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Tag: wordpress

  • How to Use the WordPress Imgur Embed Block

    If you’re a fan of the online image-sharing community, Imgur, you’re in luck! WordPress has an Imgur Embed Block that makes it easy to embed Imgur content in your posts and pages. This article will show you how to use the WordPress Imgur Embed Block.

    What is the Imgur Embed block?

    Imgur is a popular image-sharing site with a loyal community of users. It allows users to upload, share, and comment on images. The site has a user-friendly interface and is one of the most popular image-sharing websites on the internet.

    Homepage of Imgur - Sept 1st 2022

    Homepage of Imgur / Sept. 1st 2022

    If you’re a meme-loving human who uses Imgur you probably want to cross-pollinate your WordPress website with your Imgur posts. That is where WordPress’ Imgur Embed Block comes in.

    The WordPress Block Editor comes standard with a helpful directory of blocks that allow you to quickly build a page or post. There are other blocks that allow you to embed videos and embed Tumblr posts.

    In this article, we’ll cover the Imgur Embed block. This block allows you to pull images from your Imgur account onto a WordPress page. Here’s how it works!

    How to Add the Imgur Embed Block to your Post or Page

    If you’ve ever wanted to add an Imgur image post to your WordPress site but weren’t sure how this guide is for you. Adding an Imgur image using the embed block in the WordPress block editor is easy.

    First, inside your Imgur account, find the image you want to add and copy its URL.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - How to - Step 1

    Then, in WordPress, click on the “Add Block” button, find Imgur Embed, and select it.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - How to - Steps 2-3

    It will ask for a URL where you can paste the Imgur URL into the box that appears and hit enter.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - How to - Steps 4-5

    The image will automatically be added to your post. Preview the Imgur image post to see how it looks with your theme and other content.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - How to - Result

    That’s all there is to it! Next, we’ll explore the few settings and options of the Imgur embed block in WordPress.

    Imgur Embed Block Settings and Options

    The block toolbar for the Imgur Embed block has four options for alignment on a page. Each of these shifts the Imgur embed on the page in accordance with the chosen alignment. If None is chosen, then default settings take effect.

    • None – No alignment that is determined at the Block level
    • Align left – Make the block left-aligned.
    • Align center – Make the block alignment centered.
    • Align right – Make the block right-aligned.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - Settings - Align

    By clicking on the Tool Bar’s ellipsis icon, you’ll see universal Block commands and options. These are available for most every type of default block and not just for Imgur embeds.

    There are run-of-the-mill shortcuts like Copy and Duplicate on the block level. Additional options are the block editor specific commands to Insert Before, Insert After, Move To, and Edit as HTML.

    Lastly, there are the options to Lock the block in place, Add the Block to Reusable Blocks, and Group which groups multiple blocks together as a sort of unit.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - Settings - Block

    You can change the content’s behavior for viewing on a phone through the Imgur Block Settings on Media Settings. The Toggle switch turns responsive resizing on or off for smaller devices. The default setting is set to on, but if you notice it behaves poorly for you, you can turn the setting off.

    There is also the option to add a CSS Class to the block specifically. If you are editing this block’s styles via CSS, you’d assign the class in the Advanced settings section.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - Settings

    For more styling options, the Imgur Embed block can be converted to a Group.

    Embed Imgur WordPress - Transform Group

    This allows for spacing, typography, and background color settings to be applied to the whole block.

    Additionally, in the Group’s Advanced Settings, there is also the option to add an HTML Anchor ID for creating anchor links.

    Imgur Terms and Conditions

    It is worth mentioning that there are limitations on how you use Imgur on a website. Here is a word from Imgur:

    Please note that Imgur’s Terms of Service prohibit using Imgur as a content delivery network, hotlinking adult or illegal images, torrents, image hosting for commercial purposes, or sites that copy Imgur’s own functionality.

    But for most use cases, using the Imgur embed block is completely safe and a great way to share your images.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, the WordPress Imgur Embed Block is a great tool to use when you want to embed an Imgur image in your WordPress post or page. All you need is the URL of the Imgur image and the Imgur Embed Block will do the rest. Give it a shot!

    For more, check out all of our WordPress block editor tutorials.

    Do you have any questions about how to use this WordPress block? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via imgur / imgur.com

    The post How to Use the WordPress Imgur Embed Block appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WooCommerce SEO: A Complete Guide to Ranking #1

    When running a WooCommerce store, it’s crucial to prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO). A solid WooCommerce SEO strategy can boost your search visibility and make it easier for consumers to find and purchase from your store. In many ways, an SEO-optimized online store is your greatest marketing tool.

    In this post, we’ll start by explaining what WooCommerce SEO is and why it’s important. Then we’ll provide you with a list of 11 tips and techniques you can use to optimize your online store. Let’s jump in!

    What is WooCommerce?

    WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce plugin for WordPress that allows users to create and manage their online store in WordPress. WooCommerce is highly customizable and works well with popular plugins, themes, and page builders (like Divi) to make it easy to build an eCommerce site from the ground up.

    For more info on WooCommerce, check out our helpful guides on how to install and setup WooCommerce and our ultimate guide to using WooCommerce Blocks

    An Overview of WooCommerce SEO

    WooCommerce SEO is the process of optimizing your online WooCommerce store to get a higher ranking in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). A higher ranking means more organic traffic and more sales. Overall, WooCommerce SEO aims to improve your site’s visibility in the organic search results through various optimization techniques.

    The easier it is for consumers to find your site, the more opportunities you’ll have to convert them into paying customers. The better you can enhance your SEO, the less you’ll likely have to spend on other marketing strategies such as paid advertising on social media.

    WooCommerce is already a very SEO-friendly plugin. It comes with built-in features and options to optimize your online store for better search engine visibility:

    WooCommerce plugin

    For example, you can easily add title tags and meta descriptions to your products and create sitemaps and robots.txt files. In addition, WooCommerce is compatible with many popular SEO plugins and tools, such as Yoast SEO, that can further simplify optimization:

    The Yoast SEO WordPress plugin.

    Furthermore, if you use our Divi Builder, you’ll get access to 25 additional WooCommerce modules:

    The Divi WooCommerce modules.

    These modules let you power your online store with WooCommerce elements anywhere within your Divi layouts and edit them as necessary to boost SEO. For instance, you might customize your WooCommerce Product Title to include keywords and match your overall branding.

    We recommend running an SEO audit if you’re unsure where your WooCommerce SEO currently stands. The results will give you a solid baseline to start with.

    A Simple Guide to SEO for WooCommerce (11 Practical SEO Tips)

    Now that we understand more about the importance of SEO, let’s discuss how you can use it in your e-commerce shop. Here are ten techniques and tips you can use for WooCommerce SEO!

    1. Optimize Your Product and Category Page Titles

    Product and category titles are essential for WooCommerce SEO because they help shoppers understand your store better. Additionally, optimizing your SEO titles makes it more likely for your products and categories to appear in relevant search results, leading to more traffic and sales.

    Including relevant keywords in your titles will help search engines match your products and categories with the right searches. You’ll also want to keep your titles short and sweet. Otherwise, they may get cut off in search results if they’re too long.

    To optimize your titles for SEO, you can navigate to the product page in WooCommerce. For this step, you can use the standard editor. However, with Divi, you can utilize the WooCommerce Product Title module to insert and customize the title:

    The WooCommerce product title module from Divi.

    Moreover, if you have the Yoast SEO plugin installed, there is a panel below the editor where you can enter a keyword phrase as well as the page title:

    The SEO title section of the Yoast plugin.

    Expanding the SEO analysis section will show red, yellow, and green lights indicating SEO scores for different features. You can look through them for any advice on optimizing your title, then make the suggested changes.

    For example, our Yoast SEO ratings tell us our product title doesn’t contain our keyword, “hat”:

    A Yoast analysis indicating product title missing keyword.

