word camp raleigh presentation 11 23-13
DESCRIPTION
My presentation at WordCamp Raleigh on Saturday, 11/23/13. I talked about what WordPress multisite and BuddyPress both are and are not. Reasons to use or not use one or both were given, and limitations and caveats were pointed out. Examples of real sites were included. I quickly showed what was needed to get up and running. The material presentation should help designers or webmasters make an informed decision on if multisite and/or BuddyPress would be a good fit for their needs, and if so, inspire them with the live examples given.TRANSCRIPT
WordCamp Raleigh, November 23, 2013
Branching Out with WordPress Multisite and BuddyPress
by Melodie Laylor
Saturday, November 23, 13
A Little About Melodie
✤ From Hampton, VA
✤ Worked with WordPress for 6-1/2 yrs
✤ Organizer of WordPress Hampton Roads Meetup
✤ Freelance web designer
✤ Myself and husband are rebranding as PajamaWeb
Saturday, November 23, 13
Connect with Melodie
✤ e-mail: [email protected]
✤ Websites: http://www.melodielaylor.comhttp://www.pajamaweb.com
✤ Twitter:@melodielaylor
Saturday, November 23, 13
Why I Chose This Topic
✤ I’m migrating a blog and social network to WordPress/BuddyPress for a large non-profit organization
✤ Original site is a custom-coded CMS
✤ Original developer moved on, was only programmer involved
Saturday, November 23, 13
Why I Chose This Topic
✤ I’m creating a new multisite for a business networking organization with BuddyPress
✤ Different chapters in different cities need their own sites
✤ Want to build an online community of businesspersons
Saturday, November 23, 13
Why I Chose This Topic
✤ BuddyPress - Not very much documentation in Codex
✤ BuddyPress - Many if not most articles online are old (circa 2009-2010)
✤ BuddyPress and Multisite often used together
✤ Wish to add to the discourse
✤ Share insights gathered, lessons learned on this head-first journey
Saturday, November 23, 13
WordPress Multisite
Saturday, November 23, 13
What is WordPress Multisite?
✤ A network of sites
✤ These sites all stem from a single WordPress install
✤ It’s a mode in WordPress enabled via a code snippet
✤ Real-life example: WordPress.com is a GINORMOUS multisite
Saturday, November 23, 13
What’s Multisite Good For?
✤ A blog network
✤ Multiple sites by a single owner - to consolidate maintenance
✤ Businesses or organizations with multiple locations or chapters that need their own sites under a parent umbrella
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What WordPress Multisite is NOT:
✤ Web hosting(because it’s not)
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Multisite Considerations
✤ Single database for network
✤ Shared user base (all users in all subsites are listed in primary site)
✤ Shared themes - all installed and can only be modified at primary site
✤ Shared plugins - all installed at primary site
✤ Network activate - plugin is activated in all sites
✤ Or not - listed in subsite dashboards and can be activate on a site-by-site basis
Saturday, November 23, 13
Multisite Considerations
✤ The owner of the network is a Super Admin - “god” of all sites on the network
✤ Subsite owners are admins of their respective sites
✤ Allow users to register and create their own sites, or manually assign users and create additional sites
✤ Create multiple networks stemming from the primary one (via a plugin: http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-multi-network/
✤ Subsites can have their own unique domains via the Domain Mapping Plugin: http://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-mu-domain-mapping/
Saturday, November 23, 13
Multisite Caveats
✤ Users on subsites cannot install plugins or themes
✤ Users on subsites cannot edit the themes available
✤ BUT, there are plugins to allow adding custom CSS
✤ Edit theme at network level, it changes across the network in all sites using it
✤ Installed themes are available to all sites
✤ Plugins not network activated will be visible and selectable to all sites
Saturday, November 23, 13
Multisite Caveats
✤ Content is NOT shared; what’s published on one site is unique to that site
✤ If you have more than a handful of subsites or lots of traffic on the network, shared hosting will not be adequate
✤ Managed hosting
✤ VPS
✤ Dedicated - $$$$
✤ Cloud (AWS) - advanced option
Saturday, November 23, 13
Multisite Caveats
✤ Exporting from multisite to standalone WP site - less straightforward
✤ Remember themes and plugins are installed at the top of the network, so if a single user if migrating, they don’t have access to their theme and plugins unless the super admin provides copies
✤ Posts, pages and corresponding media can be exported from the dashboard and imported into the new WP install
✤ Backup Buddy (premium plugin) is supposed to export from multisite/import to standalone WP, iThemes still declares this an experimental function
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Multisite Caveats
✤ Last but not least, these considerations and caveats create greater responsibility as an admin
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Enough already, let’s enable multisite!
