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  • 9 Best Redirect Plugins for WordPress in 2023

    Setting up redirects can become a regular task if you run a WordPress website. For example, you may take some of your pages down over time, or you might want to move them from one URL to another. Whenever that happens, configuring a redirect properly ensures that users still arrive where they want to go.

    In this article, we’ll talk about what types of redirects you can set up. We’ll also introduce you to the best redirect plugins for WordPress and help you choose the right one for your site.

    Let’s get to it!

    What Type of Redirect to Use on Your Website

    There are several types of redirects that you can use on your WordPress website. Most of the plugins we’ll introduce you to in the following sections enable you to set up any type of redirect you want. With that in mind, it’s essential to understand the difference between each of them.

    Redirect Breakdown

    Let’s break down the most common types of redirects and when to use them:

    • 301 (permanent redirection). This type of redirect tells the visitor that the page they tried to access has moved elsewhere permanently. Then it helpfully sends them to that new address.
    • 302, 303, 307 (temporary redirection). These types of redirects tell visitors that the page they’re trying to access is temporarily unavailable.
    • 304 (not modified redirection). This type of redirect sends visitors to a cached version of the page since there haven’t been any new changes to it. We have an excellent overview that explains what the 304 status code means and how to fix it if you are seeing unwanted 304 redirects on your website.
    • 308 (permanent redirection). This is an alternative to 301 redirections and accomplishes essentially the same outcome, although the original is still the most popular option.

    In theory, there are particular situations when you’ll want to use 302, 303, and 307 redirects, respectively. For example, you can use 303 and 307 redirects to tell browsers not to refresh a confirmation page after users submit a form.

    For practical purposes, however, you probably won’t use a lot of 303 or 307 redirects. Form and e-commerce plugins usually handle those situations via built-in functionality. As for 302 redirects, there aren’t a lot of scenarios when it makes sense to move visitors to another page temporarily.

    In practice, you’ll most often use 301 redirects. In case you have particular needs, though, we’ll let you know what types of redirects each of the plugins we recommend enable you to use.

    Finally, it’s also worth noting that you can implement redirects in WordPress manually by modifying your site’s .htaccess file. However, that’s not an approach that we recommend unless you’re very comfortable editing WordPress core files.

    The Best Redirect Plugins for WordPress

    We selected the seven plugins below based on their feature sets, ease of use, and positive reviews. However, it’s important to note that implementing redirects on your website can lead to errors and SEO penalties if you don’t do it properly (or if your plugin is poorly coded or out of date). With that in mind, we’re also recommending plugins that are well-established and frequently updated.

    1. Rank Math

    Rank Math SEO plugin

    Rank Math is a popular all-in-one WordPress SEO plugin that includes redirection functionality. It’s similar to Yoast in terms of features, and there’s plenty of debate about which is the superior WordPress SEO plugin.

    If you use Rank Math on your own site (or are interested in adding it), you’ll be glad to know that it makes configuring redirects easy. This SEO plugin uses a module system that enables you to turn on or off the specific functionalities you want to use. Among those modules, you’ll find options for a 404 error monitor and redirects:

    Rank Math example

    The 404 error monitor is enabled by default. However, once you turn on the redirection feature, you’ll be able to set up individual redirects:

    Add redirections

    Rank Math supports multiple types of redirects, and it also enables you to automatically reroute 404 errors to any page of your choosing. Of course, you get access to a lot of useful SEO functionality as well.

    Key Features:

    • Improve your website’s SEO
    • Monitor your site for 404 errors, and implement automatic redirects for them.
    • Set up custom redirects for any page you need

    Rank Math is for you if…

    …you already use this plugin on your site, or you’re in search of an SEO plugin that also includes redirect functionality. In comparison with other SEO plugins, Rank Math offers a more modular approach. That means that you can turn off any features that you don’t need for easier configuration.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $59 per year

    Get Rank Math

    2. LoginWP

    The Peter's Login Redirect plugin

    LoginWP (Formerly Peter’s Login Redirect) is unlike any of the other redirect plugins for WordPress we’ve talked about so far. With this plugin, you can set up automatic redirects that trigger when users log in or out of your website.

    We’ve talked about how to set up and configure LoginWP in the past. So let’s instead focus on why this type of redirect can be useful. For example, it can enable you to divert users from seeing the WordPress dashboard after they log in.

    You can add redirect rules for specific users or roles. The plugin also enables you to set up post-registration redirects, which you can use to send users to a ‘thank you’ page:

    Setting up login redirection rules

    If you’re running a membership-based website, this type of redirect can be incredibly useful. With this plugin, you can set up as many login and logout redirection rules as you need.

    Key Features:

    • Redirect users after they log in or out of your website
    • Set up rules for specific users or roles
    • Create custom post-registration redirects

    LoginWP is for you if…

    …you run a membership website or any other type of operation that requires users to log in to access key features.

    Price: Free, premium version starts at $49

    Get LoginWP

    3. Redirection

    Redirection

    Redirection is by far the most popular redirect plugin for WordPress, and it’s easy to see why. This tool enables you to set up many types of redirects, including:

    • 301
    • 302
    • 303
    • 304
    • 308

    Redirection can do other things as well, such as automatically monitoring your website for permalink changes and setting up redirections for you when it detects updates. It can also keep a log of 404 errors that visitors encounter and share that information with you.

    By monitoring 404 errors, you’ll have a full list of potential URLs for which you need to set up redirects. Here’s how the redirection setup process looks when using this plugin:

    Set up new redirection

    Another benefit of Redirection is that it enables you to determine conditions for each redirect that you set up. For example, you can create redirects that only trigger based on a visitor’s login status, language, or the referrer, among other parameters.

    Key Features:

    • Set up multiple types of redirects in WordPress
    • Automatically generate redirects when a permalink changes
    • Keep logs of 404 errors on your website
    • Set up parameters for your redirect rules

    Redirection is for you if…

    …you want to be able to set up multiple types of redirects and monitor your website for 404 errors. This plugin is also a fantastic choice if you want to configure redirects with advanced rules and parameters.

    Price: Free

    Get Redirection

    4. Quick Page/Post Redirect

    The Quick Page/Post Redirect plugin

    This next plugin is all about 301 redirects. Quick Page/Post Redirect enables you to add multiple 301 redirects for your website at once using a simple menu and without tinkering with too many settings:

    Adding multiple 301 redirects to WordPress

    You can configure redirects to open in a new window or add the nofollow attribute to them. Quick Page/Post Redirect also enables you to add redirect rules directly from the Block Editor when editing individual pages or posts:

    Configuring a redirect within the Block Editor

    If you opt for this approach, the plugin enables you to choose from a broader range of redirect types, including 301, 302, 307, and “meta redirects.” That last type occurs on the client side. Meta redirects aren’t beneficial from an SEO perspective, however, so we recommend against using them.

    Key Features:

    • Set up multiple 301 redirects at once
    • Create individual redirect rules from within the Block Editor
    • Set up global redirects or turn off all existing ones with a click

    Quick Page/Post Redirect is for you if…

    …you want to set up multiple 301 redirects at once using a simple menu that doesn’t require you to tweak additional settings for any rule.

    Price: Free

    Get Quick Page/Post Redirect

    5. Safe Redirect Manager

    The Safe Redirect Manager plugin

    Safe Redirect Manager offers a much more streamlined approach than other redirect plugins for WordPress. It saves redirect rules as custom post types and shies away from features such as 404 error logging since it claims this can cause performance issues (which shouldn’t be a problem with proper optimization).

    Regardless of the plugin’s philosophy, it does make it easy to set up new redirect rules. It also supports multiple types, including the following options:

    • 301
    • 302
    • 303
    • 307

    Here’s what it looks like when you’re setting up a new 301 redirect using Safe Redirect Manager:

    Using the Safe Redirect Manager plugin

    Another feature worth mentioning is that Safe Redirect Manager supports “wildcard redirects.” A wildcard redirect will divert any visitors trying to access a subdomain to your website instead. That can be useful if you have subdomains that you’re not currently using.

    Key Features:

    • Set up multiple types of redirects
    • Create wildcard redirects
    • Add notes to each redirect rule that you set up
    • Save redirect rules as custom post types in your database

    Safe Redirect Manager is for you if…

    …you want to use a plugin that enables you to set up multiple types of redirects without having to tinker with advanced configuration options. It’s also one of the only options that support wildcard redirects.

    Price: Free

    Get Safe Redirect Manager

    6. All 404 Redirect to Homepage

    All 404 Redirect to Homepage

    In some cases, you might not need to set up advanced redirect rules, and all you want is a way to take care of 404 errors. What All 404 Redirect to Homepage does is set up automatic redirects for any 404 error on your website, so visitors are automatically sent to your homepage. In addition, you can customize what URL the plugin redirects users towards:

    Setting up a redirect rule for 404 errors

    This plugin also includes a 404 error log, but it doesn’t enable you to set up any other type of redirect rule.

    Key Features:

    • Redirect all 404 errors to your homepage (or any other page that you choose)
    • Log 404 errors on your website

    All 404 Redirect to Homepage is for you if…

    …you want a simple way to take care of 404 errors on your website, and you don’t have a need for any other type of redirect.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $29 per year

    Get 404 Redirect to Homepage

    7. 301 Redirects

    The 301 Redirects plugin

    The 301 Redirects plugin enables you to log 404 errors and set up multiple types of redirects, including:

    • 301
    • 302
    • 307

    The plugin offers a simple menu that makes it easy to create new redirect rules. For example, if you don’t want to enter URLs manually, you can choose whether to redirect an address to a post, page, media file, or product:

    Creating a product redirect rule

    By using this plugin, you can set up as many redirect rules as you need. Plus, if you’re just starting a new WordPress site, the plugin will let you know if your permalink structure isn’t compatible with redirects.

    Key Features:

    • Set up multiple types of redirects
    • Redirect visitors to specific pages, posts, media files, or products
    • Log 404 errors on your website

    301 Redirects is for you if…

    …you want to use a plugin that includes dropdown menus for choosing which pages, posts, media files, or products to redirect visitors to.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $49

    Get 301 Redirects

    8. Yoast SEO

    The Yoast SEO plugin.

    Yoast SEO hardly needs an introduction. It’s the most popular SEO plugin among WordPress users, and with good reason. We’ve talked about how to set up Yoast SEO in the past, and it’s still the tool we use for optimizing the content on our own blog.

    If you use the premium version of Yoast SEO, you get access to a lot of extra features that we didn’t have time to cover in the post linked above, including a redirect manager. This tool enables you to set up new redirects or let Yoast SEO do it for you when you delete or move a page:

    Using the Yoast SEO redirect manager

    Yoast SEO’s redirect manager supports multiple types of redirection, including:

    • 301
    • 302
    • 307

    You can also set two HTTP statuses that aren’t commonly used, which are 410 and 451. The 410 code tells search engines that a page is gone for good, and they should de-index it. With the 451 code, you signal that a page is unavailable for legal reasons.

    Key Features:

    • Improve your website’s SEO and readability
    • Set up multiple types of redirects
    • Detect when a page is gone or moves to a new URL and set up an automatic redirect to it.

    Yoast SEO is for you if…

    …you’re already using the free version of Yoast SEO, and it’s baked into your day-to-day WordPress operations. In that scenario, purchasing a premium license can be worth it. Yoast SEO premium includes a broad range of other features beyond redirects, including keyword and internal link suggestions, on-demand support, and more.

    Price: Yoast SEO Premium licenses start at $89 per year

    Get Yoast SEO

    9. 404 to 301

    404 to 301 logo

    404 to 301 – Redirect, Log, and Notify is a WordPress plugin that helps website owners manage 404 errors on their websites. The plugin automatically redirects the user to a relevant page on the website using a 301 redirect. This ensures that the user is directed to a useful page and that the website’s SEO is not negatively impacted by broken links. The plugin also logs all 404 errors and provides notifications to the website owner so that they can take action to fix broken links.

    404 to 301 settings page

    In addition to redirecting users and logging errors, 404 to 301 allows users to set up custom redirects for specific URLs. This is useful for website owners who have changed the structure of their website and need to redirect old URLs to new ones.

