Connect with us

WORDPRESS

10 Best Free & Paid WP Rocket Alternatives For Better Site Speed in 2024

Published

on

10 Best Free & Paid WP Rocket Alternatives For Better Site Speed in 2024

Looking for the best WP Rocket alternatives?

WP Rocket is a popular performance plugin for WordPress. It’s built to speed up websites via code optimization, caching, and more. Thousands of sites use this tool to boost their websites’ loading time and improve user experience.

However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. For instance, WP Rocket doesn’t offer image optimization, and you must pay extra for CDN use.

That’s where alternatives come in. These tools offer a variety of features that can fill the gaps left by WP Rocket. 

Let’s dive into our list of the 10 best WP Rocket alternatives:

1. NitroPack: Best Overall WP Rocket Alternative

nitropack-best-alternative-wp-rocket

NitroPack is an all-in-one solution that excels at optimizing WordPress sites for Core Web Vitals . It’s a pricier tool but offers more features, speed, and optimization than WP Rocket.

NitroPack’s main appeal lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. You get a plug-and-play service that automatically optimizes your WordPress site for superior performance. 

It has all the basic features required to boost your web speed: caching, file minification, a powerful CDN, and media compression. Plus, you get smart cache invalidation—a feature that saves server resources without requiring manual deletion of old cached files.

NitroPack also works with other CMS platforms besides WordPress, including OpenCart and Magento. So, if budget isn’t a concern but exceptional site performance without human input is a priority, NitroPack is the way to go.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Easy to deploy and instant results
  • Includes a high speed CDN
  • Direct impact on Core Web Vitals scores

CONS


  • Can be costly
  • Inconsistent customer support

Pricing

NitroPack has a free plan.

Pricing plans for NitroPack start from:

  • Business: $21 per month
  • Growth: $51 per month
  • Scale: $176 per month

You can also subscribe for their annual plans and get 2 months free. Each plan comes with a 14-day money back guarantee.

Want a more detailed overview of NitroPack? Check out our complete NitroPack Review: A Must-Have Tool To Help Speed Up Your Website?


2. WP Optimize: Best WP Rocket Alternative For File Optimization

wp-optimize-file-cleanerwp-optimize-file-cleaner

WP Optimize is a powerful WP caching plugin for cleaning up your WordPress site’s database and shrinking images. 

It’s built to make your site load faster by removing old post updates, revisions, and spammy comments that stall it.

WP Optimize also does a superb job with image and media optimization. You can set it to automatically compress new uploads and even adjust compression intensity in settings.

The best part? WP Optimize is free to install and use on any WordPress site (albeit with limited features). The basic version will clean and optimize selected files to give your website a little boost. 

And even when you plan to upgrade, you’ll find WP Optimize to be much cheaper than comparable caching plugins in the market. Paid plans will give you access to more fine-tuned optimization, lazy-loading, and much more.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Powerful image optimization features
  • Robust database management
  • Tons of options in free version

CONS


  • CDN and advanced caching limited to paid plans

Pricing

WP Optimize has a free version.

If you want to use WP Optimize on multiple websites + access advanced features, get one of their paid plans:

  • Starter: $49 per year (1-2 websites)
  • Business: $99 per year (3-5 websites)
  • Unlimited: $199 per year (unlimited websites)

For an in-depth comparison between WP Optimize and WP Rocket, read WP-Optimize vs WP Rocket: Which WordPress Caching Plugin Is Better?


3. LiteSpeed Cache: Best Free WP Rocket Alternative

litespeed-free-wp-rocket-alternativelitespeed-free-wp-rocket-alternative

LiteSpeed cache is a free yet one of the most super-powerful WP Rocket alternatives. 

This plugin is known for its next-level performance optimization features and freedom of control. You get server-level caching (separate for both mobile and desktop), code minification, multi-site support, and heartbeat control practically for free.

To make it even stronger, you can couple it with QUIC.cloud CDN and unlock image compression, database optimization, and responsive lazy-loading within a few clicks. 

Another major plus of LiteSpeed Cache is its superb compatibility. If you’re using WooCommerce, Elementor, Yoast SEO, and bbPress, etc. the tool will seamlessly merge with your current WordPress plugin and provide an error-free experience for both you and your web visitors.

LiteSpeed Cache is completely free to install and use, with over 5+ million active installs. If you’re hosted on LiteSpeed servers and need a massive boost in Core Web Vitals, this is the best option for you.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Server-level caching and optimization
  • Compatible with popular CMS
  • Forever free to use

CONS


Pricing

LiteSpeed Cache is completely free to install and use.


4. FlyingPress 

flyingpress-speed-optimization-pluginflyingpress-speed-optimization-plugin

FlyingPress is one of the more powerful WP Rocket alternatives on our list for WordPress sites needing some extra juice. 

With this all-in-one caching powerhouse, you get features not typically seen in other plugins, like Google font optimization, baseline code minification, and advanced catching.

However, its features like link preloading, background visual lazy loading, and auto adjustments to web layout distinguish it from other WordPress caching plugins like WP Rocket. 

FlyingPress also comes with extensive bloat removal settings. You can disable or remove unnecessary elements like jQuery Migrate, XML-RPCC, and Google Fonts in a few clicks from the settings in the WordPress dashboard.

What’s more, FlyingPress’s CDN (which uses Bunny Optimizer and BunnyCDN’s replication) is faster and more affordable than RocketCDN. While you have to purchase it separately, the sheer performance gain makes this investment worth it.

