WordPress Tutorials – 8DegreeThemes https://8degreethemes.com WordPress Tutorials and Reviews Wed, 12 Jun 2024 06:25:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 https://8degreethemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cropped-cropped-8degree-themes-logo-32x32.png WordPress Tutorials – 8DegreeThemes https://8degreethemes.com 32 32 Revamping Your Website: How Often Should You Change Your WordPress Theme? https://8degreethemes.com/how-often-should-you-change-your-wordpress-theme/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:53:02 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/how-often-should-you-change-your-wordpress-theme/ Do you want to change your WordPress theme? Thinking of revamping your website as per your current necessities? Want to develop a user-centered design? 

If your answer is yes to any of the above questions, let us remind you that you’re in the right article! 

Changing the theme on WordPress is a manageable task. But, the fact is that, if you don’t change your WordPress themes properly it might badly affect your SEO rankings. 

An individual or business owning a website must know that there is no such thing as a timeframe to change your WordPress themes. When there are different choices for design, functionalities, and updates, you can redesign the WordPress website according to your needs. 

Revamping your website will benefit you with positive changes to impress your customers and meet the current market trends. 

Moreover, you can make your website more responsive, better visibility in different search engines, upgrading the content management system (CMS), and more. 

We will get into the clear idea to change your WordPress themes but before that, let’s know how will it benefit us! 

Benefits of Changing Your WordPress Theme 

WordPress powers almost 40% of sites on the internet. Among them, nearly every website user uses different themes of different niches to build their website. 

The fact is that website owners choose a theme with a different perspective at the beginning. As the years pass by and experience and knowledge kick in, they are motivated to choose a theme that meets their wants and requirements. 

Let’s get familiar with the benefits of changing the website theme in detail! 

  1. Provides enhanced functionalities: New themes often come with better functionalities. For example, the Gutena theme launched recently is an advanced block-based WordPress theme. This feature might not be available in the previous themes. 
  2. Fresh and new look: Having the same visual over 10 years might give you that dullness. Moreover, if you decide to change your WordPress theme you can provide your website with a better design. “Change is inevitable.” Everyone likes change, and so will your website visitors, customers, business partners, and more. 
  3. Better SEO optimization: “There is no one secret to SEO success – it’s a combination of technical knowledge, creativity, and hard work.” When you change your WordPress theme, you can get a better and optimized loading speed, clean code, visibility, and ranking at the top of different search engines.  
  4. Technical improvements: The technical improvements of your website usually include, unbeatable coding standards, speed, performance optimization, security, and more.  

Things To Do Before Changing Theme on WordPress 

If you’re still reading this article, you might have come across the thought of changing your WordPress theme. 

Note: Before you decide to change your WordPress theme, you should back up all of your:

  • Posts and pages
  • WordPress plugins
  • Images, and videos
  • Database and more

Moreover, let’s get to learn about more things to do before changing the theme on WordPress in detail:

  1. Backup the website: Almost every theme developers suggest that users back up the website before they change their WordPress theme. Not only a theme but try to back up the entire things that might get affected during the process. 
  2. Overall performance metrics: Comparison is a better thing to do. So, if you decide to change your WordPress theme, firstly measure the overall performance of your website. Then change the theme and again check out the performance. This way you can have an idea of page load time before and after you switch themes. 
  3. Review the Support: Support is one of the most important things that you should consider when you change your WordPress theme. Even if you get stuck in the process of revamping your website, you can reach out for help.
  4. Update website to maintenance mode: It is a very good practice to put your website into maintenance mode. It will keep your user updated on the current condition of your website. Also, it suggests that visitors do not see the website when it is under any kind of construction. 

How Often Should You Change Your WordPress Theme?

There is no certain period of time when you should change your WordPress theme. Moreover, if your website lacks some of the things mentioned below, you should definitely consider changing the theme on WordPress.

  1. Responsiveness: If your theme doesn’t work properly on any device ranging from mobile to desktop, it is time for you to change your WordPress theme. It is because a lack of responsiveness will eventually cause you to lose your loyal and general traffic to the website. 
  2. Functions and designs: The design and functionality of your website should always be your prime focus. However, if it doesn’t seem to fit the current market trends in any way, you need to focus on redesigning the WordPress website. 
  3. Incompatible: You should change your WordPress themes when it is not compatible with any other plugins, WooCommerce, or any other things. Make sure that your theme is up to date and compatible with all the necessary equipment. 
  4. Overall Performance: If there is a drastic change in the overall ranking and performance of the website it’s time that you consider changing your WordPress theme. The new theme will enable you to have better and optimized speed. 

Wrapping Up: 

This is the end of our article “Revamping Your Website: How Often Should You Change Your WordPress Theme?” 

We hope this article helps you have a better understanding of the benefits of changing your WordPress theme, things to do before changing your theme, and how often you should change it! 

Also, if you want our suggestions on new WordPress themes, we would definitely suggest you choose Gutena. This block theme is built for speed and functionality, which will help you create an amazing website. 

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. 

Also, check out:

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10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a WordPress Theme https://8degreethemes.com/mistakes-to-avoid-when-choosing-wordpress-theme/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:53:01 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/mistakes-to-avoid-when-choosing-wordpress-theme/ Are you thinking of building your own responsive and professional website? Need help deciding which theme to choose? Willing to find out things to avoid while choosing a WordPress Theme? A WordPress theme plays a crucial role in building the overall appearance of the website. 

A suitable WordPress theme will enable you to personalize and build your website with perfect design elements. Not only that use customization options, rich features, and almost every option and component that will reflect your brand and business personality.  

It is not always true that the most sold or most popular WordPress theme can be the right fit for your website. In order to make sure your website is fluent and acts according to your needs, you need to choose a suitable theme that meets your needs. 

Do you want to nurture your WordPress Themes? If your answer is yes! Go through the list of nitty-gritty details on the points that will help you avoid common mistakes while choosing a perfect WordPress theme for your suitable brand. 

Mistakes to Avoid While Choosing a WordPress Theme 

A single bad decision while choosing a WordPress theme can make your entire website-building process a nightmare. In order to make sure that your website is responsive and will give you the result you want, make sure to note down the points carefully that we have mentioned in this article. 

Now without wasting your time, let’s get started!

1. Choose Mobile-Friendly and Responsive Theme

As per the statistics of 2022, around 57.38% of visitors visit websites through mobile. So, it is really important to make sure that you have a theme that is optimized to be viewed on mobile to ensure that your users have a good experience. 

Mobile-friendly themes are designed to be viewed on a small screen such as: 

  • Smartphones
  • Tablets

As a matter of fact, a responsive theme will make sure that the design of a website is perfectly adaptable to different screen sizes and resolutions. 

Some of the benefits of a responsive theme include: 

  • A wide range of audiences can access the website.
  • Provide proper access to content to visitors no matter where they are. 
  • Increase user engagement decrease bounce rates and much more. 

Hence, make sure that your theme is responsive and mobile-friendly. 

2. Considering Functionality and Suitability

Many users choose WordPress themes entirely based on their appearance. They fail to consider the function or suitability that serves your website’s purpose. 

Make sure that your theme offers: 

  • Suitable features and capabilities
  • Fits the brand’s needs

There are some themes that offer a wide range of features whereas some offer more specialized features. So, you need to make sure which kind of theme you need to build your website and choose accordingly. Then, WordPress theme customization will guarantee that you’ll get both the design and functionality that you need.

3. Compatibility 

In order to run a website smoothly, you need to make sure that your WordPress theme is compatible with both plugins and the WordPress platform. WordPress is a platform that keeps on updating to provide its users with more powerful features. 

If your theme is not compatible with the latest version of WordPress, it will provide the following issues: 

  • Poor overall performance
  • Includes more broken links
  • Absence of required content and much more. 

So, to make sure that your website is updated as per the current market trends, you need to choose a theme that is compatible with all the latest WordPress versions, major WordPress plugins, and WooCommerce. 

4. Excessive Features 

Having plenty of features is good, but having excessive features is bad for your website. It is said to be so because if your WordPress theme includes too many features, it might lead to slow down your website performance. 

The slow speed will eventually lead to causing a negative impact on the user’s side. Not only that having too many features might create confusion for the website developer. It might be complex or even a struggle to find features at the right time. 

5. Check the Code Quality 

Checking the code quality is one of the most unavoidable mistakes when choosing a WordPress theme. Code does determine the design and errors. 

Moreover, poor code quality impacts the following aspects of a website: 

  • The overall performance of the website
  • Security
  • Functionalities and features and much more. 

Good code will save you from unnecessary hassle like conflict or issues that occur due to incompatibility. 

6. Compatible with Web Host 

A web host usually ensures to let an organization or individual post their website and web page across the internet. It provides server space and resources that are necessary while hosting your own website.  

Some themes might have specific requirements or faults that might result in the lack of adaptation with your web host. So, before choosing any WordPress theme, make sure that it is compatible with your web hosting environment. 

Almost every kind of hosting has its own configuration, limitations, and sources. Make sure that the support provided by your web host is suitable for your WordPress theme. 

