Learning how to edit footer in WordPress is an essential skill for any DIY WordPress website builder. Usually, after installing WordPress, you’ll find the “Proudly Powered by WordPress” or “Powered by ‘a specific’ theme” footer copyright text on your new site. This text can create the wrong impression about your website. So you’d want to change or remove it.

Thankfully, you can modify the text and make several other modifications to your website footer. You can also add custom text, links, images, and several other widgets to your footer.

We created this tutorial to show you how to edit footer in WordPress in a few steps. Keep reading to learn more.

Table of Contents

• What is WordPress Footer?
• Importance of Having a Footer on Your Website
• How to Remove “Proudly Powered by WordPress” Copyright Text From Footer Content
• How to Modify the WordPress Copyright Text
• How to Edit WordPress Footer Widgets
• How to Add Various Footer Components
  • 1. Modify Footer Layouts (Columns)
  • 2. Add Footer Menu
  • 3. Add Navigational Footer Links
  • 4. Add Social Profiles and Communities
  • 5. Add ‘About Us’ Content
• How to Change Footer Color
• Tip to Make Your Footer Responsive
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What is WordPress Footer?

The footer, as the name suggests, is the section of a website that appears at the foot (bottom) of a website. You can see the footer of your site by scrolling all the way down. It typically contains copyright text like ‘Proudly powered by WordPress,’ as well as menus, navigation links, about us content, images, and more.

Importance of Having a Footer on Your Website

Here are some of the benefits of having a footer section on your site:

• Keyword Placement: Including relevant keywords in footer links can improve SEO by providing context to search engines.
• Internal Linking: Properly structured internal links in the footer improve site navigation and help search engines index pages more efficiently.
• Alt Text for Images: Adding descriptive alt text to footer images aids SEO and makes content accessible to visually impaired users.
• Semantic HTML: Using appropriate HTML tags (e.g., <footer>) helps search engines understand the page structure and boosts accessibility.
• Build Trust: You can use the footer section of your website to incorporate security tags, reliable certificates, great reviews, etc. Customers will view your site as more trustworthy.
• Branding: Your company name, logo, and tagline are best displayed in the website footer. This helps buyers recognize your company’s brand identity.
• Integrate Contact Details: You can embed interactive features like a contact form, location information, contact data, etc., in the footer to create a line of communication with your visitors.
• Contrast and Readability: Ensuring high contrast and readable text in the footer improves accessibility for users with visual impairments, improving overall user experience and engagement.

Now let’s look at how to edit your website’s footer.

How to Remove “Proudly Powered by WordPress” Copyright Text From Footer Content

Before we show you how to remove the proudly powered by WordPress copyright text, we first need to tell you how not to do it. While researching this topic, we saw that people recommend editing CSS and adding a code to remove the footer content. The code they recommend using looks something like this:

.site-info(

display:none;

)

While this code may seem super handy, you should never use it. why? Because it doesn’t remove the text; it only hides it, and secondly, because it might end up hurting your SEO.

Google hates this practice, and using the code can mean your site won’t rank well in the search results. There are other ways to edit your WordPress footer to change or remove the copyright text without hurting your SEO.

How to Modify the WordPress Copyright Text

Almost all WordPress themes will let you modify the footer text of your website. There are multiple ways you can do this, including using the customizer, code, and plugin.

i. Edit Copyright Text With WordPress Customizer

One of the easiest ways to modify the text is to use the WordPress customizer. For this illustration, we’ll use the OceanWP theme. Follow these steps to edit the footer copyright text using the customizer:

First, log into your WordPress admin Dashboard. Then go to Appearance>>Customize

On the customizer, look for the footer section. It’s called the “Footer Bottom” for this theme.

Click on it.

Next, find the field that contains the copyrighted text. Change the text or remove it entirely.

In this example, we will modify it to include FixRunner.

Once done, click on Publish at the top to update the text. Here’s our updated footer text.

ii. Edit Theme Footer Code

Not all themes will allow you to change footer copyright text using the customizer. Thankfully, you can also edit theme files directly to remove footer text.

But before you start editing your WordPress footer, it’s recommended that you create a child theme and a backup. Here’s our guide on how to perform a WordPress backup.

For this example, we are going to edit the WordPress theme called “Twenty Seventeen”. The theme comes with a “Proudly powered by WordPress” footer text but doesn’t have the option to edit the footer text on the customizer.

To change the footer copyright text, you have to modify the code in thetheme file. Depending on your theme, there are two ways to do this;

Method 1: Edit the Footer.php File

One way to change the footer text is to edit the footer.php file. To do this, navigate to the same theme editor; Appearance >> Theme Editor.

Next, click on the Theme Footer (footer.php) file. Then find the code below:

get_template_part( ‘template-parts/footer/site’, ‘info’ );

Replace the code with the one below.

//get_template_part( ‘template-parts/footer/site’, ‘info’ );

echo ‘add text here’;

Replace “add text here” with the new footer text you want.

For example: //get_template_part( ‘template-parts/footer/site’, ‘info’ );

echo ‘Copyright (2024) Fixrunner’;

Then click Update File, and you are done.

And here it is. The footer copyright text has been update.

How to Delete the Footer Copyright Text

If you don’t want the text at all, then just delete the code to remove the entire copyright text.

To remove the text, navigate to the Theme Footer (footer.php) file, then find and delete the code:

//get_template_part( ‘template-parts/footer/site’, ‘info’ );

Then click on Update file

This will remove the footer entirely, as seen below.

Method 2: Edit the Template File

Another way to modify the copyright text is to edit the template file. To do this, first open WordPress admin dashboard, then go to Appearance >> Theme Editor

In Theme Files, go to template-parts >> footer >> site-info.php.

Now you have to find the footer text. If the text is “Powered by WordPress,” do a search for the text by pressing Ctril+F. Typically, if you find the text, you just need to replace it with your preferred text.

For this theme, you can find the code below, which contains the text and link.

<a href=”<?php echo esc_url( __( ‘https://wordpress.org/’, ‘twentyseventeen’ ) ); ?>” class=”imprint”>

<?php

/* translators: %s: WordPress */

printf( __( ‘Proudly powered by %s’, ‘twentyseventeen’ ), ‘WordPress’ );

?>

</a>

Replace ‘https://wordpress.org’ in the code with your url (the url you want to text to redirect to). E.g https://www.fixrunner.com/

Next, divide your custom footer text into two parts. Replace ‘Proudly powered by’ with the beginning part of the text and replace ‘WordPress’ with the ending part of the text.

Note: Ensure all the text remains inside the single quotes.

Once you are done, click Update File.

Here’s how we changed the footer text to ‘Copyright (2024) Fixrunner’

Here’s the outcome:

Deleting the Footer Text

If you don’t want the text at all, then just delete everything in between tags <a and </a> and click Update File. This will remove the entire footer copyright text.

iii. Use a Plugin

There are several plugins that allow you to modify your WordPress footer copyright text. Some of the top plugins include:

• Visual Footer Credit Remover: This plugin allows users to easily remove or edit the footer credit text on their WordPress site without any coding.
• Remove Footer Credit: A straightforward plugin designed to help users modify or delete the footer credit text on their WordPress site with a user-friendly interface.
• Elementor Header & Footer Builder: This plugin enables users to create custom headers and footers using Elementor’s drag-and-drop interface, providing extensive customization options, including editing footer credits.
• Footer Credits: This plugin offers an easy solution for changing the footer credit text on WordPress sites, allowing users to personalize their site’s footer content effortlessly.

All you have to do is install one of these plugins and follow the prompts to modify your footer text using code.

How to Edit WordPress Footer Widgets

Almost all WordPress themes have a footer section that you can edit to add links, menus, images, and other content. There are three ways you can do this.

The easiest way to go about it is to use the WordPress customizer. There is also the option of adding a widget to the footer through the WordPress admin panel. Otherwise, you can use a plugin to edit it.

Method 1. Use a Customizer to Edit the Footer

To edit the footer in WordPress with Customizer, follow these steps:

Go to Appearance >> Customize

When the customizer loads, go to the Footer Widgets section. The footer section differs for each plugin. We are using the OceanWP theme for this example.

Most plugins don’t have a footer section set up by default, especially if its a free theme. So you have to set it up yourself.

To start, ensure the footer feature is turned on.

Set Up Column/ Layout

Next, you have to set up the columns and layouts. Most themes allow you to decide on the number of columns, whether its one, two, three, four, or more.

The column is set to four by default for this theme. This means that you can add four or more widgets to your footer. One or more for each column.

Add Widgets

Once you’ve set the columns, then it’s time to add the widgets. Widgets are the building blocks of the footer.

To add a footer, go to Appearance>>Customize. Then go to the widgets section of the customizer.

This should take you to the area where you can add widgets for different parts of the website, including the footers. To proceed. Click on each footer and add the widgets you want.

For example, if you want to add the “latest posts” widget to Footer 1, just click on the add widget + button and search for the widget. Then add the widget once you find it.

If you scroll downward, you can see a preview of the changes.

You can follow the same steps to add a widget to Footer 2, Footer 3, and Footer 4. You can even add multiple widgets to a single footer column.

Here’s a preview of our footer update with one widget in each column.

Method 2. Adding Widgets Through WordPress Admin Dashboard

Another way to edit the footer is through the WordPress admin panel.

To do this, open the WordPress admin panel, then go to Appearance>>Widgets

Just like with the customizer, you can add one or more widgets to each footer column, from Footer 1, Footer 2, Footer 3, and Footer 4.

To add a widget to a footer column, click on the Add footer + button.

Alternatively, you can also click on Browse all.

Drag and drop the widget from the left side to the desired footer section on the right side.

Add as many widgets as you want to the footer columns. Once you are satisfied with the look of the footer section, click on Update.

Here’s the outcome with one widget for each column.

Method 3. Edit Footer with a Page Editor

WordPress page editors like other page builders like Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, and Brizy allow you to edit your footer. These editors breaks up different components of a page, allowing you to add and remove various components.

The “Twenty Twenty Four” theme comes with the WordPress site editor by default. To edit the footer copyright text with the WordPress Editor, navigate to your homepage and click on Site Editor.

Once in the editor, scroll down to the footer. Now you can edit any part of the footer you want.

For instance, you can change the footer copyright text. To do this, click on the text to make it editable. Then delete the old text and enter your new footer text.

You can also change the footer background, delete existing elements, add new ones, etc. To do this, you have to click on the + sign at the top-left side of the screen.

Then drag and drop your desired elements into place.

This article explains how to use the WordPress Block Editor.

Widgets can be a great way to add extra functionality to your footer, but they need regular updates and optimization. WordPress support and maintenance services can help you manage and maintain these widgets, ensuring they stay functional and error-free.

Method 4: Use a plugin

Just like for most things on WordPress, there are plugins that allow you to edit the footer section. Here are some recommended WordPress plugins to edit your plugin.

• Head, Footer and Post Injections: This versatile plugin enables the insertion of scripts and HTML code into the header, footer, and individual posts, offering flexibility for customization.
• Insert Script in Headers and Footers: This plugin lets users add custom scripts to the header and footer sections of their WordPress site for added functionality.
• Scripts To Footer: This plugin moves scripts to the footer, improving page load times by ensuring that scripts are loaded after the main content of the page.
• Head & Footer Code: This plugin provides a simple way to add custom code to the header and footer sections of a WordPress site without editing theme files.
• Elementor Header & Footer Builder: Designed for use with the Elementor page builder, this plugin allows users to create custom headers and footers using Elementor’s drag-and-drop interface.

Edit Footer with the Remove Footer Credit Plugin

To use the Remove Footer Credit, you will first need to install the plugin. Here’s a guide on how to install WordPress plugins.

Once you install the plugin, you will find it under Tools on your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to your dashboard, then go to Tools>>Remove Footer Credit

This will take you to the plugin’s dashboard, where you can enter the HTML code you want to remove in first box and the one you want to add in the lower box.

How to Add Various Footer Components

Here’s how to add various components to your footer:

1. Modify Footer Layouts (Columns)

One of the first things to do when building a footer is to create the layout. The footer section is divided into different columns, whether it is one, two, three, four, or more columns. There are two simple ways you can do this:

i. Use WordPress Customizer:

To set your footer layout, navigate to the Customizer from your dashboard Appearance>>Customize.

Once in the customizer, look for the footer or layout option. These options differ depending on the theme. For the OceanWP theme, you can find the footer column option under Footer Widgets. Set the number of columns and choose the layout you want for your footer.

Some themes like Astra come with a footer builder feature that provides a visual structure to guide you while building your footer.

To set the layout and columns using a footer builder, click on the setting icon, then choose the number of columns you want for each section and the layout for the footer section.

Click Publish to save your changes.

ii. Use a Page Editor

Using a page editor provides more flexibility when setting up your footer layout.

To set your footer layout using the WordPress editor, go to your homepage while logged into WordPress and click on Site Editor

This will take you to the editing interface where you can set the footer layout and add new elements to it.

2. Add Footer Menu

It’s common to add menus to your footer to help with navigation. However, you’ll need to first create the menus before you embed them in the footer. Here’s our guide on how to create a custom menu.

Once your menu is set, the next step is to add them to your footer. You can do that with the customizer or directly from your WordPress dashboard.

To add menus with the customizer, go to Appearance>>Customize>>Menu>>View All Locations.

Select the footer menu category and choose the footer menu you created from the drop-down.

Click Publish once you are done to save the changes.

Alternatively, you can go to Appearance>>Menus, then click on Manage Locations. Click on the drop-down under the footer menu and select the footer menu you created earlier.

3. Add Navigational Footer Links

Adding essential links in the footer can help with navigation. You can add links to pages like About, contact, privacy policies, terms of service, and copyright notices.

To add footer links, you need to add a ‘navigation menu’ or a ‘page list’ widget to your footer.

• The page list widget adds links to all the pages on your site on your footer.
• The navigation menu widget allows you to add a menu with essential links to your footer.

To use the navigation menu widget, you first need to create a menu that contains all the links you want included. Here’s our guide on how to create and manage custom navigation menus in WordPress.

4. Add Social Profiles and Communities

Another component you can add to your footer is your social profiles, like Facebook, Twitter, and others. You can add these social links with a menu, but if you want a stylish look, then you can use the’social icons’ widget.

To add the social icon widget, navigate to the customizer, Appearance>>Customize>>Widgets>>Footer. Click on the plus sign to add a new widget, and search for and add the social icons widget.

Once you add the widget, edit it, and click on the plus (+) sign to add all the social profiles you want. Add the link to each profile to activate it, and then click Publish once done.

You will end up with something like this, which users can click to access your social profiles.

5. Add ‘About Us’ Content

Adding “about us” content to the footer page is another common practice. The About Us content tells users about your website or services.

To add the ‘about content,’ you will need to add text widgets to your footer. Go to Appearance>>Customize>>Widgets>>Footer, and click on the add widget + icon. Now add a ‘Heading’ widget for the about us header, and add a paragraph widget for the about text.

Edit the header and enter your ‘About Us’ content into the paragraph widget.

How to Change Footer Color

Changing the color of your footer is another step you can take to customize your website. You can change your footer from the default color to any color you want using the customizer or with CSS code.

i. Change Footer Color With Customizer

To change the footer color with the WordPress customizer, go to Appearance>>Customizer. Then search for the footer color section.

Now use the color picker to choose the color you want for your footer.

Click Publish to save your changes.

ii. Change Footer Color With Additional CSS

Another way to change the footer color is to use the additional CSS feature. The additional feature allows you to assign properties like color, size, and display to the HTML tags.

To change the footer color using additional CSS, go to Appearance>>Customizer>>Additional CSS, and paste in the code below:

footer {

background-color: #yourcolorcode;

color: #yourtextcolorcode;

Replace ‘yourcolorcode’ with the code for the color you want to use for the footer background. Also replace ‘yourtextcolorcode’ with your desired footer text color.

Click Publish once you are done to save the changes you’ve made. Check your footer section to ensure the color has been updated as desired.

Footer Troubleshooting tips

Here are some tips to troubleshoot common footer issues:

1. Footer Not Displaying:
   • Check Theme Settings to ensure the theme supports a footer section and that it is correctly configured.
   • Confirm footer.php is included in the theme and properly referenced.
2. Styling Issues:
   • Use browser developer tools to identify conflicting or missing CSS styles.
   • Clear browser and plugin caches to see recent changes.
3. Misalignment:
   • Check HTML Structure to ensure proper closing of tags and correct nesting.
   • Apply CSS Flexbox or Grid for better control over footer alignment.
4. Responsive Design Problems:
   • Use CSS media queries to adjust the footer for different screen sizes.
   • Test the footer on multiple devices to ensure it looks good everywhere.
5. Widget Issues:
   • Ensure widgets are correctly placed and configured in the footer widget area.
   • Keep all plugins updated to avoid compatibility issues that may affect the footer.

Tip to Make Your Footer Responsive

• Apply CSS media queries to adjust the footer layout for different screen sizes to ensure optimal display on all devices.
• Utilize percentage-based widths and flexible grid systems to allow the footer to adapt to various screen sizes seamlessly.
• Implement responsive font sizes using relative units like em or rem to maintain readability across devices.
• Use CSS to hide or show specific footer elements based on screen size to ensure a clean and functional design.
• Regularly test the footer on various devices and screen resolutions to ensure consistent and appealing appearance.

Conclusion

We presented you with a few options on how to edit a footer in WordPress. Now you need to go and create an awesome footer for your website. We also highlighted several footer modification plugins you should check out.

Using one of those plugins might save you time, so it’s something worth looking into. Also, if you are in the process of building a website, choosing a theme with good footer options is a good idea.

Also, ensure to check out our guide on how to customize WordPress header. Check out our WP College for more WordPress tutorials. If you have further questions, write them in the comments section below. Have a great day!

More Resources:

• Hide Page Title in WordPress – 4 Easy Methods
• How to Completely Delete WordPress Site
• How to Add Dummy Text to WordPress Sites

FAQs on How to Edit a Footer in WordPress

1. How do I edit a WordPress footer?

There are several ways to edit the WordPress footer. You can use the WordPress Customizer: To do this, go to Appearance>>Customize and find the “Footer” section. Adjust settings as needed. Alternatively, you can edit your footer in the widget section. Go to Appearance > Widgets and add or modify widgets in the footer widget area.

Another option is to edit the theme files. Go to Appearance>>Theme Editor, open footer.php, and make the necessary changes. (Backup files before editing.)

2. Where is the footer menu in WordPress?

Before you set up the footer menu, you must first create a unique menu that incorporates all the relevant links you want in your footer menu. To do this, go to Appearance>>Menus. If there’s no existing footer menu, then create one and add the relevant pages and links you want to it. Now you can assign the menu as your footer menu if your theme has the option. Otherwise, you can add the menu to your footer using a navigation menu widget.

3. How to edit footer in WordPress Astra theme?

The Astra theme comes with a footer builder that allows you to easily setup and modify your footer as you want. To access the builder, go to Appearance>>Customize>>Footer Builder, then use the drag-and-drop interface to customize footer layout, content, and style.

Alternatively, you can edit the Astra footer in the WordPress widget section. Go to Appearance>>Widgets then add the widgets you want to the footer areas.

4. How do I add a background color to my footer?

To change the footer background color, you can use the customizer. To modify footer color with the customizer, go to Appearance>>Customize>>Color>>Footer. Then use the color picker to choose your idea footer color. Alternatively, go to Appearance>>Customize>>Additional CSS, then enter the code below, replacing ‘yourcolorcode’ with the footer background code and ‘yourtextcolorcode’ with your preferred footer text color code.

footer {

background-color: #yourcolorcode;

color: #yourtextcolorcode;

5. How do I fix the footer at the bottom of all pages?

To fix the footer at the bottom of your page, first check your theme settings for options related to footer positioning and adjust accordingly. You can also use plugins like “Sticky Footer” to ensure the footer remains at the bottom. Alternatively, you can add the following CSS to ensure the footer stays at the bottom:
body {

display: flex;

min-height: 100vh;

flex-direction: column;

}

.site-footer {

margin-top: auto;

}

The post How to Edit Footer in WordPress appeared first on FixRunner.com.

Looking to learn how to start a blog? Creating a blog is an exciting adventure – it is a journey to share your story, knowledge, and experience with the world.

However, blogs have several moving parts, and it can get overwhelming to figure it all out. This is why we have created this simplified guide to show you how to start a blog successfully using WordPress. Just keep reading as we explain the various steps to creating a successful WordPress blog.

If you find the process overwhelming or need professional assistance, our team is here to help. Contact us for a free WordPress installation, and we’ll handle the setup for you.

Table of contents

• What a blog is and isn’t?
• Should You Start a Blog?
• What you Need to Start a Blog
• How to build a successful blog in 10 easy steps
  • Step 1: Pick a niche
  • Step 2: Choose a Name for your Blog and Register a Domain Name
  • Step 3: Get a Web Host – How to Start a Successful Blog
  • Step 4: Choose your Blogging Platform
  • Step 5. Install WordPress – How to Start a Blog
  • Step 6: Install a WordPress Theme and Customize it
  • Step 7. How To Customize Your Theme
  • Step 8: Install WordPress Plugins – How to Start a Successful Blog
  • Step 9: Optimize your Blog for Search engines
  • Step 10: Start creating content – How to Start a Successful Blog
  • Step 11: Set up Google Analytics
  • Step 12: Promote and Monetize your Blog
• How to start a Successful blog with no money
• Conclusion – How to Start a Successful Blog

What a Blog Is and Isn’t?

A blog is just like a website – except that blogs are regularly updated with fresh content, while websites are more static in nature.

The content of a blog (known as ‘blog posts’) is usually arranged in descending chronological order – which means new posts appear first. See the screenshot below:

Blog readers can scan through the topics and click to read any topic they want.

Note that your blog content may not appear in ‘grid format’ like it is in the screenshot. The arrangement of your posts depends on your active WordPress theme (more on this later).

Now, a blog could be a part of a website, in the form of a separate page. Like this:

Or it could be an entire site of its own.

Most blogs have a comments section where readers can respond to the write-up. This creates a connection between the blogger and the reader.

Should You Start a Blog?

No doubt, building a successful blog is no child’s play. It takes a lot of time and effort. If you are passionate about blogging and you don’t mind giving it all it takes, go right ahead. Here are some benefits of being a blogger:

• You get to share your ideas with the world.
• Establishes you as an authority.
• Creates a connection between you and the reader.
• You have an opportunity to make money from your blog.
• Refines your writing skills.

What you Need to Start a Blog

It doesn’t take much to start a blog. Basically, all you need is:

• Access to the internet.
• A functional computer device.
• Some money is needed to buy a web hosting service and a domain.

