Lisa on TypePad

Featured on TypePad Services

2009-08-11T00:38:53-05:00

Thanks to Andy Wibbels, and the folks at TypePad, for featuring my blog design services at E.Webscapes on the official TypePad Services - Independent Experts page. It's an honor to be there, along with other vastly talented consultants and designers!

I've been designing custom TypePad (and Movable Type) blogs since 2002 - it's super to have my experiences and talents noticed by the folks at the top!

TypePad For Dummies

2009-08-10T23:44:51-05:00

Wiley Publishing is putting out yet another fantastic book on blogging technology from the '...For Dummies' series of books - I'm convinced that while other publishing companies try hard, Wiley really has cornered the market on getting quality, relevant books on various blogging technologies and methods. Everything from how to work with individual platforms to marketing and social media - - they get it.

This time around, the buzz is TypePad For Dummies - and it couldn't come at a better time, either! Having just recently put out a great new upgrade, TypePad has seen so many changes over the past few months, what a great way to celebrate their successful upgrade for their users than to have a big publishing giant like Wiley put out a book that is up to date with all the great new changes that TypePad users (new and old) will be able to benefit from.

Melanie from Blogging Basics 101 and Shannon from Rocks in my Dryer (great blog name, btw!) are co-authoring the TypePad For Dummies book, due to be released (according to Amazon.com) in March 2010. I don't know these ladies personally, but have recently corresponded with them and I'm supremely confident that the two of them will put out a solid reference to help TypePad users on their way to successfully publishing their own blog on the TypePad platform. Congratulations, Melanie and Shannon!

Small disclaimer: I am also an author for Wiley Publishing, with 2 books under my belt and 3 more coming in the next year and half! Wiley doesn't give me any pats on the back for posts like these -- I do it on my own because in the last 3 years, I've grown quite fond of the company and the people I've worked with there. I happen to know that they are very tuned into new media and their publishers and execs work hard every day to stay informed and up to date with their ear actively to the ground on what users of the vast amounts of internet, blogging and social media technology their readers hunger for.

I'm looking forward to TypePad For Dummies coming out - it will be a very valuable reference guide for several of my clients!

10 Fabulous TypePad Design Finds

2009-05-18T15:18:49-05:00

Thought I'd do a little digging around the web to see if I couldn't find some examples of TypePad blogs sporting some great custom design work. There are so many default TypePad templates that are very easy for you to use on your blog. Right out of the box, they are functional and look nice. However, sometimes a blogger will put in that extra effort with Custom CSS or Advanced templates to really create a template for their TypePad blog that is outside the standard norm. I surfed around and found these - if you have a one, or more, to share that you know of - please do!

Heather Bailey - a bright and vibrant design with a touch of retro fun and lots of girly!

Gentlemen Prefer Blogs - A fun design done around the theme of an old time Private Detective, complete with the mysterious blonde.

Tigerprint - While a main portion of their design is still signature TypePad standard style, they've done a great job with the header and some of the sidebar link buttons, bringing together a really nice look and brand.

Mercedes Benz Dealer News - a clean and professional site designed on Typepad with a sleek feel, kind of like a Mercedes - - sleeeeeeeek!

Barefoot in the Grass - a nicely done blog design on TypePad with a touch of whimsy and rustic. Looks like they are using a standard TypePad template, but overlayed it on a really nice rustic woodgrain background with a simply too cute to be true header graphic.

Nostalgia Organics - a bright and springy blog design using a standard TypePad template with some custom CSS and custom graphic design. Cute!

Dollar Short - SixApart's own Mena Trott has a very cute custom design on her TypePad blog - lots of fun and whimsy!

Cadbury FairTrade - and who doesn't like chocolate? This fun design was built on a TypePad blog by Cadbury Milk Chocolate to announce their decision to gain the Fair Trade Certificate by the end of the summer.

Aliblog - these guys have a TypePad blog design that is branded per their main companies website. Lots of great color and nicely formatted.

ROXY - talk about colorful and fun! Their style incorporates their brand on this business blog.

And there you have it - 10 designs on TypePad that I came across that caught my eye. Do you have a few to share? Please do!

