Engaging users right away is essential in today’s fast-paced online world, where people decide within seconds if they want to stay on a site. By sparking interest early, interactive sites reduce bounce rates and increase the chances of users completing actions like making a purchase.

To build an interactive website, you need to have features like animations, buttons, and tailored content. Doing so pulls your audience into an experience that keeps their attention and encourages them to explore more.

In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make your website’s user experience more engaging and enjoyable.

Understanding Interactive Web Design

Before deciding what kind of website you should have, it’s important to know what your audience prefers and how they interact online. Tailoring content to users’ interests increases the chances they’ll stay on the site, explore more, and engage with the content. 

This level of customization is at the heart of an interactive website, which can adjust its features and layout based on user preferences.

Static Websites Vs. Interactive Website

A static website displays the same information to every visitor, with fixed content that doesn’t change unless manually updated. It’s generally simpler and is ideal for informational sites that don’t need frequent updates, like portfolios or brochure sites.

In contrast, a dynamic website adapts content based on user interactions or data from a database. It shows personalized information, like product recommendations in an online store.

By combining dynamic features with audience insights, interactive website design makes user experiences engaging, relevant, and memorable, which is essential for building long-term customer loyalty.

Core Principles of Interactive Web Design

We already know the importance of having an interactive website, but how do we make one? Let’s take a look at the different elements that make a website interactive.

Mobile Friendliness

Did you know that almost 96% of global internet users access websites on mobile devices? One of the main factors of an interactive website is mobile friendliness. Your site should automatically adapt to different screen sizes and orientations to provide a seamless experience across all devices.

Websites that prioritize mobile compatibility are also favored in search engine rankings, which boosts visibility and organic traffic.

Accessibility and Inclusivity

Accessibility is about designing for all, including users with disabilities. To foster inclusivity and make your website accessible to a wider audience, your content should be perceivable, operable, and understandable for all users.

Consider the following strategies below to make your website more accessible and inclusive:

1. Use Clear and Structured Content: Organize content with headers, subheaders, and bullet points. This structure allows users with screen readers to navigate content more easily. Include clear, descriptive links rather than generic “click here” text, as this improves accessibility for users relying on audio assistance.

2. Provide Alternative Text for Images: Alt text describes images for users with visual impairments who use screen readers. Ensure each image has concise, meaningful alt text that explains the image’s purpose without overly complex language.

3. Keyboard Navigation: Design your site so that users can navigate it entirely with a keyboard. This includes using logical tab order and visible focus indicators to show where a user is on the page. Keyboard accessibility is essential for users who may not be able to use a mouse.

4. Color Contrast and Text Resizing: Use a high contrast ratio for text and background colors to improve readability, especially for users with low vision. Allow users to resize text without losing functionality or clarity. Tools like WebAIM’s contrast checker can help ensure adequate contrast.​

5. Provide Closed Captions and Transcripts for Media: Videos and audio content should include closed captions or transcripts to make them accessible for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions also benefit users who may be in sound-sensitive environments.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness refers to how a website adapts dynamically to different devices, screen sizes, and orientations. A responsive design is achieved by using fluid grids, flexible images, and media queries. 

This adaptability enhances user experience, as visitors can interact with the website on any device without compromising functionality or aesthetics. Responsive sites also perform better in search rankings, as search engines prioritize mobile-optimized sites.

Enhancing Engagement Through Interactive Elements

Animations and Hover Effects

Animations, like smooth page transitions or hover effects that highlight clickable items, make navigation more intuitive. 

Hover effects, on the other hand, activate when a user hovers over a specific element (like a button or image), often changing colors, size, or displaying additional information. These features provide immediate feedback and guide users on what they can do next.

A great example of a website using these features is Marie Weber.

Its hover effect reveals product details as you scroll down on its website. It helps users view the product from different angles and help them make quicker decisions without extra clicks. Overall, both its animations and hover effects create a more enjoyable experience which increases time spent on the site and improves user retention.

Video Content

Adding videos is an effective way to make your website more engaging. Videos can explain products, tell brand stories, or showcase services in an impactful way. In fact, studies show that adding videos to a website can increase time spent on the page by 88%.

Video backgrounds or embedded videos can also provide a modern feel to the website. The Pasta Mancini website is a prime example of effective video use in interactive website design. 

It incorporates high-quality videos to showcase the wheat-farming process for their pasta, capturing the authenticity and craftsmanship behind the product. The videos are short, visually appealing, and strategically placed to draw visitors into the brand’s story without overwhelming them. 

Such storytelling through video fosters a sense of trust and connection with the brand, making it a memorable and interactive experience.

Interactive Forms

Interactive forms are web forms designed to enhance engagement by incorporating dynamic features, such as conditional logic, real-time feedback, and multimedia elements. 

Unlike static forms, interactive forms adapt based on user input, showing only relevant questions or fields, which makes filling them out quicker and more engaging. They can include features like progress bars, conversational formats, and multimedia (e.g., videos or icons) to guide and keep users interested.

These forms are widely used for user registration surveys, feedback, and lead generation.

Top Interactive Form Plugins on Websites

• WPForms: This plugin is known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and powerful options, like conditional logic, file uploads, and a conversational form mode that displays one question at a time. It allows extensive customization and is highly effective for WordPress users.
• Formidable Forms: A versatile form builder that offers advanced styling features to make forms more interactive. This plugin also includes a progress bar and allows complex logic, making it a good choice for detailed surveys or quizzes.
• Typeform: Popular for its sleek, conversational style, Typeform makes forms feel like natural dialogue. It includes options for adding videos and images directly into questions to improve completion rates for longer forms.
• Gravity Forms: This plugin supports conditional logic, file uploads, and integration with various CRM tools. It’s customizable and can be used for everything from contact forms to complex registration forms. Overall, this is a versatile choice for websites that rely on forms to capture leads.

Advanced Interactive Features For Your Website

Dynamic Sliders and Carousels

These are interactive elements on a website that allow users to browse through multiple pieces of content, such as images, videos, or product options, by clicking or swiping. They help present content in an engaging, space-efficient way, letting users view multiple items without needing to scroll through long pages. 

Sliders and carousels often have smooth transitions, hover effects, and autoplay options, making them visually appealing and easy to navigate.  They’re also great for guiding users through a curated experience, which can improve user satisfaction and help boost conversions by leading visitors to specific sections of the site.

The website of Netflix is a prime example of dynamic sliders and carousels in action.

On Netflix’s homepage, the carousel allows users to browse through movie and show categories seamlessly. Each slider includes images, titles, and sometimes brief previews on hover. This way, it’s easier for users to explore a wide range of content without leaving the main page.

The Netflix-style carousel has become a popular interactive website example for other media platforms, showing how effective sliders can be in keeping users engaged and exploring more content.

Clickable Maps

Clickable Maps are interactive elements on websites that allow users to click on specific areas of a map to access more detailed information. It makes websites more engaging by enabling users to easily navigate geographical information, whether locating nearby stores, visualizing service areas, or exploring different regions relevant to the content.

These maps are especially useful for global businesses and organizations to show locations and provide relevant content based on regions. 

To add clickable maps to your website, you can use these methods:

1. Google Maps Embed API: Use Google Maps’ embed feature by generating an embed code with a customized view, then paste it into your website’s HTML. This way, users can interact with the map without leaving your page.
2. Plugins: For platforms like WordPress, plugins like MapSVG or WP Maps can simplify adding and customizing clickable maps without extensive coding.
3. JavaScript Libraries: Libraries like Mapbox offer extensive customization options for developers, allowing interactive, clickable map setups tailored to your needs.

Gamification

Gamification means adding game-like features such as points, levels, challenges, and rewards to websites. Using these elements in interactive website design makes browsing more engaging. It also encourages visitors to interact more with your content and come back often.

For instance, offering rewards for finishing a profile, leaving a review, or joining in challenges can help visitors feel appreciated, strengthening their connection with the brand.

Gamification also promotes social sharing since users may want to show off their achievements on social media.

Examples of gamification on websites include:

• Points and Rewards: Users earn points for actions, which can be traded for discounts or special content.
• Leaderboards: These display user rankings that can ignite friendly competition.
• Badges and Achievements: Users get badges for hitting certain milestones, like posting reviews or reaching new levels.
• Random Rewards: Tools like a prize wheel give users the chance to win perks or discounts, which encourages frequent visits.

A good example of gamification is Reddit’s karma points.

Each Reddit profile has a “karma” score that reflects how well a user’s comments and posts are received by the community. When other users upvote your posts or comments, your karma increases; when they downvote, it decreases.

While karma doesn’t provide any real rewards, it does signal to others that you’re a respected contributor on Reddit, which can be a point of pride and credibility within the community.

Live Chat and Chatbots

Live chat lets users connect directly with a support agent, which is useful for handling detailed questions or giving personalized help. 

Chatbots, on the other hand, use AI to answer common questions around the clock, like FAQs, product info, or order tracking. It can manage a large number of inquiries at once, so users never have to wait.

Adding live chat and chatbots makes websites more interactive by providing instant assistance to your users.

How to Add Live Chat and Chatbots

You can add live chat or chatbots to your website through plugins or software integrations like Tidio, Zendesk, or Intercom, which offer easy-to-use options to embed chat tools. 

Many platforms let you customize the chatbox to match your site’s look and decide which pages to display it on. These integrations make it simple for businesses to offer quick, interactive support and boost website engagement.

Enhanced User Navigation For An Interactive Website

Effective navigation helps users quickly find what they need. It keeps them engaged, reduces frustration on their end, and encourages them to explore more of the site. Good navigation also benefits SEO, as it helps search engines understand the content better.

Tips for Better User Navigation

1. Keep It Simple: Use only essential main menu items to avoid overwhelming users.
2. Clear Labels: Make menu labels easy to understand so users instantly know where they’ll go.
3. Responsive Design: Ensure the navigation works on all devices, with mobile-friendly options like hamburger menus.
4. Add Search Bar: A search bar helps users quickly locate specific content, which is especially useful on large sites.
5. Use Breadcrumbs: Show users their path on the site so they can backtrack easily.
6. Visual Cues and Feedback: Use visual highlights or animations on active pages to make navigation smoother and more interactive.

Visual Enhancements 

Effective visuals, such as high-quality images, videos, and animations, instantly capture users’ attention and keep them engaged. Besides adding aesthetic value, these elements also help users process information faster and can evoke positive emotions.

Best Ways to Enhance Website Visuals

1. Choose a Consistent Color Palette: Colors set the mood for your site and reinforce brand identity. For instance, the blue color can communicate calmness, while vibrant colors like red can add energy.
2. Use High-Quality Images and Videos: Relevant visuals help break up text and make complex information easier to understand. Be sure to compress them to maintain quick load times.
3. Implement Interactive Elements: Micro-interactions, animations, or hover effects make website elements interactive.
4. Maintain White Space and Visual Hierarchy: White space keeps layouts clean, while hierarchy guides users naturally through the content. This helps them focus on the most important elements of your website.
   

Leverage on User-Generated Content

To further boost visitor engagement, you may want to consider user-generated content (UGC) on your website. UGC includes content created and shared by users, like reviews, comments, photos, videos, testimonials, blog posts, and social media mentions.

This type of content makes a site more engaging because it encourages visitors to share their experiences and connect with the brand. It also builds trust, as people tend to trust other users’ opinions and experiences.

Here are some ways to add UGC to increase interactivity:

• Customer Reviews and Ratings: Let users leave reviews and ratings on product pages. This is especially helpful for online stores, as it gives shoppers information to help them make decisions.
• Photo and Video Sharing: Encourage users to post photos or videos of themselves using your product. Display these on a gallery page or in social media feeds on your site.
• Comment Sections: Add comment sections to blog posts or product pages so users can share thoughts and ask questions.
• Q&A Sections: Let users ask and answer questions about products or services, which can be helpful for new visitors.
• Contests and Challenges: Run contests where users submit photos, videos, or stories to win prizes. This is a fun way to get users involved.
• User Stories or Success Stories: Invite users to share their personal experiences or success stories with your products, and feature these on your site.

Integrating Social Media

Making your content easy to share can make your website more interactive. This can encourage your web visitors to engage with your content and spread it across social media.

To do this, add social sharing buttons to key areas like blog posts and product pages. You can use social media plugins to make this process seamless.

You can also display live feeds from your social media profiles directly on your site. Allowing users to log in or create an account on your site using their social media profiles also makes engagement easier.

Finally, make sure your social sharing options work smoothly on mobile devices, as a large portion of social media sharing happens on mobile.

Innovation in Interactive Web Design

Embracing innovation can transform your static site into an interactive platform that attracts and keeps users’ interest more effectively than ever before. 

Here are some outstanding examples of interactive websites in 2024 that demonstrate top-notch engagement and innovative design:

Warby Parker Try-On

Warby Parker’s virtual try-on feature lets users see how different glasses look on their faces, creating a highly engaging shopping experience with webcam integration.

New York Times “The Daily 360°” Videos

These immersive 360-degree videos bring news stories to life by allowing users to explore scenes interactively. It makes users feel part of the narrative.

Ronin Surgical

Ronin’s site uses a dark-themed design to spotlight their surgical products, with animations that bring visual depth and a modern aesthetic to their users.

Delve Architects

This website has vibrant and clickable blocks instead of a traditional menu, which makes it visually inviting and functional. It provides a playful yet informative experience as users navigate through project galleries.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Interactive Web Design

It’s not enough to just build an engaging website. You also need to check if it’s working or not.

To measure how effective your interactive web design is, start by setting specific goals and metrics that define what actions you want visitors to take. For example:

• Conversion Rate: Track the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, like buying something or signing up for a newsletter.
• Average Session Duration: See how long visitors stay on your site, which can indicate their level of interest.
• Task Success Rate and Completion Time: If your site includes forms or booking options, measure how many people complete these tasks and how long it takes, to see if your site is user-friendly.
• User Satisfaction Scores: Metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) can reveal how users feel about their experience on your site.
  

Next, use analytics tools like Google Analytics to monitor how users interact with different parts of your site. This data helps you see which elements are attracting attention and which might need improvement.

