Tag: wordpress

How to Use the All Reviews WooCommerce Block

Most modern customers will look at product reviews before making even the smallest purchase. Enabling user reviews for your own products helps you build trust with new customers, and it lets them share important information with other buyers. One of the best ways to display reviews on your website is by using the All ReviewsÂ WooCommerce block.

In this article, we’ll talk about how the All ReviewsÂ WooCommerce block works. We’ll show you how to add it to your website, configure it, and use it effectively. Let’s get to work!

How to Add the All Reviews WooCommerce Block to Your Post or Page

The All Reviews WooCommerce block enables you to display a list of the latest product reviews on your website. By default, the block shows reviews for every item, which means visitors will get an overview of how happy your latest customers are.

To use this block, open the Block Editor for the page or post where you want to showcase the reviews. Select the option to add a new block, and use the search tool to look for the All ReviewsÂ option:

Note that the All ReviewsÂ block is only available if you’re using WooCommerce. If the plugin isn’t active, you won’t have access to any WooCommerce blocks in the Block Editor.

Once you place the All ReviewsÂ block, it will display a list of all the latest reviews in your store:

By default, every review includes the customer’s name, the body of their review, their rating, when they wrote it, and their profile picture. However, you have full control over how reviews appear within the All ReviewsÂ block, as we’ll show you in the next section.

All Reviews WooCommerce Block Settings and Options

Unlike most other blocks, the All ReviewsÂ WooCommerce block doesn’t offer any formatting options. That means you can’t change its alignment or layout. However, the block does offer a variety of settings that enable you to configure what elements it includes.

To access this block’s settings, select it within the editor, and then click on the gear-shaped icon in the top-right corner of the screen. A menu will appear to the right, including all of the settings that are available for the All ReviewsÂ block.

Content Settings

The first part of the settings menu enables you to decide what elements the block will display for each review:

You can choose whether to include reviewers’ names, profile pictures, dates, review content, and product ratings. In most cases, we recommend including all of those items.

However, you might choose to disable review dates if purchases aren’t made very often, so as not to discourage potential customers. Finally, you can choose between displaying reviewers’ photos (their profile pictures) or product images alongside each review.

List Settings

The next section enables you to decide in which order to show reviews in, and how many of them to display. By default, the All ReviewsÂ block will display the latest reviews across the entire store. However, you can also choose to display reviews from highest to lowest rated and vice versa.

You can also configure how many additional reviews will appear when users click on the Load moreÂ button (or disable that option altogether):

Text Color

The next section allow you to customize the color of your text within the All Reviews block. To change the text color click on the text color option. Then you can choose one of the default theme colors or select the hex code to add your own custom color.

Font Size

In addition to text color, you can also change the font size for the All Reviews block under the Typography settings. To change the font size, click the plus icon on the Typography toggle and select font size. There you can choose from one of the built-in theme font sizes or click the customize icon to add your own custom font size value.

Additional CSS Class(es)

Finally, there’s anÂ AdvancedÂ tab within the All ReviewsÂ block settings menu, which enables you to add new CSS classes to the element. You can use those CSS classes to modify the block’s style if you’re comfortable using stylesheets.

Tips and Best Practices for Using the All Reviews WooCommerce Block Effectively

In most cases, we recommend displaying the All ReviewsÂ block on your store’s home page and/or landing pages. This shows new visitors how satisfied past customers are right away, encouraging them to stick around. Moreover, if you have a lot of recent ratings, displaying review dates can show visitors that you get a lot of sales. That, in turn, can help you to build trust even further.

If your store is still growing, we recommend showcasing the reviews with the highest ratings instead. If you do this, we’d also suggest disabling review dates, so visitors won’t be discouraged if there aren’t any recent sales.

As for whether to display user profile pictures or product photos, that choice is up to you. Displaying customer pictures can help make reviews look more trustworthy and give them a human touch. However, that will only be effective if most customers set profile pictures. Otherwise, you’re typically better off displaying product photos alongside each review, so potential customers get a glimpse of what you offer.

Frequently Asked Questions about the All Reviews WooCommerce Block

If you have any questions left about how to use the All ReviewsÂ block, we’ll aim to cover them here. Let’s start by talking about how to style this handy block.

Can I Change the Style or Layout of the All Reviews Block?

The All ReviewsÂ block doesn’t enable you to change its layout. When you place the block, reviews will show up on a single-column list. However, you can change the text color or font size using Color and Typography options. You can also add custom CSS Classes to target the All Reviews Block in your custom CSS.

Are There Any Other WooCommerce Review Blocks I Can Use?

WooCommerce ships with several review blocks that you can use in your store. For example, there’s a Reviews by Product Block, which enables you to display reviews for individual items. You’ll also have access to the Reviews by Category Block, which lets you display reviews from specific product categories.

When you’re using the All Reviews block, you can’t filter reviews either by product or category. However, the block does enable you to choose what order reviews will be displayed in.

Where Should I Place the All Reviews Block in WordPress?

Since the All ReviewsÂ block displays reviews for all the products in your store, it makes sense to place it on one of your website’s main pages. Both the home page and the ShopÂ pages make ideal placements for this block. Alternatively, you can set up a page just for displaying reviews, and link to it in your navigation menu.

Conclusion

The All Reviews WooCommerce block enables you to display the latest reviews for all products in your store. You can also configure this block to display reviews from the highest to lowest ratings and vice versa (although we don’t recommend the latter approach).

This block offers the perfect way to show visitors how much customers love your products. If you have a lot of recent reviews, it can also signal that you run an active store with a large volume of sales.

For more, check out ultimate guide to WooCommerce Blocks.

Do you have any questions about how to use the All ReviewsÂ block in WooCommerce? Ask away in the comments section below!

The post How to Use the All Reviews WooCommerce Block appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

14.09.2022
How to Correctly Set Up File Permissions in WordPress

If you’ve ever run into mysterious errors installing plugins, updating themes or uploading images to your WordPress site, file permissions might be the problem.

The post “How to Correctly Set Up File Permissions in WordPress” first appeared on WP Mayor.

13.09.2022
How to Integrate Contact Form 7 with Zoho CRM
Adding contact forms to your WordPress site enables users to reach out with queries and business proposals. However, if you’re not using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution, you may be losing out on potential leads. Fortunately, you can easily pair your contact forms with a CRM using Contact Form 7 and Zoho.

In this post, we’ll look at the benefits of integrating Contact Form 7 with Zoho. Then, we’ll show you how to do it in three easy steps. Let’s get started!

The Benefits of Integrating Contact Form 7 with Zoho CRM

Contact Form 7 is one of the most popular WordPress contact form plugins. It enables you to build a variety of customized forms for your site:

With Contact Form 7, you can enter your business email address as the sender and reply to your messages using your favorite email client. This setup will help you project a more professional image for your company. Divi also integrates with Contact Form 7 for more design control.

To get the most out of Contact Form 7, you might consider using it with Zoho. This is a powerful CRM tool that helps you generate leads and manage your contacts more effectively:

Integrating Contact Form 7 with Zoho lets you synchronize your user data and organize your leads using the CRM tool. For instance, you can sort your contacts into recently created leads, converted leads, and more.

