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In the world of web design and development, there is a divide between designers and developers. Many agencies have figured out how to bridge this communication gap, but many people out there don't know how to speak the language of the other side. In this episode, we look at some of the communication issues that come up regularly, and how to solve them. We examine how our own processes for working with others has evolved over time. Lastly, we attempt to answer the question, "Should designers learn to code?" an ask a new question, "Should developers learn design?" Every Friday at 9am PST we have a round-table discussion which combines the latest WordPress news with one main discussion topic. This week's main topic was “Collaborating with a Designer / Developer.” You can find a list of this months upcoming live recordings on the WP-Tonic's website. https://www.wp-tonic.com/blab/   Our WordPress panel this week:   Nick Meagher: http://byprimer.co/ Morten Rand-Hendriksen: http://mor10.com/ Kim Shivler: https://howtobuildanonlinecourse.com/ John Locke: Lockedown SEO Jonathan Denwood: https://www.wp-tonic.com   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 182   0:00 Podcast intros. 2:25 WordPress News Story: The End of 80/20 and the Future of WordPress https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/end-8020-future-wordpress-morten-rand-hendriksen   22:21 Main Topic: Collaborating with a Designer or Developer 22:24 How did Nick find a process with his design partner, Hunter? 25:08 What sort of discussions are had about wireframes, and what each design component does? 26:21 Kim's experiences with corporate teams and cutting through the jargon, to find a common ground. 29:53 Morten's process at Pink and Yellow Media for designing and building a site. 35:50 John's experiences with working with designers, and how his process has changed over time. 37:57 Should designers learn to code? Should developers learns to design? 51:20 How do you find a good partner to complement your respective skills? 59:26 Podcast outros. 1:02:13 Bonus content.   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/182-working-web-designer/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a weekly WordPress business podcast.  

Jonathan Courtney is a UX designer and Product Strategist. He runs the cheeky design blog, UX Messiah. Originally from Ireland, Jonathan moved to Berlin and co-founded the UX Design agency AJ&Smart in 2011. AJ&Smart has worked with some of the largest brands on the planet, including the UN, eBay, Lufthansa, and Zalando. In this insightful interview, Jonathan talks about how he got into UX, what is broken in most agencies design process, and how AJ&Smart uses design sprints to get a high-fidelity prototype in the client's hands in less than a week. Jonathan Courtney - UX Designer http://jonathancourtneyux.com/   AJ&Smart on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ajsmartdesign/   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 181   0:00 Podcast intros. 2:40 How user experience has evolved over the last ten years, and how Jonathan defines UX. 4:15 Design thinking and how it has influenced UX. 6:29 How AJ&Smart innovated their design process with design sprints. 10:20 Why personas and user research failed where design sprints succeeded with AJ&Smart. 12:50 "Planning is guessing". 13:41 Taking an idea to a nigh-fidelity prototype quickly. 18:47 The collaborative effort that goes into storyboarding an app or a site. 24:01 Why getting to market quickly is better for iteration. 26:52 Every company HAS to have great UX and UI, where 10 years ago, this wasn't the case. 29:07 It's all about the process. 31:29 Metaphors in UX, and how previous conventions, and platform-specific design patterns influence UX decisions. 34:38 Thoughts on major refreshes on apps that millions that people use. 38:40 Does the physicality of a device influence how people use it, and how the design takes shape? 42:59 Are we  heading to a place where templated design puts us out of a job? What should you be focusing on if you are a UX designer? 45:20 "Solve problems, then decorate". The future is now when it comes to the ever-increasingly connected web. 48:28 Digital products are becoming formless. 49:36 Podcast outros.   ===================   Links mentioned during the show: United Nations: Increasing food donations with design sprints   The Lean Startup   Are We Hitting "Peak Design"?   Instagram’s big redesign goes live with a colorful new icon, black-and-white app and more (2016)   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/181-jonathan-courtney-ux-design/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance company, and the publisher of a twice-weekly WordPress podcast.

