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Today We’ve reached that time of year when all marketing is on a singular theme: snow, presents, and turkey (or nut roast, if that’s your preference). These last few weeks running up to the Christmas break can be an endless trudge through grey, cold weather if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere or wall-to-wall sunshine and BBQs south of the equator (ho-hum). Either way, no one wants to be stuck to a computer doing overtime when they could be eating mince pies glued to a Die Hard marathon. So, the best thing you can do is finish your marketing jobs quickly and then check out. To help you wrap up your design work early this year, we’ve hunted through the free vector clip art on Stockio and 1001FreeDownloads and put together this selection of the best seasonal stock images. No matter how you approach the holidays, there’s something for everyone here. Free Santa Clip-ArtWhether you call him Santa Claus, Saint Nick, or Father Christmas, he’s as Christmassy as cola-flavored beverages. When you see him, you know the holidays really are coming. Originally depicted in a green suit, red with white trim is now the accepted uniform, and the jolly face is unmistakable. Free Christmas Tree Clip-ArtMost people celebrate Christmas by bringing some form of greenery into their house — it’s been done for at least a thousand years. Popularizing the tradition of decorating a tree first amongst the English aristocracy and then the world is the second most famous thing about Prince Albert. Unfortunately for him, his wife’s grandmother had already imported the tradition from Germany, where they’d been doing it for centuries. Free Christian Clip-ArtChristmas is, of course, a Christian festival. We celebrate on the 25th of December because it’s exactly nine months after the 25th of March, which is the date early Christians celebrated The Annunciation. For many people around the world, the original meaning of Christmas is still the most important, and Angels, the Holy Family, and the Three Wise Men are all popular themes. Free Christmas Bauble Clip-ArtChristmas is celebrated globally by many people of different faiths and no faith at all. When you put together your marketing, it may be important to keep your imagery non-religious. One of the simplest ways to make your promotions feel seasonal without alienating anyone is to use Christmas decorations like glass baubles. And because baubles come in many different colors, they’re easy to work into your branding. Free Toys Clip-Art
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a few traditional toys. In the West, we owe many of our ideas about a traditional Christmas to Charles Dickens. And so, while you probably want to unwrap a Playstation on the big day, when it comes to marketing, it’s Victorian-era toys that ring true. Free Christmas Present Clip-ArtIt’s not just children who get presents at Christmas; we give them to friends, family, and loved ones. Giving and receiving presents is a big part of the festivities, and nothing says Christmas like a box with a big red bow. Just like Christmas decorations, Christmas presents are easy to work into your branding, and they even bring a sense of excitement. Free Christmas Lettering
Sometimes, you just want to offer your customers sincere best wishes for the end of one year and the start of the next. For ultra-conservative business sectors, that’s often the safest approach, especially when you have a large number of customers. Ribbons, bows, and “Season’s Greetings” are often all you need. Free Holiday Clip-ArtChristmas might be the main event, but there’s plenty to do and enjoy over the coming weeks. Sledding, building a snowman, snowball fights, snow angels, and long walks in the country followed by hot chocolate by an open fire are all idyllic ways to spend December. Or, if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere warm, head to the beach and laugh at those of us shivering through the next month. Louise NorthLouise is a staff writer for WebdesignerDepot. She lives in Colorado, is a mom to two dogs, and when she’s not writing she likes hiking and volunteering. via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/J5SVwQN Optimizing your website or ecommerce store is the key to improving user experience, increasing conversions, and driving more sales. And this is where A/B testing tools come in. They allow you to test different versions of your website, or elements within your website (copy, graphics, aesthetics, layout etc.) to see which ones perform better. What is A/B Testing?A/B testing is a controlled experiment, also known as split testing. It’s used in website optimization to compare two different versions of a web page in order to determine which one performs better. Here is how it works:
Performance data obtained from A/B testing is used to decide which version of the website attracts more traffic, sees more clicks, more time spent on the page, or which version of the user experience is most effective. So when you make a specific change to a website, A/B testing gives you data that will help you understand how the change affects user behavior on your website. You also find out what changes lead to better results. How You Can Use A/B TestingOptimizing Product PagesIf you want to improve conversions rates on your product pages, you can perform A/B testing on different elements like: product images, product descriptions, and call-to-action buttons in order to identify the variations that resonate best with your target audience. Checkout PageIf you want to reduce abandoned carts and increase your revenue, you can implement A/B testing on the design of your checkout page, different payment options, and also shipping methods. This will help you see which elements have the best checkout results so you can optimize your website accordingly. User ExperienceUser experience can make or break an online business. Poor experience results in high bounce rates. A/B testing different layouts, headline styles, and content placement allows you to identify variations that increase user engagement with your website. Benefits of A/B Testing in Website OptimizationYour overall website optimization strategy will benefit immensely from A/B testing. Here are some of the key benefits: Improved Conversion RatesA/B testing allows businesses identify and optimize the elements that have the highest impact on user behavior. They can gauge what combination of elements drive high conversion rates. Enhanced User ExperienceA/B testing helps business gain valuable insights on user preferences and behavior. This information is then used to refine user experience by creating changes that make using the website more intutive, engaging and enjoyable. Data-Driven Decision MakingMaking decision without data is perilous to the survival of a business. A/B testing eliminates guesswork and provides that helps businesses make informed decisions. Increased Revenue and ROIWhen you optimize your website based on results from A/B testing, you unlock potential for increased revenue, customer satisfaction, and more. A/B testing should be a continous process. When it comes to A/B testing tools for website optimization, there are several options to choose from. Here are some of the top tools available today: 1. Optimizely
Optimizely is a widely recognized A/B testing tool that offers a user-friendly interface and powerful features. It allows users to create and test different variations of webpages without the need for coding knowledge. Users can do A/B testing, multivariate testing, and split testing. It has advanced targeting and personalization capabilities, enabling businesses to deliver personalized experiences to specific audience segments. Optimizely integrates with Google Analytics, Google Ads, Firebase, AMP, and Stripe payment gateway.
2. VWOVWO is a comprehensive A/B testing and conversion optimization tool. It offers an intuitive visual editor that makes it easy to create and test different variations of webpages. You can do website testing, mobile app testing, server side testing. VWO provides advanced targeting options, segmentation capabilities, and deep integration with third-party tools like Google Analytics, making it a powerful solution for website optimization.
3. FigPii
Figpii employs machine learning to understand how users navigate your website and determine the most effective way to configure and initiate A/B testing for maximum conversions. On Figpii, you may access heatmaps, session records, site surveys, and advanced targeting. Additionally, it allows for connectivity with other programs like WordPress, Magento, Unbounce, and Shopify. It is however not compatible with A/B testing on mobile applications. Figpii offers a 14-day free trial during which you can use every function on the platform.
4. Convert Convert is an enterprise-level A/B testing and personalization tool that caters to the needs of larger organizations. It offers advanced features such as multivariate testing, audience segmentation, and deep integration with analytics tools. Convert’s powerful API and comprehensive reporting capabilities make it a preferred choice for businesses looking for a highly customizable and scalable A/B testing solution.
5. AB Tasty
AB Tasty is a user-friendly A/B testing and personalization platform that helps businesses optimize their websites and improve conversion rates. It offers an intuitive visual editor, advanced targeting options, and robust analytics capabilities. AB Tasty also provides additional features like heatmaps, session recordings, and AI-driven insights, enabling businesses to gain valuable user behavior insights for optimization purposes.
6. Adobe Target
Adobe Target is part of the Adobe Experience Cloud suite of products and offers advanced A/B testing and personalization capabilities. It offers insights that allow easy website owners to make choices on the best way to deliver their content to users. It provides a comprehensive set of features, including multivariate testing, segment-based targeting, AI-driven personalization, and integration with other Adobe products like Adobe Analytics and Adobe Campaign. The drawback is that access to the majority of the tool’s sophisticated functionality necessitates a subscription to other Adobe analytics products
7. SiteSpect
SiteSpect is an enterprise-level A/B testing and optimization platform. When it comes to testing and targeting, it offers multivariate testing, audience segmentation, and behavioral targeting. It is the perfect choice of enterprise-level organization because of the emphasis it places on security and performance and comprehensive reporting and analytics.
8. Tubebuddy
One of the most widely used YouTube SEO tools available is TubeBuddy. It supports YouTube Creators in effectively managing, growing, and optimizing their YouTube channel. It can be downloaded for free as a browser extension, and when combined with your YouTube dashboard, it offers an incredible amount of features! The tool is easy to use, can do bulk editing and has excellent A/B testing.
