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  • Grants, Grants and even more Grants.

    Here are some links to organizations that Erin found that offer grants that may help you offset the cost of a website build:

    WEBSITE FUNDING IDEAS

     

    OTHER STUFF

    https://www.google.ca/grants/ – This will not cover the website build but once you launch the new site it could help you get a lot of free advertising!

    https://www.google.com/intl/en/nonprofits/ – More Google goodies (ad-free Youtube channel, etc.)

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/nonprofits/offers-for-nonprofits – free or cost-reduced MS products

    https://www.techsoup.ca/product-catalog – I’m sure you already know about this one, but just in case

    https://ccndr.ca/ – Helps non-profits to use tech to increase their impact

    https://www.tagtech.org/programs/funding-tech/ – this might have useful info

  • How WP Descriptor Helps Content Managers Keep Their Media Library Searchable and SEO-Friendly

    For content managers overseeing large WordPress sites, maintaining an organized media library isn’t just good practice—it’s essential for operational efficiency. As institutions and editorial teams expand their digital footprint, the challenge of keeping thousands of images searchable, properly tagged, and SEO-optimized becomes increasingly complex. This is where WP Descriptor offers a powerful solution that transforms how content professionals manage their media assets.

    The Growing Challenge of WordPress Media Management

    The WordPress media library serves as the central repository for all visual content across your site—from featured images and infographics to documents and videos. For large organizations and content teams, this library can quickly grow to contain thousands of files, creating significant challenges:

    • Search inefficiency: Without proper metadata, finding specific assets becomes increasingly difficult
    • Inconsistent optimization: Manual tagging often leads to inconsistent application of SEO best practices
    • Resource allocation: Content teams spend valuable time on administrative tasks rather than creative work
    • Accessibility gaps: Untagged images create barriers for users relying on assistive technologies

    These challenges don’t just slow down content production—they directly impact both internal workflows and external site performance. According to recent WordPress ecosystem studies, properly organized media libraries can reduce content production time by up to 25%, allowing teams to focus more on quality creation rather than administrative overhead.

    The Critical Role of Metadata in Media Organization

    Metadata—the descriptive information attached to media files—serves as the foundation for an organized, searchable WordPress media library. Three key metadata elements play particularly important roles:

    Alt Text: Dual Purpose for Accessibility and SEO

    Alt text (alternative text) serves two critical functions:

    1. Internal searchability: When properly implemented, alt text makes images discoverable through WordPress media library search functionality
    2. SEO enhancement: Search engines use alt text to understand image content, improving rankings in both traditional and image search results

    For content managers, implementing consistent alt text across thousands of images manually presents a significant challenge. Each image requires unique, descriptive text that accurately represents its content while incorporating relevant keywords naturally.

    Titles: Organization Beyond Filenames

    While filenames often default to cryptic camera-generated codes (IMG_0123.jpg), media titles provide a human-readable identifier that:

    • Makes assets immediately recognizable in the media library grid view
    • Improves search functionality within the WordPress admin interface
    • Creates additional context for search engines when images are indexed
    • Provides organizational structure for content teams working collaboratively

    Content managers at educational institutions, media organizations, and enterprise websites particularly benefit from structured naming conventions that identify department, content type, and usage rights within titles.

    Captions: Context and Clarity

    Image captions serve multiple purposes in a well-organized media library:

    • Provide contextual information visible to site visitors
    • Create additional searchable text within the media library
    • Offer another opportunity to incorporate relevant keywords
    • Establish consistency across various content pieces

    For large editorial teams, standardized caption practices ensure brand consistency while improving content reusability across multiple channels and platforms.

    How WP Descriptor Transforms Media Management

    WP Descriptor addresses these challenges through intelligent automation, providing content managers with a powerful tool that streamlines media library maintenance across even the largest WordPress installations.

    Automated Metadata Generation

    The core functionality of WP Descriptor centers on its ability to automatically generate comprehensive metadata for each media file:

    • Smart alt text creation: The plugin analyzes image content and generates descriptive, SEO-friendly alt text that accurately represents visual elements
    • Standardized title formatting: WP Descriptor applies consistent naming conventions based on customizable templates
    • Contextual caption generation: Images receive appropriate captions that enhance both visitor experience and internal searchability

    This automation ensures that every image added to your media library receives complete metadata, eliminating gaps in your optimization strategy.

    Bulk Processing for Existing Libraries

    For institutions with extensive existing media collections, WP Descriptor offers efficient bulk processing capabilities:

    • Scan and update thousands of images in a single operation
    • Apply consistent metadata standards across historically inconsistent libraries
    • Identify and prioritize images missing critical metadata elements
    • Transform legacy content to meet current SEO and accessibility standards

    Content teams at educational institutions report particular success using WP Descriptor to bring historical image archives into compliance with current digital standards without extensive manual intervention.

    Workflow Integration for Editorial Teams

    Beyond its technical capabilities, WP Descriptor integrates seamlessly into existing content workflows:

    • Automatically processes new uploads in the background
    • Maintains consistent standards across multiple content contributors
    • Reduces training requirements for new team members
    • Eliminates repetitive manual tagging tasks from editorial processes

    This integration is especially valuable for organizations with distributed content teams, ensuring consistent practices across departments, campuses, or content verticals.

    Real-World Benefits for Content Professionals

    Content managers implementing WP Descriptor report significant improvements across multiple operational areas:

    Enhanced Internal Search Functionality

    When every image contains proper metadata, internal search functionality becomes dramatically more effective:

    • Content editors can quickly locate specific images by description rather than relying on visual scanning
    • Search results return contextually relevant assets rather than filename-based matches
    • Historical content becomes as discoverable as recent uploads
    • Cross-departmental asset sharing becomes more efficient

    A university communications department reported reducing image search time by over 80% after implementing comprehensive metadata tagging through WP Descriptor, allowing their small team to manage a library of over 15,000 images effectively.

