Ashlea Lanier
When we begin a website strategy, one thing we consider as we look at the new sitemap is whether or not to integrate a Custom Post Type (CPT). Using a Custom Post Type can help with a variety of things, from content hierarchy to future website growth. What is a Custom Post Type? A Post Type is a term used to describe different types of content within WordPress. For example, Pages and Posts are both Post Types. WordPress comes standard with a few Post Types, but most of the time, we find ourselves limited by those and want to expand the capabilities with something more custom. Additional post types can be added with plugins or custom code. At GreenMellen, we use custom code to create our Custom Post Types, which are specific to each client’s need. Focus on Special Content Custom Post Types are great for content like staff/team pages, […]
Read MoreWhen starting a new website project, a homepage is usually the star of the show. It’s the first thing we wireframe and the first page designed. And rightfully so – it’s the front page, and it sets the standard for the rest of the website. However, it’s important to remember that the other pages of your website are just as relevant. You should impress users with your homepage but keep them engaged as they browse the other pages of your site. Also, someone can land on any page of your website based on a search result listing – they won’t always end up on the homepage first. So how do we make sure we keep users engaged? At GreenMellen, we wireframe nearly every single page of a website. Not all wireframes are entirely produced digitally, but our creative team strategizes and sketches out all layouts during a project meeting. Either […]
Read MoreAt GreenMellen, we are great advocates for WordPress. We use the popular CMS on each site we build and train clients to use it themselves after their website has launched. As a developer, I’ve worked with WordPress for the last nine years. Over that time, I’ve come to love this platform for a number of reasons. Opportunity Working with WordPress has offered me a multitude of great opportunities. Opportunities in the form of full-time jobs, as well as the chance to work with great people on some pretty fun projects. It’s given me a chance to learn a skill that I enjoy, and you know what they say about loving what you do. Community The community behind WordPress is one of the most impressive aspects to this little CMS. There are thousands of monthly Meetups and WordCamps around the globe dedicated to teaching and sharing. You can also find plenty […]
Read MoreWith 2019 in full swing, we felt like it would be a great time to reflect on some highlights from 2018. 138 Managed Websites GreenMellen had a busy year with new and old clients! We launched new websites, and our support team helped our current clients keep their sites up and running. In 2018, we managed 138 websites, which included updates on a total of 763 plugins! Our team resolved approximately 2,244 support requests from our clients throughout the year, with an average initial response time of under 60 minutes. Some of my personal favorite new projects from 2018 include Kidz2Leaders, ProGreen Artificial Turf, and The Worship Collective. Award Winning Design In 2018, GreenMellen won 3 web design awards. In August, Aimee Copeland Foundation’s website won a Gold dotCOMM Award in the non-profit category, and Copper Alliance’s website won a Platinum dotCOMM Award in the corporation category. A little later in […]
Read MoreHere at GreenMellen, we build custom WordPress websites, and more and more, that also includes a custom plugin or two. In addition to our plugins, there are a few that you’ll find installed on almost every website we build. This is just a short list of what we currently love and why we use them. FacetWP FacetWP is a plugin that adds advanced filtering to your website. We continue to find ways to use this plugin, and we’ve been impressed with the features they offer. They also have some of the best plugin support you’ll find – which is a huge plus in our book! Ninja Forms Over the last few years, Ninja Forms has become our contact form plugin of choice at GreenMellen. It works great as a simple form when needed, and also offers a multitude of add-on options that allow us to add additional functionality or connect […]
Read More2016 was a very busy year at GreenMellen. Looking back at the last 12 months, I thought it was important to take a look at some noteworthy metrics. 146 Managed Websites We truly have some of the best clients and 2016 brought even more. We’re proud to have managed 146 websites this past year. Take a look at our work to see some of our newest launched websites! Personally, HopeQuest tops my list of favorite projects last year. The site looks great and the HopeQuest team was a pleasure to work with, which always makes the project even more enjoyable. 1 New Team Member Brooke Martens joined the GreenMellen team as our Digital Content Coordinator in March! Brooke and I worked together before I joined GreenMellen in 2015, and I was so excited to have her join our team. Ali and I are officially outnumbered with all of these Michigan natives around! You can read more […]
Read MoreWordPress comes with a variety of roles giving administrators the ability to grant different levels of access to specific users. These roles are important to understand as they give users permission to not only access to certain areas of your website, but also to possibly add or edit content. By default, WordPress comes with five user roles: Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor and Subscriber. You can read more about the specifics of these roles in the Codex. A New Plugin At GreenMellen, we saw a need to bridge the gap between the Administrator and Editor user roles. Many times, a client only needs an Editor role, but they also need access to update items in the Appearance menu – i.e. Widgets and Menus.Our plugin, GM Site Admin, creates a new role, Site Administrator. This role gives users a higher access level but keeps them away from the dangers of a full […]
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