Finally, make small updates over time based on what you learn. For instance, if a button isn’t getting clicks, try changing its color or position. These continuous improvements can help you meet user needs and achieve your goals more effectively.

FAQs about Interactive Website Design

Wrapping Things Up

Interactive elements can help boost website engagement by making the user experience more enjoyable and interesting.

However, simply adding features isn’t enough. It’s important to be strategic in this approach and choose interactive elements that align with your business goals while meeting user needs. By doing so, you can make interactivity a powerful part of your overall web design.

Lastly, keeping an interactive site effective means being adaptable. As user expectations change, regularly check analytics and gather feedback to make small updates that keep your site fresh.

The post Interactive Website Design: Engage Visitors appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

If you’re planning to build your own website, the choice between static and dynamic websites is crucial. Whether you’re creating a personal portfolio, an online store, or an interactive platform, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of both website types can help determine the better option for you. 

In this blog, we’ll explore what static and dynamic websites are and highlight their key differences. You’ll also learn the pros and cons of each type and how they’re used in real-world scenarios.

Understanding Websites

First, let’s define what a website is.

A website is like a digital space on the internet where information is stored, shared, and displayed. It’s made up of connected pages that work together under a common name, called a domain. These pages are hosted on a computer called a web server, which delivers the website to users when they visit.

Websites can serve many purposes. Some provide basic information, like an online brochure, while others allow users to shop, interact, or communicate. As the world becomes more digital, websites have become a crucial tool for businesses, organizations, and individuals to share information, build brands, and connect with audiences.

Evolution of Website Content

During the early days of the internet, there were only static websites. They could only display fixed content for information or entertainment. Early designs were simple and text-based with few images.

As the internet became more essential in daily life, people started expecting more from websites. Developers began finding ways to make sites interactive, adding features that encourage the masses to participate. They achieved this by using client-side and server-side programming languages and connecting websites to databases, which allowed content to be updated in real-time.

Today, many websites use a combination of static and dynamic pages. This approach gives site owners more flexibility to design engaging layouts, provide useful features for visitors, and easily update content to meet changing user needs.

What is a Static Website?

A static website consists of pages with fixed content that remains the same for all users. These pages are written using simple coding languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Since the content doesn’t change, static websites load quickly and are easy to manage.

Building a static website doesn’t require advanced technical skills. You can create pages manually using HTML and CSS or use tools like static site generators to streamline the process.

Now just because your website is static doesn’t mean it’s supposed to be rigid and dull. They can still include visually appealing designs, responsive layouts, and engaging features like image galleries, videos, and basic forms. A static site can be both functional and attractive with the right use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Once the site is ready, you can host it on platforms like GreenGeeks, which offers affordable hosting plans for static websites.

Common Examples of Static Websites

1. Personal Portfolios

Static websites are a great option for personal portfolios. They provide a straightforward way to showcase your work, skills, and contact information. 

For example, Kristine Wong’s portfolio highlights her professional background with a clean, simple design. A static website allows her to present her work effectively without unnecessary features.

2. Landing Pages

Landing pages are another excellent use case for static websites. These pages are designed to deliver a specific message or encourage a call to action, like signing up for a newsletter or promoting a product. 

Static landing pages load quickly and maintain focus, making them ideal for marketing campaigns. CopyHackers, for instance, uses a simple static landing page with an attention-grabbing headline to communicate its message effectively.

3. Image and Video Galleries

Static websites are ideal for hosting image or video galleries. They allow for clean layouts that focus on the media being displayed. In the example below, Brian Holden’s design site uses a static grid format that highlights his work without distractions.

4. Event Pages

Static websites can also be used for event pages that provide essential information, such as the event schedule, location, and registration details. Since the content remains consistent, a static website is a simple and effective way to share event details with attendees.

5. Brochure Websites

Small businesses often use static websites as online brochures to present basic information, like services offered, hours of operation, and contact details. Their simplicity ensures visitors can find what they need quickly.

Tools for Building Static Websites

Building a static website is straightforward and can be done using a variety of tools, depending on your technical expertise and project needs.

One popular option is Static Site Generators (SSGs), such as Jekyll, Hugo, and Gatsby. Using these tools, you can quickly generate static HTML files by using templates and content files. They are particularly useful for developers who want full control over their websites while avoiding repetitive coding tasks.

If you prefer a no-code approach, website builders like Wix or Weebly are excellent options. These platforms offer drag-and-drop editors, pre-designed templates, and easy customization for those without coding skills.

On the other hand, text editors such as Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or even Notepad++ can be the best choice for those who’d like to do the coding themselves. These editors provide an environment to write and edit HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code efficiently. Advanced editors like Visual Studio Code even come with helpful features like syntax highlighting, live previews, and extensions that further streamline the development process.

Pros and Cons of Static Websites

Pros

• Speed: Static websites load faster because they don’t rely on server-side processing.
• Security: They are more secure since they don’t use databases, which are common hacking targets.
• Cost-Effective: Static websites are cheaper to build and maintain.
• Easy to Develop: Even beginners with basic coding knowledge can create static websites.
• Reliability: Static websites are stable and less prone to technical issues.

Cons

• Limited Interactivity and Features: While static websites can use JavaScript for forms or animations, they don’t support server-side features like user accounts or real-time dashboards. In addition, advanced tools like shopping carts or live chats aren’t supported.
• Manual Updates: Content updates require manual changes to the code.
• Challenging Scalability for Features: Adding complex features like e-commerce functionalities or live chats often requires external services or additional frameworks.
• No Personalization: The content stays the same for all users.

What is a Dynamic Website?

A dynamic website adapts its content based on user interactions or preferences. Unlike a static website, which shows the same page to everyone, it generates custom pages in real-time. This is done by processing user interactions through server-side scripts and databases. 

When a user takes an action—like logging in, performing a search, or clicking a link—their input is sent to the server for processing. The server-side script, written in languages such as PHP or Python, interprets the input and queries the database for relevant information. For example, it can fetch a user’s account details, display search results, or generate personalized product recommendations.

Once the necessary data is retrieved, the server combines it with a pre-designed page template to generate a unique webpage. This personalized page is then sent back to the user’s browser, ensuring the content matches their specific preferences or actions. Additionally, dynamic websites can integrate real-time updates, such as live news feeds or weather forecasts, to deliver the most relevant information. 

Although building a dynamic website is more complex, it offers greater flexibility and functionality. Dynamic websites are ideal for projects requiring frequent updates, interactivity, or scalability.

Examples of Dynamic Websites

1. Facebook

As the world’s most used social media platform, Facebook is a dynamic website that delivers personalized content to users. Your news feed, friend suggestions, and notifications are generated dynamically based on your interactions and preferences. Features like commenting and liking posts also add real-time interactivity.

2. Amazon

Amazon uses dynamic content to enhance the shopping experience. When you browse products, the site remembers your preferences and suggests items you might like. This personalization makes shopping faster and more convenient.

3. Netflix

Netflix customizes its homepage based on your viewing history. It recommends movies and shows tailored to your interests and updates categories like “Because You Watched” in real-time. This level of personalization keeps users engaged.

4. Etsy

Etsy’s dynamic platform personalizes product recommendations based on your search history and past purchases. This helps users find items that match their preferences.

5. Blogs and News Websites

Dynamic websites are commonly used for blogs and news platforms since they frequently update and display their latest content for users. For example, The Wall Street Journal must be able to update stories and add fresh content regularly without having to rewrite their site.

Tools To Create Dynamic Websites

Building a dynamic website involves using tools that work together to handle features like user interactions, real-time updates, and personalized content. Fortunately, there are many tools available to make this process easier, even if you’re new to web development.

A great starting point is a Content Management System (CMS). Platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal let you manage dynamic content with little to no coding. It’s very easy to create blog posts, add pages, or change your site’s design with just a few clicks on these platforms.

For more advanced projects, developers often use frameworks like Django (Python), Laravel (PHP), or Ruby on Rails. Acting as a toolkit for building the back end of a website, these frameworks handle tasks such as user logins, payment processing, or connecting to databases.

Every dynamic website also relies on a database to store and organize the information it needs. Databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB are essential for managing user accounts, product listings, blog posts, and many more. These databases work behind the scenes to ensure your website shows the right information to each user.

Pros and Cons of Dynamic Websites

Pros 

• User Interaction: Dynamic websites support features like forms, user accounts, and shopping carts.
• Personalization: They can tailor content in real-time based on user preferences, behavior, or location using server-side scripts and data.
• Easy Updates: Content can be updated quickly through a CMS like WordPress.
• Scalability: Dynamic websites can handle large traffic volumes and complex data.
• Data Analytics: Dynamic websites often integrate tools like Google Analytics or built-in tracking systems to analyze user behavior and improve user experience.

Cons

• Higher Costs: Dynamic websites require more upfront costs to develop, including expenses from programming, database setup, and regular maintenance.
• Resource-Intensive: They require powerful servers and more technical expertise.
• Security Risks: Reliance on databases and server-side scripts makes them more susceptible to attacks, such as SQL injection or hacking attempts.
• SEO Challenges: SEO optimization can be more complex for dynamic websites, especially if URLs are poorly structured or content isn’t easily crawlable. But with proper techniques, dynamic websites can perform just as well in SEO.

Key Differences Between Static and Dynamic Websites

How to Determine if a Website is Static or Dynamic

To tell if a website is static or dynamic, you can start by checking how the content behaves. As previously mentioned, a static website shows the same information to all users, and the content only changes if someone manually updates it.

On the other hand, a dynamic website adjusts its content based on user interactions, such as logging in or searching for something.

You can also examine the website’s functionality. Static sites usually reload entirely when navigating between pages, while dynamic sites may update content without a full reload. URL structures may provide a clue—static sites often have simple .html URLs, while dynamic sites might include query parameters like “?id=123”, though this is not always the case.

Lastly, the best way to determine is by inspecting the source code. Static websites mostly have HTML and CSS, while dynamic ones rely on server-side scripts or APIs to generate content.

Comparing Hosting Options for Static and Dynamic Websites

Hosting Options for Static Websites

Static websites are simple and lightweight, making them easy to host on platforms designed for serving static files. Since they don’t require server-side processing, they are often faster and more cost-effective to host. 

GreenGeeks is an excellent choice for hosting static websites. As a green hosting provider, it offers reliable and eco-friendly solutions. Their shared hosting plans are affordable and come with all the resources you need for static sites.

GreenGeeks also supports tools like FTP and Git, which make it easy to upload and manage your files.

Hosting Options for Dynamic Websites

Dynamic websites need more robust hosting solutions because they rely on back-end processes, databases, and scripts to generate content in real-time.

For WordPress-based dynamic sites, managed WordPress hosting is a great choice. These hosting plans handle updates, backups, and security for you, so you can focus on your site’s content and features without worrying about maintenance.

GreenGeek’s VPS (Virtual Private Server) can also handle the higher demands of dynamic sites. It provides scalable resources, improved performance, and strong database support.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Web Host

When selecting a hosting provider, it’s essential to align the hosting solution with your website’s needs. 

Simplicity and speed are important for static websites. Because of this, lightweight hosting options that prioritize fast file delivery and low costs are ideal. In contrast, scalability and performance are critical factors for dynamic websites.

Budget and technical expertise also play a significant role. Static website hosting is typically more affordable, while dynamic sites often require higher investment in managed or specialized hosting.

For those new to website management, opting for a hosting provider that offers managed services can simplify maintenance and ensure a smooth experience.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Static and Dynamic Website

Choosing between a static or dynamic website can feel tricky if you’re new to web design. However, it becomes easier when you think about your specific needs. Here are the most important factors to keep in mind.

1. Purpose of the Website

Start by asking yourself: What is the website for? 

If you need a simple site to share basic information, a static website might work well. But if your site needs to be interactive like an online store or a blog with frequent updates, a dynamic website is better.

2. Budget Constraints

Your budget plays a big role. Static websites are usually cheaper to build and maintain since they are simpler. Dynamic websites, on the other hand, can cost more because they require advanced tools and ongoing support. Think about how much you’re willing to spend before deciding.

3. Technical Expertise Available

Do you or your team have the skills to build and maintain a website? 

A static website is easier to create if you’re a beginner or using simple website builders. Dynamic websites need more technical expertise, such as working with databases or coding languages like PHP or Python. If you’re not comfortable with coding, you might need help from a professional for dynamic sites.

4. Frequency of Content Updates

Think about how often you’ll need to update the site. Static websites are great for content that doesn’t change often. But if you plan to update regularly, like posting new products or blog articles, a dynamic website makes this process easier and faster.

5. Desired Features and Functionalities

Finally, list the features you want on your site. Static websites work best for basic features, like showing text, images, or videos. Dynamic websites are necessary if you need advanced features, like user logins, live chats, or shopping carts. Knowing what features you need on your site will help you choose between static and dynamic options.

Ways to Boost Your Static and Dynamic Website

To improve the speed of static websites, compress images and reduce file sizes using tools like CompressPNG and TinyPNG. You can also use a Content Delivery Network (CDN), such as Cloudflare, to ensure your site loads quickly for users worldwide.

Additionally, make sure your site has a responsive design so it looks great and functions well on phones, tablets, and desktops.

For dynamic websites, start by optimizing your database. You can remove unnecessary data and organize it properly to improve performance. Upgrading your hosting plan or using caching plugins can also help your site load updated content faster.

Keep your CMS, such as WordPress, and its plugins updated to enhance security and ensure your site runs smoothly.

Lastly, no matter if your site is static or dynamic, use testing tools like GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix slow-loading pages. These steps will help you create a faster, more efficient website that offers a better experience for your visitors.

FAQs about Static and Dynamic Websites

Wrapping Things Up

The type of website you build should reflect your goals, audience, and resources. Static websites excel in simplicity, speed, and cost-effectiveness, making them ideal for straightforward projects like portfolios or landing pages. 

Meanwhile, dynamic websites offer interactivity, scalability, and versatility. They are perfect for complex applications like online stores or social platforms.

Understanding their core differences—how they deliver content, handle user engagement, and manage performance—helps you make an informed decision. Factors like budget, technical skills, and the need for frequent updates will also guide your choice.