How to Build a Successful Blog in 12 Steps

This is the part you’ve been waiting for! Here are the steps involved in building a blog.

Step 1: Pick a Niche

A niche is a specific subject or field on which a blog is focused. It could be anything from technology, education, business, food, adventure, robots, automobiles, entertainment, fashion, parenting, blogging, etc.

But you may be asking, – why can’t I discuss everything on my blog?

Well, you won’t get into trouble for writing on many random topics. In fact, several bloggers have recorded significant success using the ‘any subject’ approach. However, sticking to one subject will help you build a more dedicated audience.

According to research by GrowthBadger, most bloggers who earn more than $50,000 in a year focus on a specific niche. Lower-income bloggers tend to worry about having a small audience, so they write about anything and everything.

Now, if you focus on ‘Fashion’, you are more likely to become an authority in that field faster than someone who blogs about fashion, food, business, etc.

Also, internet users who love what you do can identify with your blog easily (if you constantly update your blog with great content).

How do you choose a blog niche?

Many brilliant ideas are probably running through your head right now. But answering the following questions will help you choose the one that is perfect for you.

• What topic do you enjoy discussing? Fashion? Then you should consider blogging about fashion.
• What topic do you know more about than many others? Business? You could teach people how to start and manage their businesses via your blog.
• What are your hobbies? Car racing? What if you discuss all you know about cars on your blog?
• What profession have you spent a better part of your life doing? Nursing? Then a health blog will make a lot of sense.

Use this chart to ease things up:

In summary, if you are passionate about it and a group of people need it – blog about it. Blogging about something you love will keep you motivated every time.

Don’t be in a hurry to leave this stage. Take your time. Do some brainstorming. The perfect idea will come.

Step 2: Choose a Name for your Blog and Register a Domain Name

When starting your blog, one thing is indispensable – A domain name. It’s a unique name for your blog.

Here are the factors to consider when naming your blog:

i. Use a descriptive name:

Use a name that emphasizes what your blog is all about. For instance, if your blog is all about food, names that include recipes, meals, kitchen, etc., are great choices.

Using a name that properly describes your blog will give your visitor an idea of what to expect.

On the other hand, you can make your blog a bit more personal, by using your name or a variation of it.

Ii. Keep it as short as possible (3 words at most):

A domain name can contain as many as 63 characters. But having a name that’s so long is pretty awkward. Keep your blog’s name short. The shorter, the better!

iii. Use a name that is easy to remember:

Not everyone uses the ‘Bookmark’ feature on their browsers. Choose a blog domain name that is memorable, easy to spell, and easy to pronounce.

For instance, the word ‘Pochemuchka’ is used to describe someone who asks too many questions. As beautiful as it sounds, it isn’t a good choice for a domain name. It is quite easy for an internet user to misspell such a word.

iv. Avoid numbers:

Using numbers can mislead your site visitors. Think of this – ‘Head2toe.com’ is a lovely domain name. But a user may try to access your site using ‘headtotoe.com’. This is quite confusing. If you can, avoid using numbers.

v. Avoid hyphens:

Hyphens are misleading. In most cases, a web user may type ‘domainname.com’ instead of ‘domain-name.com’. That could cost you a significant number of visitors.

vi. Use an appropriate domain extension:

There are lots of extensions available from .com, .co, .org, .net, .us, .blog, .io, .biz, and so much more.

A survey conducted by GrowthBage on the memorability of domain extensions revealed that .com URLs are 33% more memorable. This is followed by .co, .org, .biz, .us, .net, and .blog, in that order.

If you can’t get a .com extension, feel free to try the others. However, bear in mind that your visitors will find it easy to remember your blog if it has a .com extension.

That said, there are domain extensions to avoid.

Top Level Domains (TLDs) to avoid – How to Start a Blog

According to Spamhaus (a company that fights spam on the internet), there are Top Level Domains with bad reputations. They include:

• .buzz
• .wang
• .top
• .ryukyu
• .work
• .tk
• .rest
• .loan
• .gq
• .live

Using these extensions could affect your site’s traffic.

Check for domain availability

After choosing a domain name, check to see if it’s available. To do this, visit the whois lookup page and search for your chosen name.

If it isn’t available, that’s fine. Think of something different.

Finding a perfect and available name is hard, so take your time, search, and find a good one. Although you can change your domain name later, it is best to select the right name from the beginning.

Side note: To know more about changing your site’s domain, read our beginner’s guide on how to change a domain name in WordPress.

Register your domain name

Domain registrars are companies that let you purchase domain names. Although there are hundreds of domain registrars out there, they offer different services. Some domain registrars are only licensed to sell domain names with specific extensions. Others can sell any domain.

Look out for the following when choosing a domain name registrar:

• Pricing: Don’t be carried away by attractive offers from domain registrars. In many cases, they offer low introductory prices for the first year. But that’s just for the first year. Renewal prices are significantly higher. For instance, some registrars offer $9.99 as an entry fee.

From the second year on, you’ll have to pay $20.17 for renewal. Learn about all the hidden fees before you commit. On average, though, a domain name costs about $12/year.

• Domain Transfer Policies: Domain names can be moved from one registrar to the other. Review a registrar’s transfer policy to know if you will be charged for transferring your blog.
• Expiration Policy: When your domain registration expires, a domain registrar may give you some time to pay up. Some others may simply resell your domain. So, check out a company’s expiration policy first before pitching your tent.

Top domain registrars include:

• Namecheap
• Domain.com
• GoDaddy
• Bluehost
• IONOS
• Hostinger
• Hover
• Dynadot
• DreamHost

Step 3: Get a Web Host—How to Start a Blog

Web hosting gets your blog up and running on the internet. Hosting is like the building that houses your blog online. Without it, your blog remains offline.

There are plenty of web hosts available on the market right now. How do you know which to go for? Every good web host is expected to have the following:

• High Speed: Slow-loading blogs can be a nuisance. 53% of mobile web visitors tend to leave a website/blog if it doesn’t load in 3 seconds. Choose a hosting company that offers good speed. How do you know which hosting company has great speed? Simple! Check the reviews from their previous users.
• Uptime Guarantee: Uptime is the amount of time a website/blog is online. Your blog has to be online most of the time. Generally, 99.9% uptime is the hosting industry standard. 99.9% uptime means your blog may be offline for about 8.64 hours in a year. Downtime could be a result of ongoing maintenance. When shopping for a host, read the Terms of Service to know how much uptime guarantee they offer.
• Support: A good web host is expected to have a group of experts that offer all-day support to customers. It could be through any of these means: live chat, e-mail, or phone.
• Security: Poor security could cost you a lot. Choose a web host that offers good security. Want to know more about WordPress security? Check out this tutorial on WP security.

The next question is, where do you get reliable WordPress hosting?

We have created a list of the best WordPress hosting providers. They include:

• Bluehost
• Dreamhost
• Hostinger
• Namecheap
• Siteground
• A2 hosting
• HostGator

Some companies offer free hosting, but it is often limited. You can check out this guide to see a list of the best free WordPress hosting services. We also compiled a list of the Best cheap WordPress hosting.

AWS (Amazon Web Services) also offers free hosting services. You can check out our guide on how to install and use WordPress on AWS (Amazon Web Services).

Step 4: Choose your Blogging Platform – How to Start a Blog

To start a blog, you need content management software (CMS), and choosing the right one is crucial for your success. As the name suggests, content management software is a web application that makes it easy to create and manage pages and web resources.
There are several content management systems out there, including WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Ghost, Joomla, and Drupal.

WordPress is undoubtedly the best option for both newbies and experienced bloggers. It provides numerous customization options for your blog, with thousands of themes and plugins at your disposal. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to manage your blog and content with no technical knowledge.

Managing your blog and publishing content on WordPress requires no technical knowledge. WordPress also comes with strong SEO tools to ensure your blog is search engine optimized from the beginning. It also has a large developer community and a wealth of internet information to provide the answers you need.

Most interestingly, 96% of the top 1 million blogs use WordPress. So you can’t go wrong with a self-hosted WordPress blog (WordPress.org).

Step 5: Install WordPress – How to Start a Blog

Once you’ve decided on WordPress as your ideal CMS, the next step would be to install it. Installing WordPress isn’t such a big deal, especially if your web host offers a one-click WordPress install. You just need to log into your hosting cPanel and install WordPress.
If things don’t go well with this easy method, don’t fret. You can still install WordPress manually. Click the text below to see how to install WordPress manually.

Step 6: Install a WordPress Theme and Customize it

Although your WordPress blog is ready, it will look plain. You need to install a theme to give it the structure you want. The WordPress theme controls how your blog looks and feels.

There are thousands of themes out there, both free and paid, suitable for all niches, from travel to personal finance and technology.

Here’s how to install a theme: How to Start a Blog

Start by logging into your WordPress dashboard. Here’s how:

• Type in “www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin” on your web browser. e.g., “www.fixrunner.com/wp-admin”. This will take you to the WordPress login screen.
• Fill in your username and password and click on Login.

If, for some reason, you can’t access your WP admin area, read our instructional guide on how to fix WordPress login issues.

Once you’ve logged in, look at the tabs on the left-hand side of your screen. Hover your cursor around Appearance and click Themes.

WordPress comes with some themes installed by default. You can simply click on any one of them to activate it. They are absolutely free.

However, if you want more design, click Add New and explore a new world of eye-catching themes.

Choosing a theme can be a big deal. Most of the themes are lovely. Click on a theme’s thumbnail to preview it. You can always change your WordPress theme later on.

You can use the ‘feature filter’’ to make things easier. Click on it and select the features you’d love to have in your theme.

Once you have decided on the theme to use, click ‘install’ right next to it. Once the installation is done, click ‘activate’. And that’s all.

But that’s just one way to install a WordPress theme. Here’s our guide on how to install a WordPress theme In 3 different ways.

If you are looking for a free theme, then you should checkout our list of the best free WordPress themes.

Best Premium WordPress Blog Themes

Apart from these free themes, you can also buy premium themes. Here are some of the top WordPress blog themes:

• Astra
• Writee
• OceanWP
• Poseidon
• Newspaper
• Neve
• Mantra News
• Barletta
• Ashe
• Hemingway

Check out this article on the best 20 WordPress blog themes to see more themes and get detailed information about each of those theme. We’ve also curated the fastest WordPress themes.

Best WordPress Them Provider

Here are the best websites to get premium themes:

• ThemeForest
• CodeCanyon
• Elegant themes
• WooThemes
• MojoThemes
• WPExplorer
• Premiumwp
• TemplateMonster
• StudioPress
• ThemeRoulette
• ThemeGrill
• MyThemeShop
• Theme Fuse, etc.

If you purchase a premium theme or get a theme outside of WordPress, then you have to install the zip file. This guide explains how to install a new WordPress theme.

Most people also stumble upon nulled WordPress themes, but there’s a lot you should consider before you use them.

Step 7. Customize Your Theme: How to Start a Blog

What you have at this point is a freshly installed theme bearing a name that isn’t yours. It’s time to make the theme yours. The level of customization varies for every theme. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Import theme demo content (if applicable):

Some themes come with demo content to help you set up your site quickly. If your theme has a demo, then you should first import the demo.

Follow the theme’s documentation to import the demo content.

2. Set up menus:

Create new menus and assign them to the theme’s menu locations (e.g., primary menu, footer menu). To create menus, go to Appearance >> Menus. Here’s a guide on how to create a custom menu on WordPress.

3. Customize widgets:

Add, remove, or rearrange widgets in the available widget areas. Go to Appearance >> Widgets to manage widgets. Here’s our guide on how to create custom widgets.

4. Set up the homepage and blog page:

You can make your homepage static or a blog. If you choose blog, your homepage will be updated whenever you post a new blog. Go to Settings >> Reading to set up your homepage.

5. Customize your blog’s appearance

WordPress has a theme customizer that allows you to modify various aspects of your blog. To access the WordPress Customizer, go to Appearance >> Customize.

This will take you to a customizer like this. We used the Astra theme for this illustration. However, most themes have similar customization options.

Below are some of the top customization you can make with a customizer.

• Header Builder: This feature allows you to customize how your header looks. You can add different elements to the header, from buttons to menus and widgets. Here’s our guide on how to customize WordPress Header.
• Global: this section allows you to modify the topography (font size, weight, etc), colors, buttons, etc.
• Site Identity: Change your site title tagline and upload a logo.
• Colors: Modify the primary colors of your site.
• Header and Background Image: Set a custom header and background image.
• Menus: Create and manage navigation menus.
• Widgets: Add and arrange widgets in your sidebar or other widget areas.
• Homepage Settings: Choose what displays on your homepage (latest posts or a static page).
• Additional CSS: If you need further customization, you can add custom CSS. Go to Appearance >> Customize >> Additional CSS and enter your custom CSS code.

Once you’re satisfied with the customizations, click the Publish button in the WordPress Customizer. If your customizer isn’t coming up, then you should check out this guide on 7 easy ways to fix a WordPress customizer that isn’t working.

6. Use WordPress drag and drop:

Drag and drop is a simple way to customize your WordPress blog by clicking and holding an element, then moving it to a desired location. To customize your WordPress blog using drag and drop, you need to install a drag-and-drop page builder plugin like Elementor or WPBakery or use the WordPress Gutenberg editor.

These builders allow you to select your desired elements (text, images, buttons, etc.) from the builder’s sidebar and drag them into place on your page. You can then rearrange elements by dragging them to new positions.

Here’s our guide to the best drag-and-drop WordPress theme builder.

Step 8: Install WordPress Plugins – How to Start a successful Blog

WordPress plugins improve the functionality of a WordPress site. Plugins make it easy to add more functionalities to your website. What makes WordPress awesome is that there are plugins for most features you want to add to your blog.

Here are some plugins you may need for your blog:

WordPress Security Plugin:

Implementing robust security measures is essential to protecting your blog from brute force attacks and other WordPress vulnerabilities. This includes installing security plugins and using practices like regular backups and strong passwords. Additionally, optimizing performance enhances the user experience and protects against potential security vulnerabilities.

Here’s our recommended list of WordPress security plugins:

• iThemes security plugins
• Jetpack
• WordFence
• MalCare
• Sucuri
• All-in-One WP Security & Firewall

Other WP security tips:

Here are other tips to keep your WordPress website safe.

• Ensure all passwords are complex, combining uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters to reduce the risk of brute-force attacks.
• Regularly update WordPress core, themes, and plugins to patch security vulnerabilities and improve overall security.
• Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security, requiring a second form of verification beyond just a password.
• Install an SSL certificate to encrypt data between your site and its visitors, ensuring secure connections and improving trust.
• Restrict the number of login attempts to prevent brute-force attacks by using plugins like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded.
• Schedule regular backups of your site to ensure you can quickly restore it in case of a security breach or data loss.
• Avoid using “admin” as the default username to make it harder for hackers to guess login credentials.
• Keep track of user actions on your site using activity log plugins to detect any unauthorized or suspicious behavior promptly.

Here’s our guide on how to secure your website.

WordPress Backup:

Every WordPress blog needs a backup. You need to perform regular WordPress backups to ensure you can recover your data in case of any issues. If, by any chance, your blog crashes, you can restore your files quite easily when backed up. Here’s a list of the top 6 best WordPress backup plugins to protect your database and files.

WordPress Contact Form plugin:

Creating a relationship with your readers is vital to building a successful blog. Use a WordPress contact form plugin to add forms to your blog. To learn more, read this guide on the best contact form plugins.

Tips to consider before installing a plugin:

• Download plugins from the WordPress Plugin directory or from any trustworthy plugin developer. Stay away from plugins from questionable sources. To verify the quality of a plugin, check its reviews and ratings.
• Download plugins that won’t conflict with your WordPress version.
• Too many plugins can reduce your site’s speed. They occupy valuable space and bandwidth.
• Install updates regularly.

Top WordPress Plugins to Consider

Here’s a list of WordPress plugins you should consider for your blog:

• Yoast SEO – Optimizes your site for search engines.
• Akismet Anti-Spam – Filters out spam comments and protects your site from malicious content.
• Jetpack – Offers a suite of features, including site stats, security services, and performance improvements.
• WP Super Cache – Generates static HTML files to speed up your site.
• Elementor – A drag-and-drop page builder that makes it easy to create custom layouts.
• UpdraftPlus – Provides backup and restore functionality to keep your site safe.
• Contact Form 7 – Allows you to create contact forms easily with a drag-and-drop interface.
• MonsterInsights – Connects your site with Google Analytics to track visitor data.
• Smush – Compresses and optimizes images to improve site speed.
• Wordfence Security – Protects your site from security threats and malicious attacks.
• Redirection – Manages 301 redirects and keeps track of 404 errors.
• Broken Link Checker – Scans your site for broken links and helps you fix them.
• Social Warfare – Adds social sharing buttons to your posts and pages.
• W3 Total Cache – Improves site performance by caching files and optimizing delivery.
• MailChimp for WordPress – Integrates your site with MailChimp to grow your email list.
• Google XML Sitemaps – Creates a sitemap to help search engines index your site.
• WP Rocket – A premium caching plugin that enhances site speed and performance.

Step 9: Optimize Your Blog for Search Engines

If you hope to have lots of readers someday, don’t skip this step. There are about 152 million blogs on the internet. To stay afloat and visible, you need to optimize your blog for search engines.

Fortunately, WordPress makes this process amazingly easy. To get started, install and activate a WordPress plugin. We’ve done several analyses to find the best WordPress SEO plugin, including a comparison between All In One SEO vs. Yoast and Rank Math vs. Yoast SEO.

Here are the top WordPres SEO plugins out there:

• Yoast SEO
• Rank Math
• SEOPress
• All-in-one SEO
• The SEO Framework
• W3 Total Cache
• Squirrly SEO

Ultimately, we found Yoast to be one of the best and most popular SEO plugins. You can learn more about Yoast in the article on how to use Yoast SEO.

First, you need to install Yoast on your blog. To do this, go to Plugins >> Add New page and search for Yoast SEO.

It’s most likely to be the first plugin to appear in your search results. Click Install and activate it.

At this point, Yoast SEO is fully activated on your blog. There are two ways of accessing your settings – the ‘SEO’ menu in the sidebar and the ‘Yoast’ icon on top of your dashboard.

Also, when creating a page or post, a section with SEO tools appears below the editor to help you optimize your content for search. You should use this section for each piece of content you create.

Here are the steps to optimize your blog posts with Yoast:

• Set a Focus Keyword: Choose a primary keyword or phrase for your post. Ensure it accurately represents the content and is included in the key areas like the title, headings, and text.
• Improve SEO Title: Craft an engaging SEO title that includes the focus keyword. Ensure the title is within the recommended length, and encourage users to click on the post
• Optimize Meta Description: Write a compelling meta description with the focus keyword to attract clicks from search engine results and summarize the post’s content.
• Use Internal Linking: Add internal links to other relevant posts or pages on your site to improve navigation and boost SEO through better link equity distribution.
• Add Alt Text to Images: Add descriptive alt text with the focus keyword for all images to improve accessibility and help search engines understand the image content.
• Check Readability: Use Yoast’s readability analysis, which suggests improvements like shorter sentences and paragraphs to make your content easier to read.
• Use Outbound Links: Include outbound links to authoritative sources to provide additional value to readers and improve your post’s credibility.
• Optimize for Social Sharing: Configure social sharing options by setting custom titles, descriptions, and images for Facebook and Twitter to improve your post’s appearance when shared on social media.
• Check Keyword Density: Review the keyword density to ensure the focus keyword is used appropriately throughout the content without keyword stuffing.
• Set Canonical URLs: Define canonical URLs to prevent duplicate content issues by indicating the preferred version of a page to search engines.

Before you proceed, ensure to check out this guide on five SEO tips for WordPress that you should know.

Step 10: Start Creating Content – How to Start a Blog

Here is the part you’ve been waiting for—to start sharing your ideas with the world.

Content is everything when it comes to blogging. When you create the right content, your audience will love you, and so will search engines like Google.

The first step to creating blog content is to undertake keyword research. This allows you to know what to write about. You also need to research your competitors to see what they are writing about.

You can aggregate everything about your content writing and publishing into a content plan. The content plan will highlight how often you will update your blog. Whether daily, once a week, or twice weekly.

It should also contain the ideal blog post length. A blog post needs to contain a minimum of 300 words to do well in search engine rankings. However, longer posts (1000 words and more) perform better and are more likely to be shared on social media by readers.

You can write many articles as inspiration comes and schedule them to be posted in the future. To schedule a post, log into the WordPress dashboard. Paste your blog post into the editor, customize it, and click on Schedule Posts on the right side of the screen.

Creating a content plan

Here are some steps to create a content strategy:

• Identify your target audience: Careful planning and a strong content strategy are essential for the success of any blog. Start by determining who your target audience is and getting to know their needs, interests, and challenges. This information will help you create content that is both relevant to and helpful to them.
• Keyword research: Use tools like Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner to find keywords that people in your audience are searching for. Naturally, include these keywords in your content to improve your blog’s organic traffic and search engine rankings.
• Competitive analysis: Analyze popular blogs in your industry to learn what makes them successful. Take note of their posting schedule, types of content, and engagement strategies. Use this insight to improve your plan.
• Create a content calendar. Plan your posts in advance, balancing various topics and formats to keep your audience engaged. Include evergreen content that remains relevant over time and timely posts that address current trends or news in your niche.

Step 11: Set up Google Analytics

Integrating Google Analytics into your blog allows you to track important metrics such as traffic, user behavior, and engagement. GA allows you to analyze the performance of your content and can provide you with insight into the performance of your blog, including the following:

• How many people have visited your site?
• Which pages are popular?
• What kind of content do your visitors prefer?
• Your current blog speed.
• Where do your visitors live?
• What time do they visit?
• How your visitors got to your site, etc.
• How long your visitors stayed on your site, and more.

How to set up Google Analytics

Setting up Google Analytics on your site is pretty simple. There are three major steps involved in the process:

• Set up a Google Analytics account.
• Copy your tracking code.
• Paste it into the code of any page you want to track.

To learn more about this, check out our guide on how to add Google Analytics to your WordPress site. And if you are still using Universal Analytics, this guide explains how to safely switch to Google Analytics 4 in WordPress.

