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  • Setting a Minimum Order Amount in Woocommerce

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”|0px||0px|false|false” custom_padding=”|0px||0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]If you want to set a minimum order amount in Woocommerce, there is a simple fix that can be added to functions.php in your website theme.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”] 
    function w321_set_minimum_order_amount() {    // Set the minimum order amount    $minimum = 30;    // Get the Cart's total    $cart_total = WC()->cart->total;    // If the Cart's total is less than the minimum amount, display an error    if ($cart_total < $minimum) {        wc_add_notice(            sprintf('Your current order total is %s — you must have an order with a minimum of %s to place your order.',                 wc_price($cart_total),                 wc_price($minimum)            ),             'error'        );    }}add_action('woocommerce_check_cart_items', 'w321_set_minimum_order_amount');
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    Here’s a step-by-step guide to implement this:

    1. Backup your WordPress site: Always take a backup before making any changes. This way, you can easily revert back if something goes wrong.
    2. Add the code: You can add the above PHP code in one of the following places:
      • Child Theme’s functions.php file: If you are using a child theme, you can add the code to your child theme’s functions.php file. This ensures that your changes aren’t overwritten when the parent theme updates.
      • Custom Plugin: If you prefer to keep your customizations separate from your theme, you can create a simple custom plugin and add the code there.
    3. Test: After adding the code, try adding items to your cart and checking out with less than $30 to see if the error message appears.
    4. Adjust the minimum value: If in the future you want to change the minimum order amount, just adjust the $minimum value in the code.

    Remember that while this method sets a minimum transaction amount, there may be additional configurations or plugins on your WooCommerce site that could conflict with this. Always test thoroughly after making changes.

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  • Turning Off The AI Bar on Divi

    Divi (the theme system from Elegant Themes) has added an AI tool. Some people don’t like it. With the most recent copy of Divi, the element can be switched off.

  • Ways To Fix The Horizontal Scrollbar On A Web Page

    A horizontal scrollbar typically appears when an element on your webpage exceeds the width of its container, especially the viewport width. To remove or prevent a horizontal scrollbar, you can follow these steps:

    1. Global Fix: You can set the overflow-x property to hidden on the body or html element. This will hide any overflowing content on the x-axis.
      css
    html, body {

overflow-x: hidden;

}
    1. Note: Use this method with caution. While it will hide the scrollbar, it will also hide any content that overflows the viewport width. Ensure that you’re not unintentionally hiding important content.
    2. Inspect the Culprit: Use browser developer tools to inspect elements and find out which element is causing the overflow. Once identified, you can adjust its width or style to fit within the viewport.
    3. Responsive Design: Ensure that your website is designed responsively. Use relative units like percentages (%) or viewport units (vw, vh) instead of fixed units like pixels (px). This will help your content adapt to different screen sizes.
    4. Check for Margins and Padding: Sometimes, margins or padding can push an element outside its container. Check if any elements have large or negative margins/padding that might be causing the overflow.
    5. Third-party Libraries or Plugins: If you’re using third-party libraries, plugins, or widgets, they might not be fully responsive or might have styles that cause overflow. Check their documentation or styles to see if adjustments are needed.
    6. Media Queries: Use media queries to adjust styles for different screen sizes. For instance, you might have a large fixed-width element that looks good on desktop but causes overflow on mobile. Adjust its width or display property for smaller screens using media queries.
    7. Flexbox and Grid Layout: If you’re using Flexbox or Grid layout, ensure that child elements are not set to a width larger than their container. Both Flexbox and Grid have properties that allow child elements to grow and shrink according to the available space.
    8. Check for Fixed Width Elements: Elements with a fixed width that’s larger than their container’s width can cause overflow. Adjust or remove the fixed width, or make it responsive.
    9. Check for Horizontal Rules or Borders: Sometimes, a simple <hr> or a border can exceed the container width. Ensure they fit within their container.
    10. Check for Images: Images that are too wide for their container can cause overflow. Make sure images are responsive, using properties like max-width: 100%; and height: auto;.

    After making any changes, always test your website on different devices and screen sizes to ensure that the horizontal scrollbar is gone and that your content is displayed correctly.

