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Genesis from Studio Press: The Simple Hooks Plugin For Your Real Estate WordPress Blog

By
Industry Observer

If you're running a WordPress blog, and you're a real estate agent, chances are you're either running AgentPress from StudioPress, or you've seen sites that are running it.

(note: this LOOKS harder than it is - if you're overwhelmed by the technical stuff in here, just bookmark this post for later, when you realize you need this, and can't remember where you saw it!!!)

AgentPress is a WordPress theme that runs on the Genesis Framework. Genesis makes a ton of WordPress things much much easier to manage. Things like SEO, security, updates . . . you know, the stuff that takes so much time.

Unfortunately, it also makes it much much harder to find and customize the code if you're a tinkerer like I am.

To keep people from doing just that - tinkering with the code - and then screaming for help in the support forums, the StudioPress guys published a WordPress Plugin called "Genesis Simple Hooks".

  1. Simple Hooks lets you stick things on every page or post, in the main content area, without having to either hard-code it in-line in the php files, OR in the middle of every page or post you write.
  2. it also keeps your code mods from getting over-written when you update. If you've ever totally forgotten what the heck you did to make something work, you'll appreciate this feature.
  3. You can stick the code snippets in the right place in the simple hooks section and BOOM! That thing shows up everywhere you want it to . . . although the first few times you try it, you'll have it somewhere that is totally NOT where you wanted it to be. Then, it gets easier!

Here is an example:

I wanted to add an email sign-up form at the bottom of every single post, after the content, but before the comments.

I made a sign-up form on an email form site (aweber), and it gave me a little snippet of code:

Genesis Simple Hooks Snippet

And that put this at the bottom of every post and page, after my author box, and before the comments.

newsletter signup example

(The two colored click buttons are another snippet)

Now, you might be wondering: why not in the sidebar, using widgets?

This is just another option for customizing your WP blog so it doesn't look like everyone else's!

Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Alison,

So nice of you to take time to share tips on Word Press for those who like that platform.  Wishing you continued success. A

May 24, 2011 04:24 AM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips - Eureka, CA
Realtor and Broker/Owner

Good Morning Alison, an excellent point to save time on Word press, I will remember it.  Best wishes for finishing the Challenge!

May 24, 2011 04:33 AM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

Hi Mike - genesis and Agent Press run on standalone WP blogs, so it doesn't offer "google juice" like AR. What it does offer is  really easy SEO. especially if you use a plugin like All-in-one-SEO with it.  Also, I use the Scribe Plugin (a monthly subscription) which helps with ensuring that posts are keeping to SEO best practices.

Like all stand-alone blogs, you need to send it google juice from places like AR and Trulia, or anywhere else you can get backlinks.

Hi Ron and Alexandra - I think we'll see more and more agents on WordPress as the other platforms fall out of favor. I'm hoping to tuck away a whole bunch of these tid bits for the AR community.

Dan - thank you for your kind words. The challenge has been . . . a challenge! I'm looking forward to June!

May 24, 2011 06:21 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Hi Alison ~ you are obviously a techno wizard when it comes to Wordpress blogs!  Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us, and I'm going to forward this to my webmaster so he can make sure we're doing everything we need to  :-)

May 24, 2011 06:57 AM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

Hi Maureen - thanks!  I've pulled out so much hair figuring stuff out - just want to pass along the info so someone else can benefit!  And it all changes so rapidly - so let's see where this goes over the next 6 months!

May 24, 2011 09:52 AM
Rebekah Radice
Imagine WOW! Digital Marketing Agency - Burbank, CA
Social Media Marketing, Coaching & Training

I hadn't even thought of using AWeber to add a subscribe or capture form on my AR blog.  Great post Alison!

May 24, 2011 01:24 PM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

Hi Rebekah - it was pretty easy to set up . . . they also offer a Plugin but it didn't work well on mine - it kept re-sizing the sidebar widget and it looked weird. If you do this,  let me know - I'd love to see it!

