XML Sitemap vs Visual Sitemap: What’s the Difference?
Are you confused about the difference between an “XML sitemap” and a “visual sitemap”? Keep reading to discover the differences between these important website components. XML Sitemap vs Visual Sitemap The two main types of sitemaps are: XML Sitemap – a list of the URLs on your website used by search engines, normally put in […]
How to Create Web Block Anchor Links in WordPress
Here’s our guide on how to create web block anchor links in WordPress. So what are block links? These links are similar to anchor links, and created is a similar way. The primary difference is that anchor links – also known as jump links – bring you to a block of text on the same […]
How to Backup a Website
Are you keeping nightly backups of your website? Things happen, and backups are crucial to getting you up and running again. They’re also good to have in case you decide to make plugin or code changes to your website that could make things go boom. Here are three recommended methods for backing up your website, […]
Updating WordPress Plugins: A Guide
Are you unsure about updating WordPress plugins? Here’s our summary of this essential website maintenance task. As we mentioned in our article on the top five crucial steps to WordPress maintenance, updating your WordPress core software and plugins is very important. Out-of-date plugins is one way that your site can become infected with malware. So […]
How to Disable XML-RPC to Improve Site Security
Here’s our recommendations for how to disable xml-rpc in WordPress, and how this may improve your site security and performance. What is XML-RPC? When you install WordPress on your site, it comes with a file named xmlrpc.php. The file is included as a convenience, to allow users to manage their blog from 3rd-party clients. Say […]
5 Ways to Make Your WordPress Website Faster
Do you want to make your WordPress website faster? Here are our five top tips to make your site go vroooooom! 5 Ways To Make Your WordPress Website Faster Here are five steps you should take to improve your website’s speed: 1. Optimize your website Nearly every website you visit these days have images, because […]
How to Create Anchor Links (AKA “Jump Links”) in WordPress
Here’s our guide on how to create anchor links in WordPress – also known as jump links. So what are anchor links? Have you seen on a web page that sometimes you click a link, and rather than taking you to another page, it jumps to further down on the same page? That’s an “anchor […]
Creating Solutions Beyond the Obvious: Ideation
So what is ideation? Read on to find out more! As proud members of the Interaction Design Foundation, we love creating online user experiences that are easy, intuitive, and engaging. Solutions aren’t one-size-fits-all, though, and creative thinking is an important part of the process. Website projects can be tricky. Budgets and timelines may be limited. Team […]
Choosing WordPress Plugins: Like Being a Kid in a Candy Store
Do you have difficulty choosing WordPress plugins? If you find the whole experience overwhelming – like being a kid in a candy store – read on. What are Plugins? Plugins extend the functionality of WordPress and are a great way to add sophisticated features to your website. And all without the need for custom coding. […]
Securing Your WordPress Login Page
Do you know about securing your WordPress login page? Here’s what you need to know. Recently we helped thwart a hacker who was trying to gain access to a WordPress website using a “brute force attack”. In a brute force attack, the hacker systematically tries all kinds of commonly used passwords as quickly as possible. With […]
DNS Records: Find me if you can!
What are DNS Records? DNS stands for “Domain Name System”. It relates IP addresses to their corresponding names, specifically, domain names. For example, when you enter google.com, the DNS looks for the corresponding IP address for that particular domain name and returns the address. There are many DNS servers, and they attempt to keep their […]
Making Your Website Speak to Actual Human Brains
Want to learn how to make your website speak so that real humans can interact with it? Here’s our thoughts and comments. How Does a Website Speak to a Human? We all talk about “user experience” and “user interaction” design, and here at AndiSites we’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to make a […]
Custom Variables in Google Analytics
In our last two posts, we learned: to setup a Google Analytics account; add a tracking code to each page of our website; and setup valuable goals and track custom events and social events. In this post we will learn about custom variables in Google Analytics, how they differ from custom metrics and dimensions, and the […]
Quick Tips for Choosing a WordPress Plugin
If you need help choosing a WordPress plugin, we’re here to make it easier! Check out our top tips for keeping your site functioning and safe. About WordPress Plugins WordPress plugins give you an easy way to add sophisticated functionality to your website. Used properly, they can increase user engagement and save you hours of […]
The Battle Against the Hacks
Are you tired of the battle against the hacks? Here’s our thoughts on the latest situation with WordPress websites. If you are at all related to the web world, you will inevitably come in contact with WordPress. It’s the beautifully-designed, easy to use content management system that is our favorite here at AndiSites. According to […]
Elements of Successful UX Design
Here are our top tips for successful UX design. A website with good UX – User Experience – is vital for anyone visiting your site. What is UX Design? In simple terms, user experience is the satisfaction visitors get from your website. But beyond the surface, user experience is far more significant and can affect […]
Creating a Landing Page Website that Converts
Here’s how to create a landing page website that actually converts! Read our top tips for converting visitors into customers. What is a Landing Page Website? A “landing page” website (like the one we just launched for the Scaling Up Workshop) has a specific purpose in mind: to convert visitors to customers (or attendees, or subscribers, […]
Tips For Effective Navigation Design
Here’s our top tips for effective navigation design and why it is so important to both you and your website’s users. What is Navigation? Well, you could say that it’s the element of your website which allows your customers to find what they’re looking for, or you could say that it’s a way to lead […]
Why You Should Update WordPress
Why should you update WordPress? Aside from putting in new content, there are some very important reasons you should keep your WordPress core software and plugins up-to-date. Rachel McCollin discusses these issues in her article “Why You Should Have The Latest Version of WordPress.” Here is why you should update and how to stay updated: Why Update […]
Could You Have Too Many Plugins?
Do you think you have too many plugins? Here’s what we think about this common concern. Website Load Time is Important The 8 Second Rule states that a user is likely to abandon your website if it takes 8 seconds or longer to load. Current research suggests that the time users are willing to wait for […]