Putting Twitter on your TypePad blog

2009-05-18T03:23:53-05:00

Did you know that Twitter has a widget for you and that it is incredibly easy to add it to your TypePad blog? It's true - it ain't no rumor! If you're a Twitter user (let's face it - who isn't a Twitter user?) - you are already expanding your online presence outside the walls of your blog. Why not bring that conversation into your blog and increase your visibility and exposure to new readers and visitors? It's also a great way to include a "Microblog" on your blog on those days you're having that 'not so fresh feeling' and just want to blog in blurbs. Anyway, I digress ...

Have a visit to Twitter's Widget page and see! (ahem - you apparently need to be logged into your Twitter account in order to view the widgets page) - Click the TypePad tab:

Then, click the "Continue" button and you are presented with just a few options for configuring your Twitter display on your website. Select the number of Twitter updates you'd like to display, along with the title of that section of your site. You can see in my right sidebar, I've chosen to display 10 of my last Twitter updates under the title of "OnTwitter".

When you've chosen your options - and are using a standard TypePad theme (a/k/a not advanced templates) - simply click the "Install Widget on TypePad" button and you're off and running.

For those of you, like me, who are using TypePad's Advanced Templates, there is a little bit more work involved...but it's easy cheesy! Just copy the code they give you after you click teh "View the code" link. Paste it into your template at the spot you'd like it to appear and save. That's it. I chose to publish my Twitter feed in my sidebar, which you can see over there on the right side of the page. My Twitter updates are currently displaying 6 updates, but I can change that easily enough, anytime I want to, in the code provided by Twitter (and change I probably will, so no fair pointing out 6 months from now that I'm now displaying 16 instead of 6, deal?)

Here's the code snippet:

In that last line of the script that says "count=6" - - change the number 6 to whatever number of updates you'd like to display in your sidebar. I said it was easy, right? I wasn't lying!

*Hot Twitter Widget Tip - - sometimes the Twitter.com website has been known to have some technical difficulty, and as such - having their script on your site could potentially slow down the loading of your site, which is never a good thing! To avoid this (for advanced template user only!), take those last two lines that start with < script > and end with < /script > and copy and paste them into the bottom of your site - in the footer, if you will, before the ending < /body > tag. This will ensure that your site loads properly, despite any current performance problems Twitter is currently experiencing. Why the bottom? Simple: your site content loads first, site scripts load last.

Consequently, you can follow me on Twitter @LisaSabinWilson ;)

A Review of TypePad's beta features

2009-05-17T17:13:00-05:00

I've been a TypePad user since 2004. That fact surprises some people, because I am somewhat known as a WordPress girl. True, I do a lot of work in the WordPress community helping users customize their blog through design and custom development. A little fact that gets lost, however, is that I have also been helping users in the TypePad and Movable Type community with the same thing, for a lot longer! Since 2002, I've been working with TypePad and Movable Type blog design - and I actually have SixApart to thank for really helping me get my start in the blog designing world.

I've had this TypePad account since 2004 and have used it, mainly, to provide a staging site, of sorts, for my clients. Once I have finished their design, I load it onto my TypePad site so that they are able to preview the work, live, in their own browser. They can click around, see how things look and feel - even do their own browser testing, etc - once we've agreed that it looks perfect on my TypePad account, I transfer it over to their Typepad account and they are off and running!

Admittedly, I have not been a *blogger* on TypePad, until now. It's been hard for me to maintain more than one blog, so I always kept it in one place up until this point. The fact that I've not been an active blogger on TypePad does not take away from the fact that I am intimately familiar with the inner workings of the TypePad interface, features and functions...I am very familiar and experienced with it, after years of working with it.

When I met with the SixApart folks at Blog World Expo last year, in Las Vegas, I sat down with them and listened to their plans for the upcoming user interface changes that TypePad users could expect. It was exciting, to say the least, because the user interface was in drastic need of an overhaul - - the users needed a better, easier and more intuitive interface to work with.

My main critique of TypePad, over the years, is that the interface makes it more complicated than it needed to be for users. Too much unnecessary clicking around, making features difficult to find.

I have written several TypePad user documents for my clients, in an attempt to make it easier for them to work with, and navigate around, the user interface in order to do what they needed to do with their blogs. I have so many of these little documents that I've done, I could compile them into a book!

Wait a minute. . . I am writing a TypePad book...more about that in a later post...

