Let’s face it, friends. A website that looks like it was built in 1999 isn’t going to win any hearts (or conversions). But fear not! Today, I will delve into the world of website aesthetics, where I’ll give you some tips on how to make that website pretty.
Step 1: Color is your friend (But don’t do the most)
Colors set the mood, just like that perfect song on a road trip. Choose a palette that reflects your brand and resonates with your audience. Think calming blues for a yoga studio, vibrant oranges for a kids’ toy store, or sleek blacks for a photography showcase. But remember, restraint is key! Nobody wants a migraine from a color attack.
Step 2: Fonts: From Friend to Foe (Choose Wisely!)
The font you choose is the voice of your website. Do you want to whisper elegance with a classic serif? Shout boldness with a quirky handwritten style. Or maybe strike a balance with a modern sans-serif? Remember, consistency is king (or queen) – pick a font family and stick to it (except maybe for playful accents). My hands down favorite font is Montserrat.
Step 3: Images: Show, Don’t Tell (And Show Stunning Stuff!)
A picture is worth a thousand pixels, as they say. Ditch the blurry stock photos and low-quality pics and invest in high-quality visuals that complement your content. Showcase your products in action, capture the essence of your brand, or simply make people giggle with funny dog memes (it’s a judgment-free zone here). You can find good quality stock photos on sites like pixabay or unsplash.com
Step 4: Less is More (and White Space is Your Friend)
Don’t cram everything onto your website like a Tetris master on steroids. Give your content room to breathe with generous white space. Think of it as the pause between notes in a beautiful song – it adds emphasis and prevents visual overload.
Step 5: Call to Action: Make it Obvious (and Irresistible!)
Don’t leave your visitors wandering like lost puppies. Guide them towards your ultimate goal with clear and compelling calls to action. Buttons that pop, text that sings, and colors that call – make it impossible to resist taking the next step!
Bonus Tip: Mobile Matters!
Remember, most people are surfing the web on their phones these days. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and looks just as stunning on a tiny screen as it does on a giant monitor.
Now go forth and focus on how you want to make your website pretty. Reach out when you are ready for me to create your WordPress website.
Ok so here’s the thing, if you’re just stepping into the digital world, you gotta be prepared. There are a ton of plugins to choose from, but when it comes to WordPress, these 9 plugins are the ones you should have as a part of your WordPress website foundation.
1. Yoast SEO
Get those search engines to notice you, boost your online presence and make sure your content gets the love it deserves.
No need to be a tech whiz. Build/edit your web pages that’ll make your brand stand out
7. Wordfence
Keep the hackers and malware away. Protect your WordPress website with WordFence.
8. Akismet
Say goodbye to spam and trolls. Keep your online space clean and spam-free for your true fans and followers.
9. UpDraftPlus:
Back it up, back it up! Your website data is important, so make sure you have a safety net for those ‘just in case’ moments.
Adding these WordPress plugins to your website not only streamlines your business operations but also enhances the overall user experience. Make the most of these tools to build a robust website that resonates with your audience and sets you on the path to digital success.
Spam comments on your WordPress website can be super annoying. They clutter your content, harm your website’s credibility, and create extra work for you as you sift through the junk to find legit comments. Fortunately, there are things you can do to combat this issue. In this post, I’ll explore five ways to prevent WordPress spam comments and keep your website clean and user-friendly.
1. Enable CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA
CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) and **reCAPTCHA** are super dope tools to thwart automated spam bots. By requiring users to complete a puzzle or click a checkbox to prove they’re human, you can significantly reduce spam submissions.
To enable CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA on your WordPress site, consider using a plugin like Google Captcha (reCAPTCHA) by BestWebSoft. It’s user-friendly and provides solid protection against spam.
2. Use a Spam Comment Filter Plugin
Spam comment filter plugins are a WordPress site owner’s best friend. Two of the most popular options are Akismet and Antispam Bee. These plugins automatically detect and filter out spam comments, sparing you the headache of having to sort through them to find legitimate comments. Simply install one of these plugins, configure the settings, and let them work their magic. They are highly effective and constantly updated to combat new spamming techniques.
3. Moderate Spam Comments Manually
While automated tools and plugins are great, some spam comments may still sneak through. To ensure nothing harmful or irrelevant gets posted on your site, consider enabling manual comment moderation. This means you or your team will review and approve comments before they appear on your website. While it requires a bit more effort, manual moderation gives you full control over what gets published. It’s an effective way to ensure a spam-free comment section.
4. Limit Hyperlinks in Comments
Spammers often use comments to promote their websites or products by including multiple hyperlinks. You can deter them by limiting the number of links a user can include in a comment. Most genuine comments won’t need more than one or two links. To implement this restriction, use a plugin like “WP Limit Comment Links.” It’s a simple yet effective way to reduce spammy links in your comments.
