As we embark on 2017, below is update information and a few reminders about our network of lake organization websites.
- 2017 Workshop. The UW-Extension-Lakes and I have arranged for another lake convention workshop on our network. This workshop will again include membership as last year. I will be working on workshop materials over the next weeks so please make recommendations on improving the workshop. My guess is I should concentrate on the basic steps rather than pack in everything to make a near “perfect” site. Because both the hosting service and the hotel wi-fi shut us down during the workshop last year, I will try to get their assurance that this will not happen again.
- Lakekit.net Plans. Thirteen lake organizations are registered members starting the new year. Through the workshop at the 2017 lake convention, we are targeting to get to 20 members. So that we always have a backup network administrator, we continue to seek another volunteer proficient in WordPress design or development to share those duties. As mentioned previously, Karen Reynolds (see members only link) has the necessary access and professional web services contact information should network administration or problem solving be needed in my absence. A reserve fund is set aside for professional help if that need arises.
- Site Help. Reminder – If you still need training help and have not utilized your 2 hours of free help, please contact me to set up a training time. Also, please visit lakekit.net if you forgot some of the operations you need to use, and send feedback on how to improve lakekit.net for helping you. Most of the network sites seem ready to be alive or very close to that point. Some still are discouraging search indexing (Dashboard -> Settings -> Reading), however. That’s your choice, but keep in mind that without indexing, potential visitors will not likely be able to search to find your site. Finally, keep in mind that only the plugins needed for template-a are network activated. If you want to utilize the additional plugins available to you, you will need to activate them. Contact me if you want help for setting up any of these plugins that are not network activated.
- Lakekit.net Members Only Menu Tab. The Members Only menu item at lakekit.net has information for all members. There you can find network operation information as well as email contact information and website addresses for the organization’s members. I am still searching for a good way for us to help each other learn from each other so I am always interested in your ideas. The password to read the Members Only page and the blog of these memos is %lake%kit%NET.
- Security. We use a plugin called Wordfence (free version) to help protect our sites from cyberattacks. One of the options is set to force strong login passwords. This means that if you set a password that Wordfence does not deem safe, it will require you to enter another password. Past recommendations have been to make sure your passwords register as “strong”. This “strong” recommendation is part of WordPress itself but does not force you to have a “strong” password. With the implementation of Wordfence, you will be forced to register a safe password.