When selecting an A/B testing tool for website optimization, it’s important to consider the following factors: Ease of Use and ImplementationA tool that offers zero to no learning curve is ideal. For this reason, go for a tool that requires minimal technical expertise. Also, look for features like:
Integrations with Existing ToolsCompatibility with your tech stack is important. You want to integrate the A/B testing tool with your CRM tools, CMS, etc to ensure a smooth workflow and data consolidation. Targeting and Personalization CapabilitiesWhen evaluating the targeting and personalization capabilities of the tool, ask if it can do audience segmentation and behavior targeting. Finally, look for AI-driven personalizations in order to deliver tailored experiences to specific user groups helps optimize conversions. Support and Customer ServiceEnsure that the A/B testing tool provides:
ScalabilityHere are some questions to ask:
Price and Cost-EffectivenessHere are some questions you should ask:
Best Practices for A/B TestingTo make the most out of A/B testing, it’s important to follow these best practices: 1. Clearly Define Goals and HypothesesThe first thing to do, before running any A/B testing, is to define your objectives and hypothesis clearly. This will make testing easier and will also guarantee that optimizations you make have impact. 2. Test One Element at a TimeTest one element at a time. This eliminates imprecision and ambiguity, removes confusing variables, and makes way for accurate analysis. By isolating variables and testing them one at time, you can link performance difference to changes being tested. 3. Use Large Enough Sample SizesTo produce results that are statistically significant, use large samples sizes. This makes it easy to gain meaningful insights and draw reliable conclusion. 4. Run Tests for Sufficient DurationRun tests for a sufficient enough time to collect reliable data and identify subtle changes in user behavior over time. 5. Analyze and Act on ResultsWhen you have thoroughly analyzed the results of your A/B tests, and have identified variations that contribute to desired outcomes, then implement the necessary improvements on your website or application. 6. Continuously Iterate and ImproveThe digital space keeps changing constantly and so do the tastes of users. Don’t stop doing A/B testing, it should be a continuous process. Here are some features and functionalities to look for in a robust A/B testing tool. They help streamline the testing and optimization process of your website. Variation Creation and ManagementYou want an A/B testing tool that allows you to the following easily, intuitively, and without coding knowledge:
In addition, to achieve fair and unbiased testing, the tool should allow random allocation of visitors to different variations. Traffic AllocationTo achieve accurate testing results, a relibale A/B testing tools must:
Conversion TrackingA/B tool must have detailed conversion tracking functionality so businesses can track, monitor and analyze performance outcomes of different variations. The tool must be able to track conversions like: sign-ups, purchases, downloads, and other actions that align with business goals. Mobile TestingMany users will access your website from their mobile devices. So it goes without saying an A/B Testing tool should have mobile testing as part and parcel of its features. Multivariate TestingSometimes you want to focus on multiple elements instead of testing a single element at a time. Testing how these different elements combine and interact at the same time in order to find the optimal variation is what multivariate testing is all about. Segmentation and PersonalizationThe ability to segment audience and tailor testing to specific groups variables is key. This makes it easy to personalize experience based on user attributes or behavior. As a result, optimization is direct and impactful. Integration with AnalyticsAnalytics tools enable deeper analysis and reporting. It’s a nobrainer that A/B testing tool offer integration to analytics tools like Google Analytics, etc. User Experience OptimizationA tool should allow testers to make changes and test variations without interrupting user experience. Look for a tool that offers:
Collaboration and WorkflowCollaboration ensures teamwork, streamlined communication, and efficient workflow management. Look for collaboration features that include:
Reporting and AnalyticsBeing able to analyze data and gain insight from it is crucial. You want to have a range of reporting of options like:
ConclusionA/B testing is a powerful tool for optimizing websites. It gives businesses useful insights that allow them to make user-friendly changes to their websites and applications. The end result is increased revenue, improve user experience, and increase conversion rates. There are many A/B testing tools out there so when selecting one, it is important to take into account factors like cost-effectiveness, scalability, support, targeting capabilities, ease of use, and integrations. via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/WGYqj5Q If youâre thinking about building a website, youâve likely come across the name WordPress. As far as website builder software goes, WordPress is #1 and with good reason. In this post, weâll explore what WordPress is, unpack the most common questions asked about it, and give you some tips to get started. What Is WordPress?WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world. A CMS is an application that enables users to build websites, create code-free designs, and manage their content with ease. Originally launched back in 2003 as a blogging platform called b2/cafelog, WordPress has come a long way. Of all the websites known to use a content management system, 62.7% are built with WordPress. What Is WordPress Used For?There are no limits to what type of website you can build with WordPress. For example, you can build:
You can also create websites for all kinds of niches. If you go to the ThemeForest website, youâll find many examples of the types of websites you can make with WordPress. Agency sites. Jewelry stores. AI technology sites. Auto parts shops. And much more. There are no limits with WordPress. The trick is to find the right tools to help you turn your vision into a website. Who Can Use WordPress?WordPress is for everyone. You can be a complete novice who has never used a website builder before. Or you can be a seasoned web developer building your 150th website. The great thing about WordPress is that you donât need to be a professional web designer or coder in order to use it. The not-so-great thing is that there is a slight learning curve simply because thereâs so much you can do with WordPress. It doesnât take long to learn your way around the CMS though. If youâre looking for resources to help you get started, skip down to the bottom of this post. Do You Need to Learn Coding to Use WordPress?Nope. You can build a website without ever having to write or edit a single line of code. That said, unlike some other website builders that severely limit how much access you have to the backend, WordPress doesnât do that. If you want to custom code a website (or youâve hired a designer or developer who wants to), there are no restrictions. What Is the Difference Between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?When you do a search for âwordpressâ, youâre going to stumble upon two different websites. They both use the same WordPress software. However, the difference is in how theyâre hosted and what sorts of capabilities are available to you. WordPress.com is whatâs known as a hosted CMS. This means you donât need to purchase separate web hosting in order to use it. Nor do you need to deal with the technical aspects of maintaining a website, like security and speed. WordPress.com does have a free plan available. However, your website will contain WordPress branding on it and youâll be limited in terms of what you can build, which themes and plugins you can use, and so on. You can upgrade to a paid plan to unlock these features though. WordPress.org is whatâs known as a self-hosted CMS. This means that you need to buy a domain name and web hosting before you do anything. You also have to install WordPress on your server and then maintain that software yourself. In exchange, though, youâll have total control over the websites you build with WordPress.org. There are no limitations aside from perhaps server space and your budget, but those can always be adjusted. Is WordPress Free?Technically, yes. The WordPress software is free to download and use from WordPress.org. That said, WordPressâs real power lies in the vast collections of themes and plugins that the WordPress community has developed and continues to develop for the platform. While you can find free plugins for WordPress, the most versatile and powerful WordPress themes cost some money. So too will your web hosting plan and domain name. But thatâs pretty standard for website builders. Youâll either have to pay a flat monthly fee to use something like Wix or Squarespace or youâll pay upfront for the technologies needed to power your website with WordPress. What Are the Benefits of Using WordPress?There are plenty of WordPress alternatives out there. For instance: Youâll also find alternatives to WordPressâs eCommerce software WooCommerce. Shopify is the most popular one. So why do more than 60% of people building websites these days choose to go with WordPress? There are various reasons why: 1. Itâs Cost EffectiveSo long as you donât go wild and buy a bunch of plugins you donât need or extra themes you wonât use, you can keep website-related costs low. 2. Itâs Open SourceOpen source means that WordPress isnât owned by an individual or a company. Because of this, everyone is free to contribute to it. This is why WordPress has the largest community of collaborators and contributors. Everyone wants to work towards making it the best CMS it can be. Thereâs a dedicated group of contributors who ensure that the software remains secure and updated. In addition, youâll find all the support you need from the WordPress community. Even if there isnât a direct line to call or chat with WordPress, there are top-tier designers, developers, and WordPress power users who can answer your questions. Plus, most of the common questions and issues that arise with WordPress have been dealt with in endless blog posts, tutorials, and YouTube videos. 