    SEO Performance Improvements

    Properly optimized images contribute significantly to overall site SEO performance:

    • Complete alt text implementation improves image search visibility
    • Consistent keyword integration enhances topical relevance signals
    • Structured metadata supports rich results in search listings
    • Accessibility improvements align with Google’s increasing focus on user experience factors

    Content managers track these improvements through increased image search traffic and better performance for image-rich content pages.

    Accessibility Compliance

    For institutional content managers, accessibility compliance represents both an ethical obligation and often a legal requirement:

    • Complete alt text implementation ensures screen reader compatibility
    • Standardized descriptions provide equivalent experiences for all users
    • Automated processes eliminate human error in compliance efforts
    • Documentation of systematic approaches demonstrates due diligence

    WP Descriptor helps organizations maintain consistent accessibility standards even as their media libraries grow exponentially over time.

    Content Governance and Asset Management

    Beyond search and SEO benefits, structured metadata supports broader content governance:

    • Track usage rights and attribution requirements
    • Identify outdated branding elements that should be retired
    • Monitor content age and relevance across large libraries
    • Support content reuse policies through improved asset discovery

    These governance capabilities prove particularly valuable for organizations managing complex content ecosystems with specific compliance requirements.

    Implementation Strategies for Content Teams

    Content managers considering WP Descriptor implementation can follow these effective practices:

    1. Audit current media library status to identify metadata gaps and prioritize improvements
    2. Establish metadata standards specific to your organization’s needs and content types
    3. Configure WP Descriptor settings to align with these established standards
    4. Process existing library in manageable batches, starting with high-visibility content
    5. Train content team members on the importance of metadata and the role of automation
    6. Monitor performance improvements in both internal workflows and external SEO metrics

    This systematic approach ensures successful integration while demonstrating clear ROI through measurable workflow improvements.

    Elevating Content Operations Through Media Organization

    For content managers and editorial teams, an organized media library represents more than just good housekeeping—it’s a fundamental asset that supports efficient content production, improves SEO performance, and ensures accessibility compliance. WP Descriptor transforms this often overwhelming task into a streamlined, automated process that integrates seamlessly into existing workflows.

    By implementing intelligent metadata generation across your WordPress media library, content teams can reclaim time previously lost to manual tagging, improve content discoverability for both internal and external users, and maintain consistent standards even as content libraries grow exponentially.

    Make your media searchable — and your content strategy seamless.

  • Image SEO: Driving E-commerce Success Through Optimized Product Images

    Image SEO: Driving E-commerce Success Through Optimized Product Images

    In the fast-paced world of online retail, where countless stores compete for customer attention, even the smallest optimization can make a significant difference to your bottom line. While most e-commerce entrepreneurs focus on pricing strategies, advertising campaigns, and website design, there’s a powerful yet often overlooked element that could dramatically boost your visibility and sales: image descriptions.

    For WooCommerce store owners, Shopify merchants considering a WordPress migration, and online retailers across all platforms, mastering the art and science of image optimization could be the competitive edge you’ve been searching for. Let’s explore how leveraging the hidden power of product image descriptions can transform your e-commerce performance in 2025 and beyond.

    Understanding Image SEO in the E-commerce Context

    When customers can’t physically touch or examine your products, high-quality images become your most valuable selling tool. But these visual assets deliver far more value when properly optimized for both human visitors and search engine algorithms.

    The Dual Purpose of Product Images

    Product images serve two critical functions in your e-commerce operation:

    1. Visual Communication: They showcase your products’ appearance, features, and quality to potential buyers
    2. Search Engine Assets: When properly optimized, they drive additional organic traffic through image search results and enhance your overall SEO profile

    According to recent e-commerce conversion studies, products with high-quality images and comprehensive descriptions see conversion rates up to 30% higher than those with minimal visual information. This statistic alone highlights why investing in image optimization delivers exceptional ROI.

    How Search Engines Process Images

    Despite advancements in AI and machine learning, search engines still can’t “see” images the way humans do. They rely on textual clues to understand and categorize visual content. These clues include:

    • Alt text: The HTML attribute that provides alternative information for an image
    • File names: How you name your image files before uploading
    • Surrounding content: The text near your image that provides context
    • Captions: Visible text accompanying images
    • Structured data markup: Technical implementation that explicitly tells search engines what your images represent

    By optimizing these elements, you create a comprehensive framework that helps search engines understand and appropriately rank your product images.

    The SEO Advantage of Optimized Product Images

    Direct Traffic from Image Search

    Google Images accounts for a significant portion of all search traffic, with studies showing that nearly 23% of all Google searches occur on the Images tab. For e-commerce specifically, image search can drive highly qualified traffic—users actively looking for products visually similar to what you offer.

    When a potential customer searches for “leather crossbody bag” or “ergonomic office chair” and clicks the Images tab, your product could appear prominently if you’ve implemented proper alt text optimization. Each properly optimized image essentially functions as an additional entry point to your store.

    Enhanced Organic Rankings

    Beyond direct image search traffic, well-optimized product images contribute to your overall organic search performance. Search engines like Google consider user experience signals when determining rankings, and accessibility features like alt text indicate a quality website that serves all users effectively.

    Furthermore, comprehensive image descriptions containing relevant keywords reinforce your page’s topical relevance, potentially boosting your position for competitive product search terms. While no single factor determines rankings, properly optimized images provide valuable SEO signals that complement your broader optimization strategy.

    Local SEO Benefits

    For e-commerce businesses with physical locations or those targeting specific geographic markets, image optimization offers additional local SEO advantages. Including location-relevant information in your image descriptions can help your products appear in localized searches.

    For example, alt text like “Handcrafted ceramic mug made in Portland” provides both product and geographic context that could help your store appear in searches from customers specifically looking for locally made items.