Step 12: Promote and Monetize your Blog

To effectively start a blog and ensure its success, promoting your content is just as crucial as creating it. Here are some key strategies to enhance visibility and engagement:

• Write guest posts on popular blogs within your niche to drive high-quality traffic to your site and increase your blog’s visibility.
• Connect with other bloggers in your niche through comments, social media, and guest posting. Collaborate on projects, share each other’s content, and participate in blogging communities to increase your blog’s exposure.
• Share your blog posts across various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Build an email list and send regular newsletters featuring your latest blog posts. Offer incentives such as free resources or exclusive content to encourage sign-ups.
• Register on platforms like Medium, LinkedIn Pulse, and industry-specific websites to republish your blog content.
• Optimize your in-site search to make it easier for people to search for their desired topic on your blog.

Monetization

Now, to the monetization aspect:. There are a couple of ways to make money by blogging. They include:

• Affiliate Marketing: Join affiliate marketing programs like Amazon Associates or ShareASale and promote products or services to earn a commission for each sale made through your referral links. to get started.
• Advertisements: Display ads on your blog through networks like Google AdSense. Earn revenue based on the number of impressions or clicks the ads receive.
• Physical items. Selling physical products on your blog lets you leverage your audience to generate sales, whether through a dedicated online store or affiliate partnerships.
• Sponsored Content: Partner with brands to create content that promotes their products or services. This can include blog posts, reviews, or social media promotions, for which you get paid.
• Digital products: Create and sell your own digital products like eBooks, online courses, or merchandise. Use plugins like WooCommerce to set up an online store on your blog.

Before we conclude, it is important to highlight the legal considerations you should know when creating a blog.

Legal considerations:

When starting a blog, it’s crucial to address legal considerations to ensure compliance and protect yourself and your readers. Here are some factors to consider:

• Copyright: Copyright laws dictate that you should only use content that you have the right to use, whether it’s images, text, or other media.
• Privacy: Privacy policies are essential to inform visitors how their personal information is collected, used, and protected on your site. Additionally, having clear terms of service outlines the rules and guidelines for visitors interacting with your blog.

How to Start a Blog With No Money

The steps we described above are for the self-hosted WordPress version, which would cost you some money (hosting, custom domain name, theme, etc.). If you want to build your blog without spending money, there is a way out. WordPress.com allows you to create blogs at no cost (note that we do not recommend this for professional, or even serious blogging).

Follow these steps:

Head over to www.wordress.com and click Get Started.

Create an account by filling in your email address, preferred username, and password in the provided spaces. Click Create Account.

Next, confirm your WordPress account. To do this, open the email you receive from WordPress.com. And click Confirm Now.

Choose a domain. WordPress offers you a list of available domain names related to your preferred name. Each with varying prices. Since we are interested in starting a blog that takes no money, you should go for ‘domain.wordpress.com’. They are absolutely free.

Next, select Start with a free site.

Choose a blog design. Select a theme that meets your needs and install it.

Write and publish your first blog post.

Truth be told, using a self-hosted blog is a better option. A blog that ends with ‘WordPress.com’ isn’t always a good option. However, if you just want to get a feel for what blogging is about before making any financial commitment, you may try it.

Conclusion – How to Start a Blog

You have just learned how to start a successful blog. What next?

The secret to having a profitable blog lies in one word: CONSISTENCY. Keep dishing out great content and your dream blog is only a while away.

You may experience some technical issues as time goes on, don’t worry. That’s why we are here – to support you on this journey. To start with, go through our WP college for more WordPress tutorials.

You can also get a free report on your site’s performance, security, and SEO delivered to your email in 60 seconds.

Starting a blog is a fulfilling endeavor that combines creativity with technical know-how. By following these steps and prioritizing security measures—including being prepared for tasks like WordPress hack repair—you set the foundation for a successful and enduring online presence.

More Resources:

• Speed Up WordPress Website
• WordPress Malware Cleanup Services
• WordPress Support

The post How to Start a Blog – Easy Step by Step Guide appeared first on FixRunner.com.

Contact Form 7 is one of WordPress’s most popular plugins for creating and managing forms. The plugin helps over 5 million WordPress website owners collect valuable data and stay in touch with their visitors.

One feature that makes Contact Form 7 stand out from all other form plugins for WordPress is its remarkable simplicity. You can easily set up the form fields and customize the templates, even if you are a newbie.

This article will explain how you can create forms with Contact Form 7.

Table of Contents

• Installing Contact Form 7 on WordPress
• How to Create a Form With Contact Form 7
• How to Create Your Form from Scratch
  • Step 1. Form Tab
  • Step 2: Set Up Mail
  • Step 3. Set Up Messages
  • Step 4: Additional Settings
• How to Insert Your Form
• How to Add Conditional Fields to Your Form
• 8 Extensions To Improve the Functionality Of Contact Form 7
• Other Important CF7 Options
• How to Improve Engagement and Optimize the Performance of Your CF7 Forms
• Troubleshooting Common Contact Form 7 Issues
• Conclusion

Installing Contact Form 7 on WordPress

If you are just starting, this video explains how to install and configure Contact Form 7.

Steps to Install Contact Form 7

The first step to using Contact Form 7 is to install the plugin on your website. To do this, go to Plugins >> Add New.

Next, search for “Contact Form 7” using the search function.

When you find the plugin, click on the Install Now button to install it.

Once you’ve installed the plugin, click to Activate it.

With Contact Form 7 installed and activated, you are now ready to start creating your forms. But first, let’s look at the plugin’s major features that make it stand out.

Installing Contact Form 7 is simple, but managing the plugin over time requires regular updates to maintain compatibility with your theme and other plugins. Our WordPress site maintenance services offer the peace of mind that your contact form and other critical plugins are regularly maintained.

How to Create a Form with Contact Form 7

To create your very first form with Contact Form 7, navigate to your WordPress dashboard and go to Contact >> Contact Forms.

Using the Default Form

CF7 comes with a default contact form named “Contact Form 1.” If you don’t have the time to create a new contact form and want something quick, you can go with this default form.

It contains all the basic fields you want for a contact form.

To use the form, copy the generated shortcode and paste it to the page/post you want the form to appear in.

How to Create Your Form from Scratch

To create your custom form, go to Contact >> Add New

This will take you to the “Add New Contact Form” page where you can create forms, synchronize your mail, format your message body, and more.

To create a form, start by entering the title/name of the form in the title field.

Let’s say you want to create a form for customers to inquire about a product or service. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1. Form Tab

To get started, click on the “Form” tab (if it isn’t already selected). The tab allows you to set the fields for your form.

Configure Existing Form Fields

By default, Contact Form 7 typically comes with some basic fields like name, email, subject, message, and submission button tags/fields.

You need to decide which of these fields you want in your form. If you don’t want any of these fields, delete them. You can also modify the existing fields. You can change the name of the field and its label.

For instance, you can change the call-to-action message in the submit button from “Submit” to “Send”.

Insert New Form Tags

Let’s say these default fields are not enough, you can add new tags to the form.

For instance, if you want to collect the phone numbers of anyone who submits the form, you just need to add a tel field. To do that, place your cursor where you want the field to appear and click on the tel button.

Doing this will launch a popup box where you can customize your field.

First, check the “field type” box to make the field ‘Required’. A required field must be filled for the form submission to work. If users don’t fill in the required field, they won’t be able to submit the form. The “required” status of a field is indicated by an asterisk (*).

In the Name field, set a name for the newly created form field. This is the name that you will use to identify the field. Feel free to use what suits you best. In this example (image above), we used telephone-number.

The default value box is where you can set the value that the form field should have. This value appears by default in the field, but the user can imut in a new value.

If you are an advanced user, you can set an ID attribute or class attribute.

Click the Insert tag button once done.

Next, like other fields, you will need to wrap a label tag around this new Tel field.

And with that, we have added a telephone field. Follow the same steps to add other custom fields like a dropdown menu, date, radio, etc.

Step 2: Set Up Mail

Now that you have created the form, the next step is to get it to function exactly as it should, starting with the Mail tab, which allows you to set where emails regarding your forms are sent.

Here are the various fields in the Mail tab and how you can best fill them out.

To: (recipient) – This is where you enter the email where you want messages about your contact form sent. The email is sent to the site administrator’s email by default.

From: (sender) – This field contains the details of the person who sent a message from your WordPress site. You can change the email manually or type in the tag [your-email] to automatically use your email as the sender.

Other fields: To retrieve the subject field, insert the subject tag – “[your-subject]” – into it.

You can leave the Additional Headers and Message Body sections just the way they are or add text and other tags as needed. With that, you are done with the mail section.

Step 3. Set Up Messages

For a better user experience, you will want your form to display a message when a user completes an action. For example, you may want to show confirmation to inform users that their form has been successfully submitted. Similarly, you want error messages to appear when they make mistakes.

The Messages tab allows you to set up these notifications.

The default values will suffice. But you can always change them to what you want.

But be sure to click the Save button after making any necessary changes.

Step 4: Additional Settings

The additional Settings tab allows you to add code snippets to customize your forms further. For example, you can add the snippet subscribers_only: true if you want only subscribers to be able to fill out and submit the form.

And that is it. You have successfully created your form. Next, let’s look at how to insert your form using shortcodes.

How to Insert Your Form

To access the form you have just created, go to Contact >> Contact Forms. Then copy the generated shortcode for your contact form.

Now, locate the page you want the form to appear and open it for editing. Paste the shortcode where you want the form to appear.

Hit Preview Changes to see how the form would display.

If all looks fine, go on and click Update to publish your contact form. Also remember to run tests on the form to ensure it is working and send email alerts as required.

How to Add Conditional Fields to Your Form

Conditional fields are fields that only appear based on a WordPress user response.

For example, let’s say you wish to know how a user found out about your website. You can list out several options like emails, online ads, referrals, and ‘others’ in your form.

If a user chooses “others”, a field would typically appear that says “please specify.” It won’t appear if a user chooses a different option. This is an example of a conditional field. Here’s how you can add conditional fields to your CF7 forms.

Step 1. Install and Set Up Conditional Fields for Contact Form 7

To add conditional logic to your forms, you will need to first install and activate the Conditional fields for Contact Form 7 plugin. This plugin allows you to create a group of fields that do not appear until a set condition is true.

Step 2. Add Drop-down Menu

Once you install and activate the plugin, a new Conditional fields tab will be added.

To add a conditional field, you first need to decide which fields you want to add.

In this example, we want to create an option that allows users to specify where they found the website.

To get started, click on the drop-down menu tag to add a dropdown field.

In the dialog that pops up, add a name for the drop-down tag. There should be no spaces in the name. Next, enter the various options you want to show into the “Options” input box as shown below.

Then click Insert Tag.

Once the tag is inserted, add a label as shown below.

Step 3. Add Conditional Field

Next, add a Conditional Field Group field. Enter a name for the group and click Insert Tag.

An opening and closing pair of group tags will be added to the editor.

Anything in between the opening and closing group tags will only be shown when “Other” for your form. And this brings us to the next step.

Step 4. Insert Tags in the Group

Place your cursor in between the opening and closing group tags and click to add the text tag. This is the text box that will be displayed when someone makes the “Others” selection.

In the dialog box that opens, enter a name for the text input, and click Insert Tag.

Again, wrap the text field in a label as shown below.

Now save the form.

Step 5. Add Conditional Logic

With that done, you can finally set the conditions so that when a user selects “Others”, the field within the conditional group will be displayed.

To do this, switch to the “Conditional fields” tab and click add new conditional rule.

Click the Show option and select the group you created earlier. Choose the field you created earlier for the if option.

So the structure will look something like this: Show [show-when-other-selected] if [find-out-about-us] equals [Others]

Once you are done, click on the Save button.

And that’s it. You’ve added conditional fields to your form. You can use the shortcodes to display your form anywhere on your site.

Extensions To Improve the Functionality Of Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 can do a whole lot more than just collect messages and sender details. However, for this to happen, you will need to install a couple of form extensions to enhance its functionality.

Below are the top Contact Form 7 plugins to add more functionality to your website.

1. Really Simple CAPTCHA

Really Simple CAPTCHA is an innovative solution developed to keep spammers and spambots in check. Without them, your inbox would be run over by a ton of spam emails.

Developed by the same author as Contact form 7, this plugin is very simple to use, hence its name.

2. Drop Uploader for CF7

What if you wanted users to submit file attachments while sending a message via your contact form? Maybe you put a vacancy post, and would like applicants to send their resume along with the applications.

Unfortunately, CF7 has no file uploads feature. The only way to make this happen is via an add-on. Drop Uploader for CF7, a premium addon, can get the job done.

One of the very cool features of this plugin is that it lets you determine where files are stored when users submit their messages. You have the option of using Dropbox or your Google Drive.

3. Ultimate Addons for Contact Form 7

Ultimate Addons For Contact Form 7 is a must-have plugin that supplements Contact Form 7. It has over 30 critical features like Mailchimp, Conditional Fields, Redirection, WooCommerce, Multi Step Forms, and more. This plugin will greatly improve the functioning of your website’s forms generated using Contact Form 7.

4. Drag and Drop Multiple File Upload – Contact Form 7

Drag and Drop Multiple File Uploader is a simple, straightforward WordPress plugin extension for Contact Form7, which allows the user to upload multiple files using the drag-and-drop feature or the common browse-file of your webform.

5. Multi Step for Contact Form 7

Multi Step for Contact Form 7 turns long and boring CF7 form fields into exciting multi-steps forms. Assume you have a form with 20+ fields. This can put off your viewers and make them stop the process halfway. With the Multi Step for Contact Form 7, you can transform your lengthy contact form into a multi-step form.

The plugin would allow you to break the form into several easy to fill-out pages to make the process easier for your users.

6. Contact Form 7 Database Addon – CFDB7

Do you want to save or even export your Contact Form 7 data? The CFDB7 plugin can help you achieve this. The plugin saves Contact Form 7 submissions in your WordPress database and allows you to export the data as a CSV file.

Once you install the plugin, it will automatically start capturing form submissions from Contact Form 7 and save the submission data to the database.

7. Redirection for Contact Form 7

Oftentimes you want to redirect users to a different webpage after they fill out your forms. Redirection for Contact Form 7 allows you to do that.

8. Contact Form 7 – PayPal & Stripe Add-on

Contact Form 7 – PayPal & Stripe Add-on allows you to integrate PayPal and Stripe payment to your CF& forms. The plugin allows you to add and configure the payment structure for each form. So when a user clicks on the submit button, they are redirected to either the PayPal or Stripe payment pages where they can make payments for your product or services.

Other Important CF7 Options

In this section, we will cover a few common how-tos and settings you would use often in Contact Form 7.

How to Link CF7 to MailChimp

Mailchimp is a popular marketing tool that can be integrated with Contact form 7. If you have a Mailchimp account and would like to integrate it with CF7, first install and activate Contact Form 7 Mailchimp Extension.

With the plugin installed and activated, head over to your Mailchimp account and copy your API key.

Then go back to WordPress admin area. Navigate to Contact >> Contact forms, and select a form. Click on ChimpMatic Lite tab, and paste your API key.

Finally, click on the blue connect button, and you are all set.

How to Improve Engagement and Optimize the Performance of Your CF7 Forms

When creating forms, it’s important to make them easy to understand and fill-out. You also want the form to be visible to more people. Here are some steps you can take to improve your form’s engagement and optimize its performance.

Steps to improve CF7 engagement:

• Evaluate the need for each field and reduce the number of fields to only include what’s necessary. Having too many fields can lower engagement.
• Use a compelling Call To Action (CTA) that conveys the benefits of completing the form. E.g: “Request a Quote” or “Get Started.”
• Position contact forms strategically on high-traffic pages and use sticky headers for persistent visibilities as users scroll.
• Offer incentives or access to premium to entice users to complete forms.
• Include social proofs like testimonials and clients logos to improve trusts.

Steps to improve CF7 Performance:

• Test different forms setup, placements and CTA to identify the one that performs best.
• Implement caching to improve the form’s response time.
• Only set validation rules when necessary and use simpler rules to ensure data accuracy.
• Minify and Load CF7’s JavaScript and CSS files to lower their impact on page load times.
• Regularly update WordPress and CF7 to maximize performance, fix bugs and improve security.
• Choose themes and plugins that don’t clash with Contact Form 7.
• Use tools like Google Pagespeed Insight or GTmetrix to identify and fix performance issues.

Troubleshooting Common Contact Form 7 Issues

Here are some common issues that arise when using Contact Form 7 and how you can solve it.

1. People are not filling out specific information you want

If you want specific information like phone number, emails or names filled out on your form, then you should make that field mandatory. To do that, simply add * to that field to require users to fill out that field before being able to submit their form.

2. My emails end up in the spam section:

Emails sent using Contact Form 7 may be rejected during the sending and receiving process and wind up in the spam folder for various reasons. Email servers all around the world have the option to just reject your message as malicious, and this often occurs because of the content of the email or the email address.

For instance, if your website is located at www.fixrunner.com, you should enter an email address such as yourname@fixrunner.com in the Mail tab’s From: box. If not, many mail receiving systems will reject the CF7 email as spam, or it will not send correctly on some hosting systems.

3. Email is not delivered due to hosting

Depending on your hosting provider, you may need to make changes to your WordPress installation to be able to send email. Read your hosting documentation or get in touch with them to find out about their email setup.

If your hosting provider does not allow both wp_mail() and the regular PHP mail() method, you may need to use an SMTP to send emails on your site.

4. JavaScript Conflicts in Plugins/Themes

Contact Form 7, just like most WordPress plugins, sometimes conflicts with other themes or plugins. One typical sign of a JavaScript conflict between a plugin and theme in CF7 forms is a spinning arrow that keeps spinning after the form is submitted.

This usually means that there is a JavaScript issue with another JavaScript that is loaded on that page, which is preventing Contact Form 7’s JavaScript from finishing. You will need to find out the plugin causing the problem.

Deactivate all your plugins except Contact Form 7, and reactivate them one after the other to know which one conflicts with the plugin.

5. Securing Your Forms/Preventing spam

To secure your Contact Form 7, start by adding Google reCAPTCHA to stop bots. You can do this with any of the reCAPTCHA plugins we mentioned earlier. Also consider activating email validation to ensure only valid emails are submitted. Regularly update Contact Form 7 and WordPress to patch vulnerabilities, monitor your form for suspicious activity and update accordingly.

Conclusion

As a website owner, you need a way to listen to the requests of your clients and visitors. The easiest way to achieve this is by setting up contact forms on your site.

Contact Form 7 is a plugin solution you can count on. Not only is it effective, but it’s also free. So you don’t have to worry about making an upfront financial commitment before using the plugin.

But if you are skeptical about using CF7 form, there are other alternatives to Contact Form 7 solutions you can try. Examples are WP forms, Gravity forms, Ninja forms, and Formidable Forms. For more tips and tricks in WordPress, visit our WP College.

More Resources:

• Typeform WordPress (How to use Typeform with WordPress)
• MailChimp for WordPress
• WordPress Popup Plugin

The post Contact Form 7- How to Install, Setup, and Use appeared first on FixRunner.com.

When it comes to Search Engine Optimization, there are things to do to improve your site’s ranking. Adding a WordPress meta description is one of those things.

Meta descriptions are short descriptions of a page or post.

When users make a Google search, they will see your meta description on the search result page along with your meta title, and post URL. The meta description tells readers what the page is about.

In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about WordPress meta description. We will look at how they affect your SEO and how you can create the ideal WordPress meta description.

Most importantly, you will get to learn how to add/optimize meta descriptions using Yoast SEO plugin and manually.

Table of Content

• Why are WordPress Meta Descriptions and Keywords Important?
  • Examples of Effective Meta Descriptions
• Are Metatags Considered as Ranking Factors?
  • Statistics that Show the Importance of Meta Description for Search Engine Ranking
  • How Meta Description Impact SEO and Click-through Rate
  • Meta Description Vs. Other SEO ranking Factors
• What Makes a Good WordPress Meta Description?
• How to Add Meta Description in WordPress
  • How to Add Meta Description with Yoast SEO Plugin
  • How To Add WordPress Meta Description Manually without Plugin
• Advanced SEO Tips for Meta Descriptions
• Conclusion – WordPress meta description

Why are WordPress Meta Descriptions and Keywords Important?

When you publish a WordPress post, your ultimate goal, most likely, is to get as many eyes as possible on it. Unfortunately, the quality of your post content – no matter how good – won’t be enough to realize this goal. Considering the short attention span of the average web user, you need to hook them in quickly.

That’s where WordPress meta descriptions come into play.

Meta descriptions are HTML metatags, with a maximum length of 155 characters, added to the header section of your WordPress site. They tell a searcher if your content is worth spending time on or if they just have to move on.

A well-written meta description acts as the hook you need to get clicks to your pages and posts. And the more clicks your page and posts get, the higher your CTR (Click Through Rate).

But that’s not all meta descriptions do. They also inform search engine crawlers about the relevance of the page to help determine which content best fits the needs of a searcher.

To better understand the concept of meta-descriptions, consider the image below. The meta description is the text directly above the URL that shows a summary of the content of the post.

Another important thing to consider is meta-keywords. A meta keyword is the keyword(s) you use in the WordPress meta description. For example, in this screenshot below, the bolded text is the meta keyword, while the entire text beneath the URL is the meta description.

Getting your descriptions and meta keywords right from the get-go will go a long way in improving your website’s visibility on search pages. Below are some examples of meta descriptions.

Examples of Effective Meta Descriptions

Here are examples of meta descriptions for various use cases. You can use any of these as a template to create your meta descriptions.

Meta Description for E-commerce Product Page:

“Discover the new iPhone 15 Pro Max with cutting-edge features and stunning design. Capture breathtaking photos, and stay connected with fast 5G. Order now!”

Meta Description for Blog Post:

“Master the secrets of Instagram marketing with our detailed guide. Learn proven strategies, tips, and tricks to grow your following, and drive conversions.”

Meta Description for Service Page:

“Transform your home with our professional interior design services. Our team of experts can bring your vision to life. Schedule your consultation today!”

Meta Description for Local Business:

“Indulge in tasty Italian cuisine at our neighborhood trattoria. We offer a taste of Italy right in your backyard. Join us for a lovely dining experience!”

Are Metatags Considered as Ranking Factors?

From our discussion so far, you might have assumed that a well-optimized custom WordPress meta description will be used by search engines to rank your content. Sadly, it won’t.

Google, as well as other search engines, officially dropped meta keywords and descriptions as ranking factors sometime in 2009.

The question about the relevance of meta description for search ranking was also posed to John Mueller, a Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst, and Search Relations team lead at Google.

He was specifically asked whether “adding the location name in the meta description matters to Google in terms of ranking if the content quality is maintained?”

In responding, John Mueller said “The meta description is primarily used as a snippet in the search results page. And that’s not something that we would use for ranking. But obviously, having a good snippet on a search results page can make it more interesting for people to visit your page when they see your page ranking in the search results.”