WordPress development involves PHP, HTML, CSS, JS, MySQL – but what if you don’t know what any of this even means yet? Where do you go to learn WordPress if you’re still a beginner? This week, we look at WordPress for beginners. We have covered tons of resources for learning WordPress as a complete beginner.   Our WordPress panel this week:   Bridget Willard: https://bridgetwillard.com/ Kim Shivler: https://whiteglovewebtraining.com/ Jonathan Denwood: https://www.wp-tonic.com/ John Locke: Lockedown SEO   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 180   0:00 Podcast intros. 2:32 WordPress News story #1: WordPress Plugin Directory Redesign: Why So Many People Feel Their Feedback Was Ignored 12:05 WordPress News story #2: What motivates WordPress spammers? In-Depth Analysis of a Criminal Organization Targeting WordPress Websites 30:48 Main Topic: Learning WordPress as a Beginner 30:58 "If you want to be useful to WordPress, you have to know how to build websites without WordPress". - Quote by @mor10 36:09 Getting people comfortable with WordPress before throwing them in deeper water. How Bridget used immersion techniques to learn WordPress. 42:11 Why aren't there more apprenticeships in web development? 43:37 Resources for learning WordPress. 1:07:05 Podcast outros   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   Give - A WordPress Donation Plugin Treehouse CSS-Tricks WPShout - Up and Running W3Schools Digging Into WordPress WordPress Training and Tutorials on Lynda.com Designing with Web Standards The #ASKGARYVEE Audiobook Ch. #17: Self Awareness The WP Crowd WPwatercooler WordPress Essentials Course – (Online starting April 19th, 2017) Flexbox Froggy Hello Dolly WP Beginner WP101 WordPress Codex WordPress.tv CSS Zen Garden WordPress Training - OS Training WordPress is not easy, and that's OK WordPress: Harder Than You Think Inspect Element in Firefox, Chrome, or IE Easy WP Guide   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: WP-Tonic #180: WordPress For Beginners   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   =================== WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a twice weekly podcast for WordPress professionals.

In this episode, we talk about the history of WPShout, and we also get deep in connected to WordPress development and discuss the best ways a newbie WordPress developer can increase their skill level. The crew from WPShout (Fred Meyer, David Hayes, Alex Denning) joins us to talk running a WordPress tutorial site, the state of WordPress education, how WPShout supports their agency Press Up.   We also discuss the re-launch of their course, Up and Running: A Practical Guide to WordPress Development.   Be sure to check out their boutique WordPress agency, Press Up.   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 179   0:00 Podcast intros.   2:52 How did each of the WP Shout members get into web development?   5:51 What is the origin story for WPShout?   9:40 Is there value in having a voice in the WordPress ecosystem, even if it doesn't bring in work directly?   11:41 What was the initial business plan for WPShout? And how did that change over time?   14:34 Is there still a big need for WordPress education?   17:01 What effect has concentrated marketing had on the recent success of WPShout?   18:47 When it comes to marketing their agency Press Up, what has changed over the years?   22:24 What are the key ares that beginners struggle with to learn WordPress? Understanding scope and other programming concepts.   34:24 How is JavaScript changing WordPress? Will PHP remain relevant in WordPress? How do JS frameworks integrate in WordPress?   41:52 What are some things WPShout would like to see covered in WordPress education? Who do they recommend?   48:00 Podcast outros.   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   WP Hacks   How to Migrate your Site to a New Host with All-in-One WP Migration   Data From Theme Reviews Shows Authors Need More Education on Developing Secure WordPress Themes   Carl Alexander: The Man in the Arena   Josh Pollock on Torque.io   JavaScript for WP   Making Your First WordPress Plugin   Engine Hounds   WordPRess REST AI - Josh Pollock   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/179-monetize-website-wpshout/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes   https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   =================== WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a weekly WordPress business podcast.

