Mia Villano's Blog, page 46

The WordPress.com Referral Program: Encourage Others to Start a Website

All of us know interesting people with unique talents. Some have business ideas. Others write beautiful poetry. Some are inspired to make the world a better place. 

If they’re not online, they should be. If you’ve ever encouraged a friend or family member to create a blog, launch a podcast, or sell what they make online, the WordPress.com Refer-a-Friend program is your chance to help them get started.

How the referral program works

With the Refer-a-Friend program, you and people in your network can earn credits for your WordPress.com websites. When you invite friends, family, and colleagues — or even your own site visitors — to build a website, they’ll receive a US$25 credit toward a WordPress.com plan. (Note: referrals need to be new WordPress.com customers.)

Every time someone you refer purchases a plan, you receive a US$25 credit, too! The credit will be applied within two months after your referral signs up and makes an eligible purchase.

Under current pricing, a $25 credit offers more than 50% off the first year of a Personal plan and more than 25% off the cost of a Premium plan. Plus, your referrals also receive a free custom domain name for their first year.

Here’s how to start:

Log in to your WordPress.com account and go to Tools → Earn .Locate your unique referral link in the Refer-a-Friend section.Copy the link and share it via email, social media, or text message.



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Not sure what to say? When reaching out to a referral, tell them why you use WordPress.com and how you believe it will help them, too.

Want to send along some inspiration? Check out the websites and customer stories featured on Discover!

Unroll Your Twitter Threads Into WordPress

Have you ever written a Twitter thread, and then wished you could turn it into a blog post? You can now do it in seconds.

Writing Twitter threads, also known as tweetstorms, can be a great way to clarify your thoughts: keeping each paragraph under 280 characters forces you to focus on your message.

Threads are great for engagement and sudden bursts of inspiration. But when the thread is done, wouldn’t it be nice to have a quick way to capture the full conversation in one place — one page to read, one link to share, all your thoughts captured on a website you own?

Now, when you embed a tweet that’s part of a larger thread, you’ll see a new “Unroll” button on the block toolbar. Click or tap it to import the entire thread into your post.

Publish the whole thread as one easy-to-read post — and since WordPress has no character limit, add any extra thoughts that have popped up in the meantime!

Originally tweeted by WordPress.com (@wordpressdotcom) on July 17, 2020.

We hope you enjoy this new way to make your WordPress site the canonical place for everything you publish — leave a comment if you have any questions, suggestions for how we can make it easier for you to share content between your site and other platforms, or if you’d like to share a link to a post that started as a Twitter thread!

Expert Advice: Learn How to Podcast on WordPress.com

Podcasting isn’t just for professional broadcasters or celebrities. If you have a passion for a topic — no matter how niche — and want to explore your options beyond blogging and tweeting, consider launching a podcast! All you need to get started is a decent microphone and headset, an internet connection — and our next free webinar to learn the basics.

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2020
Cost: FREE
Time: 8:00 am PDT | 9:00 am MDT | 10:00 am CDT | 11:00 am EDT | 15:00 UTC
Registration link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/5115944218471/WN_DEIBungPRlSs4hIKhN6ezA
Who’s invited: Bloggers, business owners, and anyone else interested in starting a podcast.

Your hosts, expert podcasters and Happiness Engineers Richard and Damianne, have years of experience in podcasting, radio journalism, and of course, helping our users get the most out of their WordPress.com sites. They’ll walk you through the basics of hosting your podcast on WordPress.com and adding it to the most popular podcast directories. They’ll also share some tips and best practices on crafting a successful podcast.

Please note that to host audio files on a WordPress.com site, your site must be on the Premium, Business, or eCommerce plan.

The one-hour webinar will include a 45-minute presentation and 15 minutes of live Q&A. Dustin, one of our veteran Happiness Engineers and another longtime podcaster, will also be on hand to answer questions over Zoom chat during the webinar.

Seats are limited, so register now to save your seat. We look forward to seeing you then!

Celebrating Pride Month: Perspectives on Identity, Diversity, Communication, and Change

Throughout June, we’ve published a series of Q&As at WordPress Discover featuring members of the Automattic team. These conversations explore personal journeys; reflections on identity; and diversity and inclusion in tech, design, and the workplace. Here are highlights from these interviews.

“In a World That Wants You to Apologize or Minimize Who You Are, Don’t.”