This integration can be beneficial if you run a remote team. Once a message comes in through your contact form, you can assign that lead to the appropriate employee or department. Zoho facilitates team collaboration so your company can deliver better customer service and drive more conversions.

How to Integrate Contact Form 7 with Zoho CRM (In 3 Steps)

Unfortunately, Contact Form 7 doesn’t natively support integration with Zoho CRM. However, you can use a plugin such as Integration for Contact Form 7 and Zoho CRM to connect these two tools:

This plugin lets you send messages submitted through Contact Form 7 to your Zoho account. Fortunately, it’s also very easy to set up.

For this tutorial, you’ll need to have both Contact Form 7 and Integration for Contact Form 7 and Zoho CRM installed and activated on your site. You’ll also need to create a Zoho account (you can get started for free).

Once you’re logged in, you’ll be asked to select a product. Make sure to choose CRM.

Step 1: Add Your Zoho Account in WordPress

Once you add Integration for Contact Form 7 and Zoho CRM to your site, you’ll see a new menu item in your dashboard called Zoho. Click on it and navigate to the Zoho Accounts tab:

Then, select Add New Account. You’ll be asked to provide some information about your Zoho account, including the account name, data center, and type of Zoho Service (we’re using Zoho CRM):

If you click on the Login with Zoho button, you can simply sign in to your account:

Zoho CRM will then ask for access to your user data. Go ahead and click on Accept:

You’ll then be redirected to your WordPress dashboard, where you’ll see a success message:

If you get an invalid_code error, make sure that you’ve selected the right data center. For instance, if you’re based in Europe, you’ll need to choose zoho.eu. Then, save your changes and try again.

Step 2: Create a Zoho Feed

Next, you’ll need to create a Zoho feed. In other words, you’ll be connecting your Zoho account with a contact form.

In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Zoho > Zoho Feeds and select Add New:

Next, you’ll need to enter a name for your feed and choose a Zoho account. You’ll also have to select a contact form:

Once you choose a form, the plugin will ask you to select a Zoho Object from the menu. An Object is a specific area of your CRM, including meetings, accounts, calls, projects, and more. For this tutorial, you can select Leads:

Then, you’ll need to link your form fields with the fields corresponding to your Zoho leads. This connection will enable the plugin to synchronize your data.

For example, here’s what your leads page might look like in your Zoho account:

On the left-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a list of fields you can use to filter your leads. You can connect some of these fields to the ones in your site’s contact form.

For instance, you can select the Email field in your Zoho account and pair it with the Your Email field in your contact form:

This way, when a user enters their email address into the contact form on your site, the information will appear in the appropriate field on your Zoho Leads page. You can map as many fields as you want.

You also have the option to only export manually approved entries to Zoho. Additionally, you can set an opt-in condition so that only entries that meet a particular criterion are exported:

Finally, you can configure some additional settings, such as setting a primary key:

When you’re ready, click on Save Feed. Contact Form 7 is now fully integrated with Zoho.

Step 3: Test your Contact Form 7 and Zoho Integration

Finally, it’s time to run a quick test to ensure everything is working correctly. Firstly, you’ll need to navigate to your contact form on the front end and submit an entry.

Then, in your WordPress dashboard, go to Zoho > Zoho Log to see if your entry was registered in the CRM:

Here, you’ll be able to view the fields you mapped in the previous step. That’s it â€” you can now start generating leads with Contact Form 7 and Zoho CRM!

Conclusion

A CRM tool such as Zoho enables you to manage any leads that come through your WordPress website. If you use Contact Form 7, you can simply integrate your forms with Zoho using the Integration for Contact Form 7 and Zoho CRM plugin.

In this post, we showed you how to integrate these two powerful tools:
1. Add your Zoho account in WordPress.
2. Create a Zoho feed.
3. Test your integration.
Do you have any questions about integrating Contact Form 7 with Zoho CRM? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post How to Integrate Contact Form 7 with Zoho CRM appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.
08.09.2022

5 Best WordPress Table of Contents Plugins in 2023

Readability and User Experience (UX) are essential to keeping users engaged with your content. Most visitors are likely to feel turned off by huge walls of text or very long pages and consequently leave your site. However, with a table of contents plugin, you can enable readers to quickly jump between different sections of your content.

Today’s guide will explore five of the best WordPress table of contents plugins. Let’s get started!

What Is a WordPress Table of Contents Plugin?

You’ve likely seen tables of contents before in physical books. They list the main chapters within the book so you can more efficiently locate specific content without having to randomly flip through all the pages. Therefore, you can save time and effort while finding the necessary information.

A table of contents serves a similar purpose on a WordPress website. However, unlike a physical book, a WordPress table of contents will be more dynamic and interactive. They contain a list of your post’s headings and subheadings with clickable anchor links (or jump links) that take readers to those specific sections.

The table of contents anchor links allows users to jump to the sections they’re most interested in. Therefore, since visitors won’t have to scroll down manually, this layout increases the UX of your post or page. Plus, it can enhance readability by clearly showing users what content to expect.

The anchor links within a table of contents can also give you a slight boost in SEO. Using SEO links like this will allow search engines to display those links in SERPs.

By using a WordPress table of contents plugin, you can insert this feature into your posts and pages without adding custom code. Therefore, this type of plugin can be a user-friendly and time-saving tool for your business.

5 Best WordPress Table of Contents Plugins

Now, let’s take a look at some of the best WordPress table of contents plugins. We’ve chosen tools with user-friendly interfaces, customizable settings, good reviews, and also frequent updates.

1. Divi Table Of Contents Maker

Divi Table of Contents Maker plugin

First up, Divi Table of Contents Maker is a great plugin to increase the readability and navigation of your Divi site.

Divi table of contents maker demo

It works by creating a custom module within Divi that can be styled any way you like. You can apply a custom title text, a collapsible table, sticky settings, and several marker prefixes including icons, numbers, and letters.

Key Features for Divi Table Of Contents Maker:

Endless design possibilities with Divi
Collapsible and sticky table options
Custom icon markers
Link styling and hover effects
Keyword highlight search bar
Divi Theme Builder support

Additional settings include link styling, hover effects, a keyword highlight search bar, word wrap options, and Divi Theme Builder support for creating a table of content module dynamically. To boost your site’s SEO, Divi Table of Contents Maker integrates seamlessly with Rank Math, which provides SEO content analysis on the fly.

Divi Table Of Contents Maker is for you if…

You want ultimate design control.
You need a plugin that integrates with Divi

Divi Table Of Contents Maker Pricing: $15

Get Divi Table of Contents Maker

2. Easy Table of Contents

Easy table of content plugin

Next, Easy Table of Contents is one of the most time-saving tables of contents plugins. You simply need to configure which types of posts and pages you want to include this element in. Then, the plugin will automatically insert the tables into your content.

Key Features for Easy Table of Contents:

Auto-insert tables into posts, pages, custom post types, templates, navigation menus, and more.
Choose from built-in themes to customize your tables’ appearance.
Select color, background, and link options for your tables.
Enable users to hide tables.
Select each table’s position and label.
Exclude specific headings from your tables.

