Resources For Creating Your Own Website

Hello and welcome to my resources page. I created this list mostly so I could easily click on my favorite tools, but over time I’ve added articles and websites which might be helpful to you. I’ve also added a few affiliate links for hosting and themes.
(Note: I might receive a commission if the hosting and theme links are clicked on and purchased.)

Is Your Site Mobile-Friendly?

Strategies for Website Planning:

Smashing Magazine Comprehensive Website Planning Guide
How a Web Design goes to hell

Web Hosting:

How good is your current web host? Run your IP address through this site Reverse IP Domain Check to see how many other websites are hosted on your same web server. Too many sites on one IP address can cause problems with SEO, as well as cause your site to be “overblocked” if even one other site on your shared host contains some form of adult or explicit content.

I use and recommend Siteground.

Recommended WordPress Themes:

I use the Studiopress Genesis Framework as my primary theme, with some of the following child themes (note: I am an affiliate for Studiopress and received a small commission if you purchase through these links).

For more info on Genesis Themes check out Why Genesis is the Foundation of Any Smart WordPress Design or download The Genesis Guide for Absolute Beginners (PDF – 1.4 MB).

Design and Inspiration:

WordPress.org Showcase
Studiopress Showcase
Dribbble
Canva
Squarespace Design Guild Showcase
More examples of sites using Squarespace

See a site you love and wonder what theme they are using?

What WordPress Theme is That?
What Squarespace template is this site using? Check out Findr

Typography:

Google Fonts
Adobe Typekit

Image Optimization:

Complete Guide to Image Optimization
Optimizing Images on a Mac with Preview
Pic Monkey
Shopify 10 Must Know Image Optimization Tips

Logo/Branding:

Create your own logo with Canva
Why you don’t need to make your logo bigger
Recommended Reading: Alina Wheeler’s Book: Designing Brand Identity

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

Things Designers Should Know About SEO
Google Ranking Factors
Woorank
MOZ: Beginner’s Guide to SEO
Yoast SEO for Beginners

Security:

12 Ways to Secure your WordPress Website
Sucuri Sitecheck
Wordfence Plugin
Wordfence Security Learning Center

Backups:

Schedule regular backups with the Updraft Plus Plugin, or sign up for a care plan and I will handle that for you.

Call-to-Action:

Hubspot: Great Call-to-Action Examples

Passwords:

Password Dos and Don’ts

Learn How to Code:

Use Chrome DevTools or Firefox Developer Tools
Command Line for Beginners
KnowTheCode.io
Code School
Lynda.com
W3 Schools CSS Tutorials

Editing a WordPress Theme

Studiopress Beginner’s Guide
Customizing with Chrome Inspector
Compare two files side by side with diffnow.com

Getting started with Squarespace

Getting started with Squarespace
Choosing the right Squarespace template

Facebook:

See how your Share will look on Facebook
Tips for Uploading Photos to Facebook

Questions, Comments, Projects?