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Inspiring Wallpapers For A Colorful June (2019 Edition)

Inspiring Wallpapers For A Colorful June (2019 Edition)

Inspiring Wallpapers For A Colorful June (2019 Edition)

Cosima Mielke

No matter if June means the beginning of summer for you, that monsoon season is here, or that winter is just around the corner, our new wallpapers are bound to sweeten the beginning of the month with some fresh inspiration.

Created by artists and designers from across the globe, the designs featured in this collection are part of our wallpaper series which has been going on for more than nine years already. Every month, we challenge you, the community, to submit your wallpaper designs to it. It’s an opportunity to let your creative ideas run free and use your favorite tools — without the pressure of meeting project requirements or satisfying stakeholders. It’s only you and your creative process. And, well, we are very thankful to everyone who has taken on this challenge and is still continuing to do so to cater for diverse and unique results each time anew.

To accompany you through the new month — and beyond — the wallpapers all come in versions with and without a calendar for June 2019 and can be downloaded for free. For some extra variety, you’ll also find a selection of favorites from past years’ editions at the end of this post. Enjoy!

Please note that:

  • All images can be clicked on and lead to the preview of the wallpaper,
  • You can feature your work in our magazine, too. So if you have an idea for a July wallpaper design, please don’t hesitate to submit it. We’d love to see what you’ll come up with.

Further Reading on SmashingMag:

Summer Is Coming

“Imagine a sunny beach and an endless blue sea. Imagine yourself right there. Is it somewhere in Greece? The Mediterranean? North Africa? Now turn around and start wandering through those picturesque, narrow streets. See all those authentic white houses with blue doors and blue windows? Feel the fragrance of fresh flowers? Stop for a second. Take a deep breath. Seize the moment. Breathe in. Breathe out. Now slowly open your eyes. Not quite there yet? Don’t worry. You will be soon! Summer is coming…” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Summer Is Coming

Melting Away

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

Melting Away

It’s Bauhaus Year

“This year is Bauhaus year - therefore I created a screenprint of one of the most famous buildings from the Bauhaus architect Mies van der Rohe for you. So, enjoy the Barcelona Pavillon for your June wallpaper.” — Designed by Anne Korfmacher from Germany.

It’s Bauhaus Year

Sunset With Crabs

“In the sunset the crabs come to the surface. That little boat can’t sail, but after seeing the crabs it gets power and finally… it sails!” — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela from Spain.

Sunset With Crabs

Monsoon Season

“Rain is the art of nature, and umbrella the art of man. Walking with your umbrella on a rainy day, you connect these arts!” — Designed by Themehigh from Calicut.

Monsoon Season

Take Your First Step In Spirituality

“Yoga is a way of finding your true self. This International Yoga Day, take a path of a spiritual journey and see where it leads you in your life.” — Designed by Kiran Shirke from India.

Take Your First Step In Spirituality

Oldies But Goodies

So many beautiful, unique, and inspiring wallpapers have come to life as a part of our monthly challenge in the past nine years. Here are some June favorites from past editions. Please note that these wallpapers don’t come with a calendar.

Deep Dive

“Summer rains, sunny days and a whole month to enjoy. Dive deep inside your passions and let them guide you.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia.

Deep Dive

Pineapple Summer Pop

“I love creating fun and feminine illustrations and designs. I was inspired by juicy tropical pineapples to celebrate the start of summer.” — Designed by Brooke Glaser from Honolulu, Hawaii.

Pineapple Summer Pop

Travel Time

“June is our favorite time of the year because the keenly anticipated sunny weather inspires us to travel. Stuck at the airport, waiting for our flight but still excited about wayfaring, we often start dreaming about the new places we are going to visit. Where will you travel to this summer? Wherever you go, we wish you a pleasant journey!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Travel Time

Summer Surf

“Summer vibes…” — Designed by Antun Hirsman from Croatia.

Summer Surf

Shine Your Light

“Shine your light, Before the fight, Just like the sun, Cause we don’t have to run.” — Designed by Anh Nguyet Tran from Vietnam.

Shine Your Light

Tropical Vibes

“With summer just around the corner, I’m already feeling the tropical vibes.” — Designed by Melissa Bogemans from Belgium.

Tropical Vibes

Window Of Opportunity

“‘Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better,’ A.E.” — Designed by Antun Hiršman from Croatia.

Window Of Opportunity

Start Your Day

Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek from Belgium.

Start Your Day

Doughnuts Galore

“Friday, June 6th is National Doughnut Day. Designer Dorothy Timmer found inspiration in the sweet treats and brought the obscure holiday into the spotlight. Doughnuts are delicious. That is all.” — Designed by Clarity Creative Group from Orlando, FL.

Doughnuts Galore

Nine Lives!

“I grew up with cats around (and drawing them all the time). They are so funny… one moment they are being funny, the next they are reserved. If you have place in your life for a pet, adopt one today!” — Designed by Karen Frolo from the United States.

Nine Lives!

Getting Better Everyday

“The eternal forward motion to get better and excel.” — Designed by Zachary Johnson-Medland from the United States.

Getting Better Everyday

Expand Your Horizons

“It’s summer! Go out, explore, expand your horizons!” — Designed by Dorvan Davoudi from Canada.

Expand Your Horizons

Handmade Pony Gone Wild

“This piece was inspired by the My Little Pony cartoon series. Because those ponies irritated me so much as a kid, I always wanted to create a bad ass pony.” — Designed by Zaheed Manuel from South Africa.

Hand made pony gone wild

The Kids Looking Outside

“These are my cats looking out of the window. Because it is Children’s Day in June in a lot of countries I chose to make a wallpaper with this photo of my cats. The cats are like kids, they always want to play and love to be outside! Also, most kids love cats!” — Designed by Kevin van Geloven from The Netherlands.

The Kids Looking Outside

Good Design Is A Tough Knitted Job

“I came across this awesome tutorial on Tuts+, about creating a card with knitted effect, so I took it up a notch and said, hey, why can’t I make a couple wallpapers using what I’ve learnt… So here we are.” — Designed by Brian Jangima from Kenya.

Good Design is a Tough Knitted Job

Viking Meat War

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

Viking Meat War

Sunset In Jamaica

“Photo from a recent trip to Jamaica edited to give a retro look and feel.” — Designed by Tommy Digiovanni from the USA.

Sunset In Jamaica — Preview

Gipsy Spirit

“Soft spring colors and boho feathers.” — Designed by Denise Johnson from Chicago.

Gipsy Spirit
  • preview
  • without calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1920x1200

    • Hello Winter!

    Designed by Tazi Design from Australia.

    Hello Winter!

    Join In Next Month!

    Please note that we respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience throughout their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

    Thank you to all designers for their participation. Join in next month!

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    The Wonders Of May (2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    The Wonders Of May (2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    The Wonders Of May (2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    Cosima Mielke

    We always try our best to challenge your creativity and get you out of your comfort zone. A great occasion to do so is our monthly wallpapers challenge which has been going on for nine years already. It’s an opportunity to let your creative ideas run free and try something new, to indulge in a little project just for fun. Whatever technique you fancy, whatever story you want to tell with your wallpaper, the submissions to this challenge make for a unique bouquet of community artworks each month anew. Artworks that adorn desktops and, who knows, maybe even spark new ideas.

    In this post, you’ll find wallpapers for May 2019, created with love by designers and artists from across the globe. The wallpapers all come in versions with and without a calendar and can be downloaded for free. At the end of this post, we also collected some May favorites from past years’ wallpapers editions that are too good to gather dust somewhere down in the archives.

    Now before you decide on your favorite this month, we want to say thank-you to everyone who shared their artworks with us. And, well, if you’re feeling inspired, did you know that your work could get featured in one of our upcoming wallpapers posts, too? We’re always looking for fresh talent, so don’t be shy, join in. ;-)

    Further Reading on SmashingMag:

    April Showers Bring Magnolia Flowers

    “April and May are usually when everything starts to bloom, especially the magnolia trees. I live in an area where there are many and when the wind blows, the petals make it look like snow is falling.” — Designed by Sarah Masucci from the United States.

