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Reginald Chan – Page 123 – Serious Talks on Marketing & Relationships Matters

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Two Tools To Create Custom WordPress Design (Without Hiring Developers)

Custom WordPress design is eye-popping, head turning and above everything, awesome. However, the process of creating custom WordPress theme is long-winded and expensive.

If you don’t have coding skills, you are going to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars in hiring web developers to get the job done for you. And that if you are able to find the right web developer.

Headache, headache and more headache.

In this article, you are going to discover how to create custom WordPress design without hiring developers (and spending a lot of money).

What tools do you really need?

Let’s face it. There are many fancy tools you can have in your arsenal but the truth is, you only need one — WordPress visual builder as what we call it.

What is WordPress visual builder?

A WordPress visual builder is a drag and drop website builder (some call it visual frontend site editor) that allows you to drop different elements on a WordPress post or page without using a single line of code. At the same time, visual frontend editor allows you to customize the site design at real time. Thus, changes are immediately visible which is known as what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG).

But there are so(ooo) many options!

Choosing the right WordPress visual editor is a challenging task. To make your task easier, here are the only two tools you should be using to create custom WordPress designs.

Option 1: Divi Theme Builder

Divi is a powerful WordPress editor that allows beginners and advanced users to build custom designs without coding skills.

This is what I mean.

Years back, building WordPress website designs requires a lot of coding works including HTML and CSS.

Building a website design from scratch would take days if not weeks — not to forget the massive manhours needed to check the codes and testing.

Yes, those are no fun at all.

With the birth of WordPress website builders such as Divi, creating custom website design is no longer a hassle. As a matter of fact, it can be done and completed in a very short time (without breaking your neck or budget).

Divi backend system is extremely easy to use (big kudos to the guys behind it — Elegant Themes).

These are just some of the element options you can use to create your ultimate WordPress design.

It’s a massive list, right?

Click here to learn more about Divi by Elegant Themes.

Option 2: Thrive Architect

The beauty of Thrive Architect is the pricing (apart from similar features with Divi).

While Divi is build up entirely as a theme, Thrive Architect is a plugin and is compatible with most WordPress themes available on the market.

The advantages using Thrive Architect is that it is able to integrate with most themes, including popular ones such as StudioPress child themes. As I know that you probably have some theme installed, changing theme including widget areas could be time consuming.

If you are looking for a quick solution, Thrive Architect is definitely your best bet here. You can build both WordPress posts and pages using Thrive Architect.

One of the best advantages using Thrive Architect is the ability to important demo content. At this point of time, there are over 100 different templates that you can choose from and installing them with just one click. No coding, nothing.

Thrive Architect comes with over 100 landing page templates, including homepage and blog post templates.

Just like Divi, Thrive Architect allows you to modify anything and everything when creating custom WordPress designs without using a single line of code.

Lastly, Thrive Architect is very light and therefore, it is not going to affect your website loading speed in anyway. The plugin also offers options such as removing theme CSS is a huge plus in making the page loads faster.

Watch this video to see how it is done.

Like what you see?

Click here to learn more about Thrive Architect.

Summary: How To Create Custom WordPress Design (Without Hiring Developers)

Website builders such as Divi and Thrive Architect helps you to create custom WordPress designs fast and without those messy codes. Plus, you can now save a huge portion of the money as you can create your own design without hiring freelance website developers!

May 19, 2024
How To Create A Beautiful Single Page WordPress Websites?

Single page WordPress website is getting really popular nowadays. Everyone been talking about it and even using it.

What is a single page WordPress website?

A single page WordPress website displays all the essential features of your website on the home page. It makes easy for the users to get all the required information within a single page.

Single page WordPress website taking the hit as a popular option because it is easy to setup with the right WordPress tools.

How does a single page WordPress website looks like?

Pretty cool, right? Single page WordPress website is best for website owners who doesn’t have the time for constant updating and would like to feature all the information under one page (for better user experience).

However, single page WordPress website can be long and boring. Here’s how you can create single page WordPress website that looks great to the eyes and convert visitors into customers.

How to create beautiful single page WordPress website?

The first step is to use the right tool — in this case, I highly recommend using Thrive Architect to create single page WordPress website.

Click on the play button to learn how you can create beautiful single page WordPress website using Thrive Architect.