  • Compare WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, Webflow, Joomla and Drupal

    • Wix How much does a Wix website cost? The price of a Wix website varies depending on the plan you choose. The Combo plan for personal use costs $14 per month, while the Business VIP plan costs $49 per month. These plans include a domain and SSL certificate. After the first year, domains cost an additional $14.95 per year.
    • Squarespace. How much does Squarespace cost? As of 2023, Squarespace website builder offers plans starting at $18 per month (Personal) and going up to $72 per month (Advanced Commerce). These plans include a domain, SSL certificate, and basic metric tracking and reporting. It’s not secret that Web321 is a WordPress shop. We often compare WordPress vs Squarespace.
    • Weebly. This platform provides a free, basic plan that includes an SSL certificate and standard hosting. However, you must upgrade to at least a Personal plan ($6 per month) to use SEO features or connect a custom domain. To get a free domain, you must upgrade to a Professional ($12 per month) or Premium ($26 per month) plan.
    • Webflow. Webflow is a website development platform that gives users full design control. It is free to use, but you need to purchase a plan to publish your website. Webflow is built on top of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is a secure and reliable hosting platform. Webflow’s Amazon servers are regularly monitored and audited for security. Pricing for Webflow plans starts at $12 per month for the Basic plan and goes up to $36 per month for the Business plan. All plans include backups, SSL security, and a standard Content Delivery Network (CDN).
    • Drupal. Like Jooma and WordPress, but unlike the previous options: Drupal is open source and can be hosted on many service providers and a variety of platforms. Drupal is highly customizable and can be used to create a wide variety of websites, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites. It is also very secure and has a large community of developers and users who can help you if you have any problems.
    • Joomla website design. Joomla is a popular content management system that is free to download and use. However, you will need to pay for domain registration, hosting, and any premium extensions that you want to use. Joomla itself does not provide maintenance services, but your hosting provider may offer them. If not, you will need to either maintain the website yourself or hire someone else to do it for you.
    • WordPress. A free and open-source content management system that is highly effective.There are a ton of hosting solutions to choose from, most of which come with free SSL certificates and domain registration for the first year. There are hundreds of hosts. We like WPPro. They have plans ranging from $15.99CAD per month.
  • Performance Improvements That Can Speed Up Your Website

    Performance Improvements That Can Speed Up Your Website

    Picture this: You’ve crafted an incredible WordPress website complete with engaging content and a design that could win awards. But there’s a catch – your site takes ages to load, and your audience’s enthusiasm wanes with each passing second. The load speed of a website is not just a number; it’s the gateway to transforming visitors into loyal customers and brand ambassadors. When your site is a speedster, it lays out a red carpet for everyone to dive into what you offer. Even Google rewards such sprightly sites with higher rankings, thanks to its consideration of page loading speed and server response time in its algorithm.

    However, sluggish server response times could spell doom. Don’t test the patience of your website visitors: they’ll just leave the site. Websites need to load fast to keep the audience riveted.

    Let’s explore how to achieve some WordPress performance improvements to ensure your website is as swift while keeping any of the pizazz delivered by Javascript and CSS, keeping your audience captivated and Google happy. Let’s supercharge your WordPress website!

    KASD (Keep A Simple Dom)

    Similar to the KISS rule, the complexity of your HTML can make or break your performance. While HTML is usually the smallest part of your page payload, it’s the conductor: it’s orchestrates what happens on the page. All of those instructions have to be weighed in and reconciled. If they are too complicated, that distills into a performance loss. This is especially important for designers who chase the mobile experience. It’s easy for designers to repeat an element for the sake of the mobile experience. That adds more complexity and leans of the web browser to show and hide elements based on the screen size or device. Instead, try to have one element that is always present with its look affected by CSS. Also, don’t be afraid to second guess the HTML output by WordPress page builders. They sometimes build cumbersome HTML that gives web browsers a heart attack.

    Image Optimization

    Images can sometimes be unnecessarily large. For instance, an icon measuring 72×72 pixels might actually be utilizing a 1400×800 pixel image. There could be a possibility of a plugin malfunction which requests an image that is too large for optimal performance. A GTMetrix report is handy in such situations as it not only identifies the images in need of optimization but also generates the optimized versions for you. Replacing the problem images with these optimized ones can improve performance.

    Understanding Image Formats. It’s crucial to discern between the different image formats like GIFs (pronounced with a hard or soft ‘G’– let’s not fight over this), JPEGs, PNGs, SVGs, and bitmaps. Each format has its own set of attributes, so choose the one that best suits the intended purpose within your presentation.