7. Excellent Support and/or Documentation 

Both WordPress beginners and professionals might require help while setting up their websites. There are multiple popular themes in the market that don’t provide their users with satisfactory support. 

In order to make sure that you don’t get stuck in any process of your website development make sure to avoid those themes that don’t provide their users with professional support. 

The benefits of having a support team and documentation include: 

  • Knowledge to use and customize theme
  • Includes proper step-by-step instructions
  • Tips to customize to adapt to your brand needs and much more. 

Some users prefer documentation while some prefer support from the support team. If you have both it’s even better! This way you can use either documentation or support as per the requirements. 

8. Consider Review and Feedback

Making your entire decision on the basis of ratings, reviews, and feedback might not be a proper decision. But, it is true that reviews and feedback help you have a better understanding of the product along with its advantages and limitations. 

Reviews and feedback will not only disclose the pros of using a WordPress theme but you will also get to know what the theme lacks. This way you can analyze properly and choose a theme that will be perfect to build your brand’s website. 

9. Licensing and Terms 

The licensing of a WordPress theme includes some of the following factors: 

  • Ways to use the theme
  • Knowledge of its distribution
  • Modification knowledge and much more

All of this helps a website owner and/or developer have a better understanding of the features and functionalities of the theme. 

Some themes cannot be used for commercial purposes which might not be exactly what a website owner wants. So, before using any theme you need to have a detailed knowledge of its licensing. 

Another consideration when it comes to licensing terms is the use of third-party components. Many themes incorporate third-party components, such as plugins or libraries, which may have their own licensing terms. 

It is important to ensure that the licensing terms for these components are compatible with the licensing terms of the theme and that they do not violate any licensing restrictions.

10. Accessibility 

Lack of accessibility features might actually limit your outreach to the users, visitors, customers, and clients. So, in order to make sure that you have greater outreach choose a WordPress theme that is more accessible.

Make sure that your WordPress Theme has the following accessibility features: 

  • Images with an alternative text
  • Simple and clear typography
  • Incorporates proper keyboard navigation feature
  • Skip repetitive navigation elements and much more. 

Hence, don’t choose themes that don’t include accessibility features. 

Popular WordPress Themes 

We already know about the common mistakes to avoid when choosing a WordPress theme. Now, it is your turn to get familiar with some of the most popular WordPress themes available in the market. 

These themes are selected after considering all the above-mentioned points!

1. Gutena 

Gutena - Most Popular WordPress Theme

Gutena is one of the best Gutenberg WordPress Themes which has its own new ways of building a website. Using this theme, you can build your first website on the FSE philosophy and use blocks in the most convenient way. 

This theme is a perfect choice to get started with the “Block Future” The best part about using this theme is that its developers made the updates as per the needs of its customers and current market trends and requirements. 

Due to this reason, your website will be up to date and attract more customers, visitors, and viewers which will be profitable for your business. Its modern in-built block pattern provides you with a power-packed beautiful design element that is suitable for plenty of users. 

Top Features: 

  • Fully Responsive and Retina Ready
  • Fully Block Based & Customizable
  • Comes with Pre-built Block Patterns
  • SEO Optimised with an assured score of 95
  • Easy One-Click Demo Imports

DEMO          DOWNLOAD


2. Oshine

Oshine - Most Popular WordPress Theme

Oshine is one of the most creative Multipurpose WordPress themes that is chosen by 34,000+ users across the world due to its enriched features and functionalities. This theme is very versatile in nature which makes it suitable for both beginners and professionals. 

As it is a multipurpose WordPress theme it is also suitable for different websites like Portfolios, Photography, Agency, Blog, Architecture, Business, Shop, and much more.

It has 52 demos with hundreds of prebuilt sample pages, so you can just pick a demo as per your requirements and make all the necessary changes. 

You can simply use prebuilt sections baked into Tatsu for instant prototyping. Use unlimited grid combinations and other creative styles to showcase your work. Moreover, it has a modern and classy design, stunning sliders, carousels, password-protected galleries, and much more. 

Top Features: 

  • Great Performance
  • 2X Faster Loading
  • High-Quality Design
  • Intuitive Fully Visual Page Builder
  • One-click Demo Installer

DEMO          DOWNLOAD


3. Spyro 

Spyro - Most Popular WordPress Theme

Spyro is one of the most powerful marketing landing page WordPress themes by BrandExponents that will enable you to build a perfect website with a high conversion rate. This theme has specially crafted templates and an amazing Visual Page Builder – Tatsu.

It has 12 stunning pre-built demos, so you can get started with a demo as per your own preference. Built by keeping Advertisers, Marketers, Lead Generation Companies, and Individuals in mind. Take your business to a whole new height by promoting your website on different social media platforms. 

One of the best parts about using this theme is that you don’t need to have any sort of coding knowledge. Moreover, it comes with lots of customization options like color change, typography, responsive control, radio buttons, dropdowns, and much more. 

Top Features: 

  • One-Click Demo Installer 
  • GDPR Compliant Design 
  • Drag and Drop Form Builder 
  • WPML and Polylang Compatible 
  • Compatible with Almost Every WordPress Plugin

DEMO          DOWNLOAD


4. Exponent 

Exponent - Most Popular WordPress Theme

Exponent is one of the best modern multipurpose business WordPress themes by BrandExponents. Its enriched features and functionality let you build a stunning and high-performance website using a fully visual interface.

It has a beautiful layout with unlimited grid possibilities, variable spacing, aspect ratio, and metro grids. Also, it has been built with speed. You can easily manage colors as per your requirements using palettes and swatches. Its magic comes from a design system built upon consistency and terrific attention to detail.

One of the best parts about using this theme is that the developer team updates the theme frequently to meet their customer’s and current market needs. This theme is crafted carefully after analyzing the needs of different industries. The design lets the users achieve a great balance between purpose & presentation.

Top Features:

  • 200+ Page Layouts
  • Comprehensive Typography Controls
  • Color Management
  • 33+ Modern and Fully Responsive Demos 
  • Beautiful Portfolios, Galleries & Carousels

DEMO          DOWNLOAD


Wrapping Up: 

Avoiding all the common mistakes while choosing a WordPress theme saves you a lot of unnecessary hassle. In order to make sure that you choose the right theme, analyze and interpret it before selecting a theme. 

Be sure that your theme will be able to meet all the needs and requirements of your brand. This way you can make your website building and running journey smooth, simple, and easy. 

If you have used any of the themes mentioned above, feel free to share your user experience with us in the comments section below. Also, let us know if we have missed out on any other important tips. 

We wish you all the best in selecting one of the best WordPress themes!

Also, check out: 

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10 tips to Optimize your WordPress Theme for SEO https://8degreethemes.com/tips-to-optimize-wordpress-theme-for-seo/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:53:00 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/tips-to-optimize-wordpress-theme-for-seo/ Do you want to optimize your WordPress Theme for SEO? When you decide to optimize your theme for SEO, plenty of available tools are at your disposal. 

WordPress is one of the most popular CMSs available on the market. One of the top reasons for its popularity is open-source, free, updates, plenty of tools, SEO-friendly nature, and much more. 

As of today millions of website, owners use WordPress themes to create an engaging and responsive website as per their needs. One of the most important factors that determine the success of a website is its search engine optimization (SEO) performance. 

Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) determine how well a website ranks when a relevant keyword is searched on the internet. In order to stand out from the competitors, it is really important to make sure that you optimize your WordPress theme for SEO. 

In simple terms, when you optimize your WordPress theme for SEO it will improve your website’s rank and eventually increase the organic traffic rate. 

In this article, we will provide you with the 10 best tips that will help you optimize your WordPress Theme for SEO in the best possible way. 

Best Tips to Optimize your WordPress Theme for SEO

Let’s get started with reading the best tips to optimize your WordPress theme for SEO and performance optimization: 

1. Optimize Title Tags and Meta Descriptions 

The title tags and meta description are significant SEO elements that will impact the overall ranking of your website. So, in order to improve your overall performance, you need to use relevant keywords and make it concise yet descriptive. 

Meta description and title tags are the elements of HTML that will enable you to serve information about the content of your website to all of your users, visitors, customers, and search engines. 

Here are some of the tips to follow when you optimize the title tags and meta descriptions: 

  • Include relevant keywords that describe the content of your web page.
  • Use title tags between 50-60 characters and meta descriptions between 120-155 characters. 
  • Make your meta descriptions compelling and concise which depicts the web page content as a summary. 

By optimizing your title tags and meta descriptions, you can improve your website’s ranking and increase organic traffic. Remember to include relevant keywords, keep them concise, use unique and descriptive titles, write compelling meta descriptions, and avoid duplicate content.

2. Used Optimized Images 

Optimizing images is important when you want to optimize your WordPress theme for SEO as it helps your website load faster. The speed-optimized website mostly ranks at the top of different search engines. 

Moreover, the optimized images also help your website appear in image search results. This will eventually drive more traffic to your website. 