3. Thousands of Themes and PluginsOn a related note, the world of web design and development changes frequently. When a new design trend arises or the modern user experience changes, someone develops a plugin or a theme to fill that void. Unlike with other website builders, WordPress users have access to a free plugin repository filled with nearly 60,000 plugins. Each plugin includes genuine, helpful user reviews that make finding the perfect plugin an easy task. Thereâs also no shortage of amazing WordPress themes for users to choose from. ThemeForest, for example, has more than 11,000 beautiful themes and website templates made specifically for WordPress. With WordPress, you wonât be limited by your design skills or your imagination. There are so many great add-ons being developed all the time to help you create the website of your dreams and with little effort, too. 4. Youâll Have Complete ControlWhen you use a hosted website builder, thereâs a tradeoff. Hosted solutions simplify the technical side of building and managing a website. So youâll never have to deal with hosting, database management, security, or performance optimization. You also wonât get much control over search engine optimization. With WordPress, those limits donât exist:
And if you know how to code and want the option to do so, you can do this with WordPress. 5. Youâll Build Better WebsitesYou wonât just be able to build better looking websites with WordPress. Because of how extensible the platform is, your websites can also be mobile responsive, accessible, multilingual, and search-optimized. You wonât need advanced technical skills to create higher quality websites either. The WordPress editor and page builder plugins all make responsive editing easy, for instance. If there is additional functionality you want to incorporate into your site, all it takes is a few clicks to install a plugin that will do most of the work for you, too. What Are the Drawbacks of Using WordPress?While there are clear advantages to using WordPress, there are a couple drawbacks to be aware of. 1. The Learning CurveIf you compare the WordPress dashboard to one from a hosted website builder, you might feel overwhelmed. Itâs not that itâs poorly labeled or disorganized. However, there is a lot in there and itâs going to grow as you start to install themes and plugins. WordPress will get easier to use over time. The trick is to use it regularly and to install tools that work for your comfort level. For instance, rather than try to adapt to the WordPress page builder, a novice user would be better off installing the Elementor Pro plugin. The drag-and-drop interface and widgets are much more user-friendly. 2. Technical MaintenanceWith hosted website builders, thereâs little to no technical maintenance to speak of. Youâll never receive alerts that your software is out of date, for instance. You also wonât have to do things like:
Hosted website builders take care of all this stuff for you. This comes with a price though. For instance, scaling your website as your enterprise grows may be difficult to do with other CMS. You also wonât have much visibility into how secure your website is. Also, if your site goes down or gets hacked, youâll be dependent on the website builder to help you restore it. With WordPress, this is all under your control. While it may create more work for you, the trade off might be worth it. Before choosing a CMS, figure out whatâs most important to you today as you build your website. Also, start thinking about what you want the site to do for you years down the road. If you want it to grow alongside your business, the power and control that WordPress offers is unmatched. How to Get Started with WordPressYou can have a new WordPress website up and running in less than an hour. Hereâs what youâll do: 1. Pick a Domain NameYou can use your business name if itâs short enough. If itâs too long or complicated, use a succinct but memorable name or acronym instead. There shouldnât be any spaces or dashes in the name. Just make it one long string. Use Domain.com to check the availability of domain names. Youâll also have to decide on a top-level domain (TLD). Thatâs the part after the final period, like .com, .gov, or .co.uk. Try not to pick an obscure TLD (no matter how cheap it might be) since it can make it hard for people to find or remember your siteâs address. 2. Purchase HostingBuy a hosting plan and domain name from your web hosting provider. SiteGround is a good choice for WordPress websites. Youâll find hosting plans for web, WordPress as well as WooCommerce. In addition, most plans include unlimited traffic, free migration service, auto-updates and backups, a free SSL and CDN, and more. 3. Install WordPress with One ClickAfter youâve finished signing up for your web hosting, youâll be asked if you want to install your content management system. If you choose a WordPress or WooCommerce hosting plan, itâll take you directly to the installer. Otherwise, select the correct website builder from the list. Start the one-click installation process. When it finishes, youâll need to create your admin login credentials. Choose a unique username (not âadminâ) as well as a strong password. 