I had been doing server-side programming with Symfony 2 and PHP for at least three years before I started to see some productivity problems with it. Don’t get me wrong, I like Symfony quite a lot: It’s a mature, elegant and professional framework. But I’ve realized that too much of my precious time is spent not on the business logic of the application itself, but on supporting the architecture of the framework.
I don’t think I’ll surprise anyone by saying that we live in a fast-paced world. The whole startup movement is a constant reminder to us that, in order to achieve success, we need to be able to test our ideas as quickly as possible. The faster we can iterate on our ideas, the faster we can reach customers with our solutions, and the better our chances of getting a product-market fit before our competitors do or before we exceed our limited budget. And in order to do so, we need instruments suitable to this type of work.
If you were listening to the previous ProBlogger podcast episode about my top tips for building your email subscriber list, you would have heard me talking about creating an opt-in as an incentive for people to sign up.
Creating an opt-in has the potential to significantly increase your subscriber numbers by offering something truly valuable in exchange for the reader’s email address. They are sometimes called lead magnets, and you’ll have seen them on plenty of other blogs and sites you visit.
Even though creating an opt-in and working on building your email list is one of the most important things you can do as a blogger, I know there are plenty of you who put it off to worry about another time. I know this, because I’ve done it myself! We’ve only recently started offering something similar on Digital Photography School despite being aware it is something I should have done much sooner.
You’ll also notice I don’t have a lead magnet or opt-in here on the ProBlogger blog, but you’ll hopefully see us get this task off our “someday” list in the new year.
Today’s challenge isn’t just for those of you without a lead magnet – if you’ve already got one on offer, you might want to consider upgrading or determining if it’s time to create another? Something more up-to-date, something that will appeal to a different audience, something specific to one of your site categories, or something that could boost your current list?
In today’s episode I also discuss why you should create an opt-in, and the potential it has to grow your blog. We go over how to deliver your opt-in, what format it could take, and how you can figure out something that incentivises your readers to sign up to your list and stay engaged. There is also the option of considering a longer-term strategy or offering as opposed to a one-off incentive, and I give a few ideas here. I also go through the purpose it needs to serve, how you can create your offering, tools and services I’ve used, and that all-important aspect: getting the signup!
So good luck with today’s challenge of creating an opt-in for your email list. What opt-in will you be creating? What will it be about, and how will you deliver it? Be sure to use the hashtag #TodayNotSomeday when you share your efforts to social media so we can see how you’re all doing.
Nearly half (47%) of small business owners say they personally handle the bulk of their company’s marketing efforts, according to a recent report from Infusionsoft. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
From mobile engagement to inventory management, columnist Allan Haims looks at the key trends that dominated the discussions at two major retail conferences.
Product teams in startups and mid-sized and large companies are all implementing usability testing and prototyping as a way to de-risk product development. As the focus shifts from engineering to prototyping, it is becoming increasingly important for anyone who creates prototypes to understand the differences between a prototype and a product build.
By optimizing the prototyping process, you can produce mockups that deliver the most actionable user insights, while being as efficient as possible with design time. Regardless of which prototype tools you use or whether you test wireframes, clickable mockups or coded prototypes, what’s most important to focus on is what you want to test and what you want to learn from it.
Raúl Ramírez (@isopixel en Twitter) platica #EnPocasPalabras la historia de Darren Rowse, uno de los bloggers más famosos de internet y comparte algunos de s…
It’s the last ‘Skim of the year, so check out the yearend roundups circulating in the social feeds, and learn which trends will be most critical for businesses in 2016. Also: cool new stuff, including how aging Millennials will influence business, and Web analytics that can track emotions. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
When creating a hashtag to represent your brand, community, or event, you might think of it as dating: you want excitement, you want intrigue, but you also want something that will last, at least a little while. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
Are you looking for project management tools for your WordPress development business? After surveying thousands of our users, we put together some of the best project management software for your organization.
Good project management tools are essential for WordPress developers. They can help you organize, prioritize, and implement new projects. Plus, they’ll keep effective communication between you, your clients, and your team. It’s a win-win.
This article explores some of the best project management software in the business! Also, we’ll go over how to make a decision on what type of software you need.
You’ll see that some of these tools are efficient for design, while others focus on communication. Additionally, some everyday tasks and projects work well for larger teams — and some smaller ones. And you’ll notice there are free options and paid ones.
We’ve gathered research from thousands of members and found some interesting insights on what developers use in their organizations. We present our results below.
All of this being said, every one of the above platforms has a solid reputation and is at the top of our list of most recommended project management software. (No, we are not affiliated with any of them.)
So, which one(s) should you choose?
Factors When Choosing Project Manager Tools
Before we start looking into a few WordPress project management tools, let’s first discuss crucial factors you need to consider when choosing software that is suitable for you, both as a web developer and for a digital agency.