    Accessibility: Where Ethics and Business Benefits Align

    Creating an Inclusive Shopping Experience

    Approximately 285 million people worldwide have visual impairments, representing a significant market segment that might struggle to shop at stores with poor accessibility practices. By implementing descriptive alt text, you ensure screen readers can accurately communicate your product details to these potential customers.

    Consider this real-world scenario: A visually impaired shopper wants to purchase a gift for a family member. On stores with proper image descriptions, they can confidently browse and select products based on detailed alt text. On stores without these descriptions, they encounter frustrating gaps in information that likely lead them to shop elsewhere.

    Reduced Legal Risks

    Beyond the ethical considerations, accessibility has increasingly become a legal requirement. In recent years, there’s been a significant uptick in ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) lawsuits against websites with accessibility barriers—including e-commerce sites lacking proper image descriptions.

    Implementing comprehensive alt text across your product catalog not only expands your potential customer base but also helps protect your business from potential litigation. In today’s business landscape, accessibility isn’t optional—it’s an essential component of responsible e-commerce operation.

    Crafting Effective Product Image Descriptions

    Alt Text Best Practices for E-commerce

    Creating effective alt text for product images requires balancing descriptive accuracy, keyword integration, and conciseness. Here are practical guidelines specifically for e-commerce product images:

    Be Specific About Product Details

    Include key product characteristics that shoppers care about:

    Basic example: “Blue dress” Better example: “Mid-length royal blue summer dress with short sleeves and v-neck design”

    Incorporate Model Numbers When Relevant

    For technical products, model numbers can drive specific search traffic:

    Basic example: “Wireless headphones” Better example: “Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless noise-canceling headphones in matte black”

    Include Color, Material, and Style

    These descriptive elements match common search patterns:

    Basic example: “Men’s watch” Better example: “Men’s stainless steel chronograph watch with brown leather strap”

    Keep it Under 125 Characters

    While being descriptive, remain concise for optimal screen reader experience:

    Too long: “Women’s handcrafted genuine Italian leather shoulder bag with adjustable strap, gold-tone hardware, zippered main compartment, interior pockets, perfect for everyday use or special occasions, available in cognac brown” Better length: “Women’s cognac brown Italian leather shoulder bag with adjustable strap and gold-tone hardware”

    Avoid Keyword Stuffing

    Maintain natural language while incorporating relevant terms:

    Poor practice: “Shoes shoes running shoes men’s shoes athletic shoes discount running shoes” Good practice: “Men’s lightweight gray and blue running shoes with responsive cushioning”

    Creating SEO-Friendly File Names

    Before uploading product images, rename the files using descriptive, keyword-rich names separated by hyphens:

    Default camera naming: “IMG_5867.jpg” SEO-friendly naming: “womens-wool-peacoat-navy-front-view.jpg”

    This simple adjustment provides search engines with additional context while creating a more organized media library for your team.

    Technical Optimization: Beyond Descriptions

    Image Compression and Loading Speed

    While descriptions are crucial, technical image optimization is equally important for e-commerce success. Page speed directly impacts conversion rates, with studies showing that each second of delay can reduce conversions by up to 7%.

    Implement these technical best practices:

    1. Compress images without sacrificing quality using tools like ShortPixel or Imagify
    2. Choose appropriate file formats (JPEG for photographs, PNG for images requiring transparency, WebP for modern browsers)
    3. Implement lazy loading so images load only as shoppers scroll down the page
    4. Provide responsive images that adapt to different screen sizes
    5. Use CDNs (Content Delivery Networks) to serve images quickly regardless of visitor location

    Structured Data for Enhanced Search Features

    Implementing product structured data markup (using schema.org vocabulary) enables rich results in search, potentially including your product images directly in search results with pricing and availability information. This advanced implementation significantly increases visibility and can improve click-through rates from search results.

    Scaling Image Optimization Across Large Product Catalogs

    The Manual Approach vs. Automation

    For small stores with limited inventory, manually optimizing each product image might be feasible. However, most growing e-commerce businesses face a critical challenge: how to maintain consistent, high-quality image optimization across hundreds or thousands of products?

    Manual optimization presents several challenges:

    • Time consumption: Writing unique, effective alt text for each product image requires significant effort
    • Consistency issues: Different team members might use varying approaches to description writing
    • Update difficulties: When products change, remembering to update all associated image descriptions becomes cumbersome
    • Scaling limitations: As your catalog grows, manual processes become increasingly unsustainable

    Automation Solutions for E-commerce Image Optimization

    This is where specialized tools like WP Descriptor become invaluable for WooCommerce stores and WordPress-based e-commerce sites. By leveraging advanced algorithms, WP Descriptor automatically generates rich, SEO-friendly alt text for your entire product catalog.

    The benefits of automation include:

    • Time savings: Instantly generate descriptions for your entire catalog
    • Consistency: Maintain a uniform approach to image descriptions
    • Scalability: Effortlessly optimize new products as they’re added
    • Reduced human error: Eliminate overlooked images or incomplete descriptions
    • SEO advantages: Ensure every product image contributes to your search visibility

    For Shopify merchants considering migration to WordPress, tools like WP Descriptor offer a compelling advantage, allowing automated optimization of imported product images without the tedious process of manual description writing.

    Measuring the Impact of Image Optimization

    Tracking Performance Metrics

    To understand the ROI of your image optimization efforts, monitor these key metrics:

    1. Image search traffic: Track visitors arriving through Google Images using Google Analytics or similar tools
    2. Product page engagement: Measure time on page and bounce rate improvements after optimization
    3. Conversion rate changes: Compare pre-optimization and post-optimization conversion performance
    4. Accessibility scores: Use tools like WAVE or axe to evaluate accessibility improvements

    A/B Testing Approach

    Consider testing different alt text approaches on similar products to identify which description styles drive the most engagement and conversions. Split testing can reveal whether detailed technical specifications or lifestyle-focused descriptions perform better for your specific audience.