    Key Features:

    • Automatically redirects users to a relevant page on the website using a 301 redirect
    • Logs all 404 errors and provides notifications to the website owner
    • Allows users to set up custom redirects for specific URLs

    404 to 301 Errors is for you if…

    …you want to improve your website’s user experience and SEO by effectively managing 404 errors and setting up custom redirects for specific URLs.

    Price: Free

    Get 404 to 301

    Which WordPress Redirect Plugin Is The Best?

    PluginPriceFree Option
    🥇Rank Math$59/yr✔️Learn More
    🥈LoginWP$49/yr✔️Learn More
    🥉RedirectionFree✔️Learn More
    4Quick Page/Post RedirectFree✔️Learn More
    5Safe Redirect ManagerFree✔️Learn More
    6All 404 Redirect to Homepage $29/yr✔️Learn More
    7301 Redirects $49/site✔️Learn More
    8Yoast SEO $99/yr✔️Learn More
    9404 to 301Free✔️Learn More

    As your website grows, you’ll probably need to implement a few redirects to ensure visitors reach the pages they’re looking for. Thanks to redirects, you can even minimize the impact of 404 errors on your website. However, that is only possible with the right redirect plugin for WordPress.

    If you’re looking for an all-in-one tool for managing redirects, Rank Math is your best bet. Rank Math’s redirect management tool allows you to set up and manage 301 and 302 redirects directly from your WordPress dashboard. It also includes a powerful redirection engine that automatically detects and fixes 404 errors on your website.

    Do you have any questions about how to implement redirects in WordPress? Then, let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    Featured image illustration via Thomas Knopp / shutterstock.com

    The post 9 Best Redirect Plugins for WordPress in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • 9 Best WordPress CRM Plugins in 2023

    If you’re running a business on WordPress, you know how important it is to be engaged with your customer base. The best tools help you with reliable customer relationship management. A CRM can help you keep track of your leads, customers, and sales and can make it easier to manage every aspect of your involvement with them.

    In this article, we’ll explore some 9 of the best WordPress CRM plugins available to help you decide which one is best for your needs.

    What is CRM and Why Its Important?

    Customer relationship management (CRM) is software that helps businesses manage their interactions and relationships with leads, prospects, and customers. It allows businesses to store and organize customer data, track customer interactions and communications, and manage sales and marketing efforts. Businesses can use CRM tools to improve their customer service, increase customer retention, and boost sales.

    WordPress is a powerful content management system (CMS) that allows businesses complete control and freedom over how they build their websites. But a CMS is different from a CRM. That said, WordPress can still be the engine for your very own CRM. With the installation of a simple plugin, you can transform a basic website into a sprawling management system that is intimately connected to your website and other necessary technology.

    Different Types of CRM

    CRMs can be built for certain types of businesses or tasks. So, it becomes really important to know what your business needs are and how a CRM can alleviate some pressure from your job (and not add to it). Here are some specialties that CRMs can focus on:

    • Sales Focused – Made to help sales teams manage communication, deal value, and lead scoring
    • Marketing Focused – Built-in tools that connect with advertising platforms and email marketing tools and often provide a level of automation for marketing efforts
    • Project Management/Invoicing – Made for service-based teams that need client management post-sale including managing projects
    • Niche – Created for particular industries such as Real Estate, SaaS, or Health Care

    While all CRMs should have a little of each of these, some do specific tasks particularly well. At this point, you should agree that using one should be a no-brainer! But finding the right CRM plugin can be a bit of a hassle. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you find the best solution.

    The 9 Best WordPress CRM Plugins

    We have scoured every corner of the internet, looking to find the top WordPress CRM plugins for your needs. Let’s start with a crowd-pleaser—FluentCRM—and move on through a total of 9 killer WordPress options. Note, the last 2 plugins on the list are important if you use a standalone CRM like Hubspot CRM or Zoho CRM.

    1. FluentCRM

    FluentCRM Plugin Homepage Feb 2023

    FluentCRM is a cutting-edge WordPress plugin that offers both self-hosted email marketing automation and CRM solution. It was built to rival other email marketing solutions such as Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and Groundhogg (also on this list). What sets FluentCRM apart from its competitors is that it is a self-hosted WordPress plugin, allowing you to access and manage your email campaigns and contacts directly within your WordPress installation.

    Key Features for FluentCRM :

    • Automatically import your contacts from CSV, WordPress users, and WooCommerce customers
    • Comprehensive data analysis to give you better visibility into your contacts, pulling from integrations with WooCommerce, EDD, LearnDash, and LifterLMS.
    • Feature-rich email marketing straight from the WordPress dashboard
    • Contacts’ can store notes, custom fields, and tags, and can be segmented based on triggers
    • User-friendly interfaces

    FluentCRM is a highly flexible plugin that can handle various types of businesses, including eCommerce, membership, and learning management. With user-friendly interfaces and a flexible automation builder and email campaign editor, FluentCRM provides an easy and efficient way to manage and create your marketing campaigns.

    FluentCRM Automated Workflow Builder

    FluentCRM is for you if you…

    • Need a CRM + Email Marketing that runs off of WordPress
    • Want state-of-the-art features like funnel builders and deep campaign analytics
    • Don’t ever want to look back to subscribers and campaign sends being limited by your provider
    • Enjoy a tight ecosystem of integrated plugins (they also built FluentForms and FluentSMTP which both have free versions)
    • Want to pay one price for all the features

    FluentCRM Pricing: Free, Premium starting at $129 a year

    Get FluentCRM

    2. Groundhogg CRM

    Groundhogg CRM Plugin Homepage Feb 2023

    Groundhogg is an all-in-one CRM and marketing automation plugin that offers advanced features typically found in large SaaS tools but at a much more affordable price. The plugin competes with other popular SaaS tools like Keap and Zoho but it is a 100% native WordPress plugin. We have a much broader review of Groundhogg but here are the highlights. Like FluentCRM, Groundhogg is a marketing automation CRM that is especially useful for eCommerce brands and marketing-heavy industries.

    Key Features for Groundhogg CRM:

    • Total contact management with tagging and segmentation
    • Marketing automation including email marketing and SMS
    • Many integrations to save time (some only come with higher priced tiers) including a Divi integration with “Plus tier”

    Groundhogg WordPress CRM Plugin Email Sequence

    Groundhogg CRM allows business owners to do more with WordPress. You can easily create marketing automation and sales funnels and manage your email campaigns directly within your WordPress installation. Even creating automated sequences is easy enough from the dashboard

    Groundhogg CRM is for you if you…

    • You’re a small business looking for a comprehensive CRM solution
    • You are interested in getting help with your marketing from the Groundhogg support team
    • You want to automate your sales and marketing process

    Pricing: Free, Paid plans starting at $20 a month

    Get Groundhogg CRM

    3. Propovoice

    Propovoice Invoicing CRM Plugin Homepage Feb 2023

    Propovoice is a comprehensive CRM and invoicing plugin for business owners and freelancers. It’ll allow you to manage clients, projects, estimates, invoices, and more—all in the comfort of your own WordPress installation. If you’re looking to scale up your freelancing or service business, Propovoice is a must-have tool to help you manage your clients and projects more efficiently. It, however, is not a marketing-focused CRM but a sales and project-focused one making it stand out from the first two plugins on our list.

    Propovoice Lead to Deal Desk

    Key Features for Propovoice:

    • Sales and lead management
    • Estimate, invoice, and project management
    • Project management (with a forthcoming client communication portal)
    • Templates to make your estimates and invoices look professional

    One thing about Propovoice is its simplicity and modern design. Whether working through the deal desk Kanban board or selecting an invoice template, the plugin doesn’t feel dated at all. Being a newer plugin, though, Propovoice has limited integrations. Though, it is in active development and is getting new integrations fairly often.

    Propovoice Estimate Creator from Templates

    Propovoice is for you if you…

    • Are a small to medium-sized business looking for a sales-based CRM
    • Want a modern-looking CRM for WordPress and are tired of dated WP dashboards
    • Need a sales CRM that costs just a little less than average

    Propovoice Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $59 a year

    Get Propovoice

    4. FunnelKit

    Funnel Kit CRM Plugin Landing page Feb 2023

    FunnelKit is a marketing CRM that is built to power WooCommerce websites to new heights. It brings in tools that are focused exclusively on eCommerce growth. It covers every aspect of lead generation, email marketing, and store conversion rate optimization/automation.

    Key Features for FunnelKit:

    • Funnel builder for WordPress with Analytics, A/B testing, and Lead Generation
    • Contact management for email marketing and eCommerce account tracking
    • Visual, drag-and-drop email designer (all inside WordPress)
    • Workflow builder for email and contact automation tasks (create contacts, add a tag, and track upsell performance)

    FunnelKit Automation Workflow Builder

    This plugin’s contact management features enable users to store and organize customer information in a central location; combined with its email marketing tools, this is one of the best CRM solutions available.

    FunnelKit is for you if you…

    • Run a WooCommerce store and want to squeeze every last bit of performance from it
    • Looking for a native WordPress CRM built for WooCommerce
    • Need eCommerce features such as product-specific funnels and upsells

    FunnelKit Pricing: Starting at $99.50 a year

    Get FunnelKit

    5. WP ERP

    WP ERP CRM Business Platform Homepage Feb 2023

     

    WP ERP is a total business management platform that includes CRM as a core function. This base plugin consists of three main modules: HR Management, CRM, and Accounting. There are a total of 23 extensions that add specific functionality to the base plugin. WP ERP aims to be your business’ operating system—not just for CRM but operations over the span of your business’ footprint.

    WP ERP Solutions Modules

    Key features for WP ERP:

    • Lead and contact management with customer segmentation
    • Extension for Help Desk, email marketing, and advanced accounting
    • Module pricing structure so you only pay for what you use

    The CRM Dashboard for WPERP

    One of the standout features of WP ERP is its easy-to-navigate dashboard which can help you schedule meetings and track tasks that are assigned to leads and opportunities.

    WP ERP is for you if you…

    • Need more than just a CRM baked into your WordPress installation
    • You want to automate your marketing efforts
    • You need a free tool to help you forecast future sales

    WP ERP Pricing: Free, Premium tier starts at $129 a year (extension ranging from $2.49/mo to $9.49/mo)

    Get WP ERP

    6. WP-CRM

    WP-CRM Homepage Feb 2023

    WP-CRM is another, long-standing, CRM interface that works inside WordPress. Though some aspects of it look dated, it handles client management and project tracking between users. Like WP ERP, it has premium add-ons available to add extra features, integrations, and functionality.

    Key Features for WP-CRM:

    • CRM and contact management
    • Handles projects for teams and tasks for individual users
    • Allows for custom fields to create a CRM that fits your needs

     

    WP-CRM Calendar View of Tasks and Projects

    WP-CRM is for you if you…

    • Want to improve your customer relationships and grow your business
    • Need a platform that is customizable to fit the operations and strategy of your company
    • Don’t mind its “traditional” WordPress look

    WP-CRM Pricing: Free, Premium Extensions (ranging from $29/yr to $89/yr)

    Get WP-CRM

    7. Jetpack CRM

    Jetpack CRM banner

    Jetpack CRM is a plugin for WordPress that offers small businesses a secure and customizable solution for managing their customer relationships. You have probably heard of Jetpack in other contexts (like CDN or advertising) but it also has a CRM module. With Jetpack CRM, you own and host your own data, giving you complete control over access and security. The plugin runs on your server and can be used in conjunction with other security plugins, allowing you to set roles and permissions to determine who can do what within the CRM. We have a detailed Jetpack CRM review but here are the highlights.

    Key Features include:

    • Complete contact management
    • Deal tracking and reporting
    • Task and appointment scheduling
    • Sales and marketing analysis
    • Email marketing integrations (Aweber, Convertkit, Mailchimp, and more)
    • Paid Add-ons to integrate CRM with Membermouse, Gravity Forms, and Optinmonster

    Jetpack CRM offers a range of features to help businesses manage their customer relationships, including a client portal, contact management, and invoicing. It also provides a customizable dashboard that allows users to keep track of their sales and revenue. The plugin allows users to add or remove modules to create a personalized CRM tool that meets their specific needs.