In order to have optimized images for your website and improve overall SEO performance, consider the following factors: 

  • The most common image file formats are JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Moreover, use GIFs only for animations.
  • Resize images to appropriate dimensions.
  • Add appropriate alt text to your images. 
  • Compress images without affecting the quality of the images.

3. Clean and Easy-to-Read URLs

Using clean and easy-to-read URLs is important when you decide to optimize your WordPress theme for SEO. This is because different search engines understand the content of your website better way using the URLs.

WordPress usually uses a permalink structure which is not considered SEO-friendly. In order to change that you simply need to visit Settings>>Permalink. By doing this you can simply select a suitable custom structure for your website. 

Some of the basic rules include: 

  • Don’t use “a”, “an”, “the”, “and” when it’s not necessary for URLs. 
  • Create URLs that are short and easy to understand. 
  • Use category and subcategory names in your URLs to indicate the hierarchy of the content.

4. Choose SEO-Friendly Theme

Clean and optimized code can be a great factor in changing the SEO of a website as it helps search engines crawl your website more easily. So, make sure to search and use themes that are well-coded and follow the best practices throughout your web development. 

A responsive design is important for SEO because it makes your website mobile-friendly. So, use a theme that provides you with a responsive design. 

Also, Google gives priority to mobile-friendly websites in search results. So, make sure to choose a responsive design that can help improve your search engine rankings.

5. Use Caching Plugins

 Caching Plugins will help you improve the loading speed of your website. This is an important factor to improve the overall SEO of your website. 

WordPress provides its users with plenty of caching plugin options. So it is really important to choose plugins that are reputable and support your website more. 

Some of the most popular caching plugins include 

  • W3 Total Cache
  • WP Super Cache
  • WP Rocket 

6. Add Website Sitemap to Search Engines 

There are plenty of sitemap plugins available for WordPress Themes and websites available out there on the web. Some of the popular ones include 

  • Yoast SEO
  • Google XML Sitemaps
  • All in One SEO Pack. 

You can simply install one of these plugins to generate a sitemap for your website, all you need to do is customize settings as per the necessity. 

Moreover, once you generate a sitemap, you can submit it to different search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. 

7. Monitor the Website’s Performance 

Monitoring the website’s performance is important when you optimize your WordPress theme for SEO for better search engine ranking and user experience. 

There are many website monitoring tools available, such as: 

  • Google Analytics
  • SEMrush
  • Ahrefs 

These SEO tools can help you track your website’s traffic, user behavior, and performance metrics.

Moreover, you can monitor your website’s performance in the following ways: 

  • Track your website speed
  • Check for broken links
  • Keep an eye on the website’s security vulnerabilities and malware 
  • Track your website performance in search results

8. Use Responsive Design 

Choose a responsive WordPress theme. This way it will adjust to any screen size whether it’s a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile. 

Having a theme with responsive design is really important as it is important for user experience and search engines consider it a ranking factor. 

When your site is responsive, it adapts to fit the screen size of the device accessing it, making it easy for users to navigate and engage with your content.

9. Use Headings Effectively 

Using headings effectively is another important way to optimize your WordPress theme for SEO. Headings (such as H1, H2, and H3) are used to structure your content and make it easier for users and search engines to understand what your page is about.

  1. H1: The H1 tag should be used for your page title, as this is the main heading that tells users and search engines what your page is about. 
  2. H2: Use H2 tags for section headings within your content. This will help break up your content into sections and make it easier for users to scan and navigate. 
  3. H3: Use H3 tags for subheadings within your content. This will further break down your content and make it easier for users to understand and navigate. 

10. Fast Hosting Provider 

Your hosting provider can have a big impact on your site’s speed and SEO. Choose a hosting provider that offers fast load times and reliable uptime to ensure your site is always accessible and performing well.

When you choose the hosting provider for your WordPress theme consider the following things: 

  • Select providers with fast loading times
  • Consider the provider’s uptime 
  • Check the provider’s server location 
  • Choose a reputable provider 
  • Check for caching and optimization provider

Wrapping Up: 

We hope the tips listed in this article will help you to optimize your WordPress theme for SEO. SEO is one of the most important factors to outgrow your website and increase the overall performance and sales rate of your website. 

By following these tips, you can help ensure that your WordPress site is optimized for search engines, which can lead to better visibility, increased traffic, and ultimately, more conversions and revenue.

If you have any other tips or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. 

We wish you all the best to optimize your WordPress theme!

Also, check out: 

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10 Best Features Every Modern Block WordPress Theme Should Have https://8degreethemes.com/best-features-every-modern-block-wordpress-theme-should-have/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:52:58 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/best-features-every-modern-block-wordpress-theme-should-have/ Do you want a WordPress theme with a Full Site Editing (FSE) feature? Get more control over your website design. Willing to use custom blocks for styling all the sections? If yes, a modern Block WordPress Theme is the perfect choice for you. 

One of the best parts about WordPress is that it is ever-evolving. In the past couple of years, WordPress users can design their custom layouts directly from the Gutenberg editor. 

After the release of WordPress 5.9, a full site editing modern block has been added to CMS. This FSE creates an ease to design your website from the page that you’re on. 

Now without wasting your time, let’s get familiar with some of the top features that are a must in every modern block WordPress Theme. 

Features Every Modern Block WordPress Theme Should Have

There are abundant features that come with the new modern block WordPress themes. But, in this article, we will get familiar with the top 10 features. 

Let’s get started!

1. Responsive 

No user prefers a website that is unadjusted. Every modern block WordPress theme is well known for its ability to adjust the website’s images, contents, and other elements to any screen size and device. 

Having a responsive website is a must as it provides a better user experience to the users.

Your website will for sure look just as good on a smartphone as it would look on a desktop or laptop. 

Best Features Every Modern Block WordPress Theme Should Have

Not only the design but the modern block WordPress theme has responsive typography, spacing, display condition, global typography, and group and column shadow. 

2. SEO Friendly

Every website owner wants their website to rank at the top of different search engines. Moreover, the SEO-friendly nature of the modern block WordPress theme will help you increase your visibility and stand out among your competitors.  

When your website ranks at the top on a search engine result page (SERP) you will gain more traffic to your website. As a result, no matter whether you create content or sell goods and services, it will turn out to be profitable. 

3. Well Mobile Optimized 

According to a recent survey conducted by Internet traffic, it is estimated that 60,04% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. 

As a website owner, you need to make sure that your website will be well optimized to provide a good user experience to users from mobile devices. 

Modern block WordPress themes are well known to provide a systematic and strategic approach to engage users who are visiting your website through mobile devices. 

4. Compatible with WordPress Plugins 

Themes are powerful but plugins make them even more powerful. Wherever you need to add any features, using a plugin is a must whether you’re a beginner or a professional. 

Before purchasing or using any modern block WordPress theme make sure that your theme is compatible with all major WordPress plugins.

This way you can build a website that is more professional, functional, systematic, and complete. 

5. Clean and Efficient Code 

Please make sure that your modern block WordPress theme has an optimized code. If your theme has clean code, it will enable you to maximize your website speed. 

It eventually results in a better user experience and higher search engine rankings. Clean code will make everything on your website more readable, changeable, and expandable. 

6. Handiness of Abundant Block Patterns 

Modern block WordPress theme is all about its amazing block patterns. So, when you look for block WordPress themes, try to choose a theme that has enough block patterns. 

So what is a block pattern? It’s a set of pre-defined layouts that are made of different blocks. Those blocks can be arranged, modified, inserted, and reused at your own convenience. 

In simple words, you can easily elevate your website using amazing block patterns. 

7. Global Style Options 

Global Styles are CSS styles that are used for different elements of a website throughout the whole of it. It works on being applied on a whole rather than on a specific element or an individual page. 

Global style options are used on almost every modern block WordPress theme in order to make it easier for theme developers and designers to style blocks. 

8. Beautifully Designed Templates 

Templates are one of the most important parts of any WordPress Theme. Whether your theme is a modern block WordPress theme or just a WordPress theme, having responsive and functional templates is a must. 

An amazing template will help you to present your brand’s identity and functionality in the best possible way.

9. Minify CSS and Java

Researchers have found that a theme that uses different tools to minify CSS and Java will enable to reduction of the overall file size. 

So, when you choose a modern block WordPress theme make sure that it has less usage of CSS and Java. If you make sure to choose the ones with this functionality, your website speed will be well optimized. 

The advantages of well-optimized speed are: 

  • Streamlines the browsing process
  • Better overall user experience
  • Reduces bounce rate
  • Increases SEO ranking and much more. 

10. Plenty of Styling Options

When you choose your modern block WordPress theme, choose the one that has tons of styling options like:

  • Text colors
  • Background color
  • Drop cap
  • Editable header
  • Editable footer and much more. 

Best Modern Block WordPress Theme

If you’re looking for “Best Features Every Modern Block WordPress Theme Should Have” you might also be looking for one of the best modern block WordPress themes that will enable you to build amazing and responsive websites. 

We have tested plenty of modern block WordPress themes but the one that really stands out is Gutena – Modern Block WordPress Theme

Let’s know about this theme in detail. 