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Gina Gowins is an HR operations magician on the Human League, our global human resources team. In this interview, Gina examines identity and language; communication and trust-building in a distributed, mostly text-based environment; and how her life experiences have informed her work.

I am particularly attached to the term queer as a repurposing of a word that was once used to isolate and disempower people — it was used to call people out as problematically different and other. From my perspective, there is no normal and no other; instead, we are all individual and unique. Identifying as queer allows me to take pride in my own individuality.

Language changes over time, and how we use language shapes our values and thinking. In a culture that is aggressively governed by heteronormative values and where it can still be dangerous and lonely to be LGBTQIA+ — such as the United States, where I live — defining myself as queer is also my small act of defiance. It is a reminder of the consistent fight for acceptance, inclusion, and justice that so many people face, and our inherent value and validity as humans.

Read Gina’s interview








“Reflect What Is Given, and In So Doing Change It a Little”



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Echo Gregor is a software engineer on Jetpack’s Voyager team, working on new features that “expand Jetpack’s frontiers.” In this conversation, Echo talks about gender identity, pronouns, and names; and how xer identity and experiences have impacted xer approach to development and work in general.

Earlier in my transition, I called myself “E” sort of as a placeholder while I pondered name things. One late night, on the way home from a party, I had a friend ask if they could call me Echo, as it was the callsign equivalent for “E.” I immediately fell in love with the name, and gradually started using it more and more, until I made it my legal name.

I like that it’s simple and doesn’t have many gendered connotations in the modern world. I also appreciate it’s mythological origin! In the myth, Echo was a mountain nymph cursed by the goddess Hera — to be unable to speak, and only repeat the last words said to her.

I think there’s a lot of parallels in our world to that idea. We’re part of systems that are so much bigger than us that it’s rare any one of us can be loud enough to bring meaningful change, to speak new words. But echoes don’t perfectly repeat things. They reflect what is given, and in so doing change it a little. I like to try and live up to that by bringing a bit of change to the world, not by being the loudest, but by reflecting things back in my own way.

Read Echo’s interview








“Living My Life Freely and Authentically”



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Mel Choyce-Dwan is a product designer on the theme team. In this Q&A, Mel tells us how she got involved with the WordPress community through a previous WordCamp, about her observations of tech events as a queer designer, and about the importance of inclusive design.

Show a lot of different kinds of people in your writing and your imagery, and don’t make assumptions. Talk to people from the communities you’re representing if you can, or read about their own experiences from their perspectives. Don’t assume you know better than someone else’s lived experience. When in doubt, talk to people.

And don’t just talk to people about how your product should work, talk about how it shouldn’t work. Talk about how people think others could hurt them using your product. People of marginalized identities often have stories of being harassed, stalked, or abused on the web. We need to think about how our products can be used for harm before — not after — the harassment.

Read Mel’s interview








“Every Person and Voice Has the Opportunity to Be Heard”



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Niesha Sweet, a people experience wrangler on the Human League, says she feels like she was destined to work at Automattic. In this final interview, Niesha reflects on her Pride Month traditions and what she finds most rewarding about her HR work.

I would say that we all have to apply an additional level of empathy, understanding, and openness when working together. Just with communication alone — English is not the first language for some Automatticians, and some cultures’ communication style is direct. Assuming positive intent and having an additional level of empathy for one another allows us to effectively communicate with each other, while also appreciating our differences. 

The reward that comes with our diverse workforce is that every person and voice has the opportunity to be heard. Impostor syndrome is real, so some Automatticians may not feel as though they can share their ideas with anyone at the company, but we truly can. Our level of diversity is truly outside of what the typical company is aiming to achieve. That’s not to say we’re not looking to hire more diverse Automatticians, or increase our workforce with non-US hires, but we’re not limited by age, sexual orientation, race, and gender identity. Diversity has a different meaning in a lot of the countries where we have Automatticians, and that alone is rewarding. 

Read Niesha’s interview

Learn more about diversity and inclusion at Automattic. We’re currently hiring — apply to work with us!

Editing and Enhancing Images in the WordPress Apps

The WordPress app on your Android or iOS device is your companion wherever you go. Manage your site, write and publish, and even add images to your posts — from anywhere you are. Oftentimes, the most engaging posts include visuals, like the photos you take on the go: pictures from last week’s walk, snapshots of your afternoon picnic, or portraits of the family with your puppy.