In the end, it’s about creating a site that serves your purpose and resonates with your users. The most important thing to do now is to start building your website and learn along the way.

The post Static vs Dynamic Websites: Key Differences & How to Choose appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

With over 1 billion websites in 2024, a strong and well-planned UX approach can set you apart and give you an edge over your competition.

Take well-known companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon, for example. What do these website giants have in common? They all have successful UX strategies that prioritize their users and keep them coming back. 

In this article, we’ll walk you through what a UX strategy is and its benefits. We’ll also show you practical tips for an effective UX strategy that will set your website to success.

What is a UX Strategy?

A UX strategy is a plan that aligns a company’s business goals with what users need and expect from a product or service. It guides your team on how to design experiences that are functional, easy to use, and enjoyable for users, while also supporting the company’s overall objectives.

To understand this better, imagine you are building a website for an online clothing store. The business goal might be to increase sales, and the users’ needs could be to quickly find and purchase products. 

An effective UX strategy would guide the design team on how to achieve both goals. For example, the website needs to have clear product categories, an easy-to-use search function, and a smooth checkout process. At the same time, it should reflect the store’s brand and encourage users to buy more items.

In this specific example, a strong UX strategy ensures that every part of the user experience, from browsing products to making a purchase, is seamless and aligns with both what users want and the business’s goals.

Difference Between UX Design and UX Strategy

Some people might think UX design and UX strategy are the same, but they play different roles. UX design is about creating the product and improving the user experience through research and testing to solve specific problems.

On the other hand, a UX strategy is the overall plan that guides the design process. It connects the user experience to the company’s business goals and ensures everything stays aligned throughout the project.

The UX strategy comes first. It sets the direction before any design work begins. It identifies who the users are, what they need, and how the product will meet those needs.

Benefits of Having a Good UX Strategy

Having a solid UX design strategy offers several key benefits for both businesses and users. Here are some of the most important advantages:

Improved User Satisfaction

A well-planned UX strategy focuses on understanding user needs and preferences. This results in greater user satisfaction and builds long-term loyalty.

Increased Conversion Rates

A good UX strategy improves the user journey by making navigation simple and removing obstacles. This can lead to higher conversion rates because when users can easily interact with a product or service, they are more likely to complete desired actions, like making a purchase or signing up.

Fosters Company-wide Collaboration

A UX strategy ensures that all teams work together toward shared goals. The unified approach to product development keeps everyone aligned, making sure all decisions contribute to improving the user experience.

Clear Metrics for Success

A strong UX strategy sets clear, measurable goals that allow teams to monitor progress and make informed decisions. With defined metrics, you can avoid wasting time or resources of your business.

Uses Real Data for Decision Making

One major benefit of a UX strategy is that it bases decisions on real data. Through research and analysis before designing, you gain insights into what users truly need. This makes the design more user-focused, reducing the need to rely on guesses or assumptions.

Minimizes Failures

Planning ahead helps prevent the creation of a product that doesn’t meet expectations. Without one, you might create a product that needs expensive redesigns.

Key Elements of a UX Strategy

Vision

This is the high-level, aspirational goal for what you want the user experience to be. It sets the direction for the project and keeps the team focused on long-term objectives. A clear vision provides a shared understanding of the desired future state of the product or service and helps align everyone toward the same goal.

Goals

Once the vision is set, specific, measurable goals are created to guide the project. The goals help measure the success of the UX strategy and provide a clearer picture in tracking its progress.

Strategic Planning

This involves laying out the steps required to achieve the vision and goals. A highly effective UX strategy includes creating a roadmap, setting timelines, and defining tasks for the team. Strategic planning guarantees that the design process stays on track and that resources are allocated efficiently.

How to Implement a Strong UX Strategy

Step 1: Define Clear Business and User Goals

We’ve mentioned this several times already, but this is really the first (and probably the most important) step in a UX strategy.

Understanding your company’s main objectives, like increasing revenue or building customer loyalty can make sure that the UX design helps meet these goals.

At the same time, it’s important to know what problems users face and how your product can solve them.

Looking at Airbnb 

Airbnb is a great example of this. Their business goal is to connect travelers with unique and affordable places to stay. Their UX strategy supports this by making it easy for users to search, book, and manage their stays while building trust between guests and hosts.

For Airbnb, business goals include increasing bookings and building trust. Their UX is designed to feel easy and reliable, and they track success through metrics like bookings, average booking value, and user retention.

From the user’s perspective, travelers want a platform that makes it easy to find safe, affordable, and comfortable places to stay. Hosts want an easy way to list properties, manage bookings, and communicate with guests. Airbnb designed its platform to meet these needs with features like:

• Search filters: Allow users to filter results by price, location, and property type.
• Reviews and ratings: Build trust by helping users make informed decisions.
• Host verification: Ensures that both users and hosts feel secure during the booking process.

Step 2: User Research

The next step is conducting user research. It helps you understand what your audience needs, their frustrations, and their behaviors. Instead of just guessing, user research digs deeper to ensure your product addresses real problems and meets user expectations.

What About Netflix?

A great example of a company that excels at user research is Netflix. They gather tons of data on how users interact with their platform, which helps them offer personalized recommendations and improve the overall user experience.

Studies show that 70% of Gen Z users expect websites to intuitively understand what they want. Netflix adapts to this by regularly testing new features by studying user behavior.  This helps them improve everything from recommendations to the ease of navigating the platform.

Research Methods

There are different ways to gather data for a UX strategy:

• Surveys: Netflix uses surveys to learn what users like and how they use the platform. This helps them spot trends and get feedback from a large number of users.

• User Personas and Journey Mapping: Netflix creates user personas, which are fictional profiles based on real data. With this, they can design features for different user types, such as binge-watchers or casual viewers. Journey mapping shows the steps users take while using Netflix, helping the company find areas to improve, like easier ways to search or continue watching shows.

Step 3: Develop a UX Vision

After gathering user research, the next step in building a solid user-experience strategy is to create a UX vision. This vision is a simple, high-level statement that describes the ideal experience you want users to have with your product. 

A UX vision is important because it guides the entire design process and acts as a common goal for the whole team. Without it, teams can easily get distracted by small details or short-term trends that may not fit the bigger picture. 

To develop an effective UX vision, start by answering key questions:

• What kind of experience should users have when interacting with your website or product? Think about how you want them to feel and what tasks they should be able to accomplish effortlessly.
• In what ways will your website or product help users meet their objectives? Consider how it simplifies their journey and provides value in achieving their goals.
• How does enhancing the user experience contribute to the success of your company? Reflect on how improved usability and satisfaction can boost your business outcomes.
• What distinguishes your website or product from others on the market? Highlight the key features or advantages that make your solution stand out.

Using Apple as an Example

Let’s take Apple as one great example of a company with a strong UX vision. Apple’s UX vision focuses on simplicity, elegance, and user empowerment. 

Their goal is to make products that are intuitive, easy to use, and functional, without users needing to understand complex technology. You can see this vision in all their products, from iPhones to MacBooks.

Apple learned through research that users wanted powerful devices that were still simple to use. This led to their vision of creating user-friendly products that hide complex technology behind beautiful, easy-to-use designs.

Once the UX vision is set, it’s important to refer back to it during every stage of the product’s life. Apple does this by making sure that all new features, updates, and UX marketing strategies align with its vision of simplicity and functionality.

Step 4. Set Measurable Goals and Priorities

For you to successfully implement your UX strategy, it is important to break down your vision into specific, measurable goals. Prioritizing these goals helps the team focus on the areas that will have the biggest impact on both the user experience and the business.

One way to decide which goals to prioritize is by using a value-versus-complexity matrix. It helps you evaluate the impact a goal might have on the user experience (value) against how difficult it will be to achieve (complexity).

A UX roadmap is another essential tool that outlines the specific steps needed to bring your UX vision to life. It helps UX teams prioritize the most valuable tasks. Additionally, it aligns all project stakeholders, providing a shared understanding of the objectives and the steps necessary to achieve them.

As a UX leader, the roadmap becomes a tool for managing progress, refining priorities, and ensuring that the team remains aligned with the overall vision.

Then, There is Google

A good example of setting measurable goals and priorities is how Google approached the development of Google Search. 

One of Google’s main business goals was to offer fast and relevant search results to keep users on their platform. To make this goal actionable, they set specific targets, like reducing the time it took to show results and improving the accuracy of search queries.

By focusing on changes that were both high-impact and low in complexity, Google was able to enhance the search experience for users while meeting business objectives.

This strategy works because it keeps the focus on what matters most. It also helps teams make smart choices when there are limited resources or competing priorities.

Step 5: Create and Test Prototypes

Whether it’s for a website, app, or physical product, creating and testing prototypes is a key step in developing a successful user experience strategy. Prototypes are early versions of a product that allow designers to test ideas, gather user feedback, and make improvements before the final product is built.

With iterative designing, you can make sure that the product evolves based on real user input rather than assumptions.

Business UX Strategy Example

Situation

John owns an online store that sells eco-friendly home products. His business has been growing, but recently he noticed that users are abandoning their shopping carts at a high rate and leaving his website after browsing a few pages.

He’s also received feedback from customers that the site feels difficult to navigate. 

Realizing the impact these issues have on his business, John decides to create and implement an effective UX strategy to improve user experience, reduce cart abandonment, and increase conversions.

Developing a UX Strategy

Step 1: Define Clear Business and User Goals

John began by outlining the key objectives for both his business and his users. He knew that in order to fix the issues on his website, he needed to address both sides.

Business Goals:

• Reduce the cart abandonment rate.
• Increase conversion rates and boost overall sales.
• Improve customer retention by making the website more user-friendly.

User Goals:

• Help users find products quickly and easily.
• Create a seamless shopping experience that is stress-free and enjoyable.
• Simplify the checkout process to reduce frustration and save time.

Step 2: User Research

Next, John conducted thorough user research to better understand the challenges his customers were facing on the site.

Research Methods:

• Surveys: John sent out short surveys to existing customers, asking about their experience with the website and checkout process.
• Heatmaps: He used tools like heatmaps to see where users were clicking the most and which areas of the site they were struggling with.
• Feedback Forms: A feedback option was added at checkout to capture real-time issues users were facing while completing purchases.

Key Findings:

• Many users found the navigation confusing and struggled to locate specific products.
• The checkout process had too many steps, leading to frustration and abandonment.
• Some customers expressed the desire for a faster, guest checkout option.

Step 3: Develop a UX Vision

Using the findings from his research, John developed a UX vision that would guide the entire redesign process.

UX Vision Statement: “Our goal is to provide a user-friendly, quick, and seamless shopping experience that enables customers to effortlessly discover eco-friendly products and complete their purchases efficiently, all while enjoying a smooth and fulfilling journey on our website.”

This vision became the guiding principle for every decision John and his team made as they worked through the design improvements.

Step 4: Set Measurable Goals and Priorities

John then broke his vision down into measurable goals, assigning priorities based on what would have the most immediate impact.

Top Priorities:

1. Simplify the website navigation to make it more user-friendly.
2. Streamline the checkout process by reducing steps and offering guest checkout.
3. Improve the product search feature with filters to help users find products faster.

Measurable Goals:

• Goal 1: Reduce cart abandonment by 25% within the next three months.
• Goal 2: Increase product search success rate by 15%.
• Goal 3: Boost customer satisfaction scores, as measured by post-purchase surveys.

Step 5: Create and Test Prototypes

With the priorities clear, John and his team created prototypes to test their design solutions before fully implementing them.

Prototypes Developed:

• Navigation Redesign: A simplified menu layout was tested with categories that were clearer and better organized.
• Checkout Streamlining: A new checkout process was prototyped, reducing the steps from five to three and introducing the option for guest checkout.
• Search Function Update: A new filtering system was tested to help users narrow down product options more quickly.

User Testing:

• John conducted usability tests with a small group of customers, gathering feedback on how intuitive the new design felt and where further improvements could be made.
• A/B testing was done on the old checkout system vs. the new streamlined version, showing a clear preference for the updated process.

After testing, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and John was able to implement these changes immediately.

FAQs About UX Strategy

Wrapping Things Up

A UX strategy is much more than just a design plan, it’s a roadmap that will make your website deliver a seamless, user-centered experience. 

Overall, investing in a well-defined UX strategy helps your teams focus on key priorities, make data-driven decisions, and avoid costly mistakes.

By following the steps outlined above, you can build a robust UX strategy for your website that delivers meaningful and enjoyable experiences to your customers while driving business growth.

The post What is a UX Strategy, Why It Matters, and How to Use It? appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

That said, nothing is stopping a website from using both subdomains and subdirectories. However, there is a debate among SEO experts on which one is better when trying to achieve higher rankings.

As such, today, I will explain each one and when you should use it to figure out the best option.

What Is A Subdomain?

A subdomain is essentially another website that is part of the main domain. You can easily identify these websites by looking at the URL In most cases, they will follow this structure:

https://subdomain.domain.com

For example, if you made a support subdomain for your site, the URL would look like this:

https://support.domain.com

A subdomain can be very different from the original domain. For instance, if you used WordPress for the domain name, you could use a different CMS for the subdomain. This can give you more design flexibility and offer different features.

For instance, WordPress can power your blog while something like Wikimedia could power a wiki of something related to your content or osCommerce to run an online store.

There is no limit on the number of subdomains a single domain can have. As such, many larger corporations have over a dozen subdomains to represent all of the different services or products they may offer customers.

When To Use A Subdomain?

Naturally, there are times when you want to use a subdomain because it is the ideal option. The basic rule of thumb is that you want to use a subdomain when that part of your website is very different from the rest of your site.

Let’s take a look at situations where having a subdomain is the best choice for a website.

1. eCommerce

Running an eCommerce site is very different than running other types of sites like a blog. As such, if you ever decide to create a merch shop, or an eCommerce store of any kind, adding one as a subdomain is perhaps the best option for many.

This allows you to build an entire site dedicated to eCommerce. This can help keep your main site clean, and ensure your eCommerce site can focus on making sales to customers. Many companies will do this and often have a URL structure like:

https://shop.domain.com

This is just one example, other popular names include store, merch, and more. Since eCommerce sites are more complicated, keeping everything on a single subdomain is a much better choice.