    Drawing of Magnolia petals dancing in the air.

    The Wriggling Glory of River Uvac

    “Did you know that there are around 65 pairs of griffon vultures in Serbia? And did you know that one of their natural habitats is located at the river Uvac canyon? Nested between Zlatibor and Zlatar mountains, the wriggling flow of river Uvac is one of the most recognizable marks of Western Serbia and one of the most beautiful natural scenes in the country. And yes, May is just the perfect time to visit and enjoy its glory.” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    Photo collage of a main enjoying the view over the river Uvac and its canyon.

    Floral Impression

    “My main inspiration behind this were the blooming flowers in May. My mother collects blue and white Japanese china which was the pot inspiration. The blues and pinks together are what I find to be one of the most complimentary color palettes.” — Designed by Olivia Osborne from Pennsylvania.

    Floral Impression

    Lookout At Sea

    “I wanted to create something fun and happy for the month of May. It’s a simple concept, but May is typically the time to adventure out into the world and enjoy the best of Spring.” — Designed by Alexander Jubinski from the United States.

    Illustration of a tiny island in the sea which houses a lighthouse and a small house.

    Happy Birthday To Papú!

    “May is the month of celebration! We are happy to share with you the Papú’s birthday.” — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela from Spain.

    Illustration of two cats with balloons, a birthday cake, garlands, and a Happy Birthday sign.

    May Mountains

    Designed by Harley LeBlanc from the United States.

    Abstract illustration of pink mountains with the sun rising.

    Cool As An Octopus

    “A fear I need to conquer inspired this wallpaper design. I never really liked the ocean because of how much we don’t know about it or anything that lives in it. However, I have decided to try and focus on the beautiful parts of this great unknown by choosing an octopus.” — Designed by Alexandra Covaleski from the United States.

    Cool As An Octopus

    Stranded

    Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

    Illustration of the Smashing Cat’s rocket which has landed on the moon and seems to have technical difficulties.

    Sun’s Out, Tongues Out

    “May reminds me of long car rides while the cool breeze whips through the open windows. What better companion to have than a big friendly dog? Cool breeze, warm sun, and a furry friend.” — Designed by Samantha Strausser from the United States.

    Drawing of a Saint Bernard dog sticking its head out of the car window, enjoying the ride.

    Hello Spring!

    “I was at a local bike shop the other day, and I saw one of the vintage bikes. I loved the shape of it. I also was inspired by May flowers.” — Designed by Olivia Bartoli from the United States.

    Illustration of a pennyfarthing decorated with red flowers.

    Oldies But Goodies

    Whimsical, adventurous, delicate — the May wallpapers which reached us in the past few years are as different as the artists who created them. Here are some of our favorites from the past. Which one is yours? (Please note that these designs come from our archives, and, thus, don’t include a calendar.)

    Lake Deck

    “I wanted to make a big painterly vista with some mountains and a deck and such.” — Designed by Mike Healy from Australia.

    Illustration of a beautiful lake landscape as seen through the open flap of a roof top tent.

    It’s Finally May, My Deer

    “After going through a super long winter, I was inspired to create this whimsical wallpaper because I wanted to highlight the beauty of nature and how I envision it to be during the warmer seasons that have yet to come.” — Designed by Michaela Schmidt from Maryland.

    Illustration of a pair of deer antlers decorated with colorful flowers.

    All Is Possible In May

    “Edwin Way Teale once said that ‘[t]he world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.’ Now that the entire nature is clothed with grass and branches full of blossoms that will grow into fruit, we cannot help going out and enjoying every scent, every sound, every joyful movement of nature’s creatures. Make this May the best so far!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    Illustration of a couple having a picknick.

    Spring Gracefulness

    “We don’t usually count the breaths we take, but observing nature in May, we can’t count our breaths being taken away.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia.

    Abstract illustration of a swan.

    Cruel Life

    Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek (Doud Design) from Belgium.

    Illustration showing three kids. Two kids are happily eating ice-cream, while the other kid is sad because it dropped his ice-cream. The text on the wallpaper reads ‘Sometimes life is cruel’.

    Stone Dahlias

    Designed by Rachel Hines from the United States.

    Watercolor illustration of pastel-colored stones with stone dahlias growing on top of them.

    Field Wild Flowers

    “Springtime festival celebrated with May blossoms.” — Designed by Richard George Davis from South Africa.

    A photo of a wild flower field.

    Enjoy May!

    “Springtime, especially Maytime is my favorite time of the year. And I like popsicles — so it’s obvious isn’t it?” — Designed by Steffen Weiß from Germany.

    The wallpaper reads ‘Enjoy May’. The word May is made up of popsicles.

    Birds Of May

    “A little-known ‘holiday’ on May 4th known as ‘Bird Day’. It is the first holiday in the United States celebrating birds. Hurray for birds!” — Designed by Clarity Creative Group from Orlando, FL.

    Illustration of four flying birds.

    Always Seek Knowledge

    “‘As knowledge increases, wonder deepens.’ (Charles Morgan) So I tried to create an illustration based on this.” — Designed by Bisakha Datta from India.

    Always Seek Knowledge

    Magical Sunset

    “I designed Magical Sunset as a friendly reminder to take a moment and enjoy life around you. Each sunset and sunrise brings a new day for greatness and a little magic.” — Designed by Carolyn Warcup from the United States.

    Illustration of a reading woman sitting on top of a ladder in the light of a street lamp.

    Mental Health Awareness Day

    Designed by Kay Karremans from Belgium.

    Cartoon illustration of a brain.

    Game Boy

    Designed by Sander Geenen from Belgium.

    Illustration of a vintage handheld Game Boy.

    Join In Next Month!

    Please note that we respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience throughout their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

    Thank you to all designers for their participation. Join in next month!

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    When Poor UX Design and Glitchy Software Puts Lives at Risk

    Photo credit by US Air Force/Steve Pivnick

    As software becomes increasingly ubiquitous in all of our lives, the consequences of their inevitable failures grow as well. To the point: When the United States rushed to digitize medical patient records back in 2009, blinded by the glow of a $36 billion government carrot, it inadvertently set off a chain of events that has now, and in some cases forever, impaired countless lives.

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    Compliance Ain’t Easy

    I’m sure by now you’ve heard of GDPR and some of the large-scale data breaches that have occurred within it. If you haven’t heard of the GDPR, you’ve been living under a rock, or you’re like me, a United States citizen (it’s amazing how little we know about this oncoming train). If you’re seeing the four letters GDPR strung together for the first time, then you better jump on learning about it right now. Why? Let’s string together more letters — CPPA. That stands for the California Privacy and Protection Act. That’s a law modeled off the GDPR that goes into effect in 2020 (yeah, in nine months).

    Compliance Isn’t Always Spelled GDPR

    Maybe you’re not in an EU country and you don’t have any person’s data from there. Maybe you think that the CPPA won’t apply to you because you’re not in California and don’t have any person’s data from that state. However, do you collect credit card information? Are you compliant with the PCI rules? That’s the Payment Card Industry, by the way.

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    Fresh Spring Vibes For Your Desktop (March 2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    Fresh Spring Vibes For Your Desktop (March 2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    Fresh Spring Vibes For Your Desktop (March 2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    Cosima Mielke

    Spring is coming! With March just around the corner, nature is slowly but surely awakening from its winter sleep. And, well, even if spring seems far away in your part of the world, this month’s wallpaper selection is bound to at least get your ideas springing.

    Just like every month since more than nine years already, artists and designers from across the globe got out their favorite tools and designed unique wallpapers to cater for some fresh inspiration on your desktop and mobile screens. The wallpapers come in versions with and without a calendar for March 2019 and can be downloaded for free. A big thank-you to everyone who submitted their designs! As a little bonus goodie, we also added some favorites from past years’ March editions at the end of this post. Now which one will make it to your screen?