    JavaScript Placement

    Header Placement – Use With Caution. Placing JavaScript code in the header makes it execute before the rest of the content. However, this could also mean that the content display is paused until the JavaScript is fully executed, which is known as “render blocking.” For the end user, this is not desirable as they might end up staring at a blank screen for an extended period.

    Consider Footer Placement. Certain codes can be placed in the footer without any issues, such as analytics code, auxiliary code, or code pertaining to the lower sections of the web page (like a dynamic footer).

    Client-Side Caching

    Enable Content Caching. WordPress often appends query strings to URLs and modifies these strings with each load to ensure that images, scripts, or styles are loaded afresh. While this guarantees that the content is up-to-date, it can be time-consuming from an end user’s perspective.

    Modify Expiry Dates. By altering the expiry date, which is a metadata setting in the served assets, you can extend it to days or even months into the future. This allows the web browser to save some of the content on the user’s computer, which means it won’t have to re-download these elements each time the page is loaded. This takes advantage of browser caching, thus improving the loading speed for returning visitors.

    Handling Third-Party Assets in WordPress

    Third-party assets, though convenient, can adversely affect performance. It’s tempting to effortlessly integrate snippets from Instagram, Facebook, Google, Click-to-chat, or CRM tools into your WordPress site, but these can significantly slow it down.

    Gain Control Over External Assets. Whenever possible, try to host assets on your own site or CDN. For instance, download Google fonts and serve them from your WordPress site or your CDN.

    Serve Content via Server-Side Generated HTML. Instead of relying on Javascript to deliver or construct content, use server-side generated HTML, which is generally faster.

    Choose Wisely. Carefully decide on the third-party assets you want to include on specific pages. If performance is paramount, be discerning when it comes to incorporating third-party applications.

    GZIP Compression

    Minimizing file downloads is essential for speed. If a file is smaller, it takes less time to move it. Optimizing the number of files requested and reducing their size is key. In WordPress, each plugin and theme you use is likely to add multiple CSS and JS files, which can quickly accumulate to over 20 CSS and 20 JavaScript file requests.

    Use Plugins for consolidation. GZip Compression. Most web servers can serve files compressed with GZip, and almost all web browsers can decode them. Make sure this is enabled for your WordPress site for faster loading. WordPress plugins like WP Fastest Cache can combine CSS into fewer files and perform the same task for JavaScript.

    Server Caching in WordPress

    Cache Static Content. Store static versions of complex outputs, such as leaderboards, lists of recent posts, or stats, so that they don’t have to be regenerated every time.

    Optimize Before Shipping. Ensure that code is optimized on the server-side before it is sent to the client.

    Use Caching Plugins. Employ plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache to enhance the caching capabilities of your WordPress site.

    Tune Keep-Alive Settings. Some browsers may repeatedly establish a connection to your server for each file request. By adjusting the server’s Keep-Alive settings, this connection can be maintained, saving time.

    Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) with WordPress. Integrating a CDN can alleviate the load on your server and provide faster content delivery by serving data from a location closer to the end user. In WordPress, this can be easily achieved by using plugins that facilitate CDN integration, such as WP Rocket.

    Flush Your Content

    Hang time is a killer when you’re waiting for a web page. This can be a side effect of the foundations of a website– PHP: the driver for WordPress and so many other website applications. By default, PHP can wait a long time before delivery of content back to the end user. It is possible to push it to begin earlier than otherwise. That sends content back to your audience faster. I do this by putting the flush() call at the top of the page.tpl.php file. If you’re about to output the themed data, you’re ready to deliver content, so I say push it out as soon as you can, even starting the process before the page.tpl.php is populated and served. One thing to note: flushing content may not be a tactic that plays well with GZip, so experiment.

    Consolidate CSS and JavaScript Files

    It’s highly beneficial to merge all your JavaScript files into a single file and do the same for CSS. Although content management systems like Drupal may inherently involve numerous supporting files, they often have the feature to aggregate JavaScript and CSS files. This consolidation can dramatically reduce the number of files from over 30 to just two or four. When using Wordress, add in a plugin like WP Fastest Cache to aggregate supporting files. While CSS can be aggregated with little jeopardy, aggregating JavaScript can lead to problems, so experiment before your deploy a change like that.

    Build and Use CSS Sprites

    CSS sprites allow you to use sections of a larger image to fulfill various graphical requirements on your web page. The concept of sprites is not new and has been used in video games for decades. However, its application in web design is relatively recent.

