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The display of popular posts in WordPress helps increase user interaction, page views, and conversions by making it easy for users to find the best content on a website. As the website grows, older posts may receive less attention, but displaying popular posts by day, week, month, or all-time can add variety and promote exposure to a wider range of articles. This article explains how to display popular posts in WordPress in these different time frames.
Why Does WordPress Display Popular Posts?
Since there isn’t much content when you first start a WordPress blog, you can manually display a few posts in a sidebar widget.
But when your website gets bigger, you’ll see that the older posts get less attention. You make it simple for new visitors to your website to find the best articles by highlighting your best content. This promotes page views and user engagement on your website.
The issue now is that only a small group of articles receive recurrent exposure if you display your all-time popular articles. By showing popular posts by day, week, or month, you may add variety.
Let’s look at how simple it is to display WordPress’ most popular posts by day, week, month, or all time.
Adding Popular Posts by Day, Week, and Month in WordPress
Using MonsterInsights is the best strategy to display popular content in WordPress. It assists you in setting up Google Analytics without having to alter code and is the best analytics plugin for WordPress.
Due to its ability to automatically display the most popular posts from Google Analytics, the MonsterInsights Pro edition will be used for this tutorial.
There is also a free version of MonsterInsights Lite that has the Popular Posts function but excludes GA.
Installing and turning on the MonsterInsights plugin is the first step.
You will be taken to the MonsterInsights welcome screen after activation. Click the “Launch the Wizard” button now.
Following that, you can configure Google Analytics by following the steps that appear on the screen.
You can also set up a Google Analytics 4 property using MonsterInsights. This is Analytics’ most recent version. After July 1, 2023, you won’t be able to track website data using the prior version of Universal Analytics. The best time to upgrade to Google Analytics 4 and secure your data is right now.
Going to Insights » Popular Posts from your WordPress dashboard is the next step once Google Analytics has been installed to your website.
If you have an online store, MonsterInsights enables you to display your top articles as widgets in the sidebar and within the content, as well as popular products.
We’ll use “Inline Popular Entries” in this tutorial to display featured articles within the text of other blog posts.
You may see a preview of how your most popular content will appear on the website and the plugin comes with prebuilt themes.
Simply scroll down to discover more customization choices after selecting a theme. You can alter the label and background colors, adjust the color of the title and its size, and more.
Display popular posts by day, week, month, and all time
The plugin will determine your most popular posts, therefore you must next decide how it will do so. Let’s check out your ability to display postings by day, week, month, and overall.
Popular Posts Shown by Day, Week, and Overall
You can choose manually which posts display in the Popular Posts widget in MonsterInsights.
When showing the most popular content from a particular day or week, this is helpful. Additionally, you can display your website’s top articles wherever you choose.
Simply choose the articles you want to feature by selecting the ‘Curated’ option beneath the Sort By column.
These may include your own content, recurring announcements or news, popular subjects from a specific day, and more.
Simply start typing the names of the posts you wish to add, and when their names appear in the field, click them to choose them. Simply select your top posts from the past to have them displayed consistently as popular posts as long as “Curated” is chosen.
To keep this curated content interesting for your audience, you will need to manually alter some of them if you want to show popular posts by the day or the week.
For instance, you will need to decide which posts are shown under “Curated” each week if you feature various WooCommerce products on a weekly basis.
Popular Posts by Month and All Time are shown.
You have a variety of choices in MonsterInsights to automatically display the most popular posts overall and by month.
By choosing the ‘Comments’ option, you can first see the pages with the most comments from the previous 30 days. The most popular blog posts will be displayed in the popular post widget in a random rotation by the plugin.
The ‘SharedCount’ option in MonsterInsights allows you to automatically display popular content based on social media shares.
It allows you display your all-time most shared articles and combines with SharedCount. People can quickly locate content that promotes social involvement in this way.
The top 5 posts from Google Analytics over the previous 30 days are another option provided by MonsterInsights. On your website, you may use this method to display the best content from the previous month or all time.
You must first choose the ‘Curated’ option from the ‘Sort By’ column.
Then, under the Automated + Curated area, you may enable the “Add Top 5 Posts from Google Analytics” option.
Click the “Test Automated Posts” button under “Automated + Curated” to make sure Google Analytics is retrieving your data.
Now a pop-up notification confirming the successful retrieval of the well-liked posts will appear. Clicking the “Close” button is an option.
Please be aware that in order to use the Automated + Curated feature, you must configure the “Post Type” custom dimensions in MonsterInsights and Google Analytics.
Custom dimensions are extra metrics that Google Analytics lets you monitor.
Insert Popular Posts to Your WordPress Website
The next step is to choose how you want to insert the featured articles.
Manual placement and automatic placement are the two options provided by MonsterInsights.
If you choose the “Automatic” option, you can specify the word count at which the well-known post widget should show. The option to include and remove pages from the display of featured posts is also available.
When finished, simply click the “Save Changes” button at the top of the page.
By doing this, your preferences will be remembered, and MonsterInsights will show the most popular blog entries on your website automatically.
On the other side, by including the MonsterInsights block or utilising a shortcode, you may also display popular content in any blog post.
Start by adding a new post or editing an existing one. By clicking the ‘+’ button, you can add the ‘Popular Posts’ block to your content editor.
The content editor will then display a preview of your featured articles.
You can publish your content once you’re happy with the widget’s appearance.
We hope, this article has assisted you in displaying popular posts in WordPress by day, week, month, and all time.
Search engine indexing is the process by which search engines, such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo, discover and add web pages to their databases. These databases are then used to power search results when a user enters a query into the search engine.
When a search engine crawls the web, it follows links from one page to another and indexes the content on each page it encounters. As it indexes a page, it processes the content to understand what the page is about and how it should be ranked in search results. This process is known as “indexing” or “crawling and indexing“.
When a search engine indexes a page, it looks at various factors such as the text on the page, the images and videos on the page, the structure of the HTML code, and the links pointing to the page. It uses this information to determine the relevance and authority of the page, and how it should be ranked in search results.
Search engine indexing is an ongoing process, as search engines constantly update their databases to ensure that they have the most up-to-date information. This is important as the web is constantly changing, with new pages being created and old pages being updated or removed.
One key factor to improve your website ranking on search engine results is to optimize your pages for search engines through techniques called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). By optimizing your pages for search engines, you can increase the likelihood that your pages will be indexed and rank higher in search results.
Why stop search engines from crawling a WordPress website?
There may be several reasons why someone would want to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site. Here are a few possible reasons:
Development and testing: If a website is under development or undergoing testing, it may not be ready for public consumption. In this case, the site owner may want to prevent search engines from crawling the site until it is ready to be launched.
Privacy and security: Some websites may contain sensitive information that should not be publicly accessible. In this case, the site owner may want to prevent search engines from crawling the site to protect the privacy and security of the information.
Traffic management: Some websites may have a limited amount of resources available, such as bandwidth or server capacity. In this case, the site owner may want to prevent search engines from crawling the site to conserve resources and manage traffic.
Duplicate content: If a website is running on multiple domains, it could cause duplicate content issues, which can negatively impact search engine optimization. In this case, the site owner may want to prevent search engines from crawling the duplicate site to avoid this problem.
Maintenance mode: When performing maintenance on a website, site owners may want to prevent search engines from crawling the site to avoid returning a 404 error to visitors.
Staging Site: If a site owner wants to test new changes or updates on a staging site before publishing the changes to the live site, they may want to prevent search engines from crawling the staging site to avoid any confusion or issues with their live site’s search engine ranking.
It’s worth noting that while it’s possible to prevent search engines from crawling a WordPress site, it’s not recommended to do so for a long period of time. Search engine visibility is important for driving traffic to a site and keeping it updated through indexing is crucial for search engine optimization.
Ways to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress website
There are several methods that can be used to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site:
Using a plugin: There are several WordPress plugins, such as Yoast SEO or All in One SEO Pack, that allow you to add a “noindex” meta tag to your pages. This tells search engines not to index the page, effectively preventing them from crawling the site.
Using the robots.txt file: The robots.txt file is a file that sits on the root of a website and tells search engines which pages or sections of the site they should not crawl. You can use the robots.txt file to block search engines from crawling your entire site, or just specific pages or sections.
Using the .htaccess file: The .htaccess file is a configuration file for the Apache web server, which is used by many hosting providers. You can use the .htaccess file to block search engines from crawling your site by adding a few lines of code.
Password protection: Password protecting your site using a plugin or your hosting provider’s built-in feature can also prevent search engines from crawling your site, as they will not be able to access the protected pages.
Maintenance mode: WordPress has built-in maintenance mode feature that can be activated via the wp-config.php file. This will show a maintenance page to visitors and prevent search engines from crawling the site during maintenance.
Staging site: Many hosting providers offer a staging feature, which allows you to create a copy of your live site for testing and development. Search engines will not be able to crawl the staging site, as it is typically blocked from being indexed.