I'll be honest, we intended to talk the most useful e-commerce plugins for WordPress, but ended up talking mostly about WooCommerce. That said, there's a ton of information in here about WooCommerce plugins and extensions, including what  plugins you'll need for specific functionality in WooCommerce.   Our WordPress panel this week:   Sallie Goetsch: from WP Fangirl Jackie D’Elia: from Jackie D’Elia Design John Locke: from Lockedown SEO Jonathan Denwood: from WP-Tonic.com   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://liquidweb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 178   0:00 Podcast intros.   3:17 WordPres News Story #1: GoDaddy Accquires Sucuri http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/godaddy-acquires-sucuri-to-advance-digital-security-for-customers-300427537.html   13:16 WordPress News Story #2: Pippin's Plugins: Reflection on a Price Increase https://pippinsplugins.com/reflection-on-a-price-increase/   28:52 Main Topic: Best WooComerce plugins and other e-commerce plugins for WordPress)   29:55 The importance of discovery in an e-commerce project. Things you have to consider before writing requirements on an e-commerce project.   39:50 What if you need to create a WooCommerce store in multiple languages?   44:37 Payment gateways for WooCommerce.   46:07 Some shipping plugins for WooCommerce. Some misc plugins for various functionality.   52:00 Product modification. Cart rules. Discounts for buying certain amounts. Minimum and maximum purchase rules.   56:25 Integration with WooCommerce and QuickBooks. Is it possible? Yes. Is it elegant or easy? Hmmm...   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   WPML   WooCommerce Multilingual   Polylang   Say what?   Min/Max Quantities for WooCommerce   Stripe for WooCommerce   UPS Shipping Method for WooCommerce   Shipping Tracking for WooCommerce   WooCommerce PDF Invoices   WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin with Print Label   WooCommerce Products Designer   Registrations for WooCommerce   Gravity Forms Product Add-ons for WooCommerce   WooCommerce Product Options   WooCommerce Advanced Fees   WooCommerce Bulk Discount   WooCommerce Tab Manager   TaxJar for WooCommerce   Integrating QuickBooks with WooCommerce https://zapier.com/zapbook/quickbooks/woocommerce/ https://woocommerce.com/products/quickbooks-pro-cloud-cart-connector/ https://appcenter.intuit.com/quickbooks-online-with-woocommerce   =======================   Some more we didn't have time to mention:   WooCommerce EU VAT Compliance   WooCommerce Menu Cart   YITH WooCommerce Compare   WooCommerce Lightbox   WooCommerce Product Gallery Slider   Booster for WooCommerce (formerly WooCommerce Jetpack)   Ultimate WooCommerce Brands Pro WooCommerce Email Enquiry Ultimate ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/178-best-woocommerce-plugins/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a weekly WordPress business podcast.  