What this means is that depending on metatags alone won’t lead to good SEO results for your WordPress site.

However, WordPress meta descriptions can still help your SEO indirectly. As stated previously, having good meta descriptions affects how users interact with your site. When you add the keywords users want to see in the article, they are more likely to click on your page and view your content. This will increase your Click Through Rate (CTR).

And Google uses CTR to rank pages. So in this way, meta description does affect your site ranking indirectly, even if Google does not use it as a factor.

Here are some statistics that highlight the importance of meta descriptions for SEO:

• Implementing meta descriptions can improve a website’s click-through rate (CTR) by up to 15% and boost search rankings by up to 10% according to Search Engine Journal.
• According to a study by Backlinko, pages with meta descriptions have a 5.8% higher CTR compared to those without meta descriptions.
• Using keyword-rich meta descriptions can boost a website’s search rankings by up to 5%.
• Research found that including a strong call-to-action in meta descriptions can drive an 8.6% increase in click-through rates.
• Adding relevant keywords in meta descriptions can result in a 4.8% increase in click-through rates.
• 74.98% of top-ranking pages have a meta description.
• Research found that nearly 70% of all search queries contain four or more words. This shows the importance of descriptive meta descriptions for capturing long-tail keywords and improving search engine visibility.
• Google has confirmed that meta descriptions are used as snippets in search results when they are relevant to the user’s query. So having an optimized meta description increases the likelihood of your page being displayed prominently in search results.
• In 2018, Google’s John Mueller recommended on Twitter to write your meta description, saying, “You know your content best.”

How Meta Description Impact SEO and Click-through Rate

Meta descriptions help search engines understand the content of web pages. If you include the right keywords in your meta descriptions, it will inform search engine crawlers about the relevance of your content to specific search queries and ensure that your site appears in relevant searches.

Similarly, creating meta descriptions that perfectly summarize the content of a webpage allows searchers to understand the content of a page before clicking through.

As mentioned above, users are more likely to click on your website if they find your meta descriptions compelling and relevant to their search intent.

Search engines interpret these clicks and longer stay times as a positive signal of user satisfaction, and can indirectly boost your rankings. So as more people click on your site on searches, you will gain prominence and subsequently rise in searches.

Meta Description Vs. Other SEO ranking Factors

As mentioned previously, meta descriptions play an indirect role in SEO. Here’s how meta description compares against other SEO elements

1. Meta Description vs. Title Tag:

The title tag focuses on keywords and grabbing attention while the meta description complements it by providing additional context and enticing users to click with a compelling call-to-action (CTA).

Example:

• Title Tag: “Best Running Shoes for Men | Top Brands 2024”
• Meta Description: “Discover the latest trends in men’s running shoes from top brands like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance. Find the perfect pair for your runs today!”

2. Meta Descriptions vs. Keywords:

Keywords are essential for signaling relevance to search engines. The meta description complements this by incorporating relevant keywords naturally into a compelling summary that appeals to users’ interests and needs.

Example:

• Keywords: “vegan restaurants Los Angeles,” “organic dining options,” “plant-based eateries”
• Meta Description: “Looking for vegan restaurants in Los Angeles? Explore our curated list of organic eateries offering delicious plant-based options for every palate!”

3. Meta Description vs. URL Structure:

Both the URL structure and meta descriptions can help search engines and searchers understand the page’s hierarchy and content.

Example:

• URL: www.example.com/mens-running-shoes/nike-air-zoom-pegasus-38
• Meta Description: “Explore our collection of Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38 running shoes for men. Get ready to elevate your running game with the latest innovations!”

What Makes a Good WordPress Meta Description?

A badly written description will do more harm to your website than omitting it altogether. As such, you must get it right.

Here are some of the characteristics of a well-written meta-description based on Google’s recommendation.

• It’s neither too long nor too short. If you are unsure of the right length, aim for something between 150 and 160 characters (including spaces).
• It is spiced up with focus keywords. A description that contains the keywords a searcher is looking for has a higher chance of being clicked on.
• Must contain a call to action. It’s in your description that you get to tell web users the action you would like them to take. Want them to click and read? Say that in the description.
• A good meta description is unique. Copying your competitor’s description is self-sabotaging. So be unique with your description.
• Don’t use identical descriptions across your site. Instead, customize each WordPress meta description to accurately represent the unique content of each page.
• Think beyond mere sentences. Use the meta description to highlight key details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
• It is best written in an active, actionable voice.
• Avoid stuffing your meta descriptions with keywords that offer little insight into your page’s content.

Below is an illustration of how to better your WordPress meta description:

Illustration 1.

Bad: “Sewing supplies, yarn, colored pencils, sewing machines, threads, bobbins, needles”

Good: “Discover everything you need for your next sewing project. Visit us in the Fashion District, open Monday-Friday 8-5pm.”

Illustration 2.

Bad: “Eggs are a source of joy in everyone’s life…”

Good: “Master the art of egg cooking with our comprehensive guide. From poached to over-easy, become an egg aficionado in under an hour!”

How to Add Meta Description in WordPress

There are two ways you can add meta descriptions on WordPress. You can do it with a plugin like Yoast SEO or manually with code. We will look at both steps below.

How to Add Meta Description with Yoast SEO Plugin

There are several SEO plugins that allow you to  add meta tags to your WordPress website. However, for the purpose of this tutorial, we will use Yoast SEO.

Installing Yoast SEO is pretty straightforward. If you are not sure how to go about it, check out this tutorial.

After installation and activation of the Yoast SEO plugin, navigate to Dashboard >> Posts >> All Posts. Then pick the post you would like to edit.

Next, navigate to the bottom of the post. Then click the Edit snippet button.

In the meta description box, type in the meta description of your post.

That’s it!

How to Add a Description to Your Pages

The process for adding a description to a page is similar to that for posts.

First, navigate to Dashboard >> Pages >> All pages. Select the page you wish to edit and scroll down to the bottom of the page. In the snippet editor, click the Edit snippet button and then type in a meta description.

If you so wish, you can also add descriptions to your archive pages. The process is pretty much the same for posts and pages. Only this time navigate to Dashboard >> Posts >> Categories.

How To Add WordPress Meta Description Manually without Plugin

If you are not keen on using an SEO plugin to create custom meta descriptions, then you can add it manually by editing your theme code. However, this method might be a bit complex, especially if you’re looking to add descriptions to only specific pages.

The first thing to do is to backup your website. Also consider working with a child theme to protect your site from any potential issues. Once you have backed up your site, then follow these steps to create a meta description for your site using plugins.

Step 1. Access Theme Editor 

From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance>>Theme Editor

Step 2. Open Theme Function

Once on the theme editor screen, find the Theme Function (function.php) file and open it.

Step 3. Paste Code into function.php

Paste the code below into the Theme Function (function.php) file, then click Update File.

function meta_description_r(){

if( is_single() || is_page() ) { ?>

 <meta name="description" content="<?= wp_strip_all_tags( get_the_excerpt(), true ); ?>">

<?php } }

add_action('wp_head', 'meta_description_r');

Note: The code converts the post excerpt and uses it as the meta description

Step 4. Create Posts Excerpt

To create a meta description for your post or page, you simply have to paste the content to the excerpt field. To do this, navigate to the page or post you want to create the meta description for.

If you’re using the Block Editor, you’ll find the excerpt field on the right side or the page. For those using Classic Editor, it should be under the text editor.

Just paste or type in the meta description text and update or publish the page or post.

And that’s it.

Advanced SEO Tips for Meta Descriptions

Here are some advanced SEO tips to optimize your meta descriptions for higher click-through rates and improved search engine performance:

• SEO plugins: SEO Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math offer tools to preview and optimize meta descriptions directly within the WordPress editor. These plugins allow you to finetune your meta descriptions for maximum effectiveness.
• Exceed the Character Count: While Google typically truncates meta descriptions around 155-160 characters, there’s no strict character limit. Experiment with longer meta descriptions (up to 300 characters) to provide more detailed information and increase visibility in search results.
• Special Formatting: Use formatting like bullet points, numbers, and emojis to make your meta descriptions stand out and improve readability.
• Keywords: Include relevant keywords in your meta descriptions to signal to search engines what your page is about. Focus on long-tail keywords and phrases that align with user intent and reflect the content of your webpage.
• Track CTR: Keep a close eye on your click-through rates in search engine results pages (SERPs) and adjust your meta descriptions accordingly. If you notice low CTRs for certain pages, consider revising the meta descriptions to make them more compelling.
• A/B tests: Conduct A/B tests to experiment with different variations of your meta descriptions and evaluate their impact on click-through rates using tools like Google Search Console.
• User Intent: Tailor your meta descriptions to align with user intent for specific search queries. Conduct keyword research to understand the intent behind target keywords and craft meta descriptions that directly address users’ needs or questions.
• CTAs: Use compelling language and persuasive calls-to-action (CTAs) in your meta descriptions to entice users to click through to your website. Incorporate power words like “exclusive,” “limited time offer,” or “free shipping” to create a sense of urgency and value.

Conclusion – WordPress meta description

If you run an online store, manage a blog, or just own a website, you can’t afford to leave any stone unturned when it comes to SEO. As such, writing a well-optimized description shouldn’t be ignored.

Like we had earlier discussed, meta description no longer plays a direct role in improving the search ranking of a page. However, it still helps by improving your click-through rate, which is a search ranking factor.

That said, it is important to learn how to improve your site SEO using the techniques and factors that work. Please read our complete WordPress SEO Guide to learn more.

More Resources:

• How To Verify Your WordPress Site Using Google Search Console
• How To Create Custom WordPress Widget – Complete Guide
• WooCommerce SEO

The post WordPress Meta Description – How to Use in WordPress appeared first on FixRunner.com.

Are you searching for the best WordPress calendar plugins?

Choosing the right WordPress calendar plugin is vital for streamlined event scheduling and user interaction. These calendar plugins offer diverse functionalities, from basic event showcasing to advanced booking systems. They cater to various needs, such as business appointments and community events.

In this guide, we will outline the ten best WordPress calendar plugins. We handpicked each plugin for its features, ease of integration, and added functionalities. Whether you want to organize events or add interactive calendars to your site, this overview will help you pick the right plugin.

Contents:

• Why Use a Calendar Plugin on Your WordPress Site?
  • Event Management Simplified
  • Enhancing User Engagement with Interactive Calendars
• Embedding Google Calendar into WordPress
• Top 10 Best WordPress Calendar Plugins

1. 1. The Events Calendar
   2. EventON
   3. Booking Calendar
   4. Amelia
   5. EventPrime
   6. WP Simple Booking Calendar
   7. Event Espresso
   8. Timely All-in-One Event Calendar
   9. WP Booking Calendar
   10. My Calendar

• Conclusion
• FAQs

Why Use a Calendar Plugin on Your WordPress Site?

Event Management Simplified

One of the primary reasons to add a calendar to your WordPress website is to simplify the event management process. A robust calendar plugin can help you easily plan, schedule, and display your events. These best WordPress calendar plugins are beneficial whether you are organizing webinars, workshops, or any event. They often come with user-friendly interfaces that make it easy to add, edit, and manage events.

Many WordPress event calendar plugins offer features like recurring events, customization, and event categorization. These features allow for a tailored experience that meets your specific needs. Some plugins also provide features like ticket sales and integration with tools to promote your events.

Enhancing User Engagement with Interactive Calendars

Integrating an interactive WordPress calendar into your site is a powerful way to engage your website visitors. Calendars will provide your visitors with a clear overview of upcoming events and deadlines. This helps improve the user experience and also encourages participation in your scheduled activities.

Calendar plugins also support features like event filtering, search, and customizable views. These features make it easier for users to find the information they’re interested in. Some of these best WordPress calendar plugins also offer Google Calendar integration, so users can add events to their calendars. Interactive calendars can contribute to increased traffic and lower bounce rates on your site.

Embedding Google Calendar into WordPress

Before we list out these apps, here’s a video on how to embed Google Calendar into your WordPress site. Google Calendar is one of the most popular calendar tools people use to manage their schedules, share events, and organize everything around them. Embedding Google Calendar into WordPress can provide most of the benefits a plugin offers.

Top 10 Best WordPress Calendar Plugins

Now, let’s look at the list of the best WordPress calendar plugins and what makes each plugin unique.

1. The Events Calendar

The Events Calendar is one of the best WordPress appointment calendar plugins out there. Developed by Modern Tribe, the plugin is known for its reliability and extensive features. It is designed with scalability in mind and integrates with the latest WordPress plugins. This makes the Events Calendar an intuitive option for both beginners and seasoned users.

Key Features:

• Create responsive calendars that beautifully integrate with any WordPress theme.
• Recurring events
• Event categories
• Custom event attributes
• Venue and organizer management
• Google Maps integration

Pricing:

The core plugin is available for free, making it accessible to a wide audience. The Events Calendar Pro starts at $99 per year and offers additional features and support.

Setup Process:

1. First, you have to install the plugin directly from WordPress. To do this, search for “The Events Calendar” on the WordPress dashboard. Alternatively, you can upload the plugin file manually and then install it.
2. Activate the plugin after installing it. Then navigate to the ‘Events‘ section to configure settings and preferences.
3. To create events, click on the ‘Add New‘ option under ‘Events.’

Drawbacks:

• While the free version offers several features for basic event management, users requiring advanced functionality must invest in the Pro version.
• The cost of add-ons and the Pro version can accumulate, making it potentially expensive.

2. EventON

EventON is one of the best WordPress calendar plugins, with a sleek design and interface. The plugin is ideal for people looking for a visually appealing calendar display. It offers several customization options to tailor the calendar to their site’s aesthetics.

The EventON design doesn’t just look good. It is packed with powerful features that offer a comprehensive event management solution.

Key Features:

• Create unlimited events
• Support various event statuses.
• A unique tile layout that showcases events in a visually appealing manner.
• Comprehensive event details, including images and maps.
• Shortcodes for easy integration into various parts of a website.
• Widgets for enhanced flexibility

Pricing:

EventON has a free version. The premium version is available on CodeCanyon for $25. You can also purchase additional add-ons separately for extra functionality.

Setup Process:

1. Download directly from WordPress or purchase from CodeCanyon, download, and install.
2. Activate the WordPress plugin.
3. Access the EventON settings to customize the calendar’s appearance and functionality.
4. Add new events and embed the calendar into your pages using shortcodes.

Drawbacks:

• The free version offers fewer functionalities compared to other recommended WordPress plugins.
• Some essential features require separate add-ons, which can increase the overall cost.

3. Booking Calendar

Booking Calendar is a leading WordPress plugin in the booking and reservation niche. It has a long-standing reputation for reliability and ease of use. The plugin caters to a wide array of users, enabling them to manage bookings directly from their site. It has a straightforward interface, designed to offer a smooth booking experience. Booking Calendar essentially streamlines the reservation process and reduces administrative overhead.

Key Features:

• Intuitive booking system that accommodates several business types and booking scenarios.
• Automated email notifications to keep both administrators and clients informed about bookings.
• A customizable booking form to allow for the collection of specific information.
• Ability to set days availability
• Reservation Calendars in Widgets

Pricing:

The core Booking Calendar plugin is available for free. Users who want advanced features can get the premium versions starting at $30.

Setup Process:

1. Install the plugin from the WordPress repository or by uploading it to your server.
2. Activate the plugin. Then navigate to the Booking Calendar settings to configure your preferences.
3. Customize your booking form fields to match your business requirements.
4. Embed the booking calendar on your website using widgets.

Drawbacks:

• The interface, while functional, may not match the modern aesthetics of some of the best calendar plugins for WordPress.
• Some businesses may need to upgrade to the pro version, adding to the overall cost.

4. Amelia

Amelia is one of the best WordPress calendar plugins designed to automate appointment and event bookings. The plugin is ideal for businesses like spas, gyms, and clinics. It provides a sleek, user-friendly interface for both site administrators and visitors. Amelia can handle multiple locations, services, and employees and ensure seamless integration.

Key Features:

• A comprehensive booking wizard that guides users through the booking process effortlessly.
• Support for multiple employees and locations, with individual schedules and booking rules.
• Integrated payment systems allow for immediate online payments and deposits.
• A dashboard and reporting tools provide insights into business performance.

Pricing:

Amelia offers a free lite version with basic functionalities. The premium version starts at $69 for a single site license, including one year of support and updates.

Setup Process:

1. Install Amelia from the WordPress plugin repository or by uploading the plugin files.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Configure your business details, including services, employees, and locations, from the Amelia dashboard
4. Customize the appearance and settings of your booking forms and calendars.
5. Embed the booking forms on your pages or posts using shortcodes.

Drawbacks:

• While the lite version is useful, most advanced features require the premium version.
• The plugin’s extensive functionalities might present a steeper learning curve for some users.

5. EventPrime

EventPrime is a versatile plugin to create, manage, and sell event tickets. It combines flexibility with powerful features to cater to a wide range of event types. Its user-friendly interface and customization options make it a popular choice for many.

Key Features:

• A wide range of display layouts, including monthly, weekly, daily, and list views.
• Support for virtual and online events.
• Accept payments for bookings via PayPal and Stripe.
• Enhance user and admin experiences.
• Build offers based on different conditions.

Pricing:

EventPrime is one of the best event calendar plugins for WordPress that offers a free version. The Pro version starts at $69 for a single site license. It offers additional customization options and premium support.

Setup Process:

1. Install EventPrime Calendar on WordPress or upload it manually.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Go to the plugin’s settings to customize your event calendar’s look and functionality.
4. Start creating events using the ‘Add New’ button in the plugin’s menu. You can add details like date, location, and ticket options.
5. Place the calendar or event list on your site using shortcodes or widgets.

Drawback:

• The abundance of features and customization options can be overwhelming for beginners.

6. WP Simple Booking Calendar

WP Simple Booking Calendar stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. It is ideal for anyone needing a straightforward way to display availability. The plugin was designed with a focus on clarity and ease of booking dates. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for both admins and visitors to understand and use.

Key Features:

• A clear, easy-to-use calendar display that shows available and booked dates at a glance.
• The ability to create multiple calendars for different properties or services.
• Simple integration into posts and pages with shortcodes.
• A straightforward backend that makes calendar management accessible even for WordPress novices.

Pricing:

WP Simple Booking Calendar is one of the best WordPress calendar plugins that offers a free version with basic features. The premium version starts at $39 for a single-site license. It provides additional features, like syncing with Airbnb and other platforms.

Setup Process:

1. Install the WP Simple Booking Calendar on WordPress or upload it manually.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Navigate to the plugin’s section on WordPress to create your first calendar.
4. Customize the calendar settings according to your preferences and needs.
5. Embed the calendar into your website using the provided shortcodes.

Drawbacks:

• The plugin lacks some of the more complex features found in other calendar plugins for WordPress.
• Advanced booking features, like payment integration and automatic email notifications, are not available. This makes it less suitable for those with more complex booking requirements.

7. Event Espresso

Event Espresso is an event management plugin designed for multiple and varied events. It is a go-to plugin for those organizing conferences and classes due to its extensive features. The plugin provides options for managing attendees, customizing event registration forms, and more. It also has easy-to-use ticketing and registration features to ensure efficient event management.

Key Features:

• Detailed event management features like customizable registration forms and automated email notifications.
• Multiple ticketing options with pricing flexibility are available to cater to different types of events.
• Integration with popular payment gateways for secure transaction processing.
• Add-ons for additional functionality, such as calendar display, social sharing, and venue management.

Pricing:

Event Espresso has a free WordPress calendar plugin with recurring events. The premium version starts at $85 for a personal license and comes with one year of updates and support.

Setup Process:

1. Install Expresso on WordPress or purchase, download, and install it from its official website.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Navigate to its settings to configure your event preferences and payment settings.
4. Create your first event by adding details like date, location, and pricing.

Drawbacks:

• The plugin’s interface may be difficult for newbies to navigate.
• Its extensive features might be overwhelming for users who need a simpler solution.

8. Timely All-in-One Event Calendar

All-in-One Event Calendar is one of the best WordPress calendar plugins that caters to a broad audience. The plugin has a rich feature set and a user-friendly design. It’s ideal if you want your events to be visually appealing while offering several tools.

The plugin emphasizes features like ease of use and integration capabilities. It offers advanced features like recurring events and filtering options. All-in-One Event Calendar is a solid choice for community organizers, businesses, and educators.

Key Features:

• Attractive calendar views with themes and customizable designs.
• Support for recurring events, event categorization, and tagging for easy organization and search.
• Import and export functionality, allowing integration with other calendars like Google Calendar.
• Community event features enable users to submit events.

Pricing:

The core version of Timely All-in-One Event Calendar is free. Users can access premium features and support starting at $29 per month.

Setup Process:

1. Install the plugin from the WordPress repository or upload it to your site.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Then customize your calendar settings from the plugin dashboard. This allows you to tailor the appearance and functionality to your needs.
4. Start adding events using the intuitive interface, setting dates, locations, and other details.
5. Embed the calendar on your website using the provided shortcodes or widgets.

Drawbacks:

• While the free version is feature-rich, some essential functionalities require a subscription.
• Users with highly specialized needs might need to buy an add-on, making it a pricier option in the long run.

9. WP Booking Calendar

WP Booking Calendar is a lightweight WordPress event calendar plugin, designed for simplicity and ease of use. It is perfect for anyone who needs a no-fuss solution for displaying events on their website. Despite its simplicity, WP Booking Calendar doesn’t skimp on essential features. It provides users with reliable and efficient features to manage event scheduling.

Key Features:

• Simple yet elegant calendar interface, easy to use and navigate.
• Efficient event management allows quick addition and editing of events.
• Integration capabilities with other plugins and services for extended functionality.
• Lightweight design ensures fast loading times and minimal impact on site performance.

Pricing:

WP Booking Calendar offers a free version with basic functionality. The premium version starts at $39 per year and includes several additional features.

Setup Process:

1. Install the WP Booking Calendar from WordPress or upload the files to your server.
2. Activate the plugin and access the settings page to configure your calendar preferences.
3. Add new events directly from WordPress, specifying details like date, time, and location.
4. Integrate the calendar into your pages or posts using the provided shortcodes.

Drawbacks:

• Users requiring more advanced features might find it too basic for their needs.
• The premium version is needed to get advanced features, which might not fit all budgets.

10. My Calendar

My Calendar is a flexible plugin to manage multiple calendars within a single site. It’s particularly suited for organizations or individuals managing various types of events. My Calendar is designed with accessibility in mind. It ensures that all users can efficiently use the calendar and its features. It also offers customization options to tailor each calendar to fit users’ websites.