Let’s have a look at all the methods with some more details.
#1. Using a plugin
Using a plugin to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site is a popular method, as it is relatively easy to set up and does not require any technical knowledge. There are several WordPress plugins available that allow you to add a “noindex” meta tag to your pages, such as Yoast SEO or All in One SEO Pack.
“No Index” option in Yoast SEO
When you use a plugin to add a “noindex” meta tag, it tells search engines not to index the page, effectively preventing them from crawling the site. This means that the page will not appear in search engine results, and the search engine will not spend resources on crawling the page.
To use a plugin to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site, you will first need to install and activate the plugin. Once the plugin is activated, you will typically be able to access the plugin’s settings from the WordPress dashboard. From there, you can select the pages or posts that you want to prevent search engines from crawling and add the “noindex” meta tag to them.
It’s worth noting that some plugins will also allow you to add “nofollow” meta tags, which tell search engines not to follow the links on the page. This can be useful if you want to prevent search engines from crawling your site, but still want to allow users to access the page.
Additionally, some plugins can also allow you to block search engines from crawling certain sections of your site, or the entire site, by adding the “noindex” meta tag to the appropriate sections or pages.
It’s important to remember that using a plugin to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site is a temporary solution and should not be used for a long period of time as it will affect the visibility and traffic of the website. If you want to make changes in your website, you can use the maintenance mode or the staging site instead.
#2. Using the robots.txt file
Using the robots.txt file to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site is a method that is based on the standard for web robots (also known as “crawlers” or “spiders”). The robots.txt file is a file that sits on the root of a website and tells search engines which pages or sections of the site they should not crawl. By creating and uploading a robots.txt file to your website, you can prevent search engines from crawling certain pages or sections of your site.
To create a robots.txt file, you can use a simple text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. The file should start with the user-agent line, which tells search engines which crawler should be blocked. For example, to block all search engines, you would use “User-agent: *”.
Next, you can specify which pages or sections of your site you want to block. This is done by using the “Disallow” directive, followed by the URL of the page or section you want to block. For example, to block a specific page, you would use “Disallow: /page-to-block/”. To block an entire directory, you would use “Disallow: /directory-to-block/”.
Once you have created the robots.txt file, you need to upload it to the root directory of your website. The location of the root directory will depend on your hosting provider, but it is typically the same directory as your homepage.
It’s worth noting that while a robots.txt file can prevent search engines from crawling your site, it is not a foolproof method, as some crawlers might ignore the file. Additionally, it’s important to remember that the robots.txt file will not prevent search engines from being aware of the site’s existence.
Also, keep in mind that if you’re blocking your entire site using robots.txt, it will prevent your site from being indexed and appearing in search engine results and thus your website won’t get any traffic from search engines.
It’s also worth noting that you can check the robots.txt file of any website by visiting the URL “https://www.example.com/robots.txt” and replace “example.com” with the domain name of any website.
#3. Using the .htaccess file
Using the .htaccess file to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site is a method that involves editing the .htaccess file on your server to add specific rules that will block search engines from crawling certain pages or sections of your site. The .htaccess file is a configuration file that sits in the root directory of your website and controls various aspects of your website’s behavior, including redirects, security, and access controls.
Here’s an example of how you can use the .htaccess file to block search engines from crawling a specific page on your WordPress site:
Access your website’s root directory through FTP or the file manager in your web hosting control panel.
Look for the .htaccess file, if it doesn’t exist, you can create a new file with the same name.
Open the .htaccess file in a text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit.
This code will block all major search engines from crawling the page with the URL “page-to-block”. You can change the URL to match the specific page you want to block.
Save the .htaccess file and upload it back to your server.
It’s worth noting that this method will prevent search engines from crawling the specified pages, but it will not prevent search engines from being aware of the pages’ existence. Additionally, this method is based on the assumption that search engine crawlers will obey the rules specified in the .htaccess file, which may not always be the case.
Also, it’s important to be careful when editing the .htaccess file, as a mistake in the code can cause your website to become inaccessible. It’s recommended to keep a backup of the original .htaccess file before making any changes.
#4. Password protection
Using password protection to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site is a method that involves adding a password to certain pages or sections of your site. This means that only users who have the password will be able to access the protected pages, while search engines will be unable to crawl them.
There are several ways to password protect pages or sections of a WordPress site:
Using a plugin: There are several WordPress plugins available that allow you to password protect pages or sections of your site, such as Password Protected or Password Protected Categories. These plugins allow you to set a password for a specific page or post, or for an entire category.
Using .htaccess file: You can use an .htaccess file to password protect a specific directory on your website. This method is a bit more technical, as it requires editing the .htaccess file on your server, but it can be useful if you want to password protect an entire directory, rather than just a single page or post.
Using cPanel: Some web hosting providers also provide a way to password protect a directory in cPanel. This method can be useful if you want to password protect an entire directory and you are not familiar with .htaccess file editing.
Once you have password protected a page or section of your site, search engines will be unable to crawl it. However, it’s worth noting that this method will not prevent search engines from being aware of the page’s existence. Additionally, it’s important to remember that password protecting a page or section of your site will also prevent users from accessing it, so it should only be used for pages or sections that are not important for your site’s visibility or traffic.
Also, using password protection is not a long-term solution, you should use this method only if you have a temporary need to block access to your site or a specific part of it, such as during maintenance or testing.
#5. Maintenance mode
WordPress has a built-in maintenance mode feature that allows you to temporarily take your site offline while you perform updates, maintenance, or make changes. This feature is typically used to display a “Coming Soon” or “Maintenance Mode” page to visitors, while still allowing you and other logged-in users to access the site.
To activate the built-in maintenance mode in WordPress, you can follow these steps:
Go to the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the “Settings” menu.
Select the “Maintenance Mode” option.
Check the “Enable Maintenance Mode” checkbox.
Click the “Save Changes” button.
Once you have enabled the maintenance mode, visitors will see a “Coming Soon” or “Maintenance Mode” page, while you and other logged-in users will have full access to the site. This will also block search engines from crawling the site while it is in maintenance mode.
You can also install a plugin like “Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode by SeedProd” which allow you to customize the coming soon page and also allow you to block search engines from crawling the site while it is in maintenance mode.
#6 .Staging site
A staging site is a duplicate or replica of your live website that is used for testing and development purposes. It allows you to make changes and test new features on your site without affecting the live version. This can be very useful when you want to update your website or make major changes, but don’t want visitors or search engines to see the site while it’s in progress.
Many hosting providers offer a staging feature that allows you to create a copy of your live site with a few clicks. This typically involves creating a separate subdomain, or a subdirectory on your main domain, where you can access the staging site. The process of creating a staging site can vary depending on the hosting provider, but it usually involves a few simple steps like:
Log in to your hosting account.
Go to the hosting control panel or cPanel
Look for the “Staging” or “Development” section.
Select your website from the list of sites on your hosting account.
Click the “Create Staging Site” button.
Once the staging site is created, you will be able to access it using a different URL than the live site, such as “staging.yourdomain.com”. You can then make changes and test new features on the staging site without affecting the live version.
It’s important to note that search engines will not be able to crawl the staging site, as it is typically blocked from being indexed. This means that the staging site will not be visible to the search engines and will not affect the live site’s SEO. You can also block search engines from crawling the site using the robots.txt file or by using a plugin to manage access to your site, like “Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode by SeedProd” or “WordPress SEO by Yoast”, so that the search engines can’t access the site while it’s in development.
Once you’re done making changes and testing on the staging site, you can then push the changes to the live site. This can be done by using the same plugin you used to create the staging site, or by manually uploading the changes to the live site.
A staging site is a replica of a live site, used to test and develop changes in a secure environment, it can be used to block search engines from crawling the site, and it allows you to test changes before making them live. And many hosting providers offer this feature as a built-in service.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, there are several methods that can be used to stop search engines from crawling a WordPress site, each with its own advantages and limitations. These methods include using the built-in maintenance mode, robots.txt file, plugins, and creating a staging site. Each of these methods can be used to achieve different goals, such as protecting the privacy and security of sensitive information, managing traffic and resources, avoiding duplicate content issues, and testing new changes or updates before publishing them to the live site. It’s essential to choose the right method that best fits your needs and to make sure that your site is properly configured to prevent search engines from crawling it.
When it comes to building a website on WordPress, choosing a theme is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. A theme determines the overall design and layout of your site, and can have a big impact on its functionality and user experience.
While there are thousands of free and low-cost themes available, many users opt for a premium WordPress theme for its added features and customization options. In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the key factors to consider when choosing a premium WordPress theme for your website.
Free vs Premium WordPress themes
Free and premium WordPress themes both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Free themes are a great option for those on a tight budget or just starting out with a new website. They can be easily downloaded and installed from the WordPress repository, and they often come with basic design and layout options. However, free themes may have limited customization options, and they may not have the same level of support and updates as premium themes.