    Jetpack dashboard

    Jetpack CRM is for you if you…

    • Are a business owner looking for a secure and customizable CRM solution
    • Want to manage your customer relationships in one place
    • Need to track your sales and revenue

    Jetpack CRM Pricing: $129 a year

    Get Jetpack CRM

    8. Bit Integrations

    Bit Integrations Landing Page Feb 2023

    Bit Integrations is a WordPress integration suite for connecting different plugins (same-site) to create advanced automation between your installed tools. Many plugins connect your WordPress website with external tools, but this one connects your internal tools together so that they work as one cohesive machine—instead of frustrating silos.

    This may seem like a weird plugin to feature in an article about WordPress CRM plugins, but it could prove consequential. If you are already using a standalone CRM (think Hubspot, Zoho, or ActiveCampaign) you might be able to use Bit Integrations to connect even more than you originally thought possible. It may not work for your particular setup, but it (and its competitor, Flowmattic) is perfect for creating a little more automation and integration within your website.

    Key Features for Bit Integrations:

    • They have over 150 WordPress integrations to leverage
    • Expertly works with their other products (Bit Form, Bit SMTP, and Bit Assist)
    • Lowly yearly pricing for an automation platform

    Bit Integrations ActiveCampaign Example

    Take a look at its listed integrations and see what is possible that you previously thought couldn’t be done without custom-coded APIs and webhooks.

    Bit Integrations is for you if you…

    • Want to realize new integrations between your plugins and external apps
    • Have an external CRM but want to explore even more automation with it

    Bit Integrations Pricing: Free, Premium version $19 a year

    Get Bit Integrations

    9. WP Forms

    WP Forms is another plugin that we bet you didn’t expect on this list. CRMs (WordPress or not) are data-eating machines. If they don’t have very much data (or actionable data) consider your investment in a CRM moot. Forms plugins, therefore, are a vital step in your data machine. WP Forms (though there are other great contenders in our best form plugins article) is an excellent choice when it comes to forms with a lot of integrations. Those integrations are the pipes between your website and CRM that are sending over precious data.

    Key Features for WP Forms:

    • Hundreds of templates for every use case
    • Integrations on top of integrations to send data through
    • Tons of flexibility with different types of forms (conventional, newsletter email opt-ins, contact, etc.)

    Choose from hundreds of categorized templates for fast form-building that powers your business. Everything from donation forms to opt-in—WP Forms has got you covered with time-saving features.

    WPForms 500+ Available Templates

    WP Forms is for you if you…

    • Haven’t explored what a premium form builder can do for your data strategy
    • Know your budget for a form plugin and can find the pricing tier that has the integrations you need
    • Don’t want to waste time creating forms from scratch

    WP Forms Pricing: Free, Premium starts at $49.50 a year

    Get WP Forms

    What is the Best CRM Plugin for WordPress?

    In today’s competitive business landscape, it is more important than ever for companies to have strong relationships with their customers. WordPress-based CRM plugins are significant assets for businesses that are looking to manage and track customer interactions. As we saw, some have specific tools built into them that make them better at certain tasks than other CRMs.

    PluginPriceFree Option
    🥇FluentCRM$129/yr✔️Visit
    🥈Groundhogg$240/yr✔️Visit
    🥉Propovoice$59/yr✔️Visit
    4FunnelKit$99.50/yr✔️Visit
    5WP ERP$129/yr✔️Visit
    6WP-CRMFree✔️Visit
    7Jetpack CRM$129/yr✔️Visit
    8Bit Integrations$19/yr✔️Visit
    9WP Forms$49.50/yr✔️Visit

    For those who are after the best marketing automation CRM, we suggest you take a look at FluentCRM or FunnelKit. If you are needing more sales and post-sale management, check out Propovoice and see if it covers your needs. For anyone with any CRM setup, Bit Integrations and WP Forms may prove useful as well.

    Remember, CRMs are a tall commitment. It takes time to properly set up all the custom fields, automation, and processes that make for a well-oiled machine. But, all that work will be worth it as that data comes in and makes you able to stay on top of your customers’ needs.

    Article featured image by Grafvish / shutterstock.com

    The post 9 Best WordPress CRM Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • 7 Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins in 2023

    If you’re a realtor, you need a website that can show off your listings in all their glory. On the other hand, if you’re a web developer who works with realtors or agencies, you’ll have to understand how to implement real estate features in websites for your clients. Either scenario is one you can solve using the best WordPress real estate plugins on the market.

    Why Do you Need a Real Estate Plugin?

    Those in the real estate business have more options than they realize for building a successful real estate site. WordPress actually has some really good options if you’re trying to avoid expensive MLS listing services to showcase your listings. Using a combination of plugins, you can create a fully functional real estate site that features listings complete with floor plans, virtual tours, as well as agents working for you.

    The Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins

    In this article, we’ll introduce you to the 7 best WordPress real estate plugins available. We’ll focus on a range of solutions that offer different feature sets, but all have excellent reviews and are well-supported.

    Let’s get to it!

    1. Realtyna WPL

    The WPL Real Estate plugin

    Realtyna WPL is a powerful real estate WordPress plugin by Realtyna that enables you to set up a property listing system for your website. You can add new properties yourself, or let individual real estate agents do so if you belong to an agency.

    Listings can be incredibly detailed, including information about property types, prices, square footage, and other key features:

    Adding a new listing using the WPL Real Estate plugin

    You can upload photos for each property and set up image galleries, videos, and attachments. Moreover, you can fully customize the fields that will appear within each listing.

    WPL Real Estate comes with a robust user management system that enables you to decide what permissions each agent will have on your website. That makes it perfect for agencies with multiple realtors:

    Editing realtor permissions

    It’s worth noting that WPL Real Estate also includes an option to add meta descriptions and keywords for each new listing, which is fantastic for local Search Engine Optimization (SEO). WPL Real Estate also works well alongside Divi, with an assortment of layout packs to help you with designing your site.

    This plugin also offers a broad range of paid extensions. Those add-ons make WPL Real Estate incredibly flexible, but they’re fairly expensive with prices starting at $199 per year.

    Key Features for Realtyna WPL:

    • Add a listing management system to WordPress
    • Create new listings with dozens of custom fields
    • Give other realtors permission to create and edit listings
    • Modify the default fields for each listing

    WPL Real Estate is for you if…

    …you want to add real estate listing functionality to WordPress via a fully customizable system. This plugin is a fantastic choice for agencies with multiple realtors due to its built-in user permissions system.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available for a $199 lifetime payment.

    Get WPL Real Estate

    2. Easy Property Listings

    The Easy Property Listings plugin

    Easy Property Listings adds a full-featured listings system to WordPress. You can include dozens of property-specific details in each listing, including options such as available inspection times, which realtor is the listing agent, and more:

    Adding listing details using Easy Property Listings

    One advantage Easy Property Listings has is that it gives you plenty of display options. You can use shortcodes or widgets to showcase your properties. The plugin even includes some unique widgets, such as a search feature that’s designed specifically for real estate properties. Plus, it uses the Gutenberg blocks, so adding other blocks to your listings is a breeze.

    Last but not least, it also offers a broad range of add-ons that can provide useful functionality for your site, some of which are much cheaper than what other real estate tools offer.

    Key Features for Easy Property Listings:

    • Add a real estate listing system to WordPress
    • Modify the default fields for each listing you publish
    • Display listings using their own pages, widgets, or shortcodes
    • Add a search bar that’s dedicated to listings

    Easy Property Listings is for you if…

    …you want to use a listings plugin that offers multiple choices for displaying the properties on your website. Putting aside those options, Real Estate Listings is evenly matched in terms of features with WPL Real Estate, so you can choose whichever plugin you feel more comfortable using.

    Price: Free, with premium add-ons starting at $27 per year.

    Get Easy Property Listings

    3. WP VR

    The WP VR plugin

    Virtual real estate tours keep growing in popularity, partly due to being very convenient. Scheduling and planning real estate tours can be a lot of work, particularly for popular listings. One alternative is to create virtual tours using a plugin such as WP VR.

    Using this tool, you can upload panoramic images to WordPress that users can move around and zoom in on. It also supports videos and includes a gyroscope mode for mobile phones, which makes tours all that more engaging:

    Setting up a virtual tour using WP VR

    WP VR also enables you to connect multiple panoramic images using a “hotspot” feature. That means you can provide seamless virtual tours of larger areas by having users click on specific spots within an image to load the next one.

    Although WP VR has a lot of applications beyond just real estate, it’s a fantastic solution to offer potential customers a closer look at your best listings. You can add virtual tours to your listings using the Block Editor or via shortcodes, depending on which approach you prefer.

    Key Features:

    • Create virtual tours for your listings
    • Enable users to “navigate” panoramic images
    • Link multiple images and let users move between them in a single element
    • Add virtual tours to your listings using blocks or shortcodes

    WP VR is for you if…

    …you want to provide virtual tours for your properties. This is a key feature that most real estate websites don’t offer, and it’s a fantastic way to draw more attention to your hottest listings. For virtual tours to work, however, you’ll need to get comfortable taking panoramic pictures.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $79.99 per year.

    Get WP VR

    4. Draw Attention

    the Draw Attention plugin

    So far, we’ve focused solely on real estate listing plugins. Draw Attention is a unique tool that has incredibly useful applications for real estate websites, but it doesn’t have anything to do with listings.

    Instead, Draw Attention enables you to take images and make them interactive. For example, you can display information when a user hovers over a specific section of an image, create interactive maps, and design infographics. You’ll also find that Draw Attention is the perfect tool to publish interactive floor plans:

    Creating an interactive floor map

    Ideally, we recommend that you use Draw Attention alongside one of the listing plugins we discuss in this list. Each annotated image you create comes with a unique shortcode, so you can show floor plans within listing descriptions or anywhere else on your site.

    Key Features for Draw Attention:

    • Create annotated images and floor plans for your listings
    • Display interactive media using shortcodes

    Draw Attention is for you if…

    …you want to give your real estate listings an edge and make them more interactive. In our experience, interactivity leads to more user engagement, and annotated real estate images can help you convey details about your properties more effectively than mere text.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $99 per year.

    Get Draw Attention

    5. Estatik

    Estatike real estate plugin

    Estatik is a WordPress real estate plugin that’s all about listings. It shares several features with the other tools we’ve talked about so far, including the option for you to add new listings and customize what fields they include.

    However, it also brings some new features to the table, such as enabling customers to save searches, create property wishlists, and share publications on social media:

    Wishlists on Estate

    With Estatik, you get access to over 50 shortcodes you can use to display listings in any way you see fit. The plugin also includes a property slideshow and listing search widgets. Plus, it comes with a free theme designed for real estate websites. The theme itself is rather simple, but it makes listings look appealing (although there are plenty of other real estate themes you can use instead).

    One downside of using Estatik is that the plugin’s free version only enables the WordPress administrator to add listings. If you want support for multiple agents, you’ll need to purchase the premium version.

    Key Features for Estatik:

    • Add a real estate listing system to WordPress
    • Customize each listing’s fields
    • Use shortcodes to display your listings
    • Use widgets to display listings and include a search feature
    • Enable users to save listings and share them on social media

    Estatik is for you if…

    …you want to enable prospective customers to create property wishlists or share their dream homes on social media. Estatik works best for solo realtors, as it doesn’t include support for multiple agents in its free version.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $89 per year.

    Get Estatik

    6. Essential Real Estate

    The Essential Real Estate plugin

    Essential Real Estate is less about publishing your own listings, and more about creating a marketplace where other realtors and agencies can share their properties. The plugin enables you to add listings manually, but it’s clearly optimized for front-end submissions:

    Submitting a new property via the front end

    With this tool, you can monetize your real estate marketplace by offering subscriptions. Realtors will have to subscribe before they can submit listings, which you then approve before they go live. Essential Real Estate also includes payment processing functionality, and it supports PayPal, Stripe, and wire transfers out of the box, making it function much like a membership plugin.

    Along with enabling realtors to register individually, you can also offer subscriptions to entire agencies. On the front end, listings are easy to navigate, and can easily be integrated with themes like Divi because of the use of shortcodes, and clients will be able to save their favorite properties to wishlists.

    Key Features for Essential Real Estate:

    • Create a real estate listing marketplace
    • Enable realtors and agencies to submit new properties using a front-end form
    • Approve submissions before they go live
    • Set up multiple subscription levels within your marketplace
    • Process payments via PayPal, Stripe, and wire transfers

    Essential Real Estate is for you if…

    …you want to create a marketplace where other realtors and real estate agencies can publish listings. It’s one of the best WordPress real estate plugins for businesses that want to band together to show a broader listing portfolio, especially in areas where there aren’t any similar portals available.

