Category: Web Development

  • 5 Best WordPress Theme You Should Be Using In 2019

    5 Best WordPress Theme You Should Be Using In 2019

    The Only 5 Best WordPress Themes You Should Be Using In 2019

    Are you searching for the best WordPress themes to use in 2019?

    If the answer is “anything related to yes,” you came to the right spot!

    In this article, you will discover the best WordPress themes you should be using in 2019.

    When it comes to WP themes, there are actually quite a lot of themes that you can choose from — both free and paid WordPress themes inclusive.

    The biggest challenge for many bloggers and website owners is to determine the best theme that fits their needs.

    But wait!

    What are the requirements to choose the best WordPress themes?

    While the niche and expectations varies a lot, here are the common requirements when choosing a WordPress theme:

    • Easy to use or low learning curve
    • Drag and drop builder (if coding skills are required)
    • Clean codes
    • Level of support
    • Reputation of the theme developer
    • Theme pricing
    • Constant updates
    • SEO features
    • Fast loading speed

    The WordPress theme is more important than ever

    A WordPress theme is more than just a theme. It displays professionalism and above all, a brand design that resonates with your website visitors.

    Do you know that a website design contributes to website conversion, bounce rate and stay duration?

    Which are the top 5 best WordPress themes for 2019?

    • Divi by Elegant Themes
    • Thrive Architect by Thrive Themes
    • OptimizePress
    • StudioPress
    • Elementor

    Top Rated WordPress Theme 2019: Divi Theme

    Divi Theme Review 2019

    What is Divi theme?

    Divi is a stylist, drag and drop website builder that used not only by beginners but website developers as well.

    Divi Theme allows you to create your own customized WordPress website design without coding knowledge — through its powerful drag and drop website builder.

    Divi Theme Demos

    Want to know how Divi theme looks like? Scroll below to learn more!

    Part 1: Five Divi theme templates

    Divi Theme Demo

    Part 2: Another five more Divi theme templates

    Divi Theme Templates

    Impressed?

    Divi themes are not made for bloggers — it has a wide range of themes (over 100 of them) that are suitable for a wide range of business.

    Regardless you are a blogger, entrepreneur, website owner or business owner, there’s definitely a Divi theme that is right for you!

    Advantages using Divi theme

    • Inbuilt drag and drop builder (visual editor)
    • No coding skills required
    • 100+ pre-made layouts and templates
    • 1-click installation
    • 24/7 professional support
    • One simple ad affordable pricing

    Disadvantages using Divi theme

    • Users may experience some lag or server performance (if using poorly configured web servers)

    Conclusion and Divi theme demo

    Divi is really an awesome choice if you are searching for the best WordPress theme in 2019.

    With it premade demos and templates (along with customer support), this is definitely the top best theme that I personally recommend.

    Popular WordPress Themes for Bloggers: Thrive Architect by Thrive Themes

    Thrive Architect Best WordPress Themes 2019

    What is Thrive Architect?

    Thrive Architect is a drag and drop builder plugin by Thrive Themes. This plugin helps you to create powerful website designs without coding skills.

    Used by over 10,000 website owners, Thrive Architect is one the best heavy-hitters when it comes to the best WordPress themes in 2019.

    Thrive Architect Demos

    Thrive Architect allows you to copy and launch pre-made templates and demos in just a few clicks.

    At this point of time, there are over 274 ready-made website templates (consists of landing page, homepages, blog posts etc.) that you can choose from.

    Thrive Architect demo templates

    Thrive Architect Demo Templates

    Editor’s Note

    Thrive Architect is my personal favorite when it comes to building customized WordPress themes and the reason is obvious. 

    The Thrive Architect drag and drop builder is extremely intuitive which is able to operates even with the smallest / lowest server resources.

    Advantages using Thrive Architct

    • Instant drag and drop visual builder
    • No design or coding skills required
    • Pre-build conversion elements
    • 274+ templates and demos to choose from
    • Instant preview on different screen size
    • Toggle visibility of elements and the entire content block
    • Mobile responsive theme
    • 24/7 support via forum and email
    • Affordable pricing

    Disadvantages using Thrive Architect

    • Can’t think of any (as of now)

    Conclusion

    Undeniably, Thrive Architect excels perfectly well in the WordPress theme marketplace.

    Bloggers and website owners had long used Thrive Architect to build their website — and this is one of those WordPress themes that I will recommend.

    Newly Updated Theme: OptimizePress

    OptimizePress WordPress Themes 2019

    What is OptimizePress?

    OptimizePress was once the most sought after WordPress website builder. To be exact, it was around seven years ago. Soon after, OptimizePress was not being updated and lacks drag and drop builder which, at that time, was extremely popular.

    But that was history.

    With the latest and updated OptimizePress version, this is definitely one of the most popular option in the market today.

    OptimizePress Demos

    Just like most of the WordPress themes in this post, there are many ready made website templates that you can use with OptimizePress.

    OptimizePress demo templates

    OptimizePress Premium WordPress Themes 2019

    If you are looking for the top WordPress themes in 2019, OptimizePress is definitely a great choice to go with.

    Did you know?

    OptimizePress comes with theme and plugin separately. So, you can easily install OptimizePress plugin to your existing WordPress themes — without having to perform all the messy and time-consuming uninstallation. OptimizePress also includes an inbuilt membership site which is a plus point for many.

    Advantages using OptimizePress

    • Visual editor allows you to create landing page, webinar pages, sales pages, blog post and homepages
    • Drag and drop website builder plugin
    • Intuitive visual editor
    • No coding skill required
    • Easy to use for beginnners
    • Marketplace to purchase additional/customized themes

    Disadvantages using OptimizePress

    • Visual builder isn’t extremely intuitive
    • The entire theme and plugin requires a lot of server space
    • Some users are experience slower website load speed when using OptimizePress

    Conclusion

    OptimizePress is “okay” and if you are not require much from a drag and drop builder, this is a great option to go with.

