Keeping WordPress Secure – Mark Jaquith
http://markjaquith.wordpress.com/
Upgrades will be automatic, and that will help keep up with security issues.
Top 50 plugins – good security, but less popular ones might have security problems.
WP 2.6 – notifications on plugin upgrades
Themes usually not a security issue, but can be – no system to check yet – again more popular ones, more seen, therefore likely more secure
Databases & hashtags important, but password security essential – bad if –
- you can pronounce it
- you haven’t used the shift key
- you use it somewhere else
- you write it down
- it includes personal info
Info for developers – lots of code …
WordPress becoming much more secure! Result of concentrated effort by WordPress developers being very careful about code.
Password solutions – http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password
- others available
Running Your Blog Like a Pro – David Peralty
- Blog every day
- research your topics
- prove your passion or expertise
- come up with unique angle – don’t copy or be generic
- look at what inspires you – use that to inspire yourself – interview, break news, dissect
- promote your content – network, social bookmarking & sharing, comment on other blogs, Twitter etc., aggregate updates
- track & join the conversation – search.twitter.com etc.
- Getting more comments – questions, open endings, be controversial, respond to comments
- make commenting easy, thank people for commenting
- getting links – compelling content, link bait, guest posting, create services, try out other media (audio & video)
- Link bait = long, detailed, easy-to-digest, funny, useful, hard-to-replicate
- increasing revenue = try other ad services, test ad placements, direct ad sales
- don’t be afraid of ads – look at your competition’s ads, court advertisers, don’t undersell yourself (perceived value important)
- secondary efforts – book deals, job offers, speaking opportunities
- make your blog dummy proof – every page has contact info, make it easy to advertise, offer to promote their content
- Find what’s limiting you – links? ads? content? SEO? more contacts? guest posting on other blogs?
Question Answers
- colour coding for different topics
- “link bait” definition – primary purpose, get people to share – compelling content
- ad systems – “adify” – http://www.adify.com/
- FeedBurner – useful – WP.org some copyright protections
- David avoids plugins, 3rd party comment services
Mark McKay – Video Blogging
- Great video on Canadian content on tv
- www.deartoronto.ca
- a videoblog can be anything! – tutorials, news, community activism, personal etc.
- videoblog can be like a tv show – Mark is on MTV live
Suggestions:
- think before you speak – comments will respond! – have the facts
- duration – about 2 minutes or less – long enough to make your point – short enough for a quick watch
- Fair Copyright for Canada – Kill Bill C61 > viral, Michael Geist’s site – great video – 61 seconds
- 12Seconds – http://12seconds.tv/
- the camera doesn’t really matter – file size important though (100 mb) – compress before uploading
- software – iMovie, Avid (free version available on their website), Premier,
- be careful of the lighting, lots of light or outside, look & sound are important
- syndicate to iTunes, BlipTV, Yahoo Video, del.icio.us, mdialogue, tubemogul – highly recommended, includes stats
- viral videos – enter contests and win – especially controversial stuff – post on popular websites with a link to video
- YouTube has made video mainstream & has created tv stars, brought amateurs into prominence
- Using video sites saves you bandwidth use and gives you access to their audience – YouTube especially
- MTV clears his copyright stuff
- green screen in his basement – painted wall or used a piece of fabric, good lighting needed, there’s a FinalCut Pro plugin that helps
Brendan Sera-Shriar – Making the Most of Plug-ins
http://backspacestudios.com/bss/
Plug-ins extend WordPress
Beyond out-of-the-box plug-ins
Customization – look a important as functionality – enhance & simplify the blogging experience of advanced users.especially developers & designers
coding needed for customization – PHP and SQL experience required
coding is a language & is learnable
Tips on writing plug-ins
- look at source codes, especially of plug-ins you like
- research to make sure you’re not just repeating
- use a plug-in template
Demonstration of coding a plug-in
Feeling overwhelmed with content
Entertainment Blogging: A Panel Discussion
Frank Yang, Tim Shore, Chris Budd, Jonathan Dekel
And I’m out of here ;->
Learning Living 
Could I use that picture of me on BrandingDavid.com please? I would give source credit to you here if that’s alright. Great coverage of the event too!
Sure – Help yourself or let me know if you want the jpg. Glad you liked the coverage – I learned A LOT from your presentation.