    Strategic Implementation for Different E-commerce Scenarios

    For New Store Launches

    If you’re just beginning your e-commerce journey, implement comprehensive image optimization from day one:

    1. Establish clear guidelines for product photography
    2. Create a standardized approach to alt text creation
    3. Select and implement appropriate automation tools
    4. Build templates for different product categories
    5. Train team members on image optimization best practices

    For Established Stores with Legacy Images

    If you have an existing catalog with suboptimal image optimization:

    1. Conduct an audit to identify unoptimized images
    2. Prioritize optimization of top-selling products first
    3. Consider automated solutions for bulk updates
    4. Implement a phased approach to prevent overwhelming your team
    5. Establish processes to ensure new products follow optimization guidelines

    For Multi-Channel Sellers

    If you sell across multiple platforms (your own store plus marketplaces like Amazon or eBay):

    1. Create a central image repository with optimized descriptions
    2. Adapt descriptions to meet the specific requirements of each platform
    3. Track which optimization approaches perform best on different channels
    4. Implement platform-specific structured data where applicable
    5. Consider how image optimization might differ between marketplace and direct-to-consumer contexts

    Future-Proofing Your Image Optimization Strategy

    Adapting to Visual Search Advancements

    As technologies like Google Lens and Pinterest Lens continue to evolve, visual search will increasingly impact e-commerce. Preparing your image assets with comprehensive descriptions helps algorithms understand your products in this emerging search paradigm.

    Voice Search Considerations

    With the growing popularity of voice assistants, consider how your image descriptions might appear in voice search results. Descriptive alt text that answers common product questions can position your items favorably in this expanding search channel.

    Transforming Images from Visual Elements to Revenue Drivers

    In the competitive e-commerce landscape of 2025, every advantage matters. By recognizing product images as more than just visual elements—but as powerful SEO assets and accessibility tools—you position your store for greater visibility, improved user experience, and ultimately, increased sales.

    Whether you manage a boutique WooCommerce store or operate a large-scale online retail operation, image optimization represents one of the most underutilized opportunities to differentiate your business and capture additional market share.

    For store owners seeking efficiency without compromising quality, automation tools like WP Descriptor offer the perfect balance—ensuring every product image contributes to your SEO strategy while making your store accessible to all potential customers.

    Don’t leave this opportunity untapped. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide—whether manually or through intelligent automation—you’ll transform your product images from simple visual aids into powerful drivers of sustainable e-commerce growth.

    Ready to unlock the hidden SEO power of your product images? Let WP Descriptor generate optimized alt text for your entire catalog—automatically. Turn every product image into an SEO asset today.

  • Now Is the Perfect Time to Move to WP A-Z Hosting

    Now Is the Perfect Time to Move to WP A-Z Hosting

    Yesterday, IslandHosting clients got this in their inbox:

    We wanted to email you ourselves regarding the upcoming transition for IslandHosting.com. We have enjoyed building the company, along with former partners, into the business it has become. However, after many years, it is now time for us to move on to other endeavours. We have had new opportunities arise that we would like to give our full attention to, but we didn’t want to leave IslandHosting.com without strong leadership at the helm. We feel it is the right time for another company to take over. We have decided to hand over and transition IslandHosting.com to Exact Hosting which is part of the Tucows organization. This will allow their strong leadership to better serve you and facilitate the future growth of the company with you as their top priority.

    Exact Hosting and the Tucows team have the same priority as we do, and that is YOU. We are confident that they will handle all of your support questions and technical problems quickly, kindly, and competently. Tucows has assured us that they will make sure the transition goes smoothly, and aside from a few changes in logos, billing and login details, it will be business as usual. We have seen a good deal of the process working with Exact Hosting and are confident you will be well supported in your domain and hosting needs.

    We thank you for the time you have been our customer and wish you all the best.

    Steve & Catherine Morley
    Owners of IslandHosting.com

    Although customers have been assured that “it will be business as usual,” this has left some clients wondering. Migrations to large conglomerate hosts can mean slower support queues, price creep, and a one-size-fits-all infrastructure that isn’t tuned for WordPress. Web Hosting Talk users have already catalogued malware-flag issues and long wait times after previous Exact Hosting acquisitions. Here’s a link to the TrustPilot profile for Exact Hosting.

    The good news? You don’t have to ride out that uncertainty. John Overall’s WP A-Z Hosting was built from the ground up for WordPress performance, security, and real human support. Below is a clear-cut look at why switching now makes sense and how painless the move can be. They have data centers in Canada, near Montreal. WP A-Z’s head off is on Vancouver Island. When you deal with WP A-Z, you’re dealing with an expert who has over 20 years experience with web design and WordPress.

    Web321 has been hosting sites with JohnOverall.net and WP A-Z Hosting for five years now. The performance and support has been outstanding. In full disclosure, we don’t put all our eggs in one basket and Web321 will sometimes keep a site where it is when we start working with a client for our WordPress support, but our default hosting solution is always WP A-Z. It’s the best service we have encountered.

    1. Performance That’s Actually Optimized for WordPress

    WP A-Z Hosting Plan SSD Storage Bandwidth WP Toolkit Backups Key Extras
    Budget 10 GB 20 GB Basic Twice a week & are available on demand WHM Xtra, multi-user, 30-day guarantee
    Small-Biz Standard 25 GB Unmetered Basic Twice a week & are available on demand Same extras
    Premium 40 GB Unmetered Deluxe Twice a week & are available on demand Same extras

    All plans run on WordPress-tuned LiteSpeed servers, include cPanel + WP Toolkit for
    one-click staging and cloning, and let you roll back to any nightly snapshot in seconds.