Have you ever needed to edit your images on your phone? Maybe the lighting wasn’t quite right, or the framing and composition were off. You can now make small retouches right in the WordPress app, like cropping, rotating, and even adding a filter to change the mood of your photos.

Editing photos

You now have the option to edit an image. If your photo is already in the post, tap it, then tap the icon in the top right corner and select Edit. When you’re finished editing the image, tap Done and the previous image will be replaced with the new one.

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If you’re adding a new image, you can edit it before inserting it into the post. For example, add a Gallery Block, tap Add Media, and select Choose from your device. Select one or multiple photos, then in the bottom left corner, tap Edit. Edit your image, tap Insert, and that’s it!

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If you’re offline, you can still add, edit, and insert new images to a post. 

Making small adjustments

Need to adjust or enhance an image? You can now rotate a photo or crop the borders:

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Adding a filter or drawing over an image

If you’re using the iOS app, you can apply a filter to your picture:

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And if you have iOS 13 or later, you can also draw over an image, either with your finger or with your Apple Pencil:

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We’re thrilled about these new updates to the Media Editor! Let us know what you’d like to see in upcoming versions. We’d love to hear your feedback.

Expert Advice: Manage Your Site on the Go Using the WordPress Mobile Apps

For many people, the go-to tool for updating a website is a laptop or desktop computer. Did you know, though, that the computer you carry around in your pocket has as much power as the one on your desk? The WordPress mobile apps are packed with features that make it possible to manage your site no matter where you are.

Want to become a WordPress app pro? Register for our next webinar, “WordPress Mobile: Your site. Your inspiration. Anywhere.” We’ll be sharing bite-sized tips that will transform the way you manage your site and connect with your audience. 

Some of the topics we’ll cover include:

How to create a site from your phone.Using stats on the mobile app for a deep dive into your site’s performance. Leveraging the activity log to keep an eye on what’s going on around your site.The recently introduced WordPress editor and the ways it has revolutionized mobile content creation. Starter page templates and how they can jump-start your page designs.How to use the WordPress.com Reader to find new content and expand your site’s audience. Making the most of real-time notifications and alerts.

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Time: 10:00 a.m. PDT | 11:00 a.m. MDT | 12:00 p.m. CDT | 1:00 p.m. EDT | 17:00 UTC
Cost: Free
Registration link

Eli Budelli and I will be your hosts — we work on the WordPress mobile apps, so you’ll be learning and sharing with the people who are crafting your mobile experiences. No previous knowledge using our mobile apps is necessary, but we recommend a basic familiarity with WordPress.com and installing the WordPress app to ensure you can make the most from the webinar. The session will cover both iOS and Android, last about 40 minutes, and conclude with a Q&A session (15-20 minutes), so start writing down any questions you may have, and bring them with you to the webinar.

Attendee slots are limited, so be sure to register early to save your seat! But if you can’t make it, we’ve got your back. A recording of the webinar will be uploaded to our YouTube channel a few days after the event.

See you then!

Enjoy a Smoother Experience with the Updated Block Editor

Little details make a big difference. The latest block editor improvements incorporate some common feedback you’ve shared with us and make the editing experience even more intuitive than before.

We’ve also updated the categories we use to organize blocks, so you can find exactly what you need, fast. Read on to learn about recent changes you’ll notice next time you open the editor.

Move on quickly after citations and captions

Have you ever felt as if you were stuck inside a block after adding a citation? Now, when you hit Enter or Return at the end of the citation, you’ll be ready to start typing in a new text block.

[image error]Quotes were a bit sticky…

[image error]Much smoother now!

Quotes, images, embeds, and other blocks now offer this smoother experience. It’s a small change that will save you a little bit of time, but those seconds add up, and less frustration is priceless.

Streamlined heading selection

Another subtle-yet-helpful change we’ve introduced is simplified heading levels. Before, the block toolbar included a few limited options with additional ones in the sidebar. Now, you can find all available heading levels right in the block toolbar, and adjust the heading directly from the block you’re working on. (For even more simplicity, we’ve also removed the dropdown in the sidebar.)

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Select a parent block with ease

Working with nested blocks to create advanced page layouts is now considerably smoother. Some users told us it was too difficult to select a parent block, se we’ve added an easier way to find it right from the toolbar. Now it’s a breeze to make picture-perfect layouts!

