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docs/exocto/analytics.md

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+# Analytics 101
+
+There are a few options though Google and Facebook are the largest shepherds of data.
+
+[#](#google-vs-pixel) Google vs Pixel
+-------------------------------------
+
+So what’s up with them
+
+[#](#which-kpi’s) Which KPI’s
+-----------------------------
+
+Which Key Point Indicators matter ?!
+
+[#](#how-to-set-up) How to Set-up
+---------------------------------
+
+So how do we set-up Google Analytics or FB Pixel?
+

docs/exocto/appendices.md

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+# Appendices
+
+[#](#appendix-a-hosting-services) Appendix A: Hosting Services
+--------------------------------------------------------------
+
+AWS, GCS, Heroku, Digital Ocean, Linode, RackSpace, & more
+
+### [#](#aws-gcs) AWS & GCS
+
+If you think you will need to be able to scale quickly.
+
+Price can jump quickly.
+
+### [#](#digital-ocean-linode-rackspace) Digital Ocean, Linode & Rackspace
+
+You want your own server space and scaling isn't immediately important.
+
+### [#](#heroku-netlify-more) Heroku, Netlify & more
+
+Heroku is somewhere in-between AWS & Digital Ocean; it requires some specialized know-how, though has a somewhat small learning curve. It is also easy to scale if needs-be.
+
+Netlify is for specialized static sites.
+
+### [#](#aws-s3-buckets-for-static-sites) AWS S3 Buckets for Static Sites
+
+This may be the cheapest option for those building static sites.
+
+### [#](#wordpress-options) WordPress Options
+
+(Managed Hosting Comparison)\[https://www.codeinwp.com/blog/best-wordpress-hosting/\]
+
+[#](#appendix-b-a-quality-beginner-wordpress-set-up) Appendix B: A Quality Beginner WordPress Set-up!
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+### [#](#basic-themes) Basic Themes
+
+### [#](#widgets) Widgets
+
+### [#](#plugins) Plugins
+
+[#](#appendix-c-content-creation) Appendix C: Content Creation
+--------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Content creation is what ties everything together.
+
+### [#](#tools-of-the-trade) Tools of the Trade
+
+### [#](#canva) Canva
+
+With the Free account you can still obtain quality custom images and even videos that do _not_ have a watermark!
+
+### [#](#grammerly) Grammerly
+
+[#](#appendix-d-wordpress-entry-level-theme-editing) Appendix D: WordPress Entry-Level Theme Editing
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Learn a little CSS.
+

docs/exocto/automation.md

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+# Automation 101
+
+It’s a hot word these days, and surprisingly serves a tangible purpose!
+
+The idea is to optimize our output. Create something once, and use technology to distribute across the net.
+
+Make a TikTok, share it as a story to Instagram & Facebook; post it as a video to Twitter 😃 Or you can use tools to automate this process.
+
+There are many ways to do this, and a growing number of platforms one might like to reach.
+
+[#](#zapier-vs-buffer-vs-itttt) Zapier vs Buffer vs ITTTT
+---------------------------------------------------------
+

docs/exocto/cooltools.md

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+# Cool Tools
+
+[https://check-your-website.server-daten.de/](https://check-your-website.server-daten.de/)
+
+[Reddit Analysis](https://dashboard.laterforreddit.com/analysis/)
+
+José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano
+
+He has been described as "the world's humblest head of state" due to his austere lifestyle and his donation of around 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities that benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs.
+
+Tatiana Mac | How Privilege Defines Performance
+

docs/exocto/index.md

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+# The Exo-CTO Files
+---
+
+WIP Advisory
+
+This is still a work in progress - the outline exists, though content still needs to get filled.
+
+Here I provide a straight-forward guide highlighting all of the necessities of launching a digital brand, or presence. It is presumed that you already have a product in mind.
+
+That products can range from writing to art to merchandise or services.
+
+Your next step is to build awareness of your product or service; and provide a place for people to learn more.
+
+Websites can be as cheap or as expensive as you like. Static websites can cost as little as a few cents per month, or complete CMS’s or applications can cost tens to hundreds to thousands of dollars per month to run.
+
+Though there is much more to building a presence than merely building a website.
+
+We will cover analytics, search engine optimization, and more throughout this essay.
+
+So strap in and enjoy the ride!
+
+[Website](./websites) | [SEO](./seo101) | [Analytics](./analytics) | [Mailing Lists](./mailinglists) | [Social Media](./socialmedia) | [Automation](./automation) | [Payment Methods](./payments) | [Appendices](./appendices)
+

docs/exocto/licences.md

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+# Software Licensing

docs/exocto/mailinglists.md

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+# Mailing Lists
+
+The almighty email address!
+
+Platforms may come and go, but emails addresses rarely change!
+
+[#](#mailchimp-vs-convertkit) MailChimp vs ConvertKit vs Ghost
+-----------------------------------------------------
+
+[#](#how-to-set-up) How to Set-Up
+---------------------------------
+
+Consistently!
+

