Brenda Stokes Barron | The Blog Pros

November 29, 2022

11 Typography Styles to Consider for Your Next Design

When it comes to typography, there’s a seemingly infinite number of styles to choose from. But which one is the right one for your next design?

That is the ultimate question when it comes to typography. And, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on the specific project you’re working on and what kind of message you’re trying to communicate.

However, we can narrow it down to a few general categories.

Here are 11 popular typography styles to consider for your next project.

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1. Serif

Serif fonts are the ones with the little feet (serifs) on the end of each letter. They are classic and elegant, and they have been around for centuries. Think of Times New Roman or Garamond – these are both serif fonts.

Serif fonts are generally seen as being more formal and traditional than other types of fonts. They are often used for headlines, logos, and other high-impact pieces.

2. Sans Serif

Sans serif fonts are the exact opposite of serif fonts. They have no little feet on the end of the letters, hence the name “sans serif.”

Sans serif fonts are generally seen as being more modern and clean than serif fonts. They are often used for body copy, menus, and other pieces where readability is key.

3. Script

Script fonts are designed to look like they were written by hand. They are usually very flowing and cursive, and they can be difficult to read if they are used for large blocks of text.

Script fonts are best used for small pieces, such as headlines or logos. They can also be used for body copy, but only if the design is very simple and easy to read. A good example would be the Adelia Font.

4. Display

Display fonts are any type of font that is designed to be used at large sizes. They are often very bold and eye-catching, and they can be difficult to read at smaller sizes.

Display fonts are best used for headlines, logos, and other short pieces of text. They should not be used for body copy or any other type of long-form text. A good example that shows how bold these fonts can be is Arbutus.

5. Decorative

Decorative fonts are just what they sound like – they are designed to be used for decorative purposes only. They are often very ornate and can be difficult to read.

Decorative fonts should only be used sparingly, if at all. They can be used for headlines or logos, but they should never be used for body copy. They are a lot of fun though. Just check out the Space Time font.

6. Blackletter

Blackletter fonts are a type of serif font that is designed to look like it was written in the Middle Ages. They are very ornate and can be difficult to read. It also goes by the name of gothic script or Old English.

Cloister Black is a great example of a blackletter font that encapsulates this old-fashioned style.

7. Handwritten

Handwritten fonts are designed to look like they were written by hand. They can be either serif or sans serif, but they usually have a more organic feel than other types of fonts.

Handwritten fonts are best used for small pieces, such as headlines or logos. The Autography Font illustrates this typography style well.

8. Slab Serif

Slab serif fonts are a type of serif font that is designed to be used at large sizes. They are often very bold and eye-catching, and they can be difficult to read at smaller sizes.

Slab serif fonts are ideal for headlines, logos, and titles. They should not be used for body copy or any other type of long-form text though as the line weight is too thick for the confined spaces of paragraphs. The Rosette Font has a chunky look that serves as a good example of a slab serif.

9. Geometric

Geometric fonts are designed to be very clean and simple. They often have straight lines and angles and rely on a geometric construction to achieve their letter shapes.

This kind of font is best used for headlines or logos, or any other spot where just a few words are needed. They can also be used for body copy, but only if the design is very simple, large, and easy to read.

10. Grotesque

Grotesque fonts are a type of sans serif font that is designed to be used at large sizes. Historically, they’re known for looking a bit awkward and unusual.

It is advisable to only use grotesque fonts for headlines, logos, and other brief pieces of text. They are not meant to be used for paragraphs or long stretches of text. Work Sans is a great example of a neo-grotesque style.

11. Humanistic

Humanistic fonts are sans serif fonts as well that are designed to look very natural and organic. They often have curved lines and softened edges.

Humanistic fonts are most successful when used for titles, headlines, or logos. They can also be readable if used sparingly in body copy with a simple design layout. You can look to the Centaur Font as a good example of this classic font style.

Let Typography Style Options Inspire You

There you have it! These are the 11 most common types of fonts that you’ll see used in graphic design. As you can see, each one has its own unique purpose and should be used accordingly.

When it comes to choosing the right font for your project, it’s important to think about the overall style you’re going for. Do you want something clean and modern? Or are you going for a more vintage or retro feel?

Once you have a general idea of the style you’re after, you can start browsing through different font options until you find one that fits your vision. Good luck!

November 22, 2022

How to Negotiate Competitive Freelance Rates

If you’re a freelancer, then you know that one of the most important aspects of your business is getting paid what you’re worth. But negotiating competitive freelance rates can be daunting-especially when you don’t have much experience doing it.

There can be a lot of trepidation when it comes to asking clients for a fair rate, but it’s important to remember that you provide a valuable service and that you deserve to be compensated accordingly.

In this article, we’ll walk you through some tips and strategies for negotiating better freelance rates with your clients, so that you can feel more confident and secure in your work. Keep reading to learn more!

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Know Your Worth

Before you can start negotiating with clients, you need to have a good understanding of your own value. What are your skills and experience worth in the marketplace?

You can use online resources like PayScale or Paysa to research average rates for freelancers with your skill and experience level. Once you have a benchmark to work with, you can start thinking about what you’re willing to accept.

Do Your Research

In addition to knowing your own worth, it’s also helpful to do some research on the client themselves. What is their budget for this project? Are they known for going above market value or below with their contractors?

The more information you have going into the negotiation, the better. Try to find out as much as you can about the client and their history with paying freelancers.

Ask As Many Questions About the Project As You Can

When you’re first approached about a project, it’s important to ask as many questions as possible. The more details you have about the scope of freelance work, the better equipped you’ll be to give an accurate quote.

Some key questions to ask include:

What is the expected timeline for the project?
How many revisions will be needed?
What format do you need the final deliverables in?
Will I be working with anyone else on the project?
What is the project budget?

By getting as much information up front, you can avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

Start High

When you’re finally ready to start negotiating rates with a client, it’s important to start high. Remember, you can always come down in price, but it’s much harder to go up once you’ve already quoted a lower rate.

If the client counters with a lower offer, then you can begin to negotiate from there. But by starting high, you give yourself some room to work with and you’re more likely to end up at a rate that you’re happy with.

Ask About Expenses

In addition to your hourly or project rate, don’t forget to factor in any expenses that you may incur while working on the project. These could include things like travel costs, software licenses, or stock photography.

Be sure to ask the client if they will be reimbursing you for any out-of-pocket expenses before you agree to take on the project.

Be Professional

Throughout the negotiation process, it’s important to remain professional and courteous. This is true even if the client is being difficult to work with.

Keep your cool and don’t get too emotional about the situation. Maintain a positive attitude and be confident in the value that you bring to the table. If you do this, then chances are good that the client will come around and meet you at a fair rate.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

If the client isn’t willing to meet you at a rate that you’re comfortable with, then be prepared to walk away from the project. It’s not worth your time and energy to work for someone who isn’t going to pay you what you’re worth.

There are plenty of other clients out there who will be happy to pay you a fair rate for your work. So don’t sell yourself short just to land a project.

Get Everything in Writing

Once you’ve reached an agreement with the client, it’s important to get everything in writing. This way, there’s no confusion about what was agreed upon and you have a contract to fall back on if the client tries to cut costs later on.

Make sure that all of the details are included in the contract, such as the agreed-upon rate, the scope of work, and the timeline for the project. Once everything is signed off on, then you can start working and get paid what you’re worth.

Include a Contingency Rate

If you’re working on a project that could potentially go over the agreed-upon scope, then it’s a good idea to include a contingency rate in your contract. This way, if the project does take longer than expected, you’ll still be compensated for your time.

Including a contingency rate is a good way to protect yourself and make sure that you’re fairly compensated for any unforeseen circumstances.

Let the Negotiations Begin

Negotiating better rates with your freelance clients doesn’t have to be a nightmare. By following these tips, you can approach the conversation with confidence and walk away with the pay that you deserve.

November 8, 2022

9 Ways to Prep Your Online Store for Black Friday Now

Black Friday is coming up, and that means a lot of people are going to be looking to buy things online. If you’re an online store owner, now is absolutely the time to start preparing for the rush. You definitely don’t want to wait until the week of Thanksgiving to make sure everything is in order. Talk about unnecessary stress!

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do now to make sure your store is ready for the influx of traffic prior to the big weekend. And we’ve compiled 9 tips to set you on the right path toward the holiday season.

Let’s take a look!

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1. Create a Plan of Attack

First things first, you need to have a plan for how you’re going to approach Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This means having an idea of what sort of deals you want to offer, what kind of products you want to promote, and how you’re going to market everything to your customers.

This is the time to really sit down and think about your goals for the holiday season and what you need to do to achieve them.

2. Get Your Website Ready

Next, you need to make sure your website is actually ready to handle the influx of traffic it’s going to receive. This means doing things like the following:

Testing your site’s speed: If your site is slow, customers are going to get frustrated and leave without making a purchase. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to see how your site is currently performing and get some tips on how to improve things.
Making sure your site is mobile-friendly: A large portion of online shopping is done on mobile devices these days, so you need to make sure your site looks good and functions well on smaller screens.
Making sure your payment gateway can handle the volume: You don’t want to run into any issues with your payment gateway on one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Perform any required updates and perhaps even reach out to your provider to ensure reliability.
Ensuring that your server can handle the load: Again, you don’t want your site to go down in the middle of all the Black Friday madness. Talk to your web hosting provider and see what they recommend in terms of preparing your server for the increased traffic.

If you’re not sure how to do this, we recommend working with a developer or someone who knows their way around these sorts of things. The last thing you want is for your site to crash in the middle of Black Friday!

3. Prepare Your Product Inventory

Of course, you’re also going to want to make sure you have enough inventory on hand to meet the demand of your customers. This is especially important if you sell physical products that need to be shipped out.

Now is the time to check in with your suppliers, make sure you have enough products in stock, and create a plan for how you’re going to keep everything organized during the holiday rush.