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Filter your latest posts by author

Sites and blogs with multiple authors will love this update: you can now choose a specific author to feature in the Latest Posts block.

To highlight recent articles from a particular writer, just select their name in the block’s settings.

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Renamed block categories

Finally, the next time you click the + symbol to add a new block, you’ll notice new, intuitive block categories that make it both easier and faster to find just the block you’re looking for.

What’s new:

TextMediaDesign

What’s gone:

CommonFormattingLayout



You keep building, we’ll keep improving

Thank you for all your input on how the block editor can be better! We’re listening. If you have more ideas, leave a comment below.

Earn Money on Your WordPress.com Website with Premium Content and Paid Newsletters

Make money while you build an engaged following for your website: use the WordPress.com Premium Content block to create monthly and yearly paid memberships that give followers access to the premium content of your choice – text, photos, videos, and more. You can now automatically deliver your new premium posts right to subscribers’ inboxes as a paid newsletter!

Anything that you can publish on a WordPress.com site with a block can become part of your premium content offering. Summer recipes, podcasts, fitness instruction videos, photography portfolios, music samples, access to digital downloads, poetry, political remarks —  people on WordPress.com include all of that and more in Premium Content blocks, and they make money for sharing their expertise.

Premium Content block examples

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Premium Content memberships also offer you a new way to engage your most engaged fans. Create membership tiers with different costs and content access levels. Craft targeted messaging for each one. Want to send special emails and offers or ask for suggestions about what kind of content you might create next? You control what content and messaging goes to your paying members via Premium Content blocks.

You focus on creating amazing content. We’ll handle the credit and debit card payment processing, reporting, and providing the right access for paying members to view your premium content or get your newsletters.

Launch your first membership



To use Premium Content blocks, you’ll need a WordPress.com website with any paid plan — Personal, Premium, Business, or eCommerce.Create a new page or post, and add a Premium Content block.



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To set up your first paid membership or subscription, create a Stripe account (if you don’t have one already). Stripe is the company we’ve partnered with to process credit and debit card payments in a safe, secure, and speedy way.



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Set the cost of the membership and decide whether people will pay monthly or yearly. Want to offer multiple kinds of memberships with access to different kinds of content? Add separate Premium Content blocks for each one to create multiple membership options.



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Add content that’s included with this particular membership to the Premium Content block. You’ll add content using blocks, and can add as many blocks within the Premium Content block as you like.To let followers opt into receiving new premium content via email, turn on the “Posts via email” option in your paid membership plan settings. Your membership payments are processed by a WordPress.com feature called Recurring Payments, which powers seamless credit and debit card processing for the Premium Content block.



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And just like that, you’re a membership organization! Share your new membership offerings with your network — social media, email, and word of mouth are all great places to start — and start building your following along with your stable, recurring revenue.

Support the Fight Against Inequality: Resources and Ways to Act

The past few months have been tiring for everyone. As the coronavirus spread across the globe, most of us thought that we were going to live with the uncomfortableness of shelter-in-place for a few months before things could return to normal. We thought that what would consume most of our free time was TikTok videos, Animal Crossing, Netflix, and maybe a reignition of hobbies. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.

Fast-forward to today. Society has not returned to normal and instead, we have had more time to engage on the topic of race on a global scale — specifically, how unfairly Black Americans are treated in American society.

We are not only bearing witness to how disproportionately the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Black and Brown Americans, we are seeing the injustices and violence Black Americans face daily in an amplified manner. Whether it’s having the cops called on you following a simple and reasonable request in the park, going jogging in your neighborhood, or being asleep in your own home, the world is watching and finally responding to these injustices. From Eric Garner to George Floyd, the list of people we grieve over is far too long.

We are hurt, confused, frustrated, angry, and just tired.

We are tired but never done.

How can you support your Black colleagues and friends?



Give them a bit more time, space, and compassion.Understand that some of them are whiplashed and at a loss for what to do.Let them come to you with causes you can support.Collectively agree on a way of showing wordless support, like an emoji for example: [image error][image error]



How can you support this movement?

Understand that this movement is not history, nor will it soon be over. We need to fight for equality until life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are available for all.