All of these features come at a cost, though. FlyingPress starts from $42 per year for a single website, making it one of the more premium WordPress caching plugins on the market.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Simple interface and easy to setup
  • Lightning fast CDN
  • Good documentation and support

CONS


  • Pricing on the higher side

Pricing

FlyingPress has a bunch of paid plans starting from:

  • Personal: $42 per year (1 website)
  • Developer: $105 per year (5 websites)
  • Professional: $175 per year (50 websites)
  • Agency: $350 per year (500 websites)

Each plan comes with a 14-day money back guarantee.


5. W3 Total Cache

w3-total-cache-cleanerw3-total-cache-cleaner

W3 Total Cache is a configuration-friendly alternative to WP Rocket with loads of developer options.

On the surface, it looks like any other cache plugin. Delayed script loading, code minification, WebP image conversion, and lazy loading are all built into W3 Total Cache as standard. 

But its real power lies in settings. Users can fine-tune their caching options to the very last details, such as integrating reverse proxies, optimizing with opcode caching, and implementing fragment caching for specific sections.

This probably won’t make sense for the average WordPress user, but W3 Total Cache can dramatically reduce your site loading speed with these options.

W3 Total Cache supports SSL and works seamlessly with most third-party plugins. With both free and paid plans available, it’s perfect for experienced site owners seeking advanced performance optimization without breaking the bank. 

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • High level of customization
  • Advanced caching options are available
  • Decent performance gain from start

CONS


  • Free version lacks CDN
  • Complex and outdated interface

Pricing

W3 Total Cache is free to install and use.

You can also purchase W3 Total Cache Pro for advanced features from:

  • 1 Site: $99 per year
  • 5 Sites: $350 per year
  • 10 Sites: $500 per year

Each plan comes with a 30-day money back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied with the performance gains.


6. Breeze

wp-rocket-breeze-alternativewp-rocket-breeze-alternative

Breeze is the perfect beginner’s caching plugin to boost WordPress performance without much tweaking.

Built by the Cloudflare team, Breeze is easy to install and use from the get-go. Like WP Rocket, you get plenty of features like file-level cache cleanup, database optimization, code minification, and GZIP compression—all of which can be enabled with a few clicks.

Breeze comes built-in with a CDN from Cloudways, though it also works well with third-party CDNs. Plus, it has a unique feature not present in WP Rocket—the ability to enable or disable relative paths.

Cloudways hosting users will find Breeze to be the perfect caching plugin for their site. With the two working together, expect even faster loading speeds and fewer bugs. Additionally, you’d get the benefit of Varnish for server-level caching, a handy feature for dashboard management. 

The best part? Breeze is a completely free plugin. Its user-friendly dashboard and powerful servers make it an excellent WP Rocket alternative for new WordPress users looking for an uncomplicated caching tool.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Offers in-depth caching options for free
  • User-friendly and quick setup
  • Easily connects with third-party CDNs

CONS


Pricing

Breeze is completely free to install and use.


7. SiteGround Speed Optimizer

siteground-speed-optimizer-pluginsiteground-speed-optimizer-plugin

SiteGround Speed Optimizer is currently one of the most popular caching plugins on the market for WordPress websites.

Built by experts at SiteGround, the plugin is easy to install and error-free. It has a wide array of performance optimization features, including file-based caching, deferred script loading, code minification, media lazy loading, and much more.

The plugin relies on server-side caching, offering a different approach than WP Rocket. But it doesn’t cover extensive web performance features like WP Rocket does. 

If you’re hosting on SiteGround, you can also utilize bonus features like WebP conversion, image compression, and dynamic/object caching for more fine-tuned control and reduced initial loading times.

Considering that it costs $0 to install and comes with an uncomplicated interface, SiteGround Speed Optimizer is the perfect WP Rocket alternative for users requiring simple caching and basic speed improvements on their SiteGround-hosted website.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Powerful caching and media optimization features
  • Includes WordPress Heartbeat control
  • Generates web speed insights and fixes

CONS


  • Some features limited to SiteGround users

Pricing

SiteGround Speed Optimizer is completely free to install and use.


8. WP Fastest Cache

wp-fastest-cache-alternativewp-fastest-cache-alternative

WP Fastest Cache is the go-to freemium caching plugin for millions of WordPress website owners.

Like most performance plugins on the market, WP Fastest cache comes with code minification, image compression, database cleanup, and WebP conversion. All of these contribute towards making your site faster and speedier. 

Additionally, the plugin offers a built-in CDN to load heavy resources from the nearest servers. You also get the flexibility to choose and integrate CDNs that best suit your website’s needs.

For e-commerce sites using WooCommerce, WP Fastest Cache automatically configures caching exceptions for cart and checkout pages. It also caches widgets and mobile versions of your website separately—something that WP Rocket lacks. 

In terms of price, WP Fastest Cache is in the same league as the majority of caching plugins. However, its feature-rich free version and dedicated features for eCommerce sites make it a worthy alternative to WP Rocket.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Tons of features in both free/paid versions
  • Decent performance gains from setup
  • Lifetime updates with premium version

CONS


  • Slightly outdated interface
  • Image optimization with paid credits

Pricing

WP Fastest Cache is free to install and use.

To access pro features, you can upgrade to their pro version from:

  • Bronze: $49 lifetime (1 site)
  • Silver: $125 lifetime(3 sites)
  • Gold: $175 lifetime (5 sites)
  • Platinum: $300 lifetime (10 sites)

If you’re unsatisfied, you can claim a full refund with 30-days without any explanations.