    Price: Free

    Get Essential Real Estate

    7. dsIDXpress

    iDXpress real estate plugin

    Last on our list, dsIDXpress is a powerful plugin designed to optimize your MLS listings for SEO. With its user-friendly features, you can effortlessly attract more visitors to your website and convert them into leads. This plugin offers a range of tools, such as customizable widgets, shortcodes, and search tools, to help your users easily search for properties in their desired area. Additionally, the plugin comes equipped with robust lead-capturing tools, making it an effective solution for driving sales and growing your business.

    dsIDXpress demo screenshot

    By tapping into an extensive MLS database, this plugin provides your users with the latest and most accurate listings of homes for sale, pending, or sold. Additionally, users will benefit from access to valuable information, such as school district data, indexable city and neighborhood pages, and themes that match the styling of your website.

    Key Features for Essential Real Estate:

    • Easy setup and customization
    • SEO-friendly and responsive layouts
    • live MLS listing updates
    • City and neighborhood pages
    • Advanced search features and filters

    dsIDXpress is for you if…

    …you want a full-service IDX solution for your real estate site that will feed not only your listings but other listings in your area. Plus, you’ll get a hands-off experience thanks to the dsIDXpress support staff who will make sure your site’s listings are up to date.

    Price: Starting at $59 per month.

    Get dsIDXpress

    Which Real Estate Plugin is the Best?

    There are a lot of contenders for the best WordPress real estate plugins. Many of these tools focus on listings and enable you to publish properties on your website in style. Other plugins help make your properties look more attractive, such as through detailed floor plans and even virtual tours. Yet others handle all of the work for you, making sure your listings are always up to date.

    PluginPriceFree Option
    🥇Realtyna WPL$199 lifetime payment✔️Visit
    🥈Easy Property ListingsFree, $27 per year✔️Visit
    🥉WP VRFree, $79.99 per year✔️Visit
    4Draw AttentionFree, $99 per year✔️Visit
    5EstatikFree, $89 per year✔️Visit
    6Essential Real EstateFree✔️Visit
    7dsIDXpress$59 per month❌Visit

    If you’re looking for a good all-around real estate listings plugin, we recommend Realtyna WPL because of its ability to function as a full-service MLS service right inside WordPress. With this plugin, you’ll be able to add listings, and agents, and even add users to help you manage the workload.

    Do you have any questions about how to publish real estate listings on your WordPress site? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via elenabsl illustration / shutterstock.com

    The post 7 Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • 10 Best WordPress Quiz Plugins in 2023

    Driving engagement is key to keeping users on your site and encouraging conversions. Interactive elements can capture your audience’s attention and increase their interest in your brand. Fortunately, there are many WordPress quiz plugins out there that make it easy to add intriguing personality tests or even surveys and polls to your site.

    In this post, we’ll share some of the benefits and use cases of quizzes for your WordPress site. Then we’ll round up the best WordPress quiz plugins that you can use to start building quizes today.

    Let’s dive in!

    Why Use a WordPress Quiz Plugin?

    The main goal of adding quizzes to your WordPress website is to boost user growth through engagement. Online personality tests and trivia games are proven to be addictive in nature; in fact, entire industries have been predicated on these quizzes. Websites like Buzzfeed made their mark on the internet with relatable quizzes that sucked their users in and kept them coming back. It can also increase social sharing activity as your users want to share the results of quizzes with their friends.

    But that’s not all; you can also use online quizzes to learn more about what your clientele wants more rapidly. Consider websites like Stitch Fix, which offer quizzes to personalize what products are displayed to their users.

    Stich Fix quiz example

    After the user takes the quiz, the website will generate more specific suggestions for items to purchase that are more likely to appeal to that customer.

    Quizzes can also give you insightful data that you can use to improve your services and marketing approach. For example, you can add a quiz to see what aspects of the customer experience your users enjoyed or need improvement and adjust accordingly. You can even gatekeep quizzes to expand your customer email list by having users input their contact information. This can give you opportunities to engage with customers in future marketing efforts and potentially generate sales.

    The Best WordPress Quiz Plugins

    WordPress developers know the value of online quizzes. As such, there’s a WordPress quiz plugin for every niche, need, and budget. Below, we’ve rounded up ten of the top contenders. All receive regular updates and have high user ratings.

    1. Quiz And Survey Master

    Quiz and Survey Master Banner

    Quiz And Survey Master is the most popular free solution dedicated entirely to helping you create engaging quizzes for your WordPress site. It’s earned this status by providing a wide range of customization options, so you can create the ideal test for your users.

    Speaking of quiz creation, this plugin’s editing interface is fairly easy to pick up. First, you can select from one of its pre-built templates, or choose to build your test from scratch:

    Then you’ll be taken to a screen where you can simply type in your questions and answers:

    The Quiz And Survey Master editor.

    You can choose from many different question types, including multiple-choice, short-answer, fill-in-the-blank, or even file uploads. Quiz And Survey Master also supports quiz categories, so you can easily organize your content for users to find. Furthermore, all the text provided by the plugin is customizable, so you can add personalized messages, labels, and more to make your quiz match your branding.

    On top of all of that, Quiz and Survey Master provides advanced functionality such as:

    Remarkably, all of these features are free. You can also install the free Leaderboard add-on to incorporate an element of friendly competition between your users. In addition, there are a handful of paid add-ons that can grant you access to more detailed analytics, integrate your quizzes with Google Analytics, and more.

    Price: Free with premium add-ons

    Get Quiz and Survey Master

    2. Formidable Forms

    The Formidable Forms plugin.

    Another premium form builder you can use to create quizzes is Formidable Forms. Like Forminator, it features a visual drag-and-drop builder that enables you to combine pre-built elements to put together custom forms (including quizzes):

    The Formidable Forms editor.

    Unfortunately, the free version is relatively limited. Although you could still use the blank form to create multiple-choice or short-answer questions, you can’t access the full power of this WordPress quiz plugin without an expensive add-on.

    The Quiz Maker extension includes:

    • Scoring and custom grading scales
    • Email integration
    • Analytics and Reporting
    • PayPal integration
    • Advanced styling options

    If you’re hoping for high-quality quiz templates to work from, this plugin probably isn’t your best choice. The primary reason to choose Formidable Forms over other solutions on this list is if you’re already using it to create contact forms or other content.

    Price: Free with a premium upgrade. The Business Plan, which includes the Quiz Maker, is $199.50 per year.

    Get Formidable Forms

    3. Thrive Quiz Builder

    Thrive Quiz Builder

    If gathering user data is a strong motivation behind your WordPress quiz plugin search, Thrive Quiz Builder might be the solution for you. It provides an advanced visual editor with branching conditional logic, so you can set up complex quizzes with ease. The built-in troubleshooter will catch errors and notify you of them so you can fix them before making your test live.

    In addition to boosting engagement and lowering your bounce rate, Thrive Quiz Builder can help you increase traffic with social media sharing. This is also the best WordPress quiz plugin for data collection. All results are compiled into detailed reports so you can see how many people submitted each answer.

    Key features include:

    • Custom content suggestions based on users’ results
    • Email list segmentation
    • A/B testing
    • Four quiz-type templates
    • Social sharing badges
    • A quiz dashboard to track your analytics

    Thrive quiz builder settings

    Additionally, this is the top WordPress quiz plugin for data gathering. You can check how many people submitted each response by looking at the comprehensive reports that contain all the insights conveniently from your dashboard.

    Note that you’ll need an active Thrive Suite license to install the Quiz Builder.

    Price: Thrive Suite starts at $19 per month

    Get Thrive Suites

    4. Quiz Maker

    Next up we have Quiz Maker, another budget-friendly WordPress quiz plugin. The free version is perfect for those who want to make simple quizzes fast.

    To build your quiz, you first have to add each question to your site separately. This makes it possible to efficiently reuse them between quizzes:

    Quiz maker example

    Quizzes can be made in a variety of formats. You can select from fields with radio buttons, checkboxes, dropdown menus, numbers, or plain text. Plus, you can add contact forms or other media with the pro version.

    Additionally, Quiz Maker provides several quiz themes for you to choose between, as well as color customization and other styling options. Other settings enable you to randomize the order of the questions, score answers by correctness or points, write your own results messages, and more.

    Beyond that, this plugin’s features include:

    • Question images
    • Timed quizzes
    • User login status restrictions
    • A quick quiz generator
    • Results and data tracking

    These options are all available for free. The premium version includes email integration, leaderboard functionality, password-protected quizzes, and more.

    Price: Free with premium upgrade starting at $29

    Get Quiz Maker

    5. Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage

    The Poll, Survey & Quiz plugin by OpinionStage.

    By now, you probably know what to expect from a quality WordPress quiz plugin. Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage provides all of these standard features, plus a few hidden gems.

    You’ll need an OpinionStage account to get started. You can then connect it to your website via the plugin, and start building quizzes and other interactive content from your OpinionStage dashboard:

    The OpinionStage quiz, poll, and survey templates.

    You have the choice of several quiz templates to help get you started. Once you’re done building, you can add your quiz as a popup in your site’s sidebar or at the end of all your blog posts. Statistics on your quiz’s views, responses, and lead generation activity are all visible in your OpinionStage account.

    This plugin is best for those who want to include the same quizzes across multiple sites. You can simply build your test once in OpinionStage, and then add it to all your WordPress installations via the plugin. It’s also suitable for professionals, as it includes white-label widgets for the back end.

    Other features include:

    • CSV results exporting
    • Social sharing
    • Quiz submission email notifications
    • Branching logic
    • Integration with marketing platforms such as Mailchimp
    • Lead generation forms
    • Styling customizations

    It is possible to use OpinionStage completely free, but only for up to 250 views per month. You’ll then need to upgrade to a paid account.

    Price: The Poll, Survey & Quiz plugin is free. OpinionStage pricing starts at $19 per month for 10,000 views

    Get Poll, Survey & Quiz

    6. Quiz Cat

    Quiz Cat logo

    Quiz Cat claims to offer a lightweight alternative to other WordPress quiz plugins. Its stripped-down editor is certainly less flashy than some of the other options we’ve looked at in this post, but that helps it minimize its impact on your site’s speed:

    Quiz cat settings

    If you just want to generate simple multiple-choice quizzes quickly, then Quiz Cat can get the job done. However, you won’t see any of the more intriguing functionality or integrations offered by other solutions – at least, not in the free version.

    Upgrading to Quiz Cat premium will get you social sharing buttons and Facebook Pixel integration for data tracking. It also enables you to build personality quizzes and weighted quizzes in addition to the default multiple-choice format.

    Other premium features include:

    • Email marketing integration
    • Lead generation and segmentation
    • The ability to redirect users to new page after they finish the quiz
    • Question order shuffling
    • Analytics reporting and CSV exporting

    Price: Free, with premium upgrades starting at $49 per year

    Get Quiz Cat

    7. Forminator

    Forminator logo

    Many form builder plugins, including Forminator, also offer quiz creation features. These tools can help you cut down on the number of plugins your site is running by doing double duty.

    Although it might seem like a dedicated plugin would provide better and more advanced options than a multi-purpose solution, that’s not necessarily true in the case of a WordPress quiz plugin. Most of the best WordPress contact form plugins already provide deep integration with email platforms, which can be beneficial if you want to use quizzes to grow your subscriber list.

    This is especially true in the case of Forminator. When creating a new quiz, you’ll first be asked to choose if you want it to be personality or knowledge-based:

    Creating a new Forminator quiz.

    Then Forminator will ask you want to use your quiz for lead generation. If so, it will automatically set up a corresponding form for you. After that, you’ll gain access to the plugin’s sleek drag-and-drop quiz builder:

    The Forminator quiz editor.

    Here you can add questions, customize your lead generation form, tweak design elements such as color scheme and font choice, and configure email reports.

    Additionally, Forminator includes:

    • Integration with top CRM platforms
    • A custom WordPress block for adding forms and quizzes to your pages
    • Stripe and PayPal integration
    • Developer API
    • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance

    What’s more, Forminator is surprisingly affordable. All of the features above come free. In fact, the only premium feature is an e-signature field (which you likely won’t need if you’re primarily using it for quizzes).