Premium themes, on the other hand, typically offer a wider range of features and customization options. They are designed and developed by professional premium WordPress theme designers and developers, which means they are often more polished and have a higher level of attention to detail. They also often include more advanced features such as e-commerce integration and responsive design. Additionally, premium themes typically come with support from the theme developer, which can be helpful when running into issues or needing assistance with customization.
Ultimately, the choice between a free and premium theme will depend on the specific needs of your website and the level of control and flexibility you require.
Modern Design with Appealing Aesthetics
When picking a theme for your website, remember that it’s something that you’ll likely be using for an extended period. This allows visitors to become familiar with it and easily consume content. Therefore, it’s important to choose a theme that looks attractive and can be used for a long time without needing too many changes.
The key elements of a well-designed website are a suitable color combination, stunning typography, a simple layout, and high-quality images. These elements come together seamlessly and cohesively to attract visitors and help achieve your professional goals.
Most premium themes offer built-in font selection tools and unlimited color options, so make sure that the default typography in your theme of choice is top-notch. Some premium themes, like Astra, also offer a wide range of customization options, allowing you to edit the appearance of your blogs, sidebars, headers, and footers.
When evaluating a theme, don’t just focus on the homepage, be sure to explore other parts of the theme demo. For example, if you’re creating a portfolio website, take a look at the theme’s portfolio demo. And if you plan to include testimonials, check out how they appear in the theme demo.
Lastly, make sure that there are multiple page layouts and templates available, and that the blog, single pages, posts, and homepage all maintain the same visual appeal and consistency.
Speed and Coding Quality
The theme should be fast-loading and well-coded to ensure optimal performance and security.
Speed: A fast-loading theme is important because it ensures that your website loads quickly for visitors. This can improve the user experience, reduce bounce rates, and increase conversions.
Coding Quality: The theme should be well-coded and written according to the latest WordPress coding standards. This will ensure that it runs smoothly, is compatible with the latest WordPress version, and is less likely to have security vulnerabilities.
Good coding practices are also important for search engine optimization (SEO) as search engines consider page load speed as a ranking factor.
A theme that is well-coded and follows best practices will also make it easier to troubleshoot and make customizations in the future.
It is also important to check if the theme is following the guidelines of WordPress theme review process, as this will ensure that it is up-to-date with the best practices and standards.
So, when you are choosing a theme, make sure to check the loading speed and validate the code quality by viewing the source code and checking for any errors. Also, check if the theme has passed the WordPress theme review process, as this will ensure that it meets the latest coding standards and best practices.
Features vs Presentation
The main difference between premium WordPress themes and plugins is that themes control the appearance and design of your website while plugins add functionality and features.
However, in the competitive market of premium WordPress themes, some theme designers have started to include additional plugin-like features in their themes to make them more appealing to users.
Why is this viewed as poor behavior?
When a WordPress theme starts to include functionality that is typically found in plugins, it can make it more difficult to switch to a new theme. For example, if a theme adds custom post types, switching to a new theme would cause those post types to disappear from the admin menu. Additionally, shortcodes that were created by the theme would no longer work.
On the other hand, Some premium WordPress themes are designed specifically for specific niches, such as real estate or hospitality, and these themes can be incredibly useful. However, if you use one of these themes, it’s important to be aware that switching to a new theme, later on, might be challenging because the new theme may not have the same built-in functionality.
The reputation of the Developer
The theme should be from a reputable developer and have positive reviews from other users.
When choosing a theme, it’s important to consider the reputation of the developer. A reputable developer will have a track record of creating high-quality themes that are well-coded, regularly updated, and supported. They will also have a good reputation in the WordPress community and be known for providing good customer service.
To check the reputation of the developer, you can research them online, look at their portfolio, and read reviews from other users. Some good ways to find this information are looking at the WordPress.org theme repository, other WordPress-related websites or forums, or even searching for the developer on social media platforms.
It’s also important to check for the number of active installations and the ratings of the theme on the WordPress repository. This will give you an idea of how popular the theme is and how well it has been received by other users.
Another way to check the reputation is by seeing if the developer has a dedicated support forum or dedicated support team, this will ensure that you will have someone to help you if you have any issues with the theme.
In summary, taking the time to research the developer and read reviews from other users can help you make an informed decision and choose a theme that is well-coded, regularly updated, and supported by a reputable developer.
Performance and Security
When choosing a premium WordPress theme, it’s important to not just focus on the design and features but also pay attention to the theme’s speed and coding quality. Some theme developers may use shortcuts that could compromise the security of your website in order to attract more customers, which could lead to performance and speed issues.
However, many new WordPress users may not have the technical knowledge to understand the code, so how can they ensure that the coding in a premium theme is well-written?
One way is to only purchase premium themes from reputable and well-known theme stores such as Astra Theme, Elegant Themes, Beaver Builder, Themify, StudioPress, and Artisan Themes.
Another way is to do research and look for reviews and customer testimonials of the theme or developer. Check if any popular blogs or websites use their themes. Additionally, look at the theme shop’s testimonials page or conduct a Google search of the company. Reviews and ratings for each theme can also be found on the WordPress.org website.
Check for Compatibility
When searching for a premium WordPress theme, it’s important to have a clear idea of the features you need. Before you start looking for a theme, create a list of all the features you require. This can include things like:
E-commerce support
Translation readiness for non-English websites
Support for BuddyPress or bbPress
Mobile responsiveness
Compatibility with any additional plugins you may use
Built-in templates and support for popular eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads
Additionally, if the theme you want is not available in your language, ask the developer if a translation is in the works. This will help ensure that your investment is going towards a theme that meets your specific needs.
Select a Custom Theme
Creating high-quality websites with the help of a suitable premium WordPress theme is relatively easy, but there may still be some limitations to what you can customize. Developing a unique premium WordPress theme can provide more control and flexibility over the design and layout of your website, but it can come at a cost depending on the number of features and customization options you need.
An alternative solution is to use a website builder like SeedProd. It offers a wide range of pre-built designs, and its drag-and-drop builder makes it easy to customize various aspects of your theme. With SeedProd, you can add elements such as photos, buttons, text, videos, settings, contact forms, and more, using both basic and complex blocks provided by the plugin. It’s a simpler and more cost-effective way to create a custom theme for your website.
Support and Updates
The theme should come with support and regular updates to ensure that it remains compatible with the latest WordPress version and your website runs smoothly.
When choosing a theme, it’s important to consider the level of support and updates that come with it. A good theme should come with regular updates to ensure that it remains compatible with the latest version of WordPress and that any bugs or security vulnerabilities are fixed. It should also be supported by the developer, meaning that you can reach out to them for help if you run into any issues.
When it comes to support, a good theme developer should provide a support forum, a documentation page or a support team that can help you with any questions or issues you may have. They should also be responsive and helpful in their support and should have a good track record of addressing issues in a timely manner.
Additionally, it’s important to check if the theme is compatible with the latest version of WordPress, this will ensure that it is up-to-date and secure. It’s also good to check if the theme has a changelog, this will give you an idea of the updates and bug fixes that have been made over time.
Choosing a theme that comes with regular updates and good support can help ensure that your website runs smoothly and remains compatible with the latest version of WordPress. It will also give you peace of mind knowing that you have a dedicated support team or developer that can help you with any issues you may encounter.
Wrapping Up
In summary, choosing a theme for your WordPress website is a crucial decision that will impact the overall design, layout, functionality, and user experience of your site. While there are a plethora of free and low-cost options available, many users opt for a premium theme for its additional features and customization options.
In this guide, we’ve discussed some of the key factors to consider when selecting a premium WordPress theme such as design, aesthetics, speed and sound coding, features, and the reputation of the theme developer. By taking the time to carefully evaluate your options and choose a theme that meets your specific needs, you can ensure that your website looks professional, is user-friendly and can help you achieve your business goals.
Welcome to our guide on the top 10 most frequently asked basic WordPress questions and their answers. Whether you’re new to WordPress or just need a quick refresher, this guide will provide you with the information you need to navigate the platform with ease. From installing and setting up WordPress to troubleshooting common issues and customizing your site, we’ve got you covered. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top 10 most asked basic WordPress questions and their answers.
#1 What is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?
WordPress.com and WordPress.org are both versions of the popular WordPress content management system, but they have some key differences.
WordPress.com is a fully hosted platform, which means that users do not need to worry about hosting, backups, security, or software updates. Users can create a free or paid account and start creating their website immediately. WordPress.com also offers a variety of paid plans with additional features and support. However, users have limited control over the design and functionality of their site and are subject to certain usage restrictions.
WordPress.org, on the other hand, is an open-source software that can be downloaded and installed on a web server. Users are responsible for their own hosting, backups, security, and software updates. WordPress.org also gives users complete control over the design and functionality of their site, and users have access to thousands of free and paid themes and plugins. However, using WordPress.org requires a bit more technical know-how and resources compared to WordPress.com.