9. Autoptimize

autoptimize-wp-rocket-alternativeautoptimize-wp-rocket-alternative

Autoptimize is a great performance plugin for one particular task: optimizing code files. 

It matches WP Rocket in some areas, like boosting Core Web Vitals, and offers basic tools like CSS and JS minification in its free plan. Autoptimize also handles tasks like image lazy loading, deferring script files, and optimizing Google fonts quite well.

While all of these optimizations can bring a noticeable improvement to your site’s performance, Autoptimize still lacks file caching and a CDN. 

You can easily integrate third-party content delivery networks like KeyCDN or Speed Booster. Or, you can also purchase Autoptimize Pro to fill all of the missing gaps and unlock bonus add-ons.

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Powerful free version
  • Customizable for specific performance fixes
  • Effective file optimization

CONS


  • No comprehensive web optimization tools

Pricing

Autoptimize is free to install and use.

You can also purchase Autoptimize Pro for advanced features from:

  • 1-Site: $11.99 per month
  • 5-Sites: $31.99 per month
  • 10-Sites: $59 per month
  • 15-Sites: $89 per month
  • 20-Sites: $119 per month

You can also get a 45% discount on purchasing annual plans.


10. Swift Performance Lite

swift-performance-liteswift-performance-lite

Swift Performance Lite is a useful caching plugin for newbie WordPress users on a budget.

It boasts automatic configuration with over 200+ different settings. The plugin utilizes advanced algorithms for URL identification and manages cache lifespan automatically.

Besides proxy caching and dynamic content loading (which is compatible with WooCommerce, bbPress, Cloudflare, etc.), Swift Performance also supports critical font loading and a plugin optimizer that switches on/off plugins on certain pages to boost their loading speed.

When it comes to image optimization, Swift Performance includes an unlimited, free image optimizer and adopts a WebP-first approach. Coupled with optimization for dynamically added iframes, these functions put it one level above WP Rocket in terms of optimization.

Swift Performance subscriptions are priced almost the same as WP Rocket, with the paid version offering advanced options like AI-powered caching and even more control over configuration. 

Pros & Cons

PROS


  • Advanced algorithm for URL prioritization
  • Extremely simple and user-friendly interface
  • Robust caching mechanism

CONS


  • Lacks behind in media optimization

Pricing

Swift Performance Lite is free to install and use.

You can also upgrade to their pro versions starting from:

  • Single: $49.99 per year (1 website)
  • Multi: $99.99 per year (5 websites)
  • Developer: $249.99 per year (100 websites)
  • Business: $999 one-time payment (unlimited websites)

Final Verdict on WP Rocket Alternatives

That brings us to the end of our list of WP Rocket alternatives.

While none of these cache enabler plugins offer perfection, you’re likely to find features in these alternatives that WP Rocket doesn’t offer.

For example, WP Optimize excels in database management and image optimization, whereas NitroPack specializes in Core Web Vitals optimization. 

Take advantage of these free and premium plugins, and consider using them in combination with WP Rocket and good practices like browser caching to boost your website’s performance even further.

Want to explore more tools to accelerate your site speed even further? Check out our list of the 13 Best WordPress Speed Optimization Services To Help Your Web Vitals.



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address

WORDPRESS

The Ultimate eCommerce Launch Checklist for WordPress

Published

on

By

The Ultimate eCommerce Launch Checklist for WordPress

Starting a new online store can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it before. There are a lot of things to keep track of, from choosing the right eCommerce software to promoting your products.

However, following an eCommerce launch checklist ensures that you don’t miss any crucial steps that could impact your store’s success. This list can help you stay organized, prevent errors, and boost efficiency.

In this article, we will share the ultimate eCommerce launch checklist for WordPress.

The Ultimate eCommerce Launch Checklist for WordPress

Why Use an eCommerce Launch Checklist for Your New Online Store?

An eCommerce checklist allows you to check your online store’s security, pages, checkout options, SEO, and other features without forgetting anything before you launch it.

It acts as a safety net, catching any potential errors or snags that you may have overlooked while preparing your website for launch.

Plus, it keeps you on track and helps you avoid any delays. This physical or digital product launch checklist allows you to prioritize tasks based on importance and deadlines.

If you are working with a team, it also ensures that everyone stays on the same page and tasks are divided effectively. Other than that, it can also be used to evaluate your launch and identify areas for improvement.

Having said that, you are now ready to follow the ultimate eCommerce launch checklist to prepare your store for success. Here is a breakdown of the steps we will cover in this guide:

1. Choose a Website Builder and a Hosting Plan

To start an online store, you will first need to select a website builder. We recommend WordPress because it is the best website builder on the market with over 43% of all sites using it.

It is free, flexible, has several customization options, and is super scalable for businesses of all sizes. This makes it the ideal choice for your eCommerce store.

Note: Keep in mind that we are talking about WordPress.org, which is an open source platform. There is also WordPress.com, which is a self-hosted software. You can view our comparison on WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com to see the difference.

Now even though WordPress is free, you will still need to purchase a hosting plan and domain name for it. Hosting is where your website stores all its data while a domain is your store’s name on the internet, like www.shoppingonline.com.

Expert Tip: If you are just starting your store, then you can use our WPBeginner Free Business Name Generator to come up with your company name.