2. Support

If you sell a product or service to your customers, you will want to create support pages that can help customers use and troubleshoot what you are selling. As such, having an entire subdomain dedicated to your support is a great plan.

This avoids getting in the way of any sales by users stumbling into support articles when looking through the main site. This also gives you the freedom to build a dedicated knowledge base and FAQ within WordPress. A structure for one could look like:

https://support.domain.com

Some alternatives to support include knowledgebase, kb, faq, and more. This can also help you integrate a chat system that connects with support agents, whereas your main site might have one that connects with sales agents by default.

3. Blog

Many businesses will create a corporate blog to display their proficiency on certain topics or to provide deeper insights into some of their future choices. Adding your blog to a subdomain is a great idea if you want to keep that content separate from the rest of your site.

For example, if your main site focuses on trying to sell a product or service, having a blog post pop up can break the flow of the site and lower the chance a consumer makes a purchase. As such, keeping the two separate is great. The structure could look like this:

https://blog.domain.com

Depending on the nature of the content, you may want to workshop the name to match it. For instance, if your blogs are more in the form of product reviews, reviews may be a good choice instead of blog.

4. Different Region/Language

Does your company operate on a global scale? If so, you already know that different regions have different requirements and need to be in the language of those countries to be successful. As such, many corporations have subdomains dedicated to different regions.

This allows them to create a single site built around a specific culture or language to appeal to a wider audience. This can also make it easier for non-native speakers to select their language before entering the site. For instance, imagine this structure:

https://french.domain.com

This would be the French version of your site. This can be applied to any language like English, Spanish, Italian, and so on. This ensures accessing the website is easy, and it will be entirely for that language. Be sure to inform users about these subdomains.

Yet, a lot of website developers will use abbreviations of languages, such as EN for English or FR for French.

5. Memberships

Many sites operate on a membership basis, which means that users need to purchase a membership to view the content. Most of these types of sites offer multiple tiers that dictate what the visitors can and can’t see.

Naturally, creating separate subdomains to house each tier’s content is a great idea. It can help simplify the membership process to avoid situations where visitors are viewing content they shouldn’t. For example, if you had a gold tier, you could make the subdomain like this:

https://gold.domain.com

In this case, ‘gold’ is the name of the tier. Or if you just have a single tier, you could call it members to make it obvious this content is exclusive to members. Just be sure you have a membership plugin that supports subdomains.

Drawbacks of A Subdomain

While there are several situations where you want a subdomain, having one, or multiple, can have some negative side effects. While these negatives can be mitigated, not all websites have the resources to do so.

Let’s examine a couple of things you should be aware of before you make one.

1. Time Consuming

What is more time-consuming than running a website? Running two websites. The truth is a subdomain is its own website, which means you need to manage it just like your main one. This means updating core files, plugins, and themes regularly.

This also means you need to make sure that the site is working correctly, track and fix broken links, and everything else that comes with running a website. This will also mean troubleshooting any problems that arise from normal operations.

It’s a lot of work and that’s something you need to be aware of before committing to a subdomain.

2. More Expensive

Most web host companies will allow you to have multiple subdomains without any extra costs, but each subdomain does require resources to run. As such, you may need more expensive web hosting plans to host your site when adding a subdomain.

Some plugins charge extra to be placed on a subdomain. Or in some cases, require you to purchase the tool again to use it in such an environment. This can quickly increase the price of building a subdomain that may not make it the best option for you.

In other cases like backup solutions, you may need to pay extra for the subdomain, as it will contain an entire website’s worth of data.

3. Complicated Analytics

Viewing your website statistics is relatively easy with tools like Google Analytics, but that’s because all of the data comes from a single website. A subdomain is a separate website with its own analytics. As such, things are going to get more complicated.

You’ll need to track statistics on both sites simultaneously to get the full picture. This only gets more complicated as you add more subdomains to your site. That said, once you learn the process, anyone can do it.

4. Rank Slower

Since a subdomain is its own website, the content on it will not be indexed at the same rate as your main site. This can mean that pages will take more time to earn a ranking on search engines.

You can mitigate this by trying to be proactive when it comes to submitting site maps, but realistically, there is no way to ensure both sites will rank at the same speed, as they will need separate visits from crawl bots to index the content.

What Is A Subdirectory?

A subdirectory is a subfolder within the root directory that can help organize content on a website. Subdirectories result in unique URL structures that have become commonplace for most websites today.

https://www.domain.com/subdirectory

The subdirectory name will appear at the end of the URL. Subdirectories can have their own subdirectories, with no limitations in place. As such, they work very similarly to categories and subcategories in WordPress.

In fact, many developers will create a subdirectory for each category on their site. It can help improve navigation and keep everything in a separate location within the root directory. That said, some developers can go overboard with them.

Having multiple subdirectories can result in very long URLs that can make navigation more difficult. As such, most sites will not go past a single subdirectory unless necessary.

Since they are easy to implement, subdirectories are a prevalent choice today.

A good example is the post you’re reading right now. If you look at the address bar, you’ll see our subdirectory in the form of:

https://www.greengeeks.com/blog/

This is the subdirectory we have for our blog, and we also have one for our tutorial and support content.

When To Use A Subdirectory?

A subdirectory should be used when a website has multiple sections with its own set of content. There is often a very large overlap between subdirectories and categories because they go hand in hand.

There are various examples where creating a subdirectory is the best choice for a website, so let’s look at a few of them.

1. Pricing

Any website selling a product or service has a pricing page or section that details all of the pricing information and what is included in any tiered plans offered by the company. This is an excellent piece of content to create a subdirectory for.

This will create an intuitive URL structure that is well-suited for sites that are focused on selling services to customers. In most cases, a site will choose the pricing name for the subdirectory and the URL will look like this:

https://www.domain.com/pricing

Most users will know that they just need to add “/pricing” to the end of a URL to find that section of the site. As such, it can help users find the information they are looking for faster than ever and hopefully lead to more sales.

2. Blog Categories

Blogs continue to be the most popular types of sites with no slowdown insight, but many today cover multiple topics like finance or fitness. As a result, the different sections of a blog have their own following.

As such creating subdirectories for each of the major blog topics on your site is a smart way to help keep these audiences viewing content they are interested in.

For instance, let’s say you want to view the blog content related to finance, you would type:

https://www.domain.com/finance

Users will find all of the posts about your financial content in this area, which will be separate from your main section. This would not only help users find what they are looking for but also increase the likelihood they click on other pieces of content.

3. Checkout/Cart

The goal of every eCommerce site is to sell products to customers. Naturally, the checkout and cart are some of the most vital areas of an eCommerce site, thus creating a subdirectory for each one is a great idea.

While having a big button that says checkout or a well-placed cart icon may seem good enough, you can do more. This is where a subdirectory can come into play. It makes the URL of the cart or checkout area easy to find with this structure:

https://www.domain.com/checkout or https://www.domain.com/cart

This can make it easier for customers who click off a page to come back and get back to their cart very fast. Quick access to the checkout can help improve sales, so this is a great tactic for eCommerce sites.

4. Landing Pages

A landing page is a dedicated page built for a marketing campaign. The intention is that users who land on it will visit the rest of your site and perform a certain action like buying a product. As such, it is good practice to add landing pages as a subfolder.

This is because all of the traffic will be counted with the rest of your site, which makes the analytics aspect much simpler. Landing pages should contain links that bring visitors to the area where they can act (i.e. buy a product).

Many websites will rotate their landing pages depending on the time of year. For example, a store may have a page for Black Friday and a different one for Christmas. As such, the URL structure may look like this:

https://www.domain.com/christmas or https://www.domain.com/blackfriday

Subdirectories are easy to disable, thus they are a great choice for landing pages since you can disable them when the sale or event is over. Just be sure to have some redirections in place to avoid 404 errors.

Drawbacks of A Subdirectory

While subdirectories bring a lot to the table, there is no denying that there are some drawbacks that can occur from using them. However, these are not problems for every website and depend on the developer’s intent.

Let’s examine a few problems you may run into when adding a subfolder to your web hosting account.

1. Fewer Design Options

Unlike subdomains where you can create a unique design for the content, subdirectories limit you to what you can do on your main site. While some may see this as an advantage as it has your site using one universal design, others don’t see it that way.

Being able to add a unique design that fits a specific type of content better is just a better design option. This not only impacts the appearance but you are also limited to the same CMS, whereas a subdomain allows you to use a different one.

One way around this is to use another CMS installation to manage your subdirectory.

For example, we use several installations of WordPress as subdirectories for the blog, tutorial, and support sites. However, it can get a bit confusing, especially if you use automatic login apps such as Google’s password manager.

Subdirectories are not always registered as separate entities in Google Chrome.

2. Longer URLs

I’ve mentioned this already, but there are no limitations on the number of subdirectories you can create. As such, it is easy to create a messy URL structure that can negatively impact the SEO of your website.

Generally speaking, you want the URLs for your site to be compact and easy to understand. Having too many layers of subdirectories can mess this up and make it harder to navigate for some users.

How Does A Subdomain and Subdirectory Impact SEO?

A subdirectory exists within the root directory of your website. It adds authority to your links and will be easily recognized by search engines. As such, adding a subfolder is almost always advantageous for SEO.

However, the same is not always said for subdomains. Some experts believe that search engine crawlers can confuse a subdomain for an entirely different website, which can damage SEO efforts. In some cases, they may not even index the pages.

Yet, that’s not what Google says.

Google claims that the search engine can index and recognize the connection between your website and a subdomain. They also recommend using either a subdomain or a subdirectory because of this factor.

One problem that can arise when using a subdomain is if you are ranking pages for the same keyword. This can confuse Google and can end up in a situation where it is making a page on your main site and subdomain compete with each other.

You should typically avoid creating pages that are ranking for the same keyword, but subdomains can make the issue much worse if you do.

One distinct advantage that a subdirectory has over a subdomain is the speed of indexing. Content on your main site already has an established authority and will often get ranked faster than content on a subdomain.

Subdomain Vs. Subdirectory: Which Is Better?

As you may already realize, there is no definitive answer to whether a subdomain is better than a subdirectory. Which one is best for your website depends entirely on your needs and goals.

For example, if you started as a blog using WordPress, you may want to open up an eCommerce store using Shopify as a subdomain. This gives you different tools than what’s available in WooCommerce.

Though, I do have to say that WooCommerce has advantages over Shopify that may change your mind a bit.

Subdomains simply give you more customization options and development flexibility by being able to mix and match CMS platforms. However, that comes with a hefty price tag of essentially having to manage a second website, not to mention additional expenses.

As such, subdirectories are usually easier to manage and can help make the URL structure easier to understand. This is why many websites today choose a subdirectory because it is more convenient to manage, and the SEO effects are easier to understand.

To reiterate, a subdomain and subdirectory are equal in terms of SEO but require different managerial practices to make the most of.

Why Not Use Both A Subdomain and A Subdirectory?

Instead, of looking at this problem as having to choose between a subdomain and a subdirectory, let me pose a different question.

Why not use both?

As we have gone over, both of these methods offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. For many websites, using both a subdirectory and a subdomain is the right decision. And looking online, you will notice most major sites use both.

From an SEO perspective, there is no disadvantage to using either a subdomain or a subdirectory. You simply want to use the one that the situation calls for.

Does your website use a subdomain or a subdirectory? How has using one impacted Your SEO?

The post Subdomain vs. Subdirectory: Which is the Better Choice? appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

To back this up with numbers, over 350,000 .ai domains are currently registered. It is seeing rapid growth in both registrations and value and is now a top choice for AI-focused companies worldwide.

This article will guide you through everything you need to know about the .ai domain, from its origins to its growing importance in the tech industry. In the end, we’ll help you decide whether or not the .ai domain is for you.

AI Domain Overview

You might have a general idea of what a .ai domain is, but did you know that it was originally a ccTLD?

A ccTLD is a top-level domain (TLD) that represents the website’s country or geographic area. These “country code” TLDs enable internet users to figure out where the entity behind a website is.

For example, .us stands for the United States, and .de for Germany. These can help the users identify the domain extensions, often indicating the area or language the website’s content is intended for.

What Does .ai Mean and Who Uses It?

The .ai domain is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Anguilla, a small island in the Caribbean. This domain extension was intended solely for entities associated with Anguilla. Most ccTLDs have restrictions on who can register a domain name under them, such as proof of residency or local presence.

But despite being a ccTLD, you don’t need to be present on Anguilla to register for a .ai domain since it’s also a generic top-level domain (gTLD). The booming sector of artificial intelligence, which is also AI when abbreviated, makes this domain extension garner popularity in the tech industry.

Cost Considerations for .ai Domains

Acquiring a .ai domain costs more than many other popular domain extensions. 

1. Initial Registration Fees

The cost of registering a .ai domain typically starts around $100 to $160 for a two-year period. This is significantly higher than the registration cost for .com domains, which usually ranges from $10 to $20 per year. 

The high cost is largely due to the base price set by the Government of Anguilla, which manages the .ai domain.

2. Two-Year Minimum Registration

Unlike many other domains that allow for annual registration, .ai domains require a minimum two-year registration period. This means you must pay for at least two years upfront, which can make the initial cost appear even higher. 

3. Renewal Costs

Renewing a .ai domain costs about the same as the initial registration, typically around $100 to $160 for another two-year period. Some registrars might offer slight variations in renewal pricing, but generally, you can expect similar costs each time you renew.

4. Additional Costs

Depending on the registrar, there might be additional costs for services such as privacy protection, DNS management, and other features. It’s important to check what each registrar includes in their pricing.

5. Demand and Auction Prices

The cost can also vary based on the demand for specific domain names. Popular or premium .ai domains, especially those with common keywords or short names, can be auctioned for significantly higher prices. Some premium .ai domains have sold for thousands of dollars.

Why Are .ai Domains Popular?

Despite the higher price cost, the .ai domain remains popular in the tech industry. Here are some benefits you can have using the .ai domain extension.