In short, WordPress.com is a fully-hosted, easy-to-use platform with limited customization options, while WordPress.org is an open-source software with more flexibility and control, but also more technical know-how and resources required.
#2 How do I install WordPress on my server?
Installing WordPress on your server involves a few steps. Here are steps how to do it:
First, you will need to have a web hosting account and a domain name. You will need to have access to the server via FTP or cPanel.
Download the latest version of WordPress from WordPress.org and unzip the files.
Use an FTP client or cPanel file manager to upload the WordPress files to your server. The files should be placed in the root directory of your website or in a subdirectory if you want to run multiple sites from one installation.
Create a MySQL database for your WordPress installation. This can be done through cPanel or your web host’s control panel. Make sure to keep a record of the database name, username, and password.
Visit your website in a web browser and follow the instructions to complete the installation. You will be prompted to enter the details of the database you created earlier.
Once the installation is complete, you will be prompted to create a new admin user and password.
After that, you will be redirected to the login page, and then you can log in to your new WordPress site.
Finally, you can customize your site’s appearance, add content, and install plugins as needed.
It is important to note that some web hosting providers offer one-click installation options for WordPress, which can simplify the process. It is also recommended to check your web host’s documentation for specific instructions on how to install WordPress on their servers.
It is also important to maintain your website by updating WordPress, themes and plugins, and keeping backups regularly to avoid security issues.
#3 How do I customize the appearance of my WordPress site?
Customizing the appearance of your WordPress site can be done through themes and templates.
Log in to the WordPress dashboard of your site.
Go to Appearance > Themes.
You will see a list of installed themes. You can choose to activate one of these themes or add a new one by clicking on the “Add New” button.
If you choose to add a new theme, you can browse through the WordPress theme repository and find a theme that suits your needs. You can also upload a theme you have purchased or downloaded from a third-party website.
Once you have found a theme you like, click on the “Install” button and then activate it.
Once the theme is activated, you can start customizing it. Most themes come with their own customization options, which can be accessed through the WordPress Customizer. You can access the Customizer by going to Appearance > Customize.
The Customizer allows you to make changes to the layout, colors, fonts, and other design elements of your theme. You can see a live preview of your changes as you make them.
Once you are satisfied with your changes, click on the “Save & Publish” button to save your changes.
It is important to note that different themes have different customization options. Some themes may also come with additional customization options through third-party plugins. Also, some themes may have more advanced customization options that can be done by editing the theme’s code, this process would require some knowledge of HTML, CSS and PHP.
It is also a good idea to keep a backup of your site before making any changes, so you can roll back if something goes wrong.
#4 How do I add a new plugin to my WordPress site?
Adding a new plugin to your WordPress site is a simple process. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:
Log in to the WordPress dashboard of your site.
Go to Plugins > Add New.
You will be taken to the plugin repository, where you can browse through thousands of free and paid plugins. You can search for a specific plugin by typing its name in the search bar or by filtering the results by keyword, author, or tag.
Once you have found a plugin you want to install, click on the “Install Now” button. WordPress will download and install the plugin for you.
After the plugin is installed, you will see a “Activate” link. Click on it to activate the plugin.
Once the plugin is activated, you can access its settings and options from the WordPress dashboard. Some plugins may also add new menu items or sections to the dashboard.
If the plugin requires any additional setup or configuration, you will be prompted to do so after activation.
It’s also important to note that you can also upload a plugin manually to your website if you have downloaded it from a third-party website. You can do this by going to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
It is important to keep your WordPress site and its plugins updated to ensure the best performance and security. It is also a good idea to do research and read reviews before installing a plugin, to ensure that it’s compatible with your version of WordPress and it’s reliable.
#5 How do I create a new page or post in WordPress?
Creating a new page or post in WordPress is very easy. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:
Log in to the WordPress dashboard of your site.
To create a new page, go to Pages > Add New. To create a new post, go to Posts > Add New.
You will be taken to the WordPress editor, where you can add the content for your new page or post. The editor allows you to add text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements to your content.
You can format your text using the toolbar at the top of the editor. This toolbar allows you to add headings, lists, bold and italic text, and more.
You can also add images and videos to your content by clicking on the “Add Media” button. This will open the media library, where you can upload new images and videos or select existing ones.
Once you have added your content, you can then add a title, a featured image and also categorize your post or page by adding tags and categories in the right sidebar.
Once you are finished with your page or post, you can either save it as a draft by clicking on the “Save Draft” button, or you can publish it by clicking on the “Publish” button.
Once the page or post is published, it will be live on your website, and it can be viewed by your visitors.
It’s also important to note that you can also schedule a post to be published at a later date by using the “Publish” option, it also allows you to change the status of a post or page (e.g. draft, scheduled, private)
You can also customize the appearance of your pages and posts by using different templates and custom fields, this process would require some knowledge of HTML, CSS and PHP.
In summary, creating a new page or post in WordPress is a straightforward process that can be done through the WordPress editor. It allows you to add text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements to your content and also to customize it by adding tags, categories, and other options.
#6 How do I add a new user to my WordPress site?
Follow these easy steps to add new user to your WordPress website.
Log in to the WordPress dashboard of your site.
Go to Users > Add New
You will be taken to the “Add New User” page, where you can enter the new user’s information, such as their username, email address, and password.
You can also assign a role to the new user. WordPress has several built-in roles, including Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber. Each role has different capabilities and permissions. For example, an Administrator can access all the features and settings of the site, while a Subscriber can only read and comment on posts.
Once you have entered the new user’s information, click on the “Add New User” button to create the new user account.
The new user will receive an email with their account details and a link to log in to the site.
Once the user is logged in, they can start creating and managing their own content, depending on the role they were assigned.
It’s also important to note that you can also invite users to join your site by sending them an invitation link, this can be done by going to Users > Invite New.
It is also important to keep an eye on the number of users you have on your website and manage their roles and permissions accordingly. It is also a good idea to regularly review the users and remove any inactive or unnecessary ones.
In summary, adding a new user to your WordPress site is a straightforward process that can be done through the “Add New User” page on the WordPress dashboard. It allows you to create new user accounts and assign roles and permissions to them. This feature is useful if you have a team working on your site, or you want to give access to other people to manage and contribute to your website.
#7 How do I optimize my WordPress site for better performance?
Optimizing your WordPress site for better performance can be done through a variety of techniques.
Use a caching plugin: Caching can significantly improve the loading time of your site by storing a copy of your pages and posts in the browser’s cache. This way, when a user visits your site again, the page loads faster because it doesn’t have to be generated again. Some popular caching plugins include W3 Total Cache and WP Super Cache.
Optimize your images: Large images can slow down your site, so it’s important to optimize them before uploading them to your site. You can use image optimization tools such as Optimole, Kraken.io, or ShortPixel to reduce the file size of your images without losing quality.
Minimize the number of plugins: While plugins can add useful functionality to your site, too many plugins can slow it down. It’s important to only use the plugins that are necessary for your site and to keep them updated.
Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN stores a copy of your site’s static files (such as images, CSS and JavaScript) on servers located around the world. When a user visits your site, the files are served from the server closest to them, which can improve the loading time. Some popular CDN providers include Cloudflare, MaxCDN, and Amazon CloudFront.
Optimize your database: Over time, your database can become cluttered with unnecessary data, which can slow down your site. You can use a plugin such as WP-Optimize to clean up your database and improve its performance.
Keep your WordPress, themes and plugins updated: This will ensure you have the latest security patches and performance enhancements.
Use a good quality web hosting: This will ensure that your website is hosted on a powerful server, with sufficient resources and optimized for performance.
Minimize the use of heavy scripts and large elements on the front end, this will improve the load time of your site and make it more responsive.
Use a performance and monitoring plugin such as GTmetrix, Google PageSpeed Insights, or Pingdom, to test and analyze the performance of your site, and get suggestions for improvements.
Optimizing your WordPress site for better performance is a multi-step process that involves caching, image optimization, minimizing the number of plugins, using a CDN, optimizing your database, and keeping your WordPress, themes and plugins updated. Additionally, it’s also important to use a good quality web hosting and to minimize the use of heavy scripts and large elements on the front end. It’s also a good idea to regularly test and monitor your site’s performance, to identify and address any issues.
#8 How do I troubleshoot common WordPress errors?
Troubleshooting common WordPress errors can be a challenge, but there are several techniques you can use to resolve them. Here is a detailed guide on how to troubleshoot common WordPress errors:
Check for updates: Many errors can be resolved by simply updating WordPress, themes, and plugins to the latest version. Keep your WordPress site and its components updated, this will ensure the best performance and security.
Check for conflicting plugins: Sometimes, two or more plugins can conflict with each other, causing errors on your site. Try deactivating all of your plugins, and then reactivating them one by one to see if the error goes away.