4. Create Black Friday-Specific Landing Pages

If you really want to take your Black Friday game up a notch, we recommend creating some specific landing pages for your deals and promotions. This is a great way to showcase everything you’re offering and make it easy for your customers to find what they’re looking for.

If you use WordPress, you can easily integrate these landing pages into your standard marketing efforts. For example, you can use a landing page plugin like Beaver Builder to create custom pages with ease.

A good Black Friday landing page should include:

A clear and concise headline
A description of the deals and promotions you’re offering
Images or videos to help highlight everything
CTAs for customers to take advantage of your deals
A countdown timer to create a sense of urgency

5. Advertise, Advertise, Advertise!

You also need to make sure your potential customers are actually aware of the deals and promotions you’ll be running for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The best way to do this is to start advertising early and often. This includes posting reminders and updates about your Black Friday deals, coupons, and special discounts across your social media accounts.

6. Get Your Email List in Order

Email is still one of the best ways to reach your customers, so if you haven’t already, now is the time to start building up your list. This way, you can send out special Black Friday deals and promotions directly to their inboxes. If your email marketing system isn’t yet integrated with your eCommerce platform, now’s the time to set that up.

Again, if you use WordPress, there are plenty of email marketing plugins that can help you get started, like MailChimp for WordPress.

And make sure you’re also segmenting your list so you’re only sending relevant information to people who actually want to receive it. No one likes getting bombarded with emails they don’t care about!

7. Offer Incentives for Customers Who Shop Early

If you really want to get people excited about your Black Friday deals, offer special incentives for those who shop early. This could be in the form of a discount code for those who make a purchase on your site before a certain date. Or you could offer early access to your Black Friday deals for VIP customers or email subscribers.

8. Make Checkout as Easy as Possible

Another way to ensure a smooth Black Friday for both you and your customers is to make the checkout process as easy as possible. This means having a user-friendly checkout flow on your site and offering a variety of payment options.

Some things you can do to streamline the checkout process include:

Offering a guest checkout option.
Making sure your forms are short and easy to understand.
Including a progress bar so customers can see how far along they are in the checkout process.
Allowing customers to save their information for future purchases.

9. Provide Excellent Customer Service

Finally, one of the most important things you can do to prepare for Black Friday is to make sure your customer service game is on point. This means having a team in place to answer any questions or concerns your customers might have.

You should also have a plan for how you’re going to handle any increased customer service volume. This might include additional staff, extended hours, or live chat support. Whatever you do, just make sure your customers feel taken care of and that their concerns are being addressed in a timely manner.

Plan for Black Friday Success with Online Store Prep

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the busiest shopping days of the year. But with a little bit of planning and preparation, you can make sure your online store is ready to take advantage of all the holiday shoppers. Just follow the tips in this post and you’ll be well on your way to a successful Black Friday!

November 1, 2022

How to Setup a WooCommerce Store for Point-of-Sale Purchases

Taking point-of-sale orders is a thrilling prospect. Imagine this: customers come up to your popup store or vendor booth at a convention or fair, find the products they’re looking for, and make a purchase right then and there without having to wait in line or worry about stock availability.

This could be a game-changer for your business, and luckily, it’s not too difficult to set up a WooCommerce point-of-sale system. If you’re looking to start taking point-of-sale (POS) payments for your WooCommerce store, then this guide is for you.

Let’s get started!

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What is Point-of-Sale?

Point-of-sale (POS) refers to the location where a customer makes a purchase. This can be either in-person or online.

In-person POS purchases are made using electronic terminals, which are also known as point-of-sale machines. These machines are connected to a central computer system that processes and records the transaction. The customer’s bank account is then debited for the purchase amount and the funds are transferred to the seller’s account.

Online POS purchases are made using a payment gateway, which is a software that processes and records online transactions. The customer’s bank account is then debited for the purchase amount and the funds are transferred to the seller’s account.

There are many benefits of taking POS orders, such as:

Increased efficiency and accuracy of orders
Reduced wait times for customers
Ability to upsell and cross-sell products
Increased customer satisfaction

With those specifics out of the way, let’s move on to setting up your WooCommerce point-of-sale system.

How to Set Up a WooCommerce Point-of-Sale System

There are two main components to setting up a point-of-sale system with WooCommerce: the hardware and the software.

The hardware refers to the physical devices that will be used to take and process payments. This includes the point-of-sale machine, receipt printer, barcode scanner, and cash drawer.

The software refers to the software that will be used to manage your POS system. This includes the WooCommerce point-of-sale plugin and a payment gateway.

Point-of-Sale Hardware

There are many different types of POS hardware available on the market, so it’s important to choose the right devices for your needs.

The most important thing to consider is compatibility. All of your point-of-sale hardware must be compatible with the software you’re using. For example, if you’re using s specific WooCommerce POS plugin or extension, then you’ll need to use hardware, such as a USB receipt printer and barcode scanner, that works with these systems.

If you only intend to conduct POS transactions on occasion, an in-person transaction device like those available from payment processors may be all you need.

Point-of-Sale Software

Point of Sale for WooCommerce is a great option for managing your POS system. It’s compatible with all major payment gateway providers and offers many features, such as:

Inventory management
Customer management
Coupons and discounts
Sales reporting
Tax calculations
Compatibility with multiple registers
Store department support

This extension is available for $199 per year.

Other plugin or extension options include wePOS and Square for WooCommerce.

Payment Gateway

In order to accept payments, you’ll need to connect a payment gateway to your WooCommerce. A payment gateway is a software that processes and records online transactions.

There are many different payment gateway providers available, so it’s important to choose one that’s compatible with WooCommerce, of course. Some popular options include PayPal, Stripe, and Square.

Once you’ve chosen a payment gateway, you’ll need to create an account and obtain the appropriate credentials, such as an API key or code snippet. These credentials will be entered into the settings page for WooCommerce.

How to Use a WooCommerce Point-of-Sale System

Using a WooCommerce POS system is fairly simple. The first thing you’ll need to do is add your products to the system. This can be done by manually entering the product information or by scanning the product’s barcode.

Once your products have been added, you’ll need to create a customer. This can be done by entering the customer’s information.

Next, you can add products to their order. This can be done by scanning the product’s barcode or by searching for the product by name.

Once you’ve added all of the products to the order, you can proceed to checkout. At checkout, you’ll need to select a payment method and enter the appropriate information.

Depending on the system you’ve selected, the customer may be able to tap their payment card against your payment processing device. Or you may need to use a scanner or card slider. Once payment has been processed, you can print a receipt for the customer. You can also email or text the receipt to the customer if they prefer.

And all of this order information including inventory tracking will be reported within WooCommerce, which you can view later via the WordPress dashboard.

And that’s it! You’ve now successfully completed a transaction using your WooCommerce point-of-sale system.

Point-of-Sale Purchases Within WooCommerce Open New Opportunities for Businesses

Utilizing a WooCommerce point-of-sale system can be a great way to streamline transactions and better manage your business. If you’re looking for a way to take your WooCommerce store to the next level, consider adding POS capabilities.

October 25, 2022

8 Ways to Identify and Fix Browser-Based Website Errors and Issues

No one is perfect, and that goes for website owners as well. Even the best, most well-coded and thoughtfully put together websites will experience errors and issues at some point – it’s simply unavoidable. In fact, part of the process of owning a website is being able to identify and fix an error as it comes up.

Often, you’ll find issues occur after switching hosts, updating plugins or themes in WordPress, or adding code snippets to existing designs. It doesn’t take much to break a site and prevent it from interacting with browsers properly.

However, not all errors or issues are the same. Some are relatively minor and can be fixed with ease; others may require more time and effort on your part.

That’s why in this article, we’ll outline 8 different types of browser-based website errors and issues you may encounter, along with tips on how to identify and fix them on the spot.

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Page Not Found (404) Error

This is perhaps the most common type of error you’ll encounter. A 404 error occurs when a user tries to access a page that doesn’t exist on your website. There can be a number of reasons why this might happen, but usually, it’s because the page in question has been moved or deleted.

In any case, if a user encounters a 404 error on your website, it’s important to have a custom error page set up. This should include a brief message explaining the error, along with links to other pages on your website that the user may find helpful.

Connection Timeout Error

A connection timeout error occurs when a user’s browser is unable to establish a connection with your server. This can happen for a number of reasons, but usually, it’s due to heavy traffic on your website or an issue with your server itself.

If you’re encountering this error frequently, it may be a sign that you need to upgrade your hosting plan to one that can accommodate more traffic. Alternatively, if the issue is with your server, you may need to contact your host or web developer for assistance.

Internal Server Error

An internal server error is similar to a connection timeout error, in that it’s also caused by an issue with your server. However, this error is typically more serious and can be caused by more pressing issues like a corrupt file or database.

Should this error occur, the first thing you should do is access your server directly in order to identify and fix the issue via an FTP client like FileZilla or Cyberduck.

Potential solutions include:

Checking (and adjusting) your file permissions
Clearing your website’s cache
Running a malware scan
Upgrading your hosting plan

Maintenance Mode Error

If you’re in the process of making changes or updates to your website, you may want to put it into maintenance mode. This essentially means that your website is only accessible to you and other administrators; regular users will see a custom error page explaining that the website is down for maintenance.

Putting your website into maintenance mode is a relatively simple process, but it’s important to remember to take it out of maintenance mode when you’re finished making changes. Otherwise, your regular users will continue to see the error page and may become frustrated.

DNS Error

A DNS, or Domain Name System, error occurs when a user’s browser is unable to resolve your website’s domain name. This usually happens due to an issue with your DNS settings.

Here’s how to adjust your DNS settings to resolve this error:

Log in to your domain name registrar and select the DNS management tool.
Find the A record for your website’s domain name and make sure the IP address is correct.
If there is no A record for your website’s domain name, you’ll need to create one.
Make sure your www CNAME record is pointing to your website’s domain name.
Save your changes and wait for the DNS to propagate (this can take up to 24 hours).