    Once we tweak our product title to incorporate the keyword, the Yoast rating changes to a green light. Now the title is better optimized!

    2. Utilize Meta Descriptions

    Meta descriptions are also crucial for WooCommerce SEO. These brief snippets appear below page titles in the SERPs. The concise descriptions let users understand pages before clicking on them.

    Meta descriptions are essential for SEO because they can influence how many people click on a result. If you have a well-written meta description, it can increase the Click-Through Rate (CTR) on your website, which can improve your rankings in the SERPs.

    In Yoast SEO, beneath the editor, you’ll find a Google preview section. You can enter your text into the Meta description box:

    A meta description in the Yoast panel.

    Ideally, it’s best if your meta description is below 155 characters so that it displays fully. It’s also wise to incorporate your keyword within the snippet.

    3. Optimize Your Product Slugs

    Your product slugs, also known as permalinks, are other places where you can provide search engines with contextual information and boost WooCommerce SEO. The product slugs are the URLs assigned to each item in your store.

    It’s best to incorporate keywords into your slugs whenever possible. These are the terms you want your products to rank for with search engines (or the phrase you believe customers use to look for and find your product).

    You can enter and modify a product slug by navigating to the product page, then selecting Edit under the title:

    The option to edit a product slug in WooCommerce.

    When you’ve made your changes, you can select Ok. You can also view and change the slug in the Yoast panel below the editor.

    4. Use Categories and Tags

    WordPress categories and tags can help organize your store and improve your WooCommerce SEO. Sorting products by categories and tags can prevent your items from competing with each other and enhance your site’s usability.

    For instance, let’s say a customer wants to view your t-shirt offerings. When they search for “t-shirt”, you can configure your site to present a single page with all your shirts.

    Tags serve a similar function. They can be used as cross-references for customers while browsing and searching your inventory. By clicking on a tag, consumers can see similar products with the same tag, such as a color or size.

    You can access, create, and edit your product categories under WooCommerce > Categories:

    The Product categories page in WooCommerce.

    Here you can fill in the relevant information, such as the slug and description. You can also nest subcategories under parent categories to further distinguish your items. Under WooCommerce > Tags, you’ll find the same options.

    5. Create Unique Product Descriptions

    Product descriptions play a crucial role in WooCommerce stores. They provide potential customers with information about the products you offer:

    An example of a WooCommerce product description.

    Optimizing your product descriptions can improve your WooCommerce SEO, making your items more likely to appear in search results and drive traffic to your site. In addition, well-written product descriptions can convert visitors into customers by persuading them to purchase your goods.

    Similar to the product titles and meta descriptions, it’s important that these descriptions are concise, descriptive, and contain relevant keywords. You’ll also want to include any essential information, such as materials, washing instructions, or safety guidelines.

    To add or edit a product description in WooCommerce, just navigate to the product page and enter the description within the editor:

    The product description in WooCommerce.

    Our WooCommerce Product Description module also lets you add the description to any page in Divi:

    The Divi Product Description module.

    The module comes included with Divi for free. You can add it to your page by selecting WooCommerce Product Description from the Divi module list (1). Then you can fully customize it using various design settings (2).

    6. Enable Breadcrumbs for Easy Navigation

    Breadcrumbs are navigational tools that show a user’s path to a particular page. They can be beneficial for WooCommerce SEO because they help users and search engines understand the structure of your website.

    They usually appear at the top of a page, and you can use breadcrumbs to lead customers back to a parent category. For instance, in the following example, the parent category is Clothing, and the subcategory is Accessories:

    Breadcrumbs shown on a WooCommerce product page.

    It’s possible that your theme automatically adds breadcrumbs to your product pages. If not, you’ll have to implement WordPress SEO breadcrumbs before activating this feature with Yoast SEO.

    Alternatively, if you’re a Divi user, you can utilize the WooCommerce Breadcrumbs module:

    The WooCommerce Breadcrumbs module in Divi.

    You can insert the Breadcrumbs module from the Divi list. Then you can customize the links and text, as well as their appearance.

    7. Add Alt Text to Images

    Adding alternative(“alt”) text for images is another great opportunity to boost your online store search rankings. Alt text is important for image SEO because it is displayed on your site when your product images aren’t visible, providing another place to include keywords. For example, if the graphic cannot properly load, the browser will show the text instead as a placeholder.

    Alt text is important because it makes your site more accessible. Screen readers and assistive technology often use it to help vision-impaired users understand your content. Alt text can also help search engines understand and index your images. Therefore, including keywords in alt text can boost your WooCommerce SEO efforts.

    You can add alt text to your images when you upload them to WordPress:

    The place to add alternative text to a WordPress image.

    You can also modify the alt text at any point by navigating to your Media Library. If you have the Yoast plugin installed, under the SEO analysis, it will let you know if your images are missing alt text or whether you should include more or fewer keywords to optimize them.

    Image alt text isn’t the only way to make images SEO-friendly. But for best results, check out these best practices for image SEO.

    8. Add Structured Data for Rich Snippets

    Structured data, also known as schema markup, is code that can help search engines understand your content better. It’s vital for WooCommerce SEO because it can make your store content show up in rich results, attracting more clicks and traffic to your site:

    Google results showing rich snippets.

    Rich snippets are special search results that can include product reviews, pricing, and other information. They can help potential customers make informed decisions about whether or not to buy from your store.

    There are a handful of schema markup tools that you can use to add structured data to your site. For example, the Google Structured Data Markup Helper will generate code in various categories, including products and local businesses:

    The Google Structured Data Markup Helper tool.

    Once you select a data type and generate the code, you can add the schema markup to your pages and posts. For more detailed guidance, you can check out our guide on How to Use Schema Markup to Optimize Your Site’s SEO.

    9. Use a WooCommerce SEO Plugin

    WooCommerce already has so many add-ons and third party extensions, finding the best one for WooCommerce SEO can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the best SEO plugins for WordPress are often the best SEO plugins for WooCommerce as well.

    Here are a few of the best SEO Plugins for WooCommerce we would recommend:

    1. Rank Math SEO

    Rank Math WooCommerce SEO plugin

    Rank Math is a powerful SEO plugin for WordPress that offers amazing real-time insights about your site’s SEO. With Rank Math, you can optimize all of your WooCommerce SEO for product pages, category pages, and on-page SEO on the fly as needed. It works seamlessly with the Divi Builder which makes it a perfect choice for those who want complete control over WooCommerce and SEO using custom modules in a visual builder.

    2. Yoast WooCommerce SEO

    Yoast WooCommerce SEO plugin

    Yoast continues to be one of the most popular SEO plugins for WordPress. In addition to SEO features of the free plugin, their WooCommerce SEO Plugin allows you to unlock a suite of tools and features for your WooCommerce store.

    3. All in One SEO

    All in One WooCommerce SEO plugin

    All in One SEO is a great SEO plugin for WordPress that also includes premium SEO features for WooCommerce, including the ability to optimize product and category pages with ease. You can definitely use this plugin to improve your store’s SEO ranking.

    10. Optimize Your Site’s Speed and Performance

    Page speed can have a significant effect on WooCommerce SEO. Here’s what you need to know about Page Speed SEO. Slow loading times can hurt your store’s User Experience (UX) and lead to higher bounce rates. Google also considers page speed in its ranking factors.

    This is why we recommend testing the performance of your WooCommerce site regularly. There are a handful of tools that you can use for this process, including Google PageSpeed Insights:

    The Google PageSpeed Insights website.

    The tool will assess your site and provide a performance report when you enter your URL. It includes an overall grade as well as key metrics, such as Core Web Vitals and your speed index:

    A Google PageSpeed report.

    You can also find a list of suggestions for improving your online store. The specific recommendations will depend on your site. However, there are a handful of common solutions you can utilize for performance optimization.

    Some WordPress themes like Divi have built-in speed optimization already. But even Divi sites will need good hosting since much of site speed is dependant on your server.

