New Year, New Design, New Focus
Wow! What an incredible year 2014 has been. You may have noticed that this year was a bit… quiet on the [studionashvegas] front. To be honest, it was that way for a reason – I stepped back and took a long, hard look at a few things, and used it as a year of experimentation to try a few different ideas. I recorded a few videos, started (and ended) a podcast, and continued to speak at various conferences – some across the globe from Franklin.
New Year
It was a year of soul searching – of trying to figure out what direction I wanted to take [studionashvegas] in for the new year and what needed to happen in order to even start going!
I’ve learned a lot. I’ve made mistakes, and learned from them. I’ve continued to work with amazing clients. And I’m ready to kick [studionashvegas] into high gear for the new year.
The problem is, I’m just impatient. So, I’m starting now!
New Design
You may notice if you’re a long time reader that I (finally) updated the website design. Let’s be honest – it was time. The new site is responsive, simplified, and laid out with the content and user experience in mind. I pruned out 50+ blog posts that were unrelated and un-indexed by Google (and upon doing so, ended up allowing more than that to be re-indexed!). The content is always ever-evolving, and I want to keep testing things to see what works.
I’m also going to be focusing on my email newsletter. If you’re not subscribed, it’s the easiest way to catch up on news from the WordPress and marketing worlds. And who knows? I may throw in a few surprises for the subscribers!
New Focus
Let me say this first: I’m still going to be doing amazing design and development for clients (and hey, if you need that, let’s talk!). But that’s not all. Here are a few things I have in mind for 2015 (and beyond!)
Training
It’s not enough to be able to design and develop projects for clients. I want to step in and walk WordPress users through the various options and tricks that I use to make my site (and their sites) awesome. Whether it’s through Skype, Google Hangout, or a good old fashioned phone call, I want to make sure people are empowered, and helping people understand WordPress is a major factor in achieving that.
Screencasts
I started doing these for UnderstandWP, but I’ve decided to migrate those under one roof. It’s too confusing to keep up with multiple brands and (frankly) I’d rather have everything in one spot. That said, I’ll still be trying to do one or two screencasts a week on various short-form tutorial topics. This will also let me dive into the code a bit more for users that are willing to get their hands dirty
Workshops
The WooCommerce Workshop was an overwhelming success. There were a few others that did great, and one that completely bombed. And that’s OK – I’m chalking those up to a learning experience. Regardless, I want to do a major workshop once per month. Some will be paid, some will be free; all will be entertaining and educational.
Downloadables / Shareables
Wallpapers for your desktop, quotes for Twitter/Instagram. Sometimes I get these funny ideas for graphics and I may start creating those and sharing them on the site.
The More Things Change…
One thing’s for sure – I love working in WordPress, and especially love helping clients to tell their story online. Design, development, marketing, social media… they all play a part of the grand design of a person’s online presence. To all the clients working with me: thank you for the opportunity. To all the future clients to come: I can’t wait to empower you to tell your story online.
Goodbye 2014, and hello, 2015 and beyond. Let’s do this.