Tired of the WordPress Jungle?
Welcome to Ghost Mastery
Building Your Audience-Driven Business
Reclaim Your Content with Ghost
Time to unshackle yourself from plug-in madness and constant updates, and reclaim your freedom with Ghost – the platform that puts you and your content front and center.
I’ll show you how to build a content driven business, using the platform for the creator economy.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
Hi, I’m Dave Swift.
With over 16+ years of experience in online business, coaching, and helping businesses thrive online, I’ve seen it all and tried it all.
This course is not just about learning a new platform, it’s about reclaiming your creative freedom.
I’ve designed Ghost Mastery: Building Your Audience-Driven Business with one goal in mind – to help you learn the Ghost platform quickly and efficiently.
I want your site online and thriving, so you can focus on everything else required of you as a creator.
So, are you ready to turn your audience into a thriving business with Ghost? I can show you how.
Why Ghost? Why Now?
On my YouTube channel, I’ve helped thousands of creators and entrepreneurs navigate the digital landscape, helping them establish their online presence.
I firmly believe in the power of Ghost as a platform designed specifically for creators.
Other platforms are becoming more closed. More expensive. More fragmented.
Ghost is user-friendly, powerful, and open-source.
You get control without sacrificing on features or flexibility.
Who Can Benefit From This Course? Is Ghost for You?
Ghost is a platform to help you monetize content via recurring membership payments from you audience.
Ghost is not a shopping cart platform.
Ghost is not an online course platform.
Ghost is opinionated & purpose built for the creator economy
Ghost could replace your WordPress membership site.
Ghost could replace your Patreon, Substack, or any other similar platform where you have monthly or annual recurring backers/contributors/donors.
People Who Can Benefit From
This Course:
Ghost is a platform to help you monetize content via recurring membership payments from you audience.
Bloggers and Publishers
Ghost was designed with publishing in mind, so it’s a great tool for bloggers and other types of publishers who want a simple but powerful platform. Its Markdown editor allows for seamless writing, and its quick rendering times mean your content gets served quickly to your audience.
Entrepreneurs and Creators
For people who want a simple platform to handle their content and run their websites, Ghost can be an excellent choice. It is relatively easy to learn, has a clean, user-friendly interface, and offers SEO and social sharing features out of the box, which are crucial for marketing and growing an online presence.
Professional Journalists and Writers
With features like built-in SEO, responsive design, and subscription capability, Ghost offers a powerful platform for professionals in the writing and journalism fields. It can also help them monetize their work with memberships and subscriptions.
Nonprofits and Education
Ghost’s simplicity and affordability can benefit nonprofits and educational institutions that need a straightforward way to manage and share content.
Developers
Ghost is built on Node.js, which means that developers familiar with JavaScript will find it easy to modify and extend. Its headless CMS capabilities make it a great choice for those who want to use modern frontend frameworks like React, Vue.js, or Angular. It also has an API-first approach, which means it’s easier to integrate with other services. Note that this course is focused on front end features, and is not intended to be a developer guide.
Navigating the Ghost
Learning Curve:
A Creator’s Challenge
Maybe you’ve caught wind of Ghost and you’re itching to leave behind the WordPress frustration.
Or maybe you’re on Patreon and you’re sick of giving up 10%+ of your income every month.
Whatever the reason, if Ghost has caught your eye, I’m glad you’re here.
You realize Ghost has the potential to streamline your content creation and audience monetization process.
Here’s where it gets real…
You fire up YouTube and the search results are… 12 “ultimate” guides to Ghost. But most of them are OLD and instructor is using a microphone they got with their SoundBlaster card …in 1996.
They’re waxing philosophical and barely ever get to the title of the video. You don’t need an hour-long lecture on the history of Markdown.
Ok, ok. I’ve made a few videos about Ghost, so they’re not ALL bad!
But they’re far from complete.
Ghost has 16 entries in their change log THIS YEAR. And it’s only July.
You can’t rely on videos from 3 years ago. This software is developing quickly — it’s the platform of the future for profitable creators.
You need to know what works, why it works, and how to apply it to YOUR content.
It’s a bit like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces – incredibly frustrating and a colossal waste of your time.
What you need is a concise, focused, up-to-date guide that takes you by the hand and leads you through the Ghost platform step-by-step.