Easy Table of Contents settings

Overall, Easy Table of Contents is a straightforward plugin. However, it could be just what you need if you’re not worried about advanced design settings.

Easy Table of Contents is for you if…

You’re looking for an automated and user-friendly solution.
You’d like to use a free plugin.
Simplicity is important to you.

Easy Table of Contents Pricing: Free, with a premium version starting at $49 per year

Get Easy Table of Contents

3. SimpleTOC

SimpleTOC plugin

If you’re looking for a straightforward table of contents block, SimpleTOC is an excellent option. The element it provides creates a nested list displaying all of your post or page headings. Plus, you can add this block to your widget areas, such as your header or footer.

Key Features for SimpleTOC:

Insert the SimpleTOC block anywhere with the Block Editor.
Choose which headings appear in your table.
Select your desired background and text colors.
Display the block in full or wide width, adjust its indent, and control the heading depth.
Use the block in various languages, including English, Spanish, and French.

SimpleTOC settings

Since it doesn’t use any CSS or JavaScript, SimpleTOC is a lightweight plugin that shouldn’t affect your site loading speeds. Additionally, it automatically inherits your WordPress theme’s styling to match your branding.

SimpleTOC is for you if…

You want to add a table of contents with a block.
You’re looking for a streamlined and lightweight plugin.
Your website’s content is displayed in different languages.

SimpleTOC Pricing: Free

Get SimpleTOC

4. Fixed TOC

Fixed TOC plugin

Next up, Fixed TOC is a premium WordPress table of contents plugin with more advanced styling options. You can set up the plugin to create tables automatically, or insert them manually with a shortcode. Additionally, you can configure Fixed TOC’s tables and change the color of their links, backgrounds, hover effects, and more.

Key Features for Fixed TOC:

Automate your tables of contents according to page or post type.
Create fixed (or floating) TOCs that are mobile-responsive.
Customize your tables’ appearance to match your theme.
Enable smooth scrolling and collapsible headings.
Choose from a selection of animated effects.
Use the plugin with Google AMP.

FixedTOC settings

With FixedTOC, the table of contents will be located in your sidebar. This lets visitors skip ahead to other sections easily at any point. You can also opt to let users hide the table for better UX.

Fixed TOC is for you if…

You’re looking for advanced styling and customization options.
Mobile responsiveness is a high priority.
You’d like to add animations to your tables of contents.

FixedTOC Pricing: Licenses start at $20 with six months of support

Get Fixed TOC

5. Ultimate Blocks

Ultimate Blocks plugin

Finally,Â Ultimate Blocks could be the best WordPress table of contents plugin if you want to add several new elements to your site. It also enables you to insert customer star ratings, tabbed content, image sliders, and more.

Key Features for Ultimate Blocks:

Choose from 47 new blocks, including a table of contents.
Automatically generate a table of contents from the headings on your page.
Include/exclude specific heading types.
Make your tables collapsible.
Create tables with multiple columns.
Choose from three different list styles.
Customize table colors.

Ultimate Blocks settings

Ultimate Blocks’ table of contents is fairly simple, with a few design options for columns, colors, and list formats. Additionally, you can make your tables collapsible, so users can opt in or out of the feature (including on mobile devices).

Ultimate Blocks is for you if…

You need multiple blogging and marketing blocks.
You’d like to use a free plugin.
You’re looking for a simple and also user-friendly solution.

Ultimate Blocks Pricing: Free

Get Divi Table of Contents Maker

Which WordPress Table of Contents Plugin is The Winner?

First, letâ€™s recap all of the plugins we covered in this post. We ranked them in order of our favorites, with the top three table of contents plugins at the top of the list. Of course, you might also want to consider the price associated with each. The price has been added to the following table for easy comparison. ðŸ‘‡

	Plugin	Price	Free Option
ðŸ¥‡	Divi Table of Contents Maker	$15	âŒ	Visit
ðŸ¥ˆ	Easy Table of Contents	$49	âœ”ï¸	Visit
ðŸ¥‰	SimpleTOC	/	âœ”ï¸	Visit
4	Fixed TOC	$20	âŒ	Visit
5	Ultimate Blocks	/	âœ”ï¸	Visit

A table of contents can help users jump ahead to the content that most interests them. Therefore, this feature can make your website much more user-friendly, and improve its readability.

Divi Table of Contents Maker is an excellent option for a premium table of contents plugin. It includes advanced styling options, including animations. With seamless integration with Divi as well as Rank Math, you’ll give your users (and potential ones) an easy way to navigate content on your site.

The post 5 Best WordPress Table of Contents Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

07.09.2022

WWW vs non-WWW: Which is Better for SEO?
Your website’s domain and overall URL structure are based on a few technical elements. In this article, we are going to explore using www vs. non-www on your website’s URL and which is better for SEO.

Both www and non-www have their pros and cons, but ultimately you need to know the implications of what you are choosing. If you aren’t careful, you could create duplicate locations of your website which can hurt your site’s SEO and ranking in the SERPs. Here’s how you can keep the flow of visitors coming by having a properly configured website URL.

Understanding the Structure of a URL

It is important to understand that there are many seemingly insignificant details that go into building your website’s URL. Each of these details changes the location of your website and also how search engines, like Google, crawl and index your site.

HTTP and HTTPS

HTTP is the standard language protocol to help browsers communicate between clients and servers. Most URLs start with http://. If your site has an SSL Certificate or Transport Layer Security (TLS), the URL will start with https:// instead.

http://domainname.com
or…
https://domainname.com

Domain Name

Domain names are a critical part of the internet, allowing users to navigate between websites. This is what you purchase and register at domain registers like Godaddy or Namecheap. Domain names act as human-readable (and rememberable!) addresses. If we didnâ€™t have them, weâ€™d be surfing the web memorizing IP numbers instead of company and brand names.

In a URL, the domain is a substring that follows the initial http:// or

https://domainname.com

WWW Domain Prefix

The WWW prefix is used to help identify a web address or location. Basically, it is a subdomain (similar to ftp.yourwebsite.com or blog.yourwebsite.com) to identify a more specific location. This is mostly used on larger websites. However, unlike traditional subdomains, it is not necessary these days to include the WWW prefix unless you have a specific reason to do so. In a URL, the www prefix precedes the domain name:

https://www.domainname.com

What are WWW and non-WWW?

When we talk about www vs non-www, we are referring to websites that include the www prefix in the domain name or not.

Here is a www domain:

https://www.yourwebsite.com

And here is a non-www domain:

https://yourwebsite.com

The WWW (“Word Wide Web”) prefix has traditionally designated websites that are accessible online. For most of the history of the internet, most websites used a â€œwwwâ€ prefix followed by a domain name. Nowadays, it is treated more as a subdomain, making it optional for those looking to streamline their URL with a non-www version of their domain.

Differences Between WWW vs non-WWW: Pros and Cons

The internet is a very specific place. At least in terms of web standards. Adoption of new ways of doing things is slow since there are billions of internet users and breaking the internet is in nobody’s best interest. The differences in www and non-www domains may cease to exist someday but there are some user experience and technical differences to understand right now.