Branding

AI and tech companies benefit significantly from the branding advantages of a .ai domain. It immediately signals involvement in artificial intelligence, positioning the brand as innovative and forward-thinking. This perception is crucial in attracting both customers and investors.

SEO Advantages and Online Visibility

Having a .ai domain also benefits your search engine optimization efforts. Websites with a .ai extension are likely to rank higher for searches related to artificial intelligence, enhancing visibility and driving targeted traffic.

Appeal to Tech-Savvy Audiences and Investors

A .ai domain appeals to a tech-savvy audience that associates the extension with cutting-edge technology and innovation. This appeal extends to investors looking for forward-thinking companies with a strong focus on AI and related technologies.

Adoption by Major Tech Companies

Many prominent tech companies such as Facebook and Microsoft have adopted .ai domains. This trend sets a precedent and encourages other companies to follow suit, further increasing the popularity of the .ai domain extension.

These companies often use .ai domains to host AI-related projects or to redirect users to their main sites, leveraging the domain’s association with artificial intelligence.​ 

Popular Companies Who Bought .ai Domains

Here are some of the notable companies using .ai domains:

• Meta.ai: Create AI-generated images for free, and get answers to any of your questions.
• Azure.ai: A Microsoft-partnered startup and research center that created several of the world’s most powerful AI-powered applications.
• Jasper.ai Jasper AI is a versatile AI-powered platform that allows content creators to generate ideas from scratch and write any type of content.
• Removal.ai: This lets you remove background from images for free using Artificial Intelligence.
• Character.AI: This lets you create custom characters and talk to them.

Benefits of .ai Domains

Fewer Competitors for Names

Choosing a .ai domain can make it easier to secure a memorable and unique brand name, as these domains are less saturated compared to .com. While .com domains are widely used and often have popular names already taken, .ai domains offer more opportunities to find your desired name without much competition.

Gaining Value

The growing interest in .ai domains means that their value is likely to increase over time, making them not only a good choice for branding but also a smart investment.

The Name Stands Out From Other TLDs

A .ai domain helps your brand stand out from the more common .com and .net domains. It can also provide a marketing advantage, as it aligns your brand with the rapidly growing AI industry.

Drawbacks of Using the .AI Domain

Popularity and Default Assumptions

Most people are more familiar with .com domains, and they would most likely default to a .com domain extension when trying to guess a website address.

Because of this, you might miss out on traffic if people assume your website ends with .com instead of .ai​.

Legal and Regulatory Issues

Since .ai domains are governed by the laws of Anguilla, they are subject to Anguillan regulations. This includes potential issues with trademark disputes or domain suspension if the domain is involved in activities like phishing or hate speech​.

Technical Requirements

Using a .ai domain may require specific technical configurations. You need to ensure that your hosting provider supports .ai domains and that your website is optimized to work with this extension.

Limited Scope

A .ai domain strongly implies a connection to artificial intelligence. If your business does not focus on AI, using a .ai domain might confuse visitors and mislead them about the nature of your services or products​.

.AI vs .IO Domain

If you’re in the tech niche and deciding between a .ai or .io domain, there are some things that you might want to consider. 

In general, both domains have their unique advantages. A .ai domain is great for companies focused on artificial intelligence. It highlights your expertise in AI and shows innovation.

On the other hand, a .io domain is versatile and ideal for tech startups. It stands for input/output in tech terms, appealing to a broader tech audience.

Cost is another important factor to consider when choosing between the two. As mentioned previously, .ai domains are usually more expensive even when compared to .io domains. 

Are .AI Domains Secure?

The .ai domains are generally safe. They follow strict rules and regulations to ensure authenticity and security for registrants. These measures protect visitors whenever they access .ai websites. 

The relatively high cost of .ai domains also deters malicious users. Website owners who are willing to spend a premium on their domain names are most likely serious about their businesses.

Furthermore, reputable domain registrars enforce strict security protocols. When you register a .ai domain name, your contact information is required and displayed on the Whois database. 

Additionally, SSL certificates, which encrypt data between the user and the website, and other robust security features, help protect websites from cyber threats, keep your data secure, and reduce the risk of fraud.

How Can I register a .AI Domain name?

To register a .ai domain name, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Step 1: The easiest way to obtain a domain name is through a website hosting platform like Greengeeks. Here’s a more detailed instructions on how to register your domain name using the GreenGeeks platform.

As a bonus, we offer a free domain name when you sign up with us.

Step 2: Your web host isn’t the only place to buy a domain. You can purchase a domain name from a registrar and use it with any web hosting provider.

Use the registrar’s domain search tool to check if your desired domain name is available. You can customize your search as needed. Also, keep in mind that domain names must be less than 63 characters long.

Step 3: Once you find an available name, proceed to purchase it through the registrar. Afterward, you will receive a confirmation message that your domain has been successfully registered.

The entire process of registering your .ai domain is straightforward and, as mentioned previously, doesn’t require proof of local presence in Anguilla.

Since the .ai domain was internationalized and has been unrestricted, it is easy for businesses worldwide to register using it.

Configuring Your .AI Domain

Once you’ve registered your domain, you’ll need to set up the DNS (Domain Name System) records. This process connects your .ai domain to your web hosting server, ensuring that visitors can reach your website.

Typically, you’ll log into your domain registrar’s control panel, where you’ll find the DNS management section.

When you purchase a hosting plan, your provider will email you their nameserver addresses. To link your domain name with your hosting account, enter the nameserver addresses provided by your hosting provider; one address typically starts with NS1, and the other with NS2.

Once you’ve input the addresses into the correct fields, click Save to complete the process. Keep in mind that it may take 24 to 48 hours for the changes to take effect on DNS servers, so don’t worry if your website doesn’t load immediately.

Things To Do Before Your .AI Website Launch

 It’s important to test your website to ensure everything is working correctly before making it live. ‘

• First, you should test for mobile compatibility. Since many users will access your site from mobile devices, make sure your website is responsive and user-friendly on smartphones and tablets.
• You should also optimize your content by showcasing what your .ai site is all about in your contact or about us page. Don’t forget to proofread your site’s content. Review grammar, spelling, and consistency.
• Verify that all internal and external links are correct and working.
• Make sure that your website is set up for search engine indexing. This involves double-checking all pages have unique titles and meta descriptions, and that your XML sitemap is correctly configured.
• Lastly, set up a regular backup schedule to protect your site from data loss. This will ensure you can quickly restore your site in case of any issues post-launch.

FAQs About .ai Domain

Wrapping Things Up

For businesses and startups focused on AI, using a .ai domain can boost your brand’s credibility and attract a tech-savvy audience. While still gaining popularity, it represents a new wave of specialized domain options that are becoming increasingly valuable.

If you’re thinking about getting this type of domain, it’s a good idea to secure it now, even if you don’t plan to use it right away. Pairing a .ai domain with your existing .com domain can also provide broader coverage for your brand, helping you reach different audiences.

Overall, the .ai domain is more than just a web address; it aligns your brand with the cutting-edge world of artificial intelligence.

The post What is a .ai Domain: All You Need to Know appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

And believe me when I say there is no shortage of WordPress competitors to choose from. However, as with anything concerning a website, you need to take into consideration what type of website you are building and your skill level.

One of the big reasons why WordPress is so popular is that you don’t need any coding knowledge to build a site. The same is not true for some of the other CMS on this list, thus, you need to find one that works for you.

Today, I will cover the best WordPress alternatives to consider using in 2024.

What Makes a Great CMS?

With no shortage of CMS or website-building platforms to choose from, the number of options is quite frankly staggering. Thus you could easily spend hours sifting through these platforms before one catches your eye.

We looked at five key pieces of criteria when assembling this list that include:

• Accessibility– This determines how easy a CMS is to use, which is arguably the most important factor. Getting the most out of a CMS depends entirely on if you can use the tools it provides.
• Performance– No one likes a slow website and the CMS you choose will have a major impact on that. This will directly affect the speed at which pages load, and how well the platform interacts with third-party software.
• SEO– SEO determines how your website ranks on search engines like Google. The higher you rank, the more traffic you will receive, and just about everything impacts your SEO, thus your CMS is an important factor as it impacts everything as well.
• Security– The internet is not a safe place. Every day 30,000 websites are hacked with 43% of those belonging to small businesses. You need to be able to defend your site and the data it contains.
• Customization Potential– Everyone has a certain vision for their website, and that vision is only reachable if you have the creative freedom to reach it. Many CMS have limitations in place, thus, it’s important to find ones that give you more freedom.

These were the core values we considered when assembling this list, but keep in mind there are other factors to consider. This list is in no specific order, so without further ado, let’s get right into it.

1. Joomla

Joomla is one of the best CMS alternatives to WordPress due to its high flexibility, but it needs to be said that, unlike WordPress, it is not beginner-friendly. The backend you will be using is not intuitive to pick up.

Users often spend hours trying to get accustomed to it and when first installed, it lacks any sample data. That said, Joomla does provide sample data, but you need to find it in the options to import it in Joomla.

Joomla is quite similar to WordPress regarding extensions. Joomla has a large library of templates and extensions that are the same as themes and plugins for WordPress. While the library is not as robust, there are a lot of options.

Unfortunately, the trend of Joomla being more complicated to use continues when it comes to its extensions. The CMS uses numbers instead of names to place these extensions, which makes it hard to follow for beginners.

That said, once you get used to it, it will match WordPress when it comes to creative freedom.

When it comes to editing, Joomla uses a similar editor to the classic WordPress layout. Thus, it is quite easy to create content with, but again, nothing in Joomla is very intuitive. The editor will bring you to both blog and page content.

The only way to tell the difference is with the category system. It does work and you will get used to it.

One of the main advantages Joomla offers over WordPress is that it typically offers a better performance, which can also give it an edge SEO-wise. This brings us to security, which is another strong point for Joomla.

Unlike WordPress where you need to install a plugin for basic security features, many are built right into Joomla, which makes it more secure out of the box. It even comes baked in with SSL.

Benefits of Using Joomla

• Offers users a faster performance
• SEO and security tools are built into the install
• Solid customization options and a good selection of templates

Drawbacks of Using Joomla

• Not intuitive to use
• Publishing interface is a mess in comparison to WordPress
• You need a basic understanding of PHP to fully use Joomla

2. Drupal

Drupal is one of the most popular WordPress alternatives, but it is far more complicated than WordPress. Thus, it is a poor choice for beginners. This is apparent when you try to choose a theme for your site.

Drupal doesn’t offer a huge selection of themes you can use, and the ones that they do are quite simple. This is because Drupal is intended for more advanced users that will code their own themes.

As such, if you don’t have this expertise, you are going to need to hire a developer to create the theme for you. This can dramatically increase the costs associated with a Drupal site. Luckily, Drupal does have a good selection of modules.

Modules are the equivalent of plugins in WordPress and there are thousands to choose from, but there are still fewer options. One area where Drupal dominates WordPress would be security. Drupal is one of the most secure CMSs on the market.

This is why Drupal was a top choice for government sites such as NASA. However, NASA replaced Drupal with WordPress as the primary CMS as WordPress is easier to use and far more expansive for NASA’s needs.

The editor of Drupal is not great. It is perhaps the most basic one on this list, which can be a real turn-off for blogs. Even compared to the classic editor in WordPress, it lacks a lot of basic features.

With this said, it can still get the job done, but don’t expect a lot of options or customization on post content. One area where Drupal excels is when it comes to custom content types. They are more flexible than WordPress and easier to implement.

When it comes to performance, Drupal is a lightweight CMS that focuses on creating fast-loading pages and is better suited for larger sites. As such, it is typically faster than WordPress, which is a boon for SEO efforts.

Benefits of Using Drupal

• Robust security measures in place upon installation
• Built with custom content types in mind
• Typically faster than the average WordPress site

Drawbacks of Using Drupal

• Theme selection is poor often requiring a developer
• The editor is extremely simple and lacks more advanced options
• Smaller selection of modules compared to other CMS

3. Ghost

Many people may not realize this, but when WordPress first started, it was a simple blogging platform. However, as its popularity grew, it expanded into a platform that can build any kind of site. Ghost is a CMS that focuses exclusively on blogging.

Since the platform focuses on publishing content, it is much simpler than many CMS but is about equal when it comes to WordPress. The UI is intuitive with most things exactly where you expect them to be.

One of the more standout elements would be that it color codes everything so users can find what they are looking for at a glance. The colors stand out on the white background, so it is a really good design decision.

In terms of the actual editor, Ghost is quite robust but ultimately falls a little short of what WordPress offers, and unlike WordPress, you can’t just add what you need.

At least not always.

Ghost add-ons, the equivalent of plugins, are not very robust. It is still a growing library, thus in many cases, it just isn’t possible to find every option you could in WordPress, but it has everything a typical blog will need access to.

One area in Ghost does fall short would be customization. It just isn’t robust and often limits the design of any website.

One area that Ghost blows WordPress out of the water would be performance. Ghost has been touted as being much faster than WordPress, which would improve speed scores for SEO and the user experience.

Ghost also excels when it comes to SEO. It includes a variety of features that you would typically need a plugin in WordPress. This includes automatically filling metadata, creating XML sitemaps, and more.

Benefits of Using Ghost

• Extremely fast performance blows WordPress away
• SEO tools are built into the platform to help your blog grow
• Color-coded design makes the UI very intuitive

Drawbacks of Using Ghost

• Limited design options outside of traditional blog styles
• The add-on library is very small, which makes it difficult to add additional features
• Ghost does not have many themes to choose from

4. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is a popular eCommerce solution for building websites. As such, it focuses solely on eCommerce and is aimed at beginners. It is a platform that is very easy to use and set up which is a bit rare when it comes to eCommerce solutions.

When it comes to building a store, PrestaShop includes over 4,000 store templates that act like themes in WordPress. It is a robust selection with something for most niches. The designs typically leave plenty of room for products and featured products.

If you are talented in HTML, you can also build your template to give you complete freedom when it comes to store design.

You’ll be able to show off all of the necessary product information like price, descriptions, categories, SKU number, and can even show how many are left in stock. It has everything you would expect in a typical eCommerce platform.

When it comes to payment gateways, PrestaShop supports all of the major players like PayPal, Stripe, direct credit cards, and more.