You need a trusted guide who won’t talk down to you, but also won’t leave you in the dust with technical jargon.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
Introducing Ghost Mastery
Building Your
Audience-Driven Business
Ghost Mastery is an online course tailored for ambitious creators like you, ready to harness the power of the Ghost platform and transform your audience into a thriving, profitable business.
Watch Some Samples From The Course!
Quick Start to Ghost
Learn the Image Editor
Learn the Content Editor
What’s Included with
Ghost Mastery?
7 Modules to seamlessly take you from the basics to expert level.
58 Videos in that are concise, on topic & HD quality.
5+ hours of training. Watch from beginning to end, or browse as a resource when you need it.
Fully transcribed & searchable so you don’t have go hunting to remember how to do “that one thing”.
Bullet point lesson summaries, no more wondering if this was the lesson where…
Quizzes at the end of each module to check your retention.
Action steps along the way, to guide you to build your site with me.
The exact resources I use, like ChatGPT prompts, code snippets, and tool recommendations.
Lifetime access to the course.
I’ll keep the course current to Ghost version 5 as it evolves and updates.
Interact with other students and me in the private forum.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
One time payment: $49
Take The Course30-Day Money Back Guarantee
Let’s Build a Site Together.
I created Ghost Mastery to simplify the process of learning to use the Ghost platform — and there is no better way to learn than by doing.
Inside the course, we’ll build Nimble Sound, a fictitious site for a content creator in the music production space.
You’ll follow along, step-by-step, and build the site that’s right for your content.
This course is designed with creators in mind. I cut through the technical jargon.
I won’t speak over your head, but I won’t talk down to you.
My goal is actionable and practical solutions to leverage Ghost for your business.
I’ll show you not just how to do things, but explain WHY you might want to do them.
Join me in this journey, and together, let’s unlock the full potential of Ghost for your content creation business.
Your Golden Ticket to the Future of Content Creation.
Ghost Mastery isn’t just a course – it’s your shortcut to building a thriving audience-driven business. It’s about cutting through the clutter, simplifying the complex, and getting you to where you want to be, faster and smarter.
I’ve done all the heavy lifting. All you need to do is show up, absorb, and apply these lessons to transform your business. Buckle up, because your journey to dominating the Ghost platform starts now.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
One time payment: $49
Take The Course30-Day Money Back Guarantee
What’s In Each Module?
Module 1
Setting the Foundation
Dive into the world of open-source, understanding how Ghost operates and why it’s a platform that’s built to last. As someone who only builds businesses on robust, reliable platforms, I’ll share why I have so much faith in Ghost.
Get hands-on as we set up a hosting account and launch Ghost for the first time. Whether you’re offering podcasts, code snippets, supporter rewards, or any other form of content, we’re laying the groundwork for your future success.
Round out the module with a tour of Ghost, ensuring you are familiar with every nook and cranny of this powerful platform. You’ll learn how it can serve as the cornerstone for your profitable website, no matter what kind of content you create.
Module 2
Shaping Your Site
Learn all about Ghost’s design options and how you can customize them to create your dream website.
Themes are where it’s at in ghost. We’ll start by touring the default Casper theme, then introduce you to the possibilities with Solo.
No CSS knowledge? No problem. Learn how to add custom CSS and even use AI (ChatGPT) to write CSS for you.
Make your site typographically beautiful with Google Fonts and learn how to keep it all organized with CSS comments.
Finally, learn how to add navigation items and create an Announcement Bar to catch your audience’s attention.
Module 3
Configuring Your Site
Dive into the nuts and bolts of your Ghost site, starting with how to add a custom domain name to your Ghost Pro setup.
We’ll cover essential SEO and social media options in the general settings, so your site is primed to perform well.
And, because most site don’t thrive alone, learn how to add staff and improve author pages to highlight your team’s work.
Module 4
Content Creation Mastery
Master the Ghost Editor, where you’ll discover the magic of Cards & Markdown and the bliss of build-in image editing.
Uncover the nuances between pages and posts, the importance of primary tags, and the best practices for tagging and content organization.
Plus, learn how to add a contact page and form to your site, ensuring your audience can always reach out.
Module 5
Ghost Membership Magic
Turn your audience into a thriving community with Ghost’s membership features. We’ll customize the portal, set default access, and explore how to add commenting.
Discover how to create membership tiers, protect content (launch a Patreon replacement), and analyze your performance.
Build a high-ticket offer. Ghost’s not just for nickel and dime sales. We’ll build a custom sales page and drive sales for a high priced mastermind offering.