First, it is important to understand that a website URL using WWW is technically an altogether different location than the same website URL using non-WWW.

For example:
https://www.yourwebsite.com will take you to a different location than https://yourwebsite.com.

That is why it is important to be consistent with what you choose. And, use redirects and canonical URLs to make sure you are not getting duplicate content.

WWW’s Cookie Handling

Cookies, once a staple of the internet, perform more or less the same whether you use www or non-www on your website.

That is, for one exception. Websites using www help restrict cookies from transferring across many sub-domains.

So, if your website uses multiple sub-domains (app.example.com, login.example.com, or help.example.com) and you want cookies to be distinct per each sub-domain, it is better to use the www prefix for your website.

Image by BadBrother / shutterstock.com

WWW CDN Configuration

CDNs are also easier to set up with www domains. There are some CDN providers that don’t handle non-www well at all. But this is a shrinking occurrence.

Non-www Domains are Better for User Experience

Using non-www domains is more intuitive on the end-user side of things. Non-www websites are often typed in by internet users by default (even for websites that use www). This means fewer redirects occur when using non-www URLs for sites with plenty of direct traffic. People more or less ignore “www.” prefixes when talking about or referencing URLs.

How Browsers handle WWW

Also, modern browsers are starting to hide the www part of websites in the search barâ€”creating a cleaner way of looking at the site URL. The browser doesnâ€™t strip the URL of www. It simply doesnâ€™t display it unless a user clicks into the URL bar to edit or change the URL.

Is hiding that element a sign of things to come? Maybeâ€”but for now, browsers are interested in making things as simple as possible for the average internet user. They aren’t concerned about displaying the www prefix since there is no technical difference between them choosing to show it or not.

How to Check if You Are Using WWW vs non-WWW in WordPress

Website building platforms, like WordPress, let you view and change the www or non-www version of your website URL. This choice is an awesome benefit of using WordPress but comes with the added responsibility of making informed decisions around its use.

Important!: Before checking or changing anything. We do not recommend changing previously established websites’ use of www non-www. Whatever you choose while building your website (and when search engines started indexing it) is workable. Only change this on established websites if you are confident with what you are doing and understand how it affects how search engines index your site.

To check if your site is using WWW or not, go to your Admin Dashboard in WordPress. Navigate from â€œSettingsâ€ to â€œGeneralâ€. This will pull up a new page with the options â€œWordPress Addressâ€ and â€œSite Addressâ€.

Make sure both of those are the same (in almost all cases) and in accordance with the domain you purchased for the website.

If you want to make changes and are unsure about what you are doing, it is best to contact your hosting companyâ€™s support team for answers.

SEO Benefits of Using WWW vs non-WWW

Search engines don’t prefer www or non-www nor take it into account as a ranking factor. So for SEO, choosing one ahead of the other isn’t important. What is important is the proper configuration of ONE of the options â€” never both. Misconfiguring www or non-www can result in SEO penalties.

SEO Risk of Duplicate Content

Having both www and non-www URL versions of a page or post can be considered duplicate content and hurt SEO.

Duplicate content is content that is repeated on the same website (and in some cases other websites). Some content overlap is always going to happen on any website. However, using both www and non-www creates two full, exact versions of each page, post, and archive location. This essentially creates a duplicate of your whole websiteâ€”one at www.example.com and one at example.com. This is further complicated if you are also allowing both HTTP and HTTPS protocols on your website.

Image by hilderifi / shutterstock.com

This might not seem like a big issue but it can have drastic consequences. Put simply, having two versions of your website will confuse search engines. Search engines will index some of your pages on the www domain and others on the non-www domain.

You donâ€™t want half of your domain authority building on one of two versions of your base URL. Not only will it get confused about which version to index and rank, but it can also penalize both versions and tank your rankings. This will lead to diminished search traffic and performance for your website.

If you do have both or have a concern, you can set up 301 redirects. This can redirect the unwanted URL version to the wanted version. For non-WWW domains, many hosting providers will have a redirect to the WWW version of your domain set up by default to avoid any conflict. If not, you can always perform the necessary redirects with a plugin.

For more, check out our ultimate guide to duplicate content and SEO

The Importance of Setting a Canonical URL for SEO

A canonical URL is a self-declared preference submitted to Search Engines of your preferred URL version for a page or domain location. When you have multiple versions of a web page, as we’ve learned is possible, it can cause problems with search engines. This is because they may not know which version of the page to index and show searchers. Indexing issues are made worse by the search engines seeing duplicate content, which can hurt your ranking in search results.

Setting a canonical URL tells search engines which version of the page you want them to index. This helps them crawl your site more efficiently and prevents duplicate content issues.

The canonical URL can be set up with Yoast SEO for WordPress. Yoast SEO is a plugin that helps you optimize your website for search engines. On each Page or Post of your website, scroll down to the Yoast SEO Section. Under “Advanced” you will see a field to add that page/post’s canonical URL. This will tell search engines which version you prefer.

Yoast isn’t the only plugin that this. Check out some other WordPress SEO plugins that can help with canonical URLs.

It is worth noting that canonical tags are your last line of defense for telling search engines which version of your website to index. Canonical tags are also helpful for duplicate content that exists for reasons other than having both www and non-www versions of your website.

For more, check out our ultimate guide to canonical URLs.

Overview for Fixing Mixed WWW and Non-WWW URLs

If you think you have an issue with multiple versions of your website:
1. Contact your hosting service provider. They should be able to help identify any issues on the server side of things.
2. Configure your WordPress site to use only one option. This can be done manually or with a plugin.
3. From there, you can set up 301 redirects from the unwanted version to the desired version. There some great redirect plugins for WordPress to help. This tells Google (and other search engines) that if theyâ€™ve indexed the unwanted URL that those pages have moved elsewhere. This process is similar to how you would redirect your WordPress site from HTTP to HTTPs.
4. Lastly, you can set up canonical URLs to make it explicit which ones are to be preferred by search engines.
WWW vs non-WWW â€“ Which One Should I Use?

As we’ve discovered, it is a stalemate in terms of SEO. Using www or a non-www URL won’t affect your site’s SEO. Using a www URL may have some technical benefits in a few areas and maybe for that reason, it should be considered over non-www. The main thing is to be absolutely consistent with your use. Once you choose www or not wwwâ€”stick with that choice.

Conclusion

SEO is an important consideration for any website owner. Choosing to use www vs. non-www in your URL isn’t a major consideration for your site’s search ranking. Just remember to follow the best practices above and you’ll be able to spend your time worrying about other areas of SEO.

Featured Image via Yasir Design / shutterstock.com

The post WWW vs non-WWW: Which is Better for SEO? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.
01.09.2022
WordPress Blogs; Competition, Integrity, Money, and Reputation

The state of WordPress blogs has changed over the years. Today we see a mix of older blogs with a solid reputation, newer blogs with unclear intentions, and some that are putting money ahead of everything else. This is my opinion on the current situation and where it’s heading.

The post “WordPress Blogs; Competition, Integrity, Money, and Reputation” first appeared on WP Mayor.