4. Log Into WordPressUse your admin login credentials to log into WordPress. Once inside, spend some time getting to know the different areas of the dashboard and sidebar. The sidebar is where youâll spend most of your time. From creating and editing Pages and Posts to installing and customizing Themes and Plugins, this is your control center for WordPress. 5. Create Your WebsiteWhen youâre ready to get to work on your website, start by finding and installing a theme. By default, WordPress will install one of their own for you. These themes are pretty basic and limited in scope. If youâre looking for something built for a specific niche, thatâs feature rich, and that will allow you to bring your unique vision to life, take a look through the best WordPress themes. Once youâve found one you love, go into the Themes panel in WordPress and upload your file. Most themes have a Setup Wizard to help you get started with customizing your site. As you begin to fill in your content, youâll start to discover extra things you need. Like a tool to help you optimize your content for search, a payment gateway so you can make money, and so on. WordPress plugins help you add these features to your site without the need for any code. Learn WordPress With EnvatoWordPress for Beginners | FREE COURSELearn how to use WordPress from start to finish in this free WordPress tutorial for beginners. It is the only WordPress beginnerâs guide youâll ever need! ConclusionWordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. With it, you can build websites for business, personal use, ecommerce, blogging, digital portfolios, and more. And the best part is, anyone can use it. No special skills or coding knowledge are needed. If this is your first time building a website with WordPress, you donât have to figure out how to use the CMS on your own. Lean on the WordPress community for support. Also, find trusted resources that will help you learn how to use WordPress like a pro. Tuts+ is one such resource. Here youâll find written tutorials along with courses that teach you everything you need to know to master WordPress. The Tuts+ YouTube channel also has a bunch of WordPress content to help you get started. via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/QtOlyiH In this tutorial, we’re going to implement an animated snow effect on a webpage using CSS and vanilla JavaScript, just in time for the holiday season. ‘Tis the season to be jolly so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 1. Markup with Holiday HTMLFor our markup, we’ll have two primary containers: a main element containing the content of our page and a snow-container element that will display the snow.
2. Animated Snow Styling with CSSIn this demo, our main content has a gradient background colour to give it a night sky effect. We achieve this using the CSS linear-gradient function. For simplicity, let’s say we’re building this animated snow in CodePen, so the markup goes in the HTML tab, the styles in the CSS tab, etc.
Here’s what our banner looks like now: We’ll also use CSS to handle the animation of each snow element. Each snowflake will have two animations: a fall animation to handle the snowflake moving from the top to the bottom of the screen and a sway animation to handle moving the snowflake slowly side to side.
We’ll also style our snow container and the snow element we’ll be creating in JavaScript.
The animation property in this demo takes three values:
3. Fa la la la la Functionality ♬Now we can work on the fun part: making it snow! First, in the JS tab in CodePen, let’s assign a value to our container element:
For our snowflake content, we’ll be using HTML symbols (❄ ❅ ❆): We’ll create a
In order to create a falling snow effect, we’ll need to randomise the appearance and animation of each snowflake. We’ll use the
Now we can create a function to generate a random style for each snowflake. We’ll generate a random position, size and animation duration.
For our duration and size constant, we add a fixed number value to ensure the random generated number has a minimum value of the number being added (i.e. the lowest number for the animation duration of any snowflake is 10s) For our top constant, we assign a negative value so the snowflakes starts from any percentage above the visible screen. Next, we’ll handle appending the snowflakes to the snow container.
In this demo, we use a for loop to create a fixed number of snowflakes and append them to the container. We also randomly assign the innerHTML as any of the values in our Then, we’ll call the
And it’s snowing! Click Rerun to see the animated snow: Removing SnowflakesWe can also choose to add a function to remove the snowflakes.