    For more, check out our WooCommerce Performance Optimization Guide for all the tips and best practices you need to speed up your store.

    11. Maximize Your Site’s Security

    SEO spam and hacks can lead to Google flagging your site, hurting your WooCommerce SEO. Therefore, ensuring that you adequately protect your website data is essential.

    There is a plethora of security best practices you can follow to safeguard your online store. Firstly, to determine the current status of your site, we recommend conducting a security audit.

    It’s also essential to use quality, actively maintained WordPress themes and plugins and update them whenever possible. This diligence can prevent bugs and other vulnerabilities within your store.

    We also suggest installing a WordPress security plugin. There are a handful of options available, such as Sucuri:

    The Sucuri Scanner plugin.

    This scanner can monitor your site for malware and other threats. It helps you actively and consistently audit the activity on your website and fix any vulnerabilities.

    Conclusion

    If you want consumers to find your online store, focusing on WooCommerce SEO is vital. While the plugin is already SEO-friendly, optimizing your site correctly requires following various best practices.

    As we discussed in this post, you can use several tactics to optimize your WooCommerce store. Some of the most important include incorporating keywords into your descriptions, titles, and metadata. It’s also essential to leverage categories, tags, and breadcrumbs to create an organized navigational setup. Plus, tools such as Rank Math and our Divi Builder can help you perfect WooCommerce SEO.

    Do you have any questions about WooCommerce SEO? Let us know in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via stokk / shutterstock.com

    The post WooCommerce SEO: A Complete Guide to Ranking #1 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • An Introduction to the WordPress REST API

    The WordPress REST API is a way for other pieces of code to access and manipulate information about your WordPress site.

    The post “An Introduction to the WordPress REST API” first appeared on WP Mayor.

  • Full-Site Editing Themes in WordPress; Are They There Yet?

    The goal of this article is to bring you the latest opinions on Full-Site Editing Themes in WordPress and whether FSE is gaining footage in the WordPress ecosphere. I’ve been following the development of FSE for a while now and I’m happy to say that there has been a lot of progress over the past year.

    The post “Full-Site Editing Themes in WordPress; Are They There Yet?” first appeared on WP Mayor.

  • What Is Qwant? How to SEO for the Privacy-Minded Search Engine

    Google is the most popular search engine worldwide, but it isn’t the only potential source of traffic. If you want to bring more people to your website, it’s worth focusing on alternative search engines such as Qwant. Just what is Qwant, and how can you create a SEO strategy for it?

    In today’s guide, we’ll explore the characteristics of Qwant. Then we’ll outline some tips to help you optimize your content for this search engine. Let’s get started!

    What Is Qwant?

    Qwant is a French search engine first launched in 2013. It’s now the default search engine for the French government, and it processed roughly 18 billion search requests in 2018:

    The Qwant search engine

    Qwant’s interface looks pretty similar to Google’s. When searching for a term, you can filter according to categories such as News, Images, Videos, and Music. Moreover, you can choose the country and language for your results and select the freshness of the content:

    Qwant search results

    Like DuckDuckGo, Qwant is a privacy-focused search engine. It doesn’t use any cookies to track your actions and searches, either for advertising purposes or to provide curated content. Additionally, it bills itself as an ethical search engine because it doesn’t sell your data to third-party companies.

    Qwant uses unique algorithms and indexing methods that don’t rely on private data. Furthermore, it has a commitment to supplying impartial and balanced information.

    Alongside its search engine, Qwant includes a Maps application similar to Google Maps:

    Qwant Maps

    Additionally, there is a Qwant Junior version available. This is a child-friendly search engine designed for educational and safe search results:

    Qwant Junior

    Additionally, although Qwant is designed primarily for the French market, it offers results tailored for various countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. These include Great Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia.

    Who Should Use Qwant?

    Qwant is ideal for users worried about internet privacy and their personal data. These are valid concerns when you consider that many search engines (including Google) sell user data to third-party advertising companies and deliver targeted results.

    Moreover, Qwant doesn’t save your search history. Although this can be frustrating if you need to find something you looked for before, you might prefer to know that the search engine isn’t recording your online activity.

    Additionally, this search engine is perfect for finding French-based content. Whether you’re learning the language, are a native speaker, or looking for businesses in France, Qwant has it covered.

    Qwant is also an excellent search engine for parents with younger children. Similar to Google’s Safe Search, Qwant Junior filters pages to present age-appropriate results. It also has educational resources built-in, such as kid-friendly news, games, and leisure activities.

    5 Tips for Optimizing Your Content for Qwant

    There is very little information available about Qwant’s algorithms and ranking criteria. However, you can follow some general guidelines if you want your content to rank well in this search engine. Let’s take a look at five best practices.

    1. Ask Qwant to List Your Content

    Many search engines enable you to submit XML sitemaps to list your website’s content quickly. Unfortunately, Qwant doesn’t come with a Search Console like Google or similar feature.

    This search engine automatically scans the internet for new content, and typically lists new websites within a few weeks. However, if your site isn’t showing up, you can contact Qwant directly and report the issue:

    How to contact Qwant

    Then it’s just a matter of waiting for a response from the search engine. In the meantime, you might also want to focus your efforts on Yahoo, Yandex, and Ecosia.

    2. Translate Your Content into French

    As we discussed earlier, Qwant is a French search engine. Although it has translations and content in English-speaking, Asian, and European countries, it still focuses on the French market.

    Therefore, it could be worth translating your content into French to attract more visitors to your website. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this manually. Plugins such as WordPress Multilingual (WPML) can help you translate your posts and pages into more than 40 languages, including French:

    WPML

    WPML can translate all of the elements on your website, including posts, pages, taxonomies, and menus. Additionally, it’s compatible with most leading WordPress themes, including Divi.

    3. Optimize Your Content for Bing

    Although Qwant is a relatively new and smaller search engine, it claims to have more than 20 billion web pages indexed on its servers. However, in some cases, it uses Microsoft Bing to retrieve search results when Qwant doesn’t have enough relevance or capacity for heavy images:

    Microsoft Bing

    Therefore, it could be worth optimizing your content for Bing as well. You can do this by submitting your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools and using that interface to analyze your rankings.

    It’s also worth registering your brick-and-mortar business on Bing Places, and growing your social media presence. Unlike many other search engines, Bing considers your search engine followers and engagement when ranking your content.

    4. Focus on High-Quality Content

    Most search engines value high-quality content. They use complex algorithms that can identify if posts are informative, well-written, and valuable to readers.

    As such, it’s worth following some best practices when creating new content for your website, such as:

    Remember that content isn’t just about words. Including high-quality images and videos in your posts can engage your readers, convey additional information, and break up walls of text.

    5. Follow SEO Best Practices

    Finally, we recommend following SEO best practices (also known as white hat SEO) to optimize your content for both search engines and readers. Although these tips aren’t Qwant-specific, they are generally applicable to most search engines:

    It might also be worth running an SEO audit on your website. This process can identify areas for improvement and provide actionable advice for enhancing your content.

    Here are some SEO techniques you can start using right now.

    Conclusion

    Qwant is a French search engine that focuses on privacy. It doesn’t collect or store user data, making it a great Google alternative for anyone worried about online privacy.

    To recap, you can optimize your content for Qwant by following these tips:

    1. Ask the search engine to list your content.
    2. Translate your content into French.
    3. Optimize your content for Bing.
    4. Create high-quality content.
    5. Follow SEO best practices.

    Do you have any questions about Qwant? Let us know in the comments section below!

    Featured image via eamesBot / shutterstock.com

    The post What Is Qwant? How to SEO for the Privacy-Minded Search Engine appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • How to Use myCred to Add a Rewards System to WordPress

    Points systems can reward loyal customers who frequently interact with your content or purchase items from your online store. They’re great for gamification and loyalty programs. However, WordPress doesn’t support this feature natively. Therefore, you might be wondering if the myCred WordPress plugin is a viable solution for implementing a rewards program.