Gutena – Modern Block WordPress Theme 

Gutena - Modern Block WordPress Theme

Gutena is one of the best Gutenberg WordPress Themes which has its own new ways to build a website. Using this theme, you can build your first website on the FSE philosophy and use blocks in the most convenient way. This theme is a perfect choice to get started with the “Block Future” 

Its modern in-built block pattern provides you with a power-packed beautiful design element that is suitable for plenty of users. The theme assures you with a performant website that has a score of 95 and above on core web vitals for speed. 

Due to its easy functionalities and customization options, enriched features, pre-built demos, and fully built block patterns, it is suitable for both WordPress beginners and professionals. Despite its simplicity, it follows all of the block standards that a full site editing WordPress theme requires. 

The best part about using this theme is that its developers made the updates as per the needs of its customers and current market trends and requirements. Due to this reason, your website will be up to date and attract more customers, visitors, and viewers which will be profitable for your business. 

Moreover, this theme has all of the best features every modern block WordPress theme should have as mentioned in the above article. 

Top Features: 

  • Fully Responsive and Retina Ready
  • Fully Block Based & Customizable
  • Comes with Pre-built Block Patterns
  • SEO Optimised with an assured score of 95
  • Easy One-Click Demo Imports
  • Gutenberg Compatibility 
  • WooCommerce Ready

DOWNLOAD           DEMO

Wrapping Up: 

We hope this article helped you to have a better knowledge of the “10 Best Features Every Modern Block WordPress Theme Should Have” 

Before choosing a modern block WordPress theme for your website, having a piece of better knowledge of what it must have is important! In order to help you with that we have made this effective list. 

Please make sure that your theme has these features! 

If you have any other features in your mind, feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. Do share your user experience with us if you have used Gutena theme before! 

Also, check out: 

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How to Change the WordPress Theme Without Losing Content https://8degreethemes.com/how-to-change-wordpress-theme/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:52:46 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/how-to-change-wordpress-theme/ Are you a WordPress beginner trying to learn to change the WordPress theme of your website? 

To perform any sort of activity, there are certain steps and rules you need to follow. Changing the WordPress theme is no different. One wrong step and your website may break down real quick. 

Not to worry, here is a tutorial guide in which I will explain to you the right way to change the WordPress theme without losing content. 

Your site goes through many changes daily. Some of the changes appear to be good and fruitful whereas others might bring issues to your website. With regards to the change of WordPress theme, it is the same. 

There are thousands of responsive and fully functional themes available on the web. As per your preference and need, you can change it to a suitable theme for better performance. 

Also, changing the theme gives a new look to your website which can be a refreshment for your viewers too. If the new theme is going to make your site better then why not? 

Change the WordPress Theme Without Losing the Content

The main problem that arises with the change of WordPress theme on your website is losing the content.

For any WordPress website, content is one of the most important components. Losing content results in less traffic rank, poor SEO performance, and fewer visitors. It simply makes a website not interesting for viewers. So, it’s necessary to change the WordPress theme precisely.

I have tried to come up with one of the easiest and simplest methods with beginners in mind. Let’s learn to Change the WordPress Theme without Losing the content

Changing the theme on your website is a hectic process and can be tiring for the users who are doing it for the first time. There are steps to be considered before and after changing a theme. Let’s learn about the steps in detail:

Step 1: Select a New WordPress Theme for your website

If you’re going to change the WordPress theme on your site, you need a new theme. Get ready to do a detailed search on the themes to get the perfect one for your website. You can get the free version of the themes on the WordPress repository and the premium one on Themeforest

Being a WordPress user myself, I will suggest you do a detailed search of the themes. The overall appearance and performance of your site depend upon the layout and responsiveness of the theme. 

To make it easy for you, I have listed some of the features you need to consider in your new theme before applying it to your website. 

  • Speed and Performance

Speed has become the most important feature to look out for on any website. A site that loads in a few seconds is more likely to have a very low bounce rate than one that takes many seconds to load. The content of the site and the appearance all come later, the first impression the visitors have on your site is mainly based on the speed and the performance. So, when selecting a theme, make sure to check the speed and performance of the site.

Also, the speed and performance of the site are not fully dependent on the theme, but why take a risk?

  • Responsiveness

Responsiveness is the second most important feature for me. A site with high speed and performance has no value if it’s not responsive. A site that works perfectly fine provides action to all the buttons and links and makes visitors’ site experience fruitful is more likely to have a high site traffic rank. The minute your site acts unresponsive, your visitors drive to another website that provides similar content or information. Therefore, when selecting a theme, make sure it is a responsive theme. 

  • Design and Layouts

Depending upon the type of site you own, you need to select a theme that perfectly fits the design and layouts you want. If you own an eCommerce site, selecting a blog theme is not going to help you. So, make sure to check out the demos, designs, and layouts of the theme before you make a choice. 

  • Features and Funcionalites

A great theme has way too many features and functionalities to help you create and run your site with ease. A fully functional feature-rich theme is necessary to build a stunning website. Hence, ensure that the theme has all of it. 

These are the major things you need to look out for in a theme before you select it as a new theme for your website. Keep in mind that, it’s not all you need, but these are must-have components in a theme to make your site perform better. 

Make sure to install the theme on your website. Follow our tutorial guide on ‘How to Install WordPress Theme on your website?’

Note: Don’t activate the theme. Simply install it and the first step is all done!

Step 2: Backup All the Data and Information on your Website

The second step before you change the WordPress theme is to back up all your data in a convenient way. It is an easy process that can be done using various ways. 

It’s always a good idea to back up your site before making any changes. In the case of loss of any data, it can be easily gained accessed. Two of the easiest ways to the backup site are:

  • Backing up WordPress Website using Plugin
  • Backing up WordPress Website Manually

Both of these methods will be equally helpful. However, the use of a plugin allows you to perform bulk action whereas doing it manually can be time-consuming. 

Backing Up WordPress Website Using Plugin

There are hundreds of backup plugins (both free and premium) available. UpdraftPlus is one of the most popular free WordPress plugins that has been used by 3 million+ users to back up their sites. The plugin allows you to back up into the cloud directly to Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3 (or compatible), UpdraftVault, Rackspace Cloud, FTP, DreamObjects, OpenStack Swift, and email. The other premium plugin options are WPvivid and BackupBuddy

As a first step, install the plugin on your site. Follow our tutorial guide on ‘How to Install WordPress plugin on your website?’ Activate the plugin after you are done installing it and follow these procedures:

[Note: If you already have this plugin on your site, you don’t need to follow this step]

  • Click on Press here to Start button.
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
  • Click on Backup Now.
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
  • Select the options that are necessary for your website and backup.
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
  • Select the Download to your computer option.
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin
Backup WordPress Website using Updraft Plugin

Doing this makes your site data and information secure. You can easily access them in case of any loss. This is the end of the second step.

Step 3: Test Load Time

Testing the load time of your website before changing the theme enables you to know the performance of your website before and after the change of the theme. Speed as I previously mentioned is the most important component of your website. Hence, you must make sure that your site is performing better with the new theme. 

There are many testing sites available on the internet. I prefer Pingdom for testing the load time of the site. Keep track and record it somewhere on your computer to access it whenever necessary. 

Step 4: Download all your Tracking Codes

All your tracking codes will be gone if you don’t download or save them anywhere on your computer device or fly. Tracking codes are used on your website for various purposes. 

Many website users add analytics tracking codes directly to their theme files. But, there are also WordPress themes that enable you to add AdSense or Analytics code in the settings panel. 

You need to make sure that you copy all the tracking codes so that you can add them to your site after you change the WordPress theme.  

Install Google Analytics on your website to track the code. WPBegineer has a very detailed tutorial on ‘How to Add Google Analytics to your WordPress Website?’ You can also use plugins like Header and Footer for tracking codes. 

Step 5: Switch your Site to Maintenance Mode

Adding a maintenance mode is always a good option. In the case of major updates, it enables your visitors to know about the status of your site. To enable the maintenance mode on your site, you can make use of a plugin. Also, when you change the WordPress theme, it can take a longer time few days in particular, so during this time, a maintenance mode page saves your site.

SeedProd is the #1 Landing Page Builder plugin. It is a popular and responsive premium plugin that enables you to create a beautiful coming soon and maintenance mode plugin. Install the plugin on your site by following our tutorial guide here

SeedProd - Best Maintenance Mode WordPress Plugin
SeedProd – Best Maintenance Mode WordPress Plugin

Upon the activation of the theme, 

  • Head over to SeedProd>>Settings 
  • Configure plugin settings 
  • Select the Enable Maintenance mode radio button 
  • Click on the Save All Changes button.
Enable Maintenance Mode using SeedProd Plugin
Enable Maintenance Mode using SeedProd Plugin

Step 6: Activate New WordPress Theme

The final step you need to follow to change the WordPress theme is activating a new theme on your site. After you are done, setting up your WordPress maintenance mode on the site, activate the theme that you had previously installed on the first step of this tutorial. To do this,

  • Go to Theme>>Appearance
  • Live Preview the theme one last time before activating.
Change WordPress Theme Without Losing Content
Change the WordPress Theme Without Losing the Content
  • Activate the theme.
Change WordPress Theme Without Losing Content
Change the WordPress Theme Without Losing the Content
  • Set up your site as per your needs.