    More importantly, it is very affordable which is a plus point for many newbie bloggers and website owners.

    Simple And Yet Stylist: StudioPress by WP Engine

    StudioPress by WP Engine

    StudioPress was the first premium WordPress theme that I used. 

    While I don’t actively use StudioPress anymore, I still recommend StudioPress to my clients — especially for those who don’t require much website features and simple website layout.

    StudioPress was recently acquired by WP Engine (just thought that you may not know about it).

    StudioPress Demos

    There are many StudioPress themes that you can choose from … which you can purchase as a standalone or through a one-time payment to have unlimited access and usage.

    StudioPress demo templates

    StudioPress Genesis Framework Child Themes 2019

    Advantages using StudioPress themes

    • Unlimited usage with one time payment
    • Professional support
    • Beautiful and many minimalist website designs

    Disadvantages using StudioPress themes

    • No drag and drop builder
    • Coding skills required

    Conclusion

    StudioPress is a fine WordPress theme to use if you are looking for a theme that is ready to use out-of-the-box.

    While configuring StudioPress child themes requires coding skill, this is still one of the most popular WordPress themes in 2019 (especially for website developers) as the codes are very clean and SEO ready.

    When Free Meets Premium: Elementor

    Elementor Best WordPress Themes 2019

    Elementor is the next generation WordPress website theme.

    They call themselves as the world’s best builder — simple, powerful & flexible WordPress theme builder.

    And they nailed it. BIG TIME.

    Elementor combines powerful drag and drop technology into a tool that is free to use (yes, Elementor plugin is free to use) with Elementor Pro version that provides additional features (chargeable).

    Advantages using Elementor

    • Free to use (with premium plans available)
    • Powerful drag and drop visual builder
    • Feature rich
    • Excellent customer support
    • Supportive community

    Disadvantages using Elementor

    • Limited features in the free version
    • Limited support in the free version

    Conclusion

    Despite the several weaknesses in Elementor, it is still one of the best WordPress theme in 2019.

    With an inbuilt drag and drop builder with powerful add-ons, this is definitely one of the top themes you should be using to create beautiful website designs this year.

    Which is the best WordPress themes in 2019?

    For me, the above five are the best themes for any WordPress websites.

    If I would choose, I would recommend Thrive Architect and Divi anytime of the day — thanks to the intuitive drag and drop builder, easy to use features and super affordable pricing.

    How about you? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think!

  • What Is BlueHost Spark (WordPress Hosting Support) And Why It Matters?

    What Is BlueHost Spark (WordPress Hosting Support) And Why It Matters?

    Setting Up A WordPress Used To Be Tough Is Now Much Easier

    Launching a blog from scratch can be an extremely daunting task.

    From getting a domain name, to finding the best hosting service and from preparing blog post ideas to crafting blog-worthy posts.

    There’s just so much work — and so less time.

    Have you ever wished to have an affordable (or free) blog expert helping you with all these?

    I bet you do.

    And lucky for you, there’s a new kid on the blog that helps you achieve just that!

    WordPress Expert Help by Spark

    BlueHost Spark Review

    Spark is a cool and new feature by BlueHost (yes, that popular web hosting company).

    This service is launched by BlueHost to help you jump start the entire WordPress installation process.

    What is Spark by BlueHost?

    It is the absolutely answer to “excellent customer service and support by BlueHost.”

    Let’s face it.

    If you search for BlueHost review, you will see dozens of negative reviews on BlueHost.

    Now, take a deeper look into the reviews and comments. You will notice that the company gets many negative feedbacks years ago — and not now.

    BlueHost Spark.

    For all Bluehost customers looking to leverage the power and flexibility of WordPress but aren’t sure how to get started, Bluehost provides a free service that assists with getting started on the right track.

    Blue Spark is designed to help each customer with getting familiar with both the Bluehost and WordPress dashboard, as well as help customers select the correct theme and plugins for their website needs. ​

    You will work with trained WordPress experts to learn the basic elements of WordPress so that you can start building your ideal website quickly and correctly.

    Now, BlueHost is all about excellent customer support and server performance.

    Real BlueHost Reviews 2019

    The truth is, BlueHost is much better now compared to years before.

    And with the constant competition in the web hosting world, BlueHost offers Spark in conjunction with improved customer support and services.

    What are the features included in BlueHost Spark?

    Get started with WordPress

    Skip the learning curve and get an efficient start to your WordPress experience, including dashboard walkthroughs, account setup, and more; a full-featured WordPress orientation.

    Selecting an appropriate theme

    Leverage the guidance of WordPress experts to ensure your site utilizes the best possible WordPress theme relative not only to your website’s purpose, but also your own style.

    Installing the correct plugins

    Our WordPress setup service even helps you avoid the hassle and uncertainty of plugin selection and installation. We’ll make sure you’ve got the best plugins for your website.

    How to get BlueHost Spark?

    After creating a Bluehost account (click here to get started), simply contact BlueHost 24/7 support team via (844) 741-1192 and ask to begin your Blue Spark call. 

    All Bluehost support representatives have been trained on the best practices for getting started with WordPress, and will be able to assist with navigating the Bluehost and WordPress dashboards, as well as assist you with selecting the right themes and plugins for your WordPress website.

    Conclusion

    BlueHost Spark is a good service and effort created by BlueHost in order to generate better support for its customers.

    As WordPress is one of the most popular platforms in the blogging world, there is no denial that this customer support or service will be a great addon especially for beginners.

    Get started with BlueHost now.