    In today’s post, we’ll review the myCred plugin and explain how you can use it to create a rewards system in WordPress. Let’s get started!

    An Introduction to myCred Rewards Systems

    myCred is a freemium plugin that enables you to add points and rewards to your WordPress website. With this plugin, you can gamify your content, maximize brand loyalty, and monetize your site:

    myCred plugin.

    For instance, you might offer points to customers whenever they make purchases in your store. Once they reach a particular balance, you can reward them with a discount on their next purchase or even a free item.

    Alternatively, you could add a points program to your online courses. You might design a system in which students can accrue more points when they complete assignments or perform well on quizzes. Then, you can create a leader board and encourage friendly competition among eager learners.

    Apart from points, myCred also enables you to allocate rankings and badges to your users. Plus, you can allow visitors to buy more points and use them to purchase other items in your store or even redeem them for cash.

    An Overview of myCred Premium

    myCred’s free plugin has all the basic features you’ll need to add a rewards system to WordPress. Furthermore, its premium plans include various add-ons, including:

    • Treasure icons (gems, fitness badges, currency, and more) to award to your users
    • Basic add-ons, such as notification email integrations, birthday and anniversary points, coupon customization, and more
    • Gamification and payment gateway integrations

    Premium plans start at $149 per year for two sites. More expensive plans include additional integrations and support for a higher number of websites.

    How to Use myCred to Add a Rewards System to WordPress (In 5 Easy Steps)

    Now that you understand more about myCred and why you might want to use it, let’s look at how you can use the plugin can add a rewards system to your website!

    Step 1: Install and Activate myCred

    Firstly, you’ll need to install and activate the plugin. You can do this in your WordPress dashboard by navigating to Plugins > Add New and searching for “mycred”:

    Searching for the plugin.

    After you locate the plugin, click on Install Now followed by Activate. If you purchased a Premium license, you can now add it under myCred > License:

    Adding a myCred license key.

    Finally, click on Save. The plugin is now ready to go!

    Step 2: Configure myCred Settings

    myCred can feel a little overwhelming when you first install it. You’ll see a long list of plugin settings across multiple menus in your WordPress dashboard, both under myCred and Points:

    plugin settings

    Under General Settings, you can configure display options for your badges and social sharing buttons. You can also configure settings for buying and selling points to your users, email notifications, coupons, and point transfers:

    myCred plugin general settings.

    Since there are so many settings, we recommend clicking on the Documentation button at the top of the page. Then, you can refer to extensive myCred tutorials for setting up your rewards system.

    At this point, you should also consider setting up your payment gateways for buying and cashing in points. You can do this under buyCred Gateways and cashCred Gateways. However, these settings are optional and not essential to your rewards program.

    Now, jump across to Points > Settings. Here you can choose labels, icons, and security settings for your points. You can also configure some caching options and rankings for users on your site:

    Points settings.

    It’s best to take your time configuring your settings to meet the needs of your rewards system. Also, make sure to save your changes as you go.

    Step 3: Enable/Disable Hooks

    Now it’s time to determine which user actions will earn points on your website or online store. You can do this by navigating to Points > Hooks. Here you’ll see a series of hooks on the left-hand side that award or deduct points based on:

    • Registrations
    • Anniversaries
    • Daily visits
    • Viewing content
    • Logins
    • Publishing content
    • Deleting content
    • Clicking on links
    • Viewing videos
    • Referrals
    • Buying points

    To activate a hook, simply click on it and then select Add Hook:

    Activating hooks in a rewards system.

    You’ll then be prompted to allocate a specific number of points to the action and save your settings:

    Hook settings

    You can remove a hook by simply clicking on Delete. Furthermore, when you select Hook Documentation, you can access detailed tutorials for using the hook in question.

    Step 4: Activate Add-Ons

    Now it’s time to configure add-ons for your rewards program. Note that the available extensions will depend on which myCred plan (free or premium) you have installed on your website.

    Head to myCred > Add-ons. Here you’ll see built-in, free, and premium extensions for your WordPress rewards program:

    myCred add-ons

    To start using an add-on, hover your mouse over it and then click on Install. If it’s a premium extension, you’ll be directed to the myCred store to purchase it. For free add-ons, you’ll be sent to the core WordPress plugin to install it on your site.

    Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most useful myCred add-ons:

    • Badges: Display achievement badges for your users.
    • buyCRED: Enable users to buy more points.
    • Coupons: Create coupons that can be redeemed for points.
    • Notifications: Inform users when they win or lose points.
    • Statistics: Create visual charts of user progress and behaviors.
    • WooCommerce Plus: Let users make coupons, complete partial payments, and use loyalty points within your WooCommerce store.
    • Arcade Game: Award users points in exchange for playing games on your site.

    Let’s look at an example. You might install myCred LearnDash to integrate the Learning Management System (LMS) with points and rewards for completing lessons, quizzes, or entire courses:

    myCred LearnDash

    Then, it’s simply a matter of installing and activating the add-on as you would with any other WordPress plugin. However, note that new add-ons will come with more specific configurable settings.

    Step 5: Track Points

    Now that your rewards system is set up on your WordPress site, you can track user points and achievements from Points > Log. This is where you can monitor progress from Today, Yesterday, This Week, and This Month:

    myCred points log

    Note that you can also limit the number of total points by heading to Points > General Deposit. Here, you can choose to allocate points from a central fund with a limited number of rewards:

    limit points and rewards

    Furthermore, under Ranks, you can set rankings for your users. You can specify the number of points needed to progress to a particular rank, add a logo to distinguish it, and name it:

    set user ranks

    Now your rewards system is completely ready to go! You might consider advertising it to customers through promotional banners, email marketing messages, or popup forms.

    myCred Pros vs. Cons

    myCred is an extensive plugin with many customization options. Here are some of the advantages of using the tool:

    • Build a rewards system for free.
    • Add points, badges, and rankings to your rewards system.
    • Increase sales by enabling users to buy points or redeem them for coupons in your online store.
    • Integrate the plugin with page builders, LMS plugins, and payment gateways.
    • Access detailed plugin documentation to learn more about the system.
    • Customize logos and icons to make your rewards system match your branding.

    However, myCred also has some disadvantages. Here’s a quick overview of the plugin’s cons:

    • There are so many settings that it can feel confusing without a setup wizard guiding you through the process.
    • The learning curve for the plugin can be steep at first.
    • The plugin can get expensive if you invest in premium add-ons, which range from $29 to $69.

    Overall, you might consider using the free version of myCred and seeing if it fits your needs. Then, you can purchase add-ons or upgrade your membership if you want to take your rewards system to the next level.

    Conclusion

    A rewards system can incentivize users to interact with your content and earn points. Furthermore, it can recognize customer loyalty and encourage consumers to purchase more frequently from your online store.

    With the myCred WordPress plugin, you can quickly set up a rewards system for your WordPress website. It comes with multiple customizable settings and integrations to reward or penalize different actions. Although the learning curve can be a little steep, the payoffs can be significant.

    For more great tools for your business, check out our best free WordPress plugins for business websites.

    Do you have any questions about creating a rewards system with myCred? Let us know in the comments section below!

    The post How to Use myCred to Add a Rewards System to WordPress appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • How to Create Anchor Links in WordPress: A Complete Guide

    Running a website is a big responsibility and knowing how to create anchor links in WordPress will be an important skill as you create content your visitors love to read. Anchor links will help you direct your readers to the exact place they need to be on your website. Using anchor links can also improve user experience and even give you a slight SEO advantage.

    In this article, we’ll show you how to easily create anchor links in WordPress and in what situations you might want to use them.