SSL Certificate Error

An SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, certificate is a type of security certificate that helps to encrypt data being transmitted between a user’s browser and your website. If you have an SSL certificate installed on your website, you may encounter an error if it expires or is not properly configured.

If you’re encountering an SSL certificate error, the first thing you should do is check the expiration date on your certificate. If it has expired, you’ll need to renew it.

If your certificate is still valid, but you’re encountering an error, the issue may be with your configuration. To fix this, simply follow these steps:

Log in to your domain name registrar and select the SSL/TLS certificates tool.
Find the SSL certificate for your website’s domain name and make sure the details are correct.
If there is no SSL certificate for your website’s domain name, you’ll need to create one.
Save your changes and wait for the SSL to propagate (this can take up to 24 hours).

Browser Compatibility Error

Browser compatibility errors occur when a user’s browser is not compatible with the code used to build your website. This can happen for a number of reasons, but usually, it’s because the user is using an outdated or unsupported browser.

If you’re encountering this error, the first thing you should do is check to see if the browser you’re using is supported or up-to-date. If not, you may need to update your browser or switch to a different browser to view the website properly.

It can also be helpful to create a notice on your website that indicates its browser compatibility clearly — especially if your site has a very new feature or attribute that isn’t universally supported yet.

Malicious Website Errors

If you’re encountering an error that says your website has been flagged as malicious, it’s likely because your website has been hacked. This can happen for a number of reasons, but usually, it’s because the hackers were able to exploit a security vulnerability on your site.

If you believe your website has been hacked, the first thing you should do is change all of your passwords — especially if you think the hackers may have access to them. You should also run a security scan on your website to check for any malicious code or files that may have been injected. If you find any, you’ll need to delete them and then update your website to the latest version to patch the security vulnerability.

Don’t Let Browser Issues Halt Site Progress

Website errors that show up in browsers can be frustrating, but luckily, most of them are relatively easy to fix. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to identify and fix any browser-based website errors and issues you encounter.

October 19, 2022

7 Full Site Editing WordPress Themes for 2022

WordPress has undergone quite a few changes as of late. In the past few years alone, there have been major updates to WordPress core, changing how people interact with the CMS in major ways. The biggest innovation is the addition of full site editing to WordPress. We’ve already gotten acquainted with Gutenberg and how the Block Editor has transformed the way blog posts and pages are created. But now, the aim is to adjust how we customize entire websites from within WordPress as well.

And while this might sound a bit scary at first, rest assured, there are still plenty of WordPress themes created every day that incorporate this new feature and make it easier than ever to design and customize websites in WordPress.

That’s precisely what our focus will be here today. Let’s take a look at 7 full site enabled WordPress themes that make full site editing accessible and familiar.

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Twenty Twenty-Two

The TwentyTwenty-Two WordPress theme was created with the belief that everyone deserves a website that is truly one-of-a-kind. The theme’s understated styles take inspiration from birds, which are themselves known for their diversity and versatility. The typography in the theme is light yet strong, the color palette is inspired by nature, and the layout elements are designed to sit gently on the page.

Twenty-Two is meant to be easily customizable, taking advantage of WordPress 5.9 Full Site Editing capabilities. This means that the colors, typefaces, and site layout of each individual page on your site can all be altered to match your preferences. It also includes several block patterns for you to use in creating professionally designed layouts with just a few clicks.

Catch FSE

Catch FSE is a responsive, minimal WordPress theme with a dark or light color scheme. It’s been created using Twenty Twenty-Two and is ideal for blogs and corporate sites, alike. You can select your site color style in WordPress 6.0’s Global Styles feature and start creating your content with the easy drag-and-drop interface by utilizing block patterns.

It’s free and easy to use, with a clean, modern aesthetic. It allows you to create a distinctive site by providing 15 distinct block patterns, 15 FSE Templates, and 9 Template Parts so you can build your own website the way you want it.

Bricksy

Bricksy is perfect for those who want to build their own modern website without having to code or design from scratch. With an easy drag-and-drop interface, you can use the premade block patterns to create beautiful pages in minutes.

The theme takes full advantage of WordPress’ Full Site Editing features, making it easier than ever to create a professional site that looks great and functions as you want – no compromises required.

Allele

Allele is a WordPress theme that comes with pre-defined block patterns and full-page templates. It has a modern, clean design and provides full site editing support. This theme is perfect for creating professional websites that need to be edited often.

Other features of this theme include support for multiple languages and RTL, it’s accessibility-ready, it’s SEO friendly, and it’s lightweight, too.

Avant-Garde

Avant-Garde is a simple, experimental block theme for WordPress. It features an easy-to-use interface and a minimal design, perfect for those who want a streamlined blog or website.

The theme is fully responsive and retina-ready, ensuring that your content looks great on any device. Avant-Garde is also translation-ready and supports the WPML plugin, making it easy to create a multilingual website.

The simple design here would lend itself well to a wide variety of content types and topics. And, if you’re wanting to experiment with a new design direction for your website, Avant-Garde could be the perfect theme to help you do just that.

Frost

The Frost WordPress theme is a well-designed and feature-rich theme that can be used for a variety of website types. The theme includes a hero section with an image and text, as well as a portfolio section to showcase your work. The theme also includes calls-to-action, testimonials, and more.

This versatile, mobile-optimized WordPress theme makes it easy for designers, developers, and creators to build a sophisticated website in minutes. With a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features, Frost is perfect for anyone who wants to create a powerful online presence.

Wabi

Wabi is a WordPress block theme created to assist you in telling your story in the most effective way possible. The clean lines, beautiful typefaces, and dynamic accent color system used to aid with your storytelling. This is all further emphasized through the use of simple curves and lovely letterforms. Wabi comes with three different style variants (light, dark, and dynamics) for maximum expressiveness and flexibility.

Which Full Site Editing WordPress Theme Will Serve Your Next Project?

These are only a few of the hundreds of Full Site Editing WordPress themes available. But hopefully, this gives you a starting point for finding the perfect one for your next project. Good luck!

October 11, 2022

10 Email Marketing Platforms for Building an Audience in 2022

If you’re looking to build an audience in 2022 and beyond, you’ll need to set up an effective email marketing campaign. Often, this involves using an email marketing platform to automate your campaigns, contact your subscribers, and track your results.

There are a number of great email marketing platforms out there, but which one is right for you? To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best email marketing platforms for building an audience.

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MailChimp

MailChimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms on the market, and for good reason. It’s easy to use, has a wide range of features, and it’s very affordable. It’s often a favorite of those just starting out with email marketing due to its low price point and ease of use.

But beyond the fact that it’s easy to setup and use, this platform also has some great features that make it ideal for building an audience. For example, it offers a wide range of templates to choose from, so you can create beautiful emails that match your brand. Plus, its autoresponder feature allows you to send automated emails to new subscribers, which is a great way to welcome them to your list and start building a relationship with them.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is another popular email marketing platform that’s known for its ease of use. Like MailChimp, it offers a wide range of features and templates, making it a great choice for those just starting out with email marketing.

One of the things we like about Constant Contact is that it offers a free trial, so you can try out the platform before committing to it. This is a great way to see if it’s the right fit for you and your business.

AWeber

AWeber is another excellent choice for those looking for an email marketing platform that’s easy to use and packed with features. It offers a wide range of templates, autoresponders, and tracking tools to help you grow your audience and track your results.

AWeber’s customer service is one of the features that sets it apart from other platforms. Their staff is always ready to answer any queries or resolve any difficulties, which is why they’re one of the most popular email marketing services on the market.

GetResponse

GetResponse is a great all-in-one email marketing platform that offers everything you need to grow your audience and track your results. It has a wide range of features, including autoresponders, landing pages, and webinars, making it a great choice for businesses of all sizes.

Like AWeber, GetResponse also offers excellent customer service. So if you ever have any questions or need help with anything, their team is always quick to respond.

iContact

iContact is a great email marketing platform for businesses of all sizes. It offers a wide range of features, including autoresponders, landing pages, and social media integration. Plus, it has a wide range of templates to choose from, so you can create beautiful emails that match your brand.

One of the things we like about iContact is that it offers a free trial, so you can try out the platform before committing to it. This is a great way to see if it’s the right fit for you and your business.

Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor is a fantastic option if you’re searching for an email marketing platform that provides everything you need. It has features like autoresponders, landing pages, and social media connections, which allows it to serve businesses of all sizes. Its large range of designs also enables you to create emails that represent your business identity flawlessly.

Campaign Monitor offers a free trial, which we appreciate. This allows users to test out the platform and see if it would be a good fit for their business before making any long-term commitments.

HubSpot

With HubSpot, you get a comprehensive email marketing solution that has everything you need to expand your audience and track your success. It has a deep roster of features and offers a wide range of templates to pick from, so you can create beautiful emails that represent your business.

Build stylish autoresponder series, create newsletters, or even manage lead generation forms all from within this one tool.

Drip

Drip is a wonderful email marketing software for those looking for an easy-to-use and feature-rich platform. It gives you lots of templates, autoresponders, and analytics tools to help you increase your audience and track your progress with a special emphasis on eCommerce websites.

Drip’s customer support is one of the features that sets it apart from other platforms. Drip’s staff is usually quick to reply and assist you if you have any questions or run into difficulties.

SendinBlue

SendinBlue is an all-inclusive email marketing platform with every tool you need to increase your following and track your success. From autoresponders to landing pages, social media integration to a wide variety of templates, SendinBlue has everything you need to create stunning emails that represent your brand.

SendinBlue offers a free trial so that you can test out the platform before making a decision. This is an excellent way to figure out if it would work well for you and your business interests.

ConvertKit

Lastly, there’s ConvertKit, which provides businesses of all sizes all-encompassing email marketing features to streamline their efforts. Just a few of these features include autoresponders, landing pages, and social media tools. On top of that, there’s a beautiful selection of templates to choose from so you can create emails that match your brand perfectly.

