Trying to match my Wordpress blog to my SmugMug site

britlandscapes · August 7, 2019

I have just joined SmugMug and I am in the process of transferring my landscape photography website from another provider. Previously I had a blog incorporated but with Smug Mug that can't be the case so hence why I have put the Blog on Wordpress.
Please don't suggest doing it the other way round as I want SmugMug as the front end.
Access to the blog is through a menu link but I am keen to make sure that the visual change from SmugMug and back from Wordpress is seamless.
I have managed as far as I can go but I am mainly concerned in making the header on the Blog match the SmugMug header and menu bar both in font type, size, colour and height of header are similar. Also with the footer if that is possible.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Temporary Smug Mug domain - derekfogg.smugmug.com - it won't let me post a full link but I am sure everyone can work the rest out. Also please note that I am still finalising all the content etc.

Derek

Hikin' Mike · August 7, 2019

My website is WordPress and I created a subdomain for my SmugMug gallery. One I finished designing my WordPress theme, I matched my SM site. Knowing HTML/CSS is a plus.

If you need help, create a new thread and describe what you're trying to do.

britlandscapes · August 7, 2019

Hello Mike and thanks for your reply. I have already come across your website and in fact I have used part of one of your customisations to create a border round my photos - many thanks
Like I said in my opening comments I am going to use SmugMug as my front end and want to customise the Wordpress Blog to match SmugMug - that is the opposite to what you have done. Thanks

ziggy53 · November 22, 2019

I am possibly the least informed, and certainly among the least experienced, on these discussions, but if you are trying to match a Wordpress.com blog to a Smugmug site:

1) Wordpress.com does not seem to be that configurable. Convenient, yes; precisely configurable to the point of duplication of a Smugmug site, probably not.
Color scheme, Font choice and font size can get pretty close, and then careful use of any defining logos can at least make the blog familiar.

@britlandscapes said:
... I am going to use SmugMug as my front end and want to customise the Wordpress Blog to match SmugMug - that is the opposite to what you have done. Thanks

2) Part of why you use Wordpress.com is because they provide some level of support. I suggest asking them this question first.
https://en.support.wordpress.com/

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

Like Ziggy said, using the '.com' version is limited. I don't think you're going to be able to edit it to match your SM site 100%. If you were to switch to the self-hosting version (.org), you will be able to edit it. I can help you there.

If you don't want to go the self-hosting route, then you will need to edit your SM site to match your WP site.

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

@britlandscapes said:
Hello Mike and thanks for your reply. I have already come across your website and in fact I have used part of one of your customisations to create a border round my photos - many thanks
Like I said in my opening comments I am going to use SmugMug as my front end and want to customise the Wordpress Blog to match SmugMug - that is the opposite to what you have done. Thanks

I have a testing site using 'wordpress.com', so I installed it. Looks like your SM site's navigation fonts use 'Roboto'. The theme you are using on WP (Baskerville 2) doesn't show 'Roboto', so you are going to have to either change your SM site, switch to the self-hosted version, or live with the differences. If you switch to the self-hosted version, it is a simple thing to add different fonts, colors etc using a Child Theme.

Like I said earlier, if you go the self-host route, I'll be more than happy to help you edit your WP site. I've done plenty.

britlandscapes · November 22, 2019

@ziggy53 said:
I am possibly the least informed, and certainly among the least experienced, on these discussions, but if you are trying to match a Wordpress.com blog to a Smugmug site:

1) Wordpress.com does not seem to be that configurable. Convenient, yes; precisely configurable to the point of duplication of a Smugmug site, probably not.
Color scheme, Font choice and font size can get pretty close, and then careful use of any defining logos can at least make the blog familiar.