    Here’s what we’ll cover:

    Technically speaking, an anchor link is a link (or hyperlink). In fact, in HTML, the anchor element (represented as the a tag) is common for all links that make the web as we know it possible. That said, the term “anchor link” is commonly synonymous with the term “jump link”, a link that jumps to a specific element on a page. So the main difference between anchor links (or jump links) and regular links is the destination. Traditional hyperlinks send users to a page while anchor links send users to a specific section of a page. Anchor links can link to a section on the same page or to a section of a different page. But it seems the former is more prevalent.

    Anchor links are often useful for long-form articles. But, they can also be used for single-page navigation menus or for creating a table of contents on posts or pages.

    WordPress Anchor Link IDs

    Image Elements by Vector Stock Pro and Paul Craft / shutterstock.com

    Similiar to any hyperlink in HTML, there are two major components that make an anchor link work.

    • An element with a specific anchor ID (the anchor). This is the element you wish to jump to on the page.
    • A Link to the element with the corresponding anchor ID (the anchor link). This link will “jump” to the anchor element wherever it is on the page.

    To link to a specific piece of content (the anchor), you’re going to have to give that anchor element a unique ID so that the anchor link has a location to jump to.

    This is an example HTML snippet for a heading (h2 element) with an anchor ID that we can use for an anchor link (ID in blue):

    <h2 id="your-anchor-link-id">Example Heading</h2>

    With this, we can create an anchor link that jumps to this heading element. The key to an anchor link is the unique href attribute value. Instead of a normal URL, you must include a pound sign “#” before the corresponding anchor ID. In HTML, that would look like this:

    <a href="#your-anchor-link-id">Click Here to Jump to Heading</a>

    Notice that when linking to the anchor ID you are must include a “#” at the beginning. But when naming the anchor element with an anchor ID you do not include the “#”. Furthermore, the anchor ID name should be exactly the same for both the link and the heading (besides the “#” of course). If it’s not, the link won’t work.

    Also, if you wanted to add an anchor link to a specific section of an external page, you would need to include the URL of the page before the anchor ID as follows:

    <a href="https://website.com/page/#your-anchor-link-id">Anchor Link</a>

    That’s the basics of it.

    There are various ways of accomplishing this same effect in WordPress and will depend on the configuration of your site. Before we look into how to create these anchor links (our favorite way being anchor links in the Divi Builder), let’s look at why you’d want to consider using them.

    We’ll take a closer look at a few major reasons for using Anchor Links in WordPress including:

    When creating a website, it’s important to think about the user experience (UX). One way to improve UX is by using anchor links.

    Anchor links help improve user experience (UX) because they allow users to navigate the page more easily. They help users find specific information on a page with very little effort. When used properly, anchor links can make your website more user-friendly and improve the overall experience for visitors.

    Anchor links are commonly used on one-page websites and stand-alone landing pages. There are a few reasons why using anchor links can be beneficial in these instances.

    First of all, it can be a little jarring for a visitor to visit a website with no menu navigation. Even on one-page sites. Since people are so used to seeing this element it is a great idea to still include one even though there are no other pages to link to.

    Anchor links to the navigation menu are also helpful for getting people down the page to the appropriate content very quickly. Landing pages often employ this to take potential customers to the exact information they believe they are missing.

    Anchor links are used as a navigational tool on websites and can improve your website’s click-through rate. CTR is an important metric for website optimization and conversion rate optimization (CRO). By adding anchor links to your website, you can improve the user experience and make it easier for users to find the content they are looking for. This will ultimately lead to improved CTR and ROI for your website.

    Anchor links are used to quickly jump to specific sections within a long document or web page. By clicking on an anchor link, the reader is automatically brought to the section of the page that the link corresponds to. This can be extremely useful when navigating through a table of contents (TOC) with many chapters and subsections.

    A table of contents without anchor links is helpful in allowing the site visitor to scan the content quickly. But using anchor links on the TOC itself allows them to quickly summarize themselves and dip into the content that they need most.

    Overall, anchor links are a helpful tool for organizing and navigating long-form content. By providing quick and easy access to specific sections of a document, anchor links can help make complex information more accessible and user-friendly.

    Anything we can do to help out visitors and customers!

    Anchor links can also play a role in your SEO linking strategy. They are important for SEO content because they provide context for users and search engines and help with understanding the content of a page at a glance.

    By using anchor links, you can help users find the content they are looking for quicker. This may have a positive impact on bounce rate which may improve your website’s overall ranking. The better a page is at capturing the attention of real users, the more SEO-friendly your content becomes. For best results, make sure those anchor links have optimized anchor text so Google will know how to index it properly.

    Anchor links may also be used by Google and other search engines to create a more interesting and useful rich snippet for SERPs.

    Google SEO Benefits of Anchor Links - Enriched SERP Item

    When Google finds that an internal anchor link is helpful to display to searchers, they may include popular anchor links in the search snippet. This lets the visitor have more information to make the decision to look at your article or web page.

    The more useful Google finds your website, the better it can rank — which is good news for you.

    Plus, equipping your page with anchor links gives other sites the option to link to a specific piece of content on your page that is more relevant to their readers. This is perhaps more useful for third parties than providing a link to a long-form blog post that users have to scroll through to find the relevant information. So, in a way, anchor links could aid in your link building strategy for more backlinks.

    The main consideration in using anchor links is knowing if they’d be helpful to your visitors within a particular piece of content. If it isn’t helpful then the pros and cons of using anchor links do not matter. But, if they would help site visitors navigate your article or page then it is worth knowing the pluses and minuses.

    Pros:

    • Using Anchor Links makes it easy for visitors to navigate your content
    • Using Anchor Links adds more detail for Search Engines to use in understanding your content
    • Using Anchor Links makes your content more skimmable

    Cons:

    • Anchor Links take more time to set up after you are finished writing your content
    • Users may get lost in the content if they jumped to a section but did not find what they were looking for
    • Displaying Anchor Links without context could confuse site visitors who expected to see a different web page

    There are different ways of creating anchor links in WordPress.

    Below, we’ll explore 5 different ways that you can set up anchor links no matter how your website is configured. We’ll show you how to create them on single pages, across pages, in your navigation, with plugins, and very easily using Divi Builder.

    An anchor link is a link that allows you to jump to a specific section on a page. To create an anchor link in the WordPress block editor, you will need to do the following:

    In the WordPress block editor, add a heading block and type in your heading text.

    In the heading block settings (found on the Advanced tab of the Headings Block), add an HTML ID to the Heading field. This will be used as the anchor link target.

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Block Editor 1-3

    Once the ID for the heading element is set, we can select some text and add a hyperlink. Instead of a web address, we can add a pound sign (#) plus our element ID. Press enter and the link will apply to that text.

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Block Editor 4-6

    Save your changes and preview your page to test out your new anchor link.

    2. Create Anchor Links Manually in HTML in the WordPress Classic Editor

    If you want to create an anchor link in the WordPress classic editor, you’ll need to add a bit of HTML. But don’t worry, it’s not difficult. First, you’ll need to find the heading you want to link to. In the code for your post or page (text tab next to the visual editor tab), look for the heading tag around the text you want to link to.

    For example, if you want to create an anchor link to a header that says “Learn About Me”, you would look for an H2 tag (heading two) around that text.

    Look for:

    <h2>About Me</h2>

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Classic Editor 1

    Once you’ve found the heading tag, add an id attribute to it. The value of the id attribute should be unique, so choose something that won’t be used anywhere else on the page. For our example, we’ll use “about-me”.

    Change the heading tag to:

    <h2 id="about-me">About Me</h2>

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Classic Editor 2

    Next, you’ll want to find the text that you want your visitors to click on that will take them to your anchored section. You have the option of typing out the HTML for the new anchor link or you can use the Classic Editor’s add a link function. We’ll use the WYSIWYG editor found on the Visual tab to quickly create the link.

    Select the text (or image) that you wish to add the link to. Click on the chain-link icon in the editor’s toolbar. Add “#about-me” to the link input field and press enter to finish creating the link.

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Classic Editor 3-5

    Click “Publish” or “Preview” to see your anchor link in action.