The Right Email Marketing Platform Makes All the Difference

These are just a few of the best email marketing platforms out there. If you’re looking to grow your audience and improve your results, be sure to check out one of these platforms. And, don’t be afraid to try out a few to see which best suits your brand and business.

Good luck!

October 4, 2022

Shared vs Managed vs VPS Hosting: Which is Right for You?

There are a lot of different options out there when it comes to hosting your website. And it can be tough to decide which one is right for you, but don’t worry – we’re here to help!

In this article, we’ll compare three popular hosting options: shared, managed, and VPS. And by the end, you should have a good idea of which solution is right for your needs.

We’ll break down each host type into a few key areas, including a broad description of how it works, key features, benefits, who the type would best serve, and rough pricing estimates.

Now, let’s get down to the comparisons.

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Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is an excellent option for most people because it is budget-friendly and easy to set up – no technical skills needed! With a shared host, your website will be on the same server as other websites. This means that features like bandwidth and storage are divided between all of the sites on the server.

It works well for small enterprises and personal websites that receive minimal traffic. It’s also a smart option if you’re just getting started and don’t want to spend money on a more expensive web host.

Key Features

Affordable
Easy to set up
Can be used for small businesses or personal websites
Shared resources between all websites on the server

Benefits

The biggest benefit of a shared web host is the cost – it’s much cheaper than other types of plans. Shared hosting is also very easy to set up, which is great for people who are new to web design and not all that technically-oriented.

Who is it Best For?

Small businesses, personal websites, and anyone who is just starting out with web design would find a shared host to be suitable. It’s also a good option if your site doesn’t receive a lot of traffic yet.

Pricing

Shared host plans start at around $5 per month.

Managed Hosting

Managed hosting is a step up from shared, and it’s designed for businesses that are ready to invest in a more premium solution. With a managed web host, you still share a server with other websites. But, you also get a dedicated team of experts who proactively manage your website and can help you with any technical issues that come up.

Managed hosting is a great option for businesses that want peace of mind knowing that their website is in good hands. It’s also a good option for those who have outgrown a shared host and need a more robust solution.

Key Features

Dedicated team of support experts
Proactively manage your website
Can help with any technical issues that come up
More expensive than shared plans

Benefits

The biggest benefit of a managed web host is the dedicated team of experts who will proactively manage your website, perform backups, pay attention to security, and perform regular updates. This can be a great peace of mind for businesses that want to make sure their website is always running smoothly.

Who is it Best For?

Anyone that’s ready to invest in a more premium web host solution, businesses that have outgrown shared servers, and those that want peace of mind knowing their website is well-supported will find managed hosting to be a good fit.

Pricing

Managed web host plans start at around $25 per month.

VPS Hosting

VPS hosting is a type of web host that gives you your own virtual server. This means that you don’t share any resources with other websites – everything on your server is just for you.

It’s also a great option for businesses that need more control over their host environment. Businesses that get a lot of traffic or have very specific requirements will find it beneficial, too.

Key Features

Your own virtual server
Dedicated resources
More expensive than shared and managed plans

Benefits

The most significant advantage of VPS hosting is that it gives you your own virtual server. This means you won’t have to share any resources with other websites, and you’ll be able to customize your server to meet your site’s specific requirements.

Who is it Best For?

Businesses that require more control over their hosting environment, those with a lot of traffic, and those with very specific hosting requirements are those best suited for using VPS hosting.

Pricing

VPS hosting plans start at around $50 per month.

Assess Your Situation to Pick the Right Hosting Option

Now that you know a little bit more about the different types of hosting, it’s time to decide which one is right for you. If you’re just starting out, shared hosting is a great option. If you’re ready to invest in a more premium solution, managed hosting might be a better fit. And if you need complete control over your hosting environment, VPS hosting is the way to go.

Which you choose will depend on your site’s needs, your technical acumen, and your budget. But you hopefully now have a better sense of what’s available. Good luck!

September 27, 2022

14 CSS Animations for Fall

As the leaves change color and the weather starts to cool down, it’s time to start thinking about how to update your website for fall. One easy way to do this is by adding some subtle CSS animations.

Adding a CSS animation to your website is a great way to add some extra flair and personality. And, since they’re relatively easy to create, you can experiment with different animations until you find one that fits your site perfectly.

Check out these 14 CSS animations that will add a touch of autumn to your pages. From falling leaves to acorns dropping from trees, these animations are sure to get you in the mood for fall!

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CSS Falling Leaves

See the Pen
CSS falling leaves by Aaron Griffin (@uurrnn)
on CodePen.0

This CSS animation features falling leaves that slowly drift down the page. It’s a simple yet effective way to add a touch of fall to your website.

Only CSS – Autumn

See the Pen
Only CSS: 和嵐 -Autumn- by Yusuke Nakaya (@YusukeNakaya)
on CodePen.0

The Only CSS – Autumn animation features vibrant leaves that change color as they fall. It’s a great way to add some fall flavor to your site.

Autumn

See the Pen
Autumn by Nelson Rodrigues (@nelsonr)
on CodePen.0

The Autumn CSS animation features an orange tree that has leaves piled up around the base of the tree.

Hello Fall

See the Pen
Hello Fall by SalwaMugh (@salwamugh)
on CodePen.0

The Hello Fall CSS animation features falling leaves and a friendly message. It’s a great way to welcome visitors to your site this fall. The steaming cup of coffee or tea perched atop a pile of books sets the perfect autumnal tone, too.

Leaves Falling Animation on Scroll

See the Pen
Leaves Falling SVG GSAP animation with Scrollmagic by Lisa Folkerson (@lisafolkerson)
on CodePen.0

This CSS animation features falling leaves that are triggered when the user scrolls down the page. It’s a great way to add a touch of fall to your site without being too intrusive.

Colours of Autumn

See the Pen
Colours of Autumn | Changing Text Colour Character by Character by Jamie Brook (@sketchbrook)
on CodePen.0

The Colours of Autumn CSS animation features falling leaves in a variety of colors that pass across a festive seasonal message of your choice. It’s a great way to add some visual interest to your site while also sharing a message with your visitors.

Hello Autumn – Header

See the Pen
Header by Ruben Vardanyan (@ruben-vardanyan)
on CodePen.0

The Hello Autumn – Header Animation features falling leaves and a welcome message to happily greet site visitors. The leaves are large and prominent, which might be a good fit for those looking to make a real statement.

Fall – Tree with Falling Leaves

See the Pen
gsap fall by Yi Rui (@yrui)
on CodePen.0

The Fall – Tree with Falling Leaves CSS animation features a tree with leaves falling from the top of the screen. Once the animation loads completely, site visitors will be greeted by a bird that pops out of a nest in the tree. Then a welcome message fades into view.

Autumn Leaves Blowing

See the Pen
Autumn Leaves by mauspace (@mauspace)
on CodePen.0

The Autumn Leaves Blowing In The Wind CSS animation features leaves that blow across the screen while fingers clamp onto a single leaf. This would be a great choice for those looking to add a touch of fall without being too on-the-nose, while also adding some visual interest.

CSS Little Witch

See the Pen
CSS Little Witch by agathaco (@agathaco)
on CodePen.0

The CSS Little Witch animation features a witch pouring something from a beaker into a bubbling cauldron. The background is delightfully festive and features a spider, cat, full moon, broomstick, and many other Halloween-related items.

Vampire and Pumpkins

See the Pen
Vampire and Pumpkins (CSS Image) by Michael Zhigulin (@michael-zhigulin)
on CodePen.0

The Vampire and Pumpkins CSS animation features a vampire that slowly blinks while holding two pumpkins that have a lot to say. This would make for a great site loading screen around Halloween.

CSS Spooky Halloween Pumpkin

See the Pen
CSS Spooky Halloween Pumpkin by Jaume Sanchez (@spite)
on CodePen.0

This CSS Spooky Halloween Pumpkin features a pumpkin that shifts and changes shape upon hover.

Happy Halloween

See the Pen
Happy Halloween by Mohan Khadka (@khadkamhn)
on CodePen.0

The Happy Halloween CSS animation features tombstones, skulls, a full moon, and some jack-o-lanterns that jump when a message that reads “Happy Halloween” appears. And a ghost appears from time to time, too.

CSSpooky Halloween!

See the Pen
CSSpooky Halloween ! by Fehrenbach Baptiste (@medrupaloscil)
on CodePen.0

If you want to keep your site on the cute side, the CSSpooky Halloween! animation is a great choice. This one features a cat that occasionally blinks while sitting in a carved jack-o-lantern.

Bring a Touch of the Fall Season to Your Website

These CSS animations are a great way to add a touch of fall to your website. Whether you want to make a statement or just add a little bit of festive flair, these animations will help you do just that.

September 20, 2022

How to Bolster Your Design Ideas with These Unlikely Sources of Inspiration

We all know how frustrating it can be to feel creatively stuck. Whether you’re trying to come up with new ideas for a project or simply looking for a fresh perspective, sometimes all it takes is some out-of-the-box thinking to find inspiration to jump start your creativity.

Today, we’ll be covering a few unlikely sources of inspiration that can help you bolster your design ideas. These don’t include the super obvious choices like Awwwards or Best Website Gallery. Instead, these inspiring sources delve into less top-of-mind places and offer creative fuel in less conventional ways.

Enjoy!

Children’s Books

Believe it or not, children’s books can be a great source of inspiration for designers. The vibrant colors and playful illustrations in these books can help spark new ideas and help you see things from a different perspective.

Take a Walk in Nature

There’s no denying that nature is one of the most beautiful things in the world. So why not use it as inspiration for your next design project? From the patterns of leaves to the colors of a sunset, there are endless possibilities when it comes to finding inspiration in nature.

Taking a walk in nature can also help clear your mind and give you some much-needed time to think about your project.