Key Features:

• It supports multiple calendars, making it ideal for sites with varied event types.
• Customizable event templates and CSS styles allow for a personalized look and feel.
• Advanced filtering options allow users to find events by category, location, or host.
• Integration with the My Tickets plugin for event ticket sales and RSVPs.

Pricing:

My Calendar is free to use, with a core set of features adequate for basic event management needs. The Pro version starts at $49 for a single site license. It offers additional customization options, advanced filtering, and premium support.

Setup Process:

1. Install My Calendar on WordPress or upload the plugin files to your site.
2. Activate the plugin. Then navigate to the My Calendar settings to customize your calendars.
3. Create and manage your events from the My Calendar section in your WordPress. You can set event details like dates, times, and locations.
4. Embed your calendars on your site using shortcodes or widgets.

Drawbacks:

• Users looking for more advanced features will need to opt for the Pro version.
• The interface and vast array of options might seem daunting to beginners.

Conclusion: Best WordPress Calendar Plugins

Finding the best WordPress calendar plugins reveals several options, each catering to different needs. They range from feature-rich plugins like Event Espresso to simpler, user-friendly options like Sugar Calendar.

Consider your specific needs when choosing the best WordPress calendar of events plugin. What type of events are you managing? What level of customization do you need, and what is your budget for premium features? The best WordPress booking calendar plugin will make improving your website’s functionality a seamless process.

Feel free to experiment with the plugins we’ve recommended and assess their suitability for your business. Should the free versions meet your requirements effectively, you’ll save some funds. If not, consider upgrading to the premium edition or exploring other paid options. It may require some trial and error, but rest assured, you’ll discover the ideal plugin from our curated list.

If you are looking to host a virtual event, then you should check out this article on the 5 best WordPress Zoom plugins for online meetings.

Should you encounter any challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out to FixRunner. We’re equipped to assist with calendar plugins and any other WordPress-related issues you may encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest calendar in WordPress?

There are several easy-to-use calendar plugins out there. WP Simple Booking Calendar is one of the best WordPress calendar plugins out there. It focuses on displaying availability and is particularly popular for rental properties.

What is the calendar function in WordPress?

The calendar function in WordPress is typically achieved through calendar plugins. These plugins allow users to display events, or availability directly on their sites. Most plugins offer several features like ticket sales and integration with Google Calendar.

Does WordPress have a content calendar?

WordPress itself does not come with a built-in content calendar. However, numerous plugins are available that add content calendar functionality to WordPress. EventON is one of the best editorial calendar plugins for WordPress, tailored for content planning and scheduling.

How to use the Event Calendar plugin in WordPress?

Event Calendar is the best wordpress.org calendar plugin for event management. To use the plugin, you will first need to install and activate it. Search for “The Events Calendar” in the WordPress Plugin directory to install the plugin. Once installed, you can start creating events from your WordPress dashboard and customize the calendar settings to suit your needs.

How do I embed a calendar in WordPress?

Embedding a WordPress calendar booking plugin is easy. You can use plugins like “Timely All-in-One Event Calendar” and “Event Espresso” to embed Google Calendar into your WordPress site. Install the WordPress schedule plugin, configure it, and embed the provided shortcode into your WordPress page or post.

The post 10 Best WordPress Calendar Plugins appeared first on FixRunner.com.

Setting up your site to run regular WordPress Backups will take you a few minutes of work, but it can save you a ton of trouble.

Sadly, many WordPress users learned this the hard way. As a result, when their site goes down, what seemed like a temporary glitch, turns out to be an all-out data loss situation.

Since it is now so easy to backup WordPress website, there is no reason why you shouldn’t. But why is WordPress backup so important? Do not web hosting companies swear to take care of this?

Table of contents:

• Why Should You Run Regular WordPress Site Backup?
• Security Practices for Backups
• What Method Should You Use For WordPress Backup
• How to Backup your WordPress Website
  • Backing up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus
  • Manually Backing Up Your Files And Database To Your Computer
• Cloud Storage Options for WordPress Backups
• How Can You Use This Information?
• FAQ

Why Should You Run Regular WordPress Site Backup?

There is a long list of things that could bring down your website. Data loss in your WordPress hosting, a malware infection, your files getting hacked, etc. Sometimes, you may even install a plugin or theme that takes down your site.

Many web hosts promise regular backups of your data. But we (and many others) have found you cannot fully rely on these. Even when they do a complete backup, it is jumbled up with the data of several other websites.

In many cases, when you do a restore from WordPress hosting backups, you still loose weeks or even months of work. And even then, you should be happy you were able to restore your site. There have been cases where a website gets lost and no one could do anything to get it back. Not the webhost, not the site owner.

Since it is now so easy to run regular WordPress site backups, it makes sense to secure all the effort you put into creating your website by running regular backups and storing them away from your server.

Security Practices for Backups

When it comes to WordPress backups, ensuring the safety of your backup files is just as crucial as creating the backups themselves. Secure backup practices protect your data from unauthorized access and potential cyber threats, safeguarding the integrity and confidentiality of your website’s information.

Here are some essential security practices to consider for your WordPress backups.

Use Encryption

Encrypt your backup files to add an extra layer of security. Encryption converts your data into a coded format, making it unreadable to anyone without the decryption key.

This step is vital, especially when storing backups on cloud services or external drives, as it protects your data in transit and at rest.

Secure Storage Locations

Choose secure storage locations for your backups. Whether you opt for cloud storage solutions like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3, ensure that you understand their security features and use strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your accounts.

For physical storage devices like external hard drives or USB sticks, keep them in a safe, controlled environment to prevent theft or damage.

Limit Access

Restrict access to your backup files. Only trusted individuals within your organization should have the ability to retrieve or restore from backups.

Implement role-based access controls (RBAC) and audit logs to monitor who accesses your backup files and when ensuring accountability and reducing the risk of internal threats.

Regularly Update Security Measures

Cyber threats are continually evolving, and so should your security measures. Regularly update your backup and security software to the latest versions to benefit from enhanced security features and vulnerability patches.

Stay informed about new security threats and best practices to ensure your backup strategy remains robust.

Verify Backup Integrity

Periodically verify the integrity of your backup files. Ensure that backups are complete, uncorrupted, and free from malware.

Regular integrity checks confirm that your backups are reliable and usable when needed, providing peace of mind and swift recovery in the event of data loss.

What Method Should You Use For WordPress Backup

There are many who still prefer a manual backup process, where you download your site files and database to your computer from time to time.

At FixRunner, we prefer automated backups. This way, you can use WordPress backup plugins to backup your WordPress database and files according to a schedule you set.

In this guide, we will show you how to use the UpdraftPlus plugin (which we highly recommend) to run automated backups to a remote location.

We will also show how to backup WordPress manually to your computer, for those who prefer this option.

How to Backup your WordPress Website

Your files, which include your themes, plugins, uploads, etc; and your database, which is used to store posts, pages, comments, users, etc are what make up your WordPress website.

A full backup of your WordPress site involves keeping a copy of both your files and your database in a remote location. In this guide, we will show you how to do this using two methods:

1. Using the UpdraftPlus backup plugin.
2. Manually backing up files and databases to your computer.

Backing up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus

Using UpdraftPlus, you can easily backup your WordPress site to remote locations such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, etc.

The free version comes with ample features to help you run WordPress backups. However, you would only need the paid version if you need special features like encryption.

UpdraftPlus creates backups of the files in your wp-content folder, which is the only folder you really need to backup. This folder contains your themes, plugins, uploads, and other files unique to your website. The other folders contain WordPress core files which you can always download from WordPress.org.

UpdraftPlus can be set to automatically backup your site according to a schedule, or you can directly run a backup using the interface.

Automatic Backups With UpdraftPlus

In this section, we will show you how to set UpdraftPlus to backup your Website to Google Drive once every week. Depending on how busy your site is, you may decide that backups should run more often. For example, if your site gets 20 new posts daily, you may choose to set the daily backups.

For someone who adds two posts per month, setting the schedule to monthly might just be good enough.

Here’s how to set up scheduled WordPress backups:

Firstly, you need to install the UpdraftPlus plugin.

To do this, login to your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins > Add New.

Secondly, search for “UpdraftPlus” and click Install Now.

When the installation completes, click Activate.

Next, go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups.

Switch to the “Settings” tab.

Set the “Files” and “Database” backup schedule to weekly, and leave the number of backups retained set to 2.

Scroll down to the “Choose your remote storage” section and click on Google Drive. When it expands the Google Drive options, right-click on “Follow this link to your Google API console…” and select “Open in new tab”.

Next, click on the My Project dropdown and click the plus button to create a new project.

Name your project and click Create.

Click on the My Project dropdown and click the project you just created.

Click Enable API at the top of the screen. When the API library opens, click Drive API.

Next, click Enable.

WordPress Backup – Creating Credentials

To use the API you just enabled, you have to create credentials for it. These credentials are the actual information used to connect UpdraftPlus to Google drive.

To start this step, click on the Credentials tab on the left, click the Create Credential dropdown, and select “Help me choose”.

Select “Google Drive API” as the API you are using, select “Web browser (JavaScript)” as the place you would be calling the API from, select “User data” as the kind of data you would be accessing, and click What credentials do I need?

Next, enter a name you choose for your OAuth client. Under “Authorized Javascript origins”, enter the URL of the site you want to backup with the updraft.

To get your authorized redirect URI, switch to the tab where UpdraftPlus is open. You will find this in the Google Drive section. Copy this URI and paste it into your credential setup page.

After pasting the redirect URI, click Create client ID.

In the next step, enter a product name and click Continue.

Click Done to complete the creation of your credential. You will be taken to a page listing your credentials.

Click on the credential you just created to reveal your “Client ID” and “Client Secret”.

Copy the Client ID into the “Google Drive Client ID” input box in your Updraft Settings, and copy the Client secret into the “Google Drive Client Secret” input box.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, check the box to enable email notifications and click Save Changes.

Authenticate Google Drive

You will be prompted to authenticate Google Drive. Click on the authentication link.

If you are taken to the Google login page, select the account you set up your credentials with. Next, click Allow to authenticate UpdraftPlus.

After authenticating, you will be taken back to the plugin page and an authentication success message will be seen at the top of the screen. Also, your first backup would begin automatically.

And that’s it. You’ve successfully set UpdraftPlus to backup your WordPress files and database once every week.

A note about authentication: In some cases, when you try to authenticate, you get an error message like the one below.

To resolve this, click the Learn More link. On the next page, scroll to the “Apps for testing or personal use only” section and click the “Risky Access Permission By Unreviewed Apps” link. Lastly, click Join Group.

You can now go on to authenticate UpdraftPlus to use Google Drive.

Running a One-Time Backup Using UpdraftPlus

Beyond setting up a backup schedule, you may sometimes need to run a one-time backup of your WordPress site. For example, this would be necessary if you are about to make changes to your site that can break it.

To run a one-time backup with UpdraftPlus, go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups

Click Backup Now.

Leave all items selected to backup everything in your “wp-content folder” and your database, and click Backup Now.

If you however decide to make changes to what is backed up, note that you can expand each section by clicking the dotted lines.

After, clicking Backup Now, you will see a backup progress report indicating the backup has started. Depending on the size of your website, this might take a while.

When the backup completes, you will see a message in the “Last log report” like the one below.

That’s it. Your backup is complete!

Manually Backing Up Your Files And Database To Your Computer

Another way to backup your WordPress files and database is by storing them locally either in your computer, or in other physical media like an external hard disk, or a DVD.

To use this method, you would need to download your WordPress files and export your MySQL database.

As we already mentioned above, the main folder you would need to download is your “wp-content” folder. All other folders can simply be re-downloaded from WordPress.org.

However, you may also choose to download your “wp-config” file, especially if you have made many custom changes to this file.

Downloading WordPress Files using FTP

To download and backup your files using this method, you would need to connect to your web server using FTP. Read this guide to learn how.

After connecting to your server using FileZilla as explained in the guide, your website files will be displayed on the bottom right, while your computer files will be displayed on the bottom left.

In the computer files area, double-click Desktop to open the desktop folder. This is so you can easily find the folder we are going to download to your desktop.

In the website files area, search for the folder that contains your WordPress files (usually the “public_html” folder) and double-click to open it.

Next, search for the “wp-content” folder, right-click on it, and click download.

Depending on the size of your website, the download may take a while. Wait for it to complete.

When the download completes, look at the transfer count section in the bottom left.

If the download was successful, “Queued files” should be empty, “Failed transfers” should be empty, and “Successful transfers” should show a high number.

Also, on your desktop, you will see a “wp-content” folder.

Next, you may decide to also backup your wp-config file. To do this, scroll down to find this file, right-click on it, and click Download.

This download should only take a moment. When it completes, the wp-config file will also be seen in your Desktop.

Now, create a folder named WordPress Backup and move both the “wp-content” folder and the “wp-config” file into this folder.

Manually Backing Up Your Database

You can easily backup your database with PhpMyAdmin.

This guide will show you how to do this using cPanel as your web admin panel, but the process should be very similar in other admin panels.

Firstly, login to your cPanel account. The login details are usually the same as you used in accessing your server through Filezilla, but you may ask your hosting company for the login link if you do not have that.

In cPanel, scroll to the “Databases” section and click on ‘phpMyAdmin‘.

In phpMyAdmin, click on Databases to view all databases in your account.

However, if you do not know which one is your WordPress database, you can find it in the wp-config file we downloaded in the previous section.

Open this file and search for the line that looks like this:

define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘Database_Name’);

The part “Database_Name” will contain the actual name of your database. Find this database in phpMyAdmin and click on it.

When this database opens, click Export.

Leave “Export Method” set to Quick, and “Format” set to SQL. Click Go to start the export.

Your database SQL file would begin to download shortly. When this download completes, you have backed up your database.

Move the downloaded SQL file to the WordPress Backup folder which already contains your WordPress files. You may now decide to burn this folder to a DVD or store it in an external storage device.

If you are using this backup option, you have to repeat this process often. Depending on how busy your site is, you could do it daily, weekly, or monthly.

Cloud Storage Options for WordPress Backups

In today’s digital age, cloud storage has become a cornerstone for securely managing and storing vast amounts of data, including WordPress site backups.

With several cloud storage services available, it’s crucial to understand the distinct features, benefits, and limitations of each to make an informed decision that best suits your backup needs.

Let’s explore some of the most popular cloud storage options: Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon S3.

Google Drive

Pros:

• Generous Storage: Google Drive offers 15 GB of free storage, which is ample space for small to medium-sized WordPress sites.
• Seamless Integration: For those already using Google Workspace services, integrating Google Drive for backups is straightforward and adds to the ecosystem’s convenience.
• User-Friendly Interface: Google Drive is known for its simple, intuitive interface, making it easy to manage and access backup files.

Cons:

• Privacy Concerns: Some users might have reservations about Google’s data privacy practices, given its extensive data collection across services.
• Limited Free Storage: For larger websites, the initial 15 GB might not suffice, necessitating a paid upgrade for more storage space.

Dropbox

Pros:

• Easy Sharing: Dropbox excels in file-sharing capabilities, allowing users to easily share backup files with team members or across devices.
• High Security: Dropbox offers robust security features, including file encryption and two-factor authentication, ensuring your backups are well-protected.
• Version History: It keeps versions of your files for up to 30 days, enabling you to revert to earlier versions of your backups if necessary.

Cons:

• Smaller Free Storage: Dropbox offers only 2 GB of free storage, which is on the lower side compared to its competitors.
• Bandwidth Limits: There are limitations on the bandwidth for file sharing, which might be a concern for those needing to access backups frequently or share them extensively.

Amazon S3

Pros:

• Scalability: Amazon S3 stands out for its scalability, making it an excellent choice for websites of all sizes, as you pay only for the storage you use.
• Reliability and Availability: Backed by Amazon’s massive infrastructure, S3 offers high durability and availability, ensuring your backups are safe and accessible.
• Advanced Features: S3 provides a range of advanced features, including detailed access controls and integration with other AWS services for more complex backup strategies.

Cons:

• Complexity: Amazon S3’s wide range of features and settings can be overwhelming for users unfamiliar with AWS, making it less user-friendly than some alternatives.
• Cost Predictability: While you pay for what you use, the pricing structure can be complex, and costs can escalate as your needs grow, making it challenging to predict expenses.

How Can You Use This Information?

We cannot stress enough how important it is to run regular WordPress sites backup. If this was not a practice for you, please use the steps covered in this guide to set up a reliable backup process.

Also, we would recommend that you utilize the scheduled backup option using UpdraftPlus. This method is simple, works well, and is being used in millions of WordPress sites.

You may also add an extra layer of safety by performing manual backups every once in a while in addition.

If, on the other hand, you prefer only manual backups, go ahead and use the steps covered, but remember to do it often.

As a reminder, do not store backups within your server. It should always be in a remote location, such as in cloud storage (Google Drive in our example), or in your local computer.

Also, another thing you need to address to improve your site safety is to secure it against hackers. Read this article to find out how best to do this.

FAQ Section for WordPress Backups

Why is it important to regularly back up my WordPress site?

Regular backups ensure that you have a recent snapshot of your site, which is crucial for restoring your website in case of data loss, hacking, server failures, or accidental deletions.

Backups act as a safety net, allowing you to recover your site quickly and minimize downtime.

How often should I back up my WordPress site?

The frequency of backups should align with how often your site’s content changes. For dynamic sites with daily updates, daily backups are recommended.

For less frequently updated sites, weekly backups may suffice. Consider real-time backups for e-commerce sites or sites with high transaction volumes.

What’s the difference between manual backups and using a plugin?

Manual backups involve manually exporting your site’s files and database, typically using FTP and a database management tool like phpMyAdmin.

Plugin-based backups automate this process, allowing you to schedule backups and store them on cloud services easily. Plugins offer convenience and consistency, while manual backups give you more control.

Are cloud storage services safe for storing WordPress backups?

Yes, reputable cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon S3 offer robust security features, including encryption and access controls, making them safe options for storing backups.

Ensure you use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication for added security.

Can I store my WordPress backups on my hosting server?

While you can store backups on your hosting server, it’s not recommended as your primary storage method due to the risk of server failures or hacking incidents affecting both your live site and backups.

Offsite storage, like cloud services, provides a safer alternative by keeping backups separate from your live environment.

How do I restore my WordPress site from a backup?

Restoring your site depends on how the backup was created. For plugin-based backups, most backup plugins offer a restoration feature within your WordPress dashboard.

For manual backups, you’ll need to upload your files via FTP and import your database using phpMyAdmin or a similar tool. Always test backups and restoration processes periodically to ensure they work as expected.

Do WordPress backups include my posts, images, and plugins?

Yes, a complete WordPress backup includes all your site’s components, such as posts, pages, images, plugins, themes, and the database, which contains your settings and content.

Ensure your backup method is configured to include all necessary files and directories.

What is the best WordPress backup plugin?

The “best” plugin varies based on individual needs and preferences. Popular options include UpdraftPlus, VaultPress (Jetpack Backup), and BackupBuddy.

Each offers a range of features from automated scheduling to cloud storage integration. Evaluate your site’s specific needs and choose a plugin that aligns with those requirements.

The post How To Perform Regular WordPress Backup appeared first on FixRunner.com.

WordPress image sizes are a major factor in the performance of any site. Marketing professional Jeff Bullas found out that web pages with images get about 94% more total views.

But despite the benefits of images, using the wrong image size can affect the look and feel of your website. Large images can affect your loading speed and search engine ranking, while images that are too small can make your website look messy.

As such, it’s important to learn about WordPress image sizes, and how to apply them properly. This article explains everything you need to control your image sizes and improve their overall performance.

Table of Content:

• What is an Image Size?
  • Why are WordPress Image Sizes Important?
  • How Does WordPress Process Images?
• How to Change Default Image Sizes
• How to Change Image Size Using WordPress Image Editor
• How to Change Image Size on your Posts or Pages
• How to Add Custom WordPress Image Sizes
  • How to Add Custom WordPress Image Sizes With the Perfect Images Plugin
  • How to Add Custom WordPress Image Sizes Manually
• How To Optimize Your Image
  • Choose The Best Image File Format
  • Compress Your WordPress Images
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Image Size?

The term “image size” refers to the dimensions (width and height) of the WordPress image sizes in pixels. The image size is an important attribute that determines the visual resolution and overall quality of the image.

The size of an image can also refer to its file size. An image with dimensions of 8000×8000 pixels may be too large for a webpage. Similarly, an image with a file size of 9 MB is also too large for a webpage.

When working on WordPress image size, you need to create a balance between the dimensions and file size.

Why are WordPress Image Sizes Important?

Improperly sized images can hurt your site in a lot of ways. Here are the roles WordPress image sizes play on WordPress websites.

• Page Load Speed: large images can significantly slow down the loading speed of your website. Large images can result in longer loading times on your site.
• User Experience: The chances of a visitor leaving your WordPress site increase with every second it takes to load. Optimizing the size of your images ensures a faster browsing experience for your visitors.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Mobile users often have limited data plans and slower connections. When you optimize image sizes for smaller screens and lower bandwidth, it helps deliver a better experience for mobile visitors.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Page speed is a major ranking factor on Google and other search engines. Faster-loading pages have a higher chance of ranking in search results. Using the right image sizes increases your site speed and the likelihood of ranking highly on search engines.

How Does WordPress Process Images?

When you upload an image to the WordPress image library, WordPress generates three additional default image sizes; thumbnail, medium, large, and full-size.

As such, you will end up with 4 images. The first three are the generated images, while the ‘full-size’ is the original you uploaded. The default resolution of the generated image sizes may be as follows:

• Thumbnail: 150px square
• Medium size: 300px maximum width and height
• Large size: 1024px maximum width and height
• Full size: the original size you uploaded

WordPress uses various image sizes for different areas. Thumbnail images are typically used for blog previews, while the large WordPress image sizes are used for WordPress header images.

The default image sizes on your website may, however, slightly differ from what we have here, depending on the theme you use.

Fortunately, you can change the image sizes as you want.

How to Change Default Image Sizes

You can adjust the default WordPress image size set to whatever you want.

To do this, go to Settings >> Media from your WordPress dashboard.

This will take you to the “Media Settings” page, where you can change the default image sizes.

For instance, if you want to change the Thumbnail size, you will just type in the new height and width.

Once you are done, scroll down and click on Save Changes to save the modified sizes.

How to Change Image Size Using WordPress Image Editor

The WordPress image editor provides one of the easiest ways to set the sizes for featured images, blog images, and other image applications on your site. The editor allows you to manually edit the size of each image you upload to the WordPress Media library.

To edit an image using the editor, go to Media>>Library.

