Assignment Five: WordPress Site Plugins and Widgets
1. Configure your site for the following:
a. Selected Plugins. Add at least three (but you may do as many as you like) from this optional list of plugin categories as long as they make sense for your context; You should do any configurations necessary to ensure your plugins have the intended effect to receive full points. Remember that for everything you do with the plugins you would contribute to your context.
i. Extension for related posts or random posts. This shows the reader other posts when the reader looks at one post. Search for candidate extensions that fit one or the other of these models. There should be data to show it is working (which means you need to have a variety of categories or tags on your posts).
ii. Add Gallery Content to your site. Use a gallery or slideshow extension to add multiple images to your site in a column (not as a post) (if this fits your context). It must be dynamic content (changing)
iii. Set up an event calendar with future dates (date must show the month beyond end of quarter) and must include Events, not just posts. Must appear on the main page with your posts (no separate pages only, there can be a separate calendar page, but the events must also show on the main page).
iv. Support for mobile users. Try out MobilePress, and WordPress Mobile Edition. If you have access to a smart phone, try one that builds a site for your Smartphone OS and see how your site looks there. Be sure to comment on this in the post.
v. SEO Optimization extension. Several plugins support search engine optimization. Select one and deploy it (don't just install, but do some basic configuration - some SEO plugins don't have any configurable elements - you should stay away from those. Be sure to tell me what configuration you did to this plugin.
vi. Put AdSense (or other) networked advertising on your site. You will need to establish an AdSense account if you don't already have one. It is likely Google will not give you an account until your site is already up - they will want to see that your site has substantial content in it before giving out an account. Your plugin will not work until your account is in place. So, to do this, you will have to have your basic site up at least 72 hours early, apply for an AdSense account, and hope Google responds in time. Then you will have to configure your ads.
Amazon accounts are easier to get, but harder to use. Alternatively, you may set up to do affiliate sales. Remember that this must fit your context to count.
vii. Got another idea not on this list? Talk to me about it BEFORE implementing....
b. Widgets. Please be sure to remove any default widgets
i. REQUIRED:
1. Build a text widget to provide an introduction to your blog. Say something about it or about yourself. Provide contact information (phony email).
2. Display RSS feed from another blog using a widget. This is the second direction where you show someone else's blog in your margin (or footer) column. Find a blog (or several blogs) that fit your context to do this with. Note how this has been done on the class blog page. A Feed from your OWN blog will not count.
ii. Build out Optional widgets in your margin columns:
1. Select two additional widgets to be placed in the margins of your blog (or the footer): recent posts, recent comments, archived posts, categories, post calendar or tag cloud. You can do more than two if you want, but at least two of these .There must be data to show each widget working. So a Tag Cloud has to show tags, Related Posts has to show related posts on the post page, Recent Comments must show comments.
2. If you find other interesting and useful widgets, you may deploy them to count toward your two.
3. Remember that whatever you choose has to contribute to your context.
iii. Create a page footer (or modify the existing one) customized with your name, and a copyright notice. Note that this MUST be more than the default footer (you may need to install a plugin to configure your footer, or you may need to jump into the php code - do this on your sandbox FIRST).
2. In addition to the technical items above you will also be graded on how well your design supports your choice of context.
a. You must ensure that everything that was done in previous assignments continues to work
b. Post the URL document to D2L so I can give you feedback on Assignment 5.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.