@britlandscapes said:
... I am going to use SmugMug as my front end and want to customise the Wordpress Blog to match SmugMug - that is the opposite to what you have done. Thanks

2) Part of why you use Wordpress.com is because they provide some level of support. I suggest asking them this question first.
https://en.support.wordpress.com/

Thanks for your help and thoughts on this. At least with yours and @Hikin' Mike comments it seems that I will have to go down the .org route to get as near a match as possible. Not sure i want to get involved with Wordpress.com support to resolve this The only concern with that is that I want to make sure that whatever I do I am going down the best SEO route. @leftquark seems to be advocating .com and @Hikin' Mike .org. I will explain further on @Hikin' Mike comment where I am at with my hosting etc.

britlandscapes · November 22, 2019

@Hikin' Mike said:

@britlandscapes said:
Hello Mike and thanks for your reply. I have already come across your website and in fact I have used part of one of your customisations to create a border round my photos - many thanks
Like I said in my opening comments I am going to use SmugMug as my front end and want to customise the Wordpress Blog to match SmugMug - that is the opposite to what you have done. Thanks

I have a testing site using 'wordpress.com', so I installed it. Looks like your SM site's navigation fonts use 'Roboto'. The theme you are using on WP (Baskerville 2) doesn't show 'Roboto', so you are going to have to either change your SM site, switch to the self-hosted version, or live with the differences. If you switch to the self-hosted version, it is a simple thing to add different fonts, colors etc using a Child Theme.

Like I said earlier, if you go the self-host route, I'll be more than happy to help you edit your WP site. I've done plenty.

Thanks for picking up on this and helping me out. By way of background I am currently running two main websites really as a comparison before making a final decision which way to go. There is the SmugMug with the Wordpress.com blog that you are aware of and a Photocrati/Imagely/Wordpress site at www.britishlandscapes.com which is hosted at SiteGround so presumably running Wordpress.org. I started that site about 15 months ago on the basis that they were introducing lab integration which is my preferred route for print fulfilment and after 12 months they brought that out but does not yet offer that service in Europe. Certainly the integration of Wordpress and Photocrati does work well its just the print fulfilment that is the problem. Hence why I am trying SmugMug which already has the lab integration. At some point in the next six months I will be deciding which one to finally go with at the moment I am swayed towards SmugMug but only if I can get a seamless integration including appearance with the blog. So I need to get SmugMug running as best I can with a Wordpress blog asap. Presumably I could transfer my Wordpress.com blog currently used on SmugMug to Siteground which I assume is what you call self hosting. All of my domains are serviced through Siteground so that's no problem. If I was to do this from a SEO point of view which would be the best domain to use for www.britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk Sorry this is so involved and appreciate your help and advice. If I do manage to get this sorted I will certainly take up your offer of helping me get the blog matching the SmugMug site.

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

@britlandscapes said:
Thanks for picking up on this and helping me out. By way of background I am currently running two main websites really as a comparison before making a final decision which way to go. There is the SmugMug with the Wordpress.com blog that you are aware of and a Photocrati/Imagely/Wordpress site at www.britishlandscapes.com which is hosted at SiteGround so presumably running Wordpress.org.

Yes, your 'britishlandscape.com' is self-hosted.

So I need to get SmugMug running as best I can with a Wordpress blog asap. Presumably I could transfer my Wordpress.com blog currently used on SmugMug to Siteground which I assume is what you call self hosting.

Yes, you can eventually transfer your content from '.com' to '.org'.

So if you need to make the two seemless ASAP, you will need to change your SM site to reflect your '.com' WP.

If I was to do this from a SEO point of view which would be the best domain to use for www.britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk Sorry this is so involved and appreciate your help and advice. If I do manage to get this sorted I will certainly take up your offer of helping me get the blog matching the SmugMug site.

If you were to use just one domain, I prefer the shorter domain (britishlandscape.com). If you are just targeting the UK, using your 'britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk' may be the best because of the 'co.uk'.

britlandscapes · November 22, 2019

Thanks for your prompt reply. Whilst I understand about your suggestion of using britishlandscapesphotography.com I have already come to the conclusion that which ever photo hosting site I go with I will be using .co.uk because most of the content will be British Isles related and whilst I have many visitors from all over the world the main target is obviously UK.
I may have confused you slightly. If we are happy that using Siteground is self hosting I would intend to leave the whole of the Photocrati/ Wordpress as it is for the next 6 months or so and set up a separate blog on Siteground linked to the blog menu on SmugMug. Whilst I appreciate this will increase my costs for the next few months until I make a final decision. What I was asking is what subdomain I should use for this blog ie britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk/ blog or something else. What is the best for SEO for both Smugmug and the blog?

Hope that is more clearer ?