Then click on the image you want to edit.

Next, click on Edit Image.

This will open the image editor. Now, you can set custom width and height.

For example, the original size of the image below is 2560 x 2048. Let’s say we want to change the image size to 1380 x 1024. We will enter the size and then click Scale to process the image editing.

Then click Save.

Now, the full size of the image will change to 1380 x 1024.

How to Change Image Size on your Posts or Pages

WordPress allows you to edit the size of images when you add them to posts or pages. Typically, you will see the edit icon when you select the image you want to edit.

Click on the icon.

This will take you to the image editor.

Click on the “size” section to reveal a drop-down list.

Choose Custom Size from the drop-down.

Now, enter the new width and height you want for the image.

Click Save.

And that is it. The new image size will be applied to the blog or page.

How to Add Custom WordPress Image Sizes

Most often, the three default image sizes may not be sufficient to meet all your needs. Fortunately, you can add custom image sizes to your site. 

You can do this either with a WordPress image sizes plugin or by editing your theme’s code.

How to Add Custom WordPress Image Sizes With the Perfect Images Plugin

Perfect Images is an exceptional plugin that gives you control over your image sizes. The plugin allows you to easily create custom image sizes, regenerate existing images, and optimize your images.

To get started, you need to first install the Perfect Images plugin.

Go to Plugins >> Add New Plugin.

Type in ‘’Perfect images” in the search bar. Then look for Perfect Images (Manage Image Sizes, Thumbnails, Replace, Retina) and click Install Now.

Next, click Activate.

Once you activate it, the plugin will appear as “Meow Apps” on the WordPress dashboard.

To create a new WordPress image size, go to Meow Apps >> Perfect Images.

On the “Perfect Images” page, scroll down and click on Add New.

This will bring up a form to fill out. Enter the name for the new custom image size, as well as the weight and height.

Next, decide whether you want to crop images for that size. Cropped images are good for featured images and profile pictures. Selecting Yes crops the image. Choose No if you don’t want cropping.

Click OK once you’ve filled out everything.

The plugin will create the new WordPress image size for your WordPress site.

And that’s it. You’ve successfully added a new image size to your website. You can follow the same steps to add additional image sizes.

Most WordPress plugins have no way to check the image sizes. As such, you can use a plugin like Regenerate Thumbnails for this. The plugin lists all the image sizes on the website.

How to Add Custom WordPress Image Sizes Manually

Now let’s look at the steps to adding custom images by editing your theme’s code. While it is simple, this process requires some technical knowledge. So it’s best to leave it to a professional if you have no coding experience.

To get started, you first have to create a backup for your website. It’s important to do this to protect your data in case anything goes wrong during the process. This article explains how to perform a regular WordPress backup for your website.

Once you have completed the backup process, navigate to the WordPress dashboard.

Then go to Appearance >> Editor or Theme File Editor.

You will likely get a warning about editing the code.

Just click I understand to proceed.

Activate Custom Images Support

The first step to adding custom images to your website is to activate support for post thumbnails. To do this, you need to add the add_theme_support string below into the WordPress image sizes php file of your website:

add_theme_support( 'post-thumbnails' );

Click on the functions.php file.

Next, search to see whether the add_theme_support string is already there.

If the code is not there, paste it in. Then click Update File.

This will activate the function that allows you to add custom images to your site.

Add Custom Image Code

The next step is to add the code for the custom image size you want to create.

To do this, you have to locate and edit the “add_image_size” code in the functions.php file.

First, check whether the code is already there using the search function to find it. If it’s not there, then you can add it. Here’s the “add_image_size” code:

add_image_size( 'name', width, height, true/false );

Now let’s look at the parameters in the code. The first argument is the ‘name,’ which represents the name you want for the image size. It is important to choose a descriptive image sizes name.

The second and third arguments are the width and height in pixels. You can choose any specific image size you want. The last parameter is the cropping. This allows you to define the cropping type or its positioning (we will discuss this subsequently).

How to Add a Custom Image Using Code

For example, let’s say you want to add a new image size for blog posts with a height and weight of 1200 x 630 px.

In that case, the code will look like this with no cropping applied:

add_image_size( 'blog-image-size', 1200, 630 );

Once you have pasted the code, click Update File.

Cropping Your Image

Cropping is the last argument of the add_image_size code. This allows you to set the cropping status of the image size by choosing either true or false.

add_image_size( 'name', width, height, true/false );

When you don’t apply cropping to your code, the image just gets shrunken to the new size. However, when you crop an image, a part of it is cut off while the remaining part will adjust to the new size.

If your goal is to reduce the size of the image, then cropping may not be for you since it involves removing elements of the image. Cropping makes sense if cutting out part of the image wouldn’t affect the overall output.

How to Add Cropping for Your Size

To add cropping to an image you have to add “true” to the end of the image size code.

If you don’t want the images to be cropped, then add ‘false’ at the end of it or remove the whole argument. WordPress will not apply cropping if you leave it out entirely.

For example, let’s say we are still considering cropping the 1200 x 630 px blog post image size. In that case, the cropping side of the code will be ‘true,’ like this:

add_image_size( 'blog-image-size', 1200, 630, true );

Your code will look like any of this if you don’t want cropping for the image size.

add_image_size( 'blog-image-size', 1200, 630, false );

add_image_size( 'blog-image-size', 1200, 630,  );

Add New Custom Image Sizes to Your Theme

Once you’ve added the custom image size, the next thing is to make your theme display it. To do this, you need to edit the index.php theme file, which contains the posts loop, and add this code to it:

the_post_thumbnail( 'image-size-name' );

Go to Appearance >> Editor or Theme File Editor.

Then click on the index.php file.

Now add the code above to display the new image size for your theme.

Replace the image-size-name with the name of the image size you used in the earlier steps. In our case, the name of the image size was blog-image-size. So our code will look like this:

the_post_thumbnail( 'blog-image-size' );

And that’s it. You will now see the new image size as an option when you upload a new image to your website.

Apply New Image Size to Old Images

The problem with this manual configuration is that it only applies to new images. Older images will retain their current sizes, and you need to update them to apply the new image size.

Fortunately, some plugins allow you to do this. One of those is Regenerate Thumbnails, a free plugin that allows you to update your image sizes.

Update Image Sizes with Regenerate Thumbnails

The Regenerate Thumbnails plugin, as the name suggests, regenerates the WordPress thumbnail sizes for the images in your Media Library. Since we’ve added a new image size, Regenerate Thumbnails will ‘regenerate’ this new size for older images.

To get started, you need to first install the plugin. Go to Plugins>> Add New Plugin.

Now type in “Regenerate Thumbnails” into the search box. Find the Regenerate Thumbnails plugin and click Install Now.

Once installed, click Activate.

The Regenerate Thumbnails Plugin will appear under the Tool menu on your WordPress dashboard.

To regenerate your images, go to Tools >> Regenerate Thumbnails.

Once on the plugin page, you just have to click on Regenerate Thumbnails for all Attachments.

The plugin will take a few seconds/ minutes to regenerate the images to the new WordPress image sizes. And that’s it.

How To Optimize Your Image

WordPress image sizes also entail the image file size. While changing the image dimensions allows you to control the size, you may need to optimize the image without changing the dimensions.

Here are two ways you can optimize your WordPress images size:

Choose The Best Image File Format

The file format you choose, whether it’s PNG, JPEG, or WebP, can affect your image size. For instance, webP images have smaller file sizes compared to PNG files.

As such, you can convert your PNG images to the WebP format to reduce their size. This article explains more about WordPress WebP Images.

Converting your images can, however, potentially lower the image quality. You must compare the quality of the original image to that of the converted one to ensure there’s no noticeable drop in quality.

Plugins like EWWW Image Optimizer, Optimole, and ShortPixel Image Optimizer allow you to control your website image file format.

Compress Your WordPress Images

Another way to reduce the size of an image is to compress it. Image compression involves minimizing the size of an image without degrading its quality.

Compressed images are far lighter than images that aren’t optimized.

Several plugins allow you to quickly compress your images, including Optimole. Once you set up the plugin, it can automatically compress any image you upload.

Conclusion

WordPress image sizes are an important issue that can affect the look, speed, and ranking of WordPress websites.

This guide to WordPress image sizes has explained what image sizes are and how you can change your website’s image sizes. So you can follow the steps outlined above to edit your WordPress default image sizes and add custom sizes.

If you also want to learn more about WordPress images, you should check out this article on how to fix image upload issues in WordPress. A well optimised WordPress image can improve website speed. However, there certain issues that can arise with your site’s image. The article, therefore, explains how to fix these issues.

Remember, the team at FixRunner is ready to meet all your WordPress website needs. We offer custom development, WordPress maintenance, and more. Fill out this form to get a free website review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Image Size Functions in WordPress?

The image size function in WordPress is add_image_size(), which allows you to add custom-size images. The full function is add_image_size( ‘name’, width, height, true/false );. You can also change your default WordPress image sizes by going to Settings >> Media.

How do I get Custom Image size in WordPress?

You can add custom image sizes on WordPress using a plugin like Perfect Images, or you can do it manually with code. The add_image_size() allows you to add custom image sizes by editing your theme’s code.

How do I get the full size Image in WordPress?

When you upload an image to WordPress, it automatically generates three default images in addition to the full-size image. So you will typically have four image options and can just choose the full-size image option when creating a post or page.

Does WordPress Reduce Image Size?

No. WordPress doesn’t reduce your image sizes. However, there are options to reduce your image size after it’s uploaded. You can also use various plugins to reduce the image size.

The post What are WordPress Image Sizes and How to Change Them? appeared first on FixRunner.com.

The header section of your WordPress website contains some of the most important design elements of your site. Major site defining aspects like your main menu, header image, contact information are located in this section. Since it usually meets the eyes first, it has to be captivating enough to make a good first impression. To do this, start by creating a WordPress custom header.

Your WordPress default themes header will usually not be appealing to users. So it makes so much sense to brand your website by adding code, custom videos, images, and taglines to your header. This enables your website to easily convey its uniqueness to your target audience.

After reading this article, you will learn how to create custom headers in WordPress how you can use it to personalize the design and appearance of your WordPress site.

Content

1. What is a custom header?
2. Emphasizing Header Accessibility and Mobile Responsiveness
3. Performance and Optimization: Enhancing Your WordPress Header
4. Customizing the WordPress header
   • Steps to add a custom header image
   • How to add video to the header
   • Fallback Images for Video Headers
   • How to add a custom logo to your header
5. Header plugin for Social media icons

What is a custom WordPress header?

A custom header is a WordPress feature that allows users to improve the appearance of their website’s header using the default WordPress theme customizer. This can be achieved in a number of ways including; uploading customized title images, adding or removing header text, inserting header widgets, and adding social media icons.

Emphasizing Header Accessibility and Mobile Responsiveness

Accessibility in web design ensures that your website can be used by as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. An accessible header means that all users, regardless of how they interact with your site—be it through a mouse, keyboard, screen reader, or any assistive technology—can navigate your content effortlessly.

Key considerations for an accessible header include:

• Semantic HTML: Use proper HTML tags to structure your header. For instance, wrap the primary navigation in <nav> elements and use <h1> for your main site title to provide clear landmarks for assistive technologies.
• Alt Text for Logos and Icons: Ensure that any logos or icons within your header have descriptive alt text, allowing screen reader users to understand their purpose.
• Keyboard Navigation: Your header should be fully navigable using a keyboard alone, with a logical tab order and visible focus states for interactive elements.

Prioritizing Mobile Responsiveness

With over half of global internet traffic coming from mobile devices, a mobile-responsive header is non-negotiable. A responsive header adapts to various screen sizes, ensuring that navigation remains intuitive and content is easily readable without the need for zooming or horizontal scrolling.

To achieve a mobile-responsive header, consider the following:

• Responsive Design: Employ CSS media queries to adjust the layout and style of your header based on the screen size. This might include stacking elements vertically on smaller screens or adjusting font sizes for readability.
• Hamburger Menus for Mobile: On smaller screens, traditional navigation menus can take up too much space. Collapsing your menu into a “hamburger” icon frees up real estate while keeping navigation accessible.
• Touch-Friendly Elements: Ensure that clickable elements in your header, like menu items or buttons, are large enough to be easily tapped on a touchscreen device.

Testing and Optimization

The final step in ensuring your header’s accessibility and mobile responsiveness is thorough testing. Use a variety of devices and browsers to interact with your header. Also, consider employing accessibility testing tools and real user feedback to identify and address any issues.

Performance and Optimization: Enhancing Your WordPress Header

In the realm of web design, the allure of a visually striking header must be balanced with the practicality of website performance. This is particularly true when it comes to incorporating images and videos into your WordPress header.

A well-optimized header not only captivates your audience but also contributes positively to your site’s SEO and overall user experience.

The Importance of Optimization

High-resolution images and videos can significantly increase your website’s loading times, potentially leading to higher bounce rates and lower search engine rankings.

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, users expect quick and responsive websites. Therefore, optimizing your header’s media content is not just a recommendation; it’s a necessity.

Optimizing Header Images

When it comes to images, the key is to find the perfect balance between file size and quality. Here are some tips to optimize your header images.

• Choose the Right Format: JPEG is ideal for photographs, while PNG is suitable for images with transparent backgrounds. WebP, a newer format, offers superior compression and quality characteristics compared to JPEG and PNG.
• Compress Your Images: Use image compression tools to reduce file size without compromising quality. Many online tools and WordPress plugins can automate this process.
• Use Responsive Images: Ensure your theme supports responsive images, which adjust according to the screen size, reducing the load on smaller devices.

Optimizing Header Videos

Videos, while engaging, can be even more demanding on performance. Consider the following for video headers:

• Host Videos Externally: Hosting videos on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo and embedding them on your site can save bandwidth and reduce loading times.
• Use Short Clips: Shorter videos load faster. Aim for clips that are a few seconds long, loop smoothly, and convey your message effectively.
• Consider a Fallback Image: Always provide a fallback image for scenarios where the video cannot load, ensuring your header remains visually appealing.

Implementing Lazy Loading

Lazy loading is a technique that defers the loading of non-critical resources at page load time. Instead, these resources are loaded at the moment they are needed (e.g., when scrolling down the page).

Implementing lazy loading for your header media can significantly improve initial page load times and, as a result, user experience and SEO.

Regular Performance Audits

Regularly auditing your website’s performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can provide valuable insights into how your header affects your site’s loading times.

These tools offer specific recommendations for improvement, which can guide your optimization efforts.

Customizing the WordPress Header

The features on your WordPress header is determined by your chosen theme. The latest default WordPress themes (both free and premium) have the custom header feature. These themes provide header image options to choose from, they also allow users the liberty to upload custom videos and images.

However, if your default WordPress theme is not custom header enabled, you will not be able to customize your WordPress header. To determine if your theme is custom header enabled, go to your WordPress admin panel and click on Appearance. If you find the Header option under its menu, then the theme supports custom headers.

Steps to add a custom header image

We will use the Twenty Sixteen default WordPress theme to customize the header. You can look at the dimensions for your header image in the header section by clicking Appearance >> Header on the admin dashboard.

Step 1 – Get a new image

The first thing you need to do is to get a good quality image that represents your site well. The image should be both meaningful and relevant. You can source for images from websites that provide royalty free images or use an original image that suits the purpose. We are using a sample image from Pixabay.

Step 2 – Edit and resize the image

Some themes allow you to crop the image as soon as you upload it, while some do not. In any case, you can use an image editing tool such as Adobe Photoshop to resize your image to the dimensions your theme specifies. This would also be a good time to add any artistic or graphic details to your header image. We’ll use the Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Step 3 – Upload and replace the image

The default Twenty Sixteen theme does not have a set header image. So as we have seen already, go to Appearance >> Header, then click the Add new image button.

On the new window, click the Upload Files button.

Click Select Files and select the image file you want to upload.

Next, provide alternate text, then click on Select and Crop.

If you intend to crop the image, choose Crop Image. Otherwise, click Skip Cropping.

Click on Publish to display your new WordPress header.

How to add a video header

There are themes that support video headers and for this feature, we will use the default Twenty Seventeen WordPress theme.

Option 1 – Use an mp4 video format

On your admin dashboard, follow the same steps through Appearance >> Header >> Select Video.

The next window gives you the option to upload the video from your computer. After uploading click Choose video.

Click Publish to save and display your header video.

Option 2 – Load a video from Youtube

The second option is to load the video from YouTube. So instead of doing Select video, copying and pasting the URL of the header video you wish to use in the text input bar will do the job.

Fallback Images for Video Headers: Ensuring Seamless User Experience

Not all users have access to high-speed internet, and some devices or browsers may have limitations that prevent video playback. In such scenarios, without a fallback image, your website could display an empty space or a loading error in the header area. This could detract from the user experience and your site’s professional appearance.

A well-chosen fallback image ensures that your website remains visually appealing and conveys the intended message, even when the video cannot load. It acts as a static representation of your video content, maintaining the aesthetic continuity of your site.

Choosing the Right Fallback Image

Selecting an appropriate fallback image is more than just picking any still from your video. Consider the following:

• Relevance: The image should encapsulate the essence of the video, reflecting the theme or key message of your content.
• Quality: Opt for high-resolution images that are clear and visually appealing, ensuring they look good on various devices and screen sizes.
• Optimization: Large images can slow down your site. Compress your fallback images to balance quality and performance, enhancing your site’s loading speed.

Implementing Fallback Images

Most modern WordPress themes and page builders that support video headers also offer an easy way to set a fallback image. Typically, you’ll find this option in the same section where you upload your video header.

If your theme doesn’t provide a straightforward method, consider using custom CSS or reaching out to the theme’s support for guidance.

Testing Across Devices and Browsers

Once you’ve set your fallback image, it’s crucial to test how your header appears across different devices and browsers. This ensures that all visitors, regardless of their browsing conditions, receive a cohesive and engaging experience when they land on your site.

How to add a custom logo to your header in WordPress

Go to Appearance >> Customize, then select Site Identity

Click Select logo to upload the logo file. The process is the same as the steps outlined above.

Delete the Site Title and Tagline as they may no longer be necessary. Click Publish to display your logo.

Header plugin for social media icons

You can always use custom header WordPress plugins to speed everything up. Many WordPress themes have support for adding social media icons to the footer and other widget enabled parts of the website. But if you need to add social media icons to your header, there are a couple of things you may need to do first.

1. Download and install the plugin Menu Image (its free)
2. Source for social media icon images

From your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Appearance >> Menus. Provide a name for your menu, check the box for Top Menu, and click Save Menu.

Select Custom Links, fill in values for the URL (to your social media pages) and the Link Text (such as Facebook), then Add to Menu.

A Custom Link is created under the Menu.

Click on the custom Link to expand it. You will notice that the image size defaults to 36 x 36 and there are radio button options to determine the displaying of the link text (title). Check the Hide radio button and click Set Image.

Upload your selected image file and click the Save Menu button.

Hit the refresh button to see your social media icon on the top menu of the header.

Conclusion

There are many advanced changes and customizations you can make to your WordPress header. It may require further research and even getting your hands dirty with adding code. When all is done, your site should present the look and feel that you want to give your users.

This article has taught you most of the simple customizations you can perform on your site to make it look unique. For more step by step WordPress tutorials check our WordPress blog.

More Resources:

• How To Fix The “503 Service Temporarily Unavailable” Error In WordPress?
• Eliminate WordPress Malware
• The Fastest WordPress WooCommerce Themes Of 2020
• WordPress Support

The post How to Customize WordPress Header appeared first on FixRunner.com.

Enabling GZIP compression on WordPress sites is one sure way of improving your website’s loading speed. 

When it comes to user experience and SEO  – loading speed is super important. The faster a website loads, the better it tends to perform. As such, speeding up your website should always be your priority.

Of the many ways of improving the loading speed of a website, enabling GZIP compression is one of the easiest. The technology has been around for over a decade now, and most modern browsers support it.

Everything you need to know about this speed-boosting technique will be discussed in this article. On top of that, you would be able to enable GZIP compression on your WordPress website by the time you finish reading this.

In this article:

• What is Gzip Compression
• How it works
• SEO Implications of GZIP Compression
• Ways to check if Gzip is enabled
• How to enable Gzip compression
• Server-Specific Instructions for Enabling GZIP Compression
• Troubleshooting and Common Issues with GZIP Compression
• Conclusion

What is GZIP Compression in WordPress?

GZIP is a file compressing software which helps to reduce the size of a webpage before it’s served to a client (a browser). 

Essentially, GZIP works by breaking up heavy HTML, CSS, and Javascript files into smaller bits, thus reducing the time it will take a browser to load them. It doesn’t work on images, to learn about images, please read our image optimization guide.

The technology isn’t exclusive to WordPress, it works on virtually any website with a web server. So whether your website runs on WordPress, Magento, Drupal, etc. you can enable GZIP compression on it.

How It Works

When developers write the codes for a website, they add whitespaces, comments, page breaks etc. so as to make it easy for the human eyes to follow. The problem is, this formatting takes up space, and can significantly add to the size of a webpage. 

What GZIP does is to take away this formatting, because to browsers it means nothing. The end result is that it compresses webpages by as much as 80%.

Like earlier said, all modern browsers support GZIP, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility problems. 

SEO Implications of GZIP Compression

In today’s digital landscape, the speed of your website is not just a convenience for your users. It’s a critical component of your site’s search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.

Search engines, particularly Google, place a significant emphasis on page load times when determining rankings. This is where GZIP compression can play a pivotal role in enhancing your website’s SEO performance.

Direct Impact on Page Speed

GZIP compression reduces the size of your website’s files, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. By serving smaller file sizes to your visitors, you significantly decrease the time it takes for your pages to load. Faster page load times directly contribute to better user experiences, a factor that search engines consider when ranking websites.

A swift, seamless user experience keeps visitors engaged, reducing bounce rates and encouraging longer site visits, which search engines interpret as a sign of quality and relevance.

Enhanced User Experience

User experience (UX) is at the heart of SEO. Search engines aim to provide users with the most relevant and efficient results for their queries. A website that loads quickly and displays content without delay contributes to a positive UX, which search engines reward with higher rankings.

By implementing GZIP compression, you’re not only speeding up your site but also enhancing the overall user experience, aligning your site with search engines’ goal of user satisfaction.

Mobile Optimization

With the increasing prevalence of mobile browsing, your site’s performance on mobile devices is more crucial than ever. Mobile users expect quick, responsive sites, even on slower mobile networks.

GZIP compression is especially beneficial for mobile SEO, as it helps to minimize load times in bandwidth-constrained environments, ensuring that your site remains accessible and user-friendly across all devices.