docs/exocto/payments.md

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+# Payment Methods 101
+
+How do we get that cool cash flow digitally??
+
+[#](#paypal) PayPal
+-------------------
+
+[#](#stripe) Stripe
+-------------------
+
+[#](#venmo) Venmo
+-----------------
+
+[#](#cashapp) CashApp
+---------------------
+

docs/exocto/seo101.md

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+# SEO 101
+
+Search Engine Optimization is a tricky word.
+
+There was a time when you could game the system quite easily; now it’s a bit more difficult.
+
+First off, Google has a few preferences that one is encouraged to follow.
+
+We need to provide some metadata; as well,Google prefers for sites to be mobile-accessible. As well, for them to be updated regularly.
+
+One is able to register with Google’s [Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console) , and get feedback on your website’s Search Engine readability!
+
+[#](#sitemaps) SiteMaps
+-----------------------
+
+Google loves these, and uses them to scrape your website for their search engine!
+
+[#](#mobile-first) Mobile First
+-------------------------------
+
+Google also loves this, most folks use their phones to traverse the net these days. Making sure your website is responsive to their smaller screens will boost your website’s rating!
+
+[#](#consistent-content) Consistent Content
+-------------------------------------------
+
+Remember that sitemap, for scraping?
+
+If Googles see that you are updating your website with new content often and consistently, it likes that too!
+

docs/exocto/socialmedia.md

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+# Social Media 101
+
+Welcome to the jungle!
+
+Picking which platforms are right for you is all about discerning how you want to interact with social media. While using automation, which we’ll discuss later, we can even make sure to hit 2nd and 3rd priority platforms 😃
+
+[#](#facebook-instagram) Facebook/Instagram
+-------------------------------------------
+
+These are behemoths, though Instagram has further organic reach than Facebook, at present. Stories are heavily prioritized. I recommend converting any accounts you manage to business accounts as well. Linking Pages and Instagram accounts accordingly.
+
+[#](#twitter) Twitter
+---------------------
+
+It moves a miles miles a second, but you can find a niche rather quickly. While using hashtags, one can also amplify their reach.
+
+[#](#pinterest) Pinterest
+-------------------------
+
+For mature demographics Pinterest is often considered a goldmine for audiences that spend.
+
+[#](#linkedin) LinkedIn
+-----------------------
+
+Depending upon the nature of your product, LinkedIn is also providing solid organic reach.
+
+[#](#snapchat) SnapChat
+-----------------------
+
+This is where the youth are at, though the company recently open-sourced their API, and many companies are building extentions to the SnapChat experience.
+
+[#](#tiktok) TikTok
+-------------------
+
+TikTok is the new blue whale in the room. While some companies were concerned about their content being accessible on other platforms; TikTok brands all of their content and encourages distribution on other platforms!
+
+Additionally, their editing tools are first-in-class. I especially love the ability to time the appearance and disappearance of text!
+
+Greating marketing and promotional tools!!
+