  • 5 (Seriously Easy) Steps To Start A Lifestyle Blog To Success

    5 (Seriously Easy) Steps To Start A Lifestyle Blog To Success

    5 Steps To Start A Lifestyle Blog That Kick Ass And Makes Money

    Deciding to start a lifestyle blog is easy. Setting up the actual blog is when the real challenge begins.

    As there are many moving parts, it is important for you to get the right information and guide to launch a lifestyle blog to success.

    The process can be overwhelming for many and you may want to pace yourself.

    This guide is created with the single purpose on helping you to create and launch a lifestyle blog (minus the hassle and uncertainty).

    Step One: Choose Your Lifestyle Blog Niche

    Lifesyle Blog Niche

    A successful blog is uncluttered. Regardless of how many categories you want to explore, you still must have a specific niche.

    Taking this first step is important is defining your blog niche

    This will help you to identify your target audience, laser targeting the categories you should have and connecting with other like-minded lifestyle bloggers.

    Starting a lifestyle blog to success is more than a single man’s job. You need connections (a.k.a. other lifestyle bloggers) to help you get more eyeballs.

    How do I find the right lifestyle niche?

    Blogging is all about constantly crafting the content that you are passionate about.

    Since you are planning to start a lifestyle blog, you might want to consider picking up positive vibes as your source of motivation.

    If you’re able to share tips and help people out based on your skill or talent, readers will flock to your blog in no time.

    Step Two: Choose A Platform

    Blog Platform for Lifestyle Blogs

    There are several blogging platforms available for you to use (for free) or buy.

    A quick search online will give you a rundown of the best ones out there. Arguably, the most popular and most used is WordPress.

    Often, it’s the go-to platform for bloggers, especially for the newbies.

    Introducing, WordPress.

    WordPress is the most common choice for several reasons.

    • It is an excellent content management system (CMS) for beginners
    • There’s a wide range of free themes to choose from
    • There are also many tools and plugins to help you design your own website (without coding skills)

    Now, should you purchase your own domain and platform or use the free ones available on the market?

    The answer is “It is wiser to purchase your own.”

    Here are the top four reasons why you should avoid the ‘free’ ones.

    • Most free platforms will require you to post their own ads on your blog.
    • Most will limit your ability to put your own ads on your blog. Some will make it impossible for you to generate income.
    • Free platforms usually mean limited to non-existent tech support.
    • No-charge blog platforms mean generic URL.
    • Lack of security features.

    The biggest issues with free blogging platform?

    Ownership of the site is not yours when you build a lifestyle blog on other free blog platforms.

    Even if you’re still undecided if you want your blog to eventually turn into something profitable, paying five bucks (more or less) a month will secure all your hard work.

    Step Three: Choose A Domain Name

    Choose Lifestyle Blog Domain Name

    www.mylifestyleblog.com is a lot better than www.mylifestyleblog.domainhost.com, don’t you think? As an online reader, do you trust a website more if the URL that looks and reads like an actual site?

    I bet so, right?!

    That’s the power of branding. Deciding the right domain name for your lifestyle blog is always the most crucial step when launching your lifestyle blog.

    The domain name you choose will be the address of your website. Consider and remember the weight of this when you choose the name of your lifestyle blog. Here are tips on how to pick the right domain name for your website.

    • Shorter domain name = Win (easier to remember)
    • Make it easy to say and spell (duh!)
    • Let the name mirror the core message of your lifestyle blog
    • A unique domain name is always the best!
    • Allow flexibility to make it “brandable” (avoid too specific domain name for easier cross promotion in the future)

    You can get cheap domain names at NameCheap that often costs under $10 per year (here’s the link).

    Step Four: Choose A WordPress Theme

    WordPress Themes for Lifestyle Bloggers

    A WordPress theme is like the cloth you wear.

    If you are looking for free WordPress themes, you are in luck!

    WordPress is home to thousands of themes that you can choose from, some which are free and some which are paid.

    When choosing a WordPress theme, here are three important factors you should consider.

    • Deciding on what to display on the homepage (a specific/static landing page or displaying the most recent blog post)
    • Is your WordPress theme of choice advertiser-friendly?
    • How much support do you get if you need help with coding?

    If you have the money to spare, purchasing a premium theme for your blog is a better option than using a free theme. Often, premium themes offer more fluid functionality. They are also more SEO-friendly.

    Here’s an example of a premium WordPress theme (click here for the product details).

    If you have additional funds, you can hire a web designer to make your theme as unique as you like it to be.

    Step Five: Write Blog-Worthy Posts

    Create Lifestyle Blogs That Worth Reading

    Your blog content need to be really good — if you are serious in getting your lifestyle blog the traffic you desire.

    The name of your blog and the design of your website – these are just trimmings.

    Ultimately, your content matters the most and here are some guidelines to write blog-worthy posts.

    • Informative content
    • Fun to read
    • Shareable
    • Easy to take action
    • Compelling by being different
    • Write in the natural tone
    • Be in the shoes of your website visitors

    Conclusion: Launching A Lifestyle Blog (That Rocks)

    Starting a lifestyle blog is fun, glamorous and highly profitable if you can exert effort into it.

    However, it takes time and a lot of effort to get the blog rolling (in getting traffic and revenue).

    Here’s the summary if you want to launch a successful lifestyle blog from scratch.

    Want to start a lifestyle blog or already have one? Leave a comment below and let’s discuss!

  • MonsterInsights Review: Is It the Best Google Analytics Plugin? [Updated 2019]

    MonsterInsights Review: Is It the Best Google Analytics Plugin? [Updated 2019]

    Discover The Best Google Analytics Plugins For WordPress

    Looking for the best Google Analytics plugin for your WordPress site?

    Even if you don’t like stats and analytics, you know that analytics is always important — with the right report, you can grow your site most effectively. 