May 24, 2011 03:04 PM
Mike Wong
Keller Williams Realty Southwest - Sugar Land, TX
Realtor: Commercial, Residential, Leasing, Invest

Alison I was completely lost after the bookmark step. I have been wanting to integrate WordPress into my blog. Looks like I need to take a day or so to sit still and figure it out.

May 24, 2011 04:28 PM
Sondra Meyer:
EXP Realty, LLC - Corpus Christi, TX
See It. Experience It. Live It.

Alison, you are a great resource for all of us here at Active Rain.  Wordpress.com had me so spoiled to finding and experimenting with different themes that it was a major shock that Wordpress.org hasn't been that easy.   

Thanks for the tips. 

May 25, 2011 04:43 PM
MeLisa Minter, Realtor
Minter Real Estate Services - Taylor Lake Village, TX
Bay Area Houston Real Estate Agent

Thanks for this.  I have a wordpress blog, but I need to give it  more attention.  I want to add the AgentPress IDX to it and let it do its thing, and this info has helped me in making that deicison.

May 27, 2011 04:47 PM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

This plugin alone is worth it's weight in gold!

May 27, 2011 09:23 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Thanks, Alison!  I'm going to share this with a couple of people who were asking me about this very thing about a month ago!  I LOVE it--and I'm going to put it to use myself too!

Jun 07, 2011 06:15 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hey, do you do your own WP updating?  I updated mine a couple of months ago and my site crashed for 14 hours!  I freaked out and my web guy said, just let me do it for you when it needs to be done.  I want to do it myself and wonder if there is a trick to be sure that you don't lose your content?

Thanks!

OH, the reason I came back here is because I tried to load the plug-in and it told me that my version was not new enough to load--I needed to update!  LOL

Jun 09, 2011 04:38 PM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

Good question, Debe. I do my own. I learned the hard way to back it all up first. :-(

But, I'm also a bizarrely good troubleshooter, so when bad stuff happens, I can usually figure it out. I can be clueless about all sorts of stuff but the troubleshooting is like a 6th sense. My little-known claim to fame. :-)

I would say - do you have direct access to the filesystem, where you can edit the files on the system, or is your only access through the WP interface? It is really hard to fix stuff if you don't have access to the filesystem.

I hear you on the stress of upgrading. I stalled for a loooong time, and it was indeed the Simple Hook plugin that forced me to face my fears and update to a newer version of everything that was required. (But I did it on my husband's site first, snerk).

Jun 09, 2011 05:08 PM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

I do remember now that I am thinking about it, that when I upgraded WordPress, I had something in the .htaccess file that was not compatible . . . so I removed it, then added that code back line by line until the error was reproduced.

 

Jun 09, 2011 05:10 PM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Alison - this is one of the things I'm trying to figure out right now. I'm thoroughly confused on all this and want to set up 1-2 wordpress blogs. One of them, I just bought the name for.  wondering if it's okay to call you sometime.

Jun 17, 2011 03:52 AM
Allen 2222
Austin, TX

Hi Debbie - sure - (512) 585-4758.

I'm glad you're taking the plunge. It's time well spent!

Jun 17, 2011 04:54 AM
Justin Dibbs
Fairway Independent Mortgage - Ashburn, VA
Mortgage Advisor

Hmmmm, you learn something new everyday.  I didn't realize that when you make customizations, those customizations might not work when you update.

Aug 03, 2011 03:36 PM
Christine McInerney
Great Life RE - Knoxville, TN
The McInerney Team, Knoxville TN Homes For Sale

I am in the process of "tinkering" right now.  Thanks for the help, I am going to give this a try right now.

Nov 22, 2011 10:08 AM
Anonymous
David Holloway

what happens if you make a mistake using simple hooks. I added a piece of code before the loop, and now I need to undo this, does anybody know how?

Nov 26, 2011 10:21 AM
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