    Please note that:

    • All images can be clicked on and lead to the preview of the wallpaper,
    • You can feature your work in our magazine by taking part in our Desktop Wallpaper Calendar series. We are regularly looking for creative designers and artists to be featured on Smashing Magazine. Are you one of them?

    Further Reading on SmashingMag:

    Time To Wake Up

    “Rays of sunlight had cracked into the bear’s cave. He slowly opened one eye and caught a glimpse of nature in blossom. Is it spring already? Oh, but he is so sleepy. He doesn’t want to wake up, not just yet. So he continues dreaming about those sweet sluggish days while everything around him is blooming.” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    Time To Wake Up

    Queen Bee

    “Spring is coming! Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, bees are flying… Enjoy this month!” — Designed by Melissa Bogemans from Belgium.

    Queen Bee

    Bunny O’Hare

    “When I think of March I immediately think of St. Patrick’s Day and my Irish heritage... and then my head fills with pub music! I had fun putting a twist on this month’s calendar starring my pet rabbit. Erin go Braugh.” — Designed by Heather Ozee from the United States.

    Bunny O’Hare

    A Bite Of Spring

    Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

    A Bite Of Spring

    Balance

    “International Women’s Day on March 8th is the inspiration behind this artwork. Through this artwork, we wish a jovial, strong and successful year ahead for all women around the world.” — Designed by Sweans Technologies from London.

    Balance

    Stunning Beauty

    “A recent vacation to the Philippines led me to Palawan, specifically El Nido, where I was in awe of the sunset. I wanted to emphasize the year in the typography as a reminder that, even though we are three months in, our resolutions are still fresh and new and waiting for us to exceed them! Photograph shot by @chrishernando, whose companionship and permission I am so grateful for.” — Designed by Mary Walker from the United States.

    Stunning Beauty

    Spring Time!

    “Spring is here! Giraffes are starting to eat the green leaves.” — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela from Spain.

    Spring Time!

    Banished

    “The legend of St. Patrick banishing snakes from Ireland.” — Designed by Caitey Kennedy from the United States.

    Banished

    Oldies But Goodies

    In more than nine years running this community project, a lot of wallpaper gems have accumulated in our archives. Let’s take a look back and rediscover some March favorites from past years. Please note that these wallpapers don’t come with a calendar.

    Let’s Get Outside

    “Let’s get outside and seize the beginning of Spring. Who knows what adventures might await us there?” — Designed by Lívia Lénárt from Hungary.

    Let’s Get Outside!

    The Unknown

    “I made a connection, between the dark side and the unknown lighted and catchy area.” — Designed by Valentin Keleti from Romania.

    The Unknown

    Imagine

    Designed by Romana Águia Soares from Portugal.

    Imagine

    Spring Bird

    Designed by Nathalie Ouederni from France.

    Spring Bird

    Ballet

    “A day, even a whole month aren’t enough to show how much a woman should be appreciated. Dear ladies, any day or month are yours if you decide so.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia.

    Ballet

    Wake Up!

    “Early spring in March is for me the time when the snow melts, everything isn’t very colorful. This is what I wanted to show. Everything comes to life slowly, as this bear. Flowers are banal, so instead of a purple crocus we have a purple bird-harbinger.” — Designed by Marek Kedzierski from Poland.

    Wake Up!

    Spring Is Coming!

    “Spring is the best part of the year! Nature breaking free and spring awakening is symbolic of our awakening.” — Designed by Silvia Bukovac from Croatia.

    Spring Is Coming!

    Spring Is Inevitable!

    “Spring is round the corner. And very soon plants will grow on some other planets too. Let’s be happy about a new cycle of life.” — Designed by Igor Izhik from Canada.

    Spring Is Inevitable!

    Tune In To Spring!

    Designed by Iquadart from Belarus.

    Tune in to spring!

    Wake Up!

    “I am the kind of person that prefers cold but I do love spring since it’s the magical time when flowers and trees come back to life and fill the landscape with beautiful colors.” — Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

    Wake up!

    Let’s Spring!

    “After some freezing months, it’s time to enjoy the sun and flowers. It’s party time, colours are coming, so let’s spring!” — Designed by Colorsfera from Spain.

    Let's spring!

    MARCHing Forward!

    “If all you want is a little orange dinosaur MARCHing (okay, I think you get the pun) across your monitor, this wallpaper was made just for you! This little guy is my design buddy at the office and sits by (and sometimes on top of) my monitor. This is what happens when you have designer’s block and a DSLR.” — Designed by Paul Bupe Jr from Statesboro, GA.

    MARCHing forward!

    Waiting For Spring

    “As days are getting longer again and the first few flowers start to bloom, we are all waiting for Spring to finally arrive.” Designed by Naioo from Germany.

    Smashing Wallpaper - march 12

    March Fusion

    Designed by Rio Creativo from Poland.

    Smashing Wallpaper - march 12

    Daydream

    “A daydream is a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake.” Designed by Bruna Suligoj from Croatia.

    Smashing Wallpaper - march 11

    Sweet March

    “Digital collage, based on past and coming spring. The idea is to make it eternal or at least make it eternal in our computers! Hope you like it.” Designed by Soledad Martelletti from Argentina.

    Smashing Wallpaper - march 11

    Knowledge

    “Exploring new worlds is much like exploring your own mind, creativity and knowledge. The only way to learn what’s really inside you is by trying something new. The illustration is my very own vision of the knowledge. It’s placed in some mysterious habitat. It’s a space where people learn from each other, find new talents and study their own limits.” — Designed by Julia Wójcik from Poland.

    Knowledge

    Join In Next Month!

    Please note that we respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience throughout their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

    Thank you to all designers for their participation. Join in next month!

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    The Secret to Workplace Morale May Very Well Be DevOps

    Does the above video hit just a little too close to home? (You haven’t watched it yet? Sigh. Ok, I’ll wait.)

    As I was saying, if watching the clip of what has to be one of the most dysfunctional workplaces imaginable feels like déjà vu for you, first of all I would like to say, “I’m sorry.” And second of all, I would like to share with you that you are absolutely not alone. According to this piece from TED’s The Way We Work series, 60 percent of people worldwide are unhappy at work. Sixty percent. That’s more people than actually live in the United States of America. That’s higher than the percentage of Americans who voted in the last presidential election. That is an obscene amount of people.  

    Posted on

    Beginner’s Guide: What is a Domain Name and How Do Domains Work?

    We are often asked by beginners: what is a domain name and how do domains work? If you are a beginner, then you may have heard that you need a domain to make a website.

    However, many beginners confuse domain name with a website or website hosting service. If you are just starting out, then all these different terms may sound too technical.

    In this beginner’s guide, we will answer what is a domain name and how domains work. The goal is to help you understand and choose the right domain name for your website.

    Domain names and how do they work?

    Here is a quick overview of the topics we will cover in this guide.

    What is a Domain Name?

    Domain name is the address of your website that people type in the browser URL bar to visit your website.

    In simple terms, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.

    A more detailed explanation:

    The Internet is a giant network of computers connected to each other through a global network of cables. Each computer on this network can communicate with other computers.

    To identify them, each computer is assigned an IP address. It is a series of numbers that identify a particular computer on the internet. A typical IP address looks like this:

    66.249.66.1

    Now an IP address like this is quite difficult to remember. Imagine if you had to use such numbers to visit your favorite websites.

    Domain names were invented to solve this problem.

    Now if you want to visit a website, then you don’t need to enter a long string of numbers. Instead, you can visit it by typing an easy to remember domain name in your browser’s address bar. For example, wpbeginner.com.

    How Domain Names Actually Work?

    To understand how domain names actually work, we will take a look at what happens when you enter it in your browser.

    How domains work

    When you enter a domain name in your web browser, it first sends a request to a global network of servers that form the Domain Name System (DNS).

    These servers then look up for the name servers associated with the domain and forward the request to those name servers.

