t need and probably can’t remember why we ever got in the first place. Deleting unnecessary plugins will increase your site speed, and you won’t have to bother with a million updates to keep your site secure. Simpler is better.

7. Assign user permissions on an as-needed basis

Chances are, you aren’t the only person who writes articles and edits your WordPress website. To reduce the chance of accidental or intentional damage, only assign the permissions that are absolutely necessary to each user’s role. If someone is editing your already-published articles, that person can be assigned the editor or author role in WordPress—she won’t need administrator access to your plugins, themes, or site settings.

At my agency, we review with you the users with administrator level access to your website. More than 80% of the time, there are former employees or a developer who should be removed. Manage the WordPress roles on your website by removing users or downgrading their access to the website.

Read my article about WordPress levels of access to help you make informed decisions about granting access to your website.

8. Use strong passwords, and make sure your other users do, too

By now, you’ve heard this over and over. But it bears repeating, especially given that the most common passwords in the last five years have been password, qwerty, and some sequential combination of 1234567. Not so secure.

The best passwords are a nonsensical combination of letters, numbers, and special characters that use no publicly available information (like your name, birthday, city of birth, or physical address).

Keep reading to learn how a plugin can help you force strong passwords for all of the users on your website.

9. Don’t keep your “admin” username

By default, WordPress gives website administrators the username of “admin,” something that many people never bother changing.

Don’t be one of those people.

If you don’t change the pre-set “admin,” someone trying to hack into your site already knows your username! All they have to do is run a script that can enter an infinite number of passwords over and over, and voila—your WordPress site is hacked. Here’s what you do to fix this:

Add a new user with a new (and secure) username and password and give this new identity Administrative level access. (You’ll need to use a different email address.)
Logout of the account that uses “Admin” as the username
Login to the new user account and delete the account that uses “Admin” as the username
Going forward, use the new user account to login to your WordPress dashboard. (You can update your email address on this user account.)

10. Install a WordPress security plugin

If you take all of the measures I’ve described so far, then you’re 99% there. And, for many websites, that is all this is required for WordPress security. But some companies like to take things to the next level by adding a WordPress security plugin. If you go this route, then there are three things to keep in mind:

You will get a lot of alerts to non-existent problems. Your security plugin settings and notifications will need to be configured to prevent false positives. The default settings for WordPress security plugins are set to reinforce an illusion of delivering value. “See how many attacks we stopped in the past 30 minutes!?” Ugh. It’s a little over the top.
Security plugins can be oversensitive which makes the wrong people get locked out of your website. Be prepared to have an employee or even your website manager get locked out of your website simply because they logged into your website from a different location.
You don’t need the paid version of the plugin. The best security plugins provide excellent protection at the free level.

WordPress security plugins

WordFence is a popular security plugin that I see on a lot of websites but it comes with overly aggressive notifications, marketing, and bloat. I recommend the WP Cerber WordPress security plugin because it is simple and effective. But, keep in mind that even the best WordPress security plugin is not going to protect your website if you fail to follow the guidelines I’ve described above.

Watch this video tutorial by Ankit Sharma to install and configure the free WordPress security plugin: WP Cerber.

Your WordPress website security is about you

Because WordPress is an open-source platform, the responsibility of website security falls on the website owner—probably you.

Not paying attention to updates, usernames, passwords, and backups opens your WordPress website up to potential malware.

Even if you aren’t managing your website yourself, it’s important to keep these security measures in mind. Ask your website developer or agency what steps are being taken to keep your website secure. A quality WordPress professional will be open with this information and will work with you to make sure your site is as secure as possible. (And if they aren’t working with you, it may be time to find a better website support service.)

by Emily Journey on November 18, 2022

Does my website need a redesign?

Does your website need a redesign? The short answer is probably not. But, if you ask enough website design agencies, you might be convinced to go down this path prematurely. When business owners ask me if their website needs a redesign they are often surprised to hear me say,

“You might not need a redesign yet.”

And, “There are some other things you should do first.”

Let’s take a look at some worthwhile alternatives to website redesign. We’ll also look at some of the reasons you might need to invest your resources in a redesign project.

Alternatives to a website redesign

Website Theme Conversion

If you’re looking for an alternative to redesigning your website, consider converting it into a WordPress theme that can easily be edited and customized. This will allow you to make changes without having to redo everything from scratch.

Conversion to WordPress

Not using WordPress yet? Another option to a redesign is to convert your existing site into a WordPress website. If your website is developed on an outdated platform the your website performance is probably lacking. Over the past 15 years, WordPress has transformed from a basic blogging tool into a powerful platform for designing and developing business websites. According to WordPress.com, and Netcraft, the WordPress software powers more than 35% of the web.

At Emily Journey & Associates, we are experts at theme conversions and WordPress conversions. Call our friendly office today and we’ll talk with you about your options.

Search Engine Optimization

The lack of traffic to your website may have nothing to do with your website design. In fact, it’s not uncommon for website traffic to drop after a poorly executed website redesign. A drop in traffic occurs as a result of the developer’s failure to implement SEO best practices during the development process.