    2. Real WordPress Experts—No Support Guesswork

    • WP A-Z Hosting routes every ticket to technicians who specialize in WordPress and co-host the WP Plugins A-Z podcast. They can resolve plugin conflicts, performance bottlenecks, and theme issues daily—so your question reaches the right person on the first try.
    • Exact Hosting operates within a large network where support staff juggle dozens of platforms. While their agents are friendly, they may not have deep WordPress expertise on tap, which can add extra steps before you reach a specialist.
    • Web321 is available to offer dedicated WordPress support to clients who need updates, expert advice and solid solutions.

    Why it matters: When a critical plugin update breaks your checkout at 9 p.m. on a Friday, you’ll talk to someone who already speaks functions.php, not a generalist who needs to escalate.

    3. Transparent Pricing—No Renewal Surprises

    WP A-Z keeps its fees flat year-to-year and lists every cost up front. Large network hosts often lure customers with discounted first-year rates, then raise renewals by 200 % or more. With WP A-Z, the price you sign up for is the price you’ll keep.

    4. Ready to Migrate Your Site

    1. Full cPanel copy—including email, databases, and SSL. We tried working with dotEasy recently and they wanted $120/yr. upgrade to add a database to their client’s site, bringing that client’s bill to over $300/yr to host three page WordPress site!
    2. Temporary staging URL so you can test everything before DNS change.
    3. DNS cut-over timed for low-traffic hours; propagation is typically under 30 minutes.

    5. Security You Don’t Have to Babysit

    • WordPress-tuned web-application firewall that blocks XML-RPC and REST-API brute force by default.
    • Daily malware scans with auto-quarantine.
    • Free Let’s Encrypt SSL issued and renewed automatically.

    6. Features Not Commonly Found on the Mega-Hosts

    Feature WP A-Z Hosting Exact Hosting (Tucows)
    One-click staging ✔ Only on high-tier plans
    Git over SSH on all plans ✔ Limited
    Per-directory PHP versions ✔ Global only
    Custom server-side cron intervals ✔ Limited
    Money-back guarantee 30 days 7–14 days
    For the best CPanel hosting in Canada, we heavily reccommend WP A-Z Hosting.

    7. How to Move in Three Simple Steps

    1. Choose the WP A-Z plan that matches or exceeds your current storage.
    2. After set-up make a Support request for migration to with your Islandnet credentials.
    3. Review the staging copy, approve the DNS switch, then cancel Islandnet once SSL and email are verified.

    Ready to Migrate?

    WP A-Z Hosting will transfer your site, optimize it on arrival, and back it up nightly.
    Click here to lock in flat-rate pricing before your next Islandnet renewal.

    Your site, your performance, your peace of mind—move it to WordPress experts at WP A-Z.

  • The WP Engine Tracker

    A new website, WP Engine Tracker, shows the number of sites that have left hosting provider WP Engine since its dispute with WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg began in September. Automattic confirmed that it created this site but did not provide further information. The site’s URL is WordPressenginetracker.com. This is notable because Mullenweg and Automattic have argued that WP Engine misused the WordPress trademark and misled people into thinking it was connected to WordPress.com.

    Currently, the page reports that over 16,000 domains have moved to a different hosting provider.

    The official WordPress account on X has promoted offers and blog posts outlining alternatives to WP Engine.

    Mullenweg, Automattic, and WP Engine are in an ongoing legal conflict. Last week, Mullenweg and Automattic filed court documents, asking the judge to dismiss some of WP Engine’s main claims. They also asked the court to deny WP Engine’s preliminary motion, which aims to restore WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org, a repository site owned by Mullenweg.

    During TechCrunch Disrupt last week, Mullenweg said that WP Engine will lose more than 8% of its business in the coming weeks. In September, Mullenweg had asked WP Engine to pay 8% of their revenue as a licensing fee for using the WordPress trademark.

    “They are losing a lot of customers. We will see what happens. We are at war with them, and we will work to take all of their customers,” Mullenweg said.

    A developer, Duane Storey, has also created a plugin to restrict information passed through the WordPress HTTP API. This plugin is not affiliated with WordPress or Automattic. The plugin is available at: https://github.com/wp-privacy/wp-api-privacy.

    more info: Techcrunch

  • WordPress Drama – The Latest Update

    If you don’t know what WordPress is or the recent discussions about it, let’s talk. WordPress is a widely used platform that allows people to easily create and manage websites, and lately, there have been some important debates about its future direction that are worth understanding. Let’s break it down step by step so you have a good idea of what’s happening and why people care so much about it.

    The Main Player(s)

    Let’s talk about the important people and groups:

    • WordPress is one of the most popular tools for building websites. It is very flexible and easy to use, which makes it popular with marketing companies that want to create websites without needing special technical skills. WordPress has helped many of these companies offer more services and call themselves web development agencies. This means that businesses that may not have had the technical ability to create websites in the past can now use WordPress to do so, which has made website building much more accessible. However, this has also led to different opinions about the value of these services and whether such agencies can truly be called web development providers.
    • Automattic is the company started by Matt Mullenweg, who also co-founded WordPress. Automattic runs many products related to WordPress, including WordPress.com, which is a commercial service that provides hosting and other features for users who want a more streamlined experience. Automattic has a big influence on the WordPress world, and its decisions are often talked about in the community. Because Automattic plays such a major role in the development and direction of WordPress, the choices it makes are sometimes met with mixed reactions, with some supporting the changes and others feeling concerned about how these decisions affect the larger WordPress ecosystem.
    • The WordPress Community includes developers, designers, content creators, and users who help with the open-source project. This group helps improve WordPress by giving feedback, making plugins and themes, and joining community events. The community has different views about the direction of WordPress, with some wanting to keep things stable and others wanting more changes. This diversity of opinion is both a strength and a challenge for WordPress. It means that there is always a lot of input, but it also means that reaching agreements can be tough. The community is made up of many different types of people, from beginners to experts, and from hobbyists to professional developers, which adds to the variety of perspectives.