    Price: Free with a premium version available starting at $5 per month

    Get Forminator

    8. HD Quiz

    HDQuix

    HD Quiz is a free, user-friendly WordPress quiz plugin that will get you off to a running start. Its simple, straightforward interface makes it clear how to add new quizzes and questions. In the question editor, you can easily choose the type and add up to ten answer choices:

    Editing a quiz.

    You can also add featured images for each question and customize the tooltip that will appear when users hover over it.

    Besides that, HD Quiz packs a lot of punch for a free plugin, with features including:

    • The ability to reuse questions across multiple forms
    • Social sharing
    • Timed quizzes
    • Image-based multiple-choice answers
    • CSV question importer
    • Quiz translator built right into the plugin settings
    • Randomized question order
    • Mobile optimization, including touch-friendly answer choices

    With that being said, you might have a little more trouble with this solution if you want to use your quizzes for lead generation or to collect user data. However, it’s perfect for driving engagement and spreading brand awareness on social media. Add-ons for advanced styling and saving participant results are available.

    Price: Free with premium add-ons available. Patreon members receive add-ons for free.

    Get HD Quiz

    9. eForm

    The eForm plugin.

    The eForm plugin is another multipurpose solution you can use to create quizzes for your WordPress site. It comes with several templates and a drag-and-drop editor that enables you to customize your test’s layout.

    In addition to quizzes, you can use eForm to make price calculators, login and registration forms, a guest post submission page, and more. It even includes an e-signature feature if you want to build digital contracts.

    Some top features of this plugin include:

    • Conditional logic
    • Social sharing
    • Integration with Google Analytics
    • Scoring and ranking system
    • Secure file uploader
    • Data reports in your WordPress dashboard
    • WooCommerce integration
    • Payment processing via Stripe and PayPal
    • Compatibility with third-party platforms such as Mailchimp and AWeber

    All in all, this plugin is a decent alternative to more popular form builders like Forminator or Formidable Forms. However, its quiz functionality doesn’t exceed that of some of the free solutions on this list.

    Price: $39 for lifetime support and updates

    Get eForm

    10. Watu Quiz

    The Watu Quiz plugin.

    Finally, we have Watu Quiz. This WordPress quiz plugin is also more basic in design, as you can see by looking at the editor:

    The Watu Quiz question editor.

    There’s no fancy visual drag-and-drop interface here. However, the results look nice enough on the front end, especially if you prefer a more understated aesthetic:

    A quiz made with the Watu quiz plugin.

    You can score quizzes by grade or personality type, randomize questions, and enable social sharing on Facebook and Twitter. This plugin also enables you to view a list of all the users who have taken your quiz, along with their results.

    Note that connecting this plugin to your email marketing platform may prove tricky. There is a Watu Mailchimp integration plugin, but it has not been updated recently, so we don’t recommend using it.

    Price: Free, with premium upgrades starting at $47

    Get Watu Quiz

    Which WordPress Quiz Plugin Is The Best?

    PluginPriceFree Option
    🥇Quiz and Survey MasterFree✔️Visit
    🥈Formidable Forms$199.50/yr✔️Visit
    🥉Thrive Suites$19/mo❌Visit
    4Quiz Maker$29/yr✔️Visit
    5Poll, Survey, & Quiz $19/mo✔️Visit
    6Quiz Cat$49/yr✔️Visit
    7Forminator$5/mo✔️Visit
    8HD QuizFree✔️Visit
    9eForm$39/site❌Visit
    10Watu QuizFree✔️Visit

    Considering how inundated internet users are with ads and other branded content, it can be easy for your site to get lost in the shuffle. Driving engagement through the use of quizzes can help make your business more memorable to potential customers.

    In this post, we covered several top WordPress quiz plugins. Quiz And Survey Master is a highly rated free option that should give most users the biggest bang for their buck. For those already using a form builder such as Formidable Forms, there’s no need to go looking for an additional solution. Finally, it’s worth checking out Quiz Maker for a user- (and budget-) friendly option.

    Do you have any questions about using quizzes on your WordPress site? Leave them for us in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via Name / shuttestock.com

    The post 10 Best WordPress Quiz Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • This Month in WordPress: February News Roundup

    There’s hardly been time to stay idle in February. WordPress 6.2 is now just around the corner, and WooCommerce’s latest update thrilled us with new exciting features. On top of that, WordCamp Asia 2023 and the upcoming WordPress Community Summit are bound to keep the community engaged.

    WordPress 6.2 Update

    Beta Releases

    The first WordPress 6.2 Beta was launched on February 7, 2023. Now, we are already on the fourth beta version, with refined features and bug fixes.

    We have an article covering the new features of WordPress 6.2. To recap, here are some of the highlights:

    • Browse mode. Quickly preview the templates and template parts with the new browse mode UI. This saves you time as you don’t have to open each template or the sidebar to switch templates.
    • Style book. See how the overall look of your website changes with the style book. It shows all the elements’ styles, from text and media files to block designs and widgets.
    • Distraction-free mode. The distraction-free mode disables the block toolbar and all the other panels on the editor, letting you focus on writing the content.
    • Improved navigation block UI. Add navigation items and drag and drop them to rearrange your menu from the block settings panel. This way, you won’t have to fiddle with the navigation block directly on the editor canvas.
    • Openverse integration. Easily insert public-licensed images to your content from the Openverse menu on the editor. You won’t have to manually download and reupload images for your content.

    WordPress 6.2 will be significant as it will mark the end of Gutenberg phase two. The site editor is now more stable than ever and ready to take website customization to the next level.

    Live Product Demo

    Keeping with the WordPress 6.2 release timeline, the team will hold a live product demo on March 2, 2023. They will review the new features in a live Zoom call, and the attendees will be able to ask the team any questions about the new release.

    The call will let end users discover how the new features will make their work easier. In contrast, developers will learn of new opportunities to create more advanced WordPress customizations, plugins, and themes.

    The product demo call will be recorded for future on-demand viewing.

    WooCommerce Update

    WooCommerce launched version 7.4 on February 14, 2023, containing 274 commits in the WooCommerce Core and 220 commits in WooCommerce Blocks. Some interesting new features include:

    • Local pickup. The latest version of WooCommerce adds the new Local Pickup block, allowing your buyers to pick up the purchased item from a pick-up location. This new feature has a dedicated admin screen to manage the pickup locations, making it easier for sellers to offer deliveries to buyers.
    The WooCommerce Local Pickup block on the checkout page
    • Link to add reviews on the All Products block. The All Products block now has a link for visitor reviews. The link will appear on products that don’t have any reviews yet, helping you to get more social proof from your buyers and build trust with your audience.
    The WooCommerce All Products block, showing the "add review" link
    • Editable cart and checkout button. The Proceed to Checkout and Place Order buttons on the cart and checkout blocks are now editable, allowing you to be creative with your calls to action.
    The place order button on the checkout page in the editing mode

    In addition to the new WooCommerce 7.4, the developers are already working on WooCommerce 7.5; its beta has already been released. The next WooCommerce update is scheduled for March 14, 2023, and we can’t wait to see what the team has in store.

    WordCamp and Community News

    WordCamp Asia 2023

    WordCamp Asia 2023 closing ceremony
    Photo by Atsushi Ando

    WordCamp Asia 2023 took place between February 17-19, 2023, and it was the first flagship WordCamp in Asia. Over 1,200 people attended the event – most from neighboring countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Indonesia.

    Like all WordCamps, WordCamp Asia kicked off with Contributor Day. The attendees got together and worked on various WordPress projects. This was a great opportunity for contributors to meet and talk.

    During the other conference days, more than 50 speakers discussed topics ranging from mental health and productivity to WordPress contributions. They shared many inspiring stories from within the community.

    During the closing, Taipei was announced as the next host for WordCamp Asia 2024. If you live in a nearby country and want to attend a flagship WordCamp, we recommend blocking off some time in your calendar in the next year.

    Interested in learning more? We have a dedicated blog post that rounds up WordCamp Asia 2023.

    WordCamp Europe 2023

    Want to get involved with WordCamp Europe 2023? The organizers are calling for photographers and media partners to join the next flagship event.

    If you have experience capturing moments at events, apply as a photographer to immortalize the WordCamp Europe 2023. Or, apply as a media partner to spread the WordCamp news to the community.

    Note that applications are accepted until March 31, 2023.

    The event will take place between June 8-10, 2023, in Athens, Greece. General tickets are up for grabs if you just want to attend the event as a regular attendee.

    WordPress Community Summit

    WordPress Community Summit gathers WordPress open-source project contributors to improve collaboration and workflow within the community.

    The event will take place on August 22-23, 2023, just before WordCamp US, and cover various submitted topics, like:

    • Improving multilingualism in the WordPress community.
    • Improving cross-team communication and collaboration.
    • Adopting an accessible-first approach in WordPress.
    • Streamlining work for Gutenberg components that are already in the WordPress core.

    If you’ve been involved in any WordPress project and are keen to attend with other contributors, the application to attend the WordPress Community Summit is now open. Be sure to apply, as this is an invitation-only event.

    We like to test and review WordPress plugins, themes, and other tools and recommend them to our readers. This month, we have five WordPress extensions we want to talk about:

    Bibimbap WordPress theme

    Bibimbap WordPress theme demo content

    The new block-based theme from Automattic focuses on restaurant websites. This delicious theme has five custom block patterns for menu pages, featured dishes, and restaurant information. This isn’t a lot, but the available options are enough to kickstart a restaurant website without designing page elements from scratch.

    The custom home template utilizes a cover block to display a hero image with contact information and a call-to-action button. This lets you have an engaging homepage design from the get-go. All you have to do is customize the image, text, and color scheme, and your site is ready for launch.

    Web3Press WordPress NFT plugin

    Web3Press lets you earn money by publishing your blog posts to the blockchain as NFTs. It adds a simple interface in the editor to mint your content as a Writing NFT, and it will embed a mini NFT widget to let readers purchase your article.

    Essential Blocks for Gutenberg plugin

    The Essential Blocks plugin control panel

    Add over 40 new WordPress blocks using the Essential Blocks for Gutenberg plugin to level up your website design and site functionality.

    The Instagram feed, social icons, and social share blocks help you integrate your site and social media accounts. Meanwhile, post carousel, toggle content, and parallax slider blocks add interactivity elements without installing a bundle of plugins or coding from scratch.

    Fluent Forms plugin

    This plugin has pre-designed templates that let you quickly create a contact form. Its comprehensive features, such as conditional logic, multi-step form format, and drag-and-drop form builder, make Fluent Forms one of the most flexible contact form plugins.

    Whether you want a simple subscription or a conversational form with conditional logic, this plugin has you covered.

    TasteWP Chrome extension

    TasteWP Chrome extension

    TasteWP just launched a Chrome extension that detects if the website you’re visiting is built on WordPress. It will also tell you what theme and plugins the site is using.

    You can use it to take inspiration from websites with fascinating design and user interactivity. TasteWP will tell you whether the website uses WordPress. Simply look at the extension icon – if it turns full color, the site runs on WordPress.

    The extension will also display some notable plugins used by the website. This will be useful to know how the website makes some design elements work, like an image slider or lightbox.

    Identified themes and plugins will feature links to their homepages. This way, you can quickly create a TasteWP sandbox to try any of the detected plugins.

    What Can We Anticipate for March?

    February was a busy month on all fronts. WordPress shows no signs of slowing down, with WordPress 6.2 development still being the main focus of the community for March.

    The upcoming walkthrough chat with the team will let us watch a demonstration from the experts themselves. And with three Release Candidate versions coming, we will get better acquainted with the next major update, too.

    We expect plenty more updates for WooCommerce and Gutenberg that will enhance the WordPress experience even more.

    The post This Month in WordPress: February News Roundup appeared first on Hostinger Blog.

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  • 7 Best WordPress Directory Plugins (2023)

    If you want to build an online directory website in WordPress, you’ll need the best plugin for the job. Online directories are basically public listings to help visitors find businesses, services, products, and more. But building one from scratch in WordPress is difficult without a plugin. Thankfully, there are some great directory plugins out there to make that process much easier. But finding the right one for your needs can be challenging. In this post, we’ll share our list of the best WordPress directory plugins to help you make the right choice for your business.