Wrapping Up:

This is the end of our tutorial. Following this way, you can change the WordPress theme on your site without losing any content. Some additional changes might be necessary depending on the theme you previously used on your site. I hope the tutorial was helpful!

Also, Check-Out:

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How To Properly Incorporate Your Videos To Match Your WordPress Themes (2024) https://8degreethemes.com/how-to-incorporate-videos-to-wordpress-themes/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:52:35 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/how-to-incorporate-videos-to-wordpress-themes/ Videos are in every digital space – from websites, apps, and even social media. They give life to websites and are great when it comes to boosting user engagement. Adding videos to your website is a powerful way of showing your visitors what the site is all about, not just telling them. Videos are attractive, people watch them and get hooked.

As such, businesses are increasingly looking for ways to integrate them into their websites. WordPress multipurpose themes make it extremely easy for designers to embed videos from sites such as Facebook, Vimeo, and YouTube. But it’s not always easy to incorporate videos in a way that matches your WordPress theme.

Below are some great tips on how to properly incorporate videos on your WordPress site.

Key Terms In WordPress Videos

Prior to looking at how WordPress works with videos, it’s important to define some key terms that are used in relation to uploading as well as displaying videos on websites. Here are some key terms you need to understand before you get started:

  • Resolution: This term is used to refer to the quality of a video image. Often measured in dots per inch (DPI) or pixels per inch (PPI), the term is used to define the number of pixels of color per square inch in videos or images. The higher the PPI, the higher the video resolution, and the better the video quality.
  • Aspect Ratio: Used mostly in reference to TVs, photos, and videos, this term is used to define the proportional size of a screen or image width and length. In video production, it’s expressed as a ratio. The most common ratio is 16:9, which means a 16-unit image or video width and a 9-unit length.
  • High Definition: This term refers to the clarity and crispness of a computer or TV screen.
  • Compression: When used in the video context, this term refers to a reduction in the data amounts that a video file can hold. Videos are often compressed to ensure that your site loads or opens faster. Compressing videos is a good idea, particularly when you want users to download videos from your site. Compression guidelines vary from one hosting company to another.
  • Encoding: This refers to the process of converting original video files from one extension format to another to allow users to view them on different browsers and devices. Different mobile devices and browsers accept different video file formats. As such, videos should be encoded to enable users to view the videos on their devices or browsers of choice.  For instance, a video file can be converted from the .mov format to .mp4 format so that it can be uploaded and viewed on WordPress sites.

Should You Self-Host Your Videos Or Use Hosted Sites?

Before you start incorporating videos on your website, you need to determine where the videos will be stored. There are two ways you store videos – you can self-host them or have them hosted elsewhere. Self-hosted videos are stored on your server along with your WordPress website. On the other hand, hosted videos are stored on a different server and embedded or linked to your website.

If you’re not sure which web hosting option to go for, here are several tips to help you find the one that works for you:

  1. Quality of Videos 

If your plan is to incorporate numerous, high-definition videos, hosting the videos on your server will eat up space. If you’re using a server that has storage limits, it will fill up fast. The best way to meet this need is to host the videos elsewhere.

  1. Type of Hosting Service

For self-hosting, the type of hosting package you have mattered. For shared hosting packages, uploading high-quality videos that take up a lot of space is a challenge. With this type of hosting, you’re better off hosting the videos elsewhere. If you’re using VPS hosting, you’re likely to have space to host several videos. It’ll work well where there are no plans to keep adding more videos. Dedicated hosting packages are the best when you want to self-host your videos. Depending on the setup, you can keep adding videos and upgrade the package as the need arises.

  1. Server and Website Optimization

To self-host effectively, your host server and WordPress site should be optimized for speed. The server should have sufficient storage space, RAM and fast processor speeds to load the videos fast. Ideally, this should be determined by the number of videos you wish to self-host.

  1. Host Server Bandwidth

If you want to self-host your videos, you need to ensure that your host server has sufficient bandwidth. One of the factors you need to consider is the volume of traffic. If your site is popular and traffic volumes are likely to surge, pay attention to the bandwidth that your site will be allowed to use. The higher traffic, the more bandwidth is required. If your plan is to display numerous, high-definition videos for use by tons of visitors, consider hosting the videos on an external server.

Generally, where your host server lacks sufficient speeds, storage space, and bandwidth, having your videos hosted on an external server is the best option. The opposite is true – where your host server has plenty of space, high speeds, and bandwidths, you can proceed to self-host your videos.

How To Upload Videos On WordPress

Uploading videos on WordPress themes is not difficult. In fact, it only takes a few clicks to get the task done. If you choose to host your videos, below are several ways to add them to a WordPress-themed website:

  1. Add Videos To WordPress Pages Or Posts

WordPress has a Block Editor that features a video block. With the video block, it’s easy to upload videos on WordPress before placing them wherever you wish on a page or post. You can place their videos either using the Media Library, uploading, or inserting a video URL. If you decide to add a video by uploading, you’ll need to click the ‘upload’ option and then select the file you wish to upload. Users have the option of using the classic editor to upload videos.

In this case, you’ll need to click on the ‘add media’ button before clicking on the ‘upload media’ tab that appears on top.  At the center of the page, click on the ‘select file’ button, select the video file you wish to upload then follow the prompts your computer gives you. Once you’re done uploading your video, add a caption, title, and a brief description of your choice on the right side.

As you do this, ensure that you select the embed media player option available on the link or embed drop menu that appears on the attached display setting. Once done, click the insert button in the post. Your video should be added to the page or post – proceed to complete the process.

  1. Adding Videos To WordPress Blogs

WordPress has great features that make it easy for designers to embed videos on website pages – including website pages, blog posts, and sidebar widgets. The auto-embeds feature allows websites to get embed codes automatically from video hosting sites such as Vimeo and YouTube.

However, to do this, you’ll need to paste the URL for the video in the WordPress editor. For instance, if you want to embed a YouTube video on your website, you’ll need to copy the video URL on YouTube. Once you have the URL, edit the WordPress page where you wish to add the video, then paste it into the content area. WordPress automatically fetches the embed code and then displays the video within the content editor immediately after you paste the YouTube URL.

Save the post and click the preview button to view the embedded video on your blog post. Once you’ve added your video, you can adjust your setting using the settings column and the block toolbar. Some aspects that you can adjust include the width and alignment. You can preserve the aspect ratio and add captions to the video as well. It’s important to note that WordPress auto-embeds only work for video services that are white-listed.

These include YouTube, Amazon, Cloudup, Facebook, Dailymotion, TED, Flickr, Spotify, and Instagram. To add videos from sites that aren’t white-listed, you’ll need to get complete HTML embed codes for each video.

Adding Videos On WordPress Sidebar Widgets

Like WordPress posts and pages, videos can be added on any WordPress sidebar widget. To do this, you’ll need to go to the ‘Appearance’ and then the ‘Widgets’ page. While there, add a ‘Text’ widget to your sidebar.  Open the widget settings and paste the URL to your video in the content area.

WordPress automatically picks the embed code and then displays a video preview on your screen. Click the ‘Save’ button to update your widget settings and open your website to confirm the embedded video on your sidebar widget. Ordinarily, you’ll not need a plugin to embed your videos on WordPress. Even so, you can use the plugins to boost the viewing experience on your site. If you decide to do this, you can try plugins such as smash balloon and YouTube subscribes bar.

Tips For Incorporating Videos On WordPress Themes Successfully

If you’re just starting to add videos to your WordPress website, here are some useful tips to help you do so successfully:

  1. Pick A Good Host

When deciding on a server to host your videos, opt for one that can meet your space needs before you can start uploading them to your site. Whether you decide to self-host or get a premium or free hosting option, ensure that the server is able to meet your immediate needs, and is also willing to accommodate your growing needs in the future.

  1. Encode Your Videos Correctly

To ensure that your videos play well on all devices and browsers, you’ll need to encode them correctly. Most people who opt to self-host their videos tend to overlook this – but it’s necessary. If you use Vimeo, YouTube, or Wistia, your videos will be re-encoded automatically. This means they’ll play well on all browsers and devices. If you’re self-hosting, consider storing different versions of your videos in varying formats so you can easily view them on different browsers or devices.

  1. Give Your Audience Equal Access

Internet speeds vary across the globe and in some areas, slow speeds can hinder access to your videos. While these speeds are improving gradually, you need to consider this challenge when you’re preparing your videos. To give equal access to your worldwide audience, compress your videos to reduce the file size. This will make them load faster, even for audiences that experience slower internet connectivity speeds.

  1. Pay Attention To Video Quality

The quality of your videos will often reflect the quality of the service or product that you’re offering. When creating videos, pay attention to the visual and audio aspects. Test their performance before you upload and push them to live. This enables you to know what is working and what needs to be changed.

