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Test Drive the ASPro Community Essentials Joomla Package
After lots and lots of work, we’re ready for everyone to start testing our newest package. Before I give you the web address, I’d like to tell you a little bit about it first 
Lots of Features!
The Community Essentials package contains everything that our custom Internet Marketing Essentials packages has PLUS a ton of community features.
So, here are the main features of the Internet Marketing Essentials package as a refresher
Search Engine Optimization
We’ve taken the Joomla core and tweaked it for SEO performance! We’ve also thrown some extra tweaks to the interface for better control over Joomla’s output.
Pre-installed and Pre-configured Joomla Extensions
We’ve hand picked, installed and configured over 50+ extensions to make sure we covered the basics.
- Backup Management
- Site Tools (File Browser, Site Statistics, Database Health, etc)
- Syndication Tools (Syndicate your content, import RSS feeds, etc)
- SEO Tools (SEF link management, meta tag management)
- Monetization Tools (Adsense placements, Banner Management, etc)
- 60+ Modules to place around and customize your site
- 30+ Plugins to enhance content and optimize performance
I’ve been working on a document that outlines a good amount of the major features as well as some other instructions. This document is not a complete list of features, but hits on the main ones. Also take note that it’s not finished. You can download it as a PDF file or text file.
It’s important not to get intimidated by the immense feature list… you can install the package, setup the necessary configuration details (emails, password, etc) and be done with it.
If you’re anything like me, though, you’ll want to customize everything to fit a) your personality and b) your market’s personality. After I’ve completed putting together the checklist, running through all of the options should only take about 25 - 30 min… small amount considering the hours that have already gone in.
Social Networking and community interaction have been the focus. Many of the features you would find on social networking giants like MySpace or Facebook are included.
“But what if what I want isn’t included?”… Add it to your site using Joomla’s easy-as-pie installer! Just because you’ve got a pristine ASPro Joomla setup running on your site doesn’t mean it’s not Joomla anymore You can install any of the Joomla extensions you might install on a regular installation.
Templates
The template that is included with this package is a variation of another free design titled “isometric”. We’ve done this so that we can offer everyone this “default” template with the Community Essentials package. This free template is not subject to the 300 member limit.
Multiple Colors will be added to the as well.
Standardized Templates
We’ve standardized the layouts for templates! What does this mean?
Well, because of Joomla’s flexibility, templates can be made to place modules around your site according to “Module Positions”. The trouble is, the location of the “Module Positions” can change depending on the template. So placing an Adsense module in the “Inset” position, for example, could work in one template and break in another.
So what we’ve done is take some of the module positions used in our templates and set them in stone. We’ve left room for expansion, of course, but switching templates will be a snap.
Will previous templates work with this package? Yes! But… You may need to adjust your module positions to fit the new standard.
Updates for the Learning Center
We’re making some overdue updates to the learning center. Once the system is in place, you will be able to watch instructional videos on getting started right on your newly installed site!
In addition, we’re changing the way training is done… You’ll be seeing some very nice changes in the way training is carried out.
Community Essentials Demo Video
Within the next day or two you’ll have a nice demonstration video of a Community Essentials Joomla site in action, starring yours truly 
The Link…
You’re getting closer to the link… but first I want to make clear what the purpose is. We’ve setup this site in order to receive feedback about the package. We know that we can’t possibly think of it all or catch all of the bugs; your input is a big help to … well, to you!
Please give us your likes, quams, a wish list or anything else where you feel the package could be better.
http://community.authoritysitepro.com
That’s all for now!
Sean
Community Essentials!
Well, we’ve been working hard on a new package for members… and it’s all about building communities. We’ve put more into this package then ever before, and we think you’re going to love it.
Here is a list of the main features
- Personal profile pages
- Member groups — Users can create and join special interest groups
- Social Networking (connecting friends, associates, etc. to your profile page)
- Member lists
- Private Messaging
- Forums
- Video Management (streaming or uploaded)
- Classifieds — Users list items for sale
The package is pre-configured and setup to include the most common settings. You can, of course, completly customize the site. For example, if your site was about classic cars, you may want to include fields in the profile such as…
- Model:
- Make:
- Year:
- Color:
In addition, fields (i.e. color) can be shown or hidden during registration. The idea here is to have users register at your site first, and then fill in their profile afterwards.
Everything is integrated and revolves around a user’s profile page. So, if a user makes a post in the forum, it will show the latest forum topics on his profile page. The same is true for groups, videos, friends, etc.
This is by no means an all-inclusive list of the features, but I wanted to give everyone a taste of what’s on deck! Here are a few more screenshots…
We’ve also made some big improvements in the area of standardization… so plan on things to keep getting better and easier
Sean
Interview With Mark Ling From Affilorama
A few days ago I was asked by Mark Ling to do a short interview with him about Authority Sites and what AuthoritySitePro is about. Apparently he his doing a series of sessions for his Affilorama members on Authority Sites. Marc Lindsay and a few other notable names have already spoken with Mark on the topic.
Naturally I obliged and we did the interview. We didn’t talk about what Authority Sites are, but rather how to go about building them. It was awesome. It was so awesome, he invited me to do a follow-up interview the very next day to chat about building communities with Joomla!
After a great second interview, he’s asked me to do a video with him each month.
Let me know if you guys are interested in seeing the screen casts. I’ll talk to Mark for permission to share them with ASPro members.
Improved Installation and Tweaked Downloads Section
Well, a few updates have been made to the membership site…
Remote Installation
We’ve taken some time and updated and integrated the scripts we use for remote installation. Improvements include…
- better reliability
- server pre-installation check
- package selection is defaulted to first package found
- more documentation (more is still needed)
- and other technical improvements
I would love to beautify this script a little more… get it really working nicely with some snazzy (yet useful) Ajax effects. Also iron out the process and make it a very simple “1, 2, 3 and done” process. At the moment, however, improving other aspects of ASPro are far more important. So it’s fine for now.
Tweaked Downloads Section
I’ve only done a small update to the appearance of the downloads section. Due to the time constraint on getting the site initially together, I wasn’t able to do very much visually. In fact, the template for the membership site only includes two or three images (in the actual template, other images are placed within the HTML around the site).
As time becomes more available and tasks begin to be deligated, a brand new and visually ASPro template sounds like a mighty fun project
AuthoritySitePro eCourse
I’ve also been working hard on an eCourse that I think will really get people to see the power of a) Authority Sites and b) Joomla and how putting them together is nothing but win-win-win (win for you, your users, and for the Internet as a whole). When the course is ready, you will be able to sign up at AuthoritySitePro.com
It’s a Blog!
Nothing too exciting, right? Perhaps not (yet), but I feel using this format is the best way to share with ASPro members the many helpful things Megan and I come across every day. Let me tell you, we have heaps of information to share! Some if it doesn’t fit into the scope of the other content areas within the membership site, so by using this blog we hope to be able to, in a way, personally communicate with everyone.
The template used here is a modification of “lazydayz” by Fullahead.org - nothing custom but the header. Our focus is not how pretty our blog looks, but how awesomely cool and profitable your sites are.
Yes - we’re using Wordpress for our blog! But aren’t we Joomla folks? Hard-core ones. Wordpress is best suited as blog software, so it would only be smart to use it for our blog. There are many other great blogging platforms that are being developed and are quickly catching up to Wordpress, but for now - it’s still Wordpress for ultimate blogging.
Please feel free to comment on any topics.