Music

Music may be a wonderful method to stimulate your creative thinking. Music may assist you access your creative side and produce some fantastic design ideas, whether you’re listening to your favorite album or looking at new artists.

Go to an Art Gallery or Museum

Viewing art can also be a great way to get inspired. Whether you’re visiting a museum or simply looking at paintings online, observing other artists’ work can help you see things in a new light and come up with some fresh ideas for your own projects.

Go to an Antique Store or Vintage Shop

If you’re looking for some unique inspiration, take a trip to an antique store or vintage shop. Surrounded by old items, you may find yourself seeing things in a new way and coming up with some original ideas for your project. You could even browse vintage designs on Etsy to get some inspiration.

Look Through Fashion Magazines

Fashion magazines are another great source of inspiration, especially if you’re working on a design project that involves clothing or accessories. From the latest trends to classic looks, you’ll be sure to find plenty of inspiration in these magazines.

At the very least, you can find some really interesting color palette inspiration in fashion magazines.

Talk to a Friend

Sometimes doing something completely different than the work on hand can clear your mind enough to leave room for fresh inspiration. So go ahead and take a break from your project to chat with a friend. You never know, they may just have the perfect idea for your next great design.

People Watch at Your Local Coffee Shop

Another great way to get inspired is to watch people at your local coffee shop. You never know who or what you’ll see, and you might just come up with some creative ideas for your project by observing the people around you.

Take a Trip

If you’re really feeling stuck, sometimes the best thing to do is take a trip. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go somewhere far away; even taking a day trip to a nearby town can help you clear your mind and come up with some new ideas.

Get Some Sleep

If you’re feeling creatively drained, it might be time to get some sleep. Sometimes all you need is a good night’s rest to recharge your batteries and come up with some great new ideas.

Design Inspiration Can Be Found Almost Anywhere

Whether you’re looking for a fresh perspective or simply trying to get out of a design rut, these ten sources of inspiration can help you bolster your ideas and come up with some truly original designs. So don’t be afraid to explore new places and try new things; you never know where you’ll find your next great idea.

September 15, 2022

10 Fonts for Autumn and Fall-Inspired Designs

There’s nothing quite like the feeling when fall arrives. The breezes are cool and every time you set foot outside, you’re met with the sweet rush of crisp, fresh air.

Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could capture this sentiment in your designs as well? From the subdued color palette to the sound of crunching leaves, autumn serves as a delightful source of inspiration that you can readily harness in your design work.

Today, we offer up several suggestions for fonts to use that shout “fall” from the rooftops. Whether you want something that reminds you of autumn leaves, a harvest meal, or Halloween festivities, we’ve found a healthy selection of fonts to fuel your design work for months to come.

Note: Be sure to read the licensing for each font before using it in a project.

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LSLeaves Font

This font brings the beauty of autumn leaves to your screen. It’s perfect for designing anything from logos and headers to invitations and greeting cards. It features 76 characters and 42 glyphs. Likewise, the delicate way leaves and vines sane their way around each letter truly makes this font stand out.

Autumn by weknow

The Autumn font by weknow is a great option for bringing a bit of a spooky touch to your designs this fall. Each character is made up of twisted branches and twigs, giving it all the feeling of creeping vines and things that go bump in the night.

Autumn Gifts

This font is perfect for designing holiday-themed items like gift tags, wrapping paper, and even invitations. The Autumn Gifts font features characters that are made up of pencil sketch-style drawings of fall-related items like cornhusks, pumpkins, and acorns.

Autumn Leaves

The Autumn Leaves is another decorative font that easily captures attention while simultaneously capturing the spirit of the fall season. It features interesting ligatures, bold lines, as well as embedded filigrees within each letter.

Autumn Ceria Font

This font is inspired by traditional hand-lettering techniques and gives off a warm, rustic feeling. The Autumn Ceria Font includes upper and lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation marks with fun leaf designs to use throughout your designs. You can use it for everything from product packaging to headers and titles.

Autumn Harvest

The Autumn Harvest Font is a great choice for designs related to food, cooking, or entertaining. It includes a lovely corn accent on each character, making it a great choice for harvest party invitations and other seasonal designs.

Scary Vampire Font

This font is perfect for all your Halloween-themed designs. The spooky letters are perfect for creating invitations, flyers, and even website headers. If you’re looking to add a touch of fright to your fall designs, this is the font for you. The appearance of blood dripping from each letter is what really sells the theme here.

MF Fall Pumpkins Font

Celebrate the season with Fall Pumpkins font. This cute, festive font is perfect for adding a touch of autumn to all your projects. Create monogram designs, seasonal banners, sublimation prints and so much more.

Sweet Maple

This font is perfect for all your autumn-themed designs. The letters are bubbly and engaging and are surrounded by appropriately sweet maple leaf embellishments.

Punkins Font

This fun and festive font is perfect for all your Halloween and autumn designs. Though it doesn’t feature actual letter designs, it does feature a variety of Halloween-themed designs instead like pumpkins, black cats, and jack o’lanterns, making it a great choice for everything from Halloween party invitations to blog posts.

Which Fall-Inspired Font Will You Use?

Whether you want something cute and festive or spooky and creepy, there’s a font on this list that’s perfect for your autumn-inspired designs. Be sure to read the licensing for each font before using it in a project and enjoy getting creative with your fall designs!

October 27, 2021

Pricing Tables: Best Designs and WordPress Plugins

If you’re a regular online shopper, you’ve definitely come across pricing tables before. Pricing tables are an important feature of websites that sell online. These tables help customers compare product features and prices.

Pricing tables need to be simple and easy to understand because they help users make an informed buying decision. A lot of information is likely to overwhelm the customer while too little or unclear information can be ineffective.

Other benefits of pricing tables include:

Tables help remove unnecessary clutter.
They save on space.
Provide a clear call to action.
Can attract more clients and generate more sales.

Now, it is important to note that not all WordPress themes have pre-built pricing tables, so you might need to download a plugin to integrate this feature.

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What To Look For In A WordPress Table Plugin

Before we get to the list, let’s first pause to discuss what features are a must-have for any pricing table plugin you decide to use.

1. Pricing Table Templates

Look for plugins that offer several pricing table templates. This will help you in customizing your designs according to exactly what you’re looking for.

2. Price

If your website is small and you’re just looking for something simple, be sure to check the available free plugins before purchasing one. There are so many free plugins, many with a bunch of cool features.

3. Customization

You should look for a plugin that will allow you to customize your table according to your branding. That means custom colors, fonts, etc.

4. Integrations

Look for a plugin that can easily integrate with your WordPress theme so it works seamlessly.

WordPress Pricing Table Plugins

Below, we have identified some of the best pricing table plugins available and we hope you’ll find one that best suits your needs.

1. Go Pricing

Go Pricing is a table plugin that offers you almost 200 table designs. Its modern and stylish features will help you create the perfect pricing table for your website.

The plugin will help you customize your table without having to code. This is perfect for someone who isn’t familiar with web design.

It also offers you 200 templates, 2,000+ font icons, over 600 fonts, an unlimited color selection, modern media options, and more.

Some of its pros and cons include:

Pros

Has extensive customization options and is feature-rich.
Has a live preview option that allows you to see how your table will look at the end.
Popular with page builders like Elementor, WP Bakery, and Beaver Builder.
Has a column animation feature.

Cons

You have to be on a paid subscription to download table templates.

2. Responsive Pricing Table

Responsive Pricing Table is a free WordPress plugin that has a shortcode that allows you to show your table anywhere on the website. It adds a pricing table tab in the admin section which makes adding a pricing table easy.

With the many features it offers, you’re able to: add different colors to your table, choose unique fonts, and more.

Some of its pros and cons include:

Pros

Easy to create and customize.
Can be used to compare products.
You can change the currency sign.
You can highlight any plan.

Cons

Poor customer support.

3. CSS3 Responsive WordPress Compare Tables

The CSS3 Responsive pricing table is a premium plugin with several customization features. It comes with two table styles and 20 predefined color options.

It also offers a number of features that will help you create the best tables for your site such as hover animations, pop-ups, and ribbons. This plugin is perfect for creating beautiful pricing tables.

Some of its pros and cons include:

Pros

Allows you to see your changes in real-time.
Can highlight columns and customize fonts.

Cons

You need CSS if you wish to access more customization features.
Comes with only two table styles and 20 color themes.
Can be time-consuming to set up.

4. ArPrice Pricing Tables

This is a free and premium WordPress plugin that allows you to make responsive pricing tables that can be used on multiple devices. Some of its features include the ability to create an animated pricing table.

With ArPrice you have a selection of over 170 already made templates to choose from. You can also use the drag and drop editor to adjust and resize columns as needed.

ArPrice has a real time editor feature that will make the customization of your site easier.

Some of its pros and cons include:

Pros

Allows language translation.
It’s lightweight.
Easy to use.
Offers a variety of colors.

Cons

Can be slow at times.

5. Easy Pricing Tables

Easy Pricing Tables is a WordPress plugin that lets you create your tables with ease. The plugin is easy to use and gets the job done quickly. It includes predefined colors and themes. With this plugin you get 120+ ribbons, a live preview, 100+ content elements, and more.

Some of its pros and cons include:

Pros

Easy to use.
Has the drag and drop feature.
Gutenberg compatible.
Compatible with all WordPress themes.

Cons

No cons found.

Best Pricing Table Designs

So, you now know about a few pricing table plugins that can help you display pricing information in a straightforward way. But if you’re stumped on design inspiration, we’ve compiled a shortlist of some top designs to add some fuel to your design fire.

1. Shopify

The Shopify pricing table is one of the best around because its layout makes it easy to compare different plans. And the prominent Free Trial buttons encourage conversions.

2. Dropbox

The Dropbox table layout makes it easy for buyers to compare pricing and features. This helps users get to know what exactly they are purchasing and decide on what works better for them.