If you plan to sell physical products, then we recommend Bluehost WooCommerce hosting. This is a WordPress-recommended company that also offers a free domain name, SSL certificate, and pre-installed WooCommerce.

Bluehost WooCommerce HostingBluehost WooCommerce Hosting

Plus Bluehost offers a huge discount to WPBeginner readers. To take advantage of this offer, just click the button below.

However, if you want to sell digital products, then SiteGround’s managed hosting for Easy Digital Downloads is the better option.

It comes with a free SSL certificate, EDD pre-installed, all the optimization features, and a huge 81% discount, making it a great choice.

SiteGround Managed EDD HostingSiteGround Managed EDD Hosting

To get this discount offer, just click the button below.

Once you purchase hosting and set up a domain name, WordPress will automatically be installed for you. You can now head to your dashboard to start creating your store.

For more details, see our guide on how to make a WordPress website.

2. Choose the Right eCommerce Platform

The next step in creating and launching an eCommerce store is to select a platform that allows you to build a store without any coding.

For this, we recommend WooCommerce because it is the best eCommerce plugin on the market and is completely free.

WooCommerceWooCommerce

The plugin allows you to easily add products, integrates with numerous payment gateways, and supports multiple currencies and languages, making it a great choice for creating your store. For details, you can see our guide on WooCommerce made simple.

However, if you plan to sell digital products on your eCommerce platform, then we recommend Easy Digital Downloads instead.

Easy Digital Downloads WebsiteEasy Digital Downloads Website

It allows you to sell eBooks, music, PDFs, and any other digital products you want. Plus, the plugin is beginner-friendly, integrates with a lot of different payment gateways, has in-depth reporting, and connects with email marketing solutions.

For details, you can see our tutorial on how to sell digital downloads on WordPress.

Note: If you have created a store that sells digital goods, then the following list will still work for you as a digital product launch checklist.

3. Create and Check All the Pages for Your Store

After you have added your products to your store, it’s time to create some pages on your website. We recommend starting with the home page and making it attractive because it will be customers’ introduction to your website.

You should add a CTA (Call To Action) on this page to direct users to where you want them. Additionally, you should create a navigation menu so users can browse through your store easily.

For example, this is the homepage for WPForms, a popular WordPress form builder. As you can see, it has a prominent CTA button that directs users to the online store for the plugin software.

WPForms' homepageWPForms' homepage

For details on how to do this for your online store, see our tutorial on how to create a custom home page in WordPress.

Bonus Tip: If it feels like too much work to create custom pages for your store, then you can opt for WPBeginner’s Website Design services instead. Our team can create a beautiful and functional eCommerce website tailored to your specific needs, complete with a seamless checkout process and optimized for conversions.

Depending on which eCommerce plugin you are using, it should have already created a checkout page, products page, and cart page for your online store.

You can customize these pages using SeedProd, which is the best page builder on the market. It fully supports the WooCommerce integration and also has special WooCommerce blocks that you can add to any page you want.

The plugin also offers numerous premade templates and a drag-and-drop builder, making the process super easy.

Editing shop page for your WooCommerce themeEditing shop page for your WooCommerce theme

For more information, see our beginner’s guide on how to edit WooCommerce pages.

4. Create a Seamless Checkout Process

Next, you need to create a seamless checkout process for your store. This will improve conversion rates, reduce cart abandonment, and boost your brand’s image.

To do this, you must integrate your online store with popular and reliable payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal. Customers usually trust these options, and they provide secure transactions, making them a great choice.

Plus, these gateways easily connect with WooCommerce. All you would have to do is install the plugin for these gateways and visit the WooCommerce » Settings » Payments page.

Here, you can toggle the switches to enable different gateways and then add your account details to complete the process. For instructions, see our tutorial on how to accept payments with Stripe in WordPress.

Add Stripe payment gatewayAdd Stripe payment gateway

After configuring the gateways, you can add an express checkout button to offer a seamless experience to customers. This button allows users to go directly to the payment page without having to fill in any details.

For information, see our step-by-step tutorial on how to add express checkout buttons in WooCommerce.

Express checkout buttons previewExpress checkout buttons preview

If you need some more tips, then you can see our beginner’s guide on how to customize your WooCommerce checkout page.

5. Add Social Proof and FOMO

Now that your store has been set up, adding some social proof before launching it is important. This proof will show visitors that other customers have trusted your store and had a good experience with it.

Plus, it will develop FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) which can boost your sales. One way you can do this is by adding testimonials and customer reviews to your store.

Preview for testimonialsPreview for testimonials

If your customers have left reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or Facebook, then you can also showcase these feeds on your site with the Smash Balloon Reviews Feed Plugin.

It comes with a visual editor and makes the process of connecting these platforms with WordPress super easy.

For instructions, see our step-by-step guide on how to show your Google, Facebook, and Yelp reviews in WordPress.

Facebook reviews, embedded on a WordPress websiteFacebook reviews, embedded on a WordPress website

Popups and optins are other great options for building FOMO and social proof.

You can use OptinMonster to display popups with customer reviews and limited-time offers/sales to encourage customers to take action and purchase.

For more details, see our guide on how to increase WooCommerce sales.

OptinMonster's countdown timer on a live websiteOptinMonster's countdown timer on a live website

Another excellent way to build FOMO amongst customers is to use TrustPulse, which is the best social proof plugin on the market.

It tracks your store activity, such as purchases, signups, and downloads, and then displays notifications in real time that highlight these actions to visitors.