Here is a list of places you can amplify, donate to, or sign petitions for change:

Donate

Donate to any of these organizations and petitions to show support and help advance the agenda for equal representation and justice.

Nationwide Bail FundReclaim the BlockBlack Visions CollectiveThe Official GoFundMe of George Floyd’s FamilyJustice for Regis Official FundEqual Justice InitiativeNAACP Empowerment ProgramBlack Lives Matter Network



Sign

Sign any of these petitions to show support for change and accountability in our judicial system.

Color of Change PetitionOfficial Petition for Breonna Taylor Justice for Tony McDade PetitionJustice for Ahmaud Arbery PetitionJustice for George Floyd Petition



Do

Call, tweet, and send posts on your social networks to your elected state or local officials and demand equal justice today.

Educational resources

Dedicate time to learn more deeply about institutionalized racism in America, and how to safely take action against it.

This Anguish and Action post from the Obama Foundation includes a “Get Informed” section with anti-racism articles and resources.This detailed list of anti-racism resources includes articles, books, TV shows, and movies.This post by Barack Obama reflects on how to make this moment the turning point for real change.This Anti-Defamation League guide offers practical tips on how to engage young people in conversations about race and racism.This post compiles resources and links on ways to support and fight for an anti-racist future together. Just Mercy is an important read by lawyer and Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson.



Mental health resources



Ethel’s Club – A Black-owned and -operated social club that offers access to Black therapists and a multitude of creative events for People of Color. Crisis Text Line – A different approach to crisis intervention, Crisis Text Line offers you help when you text 741-741. You’ll be able to chat with someone who is willing to listen and provide you with additional resources.Shine Text –  A Black-owned self-care app through which you can sign up to receive cheerful texts and tips every day. Therapy for Black Girls – A Black-owned directory to help you find Black therapists in your area. BEAM Community – A Black emotional and mental health collective committed to the health and healing of Black communities.Self-Care Tips for Black People Who Are Struggling With This Very Painful Week – A resource on VICE with tips that may provide a bit of relief.



Tips for protesting



Knowing your rights – An indispensable resource from the ACLU.How to protest safely and legally – Remember to wear a mask in order to protect yourself!How to help someone who’s been tear-gassed



Lastly, let’s celebrate solidarity and beauty when we see it:



The international community is watching and protesting alongside us across the globe.Protesters doing the cupid shuffle.Protesters take a knee and raise their fists in Upper East Side, New York.Protesting in Harlem, New York.In New York City, chief police officer kneels with protesters.

Stay safe out there!

Not Sure How to Get Your Blog Off the Ground? Join Our New Workshop.

Starting a blog is easy and free on WordPress.com. But what if you’re new to blogging? If you need guidance on best practices, actionable tips on how to grow your audience and find inspiration to write, and constructive feedback from experts and fellow bloggers, you should join us at Blogging: From Concept to Content. It’s a three-day, hands-on, intensive workshop that will take you from “I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing?” to “I’m a blogger!”

Date: June 16–18, 2020
Time: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PDT | 8:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m. MDT | 9:00 am-1:00 pm CDT | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT| 14:00 – 18:00 UTC
Location: Online via Zoom and private blog
Cost: Early Bird Price — US$99 until 23:59 UTC on June 8, 2020. Regular price — US$179 from June 9 – June 15, 2020.
Register now: https://wordpress.com/blogging-basics-workshop/

Featuring guest speakers and WordPress.com experts in areas like content and writing, SEO, design, and digital marketing, the workshop will include daily assignments and interactive discussions. You’ll also have plenty of opportunities to interact directly with the instructors as well as with Happiness Engineers. At the end of the workshop, you’ll walk away with:

A ready-to-launch blog.An editorial calendar for the next 8–12 weeks.A well-stocked toolkit of tips and techniques to continue to develop your blog and grow its reach.Finally, and at least as important: a community of new blogging friends to learn from and grow with long after the workshop has ended.

We created this workshop for new bloggers who crave a structured, step-by-step approach to creating a blog that reflects their vision and voice, and who don’t want to waste time looking for answers all over the web. Be prepared to dive in and do the work! You won’t regret this investment, and you’ll be in great company.

Seats are limited to facilitate interaction between participants and instructors, so register now to save your slot. By registering this week, you’ll take advantage of our Early Bird Price of US$99 through June 8, after which the regular registration price of $179 will take effect.

See you then!