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✤ If you’re not starting from a clean WP install, BACKUP your DB and files!
✤ Enable pretty or canonical permalinks
✤ Add this line to wp-config.php:define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );above the line /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */
✤ Refresh dashboard, go to Tools --> Network Setupand choose subdomains or subdirectoriesNOTE: CHOOSE WISELY, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THIS LATER
✤ Fill in your Network Details and click Install
✤ Add lines to wp-config.php and .htaccess as provided
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For More Information on Multisite:
✤ Codex article: http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network
✤ Codex article: http://codex.wordpress.org/Before_You_Create_A_Network
✤ Mika Epstein’s WCSF 2013 presentation: http://wordpress.tv/2013/08/01/mika-epstein-dont-use-wordpress-multisite/
Saturday, November 23, 13
Saturday, November 23, 13
What is BuddyPress?
✤ A Plugin: http://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress/
✤ Turns a WordPress site into a social network; “social networking in a box”
✤ Use it to build an online community
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What’s BuddyPress Good For?
✤ Building a niche community online; i.e. a social network built around a special interest
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What BuddyPress is NOT:
✤ The next Facebook (because it’s not)
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BuddyPress Features/Functions
✤ Member profiles
✤ Activity streams
✤ Extended Profiles
✤ Friend connections
✤ Private messaging
✤ Notifications
✤ Groups
✤ Forums (add plugin bbPress)
✤ Global content tracking (multisite)
Saturday, November 23, 13
BuddyPress Features/Functions
✤ Does NOT require Multisite, though they are often used together
✤ Now compatible with nearly all WordPress themes (as of version 1.7)
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BuddyPressConsiderations
✤ Requires pretty or canonical permalinks
✤ BP does not work when WP is installed in its own directory (run from www root directory but files located in another)
✤ Use with multisite so users can create their own sites/blogs
Saturday, November 23, 13
Buddypress Caveats
✤ BuddyPress extended profiles (Xprofiles) and user profiles metadata are not linked
✤ User documentation (the Codex) is rather scanty
✤ small team working on BuddyPress core dedicated to improving BP itself
Saturday, November 23, 13
For More Information on BuddyPress:
✤ Download BuddyPress: http://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress/
✤ Official BP website: http://www.buddypress.org
✤ BP Codex: http://codex.buddypress.org
✤ WPMUdev BP manual: http://premium.wpmudev.org/manuals/the-buddypress-manual-2/
✤ bbPress: http://www.bbpress.org
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Site Examples
Saturday, November 23, 13
Multisite Live Examples
✤ http://www.wordpress.com
✤ Georgia State University - http://www.gsu.edu
✤ BBC America - http://www.bbcamerica.com
✤ Spotted By Locals - http://www.spottedbylocals.com
✤ University of Mary Washington - http://www.umw.edu
✤ Edublogs - http://www.edublogs.com
Saturday, November 23, 13
BuddyPress Live Examples
✤ Tasty Kitchen - http://www.tastykitchen.com
✤ Bitsy - http://www.bitsythis.com
✤ Enterprise Nation - https://www.enterprisenation.com/
✤ CUNY Academic Commons - http://commons.gc.cuny.edu/
Saturday, November 23, 13
My Projects (Under Construction #1)
✤ A standalone WP site w/BuddyPress:
✤ Social network/user community
✤ Guest bloggers
✤ Video section (using CPTs/taxonomies)
✤ Important plugins:
✤ Buddypress Xprofile Custom Fields Type - http://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress-xprofile-custom-fields-type/
✤ Commons In A Box - http://commonsinabox.orgSaturday, November 23, 13
My Projects (Under Construction #2)
✤ WP multisite w/BuddyPress
✤ Organization with chapters opening in different cities
✤ Each city has it’s own site, site owner/admin
✤ Site owners can blog their own events, get their own members to sign up
✤ Paid memberships
✤ members directory - of businesses local to chapters
Saturday, November 23, 13
My Projects (Under Construction #2)
✤ BuddyPress - goal is to build free community of users - maybe
✤ Important Plugins:
✤ Paid Memberships Pro - http://www.paidmembershipspro.com
✤ Business Directory Plugin - http://businessdirectoryplugin.com
✤ bbPress - maybe (http://bbpress.org)
✤ Included in Commons in a Box
✤ BuddyPress Toolbar - http://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress-toolbar
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I hope you enjoyed this presentation.Thank You!
Saturday, November 23, 13
Questions anyone?
Saturday, November 23, 13