Module 6
Email Newsletter Bliss
Launch your newsletter using the amazing Ghost editor. Creating beautiful emails has never been so efficient or zen.
Import your existing subscribers from places like Substack or Mailchimp (even if they have a premium membership with you).
Dive into deliverability and insure you’re following best practices to hit the inbox. Keep those analytics up and you might just land a new sponsor…
Module 7
Advanced Techniques
Level up with advanced features like adding a tip jar, adding social media icons, and exploring third-party integrations.
Learn how to import and export content, migrate from WordPress, and manage redirects and routes for seamless user experience.
Learn the basics of theme customization, routing to custom slugs, and setting up redirects.
Everything You Need
For Success
By the end of Ghost Mastery, you’ll not just be proficient in Ghost, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to create a Ghost site that turns your audience into a thriving business. And remember, I’ll be there every step of the way, providing support, answering questions, and fostering a community within the course.
So, are you ready to leave the WordPress jungle and embrace the Ghost way of life? Enroll in Ghost Mastery: Building Your Audience-Driven Business today!
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
One time payment: $49
Take The Course30-Day Money Back Guarantee
About The Instructor:
Who’s Dave Swift?
I’ve been navigating the digital marketing world for as long as I can remember, as both an entrepreneur starting my own businesses, as well as helping others grow online.
In 2006, I sold my first website for $600 to a local musician, and since then, I’ve transformed my humble beginnings into commanding five-figure fees for web projects.
I’ve built a YouTube channel with over 20K subscribers and my advice is relied on for businesses searching to improve their online operations.
More than just a marketer or web designer, I’m a teacher at heart.
I believe in sharing knowledge, breaking down complex topics, and making them accessible for everyone.
My work revolves around the principle of action – because plans are just plans until they’re executed.
It’s not about finding the “best” tool. It’s about finding the right tool for you.
Now, I want to share my insights with you through this comprehensive Ghost Mastery course.
The “One-Condition” Guarantee
If for any reason you’re not satisfied with Ghost Mastery, I’ll issue a prompt and full refund within 30 days.
There’s only ONE condition: You have to tell me the main reason you weren’t happy with the product, so I have a chance to make it better.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
Ghost vs. WordPress
Ghost & WordPress share many similarities, but where they diverge is how you can figure out of Ghost is right for your next project.
Like WordPress: Ghost is free and open source. You can download the code and run it on any server. You can fork it, modify it, and make it do anything you want.
Unlike WordPress: Features for protecting content, creating newsletters, and accepting subscriptions is built in! If you want to create a membership site you just need to create a Ghost site, add your membership tiers, and connect stripe. Everything is built in ready to go, no duct tape necessary.
Like WordPress: Ghost is created around the blogging concept. WordPress has been bent and twisted to get it to do things it was never supposed to do. Ghost is not going to do all of the things WordPress can, and nor should we want it to!
Unlike WordPress: Ghost does not have a plug-in system. This means no plug-in conflicts, security issues that arise from plug-ins, or annual license fees. Instead, Ghost relies on integrations, which are ways for third-party tools to enhance and work with your Ghost site.
WordPress Is a Swiss Army Knife, But What If You Need A Drill?
Look, I get it. You started your website with WordPress because it’s the “Swiss Army Knife” of the internet.
It seemed like the “safe” choice. The “smart” choice. After all, with a tool that can do anything, you can do anything, right?
But then you quickly realized: Sure, WordPress can do ANYTHING, but doing EVERYTHING is exhausting.
It’s like trying to drill a hole with a Swiss Army Knife.
Technically possible? Maybe. Practical or efficient? Not even close.
Suddenly, you’re buried under 19 plugins, wrangling themes, and wrestling with constant updates.
And, oh the security issues – It’s a wild jungle out there.
You wanted to be a creator, an entrepreneur – not some MacGyver hacking together a duct-tape solution to get your membership site online.
I’ve been there. Heck, we’ve ALL been there.
I still LOVE WordPress. I’m not hating on that amazing platform and community.
I use it for eCommerce & courses. But I admit it’s a HEADACHE. Infact, it’s so annoying people pay me to setup and manage their sites for them.
My point is, if you’re struggling to build a specific kind of site, and there was free & open-source software available to build exactly what you need…
Shouldn’t you learn to use that software instead of trying to force WordPress to do things it was never meant to do?
If you’re trying to monetize your audience, there IS a better tool for the job.