    There are quite a few plugins in the WordPress repository that may help you quickly create a Table of Contents with automatically created anchor links. You can find Table of Contents plugins in the repository.

    Automatic Table of Contents from Headers - WordPress Plugins

    Though you can choose from a few different options, we’ll work through how to use Easy Table of Contents by Magazine3.

    Installing Easy Table of Contents right off the bat gives you a Table of Contents based on Page and Post headings. No need to configure any settings to see how it will look. Load up the plugin and then take a look at your most recent post.

    After looking at what it can do, it’s smart to jump back into its settings to tailor them to your needs. For most people, only enabling the TOC to show up on Posts is probably all you’ll need. You’ll see that Easy Table of Contents recognizes all your custom post types and various templates which you can toggle on/off for.

    Easy Table of Contents from Headers - 1-3

    There is a score of other options for you to try out, but that is all dependent on your website and needs. We’d suggest starting out by creating TOCs using only H2 through H3 or maybe H4 headings. If there are too many items in the TOC then it won’t be as helpful as you had hoped for.

    They offer a pro version with more features. It also works perfectly with Divi!

    Again, there is other “Table of Contents” plugins that could serve you well. Do your research and test a few out to get the best features that fit your needs.

    One-page websites and landing pages with limited navigation menus can pack a lot of punch. Oftentimes, site masters use anchor links in the navigation menu to jump visitors down the page.

    This is very useful when a website doesn’t have a need for many pages but still wants to give the visitor a chance to look at exactly the information they need.

    Creating anchor links for navigations is exactly the same as we’ve already worked through except for the actual link. The link will go into your navigation.

    Before adding anchor links to your navigation, you will still need to add the anchor ID on the heading (or anchor element) you want to jump to. Reference the how-tos above for inserting an Anchor ID in the WordPress editor.

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Block Editor 1-3

    Once you have that set, you are ready to add your link to the menu navigation.

    Open Appearances > Menus to see your site menus. Make sure you are editing the correct menu, then select “Custom Links”. In the URL field, add your first HTML anchor ID preceded by the “#” (#example-anchor-link). Give your menu item a name by filling in the Link Text field. This will be displayed in the menu itself. Click Add to Menu and Save Menu.

    Create Anchor Link in the WordPress Nav Menu 1-4

    Repeat the process of adding additional unique anchor IDs to headings and anchor links to your menu as needed.

    You can see your changes on the front end of your website to see how it looks.

    If you want to add an anchor link to a specific section of an external page you would need to include the entire URL of the page followed by the “#” and the anchor ID.

    An anchor link to a specific heading on an external page would need to be structured like this:

    <a href="https://website.com/page/#your-anchor-link-id">Anchor Link</a>

    This would redirect the user to the page and also to the specific heading on that page.

    Divi is an incredible theme and page builder that makes it easy to design a website in WordPress. In Divi, you can create anchor links to any element with ease and without having to worry about HTML.

    To add anchor links in Divi, open your page editor and Divi’s visual builder. The first thing that we’ll do is assign a section an anchor ID. We do this by opening the section settings, navigating to the Advanced tab, and clicking on “CSS ID & Class”. You can add an anchor ID to any Divi element, but linking to a section can be a better user experience than linking to a header tag.

    We’ll add our ID to the CSS ID field and save our changes. For this example, we’ve given our section the ID of “offer”.

    Divi Theme - Create Anchor Link - Step 1-4

    Once we have set up our section with an ID we can link to create our link. In this example, we’re using our main CTA in the hero section. This button will scroll the user down to the “Subscribe for Special Offer” section.

    Edit the button and click into the section labeled “Link”. For our link, instead of a URL, we are adding an anchor link. Do this by typing in the pound sign (#) and our wanted CSS ID. For this example, the link will be “#offer”.

    Divi Theme - Create Anchor Link - Step 5-7

    Publish the page changes and then navigate to the page on the front end. You can click your button and watch as it scrolls down to the desired section. Here is our example in action:

    As you can see, it is very easy to manage multiple anchor links on a single page with Divi. Assigning sections and individual modules an ID is a snap.

    Sometimes the scroll-to position may be inaccurate. Divi has a Theme Option that you can toggle for Divi to use an alternate method. Open up the Theme Options, go to the Navigation Tab, and Toggle the “Alternative Scroll-to-Anchor Method”.

    Divi Theme Alternative Scroll to Anchor Option

    To learn more about what Divi can do with Anchor links, check out these cool things you can do with Anchor Links!

    Conclusion

    Every second a visitor spends on your website is precious. People have short and demanding attention spans. The competition for all the same attention is constantly growing. You only have but a mere few seconds to hook readers and get them the content they were looking for. Otherwise, you are delivering a forgettable website experience and bouncing traffic.

    As we’ve learned, anchor links are a great way to direct your readers to specific parts of your content. You can keep your site visitors’ attention with the content that they want most want to see. These anchor links may even link to other parts of your site, or to external sources that have specified HTML IDs.

    You can now create better user experiences for your customers and improve how search engines understand and rank your web pages. And anchor links in WordPress help you do this!

    Have you had experience using anchor links in WordPress or have some helpful tips? Let us know in the comments below!

    Featured Image via BestForBest / shutterstock.com

    The post How to Create Anchor Links in WordPress: A Complete Guide appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress vs HighLevel

    WordPress and HighLevel are both great options for building websites, however, there are some differences. WordPress is a content management system (CMS) while HighLevel is an all-in-one platform that includes a website builder. HighLevel enables users to build feature-rich websites easily on their all-in-one platform, but they don’t always provide the same options or flexibility as an open source CMS like WordPress. In this post, we’ll look at WordPress vs HighLevel to determine the differences between the two. Additionally, we’ll discuss the features of both platforms so that you can decide which is best for your business.

    WordPress vs HighLevel: Who are They For?

    Both WordPress and HighLevel are very different in terms of built-in features and available add-ons.

    WordPress CMS

    WordPress got its start as a blogging platform in the early 2000’s. Over the years, WordPress has developed into a the most popular CMS, housing some of the largest corporate websites. For example, Sony Music, Time Magazine, CNN, and the White House are all built on WordPress. WordPress is open source and free, but will involve additional cost to get a WordPress website up and runner. Users should factor in the cost of hosting, premium themes, and plugins. Those things can drive the price to hundreds of dollars. However, those add-ons add functionality and allow for unique websites. Because of this, WordPress is best utilized by anyone who needs a website — small or large.

    WordPress vs HighLevel

    High Level is an all-in-one marketing platform geared more towards the agency professional. Like HubSpot, HighLevel is a SaaS platform, which means it is a fully capable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for business professionals who need an all-in-one platform. Things such as scheduling appointments, 2-Way SMS, landing pages, payment solutions, sales funnels, and analytics are all built in. Similar platforms such as HubSpot offer these features, but as an add-on. With HighLevel, you’ll get everything you need to make your website a fully functional business website and marketing solution for a fraction of the cost of the competition.

    WordPress vs HighLevel Ease of Use

    One of the most important aspects of any CMS or website builder is how easy it is to use. Both WordPress and HighLevel have a learning curve. Let’s discuss each platform to determine which has the advantage.

    WordPress Ease of Use

    WordPress can be a simple platform to learn. This is especially true if you are only needing to build a small information website. It can become a bit more cumbersome when needing to integrate other software or functionalities to make it what you need for your business.

    WordPress dashboard

    Beginners will be inundated with content across the web to help them get started. There are dozens of websites completely dedicated to learning the in’s and out’s of WordPress. For instance, our Elegant Themes blog is packed full of tutorials and resources to assist WordPress users of any skill level. Additionally, prospective WordPress users won’t have any trouble finding helpful videos. That’s one of the best things about WordPress — the wealth of available information.