Conclusion

Videos are highly effective in sharing information with your audience as well as boosting your site’s SEO.  If you have a WordPress site, adding videos to your blogs, pages, posts or even sidebars can sound like a difficult thing to do. In a real sense, it’s not.  If you follow the processes described above, you’ll realize that you can embed videos in your WordPress site within minutes and drive your web traffic up within no time.

But it takes more than just adding videos to get the results you want. When you decide to use videos, you need to consider how accessible they’ll be to your target audience. Before you upload your videos, ensure they’re of high quality. Encode them correctly to eliminate access barriers that may be occasioned by the type of browsers or devices your audience uses. Compress them to boost loading speeds and choose a hosting plan that allows you enough space to grow in the future.

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10 Simple Tips To Secure Your WordPress Website https://8degreethemes.com/tips-secure-wordpress-website/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:52:08 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/tips-secure-wordpress-website/ Do you want to secure your WordPress website to save it from hacking and unusual cracks? If yes, then this is the article for you. Here we will discuss 10 different tips you can use to secure your WordPress website. Let’s Start:

Web security is a great matter of concern for every website owner. And if you’re a beginner then it gets more serious for you.  There are many myths related to WordPress security. But just don’t run with the rumors spread. Wait for a while and think, WordPress is the most popular CMS and millions are using it. If it was an insecure platform, does it manage to stay in the first position up to now? WordPress itself is not insecure. Just its improper use makes it insecure.

However, there are paid SSL certificate options that offer many benefits compared to free SSL. A site owner needs to mull over them and decide to go with the correct type of SSL certificate. As many SSL providers offer Cheap SSL Certificates at a reasonable cost with post-sales service too.

Tips to Secure your WordPress Website

So here in this article, we are going to discuss some of the simplest and actionable steps that help you to secure your WordPress website. These steps are very easy to perform and at the same time, it ensures that your site is safe! So let’s explore and practice it.

1. Always keep your WordPress Software, Themes, and Plugins Updated

Though WordPress is free and open-source software, it is well-maintained and regularly updated. One of the prime ways to secure your WordPress website is to keep it updated with the latest software version available. Not only the WordPress software version, but the themes, and plugins you are using also update their versions from time to time. So, to avoid external attacks you should make sure your theme and plugins are up-to-date. Also, WordPress websites that are updated with the latest versions are more likely to have strong security. You must check out the themes, plugins, and Software from time to time and update it with a new version.

WordPress also enables the option of auto-update to keep your themes, plugins, and software updated after a new version without your approval. However, this might not be convenient for all users. In all, make sure that you secure your WordPress website by updating it!

2. Use Strong Username and Password

Use Custom username and strong password

A very likely common mistake that users usually perform is using a custom username for their website. This gives hackers a chance to give a right guess about your site’s login details. Hence, you must choose a powerful/strong username and password to secure your WordPress website.

Most people use easy-to-remember usernames and passwords. This is the biggest mistake they make. A website with a weak and common password is the main target of hackers. Using a weak and easily guessable password is the gateway for hackers. Therefore, it is really important to manage your WordPress password and username. You should use a unique and difficult username and password for all your accounts. Remember, don’t use the default username “admin” instead, create a custom username. And to create a strong password, your password must be 8 characters long or more, do not use only simple letters as passwords, including numbers, symbols, and capital letters. Mixing different characters in a password makes it strong and the hackers can’t crack it.

3. Secure Hosting Company

It is important that you choose a hosting company that provides secure hosting. Usually, the chances of your site getting hacked are high if you choose unsecured hosting.

Selecting a poor hosting service is the first mistake you make to avoid securing your WordPress website. Choosing the right hosting company matters for your website security. Most people choose hosting companies based on their price range. But along with low prices comes poor services. You would not like to get your site getting hacked when it is at the peak of traffic and SEO.

This could be a thrive for you. So, think twice before you go with the cheap cost. You must research the hosting company that you are going to choose and make sure it’s safe and secure.  WordPress.com itself is a secure hosting provider, whereas WP Engine, Bluehost, Godaddy, etc. are the other most preferred and secure hosting providers to ensure to security of your WordPress website.

4. Limit Login Attempts

Limiting login attempts is yet another great way to fail the hacker’s attempt to crack your password. The greater the chances the worst. If you limit the number of login attempts then a hacker may not be able to guess it at the very time.

Mostly, the hacker tries several login attempts to enter your site. So if you set the login limitation, you can protect your site from brute-force attacks. You can easily limit login attempts of your site using simple WordPress plugins. Login LockdownLimit Login Attempts, WP Limit Login Attempts, etc are the free and mostly used WordPress plugins for limiting login attempts.

In a few cases, limiting the number of login attempts can be a burden to the users on the site. But, it is necessary to secure your WordPress website by enabling all the security measures.

5. Activate Security Plugins

Plugins are the solutions to all the missing problems on your website. There are plugins developed and used to keep your site secure and protect it from hackers.

So, using WordPress security plugins is yet another important step to secure your WordPress websites.  Security plugins secure your WordPress website by tracking the vulnerabilities and other issues happening on your website and reporting them to you. There are many free and premium WordPress security plugins available.  Using such plugins keeps your website secure.

Among all the security plugins available – Hide My WP is one of the best and most trusted plugins.

Hide My WP – Amazing Security Plugin for WordPress

 

Hide My WP - Amazing Security Plugin for WordPress
Hide My WP – Amazing Security Plugin for WordPress

Hide My WP is the #1 security plugin for WordPress. The plugin functions by hiding your WordPress from attackers, spammers, and detectors. With over 26,000+ satisfied customers, the plugin hides your WP login URL and renames the admin URL. Further, the plugin detects and blocks XSS and SQL Injection types of security attacks on your website. Hide My WP provides 3-Way protection by hiding your WordPress and providing WordPress Firewall for worry-free usage and a Robust Trust Network that protects WordPress from unknown attackers.

Download

Further, All In One WP Security & FirewallWordfence Security, iThemes Security, etc. are some of the most preferred security plugins.

6. 2-step authentication

Google Authenticator for WordPress Plugin

A two-step authentication also secures your WordPress website from unusual hackers and attackers. Usually when a user login to your website, he/she will have to verify yet another information to use the admin of your website. This ensures that only the right user is using the site and it is safe.

The authentication can be a verification code received through Email or Phones and such. This is another great way to protect your password from hacking attempts and keep your site safe. According to the 2-step authentication process, added to your password, a separate authentication code would be needed to enter the site. This authorization code would be sent via SMS to the account owner’s number only and hence helps a good deal in thwarting the hackers, even if they can crack your password. It is a very important step to secure your WordPress website.

7. WordPress Backup Solution

You must have a backup solution for your WordPress website in case it is hacked! Sometimes, even after applying all the safety measures and tips, your website can get hacked. But, a backup solution always works in favor to secure your WordPress website.

Though you pay lots of attention to web security and do lots of things for it, still, you are not 100% secure. In this case, a backup of your website could help. Backup lets you restore the site immediately when something went wrong. It keeps your hard work safe and secure so that if anything bad happens, you won’t have to start from scratch. Again, plugins can do this for you. There are many free and premium plugins available for WordPress backups. Just you need to install a good one and set a schedule and the rest plugin will do it automatically. UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin, BackWPup, etc. are free yet powerful WordPress plugins.

8. Protect your wp-config.php File

Protection of the wp-config.php File is a must to secure your WordPress website. This is a place where all the files and folders of your website are located. A hacker usually targets this place for hacking to steal all the information and use them for their advantage. Hence, you must protect it from hackers.

The wp-config.php file is where all the confidential details and information of your WordPress site locates. So, the protection of your wp-config.php file is a must. If this file is secure then it would be difficult for a hacker to know the important details of your site and the core of your WordPress site safely.

To protect your wp-config.php file, you just have to move it to the directory above your WordPress install i.e. above your root directory.

If your server has a .htaccess file, you can simply place the following code at the top of it and protect the wp-config.php file.

9. SSL Encryption

Using private encryption is an optimal act to secure your WordPress admin login, pages, posts, and much more. SSL encryption gives better security for you by ensuring harder password interception. Some hosting service providers offer free SSL certificates with hosting plans. So, if you are planning to launch your new website or going to change the web host of your existing website, the best idea is to go with a company that assures SSL certificates.

Security researcher Yashar Ghaffarloo says the following: “Adding an SSL certificate can mean the difference between security for not only you as an administrator but also for your users. When information is transmitted, SSL is an easy way to ensure that it is secure. With services like LetsEncrypt and Cloudflare free SSL, there’s no reason not to implement SSL. This is something I not only preach but also do myself with my product and service review website Review.org

Learn More: Why is SSL important for your website? Where to find free SSL certificate?

10. Security scanner

Prevention is better than cure, so it’s always good to be alert. You have to install a good security scanner for your WordPress site as well. The scanner option will scan the presence of (if any) malicious codes inside your core files and plugins.

The use of a strong security scanner detects an odd practice on the site and reports out immediately. In this case, even if the hacker might have hacked your website, he/she will be less likely to cause any damage. You can look out for the problem and act in case of any malfunctions. This ensures secure your WordPress website.