    The Events*

    • Matt gets a bug up his ass one day about WPEngine and decides to accuse them of freeloading and messing up his software and doing other things he doesn’t like. Initially, people were sympathetic to this, because this is absolutely a thing that companies do with free software and it sucks. However, reactions were muted and WPEngine especially didn’t immediately just roll over and give him what he wanted, so Matt went on to turn up the heat in a follow-up blog post, calling them a “cancer” and telling their customers they should leave.
    • WPEngine sends a cease-and-desist in which they also accuse Mullenweg of trying to shake them down for millions of dollars and threatening them if they did not pay up, and oh my goodness they included receipts.
    • Mullenweg does not, in fact, cease or desist. Automattic — controlled by Matt — fires back with its own cease and desist, and Matt goes on to comment on X (“formerly Twitter”), and a particular orange site where many other commenters plead with him to shut up for his own good, and on his personal blog.
    • When all that only manages to get a quiet murmur in tech news circles, Matt decides to ban WPEngine’s hosted sites from accessing WordPress software updates from WordPress.org, which he controls.
    • WPEngine responds with a lawsuit in 11 complaints, using delightfully tasty legal terms like “extortion”, and, oh, also now telling the world that Matt had tried to poach their CEO and then threatened her when she didn’t cooperate, and oh my goodness again there are receipts in the lawsuit! The current executive director of WordPress apparently finds out, from this lawsuit, that Matt was attempting to replace her, and bounces.
    • Matt goes on to run his mouth everywhere until he lands a lawyer with a high enough hourly rate to convince him to touch grass for a minute.
    • Now the tech news is starting to pick all this up (and this is when traffic starts to spike at r/Wordpress), but still not quite at the volume Matt’s looking for.
    • Matt offers employees of Automattic a pretty sweet severance deal if they don’t like the emperor’s new clothes, and over 8% of his staff say “thank you, bye”.
    • Matt gets a petty little checkbox added to the wordpress.org login that makes you promise, cross-your-heart, you’re not “affiliated with” WPEngine. What does that mean? Nobody knows and Matt banhammers people for asking.
    • Next, Matt directs WordPress.org to steal a popular plugin, managed by WPEngine, used by millions of sites, and rename it, and force-install that onto every site that was previously using WPEngine’s plugin. Matt calls this a “fork”, and says it’s “for security reasons”. This has a direct impact on millions of customers, ties up agencies with inquiries, and absolutely blows up tech news. Matt starts injecting this directly into his veins and slumps back on the floor of his “post-economic” bathroom (this last part might not have actually happened, I’m not sure).
    • …and he bans another popular plugin (archive)
    • …so some plugin developers begin to move their plugins off of wordpress.org: exhibit a (archive), exhibit b (archive).

    Other recaps for those that try to maintain a balanced drama diet:

    Lifted almost verbatim from: https://www.reddit.com/r/SubredditDrama/comments/1g4pr8f/wordpress_the_software_is_currently_embroiled_in…

    You can read more about this discussion on Reddit. Automattic supports changes like the Gutenberg project that, in theory, was intended to make editing easier, but the community grew worried about compatibility, learning new features, and how these changes might affect their current way of working. The Gutenberg editor aimed to bring a modern editing experience similar to other popular platforms, but these changes mean that users have to adapt, and not everyone found the transition easy. The UI, to this day, fails to be clear and useable. A few users appreciate the new features and felt that Gutenberg makes content creation simpler, but others find it disruptive to their current setup.

    For more on community reactions, check out this Reddit thread. On the other hand, some people think that using new technologies is important for WordPress to stay competitive as website tools change. The world of website building is constantly evolving, and many feel that WordPress needs to keep up by offering more advanced tools and features that users expect. Without these updates, WordPress might fall behind newer competitors that offer a more modern user experience.

    Business Considerations

    From a business point of view, these changes are part of a larger trend in the industry to make editing tools more dynamic and user-friendly. Businesses today want platforms that are easy to use, even for people who are not very technical. This topic has also been discussed extensively on Reddit. As with any changing platform, it can be hard to balance new features with what the community wants, but it is often needed to keep growing in the long run. If WordPress does not innovate, it risks losing users to other platforms that offer a simpler or more modern experience. However, too much change can also create frustration for long-time users who prefer the old way of doing things.

    For agencies and businesses that use WordPress, these changes bring both good opportunities and some challenges. Businesses that have used the classic editor for years may find it difficult to switch, and there could be additional costs involved in making sure everyone knows how to use the new tools effectively. Businesses need to consider how these changes affect their overall strategy. While Gutenberg could have improved the way content was created, it requires updates to plugins and themes to ensure compatibility. This can be both time-consuming and costly, especially for businesses with complex setups.

    The discussions about WordPress’ future show how hard it can be to manage an open-source platform with many users and different opinions. Automattic’s role in leading the project is important, but they must always balance new ideas with what the community needs and expects. It is not easy to keep everyone happy when there are so many different types of users with different needs. Some people want stability, while others want new features, and Automattic has to try to find the best path forward for everyone.

    For businesses, staying informed about these changes and adapting to new features will be important to get the most out of WordPress while avoiding any major issues. Keeping up with changes can be challenging, but it is also an opportunity to improve and grow. By understanding the new tools and taking the time to learn how to use them, businesses can make sure they are making the most of what WordPress has to offer. This will help them stay competitive and ensure that their websites are modern, engaging, and effective. Being proactive about adapting to change is key, and businesses that do so will likely find themselves in a better position to succeed in the long term.