5. Disable Comments on Older Posts
As your website grows, older posts can become targets for spam comments. Since these posts may not receive as much attention from you or your audience, consider disabling comments on them. You can do this by going to the post’s settings and unchecking the “Allow Comments” box. It’s a preventive measure to keep spam at bay on less active content.
In conclusion, WordPress spam comments can be a nuisance, but with these five strategies and proper regular maintenance, you can significantly reduce their impact on your website. Implementing CAPTCHA, using spam comment filter plugins, manual moderation, limiting hyperlinks, and disabling comments on older posts are all effective ways to maintain a spam-free and user-friendly WordPress site. By taking these steps, you’ll create a better experience for your readers and save yourself valuable time and energy.
In this case study, let’s explore how Jenaki, a talented Reiki practitioner, and I collaborated to create a simple one-page WordPress website. I assisted Jenaki in securing a domain, selecting reliable hosting, writing compelling website copy, and integrating Square Appointments. This enabled her to establish an online presence, attract new clients, and streamline the booking process. Join us as we dive into the details of Jenaki’s transformative journey.
Client Background
During the pandemic, Jenaki experienced a spiritual awakening, leading her to establish Jenaki’s Vegan Life and become a Usui Reiki 2 Practitioner. Her mission focuses on inspiring personal healing and well-being.
The Journey
Jenaki approached me for a website and guidance on offering services to future Reiki clients. We had a 30-minute discovery call to discuss her needs, vision, and goals. After evaluating her requirements, I provided a detailed explanation, including a quote and an overview of what she needed to get started.
Domain & Hosting Process
We secured the domain jenakisveganlife.com as an umbrella for her brands. However, after further discussion, we also obtained Reikiwithjenaki.com since it would be her main focus for a while. Choosing WordPress as the platform, we secured hosting with Bluehost . While I handled the domain and hosting process, I assigned Jenaki tasks like writing her bio and acquiring a professional headshot for the website. I also provided her with a checklist for guidance
Create the Copy
Jenaki excelled at completing her tasks, and together we edited her bio. I extracted a few points from it to use as copy for her “work with me” section.
Jenaki’s goal was to market her Reiki services and provide an easy scheduling and payment process for clients. To achieve this, we opted to integrate Square for accepting payments and managing appointments. By embedding a Square booking widget, we made it effortless for clients to schedule and pay, saving time for both Jenaki and her clients.
Following a successful soft launch, Jenaki will soon be fully launching her website. Our next objective is to raise awareness and drive traffic to her site.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our partnership in creating a one-page WordPress website empowered Jenaki to establish a robust online presence and connect with clients seeking healing and self-discovery through Reiki. By leveraging my expertise in domain acquisition, website hosting, copywriting, and Square Appointments integration, I provided Jenaki with the necessary tools to expand her reach and enhance her business’s success. This journey shows the power of a simple well-crafted website in turning a passion into a thriving online enterprise.
WordPress maintenance and security can be a pain, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools and the right mindset, you can easily keep your WordPress site up-to-date, safe, and secure. Here are 5 tips for keeping your website maintained and secure:
Tip 1: Keep It Updated
Some people shy away from updating WordPress because they’re afraid of what might happen—their themes could break or their plugins might no longer work. But the best way to ensure that your site will always work is to keep everything updated. Don’t be afraid! Just do it!
Tip 2: Back It Up
Back up your site regularly so that if something bad happens, you have a safety net. This means keeping backups of all of your files, including the database. There are many backup plugins available for WordPress that can help you automate this process, like UpdraftPlus, which makes backing up your site simple; Duplicator , which is an incredibly easy-to-use solution for backing up both files and databases; and BackWPup, which helps you back up your files securely on Amazon’s S3 servers.
Tip 3: Use Security Plugins
There are some great security plugins out there that can help you harden the security around your WordPress site to prevent malicious attacks and hacks
Tip 4: Use a reliable hosting service
Having a great host will save you time and stress. For shared hosting I recommend Bluehost and for managed WordPress hosting, Flywheel is my go-to favorite.
Tip 5: Change the default admin username
The first thing any hacker will try to do when they hack into your site is log in using the default username: “Admin.” Don’t give them easy access! Change the default username when you set up the site (and if you haven’t already, change it now : ).
Conclusion
If you want your site to run well over the long haul, you need to do regular maintenance on it.
That’s where I come in: I specialize in website maintenance services that keep your site running smoothly over time. This is not something that should be ignored! If you want your website to last for the long haul, then you need to invest in keeping it running smoothly! Find out more about my WordPress Maintenance services and do not hesitate to contact me if you need help.