01.09.2022

WordPress vs HubSpot CMS (2023) â€” How Do They Compare?

WordPress has been the go-to CMS platform for more than a decade. With more than half of all websites built on it, it has basically become the industry standard for content management systems. That being said, there’s a new kid on the block. HubSpot CMS has been climbing up the charts since its launch in 2020. In this article, we’ll do a WordPress vs. Hubspot CMS comparison so you can decide which platform is right for you. Let’s get started.

WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS: Who Are They For?

WordPress and HubSpot are similar in that they are both content management systems. In addition, both have the ability for users to customize the appearance, theme, and functionality. That being said, WordPress and HubSpot are probably best suited for different types of users. Therefore, we’ll take a look at who each platform is best suited for.

Before we get into all that, keep in mind that we are focusing on WordPress.orgÂ rather than its .com counterpart. At Elegant Themes, we believe that the .org product is by far the more robust of the two. If you are on the fence about which platform to choose, take a look at our very detailed post that outlines the differences between the two.

WordPress Content Management System

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the planet. With anywhere from 44% to 65% of all websites built on WordPress, it has a lot of uses for a lot of people. WordPress is also highly customizable. Developers can develop their own plugins, themes, and templates to make their websites stand out from the crowd. HubSpot has made a WordPress plugin to integrate HubSpot with WordPress.

Additionally, WordPress is somewhat easy to learn. Those who are just starting in web development can easily find plenty of tutorials to help get them started.

WordPress CMS

HubSpot Content Management System

To put it plainly, HubSpot CMS is geared toward marketers and developers. While WordPress is capable of being a marketing powerhouse, HubSpot provides developers and marketers the ability to have a fully integrated marketing hub right out of the box. You can get customer information with built-in reporting, set up marketing automation, and be able to tap right into HubSpot CRM without having to set up any customized integrations.

If you want to know what your customers are up to, HubSpot CMS has you covered. Reporting and analytics are a click away, thanks to the cohesive HubSpot ecosystem. Check out our detailed HubSpot overview for more.

HubSpot CMS

WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS: Ease of Use

Individuals and small business owners are entering the marketplace at the fastest pace in history. As a result, small business growth has more than doubled since 2011. Additionally, it seems like everyone has a side hustle these days. Because of this, content management systems have become an increasingly popular way to build a website.

To keep costs down, more people are taking a stab at designing their own websites. Because of this, it’s crucial to use a platform that is easy to understand and learn and doesn’t break the bank. Doing things like adding photos, writing blog posts, and knowing how to navigate the admin dashboard are important features that today’s users are looking for.

WordPress CMS Ease of Use

The WordPress CMS is a complex platform. Its ease of use varies widely depending on what theme you use, the functionalities you want to incorporate, and your level of technical ability.

Because WordPress has been around so long, there is an ample amount of tutorials and how-to documentation on various websites on the internet, as well as YouTube. Therefore, beginners will be able to pick things up quickly if they only need to create an informational website to get their content out to the world. Additionally, a WordPress newbie can create a simple website without needing any coding knowledge by using a theme such as Divi.

Divi WordPress Theme

On the flip side of that argument, those who wish to create more advanced WordPress sites with custom integrations and functionalities will need to have quite a bit of knowledge of PHP, HTML, Javascript, and CSS to make the most of WordPress. Sure, there are thousands of plugins out there to help you create the site you need, but that involves advanced knowledge and troubleshooting skills to ensure that plugins play nicely with each other. Plus, that can be very overwhelming for people who are brand new to WordPress.

HubSpot CMS Ease of Use

Let us just start by saying that HubSpot CMS is built for marketers, developers, and IT teams. Marketers have the features they need to build a website using a drag-and-drop editor – an excellent option for non-developers. And, if you are a small business owner or individual who wants to build a website quickly, HubSpot offers an easy interface to work with.

Like WordPress, you’ll need advanced coding knowledge to create a more advanced website. That being said, HubSpot offers a couple of ways to create websites with its platform. On the positive side, there are no plugins to purchase. That’s because HubSpot is an all-in-one platform.

HubSpot CMS page editor

That being said, learning the platform requires quite a bit of studying. Thankfully, HubSpot offers an academy that will walk you through the steps to create your first website. So be ready to dedicate at least 5 hours to the academy. By the end, you’ll be certified to build themes and templates using the HubSpot CMS platform.

If you are new to the CMS world and web design, HubSpot recently launched a more beginner-oriented option with its drag-and-drop page builder.

HubSpot CMS page editor


Ease of Use	WordPress can take some time to learn, but there are plugins and tutorials to make things easier.	ðŸ¥‡ Winner Hubspot takes some time to learn as well, but it’s an all-in-one platform so you don’t need to know anything about additional add-ons.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

WordPress vs. Hubspot CMS: Customization

First impressions matter. While great content is highly important, so is a professional appearance. Visitors are more likely to stay on your website if it looks good and appears credible. That’s why having the ability to customize your website is critically important.

WordPress Customization Options

The WordPress CMS stands out with its ability to be easily customizable. Even on the most basic WordPress themes, users can control how wide their site is, what colors are used, and choose from endless fonts for their website. Beyond that, there are countless choices for plugins and themes which give you the functionality and look that you’re going for. Plugins come in different categories, from form pluginsÂ to SEO plugins, security plugins, and more.

There are both free and paid plugins and themes available to use with WordPress. Basic themes that come pre-installed with WordPress give you customization options with Gutenberg blocks. With close to 30 blocks to choose from, users can customize text, media, layouts, and custom code.

By using premium themes such as Divi, customization options are endless. Premium themes turn WordPress into a no-code design powerhouse, allowing users to change every aspect of a website with an expansive set of content elements (Accordions, number counters, video galleries, and more) at their disposal.

Divi visual builder

That being said, you can easily do too much. For example, using too many large images or installing unnecessary plugins can bloat your site, making it load slowly. Nothing cranks up a bounce rate more than a slow site.

HubSpot Customization Options

For Marketers and non-coders, HubSpot CMS offers a drag-and-drop editor along with other customizable features. The CMS offers pre-built website themes you can use and customize. The number of modules you can add and edit varies depending on the theme that you choose. In addition to customizing modules, you can edit theme settings, header and footer options, as well as author settings.

Divi visual builder

For developers, customization options are controlled using the command line interface (CLI) version of HubSpot CMS. With the ability to build modules to be used on pages, the possibilities are endless. Developers can place any type of customization they want into a module.

HubSpot theme editor

Every template created in the HubSpot CLI platform is built from scratch in the code editor and can contain any number of modules, which all have varying customization options. So it’s truly 100% customizable, and it all depends on the technical ability of the developer who builds it.


Customization	ðŸ¥‡ Winner WordPress is unmatched when it comes to customization options.	Hubspot offers developer tools so it is as customizable as you want it to be, however it will take some technical experience.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS: Themes and Templates

Themes are an integral part of every CMS. Changing a theme can give a website a completely different look and make new features available. Therefore, having a good selection of themes is crucial, especially for users who may not have the ability to create their own.