Jackie D'Elia has had a long career in web development and programming. For the past several years she has been an independent WordPress developer, primarily on the Genesis platform. During the last year, Jackie has been a regular member of our Saturday podcast panel. We talk to Jackie about her experiences in web development, and what it takes to become a top-quality front-end / WordPress developer.   Jackie D'Elia Design https://jackiedelia.com/   Rethink.FM: The forward thinking podcast for WordPress and front end development https://rethink.fm/   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 177   0:00 Podcast intros. 2:22 Jackie's origin story into web development. 6:40 How is the WordPress community stack up compared to other web communities? 9:00 Jackie discusses her journey through WordPress, and her current setup for developing sites. 13:32 How does Jackie block out time for continuing her web learning? 17:41 What are some of the things Jackie has changed in her processes since starting her podcast, Rethink.fm? 18:59 The desktop mindset, and why agencies don't follow a content-first or mobile-first process. 23:12 Has Jackie encountered any resistance to being a web developer as a woman, or as a person of a particular age? Why these are strengths and not weaknesses. 25:50 Pros and cons between a hosted e-commerce and hosted e-commerce site. Jackie's advice for e-commerce from 10 years of running a business. 30:27 How is Jackie handling the increasing use of JavaScript in WordPress? Her recommendations for integrating JS into a website. 37:09 Jackie's methodology for staying focused. 41:10 The difference between working with a team as opposed to working by yourself. 43:48 What advice does Jackie have for solo consultants trying to make it in freelancing? 45:54 What percentage split does Jackie network among, between prospects and colleagues? 48:48 Podcast outros.   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   dBase https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBase   Thesis http://diythemes.com/   Genesis Framework http://my.studiopress.com/themes/genesis/   PostCSS https://github.com/postcss/postcss   DesktopServer https://serverpress.com/   Novell NetWare https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetWare   Team Treehouse https://teamtreehouse.com/   Lynda from LinkedIn https://www.lynda.com/   Know The Code https://knowthecode.io/   Multiple Intelligences Self-Assessment https://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-assessment   Multiple Intelligences http://www.institute4learning.com/resources/articles/multiple-intelligences/   Rethink.fm #8: Designing User Experiences https://rethink.fm/podcast/episode-8-designing-user-experiences/   Rethink #1: Content First Strategy https://rethink.fm/podcast/episode-1/   Letting Go of the Desktop Design Mindset https://jackiedelia.com/letting-go-desktop-design-mindset/   Let's Encrypt https://letsencrypt.org/   How to Properly Add jQuery Scripts to WordPress https://premium.wpmudev.org/blog/adding-jquery-scripts-wordpress/   Javascript for WP https://javascriptforwp.com/   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/177-jackie-delia/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a twice a week WordPress podcast.

Our WordPress panel shares the biggest mistakes they have made on website projects. If you've done one website or a thousand, chances are you will identify with at least one thing on this list. We talk not only about our botch-ups, but how our processes changed afterwards as a result. There's something for everyone in this episode.   Our WordPress panel this week:   David Hayes: from WPShout Sallie Goetsch: from WP Fangirl Jackie D'Elia: from Jackie D'Elia Design Lee Jackson: from Angled Crown John Locke: from Lockedown SEO Jonathan Denwood: from WP-Tonic.com   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 176   0:00 Podcast intros. 3:18 WordPress News Story #1: Jetpack Introduces Theme Installation from WordPress.com, Sparks Controversy with Alternative Marketplace for Free Themes https://wptavern.com/jetpack-introduces-theme-installation-from-wordpress-com-sparks-controversy-with-alternative-marketplace-for-free-themes   17:38 WordPress News Story #2: WooCommerce 3.0.0 Scheduled for Release April 4th https://wptavern.com/woocommerce-3-0-0-scheduled-for-release-april-4th   26:56 Main Topic: Our Biggest Website Mistakes   27:06 Lee's classic mistake: not backing up a Multisite before updating it. Also, making assumptions about a client's expectations.   32:12 David looks at the two classes of website mistakes. How he edited a plugin in production without having FTP access. Another story about not having a restorable backup. Also, have a clear-cut business plan before you invest thousands of hours of time.   36:49 Why Jackie is obsessed with backups, and the story behind it. Don't change DNS records without having a screenshot of the old records. FTP-ing files to the wrong site.   43:01 Sallie's horror story about MX records and email forwarding. Many mistakes are around communication or discovery.   46:16 Always check out prospects before you allow them to be a client. Some scams that get run on web designers. Not all hosting panels handle DNS records the same way. Migrations are tricky.   54:05 Jonathan has some great stories about some nightmare projects. How to do research on potential clients.   59:20 John learned some lessons early on about scope, stakeholders, communication, and doing too much for too little.   1:04:27 Everyone needs their stupidly low priced website to learn their lesson. Think about what value you are providing, and how much you actually need to stay in business.   1:06:57 Jonathan has an interesting client who tried to lowball him on price.Don't lowball yourself on price. Realize your value.   1:14:48 Podcast outros   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   Semantic Versioning 2.0.0 http://semver.org/   9 WordPress Experts Share Their Biggest Website Mistakes https://wpmastery.xyz/9-wordpress-experts-share-biggest-website-mistakes/   An Easier Way to Create a Website Spec https://angledcrown.com/website-specification/   How to create an intro packet (and why you should!) https://erinflynn.com/intro-packet/   Hearing Impaired Web Design Scam https://teamtreehouse.com/community/web-design-scam-heads-up https://siteber.com/website-design-for-hearing-impaired-scam/   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/176-biggest-website-mistakes/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   Join us live on WP-Tonic live, each Saturday at 9 am. We discuss the week's WordPress news, then we go deep on one WordPress topic. https://www.wp-tonic.com/blab/   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance service, and the publisher of a twice-weekly WordPress business podcast.    