    For example, if your website is hosted on Bluehost, then its name server information will be like this:

    ns1.bluehost.com
    ns2.bluehost.com

    These name servers are computers managed by your hosting company. Your hosting company will forward your request to the computer where your website is stored.

    This computer is called a web server. It has special software installed (Apache, Nginx are two popular web server software). The web server now fetches the web page and pieces of information associated with it.

    Finally, it then sends this data back to the browser.

    How is Domain Name Different from a Website and Web Hosting?

    web hosting

    A website is made up of files like HTML pages, website builder software, images, and more.

    If the domain name is the web address of your website, then web hosting is the home where your website lives.

    This is the actual computer where your website’s files are stored. Such computers are called servers and they are offered as a service by hosting companies.

    To create your website, you need both domain name and web hosting.

    However, it’s important to remember that they are two separate services, and you can buy them from two different companies.

    Now you may be wondering, how would it work if you bought them from two separate companies?

    You just need to edit your domain name settings and enter the Name Server information provided by your hosting company. Name Server information defines where to send user requests for your domain name.

    We recommend getting both your domain name and hosting from the same company. This allows you to easily manage them under the same account.

    For more details, see our guide on the difference between domain name and web hosting.

    Different Types of Domain Names

    Domain names are available in many different extensions. The most popular one is .com. There are many other options like .org, .net, .tv, .info, .io, and more. However we always recommend using .com domain extension.

    Let’s take a more detailed look at different types of domain names available.

    Top Level Domain – TLD

    Top level domain or TLD are generic domain extensions that are listed at the highest level in the domain name system.

    There are hundreds of TLDs, but the most popular ones are .com, .org, and .net. Other TLDs are lesser known and we don’t recommend using them. For example, .biz, .club, .info, .agency, and many more.

    Country Code Top Level Domain – ccTLD

    Country code top-level domain or ccTLD are country specific domain names which end with country code extension like .uk for the United Kingdom, .de for Germany, .in for India.

    They are used by websites that want to target audiences in a specific country.

    Sponsored Top Level Domain – sTLD

    Sponsored top-level domain or sTLD is a category of TLDs that has a sponsor representing a specific community served by the domain extension.

    For example, .edu for education-related organizations, .gov for the United States government, .mil for the United States military, and more.

    Who is Responsible for Domain Name System?

    Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages the domain names system. It is a non-profit organization that creates and implements the policies for domain names.

    ICANN gives permission to companies called Domain Name Registrars for selling domain names. These domain registrars are allowed to make changes to domain names registry on your behalf.

    Domain name registrars can sell domain names, manage its records, renewals, and transfers to other registrars.

    As a domain name owner, you are responsible for telling the registrar where to send requests. You are also responsible for renewing your domain registration.

    How to Choose a Domain Name for Your Website?

    Choosing domain name

    There are currently more than 350 Million registered domain names and thousands more get registered each day.

    This means that all the good ones are already registered or will be registered very soon. This puts a lot of pressure on new users to come up with a domain idea for their website.

    Here are some quick tips to help you choose a domain name for your next website.

    • Stick with a .com domain name as it is the most popular, easy to remember, and easy promote.
    • Make sure it is shorter and easy to remember
    • Make it easy to pronounce and spell
    • Do not use numbers or hyphens
    • Use domain name generators to come up with clever domain name ideas

    For more tips and practical advice, see our guide on how to choose the best domain name for your website.

    How to Buy a Domain Name?

    You can buy domain names from one of the many domain name registrars. A domain name typically costs 14.99 per year. Some popular domain name companies are:

    However, buying domain does not automatically give you hosting service. For that, you will need a website hosting account as well.

    Many WordPress hosting companies offer domain registration services as well. This allows you to manage both services under one account, and you also don’t need to worry about changing name server settings for your domain.

    We recommend using Bluehost. They are offering WPBeginner users a free domain name and 60% discount on hosting. Basically you can get started for $2.75/month.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Domain Names

    Over the years we have helped thousands of beginners start their first websites. We have heard almost every possible question about domain names that you can think of.

    Following are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about domain names.

    1. What is a subdomain?

    A subdomain is basically a child domain under the main domain name. For example, videos.wpbeginner.com is a subdomain of wpbeginner.com.

    Once you register a domain, you have the permission to create subdomains for it by yourself.

    Subdomains are commonly used by websites to create child-sites under the same domain name. For example, a business website can create a subdomain for their blog or their online store as store.example.com or blog.example.com

    2. Can I cancel my registration of a domain name?

    Some domain registrars allow you to cancel your domain registration at any time. If you cancel your registration, it will become available for others to register.

    Other domain name registrars allow you to simply let your domain registration expire.

    In most cases, you will not get any refund for the domain registration. However, some domain registrars do have refund policies which you may want to discuss with them before canceling your registration.

    If you don’t have the auto-renew feature turned on, then your domain name will simply expire after the registration period you have paid for.

    3. Can I move my website to a different domain name?

    Yes, you can. You can point your domain name to your hosting server. You can also keep both domain names pointing to the same website.

    However, search engines consider it duplicate content and that will affect your search rankings.

    We have a step by step guide on how to properly move a website to new domain name and setup redirects, so you don’t hurt your SEO.

    4. Can I sell a domain name?

    Yes, you can sell your domain name. Domain names are like real estate for web. There is a huge demand for good brandable domain names.

    Trading domain names is a multi-million dollar industry. Since domain names are so cheap, smart entrepreneurs are always looking for great domain name ideas to get their hands own.

    If you want to sell your domain name, then there are many marketplace websites like Sedo, GoDaddy, and others where you can list your domain for sale.

    Popular registrars like Domain.com also let you buy premium domains right from their domain search feature.

    5. What is domain privacy? Do I need it?

    ICANN requires people registering domain names to provide an email, physical address, phone number, and other personal information to be made available publicly.

    Domain Privacy is a separate add-on service sold by domain registrars. It allows you to show proxy information instead of your actual personal info.

    You don’t need to buy domain privacy if you don’t want to. However if you are concerned about privacy, then you can buy this service for a small cost.

    6. Can I buy more than one domain name?

    Yes, you can buy as many domain names as you like.

    7. Where can I learn more about making websites?

    Right here. WPBeginner is the world’s largest WordPress resource site for beginners. We have tutorials, step by step guides, and videos created specifically for beginner users.

    Here are some of the helpful resources you’ll find on WPBeginner (All of them are completely free).

    We hope this article helped you learn what is a domain name and how do domains work. You may also want to see our list of best free domain name generators to find cool ideas for your next domain name.

    If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

    The post Beginner’s Guide: What is a Domain Name and How Do Domains Work? appeared first on WPBeginner.

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    How to Build an Amazon Affiliate Store Using WordPress

    Do you want to build an Amazon affiliate store using WordPress?

    An Amazon affiliate store allows you to sell products from Amazon as an affiliate and earn money on each sale. Due to the low startup and running costs, an Amazon affiliate store is one of the easiest ways to start a new business and make money online.

    In this article, we will show you how to easily build an Amazon affiliate store using WordPress. We will also share our expert tips on how to increase your Amazon affiliate earnings.

    How to build an Amazon affiliate store using WordPress

    What is an Amazon Affiliate Store?

    An Amazon affiliate store is an online store that promotes products that are available to buy on Amazon.

    Creating an Amazon affiliate store is very different to running your own online store, where you’ll need to source products, manage orders and refunds, ship products, and keep track of inventory. This can take a lot of time, effort, and money.

    When you build an affiliate store, you don’t have to worry about any of these things. You can simply add some affiliate links to your website, and Amazon will handle the rest.

    When visitors arrive at your website, they’ll see all the different products they can buy on Amazon using your unique affiliate links.

    If a visitor clicks on one of your affiliate links and then buys this product on the Amazon website, you’ll earn money from that sale. This is known as an affiliate commission and it’s a great way to make money online blogging with WordPress.

    Amazon affiliate stores are popular because of the low startup and running costs.

    Amazon also sells a huge range of products. By creating an Amazon affiliate store, you’ll get access to over 75 million different products.