    Google Analytics may be the most popular analytics plugin in the market but do you know that it is also one of the most complicated ones, especially for beginners and business owners who don’t have time?

    This MonsterInsights review will show you how this plugin can give you the actionable data you need.Insert Image

    What is Google Analytics and why is Google Analytics important?

    If you are reading this, I’m sure you have used Google Analytics before and you know upright (and first hand) how powerful it is.

    But there’s a little problem with Google Analytics.

    It is completely overwhelming and if you are not an analytics expert, it can be very difficult to know where to start, or how to put that data to use.

    So, what’s the point of using an analytics tool if you are not able to use the data to improve your website?

    Resonate with me

    For most website users (bloggers and business owners), you are looking for an analytics tool that shows you the most important data at a glance, in an easy to understand format.

    In this case, you are looking for data that you can use to use almost instantly in improving your website.

    What are the features of a good analytics tool for WordPress?

    • Understand what topics and formats your audience likes best, so you can create more of it
    • See how people find your site, so you can focus your efforts on the marketing tactics that work
    • Set and track your conversion goals, so you know how to improve and optimize your site

    Here’s the thing.

    If you are an expert in Google Analytics, you don’t need an analytics tool for your WordPress site.

    So, why should you still use a tool like MonsterInsights?

    WordPress analytics tools such as MonsterInsights will give you all that information at a glance, making analytics easy even if you’re a beginner.

    More importantly, 

    MonsterInsights is also much easier to set up than Google Analytics. A beginner to WordPress may not know how or where to place the tracking code.

    But setup with MonsterInsights is much easier — you don’t have to edit any code on your site.

    MonsterInsights was once known as Google Analytics by Yoast

    If you’re looking for a Google Analytics by Yoast review, you’re in the right place!

    Wait, what?

    It’s so bloody confusing (you thought) …

    MonsterInsights was originally developed by Joost de Valk, the developer behind Yoast SEO.

    As Yoast grew they decided to focus on SEO products exclusively, and the Google Analytics by Yoast plugin found a new home in 2016 with Syed Balkhi and was rebranded as MonsterInsights.

    Thanks to Yoast and Syed Balkhi, MonsterInsights now has a single goal: to make analytics easy for beginners.

    Now, MonsterInsights is brought to you by the same team that’s behind WPBeginnerOptinMonster, and WPForms.

    How To Setup MonsterInsights Properly?

    Insert Image

    Before you install MonsterInsights, you need to have a Google Analytics account set up. Click here if you don’t have one.

    Once that is done, download, install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin.

    Authenticate MonsterInsights With Google Analytics

    Click on Authenticate with your Google account to get started.

    In the popup that appears, click Next » Click To Get Google Code.

    Next, log in to your Google Account and click on the Allow button to grant MonsterInsights access to your website analytics data.

    Lastly, you need to select an analytics profile from the dropdown, and then click Next.

    Select Analytics Profile On MonsterInsights

    Important note: There are a few advanced MonsterInsights features worth considering (turning on or off).

    • Track outbound click and downloads: This will keep track of all clicks and downloads as Events in your Google Analytics account.
    • Allow tracking of anonymous data: This will send information anonymously to the developer on how you use MonsterInsights, allowing them to know what configurations, themes, and plugins to test.
    • Anonymize IPs: This will help to anonymize the IP addresses of visitors.
    • Ignore users: You can set your analytics to not tracks the actions of the Administrator, Editor, and other user roles.
    • Disable analytics dashboard: This disables the dashboard and stops all data collection as long as it’s checked off.

    Once you are comfortable with all the features and options, click the Save Changes button at the bottom.

    Give yourself a nice pat on the back as you has successfully install and setup MonsterInsights in just 5 minutes or less!

    MonsterInsights Analytics Reports Dashboard

    Click on the Insights >> Dashboard and you will see all your traffic (pulled from Google Analytics) under one roof.

    MonsterInsights Review 2019 Reporting Dashboard

    How Good Is MonsterInsights As A Google Analytics WordPress Plugin?

    Do you have reservations on MonsterInsights?

    I bet you still do.

    Below are a few reasons your website needs MonsterInsights.

    1. Easy Google Analytics Setup

    MonsterInsights is created to help website owners (like you) to setup Google Analytics accurately.

    Instead of messing your head and hand with the codes in the <head> or <body> tag, you can connect your website with Google Analytics without having to touch a single line of code.

    2. Advanced Analytics Tracking Features (That Are Beginner Friendly)

    MonsterInsights lets you easily enable dozens of Analytics tracking features on your website that you might have otherwise missed.

    The basic setup on Google Analytics isn’t sufficient if you are looking to gather reports related to enhanced tracking matters.

    For example, if you need to enable eCommerce tracking without a plugin, then you might want to manually add additional tracking code on your site. The problem with this approach is that even a slight mistake can skew your entire Analytics data.

    Using MonsterInsights, you don’t have to worry about skewing your data because you can enable advanced analytics features in just a few clicks (and no coding skills needed).

    Here are some enhanced tracking features that you can easily turn on without coding skills (thanks to MonsterInsights).

    • Ecommerce tracking: Enable eCommerce tracking for your WooCommerce or Digital Downloads store.
    • Ads tracking: Understand which ad slots bring in the most revenue.
    • File download tracking: Find out exactly how many times users download your files.
    • Custom dimensions: Track authors, categories, tags, searches, logged in users, etc. on your website.
    • Google AMP tracking: Enable Google Analytics tracking on your Google AMP enabled pages.
    • Facebook Instant Articles tracking: Enable Analytics tracking on your Facebook Instant Articles.
    • Forms tracking: Track all your online forms with Google Analytics and gather data like form views, submissions and conversion rates.
    • Google Optimize: Enable Google Optimize and start conducting A/B tests on your site.
    • EU Compliance: Improve compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations.

