Tips Tuesday – WordPress Updates, Audience Research, Video Money

Tips this week include:

• Update on Tips Tuesday Plus
• WP 6.5.4 release
• WP 6.6 Beta 1 release
• React JS 19 upgrade
• What does your audience want?
• Easy videos that make money

BlogAid Happenings

This past week I was busy getting the new EZ Metrix membership set up, and I’m doing things a little differently on the backside with it, so that’s taking a bit more time to investigate and ensure I’ve got all the settings right and such. 

And I’m putting together a list of all the things I want to show you in a live webinar so you can see this thing in action. I know you’re going to be WOWED by it!

Theme Switches Going Well

In the meantime, I’ve been testing out the new theme switches from Genesis to Kadence on the 2 BlogAid member sites. There were only some small differences in how the 2 themes handle some of the special styling I use, and we worked that out. And it’s not likely that you’ll even notice, as we are keeping the same layout and styles, just changing the underlying framework.

We’ll be making the switch soon and I’ll send out a heads up to members to let you know what day, as the sites will be in maintenance mode.

Getting the Last of Spectra Removed

Last week I got down to the last 3 pages that have Spectra on them on the Heartwood Art site. 

I had Spectra on nearly every page and post of that site and it just came down to putting butt in seat for a week to get it removed and swapped over to native WP blocks as much as possible.

On 2 of these last 3 pages, I ran into an issue.

I met with Michelle Phillips of Codefetti to help me style the Post/Grid block in the Kadence Blocks Pro plugin. I just couldn’t seem to make it look the way I wanted, and she was able to guide me through the settings I needed. 

The style settings are a little more complex on Kadence things than with Astra/Spectra. And that lack of intuitive configuration is likely why Astra/Spectra is more popular than Kadence.

But, the fact that Kadence is very measured in what they do, and that they don’t go after every shiny new thing or try to get too far ahead of what WP can support is why they will remain far more stable than Astra/Spectra.

Not to mention that their support is stellar and very responsive.

So, I feel very confident that I’ve made the right decision with this swap from Genesis themes and out of Spectra Blocks too.

Update on Tips Tuesday Plus

Last week I notified my Tips Tuesday Plus subscribers that the paid subscription version will be ending this winter.

I closed the availability to purchase last week.

Here’s why.

Back when I started the special subscription, it looked like there was going to be an endless stream of AI in WordPress things to test. And I simply could not take on all that extra testing for free.

It’s been over a year now since AI hit the scene and I believe the AI innovation, as far as WordPress is concerned, is over.

All the new tools fall into the same 4 categories now:

• Site and page builders
• Content writing/editing and AI image generation with a ChatGPT integration
• SEO improvement
• E-comm product listings

And every one that I have tested has been a big NO for us to use.

It’s not that AI is bad to use.

It’s that integrating it with your WP site is not good.

And I’ll tell the folks who are using these tools – spammers who are cranking out junk AI generated posts in bulk or junk e-comm sites.

So, I just don’t see the point in testing every new plugin/tool that comes along now, as all of them are just a slight variation of what’s already out there.

I will continue to deliver exclusive content to Tips Tuesday Plus subscribers through the end of October, as that’s when the majority of subscriptions will expire.

THANK YOU so much for supporting the helpful content you receive from BlogAid, and for all of the emails you have sent saying that you’d be willing to continue paying for a subscription, and even pay more than what was asked.

I may investigate some type of Donate button that integrates with my regular business PayPal account or such. And I appreciate all of the tips/gifts that some of my clients send too. 

It takes a LOT of time to just read the news every week, and then curate what you need to know as a site owner to keep ahead of the curves.

I appreciate your support more than you know!!!!!

WordPress Tips

WordPress 6.5.4 Released

A maintenance release for WP rolled out last week. It was mainly bug fixes.

And it should have been an auto update for you.

WordPress 6.6 Beta Released

The Beta 1 of WP 6.6 is out and ready for testing.

One of the new features I’m excited about is an improvement to the Grid block, which allows you to show your latest posts.

We’ve always had to use specialty block plugins to have any real styling features on the Grid block. 

Y’all know I wanted to use native WP blocks as much as possible as I was removing Spectra from my sites. But that Grid block in WP was just yuck. So was the free Kadence Block one. In fact, I had to use the Kadence Block Pro version to get the same styling that I had with the free Spectra Blocks plugin as I’m replacing it, and as I mentioned, I still need help getting that one to look like I want it to. 

So, the Grid block improvements in WP 6.6 will be the first thing I’ll be checking out.

The final release will be on July 16 and I’ll have a full report on all the new features for you.

I’ll also be sending my site audit Hub members and my Webmaster Training members special instructions for updating when I feel it is safe for us to do so.

React JS 19 Upgrade

WP core code relies on several coding languages including HTML, PHP, and JS (JavaScript). 

And each of those languages is constantly being improved.

When WP 6.6 releases, it will also ship with an updated JavaScript library. 

Of all the various JS languages, WP chose to use React JS, mainly for Gutenberg related stuff, and it will be updated to version 19 in this next release.

In that updated version, several functions are being deprecated, which will primarily affect plugins, but may impact some themes too.

I’ve already started seeing a slew of plugin updates rolling through in the last week or so.

I expect to see many more just prior to and just after the WP 6.6 release too.

This is just one more reason why we are not the first to update with a major WP release, and why I send special instructions for it.

Monetization Tips

What Does Your Audience Want?

The Tilt recently did a profile on Amy Porterfield.

Most every blogger knows her and many have taken her courses.

As successful as she is now with running an 8-figure business, it wasn’t always that way, especially in the beginning of her sales journey.

I’d like to invite you to read the whole short article.

And this is the key point that helped her turn things around:

“I started to pay really close attention to what my audience needed: reading their comments on my blog, paying attention to their questions and stories, and uncovering their fears, challenges, and hopes.”

Most of the time I think I know what my audience wants and needs. But I’ve sent several surveys over the years that returned surprises too.

That has EVERYTHING to do with why I do a mini consult during the live chat to go over a site audit report.

I want to know what my clients are up to, what new things they are thinking about adding or changing, and then I pour on the ideas to help them get there.

The main thing is, having interaction with your audience is the key.

You’re in sales, no matter what type of online business you run.

As a blogger, you’re selling information, maybe in exchange for ad revenue.

By knowing your audience, you can create the type of posts that keep them coming back for more. That’s how you build tribe.

It’s so much more profitable to do everything you can to gain a loyal audience of repeat readers than it is to get new eyeballs on your content.

Because I have live feedback from both my site audit clients and webmasters, I know what needs they have or what they are struggling with.

That’s where every one of my tutorials and courses come from – things I KNOW my audience needs.

That’s where Amy’s courses came from – she listened to her audience.

So, if you’re still just broadcasting to the ethers and hoping who knows who will read your posts, it’s time to change your mindset and talk TO your audience not AT your audience.

Start becoming invested in their success, and they will return that favor.

Easy Videos That Make Money

TikTok has been doing everything it can to lure big YouTube creators to their platform.

But one important thing has been missing – the money.

YouTube just pays more, especially for long-form content.

So, the execs at TikTok were finally convinced to open the purse strings and there are FAR more folks making money on TikTok now than ever before – like $400-$600/mo in their first month!!

In fact, there is a new trend that’s helping them do it.

Let me tell you the details, and give you great examples of easy videos that you can make that don’t require you to speak, or need a bunch of editing so you can get in on all this money too!!!

Tips Tuesday Plus subscribers got the rest of this tip.