3. Slack

Slack’s pricing table uses different colors to highlight different available plans. This makes the table more eye-catching and is likely to grab the customer’s attention. Each plan comes with a description of how they are billed and also includes a call-to-action.

4. Airtable

Airtable is another great example of a pricing table that uses colors to grab attention. It has a simple design that draws focus to the features available on each plan.

There’s also a monthly or yearly option at the top of the table that helps you select your preferred plan.

5. LightCMS

LightCMS is another great example of a well designed pricing table. They have incorporated different colors to grab attention and to highlight the different available plans. They’ve also used different font sizes for comparison.

Conclusion

A well designed pricing table is likely to grab the consumer’s attention. If you’re looking for a good pricing table for your website, we hope this list of plugins and designs has helped you figure out what will work best for your site. Best of luck! Be sure to check out our other articles about WordPress plugins while you’re at it.

October 11, 2021

18 Creative Custom Cursors

A cursor/pointer is a position indicator that helps the user enter text, numbers, or symbols. The default cursor is a symbol that is easily recognized by tons of people around the world. Without the cursor, user integration would not be as easy as it is now. Cursors have saved many people the trouble of memorizing keyboard shortcuts required to navigate a page.

Creative custom cursors are basically unique customized pointers. Throughout the years, the cursor has been modified to assume different shapes and characters. These customized pointers can boost a site’s interaction and traffic. Many websites have adopted custom cursors because they help them stand out and attract more customers.

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Benefits of Creative Custom Cursors

Though they’re not going to make a massive difference in how your website is received by visitors, custom cursors can make an impact, including:

Help maintain the theme of the website.
Can attract more customers.
Build website aesthetics.
Are easy to make.

How to Choose a Custom Cursor

Here are some factors to consider when looking for a custom cursor for your next website project.

Suitability

Getting a custom cursor that suits your website can offer great user interaction. If your site targets young users, having a quirky cursor can enhance engagement with your website. Whereas if your target market is older, having a custom cursor might not get you the same results.

Formal websites should use default cursors and stay away from custom ones. This helps to maintain the site’s formal tone.

Functionality

Some custom cursors don’t work well with older browsers. If a user opens a website using an old browser that doesn’t support custom cursors, the pointer will assume its default design.

This means features that work with the custom cursor will not be as effective when using the default cursor, which in turn affects user experience. This is something to heavily consider.

Speed

Your site’s loading speed is an important factor if you want to rank well on Google and attract more visitors. Minor site upgrades such as a custom cursor will not typically affect your site’s speed.

18 Examples of Creative Custom Cursors

And now, the part you’ve been waiting for: on to the list of creative and eye-catching custom cursors worthy of your consideration.

1. Custom Cursor by Simon Busborg

See the Pen
custom cursor by Simon Busborg (@simonbusborg)
on CodePen.light

2. Custom Cursor Navigation Effect by Mark Mead

See the Pen
Custom Cursor Navigation Effect by Mark Mead (@markmead)
on CodePen.light

3. Custom Cursor Inverting Color by Uwe Chardon

See the Pen
custom cursor inverting color by Uwe Chardon (@uchardon)
on CodePen.light

4. Custom Cursor by Ivan Di Stasio

See the Pen
Custom cursor by Ivan Di Stasio (@IvanDiStasio)
on CodePen.light

5. Custom Cursor With Mixed-Blend-Mode by Victor Hripko

See the Pen
Custom cursor with mix-blend-mode by Victor Hripko (@victorhripko)
on CodePen.light

6. Custom Cursor Effect by Ivan Grozdic

See the Pen
Custom Cursor Effect by Ivan Grozdic (@ig_design)
on CodePen.light

7. Custom Cursor by Tim Jackleus

See the Pen
Custom cursor by Tim Jackleus (@timjackleus)
on CodePen.light

8. Custom Cursor With CSS Variables by Tobias Reich

See the Pen
Custom cursor with CSS variables by Tobias Reich (@electerious)
on CodePen.light

9. Circle Cursors by Chris Heuberger

See the Pen
Circle Cursors by Chris Heuberger (@ChrisBup)
on CodePen.light

16. Custom Dot Cursor by Kyle Brumm

See the Pen
Custom Dot Cursor by Kyle Brumm (@kjbrum)
on CodePen.light

17. Custom Cursor Using Data-Uri by Sten Hougaard

See the Pen
Custom cursors using data-uri by Sten Hougaard (@netsi1964)
on CodePen.light

18. Mutant Cursor by Rafael Gonzalez

See the Pen
Mutant Cursor by Rafael González (@rgg)
on CodePen.light

Conclusion

A unique custom cursor is a great way to make sure that users don’t — if you’ll pardon the pun — lose the point. Websites that use creative custom cursors that fit their aesthetic or theme create a more branded look and that is synonymous with increased traffic.

If you’re looking for the best custom cursor for your website, we hope this article will help to that end. Good luck to you!

October 6, 2021

12 Helpful Chrome Extensions For Web Designers & Developers

As a developer, you probably already have a list of preferred browser extensions you use to help you customize your browsing experience and functionality.

Chrome extensions have been constantly growing and improving. This has in turn led to an increase in performance and the quality of work for web designers and developers.

Many developers use Chrome as their preferred browser because of its vast repository of extensions that will help save you time and increase your productivity.

In case you’re on the hunt for some new extensions, here’s a list of 10 helpful Chrome extensions that will help make work easier for you:

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1. Sizzy

Sizzy is a popular extension among web developers and web testers. With Sizzy, you get to test your website on multiple devices at once.

The tool allows you to:

Preview URLs on different devices at the same time.
Preview changes simultaneously.
Filter devices.
Choose whether or not to display the keyboard on the different devices.
Switch between portrait and landscape modes.

Sizzy is an open source Google Chrome extension and can be accessed by everyone. It also adds an extra button to your toolbar which opens your current page in Sizzy when clicked.

2. WhatFont

WhatFont helps you find out the font used on a webpage by just hovering over it. This simple and easy-to-use extension has helped many web developers save time when it comes to identifying different fonts.

This extension can also help in identifying which service has been used for serving the font.

3. Clear Cache

Clear Cache helps you clear your cookies and global or local caches with just one click. With this Chrome extension, you don’t need to go through the tedious process of navigating to settings.

You can also configure what you want to clear on the options page including passwords, plugin data, file systems, cache, app caches, and much more.

4. Site Palette

This free Chrome extension is a must-have tool for web developers and designers. When browsing, you’ve definitely come across web pages with impressive color palettes and wondered how the designers pulled it together, I’m sure. Well, Site Palette helps you generate, extract, and share your favorite colors.

5. Image Downloader

Image Downloader makes downloading images from the web easy. With just one click, you can browse and download any image and filter by width, height, and many more.

By setting up a default download directory, you’ll make sure that everything runs smoothly and fast. Another feature of this Chrome extension is you can also customize the image display.

6. Checkbot

Checkbot is a powerful Google Chrome extension that checks page SEO, speed, security, broken links, and duplicate content of hundreds of pages in just one click. It identifies 50+ website errors based on Google’s best practices and recommends solutions.

Website performance is crucial in increasing conversions as most users prefer fast pages. This can also help with ranking as it boosts user experience.

This extension also picks up code errors in real-time, which saves developers the trouble of having to go back and check.

7. Highly Highlighter

With Highly Highlighter, you can highlight, save, and share anything from articles as you read. This helps with starting discussions on the important bits and works across multiple devices.

8. CSS Viewer

The CSS Viewer is a simple CSS property viewer originally made as a firefox add-on. It provides the basic CSS information you need with just one click.

For it to work properly, this extension needs to access your website data and history. However, it doesn’t store any of your information.

9. Web Developer

The Web Developer Chrome extension allows designers to check web pages for best practice designs, search engine optimization, usability, and coding.

Web Developer is a great tool that provides a lot of information on web design. It also adds various web developer tools to the toolbar.

With this extension you can check embedded javascripts and view your website on more than one device. It works well on Mac OS, Windows, and Linux.

10. Fonts Ninja

The Font Ninja Chrome extension is quite similar to WhatFont but with a much smaller interface. It helps identify fonts on a webpage and can be a great alternative to WhatFont.

Its algorithm analyzes fonts as well as CSS properties.

11. Window Resizer

Window Resizer is a useful Chrome tool that resizes your browser window to various screen resolutions. You can choose from a list of popular dimensions or custom set your own.

12. CSS-Shack

Last on our list here is CSS-Shack, which is another free Chrome extension that allows you to create designs and layers then export them into a CSS file.

Conclusion

There’s a plethora of Chrome extensions that are free and easy to use. However, this does not mean that you need to use them all. Be selective and you’ll get the most out of your use of extensions.

This list has narrowed down some of our top picks. To that end, we are pretty confident that you can get one or more that will help you boost user functionality and increase productivity.

Be sure to test out a number of extensions before settling on one. Good luck!

September 29, 2021

Top Free & Premium WordPress Calendar Plugins

There’s nothing as satisfying as ending the day feeling accomplished in all that you had planned to do. It may not be practical to have a tight everyday schedule because well, life happens, but it’s no doubt that calendars help keep us organized. Sharing events online where everyone can easily access is becoming more and more common. WordPress offers a number of plugins to choose from for this very purpose. WordPress calendar plugins are ideal for scheduling things like boardroom meetings, work events, family meetings, and other important dates.

These plugins have features like time tracking and event-hosting capabilities.

Though you can expect better features from premium plugins, here’s a list of some top free WordPress Plugins that can work just fine.

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5 Top Free WordPress Plugins

You don’t need to have room in the budget to add a calendar feature to WordPress. In fact, there are several free plugins available to choose from. Let’s explore five top options now.

1. All-in-One Event Calendar

The All-in-One Event Calendar has a unique way of presenting events to users compared to other free plugins. It allows for the easy import and export of calendar feeds that make it possible for events on one website to automatically appear on a calendar opened on a different website. This makes it easy when scheduling important events that should not be overshadowed.

