Yes, I know that a bunch of these steps couple be eliminated with simply copying and moving databases around. That is great if you are very familiar with db managed and related tweaks. This is more of a dummies guide to the transfer. Please though do comment and let me know your thoughts and best practices you have found for such migrations.

Option 1: Database familiarity required

1. Setup up a Web server with mySQL and Apache. If a hosting recommendation is required then I recommend WestHost that can provide this service for less than $35.00 per month.
   
2. Setup a mySQL database to match the database name, ID and password in use by the currently active WordPress installation. This is found by looking in the active site’s wp-config.php file.
   
3. Install the version of WordPress currently in use for the active site. To simplify matters, copy the wp-config.php file from the active site for use on the new site. It is not uncommon for the site to be operating under old versions of the software. Archived versions are available for download at http://wordpress.org/download/release-archive/.
   
4. Back up the database. The easiest way to do this is to install the WP-DB-Backup plug-in. After this five minute install an admin can then create and save this backup of ALL tables.
   
5. ZIP the database backup and use phpMyAdmin to restore the database to the new server. Instructions may be found here on http://codex.wordpress.org/Restoring_Your_Database_From_Backup
   
6. ZIP the entire active site. This is then uploaded to the new site to replace the default WP files used during the install. (Some folks have said to skip the initial install of WordPress and rely on the database and file transfer for the install. If this works for you – great. I like the initial setup first to confirm that the dB is setup and the software works properly. This helps identify other issues such as the server itself not being configured properly for WordPress. Sure, this is wiping out the initial install. But the confirmation of the WordPress compatibility with the server is nice.)
   
7. The site will then by default be set to function at the live site domain. The site needs to be checked before the domain name is transferred. Either set the internal DNS for the server and computer connection to the new server or enter the dB and change the values to one that will work to check the site.
   
8. Review the site and check for any errors. The only error I have ever run across is that occasionally the path information to the files on the server need to be adjusted in the dB. This is a very quick task for someone familiar with myPHPAdmin.
   
9. Switch over the DNS to direct traffic to the new server.
   
10. Adjust the new servers Apache configuration to direct the domain traffic to the WordPress directory. This is usually done via a control panel.
    
11. Adjust the WordPress settings to serve up the site under the new domain. This is done within WordPress’ main settings page.
    
12. Check site, Feedburner and Google Analytics and other external hooks.
    
13. Once comfortable with the new site, the old site may be decommissioned.

Option 2: In this option the client does not have to mess with the database items at all. I have found that this works well with sites that do not have too many posts.

1. Setup up a Web server with mySQL and Apache. If a hosting recommendation is required then I recommend WestHost that can provide this service for less than $35.00 per month.
   
2. Setup a mySQL database to match the database name, ID and password in use by the currently active WordPress installation. This is found by looking in the active site’s wp-config.php file.
   
3. Install the version of WordPress currently in use for the active site. To simplify matters, copy the wp-config.php file from the active site for use on the new site. It is not uncommon for the site to be operating under old versions of the software. Archived versions are available for download at http://wordpress.org/download/release-archive/.
   
4. Set up the links (blogroll) items on the new site.
   
5. Zip the entire content of the entire active site. This is then uploaded to the new site to replace the default WP files used during the install.
   
6. Export all content using the built-in export utility and deliver the XML export file to the client. This should end the use of the old server.
   
7. Uses the built-in import function to import the provided XML file. They select to create author accounts as prompted by the import.
   
8. Adjust user accounts as needed.
   
9. Review the site and resolves any errors.
   
10. Switch over the DNS to direct traffic to the new server.
    
11. Adjust the new servers Apache configuration to direct the domain traffic to the WordPress directory. This is usually done via a control panel.
    
12. Adjust the WordPress settings to serve up the site under the new domain. This is done within WordPress’ main settings page.
    
13. Check site, Feedburner and Google Analytics and other external hooks.
    
14. Once comfortable with the new site, the old site may be decommissioned.
    

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Many others have stated that an SMPR or SMNR must be built out using blogging technologies. Blog technologies enable the RSS feeds, XML formatting, tagging, commenting and many other functions. They also enable search engine optimization in manners expected of social media search engines such as Technorati, Bloglines and others.

This said, I have found the technical teams that implement the strategies sometimes prefer to hack up an existing CMS to force it to fit a blogging and SMPR/SMNR framework. This has resulted in less than optimal performance. This lack of performance is then blamed on the idea of an SMPR itself. In reality, had the efforts been built out within a dedicated package the performance would have been satisfactory.

Take away – build out a dedicated SMNR site within a blogging CMS such as Movable Type or WordPress. We have found that the hosted TypePad environment is also customizable for the solution. Using such technologies allows us to focus time, energy (and budget) on the content rather than transforming a non-blogging CMS do what others provide right out of the box.

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This is not uncommon. The best practice for the solution is to identify the RSS feeds on the site’s home page. This identification will then result in the display of all news feeds when the home page URL is placed in a news reader. In addition, search engines will then be able to more readily find and scan the feeds.

The code is simple. You should have the following placed on the home page so that the RSS feeds may be discovered by crawlers and readers. One line is placed in for each RSS feed. Change url/to/rss/file to the full URL for the RSS file.

<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="url/to/rss/file">

This should be something that is coded into all sites we manage that have RSS feeds. Any TypePad or Wordpress sites have this function built into the home page via the CMS.

