Maker Spot

Using Google Analytics

Maker Spot — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:14:18 +0000

You can track how many visits your blog gets using Google Analytics. Here’s how.

1. Sign up for a Google Analytics account.

If you already have a Google account, it’s as simple as turning Google Analytics (GA) on. If not, go to http://www.google.com/analytics/sign_up.html and sign up for one.

2. Click Add new account

The next step is to add an account and url to track.

Click the "Add new Account" link.

3. Click “Sign Up”

On the next page, click the "Sign Up" button to continue with your account setup.

3. New Account Signup

Add your websites URL like the one I have here. Assign an account name, and set your Time zone preferences.

Click continue.

4. Contact Info

Add your contact information.

Click continue

5. Agree to terms of service

Read through the terms of service, accept terms of service and continue.

6. Copy your Unique code

You are presented with the tracking code to put on your website.

You only need the UA-XXX code (shown above). Copy or write down that number, and use it in the next step.

7. Open the Google Analytics plugin from your Wordpress Dashboard

Open t he Google Analytics plugin under "Settings"

8. Insert UA Code and save

Alrighty, just input your UA code, and click "Save Changes"

Google analytics will now track visits to your site!

10 Ways Maker Spot will help you sell more on Etsy

Maker Spot — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:44:32 +0000

1. Provide you with an online presence bigger than Etsy.com

Having a Maker Spot blog is an ideal solution for adding flavor and personality to your Etsy business through your own website. With dozens of themes to choose from, you can express yourself and your interests so that potential buyers can get to know you. It also provides one more avenue of visibility for your Etsy shop.

2. Save time

Running a business is hard and time is not something you have extra of. With Maker Spot your blog is easily setup in minutes. Also, when you update your Etsy store, your website is automatically updated soon after. And if you have any trouble, simply email support@makerspot.com and we’ll help out.

3. Grow your online presence and brand

Your Maker Spot blog is automatically optimized for search engines so your links will start showing up in Google, Yahoo and other places people go to find stuff online.

We also help you integrate all of your other social media like Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

4. Unify your storefront

Our theme “A Lot like Etsy” feels like Etsy in a lot of ways, enabling your visitors to have a smooth transition from your Maker Spot blog to your Etsy store. Thus providing a unified storefront that looks and feels much the same.

5. Get detailed

If you put up a new item you’re particularly excited about, you can describe it in detail with a new post. You can also add pages that describes what services you can perform, or care instructions for your products. Whatever information you need to provide, you can easily do it with Maker Spot.

6. Make your Etsy items visible to any of your website’s visitors

With the Etsy items integration into your sidebar, your Etsy items, descriptions and prices are always available to your blog’s visitors. This way, potential buyers get an “at-a-glance” view of what your store offers.

7. Integrate Multimedia

Maybe you’d like to upload a video tutorial for a promotional purposes, we provide a plugin for that.

8. Create a community

With a Maker Spot blog, you can get feedback from users by using the comments feature. It’s fun to have visitors comment on your posts. People will return to your site when they feel that they can become involved in some way.

9. Post Customer-Specific content

With a Maker Spot blog, you can password protect a page or a post, so if you don’t want the public viewing something, and you only want your customers to view the page, simply password protect the page, and that’s that. It’s easy using our tutorials.

10. Have your own domain.

At Maker Spot, we provide you with the ability to have your blog appear as a .com, so you don’t have to use our subdomains if you don’t want. Our standard url theme is username.makerspot.com, but if you already own a .com, use that instead.

Setting a Static Home Page

Maker Spot — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:31:43 +0000

This tutorial shows how to make your visitor’s landing page a static page instead of showing your blog posts first.

Add a Custom Blog Page

If you don’t want a Blog page, skip this step and move on to the next one.

To have a page titled “Blog” that will show in your main navigation, create a new page called “Blog”, you can leave the content empty, because it won’t be visible.

1. Navigate to Pages and click “Add New”.
2. Name it “Blog”
3. Click “Publish” (not on page) - if you need help, see the “Adding Pages” tutorial.