    3. Make Accurate And Timely Decision Wisely, Every Time

    Google Analytics reports are always comprehensive but they can be very overwhelming.

    In other words, you are bound to experience difficulties if you are not a Google Analytics expert.

    Analytics is important because it means getting the right stats that matter for your business — at the right time.

    One of the best things about MonsterInsights is that it provides you with the most important reports that matter to your business in an easy to understand format.

    MonsterInsights Reporting And Insights

    If you are not an Analytics expert, MonsterInsights is definitely the right tool for you — because it helps you make data driven decision easier that can have a positive impact on your website business.

    4. Discover The Right Analytics Reports Right In Your WordPress Dashboard

    Using MonsterInsights, your entire website performance is at a glance right under one roof.

    If you want to check out how your website is performing, then you’re not necessarily required to log in to your Google Analytics account every day.

    Instead, you can easily figure it out by simply logging into your WordPress dashboard.

    MonsterInsights Versus Other Google Analytics Plugins

    Insert Image

    Let’s be honest.

    There are many different visitor tracking plugins in WordPress repository that allow you to gather statistics and giving insights.

    I used many plugins including Google Analytics Dashboard for WP by ExactMetrics (formerly GADWP) and Slimstat Analytics.

    Here are a few things I find MonsterInsights rising above the rest of the analytics plugins for WordPress.

    1. User Experience

    For me, user experience (UX) is the single most important reason why I recommend MonsterInisights.

    Not only will you find it extremely easy to set up, but its tracking settings and workflows establish itself as the most beginner-friendly Google Analytics plugin for WordPress.

    You can easily setup MonsterInsights and Google Analytics simultaneously without touching a single line of code. 

    2. All Tracking Features Under One Roof

    Regardless for eCommerce website, a small business website owner or a blogger, MonsterInsights comes with all the tracking options you need in a single product.

    As MonsterInsights is a fully featured Analytics plugin, you can track a lot of events on your website that matters to your business. See the full list of MonsterInsights features.

    3. Most Popular Google Analytics Plugin For Websites

    At this point of writing, MonsterInsights has over 15 million downloads and over 2 million active installs.

    MonsterInsights Review And Download 2019

    4. Zero Third-Party Account Required

    MonsterInsights simply connects your website with Google Analytics — so you don’t have to create another account.

    MonsterInsights biggest competitor, Jetpack Stats requires you to connect your site with WordPress.com, in order to start enabling the site tracking feature. 

    This is very much hassle and is impossible to use if you are concern about data privacy.

    5. Suitable For Websites of All Sizes and Budgets

    MonsterInsights isn’t expensive and as website owner myself, I understand the importance of fitting in the budget.

    MonsterInsights come with a free (lite) version and many different add-ons based on your needs.

    It goes without saying that MonsterInsights is the best Google Analytics plugin regardless of the size and budget of your online venture.

    6. Help Is Just A Stone Throw Away (Documentation and Support)

    The WordPress.org plugin page and the MonsterInsights website have all the tutorials you need to set up the plugin and fix any issues that may arise.

    For the free version of the plugin, community support is available in the WordPress.org support forums.

    Users of the MonsterInsights Pro version have access to highly-rated support from the developers.

    Is MonsterInsights Worth It?

    MonsterInsights is an excellent Google Analytics plugin not only for WordPress but for many other CMS.

    It is easy to use and most importantly, not overwhelming but the default Google Analytics.

    Try MonsterInsights for free here!

  • Best Landing Page Builders: 8 Landing Page Builders Everyone Needs To Use In 2019

    Best Landing Page Builders: 8 Landing Page Builders Everyone Needs To Use In 2019

    Top 8 Best Landing Page Builder For 2019

    Marketing today is all about generating targeted leads with a proven potential to buy. Generic homepages don’t really cut it anymore and it takes a suite of landing pages to pinpoint specific consumer needs.

    Unfortunately, landing pages don’t build themselves but the good news is there are plenty of tools to make the process easier for you.

    Here’s what you need to know when it comes to landing pages.

    Managing and optimizing multiple landing pages for better performance can be a full-time job in itself – until you find a platform that helps you maintain everything efficiently from a single dashboard.

    What you will below are the bets landing page builders for 2019 that I would recommend trying out for every business — regardless you are a blogger, entrepreneur or small business owner.

    It is important to understand that these landing page builders have their own strengths and weaknesses which I will make them clear today — so that you can choose the ultimate landing page builder based on your specific needs.

    Before we dive into the top 8 best landing page builder tools for 2019, let’s spend a quick 5 minutes on why landing pages is an important marketing strategy for 2019 and beyond.

    Why is a landing page important in 2019?

    A landing page is where a visitor “lands” after clicking on an ad or link in your campaign (source).

    With that definition in mind, imagine a prospect drifting through the internet as someone without any connection or devotion to you or what you offer. A tinge of interest causes them to click on an ad in your campaign.

    That drifting prospect “lands” on a web page, but the only way they can firmly “plant their feet” on that page is to take action. So they have to see something that makes them want to take action.

    Need I say how important this makes the page they land on?

    rocket

    In short, a landing page is a specific page that is crafted (often by professionals) to convert website visitors into paying customers or email subscribers.

    A landing page will have the highest conversion rate compared to any other posts/pages on a single website.

    Therefore, it is extremely important to spend time (and some money) to create the best landing page you can possible imagine.

    Do you know that there are 5 major types of landing pages?

    Types

    Splash Page

    A splash page is a precursor page for a website or content page. The simple page usual contains very little text, an image, and usually a link leading you to the next page. Its purposes include promoting a product teaser-style, noting a company update, giving a disclaimer, or even displaying a quote like Forbes.com’s quote of the day that comes up when you’re clicking through their website.