In this function, we assign our snowContainer an opacity of 0 to allow it fade out smoothly and then, after half a second, we remove the container using the We can then choose to call this function however we want. We can remove the snow when the user clicks anywhere on the page:
Or we can include it in setTimeout() function so it disappears after a certain amount of time:
Switching Out the SnowflakesSince we’ve built this from scratch, we can also update the element content and animation to create other fun effects, like floating balloons: or even animated Nyan Cat: I hope you enjoyed this animated snow tutorial, and it’s made you feel nice and festive! More Wintery and Animated Snow Tutorialsvia Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/ShM0VNA Tips and Tricks for Choosing the Perfect Kid’s HTML TemplateWhen creating a website for kids — whether it’s one they’ll interact with directly or that’s targeted toward their parents — the stakes are high and the need for creativity is even higher. You’re not just building a website. You’re crafting an online playground, a digital classroom, or — at the very least — a space that sparks imagination. So, how do you choose the perfect baby and kids HTML template that ticks all the boxes? Here are a few tips and tricks to guide you: 1. Embrace Vibrant ColorsKids are drawn to bright, vibrant colors. When selecting a template, look for a color scheme that is lively and energetic. However, striking a balance is important — too many colors can be overwhelming, while too few might not capture their attention. Opt for a template that allows easy customization of colors to suit different moods and themes. 2. Prioritize User-FriendlinessThe template should be as easy to navigate as a children’s picture book. Ensure that the layout is straightforward, with large buttons and easy-to-read fonts. Remember, some of your users might be parents looking for information, so the user experience should be seamless for both adults and kids. 3. Engage Through AnimationKids love movement and interaction. Choose a template that incorporates subtle animations and interactive elements. This could be as simple as a bouncing button, or as intricate as an animated character guide. These elements add a layer of engagement that keeps the young ones intrigued. 4. Ensure Mobile ResponsivenessMake sure your chosen template performs flawlessly across all devices. Test the responsiveness to ensure that the fun doesn’t stop, no matter the screen size. 5. Focus on Visuals and SimplicityKids are visual learners. Choose a template that supports high-quality images and has plenty of space for visuals. Keep the text concise and simple, and use visuals to complement the information provided. 6. Gather Feedback from Your Target AudienceBefore finalizing your choice, gather feedback from a few kids and parents. Observe how they interact with the template, and ask for their input on what they like and what could be improved. This firsthand insight can be invaluable in making your final decision. By keeping these tips in mind, you’re setting the stage for a website that captivates the young audience, supports their learning journey, and provides a safe and enjoyable online space. via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/O3of1RL Picture this: you’re flipping through a photo album. Every snapshot captures a moment frozen in time. It’s unchanging and unmoving. It just exists, as is, in perpetuity. That’s similar to the experience a static website offers. It’s a no-fuss, what-you-see-is-what-you-get site that can be updated, of course, but its content will largely stay the same day in and day out. Today, we’re going to unpack the details surrounding static websites, compare them to their dynamic counterparts, and even talk about how you can create static websites in WordPress. We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started. What is a Static Website?If we were to simplify it, a static website is akin to a classic diner where the menu is set in stone. It reliably dishes out the same HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to every visitor. There’s no behind-the-scenes complexity like databases or server-side scripting — just straightforward content delivery that’s as dependable as it is swift. What Benefits Do Static Websites Offer?Static websites offer some inherent benefits, so let’s review them now.
Each of these advantages contributes to why static websites are still a compelling choice, especially when your online needs are straightforward. Static vs. Dynamic WebsitesTransitioning from the world of static websites, let’s consider their more complex siblings: dynamic websites. These sites are the chameleons of the web, adept at changing their display and content in real time. Key DifferencesAs we delve into the core distinctions, it’s important to understand how these differences play out in practical terms.
These differences underscore the dynamic nature of these websites, making them suitable for a variety of online platforms that require real-time content updates and user engagement. Building a Static WebsiteWhen it comes to creating a static website, the process is refreshingly straightforward. You have the option to take a traditional route by hand-coding with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or you can leverage modern tools like a static site generator (SSG) or headless Content Management System (CMS) to streamline the process. These tools offer a range of templates and extensions that can significantly reduce development time and offer more functionality. Let’s walk through the typical steps involved in bringing a static website to life. Choose a Building ApproachYour first decision is the foundation of your website. Will you hand-code each page, or use an SSG or headless CMS? Hand-coding gives you complete control and a deep understanding of your site’s structure, while SSGs and headless CMSs can provide a faster, more efficient development process with pre-built components and templates. Set Up Your SiteAfter selecting your tools and approach, you’ll begin constructing your site. This involves creating the static files that will make up your website’s