Today we focused on getting our WP sites set up--choosing a blog template and activating the plugins.  I didn't know what the plugins were for up until now, and part of what makes the club invaluable is filling in some of this technical knowledge.

There's the Askimet plugin that's supposed to screen out the spam comments.  I know from experience that if you don't do something, your WP site will get comment spammed on a daily basis.  You have to activate the plugin, then go get an API key and enter it.  We'll see how well it works.  Then there's the Google Analytics plugin.  I think I got the tracking code set up right.  I am sure looking forward to learning how to actually use Google Analytics.  There's a certain convention for how posts are named that you set up in the SEO optimization plugin, then there's the one that allows you to submit to FB, Twitter, etc.

Then we had to get an email account for our sites through the WA Hosting.  I've done this before and it's not hard, but apparently there's a bug with the WA email which might explain some irregularities I've experienced before, as in it's not just me or "in my head."  I sure hope that bug gets resolved soon, but membership in the exclusive club gives me the ability to pester the powers that be here on WA :-)

So we haven't actually written anything, and my website won't garner any awards--yet.  But I am so happy that part of the homework was taking time to set up these technical things on the back end.  One of the things I'm hoping for is to learn how to really use WP and to be comfortable with all parts of the admin side.  If I have that comfort level, it will come through in high quality content.

I would highly recommend everyone go through the WA Article Marketing Club next time it's available.  You can learn everything from the tutorials here, but the club takes it all and turns it into a 30 day blueprint for what you have to do on each day.  You can then take that blueprint and apply it to any other article marketing campaign you want to do afterwards.

I notice K & C have one going on dieting and weight loss.  I'd love to see article marketing clubs on other topics.  It's not that you can't translate the ideas from one topic into your chosen topic.  It's more that it's fun to have a group of people all working on the same type of campaign and sharing ideas.  Worm composting, anyone?  Just kidding!  I'm actually realizing that's a topic that I do care about, but not in the way you need to in order to write fifty plus articles.  It's more something I like to do.  It's this sort of realization that these clubs are so good for.

Better log off or the Day 3 email might show up before I've gotten any sleep!