Fomo notification previewFomo notification preview

For detailed information, check out our guide on using FOMO on your WordPress site to increase conversions.

6. Add a Contact Form

You need to add a contact form to your online store so that customers can reach out if anything goes wrong, like reporting inappropriate behavior or having issues processing their payments.

For this, you can opt for WPForms, which is the best contact form plugin on the market. It has a beginner-friendly drag-and-drop builder, 1800+ premade form templates, and complete spam protection.

WPForms' homepageWPForms' homepage

Upon activation, you can simply use the plugin’s ‘Simple Contact Form’ template and add it to any page you like using the WPForms block.

For details, see our tutorial on how to add a contact form in WordPress.

Add the WPForms block for the online order formAdd the WPForms block for the online order form

Keep in mind that this is a good solution if you are just starting your store, but as your website grows, a contact form won’t be sufficient to provide all customer support.

Add Other Tools To Contact Support

When you outgrow a contact form as the only way that customers can reach you, we recommend using a business phone service.

We believe Nextiva is the best business phone service for your site. We actually use Nextiva for our business, and you can read more about it in our complete Nextiva review.

It will allow customers to contact you over phone calls and you can also set up an auto attendant if you want.

Nextiva's homepageNextiva's homepage

Plus, you can use Nextiva to add live chat, online faxing, surveys, CRM, analytics, and more.

If your store grows rapidly, then we recommend picking a customer service tool like Groove, which will allow you to manage all your customer data in one place. We use Groove across a few of our brands, which you can learn about in our complete Groove review.

GrooveHQGrooveHQ

You can also create a knowledge base, use AI to create smart responses, and set up automated workflows.

For more information, see our top picks for the best customer service software.

7. Optimize Your Store for Search Engines

Before launching your store, you must optimize it for search engines so that it will rank high in search results and gets more traffic and customers.

This is where All in One SEO (AIOSEO) comes in. It is the best WordPress SEO plugin that allows you to optimize your store in just a few minutes.

All in One SEOAll in One SEO

The plugin has a broken link checker, schema generator, XML sitemaps, on-page SEO checklist, keyword tracker, image SEO, and so much more. For more details, you can see our AIOSEO review.

Plus, AIOSEO offers a GTIN, ISBN, and MPN schema that allows your individual products to rank in search results.

Add the ISBN, GTIN, or MPN and click Update Schema buttonAdd the ISBN, GTIN, or MPN and click Update Schema button

You can also write product SEO titles and descriptions, optimize slugs, enable breadcrumbs, and add alt text for product images.

For detailed instructions, see our ultimate WooCommerce SEO guide.

8. Set Up Email Marketing

Before opening your store, you must choose an email marketing service and set up your account on it. This is an important step of your physical or digital product launch checklist because it allows you to start building an email list as soon as your store goes live.

You can then send cart abandonment, welcome, birthday, or discount offer emails to customers to bring them back to your website and earn their loyalty.

For your online store, we recommend using Constant Contact because it is the best email marketing software for small businesses.

Constant Contact WebsiteConstant Contact Website

It allows you to add signup forms and comes with automation tools, email segmenting, split testing features, drip campaigns, and a visual builder for workflows. 

The tool also offers easy tracking and reporting, built-in social media sharing tools, a free image library, Facebook ads integration, and amazing customer support.

For details, you can see our guide on how to connect Constant Contact with WordPress.

However, if you plan to consistently send automated emails for order confirmations, abandoned carts, and invoices, then FunnelKit Automations is a better choice.

It is the best automation marketing plugin for WooCommerce that comes with a visual funnel builder, premade email automation templates, A/B testing, and more.

Is FunnelKit Automations the right marketing automation plugin for you?Is FunnelKit Automations the right marketing automation plugin for you?

For complete details, see our tutorial on how to send automated emails in WordPress.

9. Set Up Google Analytics

Another crucial step to making your store customer-ready is installing Google Analytics. This will allow you to track your store’s performance and give you real-time insights into how users interact with your website.

You can then use this data to improve your marketing strategy and drive more sales.

To make using Google Analytics super easy, you can use MonsterInsights, which is hands-down the best analytics solution for WordPress.

Ecommerce overview report in MonsterInsightsEcommerce overview report in MonsterInsights

It easily integrates with WooCommece and lets you track product performance, shopping cart abandonment rates, and checkout behavior. You can easily identify products with high abandonment rates and take steps to improve those product pages.

For more information, see our step-by-step guide on how to set up WooCommerce conversion tracking.

10. Create a Backup of Your eCommerce Store

Once you have added all the features to your online store and feel that it’s ready for launch, we recommend first creating a backup.

This will allow you to safeguard your data against security threats and let you recover it in case of data loss due to malware or hackers.

For this, you can use Duplicator, which is the best WordPress backup plugin. It has features like scheduled backups, recovery points, cloud storage integration, migration tools, and more.

Is Duplicator the right backup and migration plugin for you?Is Duplicator the right backup and migration plugin for you?

With this plugin, you can create a backup right from your WordPress dashboard in just a few minutes.

For step-by-step instructions, see our tutorial on how to back up your WordPress site.

11. Secure Your Online Store

Once you have followed all the steps in our eCommerce launch checklist, your store is ready to go live. However, you can still take some extra steps to secure your online store from malware or hackers.

To do this, you can use Cloudflare, which the best security solution for WordPress. It comes with a powerful firewall to filter out bad traffic, prevents DDOS attacks, and has a browser integrity check to block hackers.