    How to Choose the Right Directory Plugin for You (What to Look For)

    Directory plugins have been around for a long time. Most solutions take into account 90% of what’s needed to create a decent directory. But, the best directory plugins go above and beyond by offering:

    • Simple directory creation: The best WordPress directory plugins make it easy to create a directory website, even if you don’t have coding skills. For an ideal solution, choose one that doesn’t take a lot of work to set up.
    • Flexible and customizable: They should allow you to customize everything from the layout of your directory pages to the (custom) fields included on each listing.
    • Advanced search and filtering: The ability to search and filter listings is vital for a directory website. The best directory plugins offer advanced search options to help visitors find what they’re looking for without any hassle.
    • Payment support: If you plan to make money off of your directory website, look for a plugin that supports popular payment gateways and eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce. This will allow you to charge for listings, create different subscription plans, and display sitewide ads.
    • Compatibility with other plugins and WordPress themes: To ensure your directory plugin works seamlessly with your other WordPress plugins and themes, look for a plugin that is compatible and updated often.

    If you want the best chance for your directory to gain traction, getting a feature-rich tool will do wonders for you.

    The Best WordPress Directory Plugins

    If you’re looking to create a directory website using WordPress, you’re in luck! There are a variety of plugins available to help you get started, each with its own strengths and features. Whether you need a simple address book, a classified ads section, or a business directory, there’s a plugin on this list that will fit your needs. First up is a crowd-pleaser—GeoDirectory.

    1. GeoDirectory

    GeoDirectory Directory Plugin

    GeoDirectory is a versatile WordPress plugin that allows you to create a location-based business directory similar to popular sites such as Yelp or YellowPages. For example, users can easily submit for approval, search for businesses and other entities, and have them all nicely displayed on an interactive map. By using GeoDirectory, you can transform any WordPress website into a useful business directory.

    Learn how to build a business directory with GeoDirectory

    Key Features for GeoDirectory:

    • Transfer directory data using CSV import and export options
    • Drag-and-drop interface for building your directory listings
    • Easy to style directory using available themes.
    • Location management system.
    • Customize the look of search results and single listing pages
    • Search results based on a specific location
    • Allows users to rate listings
    • Integrates with Ninja Forms to connect with other CRMs and
    • Integrates with page builders like Divi
    • Integrates with popular SEO Plugins like RankMath.
    • Supports WooCommerce.
    • Premium Add-ons to monetize your site, set up recurring payments, and allow business owners to claim listings.
    • Multisite compatible to create a network of directories

    BuddyPress integration with GeoDirecory

    GeoDirectory handles every aspect of creating a directory site. But, with its smart compatibility with other top plugins, GeoDirectory starts to shine. For instance, its BuddyPress integration can connect BuddyPress to your directory, giving your directory a social edge. This makes your directory more personal—giving your directory more of a chance to stand out in a crowded market.

    GeoDirectory is for you if you…

    • Need to build a high-quality directory site based on location
    • Want the ability to create a simple or complex online directory
    • Want an extendable solution with powerful premium add-ons like (recurring payments, enhanced search, and multi-location directories)

    GeoDirectory Pricing: Free, Premium $199 a year

    Get GeoDirectory

    2. Business Directory Plugin

    Business Directory Plugin

    The Business Directory Plugin is an easy-to-use WordPress plugin that enables you to create and manage a variety of directory types for any kind of directory website. It includes everything you need to get started, regardless of the type of directory you want to create. Plus, it allows visitors to submit listings without needing to code a thing.

    Key Features for Business Directory Plugin:

    • Monetize your directory via Authorize.net, PayPal, or Stripe
    • Supports WPML for multilingual directories
    • SEO friendly and integrated with Yoast SEO
    • Users can filter business listings by location
    • Enable rating and reviews with proper schema markup
    • Enable users to be able to upload files and control the file types that they can add to listings

    Create pricing plans and plan levels for your users

    Easily make money with your directory by creating different pricing plans. You can choose to have a directory with only free plans, or you can attach certain features to different plans and charge a fee. Additionally, you can set plan time limits or create recurring payment plans.

    Business Directory Plugin is for you if you…

    • Need a free and comprehensive directory plugin, with the option to upgrade to more advanced functionality via an extensive add-on directory
    • Are looking for payment support, with the ability to create listing-based monetization

    Pricing: Free, $99 a year

    Get Business Directory Plugin

    3. AWP Classified

    AWP Classified Plugin Homepage Feb 2023

    AWP Classifieds is another easy-to-use plugin that allows users or visitors to create classified ad listings on your WordPress website. From the makers of Formidable Forms, this plugin is perfect for anyone looking to add a classified ads section to their site quickly with little fuss.

    Key Features for AWP Classified:

    • Automatic creation of required pages streamlines the setup process
    • Non-registered users can post ads with simple email verification
    • Monetization support with customized subscription plans, enabling the creation of a classifieds site to make money easily
    • Integration with 4 major payment gateways for easy monetization through paid listings and charging for banner ads on classified pages

    AWP Classified Example Directory Website with Ads

    AWP Classified lets you limit the number of submissions, reviews, or listings a user can make depending on their plan. This allows you to easily create pricing tiers for monetizing your new classified section. You can even display external ads (such as Google Adsense) across your website’s classified sections for additional monetization potential (without having to use an advertising plugin).

    AWP Classified is for you if you…

    • One of the simplest classified plugins on the market (and built by a trusted developer at that)
    • Have a high focus on monetization

    AWP Classified Pricing: Free, $49.50 a year

    Get AWP Classified

    4. Directorist

    Directorist Directory Plugin

    Directorist is a freemium WordPress directory plugin that is suitable for a variety of websites, from business directories to property listings, classified ads, and job portals. With a wide range of features, Directorist aims to be the only WordPress directory plugin you will ever need. The same company has built (but doesn’t require) its own classified themes that can also be of help to budding directory owners.

    Key Features for Directorist:

    • Easily build your listings pages with Directionist’s custom drag-and-drop form builder
    • Custom form fields are searchable for exact search results
    • Includes search widgets with 10+ different filters
    • Use Google Maps or OpenStreetMap for geo-based listings
    • Compatible with WooCommerce’s Multivendor plugin for creating a multi-vendor marketplace

    Advanced fields listing within the Directorist search form

    Customize all the fields with Directorist! Its truly powerful (and beautiful) filterable listings make your directory-based website easy to go through. You’ll have the ability to add searchable custom fields or use standard directory fields like price, tags, text, location, and more.

    Directorist is for you if you…

    Pricing: $139 a year

    Get Directorist

    5. Toolset

    Toolset WordPress Professionals ToolkitToolset is a powerful WordPress plugin with a suite of tools that simplifies the process of creating advanced websites. You can use it for custom eCommerce, real estate, membership, and Directory sites. However, it’s not the easiest thing to learn on this list because it feels like its own ecosystem of related tools. But it can help you create a directory website from scratch.

    Key Features for Toolset:

    • Create custom post types, unlimited custom fields, and taxonomies that you can display on your site frontend
    • Create custom frontend forms for users to use and interact with your directory
    • Restrict certain website features and sections for paying customers
    • Comes with an in-depth course and an onboarding program

    Toolset WordPress Directory course

    Toolset is not made solely to build directory websites. However, it gives you the tools to build just about anything on WordPress. Toolset even has created special training for how to build a directory website. Plus, it can be used with Divi and other page builders to create more beautiful directories.

    Toolset is for you if you…

    • Are you an advanced WordPress user looking for a suite of tools for managing all sorts of custom post types and how they are shown
    • Want to create a directory site from scratch without knowing code.

    Pricing: From $69 a year (renews at $51)

    Get Toolset

    6. Connections Business Directory

    Connections Business Directory

    Looking for a simple, yet powerful business directory plugin? Connections Business Directory has you covered. While not the most appealing plugin on our list, you can create directories of all types and host thousands of worldwide listings. And, the plugin is completely free.

    Key Features for Connections Business Directory:

    • Supports the Block Editor with four directory blocks
    • Privacy controls for listings and directory entries
    • Allows you to control the fields shown on your listings
    • Support for nested categories
    • Face Detect add-on to properly center the display of profile pictures automatically

    Connections Directory Plugin with Face DetectThe plugin has an optional free add-on to create directories for displaying people (like Alumni, staff, and volunteer directories). For example, its Face Detect add-on can properly render images (of various sizes) so that a user’s face is always front and center.

    Connections Business Directory is for you if you…

    • Need a free option with solid core features
    • Want free and affordable add-ons to extend the functionality of your directories

    Pricing: Free, with add-ons (Free – $14.99)

    Get Connections Business Directory

    7. HivePress

    HivePress Multipurpose WordPress plugin

    HivePress has created a fantastic and free WordPress directory plugin that truly covers all the bases. And, it has more products including beautiful directory themes and extensions that bring even more power to the core plugin.

    Key Features for HivePress:

      • Can charge users to feature their listing
      • You can allow users can rate listings as well as leave reviews on listings
      • Users can send private messages to listing owners
      • Can allow users to “favorite” listings making them easy to find again in the future
      • Users have private, frontend dashboards to manage their listings

    Frontend favorite's screen

    HivePress comes built-in with a clean and modern user interface that allows users to manage their listings without logging into your WordPress backend. You can easily create a Favorites page for users that have marked listings with a heart. This allows users of your site to save and keep an eye on their favorite listings.

    HivePress is for you if you…

    • Want a free plugin that has plenty of room to grow as you start making money
    • Crave a beautiful directory with plenty of features included

    HivePress Pricing: Free, with paid add-ons (Free – $39)

    Get HivePress

    What is the Best WordPress Directory Plugin?

    The best WordPress directory plugins balance deep feature sets, and multiple plugin integrations, and are easy for users and admins alike. We hope that with the help of this list, you were able to find the right plugin for your next project.

    For the best overall directory plugin, we suggest GeoDirectory because it has powerful features and extensions, it is easy to use, and integrates well with other plugins. Business Directory also is a great choice, especially if you are looking to monetize your directory.

    Advanced WordPress users should look at using Toolset along with Divi. This powerful combo will provide all the tools you need to create a directory specific to your needs. Whatever you choose, make sure that it balances your business needs with your budget—that way you’ll be on the right track in building out your directory.

    PluginPriceFree Option
    🥇GeoDirectory$199/yr✔️Visit
    🥈Business Directory Plugin$99/yr✔️Visit
    🥉AWP Classified$49.50/yr✔️Visit
    4Directorist$139/yr✔️Visit
    5Toolset$69❌Visit
    6Connections Business DirectoryFree✔️Visit
    7HivePressFree✔️Visit

    Looking for more great plugins? Check out our top free plugins for businesses and our collection of the best plugins for WordPress.

    Featured Image vis Andrew Krasovitckii / shutterstock.com

    The post 7 Best WordPress Directory Plugins (2023) appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • WordPress 6.2 Openverse Integration Updated to Upload Inserted Images

    WordPress 6.2’s Openverse integration is getting some last minute changes after contributors expressed concerns about it hotlinking images by default. The new feature allows users to quickly insert free, openly-licensed media into their content. It also allows users to upload external images through a button in the block toolbar, but this creates an extra step in the process and is easy to miss in the UI.

    Several contributors cited GDPR and privacy concerns in the ticket that called for uploading the images by default. They also noted that hotlinked images can pose problems for users who want further manipulate the images by cropping, rotating, and filtering, and for developers managing site migrations. Some went as far as to say the feature belongs in a canonical plugin, which would likely have had a less rushed implementation and better testing prior to landing in core.

    “I am deeply uncomfortable with any integration of Openverse into core,” WordPress contributor Peter Shaw said. “Philosophically WordPress is a personal publishing platform so it should be avoiding external APIs and dependencies. The only external calls it should make (by default) is to check for updates.

    “No issue with the service itself though (I like it) but it should be a canonical plugin that site owners consciously install. Either way images must be on the local server though.”

    As the hotlinking drew more attention, WordPress contributors chimed in on the ticket to call for the feature not to be shipped in its current implementation.