The plugin also allows you to assign different colored categories to tasks and events.

Some of its features include:

Has widgets for scheduling upcoming events.
Embedded Google Maps.
Can be customized using theme options.
Has a day, week, and month view.

2. Modern Events Calendar Lite

This type of plugin is a good choice if you’re running a booking or events website. The calendar design displayed to users is newer and more modern compared to other free plugins. You can access different calendar views like monthly view, daily view, full calendar, countdown, and carousel view.

There are many features available on this plugin like BuddyPress and some MailChimp integrations. There’s also a feature that allows you to directly import events from the Google events calendar in various file formats including XML, CSV, and JSON.

Some of its top features include:

Provides different views for events.
Can be used by multiple workers. Works well in a group setting.
Offers customer customization for different categories.

3. My Calendar

The My Calendar plugin is built with ease of accessibility and use in mind. It provides flexibility to designers or developers who need a customized plugin calendar.

On My Calendar, you can create recurring events and edit them separately. It also offers widgets that show both upcoming events and events of the day.

If you want a more customized feel, you can easily change the font, margins, primary colors, padding, and borders.

Some of its features include:

Has custom templates.
Daily, weekly, and monthly view.
Has list and grid view of events.
Has email notifications.

4. The Events Calendar

The Events Calendar is the most popular and widely used free plugin for managing events. Whether your events require in-person or virtual meetings, the features available on this plugin are professional and easy to use.

The plugin gives you the option to specify the start time and end time of events. And for events that require venues, you can easily embed Google Maps on the calendar.

Some of Its features include:

Can save venues.
Has widgets for upcoming events.
Is completely responsive.
Has categories and tags for different events.

5. Easy Appointments

This plugin is easy to use and is recommended for websites that manage appointments with clients. These can be websites used by doctors, lawyers, hairdressers, and lecturers especially if you’re constantly cancelling and rescheduling events.

It allows you to create events for multiple people, locations, and services. You can also have separate calendars for specific services or locations.

With Easy Appointments, you get email notifications when an event has been cancelled or postponed. You can also have different appointment categories like canceled, reserved, and confirmed.

Some of Its top features include:

Has email notifications.
Has an extremely flexible calendar.
Can be used by multiple people.
Can be accessed in multiple locations.

4 Top Premium WordPress Plugins

Now, if you do have some room in your budget for a calendar plugin, rest assured there’s no shortage of high-quality ones available. Here’s some of our favorites:

1. Bookly PRO- Appointment Booking and Scheduling Software System

Bookly PRO is an add-on that requires the Bookly plugin for WordPress Websites. With this plugin, you don’t need to endure face-to-face meetings or long phone calls. Your clients can just book appointments directly on the website.

This paid premium plugin offers automated online booking and scheduling features with fully customizable booking forms that have online payment options, google calendar sync, and notifications.

Reviews from loyal users agree that Bookly PRO is a premium and easy to use plugin that saves you hours on chasing clients. The developers are constantly updating and including suggested features based on user votes.

Some of its top features include:

Has a number of templates for customizable emails.
Can be synchronized with Google calendar.
Offers multi-language support.
Has an unlimited number of services that can be put in different categories with unique colors.

2. Calendarize it! For WordPress

Calendarize it! is a flexible and feature-rich WordPress plugin that comes with add-ons which add even more functionality to the main plugin. You can use it for all day events and events with fixed timings.

The plugin also offers a number of views that can be customized like monthly view, week view, event grid view, event year view, and event map view.

Some of its top features include:

Has multiple widgets.
Has a number of pre-built color schemes.
Has monthly view, weekly view, and day view.
Users can customize colors, styles, fonts.

3. Booked – Appointment Booking for WordPress

Booked – Appointment Booking is a simple plugin that makes it easy for businesses to accept bookings online.

Some of its top features include:

Has custom time slots.
Has fields for additional information.
Colors for customizing your calendar.
Customizable emails.

4. WordPress Pro Event Calendar

The WordPress Pro Event Calendar is a professional looking calendar plugin that adds a stylish view to your event calendar.

Some of its top features include:

Has an elegant design.
You can create recurring events.
You can import events from Facebook.
Has a responsive layout.

Conclusion

When it comes to WordPress calendar plugins, finding one that works well for you is easy and doesn’t require any in depth knowledge to figure out how they work. A free plugin can work well if you need one for basic use. If you require a plugin for a more complex website with a lot of traffic, then premium is definitely the way to go. Either way, there’s no reason you can’t keep events more organized with one of these plugins in hand.

September 22, 2021

6 Best JavaScript Frameworks to Use In 2021

JavaScript (JS) is a dynamic web programming language that can update and alter both CSS and HTML. It conforms to the ECMAScript specifications and is used to manipulate, validate, and control data. JavaScript frameworks are basically tools that make it easy to work with JavaScript. They provide developers with pre-built templates that make common programming patterns reusable. This saves developers time when it comes to writing code for every new application.

How to Choose the Best JavaScript Framework for Your Team

Figuring out the best JavaScript Framework to use can be a bit daunting since there’s so many to choose from. However, to get you started, here are some factors that you should keep in mind.

Backend compatibility: For your JavaScript Framework to work effectively, you must use a back-end that supports it.
Level of complexity: Pick a framework that can handle the complexities of your apps and websites like a pro. Using lighter frameworks for complex apps might result in a number of problems in the long run.
Size and performance: This goes hand in hand with the type of system you’re building. The more complex the app the bigger the framework and vice versa. Remember balance is key!
Familiarity: If your team is familiar with a particular framework, be sure to stick to it. Some of the most common are angular, react and vue. These frameworks can be adjusted depending on what your desired outcome is.

Here’s a list of the top 6 best JavaScript frameworks to use in 2021.

React

React is an open-source framework that was created in 2013 by Facebook. It quickly gained popularity among e-commerce website developers because of its dynamic user interface that can withstand high traffic.

Some of its key features include:

It is made up of a number of components that can be used more than once.
It uses componentDidMount and render to enhance code execution at some points.
It’s rendering boosts app performance while saving the developer from more work in recalculating page layout.

Pros

It’s relatively smaller in size.
Easy to learn and use.
Promotes performance enhancement.

Cons

You have to use it with other frameworks.
Has constant upgrades.

Angular

Angular is a powerful, efficient, and open-source JavaScript framework. This type of framework is not recommended for beginners and needs a deeper understanding of JavaScript. Global companies like Forbes and Google use this platform.

Some of its key features include:

High cross-platform performance.
Offers feedback options and quick error detections.
Offers an advanced form of API.
Offers a number of in-built services.

Pros

Has the capacity to separate data and view.
All changes are quickly displayed in view.
Perfect integration between model and view.

Cons

The framework is more complex for beginners.
Requires the developer to learn Model View Controller (MVC).

Ember.js

Ember.js was first introduced to the market in 2015. Popular sites like LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Netflix use this platform.

Examples of popular tools that integrate with Ember.js are Node.js, Semantic UI, and Bootstrap.

Some of its key features include:

It’s reusable and easy to maintain.
Can be used in large teams.
Has more than 1500 add-ons.
Offers CSS and HTML development models.
Has tools for debugging applications.

Pros

Has client-rendering services.
A great URL support.

Cons

Not as fast as other frameworks.
Complicated to learn.

Polymer

Polymer is a popular open-source JavaScript library that was created by Google developers and contributors on GitHub. Polymer helps you create custom elements or HTML tags as per your requirements. Apps like Google Maps and Youtube are built with Polymer.

Some of its key features include:

Supports new web standards and open-web technologies.
Onboarding is faster.
Supports DOM and shadow.
It’s the best JavaScript when it comes to progressive web apps.
Used for creation of reusable widgets in web applications and documents.
Has polyfills that allow creation of re-usable and customized elements.

Pros

Developers can create customized elements using HTML, CSS, and JSS.
Connecting to third-party libraries is quick and easy for developers building applications.
Polymers allow both one-way and two-way data binding.
Easy onboarding.

Cons

Low performance on mobile platforms.
Difficulty in handling large scale applications.

Node.JS

Node.js framework is a platform that developers use to enhance back-end development. Node works well across platforms and is open-source. It shows JAVA’s properties like packaging, looping and threading using the JavaScript Runtime environment.

The framework is mostly used in industries like IT and healthcare.

Some of its key features include:

It’s fast when it comes to code execution because it is built on the V8 Javascript engine of Google Chrome.
It does not buffer any data.
It is open source.
It is highly scalable.
Follows a single thread mode.
Has been licensed under MIT.

Pros

Easy to learn.
Offers high performance.
Supports a large and active community.
Offers freedom to develop apps and software.
Offers extended support for commonly used tools.

Cons

Lacks a strong library support system.
The Application Programming Interface (API) keeps on changing at frequent levels.

Vue.js

The Vue.js framework is known to create strong Single Page Applications (SPAs). It’s commonly used in developing apps that work well across platforms.

Some of its key features include:

It’s simple design makes it easy to understand and use.
Has in-built components that help with animations and transitions.
Has a data binding feature that allows it to manipulate HTML attributes.
Has a virtual Document Object Model (DOM) that’s cost effective.

Pros

Flexible and can be easily manipulated.
It’s relatively smaller in size.
Easy to integrate.

Cons

Not recommended for extensive scaling.
Doesn’t have essential plugins.
Language barriers.

Conclusion

To find the best JavaScript frameworks to work with, it’s important that you know exactly what you’re looking for. This requires taking into consideration the capabilities of your team and desired functions of your app or website. JavaScript frameworks make work easier for developers and promote productivity.

September 15, 2021

10 Creative Hamburger Menus + Tips & Tricks

When browsing through websites, you’ve most likely come across three horizontal lines on the top right corner of the webpage. While not present on every site, these lines are commonly referred to as “hamburger menus” by UI designers.