    By combining multiple elements into one image and utilizing CSS to extract the necessary sections, you can decrease the number of file downloads, which is crucial for performance. To effectively use CSS sprites, it’s essential to understand the intended use of the image and be adept in handling CSS backgrounds. This involves mastering techniques such as cropping and controlling image repetition.

    In WordPress, CSS sprites can be integrated into themes and plugins to enhance the loading speed and optimize graphical elements on your website.

    Need help?

    Part of what we do at Web321 is a set of performance improvements (aka a WordPress speed service). Do you want to talk about what we can do to improve your site speed?

  • 7 WordPress Maintenance Services in 2023

    7 WordPress Maintenance Services in 2023

    Each website is different: no single WordPress care package will be the best option in every case. To determine which maintenance service is best for you in 2023, you’ll have to consider the strengths of each option and how they will apply to your situation.

    According to Mailchimp:

    Website maintenance is the process of keeping a website up-to-date and running smoothly as well as performing optimally. Website maintenance includes tasks like ensuring all the links on your site are working, regularly updating content, and fixing any broken links. It also involves more general housekeeping tasks like backing up your site regularly and monitoring your site’s performance.

    Do you only need routine maintenance to handle mundane tasks like updates and backups? Would developer support help improve your website? Or do you want active monitoring to warn you in case your website goes down? The most compelling argument to have a maintenance plan: it’s one less headache if you hire a maintenance service to handle your website.

    Let’s compare the best WordPress maintenance services for 2023 and find the perfect fit for your needs. Full disclosure: these are 6 competitors referenced along side of our services. We hope you see the list, compare the services and decide to work with Web321.

    WP Buffs  

    WP Buffs is an attractive option because of its flexibility. With five different plans available, you can scale the service as your site grows to suit your evolving needs.

    Like other services, WP Buffs offers 24/7 uptime monitoring and emergency support, to ensure that you’re always up and running. It also provides daily backups, while updating WordPress, themes, and plugins every week.

    Weekly reports are another nice feature, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for and how much time you’re saving to devote elsewhere. Higher-tier plans include advanced security, speed optimization, and more.

    Key Features:

    • 24/7 monitoring
    • Daily backups
    • Weekly updates
    • Weekly reports

    Price: Plans start at $79 per month.

     

    Web321

    Web321 offers two WordPress care packages to choose from based on your needs. The $321 per month plan provides full website maintenance including daily backups, weekly updates, uptime monitoring, and priority support.

    The $123 per month WordPress support plan is more budget-friendly, with weekly backups, monthly updates, and standard support response times. Both plans provide access to WordPress experts for fixes and improvements beyond routine maintenance.

    In addition to support, Web321 does web design. Web321 takes WordPress themes and makes them uniquely tailored to client needs. With flexible options at different price points, Web321 is a great choice for WordPress users looking for ongoing maintenance and support.

    Key Features:

    • Daily or weekly backups
    • Weekly or monthly updates
    • Uptime monitoring
    • Standard or priority support

    Price: Plans start at $123 per month.

     

    SiteCare

    SiteCare offers a baseline level of maintenance services, including updates and performance optimization. However, this service’s real selling point is its extensive support options.

    Do you need the expertise of a developer to perfect your site? Could your SEO use a boost? Maybe you want some one-on-one counseling to learn new ways to improve your website.

    If so, SiteCare has experts in these fields and more standing by ready to assist. If you are in the market for a WordPress maintenance service, but could also benefit from the assistance of professional developers and marketers to upgrade your website, SiteCare can be a solid pick.

    This is a great option for independent webmasters and small teams that don’t have full-time developers, engineers, and a marketing team on their payrolls.

    Key Features:

    • Daily updates
    • Daily monitoring
    • Audit logging

    Price: Plans start at $990 per year.

     

    Maintainn

    Maintainn offers basic maintenance services at a low cost. If you are looking for weekly updates, daily backups, and 24/7 security monitoring, you’ll be hard-pressed to find lower prices.

    If you need a higher level of support or have multiple sites, Maintainn’s Professional and Enterprise tiers have you covered. Although not included in its subscription plans, Maintainn also offers design, development, and hosting services if you are looking for additional help beyond routine maintenance.

    Maintainn is a good choice for simple websites that want basic maintenance, with the option of extra support if needed.