Plus, it has an amazing CDN (Content Delivery Network) that improves your page load time by caching static content across multiple servers worldwide.

Note: We use Cloudflare at WPBeginner to protect our site from hackers and malware. Overall, we have had an amazing experience with the tool and have even observed improved page load times since we started using it.

CloudflareCloudflare

Cloudflare also lets you optimize your images for reduced bandwidth, add page rules, manage SSL certificates, perform email routing, use fast DNS services, and identify and block malicious bots.

However, if you have a small business or blog, then Cloudflare may not be the best option. In that case, you can pick Sucuri, which is a popular firewall plugin that comes with a free plan.

For more tips, see our ultimate WordPress security guide.

Keep in mind that once you implement these security measures, you will still need to monitor your site regularly for threats or malware, which can be time-consuming and a bit annoying.

That is why we recommend WPBeginner’s Website Maintenance Service. Our team of experts will provide 24/7 maintenance and support to your website.

We will consistently update WordPress core, themes, and plugins, monitor uptime, remove malware, create routine cloud backups, prevent slow-loading page times, and even give you detailed maintenance reports.

WPBeginner Pro Maintenance ServicesWPBeginner Pro Maintenance Services

Plus, we offer affordable pricing, making us an ideal choice for small businesses. For details, see our WPBeginner Pro Services page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Launching an eCommerce Store

Here are some questions that are frequently asked by our readers about starting an eCommerce website.

Is WordPress good for eCommerce?

WordPress.org is an excellent platform for your eCommerce store because it is open-source, free, scalable, and beginner-friendly.

It is used by 43% of the sites on the internet, has a massive community, and gives you complete freedom to build an online store according to your liking. To learn more, you can see our guide on whether WordPress is good for eCommerce.

Do I need any coding knowledge to launch a WordPress eCommerce store?

You do not need any coding knowledge to start an online store. All you have to do is select an eCommerce plugin and configure its settings to launch your store in just a few minutes. Plus, you can use a drag-and-drop page builder like SeedProd to design your store without coding.

How much does it cost to launch a WordPress eCommerce store?

Your eCommerce store costs can add up as you choose a hosting provider ($5-$25/month), domain name ($10-$15/yr), and eCommerce plugin (free-paid) for your store.

In our opinion, costs will start at about $100 to build a basic online store, with costs adding up as your store grows.

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.



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

WORDPRESS

John Kostak of Web Dev USA – WordPress.com News

Published

on

By

John Kostak of Web Dev USA – WordPress.com News

“We can really be dangerous if we want, without being too afraid of it.”

John Kostak has been building websites for longer than most social media networks have even been around. So splashy features don’t interest him much—he’s far more into performance, reliability, and compatibility. Which is why he and his company, Web Development USA, have been using WordPress.com from the start. 

In this fun Q&A, John shares more about his WordPress journey, what matters most to him as a developer, and a few of his favorite sites (in spite of the fact that it was like making him pick his favorite child). Note: The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

If John’s love for WordPress.com has you reconsidering your current hosting environment, you can learn more about our specs and get started at WordPress.com/hosting

Jeremy: How long have you been using WordPress and WordPress.com?

John: I have been building websites for about 15 or 16 years and started in a corporate environment for a large company. We never had an internal digital team and we basically created our own digital agency within this big corporate company. And that was pretty innovative back then. 

Then out of that, I spun off and started Web Development USA. That began in 2015, and so next year will be our 10th year, which is crazy to think about. But it went quickly because we really do enjoy this. And we look for people who find this to be a passion, as we do. 

Jeremy: Have you been using WordPress.com the entire time?

John: Yes we have. We started doing some testing with SiteGround and Elementor hosting, but we still like WordPress.com the best. You know you can go through a McDonald’s three miles away or 10,000 miles away on the other side of the planet and your lunch is going to be reasonably what you expect. That’s what WordPress.com feels like with its consistency and the familiarity of the UI and getting around. 

Jeremy: What do you like most about WordPress.com? Is it about ease of use on your side as a builder? Convenience for the customer? Both?

John: Resiliency. With Jetpack at the core and all the updates that it does, we just don’t have that much of a risk of things exploding, especially when we bring contractors in and out. We can always fall back to a previous state, and we have an exact record of it. We can get into PHP code. We can get into the very, very back end if we want. We can really be dangerous if we want, without being too afraid of it. 

Overall, it is certainly the all-around performance, security, and cadence that you use for backing up sites. 

Jeremy: What are some of your favorite features when building sites on WordPress? Do you have go-to themes, blocks, plugins, etc.?

John: Well, it’s changed over the years. We used to use standard old-school wireframe and theme templates that were very basic. And then we went into more “custom designer” mode, I would say, with templates and flashy designs. We graduated from Walmart t-shirts to Gucci t-shirts. And, you know, we enjoyed that for a while. 

Now we’re going back to robust wireframes and doing more from scratch. What’s more important now is really the entire stack, including performance and compatibility. You know, we just don’t have time to troubleshoot when we have some whizzy feature on the site. We don’t have time to go in and look for why the thing is down. So, we are sort of simplifying certain things and then standardizing on a certain stack.

Jeremy: What excites you about the future of WordPress.com? Are there any new features you’re especially excited to try out and use?

John: Honestly, we just don’t have time to get into a lot of that. We don’t look much to experimental features or anything like that. We’re trusting that by the time the feature or tool makes its way into being a standard of WordPress, it will be tried and true. We’re not looking for early adopter types of things anymore. 