What is a Hamburger Menu?

A hamburger menu is a navigation tool that opens up to a side menu and is used for both mobile apps and websites. The role of these navigation bars is to help you easily maneuver anywhere on a website in a user-friendly manner and without having to scroll up to hunt for navigation.

Hamburger menus were first introduced more than three decades ago by a man named Norm Cox. He made the burger icon for Xerox Star, which was the world’s first graphical user interface. The purpose of the triple bar icon was to let users know that the button contained a list of items. However, despite it being around for quite some time, it wasn’t widely used until 2009 and has gotten a lot of criticism over the years.

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Pros and Cons of Hamburger Menus

Before we get into the examples, let’s first explore the pros and cons of using hamburger menus.

Pros

It provides quick secondary access: Users can quickly access desired pages without having to scroll through pages.
Recognized by many users worldwide: The sign is common and can be found everywhere from mobile games to web pages to apps.
Makes the webpage appear organized: The hamburger menu helps with maintaining focus on the important web features you’d like users to see. It also keeps the web page clean.

Cons

Lower engagement: When users can’t easily access a web page, they’re less likely to click on it.
Makes pages seem less important: Because all the important information is accessed on the first page it’s less likely for users to navigate through the menu.
Hard to reach: Hamburger menus can be hard to reach or press in some mobile designs.

Tips for Making a Good Hamburger Menu

Here are a few quick tips for ensuring your hamburger menu is identifiable and effective:

1. Use Animation

A hamburger menu without an animation that turns the three horizontal lines into another shape is rarely seen. Put it to good use.

2. Use a Custom Icon

It’s important that the menu remains recognizable to ensure a great user experience. Using a custom icon helps many users identify it.

3. Responsiveness

Mobile users prefer the vertical sliding or the horizontal navigation bar while computer users prefer a more detailed menu with tabs of content, rows, and vertical links. Designing your hamburger menus to be responsive will ensure users are presented with the ideal menu option regardless of the device they’re using.

10 Worthy Examples of Hamburger Menus

What follows are 10 high-quality options of hamburger menus currently available on Codepen to choose from. Why start from scratch when you don’t have to?

Menu Toggle by Tamino Martinius

See the Pen
🍔 <-> ❌ (version 1) by Tamino Martinius (@Zaku)
on CodePen.light

Drawn Hamburger Transition by Jesse Couch

See the Pen
Drawn Hamburger Transition by Jesse Couch (@designcouch)
on CodePen.light

Hamburger Menu with Cheese by Michael Smart

See the Pen
Hamburger Menu (with cheese) by Michael Smart (@mikedevelops)
on CodePen.light

Atomic Menu by Alex Coven

See the Pen
Atomic Hamburger Menu CSS by Alex Coven (@alcoven)
on CodePen.light

Pure CSS Fullscreen Navigation Menu by Brenden Palmer

See the Pen
Pure CSS Fullscreen Navigation Menu by Brenden Palmer (@brenden)
on CodePen.light

Animated Hamburger by Steven Fabre

See the Pen
Hamburger Animated Icon by Steven Fabre (@stevenfabre)
on CodePen.light

Open Close by Vineeth TR

See the Pen
Open Close by Vineeth.TR (@vineethtrv)
on CodePen.light

Morphing Hamburger by Sergio

See the Pen
Hamburger icon with Morphing Menu by Sergio Andrade (@sergioandrade)
on CodePen.light

Animated Hamburger Menu by Mathew Ladner

See the Pen
Animated Hamburger Menu by Matthew Ladner (@netfuel)
on CodePen.light

CSS3 Only Hamburger by David Krajewski

See the Pen
Hamburger Icon CSS3 ONLY Animation by Dawid Krajewski (@DawidKrajewski)
on CodePen.light

Hamburger Menu Alternatives to Consider

If hamburger menus aren’t speaking to you, there are some alternative options worth taking a look at.

1. Scrollable Navigation

This type of navigation tool is normally used for longer lists. Making the list scrollable allows users to easily move side-to-side. For example, it’s mostly used for news websites when users are expected to scroll through news categories, and also works well for online stores and music apps.

2. Tab Bar

Tab bars are considered to be the simplest navigation option with the main navigation options easily visible. For example, if you have an app that has a limited number of web pages/features then this is definitely the way to go.

Some things to consider with this navigation include:

The home page has to be in the first tab and the rest should follow according to the level of importance.
The tab bar allows no more than five navigation options.
It’s important for at least one of the options to be highlighted and active.
Use icons with labels unless for actions that are common and easily recognizable.

3. More Option Tab Bar

The ‘more’ option tab bar is most suitable if you have more than five top-level destinations.

The extra option can work well as a dropdown menu. To improve navigation you’ll need to correctly prioritize the options for users to have at least four to five on the screen at all times.

4. The Progressively Collapsing Menu

This type of menu fits on the whole screen and shows as much of the navigation as possible. Everything else is put under the “More” button. This provides a better user experience than the tab bar design.

5. Full Screen Navigation

The full screen navigation solution takes up the whole homepage for navigation purposes. Users then swipe to access additional menu options as they scroll up or down.

This type of navigation helps designers organize huge amounts of information without overwhelming the user.

Conclusion

When picking out a hamburger menu, make sure you pick one that’s most suitable for your website or app. Making navigation within an app seamless and user-friendly will encourage users to engage with it more than once and even attract new users. Just make sure you test the speed and efficiency before implementing. But then you should be good to set your visitors browsing. Good luck!

September 8, 2021

9 Types of Top CSS Frameworks In 2021

In today’s world, technology has become part of our everyday life. Web developers are constantly coming up with new designs and frameworks to make websites more user-friendly. A CSS framework is a collection of web designs using the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) language that are prepped and ready to use. They are mostly used by User Interface (UI) developers to make their job easier.

The benefit of a CSS framework is that it helps you create a number of eye-catching layouts without having to start from scratch. You can tweak it here and there depending on your desired outcome. This saves time because you can use one layout for a number of projects and can be very helpful if you’re working in teams.

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Benefits of Using A CSS Framework

With a framework, you get to get your feet wet on how CSS works without having to start from scratch.
By using a good framework, you can significantly increase your productivity and improve your workflow.
Some CSS frameworks have pre-built grids that save you a lot of time. The grids help you build coherence in your work.
The frameworks help build cross-browser compatible websites that help you work seamlessly across browsers.

Top CSS Frameworks to Consider in 2021 and Beyond

Here are our top picks that will help you narrow down the type of CSS framework to use.

1. For Simple Needs, Use Class-less

If you need style for a plain HTML, then classless is the way to go. Classless frameworks work best for code examples, demos and minimalist sites. This type of CSS uses semantic HTML.

Most classless frameworks are smaller than 10 kb. It can be as simple as a single CSS file, but most use tools such as SaaS that output CSS as part of a build process. One advantage of the more complex tool chain is the ability to “theme” the final output.

Some examples of classless frameworks include sakura, watercss, holiday.css, bamboo css, attricss, and basic.css.

2. To Build on Mobile, Opt for Very Lightweight

These are basically frameworks that are smaller than 5kb. They are made with mobile devices in mind. If you’re looking for a simple yet effective framework, then this is probably your best pick. It offers the basic components needed to create a responsive website.

Unlike other frameworks they are designed to be minimal and encourage you to write your own application. Its minimalistic feature provides for a fast and clean starting point.

Examples of very lightweight CSS include pure, chota, and milligram.

3. For an Open-and-Go Solution, Use General Purpose

General purpose CSS are front-end open source frameworks that are ready to use. They make it easy to design responsive websites, apps and emails that look great on almost all devices.

Examples of general purpose CSS include bootstrap, primer, foundation, and base.

4. For Niche Needs, Opt for Specialized

An example of a specialized CSS is bojler, which is used for developing lightweight and responsive email templates. It’s no secret that developing email templates is a pain.

Some features of bojler are that it’s built with Saas, you can reset styles, default boilerplate template is included, and it’s responsive.

5. Looking to Skip Javascript? Material Design is the Way to Go

Material design CSS frameworks don’t rely on Javascript and can be used across devices. Pages developed with this framework are attractive, functional and consistent.

Its library includes newer versions of UI controls such as check boxes, text fields, column layouts ,and typography. MD is can be used across browsers by anyone who wants to create more portable and usable web pages.

Material design CSS comprises two frameworks material components web and MUI.

6. For Greater Attention to Detail Utility-Based Frameworks Are Best

If you’re looking for a CSS framework that allows you to customize elements one at a time, then a utility-based framework should be your top pick. It uses preset classes to set margins, font sizes, colors, etc. on each individual item. Each of the elements can be slightly altered without writing any additional styles.

Some examples of utility-based frameworks include tachyons and tailwind CSS.

7. For Web App Development and Mobile-First, Look to Base/Reset/Normalize

Base is a relatively simple but strong responsive css framework. It’s built with a relatively lightweight and minimal code. The framework is designed to essentially provide web developers and web designers an easier way to set up applications, cross-browser and mobile-first websites.

This very useful framework provides a very strong foundation for generating quality designs in no time.

Some great examples of base css frameworks include sanitize.css, ress, minireset.css, normalize.css, modern normalize, and natural selection.

8. For More Flexibility, Toolkits Work Well

A toolkit is a framework that provides a number of UI components and utility classes for the modern web.

An example of a toolkit CSS is Bourbon. Bourbon aims for clarity, is pure Sass and lacks visual opinion.

9. Honorable Mentions Are Those with Stalled Development

These are frameworks that have not been altered/improved for more than a year.

Some examples of stalled development frameworks include flexbox grid, semantic UI, materialize, neat, wing, and propeller.

Conclusion

If you’re on the hunt for a good CSS framework, then be sure to do your research in order to find one that’s right for you. Frameworks vary from standard to complex and for a beginner, it might be a bit confusing. However, from the list compiled above, we’re sure that you’ll find one that works for you.