    Key Features:

    • 24/7 monitoring
    • Weekly updates
    • Daily backups

    Price: Plans start at $49 per month.

     

    Total WP Support

    Total WP Support offers a solid base of maintenance services, including multi-layered security, email and chat support, updates, backups, and monitoring. Plus, the Premium and Professional plans include small development and publishing tasks.

    This is a great option for small teams and independent webmasters who might need help with minor improvements to their sites. For a very affordable cost, you can get daily maintenance and monthly assistance with small development tasks that might be too technical or specific for you or your team.

    If you need more support, Total WP offers additional development time at a reasonable cost.

    Key Features:

    • 24/7 monitoring
    • Regular updates
    • Malware scans
    • Database optimization

    Price: Plans start at $49 per month.

     

    Newt Labs

    Newt Labs is a UK-based company with standard maintenance offerings, in addition to unlimited small website fixes included in its Core plan. This is a great value for handling all your updates, daily backups, and 24/7 monitoring, with the added peace of mind that you have support standing by for minor issues that come up.

    Newt Labs charges additional fees for cleanups and fixes beyond what is included in your plan. However, with no contracts and a 30-day money-back guarantee, this service has a lot to offer at a reasonable price.

    Key Features:

    • 24/7 monitoring
    • Regular updates
    • Daily backups
    • Unlimited small fixes

    Price: Plans start at £59 per month (about $79).

    GoDaddy

    GoDaddy doesn’t provide a traditional maintenance service, but it does offer WordPress Premium Support. This is a subscription service designed to give you quick access to support when you need to fix problems with your site. It also includes backups each time a task is started.

    If you need development support, database management, or a website evaluation, GoDaddy has you covered. This is a good option if you have a list of non-urgent improvements you would like to make over time, and want the option of emergency support at an additional fee.

    If you require more regular maintenance, however, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

    Key Features:

    • Monthly allotment of support services
    • Quick help with WordPress-related issues

    Price: Plans start at $49.99 per month.

    Conclusion

    If you are tired of spending hours on mundane upkeep tasks or need expert help improving your WordPress website, a maintenance service can help you take the hassle out of running your site. Choosing the right service is important, so consider the strengths of each option above to determine which one will best suit your needs in 2023.

    Do you need help maintaining and choosing the right plugins for your website? We’re here to carry out WordPress Support.

  • Kite Dish.com Acquired by Web321

    We are proud to pick up the mantle of Kite Dish. Back in the day, they provided WordPress Maintenance. As they said it, back then:

    Our service provides you a peace of mind with a secure, regularly backed up, bug-free and proactively updated site so you can concentrate more on your business and not on the maintenance of your site.

    In addition to this, you have access to on-demand support and advice and not bother undergoing the process of seeking and interviewing developer after developer each time you need help or need small fixes done on your site.

    Your monthly subscription covers all work for the maintenance of your site whether that would be security-related, bug-related, updates-related and other general maintenance work.

    They served over 300 great businesses and enterprises:

  • Threads: ActivityPub and WordPress

    Threads: ActivityPub and WordPress

    Meta has released a new microblogging app: Threads. It leverages the user base of Instagram and the users’ followers to pre-build an audience for new members. This may be an excellent antidote to the death spiral of Twitter. After Elon Musk’s petty and disastrous Twitter tactics, Web321 pulled back from using Twitter. By July 6, the new app had been downloaded thirty million times, becoming the most rapidly downloaded app, beating even the adoption speed of Chat-GPT.

    The game changer of Threads vs. Twitter: interoperability. Threads connects via a newer protocol, ActivityPub. Mastodon, WordPress and likely a growing number of new services will use this protocol. The success of the Web came from protocols that allow communication between systems and services. As Facebook grew to the point where people asked, “Do we need the Web if we have Facebook?” people missed that systems like Facebook and Twitter are websites– websites with lots of connectivity, but still not an actual communications platform. Protocol lean on the Internet’s capacity for durability and openness. With Threads adopting ActivityPub, it’s going where Twitter cannot go.