This page will now publish to your site…with nothing on it until…(next step)

Click “Reading”

Choose “Reading” from the Settings option in the sidebar.

Choosing to Display a static page

for Front Page displays - choose “A static page”

Then select below (next step)

Choose Pages

Now select what your front page will be. You can add a new page for this, or use an existing page. I chose the About page.

Next select what page you want your blog posts to show up on. I chose the page I created in step 1, which is Blog. If you chose not to have a blog page, leave this option as -Select-.

You can then select how many blog posts you want to show at one time, then click “Save Changes”. You’re done. Check out your site and you’ll see that the “Blog” page shows your blog posts, and the About page is your new front page.

Pat yourself on the back, you did a great job!

Win a 1 year Maker Spot account plus $20

Maker Spot — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:42:55 +0000

Do you have a Twitter account? Want to win a free year of Maker Spot ($150 value) plus have us spend at least $20 in your Etsy shop?

All you have to do is tweet a link to Maker Spot and you’re entered to win. Here’s a few specifics:

The link has to be http://makerspot.com. Don’t shorten it with tinyurl.com, bit.ly, etc.
Has to be tweeted by 5pm EST tomorrow (March 10th)
The free Maker Spot is transferable. If you don’t need it, give it to someone that does.
The winner will be randomly selected from everyone who enters.
Questions? DM or @makerspot on Twitter
Be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Tools and Settings

Maker Spot — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:06:15 +0000

Managing Plugins

Maker Spot — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:58:08 +0000

How to Activate / Deactivate your plugins.

Navigate to the Plugins Section

Under "Posts" in the sidebar, click on "Plugins"

Overview of the Plugins Panel

1. This screen provides you with the name/description of the plugin, the description tells you what the plugin does.

2. Action: This column allows you to Activate / Deactivate your plugins. Check out your plugins in the dashboard to find out which ones are already activated, and which ones are not. Plugins can really maximize your site’s funcionality.

Importing your entries from other blogs

Maker Spot — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:03:10 +0000

Using the handy import tool to bring in posts from another blog

Export from your current blog / journaling software

Export your items from your current blog software by using its export function. Each blogging software has it’s own export methods which you can probably find in their support pages.

Click on Import

Navigate to Tools > Import

Choose Software from which to import

Choose the blog / journal software from which you would like to import posts from the list.

Note: Since each software behaves differently, there are several different steps beyond this one. If you’re having a lot of trouble importing your entries, email support@makerspot.com.

Adding a Contact Form

Maker Spot — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:47:39 +0000

Using Contact Form 7 to add a contact form to your website

Open Contact Form 7 settings

Navigate to Tools > Contact Form 7

Overview of Contact Form 7

1. The code that is in the field under “Contact form 1″ will generate a generic contact form.

2. The form field shows the code that makes up the contact form.

3. You can see in the form, HTML elements are used to style the content form. The square brackets show the code for Contact Form 7. You can use the “Generate Tag” button to generate a field.

Lastly, to insert this into your page or post, just copy and paste the code from step #1 into your page (or post).

Modifying Settings > General

Maker Spot — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:25:47 +0000

Under your General Settings you can change the tite, tagline, email address and timezone, date format, and time format for your site.

Click on General Settings

Navigate to the "General" option under "Settings" in your Dashboard sidebar

General Overview

1. Blog Title: this is the name of your site that will appear in the header of your site.

2. Tagline: your tagline may be displayed under your site title in some themes.

3. Email address: the primary email address that site updates will come to and from.

4. Timezone: The adjustment from UTC / GMT time. You can find the correct time zone at http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/

5. Date Format: This is how your date/time will display.

6. Time Format: This is the way the time will display on your posts / comments.

7. Week Starts On: Changing this effects the calendar widget.

After you are satisfied with your changes, click "Save Changes" under option 7.

Note: Your changes will not take effect if you do not click "Save Changes"

Changing Your Design

Maker Spot — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:26:10 +0000