  • Retiring Web Designers: Secure Your Legacy and Earn Recurring Income with Web321

    Retiring Web Designers: Secure Your Legacy and Earn Recurring Income with Web321

    After years of crafting beautiful websites and building strong client relationships, you’re considering retirement. It’s a significant decision that brings both excitement for the future and concern for the clients you’ve supported over the years. What will happen to them once you step away? How can you ensure they’re in good hands without abandoning them?

    At Web321, we understand the unique position you’re in. We’re here to offer a solution that not only takes care of your clients but also provides you with a stream of recurring income even after you’ve retired.

    Your Legacy Matters

    You’ve dedicated your career to helping businesses thrive online. The websites you’ve built are a testament to your hard work and creativity. As you plan your retirement, it’s essential to consider:

    • Client Continuity: Ensuring your clients continue to receive the support they need.
    • Quality Assurance: Trusting that the new team will uphold the standards you’ve set.
    • Financial Security: Leveraging your client base to provide ongoing income.

    Why Partner with Web321?

    Client-Centric Approach

    We prioritize your clients just as you have. Our commitment is to provide them with exceptional service, ensuring they feel supported throughout the transition and beyond.

    Expertise and Reliability

    Our team of skilled professionals is equipped to handle a wide range of web design and development needs. We stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies to offer top-notch services.

    Seamless Transition Process

    We have a structured process to make the handover smooth for both you and your clients. Communication is key, and we work closely with you to address any concerns.

    Benefits for You

    Recurring Income

    By entrusting your client list to Web321, you set up a passive income stream. We offer competitive referral commissions, providing you with recurring revenue based on the services we continue to provide to your clients.

    Peace of Mind

    Retire knowing your clients are in capable hands. We value the relationships you’ve built and aim to maintain them with the same level of care and professionalism.

    Flexible Arrangements

    We can customize the transition plan to suit your preferences, whether you wish to remain a point of contact during the initial phase or step back entirely.

    How the Transition Works

    1. Initial DiscussionLet’s talk about your needs, expectations, and any specific considerations regarding your client base.
    2. Agreement SetupWe’ll outline the terms, including the commission structure and transition timeline, ensuring transparency and mutual agreement.
    3. Client IntroductionTogether, we’ll plan how to introduce Web321 to your clients, positioning it as a positive step for their ongoing support.
    4. OnboardingOur team will reach out to your clients, gather necessary information, and begin providing services without interruption.
    5. Ongoing CollaborationIf desired, you can stay involved during the initial stages to ensure a comfortable handover for your clients.

    Take the Next Step with Confidence

    Retirement doesn’t have to mean leaving your clients adrift or missing out on future earnings from the relationships you’ve nurtured. By partnering with Web321, you can secure your legacy, provide for your financial future, and ensure your clients continue to receive the high-quality service they’ve come to expect.

    Reach out to Web321 today to discuss how we can tailor a transition plan that respects your contributions and looks after your clients.

    About Web321

    At Web321, we specialize in web design, development, and maintenance services tailored to businesses of all sizes. Our mission is to empower businesses with effective online solutions while building lasting relationships based on trust and excellence.

    Contact Us

    Let Web321 be your partner in web success—whether you’re a website owner seeking support or a web designer planning your next chapter.

  • Setting Up A Custom Color Scheme For Divi

    Setting Up A Custom Color Scheme For Divi

    I have attached the file that I used my case.blankOne Divi feature is”Color Scheme.” It presets for green, orange, pink, red and its default blue color schemes that influence the colors of borders, buttons and other accents on a baseline Divi theme. What happens if none of those colors jibe with your design? In our case, there were layers of styling rules: baseline WordPress, Divi, Woocommerce, and our styling. It’s great that Divi has Woo specific styling available, but it wasn’t helping what we were trying to accomplish.  That’s a lot to wade through and all of those style rendering decisions turn into processor use on your client machines. A site that is intensive to render may perform worse or appear to render in some unpredictable way on some browser. Rather than add to that, setting the color scheme in Divi is one way to output as little styling as possible. The following is my approach for overriding the Divi color schemes and adding a reference for your project.

    The Divi color schemes can be appended by adding some filters and actions to your custom theme’s functions.php

    In my case, I was working on a custom theme, named “hira,” so the prefixes in my example echo that.

    The color scheme choices need to be appended.


    // Add Hira color scheme to Divi color scheme choices
    function hira_color_scheme_choices($color_choices = []) {
    $color_choices['hira'] = esc_html__( 'Hira', 'Divi' );
    return $color_choices;
    }
    add_filter('et_divi_color_scheme_choices', 'hira_color_scheme_choices');

    The color schemes need to be appended with an entry for the new key (example here: ‘hira.’)


    // Define the Hira custom color scheme
    function hira_custom_color_scheme($color_schemes) {
    $color_schemes['hira'] = array(
    'Accent Color'         => '#FF5733',
    'Secondary Color'      => '#33FF57',
    'Footer Background Color'  => '#3357FF',
    'Menu Background Color' => '#FF33F1',
    'Menu Text Color'      => '#33FFF1',
    );
    return $color_schemes;
    }
    add_filter('et_builder_color_schemes', 'hira_custom_color_scheme');

    After the color scheme is set, it can be referenced. In my case, I added a css sub-directory to my child theme, “css.” I made a stylesheet for this scheme. I called it “hira_scheme.css” and put it in that css file.


    // Load the CSS only if Hira color scheme is selected
    function load_hira_scheme_css() {
    // Get current theme options
    $settings = get_option('et_divi');

    /* Check if 'hira' is selected as the color scheme */

if ( isset( $settings['color_schemes'] ) && $settings['color_schemes'] === 'hira' ) {
// Enqueue the Hira color scheme CSS file
wp_enqueue_style( 'hira-scheme', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/css/hira_scheme.css', array(), null );
}
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'load_hira_scheme_css', 15 );

    To build out the scheme elements, I cribbed from the main divi file,
    /wp-content/themes/Divi/style-static.min.css
    I looked for all of the color scheme relevant stylings with the “_scheme_red” phrase in the selectors and copy them into my [keyword]_scheme.css file. I then do a find-replace to swap
    “_red” to match your phrase from your color scheme settings (in my example, I would be swapping _red or _hira

    I have attached the file that I used my project.