And it doesn’t involve surrendering your content to profit-hungry, closed-platform giants like Patreon, either.
(My guiding principal is simple, build your business on open-source).
Enter Ghost – The platform that does exactly what you need: Turning your audience into a thriving business.
It’s the power drill to WordPress’s Swiss Army Knife.
That’s why I’ve created the “Ghost Mastery: Building Your Audience-Driven Business” course.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
Why Ghost Mastery?
You might be wondering, “Dave, what makes Ghost Mastery different from all the other online courses out there?”
I’m glad you asked. Let me break it down for you.
Blend of Marketing Strategy, Web Usability,
and Technical Details.
Most courses out there will only teach you the “how-to”.
How to set up Ghost, how to publish your first post, how to fiddle with the settings.
But here’s the thing: Knowing how to use Ghost is just the beginning. What’s more important is knowing how to leverage it to build a profitable, audience-driven business.
That’s where Ghost Mastery shines. This course goes beyond the basics.
I’ve fused technical know-how, marketing strategies, and web usability principles together into a holistic, step-by-step guide.
You’re not just learning to use Ghost, you’re mastering it to amplify your business.
Real-World, Hands-On Approach.
Ghost Mastery isn’t about abstract theories. It’s about giving you real, actionable steps that you can apply to your business immediately.
Every lesson is designed with practicality in mind, ensuring you get the most out of your investment in the course, and in Ghost.
Up-to-Date and Future Proof
The online world is fast-paced, and Ghost is no exception.
That’s why Ghost Mastery is continuously updated to include the latest features and improvements.
You’re not getting outdated information, you’re getting the cutting edge.
But don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what some of my viewers have to say:
By the end of Ghost Mastery, you’ll not just be proficient in Ghost, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to create a Ghost site that turns your audience into a thriving business. And remember, I’ll be there every step of the way, providing support, answering questions, and fostering a community within the course.
So, are you ready to leave the WordPress jungle and embrace the Ghost way of life? Enroll in Ghost Mastery: Building Your Audience-Driven Business today!
I’m a huge fan of Dave. As a boutique agency owner, his in-depth video training on the software and issues I need to know about gets me where I need to be without any fuss or fluff. His recent tutorial on Elastic Email for agencies is just one stellar example. Highly recommended.
Gary Elley
I’ve been following Dave’s software reviews for years. Dave is by far one of the most talented software reviewers in his space. He’s also super knowledgeable about WordPress. I come from a Shopify background, but I watched Dave’s WordPress for Beginners video a few years back on YouTube & it was the perfect balance of information & explanation with great step-by-step tutorials! Keep up the awesome work Dave!
Shlomo Zee
ZGi Brands
You’re gifted Dave. No one I know explains it better than you.
Aniket Borhade
YouTube viewer
Are you ready to leave the outdated, jargon-filled guides behind and step into the future of content creation with Ghost Mastery? Let’s get started!
What’s Included with
Ghost Mastery?
7 Modules to seamlessly take you from the basics to expert level.
58 Videos in that are concise, on topic & HD quality.
5+ hours of training. Watch from beginning to end, or browse as a resource when you need it.
Fully transcribed & searchable so you don’t have go hunting to remember how to do “that one thing”.
Bullet point lesson summaries, no more wondering if this was the lesson where…
Quizzes at the end of each module to check your retention.
Action steps along the way, to guide you to build your site with me.
The exact resources I use, like ChatGPT prompts, code snippets, and tool recommendations.
Lifetime access to the course.
I’ll keep the course current to Ghost version 5 as it evolves and updates.
Interact with other students and me in the private forum.
Get The Course Now
7 Modules to go from Ghost beginner to a confident content publisher.
5+ hours of training and 50+ videos that are concise and searchable.
Lifetime access to the course.
One time payment: $49
Take The Course30-Day Money Back Guarantee
Time to Take Control:
Welcome the
Ghost Revolution
Let’s get real. You’re tired of getting lost in the WordPress wilderness. It’s time to welcome the simplicity and power of Ghost.
No more wasting time juggling plugins or stressing over constant updates. Let’s focus on what’s really important – creating great content and turning your audience into a flourishing business.
This isn’t just a course. It’s a stepping stone to free yourself from the complications of a platform that’s stopped working in your favor. It’s your chance to step into a space designed for creators like you.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Enroll in Ghost Mastery: Building Your Audience-Driven Business and see the change for yourself.
Here’s to your success,