    HighLevel Ease of Use

    HighLevel has a similar learning curve. If a new user needs to build a website and/or set up their CRM, they can easily do so in an hour or less — at least that’s what their website says. One of the things that HighLevel prides themselves on is how easy it is to get started. They have a good knowledge base to assist new users, and provide 24/7 customer support to assist when problems arise. We found the learning curve to be a bit steeper than that, especially when being used to different platforms.

    The dashboard is fairly easy to navigate. Scheduled appointments, messages, calendars, contacts, payments, automation and websites are all clearly marked and fairly easy to set up. That being said, agencies who plan to use HighLevel should utilize their 14 day trial period to familiarize themselves with the platform. Depending on how much of it you plan to utilize, it could take quite a bit of time to get the hang of.

    HighLevel Dashboard

    WordPress vs HighLevel: Customization

    WordPress and HighLevel have many customization options. However, WordPress has the most customizations available to users.

    WordPress Customization

    WordPress is the clear winner in the customization department. With thousands of plugins and the ability to add custom code, building a unique website isn’t hard. In addition to the free plugin options, you can install premium ones from third party vendors. WordPress also integrates seamlessly with page builders like Divi to give you complete control over the web design process with a visual builder.

    WordPress vs HighLevel plugins

    WordPress uses its proprietary Gutenberg editor. Users can add columns and elements such as icons, text, videos, social media, and more to customize their site easily.

    Gutenberg editor

    HighLevel Customization

    HighLevel doesn’t require any plugins. It works great out of the box. The site builder comes with tons of elements to use including text modules, galleries, video, and more.

    HighLevel page editor

    Users can easily interact with their customers in HighLevel. For example, elements such as calendars, surveys, and forms are standard with a HighLevel account.

    WordPress vs HighLevel page editor

    WordPress vs HighLevel: Themes and Templates

    Both WordPress and HighLevel utilize templates to change the look and feel of your website. However, one platform stands out because of the number of choices available.

    WordPress Themes and Templates

    WordPress is king when it comes to themes. There are thousands of free themes available on the WordPress repository alone. That being said, most of the free themes don’t allow for much customization. That’s ok if you just need a small cookie-cutter website and don’t mind your site looking similar to others out there. Here are some of the best free WordPress themes available.

    In addition to the freebies, there are thousands of premium themes available for purchase. Here are some of the best themes for bloggers. Some themes, like the Divi Theme, go well beyond the standard features of WordPress to give users the most customizable website imaginable, including hundreds of premade layout packs.

    HighLevel Themes and Templates

    Like WordPress, HighLevel offers free funnel templates. HighLevel doesn’t have thousands of templates to choose from, but there are some helpful options. This is especially useful for people who don’t have the time or expertise to build a site or page(s) on their own. Templates can be loaded directly within the HighLevel platform easily. Additionally, a marketplace with premium templates is available.

    HighLevel Funnel Templates

    The marketplace offers several categories to choose from including business, services, technology, and more. Additionally, there are third party vendors who offer templates for HighLevel websites and sales funnels. Prices for premium themes vary. Users can expect to pay at least $99.

    HighLevel premium templates

    WordPress vs HighLevel: Ecommerce

    Both WordPress and HighLevel have eCommerce options. Let’s take a look at each platform to get a better idea of how selling products work on each solution.

    WordPress Ecommerce

    WordPress doesn’t come with eCommerce natively. However, adding a plugin such as WooCommerce allows for an easy setup. WooCommerce is free, and integrates with WordPress seamlessly. Setting up a shop, adding products, and connecting a payment gateway are done in a snap.

    WooCommerce plugin

    That being said, features are limited with the free option. In order to truly customize your customer’s experience, you’ll need to add functionality that can quickly escalate costs.

    HighLevel Ecommerce

    HighLevel ships with the ability to add products and take payments out of the box. Users can add products, set up a payment gateway, and begin taking orders quickly. HighLevel is an all-in-one solution, so no plugins or extra subscriptions are needed. Also, single payment purchases and subscription based products are possible. If you plan to offer memberships or online courses, HighLevel has you covered there, too. Account users can send emails and 2-way SMS messages to streamline the ordering process and increase customer engagement.

    HighLevel eCommerce

    WordPress vs HighLevel: Publishing Tools

    Both WordPress and Highlevel make it possible to create a blog. However, one needs a little extra help.

    WordPress

    WordPress is the leading software used by bloggers today. It primarily started as a blogging tool and has evolved into a lot more over the years. That being said, its blogging roots run deep. Creating a post can be accomplished in two ways. The first option is using the classic editor. The classic editor functions much like a word processor, so those unfamiliar with WordPress shouldn’t have any problems using it.

    Classic editor

    The second is the Gutenberg editor. Beginning in 2018, WordPress began using Gutenberg to replace its classic editor. It utilizes blocks, which gives users the ability to add columns, and elements such as video, html, image galleries and more. Additionally, WordPress users can create layouts for blog posts to help deliver their message in a more unique way.

    Gutenberg blocks

    HighLevel

    Publishing blogs and posts is the only area where HighLevel falls short. They don’t natively offer a traditional blog experience. Users can create pages as posts, but they don’t offer a Blog element to bring in posts dynamically like a CMS. In order to create a blog on HighLevel, users will need to utilize a third party vendor such as Drop In Blog. While this may not be a deal breaker, it is an additional expense that should be considered when comparing WordPress vs HighLevel.

    WordPress vs HighLevel: Security

    Security is quite possibly the single most important feature of a CMS or website builder. Between ransomware, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, malware, and bots, there are many things that can take a website or server down — costing your business revenue.

    WordPress Security

    WordPress is a popular platform, so it’s essential to have security measures in place. Thankfully, there are good security plugins that can help keep your website safe. WordFence, Sucuri, and Jetpack are a few highly rated examples. In addition to plugins, hosting providers play a critical role in website security. Cloudways, Flywheel (or WPEngine), Pressable, and SiteGround all offer excellent security. Features such as SSL certificates, Malware protection, TLS 1.2 and 1.3, bot protection, and backup capability are standard.

    HighLevel Security

    As a cloud based provider, HighLevel adheres to GDPR compliance. All data transferred to and from the HighLevel platform is protected. They use end-to-end encryption on their servers, as well as TLS 1.3 to ensure safe data transfer. Additionally, they run backups and scan for malware and other cyber threats on a daily basis. Each site hosted on HighLevel comes standard with an SSL certificate with every plan.

    WordPress vs HighLevel: The Bottom Line

    After an in-depth comparison of WordPress vs HighLevel, it’s obvious that they are both good options for any agency looking to grow their revenue. Both offer the features needed to communicate with clients, sell products, and get their message out to the masses. Choosing between the two comes down to a few things. Cost, features, and expertise.

    If you are an individual, freelancer, or agency wanting to build a business that has complete control over settings, customizations and integrations, WordPress is likely the right choice. The possibilities are endless with WordPress due to the highly customizable nature of the platform. Additionally, with all of the plugins and themes available, users will have no trouble making their site look exactly the way they want.

    On the other hand, if your business will require frequent interaction with clients, full-automation marketing solutions, and reporting, HighLevel should be considered. With no plugins or special integrations needed, HighLevel could be a good solution for those looking to save time and money on developing a custom solution to serve their needs.

    Do you use HighLevel or WordPress? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

    The post WordPress vs HighLevel appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 6 Best Interactive Map Plugins for WordPress in 2023

    Whether you run a travel blog, a business directory site, or want to build an online store, interactive maps can make it easier for users to find particular locations. These visual tools can also make your contact page and other content more engaging and interesting. Therefore, you may be looking for the best interactive map plugin for WordPress.

    In this post, we’ll take a closer look at interactive map plugins and how they work. Then, we’ll review some of the best options on the market. Let’s get started!

    What Are Interactive Map Plugins?

    An interactive map is a visual element on your site that can highlight particular locations. For example, if you write a hiking guide on your blog, you can include a map of the trail.

