The modern web would not be possible without CSS. The markup language is responsible for the fact that websites look good, have a pleasant layout, and that every element stays where it belongs. Yet, did you know that new CSS features come out all the time? Over the years, CSS has gone way beyond background colors, borders, text styling, margins, and the box model. Modern CSS is capable of a whole range of functionality that, in the past, you needed JavaScript or workarounds for. To celebrate how far it has come, in this post we want to look at some […]

A code snippet is a small block of code added to a website to improve custom functionality. You might use a custom code snippet to make changes to your web design or extend features of the site, such as making adjustments to CSS, adding custom messages to your website, improving website caching speed, or hiding your WordPress version number so it isn’t known to attackers. While you can add custom functionality with third-party plugins, it can also be hard to find one that fits your needs exactly. Third-party plugins can also be a security risk if you don’t keep them […]

As website owners and developers, there are certain things most of us can agree we want – faster page loading times, better User Experience (UX), and higher search engine rankings, to name a few. However, achieving all of these without compromises is a tall order. Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) could be a solution. This framework can speed up your page loading times significantly and may help bump your Search Engine Optimization (SEO), too. Best of all, it’s quick and easy to set up. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of the Google AMP framework and why you might […]

The Torque Social Hour is a weekly livestream about WordPress news, events, and life in quarantine. In this week’s episode Doc will talk with Bridget Willard, a marketing consultant and social media manager, about how to market your WordPress plugin. Her newest Launch With Words. Bridget is the author of several books that WordPress users will love, including: How to Market Your Plugin The Definitive Guide to Twitter Marketing: (I double-dog dare you to try it!) The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Small Business Join us next Wednesday from 3-4pm PST for the next episode of the […]

As is so often the case with Google, their algorithm is to quote Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne: “Gooooing through chaaaaangeees.” Yeah, that just happened.  To rank a WordPress website highly in the SERPs (search engine results pages), you need to understand and prepare for the upcoming changes to Google’s algorithm due in May of this year (2021).  So what is their plan, and how exactly will Google’s new ranking factor affect your WordPress site? Read on to discover:  ● Google’s new ranking factor ‘page experience’ explained.  ● The three core Web Vitals Google will use to measure ‘page experience’ and […]

Data breaches and other forms of cybercrime have been on the rise in recent years. It seems like hackers are continually coming up with new ways to access and sell personal information. With people spending so much time online, you may be thinking about online security more than ever. If you’re concerned about your privacy, you might want to consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). In addition to security, VPNs have other handy applications you may be interested in taking advantage of. In this article, we’ll explain what a VPN is and how it works. Then we’ll go over […]

Welcome to Press This, the WordPress community podcast from WMR. Here host David Vogelpohl sits down with guests from around the community to talk about the biggest issues facing WordPress developers. The following is a transcription of the original recording. David Vogelpohl: Hello everyone and welcome to Press This the WordPress community podcasts on WMR. This is your host, David Vogelpohl, I support the WordPress community through my role at WP Engine, and I love to bring the best of the community to you hear every week on press this as a reminder, you can find me on Twitter @wpdavidv, […]

You’ve more than likely heard about Headless WordPress as this innovative new solution to a variety of common problems. It loads faster, is more secure, and it works with any web language or framework you can think of. But is Headless WordPress really all pros and no cons? The setup is definitely unique in that it detaches the front and back end of your site. This allows you to pair it with all sorts of new and interesting technologies, or push CMS content to multiple different sources. And it does have a lot of other benefits, but that doesn’t mean […]

When it comes to websites, it may be true that a picture is worth a thousand words. These days, many online consumers prefer visual content to large amounts of text. Eye-catching, interactive image maps can be a useful and engaging addition to your website. The good news is that you don’t have to be an expert web designer to create helpful, interactive visual elements. With a plugin such as WP Draw Attention and a few simple steps, you can be well on your way to crafting an impressive image map. In this post, we’ll give you an introduction to image […]