     

  • Webflow Price Increases

    Webflow’s recent price increase of approximately 44% for its CMS plans has sparked significant reactions among its user base, particularly among freelancers, agencies, and developers. Here are some key points and side effects based on user feedback:

    User Reactions and Concerns

    • Shock and Discontent:
      • Many users expressed shock and dissatisfaction with the steep price hike, describing it as “absurd” and a potential deal-breaker for continuing with Webflow
      • The increase has made it challenging for some users to justify the cost to their clients, especially when compared to other platforms like WordPress.
    • Impact on Business Operations:
      • Some users mentioned that the price increase has led them to reconsider their hosting options, with plans to move sites to their own servers or explore alternative tools
      • Agencies and freelancers, particularly those with clients in third-world countries, find the new pricing structure difficult to manage due to the disparity in cost of living
    • Feature Development and Expectations:
      • Users have voiced concerns that despite the price increase, some key features like Memberships, Logic, and Multilingual support are still in beta or under development
      • There is frustration over the lack of a clear roadmap and timeline for the release of these essential features.
    • Positive Feedback on Platform Evolution:
      • Some users acknowledged the improvements Webflow has made over the years, such as enhancements in CMS performance, WebP support, and new beta functionalities like Memberships and Logic
      • Webflow has introduced new workspace plans aimed at freelancers and agencies, which include features like full CMS access on unhosted sites and free guest access in client workspaces.

    Webflow’s Response

    Webflow has attempted to address these concerns by:

    • Locking existing plans into their current pricing for one year to ease the transition
    • Highlighting the significant investments and improvements made to the platform, which they believe justify the price increase
    • Promising continued development and enhancements, particularly for features still in beta

    While Webflow’s price increase has caused discontent and operational challenges for many users, the company maintains that the changes are necessary to support the platform’s growth and future developments. It’s important to note that WordPress is free with the costs coming from design and hosting.

  • NXDOMAIN and DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

    NXDOMAIN and DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

    An NXDOMAIN error, which stands for “Non-Existent Domain,” occurs when a domain name cannot be resolved by DNS servers. This error is common in various contexts, including WordPress sites. Some insights and solutions regarding this issue:

    Understanding NXDOMAIN

    NXDOMAIN indicates that the domain name entered does not exist or cannot be resolved by the DNS servers. This can happen due to several reasons, such as misconfigured DNS settings, issues with the DNS server, or the domain not being registered.

    Common Causes and Solutions

    1. DNS Configuration Issues:
      • Ensure that your DNS records are correctly configured and that your domain name is registered with a valid DNS provider. Tools like DNS Checker or MX Toolbox can help verify your DNS configuration
      • If your DNS server is experiencing issues or is not running, this can cause an NXDOMAIN error. Check your server logs or use tools like DNSstuff to perform a DNS lookup
    2. Local Hosts File:
      • Sometimes, incorrect entries in the local hosts file can cause NXDOMAIN errors. Editing this file to correct or remove erroneous entries can resolve the issue. On Windows, this file is located at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts, and on macOS, it is at /etc/hosts
    3. DNS Cache:
      • Flushing the DNS cache can resolve issues caused by outdated or incorrect DNS information. On Windows, use the command ipconfig /flushdns, and on macOS, use sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
    4. DNS Server Settings:
      • Changing your DNS server settings to use a different DNS provider, such as Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS, can sometimes resolve NXDOMAIN errors. This can be done in your network settings

    WordPress-Specific Considerations

    For WordPress sites, NXDOMAIN errors can also be related to issues with the hosting provider or misconfigured domain settings. Here are some steps specific to WordPress:

    1. Check Domain Registration:
      • Ensure that your domain is correctly registered and that the DNS records are properly set up with your domain registrar
    2. Verify DNS Records:
      • Make sure that the DNS records, such as A, CNAME, and MX records, are correctly configured. Incorrect or outdated records can lead to NXDOMAIN errors.
    3. Contact Hosting Provider:
      • If the issue persists, contact your hosting provider for assistance. They can help diagnose and resolve DNS-related issues that might be affecting your WordPress site

    To fix a DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error, you can try the following steps:

    1. Reboot your internet connection and restart your computer
    • . This can resolve temporary network issues that may be causing the error.
    • Flush your DNS cache
      • On Windows: Open Command Prompt as administrator and run “ipconfig /flushdns”
      • On macOS: Open Terminal and run “sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder”
    • Renew your IP address
      • On Windows: In Command Prompt, run “ipconfig /release” followed by “ipconfig /renew”
      • On macOS: Go to System Preferences > Network > Advanced > TCP/IP and click “Renew DHCP Lease”
    • Change your DNS server
    • . Try using public DNS servers like Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1).
    • Clear your browser’s DNS cache
    • . For Chrome, enter “chrome://net-internals/#dns” in the address bar and click “Clear host cache”.
    • Disable VPN or antivirus software temporarily
    • . These can sometimes interfere with DNS resolution.
    • Check your local hosts file for any incorrect entries
    • Restart the DNS Client service
      • On Windows: Open Services, find “DNS Client”, right-click and select “Restart”
    • Reset Chrome flags
    • . Enter “chrome://flags” in the address bar and click “Reset all to default”.
    • If you’re a website owner, check your domain’s DNS settings and ensure it’s properly registered and not expired

    If none of these steps work, contact your internet service provider or hosting provider for further assistance. Remember to try these solutions one by one and check if the error is resolved after each step.

    If you need help, contact Web321.

We’ll take good care of your website.

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