Should you be using a single page WordPress website?

If you are running a business website, I see no reason why you shouldn’t be using it.

A single page WordPress website is easy to create and manage. Plus, you can save thousands of dollars from hiring web developers and replace the entire process with a flexible do-it-yourself using Thrive Architect.

BONUS: Looking for Thrive Architect discount? Sign up for Thrive Membership for only $19 per month and get saving up to $500 a year! You can also read about the Thrive Membership review here.

May 19, 2024
Why Should I Start An Email List?

May 5, 2024
How do I reduce website loading time?

I like to believe that bloggers are cursed. Please allow me to explain myself (before you decide to throw rotten eggs at me).

We are website owners who probably love to write (that’s why we blog) and at the same time, making money online. We bootstrap everything – from buying a domain to choosing the best web hosting service.

While all of those are important, there’s something even more important … website loading speed.

Ask any blogger and I’m sure that they are always thinking “How do I reduce website loading speed?”

As a blogger myself, I love to have my website loads at super fast speed.

If possible, I want it to load under 1 second!

Too much to ask? No really.

In this article, I’ll share some quick ways you can reduce website loading time.

1. Use the right web hosting service

If you are looking for the best free web hosting service, nothing come close to 000webhost (click this link to try it out).

When it comes to web hosting, and website loading speed, what you pay is what you will get. You can start by choosing a web hosting service that offers great uptime and zero tolerance overselling the server.

Want to reduce website loading time? Spend a little bit more and get managed WordPress hosting services such as WP Engine and Kinsta. Trust me, you can thank me later!

2. Plugins will impact the website loading time

Do you know that the more plugins you have installed on the site, the slower your website will loads?

Generally speaking, plugins will have a dear impact on your website loading time. Therefore, uninstall (not just deactivate them) any plugins that you no longer in use.

If your website is still taking a long time to load, run the P3 (Plugin Performance Profiler) plugin test to determine the plugin that is taking the longest time to load.

3. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) service

CDN allows you to serve static content faster and more efficiently. This ensures that your website will take a shorter time to load and overall, this is going to impact your website loading speed.

CloudFlare is a great free CDN service that you need to use to have a faster website loading speed.

Want an improve website loading speed?

Make your website load faster by using CloudFlare Page Rules. Read this guide for further information.

4. Optimize images to reduce loading time

Optimizing images may be a challenging task but trust me, it is worth it especially when you are looking for ways to reduce website loading time.

An optimized image takes a short time to pull it from the server and cumulatively, it will make your website loads faster.

You should optimize your images using WP Smush or image optimization using LiteSpeed cache.

5. Use clean WordPress theme

A good WordPress theme is going to help a lot, especially when it comes to website loading speed.

If you are serious in reducing the website loading time, consider using WordPress themes that are optimized for speed. WordPress themes such as Thrive Themes and StudioPress are great options to start with.

6. WordPress Content Builders?

Do you know that WordPress content builder can harm your site, especially when it comes to website loading time?

There are many website builder in the market today but sadly, only a few are really working to provide user-ability, flexibility and performance (website loading speed).

Website builder such as Thrive Architect and Divi are excellent options if you are serious in improving website loading time. These website builders allow you to control and manage the number of elements on a page, thus giving your website a faster loading speed.

As they are light and well coded, you don’t don’t have to worry that these website builders will increase your loading time.

So, you can customize your site easily and without worry.

7. Scale your web hosting service

Last but not least, consider spending a little bit more money on web hosting services.

For example, using an optimized shared hosting would easily give me a 1.37 seconds loading speed.

Website loading speed using Host With Me hosting plan

Spending a little bit more (approximately $15 per month) by using managed WordPress hosting such as WP Engine or Kinsta will ensure that my website loads under 1 second.

The reason behind this is simple. Most managed WordPress hosting services come with content delivery network feature and optimized servers. With the right setup, you can easily reduce the website loading time dramatically (and without using a single line of code).

What is Host With Me?

Host With Me is a web hosting service created by me and currently managed by Hostingify.com. It is an optimized web hosting service that offers flexibility, affordability and excellent support, 365 days a year. Find out more here.

Summary: How do I reduce website loading time?

If you want to manage a successful blog, the first step is to make sure your website is loading at optimal speed. In other words, reducing website loading time must be your utmost concern.