    Squeeze Page

    A squeeze page’s sole purpose is to capture a prospect’s email address. This type of page gets email addresses in exchange for content e.g. a newsletter, e-book, podcast, slide deck, etc. Squeeze pages are usually very direct containing an image, concise text that tells of the page’s purpose, and a CTA that asks for the email address.

    Click-Through Landing page

    The click-through landing page pre-empts the credit card form. It’s main aim is to lighten the process leading up to the impending request for a prospect to spend money. It usual contains an image, enough information about the product, service, software, etc. to educate you on what you’re purchasing, and a link to get to the credit card form.

    Sales Landing Page

    A sales lead capture landing page is designed to lead a prospect to a sale. Its content is usually tailored to be more persuasive and educational, because its end goal is to keep the prospect clear on the offer (this type of landing page is usually more lengthy than other options).

    Lead Capture Landing Page

    This is the landing page type that will be addressed in this article. It’s sole purpose is to turn a prospect into a lead. One of its most important features is its form; and the form plays the most important role of capturing the prospects information. Your lead capture landing page should be tailored to capture the type of leads your company works best with. For example, if calls are your company’s strong point, then a trackable phone number should be included.

    Next up.

    Here are the top 10 landing page builder tools for 2019 that you can use to build any of the above 5 types of landing pages.

    The 10 Best Landing Page Platforms

    1. Unbounce for tweaking and optimizing your landing pages
    2. Instapage for collaborating on landing page design
    3. Wishpond for quickly building sweepstakes, contest, and coming soon pages
    4. LeadPages for advertising and selling products on a landing page
    5. Lander for businesses who don’t want to have high commitment
    6. kickofflabs for creating landing pages people will share
    7. OptimizePress for website owners who want to have all-in-one feature
    8. Thrive Architect for creating high converting landing pages without coding skills

    Looking for the best rated and that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket?

    And without further a due, let’s get started with the top 10 and best landing page builder apps for 2019 and beyond for bloggers, entrepreneurs and business owners.

    Plus, you will also find landing page service comparison which I will highlight in this article.

    1. Unbounce

    Unbounce Best Landing Page Builder 2019Unbounce Best Landing Page Builder 2019

    Advantages using Unbounce:

    • Fully featured
    • Optimized templates (for mobile and search engine)
    • Intuitive, powerful and flexible visual editor
    • Highly rated split testing feature integrated within the tool
    • Popups (known as Unbounce Convertibles)

    Disadvantages using Unbounce:

    • Very expensive option (suitable for businesses)
    • Moderate to high learning curve
    • Not beginner friendly

    I choose Unbounce is the top landing page builder for a reason.

    Featuring one of the best drag-and-drop builders in the game, Unbounce may not be a beginner’s tool but it is one of the most advanced builders you’ll find.

    Unbounce is used mainly by big brands and companies who want to leverage the true power of landing pages (and focus on conversion).

    Unbounce in a nutshell

    Unbounce is more than just landing page builder — the company had put many emphasis on landing page designs that convert. After all, what’s the point of having a landing page if they don’t convert, right?

    Unbounce customers will also get support for unlimited A/B testing, AdWords integration and visitors stats under a beautiful dashboard.

    How much does Unbounce costs?

    As for pricing, Unbounce is on the higher tier compared to most of its competitors.

    Let’s take a look at the pricing structure below.

    Unbounce Best Landing Page Builder PricingUnbounce Best Landing Page Builder Pricing

    Unbounce Essential is best for small business owners and entrepreneurs who don’t require much third-party integration and much smaller landing pages.

    Unbounce Premium on the other hand is geared towards agency level (with it sub-client account management system) and more landing pages.

    Ultimately, Unbounce Enterprise is the highest tier and it is one of the most popular options for big brands. Customers in this tier will also get dedicated account manager and page migration services too!

    2. Instapage

    Instapage Landing Page Builder Tool 2019Instapage Landing Page Builder Tool 2019

    Advantages using Instapage:

    • Fast landing page creation process
    • Excellent analytics reports
    • Powerful drag and drop visual editor
    • Excellent choice for both beginners and experts

    Disadvantages using Instapage:

    • Not very flexible compared to Unbounce
    • Lack of popup options
    • A/B testing feature is only applicable for higher tiers

    If you are searching for a landing page builder that allows you to create landing pages instantly, Instapage is the tool you need.

    At this point of writing, Instapage has over 100 templates to choose from and the low learning curve helps to beginners to create landing page without needing any help.

    Let’s talk about Instapage pricing

    How much does Instapage costs?

    Basically, Instapage pricing is divided into four pricing tiers. See below,

    Instapage Best Landing Page Builder Pricing 2019Instapage Best Landing Page Builder Pricing 2019

    Core and Optimization are two Instagram pricing that suits for both bloggers, entrepreneurs, business owners and website owners.

    And at this point of time, you can try Instapage absolutely free for 14 days.

    Overall, Instapage is a great alternative to Unbounce due to the pricing structure.

    However, it is important to note that some features such as A/B testing, heatmaps and advanced tools are only available on higher plans.

    3. Wishpond

    Wishpond Best Landing Page Builder 2019Wishpond Best Landing Page Builder 2019

    Advantages using Wishpond:

    • Unlimited landing pages, social contests and popups
    • Basic marketing automation features
    • Low entry level starting price
    • Pricing based on number of leads (and not features)

    Disadvantages using Wishpond:

    • Lacks dedicated landing page features
    • Not many customization available
    • Editor feature is just moderate

    If you are looking for a mobile landing page platform, Wishpond is a great option to roll with. And for the record, you can use Wishpond on both desktop and mobile landing pages.

    Wishpond is slightly different compared to the first two, Unbounce and Instapage.

