Written for BookPromotion.com

It’s safe to say that I am a huge WordPress fan—I’ve built more than 70 sites using this platform. And suffice to say that there are a variety of other platforms that I can name that I am emphatically not a fan of. (But that’s fodder for another column.)

My clients also tend to love WordPress as well. Usually within an hour or two, I can train them to update most of the elements on their site with minimal stress. Even some of my most tech-adverse clients have told me that they feel comfortable adding and editing content on their sites—something that gives them a great deal of power when it comes to owning their brand. And it seems that it isn’t just my clients who feel this way. WordPress accounts for nearly one in five sites currently online.

So, what’s the problem? WordPress is a Web-based platform (rather than an application which is downloaded and stored locally). This means that with the correct username and password, anyone with a Web connection can access your site. Also, plug-ins can go a long way towards extending the functionality of a site. But if not maintained and secured, they can provide backdoor ways for hackers to infiltrate your site.

You needn’t abandon WordPress, you just need to be smart about how you use it. Here are some tips for how to keep your site secure. Continue reading Steps You Can Take to Protect Your WordPress Site →

Before Buddhist Boot Camp was a best-seller, it was a series of personal emails on life lessons from Timber Hawkeye to his friends. When they started sharing his emails with their friends, Timber posted them all on a blog. The author then self-published the content in paperback. That’s when it caught the eye of HarperCollins Publishers, who published what is now a best-selling, compact hardcover book on mindfulness and inspiration.

“The response has been unbelievable,” says Timber. “People were relating to what I had to say, and wanted to hear more. We instinctually have this reluctance to be honest. But when I shared my story about what I went through, people started to share their own stories.”

Read more on BookPromotion.com

I first discovered Miranda July when she was promoting her book No One Belongs Here More Than You in 2007. The book’s site broke pretty much every rule about what I would tell you are the best practices for promoting a book online. (I mean, it’s usually ill advised to design an entire site around writing on the top of your refrigerator with dry erase markers, photographing each message as slide, and making the user click through nearly 30 pages to read the whole message.) Yet, this site remains one of the most memorable, creative and clever book sites I’ve ever seen.

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Written for BookPromotion.com, June 14, 2013

You know that saying that if you can’t find the asshole in the room, that it’s probably you? Well, the same logic applies to e-Holes. E-Holes are people who misuse, abuse, or annoy people through social media. And unfortunately, being an e-Hole is really easy to do. You may not even know if you’re being one.

In this article for BookPromotion.com, I interviewed Sarah Browne regarding the necessity of honing your online etiquette.

Written for BookPromotion.com: May 17, 2013

There’s no question: networking with readers and media via social media is an essential piece of modern self-promotion. But it is also time-consuming. Many clients tell me that they feel completely overwhelmed (and turned off) by the different platforms to master, the time involved, not to mention the sustained (and earnest) communication with total strangers.

When you break it down by platform, and make it a habit, the entire process is much more palatable. There are a lot of articles available with tips for how to grow your audience and following via social media. This article tells you how to keep them with your content.