If improving sales is your primary business goal, then a website redesign may not be the place to start. Instead, consider addressing your website’s search engine ranking or SEO. SEO can take months to see results. Diving into a lengthy website redesign can delay your website traffic growth even further.

Want to learn more about how we can help you attract the right traffic to your website? Contact us to learn about our done-for-you SEO services.

Design Updates

A website redesign is not necessary every time there is a change in your company’s marketing strategy, services, or product offerings. Often, just making updates to your current website design can improve its effectiveness. Examples of updates include:

Adding new products
Improving the wording and messaging for service descriptions
Rearranging sections to improve navigation
Removing elements to improve user experience
Changing the font combinations and colors

For example, if you sell a line of raincoats for dogs, you could update your website by adding new photos to your online catalog. You could also improve the product descriptions of each raincoat. Finally, you could remove old information from the website.

When considering these types of updates, remember that they won’t require a full website redesign. They simply involve updating your website’s design elements.

Want reliable support and security for your website? Learn about our website maintenance services here »

Website Redesign vs Website Maintenance

There’s a difference between a website redesign and website maintenance. The former involves completely rebuilding your website from scratch while the latter involves ongoing support for website improvements, security, and troubleshooting. Website maintenance often involves smaller design improvements and projects.

When deciding whether to perform a website redesign or to get help maintaining your current website, consider the following questions:

How much work will this project require?
Will I be able to complete all of the work within one month?
Is this project worth the cost?
Do I want to invest the time required for a website redesign?
Can I put off a website redesign for another 8 months while I focus on getting help with SEO instead?

Man holding up card that says help in black marker — Emily Journey and Associates can help.

How to know if my website needs a redesign

If you’re thinking about investing in a redesign then it’s important that you know what constitutes a good reason for doing so. Some of these reasons include:

Your target audience has changed

One of the most common reasons why people think their websites need a redesign is because their website has become less popular with their current customers and more popular with the wrong ones. If you’ve been losing traffic over time, or gaining traffic from the wrong sources, then it may be time to rethink your approach.

What worked last year doesn’t work today.

Changes in website traffic could mean that your site isn’t working well on mobile devices, or that it’s not converting as well as it used to. Or, it could simply mean that your content is no longer relevant to your audience. In any case, it’s worth investigating whether there’s something wrong with your website before going through the process of redesigning it.

Your customers are complaining about the website

It can be tempting to assume your customers are just having bad luck, but if they keep complaining about your website then it’s probably you and not them. When a customer complains about your website, consider it a gift and accept it graciously. Most of the time, when a potential customer experiences a problem with your website, they won’t tell you. Instead, they’ll move on to your competitor.

Feeling envious of a competitor’s new website redesign?

Your competition has invested in a new design, and you wonder if you’re lagging behind with an outdated design.

The fact that your competitors have redesigned their sites doesn’t necessarily mean that yours needs to be redone too. You can still be number one without making drastic changes to your own website. However, if you feel like your conversion rate is falling behind, it’s definitely worth considering a redesign.

Your website looks untrustworthy or outdated

A poorly designed website can make you seem untrustworthy or out-of-date. It can even make you appear unprofessional. This is especially true if your website is old and dated. As a leader in your industry, you don’t want to give the impression that you’re no longer up to date.

When was the last time you updated your website? A redesign will help you stay ahead of the image game.

Your design isn’t responsive

Responsive web design is an essential part of modern web design. Responsive web design allows users to access your website regardless of which device they’re using. That way, you can cater to all types of visitors.

If your website is built in WordPress, then you’re basically already covered because modern WordPress websites are mobile responsive by default. Redesigning a website with responsive design doesn’t take much extra effort when your developer uses a modern WordPress theme.

It’s a mistake to assume that everyone uses the internet in the same way that you do. You should always aim to create a website that works across all devices: phone, iPad, and desktop. Otherwise, you risk alienating potential customers who use different devices.

How often should websites be redesigned?

There’s no set rule for how often websites should be redesigned. Some companies only change their websites every few years, while others may update their websites more frequently. If you’ve been running your business for some time, then you might think that you don’t need to redesign your website. Fortunately, you don’t have to make that decision alone. Contact us to get clarity on the redesign process and to discuss your options.

by Emily Journey on November 18, 2022

WordPress Training in Chicago, IL

Manage your website with confidence. Learn WordPress.

WordPress training equips you with the knowledge and skills required to manage your WordPress website with confidence. We’re a team of four WordPress experts ready to help you master this sometimes complicated platform. Watch the video above for details or read on to learn more about our customized WordPress training classes for Chicago business owners, IT staff, administrative staff, and marketing teams.
Office: (844) 972-6224 Contact Us Training FAQs »
Have you ever felt frustrated by the unresponsiveness of a website developer or agency? I know we sure have. If you don’t have control of your website, it could take days (or even weeks) to implement small changes.

In the meantime . . .

your company time, money, and reputation circle the drain while you wait for important website updates. You don’t have to let that happen anymore.