After reading many posts about WP here, I am convinced that using it will help me have a stellar website, in (almost) no time at all. However, I have a question about how to set it up:

My "split personality" of wanting to do editing and proofreading, virtual assistance, translation, and mapmaking is leading me down a path of having one overarching website (www.adminprofi.com) with a couple of subdomains, specifically editing.adminprofi.com and maps.adminprofi.com, and possibly one for a blog, too.

1. Is this a bad idea to begin with? and
2. If I do this, do I need to install WP in each subdomain's folder?

I'm reading Digging into WordPress, although I haven't reached the section on using WP as a CMS, which is my plan for the non-blog sections of the website, as well.

Thanks for your input!

Margretta

Well it depends on how you want to do it. If you want to have completely distinct sites, then you could do it that way, or think about setting up Wordpress Multisite, but I think you'd be better off just creating separate pages for each of the areas you wish to offer. You can still use subdomains if you want and have them point to your actual pages.

So editing.adminprofi.com would redirect to www.adminprofi.com/editing (or whatever you've called it).

My personal experience and thoughts on this, is you're going to be better off focusing on something specific and make mention of the other services you do offer. For example my main service is WordPress Customization and Coaching, but I also do a lot with email marketing and ecommerce.

Hopefully that's clear enough, give a shout out if you have more questions.

__________________
Renee Shupe, Become a Techie Virtual Assistant
eMail Marketing & Aweber Training Starts May 15! - Save 50% using VAFAweber

I echo what Renee suggests above. I have my Girly Girl Geek services on a subdomain with a stand alone WordPress installation and unique design, but they connect to one another in the navigation areas.

That said, with a premium theme like Headway, you can create individual pages on your main website with a totally different design, so even if you want a different look you don't necessarily have to go the sub-domain with separate WordPress installation route.

__________________
~Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage
& founder of VA Survival School

Thanks, Tina and Renee. It made a lot more sense once I figured out that WordPress is better at that now than it was the first time I tried it (about 3 years ago).

If you don't mind my asking another question along this same general area -- there is SO much information online, what would you say are the top 2, maybe 3, places you go for information about WordPress, other than the Codex? I'm really good at reading documentation and figuring things out, for any software, but so far when I search for my questions (and I haven't taken the time to read the Codex cover to cover yet), I find a lot of "not quite right" answers -- they answer the question, but not with enough detail for me.

I appreciate the tips!

Margretta

By the by, the thing I want to figure out how to do first is publish an index page that is not a blog page. I do know that is a "page" and not a "post" in WordPress, but I can't figure out how to make it into a home page, just to have something to test ideas/themes/widgets/etc...

Margretta

Hi Margetta,

Quote:

By the by, the thing I want to figure out how to do first is publish an index page that is not a blog page. I do know that is a "page" and not a "post" in WordPress, but I can't figure out how to make it into a home page, just to have something to test ideas/themes/widgets/etc...

To choose which page is your 'home' page (assuming you have created a page named 'home' or your theme comes with a default 'home' page):

Login to the backend of WordPress.

On the dashboard > on the left scroll down to the Settings area.

Under Settings click on Reading. On that page > 'Front page displays' > 'A static page (choose below)' then you can select what you want for your home page and your blog page.

HTH a bit,

__________________
Jules, SunRise Virtual Solutions - WordPress Customization & XHTML/CSS Web Sites

Sometimes the codex can be confusing or written from a highly technical point of view. WPBeginner and/or WP101 are a couple of sites I've seen recommended.

Originally Posted by mdevries

Thanks, Tina and Renee. It made a lot more sense once I figured out that WordPress is better at that now than it was the first time I tried it (about 3 years ago). If you don't mind my asking another question along this same general area -- there is SO much information online, what would you say are the top 2, maybe 3, places you go for information about WordPress, other than the Codex? I'm really good at reading documentation and figuring things out, for any software, but so far when I search for my questions (and I haven't taken the time to read the Codex cover to cover yet), I find a lot of "not quite right" answers -- they answer the question, but not with enough detail for me. I appreciate the tips! Margretta

__________________
~Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage
& founder of VA Survival School