    “This cannot ship this way, or it will get unknowing users sued,” Yoast founder Joost de Valk said. “Next to that it has negative performance implications, as you can’t do srcset or loading attributes on images loaded from remote. Sideload really should be the default, and in fact IMHO, only way.”

    Gutenberg contributor Nik Tsekouras jumped in with a quick PR that changes the implementation to upload the Openverse images when they are inserted, wherever possible.

    “We definitely want to upload to the site library for this flow and should treat this as a bug,” Gutenberg Lead Architect Matias Ventura said. “There’s work going on in parallel to upload by default on other actions (like pasting) that are not as straightforward or general enough (hence the need for something like #46014) but this one should be straightforward.”

    Tsekouras’ PR ensures that any images inserted from Openverse are uploaded. If they cannot be uploaded to media library due to CORS issues, WordPress inserts the Image block with the external URL and a warning about legal compliance and privacy issues. Here’s an example of a successful upload:

    video credit: James Koster in PR #48501

    WordPress 6.2 Beta 4 was delayed this morning until March 1, due to an unrelated regression introduced in 6.2. Tsekouras cherry-picked the Openverse PR to the wp/6.2 branch to get it included in the next release, so the next beta should ship with the updated implementation.

    Go to source

  • WordPress vs. Drupal (2023) — Which One is Better?

    You have a lot of options when it comes to deciding on a website platform. There’s Squarespace and Wix and Weebly and Joomla and WordPress and Drupal and…lots more. While that choice can be overwhelming, two of the main contenders for a content management system (CMS) for a lot of people seem to be WordPress vs Drupal. Both were released pretty concurrently around two decades ago, but WordPress was a blogging platform versus Drupal beginning its life as a CMS. Over time, WordPress has moved into overlapping a great deal with Drupal, and we want to help you choose between the two platforms by comparing them head-to-head.

    WordPress vs Drupal: Who are They For?

    When it comes to WordPress, the platform is easily accessible to anyone. Between the WordPress.com version where you can get a free site with limited functionality and a yoursite.wordpress.com domain, it takes very little effort to get started. Even the self-hosted WordPress.org that we’re going to be discussing in this article has a quick install from most hosting companies.

    Drupal hits this same demographic, only without the .com version. It’s a free, open-source platform like WordPress, and most hosting companies have a quick installer within their site tools. It’s very easy for anyone to get set up. But while WordPress’s interface and messaging help many new users acclimate to their new dashboard, Drupal doesn’t have great messaging.

    Both platforms, however, offer a modular experience that grants users the flexibility to create the site they want by extending features and design through plugins and add-ons. WordPress does this in a slightly more user-friendly way, while Drupal tends to be more aimed at users who are experienced in web design in some capacity.

    Which Platform is Easier to Use?

    Over the past few years, WordPress has come a long way in terms of user-friendly design and experience. Drupal, despite a lack of initial messaging on how to navigate and make use of the platform, has a fairly low learning curve for anyone who has a bit of experience administrating a website backend.

    WordPress

    Learning WordPress is much easier than it once was. With the plethora of blogs and tutorials out there, users who are confused about any aspect can learn quickly and easily about any topic. This is great because when opening up the dashboard for the very first time might be a tad overwhelming.

    In general, the dashboard is easy to navigate and relatively self-explanatory. However, it can take some time to get a feel for where things are and under which heading certain settings and options live. It can be a little frustrating to figure out which settings are under the Settings tab, which functions live under Tools, which options are in the Theme Customizer and which are contained within the theme or plugin settings themselves.

    Eventually, those confusions work themselves out as you use the platform. But on initial use, you might occasionally be a little flustered.

    Of course, the real question regarding WordPress’s ease of use is dependent on what kind of site you intend to create. Because WordPress can create any kind of site, the theme and plugin suite you choose will drastically affect usability. If you use WooCommerce, lots of extensions, and various forums and user-management plugins to run a membership site, your learning curve and ease of use dramatically increase over a more simplified website focused on simple content creation.

    For the most part, though, WordPress has a low-to-moderate learning curve and even those without lots of technical expertise can find user-friendly themes and plugins to walk them through the process of creating and managing their sites.

    Drupal

    Users just get kind of dropped into Drupal. Luckily, the interface is rather intuitive and well-labeled, though there is no initial messaging on where to go to begin.

    wordpress vs drupal dashboard

    However, even from the first time you log in, there are Add Content links. And, like WordPress, a menu invites you to Extend via modules and customize with different themes. Users have access to the Structure tab. This solves one of WordPress’s biggest stepping stones for new users. It consolidates the various options and settings for site construction in one place instead of having them spread out and compartmentalized.

    The downside to this consolidation is that using any of these settings is a bit more technical than in WordPress. If you’re coming into Drupal with no web experience, both the interface and terminology used can be a little off-putting. However, if you’re used to various web admin back-ends, learning and using Drupal is a big step up from other platforms such as Joomla.

    WordPressDrupal
    Ease of Use🥇 Winner

    WordPress has a low-to-moderate learning curve and even those without lots of technical expertise can good tutorials to help them along the way.    		If you’re coming into Drupal with no web experience, both the interface and terminology used can be a little off-putting.
    Choose WordPressChoose Drupal

    WordPress Allows for Ultimate Customization

    Everyone wants a nice-looking website. That goes without saying. So the customization options for design are something to take into consideration when looking at WordPress vs Drupal. You also have to think about the customization of features, too. And how easily you can create, launch, and then modify the kind of site that you want. Be that publishing, e-commerce, membership, or anything else you might need.

    WordPress

    WordPress vs Drupal is about customization from the ground up. With plugins being a major part of adding features and design elements, you can create (or download and install) all features your website could ever need. Additionally, the theme-based structure for design gives designers and developers free rein on their creations.

    With the whole industry having sprung up around the plugins and themes in WordPress, you can be sure that someone has created the perfect theme and plugin for you. You just have to find it. Some of them are free (or freemium) through the WordPress repository, while others are premium products you can license directly from the developers or through marketplaces like Divi Marketplace.

    Either way, there are no limitations in the WordPress world. Users with zero technical experience can create amazingly designed websites using page builder themes/plugins like Divi and add any functionality they can think of through plugins like WooCommerce, Paid Memberships Pro, GiveWP, PublishPress, GamiPress, or literally thousands of others.

    Drupal

    Like WordPress, Drupal is a modular CMS that relies on external developers to help provide what users need. With that in mind, it’s incredibly easy for users of pretty much any skill level to extend Drupal to fit their needs.

    wordpress vs drupal extend

    With a large Add New Module button dead center of the page that takes you directly to the Modules tab in the extension library, Drupal makes it easy on you to find what you need.

    wordpress vs drupal customize

    The Themes tab is directly beside the one for Modules, and it works in much the same way. The themes that developers have created for Drupal are great, but many of them do require a lot of technical knowledge of CSS, JavaScript, and HTML to get in and make them shine. While page builders and drag-and-drop editors are becoming standard among WordPress sites, Drupal themes generally take a more manual process.

    That said, the installation process is the same for both WP and Drupal. You download an archive file, go back to the dashboard, upload it, and activate it. You can’t do this automatically from the repository in Drupal, but if you’re a command line user, each page has an installation command you can paste in using Composer.

    It comes down to how comfortable you are with the design and knowing what you need for your site. If you go in with a clear design and functionality plan, Drupal is pretty simple to handle. But if you’re piecing it together as you go, the interfaces and community in WordPress may be better suited for you.

    WordPressDrupal
    Customizations🥇 Winner

    There are no limitations in the WordPress world. Users with zero technical experience can create amazingly designed websites using page builder themes/plugins like Divi.    		Drupal requires quite a bit of CSS, JS, and HTML to truly customize it. If you’re piecing it together as you go, the interfaces and community in WordPress may be better suited for you.
    Choose WordPressChoose Drupal

    WordPress Publishing is Unmatched

    You can’t have a website without content. And in some way or another, you’re going to be creating content for your website. Even the most barebones sites have pages and pages of content that has to get there somehow. WordPress always has an advantage in publishing content because of its roots as a blogging platform. However, Drupal isn’t that far behind because of how easy and well-designed the publishing tools are.

    WordPress

    WordPress vs Drupal is all about publishing. Over the past few years, the buzzwords from Automattic and the WordPress foundation have been “democratizing publishing,” which pretty much sums up their stance. While WP is absolutely a capable and well-crafted CMS that can handle any sort of site, all the functionality used on those sites comes down to being based on posts and pages.

    Publishing in WordPress, be it a post or a page, or even a product in your e-commerce store, comes down to using either the Classic Editor or the Block Editor and any number of meta-boxes and custom fields in a custom post type. All of which can be extended with the help of plugins such as Toolset.

    Additionally, you can separate and categorize your content in WordPress using parent/child taxonomies and tags. No matter how you want to display your content, you can. Different themes such as Divi, come with the ability to create templates, too, so you can often set your content to look different based on what focus it has. You might have specific templates for posts with audio or video players, for instance.

    And the publishing options only expand when you introduce advanced themes and plugins. It’s very hard to get lost in publishing with WordPress because it is very simple. That said, the Block Editor that comes in WordPress by default after version 5.0 is not a WYSIWYG editor with an interface like a word processor. That is a bit of a bump in the publishing workflow until you figure out how it works.

    wordpress vs drupal

    After that, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

    Drupal

    Drupal uses a WYSIWYG editor for its content, and it works great. You will find a Content menu item in the main dashboard. The next page is well-messaged. and you know exactly what kinds of content you can make. The same as WordPress: posts and pages.

    wordpress vs drupal

    The editing pages are clean and concise, and writing content is no problem. We ran into no issues in pasting from Google Docs, either, which can be a pain in WordPress.

    drupal 10 page editor wordpress vs drupal

    All of your options are available on one screen, and they’re easily navigable. If you need to customize the categories and taxonomies on your site, you can do that under the Structure menu, as we mentioned above.

    Drupal’s publishing tools are less-advanced than WordPress. WP makes creating specialized and highly formatted content a cinch. But Drupal gives you a quick, clean, and painless writing and publishing experience. And that means a lot.

    WordPress vs Drupal Publishing Comparison

    WordPressDrupal
    Publishing🥇 Winner

    The Block Editor that comes in WordPress by default after version 5.0 is not as simple as the classic editor, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it to be very powerful.    		Drupal gives you a quick, clean, and painless writing and publishing experience. However, it’s not nearly as advanced as the block editor in WordPress.
    Choose WordPressChoose Drupal

    WordPress and Drupal Alternatives

    Before you make your final decision on your website platform…are you curious to see how WordPress stacks up against its other biggest competitors? We did the hard work and compared WordPress vs everything else so that you don’t have to! One of those posts compares WordPress vs Wix, and I think you will be interested to see the results!

    So Which Platform is Better?

    WordPress vs Drupal is beginner-friendly, with a less steep learning curve and user-friendly tools. It offers many options for customization, with themes like Divi and plugins like Toolset, and is a powerful SEO platform, especially with tools like Rank Math.

    WordPressDrupal
    Ease of use🥇 Winner

    WordPress has a low-to-moderate learning curve and even those without lots of technical expertise can good tutorials to help them along the way.    		If you’re coming into Drupal with no web experience, both the interface and terminology used can be a little off-putting.
    Customization🥇 Winner

    There are no limitations in the WordPress world. Users with zero technical experience can create amazingly designed websites using page builder themes/plugins like Divi.    		Drupal requires quite a bit of CSS, JS, and HTML to truly customize it. If you’re piecing it together as you go, the interfaces and community in WordPress may be better suited for you.
    Publishing🥇 Winner

    The Block Editor that comes in WordPress by default after version 5.0 is not as simple as the classic editor, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it to be very powerful.    		Drupal gives you a quick, clean, and painless writing and publishing experience. However, it’s not nearly as advanced as the block editor in WordPress.
    Choose WordPressChoose Drupal

    Drupal has a steeper learning curve due to its technical nature, but experienced website managers should find it easy to use. It requires more design and development skills than WordPress but has a powerful platform that can meet your needs with the right expertise.

    The post WordPress vs. Drupal (2023) — Which One is Better? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • WordPress.com vs WordPress.org (2023) — Which One to Pick?