docs/exocto/websites.md

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+# Websites 101
+
+Websites have a few components we need to make sure to cover. First we have the actual domain name we need to purchase; then we need to consider where we will be hosting our websites’ files.
+
+TIP
+
+I recommend choosing a domain name at the same time you obtain your social media accounts. It is _very_ advantageous for audiences to find you under a unified brand across multiple platforms.
+
+[#](#domains) Domains
+---------------------
+
+First thing you need is a domain name. Most domain names will cost around $7-9 USD for the first year and $12-15 every year after; if you pay yearly.
+
+Discounts apply if you purchase for multiple years at once.
+
+I personally recommend [NameCheap](http://namecheap.com) .
+
+Why? Because free ICAAN anonymity. This will hide any identifying information about the domain’s owner. Nice perk.
+
+Not all registrars provide this for free; the anonymity is a big difference maker.
+
+If you’re looking elsewhere check out transfer fees and support packages offered.
+
+### [#](#top-level-domains-com-blog-xyz-etc) Top-level Domains (.com, .blog, .xyz, etc)
+
+These domain names tend to cost more, many are quickly becoming available; and some are considered problematic for social and political reasons.
+
+### [#](#managing-your-domain) Managing your Domain
+
+The internet is like one “autonomous” post office.
+
+Information is sent via packets; and a packet is addressed using a series of identifying numbers.
+
+When you host your domain, you can adjust the end point for some of those numbers!
+
+This is how you can then manage sub-domains for your own website ([blog.cultureclap.com](https://blog.cultureclap.com) , or [labs.rebelcoding.com](https://labs.rebelcoding.com) ).
+
+This is another benefit of purchasing your domain through a reputable domain registrar; as some domain providers may not allow this ability.
+
+[#](#hosting) Hosting
+---------------------
+
+Now that you’ve got your domain name, where are you going to host the files?
+
+Depending on the type of website you wish to build, there are a variety of options.
+
+From hosting your own server in the cloud, to using ready-built SaaS platforms, or building a static website.
+
+You’re still going to need a place to store the files.
+
+Charges can be as low as pennies per month for static storage, or as low as $3-5 for monthly hosted space. Prices go up from there, depending on your needs, and ability.
+
+### [#](#managed-hosting) Managed Hosting
+
+Services such as WPEngine or Drupal Clusters will manage your websites mechanics for you! If you have a large user-base, over 5,000, and expect to have consistent traffic from the start, this may be the option for you!
+
+### [#](#self-hosted) Self-hosted
+
+Self-hosting has a variety of options as well
+
+Services such as DigitalOcean provide the option to deploy a WordPress website onto your own server with a few button clicks.
+
+Though [BlueHost](https://www.bluehost.com/wordpress) has been recommended by WordPress, providing a 1-click WordPress installation process.
+
+This rings up to be about $4 per month for the first year and $9 per month afterwards.
+
+Hosting Services
+
+[#](#cms-s-vs-pre-built-vs-static-sites) CMS's vs Pre-Built vs Static Sites
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Websites are built with variety of tools and methods, let’s figure out which is right for you!
+
+First off, we let’s provide a little detail about how websites are built! A solid analogy is like building a house. The HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) provides framing for our structure. HTML allows to determine where windows, doors, plumbing and electrical features will be placed, and how. CSS also enables us to add some aesthetic design features as well.
+
+JavaScript comes along to make our structure interactive!
+
+But what about the data?
+
+It comes from the database, and JavaScript is often the mechanism used to get this data!
+
+For our use cases, the data we need to store will likely be things like blog posts, images, videos and more.
+
+Or it might not be necessary to start.
+
+Depending on your needs, a static website may be the best fit for you to begin. They are easy to build and require little to no maintenance.
+
+The next step up is using a managed service such as Wix, Webflow or SquareSpace. Moving on there are deployable platforms such as WordPress, Drupal and others.
+
+We’ll now cover each of these types.
+
+### [#](#static-websites) Static Websites
+
+Static websites _can be_ interactive, and have the potential to display dynamic data as well. Though normally static websites don’t change much.
+
+Certain clients only need an informational website, with contact information for clients to reach them.
+
+[Mesa Pizza](http://mesapizzamn.com) has been using the website I built them for well over a decade; and even duplicated the template for their other stores!
+
+Moreover, these static websites can be hosted on an Amazon S3 bucket for pennies per month!
+
+### [#](#wix-squarespace-webflow-etc) Wix, SquareSpace, Webflow etc
+
+Next up, there are quite a few platforms expanding on the NoCode web development options. And while tempting, each option has its pro’s and con’s.
+
+If your budget allows, the premium version of these platforms are well served.
+
+Hosting plans are included with these packages, and initial set-up it is a matter of redirecting your web domain to their IP address.
+
+**I very strongly caution against purchasing one’s domain through any provider though.** It is always best to retain as much control over your digital assets as possible.
+
+| \--- | Wix Pros | Wix Cons | SS Pros | SS Cons | WF Pros | WF Cons |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+
+### [#](#content-management-systems-cms’s) Content Management Systems (CMS’s)
+
+These are the power tools, meant to manage mountains of dynamic and changing content with ease; while allowing fine-tune control of aesthetics and processes.
+
+WordPress holds the most mindshare across the net; and is a premier free tool that is relatively easy for beginners to use. Though there is a learning curve.
+
+There are a multitude of CMS platforms available. We will continue to compile a list of them on the Discord server.
+
+Though for entrepreneurial beginners I recommend WordPress, and I provide a more detailed set-up in Appendix B.
+
+### [#](#a-note-about-scaling) A Note about Scaling
+
+When just beginning, one can get by with a cheap self-hosted WordPress website. Though as traffic begins to increase, this will no longer be reasonable.
+
+A few options are available, depending how often your content changes.
+
+Caching options or hosted service.
+
+Self-hosted, then pay to migrate to managed.
+
+[#](#mailing-addresses) Mailing Addresses
+-----------------------------------------
+
+The other aspect of branding is creating an email address.
+
+I suggest starting with an @gmail address, or similar.
+
+Such email addresses are readily identifiable by others, and so carry their own intrinsic level of trust. “Oh this person has coordinated their efforts with a domain and associated Gmail Account, they’re taking sincere steps.”
+
+Small, though very visible.
+
+Google Domains, so as to have name@mysite.com, costs monthly payments, as do most other services.
+
+We’ll release a guide to getting around this soon. Because you have purchased your domain names, you can also adjust the MX records to redirect mail that is sent to our domain.
+
+This is yet another advantage to having control over this digital asset.
+