I hope you find these seven steps effective in helping you to reduce website loading time.

May 4, 2024
Kinsta WordPress Hosting Review 2018: How good is Kinsta?
When it comes to managed WordPress hosting, big names such as WP Engine and FlyWheel will be the first in your mind. I recently came across Kinsta and I realized that there aren’t many Kinsta WordPress hosting reviews out there.

You see, I have a thing for web hosting and I love trying out new hosting services. Yes, I tried out Kinsta by hosting my new project, Hostingify and I was instantly hooked! Of course, more on that later.

Let’s go right into the introduction and the review, shall we?

What is Kinsta WordPress hosting?

Here’s a fact — Kinsta isn’t the most popular WordPress hosting in town because there are other big players in the industry who are offering better prices.

So, what Kinsta did was simple. They revamped their pricing strategy and makes it more affordable for people like you and me.

Kinsta doesn’t only offer WordPress hosting, they are the first of its kind to offer managed WordPress hosting on Google Cloud Platform. As a result, your website will load faster (like seriously fast).

Premium WordPress hosting for everyone, small or large

Kinsta is a managed WordPress hosting provider where we take care of all your needs regarding your website. We run our services on cutting edge technology and take support seriously. View Kinsta plans here.

Kinsta WordPress Hosting Review

Why should I be using Kinsta WordPress hosting? Continue reading to find out more!

What does Kinsta offers?

Just like any other managed WordPress hosting, Kinsta offers a nice set of features which will make your website management life much easier.

Kinsta managed WordPress hosting comes with several plans, and each of the plan comes with specific features such as security, fast loading speed and daily backups.

Kinsta offers a worry-free managed hosting so that you can leave all the website hosting matters to Kinsta — and focus on your business.

Kinsta offers reliability, performance and security under one roof. It’s custom-built infrastructure along with Google Cloud Platform allows websites to load at blazing fast speed and scalability.

Kinsta WordPress hosting review: How fast is Kinsta?

When I choose a web host, my biggest concern is the speed and I will test it out to ensure that my site is loading fast (thus, happier website visitors).

In this Kinsta WordPress hosting review, I believe it is only fair for me to include my speed test results using Kinsta.

I started with a brand new website and installed the basic theme, along with three plugins (Hello Dolly, Akismet and Jetpack).

0.7 seconds website loading speed tested on GTMetrix

550 ms (0.55 seconds) website loading speed tested on Pingdom

W-O-W!

I know a lot of shared web hosting in the market is not able to perform at this speed. Sure, you may debate that the page size is smaller than most standard websites but website loading speed under 1 second is definitely something to shout about.

How to setup website on Kinsta?

Setting up a website is always the hardest part. With Kinsta managed WordPress hosting, you can easily migrate websites to Kinsta or create a brand new one from scratch.

Follow these steps to get started on Kinsta.

1. Getting started on Kinsta

Kinsta dashboard is the first thing you will see when you login to the backend.

Kinsta management dashboard is beautiful and it is very easy to use. You need to click on the “Add Website” button to add your first website to Kinsta managed WordPress hosting.

This is what you will see after clicking on the “Add Website” button.

2. Creating a new account and choosing the datacenter

The next step is to create a new account for your site. This is what it looks like by default.

Kinsta runs on Google Cloud Platform. Therefore, you can easily choose different datacenters closest to your target audience.

You can choose to host your website from 15 different datacenters around the world

The next step is to name the instance, selecting the custom domain option and the decision on installing WordPress to your site’s account.

Note from the editor

Do not forget to select “Add a brand new WordPress install” if you are adding a fresh website to your Kinsta account.

3. Describe your new site

Enter the details of your new site and you can select additional options such as multisite, installing WooCommerce and installing Yoast SEO plugin by default.

Once the setup is done, click on the “Add” button Kinsta will automatically create the new site for you. This is what you will see.

4. Migrating website to Kinsta

Already have a website and want to migrate to Kinsta?

Use Kinsta free migration service to migrate your site over!

Every new Kinsta account is entitle for one free migration. If you need help migrating your site to Kinsta, you can request the free migration service through the Kinsta management dashboard.

5. Kinsta DNS

This Kinsta managed WordPress hosting review is not complete without mentioning Kinsta DNS service.