WordPress Themes & Templates

WordPress has the best selection of free and premium themes of any CMS. With literally tens of thousands of themes and hundreds of theme developers in the WordPress world, it’s safe to say you’ll be able to find one that you love. The top premium themes in the WordPress ecosystem, such as Divi, offer dozens of modules and tons of customization options and can completely change the look and feel of your site.

On the other hand, users can choose a free theme, such as Twenty Seventeen, then customize it with PHP, Javascript, and CSS to suit their needs. Additionally, developers can create custom page templates to extend their theme’s capabilities.

WordPress CMS themes

HubSpot Themes & Templates

HubSpot offers a few default themes for its users. They are available for free when you sign up for a HubSpot CMS account. Users can download a default theme for use on their website or create their own theme based on it. Downloading themes for use in HubSpot is achieved through the HubSpot marketplace. It’s a good choice for people who want to have a website to represent their business without having to do much coding.

HubSpot CMS default themes

If a developer wants to alter a default theme, they are required to use HubSpot CLI, which is HubSpot’s command line interface. From there, they call a theme to be imported into their dashboard.


Themes and Templates	ðŸ¥‡ Winner WordPress has thousands of premium and free themes.	Hubspot also offers themes, they just don’t compare in terms of quantity.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

HubSpot also offers premium themes for its users. The HubSpot marketplace contains more than 230 themes. In addition to themes, users can install modules and templates for their sites. Some of these themes are free, while others are offered for a one-time fee.

HubSpot CMS marketplace

WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS: Publishing Tools

Both WordPress and HubSpot CMS can publish blog posts, although they both have different ways of doing so.

WordPress

WordPress makes it quite easy for users to create blog posts. There are two ways to accomplish it. First, users can use the classic editor, which is basically a generic word processor. If you are familiar with Google Docs or Microsoft Word, you’ll be right at home with the classic editor.

Classic editor

The other method, the Gutenberg editor,Â looks a bit different but functions exactly the same.

Gutenberg editor

You can install plugins to make using the publishing tools more effective. For example, Yoast SEO is a great tool to enable your site to gain more visitors. Also, if you choose to use the Gutenberg blocks editor, there are lots of plugins that will extend the functionality by adding more modules to choose from.

HubSpot CMS

HubSpot CMS has the ability for blogs as well. Although, it works a bit differently. With HubSpot, you create website pages, landing pages, blogs, and your site tree via tabs.

HubSpot blog

Posts can be created with the click of a button.

post editor

The post editor consists of two tabs, along with settings for blog content, your website’s header, comments, and the footer. In addition, you can assign your post to different themes, which is a nice feature in case you’d like your posts to look different based on content. While the interface is easy to navigate, it takes a bit of getting used to if you are accustomed to different post-editors.

post editor


Publishing Tools	ðŸ¥‡ Winner WordPress is easier to start up and understand	Hubspot’s interface is simple to pick up, it just takes a bit to get used to.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS: Security

Website security is essential, especially in today’s environment. Without good security protocols in place, your site is vulnerable to attacks such as denial of service (DDoS), malware, bots, and hacks. Thankfully, security is at the forefront for both WordPress and HubSpot.

WordPress Security

WordPress security is a complex issue. It’s largely dependent on the host you choose for your site, as well as the plugins. More high-end hosting companies provide everything you need to keep your WordPress site protected. In addition, hosts such as SiteGround and Cloudways stand out on security with SSL certificates, bot protection, and server-side options for malware all covered.

If users want to use a plugin to keep their site safe, there are some really great WordPress security plugins available. For example, Wordfence and Sucuri are highly utilized plugins that will provide firewalls, bot protection, and protection against DDoS attacks. Additionally, WordPress stays on top of things by releasing updates to its platform regularly.

HubSpot Security

One of the best things about HubSpot CMS is its security features. Because HubSpot is a software-as-a-server (SaaS) solution, you’ll get everything you need in one package. HubSpot grants you an SSL certificate, network and perimeter protection, customer data protection, and application protection, all in one platform.

There’s no need to add additional services to your account, and there are no plugins to install. TLS 1.2 or 1.3 are standard, plus they use end-to-end encryption. This means that your site’s files, along with customer information, are safe and secure from beginning to end. In addition to that, you’ll receive a web application firewall, protection against DDoS attacks, and regular vulnerability scanning.


Security	WordPress security depends a lot on the host you choose and the plugins you implement	ðŸ¥‡ Winner Hubspot has great built in security that allows you to get everything in one package.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS: eCommerce

Both WordPress and HubSpot offer eCommerce solutions â€” with some help.

WordPress eCommerce Solutions

WordPress can integrate with many eCommerce solutions. The most utilized is WooCommerce. The WooCommerce plugin is free. You can set up your store and start adding products in minutes. However, if you want a customized solution using Woo, you’ll likely need to purchase add-ons that can inflate the cost of your online store considerably. Add-ons range anywhere from $29 to $299, so costs can add up quickly.

In addition to WooCommerce, solutions such as Shopify and Printify are also possible. The great thing about WordPress is the ability to incorporate multiple solutions through plugins and integrations to get the perfect online shopping solution for your business.

HubSpot eCommerce

HubSpot doesn’t offer a native eCommerce solution. To sell products or have a full-featured online store, you have two options. The first option would be to embed payment buttons with a script or shortcode. Both PayPal and Ecwid offer such solutions. However, you won’t be able to get any reporting or manage your products from within HubSpot by choosing this method. It should be noted that this solution is probably best for sites with only a few products.

The other option would require a HubSpot user to set up a dedicated shopping platform such as Shopify or Volusion. HubSpot can’t process credit card payments or display database-driven shopping cart pages. To implement this solution, you’d need to set up a sub-domain on your HubSpot site.


E-Commerce	ðŸ¥‡ Winner The WooCommerce plugin can get you started with a store in minutes.	Hubspot doesn’t have a native eCommerce solution, so you’ll need to use a third party, which can be difficult to implement.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

What about the Cost?

As far as cost is concerned, the edge goes to HubSpot. Since HubSpot is a SaaS solution, you’ll get hosting, security, an SSL certificate, and one website â€” starting at $23 per month.

That being said, professionals will pay more. For the professional plan, users should expect to pay $360 per month. That seems like a lot of money, but you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck, including up to 100 websites, 10,000 web pages, up to 100 email inboxes, and more. Of course, we know what you’re saying â€” WordPress is free. Yes, but by the time you purchase hosting, plugins, themes, and extra services, it’ll add up quickly.

In the end, both platforms have their merit. If you are a small business owner or individual looking to create a beautiful website but don’t need a lot of fancy integrations, WordPress is probably best suited for you. However, if you are a marketing professional who is heavily involved with automation and needs the utmost control over your customer base, HubSpot is a great option.