    Wishpond in summary

    Wishpond allows you to create social content, popups and manages multiple basic automation tasks with easy. It doesn’t put a cap on the number of landing pages you can create — thus, making it standout in terms of pricing.

    The only downside is you will be charged based on number of leads you generate from Wishpond toolkit each month.

    How much does Wishpond costs?

    For $49 per month, you can get up to 1,000 leads; $99 per month, you can get up to 1,500 leads and $199 per month gets you up to 10,000 leads.

    See the image below for more information.

    Wishpond Best Landing Page Builder PricingWishpond Best Landing Page Builder Pricing

    Prefer a custom package instead?

    You can contact Wishpond team for a custom package instead!

    4. LeadPages

    What Is LeadPagesWhat Is LeadPages

    Advantages using LeadPages:

    • Super entry level starting price
    • Great visual editor without coding knowledge
    • Availability of A/B testing features
    • Detailed analytics reporting tool

    Disadvantages using LeadPages:

    • Not all templates are free (there’s a market place to purchase them separately)
    • Limited customization
    • A/B/ testing feature is only available on higher tiers

    By far, LeadPages is the cheapest landing page builders in the market.

    With over 160 free templates to work with, this is definitely one of my favorite drag and drop builder.

    How much does LeadPages costs?

    At $25 a month, this is definitely a great option for small business owners (but not so much on bloggers).

    Here’s the full pricing structure as below.

    How Much Is LeadPagesHow Much Is LeadPages

    If you require split testing feature, the LeadPages Pro package will give you all the juice you need to run multiple A/B testings!

    And by any chance you don’t find LeadPages useful, the LeadPages refund policy is 30 days. Therefore, you have 30 days to try LeadPages with zero worry.

    In short, LeadPages is one of the best e-Commerce landing pages generator that money can buy.

    5. Lander

    Lander Best Landing Page Builder 2019Lander Best Landing Page Builder 2019

    Advantages using Lander:

    • Affordable entry level pricing
    • A/B testing for all plans
    • Easily integrate with Facebook landing pages
    • Custom code editing
    • Simple editor for landing page building

    Disadvantages using Lander:

    • Moderate editor
    • Not heavily customizable
    • Integration is unable (can be hit-and-miss) in some cases

    Lander is built entirely for small business owners.

    It provides a nice range of services and features but there are many users who complain that integration can be messy!

    How much does Lander costs?

    The Basic package ($16/mo) is only good for five thousand visitors, but remember this is traffic to your landing pages only.

    So you need to calculate how much traffic your PPC and organic SEO strategies will generate.

    If you require more than 100k visitors a month, there are custom packages available, too.

    Editor’s Note

    While Lander is ‘okay’, what I fiund the fully customizable code for its landing pages is definitely something to shout about.

    More importantly, having full access to the code allows you to take the driver seat in control of your pages and perform much required optimization if needed.

    6. kickofflabs

    KickOffLabs Best landing Page Builder 2019KickOffLabs Best landing Page Builder 2019

    Advantages using kickofflabs:

    • Unlimited landing pages, popups contests and referrals
    • A/B testing with all packages
    • Reporting dashboard with detailed analytics
    • Promotion features

    Disadvantages using kickofflabs:

    • Limited campaigns and visitors
    • Limited customization
    • Limited integrations

    You must be wondering why I included kickofflabs in the best landing page builder lists since it scores moderately.

    The answer is because kickofflabs is more than just a landing page builder.

    It’s ability to launch and promote new products and services along with running contests and awarding referrals make it one of the strongest competitors in the market.

    How much does kickofflabs?

    It is important to note that while kickofflabs is doing very well to be on par with the market pricing.

    Let’s take a look at the pricing below.

    KickOffLab Pricing 2019KickOffLab Pricing 2019

    Personally, kickofflabs isn’t a bad landing page builder. The only downside that you will experience is the pricing based on number of visitors.

    7. OptimizePress

    OptimizePress Review 2019OptimizePress Review 2019

    Advantages of OptimizePress:

    • Easy to use
    • Low learning curve (excellent for beginners)
    • All in one tool (comes with multiple templates for different pages)
    • Over 100 ready made templates
    • Easily integrate with third party tools

    Disadvantages using OptimizePress:

    • Only useable on WordPress CMS
    • Might require server/web hosting that is powerful

    OptimizePress is a good choice for beginners especially when you are looking for a simple tool to use on WordPress blogs.

    Do you know that many landing page developers use OptimizePress due to its intuitive features and low entry level pricing? Try OptimizePress now!

    OptimizePress comes in three forms — membership plugin, landing page builder plugin and theme.

    How much does OptimizePress costs?

    The smallest package is Core, which is best for individuals who are just getting started. There are higher plans as well such as Publisher and Pro that you can choose from.

    Here’s the OptimizePress pricing table.

    optimizepress pricingoptimizepress pricing

    Overall, OptimizePress is a good landing page builder to use and have. 

    Since the OptimizePress update in recent months, it has been one of the top landing page builder tools for many entrepreneurs and bloggers.

    8. Thrive Architect

    Front End Editing With Thrive ArchitectFront End Editing With Thrive Architect

    Advantages using Thrive Architect:

    • The most comprehensive and state-of-the-art landing page builder for WordPress
    • Inbuilt with over 270 elements to build your perfect landing page
    • Compatible with all most WordPress themes and plugins
    • Constant update (at least once a month)
    • 24/7 support via email and support forum
    • Two simple pricing structures (highly affordable)
    • Uninstalling the landing page builder will not break your website content

    Disadvantages using Thrive Architect:

    • Serious, nothing that I can think off

    Once known as Thrive Content Builder, Thrive Architect is the best landing page builder for WordPress users and bloggers. 

    Build from scratch (ground up) by the Thrive Themes team, Thrive Architect is the best voted landing page builder for 2019.