    WordPress now makes up well over 1/3 of all internet sites. That’s a lot of websites. However, when we say “WordPress,” that could mean more than one thing. The base WordPress software is the same. But when you decide between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com, you are choosing a very specific set of features over another. While WordPress itself doesn’t change, the day-to-day usage can be pretty different. We want to walk you through both sides of WP so that you can decide which version works best for you and your site.

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    What is WordPress?

    First off, let’s take a look at WordPress itself. Many see WordPress as a blogging platform, and it is. But over the past couple of decades, it has also become a full content management system (CMS) that can manage every kind of site you could want. Even if you’re not writing and publishing content regularly, you can still easily use WordPress for your website. As a landing page, portfolio, learning management system (LMS), membership site, or even an ecommerce shop.

    wordpress.com vs wordpress.org features

    In a nutshell (an admittedly big one), WordPress does a lot of things.

    WordPress Features, Perks, and Details:

    • It is open-source software, through the GPL license, and receives consistent and regular updates that add new features and polish and enhance old ones.
    • Simple-to-use interface, both as an administrator and content creator.
    • The Gutenberg block editor is intuitive and allows full-site customization immediately on installation.
      • Additionally, content can be designed around various structures. Custom post types, possess unique metadata, various taxonomies, and more. These allow for impressive organization.
    • WordPress is a full CMS:
      • Content creation (blogging, podcasting, video, streaming, etc.)
      • Static landing pages
      • Media management
      • User management built into the base software which can be utilized for membership sites or e-commerce shops.
    • The WordPress themes system gives 100% customization of every aspect of your site.
    • Themes do more than just alter the design, but also add and adjust functionality.
      • Thousands of free and premium themes (such as Divi) out there for you to choose from, many available and hosted by WordPress itself.
    • WP can be hosted anywhere. It is near-universally supported by web hosts, with some excellent choices including Pressable and WPEngine.
    • WordPress domain and URL customization within the dashboard
    • Built for speed and page-load times
    • Custom widgets provide page-by-page customization in almost any area such as sidebars, footers, and headers.
    • WordPress is extensible, meaning that anyone can create a plugin to hook into the CMS and add a feature or change how something works.
    • Developers can do so much through the WordPress APIs, from the REST API to HTTP requests, URL routing, and MySQL databases, WordPress is ready for translation, user management, data manipulation, and whatever features they can dream up.

    Don’t Forget the People!

    On top of all the technical things that WordPress can do, the community that surrounds the software is tight-knit and welcoming. You can attend WordCamps to learn about it, go to Meetups in your town, or even just participate in social media groups and forums to meet people who can help you, work with you, and even become your friends.

    You get all of these with both versions of WordPress. With all that in mind, both technical and social, let’s look at WordPress.org vs WordPress.com individually to consider their strengths and weaknesses.

    WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Pricing

    WordPress.com offers a variety of plans, ranging from a free plan with basic features to a business plan with advanced features. The free plan allows you to create a website with limited features and includes a WordPress.com subdomain. The paid plans range in price from roughly $4 per month (billed annually) for a personal plan to $45 per month for an e-commerce plan. The more expensive plans offer more advanced features and customization options.

    With WordPress.org, the cost of web hosting can vary depending on the provider and the plan you choose. For example, some popular hosting providers like SiteGround and Green Geeks offer starter WordPress plans that start at $2.95 per month, while other premium providers like WPEngine might start at $20 per month.

    Additionally, you will need to pay for a domain name, which typically costs around $10 to $15 per year. Providers such as GoDaddy and HostGator offer both domains and hosting plans, but it’s generally recommended that you purchase a domain separately from a provider such as NameCheap.

    By purchasing your domain from a separate domain registrar, you can have more control over your domain and avoid potential issues that may arise from having your domain and hosting with the same provider. Additionally, using a separate domain registrar may give you more flexibility to switch web hosting providers in the future, without having to transfer your domain to a new provider.

    WordPress.comWordPress.org
    Hosting$4-45 per month$2 – $20 per month for starter plans
    DomainFREE$10-$15 per year

    What is WordPress.org?

    WordPress.org is very likely the software you mean when discussing generic “WordPress.” The version put out by .org is the self-hosted, independent, open-source version of the WordPress CMS.

    wordpress.com vs wordpress.org

    Backed by The WordPress Foundation, WordPress.org is free to install and use in whatever way you see fit. Obviously, there are some catches to that, but if you want to use WordPress in its most open and available way possible, head to WordPress.org and download it.

    You may also see the .org version of WordPress referred to as “self-hosted WordPress,” meaning that the software itself is free, but as previously mentioned, you must have a web host (such as SiteGround or Flywheel) to install it on. (Technically, you can run WP on your local machine, too, but that’s generally done for development and troubleshooting.)

    The Pros for WordPress.org Installations

    There are quite a few drawbacks to WordPress.com vs WordPress.org. The biggest and most prominent benefit of using .org installations of WordPress come with the total freedom to do what you want. Outside of your hosting provider, you are not bound by any terms of service, content limitations, or what kinds of development, themes, or plugins you can use on your site.

    You always own your content, too. You do not grant any services or platforms even the slightest consideration for what you write or put up. The absolute freedom of building and content production is the hallmark of WordPress and was one of the reasons it was created and released as open-source software.

    As we mentioned, you can use any theme, and any plugin, and do any kind of development that you want on your site. With WordPress.com (which we will get to below), you are limited to using approved plugins and themes, meaning that the freedom to have exactly the site that you want is impossible. You can get the exact site you want with .com, but you have to pay for the ability piecemeal. That isn’t the case with .org installations.

    Additionally, you can run any ads you want on your site, use any sort of monetization you want, paywall anything you desire, and sell any kind of products in your WooCommerce store. Only the terms of use for the ad networks and services you choose to use will limit what you can and can’t do.

    The Cons for WordPress.org Installations

    As with anything, there are downsides to WordPress.org installations, too. The most prominent of which is that same freedom that is its primary draw. By being fully in control of your site, you are also fully in control of maintenance, purchase of themes and plugins, additional development, and any hosting issues that might come up.

    Additionally, you have to sort through web hosts, making sure that the one you choose offers everything you need. (For instance, Pressable is a fantastic host for WordPress, but they don’t offer email service.)

    PROSCONS
    FREE to useMust maintain on your own
    Self-hostedPremium themes and plugins cost extra $$$
    Freedom to choose plugins, themes, and hosting providerSift through choices of hosting provider
    Owning your contentMay have to pay for domain
    Paywall content
    Host ads, sell unlimited products

    Who is WordPress.org For?

    WordPress.org is for anyone who wants a website. Really. If you want a website of any sort, WordPress.org can create it for you. With full freedom and ownership of your site, design, and content, there is no reason not to give it a shot. With having responsibility for your site one of the only real drawbacks to using WordPress.org, it is a fantastic option for anyone who wants a website.

    What is WordPress.com?

    wordpress.com vs wordpress.org

    To start with, WordPress.org vs WordPress.com is comparing software to a service/platform. WordPress.com is a free website service, not a free website software like .org. You don’t have to download anything or install it. You sign up for an account and create a site that is hosted by WordPress.com vs WordPress.org, where self-hosting is required. To do so is free. You will be given a choice of templates and suggested plugins and a yoursite.wordpress.com URL.

    Essentially, everything is handled for you from the moment you sign up. Which, like .org‘s freedom, is .com‘s primary benefit and detriment.

    The Pros of a WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Website

    If you’re looking for a free, no-frills, no-hassle website, WordPress.com vs WordPress.org can give you that. From the moment you sign up, you’re walked through the process of setting up the site. Pick a name and URL and theme. Then you’re free to start publishing content immediately.

    You don’t have to find a host because WordPress.com is your host. They give you a decent, albeit limited, amount of space per site (3 GB) before requiring you to pay for a plan. If you are looking for a 100% free site where you can get started from nothing in essentially moments, you can do that here. No hosting costs, and no domain registration, just sign up and go.

    They also handle backups and maintenance and upgrades for you. Meaning that you won’t have to worry about your site getting security holes in it from not having X, Y, or Z plugin at its newest version.

    The hosting is the same that powers Pressable, and it’s top-notch. You won’t have to worry about your site’s stability when using WordPress.com.

    The Cons of a WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Website

    The limitations that come with a WordPress.com vs WordPress.org site tend to be the main things that drive people away from the platform. Because .com is a platform and not just software, the company that runs it (Automattic) is out to make a profit. So like any free service on the internet, you only get the most basic elements for free.

    If you want a custom URL (mysite.com instead of mysite.wordpress.com), you have to pay extra. To use any theme you want (from their approved list), you have to pay extra. Same for plugins. Want a run an e-commerce site? Yup, upgrade your plan. Do you see the pattern here?

    WordPress.com also shows ads on your site and doesn’t pay you for them. At least, if you’re a free member. The saying “if you’re not paying for a product, you are the product” holds very true here. Automattic definitely profits off your use of their service, whether you pay or not. (And in this case, at the expense of your users’ experiences.)

    You cannot use external services such as Google Analytics or Google AdSense, but you can apply for their proprietary ad system and use Jetpack stats. Unless, of course, you upgrade to a higher plan.

    And finally, you are bound by the WordPress.com EULA and ToS. Which means that they have the right to do with your site what they want. While you own the content there, they may choose to use it in advertising. And if they decide your content violates their terms, they can take your site offline without your consent (or knowledge, sometimes).

    Who is WordPress.com For?

    In its free version, WordPress.com websites are for people who want a no-frills publishing experience that doesn’t require any upkeep. Using the .com version of WordPress means that you can get your work out to the world with zero upfront cost and very little effort and almost no maintenance.

    If you need a temporary site or a demo or just a place to blog as a diary/journal, .com can certainly be what you want.

    Also, WordPress.com is an option for people who run high-revenue businesses and high-traffic sites who also want a hassle-free experience. The WordPress.com VIP packages (starting at $2,000 per month) are about as hands-off as any website can get that’s WordPress-based, but it’s priced out of nearly everyone’s reach. The VIP portion of WordPress.com is targeting Fortune 500-level companies, not every other person who needs a free website for a bit.

    PROSCONS
    FREE to useOnly basic elements are free
    Easy set upCertain plugins are prohibited
    Hosting is providedAds are shown that you don’t get paid for
    Free domainCustom domain costs extra
    JetPack providedNo Google Analytics integration
    Security is providedYou don’t own your content

    WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Alternatives

    If you are interested in checking out alternatives to WordPress.com or WordPress.org, check out our comparison of WordPress vs HighLevel, WordPress vs Wix, and WordPress vs Weebly. They are all somewhat similar to WordPress and can give you insiintot on comparable platforms for your consideration.

    The Verdict: WordPress.com vs WordPress.org

    Overall, our verdict is that WordPress.org is by far the superior product. While you do have a little more to handle on your end as a site owner and user, the freedom you get (for free) is just too much of an incentive. Not being upsold to use whatever plugins or themes you want (even if you’ve purchased them) alone is worth using .org.

    WordPress.comWordPress.org
    PricingFree – $45 per monthFree + hosting fee
    DomainFree$10 – $15 per year
    Monetization allowedSelling products, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts and ads visible on siteUnlimited
    Allows pluginsWith business or eCommerce plansYes
    Own your own contentNoYes
    Google AnalyticsWith premium plan and aboveYes
    Backup and storageYesWith plugin
    eCommerceMust purchase premium planWith plugin
    WordPress.comWordPress.org

    WordPress.com is an absolutely solid platform. If you decide to host your website through their service, it will be stable, easy to use, and it will have very little trouble. But if you want anything else, it will cost you. If you have the budget for it and don’t want the responsibility, consider a .com site. However, even though you have to pay separately for .org hosting, the cost is generally lower and you can run more sites than just one on that hosting service.

    In the end, whether you go with WordPress.com vs WordPress.org, you still get to use WordPress. And that’s a win, no matter which side you’re on.

    What are your thoughts on WordPress.com vs WordPress.org? Let us know in the comments!

    The post WordPress.com vs WordPress.org (2023) — Which One to Pick? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

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  • Invitation Code Content Access Plugin Review for WordPress

    Invitation Code Content Access lets you restrict some or all of your site’s content behind access codes. You can customize the functionality, set up limits and expirations, and lots more.

    The post “Invitation Code Content Access Plugin Review for WordPress” first appeared on WP Mayor.

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