One of the strongest points for PrestaShop would be its built-in shipping management tools. Customers will be able to see how much the shipping is before they go to checkout, which helps them see the actual price.

Oftentimes, when shipping is added to the final cost, customers will abandon a cart, thus, showing the true value is a great tactic. And this data is submitted by shipping companies to PrestaShop directly for the most accurate rates through various APIs.

As an eCommerce platform that handles credit card information and other personal information, security is a serious concern.

PrestaShop supports a variety of security measures like SSL certificates, firewalls, forcing strong passwords, and so on. While no platform is absolutely safe from hackers, as long as you keep PrestaShop up to date, you should be fine.

Benefits of Using PrestaShop

• Relatively easy setup compared to most eCommerce solutions
• Healthy selection of payment gateways are supported
• Shipping manager is a very robust tool

Drawbacks of Using PrestaShop

• Most modules are not free which can dramatically increase the price
• PrestaShop is slower than WordPress
• While there are lots of themes, they look unprofessional

5. MediaWiki

MediaWiki is a free and open-source wiki engine. It focuses on using the same design as Wikipedia to create individual wikis for topics. This is commonly seen for certain franchises like Game of Thrones, or video games like Baldur’s Gate 3.

As such, this is not like other WordPress alternatives, because it does something very unique, and has become quite popular in this space. Virtually all wikis you access online utilize MediaWiki.

While WordPress has wiki plugins, they just are not as robust as MediaWiki out of the box.

In terms of design, it is a wiki. There’s probably not much I need to say, but you can customize the appearance to better match the franchise which includes the background color, background image, font color, font size, and so on.

At the end of the day, anything you create will still largely resemble Wikipedia, but with a specific skin applied.

The actual editor of media wiki is an HTML editor. It lacks a lot of the features you would find in WordPress, but those knowledgeable in HTML will have no issue creating content in it.

Perhaps one of its strongest features would be its internationalization. MediaWiki is available in over 400 languages.

When it comes to security, as long as you keep your version updated you will be fine. You should ensure that all of your files are permission-protected to ensure users cannot write in them. Media Wiki also has a good selection of extensions.

Extensions are the equivalent of plugins from WordPress and so all kinds of things for your site. Most of them are free, so they can be a great addition to the site, just make sure to keep them updated for security.

Benefits of Using MediaWiki

• SEO is simple and intuitive at any skill level
• Supports over 400 languages
• Great for collaborative projects

Drawbacks of Using MediaWiki

• Not suitable for traditional blogs or eCommerce
• Lack of rights management makes integrating with enterprise wiki challenging
• Can be considered complex if not familiar with HTML

6. OpenCart

OpenCart is designed for creating eCommerce sites. It provides all of the tools and features you would need to start an online store and it does all of this in a user-friendly manner. As such, anyone can take advantage of the tools this platform offers.

While WordPress with the WooCommerce plugin installed becomes a powerhouse for small to medium-sized businesses, OpenCart excels at large-scale eCommerce sites. One of the standout features when it comes to eCommerce would be the shipping potential.

This platform allows you to choose between different shipping models like flat rate, weight, or per-item shipping. And that’s just a few of the choices. In total, you can add up to 8 different shipping options for customers to choose from.

This grants customers much more flexibility and can aid in any memberships you create, as they can be member-exclusive.

When it comes to the design of your store, OpenCart offers a solid selection of themes to choose from. They are all eCommerce-focused and are typically designed with different niches in mind. While there are a good number of free options, you can also find paid options.

The themes can be customized just like WordPress, but you will need HTML and CSS skills to do it.

OpenCart also comes with some unique security tools built-in like fraud protection, security tokens, IP address blocking, and more. And similarly to WordPress plugins, you can install extensions to add additional security measures.

The product editor is quite robust and offers all of the options you would find in WooCommerce, but there is one main difference. OpenCart does not support bulk changes, thus you will need to edit products one at a time.

Benefits of Using OpenCart

• Strong selection of themes for all kinds of shops
• Easily create coupons and discount codes to entice new customers
• Users can share products on social media

Drawbacks of Using OpenCart

• No bulk editing options for products
• Lacks SEO functionality
• Extensions often do not work well together

7. Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Adobe Commerce (formerly known as Magento) is an eCommerce-focused platform. It provides all of the tools you’ll need for building an online store, with the added benefit of full compatibility with other Adobe tools.

When it comes to the setup, Adobe Commerce requires users to use the command line, which can be pretty challenging for beginners. As such, it is recommended to understand the basics of coding, as it is required to get the most out of this platform.

Sadly, the challenges to using this platform don’t end with the setup. Even adding extensions (the equivalent of plugins) can be a daunting task. These extensions often require more advanced skill sets to utilize on your site.

Luckily, Adobe Commerce does come with everything you’ll need for a basic shop out of the box, so extensions are optional.

When it comes to the design of your site, Adobe Commerce utilizes themes the same way WordPress does but ultimately offers fewer options. What is available is your typical online store interface tailored for different niches.

There are premium options available, but to get the most out of the platform, you are going to need to edit the themes yourself.

Naturally, everyone wants customers to find their store, which is why SEO is vital to any site. Adobe Commerce comes with a variety of SEO features built-in that stores can utilize to improve their rankings. There are also a number of extensions that you can install to help.

As an Adobe product, Adobe Commerce is also quite secure. If you keep it up to date and install security extensions, your site will be well protected.

Benefits of Using Adobe Commerce

• Solid selection of themes for a variety of niches
• Comes with built-in security options
• Compatibility with other Adobe tools

Drawbacks of Using Adobe Commerce

• Requires more technical knowledge than WordPress
• Extension library mainly offers premium options
• Better as an enterprise solution

8. Zen Cart

Zen Cart is a free eCommerce solution you can use to build a website with. Downloading the program itself is quite trivial, however, actually getting it on your web server is another matter. It is downright confusing and can scare away most beginners.

Once you do manage to set it up, actually using Zen Cart isn’t too bad. There is an initial learning curve as the UI is not as intuitive as you would expect in 2024, but once you learn where things are, it is easy enough.

Zen Cart comes with a lot of great eCommerce tools out of the box like shipping tools, but you will need plugins to add certain features. For instance, most payment gateways will have their own plugin to install.

Sadly, Zen Cart plugins have a reputation for not working well with each other, so be prepared to do some troubleshooting. Speaking of troubleshooting, updates to Zen Cart can also cause issues. As such some basic web development skills are required.

When it comes to customizing the appearance of your site, there isn’t much to say.

Zen Cart has a library of themes you can choose from, but they are rather basic. Most stores will purchase premium ones, but they also have stability concerns. Again, you are going to need to tweak the themes, so coding knowledge is a must.

When it comes to the SEO aspect of Zen Cart, it has some basic features you would expect like metadata, but nothing beyond that. Plugins can help fill this shortcoming. The same can be said about its security offering. It is basic at best.

Benefits of Using Zen Cart

• Has an active community to help solve problems
• Easily sort products into categories and subcategories
• Create coupons and special offers for customers

Drawbacks of Using Zen Cart

• Requires web development experience to set up and maintain the site
• Plugins often cause conflicts with one another
• Site reporting leaves a lot to be desired

9. Blogger

Blogger has been around for a long time and even pre-dates WordPress, but never found the same success. It is a free blog hosting service by Google that allows you to build a full blog for free, which naturally attracts a lot of users.

That said, as a free service, there are a lot of limitations put in place, which is often why serious bloggers avoid it.

When it comes to accessibility, Blogger is one of the easiest platforms to get started on. All it requires is a Google account and you can create your blog in minutes. Creating content for it is no different.

Blogger looks quite similar to Microsoft Word with a variety of features suited for blogging. Where things become trickier would be designing your site’s appearance. Blogger is not very customizable and to really do anything with it, you will need HTML.

Without using HTML to edit a theme, most are quite basic and lack any creative flair.

It is worth pointing out that the content you create on Blogger doesn’t actually belong to you. At any point, Google can shut down the service and it will all be gone. It can even ban your account without warning if the content violates its Terms and Services.

One thing that is very noteworthy about Blogger would be the security. It is owned and maintained by Google, and as such, it is very secure. This is one thing you’ll never have to worry about when using Blogger.

Blogger is a solid choice for someone who wants to test out blogging, but it hasn’t received any major updates in years. Given Google’s track record, it may get shut down like many other Google services have.

Benefits of Using Blogger

• Can start your blog in a matter of minutes
• Allows you to use a custom domain name
• Simple interface makes it easy to create and edit blogs

Drawbacks of Using Blogger

• Hasn’t received any major updates in a long time
• You don’t actually own your blog
• Exporting from Blogger is complicated and can impact SEO

10. Moodle

Moodle is a unique entry on this list of WordPress alternatives because it is a Learning Management System (LMS). It focuses on the creation of educational material like online courses for any kind of topic.

It was made with all skill levels in mind. As such, building online courses with Moodle is very easy compared to other LMSs, including the LMS plugins offered by WordPress. And that is all thanks to the drag-and-drop course builder.

With it, you can simply add and drag course elements to the desired location. It is also easy to set deadlines for content and allow users to submit work for grading. Naturally, you can also build quizzes and assignments in the same manner.

While the actual course assembly is great, it is worth noting that the initial setup does need just a bit of technical expertise. Thus, some basic coding skills will be required to get your website up and running.

When it comes to customization, Moodle doesn’t have a great selection of themes. While it does have themes to choose from, the customization is often limited and pales in comparison to what WordPress offers.

Moodle also delivers a solid selection of plugins that focus on more eLearning tools to expand your options.

Unfortunately, as a dedicated LMS, Moodle doesn’t have a lot of SEO tools at its disposal. All it has is the ability to edit metadata and not much else beyond that. It recommends creating links on other websites to improve SEO.

Of course, since the main purpose of an LMS is often to sell course material, Moodle comes with a full eCommerce suite for this very purpose. You can sell courses for a one-time fee or create a subscription model for users to keep access to the content.

Benefits of Using Moodle

• Excellent course building
• Accept payments from all major payment gateways like PayPal
• The Moodle Community is great at helping members solve problems with their site

Drawbacks of Using Moodle

• Lacks SEO options to help you grow organically
• The UI is a bit dated and can be confusing at first
• Gradebook functionality is not the best and most will use a third-party solution

WordPress Alternatives FAQ

Pick the Best Website Builder Today

While we just went through a great selection of WordPress alternatives, the best option is still WordPress. It does anything any of these other platforms does, but better and with more options available.

That said if you are set on not using WordPress, Ghost is probably the best option for blogs, and OpenCart is a great alternative to WooCommerce, but again, it just comes down to the needs of your site.

The best thing you can do is try multiple platforms and see which one works best for you before committing to one of them.

Why are you looking for WordPress alternatives? Which CMS did you choose?

The post 10 Best WordPress Alternatives to Use in 2024 appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

Each of them has distinct advantages and disadvantages, which means picking one comes down to the needs of your website. Of course, this is true for just about everything when it comes to web design.

It’s all about what works best for your specific situation.

That said, if you run a typical website, they will have similar results to one another. The real differences show up on larger websites that deal with far more data than a typical blogging site.

Let’s take a look at what these solutions are and how they compare to figure out which one is the best for you.

Memcached vs. Redis: Overview

Before we start looking at the finer parts of each caching solution, let’s just do a quick overview of each. For greater detail, refer to the other sections listed below.

What Is Memcached?

Memcached is a free open-source caching solution that was invented in 2003. It stores data using strings, and the amount of data it can store is only limited by the hardware it is stored on.

Thus, it can be scaled easily by adding more hardware.

If it runs out of room to store the data, it will begin overwriting the oldest data that has not been used in some time. This can somewhat be problematic for some industries, thus, the proper procedures need to be taken to ensure important info is not lost.

What Is Redis?

Redis, or Remote Dictionary Server, is an open-source caching solution that prioritizes performance more than other solutions. It was invented in 2009.

It stores data using several types of data (string, hash, list, set, and sorted set) which allow it to quickly access the data stored. You can even edit said data without having to load it, which results in a faster solution.

If a memory limit is reached, then Redis will return an error instead of deleting old data. Overall, users get to enjoy a fast caching experience on their website.

Memcached vs. Redis: Data Storage

While Memcached and Redis both do an excellent job at storing data, they go about it quite differently. This gives each one an advantage in certain situations over the other.

Let’s take a look at how each one works.

Memcached: Data Storage

Memcached stores all of the data as string keys and keys up to 250B and values up to 1MB. The data stored takes up very little room when compared to other server-side caching solutions, which makes it attractive to larger websites.

It takes advantage of a “Slab.” This segments the memory into multiple chunks of varying sizes. The keys are then stored in the chunk that corresponds to their size, which prevents memory fragmentation from occurring.

In terms of storage capacity, you are limited by the amount of memory available on your hardware. This can be expanded upon as needed, which makes it very scalable for larger websites.

Memcached is used by some of the largest websites in the world like YouTube.

Redis: Data Storage

Redis stores data using five unique data types that include:

• String
• Hash
• List
• Set
• Sorted Set

The data types provide a unique advantage over other caching solutions that give you access to each field within one. This allows the system to carry out any CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) function as needed.

Redis supports keys up to values of 512MB. It also supports data type operations, which allow you to edit any data stored within without having to load it.

This saves time as you not only avoid loading the data but also avoid having to store the data again.

Redis utilizes a Master/Slave architecture, which helps add redundancy to the system. If a Master fails, then a Slave is promoted to take its place.

This makes Redis harder to maintain on larger sites due to the complexity of the architecture but is more secure.

Memcached vs. Redis: Setup

Many users are building a website for the first time, which means they are looking for the easiest caching solution to manage.

Let’s take a quick look at what each one entails.

Memcached: Setup

One of the main reasons Memcached has been a dominant force in the industry is due to its simplicity. It is really easy to get started with Memcached on any Windows or Unix device. It can also adapt to any language such as PHP, C, etc.

Due to how dominant it has been over the years, there are a variety of resources you can take advantage of to help you along.

In many cases, your web host will set this up for you upon request. And in some cases, some platforms will have additional tools to make it easier to set up and manage.