Wrapping Up

These are the few simple yet very important tips to secure your WordPress website. When you are a beginner or the one with no core technical knowledge, security is what frightens you. But considering all these easy tricks helps you to overcome security related issues. There are lots of other technical and nontechnical ways to make your WordPress website secure. But here I have just discussed some of the common and simplest things to do targeting WordPress beginners.

In order to learn more about WordPress Security and Tips you can check out wpWave. The site has very useful articles that will be helpful for you to learn more about WordPress securities and its importance.

Hope it was useful for you.

If you have any queries related to post or want to know more about WordPress security, then please feel to share.

Also, Check-Out:

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4 Ways for Adding User Location to Your WordPress Website https://8degreethemes.com/adding-user-location-to-your-wordpress-website/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:51:25 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/adding-user-location-to-your-wordpress-website/ Location is becoming an increasingly important factor in how users interact with websites and content. Whether you want to offer services tailored to a user’s location, target ads, analyze usage data from around the world, or even give visitors interactive maps of nearby activities – adding user geolocation functionality to your WordPress website can be key for enhancing their experience. Geolocation possesses the potential to revolutionize any online business by allowing customers and users to customize their experience based on location.

But, you might be wondering: how can I add geolocation features in WordPress? In this brief article, we’ll look at 5 different methods for utilizing geo-location on your WordPress site so that you can start taking advantage of all it has to offer.

Introduction to Geolocation

Geolocation is a powerful tool for any website. It allows sites to determine where visitors are coming from, how they got there, and how to target content to them. This vital information helps WordPress websites deliver an immersive experience that is tailored to each and every visitor, ensuring they are making the most of their time on the website.

  • It works by using data such as IP addresses and GPS coordinates to give a rough location of each visitor. This is a major advantage over traditional methods such as redirecting users to different pages based on geographic region or language preferences.
  • One of the biggest benefits geolocation brings to WordPress websites is improved search engine optimization (SEO). By understanding where its users are located, a website can target its content more effectively in those areas.
  • Geolocation also allows WordPress websites to personalize their services for each individual user. Content that might be attractive or not suitable for one audience may be different for another audience in the same country or region.
  • Using geolocation on WordPress websites gives businesses an opportunity to engage customers in ways that weren’t previously possible.

Five Different Methods for Utilizing Geolocation on Your WordPress Site

Geolocation is an increasingly valuable tool for website owners and WordPress users alike. It can be used for a variety of purposes, from helping customers find local stores to guiding them to their next vacation destination. As such, it’s important to understand the various methods available for using  IP Geolocation API  on your WordPress site. This article will explore five different approaches you can take to get started with geolocation on your WordPress site.

Through Plugin

The first method is through the use of a plugin. There are many plugins available, both free and paid, that can help you quickly add geolocation to your WordPress site. These plugins can provide everything from simple location-based redirection to complex geotargeting capabilities. The advantage of using a plugin is that it provides a fast and easy way to add basic functionality without needing any coding knowledge or experience.  Installing a WordPress store locator plugin to embed a map onto your website is easy – simply follow the instructions provided with each plugin. Usually, it works like this:

  • Install the plugin to your WordPress site.
  • Enter store or other data into the plugin’s dashboard.
  • Embed a map onto your website with a few clicks.
  • Customize the look of the map and add additional functionality as desired.

Through Google Maps API Key

The second method for adding geolocation to your WordPress site is using a Google Maps API key. This will allow you to embed maps on your website and add location-based features such as directions, store locators, and more. By connecting your website to Google Maps’ powerful APIs, you can access detailed information about specific locations including latitude and longitude coordinates, satellite images, and more. This data can then be used in your own custom applications or simply embedded into your website as an interactive map with pinpoint accuracy. The steps are as follows:

  • Create a Google account with a valid credit card for the billing process.
  • Go to the Google API Console and create an API key.
  • Insert your Google Map API key into the embed code for a seamless copy-and-paste process.
  • To add the embed code, simply copy and paste it into the Text tab of your WordPress page editor.
  • Get a look at the map and save your progress.

Third-party Services for Store Locating

You may also want to consider using third-party services that specialize in store locating. These can provide more powerful features such as the ability to search for stores by name, address or zip code, display detailed information about each store, and even get directions from the user’s current location. These services offer quick setup options as well as advanced features like reverse geocoding (which translates geographic coordinates into human-readable names) and batch processing (which allows you to process multiple requests at once).

Most store locating services offer a free tier and provide APIs with complete documentation, so you can quickly integrate the service with your WordPress website. For example, Mapbox provides a powerful set of tools to display maps and location data on your website while also offering premium plans for larger projects.  Or you could use the Google Maps Geocoding API to quickly get the geographic coordinates of an address or place name.

Geobytes IP Address

Geobytes IP Address API provides a simple and reliable way to gather information about website visitors, including their location and other details. By integrating this API with your WordPress website, you can automatically detect the geographical location of each visitor and use that information to personalize their experience.

To use Geobytes IP Address API, all you have to do is apply for an API key from their website and then add the code snippet to your WordPress website. The API can be used to display local content such as store information, weather forecasts, or tourist attractions tailored specifically for visitors located in that area. It can also be used to implement geoblocking, redirect visitors based on their location, and more.

No matter which store locator plugin or service you choose, adding geolocation features to your WordPress website is a great way to provide more information and better engagement for your visitors.

Conclusion

Consequently, adding location features to WordPress is easy with the right tools. Whether you’re looking for a simple store locator plugin or more powerful APIs and third-party services, As you can see there are plenty of options when it comes to adding location capabilities to your WordPress site – regardless of whether you’re looking for something basic or an advanced solution tailored perfectly for your needs.

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7 Simple Ways to Convert Your Visitors Into Customers https://8degreethemes.com/7-simple-ways-to-convert-your-visitors-into-customers/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:51:21 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/7-simple-ways-to-convert-your-visitors-into-customers/ You only have a few seconds to make a major impact when your visitors click on your website for the first time. Maybe they found your blog post via Facebook. Perhaps they stumbled upon it in a Google search. No matter how they found you, it’s your website’s job to make sure your visitors stick around long enough to become customers.

Your website matters more than you think. Previously, it was possible to slap together a website with any old builder or template and call it a day. Because there was such limited competition, this would usually be enough to gain you some attention or even customers. Today, the tides have turned for good.

It takes an average of 50 milliseconds or 0.05 seconds for users to form an opinion about whether or not they like your website. What does this mean for you? It means you need quality content, design, and an optimized structure if you want to earn money with your website. Whether you’re using your website for your business, to sell products, to share your thoughts, or even just to bring awareness to a cause, you need to be strategic.

Convert Your Visitors Into Customers - Computer

In this article, we’ll be talking about some simple ways to convert your visitors into actual paying customers. These aren’t complicated tactics. You don’t need a degree in digital marketing to make strides online. However, you do need to be willing to make the right changes to see success.

Finally, realize that success won’t happen overnight. You don’t want to be an overnight viral sensation anyway. Those trends are short-lived and won’t bring long-term and sustainable revenue. Instead, we’ll talk about real-life ways to bring customers back again and again with a few simple tricks. Let’s get started.

1. Start with Quality Design

The quality design takes your website further than you think. We’ve all experienced poorly designed websites at some point when browsing the web. Despite it being the 21st century, the internet is chock full of them. They’re hard to navigate, lack any clear branding, and simply are unpleasant to use as a visitor.

The simplest way to convert your visitors into customers is to invest in quality website design. Using a WordPress blog is the easiest and fastest way to make sure your website is up to par with web design standards. More importantly, you don’t need any coding or design skills to get started.

There are free and inexpensive WordPress themes for every blog type, business type, and industry imaginable. You can find something that works for your taste that won’t risk losing any visitors. Once you have a theme installed in as little as a few clicks, it’s easy to customize any changes you might need to make the theme feel like it belongs to you. From there, you’re ready to start a serious journey as a website owner.

WordPress Themes

2. Create a Compelling About Page

One of the easiest parts of a website to overlook is the about page. It’s where you share your story, your way, and what sets you apart from other similar websites. Yet, so many new and experienced website owners think this page can be pushed aside or left short and sweet.

In simple terms, your about page matters because it’s likely one of the first pages first-time visitors will visit. They click on your website, scroll through the homepage, and then they want to learn more. To discover all of the important things about your business or website, they click immediately on your about page. When your about page lacks any real substance or information, it’s a turn-off to your customers. If you can’t be bothered to write a complete about page, why should they purchase anything from you?

Here’s the anatomy of an about page:

  1. Introduce yourself and your business
  2. What drive you or your business?
  3. Why is your business special?
  4. What is your business intended for?
  5. What is the best content that you’d recommend to first-time visitors?
  6. How can visitors contact you?

Though that might seem like a lot, it’s much simpler than you think to get all of that key information on the page. From there, your customers will know what to do next, how to reach you, and why they should care about your business in the first place. See below how Bright Vessel, a marketing and web design agency, uses their about page to their advantage.