WordPress Vs. Hubspot: The Final Verdict


Ease of Use	WordPress can take some time to learn, but there are plugins and tutorials to make things easier.	ðŸ¥‡ Winner Hubspot takes some time to learn as well, but it’s an all-in-one platform so you don’t need to know anything about additional add-ons.
Customization	ðŸ¥‡ Winner WordPress is unmatched when it comes to customization options.	Hubspot offers developer tools so it is as customizable as you want it to be, however it will take some technical experience.
Themes and Templates	ðŸ¥‡ Winner WordPress has thousands of premium and free themes.	Hubspot also offers themes, they just don’t compare in terms of quantity.
Publishing Tools	ðŸ¥‡ Winner WordPress is easier to start up and understand	Hubspot’s interface is simple to pick up, it just takes a bit to get used to.
Security	WordPress security depends a lot on the host you choose and the plugins you implement	ðŸ¥‡ Winner Hubspot has great built in security that allows you to get everything in one package.
E-Commerce	ðŸ¥‡ Winner The WooCommerce plugin can get you started with a store in minutes.	Hubspot doesn’t have a native eCommerce solution, so you’ll need to use a third party, which can be difficult to implement.
	Choose WordPress	Choose Hubspot

When it comes to considering a WordPress site versus a HubSpot site, it depends on what you plan to use your site for. When you look at each platform, WordPress offers the most in terms of customizations, with the ability to choose from literally thousands of themes and plugins. HubSpot will likely catch up to WordPress in time, but it could take years. Developers have been producing content for WordPress for nearly two decades.

Both WordPress and HubSpot can be complicated to set up for a beginner. That being said, there is a vast amount of learning opportunities for beginner WordPress users on the internet. A simple Google search can provide newbies with an abundance of information to help get them started.

On that same note, HubSpot offers some resources as well. For example, their HubSpot Academy aids new users in learning the ins and outs of HubSpot in one convenient location. However, when it comes down to it, WordPress has the edge in terms of ease of use simply because customizing your theme using HubSpot takes a lot of time and effort, along with vast knowledge of programming.

WordPress Deep Dive

One more thing. Before you make your final decision on your website platform…are you curious to see how WordPress stacks up against its other biggest competitors? We did the hard work and compared WordPress vs. everything else so that you don’t have to! We reviewed WordPress vs. Laravel, and I think you will be interested to see the results.

If you’re looking for specific plugins to help WordPress become even more powerful, we recommend the following:

Who do you think wins the battle between WordPress and HubSpot? Sound off in the comment section below.

The post WordPress vs HubSpot CMS (2023) â€” How Do They Compare? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

30.08.2022

How To Display the Most Recent Comments First in WordPress

Comments are a powerful form of social proof, and an active comment section is a positive SEO signal to Google. When the most recent comments appear first it keeps the conversation fresh, so here’s a quick tutorial on how to set that up.

The post “How To Display the Most Recent Comments First in WordPress” first appeared on WP Mayor.

25.08.2022
Best Project Management Software Tools for Your WordPress Business (2022)
Are you looking for project management tools for your WordPress development business? After surveying thousands of our users, we put together some of the best project management software for your organization.

Good project management tools are essential for WordPress developers. They can help you organize, prioritize, and implement new projects. Plus, they’ll keep effective communication between you, your clients, and your team. It’s a win-win.

This article explores some of the best project management software in the business! Also, we’ll go over how to make a decision on what type of software you need.

Youâ€™ll see that some of these tools are efficient for design, while others focus on communication. Additionally, some everyday tasks and projects work well for larger teams — and some smaller ones. And you’ll notice there are free options and paid ones.

Weâ€™ll be covering:
- Factors When Choosing Project Management Tools
- Project Management Software
  - Google Workspace
  - Nimbus
  - Slack
  - Zoom
  - Trello
  - Figma
  - Whatsapp
  - Notion
  - Asana
  - MS Teams
  - Jira
  - Basecamp
We’ve gathered research from thousands of members and found some interesting insights on what developers use in their organizations. We present our results below.

All of this being said, every one of the above platforms has a solid reputation and is at the top of our list of most recommended project management software. (No, we are not affiliated with any of them.)

So, which one(s) should you choose?

Factors When Choosing Project Manager Tools

Before we start looking into a few WordPress project management tools, letâ€™s first discuss crucial factors you need to consider when choosing software that is suitable for you, both as a web developer and for a digital agency.

#1. Deployment Location: Self-Hosted vs. Cloud

Itâ€™s the modern era of cloud services, SaaS services, or whatever name you want to call them; services available fully online are now the norm.

The reason why these services have taken off and become so popular are various. Still, here are two that are the strongest differentiators:
- Always on â€“ SaaS-based products are available from anywhere and at any time. Todayâ€™s modern office is not restricted by location, time, geography, or anything else. If youâ€™ve got an internet connection, you can work â€“ physical access to your office is a thing of the past. SaaS fully enables the digital nomad lifestyle.
- Lower Total Cost of Ownership â€“ You can start immediately with cloud-based software. No need for infrastructural investments, licensing costs, maintenance agreements, or support personnel. The initial investment and the running costs are typically cheaper for cloud-based products, even when paying monthly and per user, especially for SMBs.
#2. Focused or Adapted for Web Design and/or WordPress Project Management

This article discusses project management tools with a specific focus on WordPress and web design and development here, so the tool you should use must somewhat revolve around your needs as a web designer/developer.

While nonspecific project management tools are a dime-a-dozen, youâ€™ll find more suitable candidates when you start niching into web design and WordPress.

Now, donâ€™t get me wrong, generic tools are great. Many are open and configurable enough to let you get on with the job â€“ even if they are not specifically developed with WordPress or web design project management. In fact, weâ€™ll cover quite a few tools that are quite general.

#3. The Service Addresses Your Pain Points

Before you subscribe to one of the many project management services, youâ€™ll need to do a little bit of introspection:
- What are the problems Iâ€™m facing as a web designer or agency?
- What changes do I need to make in my own processes besides adopting a project management tool?
- Do I need to resolve internal communication issues?
- Do I have a problem managing or communicating with the client?
- Do I typically underestimate the effort required and overspend on budgeted hours?
- Do I have problems remembering all the tasks that need to be done?
- Are my developers and designers having trouble getting through to each other?
As you can see from the above, some of the problems can be resolved using a good project management tool; others can be resolved if you use proper job scheduling software, while others still need surgery.

No software can fix intrinsic problems YOU have to fix.

Luckily, a good WordPress project management tool can surely ease some of the nagging pain points most agencies and freelancers are bound to experience during their day-to-day business. In fact, I daresay a project management tool is essential if you care about the success of your business.

So, letâ€™s get to it!

Project Management Software

Google Workspace

A well-known name that has your workspace covered.

Google Workspace, formally G Suite, is â€œa flexible, innovative solution for people and organizations to achieve more.â€ They offer a vast variety of tools to collaborate with coworkers and clients.

Tools include custom email, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, and more.

Google Meet is an example of whatâ€™s included in Google Workspace.

Google Workplace has various plans and pricing that are based on cloud storage, users, and specific pages (e.g. appointment booking pages available on all but one plan).

Nimbus

Nimbus has a lot of various elements to make this a go-to project management tool.

Nimbus is a platform with a variety of tools â€“ including Nimbus Note (for creating online notes, docs, and wikis), Nimbus Capture (for screenshots and screencasts), and Nimbus Clipper (for grabbing web pages and deleting irrelevant parts).

