Blog Feedback and Bug Tracking Made Simple!
Utilizing a platform such as WordPress can have some advantages and some disadvantages. The recent release of WordPress tightened up some security issues and subsequently disabled a couple of plugins that I had written – the WordPress Contact Form and the PostPost plugin.
For companies that rely on open source, you’re at the mercy of the plugin developer. That’s a key disadvantage of utilizing an open source blogging platform versus a SaaS business blogging platform like Compendium Blogware.
For those of us in the WordPress development community who have built plugins, it’s important that we respond and correct issues as soon as possible. Many times, though, there’s no one to contact – no means to contact the person – and no means of warning others of the issue.
My recommendation to all WordPress (or other open source developers) is to implement an application like UserVoice. UserVoice is simple to install and provides your users (or even your readers) with a method to report bugs and recommend improvements. I’ve been soliciting feedback from users with UserVoice for blogging topics (overwhelmingly… you’re asking for blogging advice… I’m listening!). Click the red Feedback tab on the left to see it in action!
Aside from the wonderful feedback I’m getting, I also received a tip from one user that my site wasn’t rendering in IE8 well (I added the IE7 rendering meta tag tonight), as well as a bug report that my Contact Form plugin was broken. I was able to correct the issue, upload it, and resolve the issue for anyone tracking the bug. Very cool functionality!
A note on Compendium and Corporate Blogging: Please contact me if you’re a medium to large sized business and are interested in developing a blogging strategy. In August I will have my own agency contract and can bring you on board personally, supplying the attention you need to leverage your blogging across your entire online marketing program. Call me at 317.456.BLOG.