Check your .htaccess file: The .htaccess file is a configuration file that controls how your server handles certain requests. If this file is corrupted or modified, it can cause errors on your site. You can try renaming or replacing the .htaccess file with a new one.
Check for a corrupted theme: A corrupted theme can cause errors on your site. Try switching to the default WordPress theme to see if the error goes away.
Check for a corrupted database: A corrupted database can cause errors on your site. You can try using a plugin such as WP-DB Manager to repair and optimize your database.
Check your web hosting: Some errors may be caused by issues with your web hosting. Contact your web host’s support team and provide them with as much information as possible about the error.
Check the error log: Many web hosting providers provide access to an error log, which can contain information about errors that are occurring on your site. Check the error log to see if there is any useful information about the error you are experiencing.
Check the WordPress support forums: The WordPress community is very active and helpful. There are a lot of experts and users who have faced similar issues and can help you troubleshoot your problem.
Check the documentation: Many errors have common solutions that are documented on the WordPress website or the plugin’s website, check the documentation for any troubleshooting tips or solutions.
Troubleshooting common WordPress errors requires a systematic approach. Keep your WordPress site and its components updated, check for conflicting plugins, check your .htaccess file, check for a corrupted theme, check for a corrupted database, check your web hosting, check the error log, check the WordPress support forums, and check the documentation. It is also important to keep a backup of your site, in case something goes wrong, so you can roll back to a previous version.
#9 How can I backup my WordPress site?
There are several ways to backup a WordPress site, including:
Using a plugin: There are many plugins available that can help you easily backup your site. Some popular options include UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, and VaultPress. These plugins allow you to schedule regular backups and store them on remote locations such as cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Amazon S3.
Manually backing up via FTP: You can use a program like FileZilla to connect to your website’s server and download all of the files and folders that make up your site. This will give you a complete backup of your site’s files, but you’ll need to manually backup your database separately.
Manually backing up via cPanel: If your website is hosted on a server that uses cPanel, you can use the built-in backup feature to download a complete backup of your website, including both files and the database.
Backing up with command line tools: You can also use command line tools like mysqldump to backup your database and tar or rsync to backup your files. This method requires a certain level of technical knowledge, but it can be useful if you’re comfortable working with the command line.
Utilize your webhosting service backup feature: Many webhosting service providers offer a way to backup your website automatically or on demand, this is a good option if your site is relatively small.
It is recommended to backup your website regularly and store the backups on a remote location in case of any data loss or server failure.
#10 How do I migrate my WordPress site to a new domain or server?
Migrating a WordPress site to a new domain or server can be a bit more complex than just backing up and restoring your site, but it’s still a relatively straightforward process. Here are the general steps you’ll need to take to migrate your site:
Backup your site: Before making any changes, it’s important to create a backup of your entire website. You can use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to do this, or you can manually backup your site’s files and database.
Update URLs in the database: If you’re migrating your site to a new domain, you’ll need to update all the URLs in the database that point to the old domain. You can use a plugin like Better Search Replace to do this, or you can manually update the URLs using a tool like phpMyAdmin.
Move your files: You will need to move all the files and folders that make up your site to the new server or domain. Depending on the size of your site, this could take some time. You can use an FTP client like FileZilla to do this, or you can use command line tools like tar and rsync.
Update DNS settings: If you’re migrating your site to a new domain, you’ll need to update the DNS settings for your domain. You will need to point the domain’s nameservers to the new server or update the A record to point to the new IP address.
Update your wp-config.php file: You will need to update the wp-config.php file with the new database information, such as the database name, username, password, and host.
Import your database: You will need to import your database to the new server. You can use a tool like phpMyAdmin to do this, or you can use the command line tool mysql.
Update permalinks: After migration, you might need to update your permalinks settings in the WordPress dashboard. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click on “Save Changes” button to update the permalinks.
Test your site: Once you’ve completed all of the above steps, it’s important to test your site to make sure everything is working properly. Check all the links, images and functionality of the site to make sure everything is working as expected.
It is recommended to test the site on a development environment first before migrating it to the production environment. It’s also a good practice to update all the plugin and themes to the latest version before and after migration.
It’s important to note that the actual process of migrating a site can vary depending on your specific server setup, hosting environment, and the size of your site, so it’s always a good idea to consult with your hosting provider or a WordPress expert if you’re unsure about any of the steps involved.
Wrapping Up
We hope this guide on the top 10 most frequently asked basic WordPress questions and their answers has been helpful to you. Remember, WordPress is a powerful and versatile platform that can be used for a wide range of websites, from personal blogs to e-commerce sites and everything in between. With the information provided in this guide, you should now have a better understanding of how to install, set up, troubleshoot, and customize your WordPress site. If you have any additional questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to consult the WordPress documentation or reach out to the WordPress community for further assistance.
As a new WordPress user, you might be excited about customizing your website, with many ideas and visualizations you have a ready picture of it in your mind. However, if you lack design or coding experience, you’ll find it very discouraging when you want to fulfill an idea but have no idea how.
Fortunately, marketplaces like MasterBundles have a huge variety of WordPress designs that can mold to fit your idea and have a handful of useful features. The themes allow you to customize the appearance of your site and incorporate additional functionality without having any coding or design experience.
What are WordPress themes?
A WordPress template is a file with specific graphics, style sheets, and codes, that all together provide an overall picture of your website. If put simply a template is a kind of skin for your site, but if you dive deep into a template it is much more powerful than just a skin. It can control something as serious as a website layout, or something as little as the color of your text.
Rather than defining the look and feel of your website, themes give you the supplies to establish a vibe of your own. For example, you can use the same template for a food blog or an online clothing store, and it will look completely different and original for each store’s page.
While a default theme can work for many websites, it will take a lot of customizing to differ from others. Why use a default design, when there are thousands of templates available out there to choose from? With a good search, you can find a theme that will cover all your niches and purposes, it will take minimal to no editing.
5 key elements of a professional WordPress themes
A theme is what determines the look and feel of your WordPress website, hence when selecting the one you must choose what’s best suited for you. Here are several elements you should pay attention to when choosing a WordPress template:
Responsive design
There has been an increasing number of people using their smartphones to view websites. It’s a much easier way to shop since your phone is almost always with you, however for it to be that simple for them your website needs to be responsive. Meaning that one website link is consistent across all modes of viewing.
Social media friendliness
Just like the use of smartphones has increased so has the popularity of Social Media. Social platforms are a great way to find new customers, improve the experience of existing customers, and connect with them better. It is good to choose a template that emphasizes the social platforms, since having a social media share icon on your website will vastly increase the reach count.
Page styles
The page style is the arrangement of elements on a page and the layout of pages. A thought-through, simple, informative, and non-cluttered page is what keeps customers interested. Why put some much emphasis on page style? It’s like giving your customers a treat, something different from the typical store making them more interested.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a big role in promoting your website and listing it on search engines. A website theme is one of the main factors that influence your SEO ranking. When choosing a template pay attention if it has the basics such as conversion rate optimization, website readability, the speed of the website, and whether it’s compatible with external SEO plugins.
Support features and the ability to update
In the long run, you will appreciate the support and update feature in a WordPress theme. First of all, as a nonprofessional, you will appreciate the support of the designer, especially when you want to customize certain aspects that require serious coding and knowledge. Secondly, the update feature will ensure your website always has the newest features and doesn’t die down.
The benefits of using a WordPress theme
If you are still not sure if a WordPress template is worth it, here are some advantages of buying a predesigned website template.
Reduced upfront investment. There is no doubt that a pre-built professional WordPress themes will be more affordable when compared to having a website professionally built for you.
Faster to implement. The faster you start running your website the more costs you’ll have to expend. Whereas a custom website costs way more and takes a longer time to produce.
Industry-specific. If you have an industry-specific store but have no idea how you want it to look you can search through pre-built WordPress themes categorized by the industries they are meant for.
One-click import. Import pages, posts, and widgets all in one click.
Great color combinations and typography. Set and manage your colors and fonts from one single place.
The 10 Best Professional WordPress Themes
Check out these 10 handpicked WordPress themes with the most outstanding features, plugins, design options, and many customizable elements. While MasterBundles has a huge variety of professional WordPress templates, we have chosen the best premium ones for you.
These minimal clean website themes with simple design elements will elevate your content to its fullest potential. The templates include various layouts and post-format options, the ability to enable or disable the sidebar on a post-by-post basis, and a great option for the footer.
This template is a clean, flexible, and fully responsive WordPress design, suited for business websites, shop websites, and industries that want to showcase their work on a neat portfolio site. It comes with a variety of options so you can modify layouts, styles, colors, and fonts directly and however, you like.
These 5 templates have a modern, trendy design that gives your website a premium look while still featuring the essential features for a successful niche business. You have full creative control over the appearance of your site, due to this you can set up all the interface elements with no coding skills required.