This brings me to a little mini review of the Beta preview of TypePad. I am one of the lucky ones to be on the Beta team to test out the new features and facelift of TypePad. My first impression of the Beta interface can be summed up in one word: BRAVO!

Middle of the Road...

The first thing I noticed when I switched over to the TypePad Beta - - it's CENTERED! Everything is centered on your screen, no matter what screen resolution you are on. This is huge - at least for me, because, previously, in larger resolutions, everything was left-aligned. That was just one little annoying item for me..but maybe its because I'm a designer and I'm very visual. I like things centered on my web, that's all :)

Dashboard Paradise

I completely heart my new TypePad Dashboard, which is what you're met with when you first login to your TypePad account. It gives me all that I need at my fingertips. Quick links to my different Weblogs - that contain easy and convienent drop down links to the various areas of Weblog management (Posts, Pages, Comments, Design, Settings, etc). Additionally, through my TypePad Connect profile, I can follow certain users in the community and their activity is fed directly into my TypePad Dashboard, enabling me to stalk them and keep up to date on what they are doing!

Tabtastic!

TypePad has taken its (overly) complex menu system - their multiple rows of tabbed navigation, and packaged it neatly in one pleasant row of eye-pleasing tabs, with naming conventions that make sense to the user! All navigation links for your overall TypePad account is found in neat text links at the very top, green bar - - and all blog-specific links for your individual blog is found in neat tabs in the green bar.

Gone is the confusing two layered tabbed navigation - - one set of tabs on the right..one set of tabs on the left with account links at the top... it was workable..but confusing. The new menu navigation is such a vast improvement, it makes me want to dance!

Have a look at my Weblog Configuration page on the old TypePad interface design:

Now have a look at my Weblog Settings in the new TyepPad Beta:

A lovely improvement, no?

Inline Documentation

Throughout the TypePad interface, users will find little gems of helpful documentation and links that are relevant to where they are at in their Dashboard, currently. If I'm on the Design page - I find helpful links to the TyepPad Knowlege Base, which gives me all sorts of helpful resources on design.

Design Overhaul

The overall redesign of the TypePad user interface is clean, professional and easy to navigate. The visual design, itself, is simple and pleasing - - just as a user interface should be.

In judging a user interface, one of my first questions I ask is how many clicks does it take to get where I'm going? I would say that with the Beta interface, TypePad has decreased the number of times I have to click around. It may seem a small matter to some, but it's the little things that users don't notice that make it such a nice experience. For example, in your current TypePad Dashboard (the old design), if you want to manage your categories - it takes a total of three clicks - from the "Home" tab:

Click the name of the Weblog you want to manage
Click the "Configure" tab
Click the "Categories" link in the submenu

In the new interface, from the Dashboard, to manage your categories for a blog:

Click the "Settings" link from the drop down menu to the right of the blog name
Click the "Categories" link in the menu

More? In the new interface, it takes ONE click to get to the File Manager from the Dashboard:

Click the "File Manager" link from the "Library" drop down from the navigation links at the top

In the old version, it took two clicks:

Click the "Control Panel" tab
Click the "Files" tab in the submenu

(Note: would love to see users have the ability to upload more than one file at a time -- hint, hint!)

They've decreased it by one click - - small gesture, but it does make a difference whether users really notice it or not. When you start decreasing the amount of time and effort it takes to get to where you're going - - it makes maintaining and managing your blog a more efficient experience.

Overall Impressions

My overall impression of the new Beta features are extremely positive. This overhaul was a long time coming and it's apparent that the TypePad devs have put a lot of hard work and effort into the user experience. I'm excited to see this interface roll out for all users and to see what the impressions will be from users who have been on TypePad with the old interface - I would have to say it's is a vast and welcome improvement. Kudos TypePad!

From the TypePad Beta Blog: Getting ready for summer's biggest blockbuster: The All New TypePad

SixApart's Anil Dash Annnounces WordPress Plugins At WordCamp MidAtlantic

2009-05-16T16:03:00-05:00

TechCrunch has a piece on it: Not A Typo: Six Apart Opens Up Suite Of Products For Rival WordPress about Anil Dash's announcement at Saturday's WordCamp Mid-Atlantic that Sixapart has developed a plugin for WordPress users, as well as a 'whole bunch of powerful services available to WordPress users".( see SixAparts dedicated WordPress page.). Anil Dash, co-founder of SixApart, delivered a very captivating keynote at WordCamp Mid-Atlantic concerning social media, why we blog, and connecting across the social web.