#1. Deployment Location: Self-Hosted vs. Cloud
It’s the modern era of cloud services, SaaS services, or whatever name you want to call them; services available fully online are now the norm.
The reason why these services have taken off and become so popular are various. Still, here are two that are the strongest differentiators:
Always on – SaaS-based products are available from anywhere and at any time. Today’s modern office is not restricted by location, time, geography, or anything else. If you’ve got an internet connection, you can work – physical access to your office is a thing of the past. SaaS fully enables the digital nomad lifestyle.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership – You can start immediately with cloud-based software. No need for infrastructural investments, licensing costs, maintenance agreements, or support personnel. The initial investment and the running costs are typically cheaper for cloud-based products, even when paying monthly and per user, especially for SMBs.
#2. Focused or Adapted for Web Design and/or WordPress Project Management
This article discusses project management tools with a specific focus on WordPress and web design and development here, so the tool you should use must somewhat revolve around your needs as a web designer/developer.
While nonspecific project management tools are a dime-a-dozen, you’ll find more suitable candidates when you start niching into web design and WordPress.
Now, don’t get me wrong, generic tools are great. Many are open and configurable enough to let you get on with the job – even if they are not specifically developed with WordPress or web design project management. In fact, we’ll cover quite a few tools that are quite general.
#3. The Service Addresses Your Pain Points
Before you subscribe to one of the many project management services, you’ll need to do a little bit of introspection:
What are the problems I’m facing as a web designer or agency?
What changes do I need to make in my own processes besides adopting a project management tool?
Do I need to resolve internal communication issues?
Do I have a problem managing or communicating with the client?
Do I typically underestimate the effort required and overspend on budgeted hours?
Do I have problems remembering all the tasks that need to be done?
Are my developers and designers having trouble getting through to each other?
As you can see from the above, some of the problems can be resolved using a good project management tool; others can be resolved if you use proper job scheduling software, while others still need surgery.
No software can fix intrinsic problems YOU have to fix.
Luckily, a good WordPress project management tool can surely ease some of the nagging pain points most agencies and freelancers are bound to experience during their day-to-day business. In fact, I daresay a project management tool is essential if you care about the success of your business.
So, let’s get to it!
Project Management Software
Google Workspace
A well-known name that has your workspace covered.
Google Workspace, formally G Suite, is “a flexible, innovative solution for people and organizations to achieve more.” They offer a vast variety of tools to collaborate with coworkers and clients.
Tools include custom email, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, and more.
Google Meet is an example of what’s included in Google Workspace.
Google Workplace has various plans and pricing that are based on cloud storage, users, and specific pages (e.g. appointment booking pages available on all but one plan).
Nimbus
Nimbus has a lot of various elements to make this a go-to project management tool.
Nimbus is a platform with a variety of tools – including Nimbus Note (for creating online notes, docs, and wikis), Nimbus Capture (for screenshots and screencasts), and Nimbus Clipper (for grabbing web pages and deleting irrelevant parts).
It consists of client portals, easy collaboration, knowledge sharing, and project management tools.
Collaboration is simple and easy with Nimbus.
Over a million professionals use their software. A great perk of their platform is it’s free to get started. Then, you can upgrade for an insanely cheap price. The upgrades include more workspaces, automation, custom SMTP, and more.
Slack
Slack is another household name for remote teams.
Here at WPMU DEV, Slack is no stranger to us. After all, we use it to communicate with our coworkers daily. We have Huddle calls, provide feedback on plugins (and other tech), determine what blog posts to write about (like this one!) – and much more.
It’s one platform for the entire team and work. Everything can be managed from Channels, Slack Connect (to sync up with teams at other companies), Messaging, and more.
Slack works well on mobile and desktop platforms.
Considering it’s essential to our workflow here at WPMU DEV, and we’ve been happy with it, it’s worth checking out as a reliable option for your own project management.
Slack has pricing options that depend on the size of your business or organization.
Zoom
Zoom is a great way to communicate.
“For staff communication, we use Zoom for meetings and email for regular correspondence.”
Tisagh C. – WPMU DEV Member
Another very popular software for project management is Zoom. Zoom is one of those platforms that’s known as THE video conferencing platform. “Hey, let’s have a Zoom call.” Ever heard that or something similar?
Their virtual meeting capabilities allow you to “meet” with anyone globally. Whether it be mobile or your computer – it’s possible to communicate with coworkers, potential clients, or anyone in a few clicks.
You can record the conversations, have up to 1000 participants, enable chat, and much more.
A Zoom meeting is a common way to get in touch with anyone.
Plus, sign up for Zoom for free. Or, you can upgrade if you need longer meetings, need more cloud storage, or depending on the number of participants in your meeting (e.g. 1000s of people).
Trello
Trello is an extremely popular project management software.
“I use Trello for project management and to organize my worklists.”