    ActivityPub

    The ActivityPub protocol is a decentralized social networking protocol based upon the [ActivityStreams] 2.0 data format. It provides a client to server API for creating, updating and deleting content, as well as a federated server to server API for delivering notifications and content. This is an excellent feature because ActivityStreams encompasses all the essential terms required to depict the various activities and content circulating within a social network. It is highly probable that ActivityStreams already encompasses all the necessary vocabulary; however, in the rare case that it doesn’t, ActivityStreams can be expanded and augmented using [JSON-LD]. If anyone peeks at the source code of Web321 websites, they’ll notice that we use JSON-LD to create machine readable content for services like search engines to read-in. It’s a really powerful means of connecting a website’s message to the intended audiences.

    ActivityPub implementations make possible the decentralized social web, and being able to use clients and client libraries that work across a wide variety of social websites).

    The decentralized web, also known as the fediverse, aims to provide social media users with a more transparent, ethical, and decentralized platform to communicate and connect with others. Instead of relying on a single company or server, the fediverse consists of many independent servers hosted by various organizations and individuals worldwide. Each server has its own rules and community, but they can all work together. If you don’t like any existing options or want to try something new, you can simply download open source software and create your own server. Each server can function as its own social network, giving users more freedom and control.

    The best part: ActivityPub integrates with WordPress.

    WordPress

    WordPress’ Automattic has released the ActivityPub plugin. It brings a new level of social networking to your website by integrating it with the wider federated social web: a decentralized means of publishing and interacting with other social networks and other publishing sources. The plugin allows you to easily share your content and interact with users on Threads, Mastodon and other platforms that also support the ActivityPub protocol. (here’s the short list, but expect it to grow with Threads’ launch).

    Installing the WordPress ActivityPub plugin is easy:

    1. From your WP-Admin dashboard, go to the “Plugins” and search “ActivityPub” (all one word). Alternatively, you can click here and go directly to the plugin page. Uses on the WordPress.com service will need to upgrade their service level to Business or Corporate. Web321 clients will be able to use ActivityPub with their website.
    2. Click “Install and activate.”
    3. Once activated, you can click “Manage plugin,” which allows you to choose the type of content that will show up in fediverse feeds — if you’re not quite ready for that, you can always access it later under “Settings” → “ActivityPub.”
    4. Make sure your blog’s author profile page is active.
    5. Go to Threads and search for your author’s new federated profile, and follow it. Your new profile will be in the form of @[username]@[website], so that is what you’ll search for.
    6. Back on your site, publish a new post.
    7. From Threads, check to see if the new post appears in your Home feed. Messages are sent to the federated platforms using a delayed cron job on your website. This avoids breaking the publishing process for those cases where users might have lots of followers.It may take up to 15 minutes for the new post to show up in your federated feed.

    Need A Hand? Let’s talk.

  • Why Custom WordPress Themes Are A Mistake

    Why Custom WordPress Themes Are A Mistake

    So, you’re embarking on the journey of creating a new website or giving a facelift to your current one. It’s likely that you have grand visions regarding its appearance and the innovative features you want to include. You browse through various themes, including the top-rated ones, but nothing seems to hit the right chord. You’ve likely tripped over the limitations of other theme engines like Elementor, Divi, GeneratePress or Avada. People often view using a ready-made theme engine with scorn, as if using a cake mix while everyone praises recipes made from scratch. Two recent prospective clients insisted on a custom theme. They were so invested in the machismo of a custom theme that they were willing to spend an extra $10,000 in one case, and over $30,000 in another, rather than paying $100 to $500 per year for licensing.

    You might be thinking, “Hire someone to construct the whole thing from the ground up with a custom WordPress theme makes it exactly how I want it.” The same people would never buy a custom coffee maker, a custom car or a custom word processor think nothing of going for a custom theme.

    Standardization is key to success: everything from units of measure to railways are built with standardization. They allow for features to be added on known factors. People with standardized skillsets can take on work without much of a learning curve. When something goes wrong with a commercial theme, Googling an answer can resolve issues quickly. A bespoke design has no community support.

    Why a Custom WordPress Theme is a Bad Idea for Your Web Project

    Some reasons why a custom theme can be problematic.

