The Mortgage and More Blog

Archive for the ‘Tutorial’ Category

In an effort to make your PREP website easier for you to use we have done away with the traditional way members have been embedding videos in their blog posts. In the past members have selected the video hosting icon from the third row of icons on the same page where they wrote a blog post or page. The new and easier way to embed videos no longer requires this step; in fact we have removed the video icons that you used to use to indicate which service was hosting the desired video. Now all you do to embed a video is to use the URL of the video, being sure to place it on its own line. Below is an example of how this works: the pink writing represents ordinary text in a blog page or post while the yellow represents the URL of the video (you would leave the quotes off when posting an actual video).

This would be the normal text for your post or page leading up to the video you wanted to embed.

“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8″

You would then continue with the text of your blog or page beginning on its own line.

That’s it!

Embed Videos Using URL is a post from: Test Account

©2010 Test Account. All Rights Reserved.

Today was a good day for PREP admins and hopefully for the general public who have their own website or blogsite built on a platform. This is because we launched SEO Info Now. This site is independent of the Positive Real Estate Professionals network.

Why did we build this site?

The reason for this site is rather simple. Since many of our PREP members find our SEO posts helpful, and the tutorials on the Test Account helpful as well we wanted to launch a site that combines both.

Will all the articles from PREP be on this new site?

While we are using a syndication from PREP’s main blog and the Test Account, these are going to be the only two sources of information for this site. Also, we have set up the syndication to hold posts in draft for the simple reason that if they are mainly concerned with PREP and not SEO or SEO enhancements or Wordpress tutorials we can simply leave them in draft.

What is the benefit to PREP overall (why should I care)?

This new site will provide backlinks and deeplinks to PREP. This will strengthen and enhance even further our positioning as a network with the search engines.

If you have a chance check out the new site and if you know someone whose site is built on a Wordpress platform that might appreciate the articles, send them on over too!

Positive Real Estate Professionals (PREP) can help you achieve the recognition you and your business deserve through our highly versatile and search engine optimized member websites, lead capture, and visitor friendly layout. If you are a professional who works in the real estate industry or one of the related fields that service the needs of the real estate industry then this real estate network can be just what you need to take your business to the next level. If you have questions or would like to join CLICK HERE.

PREP Launches SEO Info Now is a post from: Positive Real Estate Professionals All rights reserved. ©

©2010 Positive Real Estate Professionals. All Rights Reserved.

From Deep Linking to Do Follow v. No Follow links in your comment section, the use of links is an important aspect of SEO. Wordpress makes it easy to add links to your business partners, resource sites, or any other website that your site’s visitors might find of interest. In this tutorial you will learn how to add links to your sidebar’s blogroll. The image at the bottom of this tutorial is ‘clickable’ (and will open a larger version in a new window).

To begin with you MUST be logged into your Dashboard. Once logged on this is the path: Dashboard>Links>Edit or Add New (depending on which you are doing).

I am going to approach this tutorial as if you are adding new links. Editing links works the same way you just have to select ‘Edit’ under your list of links that you wish to edit.

1. After clicking on Add New a screen will open that looks like the screen in the image at the bottom of this post. This is where you add links.
2. The first field on this screen is the Name field. This is where you enter the name of the website you are linking to; this does not have to be the site’s actual name but the best name that you and your site visitors will recognize and remember. NOTE: This is not where the URL goes.
3. The second field on this screen is the Web Address. This is where you enter the actual URL of the website you are linking to.
4. The third field on this screen is the Description. This is a completely optional field. Anything you enter here will appear when someone hovers over the site’s name on your website.
5. The fourth field on this screen is the Categories. This is where you organize your links. Many people choose to place all of their links in the Blogroll category. If you want to organize your links in a more specific manner this is where you can add the various categories you want to use. NOTE: You can put a link in multiple categories if you want.
6. Though this isn’t the last field on this page, the fifth field Target is the last field that most people utilize. In my opinion the Link Relationship and Advanced fields don’t add to your links. The target field allows you to determine how your link will open. I always recommend that you check the top option _blank as this option has your links, when clicked on, open in a new window rather than in the same window (_none).  The advantage to a link opening in a new window is that your site’s visitor who clicks on a link is NOT taken away from your site.
7. The final step is clicking the Add Link button to place and activate the link on your website.

Add A Link To Your Wordpress Website is a post from: Test Account

©2010 Test Account. All Rights Reserved.

In this tutorial you will learn how to change your font’s size and color. Before we get started you should understand that the font style is built into the FREE custom theme you received (12 month membership) when you first signed up. What this means is although you can change the color and size of your font, the style will remain the same. There is an exception to this, if you are comfortable editing code, you can use the HTML tab to change the font style.

To get started you must be in the visual mode where you write a post; here is the path Dashboard>Posts>Add New>Visual. You can either change the font size and color as you write your post or you can write your post and then go back, highlight the portion you wish to change, and then make the changes. I would make sure to click the button before the button just to be certain that the size and color changes you made are what you intended. BE AWARE: Changing font size from the visual tab will change it for that entire paragraph or section, not for individual words. If you are comfortable editing code, you can use the HTML tab to change individual words or phrases. Below is a visual roadmap to how you change the font size and color from the visual tab (Click for a larger image). PLEASE NOTE: Learning to write in code is an involved process, I will not be explaining how to write or re-write code. Many communities have classes available through community centers, high schools, and other continuing education centers that can teach you how to write code if you are interested.

In the second image (Click for larger version) you can see an example of a post that has changed font size and color. Below the image you will see a point by point explanation of this; numbers and colors correspond to those in the image.

1. Title has a default larger font with underlining – though it is not bolded.

2. Links have a default color built into your theme – though the size can be changed.

3. This is the un-altered font size and color – built into theme.

4. Changed font color (and increased size, bolded, and underlined).

5. Default font color with increased size, bolded, and underlined.

6. Default font color with increased size.

Fonts – Size And Color is a post from: Test Account

©2010 Test Account. All Rights Reserved.

One of the best things aside from the versatility of Positive Real Estate Professionals members’ websites is the ability for visitors to do virtually everything without ever leaving your site. This eliminates the need for the back arrow on your browser. This also allows you to have numerous tabs or windows open at once for ease of movement between those tabs or windows. *Let me clarify: tabs are multiple sites opened in a single browser window while windows are opened in their own browser window*

To make pictures or text that you are linking within the body of a post open in a new window rather than directing a visitor away from your site there is a simple but important step that you must remember when creating the link. To link pictures you must select the image by clicking on it. You are then able to insert the link by using the For text, you highlight the text you wish to link and then click on the to attach a link. NOW FOR THE STEP THAT MAKES YOUR LINK OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW! When you click on the link icon a window will open in the middle of your page. This window is where you put your link’s URL. This is also where you can make your link open in a new window. Directly under where you put the link’s URL is the ‘Target’ field. This field has a dropdown arrow that allows you to make your link open in the same window or in a new window. Select ‘Open Link In A New Window’, hit insert, and you are down. Now your link will open in a new window.

Make Your Links Open In A New Window is a post from: Test Account

©2010 Test Account. All Rights Reserved.