    Regardless of your coding skill level and knowledge, Thrive Architect can operate without any coding skills and everything is done through drag and drop.

    Thrive Architect offers WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) visual editor that allows you to design landing pages in real time. Plus, with over 270 ready-made landing page templates, you can easily import them with just one-click.

    At the same time, all the Thrive Architect landing page templates are mobile optimized and are focused on conversions. 

    P.S. WYISWYG is also known as drag and drop landing page builder

    How much does Thrive Architect costs?

    For a single site, you can get your hands on Thrive Architect with one-time payment of $67. It comes with a year of customer support and lifetime updates at no cost.

    Thrive Architect PricingThrive Architect Pricing

    It is important to highlight that you can purchase Thrive Architect by signing up for Thrive Membership.

    At only $19 per month, you have unlimited access to everything — from free updated to support.

    18,917 customers can’t be wrong

    Click to give Thrive Architect a trial run right now.

    Conclusion — Which is the best landing page builder for 2019?

    All the above are great landing page builder apps that you can choose from.

    If you are a blogger and small website owner, Thrive Architect is the best for you (pricing starts at $19 per month).

    If you are a managing multiple websites, landing pages and working on agency level, LeadPages is definitely the best option to go with.

    Which is your favorite drag and drop landing page builder?

    Leave a comment below!

  • 2 Cheaper Alternatives To LeadPages

    2 Cheaper Alternatives To LeadPages

    Leadpages is one of the top in the class when it comes to building landing pages. While it is a great tool, it is not affordable for many especially for bloggers and marketers who don’t have the extra money to spare. I am one of them.

    This is not a joke.

    I’m affordable to use Leadpages but I certainly not willing to fork out $37 per month just for a landing page. So, just like you, I searched for a cheaper alternative to Leadpages.

    In this post, you will discover the one tool that I use on a daily basis to create landing pages which serves as an excellent alternative to Leadpages features.

    Are you ready to dive in?

    Why use Leadpages?

    • checkEasily create mobile-responsive pages
    • checkUnlimited traffic and leads
    • checkFree landing page templates
    • checkNo coding skill is required

    You could be new to this and you may have heard about Leadpages before.

    So, why is the hype with Leadpages? More importantly, why would anyone use Leadpages since there are many leadpages alternatives?

    The answer is simple. Leadpages offers one of the best all-in-one landing page builder for those who are non-techie. You can easily drag and drop any elements into the landing page and it integrates perfectly well with many CMS including WordPress.

    The downside about Leadpages? The massive price tags that come along with it.

    Features/Packages

    Standard

    Professional

    Advanced

    Unlimited mobile responsive pages

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Unlimited traffic and leads

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Free landing page templates

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    A/B testing

    No

    Yes

    Yes

    Advanced integration

    No

    No

    Yes

    1-on-1 quick start call

    No

    No

    Yes

    5 free leadpages sub-accounts

    No

    No

    Yes

    Pricing (per month)

    $37

    $79

    $321

    The price tag of $37 per month is massive considering that you are not able to perform any A/B testing which is crucial for any landing page success.

    The Best Leadpages Alternative

    Choosing cheaper alternative for Leadpages is not an easy task. It has to comparable in terms of:

    • checkFeatures
    • checkEase of usage
    • checkPricing
    • checkSupport

    Thrive Architect

    Best Thrive Architect Review 2019

    Make no mistake — there are many cheap alternatives to LeadPages but my top favorite is the Thrive Architect.

    Thrive Architect is the combination of Thrive Landing Pages and Thrive Content Builder.

    Unlike LeadPages, Thrive Architect is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create landing pages directly from your WordPress site.

    This means that you don’t have to use multiple platforms to build the landing pages of your choice.

    Here are a few more reasons why Thrive Architect is an awesome LeadPages alternative

    • Drag and drop builder allows you to create landing pages quickly and effectively
    • No coding skills required
    • Over 274 landing page templates to choose from
    • Dozens of pre-built elements you can choose to customize your landing page
    • Easily to integrate with any third party WordPress themes

    How much does Thrive Architect costs?

    Thrive Architect starts at $67 for a single domain, 1-year support and unlimited updates.

    Here’s the pricing structure.

    Thrive Architect Pricing 2019

    You can also use Thrive Architect with massive discount when you sign up for Thrive Membership (only $19 per month).

    If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to LeadPages, Thrive Architect is definitely a good option to go with.

    Divi Builder

    Divi Builder Plugin

    Divi Builder is another great alternative to LeadPages and here’s the good news — Divi Builder is often comparable to Thrive Architect in terms of functionality and pricing.

    Divi Builder is a WordPress plugin and it allows you to build landing pages directly from your WordPress website.

    Here are some additional information and features of the Divi Builder:

    • Any layout is doable with Divi Builder
    • Over 46 content modules to choose from
    • Easily to integrate with any third party WordPress themes
    • 1-click import for landing pages, blog posts, custom homepage designs etc.

    If you want to know more about Divi Builder, here’s a great video to explain its features.

    How much does Divi Builder costs?

    If you are running on a low budget, you are going to love this.

    Divi Builder pricing comes in two forms — yearly or lifetime membership.

    Yearly membership is $89 per year and the lifetime membership (one-time payment) is $249.

    divi 3.0 pricing

    Here’s the fun part. When you are a paying member for Divi, you get unlimited access to all the WordPress themes and plugins released by Elegant Themes.

    No limitation — naadaa!

    Conclusion: Cheaper Alternative to LeadPages 2019

    If you are looking for an affordable tool to build landing pages (and LeadPages is out of the topic), both Thrive Architect and Divi Builder are excellent choices.

    On the personal note, I use Thrive Architect more and I find it extremely useful (and compatible).

    Click here to get the best deals for Thrive Architect and Divi Builder!