    With that in mind, you should have no problems finding products that your visitors will be interested in buying, no matter whether you start a food blog, a photography website, a fashion blog, or any other kind of site.

    However, you can’t add Amazon affiliate links to any sites that are mainly aimed at children under 13.

    With that being said, let’s see how you can build an Amazon affiliate store using WordPress. If you prefer to jump straight to a particular step then you can use the links below.

    Step 1. Getting Started With WooCommerce and WordPress

    There are lots of different WordPress eCommerce plugins that you can use to build an Amazon affiliate store, but we recommend using WooCommerce because it’s powerful, flexible, and free.

    WooCommerce is also the most popular eCommerce plugin on the market and powers millions of online stores all around the world.

    Before you start building your WordPress website, just be aware that there are two types of WordPress software. To get started, you will need to be using the WordPress.org platform (see the difference between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org).

    You will also need a WordPress hosting account and a domain name.

    When you promote Amazon products on your affiliate site, Amazon is responsible for processing the customer’s credit card details. However, at some point you may want to expand your business and start selling your own products. These can be physical products or even digital downloads such as ebooks.

    With that in mind, it’s a good idea to buy a SSL certificate, so you can securely accept credit card payments on your WordPress site in the future.

    A domain name typically costs $14.99 per year and hosting costs start from $7.99 per month.

    The price of an SSL certificate can vary depending on where you buy the certificate. However, as an estimate you can expect to pay anywhere between $50-200/year for an SSL certificate.

    That is a lot of expense for a new affiliate business.

    Thankfully, Bluehost, an official WordPress and WooCommerce recommended hosting provider, has agreed to offer our readers a free domain name, a free SSL certificate, and over 60% off web hosting.

    Basically, you can start an Amazon affiliate business for $2.75 / month.

    → Click Here to Claim This Exclusive Bluehost Offer ←

    Note: Bluehost’s starter plan is a great choice for any Amazon affiliate store. However, if you want to sell your own products and services as well, then you want to take a look at our pick of the best WooCommerce hosting providers.

    After buying your Bluehost package, you’ll need to install WordPress and choose a theme. For step by step instructions, see our guide on how to start a WordPress blog.

    Once you’ve installed WordPress, you can log into the WordPress dashboard by going to example.com/wp-admin/ in your browser. Just replace “example.com” with your own domain.

    Here, simply type in the username and password you created, and then click on ‘Log In.’

    The WordPress login page

    You’re now in your WordPress dashboard, ready to start building your Amazon affiliate store.

    The first thing you’ll want to do is install and activate the WooCommerce plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

    As soon as you activate WooCommerce, it will launch a setup wizard where you can type in an address for your store, the industry where your store operates, and the type of products you plan to sell.

    Since we want to create an Amazon affiliate store, you don’t need to worry about configuring your WooCommerce settings. With that in mind, you can close the setup wizard by clicking on the ‘Skip setup store details’ link.

    Setting up your WooCommerce eCommerce plugin

    For step by step instructions on how to configure the WooCommerce settings, see our guide to WooCommerce.

    Step 2. Sign up to the Amazon Associates Program

    Now you’ve installed WordPress and WooCommerce, you’ll need to sign up to the Amazon Associates program.

    Amazon automatically accepts everyone who applies to their affiliate program. However, the Amazon guidelines state that you must drive at least three qualified sales in the first 180 days of your application.

    This means that at least three people need to click on your affiliate links and then make a purchase on the Amazon website. If you don’t meet this target within 180 days, then Amazon will remove you from their program and you will no longer earn money from your Amazon affiliate links.

    With that in mind, you may want to spend some time increasing your blog traffic and fine-tuning your website’s SEO before applying to the Amazon affiliate program. If you need help, then please see our ultimate SEO guide for beginners.

    When you’re ready to become an Amazon affiliate, simply head over to the Amazon Affiliate program website and click on the ‘Sign Up’ button.

    The Amazon Associates affiliate program

    At this point, you’ll be asked to log into your Amazon account.

    There’s no need to create a special Amazon affiliate account, so you can go ahead and type in the email address and password for your existing Amazon account.

    Registering for Amazon associates

    If you don’t have an Amazon account, then click on ‘Create your Amazon account.’ Amazon will now guide you through the process of creating an account, step by step.

    By default, Amazon will send all payments to the primary address for this account. If you’re happy to go ahead and use the default payee, then make sure that ‘The payee listed above’ is selected and then click on the ‘Next’ button.

    Becoming an Amazon affiliate

    If you want to use a different payee, then click on the ‘Someone else’ radio button.

    You can then type in the name and contact phone number for this new payee, and click on the ‘Next’ button.

    Adding a new payee to your Amazon associates account

    On the next screen, you can type in the website domain where you plan to use your Amazon affiliate links, and then click on ‘Add.’

    If you plan to advertise Amazon’s products on more than one domain, then simply repeat the same process described above.

    Registering a domain with Amazon associates

    After adding all the domains where you plan to use Amazon’s affiliate links, click on ‘Next.’

    On the next screen, you’ll need to confirm that your website isn’t mainly aimed at children under 13.

    Assuming this is the case, click to select the ‘No’ radio button and then click on ‘Confirm.’

    Signing up to the Amazon Associates program

    The next step is creating your Amazon Associates profile. To start, type the ID that you would like to use into the ‘What is your preferred Associates Store ID?’ field.

    Amazon uses this ID to track and record your commissions. The ID will also be included in your Amazon affiliate links. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to type in the name of your website or company.

    Registering as an Amazon affiliate

    Amazon will then automatically create an ID based on your preferred ID.

    After typing in this information, check that the ‘Your Website List’ box is showing all the domains where you plan to add your Amazon affiliate links.

    Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to enter some information about your site. This includes the topics you cover on your website, and the kind of products you plan to promote on your Amazon affiliate store.

    Choosing products for your Amazon affiliate store

    Amazon will also ask for some basic analytics information such as how many people visit your site every month.

    If you’re not already using Google Analytics to record this information, then see our step by step guide on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress for beginners.

    Once you’ve entered all this information, click on the ‘Finish’ button.

    That’s it. You’re now registered as an Amazon affiliate.

    Step 3. How to Find the Best Products for Your Amazon Affiliate Site

    Once you’ve signed up to the Amazon Associates program, you’re ready to start creating affiliate links.

    You can get affiliate links for most of the physical and digital products sold on the Amazon store. However, there are some products that you can’t get affiliate links for, such as any products sold by Amazon Pharmacy.

    Let’s find some products to promote on your new Amazon affiliate store.

    To start, sign into your Amazon Associates account. If you scroll to the bottom of the screen, you’ll see some products that Amazon recommends you add to your website.

    These recommendations are based on the products your site’s visitors have previously purchased or shown an interest in purchasing.

    Amazon Affiliate's recommended products

    To add one of these products to your site, simply hover your mouse over the product’s image.

    Then, click on the Get Link button when it appears.

    How to get an Amazon affiliates link

    On the next page, click on the Text Only tab.

    Once you’ve done that, click on the ‘Short link’ radio button. Amazon will now show the affiliate link that you can use to add this product to your website.

    How to get an Amazon affiliate link for WordPress

    Another option is to simply visit the normal Amazon store while logged into your Amazon affiliate account.

    Along the top of the screen, you’ll see a new Amazon Associates SiteStripe banner.

    How to get an Amazon affiliate link for your website

    You can now simply browse the Amazon store as normal. When you find a product that you want to add to your Amazon affiliate store, simply click on the ‘Get Link: Text’ button in the SiteStripe banner.

    In the popup that appears, click on the ‘Short link’ radio button. You will now see an affiliate URL for this product.

    Getting an Amazon affiliate link for your online store

    To help you get sales, it’s important to find products that your visitors will be interested in buying. Here, a good analytics solution for WordPress can help you learn more about the people visit your site, so you can identify the products they may want to buy.