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If I can do this in a few minutes then there is no reason every “contact us” and address page on every site could not have at least a simple map. This map is also now in the Google Maps search directory. Who knows, someone may find this little guy someday and then they can comment on my selections.

KML File: Open this file to view the Map in Google Earth. This was automatically created for me along with the map.

A link to the map. Click here to open a link to the map in a Web browser.

And here is the embedded map. When I created this I selected this size. You could make it any size to fit your design.

View Larger Map

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Somewhat towards this end, several nice reports have come out recently on the influence of bloggers and company social media. Brodeur, Arketi and Bulldog Reporter/TEK Group.

However, I would love to see some direct feedback from the media (traditional and non-traditional journalists) as to their preferences in how they receive company news. I put together this survey rather than waiting for my agency, or another to ask some straight forward questions.

Please help me by forwarding the survey link to you media contacts. Of course, I will share the data and report with all those who help out. Why not present the data right then online? One, I do not want to skew the results. More because I am running this on the cheap and not using something like SurveyMonkey that automatically tabulates and presents results.

Here we go….

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All of these publications show how a trade publisher once solidly in the print world can adapt to the online marketplace. They certainly continue to sell and distribute print version of their newsletters. It seems though that the high quality free content drives more people towards their conferences, workshops research, training and other expert deliverables.

So, what do you think of the Ragan “world”?

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And yes, I realize that mahogany could be a color – but if the post is titled “Car Made from Wood” and then you say “made from mahogany” and you have a picture –do you really need to say “a type of wood”.

End of Rant

Oh, and of course I still NEED to read this stuff because how else do you find out stuff like A Hospital Serves Up Mouse Head on Plate Because you know this is much more important than CNET, WSJ, NYT or any other news .you could possible imagine.

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Help me reach my goal!

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• Companies and organizations should have some sort of blog policy clearly posted to the blog. This provides a reference document to justify the removal or denial of any comments. A blog policy need not be complicated and should be expected to be subjective and for the ease of use for the moderator - not the commenter Push Button Paradise has a straight forward policy.
• Bloggers must adhere to their own blogging policy. If you have stated why you will remove comments, then it is important that you follow your own rules. This becomes particularly interesting if you have a blog comment contest.
• Comment moderation has become a sensitive issue very recently with the media exposure of the recent threatening comments received by Kathy Sierra. This is a clear justification for moderating comments on personal, organizational and group blogs.
• Posting of comments is not a free right to be expected by readers. The very basis of blogging is to promote conversation between individuals. You should expect a blog to be like someone’s home - they can always throw you out if they do not like you. A good summary of the whole commenting position is is offered by Nielsen Hayden .
• Blog comments are not protected by any free speech right and rational commenters have never assumed such protections. This is why you have a policy, to show what is permitted. Indi has a nice post and series of comments on this subjet.
• If you do moderate comments, simply be prepared for the reaction and provide an outlet for it. The UAE community blog has an interesting thread on this point. Folks seem to agree moderation is expected. It is what you decided not to show that you must have a clear policy. Do not simply choose to eliminate comments of those who do not agree with you
• Bloggers do not want to moderate comments. They usually feel they must to block out truly objectionable content that veer off of the subject matter or attacks (as opposed to debates) another individual’s opinions. The Atheist Experience has a good post on this choice.
• Don’t mock the comments you eliminate or whose posts you moderate. This aggravates the commenter and others. Don’t let your commenters mock others either — unless that is your policy. Alas has an interesting thread on this line of thought.

So when it comes down to it, I believe this comes down to thinking of a blog as someone’s home, community or place of business. Some folks like debate and encourage it. Others do not want to hear anything but support for their views. This translates directly online. Commenters must respect the choices the blogger establishes. If you want to rant and rave then do it in your own home. Post something to your own blog and cite the original source. This is really what blogging is about in the first place.

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In its day Microsoft FrontPage set the standard for an easy to use Web site, application and page design software. Dreamweaver and other packages may have been preferred by us geeks. FrontPage held (and still does) the preference for the masses. Its initial release certainly brought Web sites within the reach of anyone who could use Microsoft Word. I know folks who have sworn by FrontPage for years – and they have never seen a single line of HTML code. (And I am glad they never looked; the code was never very clean).

Microsoft Expression Web is a major upgrade as the replacement for FrontPage and reveals many more technical aspects than FrontPage did. This may in fact discourage widespread adoption by previous FrontPage users. No matter. With this package, Microsoft is certainly going full bore to compete with the Adobe Creative Suite and move away from its lighter weight FrontPage predecessor. Reviewers do not see this as a Macromedia or Photoshop killer. However, the package is clearly targeted to the Web newbies and literati and will eat into the market for those not tied to Adobe. .

Adobe based designers will likely never switch to this suite. However, it will attract those who prefer Microsoft’s’ end-to-end integration across the Office/Server line. The biggest fault of this tool/product line appears to be that it comes from Microsoft. I expect that the vocal anti-Microsoft crowd will not be able to overcome the ease of acquisition and acceptance for product integration the majority of computer users have with Microsoft products.

My first impressions with this product are positive. It places a set of Web 2.0 features into the hands of the masses without the need to learn code. Once the plug-ins become more available the functionality will come to rival that available via its Adobe competition. I do not think I will switch from Dreamweaver. But, I would consider recommending the package to those without a brand preference.

Check out the products here: http://www.microsoft.com/Expression/

A thorough review will be posted soon.

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