    1. To Bake A Cake, First You Need To Create The Universe
      That’s what Carl Sagan believed and I agree with it. Everything that creates the final input needs to be accounted for. The theme needs to interact with as many existing WordPress functions as possible

      • Here’s a list of what a WordPress theme needs.
        • Display for a post
        • Display for a page
        • Display for archives, or lists of posts
        • Custom post type support
        • CSS theming elements
        • Javascript theming elements.
        • WordPress Theme Customization Support
        • Heading support (sizing, styling and font face)
      •  Here’s a list of nice to see built into a theme.
        • Caching controls
        • Template building
        • Error log system
        • Header addition
        • Footer controls
        • LD-JSON controls
        • Meta-data control
        • Integration to third party plugins (popular ones like
        • Integration to third party services (social media, etc.)
    2. You need to keep paying for updates.
      Sure, you might have set aside funds for the initial development of the custom theme, but have you considered the ongoing costs for code updates? Without regular code reviews and updates by a developer, your custom theme could be susceptible to bugs, security issues, and compatibility problems.
      It’s crucial that your website is compatible with the latest versions of PHP. For instance, PHP 7.4 was highly recommended for WordPress and offers numerous performance improvements compared to older versions.
      If your theme isn’t compatible with PHP 7.2, and your server’s PHP version is updated to 7.2, this mismatch could cause significant issues for your website. But hang on: most servers have upgraded to PHP 8.1 and some are onto PHP 8.2.
      WordPress core updates are something to keep an eye on. As new WordPress versions are on the horizon, Beta and Release Candidate versions are made available for developers to test their themes and plugins. If your custom theme isn’t actively updated, it may not function properly once the new WordPress version is live.
    3. Who’s Checking Out The Security?
      When you purchase a commercial theme license, it comes with support and updates: vital for site security. As security flaws are identified, theme developers update their code to address these vulnerabilities. However, with a custom theme, unless you’re paying for regular security checks, your theme is probably not being updated or examined for security issues.
    4. Incompatibility with Popular Plugins
      One of the frequent issues we resolve for sites under our care at Web321.co is conflicts between plugins and themes. Well-established commercial themes are tried and tested with top WordPress plugins, either by the developers or by the community.In contrast, a custom theme won’t undergo these tests until you attempt to use the plugins on your site – and they might just break your website.
    5. Missing Opportunities with Popular Plugins
      When I roll out a site, Yoast, ACF Pro and a handful of other plugins are a given. There is a suite of plugins that make WordPress work really well. If someone is making a custom theme, these plugins need to be considered– how could they integrate with the theme. If there isn’t work put in to make a custom theme work well, the case for a custom theme gets all the weaker.
    6. The Coding Quality Might Be Weak
      With commercial themes used on multiple websites, users consistently report issues to developers. Developers familiar with a theme’s code often communicate with the theme developer to address any problems.However, for a custom theme used solely on your site, the only scrutiny it gets is from you and the developer. This limited oversight can let bugs slip through, the code could perform poorly or your site could be prone to malware.
    7. No Community Support
      One of the perks of using reputable commercial themes like Divi or Beaver Builder is the support from the developer and an active user community that shares advice and lends a helping hand.When I, as a Divi builder, get stumped I hop of the Elegant Themes support and work through the problems with them.In contrast, a custom theme doesn’t have a community of developers experienced with that theme. This means that whenever the theme requires maintenance or modifications, you’re likely going to incur extra costs.
    8. Go Boldly… Where Everyone Has Gone Before
      Creating a completely custom theme essentially means redoing what others have already achieved and refined. Regardless of the developer’s expertise, they remake features that likely exist in a commercial theme. Setting skills aside, consider the labor and time to launch. A commercial theme typically involves over 1000 hours of labor. If one developer tackles it, they would need 25 weeks of full-time work to deliver the theme. Save 20 to 24 weeks of development and launch faster by building a child theme, which is much easier. Almost all commercial themes worth using support child themes.
      A child theme lets you enjoy the benefits of modifying a commercial theme and demands less coding compared to building one from scratch. The savings in time and cost are significant. You can allocate the development budget saved from not reinventing the wheel to theme enhancements, performance improvements, and quicker delivery time.

    Compared to some IT projects, $10k or $30k may seem tiny in comparison, but it’s unnecessary and it’s a poor value proposition compared to using a well-supported commercial theme. Our specialization at Web321 is working with the Divi theme. We spend every day getting the most out of the system and bending it to our will. We’ve encountered plenty of sites hobbled by an outmoded or inefficient theme. We’ve worked with them to make their site work better by replacing their theme with a Divi deployment.

    For those who have a hate on for commercial themes, there are open source starter themes available:

    • Underscores – A theme meant for hacking, to use to build next, most awesome, WordPress theme out there.
    • Understrap – WordPress starter theme framework that combines the aforementioned Underscores and Bootstrap.
    • Joints WP – JointsWP is a blank WordPress theme built with Foundation 6. It’s a go-to for many agencies as it looks like custom theme build.
    • WP Bootstrap Starter – It’s a starter theme that like some of the above use the Twitter Bootstrap, Font Awesome along with some other libraries.

