How We Keep RVblogz Running

WPMU Dev Premium WordPress Multisite plugins, themes and support help make the RVblogz community and Tripawds blogs a couple of the best multi-user blog communities online!

RVblogz was first created as a testing ground for the  Tripawds Blogs community.

While we do have a growing number of RVers sharing their adventures with free travel blogs here, it is Jerry’s three legged dog blog network – with more than 2200 members and 550+ blogs – that has become one of the premiere WordPress Multisite networks.

Tripawds Three Legged Dog Blogs WordPress Multisite Network

In fact, Tripawds was recently added to the acclaimed WPMU Dev Showcase among some of the leading WordPress MultiSite communities online!

Best WordPress Multisite Plugins & Themes

So what exactly makes these network work? Simply said, it’s our WPMU Dev Premium subscription that enables us to offer such amazing functionality. Here’s a rundown of just a few of our favorite WPMU Dev plugins and themes that power RVblogz and the Tripawds community.

Admin Ads: We provide a row of dashboard “Quick Links” to many of our community’s most valuable resources using this simple plugin. It also allows us to notify bloggers of pending upgrades and other special announcements.

Anti-Splog: This ultimate spam blog plugin and service stops nearly all splogs from even being created in our WordPress Multisite network. If a splog does get created, no posts are visible to the community, and an easy interface allows us to moderate or delete them.

Avatars: Ths is how we allows users to upload ‘user avatars’ and ‘blog avatars’ which then appear in blog comments and blog / user listings throughout the network.

Invite: Allows all RVbloggerz to invite their friends and colleagues via email to check out their blog and register for an account.

 

Recent Comments: This widget lets us display a list of recent comments from all blogs throughout the community.

WPMU DEV - The WordPress ExpertsRecent Global Posts Widget: This widget shows recent posts from all RVblogz, with user avatars.

Sitemaps and SEO: Automatically generates and submit Google sitemaps for all blogs on this network

Supporter: Lets us easily offer paid RVblogz Supporter accounts with automatic upgrades including premium themes, premium plugins, extra storage space, the ability to instantly remove banner ads and more.

Terms Of Service: This plugin places the Terms of Service on the signup with an approval checkbox users must select in order to continue their registration.

The WordPress Popup Plugin: Allows us to display a simple ad directing new tripawds.com visitors to the valuable information in our first e-book, Three Legs and a Spare – a Canine Amputation Handbook.

Update Notifications: This keeps us automatically updated of any WPMU Dev plugin and theme updates for best security and functionality!

WPMU Nelo: The custom homepage CMS WordPress theme we customized to improve navigation and address site performance issues.

What’s next?

I often turn to the WPMU Dev support forums for quick answers whenever I need help tweaking things behind the scenes here. I have requested development of a couple things that might help us continue enhancing the Tripawds experience. For instance, I’d like to have a Map plugin that would automatically generate a map page with member locations based on profile data.

With all this that we already offer in mind, what other new features might Tripawds members like to see?

RVblogz got an upgrade!

The RVblogz free travel blog community is now running along smoothly in style atop the latest version of Wordpress Multisite with all the best multi-user plugins and lots of new themes.

Big news from the cockpit here! The RVblogz free travel blog community is now running along smoothly in style atop the latest version of WordPress Multisite with all the best multi-user plugins and lots of new themes.

What does this mean to RVblogz members, Supporters and road warriors who want a cool free travel blog? Let’s see…

  • It’s easier than ever to start blogging about your travels!
  • RVblogz.com now delivers better performance with higher security.
  • More blog designs including premium layouts.
  • No more Grunions, but better spam protection with an better contact form.
  • And much more!

WordPress, Multisite and BuddyPress Plugins, Themes and Support - WPMU DEVBloggerz may need to refresh their dashboard pages and should check their Plugins an Apperance tabs for new functionality. Reply with a comment or submit a Support Ticket from your RVblogz dashboard.

WordPress MU Upgrade Complete

RVblogz WordPress Updated to MU 2.8.5.2 for Security Bug Fix Release Update

We have just completed the maintenance upgrade of all RVblogz to WordPress MU 2.8.5.2. Thank you for your patience!

This update addresses various administrative bugs and security fixes. If you experience any technical difficulties or unexpected anomalies, please report them using the technical support system using the Support tab in your blog dashboard.

This is not to be confused with the Supporter tab which allows members to upgrade their blog at any time, automatically removing the banner ads and enabling various enhanced features.

We’ll get those spammers!

One of the biggest challenges to having a blog is battling the insane amount of comment spam. We’re doing our best to put an end to that here at RVblogz.com!

RVbloggerz may have noticed the reCAPTCHA image verification plugin we recently installed which required commenters to enter validation words before posting comments. reCAPTCHA is an amazing project that is actually helping to digitize old texts from the internet archive by having words OCR can’t recognize deciphered by blog commenters. But some consider any captcha an inconvenience.

So, we’re trying a different method now. It’s transparent to your readers but fools spam-bots, so it should stop all automated spam comments. Please let us know if its working on your RVblogz.

What’s that you say? You haven’t signed up for your own free travel blog yet? Get your free travel blog today, and we’ll make sure you no spam gets through it … one way or another!

RVblogz adds tutorial videos!

Get your own free travel blog!To help new RVbloggerz get started with their travel blog – and to convince visitors that RVblogz is the best way to start blogging about their travels – we’ve just added a bunch of helpful tutorial videos.

Watch these short videos if you have any questions about how your free RVblogz account works! Stay tuned to the blog here for more videos about advanced topics.