Now that we are halfway through the year, it’s time to pause and reflect on how your goals are coming along for 2023. The resources here are a great checkpoint for you with ideas for a better SEO strategy, advice for nonprofits using Canva, generating ecommerce feedback, security updates, and learning opportunities.
Here are eight new WordPress resources to explore:
1. How to Create a Better SEO Strategy in 2023
Web designers probably don’t want to spend much time thinking about search engine optimization, but it is a critical part of every website. You need search engines to find your website so that it will show in human search queries.
If you haven’t thought about SEO, now is the time. (And it’s never too late to think about or adjust your SEO strategy.)
A solid SEO strategy includes a combination of tactics – some are more geared toward web designers and developers, others are more for content creators, and there are others that are more marketing focused. You should have a clear idea of how all of these elements play together.
Here are the areas you need to think about as part of an overall SEO strategy:
- User experience
- Content pages and blogs
- Technical SEO
- Backlinks
- Local SEO
- Keyword research
Now here’s the thing: If this seems like a foreign language, you may need to hire a company to help with SEO. (If you find a reputable company, this can be a huge help for our online presence.)
2. How to Use Canva for Nonprofits
Many website owners know Canva can be a great tool for creating simple graphics for online use and social media, but did you know they also have a program for nonprofits?
The primary benefit of using Canva for Nonprofits is a low-cost, easy-to-use platform that includes almost every design tool you can imagine. You can upload custom design elements such as colors, fonts, or images so that you don’t look like you are working from templates.
Canva also includes the option to create digital or printed items – they’ll even handle the printing for you – so that everything is in one place.
GiveWP shows how to use Canva for Nonprofits and has some tips for things you can create with the tool.
Make sure to go check it out.
3. How to Encourage Ecommerce Customer Feedback
Reviews and solid customer feedback can be one of the greatest tools for boosting online sales. But how can you encourage customers to leave positive feedback on your website?
This article has a variety of suggestions for ways you can encourage eCommerce customers to share feedback, including:
- Feedback boxes incorporated at checkout
- Sending follow-up emails to collect information about purchases
- Sharing links to online review sites, such as Google or Yelp, to encourage reviews
- Launching forums that allow customers to share information with each other
- Sending out customer surveys to collect feedback
- Asking for information on social media by encouraging comments
- Incorporating chatbots on your website that ask for feedback
- Conducting user testing to learn more about your online tools
Learn more about all of these ideas and more from IconicWP.
4. WordPress Vulnerability Report
You need to keep up with WordPress issues to help keep your site safe and running smoothly. The WordPress Vulnerability Report shows all of the core issues that might pop up if you aren’t on the latest version of WordPress as well as vulnerabilities with plugins.
There were some core updates this month that impacted major plugins. It is important to ensure that you are on the latest version of WordPress because many of these have been fixed.
Did you know one of the best things you can do to prevent these vulnerabilities on your website is to keep plugins up to date?
Some things to look for in the latest report include vulnerabilities with these popular plugins: WPForms Lite, Ninja Forms Contact Form, WooCommerce Payments, Embed Press, and more.
Read all the WordPress Vulnerability Reports for July:
Get the Weekly WordPress vulnerability report sent right to your inbox
5. WordPress Plugin Roundup
If you want to keep up with everything happening in the world of WordPress, join the monthly Plugin Roundup.
Each month Nathan Ingram combs the WordPress plugin directory for interesting plugins that have been added or updated in the last 30 days and assembles a list of helpful and unique plugins for your WordPress website. And it’s free!
The next online event is on August 1st. Register for free today!
6. WordPress News Roundup
If you want to stay up-to-date on everything happening in the world of WordPress, join the monthly
WordPress News Roundup.
In this session, Ingram will discuss the latest developments in the WordPress ecosystem in this informational webinar. We’ll talk through this month’s WordPress news with plenty of interaction and Q&A.
The next event is on August 15th. Register today for free!
7. Webinar Replay – Building Forms with Kadence Blocks: Introducing the New Advanced Form Block
Kadence Blocks has had a simple form block available for newsletter signups and contact forms, but with the release of Kadence Blocks 3.1, a new advanced form block gives site owners so many more capabilities with form building.
In this demo, we take a look at how to work with the new Kadence Advanced Form Block, how to make sure you get your form submissions in an easy-to-use format, and an overview of the different capabilities. If you’re looking to lighten the load on your site with fewer plugins, the Kadence Advanced Form Block might be the robust solution you’ve been looking for.
We also give an overview of some of the other features in Kadence Blocks 3.1 that will make building with Kadence Blocks even easier.
Register for the Kadence Blocks 3.1 Beta here.
8. Webinar Replay – Introducing Solid Security: The Next Chapter in WordPress Protection
Get ready to explore Solid Security! Retaining the trusted reliability and exceptional performance of its predecessor, Solid Security introduces a streamlined user interface and new functionality for a more user-friendly experience.
This webinar replay features a detailed demonstration of Solid Security hosted by its lead developer, Timothy Jacobs. Experience first-hand the sophisticated features and enhancements that set Solid Security apart in the realm of WordPress security.
Timothy answers questions about Solid Security and provides his expert insights into broader WordPress security as well.
Wrapping Up
New tools and resources for WordPress are being released all the time, and we hope this list helps you discover new ways to improve your workflows. Make sure to check back next month for more new tools and resources.
Carrie Cousins has more than 15 years of experience in media, design, and content marketing. She works in digital marketing and is also a freelance writer and designer, specializing in creating amazing experiences online for small businesses. Her work has been featured in publications such as Design Shack, Webdesigner Depot, The Next Web, and Fast Company. She’s an avid runner, which comes in handy with Australian shepherds at home.