A huge and cheap collection of WordPress themes designed for various industries. The templates have many features and all sorts of functions, plus the layout is responsive, meaning it can be viewed from smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
This bundle includes minimal, clean, and modern 20 WordPress themes and site templates, packaged with awesome premium plugins, unlimited customizability, a built-in mega menu, many typographic options, and a robust admin panel with hundreds of options to make it your own.
These are minimalist trendy and modern WordPress designs for blogs and e-commerce shops. The themes are made considering all requirements for a scenic website.
Hive is a magazine-style WordPress template with a clean, smart layout and outstanding design flexibility that makes it ideal for publishers of all kinds. Whether you are looking to share your thoughts, write about your latest findings, or create a scrapbook of photos, videos, quotes, or other content, Hive fits it all.
Webify is a professional WordPress template, it was designed for various industries. The theme has many features and all sorts of functions, plus the layout is fluid, meaning it instantly reshapes to smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Hazel is a minimal, clean, and modern WordPress template, packaged with awesome premium plugins, unlimited customizability, a built-in mega menu, many typographic options, and a robust admin panel with hundreds of options to make it your own.
Munfarid Blog is a minimalist trendy and modern WordPress design for blogs and e-commerce shops, it is formulated considering all requirements and needs to design a scenic website.
Summary
Ultimately, the list of professional WordPress themes is a great example that you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars for a professionally designed website. These themes give you the same opportunities in business, with the same high-quality pages, and the best user experience out there.
WordPress plugins are like little software packages that enhance the capabilities of a WordPress website. These programs, which are typically coded in PHP, can be easily installed in the “Plugins” section of a WordPress site’s dashboard. Once they’re activated, they can provide a wide range of features and functionality, such as contact form creation, image gallery generation, website performance optimization, and much more.
There are countless WordPress plugins available, developed by a variety of organizations and individuals, and many of them can be downloaded and used for free. Some premium plugins may require a license or subscription fee.
What are the differences between a paid and a free plugin?
Paid and free WordPress plugins can offer similar functionality, but there are a few key differences to consider when deciding which type of plugin to use on your site.
Support: Paid plugins often come with more comprehensive documentation and support resources, such as online forums or email support. Free plugins may have less robust support options, or they may not have any support available at all.
Quality and reliability: Paid plugins are often more thoroughly tested and debugged, and they may receive more frequent updates to fix bugs and add new features. Free plugins may not be as thoroughly tested or updated as frequently.
Advanced features and customization: Paid plugins may offer more advanced features or customization options than free plugins. For example, a paid plugin might allow you to customize the layout or design of a feature, while a free plugin may have limited customization options.
Budget: Whether to use a paid or free plugin will depend on your specific needs and budget. If you need a reliable, well-supported plugin with advanced features, a paid plugin may be worth the investment. If you just need a basic tool with minimal functionality, a free plugin may be sufficient.
Top 20 Must-Have WordPress Plugins
Here are 20 must-have WordPress plugins that can enhance the functionality and performance of your WordPress site:
Jetpack: Jetpack is a comprehensive plugin that offers a range of features such as website performance optimization, security, backups, and more. It is developed by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, and is designed to help users get the most out of their WordPress site.
Gravity Forms: Gravity Forms is a powerful plugin that allows you to create advanced forms for your WordPress site, including contact forms, survey forms, and more. It is easy to use and offers a variety of customization options, making it a popular choice for businesses and organizations.
Yoast SEO: Yoast SEO is a plugin that helps you optimize your WordPress site for search engines, including features such as keyword analysis and XML sitemap generation. It is a comprehensive tool that can help you improve your site’s visibility in search results and attract more traffic.
WPForms: WPForms is a user-friendly plugin for creating forms on your WordPress site, including contact forms, order forms, and more. It is designed to be easy to use, even for those who are new to WordPress, and offers a variety of templates and customization options.
WP Super Cache: WP Super Cache is a plugin that speeds up your WordPress site by caching pages and posts as static files, reducing the load on your server. This can help improve website performance and reduce the risk of server crashes.
Advanced Custom Fields: Advanced Custom Fields is a plugin that allows you to add custom fields to your WordPress site, giving you greater control over the content and layout of your pages and posts. It is a flexible tool that can be used to add a wide range of custom data to your site.
WP Smush: WP Smush is a plugin that optimizes images on your WordPress site, reducing their file size and improving website performance. It is an easy-to-use tool that can help you speed up your site and improve its overall performance.
Gravity PDF: Gravity PDF is a plugin that allows you to generate PDF documents from your Gravity Forms submissions. It is a useful tool for businesses and organizations that need to create professional-looking documents from form data.
WPForms Signature Addon: The WPForms Signature Addon is an add-on for the WPForms plugin that allows users to sign forms electronically. This can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as creating contracts or obtaining legal consent.
Gravity View: Gravity View is a WordPress plugin that allows you to display Gravity Forms submissions on your WordPress site in a variety of ways. It is a useful tool for creating directories, displaying customer feedback, and more.
Advanced Custom Fields Pro: Advanced Custom Fields Pro is an extended version of the Advanced Custom Fields plugin with additional features and functionality. It offers a range of advanced customization options for adding custom fields to your WordPress site.
Gravity Flow: Gravity Flow is a WordPress plugin that helps you automate your Gravity Forms workflow, including features such as approval processes and notification triggers. It is a useful tool for businesses and organizations that need to streamline their processes.
Gravity Forms Polls & Surveys: The Gravity Forms Polls & Surveys add-on allows you to create polls and surveys on your WordPress site. It is a simple and effective way to gather feedback and gather data from your visitors.
WPForms Surveys and Polls: The WPForms Surveys and Polls add-on allows you to create polls and surveys on your WordPress site. It is easy to use and offers a variety of customization options, including the ability to add images and videos to your surveys. It also provides detailed reports and analytics to help you understand the results of your surveys.
Gravity Forms User Registration: The Gravity Forms User Registration add-on allows you to create user registration forms for your WordPress site. This can be useful for creating member-only areas or for gathering information about your users.
Gravity Forms PayPal Standard: The Gravity Forms PayPal Standard add-on allows you to accept PayPal payments through your forms. It is a convenient way to collect payments from your users and customers.
Gravity Forms Stripe: The Gravity Forms Stripe add-on allows you to accept Stripe payments through your forms. It is a simple and secure way to process credit card payments on your WordPress site.
Gravity Forms Zapier: The Gravity Forms Zapier add-on allows you to integrate your forms with other applications using the Zapier service. This can be useful for automating tasks and integrating your forms with other tools you use.
Gravity Forms User Portal: The Gravity Forms User Portal add-on allows you to create a front-end user portal for your WordPress site. This can be useful for creating member-only areas or for allowing users to view and update their information.
Gravity Forms Signature Addon: The Gravity Forms Signature Addon is an add-on for the Gravity Forms plugin that allows users to sign forms electronically. This can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as creating contracts or obtaining legal consent.
These are just a few examples of the many WordPress plugins that are available. Whether you need to add forms, optimize your site for search engines, or improve website performance, there is likely a plugin that can help you achieve your goals.
Consider these factors before installing a WordPress plugin
Before installing a WordPress plugin, it is important to consider a few key factors to ensure that the plugin is compatible with your site and meets your needs. Here are some things to consider:
Compatibility: Make sure the plugin is compatible with the version of WordPress you are running. Most plugins will specify which versions of WordPress they are compatible with.
Ratings and reviews: Check the ratings and reviews for the plugin to get an idea of how well it works and whether other users have had any issues.
Features and functionality: Make sure the plugin offers the features and functionality you need. Check the plugin’s description and documentation to get a clear understanding of what it does and how it works.
Performance and security: Consider the impact the plugin may have on your site’s performance and security. Some plugins can slow down your site or introduce vulnerabilities, so it is important to choose carefully.
Support and documentation: Check to see if the plugin has good documentation and support resources available. This can be helpful if you encounter any issues or have questions about using the plugin.
License: Check to see if the plugin is available under a free or open source license, or if it requires a purchase or subscription.
By considering these factors before installing a WordPress plugin, you can ensure that you are choosing a plugin that is compatible with your site, meets your needs, and is reliable and well-supported.
How many plugins I can install on my WordPress website?
There is no hard limit on the number of WordPress plugins you can install on your site. However, it is generally recommended to keep the number of plugins you use to a minimum, as each plugin you install can add additional code and resources to your site, which can affect its performance and security.
In general, it is a good idea to only install plugins that you absolutely need and that have been well-reviewed and tested. If you have a lot of plugins installed, it is a good idea to periodically review them and consider whether you are still using them and if they are necessary.
If you do have a large number of plugins installed, you may want to consider using a plugin management tool to help you keep track of them and ensure that they are all up to date.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a tried-and-true way for strengthening the security of your website. Using a 2FA plugin can make your site more safe and resistant to assaults. The “issue” is that many sites do not make an effort to improve the WordPress 2FA user experience.
