I’m excited about our new WordPress study group that launches later this week. My good friend Dave Barger at LunaWeb has graciously offered the venue and we have 11 interested folks who have RSVP’d, along with a few maybes.

So … why WordPress?

I’ve been using WordPress since about 2006, when I first began to blog. This site has been my playground, my classroom and my learning lab since then. Here are my five reasons to love WordPress:

1. Features and Functionality

   I’m at what I’d call the intermediate level with HTML and CSS – enough to do most of what I want to do, but I won’t be anyone’s guru any time soon. Although I’m trying to learn to do as many things as possible without plugins, they are a great way to add the features while I learn. On this sidebar, for instance, the Twitter feed and archives are widgets; the rest is hand-coded in the sidebar. I like to hand code, because it allows my CSS to control the look of the sidebar, rather than that of the widgets.

2. SEO

   It’s already great out of the box, but the All-in-One SEO Pack plugin makes it dead simple to optimize your site. Caveat: this plugin can break a site. Like it did this one. So I don’t use it, but I’m trying to incorporate some of its steps manually.

3. Multilevel Geekery

   You might be a PHP/HTML/CSS whizkid who can build your own theme and a one-of-a-kind customized site. Or maybe you just have something to say and don’t want to mess with code. WordPress can work for you either way or anywhere in between. The WordPress Codex is also immense, with thorough documentation for just about everything and helpful user forum support.

4. Flexibility and Extensibility

   You can do as much or as little as you like — from a simple brochure site with static pages to a dynamic site with changing content, social network integration and even e-commerce. You can start small and add features and additional customization as you learn.

5. It’s Free

   I love free and WordPress is free, open source software and most of the plugins are free. The only costs you’ll incur are for domain name, hosting and any premium themes you might want to purchase.

Our group will be informal and it looks like we’ll have folks of all levels of expertise and experience, so come ready to share your questions, experience and knowledge. Or just to listen.

Our kickoff is this Thursday, September 2, 6:00 p.m. at the LunaWeb office at 5180 Park Ave, Suite 305 in Memphis; after that we’ll meet monthly at a time to be determined by the group. Join our meetup group to stay up-to-date on what we’re doing.

Do you use and love WordPress? Share your reasons in the comments.

As the SXSW (Interactive portion) geekfest wrapped up in Austin, Texas this past week, I don’t think it’s coincidental that the top five iPhone apps in the What’s Hot category were location-based social networking apps.

This year, location-based apps have been touted as the new Twitter and Foursquare and Gowalla have emerged as the clear leaders. On March 17, Mashable reported that Foursquare had added almost 100,000 users in the preceding 10 days surrounding SXSW and estimates of its userbase are in the one million range. Though I didn’t get to go to SXSW (a post-PowerBall-winning dream) I’ve been playing with location-based apps for some time (read about that here).
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With Elizabeth, Matthew and Dave from LunaWeb

Confession: I hate the sound of my voice. I think I sound like a hick. But when my good friends at LunaWeb asked me to be a guest on the Social Expedition podcast, I couldn’t say no. These guys work very hard to sponsor, promote and organize BarCampMemphis, SocialCamp Memphis and the monthly social media breakfasts that this confirmed night owl actually looks forward to getting up early for.

Elizabeth, Matthew and Dave made it fun, non-stressful and easy — we chatted about WordPress, location-based social networking, conferences and the positive energy that the entrepreneur and tech community is creating in Memphis. And they were so nice I let them take my picture.

If you don’t mind my hick southern accent, I’d love for you to listen here. Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes here.

Recently I’ve been playing around with a few location-based social networking services, such as Foursquare, Gowalla and Whrrl. The goal was to do a post with a comparison of each one, which I’ll still do, but for now I want to talk about something my youngest daughter turned me onto, which enables me to check in for a good cause. CauseWorld is a free location-based application, now available for iPhone (app store link) and Android.

How it Works Like the rest of the services, it’s based on check-ins at various locations. CauseWorld is a bit more limited in that you can’t check in at your home or church, only businesses and you can’t add venues. You collect Karmas for each checkin, which allow you to donate to a list of causes. If you don’t see a cause you like, you can also suggest a cause. Sponsors Citi and Kraft Foods have donated nearly $500,000.

Choose from the list of nearby stores to check in (left). Your Me page (center) shows donations you’ve made and badges you’ve earned. When you are ready to donate, you can select from the list of causes (right) or suggest your own.

It works with Facebook Connect, which allows you to post donation activity to your profile.

A recent update includes the option to donate to earthquake relief for Haiti through the Red Cross. All karmas donated to Haiti relief are doubled.

Get CauseWorld and help — the only cost is a few seconds’ time.