    It’s also a good idea to to think about the kind of content you’re publishing, and the content you plan to publish. For example, if you’re creating a fitness blog, then your target audience might be interested in buying gym equipment or health supplements.

    Meanwhile, if you’re building an animals and pet related website then you may want to promote products from Amazon’s ‘Pet Supplies’ category.

    No matter what products you choose, once you have an affiliate link you’re ready to start adding products to your Amazon affiliate store.

    Step 4. Adding Amazon Affiliate Products in WooCommerce

    WooCommerce is the best Amazon affiliate store plugin for WordPress. It allows you to import products that are for sale on third-party websites, and then show these products as part of your own online store.

    In this way, you can deliver a seamless experience to the people who visit your website.

    To start importing products from Amazon, go to the Products » Add New page.

    Creating a new WooCommerce product

    First, you need to type in a title for the product that you want to promote on your website.

    Then, type a detailed description into the post editor.

    Adding a product title and description

    Once you’ve done that, scroll to the ‘Product data’ box.

    Here, open the dropdown that shows ‘Simple product’ by default and click on ‘External/Affiliate product.’

    Adding an affiliate product in WooCommerce

    You can now either type in or paste the Amazon affiliate URL for this product.

    Just because a product costs $10 now, doesn’t mean it will cost $10 forever. Amazon can change the price of its products at any point.

    With that in mind, you’ll want to leave both the ‘Regular price’ and ‘Sale price’ fields blank. Your visitors can then check Amazon for the current price.

    Next, scroll to the ‘Product short description’ section. Here, you can type in a short description that will appear on your affiliate store’s front page, product category pages, and in the search results.

    Adding a short product description in WooCommerce

    To encourage visitors to click your link and buy the product, it’s a good idea to add an engaging product image.

    To do this, click on the ‘Set product image’ link.

    Adding a product image to your Amazon affiliate store

    You can then either choose an image from the WordPress media library or upload a file from your computer.

    Another option is to create an image gallery by clicking on ‘Add product gallery images.’

    When you’re happy with all the information you’ve entered, it’s time to click on ‘Publish.’ Now if you visit the shop page of your affiliate store, you’ll see your Amazon product live.

    An Amazon affiliate store built with WooCommerce and WordPress

    If you click on the ‘Buy product’ button then the affiliate link will take you to the product’s page on Amazon’s website.

    You can now add more Amazon products to your affiliate store by following the same process described above.

    Step 5. Customizing Your WordPress Amazon Affiliate Store

    Themes control how your Amazon affiliate store looks including the colors, layout, and fonts. Your theme is the face of your online store and can encourage visitors to click on your affiliate links.

    By default, WordPress comes with a basic design that has limited WooCommerce support.

    The good news is that there are lots of different free and premium WooCommerce-ready themes that you can choose from. To get more sales, you’ll want to choose a theme that looks good, compliments your products, and has exactly the features you need.

    To help you make the right choice, we’ve put together a list of the best WooCommerce WordPress themes. You may also want to look at our expert pick of the best WordPress themes for affiliate marketing.

    Once you’ve chosen a theme, you can see our guide on how to install a WordPress theme.

    Another option is to create your own custom theme using SeedProd. It’s the best page builder plugin for WooCommerce and is used by over 100 million websites.

    You can use SeedProd to create a completely custom WordPress theme for your store without having to write a single line of code.

    SeedProd even comes with special WooCommerce blocks that you can use to show off your Amazon affiliate products. For example, you can use the Products Grid block to show multiple affiliate products on any page in a nice layout.

    SeedProd's WooCommerce blocks

    As well as these special WooCommerce blocks, SeedProd also comes with ready-made templates including designs that you can use to create a landing page with WordPress.

    For more details, check out our guide on how to create a custom WordPress theme.

    You can also add powerful new features to your eCommerce site using plugins.

    There are tons of free and premium WooCommerce plugins that you can choose from. To help you find the best plugins for your Amazon affiliate store, check out our expert pick of the best WooCommerce plugins.

    Resources to Grow Your Amazon Affiliate Store

    Now that you have set up your Amazon affiliate store, it’s time to focus on growing your new affiliate business.

    Fortunately, there are many tools, plugins, and resources that can help you get more sales and make money from your Amazon affiliate store.

    Let’s start with SEO. As a general rule, the higher your content appears in relevant search engine results, the more visitors you’ll get to your website. This means more potential clicks on your affiliate links.

    For a step by step guide on how to fine-tune your Amazon affiliate store for the search engines, please see our WooCommerce SEO guide.

    You may also want to install AIOSEO. AIl in One SEO is the best SEO plugin for WordPress and can help you optimize your affiliate site for the search engines.

    Once you’re getting more visitors from search engines such as Google, you can check out the best affiliate marketing tools and plugins for WordPress.

    By tracking your visitors you can understand what’s working on your Amazon affiliate store, and the areas that you can fine-tune to get more sales.

    MonsterInsights is the best Google Analytics plugin for WordPress. It helps you find your best selling Amazon affiliate products as well as products that aren’t doing so well.

    You can then make changes to your store based on real data. For more information, see our tutorial on how to track WooCommerce users in WordPress.

    Abandoned carts are a huge problem for eCommerce stores. For an affiliate store, this means people will look at the products you’re promoting, but they won’t buy them. In this way, abandoned carts directly affect your affiliate earnings.

    To help reduce your cart abandonment rates, we have a detailed guide on how to recover abandoned carts and boost your commissions.

    Above all, make sure you continue to add new products to your Amazon affiliate store, post helpful reviews, and use content marketing tools to get more people to visit your website.

    FAQs About Running an Amazon Affiliate Store Using WordPress

    Since we first published this guide, we have got lots of questions from our readers about how to run a successful Amazon affiliate store using WordPress.

    Here are the answers to some of those most frequently asked questions.

    1. Can I add products from other affiliate networks?

    Yes, you can add products from other affiliate networks to your website. This can be a great way to earn more money, and create a more diverse and robust affiliate business.

    2. I live outside the United States, can I join Amazon Affiliate program?

    Yes, you can. Currently, the Amazon Associates program is available in over 17 countries. However, every country has its own program and you’ll need to apply separately to each program that you want to join.

    3. Do I need to disclose my affiliate partnership?

    Yes, you do. Amazon’s program policies and the US laws require you to disclose that you’ll earn a commission when users buy a product.

    It is not just limited to Amazon, all websites that use advertising or affiliate marketing to make money need to show a disclaimer. For an example, see our WPBeginner’s disclaimer page.

    To meet Amazon’s requirements, you must include a legally compliant disclosure along with your affiliate links, and identify your site as an Amazon associate.

    You must also include the following statement on your website:

    “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

    4. Can I promote Amazon products without creating an affiliate store?

    Yes, you can. For example, if you run a blog, then you can add affiliate links to your blog posts. If you do this, then you won’t need to install WooCommerce.

    5. What are the Amazon affiliate commission rates?

    The amount of commission you get changes depending on the product category. Commission rates can also vary depending on your location.

    For a detailed look at the commission rates, you can see the Associates Program Standard Commission Income Statement for your location. For example, the Income Statement for the United States shows that you can expect to earn between 20% and 1% commission depending on the product category.

    6. Can I promote Amazon services?

    Yes. You’ll typically get a fixed fee every time someone signs up to an Amazon service using your affiliate link. This includes services such as the Prime Video Free Trial.

    7. What is the difference between Amazon Associates and Amazon Affiliates?

    While they’re very similar, the Amazon Associates program and Amazon Affiliates are two slightly different things.

    You become an Amazon Affiliate by signing up to the Amazon Associates program. If you’ve been following along with this guide, then you’re now enrolled in the Amazon Associates program, which makes you an Amazon Affiliate.

    8. How much does the Amazon Affiliate program cost?

    It’s free to join the Amazon Associates program.

    There is no minimum number of sales you need to make before you can start earning commission. However, you will need to refer at least three qualified sales within the first 180 days of becoming an Amazon affiliate.

