Using google fonts is an easy, and free, way to add some visual interest to a website. Recently, we’ve been advised to host these locally rather than via a connection to google. This is due to concerns about GDPR and also to speed up page loading times.
plugins
The Latest Posts Block, Query Loop Block & Alternatives
Blog posts are usually displayed on a WordPress website either on the homepage or on a separate blog page if that’s been specified in the site’s setttings. WordPress also creates archive pages for categories and tags.
Experimenting with WordPress Image Sizes
As a general rule, it’s a good idea to keep images as small as possible because loading large images will slow a site down.
A Look at Some WordPress Photo Gallery Plugins
For this article, I experimented with a few different gallery and slideshow plugins:
- FooGallery
- GT3 Photo Gallery
- Smart Slider 3
- The Advanced Gallery block from the Kadence Blocks plugin.
- Meow Gallery
WordPress Website Checklist
This article lists the steps I take when setting up a WordPress website. I’ve included links to some of the plugins I use, and to helpful articles with more comprehensive instructions.
Instructions for Adding a Row of Image Links
UPDATE – Please note that this article was written before the release of the new WordPress block editor (a.k.a. “Gutenberg”). For a more up-to-date approach, see my article: Adding a Row of Image Links with the WordPress Block Editor.
A Look at WordPress Page Builders
My previous post, Alternatives to WordPress Page Builders, describes an exercise I carried out to build a simple web page without the use of a page builder plugin.
Alternatives to WordPress Page Builders
UPDATE: This article was written before the release of the WordPress block editor (a.k.a. Gutenberg). I have written a new blog post using the block editor.
Page Builders have become so popular that sometimes new WordPress users get the impression that they are expected to use one. My own view is that it’s best to keep things simple and use a page builder only if you have a need for it.
A Note About WordPress Backups
What’s most likely to scare people away from using WordPress is the fear that they will lose their website if it is hacked, they make a mistake or something breaks. This is why it’s important to have a contingency plan.