Many thanks

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

@britlandscapes said:
Thanks for your prompt reply. Whilst I understand about your suggestion of using britishlandscapesphotography.com I have already come to the conclusion that which ever photo hosting site I go with I will be using .co.uk because most of the content will be British Isles related and whilst I have many visitors from all over the world the main target is obviously UK.
I may have confused you slightly. If we are happy that using Siteground is self hosting I would intend to leave the whole of the Photocrati/ Wordpress as it is for the next 6 months or so and set up a separate blog on Siteground linked to the blog menu on SmugMug. Whilst I appreciate this will increase my costs for the next few months until I make a final decision. What I was asking is what subdomain I should use for this blog ie britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk/ blog or something else. What is the best for SEO for both Smugmug and the blog?

Hope that is more clearer ?

Many thanks

Not really, sorry. This is not a subdomain, it is a folder 'britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk/blog'. This is a subdomain 'blog.britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk/'. You can't run a blog in a folder (britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk/blog) on SmugMug. It has to be a subdomain (blog.britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk/).

Already mentioned that for SEO, you need your blog on your own domain (britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk), not Blogger, WordPress etc.

I have one domain (imagesinthebackcountry.com). My site uses WordPress. My blog is in a separate directory/folder i.e. imagesinthebackcountry.com/blog. My pictures are with SmugMug and I use a subdomain gallery.imagesinthebackcountry.com.

britlandscapes · November 22, 2019

OK thanks for clarifying the sub domain. You can no doubt tell I need help on this🙁
So if I am reading this correctly what you are saying is that the best way to do this and get the best SEO is the opposite to what I want ie Using Wordpress as the front end and SmugMug just running the galleries etc. In other words like Photocrati?

If zi went down this route could it be made to look similar to the way I have SmugMug now and does that mean I would have to start all over again building that look ?

Just to be clear so using SmugMug as the front end with the menu link to blog. britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk is not classed as being on my own domain and will not provide the best SEO?

Many thanks

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

@britlandscapes said:
So if I am reading this correctly what you are saying is that the best way to do this and get the best SEO is the opposite to what I want ie Using Wordpress as the front end and SmugMug just running the galleries etc. In other words like Photocrati?

There are a two ways to do what you are trying to do. You can use your "Photocrati" (WordPress) as a front end and use SmugMug to only do the galleries. That is what I do.

@britlandscapes said:
If zi went down this route could it be made to look similar to the way I have SmugMug now and does that mean I would have to start all over again building that look ?

You will need to find a theme that matches your current SmugMug site, one without a left-sidebar. I should be able to get that site to match your site without too many issues. Years ago, I helped a photographer-friend with her Photocrati site, so I'm a little familiar with how they do things, but it has been several years.

@britlandscapes said:
Just to be clear so using SmugMug as the front end with the menu link to blog. britishlandscapesphotography.co.uk is not classed as being on my own domain and will not provide the best SEO?

No, that is exactly how you would do it if you continue with your SM as a front-end. In that case you would create a subdomain and install WP there. Most hosts probably have WP installed already, you just have to enable it.

britlandscapes · November 22, 2019

Thanks just to be clear I will not be touching Photocrati/ Wordpress that will run as it is in parallel with SmugMug / Wordpress Blog

So of the two choices of Smugmug front end with Wordpress blog sub domain or the way you do it are there any greater benefits of either way. ? Why do you use it the way you do?

Follow your thoughts on that I will make a decision which way to go and maybe we can communicate direct to move it all forward

Many thanks again

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

@britlandscapes said:
So of the two choices of Smugmug front end with Wordpress blog sub domain or the way you do it are there any greater benefits of either way. ?

Either way will work. It's a personal preference.

Why do you use it the way you do?

I had WordPress way before I had my SmugMug site. The only option was to create a subdomain to power my images through SM.

I'm a WordPress user first. I just happen to use SM for my e-commerce.

britlandscapes · November 22, 2019

OK thanks very much for all your help and advice I’ll reflect on that and make a decision on either of the two alternatives and then get touch if that is ok?

Hikin' Mike · November 22, 2019

@britlandscapes said:
OK thanks very much for all your help and advice I’ll reflect on that and make a decision on either of the two alternatives and then get touch if that is ok?

No problem.

Trying to match my Wordpress blog to my SmugMug site

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