Does Your Website Need a Makeover?

Extreme Makeover
Extreme Makeover Blog Edition (Image by Patrishe via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Did you notice?

Jane got a makeover!

That’s right, SeeJaneWriteBham.com has a new look! I hope you like it. Take a look around and let me know what you think.

Have you been wondering if it’s time for you to give your website or blog a makeover? Here’s how I knew it was time to revamp this website:

Are you bored? If you feel unmotivated and stuck in a blogging rut, revamping your site could give you the push you need to get back in the groove of posting regularly. Now that Jane has a new look, I’ll be updated the See Jane Write blog twice a week — every Tuesday and Thursday.

Does your website reflect your brand? People often refer to See Jane Write as a blog, but it is meant to be so much more. See Jane Write is a network and it’s a business. Our website needs to reflect that. Thus I moved SeeJaneWriteBham.com from Blogger to WordPress so it would have a more professional look. Also, SeeJaneWriteBham.com now has a static homepage and the blog is just a component of the site. And since a business’ list of contacts is one of its most important assets, the e-mail list signup form is one of the site’s most prominent features. I’m currently working on revamping SeeJaneWriteMagazine.com as well so that it will look more like a magazine than a blog and I’m hoping the new look will give me new inspiration.

Has the mission of your blog or business changed? This year I decided that See Jane Write will not only seek to serve women writers, but female entrepreneurs, too. A new look is a great way to signify this new focus.

Redesigning a website can be very expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. While I did spend a pretty penny on on getting help with the move from Blogger to WordPress, I only spent $79 on the design. I simply purchased a theme from Blu Chic , which specializes in WordPress themes for female entrepreneurs, and then I customized it.

Next, I plan to embark on a social media makeover. And then, I’m giving myself a makeover, too! Stay tuned!

 

Belk Fall Fashion Preview for Style Bloggers



Last month I had the opportunity to join several local style bloggers at a fall fashion preview event hosted by Arlene Goldstein of Belk. Goldstein, vice president of trend merchandising and fashion direction at Belk, was there to help us “find our fabulous,” which was the theme of the evening. She told us all about Belk’s style statements for the upcoming season and how best to rock these looks. The evening also gave me the chance to chat with a few Birmingham bloggers about their favorite fall fashion trends. 

If you’re a style blogger, here are three looks that should be on your radar for fall: 

Complex Simplicity 

This look is all about new proportions and shape shifts, Goldstein said. From oversized and boxy silhouettes to exaggerated sleeves and new age layering, this is an ultra modern look. Playing with textures is key while extreme coatings, metallic finishes, trapunto stitches, and new knits will ensure that your look is far from ordinary. Goldstein recommends sharpening this look with edgy accents, including statement jewelry in architectural shapes, structured handbags, sleek ankle boots, and the always-chic over-the-knee boots. 

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5 Reasons You Should Attend WordCamp Birmingham

wplogoblue

Jane needs a makeover.

In the next month or so SeeJaneWriteBham.com is getting a major redesign. Part of this website overhaul will include changing platforms: I’ll be moving See Jane Write from Blogger to WordPress.

For years I was fiercely loyal to Blogger. And even though last year I launched See Jane Write Magazine using WordPress.org and my portfolio website, Javacia.com, using WordPress.com, I still had a soft spot for Blogger. I couldn’t help it. It’s so easy to use and it’s the platform with which I started my very first blog.

Then I attended WordCamp.

WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences that cover various topics related to WordPress, the free and open source publishing software that powers over 75 million websites.

At last year’s WordCamp Birmingham, Sara Cannon — one of the event’s organizers and speakers — said something that was music to my ears: “You can do anything with WordPress.”

I was sold.

I have big plans for See Jane Write and most of those plans will rely on having an amazing website. And so I’m making the move.

This year’s WordCamp Birmingham is set for Saturday, August 16. I’ll be there, of course, and I would love to see some See Jane Write readers there too.

So I’m here to convince you to join me. This isn’t a sponsored post — WordCamp is paying me to sway you. I just really believe that whether you run your blog on WordPress or not, you could learn a lot from this event. (And you’ll get a cool t-shirt.)

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How to Write Good Restaurant Reviews

 food-blogging
Image by David Schiersner via Flickr/Creative Commons

It’s a good thing I’ve been exercising every day for the past seven months.

Birmingham Restaurant Week is coming up August 15-24 and I’ve been asked by the event organizers to visit and write about some of the participating restaurants. This is great news for my taste buds, but not-so-good news for my waistline. But I suppose I will have to make this sacrifice for my blog, right?

Birmingham Restaurant Week is a ten-day event that features some of Birmingham’s best locally-owned and operated restaurants, offering prix fixe menus and drink specials. Last night the Birmingham Art Museum played host to the Birmingham Restaurant Week Preview Party. I had a fabulous night with friends at this sold out event sampling dishes from The J. Clyde, Silvertron Cafe, Maki Fresh, Rusty’s Bar-B-Q, Dixie Fish Co., Davenport’s Pizza, Oscar’s at the Museum, and other participating restaurants.

 at-the-brw2014-preview-party
We’re smiling because we’d just had the bread pudding from Silvertron Cafe.

Birmingham Restaurant Week is a great chance to try new restaurants or visit old favorites and blog about your experiences. But when you’re penning your posts you want to have something more interesting and insightful to say than, “This dish was yummy!”

So I turned to food writer Jason Horn for help. Horn is a senior editor at Liquor.com and is the co-founder of FoodBlogSouth, the food blogging conference held annually in Birmingham. He’s also worked for CHOW.com, Cottage Living, Cooking Light, and VisitSouth.com, and his food writing has appeared in B-Metro, Birmingham magazine, and on MagicCityPost.com.

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6 Game Changers For Your Blog, Brand or Business

At See Jane Write’s Bloganista Mini-Conference our closing keynote speaker Megan LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme talked about things that were game changers for her blog and her business – things like better promoting her newsletter, getting a new logo, and moving into an office space.

For those of you who attended, my hope is that the Bloganista Mini-Conference was a game changer for you. I hope you left with the information and the inspiration you needed to take your blog, business, or writing career to the next level.

If you want to review some of the highlights from the conference, check out my recap post.

Here are six additional game changers for your blog, brand, or business.

1. Join See Jane Write. Over the next several months, most See Jane Write events will be for members only. If you don’t want to be left out, became an official member of See Jane Write today. Basic membership is only $25 per year. Click here for details.

2. Learn the game of golf. You may be thinking, “What on earth does golf have to do with my life as an entrepreneur?” Plenty. We all know that men make business deals out on the green. It’s time you join the boys club by picking up some clubs and learning to golf. Shella Sylla of SisterGolf is offering a $50 discount off her upcoming Introduction to Business Golf for Ladies Class.  

Click here to register. The promo code is SJW14.

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