It consists of client portals, easy collaboration, knowledge sharing, and project management tools.

Collaboration is simple and easy with Nimbus.

Over a million professionals use their software. A great perk of their platform is itâ€™s free to get started. Then, you can upgrade for an insanely cheap price. The upgrades include more workspaces, automation, custom SMTP, and more.

Slack

Slack is another household name for remote teams.

Here at WPMU DEV, Slack is no stranger to us. After all, we use it to communicate with our coworkers daily. We have Huddle calls, provide feedback on plugins (and other tech), determine what blog posts to write about (like this one!) â€“ and much more.

Itâ€™s one platform for the entire team and work. Everything can be managed from Channels, Slack Connect (to sync up with teams at other companies), Messaging, and more.

Slack works well on mobile and desktop platforms.

Considering itâ€™s essential to our workflow here at WPMU DEV, and weâ€™ve been happy with it, itâ€™s worth checking out as a reliable option for your own project management.

Slack has pricing options that depend on the size of your business or organization.

Zoom

Zoom is a great way to communicate.

â€œFor staff communication, we use Zoom for meetings and email for regular correspondence.â€

Tisagh C. â€“ WPMU DEV Member

Another very popular software for project management is Zoom. Zoom is one of those platforms thatâ€™s known as THE video conferencing platform. â€œHey, letâ€™s have a Zoom call.â€ Ever heard that or something similar?

Their virtual meeting capabilities allow you to â€œmeetâ€ with anyone globally. Whether it be mobile or your computer â€“ it’s possible to communicate with coworkers, potential clients, or anyone in a few clicks.

You can record the conversations, have up to 1000 participants, enable chat, and much more.

A Zoom meeting is a common way to get in touch with anyone.

Plus, sign up for Zoom for free. Or, you can upgrade if you need longer meetings, need more cloud storage, or depending on the number of participants in your meeting (e.g. 1000s of people).

Trello

Trello is an extremely popular project management software.

â€œI use Trello for project management and to organize my worklists.â€

Marianna â€“ WPMU DEV User

With Trello, you have the ability to see your projects at every angle â€“ whether with a board, timeline table, workspace view â€“ you name it. Trello is a leader when it comes to project management software.

Itâ€™s known as a visual platform where you can view all projects in one place in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

You can upload files, create checklists, add 3rd party apps, and much more.

Trello is used by over 2 million users worldwide.

Trello is free, or you can upgrade based on the amount of users, controls, and security youâ€™d like.

Figma

Figma is great for brainstorming with clients or collaborators.

Especially great for designers, Figma works well in visually collaborative environments. It functions as if youâ€™re in the same room â€“ with sticky notes, online whiteboard for drawing or marking, and live collaboration.

You can map the process with their FigJam option. This keeps everything flowing and â€œjammingâ€ as you collaborate, to ensure a project is done on time.

Itâ€™s easy to use and communicate with your team via text, notes, and handoffs from designer to developer.

A brainstorming session in Figma.

Figma is free, or you can upgrade if you need more Figma Files and resources.

Whatsapp

Got a lot of messaging with a team to do? WhatsApp can help.

For mobile project management, WhatsApp is a free app designed for small business owners. With the app, you can use automated tools to connect with clients and quickly get back to clientsâ€™ messages.

WhatsApp has a group chat feature, so you can easily connect with your team. Beyond an app, you can sync your chats to your computer. Additionally, you can send PDFs, docs, spreadsheets, slideshows, and more.

Though itâ€™s known as an app, you can also use WhatsApp on your computer.

Itâ€™s entirely free to use WhatsApp, making it a simple solution to avoid SMS fees and communicate efficiently with your team and clients.

Notion

Notion is a highly customizable project management tool.

â€œIâ€™m in it all day, every day. I even built a client dashboard template and want to create more for others.â€

Keith â€“ WPMU DEV Member

Notion is a highly customizable workspace where you can connect your teams, projects, and docs. You can drag and drop the dashboard, website, doc, or system however youâ€™d like.

Itâ€™s used for project management by some top companies; such as Loom, Figma, mixpanel, and Pixar.

The goal of Notion is to simplify communication between you and your team by offering their streamlined customizable options all in one place.

Customize the dashboard however you like.

Itâ€™s free to start with Notion, and then there are upgrades you can purchase monthly or yearly. Some packages include unlimited file uploads, collaborative workspaces, and admin tools.

Asana

Asana was made to make complex work simple.

â€œI used Asana for a long time, I like their UX, colors, and branding. As well as their explaining videos.â€

Mo â€“ WPMU DEV Project Manager

Want to eliminate frequent meetings and streamline your project management? Asana might be a great platform for you. You can manage dependent, overlapping, and unscheduled projects. Plus, it has boards that simplifies focus for you and your team.

Additionally, you can automate tasks, such as assigning work, setting due dates, and more. And there is reporting for your work, so you can easily monitor the progress.

You can label and organize your tasks by clients, coworkers, priorities, and more.

Asana is free. However, upgrades available have features, such as unlimited free guests, unlimited integrations, and more.

MS Teams

Love Microsoft? MS Teams might be for you.

Of course, Microsoft is a giant in the tech world, and its MS Teams is a rising star in its universe. With MS Teams, you can create and manage teams, schedule meetings, use language transitions, share files, and much more.

There are even remote learning tools for educating your clients or developers.

For video conferencing, MS Teams is a great free solution.

Itâ€™s free to use, or you can upgrade if you have many users, need video transcripts, and more.

Jira

Jira is a great way to schedule tasks from.

Like Slack, Jira is another go-to software here at WPMU DEV. Other developers agree that itâ€™s great for project management. You can assign tasks, update them on a customized timeline, mark them as â€œdoneâ€ and much more.

Plus, you can incorporate 3rd party apps (e.g. Slack) so that everything is organized in one convenient place. Here at WPMU DEV, we have it so that when a new task is assigned to an individual, theyâ€™re pinged on Slack. The link on Slack takes that person directly to the task.

Jiraâ€™s drag-and-drop dashboard makes it easy to organize and assign tasks.

Like a lot of our options, you can get Jira for free. Then you can upgrade depending on the amount of users youâ€™ll need.

Basecamp

Basecamp prides itself on being simple.

With Basecamp you can manage people and projects in a simple and easy-to-use interface. Considering over 75K organizations use their platform, theyâ€™re definitely worthy of our list.

Basecamp features a one-page dashboard for your projects, assignments, and schedules. Plus, thereâ€™s a centralized place for discussions, a work tracker, file upload capabilities, instant chatting â€“ and much more!

Scheduling, communication, and tasks â€“ all in one place.

You can try Basecamp for free and then upgrade â€“ depending on how many users you have.

The Perfect Project Management Software Awaits

As you can see, there are many options when choosing project management software. Maybe just one of these platforms will do the trick — or maybe a combination of several. Either way, make your developer’s life easier with organized management tools.

Whether you opt for the free version or need to upgrade — try out some of these recommendations today!

Editorâ€™s Note: This post has been updated for accuracy and relevancy.Â [Originally Published: May 2017 / Revised: October 2022]
04.05.2017