NextGEN Gallery: Can’t Add New Gallery Solution

Many people, myself included, have been having issues with the newest version of NextGEN Gallery (NGG). Once they upgrade to WP 2.8, the updated NGG works just fine on existing images and galleries, but adding new ones is problematic. For 1&1 hosting and other shared-server structures, I’ve found a solution to the following issues:

• I can’t add a new NextGEN gallery
• NextGEN gallery only uploads a few of my images
• NextGEN gallery will not create thumbnails for my gallery images

The first thing you need to do is upload a file called PHP.INI to your root directory. In that file, place the following text:

memory=20mb

This may solve those nasty “Error 500″ messages you keep getting after adding a plugin or upgrading your WP platform.

The next step is to create a file called “.htaccess” (without the quotes of course). In that file, place the following text:

AddType x-mapp-php5 .php

This will force 1&1 to use PHP5.2 rather than the default setting of PHP4. Happy coding!

Wordpress 2.8 - Skip the Upgrade

Wordpress is known for it’s simple interface and lack of bugs. Wordpress 2.8 decided to go the way of Microsoft a little bit and was released too early - before all the bugs were worked out. It’s my recommendation to hold off on upgrading for now. If you do upgrade, MAKE SURE you back up your WP database through the aptly named WP-DB Backup plugin or something similar. Also, check to see if your current plugins have known conflicts or issues upon upgrading.

You can’t say you weren’t warned!

Your Business Website - First First Impression

Most people know that not having a website is a huge mistake for any business. But what about a “bad” website? Surprisingly, having a “bad” website is more of a turnoff to potential customers and clients than not having one at all. So what is a “bad” website?

I have outlined eight items that rank among some of the most annoying and ugly features of “bad” websites for your education and enjoyment!

• Not visually pleasing. If your site is ugly or looks like a budget site with grainy images, poorly aligned text, or obvious pre-packaged template use, it’s not going to fly with your potential clients and customers.
• Difficult to navigate. Many sites look pretty good, but if it takes several clicks and a lot of reading to get where the viewer wants to go, then you’re going to lose them. Website visitors have a very short attention span. Also, if your colors don’t work with each other (think blue text on a black background), then people will immediately get frustrated and leave your site.
• Slow to load. When the web first went mainstream, the only way to set your page up properly was to use tables. Then, images and flash came along. Now we have stylesheets and numerous other tools at our disposal to accomplish our goals. The older design systems are chunky and take a long time to load. Mouseover images that disappear and come back only after loading a server-side image may turn off your visitors.
• Not searchable. This isn’t a cardinal sin. However, as a business owner, you are ignoring a very powerful solution to your visitor’s need. They are most likely on your site for a reason - to get specific information. Using a robust search feature can give them a speedy solution and increase your conversions.
• Clumsy e-commerce. When you are trying to sell something on your website, it has to be integrated seamlessly into your content. The store page has to have the same look and feel as the rest of our site and has to “ooze” your company. Also, ensure that you’re keeping your viewers on YOUR site throughout the purchase process.
• Broken links. This is unforgivable. It reminds me of my business law professor in college. “Spell check comes with all word processors. If you have a spelling error, it means you’re too lazy to check, so I’ll be too lazy to give you a good grade.” Having broken links, bad image links, or missing components to your site is a sign that you don’t care about your site and therefore, you don’t care about your visitors or their experience.
• Take it easy on the fonts. Two fonts should be used - MAX. The body of your site should not look like your Font folder on your computer. Yes, fonts are fun, but web fonts are all pretty similar so relax a bit. Choose one for your headlines and one for the body. Other accents can be done with italic, bold, underline, and image highlights.
• Same goes for colors. Your site should be clean and uncluttered. Your fonts should all be the SAME color unless highlighting a specific item (and used sparingly) or using a hyperlink.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a start. The web is vital to the success of any business. From law firms to day cares, from catering companies to martial arts schools, you NEED a high quality website. If you have a “bad” website, forget about search engine optimization for a minute and focus on bottom line optimization!

Feel free to look at our portfolio and see if our services could increase your web presence and make your site more of a tool than a burden for your business. We design and code websites so that they’re maintainable by YOU and it’s extremely affordable to get off the ground.