We talk with James Laws, founder of WP Ninjas, and co-creator of Ninja Forms. In this episode James share his insights on building a WordPress product company, managing internal growth, and advice for podcasters in the WordPress space.   WP Ninjas https://wpninjas.com/   Mastermind.FM http://mastermind.fm/   Adventures in Businessing http://aib.fm   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 175   0:00 Podcast intros. 2:53 James' origin story, and getting into web development. 3:59 Where the idea for WP Ninjas originally came from. 6:35 Did the market saturation of contact form plugins dissuade James from creating another plugin? 10:50 Why sharing information helps everyone's business grow. Advice for joining a mastermind, and what James looks for in a mastermind. 13:03 How a business changes as it grows. How choosing a business model can have a significant impact on your business. 19:53 How internal process must change and adapt as your web development company grows. 25:30 How important is service and support to growth for a WordPress product? 30:39 Thoughts on marketing in the WordPress ecosystem in 2017. 39:32 Some tips for people looking to market a plugin to the WordPress ecosystem. 44:26 The importance of UX design in a WordPress plugin. 54:00 Thoughts on e-commerce with Ninja Forms. 59:00 What advice does James have for people looking to start their own podcast? 1:04:21 Podcast outros   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   WP Candy:NinjaForms plugin chops its way into WordPress Dashboards (2011) http://wpcandy.com/reports/ninjaforms-launches-competes-with-gravityforms/   Andon (manufacturing) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andon_(manufacturing)   The Value of Sponsoring a WordCamp from a Business’ Perspective https://wptavern.com/the-value-of-sponsoring-a-wordcamp-from-a-business-perspective   Focus Lab http://focuslabllc.com/   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast-episodes/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes   https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a twice-weekly WordPress podcast.

The WP-Tonic panel looks at how to tackle large scale web projects. What sort of preparation and research goes into more complex projects? We analyze project management, organization, communication, and delegation in this can't miss episode.   ==================   This Weeks WordPress Panel   Sallie Goetsch: from WP Fangirl Christopher Hawkins: from Cogeian Systems Kim Shivler: from White Glove Web Training John Locke: from Lockedown SEO Jonathan Denwood: from WP-Tonic.com   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 174   0:00 Podcast intros. 2:11 WordPress Story #1: Clef is Shutting Down June 6th https://wptavern.com/clef-is-shutting-down-june-6th   5:56 WordPress Story #2: WordPress Collaborative Editing https://ma.tt/2017/03/wordpress-collaborative-editing/   13:47 WordPress Story #3: Getting The Most Out of a Freemium WordPress Business Model https://torquemag.io/2017/03/getting-freemium-wordpress-business-model/   23:52 Main Topic: Planning Large Scale Web Projects 24:47 How do you know when you have a large project on your hands? 27: 28 What factors do you have to address in  large website project? What happens in discovery? 33:45 The reason you will want to do a paid discovery session instead of a free consultation on large web projects. Also, how many stakeholders should be in the room on a discovery sessions for a large project? 41:19 Breaking large projects into phases - what gets prioritized? 42:58 Handling communication between clients and web team members on a large ongoing website project. 46:09 Project management software, assignments, and timelines - making sure things get done by the right people on time. 53:05 How many meetings are the right amount? Anticipating the amount of communication that the organization will need. 55:11 What are things you need to watch out for on a large membership site? 57:27 Managing timelines and budget when it looks like you are behind schedule or over budget. 1:05:38 Rapid fire: Best advice for managing large scale web development projects. 1:10:29 Podcast outros.   