Category: WordPress

WordPress how-tos for bloggers covering updates, news, plugins, themes, development, speed and security.

  • 50+ WordPress plugins across 10 essential categories

    50+ WordPress plugins across 10 essential categories

    One of the major advantages to having a self-hosted WordPress (wordpress.org) site is being able to access over 50,000 plugins in the WordPress Plugins Directory and hundreds more premium plugins available all over the web.  Plugins allow you to easily add extra functionality to your blog without having to manually code it yourself. Here are…

  • Install and test self-hosted WordPress locally on your computer (using MAMP)

    Install and test self-hosted WordPress locally on your computer (using MAMP)

    There has been so many emails in my inbox during this pandemic asking about how to go about setting up a new WordPress site to test a new idea. Installing WordPress on your computer allows you to try out ideas privately without needing a domain or web host or putting your site online for the…

  • Want to turn your WordPress site into an e-commerce store? Here are 3 plugins that will add shop functionality to your site

    Want to turn your WordPress site into an e-commerce store? Here are 3 plugins that will add shop functionality to your site

    Are you looking to build an online store using WordPress but not sure how to go about it? It can be overwhelming trying to figure out the best option to get started with. So here are three of the most popular e-commece plugins available for WordPress users. 1. WooCommerce WooCommerce [affiliate link] is one of…

  • How to add a widget area above your WordPress blog posts

    How to add a widget area above your WordPress blog posts

    The space above your blog posts is a great place to add a blog menu, an email optin, a featured post, an ad or simply an image. This tutorial will show you how to add a widget area to above your posts on your blog page so you can place any widget you want to…

  • 35 things to do after installing WordPress

    35 things to do after installing WordPress

    You’ve chosen your domain, purchased your hosting and installed WordPress. You’ve logged in and made it to the WordPress Dashboard. Now what? While it’s tempting to go straight into creating content, working through this checklist will have your site setup correctly, which will benefit you when it comes to usability, speed, SEO and keeping your…

  • How to disable fullscreen mode in Gutenberg WordPress Editor

    How to disable fullscreen mode in Gutenberg WordPress Editor

    WordPress 5.4 introduced fullscreen mode as default for the Gutenberg editor. That means every time you open a post or page, it is shown as fullscreen without your WordPress Admin Menu or Bar. While this distraction-free mode can be useful in some cases, some users may find it confusing and want to go back to…

  • Complete guide to moving from Blogger to self-hosted WordPress without losing Google rankings

    Complete guide to moving from Blogger to self-hosted WordPress without losing Google rankings

    Do you currently have a blog on Blogger which you’d like to transfer to self-hosted WordPress? Although there are a couple of upfront costs and may be a slight learning curve, I highly recommend WordPress.org – it gives you more control, more options and opens up a world of possibilities for growth. What is WordPress.org?…

  • How to properly move from WordPress.com to self hosted WordPress.org

    How to properly move from WordPress.com to self hosted WordPress.org

    Have you made the decision to move from WordPress.com to the self-hosted version of WordPress? I highly recommend WordPress.org over WordPress.com. There are a couple of upfront costs but in the long term WordPress.org is definitely worth it – it gives you more control, more options and opens up a world of possibilities for growth.…

  • Fix the critical error on your WordPress website

    Fix the critical error on your WordPress website

    It’s likely at some point in your journey with WordPress, that you’ll come across the dreaded critical error. There has been a critical error on your website. Please check your site admin email inbox for instructions. Learn more about debugging in WordPress. I know – terrifying. But don’t worry! Your site is not lost and…

  • 8 ways to speed up your WordPress site

    8 ways to speed up your WordPress site

    Not surprising as a fast-loading site improves user experience, increases your page views and helps with your SEO.  According to research by WPengine, a single second delay in page load speed can lead to 11% fewer page views, 16% decrease in customer satisfaction and 7% loss in conversions. Other research by Neil Patel shows that 47% of…

  • Web Host Providers for WordPress users [affiliate links]

    Web Host Providers for WordPress users [affiliate links]

    Performance, security, reliability and cost are among the top factors when deciding where to host your blog or website. There are a number of good hosts available these days and even more average hosts, it can get really overwhelming when trying to decide who to choose. Here’s a breakdown of web hosting options in 2020…

  • Just moved to self-hosted WordPress? Here’s what you need to know

    Just moved to self-hosted WordPress? Here’s what you need to know

    Self-hosted WordPress or wordpress.org is known as a Content Management System (CMS). A CMS is a software that allows you to easily create, edit, organise and publish content from a simple interface. If you’re thinking about going with WordPress then I’d recommend self-hosted over wordpress.com, as it gives you full access and is very customisable.…