Improved Server Performance

GZIP compression lightens the load on your server by reducing the amount of data transferred between the server and the client’s browser. This improved efficiency can lead to better server performance and reduced downtime, factors that indirectly influence your site’s SEO.

A reliable and responsive server is essential for maintaining consistent site availability and speed, both of which are vital for sustaining your SEO rankings.

Competitive Edge

In competitive niches, every second counts. Implementing GZIP compression gives you an edge over competitors who may not have optimized their site’s load times.

By ensuring your site is as fast as it can be, you position yourself favorably in the eyes of both users and search engines, potentially leading to higher rankings and increased visibility in search results.

Ways to Check If GZIP Compression Is Enabled on WordPress

Some web host providers enable GZIP compression by default. So before going through the hassles of enabling it, it makes sense to first test if it’s been enabled. 

There are a couple of ways of running this test, but for this tutorial, we will be considering just two:

• Using online checking tools
• Google Chrome’s developer tool

How to Use Online Checking Tools

Using an online tool is the easiest way to check if file compression is enabled on your website. 

There are several checking tools online you could use, but for this tutorial, we will be using Varvy tool.

If file compression isn’t active on your website, it tells you instantly. Just copy and paste the URL to your website, and the rest is taken care of.

If GZIP compression is enabled on your WordPress site, it will give you a breakdown analysis of your website.

It’s that easy!

Using Google Chrome’s Developer Tool

If you use Google Chrome, you can readily check if GZIP is enabled on your website. To do so, open your website in Chrome and open developer tools with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl Shift I (Command Shift I   Mac). In developer tools, click on the Network tab.

Next, reload the page. After the reload scroll up in the developer tools section until you find your website’s URL at the left column.

Click on the URL once and switch to the Headers tab if you are in a different one.

Then scroll down using the vertical slider in this section until you get to the Response Header section. If GZIP is enabled, you will see:

content-encoding: gzip

If it’s not enabled, you will see

content-encoding: br

If it turns out file compressing isn’t enabled on your website yet, that can easily be fixed.

How to Enable GZIP Compression on Your WordPress Website

Enabling GZIP isn’t as hard as it might seem at the surface. There are a couple of ways to go about it, but we will be considering just 3, starting from the easiest.

Method #1 Contact Your Web Host Provider

GZIP is a technology that works on the server-side, and as such your web host provider is in the best position to help you out with it. So reach out.

Usually, hosting providers do this from their own end without you having to click a button. However, in some cases, they will provide instructions. It all depends on the provider, but by all means, reach out. 

Note that we recommend having your host enable this feature. Other solutions should only be used if there are issues with this method.

Method #2 Use a Plugin

In WordPress, besides GZIP compression, there’s a plugin for virtually every task. Here are a couple of plugins that finish the job.

WP Super Cache

WP Super Cache, though primarily a caching plugin, also does a good job at compressing web files.

To start, first install and activate the plugin. Next, navigate to Settings >> WP Super Cache.

In the WP Super Cache page, click the Advanced tab. Then check the Compress pages so they are served more quickly to visitors option.

When you are done, scroll down and Update Status.

W3 Cache

W3 Cache is popular for its caching functionality. What you might not know is that with it, you can compress your web pages by as much as 80%.

There’s a video tutorial on the WordPress directory page of W3 Cache you can follow to enable file compression. 

Method #3 Edit the .htaccess files

This technique is somewhat technical, and if you are not careful you might break your website. Nonetheless, if you are confident in your abilities, by all means, give it a shot. 

To start, access your site using FTP. Once a connection has been established, click the public_html link at the top right section. Then at the bottom, scroll down until you locate the .htaccess file.

Right-click on the file, then click the View/Edit option.

Copy and paste the following lines of code into the bottom section of the Notepad editor:

<IfModule mod_deflate.c> 
# Compress HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Text, XML and fonts 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/vnd.ms-fontobject 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-opentype 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-otf 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-truetype 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-ttf 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/opentype 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/otf 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/ttf 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE image/svg+xml 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE image/x-icon 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/javascript 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml 

# Remove browser bugs (only needed for really old browsers) 
BrowserMatch ^Mozilla/4 gzip-only-text/html 
BrowserMatch ^Mozilla/4\.0[678] no-gzip 
BrowserMatch \bMSIE !no-gzip !gzip-only-text/html 
Header append Vary User-Agent 
</IfModule>

When you are done pasting, save the file by hitting Ctrl (Cmd for Mac) + S.

Server-Specific Instructions for Enabling GZIP Compression

When optimizing your WordPress site with GZIP compression, it’s crucial to tailor the approach to your specific server environment.

Different web servers have unique configurations, and understanding how to enable GZIP compression on your server can significantly enhance your website’s performance.

Below, we provide guidance for the most common server types: Apache and Nginx.

For Apache Servers

Apache is widely used and known for its flexibility and power. To enable GZIP compression on an Apache server, you’ll typically use the mod_deflate module, which handles the compression and decompression of data on the fly.

• Access Your .htaccess File: The .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory is where you’ll add the necessary directives. You can access this file via FTP or your hosting provider’s file manager.
• Modify .htaccess: Add the following lines to your .htaccess file. This code instructs Apache to compress text, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and XML files before sending them to the browser.

<IfModule mod_deflate.c>
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
</IfModule>

• Test Your Configuration: After saving the changes, it’s important to test your website to ensure GZIP compression is active. You can use online tools like GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights to verify the compression.

For Nginx Servers

Nginx is renowned for its high performance and low resource consumption. Enabling GZIP compression in Nginx involves editing the nginx.conf file, which is typically found in the /etc/nginx directory.

• Access nginx.conf: Use a text editor to open your nginx.conf file. You might need root access to edit this file, depending on your server’s setup.
• Add GZIP Directives: Inside the http block of your nginx.conf, add or modify the following directives to enable GZIP compression:

gzip on;
gzip_disable "msie6";
gzip_vary on;
gzip_proxied any;
gzip_comp_level 6;
gzip_buffers 16 8k;
gzip_http_version 1.1;
gzip_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript text/xml application/xml application/xml+rss text/javascript;

These settings enable GZIP compression for various file types and ensure compatibility with different proxies and browsers.

• Reload Nginx: After saving your changes, reload Nginx to apply the new configuration. You can do this by running sudo systemctl reload nginx or sudo service nginx reload, depending on your system.
• Verify Compression: As with Apache, use online tools or browser developer tools to confirm that GZIP compression is working correctly on your Nginx server.

Troubleshooting and Common Issues with GZIP Compression

Implementing GZIP compression can significantly enhance your website’s performance, but like any technical optimization, it might come with its set of challenges.

Understanding how to troubleshoot common issues will ensure a smooth implementation process and help you reap the full benefits of GZIP compression.

Here are some potential problems you might encounter and how to address them.

GZIP Compression Not Working

After setting up GZIP compression, you might find that your website’s files are still not compressed. This could be due to several reasons.

• Server Configuration: Ensure that your server supports GZIP compression and that the necessary modules (mod_deflate for Apache, for example) are enabled. You might need to contact your hosting provider for assistance.
• Incorrect .htaccess or nginx.conf Entries: Typos or incorrect syntax in your configuration files can prevent GZIP from working. Double-check your entries against reliable sources or documentation to ensure accuracy.
• Caching Issues: If you’re using a caching plugin or service, your changes might not reflect immediately. Clear your site’s cache and, if possible, your browser’s cache to see if the issue resolves.

Performance Not Improving

If you’ve successfully enabled GZIP compression but don’t see a significant improvement in your site’s loading speed, consider the following:

• File Types Being Compressed: GZIP works best with text-based files. Ensure you’re targeting the correct file types (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) in your configuration.
• Large Images and Videos: GZIP does not compress images and videos effectively. Use dedicated optimization techniques for these file types, such as choosing the right format, resizing, and using image compression tools.
• External Scripts: External resources, like third-party JavaScript, are not affected by your site’s GZIP settings. Minimize the use of such resources or ensure they’re optimized separately.

Errors After Configuration

Implementing GZIP compression can sometimes lead to errors, especially if there’s a mistake in the configuration.

• 500 Internal Server Error: This can occur if there’s a syntax error in your .htaccess or nginx.conf file. Review your changes carefully and revert to a backup if necessary.
• Content Encoding Error: This browser error can appear if the content is double-compressed or not decompressed properly by the browser. Ensure that your server is configured to compress content only once and that the Vary: Accept-Encoding header is correctly set.

Compatibility Issues

While most modern browsers support GZIP compression, there might be compatibility issues with older versions.

• Older Browsers: Ensure that your website still serves uncompressed files to older browsers that don’t support GZIP. This can usually be managed through proper server configuration.
• Mobile Browsers: Test your website on various mobile browsers to ensure that GZIP compression works across devices. Some mobile browsers might have unique behaviors or limitations.

When troubleshooting, it’s crucial to approach the process systematically. Start by verifying your server’s capability to use GZIP compression, then move on to checking your configuration files for errors. Use online tools to test for GZIP compression, and don’t hesitate to consult your hosting provider’s support team for assistance.

Remember, the goal is to enhance your website’s performance without compromising functionality, so thorough testing on various devices and browsers is essential to ensure a seamless user experience.

Conclusion

The loading speed of your website can make or mark your site success, and so should be taken seriously. Enabling GZIP compression in WordPress will really go a long way in making your website load faster.

In this article, we discussed three methods you could use to enable file compression on your website. Should you encounter any technical challenges along the way, do reach out to us.

More Resources:

• How To Easily Clean Up Your WordPress Database
• The Fastest WordPress Themes Of 2019
• WordPress Meta Description

The post How to Enable GZIP Compression in WordPress appeared first on FixRunner.com.

In WordPress, everything has an identification (ID) number. This includes your pages, posts, media, comments, categories and tags. You may have had instances where you needed to find a WordPress page or post ID – maybe while working with codes or while configuring a plugin.

So, here is the big question:  how do you find a WordPress ID? That’s the essence of this article. Although IDs are important, WordPress does not make them available on the surface. You have to find them.

In this guide, you will learn what an ID is, how to find your post or page IDs, and other IDs too. Stay with me!

Content

1. What is a WP page ID
2. How to find  page ID
3. Finding Post IDs in WordPress
4. How to Find Category,Media and Tag IDs
5. Viewing WordPress Post ID with WordPress plugins
6. How to display ID With PHP
7. What you can do with page IDs
8. Conclusion
9. FAQs

What is a WordPress page ID?

WordPress gives a unique number to all your site’s pages. The unique number assigned to each page is called the Page ID. It allows WordPress to keep track of each and every site content.

They are useful when you need to add widgets on specific pages. You may also need IDs to apply special styles to just one or a few pages on your WordPress website. These IDs grant you flexibility on your website.

How to find WordPress page ID

Finding a WordPress page ID isn’t difficult. It is usually located within the page’s URL.

Let’s see an example: I have a page on my WordPress site with the name “courses”. To find its ID, here are the things to do.

Login to the WP dashboard and click on ‘Pages’. Now, locate the page (“courses” or the page for which you are seeking its ID).

Next, let your cursor rest on the word ‘edit’ beneath the page title. Check the base of your browser window, you’ll see the Page URL. Within the URL string, check for “post=number ID”. The number after the equals sign is the page ID.

In the illustration above, 109 is the page ID of the page titled ‘courses’.

Alternatively, you may click the link ‘Edit’ (beneath the page title). When the editor opens, look at the address at the top of your browser window. You will see “post=number ID” within the URL. That’s the page ID.

Side note: In case you’re wondering why it says post=number when it is a page number, WordPress pages are stored as a post type in the database.

Finding Post identification number in WordPress

Finding a WordPress post ID follows the same pattern as finding a page ID. The only difference is this – You open Dashboard >> Posts instead of Dashboard >> Pages.

Let’s see another example. I have a post titled ‘WordPress Salts’. To find its ID, go to Posts in your dashboard. Select ‘Edit’ (beneath the post’s title).

When the editor opens, you would be able to see “post=number ID” in the URL. See the picture below.

The post ID for our blog post titled ‘WordPress salts’ is 263.

How to Find Media, Category, and Tag IDs in WordPress

Every piece of content on your site is referenced and stored in your WordPress database with a unique number. Thus, everything (not just your posts and pages) have unique IDs. In this section, you will learn how to find the IDs of your Media Content, tags and categories.

The process is similar to what we discussed above.

For category id, go to Posts > Categories. To get your tag id, go to Posts >Tags. When it opens, click on Edit for the category or tag for which you are trying to get ID number.

The category or tag ID appears in the URL. And here is how it looks.

Instead of “post=number ID”, it is “tag_ID=number ID” for categories and tags. The category ID in the illustration above is “1”.

The same approach applies to finding a media ID. Click on media on your dashboard menu. Next, select the particular picture or video.

When it opens, highlight the URL in your browser’s address bar.

There you go. “item=number ID” becomes visible in the URl. The media ID in the example above is 137.

You will need this knowledge when creating a default gallery shortcode in WordPress.

How to Find Comments identification number

Finding a WordPress comment is similar to the procedure for finding a page ID. Head over to Comments on your WordPress dashboard. Next, locate the comment you want to work with and click Edit. The comment opens up in a WordPress edit screen. Highlight the URL in the address bar and your comment ID then becomes visible.

Alternatively, you may just let your cursor float over the word ‘Edit’. And the Comments ID will be visible at the bottom of the browser’s window.

Viewing WordPress Page IDs with WordPress Plugins

In our journey through the WordPress dashboard, we’ve explored various methods to uncover the elusive IDs that are the backbone of our pages, posts, and more.

While these techniques are invaluable, there’s a realm of user-friendly tools designed to streamline this process, making it accessible to all levels of WordPress users.

Let’s delve into some plugin recommendations that can transform your experience with WordPress IDs.

Reveal IDs

One standout plugin that deserves a mention is Reveal IDs. This gem adds a new dimension to your WordPress dashboard by seamlessly integrating an ID column into your content management screens.

Whether you’re navigating through pages, posts, categories, or tags, Reveal IDs ensures that the ID of each item is displayed prominently, eliminating the need to dig through URLs or engage in guesswork.

The beauty of Reveal IDs lies in its simplicity. Once installed, there’s no complicated setup required; it’s a plug-and-play solution that works out of the box.

This makes it an excellent choice for both seasoned WordPress veterans looking for efficiency and newcomers seeking clarity in the WordPress landscape.

How to display Page or Post ID With PHP

If you have a need for it, you can also display page id or post id using PHP on your frontend. WordPress has the_ID() function that lets you put a Page ID on display.

All that is required of you is to include the function, and the ID will be displayed.

See this example from the WordPress Codex:

<p>Post Number: <?php the_ID(); ?></p>

What You Can Do With Page Identification Number

So now, you have learnt how to find IDs for your posts and pages, as well as other content. But, what do you need them for?

These unique identifiers, while seemingly inconspicuous, hold the key to unlocking a new level of control and personalization over your website. Let’s explore some practical applications of WordPress IDs that can elevate your site’s functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Tailoring Page-Specific Styles

Have you ever wanted to give a particular page or post a distinct look, setting it apart from the rest of your site?

WordPress IDs make this not only possible but straightforward. By identifying the specific ID of a page or post, you can craft custom CSS rules that apply uniquely to that element.

For instance, you might want to change the background, adjust the font size, or modify the layout of a single page without affecting others. With the page or post ID in hand, these customizations become a breeze, allowing you to inject personality and flair into selected areas of your site.

Fine-Tuning Plugin Behavior

Plugins are the backbone of WordPress’s versatility, but their one-size-fits-all approach might not always align with your vision. This is where WordPress IDs come into play.

Many plugins offer the capability to include or exclude certain pages or posts from their scope of operation, based on their IDs. Whether you’re setting up an SEO plugin that needs to ignore specific pages, configuring a social sharing plugin to appear only on selected posts, or customizing which pages display certain widgets, knowing how to leverage WordPress IDs can significantly enhance your site’s functionality and user experience.

Creating Exclusive Content Areas

Imagine wanting to create a members-only section on your site or a dedicated area for premium content. WordPress IDs can help you delineate these exclusive zones by allowing you to apply specific rules or styles to them.

By identifying the IDs of the pages or posts that make up these areas, you can use various plugins or custom code snippets to restrict access, customize the appearance, or even tailor the navigation experience for these sections.

Streamlining Site Management

On a more technical note, WordPress IDs can be instrumental in site management tasks such as batch editing, content migration, or setting up redirects.

Knowing the IDs of the pages or posts you want to work with can make these processes more efficient, reducing the risk of errors and saving valuable time.

Conclusion

Have you been experiencing ID problems while configuring your WordPress theme and plugin. If yes, I hope this article has helped you.

Remember, you only need to check the number in your browser’s address bar. And if you want an easier method, you can install and activate Plugins like Reveals ID.

Do you have further questions on finding your page ID? You may ask them in the comments section below.

Also, you may check out our blog for other WordPress tutorials. This knowledge base will help you make your WordPress website fast, secure, and successful. It’ll also guide you on making the best choices in WordPress hosting, WordPress theme selection, the right plugins for your site, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about WordPress Page IDs

What is a WordPress Page ID and why is it important?

A WordPress Page ID is a unique identifier assigned to every piece of content on your WordPress site, including pages, posts, categories, and tags. It’s crucial for various tasks like customizing CSS for specific pages, configuring plugins to include or exclude certain content, and more, ensuring precise control over your site’s functionality and appearance.

How can I find the Page ID in WordPress?

You can find the Page ID by navigating to the Pages section in your WordPress dashboard, clicking on the page you’re interested in, and then looking at the URL in your browser’s address bar. The Page ID will be displayed as a number following post= parameter.

Can I use WordPress Page IDs with plugins?

Absolutely! Many plugins require Page IDs to target specific content. For example, you might use a plugin to display a special banner on certain pages only, and by providing the Page IDs, you can specify exactly where the banner should appear.

Is there a way to view Page IDs directly in the WordPress dashboard without checking each page’s URL?

Yes, there are plugins available, such as “Reveal IDs” and “Show IDs by 99 Robots,” that add a column to your Pages and Posts lists in the dashboard, displaying the ID for each item directly.

Can Page IDs be used for customizing the appearance of my site?

Definitely. Knowing the Page ID allows you to apply custom CSS to specific pages. For instance, you can change the background color or font style of a particular page by referencing its Page ID in your theme’s custom CSS section.

What should I do if I can’t find the Page ID using the methods mentioned?

If the usual methods don’t work, you might be dealing with a custom post type or a theme that handles IDs differently. Try using the “Inspect Element” feature in your web browser to look for the Page ID in the page’s HTML code, or consider using a plugin that reveals IDs.

Are WordPress Page IDs unique across the entire site?

Yes, each Page ID is unique and serves as a distinct identifier for its corresponding piece of content, ensuring that there’s no overlap or confusion between different pages, posts, or other content types.

Can I change a Page ID?

Page IDs are automatically generated by WordPress and cannot be manually changed. They are integral to how WordPress organizes and retrieves content from the database.

More Resources:

• How to Create and Manage Custom Navigation Menus in WordPress
• WooCommerce Shortcodes
• How to Use the WordPress Image Editor

The post WordPress Page ID and Where to Find It appeared first on FixRunner.com.

The world of website management is a battleground for security. As a result, WordPress malware removal plugins have become a popular solution to this ever-present threat. These malware removal WordPress plugins empower websites to defend against malware. So installing one of the malware removal plugins will ensure that your WordPress site remains impenetrable.

However, finding the ideal WordPress malware removal service can be a challenge. Typically, you will want a plugin that offers the efficiency of a WordPress malware scan coupled with relentless malware removal capabilities. But, it can be difficult to know which tool offers these protections against cyber threats.

Hence, this article outlines six leading plugins that champion the fight against malicious software infestations on WordPress websites in 2024. So at the end of this article, you should be able to choose the best WordPress malware removal plugin for your website.

Table of Contents

• Understanding the Importance of WordPress Malware Removal
  • MalCare Security Plugin
  • WordFence Security Plugin
  • Sucuri Security
  • Jetpack Protect
  • Security & Malware Scan by CleanTalk
  • All-In-One Security (AIOS)
• Conclusion
• FAQs

Understanding the Importance of WordPress Malware Removal

The digital world is perpetually threatened by WordPress malware, a persistent menace that could compromise essential components of a website’s ecosystem. So ignoring the urgency for website malware removal could catapult a WordPress site into a vortex of catastrophic consequences, ranging from the leakage of sensitive data to a comprehensive erosion of user trust.

It is not just about removing an unwelcome digital parasite; it is about preserving a business’s digital lifeline. Hence, through concerted efforts to remove WordPress malware, administrators can stem the tides of digital decay and sustain their website’s health. The act of expunging malware is not merely a preventative tactic. It is a recovery measure that seeks to clean WordPress malware using the best WordPress malware removal plugins.

Let’s delve into the key reasons why this process is critical:

Data Integrity:

Malware can manipulate, exfiltrate, or destroy valuable data. Hence, working to remove malware from your WordPress site is a worthwhile endeavor to protect your site.

User Trust:

Users entrust sites with their personal information. A breach could severely taint a website’s reputation, consequently, constraining its potential to garner audience confidence in the future.

Financial Security:

The financial implications of a malware attack can be staggering. Operational downtime, data recovery costs, and potential regulatory fines can all cost more compared to getting a robust WordPress malware cleaner.

Search Engine Ranking

Malware can lead to blacklisting by search engines, devastating a website’s visibility and organic traffic. 

WordPress malware removal plugins have been developed to serve as a vanguard to confront these threats with deftness. These tools are tailored to swiftly and efficiently clean malware from WordPress platforms without overwhelming server resources.

Therefore, integrating a dedicated WordPress malware cleaner into the website’s security suite is no longer optional—it’s a vital shield to ensure seamless and secure digital experiences for all visitors. Here’s our list of the best WordPress malware removal plugins.

1. MalCare Security – WordPress Malware Removal Plugin

Protecting your WordPress website from malware demands a robust and versatile defense mechanism, and MalCare Security stands at the forefront with its advanced features. Cultivating a secure online environment is essential for website owners to maintain credibility and ensure user safety.

MalCare, one of the most popular WordPress malware removal plugins, offers a suite of tools designed to deter and eliminate threats promptly, supporting the notion that prevention is better than cure when it comes to malware on WordPress sites.

Features of MalCare

MalCare is equipped with a suite of features designed to provide comprehensive protection against malware. These features contribute to its ability to efficiently scan WordPress sites for malware and defend them against potential threats. They include the following:

• Deep and thorough malware scanning using advanced algorithms.
• Scheduled automatic scans to ensure consistent surveillance.
• One-click cleanup processes to ensure swift malware elimination.
• An emergency cleanup service for urgent security incidents.
• A robust intelligent firewall for proactive digital defense.

