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STEP 1: LOGIN
This is an easy one. You should have been emailed a password to your chosen email address. If you haven't yet...contact us and we will sort it out for you. Just note we only provide one email address with a password - after that if you want other staff to have access, you can sign them up yourself. SO - YOU HAVE YOUR PASSWORD TIME TO SIGN IN: Head to http://www.YOURSITE/login on your web browser (eg http://www.543designs.co.nz/login). You'll see the following sign in screen. Your user name is your email address, your password has been sent to you (you'll be prompted to change this on sign in). STEP 2: CHECKOUT THE STATS Hooray! You're signed in to your sites dashboard! On this page you get a quick snapshot of some analytics. They are by no means as detailed as google analytics - but they will tell you how many people are checking out your site, and where they are clicking from. All useful stuff. But now I'm guessing you want to get in and actually edit the site. So near the top of the page, just find the "EDIT" button and click it. You'll be whisked through to the Content Management System. REMEMBER - the CMS updates automatically, so while you don't need to save as you go - it also means you should be confident of what you are changing. You can't go back to a previous version without re making it. Let's get designing! STEP 3: THE BUILD The first thing you'll see when you click through to edit your site is the website builder page. This is what you'll want to get most familiar with as it is where you can make any visual changes to the site. The system is simple - just drag an element from the left (text, image, gallery etc) and drop it where on the page you want. A blue line will highlight where the element is going to be dropped - remember when you are building a site, remember what it will look like on mobile. Elements will appear on the mobile site as they appear on the main site from the top left, to right, then down. As if you were reading the page of a book. TIP: Unless you are familiar with HTML, it is probably best to avoid the embed code, but other than that just have a play around with how it all looks. Resize and use spacers to get elements even. If you want to remove or edit an element (for example add a link or a border), simply click on the element and a grey box will appear by your mouse. In this you'll find the ways you can customise each element. To delete the element, just find the X at the top right of the element when you hover over it. We want you to be able to run your site cheaply and without a developer. So take your time, get to know the CMS and have some fun! CHANGES WILL ONLY BE MADE LIVE ON YOUR SITE IF YOU PRESS PUBLISH...BUT THERE IS NO UNDO BUTTON! SO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU CHANGE. If you are nervous about changes or just make a meal of the site, you can always contact us and get us to fix the site for our hourly rate. STEP 4: THE PAGES You'll want to move between pages on your site and possibly set the basic layout as slightly different. By clicking on Pages at the top of the window, you'll be able to navigate to the Pages backend menu. In this area you can click through to any page (even those hidden from your website menu), choose the layout of each page and choose if you want them visible in the menu. You can add pages here as well - either standard pages, blog pages, or store pages. To choose a page to edit, either click on the page in your website menu, or click through to pages, find the page you are after and click the "Save & Edit" button in the bottom right corner. Again...very simple once you've done it a few times! STEP 5: THE BLOG It is traditionally recognised that your blog or newsfeed is absolutely crucial for success on google. It shows an experience in an area and means your site is constantly up to date. You'll want to upload regularly - even if it is just a small article of some sort. Aim for once a week. To edit the blog, navigate to your blog page - which is slightly different to the standard pages. It's very simple to use, simply select "New Post" in the bottom right corner of the window. From there, editing is the same as a standard page - drag and drop. Just be sure to save and post your entry up the top right corner of the screen. There are additional Blog options in the Settings menu, but nothing to be too concerned about. Browse at your leisure. STEP 6: SETTINGS & SEO At the top of the CMS window you will see a link to "Settings". These are the elements that relate to the entire site. It is worth having a look through these settings, but 543 Designs will have set them up for you before launching the site. If you ever want to connect an account like Google Analytics, this is where you go to put any "codes" into the Header or Footer. Again, something 543 Designs has helped you with or can help you with. You'll also find an SEO tab in the settings area. Check out our page on Search Engine Optimisation for our sites to get the most out of this tab and everything else search engine wise. For the most part you are sort already - but it is always good to know! PUBLISH, POST, SHARE! That's all for today folks! You should find the CMS for your site incredibly useful and easy to navigate around. If you have any queries you know where to find us - but hopefully you won't need a developer or designer for years to come! Make sure you get the website out to your clients and announce it to the world. Social media, email out, word of mouth...you name it. And if you feel so inclined, we would love for you to give us a mention and a link! Easy to edit websites
Congratulations! You've chosen to get a slick new 543 web design that is super easy to update and keep looking incredible. No designers or developers needed, with the Content Management System that 543 Designs uses, you can add pictures, text, videos, or even a shop to your website - BY YOURSELF. Below are the basics of what you need to know.
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