    9. How much does it cost to build an Amazon Affiliate store?

    You can start with Bluehost for $2.75 per month and use the free WooCommerce plugin to limit your costs. There are also plenty of free WooCommerce-ready themes that can help you create a professional-looking Amazon affiliate website for minimum cost.

    For more information, see our article on how much it costs to build a WordPress website.

    We hope this article helped you start an Amazon affiliate store using WordPress. You may also want to see our ultimate step by step WordPress security guide and our expert pick of the best live chat software for small businesses.

    If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

    The post How to Build an Amazon Affiliate Store Using WordPress first appeared on WPBeginner.

    Posted on

    What If ”Rules” Applied In Our Daily Efforts?

    Being a casual fan of professional sports, I probably favor (United States) football and hockey over any other options available to me. At this point in the National Football League (NFL), the final teams are gearing up for the "big game" to determine who is the champion for the season. I hesitate to say "world champion" since this is a statement that I have never understood. I mean, what other countries are actually participating this season?

    At the heart of any sport, is a collection of rules. A rule book. Albeit quite involved, the goal is to establish guidelines for the sport and provide a central point where competitors can comprehend what is considered legal play and what is considered an infraction.

    Posted on

    Spread The Love! Inspiring Wallpapers For February 2019

    Spread The Love! Inspiring Wallpapers For February 2019

    Spread The Love! Inspiring Wallpapers For February 2019

    Cosima Mielke

    As designers we usually turn to different sources of inspiration, and, well, sometimes the best inspiration lies right in front of us. With that in mind, we embarked on our wallpapers creativity mission more than nine years ago. The idea: to provide you with unique and inspiring desktop wallpapers each month anew. Wallpapers created by the community for the community.

    We are very thankful to all artists and designers who have contributed and are still diligently contributing to this challenge, who tickle their creativity to keep the steady stream of wallpapers flowing. This post features their artworks for February 2019. All wallpapers come in two versions — with and without a calendar — and can be downloaded for free. At the end of this post, we also collected some wallpaper favorites from past February editions for you. After all, some things are just too good to be forgotten, right?

    Please note that:

    • All images can be clicked on and lead to the preview of the wallpaper,
    • You can feature your work in our magazine by taking part in our Desktop Wallpaper Calendar series. We are regularly looking for creative designers and artists to be featured on Smashing Magazine. Are you one of them?

    Further Reading on SmashingMag:

    Savannah Stroll

    “February is a month focused on romance and as a southerner, I can’t think of a more romantic way to spend a day than strolling the historic moss-draped streets of Savannah, GA. Spending time sitting on a bench on one of the many beautiful squares, holding hands and people watching as you sip a cappuccino.” — Designed by Heather Ozee Designs from the United States.

    Savannah Stroll

    Love Is Worth Fighting For

    Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

    Love Is Worth Fighting For

    Dark Temptation

    “A dark romantic feel, walking through the city on a dark and rainy night.” — Designed by Matthew Talebi from the United States.

    Dark Temptation

    Feel The Love!

    “We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with our February wallpaper. Whatever Valentine’s Day means to you we’re on board, love, relationships or the best of friends. It’s something to be celebrated!” — Designed by Focus from the United Kingdom.

    Feel The Love!

    Cold And Frost

    “Frosts in Russia are very severe. Walking through the Park, I found these branches at the top and decided to capture the moment.” — Designed by Nikolay Belikov from Russia.

    Cold And Frost

    What Is Love

    “We all feel it, even if we cannot define it. But, who needs a definition anyway? When you sense it in your gut and feel like standing on the top of the world. Happy. From the bottom of your heart. ‘Where there is love, there is life,’ said Mahatma Gandhi. And we couldn't agree more. May the love be with you. Always.” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    What Is Love

    Polar Cold

    “February is the month of the bear. I would like to be in the Arctic and play with the bears.” — Designed by Verónica Valenzuela from Spain.

    Polar Cold

    Lovely Day

    Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

    Lovely Day

    Let Love Speak

    “As it’s February, we just thought of celebrating Valentine month. Let the love between nature and human being prosper. These days we are forgetting to take care of our nature. So it’s a kind of gentle reminder for all of us.” — Designed by Sweans Technologies from London.

    Let Love Speak

    Umbrella Day

    “Always good to have an umbrella, on rainy or sunny days! On the 10th of February we celebrate the umbrellas.” — Designed by Melissa Bogemans from Belgium.

    Umbrella Day

    Sunset

    “I want to emphasize February 14th because it’s Valentine’s Day. I thought it would be fun to use two cats that are in love watching the sunset in the park. I have tried to use as many warm and loving colors as possible, such as red, rose, orange and purple.” — Designed by Vince Teckmans from Belgium.

    Sunset

    World Radio Day

    “Music is an important element in our everyday lives. It connects people all over the world, regardless of culture, religion etc.” — Designed by Ilke Cauwenbergh from Belgium.

    World Radio Day

    Oldies But Goodies

    No matter if it’s a brave icebreaker that confronts even the most adverse weather conditions, a piece of design wisdom, or a pun — a lot of things have inspired our artists to design a February wallpaper in the past few years. Below you’ll find a little best-of. Please note that these wallpapers don’t come with a calendar.

    Dog Year Ahead

    Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    Dog Year Ahead

    Balloons

    Designed by Xenia Latii from Germany.

    Balloons

    Febpurrary

    “I was doodling pictures of my cat one day and decided I could turn it into a fun wallpaper – because a cold, winter night in February is the perfect time for staying in and cuddling with your cat, your significant other, or both!” — Designed by Angelia DiAntonio from Ohio, USA.

    Febpurrary

    Minimalistic Love

    “This minimalistic love logo is designed from geometric shapes, where the heart represents the letter ‘O’ and love. The anchor represents the letter ‘V’ very delicately and stylish and it symbolizes your wanderlust. The anchor is a symbol of adventure and travels.” — Designed by Antun Hirsman from Croatia.

    Minimalistic Love

    “Greben” Icebreaker

    “Danube is Europe’s second largest river, connecting 10 different countries. In these cold days, when ice paralyzes rivers and closes waterways, a small but brave icebreaker called Greben (Serbian word for ‘reef’) seems stronger than winter. It cuts through the ice on Đerdap gorge (Iron Gate) – the longest and biggest gorge in Europe – thus helping the production of electricity in the power plant. This is our way to give thanks to Greben!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    “Greben” Icebreaker

    Winter Wonderland

    “In February, nature shows its creativity. Our artwork occurs when it is being drawn.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia.

    Winter Wonderland

    Love Angel Vader

    “Valentine’s Day is coming? Noooooooooooo!” — Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

    Love Angel Vader

    Febrewery

    “I live in Madison, WI USA, which is famous for its breweries. Wisconsin even named their baseball team “The Brewers.” If you like beer, brats, and lots of cheese, it’s the place for you!” — Designed by Danny Gugger from the United States.

    Febrewery

    Farewell, Winter…

    “Although I love winter (mostly because of the fun winter sports), there are other great activities ahead. February, the last winter month, this year is even one day longer. But I don’t mind. Thanks, winter, and see you next year!” — Designed by Igor Izhik from Canada.

    Farewell, Winter...

    Principles Of Good Design

    “The simplicity seen in the work of Dieter Rams which has ensured his designs from the 50s and 60s still hold a strong appeal.” — Designed by Vinu Chaitanya from India.

    Principles of Good Design- Dieter Rams

    I Believe I Can Fly

    Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek from Belgium.

    Smashing Wallpaper - february 13

    Out There, There’s Someone Like You

    “I am a true believer that out there in this world there is another person who is just like us, the problem is to find her/him.” — Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

    Out There, There’s Someone Like You

    The Great Beyond

    “My inspiration came mostly from ‘The Greay from’. It’s about a dog and an astronaut exploring a strange new world.” — Designed by Lars Pauwels from Belgium.

    The Great Beyond

    Join In Next Month!

    Please note that we respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience throughout their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

    Thank you to all designers for their participation. Join in next month!