Redis: Setup

Redis is a bit trickier to set up, but it is not difficult for your standard sites. More and more web hosts support Redis and will help you install it on your web server upon request. That said, they do not help you manage it.

Resources are becoming more readily available, but there are fewer overall.

That said, tools are coming out that can help make the setup easier. For instance, in WordPress, the Redis Object Cache plugin can help you set up Redis in just a few minutes.

On more complicated networks, it is worth pointing out that Redis has far more flexibility in terms of setup. This can make it more complicated, especially if you need to run multiple nodes simultaneously.

Memcached vs. Redis: Persistence

Some websites will need persistence from their caching solution. This means when the web server is restarted for whatever reason, that the data stored is not lost. Only one of these solutions supports the function.

Memcached: Persistence

Memcached does not support persistence operations. When the server is restarted, the data is lost.

Redis: Persistence

Is Redis persistent?

Yes, Redis provides several options when it comes to persistence. These include :

• RDB (Redis Database)
• AOF (Append Only File)
• No persistence
• RDB + AOF

The official Redis documentation goes into great detail about the robust options you have available. To keep it simple, you can quickly restore data from any point. This allows you to get your website operating in seconds.

Memcached vs. Redis: WordPress Sites

Odds are your website was built using WordPress, which both of these caching solutions work on. However, these solutions are not quite equal anymore and one is beginning to outshine the other.

Though, results vary based on what kind of website you’re building.

Memcached: WordPress Sites

For a long time, Memcached was the go-to caching solution for WordPress. It offers users an incredibly easy setup and a great performance out of the box.

As such, there are a variety of caching plugins you can utilize Memcached with like W3 Total Cache.

Memcached excels as a caching solution when websites constantly deliver the same page to visitors. This is especially true for one-page business sites due to a fast response time. This drastically lowers page load times.

In many cases, it is still the default caching solution for many web hosts.

Redis: WordPress Sites

Redis has been gaining ground over the last few years and has really become the best caching solution for most WordPress sites.

It stores the data in memory using the server’s RAM. While the amount of data it can store is low, it is much faster than other solutions.

For the most part, the average WordPress blog will not come anywhere close to exceeding what your web server’s RAM can handle. This results in it being the fastest solution available, but it is not quite as easy to set up as other solutions.

The good news is that due to its explosive popularity, most web hosts have begun to support Redis and can help with the installation process.

If your website is focusing more on speed, Redis is by far the best option for a standard WordPress site.

Memcached vs. Redis: Which is Better?

While it largely depends on what kind of site you are running, on a general level, Redis will end up being the better option, especially in the WordPress ecosystem.

When set up correctly, it delivers the fastest caching experience and has more features to take advantage of.

This gives it far more flexibility with dealing with bigger sets of data. Of course, this flexibility does come at the price of complexity. Redis will be slightly harder to maintain and manage when compared to Memcached, but the performance boost is worth the effort.

That said, either solution will work for the majority of websites out there. It just depends on the data you are working with and your ability to properly configure each to fit the situation.

Which caching solution did you choose? Did you notice a performance boost when switching from one solution to another?

The post Memcached vs Redis: Which One is the Best for You? appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

As such, the font needs to be easy to ready, properly sized, and be a color that does not blend in with the background. While this may sound like the basics, so many websites still don’t get it right, and odds are you have probably run into a website or two that is hard to read.

Today, I will be covering everything you need to know about HTML fonts in WordPress.

What Are HTML Fonts?

An HTML font, or web font, is the style of text displayed on websites, which is written in CSS. In most cases, the platform you create your website on will only have a limited selection of fonts to choose from, but in reality, there are hundreds available.

However, using them comes with a pretty big trade-off. They may not be stored on the servers you communicate with.

Or in other words, your page may take longer to load if you are using an unusual font because the server and web browsers must locate the font you are using and then install it before the page can load.

This is why most websites actually use a very similar font.

Another aspect of HTML fonts is their ability to adapt to different screen sizes. Or in other words, responsiveness.

It’s also important to mention that each font is customizable in terms of its size and the color you choose. There are also other standard customizations like bold and italics that you can apply. These options are available for nearly every font.

How Do I Change Fonts in WordPress?

The fonts you have at your disposal are dependent on the theme you are using. Each theme will typically offer several standard fonts you can choose from. That said, like most things in WordPress, you can add more with plugins.

Let’s take a look at how to choose a font in WordPress.

Method 1: Theme Customizer

Before WordPress 5.9, virtually all themes within WordPress allowed you to change font through the theme customizer. This allows you to change the font in any area on your website. And it’s really easy to do.

The only problem is that some themes do not have the same options available. Thus, if you don’t see a typography option, skip to method 2.

On the WordPress admin panel, click on the Appearance and select the Customize option.

As I said before, this is different for every theme. Sometimes the typography option will appear in the top-level options. Other times it is buried in another location.

In my case, I am using the Astra theme. I first need to click on Global before I can select the typography option.

The options available are theme-dependent, but you will typically have options to change spacing, margins, font size, and more. You can use the font selector to pick from the defaults your theme offers. Some offer more than others.

You can see what the font looks like in the areas it changes. Sometimes they are global options, and sometimes they are for specific sections.

Method 2: Code

Not all themes offer typography as an option, instead, you need to actually code the fonts into the stylesheet. The good news is that this sounds way harder than it actually is.

Go into the backend of your website and locate your theme’s CSS stylesheet. To use one font throughout your website, add the following line of code to the top of the sheet:

* {font-family:”Name of font”}

You must replace the “name of font” with the actual name of the font (like Arial). Save the changes and that is your new font. The font must be a standard HTML font, otherwise, you need to download the font to use it.

In those cases, you can sometimes embed a line of code in your header area. A great example of this is Google fonts.

Method 3: Site Editor (WordPress 5.9)

The Site Editor is a new addition to WordPress as of the latest update 5.9. It is not available on most themes, and the ones it is are still in beta. However, going forward, this will slowly but surely replace the theme customizer.

In the coming months, themes will exclusively release with this editor and existing themes will add it as a replacement or in conjunction with the theme customizer from method 1.

TL;DR: The site editor is here to stay and allows you to make changes to your entire site at once. And yes, this includes typography options.

Click on Appearance and select the Editor option.

The first thing you should see is the Typography option on the right-hand side. Click on it.

You’ll then be asked to choose between Text and Links. Links refer to hyperlinks you create, while text refers to everything else. Select the Text option.

Use the Font Family drop-down box to select which font to use. Similar to before, the options at your disposal are theme-dependent.

And that’s it. This editor will surely be expanded upon in future updates, so there will definitely be more options to take advantage of in the future.

What About Plugins?

WordPress has a huge selection of plugins that you can use to add custom fonts, but custom fonts do not refer to the standard HTML fonts. These are unique fonts that you can access for free.

Now, this may sound inviting, but for the most part, there is a huge problem using these fonts. They slow down your website.

I mentioned this earlier, but for a page to load, the web browser the visitor is using must download that font from the server it is stored. This is an extra step and the more custom fonts you use, the longer it will take.

This is a big reason why HTML fonts are widely used. They are standard and can be found anywhere. And it’s also why most sites settle on a single font. The more you add the longer it takes to load.

The good news is that Google has been working on expanding the font selection you have available with Google Fonts.

What Are Google Fonts?

Google Fonts are custom fonts available directly from Google. And they offer over 1000 fonts to choose from. Most importantly, they avoid the problems that custom fonts run into because they are stored directly on Google servers.

It then delivers the font to all users in the most optimal way possible. The end result is that your website will load faster than otherwise using a third-party file.

Since Google Fonts are not the focus of this guide, I’ll leave it at that, but if you are interested we already have a guide on how to host them locally in WordPress.

Tips to Make Your HTML Font Legible

One of the biggest problems beginners face is legibility. Half of the time, they don’t even realize it is a problem. If visitors cannot read your content, they won’t be coming back for more. And they will be less likely to share it.

Let’s take a look at the major considerations all websites should make when selecting their font.

1. Don’t Use A Cursive Style

There are a ton of fonts you can choose from, and many exist that use cursive as the style behind them. While it can be a good fit for some websites, like those that focus on history, it’s not the greatest choice for accessibility.

First, it’s important to address the major flaw of this design choice, a lot of people cannot read cursive.

In fact, in America, many schools have actually removed cursive classes, thus that group will only grow in size. And odds are, it won’t just be Americans that view your website.

Individuals who learn English as a second language also struggle to read cursive.

You might think it is stylish, but I can assure you, it will turn many away from the content.

2. Choose The Right Color

One of the biggest mistakes that beginners make is changing the color of the font. This can easily make text very difficult to see for regular visitors, and impossible for those with visual impairments.

Most notably, you should keep in mind that color blindness exists. In just America, over 12 million people have some form of color blindness.

However, it’s not just the text that you need to worry about here, it’s also the background color. For example, black text is a great choice for most sites, but not on a black or dark-colored background. Instead, white text works better.

Color is easily one of the biggest factors that make web content hard to read.

3. Don’t Make the Text Too Small

Now, I know what you’re thinking, people can just use the zoom function to make the text readable right? While this is very true, how many people are actually going to take the time to adjust the zoom levels? How many people actually know how to?

The truth is that if someone finds the text too small, they’re just going to leave.

The recommended text size to use on a blog is between 16 and 20 px. It’s important to not just consider desktop users either as mobile users are far more susceptible to small text. Again, even if it is easy to zoom in, most won’t or don’t know it exists.

Properly sized text is critical for success.

FAQ

How Large is the HTML Font Family?

While there are a lot of fonts to choose from, the actual HTML font family list only consists of five members:

1. Serif
2. Sans-serif
3. Cursive
4. Fantasy
5. Monospace

The families denote a specific style that all of the fonts within follow, at least for the most part. There are a few outliers, but you can expect the cursive family to produce fonts that look, well cursive.

Within each font family, there are hundreds of fonts to choose from and the list grows every year. However, most are not web-safe.

What Are Web Safe Fonts?

Web-safe fonts are the most used fonts on the internet. They are web-safe because all devices and browsers are accustomed to using them.

The total number of web-safe fonts is hard to determine, but there are about 20 or so. The list is growing due to more websites opting for fonts with different styles.

As a result, more web browsers will natively support the most popular fonts, hence the growing list.

Here are some of the most used fonts on the internet and the families they come from:

• Arial (sans-serif)
• Times New Roman (serif)
• Verdana (sans-serif)
• Tahoma (sans-serif)
• Trebuchet MS (sans-serif)
• Impact (sans-serif)
• Didot (serif)
• Georgia (serif)
• American Typewriter (serif)

Is A Typeface A Font?

By definition, a typeface is the letters, numbers, and characters that all share the same design. Whereas the font is the specific style that the typeface will use with a specific width, size, and weight.

That may still be confusing, so I’ll provide an example. Consider Times New Roman; it is a typeface by definition. However, once you give it a specific size, say 20px, and make it bold, it becomes a font.

The two are very similar and are often used interchangeably, but they’re not actually the same thing.

Is Bold A Font?

It’s quite common to use Bold, Italics, or Bold Italics to help keywords or phrases stand out. However, Bold is not actually a font.

Instead, it is a modifier for the font itself. It can dramatically help your content be more readable, especially as more users begin to just skim pages to find a specific phrase or term. And in this regard, it is highly effective.

However, it is not a substitute for an actual header.

What’s the Difference Between A Web Font and A Desktop Font?

A desktop font is installed on your computer with the intention of it being used within a specific application. For example, imagine installing a font to use in Microsoft Word or in Photoshop.

A web font is specifically made for websites and uses CSS to be displayed on web pages. Many fonts can actually exist as both a web and desktop font, like Times New Roman or Arial, but they are actually very different from one another from a code perspective.

Thus, the line between them has become blurred over time.

Should I Use the HTML Font Tag?

I didn’t mention the HTML Font tag because the classic editor is far behind us. However, if you are still using it, then you can use the HTML editor to manipulate the font. However, this is unnecessary as the visual editor exists.

For those curious, the font tag is “<font>” and you can use it to manipulate the font on a post or page. It is still used today, but that number is decreasing.

The HTML Fonts You Choose Really Matters

There’s no denying that for most websites, the majority of content on your website will be in the form of text. Or in other words, utilize a font.

Therefore, the font you choose can make or break your website. And it’s not just the style of it either. You need to make sure it is properly sized, is colored in a way that makes it visible, and matches the vibe of your website.

Many beginners just pick a generic font like Arial, which is actually a smart choice since it is the most popular. But being selective about it can dramatically enhance the experience you deliver to visitors.

What HTML fonts do you use on your website? Do you use a web-safe font?

The post Ultimate Guide to HTML Fonts and How to Use Them Well appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

Today, I am here to explain what it is and how it will impact web design.

What Is the MySQL Database?

By definition, MySQL is an open-source SQL relational database management system from Oracle. As a relational database, the data is stored in smaller storage areas called tables. This makes it easier to locate the data you need, but more importantly, it helps organize data.

For example, let’s say you store what your customer recently bought and also their contact information. It’s pretty basic stuff that you would be expected to store. In MySQL, each of these pieces would be stored in a separate table.

Thus, you could examine the table you want to get the information you need. If it wasn’t a relational database, then both pieces of data would be stored in the same location.

First, this makes it very hard to find the data you are looking for.

And secondly, there would be a lot of duplicate information taking up space. This makes relational databases like MySQL very efficient overall.

You can also view multiple pieces of data by using a key. This allows you to take data related to that key from multiple tables. The key is the unique ID assigned to that piece of data.

So for example, let’s say you want to view John Doe’s contact info and shopping history. You would take his unique ID number, and you would pull up all data related to it in another table.

How Do I Interact With the MySQL Database?

Knowing what MySQL is only half the battle. The other half is actually using it.

This database uses a client-server model. What this means is that the user will interact with the client to access the server where the data is stored. It’s quite simple, which is a big reason why MySQL is used widely across the industry.

So how does it work?

In the simplest terms, the user will send a request to the database (server). For example in WordPress, if a visitor clicks on a blog, they are actually sending a request to the server to display a specific post.