Improving the user experience for 2FA makes it simpler to persuade visitors to adopt your authentication option. The more registered users that utilize 2FA, the less likely it is that you will have to deal with security breaches on your website. That’s a major advantage, and you may capitalize on it by urging visitors to enable 2FA.
How Common Is 2FA Adoption?
2FA is not a novel technology. In general, multifactor identification has been present since the 1990s. However, true acceptance of the technology did not occur until the early 2000s. Nowadays, it is difficult to discover famous websites that do not provide 2FA to their consumers.
With the technology being so widely available, it stands to reason that adoption rates would be quite high. After all, 2FA is simple to implement.
In practice, however, 2FA (and multifactor authentication) acceptance is dismally low. Twitter revealed in its most recent transparency report that just 2.6% of active accounts use 2FA. From 2020 to 2021, the figure only grew by 6.3%.
Even if you provide 2FA, as a website owner, you must recognize that most users may decide not to utilize it. Using a 2FA plugin alone is insufficient. To maximize the number of individuals that opt into 2FA, you’ll need to take active measures to make it as user-friendly and frictionless as possible.
3 Methods for Improving the 2FA User Experience
The word “user experience” can refer to a variety of things. Improving the 2FA user experience entails making it easy to use.
Simply said, you want to reduce any possible user irritation while working with 2FA. Fortunately, there are various options for achieving this aim!
1. Provide a number of One-Time Password (OTP) channels
One of the primary reasons why many users do not enable 2FA is that websites and applications may not provide the preferred OTP routes. If you prefer to get OTP messages through SMS, you may be annoyed if a website requires you to install an app like Google Authenticator or receive codes via email:
Offering only one OTP channel is unlikely to satisfy all users. With this in mind, your best bet is to give many channels, including the following options:
Email (both codes and links through email) (both codes and links over email)
SMS messages
Apps for authentication (such as Google Authenticator and Authy)
In terms of OTP channels, those are the “basics.” Many popular two-factor authentication plugins, such as Two-Factor and WP 2FA, provide access to some or all of these OTP channels. WP 2FA Premium additionally includes OTP channels such as WhatsApp, push notifications, and phone calls.
Ideally, you should utilize a 2FA plugin with as many OTP channel choices as feasible. You’ll be able to provide consumers with additional alternatives this way, increasing the likelihood that they’ll wish to enable the feature.
You should also think about setting 2FA backup methods or backup codes. That implies that if a registered user loses access to a channel (for example, by forgetting their email password), they may quickly switch to a backup and acquire the OTP they require.
Simply telling consumers that they are not restricted to a particular channel will alleviate their fear of being shut out. It should be exceedingly unusual for users to be unable to access your site due to backup channels.
2. Protect Trusted Machines
Even if you make 2FA as simple as feasible to use, many customers may resent having to input codes every time they want to access their accounts. This frustration can grow enormously if they have to utilize 2FA for frequently used accounts. In certain circumstances, irritation leads to people deleting 2FA entirely.
The most straightforward solution to this problem is to utilize 2FA plugins with a “trusted machines” option. Websites that have access to this functionality can identify the machines that visitors use to access their accounts. Then, identified devices will no longer be required to provide OTP codes every time they attempt to log in.
You may even be able to review a list of allowed devices, depending on the tool:
If you use a 2FA plugin that allows users to save trusted computers (for example, WP 2FA), ensure sure the tool has expiry options. For further protection, these settings require users to re-confirm trusted devices on a regular basis.
Depending on the 2FA plugin you install, it may prompt you for device confirmation if it detects a new IP address or cannot locate the associated cookies. That implies you’ll have to do even less effort while customizing the tool. Furthermore, users will not have to “certify” devices as frequently.
3. The 2FA Process Can Be White Labeled
The fact that most websites employ third-party solutions to implement 2FA is a huge issue in improving the user experience. Most websites are unable to code a 2FA solution from scratch (even large enterprises).
Thanks to plugins, you can set up a 2FA solution in WordPress for free and in some cases in a matter of minutes. The main disadvantage is that many WordPress 2FA plugins include branding that informs consumers that they are using a third-party product.
Working with third-party tools may be a deal breaker for certain people. They may be unaware of how 2FA works. Furthermore, interacting with another service while signing in to a website may be too much.
After people have registered, explaining how 2FA works is a good place to start. If you want to go above and beyond, you may white-label the 2FA authentication page that visitors view when they try to log in to your website.
White labeling entails utilizing your website’s logo, deleting any mention of visitors through the use of a plugin, and modifying the authentication page in any way you see fit:
You may include instructions on how to utilize 2FA when modifying the authentication page. This can help to reduce user misunderstanding. Depending on the 2FA plugin you employ, you may even be able to redirect visitors to personalized sites after they have successfully authenticated.
Conclusion
We came to know how we can improve 2FA user experience. You should ideally utilize a plugin that makes the 2FA white-labeling procedure as simple as feasible. Most plugins allow you to configure them any way you see appropriate, although this typically necessitates working with code. Other WordPress plugins, such as WP 2FA, have white labeling features, which is exactly what you should seek.
Every website that has registered users should have Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). It’s a sophisticated solution that greatly improves your website’s security, making it more difficult for attackers to steal user data. Unfortunately, many users avoid using 2FA due to basic inconvenience. They frequently do not grasp how 2FA works, or your website does not provide the ideal user experience.
would you like to remove the WordPress icon from your websites browser tab removing the WordPress icon can be very advantageous for you because it will give you the chance to create your own site icon and improve customer recognition of your brand well demonstrated in this article how simple it is to get rid of the WordPress icon from the browser tab.
What makes it important to remove WordPress icon from the browser tab?
Your website may appear generic and amateurish due to the WordPress symbol on the browser tab The majority of users have numerous tabs open in their browsers which causes your website’s headline to be concealed.
Users cant easily recognize your website if your website’s title is obscured Your users won’t be able to distinguish your website from the numerous others if there is only the WordPress logo on the tabYou can utilize your own branding and improve the usability of your website for visitors by eliminating the WordPress icon from the browser tab and replacing it with a favicon (also known as your site icon).
A favicon is a small graphic that shows up in the browser next to the name of your websiteThe favicon will make it easier for users to navigate between tabs and recognize your website right away. Even instant recognition for that tiny graphic on your browser will increase with more frequent visitors
How to get rid of the WordPress icon in the tab
It is very simple to take out the WordPress icon and replace it with a favicon. The WordPress icon can be eliminated from the browser tab using one of three techniques. You can pick the approach that feels appropriate to you after reading this article
Method 1: WordPress icon removal without a plugin
As of version 6.1, the default WordPress theme now includes a complete site editor. If your WordPress website is using a block theme, you may also remove the WordPress icon using this technique.
The full site editor is accessible from your WordPress admin dashboard by going to Appearance » Editor, but you are unable to update your favicon or get rid of the WordPress icon from the browser tab from this page.
Therefore, you can launch the theme customizer by copying and pasting the URL below into your browser.
1
https://example.com/wp-admin/customize.php
Don’t forget to substitute your own website’s domain name for “example.com.”
You can access the theme customizer by visiting this URL. Click on the “Site Identity” tab once you have reached there.
Go to the “Site Identity” page and scroll down to the “Site Icon” section.
All you have to do is click the “Select Site Icon” button to access the WordPress media library.
The WordPress icon on the browser tab can now be replaced with whatever image you choose to use as a favicon.
If the image you’ve selected to use as a favicon is larger than the suggested size, WordPress will let you crop it.
Once you’ve made your decision and are happy with it, click the “Publish” button at the top.
Bravo! The WordPress icon has been successfully replaced with your own in the browser tab.
A theme’s WordPress icon can be deleted without requiring full-site editing.
You can immediately access the Theme Customizer at Appearance » Customize to get rid of the WordPress icon from the browser tab if you’re using a non-FSE theme.
The WordPress theme customizer lets you alter elements of your site including the favicon, typography, default colors, footer, and more on sites that don’t support the full-site editor.
Once there, select the ‘Site Identity’ tab in the Theme Customizer. The procedure is identical to the one we described earlier. Simply uploading another site icon will replace the WordPress symbol.
When you’re satisfied with your decision, just press the ‘Publish’ button to save the changes.
Method 2: Using a plugin, remove the WordPress icon
The WordPress icon can be removed and changed to a favicon using a plugin. We’ll be utilizing the Heroic Favicon Generator plugin for this lesson.
It is a popular plugin that many people use to add a favicon to their website.
Simply install and activate the Heroic Favicon Generator plugin first.
Simply click the “Favicon Settings” option under Plugins » Installed Plugins after the plugin has been activated.
You will then be sent to the page with the “Heroic Favicon Generator Settings.” Simply select the “Select Favicon” button here from the “Select Favicon” menu.