Pros and Cons of Choosing MalCare

MalCare Pricing

MalCare shines as a comprehensive alternative for WordPress users vigilant about malware threats, balancing advanced security solutions with cost-effectiveness, starting at a competitive annual rate. This makes it a desirable choice amongst the top WordPress malware removal plugins, especially for those looking to maintain high-caliber site protection while adhering to a budget. Here is a breakdown of MalCare’s pricing:

MalCare Users Reviews

Customer testimonials play a crucial role in evaluating the effectiveness of a malware removal plugin for WordPress. MalCare users have shared their experiences, reaffirming its position as one of the best WordPress malware removal plugins available. The plugin has over 300 reviews, with about 230 of these being 5-star reviews.

Further, the reviews show feedback of exceptional performance and reliability with the premium version and a high satisfaction rate from customers who appreciate the comprehensive security provisions offered by MalCare.

2. WordFence Security

WordFence Security is a popular tool, especially for handling scenarios where a WordPress website is hacked. With its robust detection capabilities, it is seen as one of the best website malware scanners currently available.

WordFence employs a comprehensive signature-matching algorithm, which leverages a vast malware knowledge bank to pinpoint and neutralize known threats. This WordPress virus scanner is also efficient in identifying existing malware strains, ensuring that users can act promptly to remove malware from website WordPress infrastructures. WordFence, however, is sometimes challenged by new, innovative forms of malware yet to be cataloged in its extensive database.

Features of WordFence

Wordfence Security offers an amalgamation of advanced settings and a painless user experience, harmonized to deliver unmatched protection. It embodies a solution that addresses the pressing need to remove malware from WordPress websites effectively, positioning itself as one of the best WordPress malware removal plugins for WordPress site owners globally. Its features can be categorized into the following:

• Intelligent Threat Detection
• Scheduled Scanning
• Web Application Firewall
• Login Security Features
• Efficient Diagnostic Capabilities

Pros and Cons of Choosing WordFence

WordFence Pricing

WordFence Users Reviews

The efficacy of WordFence is often upheld by its user base, especially when it comes to rapidly addressing and mitigating threats. However, some users have reported instances of false positives and considerable consumption of server resources due to the intensive nature of the scans. Despite these concerns, WordFence continues to maintain strong user loyalty, largely owing to its premium support and quick remediation capabilities. The plugin currently has over 4,000 user reviews, with over 3,600 5-star ratings.

3. Sucuri Security – WordPress Malware Removal Plugin

Sucuri Security has established itself as a versatile option for WordPress users by providing tools for both security monitoring and malware scanning. A key feature that garners positive Sucuri malware scanner and cleaner reviews is its ability to serve as a robust malware WordPress plugin, tackling threats before they can cause significant harm.

As one scans the WordPress database for malware, Sucuri’s technology scrutinizes the site in depth for any signs of compromise, utilizing its advanced algorithms to detect even the most sophisticated of threats.

Features of Sucuri

For those in search of a solid solution, Sucuri delivers cost-effective website malware cleanup combined with a manual approach that many find reassuring. Despite the reliability of the manual cleanups, the overall prevention strategy of Sucuri may benefit from pairing with additional security measures to achieve a more impenetrable defense against complex cyber threats. Here are the key features of the Sucuri malware removal plugin:

• Website Firewall: Protects against hacks, DDoS, and malware.
• Malware Cleanup: Swiftly removes malware and blacklist warnings.
• Security Monitoring: Monitors for security issues and unauthorized access.
• DDoS Protection: Shields against Distributed Denial of Service attacks.
• Website Hardening: Strengthens website security with advanced settings.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Sucuri

Sucuri Pricing

While the Sucuri free plan includes essential services such as security event logging and remote malware scanning, users should be aware of its limitations. Here’s a breakdown of Sucuri pricing:

Sucuri Users’ Reviews

Sucuri boasts positive customer reviews for its effectiveness in thwarting cyber threats. The plugin has over 350 reviews, with about 280 of them being 5-star ratings showcasing its status as one of the best WordPress malware removal plugins.

Users appreciate its user-friendly interface, prompt customer support, and the ability to recover compromised websites. Some note the peace of mind Sucuri provides in maintaining a secure online presence. However, occasional concerns may revolve around the pricing structure for those on tighter budgets.

4. Jetpack Protect

Jetpack Protect epitomizes a comprehensive solution for WordPress users seeking a seamless integration of security and website performance. As a malware removal plugin for WordPress, Jetpack’s forte lies in its regular daily scanning feature, promptly notifying website owners of any identified threats. This proactive detection is pivotal for maintaining site integrity and user trust.

Although the WordPress malware removal plugin’s free version stands out for its scanning proficiency, users looking for an all-encompassing solution must consider the premium upgrade. This upgrade unlocks the power of real-time alerts and the convenience of one-click malware resolution—transforming malware WordPress plugin tools from simple warning systems to comprehensive cleanup operations. 

Features of Jetpack Protect

Jetpack Protect provides formidable protection against over 37,000 distinct types of malware. Below are the features of the free WordPress malware scanner.

• Brute Force Attack Protection: Shields your site against malicious login attempts.
• Downtime Monitoring: Alerts you in real-time if your site experiences downtime.
• Security Scanning: Conducts regular scans to detect and resolve security threats.
• Spam Filtering: Filters out spam comments and form submissions effectively.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Jetpack Protect

Jetpack Protect Pricing

This table below illustrates the key features that differentiate between the free and paid tiers of the Jetpack malware scanner plugin, exhibiting Jetpack’s commitment to offering tailored solutions for diverse security needs:

Jetpack Protect Users’ Reviews

Jetpack Protect is acknowledged for its user-friendly interface and reliable security features. The security plugin has over 80 reviews, with over 75 of them being 5-star ratings. Many appreciate its ability to mitigate brute force attacks and provide timely notifications about site issues.

However, some users note limitations in customization and express a desire for expanded security functionalities. Overall, Jetpack Protect earns its place as one of the best WordPress malware removal plugins for its effectiveness in enhancing WordPress site security.

5. Security & Malware Scan by CleanTalk

CleanTalk stands out as a cost-effective choice, offering a suite of security features for WordPress users. It caters to the budget-conscious segment of the market with an array of tools ranging from spam removal to brute force protection.

The CleanTalk malware removal plugin diligently scans for potential threats. Thus, it ensures that any malware WordPress removal process is executed swiftly and effectively.

Features of CleanTalk

Here are the features that make CleanTalk one of the best WordPress malware removal plugins for those looking to remove malware from their websites:

• Real-time Malware Scanning: Continuous monitoring for malware threats to your website.
• Comprehensive File Scans: Checks core files, themes, and plugins for any signs of malicious code.
• Automatic Threat Removal: Swiftly removes detected malware to prevent further damage.
• Database Scanning: It ensures the integrity of your database by identifying and eliminating potential security risks.

Pros and Cons of Choosing CleanTalk

CleanTalk Pricing

The following table provides an overview of the features and benefits that CleanTalk’s automatic malware scanning and cleanup options provide to its users.

CleanTalk Users’ Reviews

CleanTalk has over 290 reviews, with about 270 of them being 5-star ratings showcasing its status as one of the best WordPress malware removal plugins. Users praise the plugin for its user-friendly interface, reliable malware detection, and prompt support. Many highlight its effectiveness in safeguarding websites from evolving threats, though some mention occasional performance issues during scans.

6. All-In-One Security (AIOS)

All-In-One Security (AIOS) offers a comprehensive protective suite designed to shield WordPress installations from malicious threats. This formidable plugin offers a holistic approach to anti-malware security, integrating a powerful WordPress malware scanner plugin paired with additional security assets for a secure digital presence.

Not only does AIOS facilitate malware cleanup, but it also comes equipped with features aimed at preventing future attacks, setting it apart as a multifaceted guard against online vulnerabilities. 

Features of AIOS

AIOS provides peace of mind by equipping users with the necessary tools to overcome WordPress security challenges. Here is a list of features that sets AIOS aside from other WordPress Malware Removal Plugins.:

• Firewall Protection: Offers robust firewall protection to block malicious traffic and hacking attempts.
• Malware Scanner: Scans WordPress files for malware, ensuring your site remains clean and secure.
• Login Security: Implements login security measures like CAPTCHA, brute force protection, and two-factor authentication.
• File System Security: Monitors file changes and scans for suspicious activity within the WordPress file system.
• Database Security: Protects your WordPress database from unauthorized access and potential vulnerabilities.
• .htaccess and wp-config.php Backup: Automatically backs up critical configuration files for added security.

Pros and Cons of Choosing AIOS

AIOS Pricing

AIOS’s commitment to offering a cost-effective yet free WordPress malware removal plugin option underscores its intent to democratize WordPress security. Users can get started without any initial investment, gradually exploring advanced protection features as their needs evolve.

Below is a detailed breakdown of AIOS’s security offerings:

The premium version starts at $70 per year.

AIOS Users’ Reviews

All-In-One Security has over 1,400 reviews, with about 1,350 of them being 5-star ratings. Users love AIOS for its effectiveness in securing WordPress sites. Positive reviews highlight its simplicity, reliability, and the peace of mind it brings. While some users note a learning curve, overall, AIOS is appreciated for its robust security features and consistent performance.

Conclusion

In the digital battlefield against cyber threats, a multitude of WordPress malware removal plugins stand as vigilant sentinels. Solutions range from the stalwart defenses of Sucuri and Wordfence to the emerging prowess of MalCare and Jetpack Protect, each carving out their niche in utility and strategic value.

When choosing the best WordPress malware removal plugins, the key is a blend of thorough WordPress malware cleanup capabilities, robust WordPress malware protection measures, and responsive WordPress malware removal help. Each plugin brings a unique proposition, be it in pricing, performance, or customer-centric features.

By choosing the right plugin, website owners empower themselves with the necessary tools to not only confront but also preempt the ever-evolving malware threats, ensuring their WordPress site remains an impenetrable fortress in the vast digital landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are WordPress malware removal plugins?

WordPress malware removal plugins serve as protective tools that scan your website for potential threats. They can also locate any harmful code or files, and eliminate them. These plugins play a crucial role in maintaining the security of your website. As a result, it safeguards it against cyber threats and unauthorized access.

Why do I need a WordPress malware removal plugin?

Given the widespread use of WordPress and the multitude of plugins and themes available, WordPress websites are susceptible to malware attacks. Therefore, a malware removal plugin becomes essential to identify and eliminate any malicious code. They also help to ensure the safety of your data, visitors, and preserve your online reputation.

How do I choose a WordPress malware removal plugin?

Selecting a WordPress malware removal plugin requires careful consideration. Opt for one with a solid reputation, regular updates, and positive reviews. Some noteworthy options include Sucuri, MalCare, Wordfence, and iThemes Security.

Can I remove malware from my WordPress website without a plugin?

While manual removal is possible, it can be a complex and time-consuming process. Utilizing a malware removal plugin streamlines the task, making it quicker and more straightforward, while also guaranteeing thorough removal of all traces of malware.

What are some signs that my WordPress website has been infected with malware?

Indicators of a malware-infected WordPress website include a sudden decline in website speed, alterations to appearance or functionality. They also include pop-up ads or redirects, and warnings from your browser regarding potential safety issues.

What should I do if my WordPress website has been infected with malware?

In the event of a malware infection, take immediate action by installing a reputable malware removal plugin, conducting a thorough scan, and updating your WordPress core, plugins, and themes. In addition, change all passwords and consider seeking professional assistance to ensure complete removal of the malware and fortify the security of your website.

The post 6 Most Effective WordPress Malware Removal Plugins in 2024 appeared first on FixRunner.com.

Embarking on the journey of updating your WordPress theme is akin to giving your digital home a renovation. It’s an exciting venture that promises to breathe new life into your website, enhancing its aesthetics and functionality to better align with your evolving brand and the expectations of your audience. Yet, as with any significant change, the decision to switch themes often comes with a mix of excitement and a hint of concern.

The prospect of a fresh theme brings with it the allure of a modernized look, improved user experiences, and perhaps some advanced features that your current theme lacks. However, it’s perfectly natural to have concerns. Questions like “What if something goes wrong?”, “Could I lose my custom settings?”, or “Will my website still reflect my brand’s identity?” are common and entirely justified.

Here’s the reassuring part: with a thoughtful approach and careful planning, changing your WordPress theme can be a seamless and rewarding process. It’s not just about updating the look; it’s about enhancing the very essence of your online presence to ensure it continues to effectively serve your objectives and resonate with your visitors.

In this guide, we’ll navigate this transformative journey together. We’ll provide you with detailed instructions, address common challenges and their solutions, and offer the reassurance you need to move forward confidently. This isn’t just about making a change; it’s about elevating your website to new heights. Let’s take this step together, transforming apprehension into informed action, and paving the way for a revitalized and more engaging digital presence.

Content:

1. Points to consider when choosing a WordPress theme
2. Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your WordPress Theme
3. How to install WordPress themes
4. How to switch to or activate a new theme in WordPress
5. Navigating Common Issues and Their Solutions During a Theme Change
6. Last Words on How to Change Your WordPress Theme
7. FAQs

Points To Consider When Choosing A WordPress Theme

There are a few things to consider when switching your theme, including:

Theme layout

Your new WordPress theme that you want to change to should be able to display all the elements on your website such as logos, menus, and sidebars in a way that does not distort the appearance. The theme should support all website functionalities and should not be too complex to modify.

Mobile Responsiveness

Majority of internet users access websites with mobile devices. If your old theme is not mobile responsive, you will need a new theme that is suitable for the modern online presence.

Cross-browser compliance

You should choose a new theme that displays well on all the major browsers.

Importance of plugin compatibility when changing WordPress theme

The new theme should work well with all active plugins. If the theme is not compatible with your WordPress plugins, then you shouldn’t use it.

Use of active widgets

If you are switching from a widget-enabled theme, it follows that you switch to another widget enabled theme. By doing this, you will not lose data that is already saved by your widgets.

Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your WordPress Theme

Changing your WordPress theme is more than just a click away; it’s a process that requires attention to detail and an understanding of the steps involved. Let’s dive into a comprehensive guide that not only outlines the steps but also provides the rationale behind each, ensuring you’re well-equipped for a smooth transition.

Step 1: Backup Your Website

Why It’s Crucial: Before you embark on any significant changes to your website, creating a backup is paramount. Think of it as an insurance policy for your online presence. If anything goes wrong during the theme change—be it data loss, functionality issues, or compatibility problems—a backup ensures you can restore your site to its pre-change state. This peace of mind allows you to proceed with confidence, knowing your content, settings, and design elements are safeguarded.

Step 2: Choose Your New Theme Carefully

Selecting the Right Theme: The market is flooded with WordPress themes, each promising a unique look and feel. However, choosing the right theme goes beyond aesthetics. Consider factors like theme responsiveness, compatibility with essential plugins, and support for updates. A well-chosen theme not only elevates your site’s design but also enhances user experience and ensures smooth operation with your current setup.

Step 3: Test the New Theme in a Staging Environment

The Importance of a Sandbox: A staging environment is your playground for theme changes. That is a safe space where you can experiment without affecting your live site. Here, you can install the new theme, tweak settings, and customize layouts without any risk to your online presence. This step is crucial for identifying any issues that could disrupt site functionality or user experience, allowing you to address them before going live.

Step 4: Implement and Customize the New Theme

Tailoring to Your Needs: Once you’re satisfied with the theme’s performance in the staging environment, it’s time to activate it on your live site. But the work doesn’t stop there. Customizing the theme to match your brand’s identity, from color schemes to font styles, ensures a consistent and engaging user experience. Pay attention to navigation menus, widget areas, and any custom CSS you’ve used previously, adjusting as necessary to maintain the site’s look and feel.

Step 5: Monitor and Tweak Post-Launch

The Final Touches: After your new theme is live, your job isn’t quite done. Monitor your site closely for any unexpected issues that might arise. User feedback can be invaluable during this phase, highlighting areas for improvement you might have overlooked. Additionally, keep an eye on site performance and SEO rankings, making adjustments as needed to ensure your site continues to run smoothly and efficiently.

How To Install WordPress Themes

Option A – How to Change a WordPress Theme to Free Themes

If you are looking to install a free theme from the WordPress theme directory, here’s how:

From your admin dashboard, select Appearance, then click on the Add New button.

On the Add Themes page, look for Search themes on the right side of the page and type the name of the theme you want WordPress to download. In this example, we are searching for a theme named Catch Fullscreen.

When the search filter brings up the results, locate your chosen WordPress theme and click Install.

You should not immediately activate the theme you just installed. Instead, do a preview of the theme on different browsers. This will let you see the appearance and workability of the theme.

You may choose to activate your theme after you have done a preview, or even download and install other new themes as well. We will still show you how to activate or change to a new WordPress theme in the next section.

Option B – how to change a WordPress theme to Premium Themes

This method is most suitable when installing premium or paid WordPress themes.

The first thing you need to do is download a .zip file of your purchased theme, and save it on your computer. Do not extract the files.

Login to your WordPress admin dashboard. Just like the first step in Option A above, select Appearance and then click the Add New button.

On the Add Themes page, click on Upload Theme.

Click Browse to select your theme’s .zip file from your computer.

When the file you selected is loaded, click Install Now.

When the theme is installed, you may go on to view a Live Preview of the theme.

How To Switch to Or Activate A New theme in WordPress

At this point, you should have carried out all the checks necessary to successfully switch themes and should have installed a selected theme. To switch theme, go to your admin dashboard, select Appearance, and then Themes.

If there is are a large number of installed themes on your Themes page, you may have to search for your theme using the Search installed themes… search bar. But if not, simply locate your theme on the Themes page and click Activate.

And that’s it! Go on to enjoy the brand new look of your site.

Navigating Common Issues and Their Solutions During a Theme Change

Embarking on a theme change for your WordPress site can sometimes feel like steering through foggy waters. While the process is largely straightforward, certain common issues might emerge, potentially clouding your journey. Let’s shed some light on these challenges and chart a course towards clear, effective solutions.

Theme Compatibility

• The challenge: Not all themes play nicely with every version of WordPress or with every plugin you might have installed. Incompatibilities can lead to features breaking or, in the worst cases, your site becoming inaccessible.
• The solution: Before committing to a theme, conduct a thorough compatibility check. Most theme developers will specify which WordPress versions their theme supports. For a real-world test, use a staging site to install the theme and observe how it interacts with your existing plugins and content. If you’re keen on a theme but wary of potential conflicts, consider using a child theme. This allows you to reap the benefits of the parent theme while maintaining a layer of customization that’s safe from updates and conflicts.

Data Loss Fears

• The challenge: The thought of losing carefully created customizations, widgets, or even content during a theme switch is enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat.
• The solution: Utilize child themes to preserve customizations across theme updates and changes. For widgets and settings, many backup plugins offer the ability to export your site’s settings, which you can then re-import after the theme change. Additionally, some plugins are designed to specifically safeguard your widgets’ setup, ensuring they can be restored with ease.

Functionality Differences

• The challenge: Every theme brings its own set of features to the table, and you might find that your new theme doesn’t offer a particular functionality you’ve come to rely on.
• The solution: Before you dive into the theme change, make a list of essential functionalities your site needs. If the new theme falls short in any area, the vast repository of WordPress plugins is your treasure chest. There’s almost always a plugin that can introduce the desired functionality to your site. Choose reputable plugins with good reviews and active support to ensure smooth sailing.

Design Inconsistencies

• The challenge: Even with a successful theme activation, you might notice that some pages don’t look quite right. Layout breaks or style inconsistencies can detract from your site’s professionalism and user experience.
• The solution: Familiarize yourself with the customization options of your new theme. Many themes offer extensive options for tweaking the design without touching a line of code. For more granular control, page builders can be invaluable tools, allowing you to adjust layouts and elements visually. And for those unique touches, custom CSS can be applied either directly within the theme (if supported) or via a custom CSS plugin, ensuring your style adjustments remain intact through updates and changes.

Last Words on How to Change Your WordPress Theme

WordPress sites can’t work without a theme. Even if you urgently need to change your WordPress theme, you should still take some time to carry out necessary checks. Your website may end up with unexpected results if you don’t prevent the problems that can result from theme switching.

If you were not using a plugin for your Google Analytics service, do well to transfer the Google Analytics Code to the relevant files on your new theme.

Now that you have studied our guide on how to switch themes in WordPress, it’s safe to follow the detailed steps and easily switch your WordPress themes. For more WordPress tutorials check our WordPress blog.

Frequently Asked Questions About Changing WordPress Themes

Will changing my theme affect my website’s SEO?

Changing your theme can impact your SEO, but the effect can be minimized with careful planning. Ensure your new theme is SEO-friendly, maintains the same URL structure, and keeps your content accessible. Additionally, keep an eye on loading times and mobile responsiveness, as these factors significantly influence SEO.

Can I switch back to my old theme if I don’t like the new one?

Absolutely. WordPress allows you to switch themes as often as you need. However, it’s wise to make a backup before changing themes so you can restore your site to its previous state if needed. Remember, some settings or customizations made in the new theme might not transfer back perfectly.

Will I lose my content when I change themes?

No, your posts, pages, and most core content are stored in your WordPress database and should remain unaffected by a theme change. However, theme-specific elements like certain widgets or shortcodes might not transfer over seamlessly and may need to be reconfigured.

How can I ensure my new theme is compatible with my current plugins?

Before activating a new theme, test it in a staging environment where you can check its compatibility with existing plugins. Look for any conflicts or functionality issues. If problems arise, you might need to find alternative plugins or reach out to the theme developer for support.

What should I do if my site breaks after changing the theme?

First, don’t panic. If you have access to your admin area, try deactivating the new theme and reverting to the old one. If you’re locked out, use FTP to manually switch the theme back. If these steps don’t resolve the issue, restore your site from a backup.

How often should I change my WordPress theme?

There’s no set frequency for changing themes. It’s more about whether your current theme continues to meet your needs in terms of functionality, aesthetics, and user experience. If your site feels outdated or isn’t performing well, it might be time for a change.

Are there any risks to using free WordPress themes?

While many free themes are great, they can sometimes lack support and updates, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities. Always choose themes, free or paid, from reputable sources, and check for regular updates and support availability.

More Resources:

• The World Goes Mobile – Do You Have a Mobile Theme?
• How to Install a New WordPress Theme
• How to Install and Configure a WordPress Free Responsive Theme

The post How To Change A WordPress Theme appeared first on FixRunner.com.