    Posted on

    Start a Career in Blockchain App Development

    Blockchain technology has taken the leading position amongst software development companies in terms of the demand for programmers. Talented blockchain engineers are currently the most required in the field and gain, on average, more than $150, 000 per year in the United States.

    However, many growing talents in software engineering still have a lot of questions related to blockchain development and concerns about the security of the app architecture. Referring to the word “blockchain,” it can be described as an online system that is duplicated on thousands of computers and distributes the information amongst them. These machines are called “nodes” and they help build the blockchain. This distribution and the specifics of the blockchain architecture allow keeping the Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies data safe from hacker attacks.

    Posted on

    SurchX Launches Interchange Fee Recovery API

    SurchX, a technology company that enables merchants to recover losses from credit card processing fees, today announced that its fee recovery product is now available to merchants operating in the United States. SurchX is hoping to solve one of retail’s biggest challenges – staying profitable in an increasingly commoditized world.

    Posted on

    New Year, New Beginnings (January 2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    New Year, New Beginnings (January 2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    New Year, New Beginnings (January 2019 Wallpapers Edition)

    Cosima Mielke

    Maybe you’ve already started into the new year when you read this, maybe you’re still waiting for the big countdown to begin. No matter what: Let’s welcome 2019 with a fresh wallpaper!

    To give you a little inspiration boost, artists and designers from across the globe once again tickled their creativity and designed unique wallpapers for you to indulge in. All of them come in versions with and without a calendar for January 2019 and can be downloaded for free — just like every month since more than nine years already. At the end of this post, we also compiled some January favorites from past years that are too good not to share. Have an exciting new year!

    Further Reading on SmashingMag:

    Please note that:

    • All images can be clicked on and lead to the preview of the wallpaper,
    • You can feature your work in our magazine by taking part in our Desktop Wallpaper Calendar series. We are regularly looking for creative designers and artists to be featured on Smashing Magazine. Are you one of them?

    Let The Magic Begin

    “When the noisy holidays stay behind us, and everything calms down to a peaceful setting, it is a perfect moment for the magic to step in and start making our wishes, hopes, and decisions come true. Happy January, everyone!” — Designed by PopArt Web Design from Serbia.

    Let the Magic Begin

    New Year

    “The dawn of January the 1st of 2019 is the beginning of a new year which gives dreams, hopes and a lot more to billions of people around the world.” — Designed by Sweans Technologies Ltd. from London.

    NEW YEAR

    A New Beginning

    “I wanted to do a lettering-based wallpaper because I love lettering. I chose January because for a lot of people the new year is perceived as a new beginning and I wish to make them feel as positive about it as possible! The ideia is to make them feel like the new year is (just) the start of something really great.” — Designed by Carolina Sequeira from Portugal.

    A New Beginning

    Intense Winter

    “Winter brings both Christmas & New Year together. A season which provides time for comfort, food, warmth, and touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire.” — Designed by Call Taxi Software from India.

    Intense Winter

    New Year, New Chances

    “The climate is changing very fast. 2019 is a new chance to save the earth, the people and the animals who suffer from global warming.” — Designed by Melissa Bogemans from Belgium.

    New year, new chances

    A Cold But Happy 2019

    “January is a cold but cozy month so i tried to make my illustrations in cold and cozy colors. Blue and white as the cold colors and red darkblue as the cozy colors. I made some small details like reindeers, clouds snowflakes and trees to make it look better.” — Designed by Vince Teckmans from Belgium.

    A cold but happy 2019

    Cold... Penguins!

    “The new year is here! We waited for it like penguins. We look at the snow and enjoy with it!” — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela from Spain.

    Cold penguins

    Hidden Gem

    “Kingfishers are called ‘ijsvogels’ (ice-birds) in Dutch. Not because they like winter cold, but because of the intense blue and teal colors...” — Designed by Franke Margrete from the Netherlands.

    Hidden Gem

    Snowman

    Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

    Snowman

    Freezy Hope For 2019

    “I took this photo while walking around the city where I live. It's located in the Vosges, France. It was cold but without snow. White color is coming from freezy touchs of the fog remaining on everything. I found it amazing. White is a color for hope. Let's have a pleasant year 2019” — Designed by Philippe Brouard from France

    Freezy hope for 2019

    Oldies But Goodies

    The past New Year’s editions have brought forth some timeless wallpaper goodies that work equally well in 2019. Please note that they don’t come with a calendar. May we present…

    Open The Doors Of The New Year

    “January is the first month of the year and usually the coldest winter month in the Northern hemisphere. The name of the month of January comes from ‘ianua’, the Latin word for door, so this month denotes the door to the new year and a new beginning. Let’s open the doors of the new year together and hope it will be the best so far!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

    Open the Doors of the New Year

    Start Somewhere

    “If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives. Start today - somewhere, anywhere.” — Designed by Shawna Armstrong from the United States.

    Start Somewhere

    Winter Leaves

    Designed by Nathalie Ouederni from France.

    Winter Leaves

    Boom!

    Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek from Belgium.

    Boom.

    January Fish

    “My fish tank at home inspired me to make a wallpaper with a fish :)” — Designed by Arno De Decker from Belgium.

    January Fish

    Angel In Snow

    Designed by Brainer from Ukraine.

    Angel in Snow!

    Happy Hot Tea Month

    “You wake me up to a beautiful day; lift my spirit when I’m feeling blue. When I’m home you relieve me of the long day’s stress. You help me have a good time with my loved ones; give me company when I’m all alone. You’re none other than my favourite cup of hot tea.” — Designed by Acodez IT Solutions from India.

    Happy Hot Tea Month!

    Dare To Be You

    “The new year brings new opportunities for each of us to become our true selves. I think that no matter what you are — like this little monster — you should dare to be the true you without caring what others may think. Happy New Year!” — Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

    Dare To Be You

    White Mountains

    “In Central Europe, we’ve had a very warm beginning of winter. I hope there will be lots of powder for snowboarding soon. I’d love to see the French Alps again as white as in 2015 when I took this photo.” — Designed by Annika Oeser from Germany.

    White Mountains

    Winter Getaway

    “What could be better, than a change of scene for a week? Even if you are too busy, just think about it.” — Designed by Igor Izhik from Canada.

    Winter Getaway

    Be Awesome Today

    “A little daily motivation to keep your cool during the month of January.” — Designed by Amalia Van Bloom from the United States.

    be awesome today

    Japanese New Year

    Designed by Evacomics from Singapore.

    Japanese New Year

    A New Start

    “The new year brings hope, festivity, lots and lots of resolutions, and many more goals that need to be achieved. This wallpaper is based on the idea of ‘A New Start’.” — Designed by Damn Perfect from India.

    A New Start

    The Way To Get Started

    “January is all about renewing efforts and making plans, but sometimes we need little reminders that plans don’t matter if you don’t do anything about them. Initially, I was inspired by the idea of a fresh sheet of paper, which became the background for some great words from Walt Disney.” — Designed by Resa Barillas from the United States.

    The Way To Get Started

    Three Wise Men Of The East

    “In Belgium remember the Three Wise Men of the East is a tradition. It involves children going from door to door, dressed up as the three Wise Men. They sing a little song, in exchange for sweets and/or money. The design is very minimalistic and ‘flat’. I hope you like it :)” — Designed by Jeroen Bartels from Belgium.

    Three Wise Men of the East

    Rest Up For The New Year

    “I was browsing for themes when I found this “Festival of Sleep” that takes place on the 3rd, and I’m a big fan of sleep… Especially in these cold months after the holiday craziness, it’s nice to get cozy and take a nice nap.” — Designed by Dorothy Timmer from Central Florida, USA.

    Rest Up For The New Year

    Hello Summer In Australia

    Designed by Tazi Designs from Australia.

    Hello Summer in Australia!

    Join In Next Month!

    Please note that we respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience throughout their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us, but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

    Thank you to all designers for their participation. Join in next month!

    Smashing Editorial (il)