The reality is that our value add is more about custom coding for integrations—maybe for a particular reservation system that has to shake hands and stay for a while on the site before it goes out to a third-party point of sale. It takes some custom coding there. That’s where our focus has really been—managed services and then a lot more programming. We’ve been onboarding more programmers in the last 18 months than we did the first eight years of the company.

Jeremy: Do you have a few favorite client sites that you can share?

John: Well, Jeremy, it’s like asking you who’s your favorite child. 

Jeremy: Depending on the week, I can give you a pretty good answer. 😊

John: Yeah, that’s a good point! Sure, I have a few:

TuckMusic.com

appalachian-air.com

kdmconsults.com

Get started at WordPress.com today 

Even though WordPress.com provides the freedom and tools to create stunningly beautiful and innovative websites, that’s not why developers choose us. Folks like John Kostak rely on WordPress.com because we have the most performant, secure, and compatible infrastructure out there. If you made it this far, you already know that you don’t have to take our word for it. 

Learn more about our top-notch hosting and get started: 


Join 108.7M other subscribers

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

WORDPRESS

Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience

Published

on

By

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience

When I started building my website with WordPress, I stumbled upon Elementor’s plugin. This powerful website builder, known for its drag-and-drop interface, has been my go-to tool, thanks to its user-friendly interface and wide array of design options.

Since then, Elementor decided to take things up a notch by expanding into the hosting space.

Elementor Hosting is a hosting service tailor-made for WordPress users, seamlessly integrated with Elementor’s page builder and WooCommerce. With Elementor hosting, you get a streamlined experience from site creation to publication, all within the Elementor platform.

This article will dive into Elementor’s hosting service, examining its features, pricing, and overall value, providing an in-depth Elementor Hosting review.

What is Elementor Hosting

Elementor Hosting is a managed web hosting service provided by Elementor, the industry-leading WordPress website builder.

I’ve found that Elementor Hosting is designed to seamlessly merge web hosting services with the advanced capabilities of the Elementor page builder. This unique integration creates an all-in-one platform that empowers you with everything you might need for website creation, hosting, and management.

In a single package, you gain access to the Elementor Pro website builder, valued at $99 per year, alongside the freedom to install preferred plugins.

Keep reading this full hands-on Elementor Hosting review to decide if this is the right option for you.

Who is Elementor Hosting for?

Elementor Hosting is designed for users who want to create, manage, and host WordPress websites using the Elementor website builder.

Here’s a closer look at who might find Elementor Hosting particularly beneficial:

  1. Web developers and designers: Elementor is a great choice for people who regularly build websites for clients and appreciate its versatility and extensive design capabilities.
  2. Small- and medium-sized businesses: Ideal for entrepreneurs looking to establish or enhance their online presence with a polished web design without shelling out hefty design fees.
  3. Bloggers and content creators: Elementor Hosting is suitable for individuals seeking a user-friendly platform that enables them to concentrate on content creation.
  4. E-commerce store owners: Elementor Hosting comes with WooCommerce, which is great for people with an online store.
  5. Marketing and SEO professionals: Perfect for marketing professionals requiring quickly editable and optimized web assets.

Core Features of Elementor Hosting

Elementor Hosting is tailored to offer a seamless experience for users who wish to design, manage, and host websites easily. You get everything under one roof — editor, theme, and hosting.

Before we get into how you can easily build a website with Elementor Hosting, let’s have a look at the features.

Below are the core features that make Elementor Hosting stand out.

Page Builder

Elementor is the #1 Page Builder plugin for WordPress, and it comes free of cost with Elementor Hosting. You get all the following features of Elementor Page Builder to build your WordPress website:

  • Drag-and-Drop Editor: Elementor’s website builder is renowned for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to build websites without any coding knowledge.
  • Responsive Design: Every design or element you create will be responsive, ensuring your site looks great on all devices.
  • Live Editing: See the changes you make in real-time, offering a true what-you-see-is-what-you-get experience.

Pre-Designed Templates

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 1

When building a website with Elementor Page Builder, you can choose from an empty canvas, wireframe designs, or a design from a large library of all-inclusive website templates.

  • Extensive Template Library: Access to a vast library of pre-designed templates suited for various industries and purposes.
  • Blocks and Sections: Apart from full-page templates, Elementor also offers blocks and sections to quickly build custom pages.
  • Template Import/Export: Easily import templates from other projects or export them for use in different websites.

Customization Options

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 2Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 2

With Page Builder, you get a comprehensive collection of widgets and global settings to add different functionalities to your web pages, such as sliders, buttons, and forms.

  • Widgets: A wide range of widgets are available to add functionality to your pages, such as buttons, headings, sliders, and more.
  • Theme Builder: Gain control over your website’s theme, allowing you to design headers, footers, single posts, and archive pages.
  • Global Settings: Customize and maintain a consistent design across your website with global settings for colors, fonts, and other styling options

Performance and Security

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 3Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 3
  • Optimized for Speed: Elementor Hosting is optimized for performance, ensuring fast loading times for your website.
  • Secure Hosting: Implementing the latest security measures to protect your website from online threats.

Integrations with Other Tools

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 4Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 4
  • WordPress Ecosystem: Seamless integration with the vast array of WordPress plugins and themes, expanding the functionality of your website.
  • Marketing Tools: Integration with popular marketing tools and platforms, such as MailChimp, HubSpot, and ConvertKit, to enhance your marketing efforts.
  • eCommerce: Full compatibility with WooCommerce, allowing you to build and manage an online store directly within your website.