Marianna – WPMU DEV User
With Trello, you have the ability to see your projects at every angle – whether with a board, timeline table, workspace view – you name it. Trello is a leader when it comes to project management software.
It’s known as a visual platform where you can view all projects in one place in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
You can upload files, create checklists, add 3rd party apps, and much more.
Trello is used by over 2 million users worldwide.
Trello is free, or you can upgrade based on the amount of users, controls, and security you’d like.
Figma
Figma is great for brainstorming with clients or collaborators.
Especially great for designers, Figma works well in visually collaborative environments. It functions as if you’re in the same room – with sticky notes, online whiteboard for drawing or marking, and live collaboration.
You can map the process with their FigJam option. This keeps everything flowing and “jamming” as you collaborate, to ensure a project is done on time.
It’s easy to use and communicate with your team via text, notes, and handoffs from designer to developer.
A brainstorming session in Figma.
Figma is free, or you can upgrade if you need more Figma Files and resources.
Whatsapp
Got a lot of messaging with a team to do? WhatsApp can help.
For mobile project management, WhatsApp is a free app designed for small business owners. With the app, you can use automated tools to connect with clients and quickly get back to clients’ messages.
WhatsApp has a group chat feature, so you can easily connect with your team. Beyond an app, you can sync your chats to your computer. Additionally, you can send PDFs, docs, spreadsheets, slideshows, and more.
Though it’s known as an app, you can also use WhatsApp on your computer.
It’s entirely free to use WhatsApp, making it a simple solution to avoid SMS fees and communicate efficiently with your team and clients.
Notion
Notion is a highly customizable project management tool.
“I’m in it all day, every day. I even built a client dashboard template and want to create more for others.”
Keith – WPMU DEV Member
Notion is a highly customizable workspace where you can connect your teams, projects, and docs. You can drag and drop the dashboard, website, doc, or system however you’d like.
It’s used for project management by some top companies; such as Loom, Figma, mixpanel, and Pixar.
The goal of Notion is to simplify communication between you and your team by offering their streamlined customizable options all in one place.
Customize the dashboard however you like.
It’s free to start with Notion, and then there are upgrades you can purchase monthly or yearly. Some packages include unlimited file uploads, collaborative workspaces, and admin tools.
Asana
Asana was made to make complex work simple.
“I used Asana for a long time, I like their UX, colors, and branding. As well as their explaining videos.”
Mo – WPMU DEV Project Manager
Want to eliminate frequent meetings and streamline your project management? Asana might be a great platform for you. You can manage dependent, overlapping, and unscheduled projects. Plus, it has boards that simplifies focus for you and your team.
Additionally, you can automate tasks, such as assigning work, setting due dates, and more. And there is reporting for your work, so you can easily monitor the progress.
You can label and organize your tasks by clients, coworkers, priorities, and more.
Asana is free. However, upgrades available have features, such as unlimited free guests, unlimited integrations, and more.
MS Teams
Love Microsoft? MS Teams might be for you.
Of course, Microsoft is a giant in the tech world, and its MS Teams is a rising star in its universe. With MS Teams, you can create and manage teams, schedule meetings, use language transitions, share files, and much more.
There are even remote learning tools for educating your clients or developers.
For video conferencing, MS Teams is a great free solution.
It’s free to use, or you can upgrade if you have many users, need video transcripts, and more.
Jira
Jira is a great way to schedule tasks from.
Like Slack, Jira is another go-to software here at WPMU DEV. Other developers agree that it’s great for project management. You can assign tasks, update them on a customized timeline, mark them as “done” and much more.
Plus, you can incorporate 3rd party apps (e.g. Slack) so that everything is organized in one convenient place. Here at WPMU DEV, we have it so that when a new task is assigned to an individual, they’re pinged on Slack. The link on Slack takes that person directly to the task.
Jira’s drag-and-drop dashboard makes it easy to organize and assign tasks.
Like a lot of our options, you can get Jira for free. Then you can upgrade depending on the amount of users you’ll need.
Basecamp
Basecamp prides itself on being simple.
With Basecamp you can manage people and projects in a simple and easy-to-use interface. Considering over 75K organizations use their platform, they’re definitely worthy of our list.
Basecamp features a one-page dashboard for your projects, assignments, and schedules. Plus, there’s a centralized place for discussions, a work tracker, file upload capabilities, instant chatting – and much more!
Scheduling, communication, and tasks – all in one place.
You can try Basecamp for free and then upgrade – depending on how many users you have.
The Perfect Project Management Software Awaits
As you can see, there are many options when choosing project management software. Maybe just one of these platforms will do the trick — or maybe a combination of several. Either way, make your developer’s life easier with organized management tools.
Whether you opt for the free version or need to upgrade — try out some of these recommendations today!
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for accuracy and relevancy. [Originally Published: May 2017 / Revised: October 2022]