What is Kinsta DNS and how it works? See the image below.

Using Kinsta DNS is a great way to make sure your website connection is always safe and reduce the chances of server downtime.

It is recommended for you to use Kinsta DNS

Changing record is important to use Kinsta DNS

Changing A record using Kinsta DNS

How to change CNAME record using Kinsta DNS

6. Kinsta Content Delivery Network (Kinsta CDN)

Once your website is propagated correctly to Kinsta DNS, the best way to speed up your site is through enabling Kinsta CDN. Kinsta CDN is a free service that comes with all Kinsta packages.

Kinsta Managed WordPress Hosting Review

Once you have finished all the steps above, you have successfully create a new site (or add a site) to your Kinsta hosting.

But wait, that’s not all!

Kinsta managed WordPress hosting comes with several features which are extremely important.

As you can see above, there are several options in the Tools segment including:
- 1-click site cache purge
- Free SSL certificate using Let’s Encrypt
- Selection of PHP Engine
- Restarting the PHP Engine
- Integration with New Relic for website monitoring
- Search and Replace tool (so you don’t need to mess the database)
I love the way user interface and friendliness of the Kinsta management system or dashboard as it makes is super easy for beginners to manage their websites.

Backup and restore easily using Kinsta

Kinsta allows you to easily manage all your backups through a simple, single platform.

Kinsta redirect rule (as easy as 1, 2 and 3)

Need to do a redirection from www to non-www, or vice versa? You can easily do so using Kinsta redirect rule option!

This is the sample of how I redirect from www to non-www using Kinsta

Kinsta plugin updater

This is where Kinsta shine as no other managed WordPress hosting offers this feature.

You can easily update and manage all your website plugins on Kinsta website management dashboard. This is extremely useful if you are managing multiple websites at the same time.

Kinsta staging environment

Last but not least, Kinsta staging environment puts Kinsta on par with major managed WordPress hosting providers such as WP Engine.

You can easily create and clone websites on Kinsta with just a few clicks — You don’t have to worry that you break the side or simply for testing purposes.

Kinsta Managed WordPress Hosting Pricing

How much does Kinsta managed WordPress hosting costs? The smallest plan starts at $30 per month that comes with all the features such as Kinsta DNS and Kinsta CDN.

You can see the full pricing table here.

Kinsta Managed WordPress Hosting Review: Is Kinsta worth it?

Being a competitive and demanding website owners, I got to admit that Kinsta certainly ‘wows’ me in certain ways. As a matter of fact, I’m surprised with the server performance by Kinsta as well as the support level of the crew.

If you are looking for a managed WordPress hosting that is affordable and powerful, take a look at Kinsta and see what it can do for you today!
May 4, 2024
MailChimp Subscription: What is the MailChimp pricing?
Is MailChimp really free? If MailChimp is free, why is there MailChimp subscription?

MailChimp is free for 2,000 email subscribers and 12,000 emails delivery per month. After that threshold, you are required to subscribe to MailChimp to continue using it to deliver email.

How does the MailChimp subscription works?

MailChimp pricing is very simple and straightforward. You can register for a free account and you have unlimited access to all the features (except for MailChimp Pro) including the email autoresponder sequence.

MailChimp subscription works on a subscription model — you are billed based on number of email subscribers you have in your list or the number of emails you are sending out on a monthly basis.

MailChimp subscription model is divided into:
- Monthly payment based on number of email subscribers
- Credits based on number of emails you will be delivering
How much does MailChimp costs?

MailChimp paid email marketing costs $10 per month for 500 email subscribers and unlimited email delivery.

You can also opt for MailChimp Pro which priced at $99 per month for detailed analytics and reports. This option is best for companies, high traffic website and large enterprises who want to make use of the email marketing strategy.

Is MailChimp worth it?

This is a great question. MailChimp offers one of the best email delivery rates and it is used by bloggers around the world.

MailChimp is a great email marketing solution if you are not an affiliate marketer.

Should you get MailChimp subscription?

MailChimp is a good option if you are looking for excellent delivery rates and tons of features to enrich your email marketing strategy.

If you are affordable (or making enough from your website) and not using affiliate links, you should definitely get MailChimp subscription for better email marketing results.
May 4, 2024