The features include:

TypePad Anti-spam
TypePad Connect
SixApart Media integration
Blogs.com directory inclusion

Dash says that this move represents “baby steps” in Six Apart’s tentative first efforts to provide a suite of features and functionality to WordPress users. This a big deal, considering the long standing rivalry between the two blogging platforms. Last year, the two companies had a heated duel via company blog posts, Twitter and in TechCrunch comments.

In fact, TypePad Anti-spam has been included in the WordPress Plugin Directory since 2008 and, as of this date, has had 456 downloads, according to the Stats. WordPress is an open service, with and Open API that anyone can develop for.

Here is the video of Anil Dash talking about WordPress plugins and blogging:

WordPress founder, Matt Mullenweg, joined the conversation at TechCrunch, pointing out that TypePad users still have considerable difficulty exporting their blog from TypePad to WordPress, a legitimate point that has been previously discussed by other WordPress users. However, the announcement was not about the ability to export between platforms, but rather services and plugins that SixApart has to offer to the WordPress community.

It's very difficult to have a conversation about SixApart (Movable Type, TypePad and Vox) and WordPress without it digressing into a "battle of the blog platform" war chat. It is hard to get past the fierce rivalry, fueled by fierce user loyalty on either side of the fence.

However, if you take some time to listen to Anil's keynote at WordCamp MidAtlantic, it may not seem quite as contentious as the rivalry watchers would like:

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Part Four:

(Videos found via Insight Keynote)

Sashi Bellamkonda, of Network Solutions, posted his interview with Anil Dash on the Network Solutions blog:

The audience at Word Camp Mid-Atlantic drew a deep breath as Anil Dash, one of the co-founders of Six Apart a rival blogging platform delivered the keynote address. During the keynote he made a very sensational announcement. The screen lit up with a URL http://www.sixapart.com/wordpress which is like Microsoft having a place for Apple software on their website.

What Anil announced was that Six Apart is introducing plug-ins that word press and other blogging platform users can use TypePad AntiSpam, Six Apart Media, TypePad Connect, Blogs.com.

They are open source and FREE.

The other unconventional part of this announcement is that Six Apart decided to use a very grassroots Word Press event to make this sensational announcement instead of calling the New York Times, Washington Post or the Wall Street Journal. I took the opportunity to catch up with Anil Dash and interviewed him for this blog.

Matt Mullenweg also pointed out, as I have above, that "Everyone is welcome to develop for WordPress, and offering services has always gone both ways. The first non-WordPress plugin for Akismet 4 years ago was for MT, and our other services PollDaddy, IntenseDebate, and Gravatar are also used on MT and Typepad. Conversely, the Typepad Antispam plugin is in our directory"

Me, on TypePad!

2009-02-20T18:02:33-06:00

I've been blogging on the 'net for close to 10 years now - gosh, how old does that make me? I've explored several different blogging platforms from Movable Type, to WordPress... Expression Engine to TypePad. I run a very busy design studio at E.Webscapes where I provide custom design and consulting services to client across all major blog platforms - I figured it was time to open a TypePad blog of my own and follow along with the excitement and new things that TypePad is doing.

My main personal blog, currently powered by WordPress, can be found here at http://lisasabin-wilson.com

I've design several custom TypePad blogs for my clients, and like the process of being able to either use the Custom CSS feature or the Advanced Template option. My most recent project on a TypePad site was for the fine people with Alibaba.com. Alibaba started a blog on TypePad, called Aliblog, for suppliers, manufacturers, importers and exporters brought to you by the folks from the AliBaba Group, a Chinese-based e-commerce/auction company specializing in B2B (business-to-business) global trade that recorded over 23 million visitors in 2008, so far!

I really enjoyed doing that design for them.

I'm looking to use this blog as a TypePad resource, not only for myself to be come much more familiar with the application, but for my clients, as well. I'll be doing up a nice custom design for this site soon, too - - time to brush up on those TypePad design skills of mine!