Many years ago, I decided to learn WordPress website design. At the same time, my dad was retiring from his decades-long faculty position, switching his focus from classroom teaching to professional consulting. I offered to build him a WordPress site so that I could learn by creating something useful and real, and he could promote his presentations, conferences and publications (all with a father/daughter bonding bonus!).
Over time and design and content updates, my dad’s site has become an important part of his business. It boasts over 4,200 subscribers and generates thousands of monthly pageviews, exponentially increasing his national visibility and leading to new speaking and consulting opportunities. Media inquiries have also become more frequent, thus burnishing my dad’s reputation as an expert in special education law. For a social media-shy professional, the site has comfortably expanded his reach without exposure to trolls and scams. Finally, it has become a repository of his research and publications, enabling easy idea-sharing with others in the field.
Because WordPress is fairly user-friendly, and the site’s design is clean and straightforward, my dad is able to update key information himself. Not only is direct updating empowering and efficient for him, it can be a major money-saver. In this case, my dad and I have more time to gab about the grandkids, and spend less time on tech support.