Bright Vessel

3. Build an Email List

If you have a website, why do you need an email list? Isn’t email marketing slowly dying? Believe it or not, email marketing is not only alive but it’s thriving. Today, a reported 80% of marketing professionals claim email marketing is driving customer acquisition and retention. That’s a big percentage, and it just goes to show email marketing is here to stay.

So why use email marketing? In the world of followers, likes, and online engagement, email is the only thing you truly own. You don’t know your Facebook page followers or your Instagram likes. That can all disappear in an instant. However, your email signups are yours to keep. It’s a list of people interested in learning more about your product. In the marketing world, we call that a lead. Luckily, it’s easy to get started with email tools like ConvertKit and MailChimp. Running a DMARC report analyzer before starting your email campaign is also a good idea.

4. Offer Something for Free

Now that you know just how powerful an email list can be for converting website visitors, it’s time to explain how to get people to sign up for your list. As you might imagine, email newsletters and update-type posts aren’t popular. People get a lot of emails daily. So many in fact that people have started picking and choosing what they sign up for. That being said, you need a way to entice those would-be customers to sign up for more information.

The solution is simple. Everyone likes free stuff, so offer something for free. In the marketing world, this is known as a lead magnet. A lead magnet can be anything your target audience wants. If you’re a food blog, for example, you might offer a free mini-cookbook that can be downloaded.

There are a few things that will help your lead magnet make an impact:

  • Short and sweet – Lead magnets are easy to consume, so this isn’t the time to share your 3000-page novel.
  • Drives action – Your lead magnet should be tied to a paid product or service that your customers will want.
  • RelevantMake sure your freebie is relevant to your audience. If not, the leads aren’t very useful!
  • InstantUse your email client to make sure your lead magnet is delivered immediately after signup.

Check out the example from travel blogger Helene of Helene in Between. Her lead magnet is a series of video workshops all about Instagram engagement. See how simple she makes it to sign up to her email list?

Helene in Between

5. Establish Social Proof

Beyond email lists, you need to prove to your customers that you know what you’re talking about. You do this by establishing trust with your audience, and one way to build that trust is with social proof. Social proof sounds complicated, but you’ve probably already seen it in action many times. Any time a celebrity endorses a product, for instance, that’s social proof. However, you don’t have to go out and find a celebrity to speak on your behalf to get the same effect.

One simple type of social proof is including reviews. Did you know nearly 70% of all online shoppers look at reviews before they decide to make a purchase? Adding a way to easily leave reviews and testimonials shows that you’ve successfully helped other customers in the past.

Another form of social proof is real-time stats. If you’ve ever been on a website and seen a notice telling you that someone else purchased from this website just a few minutes ago, that’s social proof in action. See an example below from Expedia, an online travel booking website. Expedia shows real-time customers how many people booked this hotel recently through social proof.

Expedia

6. Use Videos on Your Website

Videos are quickly becoming a compelling way to convert your visitors into customers. According to a 2017 study about video marketing, when companies added a video to their websites and marketing strategy, they saw an 81% increase in sales. Videos offer more than 2D photos, and they’re a new way for customers to experience a product, get to know a business, or interact with online content.

You can integrate videos of your best products, explain your services, address customer questions, or even just as part of your content strategy. Including a short video with each blog post, for instance, is a great way to reduce your bounce rate and build a relationship with your audience. Videos seem like small things, but they make an impact online.  

7. Track Your Visitors

When you have a big company, the best way to control your employees is to keep track of the time they spent while they are at work. The same goes for your visitors. The best way to convert your visitors into customers is simply to keep accurate track of them. This isn’t as spammy as it sounds. Analytics tools like Google Analytics are designed with this in mind. Learning more about your visitors’ demographics, devices, and interests will let you know if you’re attracting the right audience.

Aside from Google Analytics which everyone should already be using to track traffic, you can monitor how users are interacting with your website thanks to new technology. Hotjar has a tool for recording user behavior so you can see just how your customers are interacting with your pages, content, and more.

See what links are being clicked on and how your users are spending their time. Are there problem pages that send users away? Do some blog posts perform better than others? Finally, get an up-close look at how your audience is interacting with your website. You might discover a problem or roadblock you didn’t notice before.

Hotjar

Convert More Visitors to Customers

With a few changes in perspective, you’ll be converting your visitors into customers in no time. As you can see above, you don’t need to be a web developer or full-time marketer to make a difference. Take these strategies seriously, no matter how simple. They’re proven by research, trends, and user behavior.

Like all aspects of your business strategy, you’ll need to rely on some trial and error. Things aren’t guaranteed to work perfectly the first time around. What makes someone a good business owner is their dedication to trying again and again. Your visitors are out there already. It’s up to you to find them and convince them your business is better than countless others. It’s not as hard as you think.

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6 Secrets to Creating Captivating Business Logos for your WordPress Website https://8degreethemes.com/6-secrets-creating-captivating-business-logos-wordpress-website/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:51:19 +0000 https://8deg.sites.expresstech.io/6-secrets-creating-captivating-business-logos-wordpress-website/ Do you have a WordPress website that requires a great business logo? A captivating business logo can be an amazing addition to your WordPress website and adds value to your business.

A well-put-together logo is a rewarding representation of the business’ image. The design process does not require you to have a creative mind. You only need to have an eye for detail, and you can come up with an image iconic image that is your company’s brand identity.

It is worth noting and appreciating the fact that the logo development process can prove to be a challenge and at times a complicated one.

As such, there is a need for some proper thought going into the creation, and this can be time-consuming and hurt your business.

Tools such as the Designhill logo maker can provide a lot of the benefits nowadays of a handmade logo. The tool is an inexpensive way to create a very good logo for your business and uses complex AI to create something apt for your business.  It’s free to use and only pay when you have finalized a logo you love.

Given this, below are six secrets to coming up with a log for your startup that stands outs.

Relevance

Every logo should exude a sense of uniqueness, and that is why the many that are out there come in different styles and detailing. The varieties range from logos done in images, others have purely done in text, and others a combination of the two. What you need is to strike a balance with the information you wish to display; work with short descriptions and avoid complicated images.

You should have the logo represent your company accurately. Overall, the need to observe relevancy is governed by striving to come up with a logo that is punchy as it is readily associated with what it represents. For that, the content should be relevant to your business so that you do not waste space or time with inept content.

Color

Remember the logo is a visual identity and thus it should be an image that makes a lasting impression and is readily associated with your startup. Therefore, it should communicate the right message to your clients or customers. As such, it should be visually correct and be an accurate and positive representation of your business.

As the brand identity, the logo should have colors that space the desired feeling in people since different colors are associated with different emotions and objects. Therefore, put some thought into the kind of meaning you want to put forth in your logo using colors. Make your choice not solely based on how good the color look, but also on the emotions and ideas it evokes in people.

For instance:

  • Red is a bold choice linked with love and passion but can also be associated with courage and anger.
  • green is natural and thus easily related to prosperity and nature
  • Orange is a color that people associated with energy and happiness, it will be an excellent choice if you are thinking of making your log look and feel playful.

Opt For Black White

Regarding the matter of color, opting to work with black and white can still be an option that avails much. It is possible to achieve the perfect logo while all you are working with is white or just black. With such a choice, you have more avenues to play with concerning the design possibilities. But do keep in mind the overall impact of the lack of variety in color and tone.

Media Showcase

As you delve deeper into the kind of logo you want for your startup, put some thought into how it will work across various media. You may get inspiration and ideas for the log from different places and sources such as the internet, billboards, or magazines. And the same sources may be where your logo winds up as you put to marketing your business; therefore, consider the different media and how the logo will appear on each – it can go on everything from a website to exhibition stands.

Image how the logo will look on a billboard vs. a poster and how it will look when you scale it down for a business card. Are the details too much that they merge into each other? Is the text readable? In short, you need to pay close attention to some of the elements to ensure they are of the right size and result in something that showcases uniformity and perfection across all media.

Less Is More

If you review many of the top companies around the world and take a closer look at their business logos, you will note that nearly all of them are simple. Nike, Microsoft, Apple, and McDonald’s to name a few, are some of the perfect examples of companies with logos that exude simplicity but still manage to be the ideal representation of the business’s image. Their logos do not have crazy illustrations or intricate details. They have basic shapes and minimal text and one or two colors. While your creative process is not expected to adhere to such, keeping things simple can be the easiest and most efficient way of coming up with a logo that is the ideal brand identity for your startup.

Go For Something Original And memorable

Lastly, strive to come up with something original. It does not need to have text for it to state what it represents. For instance, Adidas, Pepsi, And Nike logos are images that can be instantly recognizable and associated with their respective companies. If you have a business slogan, then formulate something based on that motto; an image that sums up the slogan and what your startup is about. However, keep in mind that this is easier said than done especially when you also need to create a memorable logo.

Regarding memorability, review some of the outstanding logos of big companies in the world. Study their design and try to identify what makes them so striking then see if you can implement some of the features and styles to the logo you wish to create; play around with different possibilities as you try to come up with something memorable.

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