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   Google Authenticator https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-authenticator/installation/   Authy https://www.authy.com/integrations/wordpress/   Two-Factor https://wordpress.org/plugins/two-factor/   Gather Content: How to run a website discovery session https://gathercontent.com/blog/run-website-discovery-session   Pareto Principle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle   Basecamp https://basecamp.com/   Don't Make Me Think, Revisted: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 3rd Edition https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Think-Revisited-Usability/dp/0321965515/   100k Freelancing http://www.100kfreelancing.com/   Updating Cloudflare DNS to Use SiteGround’s MX https://www.wpfangirl.com/2017/updating-cloudflare-dns-to-use-sitegrounds-mx/   Title Tag SEO: Optimizing Titles for Better Ranking https://www.lockedownseo.com/title-tag-seo/   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/174-large-scale-web-projects/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a twice-weekly WordPress podcast. Join us every Saturday for a Live WP-Tonic show at 9 am PST. For details on the Saturday live shows, go to https://www.wp-tonic.com/blab/.

Our guest this week is Emily White, of Emily White Designs. Emily has a successful business developing custom Genesis WordPress themes with her development partner, Greg Young. Emily clearly knows her customer base and is focused on giving her clients a fantastic customer experience. This interview shows you can still be successful running a small agency.   Emily White Designs https://www.emilywhitedesigns.com/   ==================   Our episode this week is sponsored by LiquidWeb. Liquid Web is offering a 33% discount for your first 6 months of managed WordPress hosting. Head over to https://LiquidWeb.com/wordpress and use the code WPTONIC33 at checkout for your discount.   ==================   Table of Contents for Episode 173 0:00 Podcast Intros 3:05 How Emily first got started with web design and development. 5:09 Finding a target market can be difficult. How did Emily find her target market? 6:53 Emily's thoughts on content marketing, and why she has that stance. 8:47 How Emily evolved her pricing structure over time. 12:39 What sort of client screening does Emily do to determine who she takes on as a client? 17:10 What process did Emily go through to find a development partner? 21:13 What is the difference in perception between a freelancer and an agency, even if that agency is two or three people? 23:26 The major differences in projects when you have a partnership as opposed to trying to contract out different pieces of the project. 25:20 Emily talks about working with an university on her agency's largest project to date. 28:32 Does Emily design for mobile first or desktop first on most projects? 29:35 Gathering content for web projects is a bit easier with professional bloggers. 31:51 The benefit that professional bloggers get from having a custom made design. 36:08 How Emily came to use Genesis as a theme framework, and the advantages of that community. 39:22 What advice Emily would give to budding web designers. 40:49 Steps you should take to define your ideal client. 43:45 Who else should we have on the show? 44:58 Podcast outros.   ===================   Links mentioned during the show:   Genesis Framework http://my.studiopress.com/themes/genesis/   The Big Web Show 53: Raising Rates (Start at about 38:27) http://5by5.tv/bigwebshow/53   Basecamp https://basecamp.com/   Clients From Heaven (WordCamp San Antonio 2016) https://www.emilywhitedesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/wcsatx.pdf   ===================   Find bonus content for this episode on the WP-Tonic website: https://www.wp-tonic.com/podcast/173-emily-white-partnerships-wordpress/   ===================   Subscribe to WP-Tonic on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wp-tonic-wordpress-podcast/id893083124?mt=2   ===================   WP-Tonic is both a WordPress maintenance and support service, and the publisher of a twice-weekly WordPress business podcast.