The media library for WordPress will now be accessible. Any image you want to use as a favicon can now be selected and uploaded.
When you’ve finished uploading your favicon, scroll down to the “Previews” area to see how it will appear on your website.
When finished, just scroll down and press the “Save Changes” button.
You’ve been successful in getting rid of the WordPress icon and replacing it with a favicon.
Do you want to disable the WordPress sitemap by default on your website?
The default sitemap function was introduced in WordPress 5.5, and it allows WordPress to automatically publish XML sitemaps for your website. The issue is that this function lacks advanced WordPress SEO features that are required to rank better.
We’ll teach you how to effortlessly disable the WordPress sitemap and replace it with a more robust alternative in this article.
Why Should You Turn Off WordPress Sitemap?
An XML sitemap is a file that specifies all of your website’s content in XML format, allowing search engines to easily identify and index your material. Sitemaps are extremely valuable to your website since they increase traffic and boost your SEO results.
However, many WordPress SEO plugins, such as All in One SEO, Yoast SEO, and Google XML Sitemaps, already include sitemaps, resulting in WordPress sites with two sets of sitemaps. Duplicate sitemaps for the same WordPress page might cause search engines to become confused and lower your SEO results.
You’re missing out on advanced features if you don’t use an SEO plugin for your sitemap. Many popular WordPress SEO plugins, for example, include features such as Video Sitemap, News Sitemap, RSS Sitemap, and others that you’ll need to outrank your competitors in SEO.
Using the WordPress SEO Plugin, disable the WordPress Sitemap. If you use one of the top WordPress SEO plugins, the default WordPress sitemap feature will be disabled and replaced with a more effective alternative.
All in One SEO is the finest WordPress SEO plugin for optimizing your website for search engines and social media networks. AIOSEO is used by over 3 million websites, including ours. All-in-One SEO will enable their Sitemap function by default, which will replace the normal WordPress sitemaps upon activation.
The first step is to install and activate the AIOSEO plugin. Please visit our article on how to install a WordPress plugin for more information. Once launched, the AIOSEO plugin must be configured. Then, from the WordPress admin dashboard, navigate to the All in One SEO » Sitemaps page to examine your sitemap settings.
Navigate to the ‘General Sitemap’ tab next. Make sure the ‘Enable Sitemap’ setting is set to ‘Active’ here. This will deactivate the WordPress sitemap by default.
In addition to the General Sitemap, we recommend that you enable the video sitemap, news sitemap, and RSS sitemap on your website to improve your SEO rankings.
Using Code Snippet, disable WordPress Sitemap.
You may also use code to simply deactivate the default WordPress sitemap. You may place the code snippet in the functions.php file of your theme. The main issue with adding code to your functions.php file is that even a minor error might cause your website to crash.
That is why we propose adding custom code to WordPress using WPCode. This free plugin allows you to easily add code snippets to WordPress without having to alter the functions.php file of your theme. First, download and install the free WPCode plugin. Check out our article on How to install a free WordPress plugin for more details.
Then, in your WordPress dashboard’s left-hand menu, navigate to the new Code Snippets entry. This will take you to the page titled ‘All Snippets.’
Then, simply click the ‘Add New’ option.
Go to Code Snippets and click Add New WPCode. This will take you to the ‘Add Snippet’ page, where you can add your own custom code or search for an existing snippet in the WPCode library.
Simply mouse over the ‘Add Your Custom Code (New Snippet)’ option and click ‘Use snippet’ since we need to add custom code.
You will now be sent to the ‘Create Custom Snippet’ page. You may begin by giving your code snippet a name. It may be whatever you choose.
Then, on the right, pick a ‘Code Type’ from the dropdown menu. Because we’ll be utilizing PHP code, simply select the ‘PHP Snippet’ option.
Then, under the ‘Code Preview,’ just copy and paste the following PHP code snippet.
When you are creating a new WordPress website, it is important that you focus on how it will perform in the search results of Google and other search engines. We have seen many rookie WP developers focusing only on the looks of their site and ignoring search engine optimization factors.
Well, you must know that your site has no value if it doesn’t intrigue the search engines. Here in this post, we have discussed some of the most effective tips following which you can easily take your website to the next level.
If you want to see your WordPress website on the top search results, then it is important that you consider SEO factors and the tips we have mentioned below:
Seven Tips to Improve Search Rankings of a WordPress Website
Out of at least a hundred tried and tested tips/strategies, we have selected the most helpful ones for your site.
1. Select Search Engine Optimized Themes
When building or updating a WordPress website, it is important that you choose the right theme. On WP, you can find over a hundred different pre designed website themes.
You have to pick the one which is not only well-designed but is also simple for your audience. If your site’s design is complex, then it isn’t going to engage your audience, nor would it let you enjoy any SEO benefits.
When selecting a WordPress theme, we would suggest you take into account the following factors:
Fast page loading time
Responsive design elements
Easy navigation panes
Clean and concise code
You can try utilities like the page speed checker and markup validator tools for testing a WP theme before finalizing it.
2. Use Search Engine Optimization Plugins
WordPress sites are quite popular, and this is because this platform offers a lot of plugins that make it easier to manage for even users who have no experience in website development.
Now there are many plugins offered by this platform that can specifically help in the optimization of a site according to the requirements of Google.
WordPress plugins for business website includes SEO Framework, Yoast SEO, and All-in-one SEO popular plugins that can assist users in getting on the top search ranking. With the SEO plugins, you can easily:
Optimize website content; the plugins would help you optimize meta titles, descriptions, tags, URLs, and also keywords being targeted.
SEO Plugins would also help users create sitemaps for different posts, images, and webpages on the website.
They also help in internal linking in the RSS feed of the site.
3. Always Encrypt Your Site with SSL
Sites that do not have an SSL certificate would never get good positions in the search results. Online security assurance is one of the basic requirements of Google and other search engines too. This is because, today, users have become more aware of security risks in the digital world.
Non-SSL sites would always rank lower than the ones having SSL, which is why it is important that your site has one. You don’t have to pay for the SSL certificate these days, as there are many online forums that can provide free integration after checking your site for encryption measures.
As a website owner, your priority should be the security of your target audience. Other than getting the SSL, you also have to ensure general security measures.
4. Make Your WordPress Site Mobile Friendly
If your site is not responsive for small-screen devices, then there is no way you can get it ranked on the higher search ranking. Today more than 40% of people prefer using their mobiles for web searches instead of using desktops and laptops.
So if your site is not optimized for mobile devices, then you are missing out on a big opportunity to secure a position in higher SERPs. You have to make sure that you choose themes that are responsive for small devices, including tablets and mobiles.
Make sure that you don’t use flash as it would not work on mobiles; instead, you should use HTML 5. The most important thing you need to focus on is page speed. Your site should not take more than three seconds to load on mobiles.
5. Make Sure Your Site Content Is Unique
If your website content has plagiarism in it, then it is going to be penalized by the search engine. A site having duplicate content on it can never make it to the top, and there shall be no doubt about it. Plagiarism isn’t always intentional. There is always a chance that your content can be similar to another site working on the same niche.
The best way to authenticate the originality of your website content is by using an online plagiarism checker. A plagiarism checker can scan and highlight duplicate content on your site. It is best that you remove or rephrase the duplicate sentences before you submit them for indexing.
If you are unable to manually remove similarities found by the tool, then it is best that you use an online sentence rephrase. The best paraphrasing tool can rewrite duplicate content in a unique way without compromising its context.
It is a short and simple solution to remove similarities. Here an important point that you need to note is that Google bots are quite intelligent and can easily detect the smallest traces of plagiarism. This is why it is best to add personal value to content.
6. Create Relevant and Purposeful Content
A very common mistake that newbie WP developers make is that they create short-form content, which is also known as thin content. This content is one which has under 300 words; it is considered to be purposeless for the search engine, which is why you need to avoid it.
Today search engines are more interested in crawling long-form content. There are many benefits of creating lengthy articles. You can add tons of information to it, and you can stuff keywords without making it wordy, add images to it, and make it engaging for the target audience. Experts recommend that your site’s content should be relevant to the interest of your target audience.
7. Get Good Quality Backlinks for Your Site
Link building is very important if you want to see your site on the top search ranking. You must know that building links with high authority sites is surely going to help you get to the next level, even if you have just started.
When building backlinks, it is important that you connect with sites that are working on a relevant niche to yours. Building links with irrelevant sites is going to put a bad impression and is not going to add much value. Experts recommend that you earn quality links naturally instead of buying them. This way, you can get on the top SERPs in very less time.
End Words
These are the most crucial and basic tips that would help you boost your site’s ranking. As a website owner, it is important that you are well aware of the ranking factors of the search engine.
Optimizing your site according to the instructions of the search engine is very important. The tips mentioned above would help you build your site’s authority in no time at all.