And this pretty much applies to everything in WordPress. Whenever you are trying to view any piece of information, a request is made to the database.

The other main way to interact with the database through the client is with scripts.

What Is A MySQL Script?

MySQL Scripts allow the user to send direct commands to the database.

Instead of making a standard request, like clicking on a post to view it, you are instead writing a direct command. This can be used to accomplish a variety of things within the database.

For instance, perhaps you create a script that will replace or insert new information into multiple files at once. This can save you a lot of time as opposed to doing it for each file manually.

However, this raises the question, do I need MySQL scripts?

Not really, everything can be done using other avenues, which beginners may find easier. However, veteran web developers can use scripts to save a lot of time.

The problem is that you need that basic understanding of MySQL scripts to use them. If not, you could easily send the wrong command and do some serious damage to the database.

Thus, while they are a powerful tool to take advantage of, they are not for everyone.

Why Is It Important For Web Design?

It should be relatively clear why MySQL is important when creating a website.

MySQL determines the speed of when things load on your site and how fast you can access that stored data. It has a direct impact on site performance, which makes it an integral part of web design.

Speed is king after all.

If your database is not optimized, it makes it difficult to find the information you are looking for, takes up larger amounts of space due to duplicate data, and ultimately slows down your website.

In many cases, you won’t have to do much to keep the database healthy. However, being able to identify when things go wrong can help you troubleshoot problems in an instant.

This is why many developers will use a tool that allows them to see all of the requests to the database in real-time. That way, the moment a request doesn’t go through, the developer can see what is causing the issue.

So to sum it up, MySQL allows users to diagnose problems within the database and improve load times throughout their websites.

FAQ

What Happens If I Cannot Connect to the Database?

You will encounter the “Error Establishing A Database Connection” error which will not allow you to see the information you are requesting.

This can happen for a variety of reasons, but by far the most common is that you have entered the wrong database credentials. Essentially, the login information is wrong and due to that, you cannot access the database.

If you use a shared web hosting environment, this error could result when there is a spike of traffic that the server cannot handle. Essentially, one of your digital neighbors is hogging the resources, which impacts your experience.

This is why shared hosting is only for websites just starting out. Having your own dedicated server ensures that you always get the resources you pay for.

Other causes could be due to file corruption within the database. Sometimes this can occur naturally, and using a backup to restore the files can solve the issue. In other cases, hackers may have intentionally done this to cover their tracks.

How Does phpMyAdmin Fit In?

phpMyAdmin is a free tool that uses the PHP language (the same as WordPress) to help manage the MySQL database.

By default, MySQL lacks a graphical interface, which most users are familiar with. This is where phpMyAdmin comes it. It provides that interface to help make it easy for web developers to interact with the database.

When I mentioned MySQL scripts earlier, I didn’t mention that those queries are actually made using phpMyAdmin. Essentially, this tool is the interface you will use to manage your database and send manual queries.

What Is A MySQL Fork?

MySQL has had multiple forks over the years. These are essentially copies of MySQL that occurred at specific points in time. These copies were then optimized in a specific manner and developed in a different direction than the main.

The most notable forks include MariaDB and Percona Server.

MariaDB is often referred to as the improved version of MySQL. It has more storage engines and a larger connection pool than MySQL, which results in MariaDB being faster than MySQL.

It’s for users that seek a faster experience.

Percona Server is a full replacement for MySQL. It put a lot of focus on improving the InnoDB and was successful in doing so. You can see a lot more of what’s going on in the workflow, which helps you catch mistakes.

How Can I See Each Database Request Made?

If your trying to troubleshoot problems, seeing the actual request list for the database is helpful. And in WordPress, this is easy to do.

Like most things in WordPress, all you need to do is install the right plugin for the job. In this case, that plugin is Query Monitor. Query Monitor is a free debugging tool for WordPress that allows you to see all database requests.

Essentially, it tracks every request made when a page is loaded and how long it takes for that request to occur. As a result, you can identify exactly what is slowing down your page and by extension, fix it.

It’s a powerful tool that is active on over 100,000 WordPress websites, so be sure to give it a try.

How Can I Optimize the MySQL Database?

You might think that optimizing a database is very complicated, but you would be mistaken. In reality, there is a built-in optimize command.

All you need to do is enter and execute the following SQL query:

OPTIMIZE TABLE 'wp_posts'

Yet, this isn’t the only built-in method. There is actually an optimized option you can use by selecting all items in the database. This is more beginner-friendly as it doesn’t involve any lines of code, but there’s still an even easier way: WordPress plugins.

That’s right, you can actually optimize the database from your website without any coding. In this case, you have a few options, but one I can recommend is WP-Optimize.

As the name implies, WP-Optimize is an optimization plugin for WordPress. It can be used to optimize the database in just a few clicks, but it goes beyond just the database. It will also optimize things like images, allow you to cache pages to improve speeds, and more

If your looking to optimize WordPress, this plugin is one of the best ways to do it.

How Can I Keep My Database Small?

Another way to help optimize your database is to keep it small, but how can you do that?

Well, it’s actually pretty simple. You need to get rid of what you don’t need.

Not only can this help shrink your database, but it can help shrink web hosting costs. After all, you are paying for that space.

So, where to start?

The first thing I would recommend is to limit the WordPress revisions feature. By default, WordPress will save every change you make to a post or page. While this is a great recovery tool, there’s no reason to hold onto revisions from several years ago.

Instead, limit the revisions to 3 or a more reasonable number. You also have the option to disable the feature entirely.

If you have a ton of comments that have built up but never checked, that is another excellent spot to clean up. Delete the spam comments and approve the rest. Larger websites can generate thousands of spam comments in a day. It adds up fast.

Delete any plugins or themes that are currently not in use. These can take up a surprising amount of space. Sometimes you may be able to remove plugins because the feature is available in another you already use.

Not only does this help the database, but it is just a good practice in general.

There’s No Avoiding MySQL

MySQL is the most widely used database engine in the world and just about every web hosting company uses it. There are a few exceptions, but even in those cases, they’re just using a MySQL fork like MariaDB.

While you can certainly limit your direct usage with the database, it is there and it will have a huge impact on your website. Taking the time to understand and optimize the database for your website is a surefire way to boost site performance.

Thus, every website owner should work towards understanding the basics of the MySQL database.

What steps have you taken to optimize the MySQL database? Do you use any plugins to help you manage the database in WordPress?

The post What is MySQL and Why Is It Important to Web Design? appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

SSH dates back to 1995 but has gone through several evolutions since its inception, yet it still remains one of the most important aspects of IT. Today, most devices use either SSH-2 or OpenSSH (Windows 10), and web developers need to be aware of it.

This article will discuss what SSH is and its importance in web design.

What Is SSH?

The meaning of SSH is very complex, and in truth, it would go over most people’s heads. The good news is that you don’t need to fully understand it, you just need to know the basics unless you are an IT major.

By definition, SSH is a network protocol that enables users to gain remote access to a computer, or another device, by providing SSH Keys as credentials. In the majority of cases, SSH is only implemented for highly sensitive data and devices that need encryption.

The most common uses of SSH include:

• Remote Access Devices to Perfrom Maintenance or Provide Support
• File Transfers From One Device to Another
• Execute Commands Remotely
• Update Devices in An Office

Due to the numerous security advantages SSH offers, more on that later, it has become the standard for remote access. Let’s discuss how it works.

How Does It Work?

This can get pretty complicated on more advanced networks, so let’s keep it simple.

Let’s say you want to transfer a file from your computer to a server for storage. It’s pretty standard stuff. If you did not use SSH, that file would be readable to anyone who knows where to look during the data transfer.

As you can imagine, it is problematic for sensitive data.

This is where SSH comes in. To access this data, you would need the SSH Keys to read it, which only the user and the server know. Thus, if someone tries to read the file while it is transferring, they won’t be able to due to its encryption.

Again, SSH is typically reserved for more sensitive data, so there is a good chance you have never used the SSH Keys when using remote access.

The Three Layers of SSH Protocol

If we dig a bit further and examine the interworkings of this protocol, you will realize there are three distinct parts. These are known as layers and consist of:

1. Transport Layer
2. User Authentication Layer
3. Connection Layer

I will cover what each layer does in its simplest form.

Transport Layer

As the name suggests, this layer is in control of key exchange between devices. It also handles encryption and compression that occurs between these devices for the duration of the interaction. Only plain text is transported within this layer.

User Authentication Layer

This layer is the real meat and potatoes of the protocol, as it is in control of authentication throughout the process. There are four main authentication methods that are used. These include:

1. Passwords: Passwords is the method most are familiar with. The user enters a password and if it is correct, they gain access. While it is straightforward and easier for users, there are more secure options that exist.
2. Public/Private Keys: On the surface, these are similar to passwords, but are strictly managed by an organization’s IT team. Public keys are created in pairs, with the other being known as a private key. The public key is shared to whoever needs it, while the private key is only known by a few individuals.
3. Keyboard Interactive: In its simpilest term, this can be compared to 2FA where the server will ask a question, and if the answer is correct, it will provide a one-time password the user can use to access the connection.
4. GSSAPI: GSAAPI, or Generic Security Service Application Programming Interface, is a common interface you can use to access the Kerberos security system used by Microsoft Windows.

The Authentication Layer is that which the user will interact and input their passwords and whatnot.

Connection Layer

Finally, this layer is all about connecting your devices together using channels. One connection can have multiple channels of communication, and those channels are not one-way. They can send data back and forth at the same time.

It also controls some other minor things like the appearance of the connection (terminal) window.

The Different Types of SSH Encryption

SSH is encrypted, but there are multiple ways this can be accomplished. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, which is why different methods are used in different situations. Let’s take a look at the three most common encryption methods.

Symmetrical Encryption

To put it simply, symmetrical encryption is when there is only one encryption key that can be used to encrypt and decrypt. Or in other words, anyone who has access to the key can encrypt or decrypt any data that uses this method.

This method can be used to encrypt the entire process, not just the data. The key is generated with a process known as a key exchange algorithm, which is quite complicated. Essentially, both parties provide a bit of info and the key is generated.

Overall, this type of encryption is quite popular and encrypts everything from data to the passwords entered.

Asymmetrical Encryption

If you remember back to the User Authentication layer, I mentioned private and public keys. If you were to use that authentication method, you would also be using Asymmetrical encryption because it requires these two keys.

In its simplest form, asymmetrical encryption happens within symmetrical encryption (since it encrypts everything) and the two devices use the public key to which acts as the secret for symmetric encryption.

This is only one possibility as there are multiple ways to use this encryption.

This has a wide arrange of uses and is always used alongside symmetrical encryption.

Hashing

Hashing is different from the last two encryption methods. In this method, a hashing algorithm is used to create a unique hash string. The machine will then send that hash string along with the hash value needed to open it.

The machine that is receiving the data knows the algorithm and can apply the value to open the data. If the values do not match, then the data was corrupted and cannot be read. Ultimately, it protects all types of data but has one drawback.

It is very difficult to achieve. However, this standard encryption is far more common.

So How Does This Impact Web Design?

We’ve talked a lot about what SSH is, but haven’t really connected it to web design yet, have we?

Clearly, SSH is not going to impact actually creating a website or designing content for it. No, instead this is more of a back-end thing that many beginners overlook. One of the main components of running a website is purchasing web hosting services.

You are essentially renting out a server to host your website. When someone accesses your website, they are really connecting to that server. Now depending on the plan you purchase, you may be sharing that server with other people, or have a dedicated one to yourself.

In a shared environment, you cannot set up SSH because your access is typically limited by the web hosting company. However, if you rent a full server, that restriction is gone and you can set up SSH. This gives you more control over the webserver.

Remember, you can use SSH to issue and execute commands on a code level. That is an invaluable tool to a talented web developer.

That said, for simple websites, setting this up may be overkill. It really comes down to the situation and what you’re trying to achieve.

FAQ

Who Should Be Using SSH?

Organizations that need to transfer sensitive data between devices may want to invest in SSH, but this does require an IT team.

As such, small websites or businesses probably won’t need to incorporate such technology, at least in their early days. However, if they deal in particular industries like consulting, you may be forced to set this up to ensure confidentiality between clients.

Is All Remote Access Secured By SSH?

No.

Most remote access on a home network does not use the SSH protocol. Instead, you are vulnerable to anyone who knows how to steal data.

That said, the odds of your local network being compromised are extremely low. The risk is when you remote access a device from a public space.

A great example of this would be going to the library and accessing your desktop at home. If the network is not secure, remote access should be avoided if sensitive data is available on the device.

Does That Mean Remote Play Services From Steam or PlayStation Are Not Safe?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that when you are streaming a game, it is the same as remote access to the device.

It is not.

In both the case of Steam and Playstation, you are streaming the device’s output on another device. You are not transferring data.

Thus, it is completely safe to use remote play for gaming. That said, be sure to enable 2FA for additional security.

Are There Any Drawbacks to SSH?

Absolutely.

As I have mentioned, there are multiple authentication and encryption methods, and they exist because SSH is not impenetrable. If there was only one way to do things, hackers would have figured out a way to get into any company’s server.

One example of this is SSH tunneling, which is a process in which someone can use port forwarding to access their computer from work. Most commonly, IT members do this, and they shouldn’t because it creates a back door into the network.

Especially since anyone can use port forwarding.

Is An SSH Key Generator Safe?

Absolutely!

They simply generate random key sequences that you can use. Just keep in mind that you should update your keys on a regular basis. This ensures that only the people who need them have access to the latest version of the key.

Again, it’s all part of the IT team’s job.

The Internet Isn’t A Safe Place

It’s no secret that the internet is not a safe place, which is why every website needs to use security plugins and set up firewalls to stay safe. Even just viewing the web isn’t safe.

Most devices run anti-malware and virus protection for a very good reason.

SSH is designed to help organizations keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands, and it does an excellent job in doing so. However, it’s a rather complex process that is often handled by experienced IT teams.

As hackers become more talented and resourceful, the value of SSH will only grow.

Does your business incorporate SSH in any form? If so, what type of encryption do you favor?

The post What is SSH and How Does it Help in Web Design? appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.