    Likewise, if you publish city itineraries, you can use maps to mark must-see attractions, restaurants, and more:

    An example of an interactive map

    If you have a WordPress site or WooCommerce store, you can use a plugin to display interactive maps on your pages. Depending on the tool you choose, you should be able to integrate your site with Google Maps. (If not, you can check out these top Google Maps Plugins.) Also, most will allow you to create custom maps with your own markers and offer different views of your locations.

    Using an interactive map plugin can provide more value to your visitors. It enables readers to locate places and plan their trips more efficiently. Additionally, if your online business has multiple physical store locations, a user-friendly map will make it easier for customers to find and visit your outlets.

    6 Best Interactive Map Plugins for WordPress

    Now, let’s look at some of the best interactive map plugins for WordPress. We based our selections on several criteria, including features, ease of use, and customization options.

    1. Interactive Geo Maps

    Interactive Geo Maps plugin

    As the name suggests, Interactive Geo Maps enables you to create interactive maps of continents and the world. You can also display country maps and highlight different regions.

    Key Features for Interactive Geo Maps:

    • Add colored markers to your maps.
    • Choose from different map projections, including Mercator and Miller.
    • Exclude specific regions from the map.
    • Set click actions and hover color change settings.

    The interface for Interactive Geo Maps

    This plugin comes with a user-friendly interface. You can start by selecting the region you wish to display, then customize the appearance of your map from the visual settings. You can also add round colored markers to pinpoint specific locations.

    Interactive Geo Maps is for you if…

    • You have a travel website and want to display interactive maps of different countries.
    • You run an international business and want to show the countries you operate in.

    Interactive Geo Maps Pricing: Free, with a premium version that starts at $2.49 per month.

    Get Interactive Geo Maps

    2. Maps Marker Pro

    Maps Marker Pro plugin

    Moving on to the next plugin, Maps Marker Pro is a premium option that offers a wide range of features. It allows you to create multilingual maps easily by integrating with translation plugins like Polylang and WPML. Moreover, the plugin enables you to enhance the interactivity of your maps with polyline shapes such as polygons, circles, and rectangles.

    Maps Marker Pro demo

    Furthermore, Maps Marker Pro includes GPX tracks functionality, which allows you to showcase routes complete with optional metadata like distance, duration, pace, or elevation. Additionally, you can create customized filters to let visitors view precisely what they want on the map, and use the cluster marker feature to save valuable space. To top it off, the plugin supports geolocation, letting you display a user’s current location and movements on the map in real time.

    Key Features for Maps Marker Pro

      • Ability to create multiple custom maps
      • GPX tracks with optional metadata
      • Polyline support
      • User-filtered search capability
      • Marker clustering
      • Multilingual support
      • Geolocation

    Maps Marker Pro is for you if…
    …you need an interactive map solution with multilingual support, filtering, and geolocation capabilities.

    Maps Marker Pro Pricing: €49 one-time fee.

    Get Maps Marker Pro

    3. Mapify Pro

    Mapify plugin

    Next on the list is Mapify Pro, which comes in both lite and pro versions. The lite version allows you to add up to 10 locations and use it freely across unlimited websites. It also enables you to customize your maps with your preferred image, and users can easily pan and zoom the maps. Additionally, the lite version offers click tooltips that show embedded videos, images, and text, among other interactive features.

    If you opt for the pro version, you’ll be blown away with all the features at your disposal. One of the standout features of Mapify Pro is the ability to add an unlimited number of locations to your maps. It also includes customizable markers, allowing you to create markers that are unique and match your brand or website design. You can choose from over 50 marker icons or upload your own custom marker icon, making it easy for users to differentiate between different types of locations on the map.

    Additionally, it integrates with popular services like WooCommerce and Advanced Custom Fields, giving you more options for displaying data on your maps. Plus, Mapify Pro allows you to create advanced tooltip content, including images, videos, and HTML, to provide users with more detailed information about a particular location.

    The interactive map legend is another standout feature of Mapify Pro that enhances the user experience. The map legend provides a key to the different markers and locations on the map, allowing users to easily identify and differentiate between them. With Mapify Pro, you can create an interactive map legend that is fully customizable and responsive, making it easy for users to access from any device.

    Mapify Pro interactive legend

    Key Features for Mapify Pro:

        • Customizable markers
        • Advanced filtering
        • Highly customizable map styles
        • Integrations with WooCommerce, ACF, and more
        • Interactive map legend

    Mapify Pro is for you if…
    …you want the ability to feature any type of content in your interactive maps, as well as animated icons, tooltips, and WooCommerce integration.

    Mapify Pro Pricing: Free, with a pro version for $19 per month.

    Get Mapify Pro

    4. WP Store Locator

    WP Store Locator plugin

    WP Store Locator is an easy-to-use interactive map plugin that enables you to display an unlimited number of stores. Your visitors can filter the results by radius and view directions to your outlets.

    Key Features for WP Store Locator:

        • Provide additional information about each store, including email addresses and opening hours.
        • Show driving directions and distances to each store.
        • Display your maps in different languages.
        • Keep track of the most popular locations that users search for.

    Adding a new store in WP Store Locator

    Once you install the plugin on your site, you can start adding stores to your map. For each shop, you can specify its exact location and opening hours. Furthermore, you can provide additional information like contact details and the website.

    WP Store Locator is for you if…

        • You want to make it easier for customers to find and travel to your physical stores.

    WP Store Locator Pricing: Free, with add-ons starting at $19 per year.

    Get WP Store Locator

    5. RVM – Responsive Vector Maps

    RVM WordPress plugin

    RVM – Responsive Vector Maps lets you create responsive vector maps for your WordPress site. It has several interactive features, including linkable markers and a mouseover tooltip effect.

    Key Features for RVM:

        • Use images as icons for marker pinpoints.
        • Show and hide elements on the page.
        • Display label content when users click on countries and regions.
        • Export your map’s settings, including the markers.

    The RVM interface

    RVM lets you make a simple world map. Then, you can add a link, create a label popup, and change the background color for each country.

    RVM is for you if…

        • You want to create a simple map for your site.
        • You have pages on different countries and want to be able to link to them from your map.

    RVM Marker Pricing: Free

    Get RVM

    6. The Divi Map Module

    If you’re a Divi user, you can add a custom interactive map to your site without the need for an extra plugin. Thanks to our Divi Map Module, you can easily embed an interactive map anywhere on your page with clickable pins, popups, and multiple locations.

    Key Features for the Divi Map Module:

        • Add customizable pins with tooltips to the map.
        • Built-in design settings for customizing elements of the map.
        • Supports draggable zoom, additional animation effects, and more.

    The Divi Map module

    With our Divi Map Module, you can customize the design of your map elements with built-in options including color, map hue and saturation, and more.

    The Divi Map Module is for you if…

        • You’re a Divi user and want a built-in solution for designing interactive maps.
        • You don’t want a bloated plugin.

    Divi Pricing: $89 per year.

    Get Divi

    Final Thoughts on Interactive Map Plugins

    Adding interactive maps to your site can make your content more engaging and interesting. These maps can highlight landmarks, stores, hiking trails, and more.

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 Interactive Geo Maps Free, $2.49 per month ✔️ Visit
    🥈 Maps Marker Pro €49 one-time fee ❌ Visit
    🥉 Mapify Pro Free, $19 per month ✔️ Visit
    4 WP Store Locator Free, $19 per year ✔️ Visit
    5 RVM – Responsive Vector Maps Free ✔️ Visit
    6 Divi Maps Module $89 per year ❌ Visit

    As for our top choices, each has interactive functionality. It all depends on what you want your maps to do. If you operate a multi-national business and want to showcase where your business operates, then Interactive Geo Maps is a solid choice. That being said, if you need a more robust solution with user-filtered searching capabilities, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than Maps Marker Pro.

    Do you have any questions about choosing the best interactive map plugin for WordPress? Let us know in the comments section below!

    The post 6 Best Interactive Map Plugins for WordPress in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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