Elementor Hosting Dashboard

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 5Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 5

Elementor hosting has an easy-to-navigate dashboard where you can manage your site(s), teams, and subscriptions. You can choose which websites you’re hosting with Elementor Hosting and which ones you’re hosting somewhere else. Accessing the site’s dashboard gives you access to:

  • Manage Domains: Simplifies custom domain setup with an intuitive process. Initially assigns a temporary staging domain.
  • Email Account: Easily set up email sending post-domain connection. Partnered with Zoho Mail, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365 for custom business emails.
  • Backups: Access automatic daily backups and initiate manual backups for data security.
  • Advanced: Provides tools like staging sites, phpMyAdmin, and SFTP details for advanced management. Creating staging sites is effortless with supported plans.

Onboarding Experience with Elementor Hosting

Starting my journey with Elementor Hosting was a breeze, thanks to its seamless onboarding process. From signing up to getting my website up and running, the platform guided me every step of the way, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience.

Here are the steps that you can also follow to set up your WordPress website with Elementor Hosting:

Step 1: Sign Up

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 6Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 6
  • Plan Selection: Choose the hosting plan that best fits your needs. Elementor Hosting offers various plans based on the size and requirements of your website.

Step 2: Website Setup

  • Domain Configuration: You can either register a new domain through Elementor or connect an existing domain to your Elementor hosting account.
  • WordPress Installation: Elementor Hosting automatically installs WordPress for you, eliminating the need for manual setup.

Step 3: Elementor Plugin and Theme Installation

  • Automatic Installation: The Elementor plugin and Hello Elementor theme are automatically installed on your WordPress site. This ensures you have the essential tools to start designing your website immediately.
Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 7Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 7
  • Activation: Log in to your WordPress dashboard, where you’ll find the Elementor plugin and theme already activated.
Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 8Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 8

Step 4: Template Selection and Customization

  • Template Library Access: Upon entering the Elementor editor, you’ll have access to a wide range of pre-designed templates. Choose one that fits your website’s purpose.
Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 9Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 9
  • Customization: Utilize the drag-and-drop editor to customize your chosen template. You can change text, images, layout, and more to match your brand. Here, I have chosen the interior design agency template from Elementor.
Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 10Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 10

Step 5: Website Launch

  • Preview and Test: Before going live, preview your site and test all functionalities to ensure everything works as expected. With Elementor’s responsive design, you can check how every element looks across all devices.
  • Publish: Once you’re satisfied with your website, hit the publish button.

Congratulations, your website is now live!

Plans and Pricing

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 11Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 11

Elementor offers different tiers of hosting plans tailored to various needs, from personal blogs to business websites.

Basic Plan

  • Price: $9.99/month (discounted from $14.99)
  • Features: Includes Elementor Pro, 10 GB storage, 25K monthly visits, and 30 GB/mo bandwidth.

Business Plan

  • Price: $19.99/month (discounted from $24.99)
  • Features: Everything in Basic plus more storage and bandwidth for higher traffic sites.

Grow Plan

  • Price: $49.99/month (discounted from $59.99)
  • Features: Includes all Business plan features with increased storage, bandwidth, and monthly visitor limits to support growing websites.

Scale Plan

  • Price: $299.99/month (discounted from $349.99)
  • Features: Includes all Grow plan features with expanded resources, advanced performance optimization, and priority support.

Educational resources

Elementor offers a wealth of educational resources designed to help users learn, grow, and excel in web creation. These resources cater to a wide range of audiences, from beginners to advanced users, covering various aspects of using Elementor and web design in general.

Below is an overview of the key educational resources provided by Elementor.

1. Elementor Academy

The Elementor Academy is a comprehensive learning hub filled with courses and tutorials aimed at enhancing your web creation skills. Whether you’re looking to understand the basics of using Elementor or delve into advanced design techniques, the academy has something for everyone.

2. Help Center

The Help Center is your go-to resource for detailed articles and guides on troubleshooting, FAQs, and step-by-step instructions on using Elementor features. It’s a valuable resource for solving specific issues you might encounter while working with Elementor.

3. Elementor Blog

The Elementor Blog is an excellent source of inspiration, tips, and the latest trends in web design and marketing. It features articles written by web design professionals and Elementor experts on everything from cloning your websites to new features and the latest releases.

Customer Feedback and Reviews

Per user reviews, while Elementor Hosting shines, there are complaints about its support lacking efficacy.

Nonetheless, Elementor Hosting is praised by individuals building personal websites and agency owners alike.

Check out the positive Elementor Hosting reviews received on Trustpilot, and you’ll be instantly convinced.

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 12Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 12

Final thoughts

Overall, I think Elementor Hosting is a great choice that will work well for various types of websites that web designers, business owners, bloggers, e-commerce entrepreneurs, or simply someone with a passion for web design are trying to build.

It simplifies the entire website-building process by eliminating the need to purchase hosting separately. At the same time, you also get great pricing that comes included with Elementor Pro at no extra cost. Furthermore, the performance and speed optimizations tailored for WordPress and Elementor ensure that websites hosted on this platform look great and deliver an exceptional user experience.

In a world where being online has become crucial, Elementor Hosting can help users create their web designs with ease, style, and comfort.

Keep reading the article at WP Mayor. The article was originally written by Osheen Jain on 2024-04-01 07:00:00.

The article was hand-picked and curated for you by the Editorial Team of WP Archives.



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

Trending