    If the idea of delving into a custom theme concerns you, your concerns are valid. At Web321, we assist companies through technology consulting. Our wide range of services includes WordPress support and web design. We would be happy to provide insights on your theming decisions and demonstrate the possibilities with a commercial theme like Divi.

    From speed optimization, unlimited website edits, security, support, our experts are here to assist. Collaborate with Web321: a team that provides every facet of exceptional WordPress support services. Involve us as webmasters who are ready to deliver advice on the best path to realizing your online strategy.

  • Eleven Ways Digital Marketing Can Help Your Business Thrive

    Eleven Ways Digital Marketing Can Help Your Business Thrive

    The 21st century has ushered in an era of innovation that has significantly impacted businesses across the spectrum. Digital marketing, in particular, has emerged as a game changer for many successful enterprises. There is a common misconception that digital marketing is prohibitively expensive and labor-intensive. The truth is that it offers a diverse set of tools and strategies that can be tailored to fit different business objectives and budgets.

    If you are contemplating how digital marketing can turbocharge your business, here are the key advantages of refining your marketing approach.

    Boost Organic Traffic

    One of the most compelling benefits of digital marketing is the enhancement of organic traffic to your website. Organic search is particularly powerful as it yields results that are not only superior but also sustainable compared to other marketing methods.

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is pivotal in increasing organic traffic. If your business operates in Edmonton, Canada, for instance, you can explore the plethora of local SEO services that Edmonton offers. Since SEO is an evolving field due to continuous algorithm updates, it is prudent to engage experts for regular audits and optimizations.

    Pinpoint and Engage Your Audience

    Understanding your target audience is fundamental in any marketing strategy. Consider:

    • What is the age range of your prospective customers?
    • Are they price-sensitive or do they prioritize features and value?
    • What resonates with them in terms of humor and communication style?
    • What aspects of your products or services do they find most appealing?

    By analyzing this information, you can craft messages that will resonate with your audience.

    Digital marketing provides advanced targeting options, allowing you to narrow down and engage with potential customers based on age, interests, browsing behavior, and more. Companies such as Boom Innovation Agency have streamlined this process, enabling businesses to focus on prospects with higher conversion potential.

    Moreover, social media is a potent tool in the digital marketing arsenal. It offers businesses the opportunity to establish a presence on various platforms and interact with their audience. Alongside maintaining your website, it is crucial to actively manage your social media accounts and engage with your followers for optimal exposure.

    Expand Your Reach Globally

    Digital marketing dismantles geographic barriers, empowering businesses to connect with audiences worldwide. By tailoring content and campaigns to various regions and cultures, you can penetrate new markets and cater to a diverse clientele.

    Employ Data-Driven Strategies

    Digital marketing provides access to analytics and data-tracking tools, enabling businesses to gather insights into customer behavior and trends. Utilize this data to make informed decisions, optimize campaigns, and create products or services that meet the needs of your target audience.

    Personalize Your Campaigns

    Digital marketing platforms allow you to customize content and offers based on individual customer preferences and interactions. This heightened level of personalization enhances customer experiences and boosts conversion and retention rates.

    Cultivate a Community and Brand Advocates

    By producing engaging content and fostering interaction on digital platforms, you can build a community around your brand. Establishing an emotional connection with your audience helps in creating brand advocates who enthusiastically endorse your products or services to others, thereby amplifying your reach and reputation.

    Leverage Digital Agility

    Digital marketing campaigns can be swiftly adjusted in response to market trends, customer feedback, or external events. This flexibility ensures your business remains adaptive and attuned to the evolving demands of your audience.

    Adopt Cost-Effective Advertising

    Digital marketing has revolutionized traditional advertising. Rather than committing to a fixed cost without a clear understanding of the outcomes, digital marketing offers various pricing models, such as pay-per-impression or pay-per-action. Moreover, platforms like Google AdWords, LinkedIn, and Facebook often provide discounts, allowing you to stretch your advertising budget.

    Enhance Client Engagement and Loyalty

    Digital marketing tools offer insights into how audiences interact with your content. By employing these tools effectively, you can elevate audience

     

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