pages. If you’re using an SSG, this step will involve setting up the necessary templates and content files. For those going the hand-coding route, this means writing the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files from scratch or from a basic template. Deploy Your SiteWith your static files at the ready, the next step is to publish your site on the web. This can be done through various static site hosting services, offering a range of options from simple drag-and-drop deployments to more involved setups with custom domains and advanced features. Throughout these steps, the simplicity of static websites shines through. Without the need for server-side processing, each phase can be completed with minimal technical overhead, making static websites an accessible entry point for those new to web development, as well as a quick and efficient option for seasoned developers. Static Site Generators (SSGs)Think of SSGs as your friendly neighborhood magicians. They help you conjure up a site from the ether with templates and tools, and then poof! — they turn it into a stack of static files ready to hit the web. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a quick lineup of static site generators worth a look: 1. AstroAstro is making quite a splash with its modern architecture. It’s designed to deliver lightning-fast performance by only shipping the JavaScript that’s absolutely necessary, making it a heavyweight contender in the performance category. 2. JekyllJekyll is often hailed as the pioneer of static site generators. It’s a firm favorite for crafting blogs and personal websites, with its straightforward markdown-based content creation process and extensive plugin ecosystem. 3. HugoHugo is the speed demon of static site generators, boasting incredibly fast build times. It’s a go-to for developers looking to streamline their workflow and for sites that need to scale efficiently. Eleventy (11ty)Eleventy (11ty) is a straightforward option. It prides itself on being a simpler, zero-config option, and is welcoming to developers who want to work with a broader range of templating languages. VuePressVuePress is tailored for the Vue.js developers. It’s a perfect match for developers looking for a static site generator that seamlessly integrates with their existing Vue.js projects and leverages the ecosystem’s best practices. GatsbyGatsby is the trendsetter, merging React and GraphQL to offer a rich, modern web development experience. It’s ideal for those looking to create complex, dynamic-feeling sites that still benefit from the static site performance. PelicanPelican is the academic of the group, appealing to those who have a penchant for Python. It’s a robust tool that caters to developers who prefer writing their content in reStructuredText or Markdown. NikolaNikola is another Python-based SSG with a focus on performance and flexibility. It has a vibrant community and tons of features that make it a solid choice for both personal and professional websites. PubliiPublii is the gateway for non-coders into the world of website creation. With its user-friendly desktop app, Publii allows anyone to create a beautiful, static website without writing a single line of code. Each SSG has its own specialty, catering to different crowds and skill sets. WordPress and Static SitesWhen you think of WordPress, the image that typically springs to mind is that of dynamic websites with content that shifts and changes, like blogs that update with new posts or eCommerce sites with ever-changing inventories. However, WordPress can be used to create static websites, too. WordPress, with its extensive plugin architecture, allows for a surprising transformation into a static site generator. This means you can harness the user-friendly WordPress backend to manage your content, and then, with the help of specific plugins, generate a static version of your site. This static version can be deployed to any standard hosting environment, reaping all the performance and security benefits of static sites. How It Works
WordPress to Static Site PluginsCreating a static site with WordPress can be achieved using various plugins designed to convert your dynamic WordPress content into a static format. Here are some of the plugins that can help you with this process: Simply StaticSimply Static is a popular plugin that generates a static copy of your WordPress site. It’s known for improving website performance by eliminating database requests, which reduces the time to the first byte. This plugin is particularly useful for websites with heavy elements like animations or sliders, as it streamlines the content to be more performance-oriented. StratticStrattic is an end-to-end static hosting and publishing platform for WordPress. It converts dynamic WordPress sites into static sites and deploys them to a CDN for optimal performance and security. StaaticStaatic is a newer entrant in the space, allowing you to create and deploy a streamlined static version of your WordPress site. It enhances performance, SEO, and security by transforming your site into static files. Find Static Site Templates on Envato ElementsEnvato Elements is a subscription-based marketplace that provides access to creative assets for a low monthly fee, including a rich selection of static web templates. Whether you’re building a personal blog, a business landing page, or a creative portfolio, Envato Elements provides the resources you need to jumpstart your website project. Deoxa – Landing Page TemplateDeoxa is a Bootstrap 4 landing page template that caters to a variety of business needs with over six home page designs. It’s responsive, customizable with SCSS, and comes with a working contact form. Ideal for startups to SaaS, Deoxa promises a sleek, modern web presence. Masterly – Personal Portfolio HTML TemplateMasterly is a Bootstrap 5 personal portfolio template, perfect for creatives seeking to showcase their work. It offers dark mode, multi-color options, and a WhatsApp chat feature, ensuring a responsive and modern portfolio. Nantria – Multipurpose Responsive HTML5 TemplateNantria is a Bootstrap 4.5.0 template versatile enough for business, education, or personal branding. Responsive with SASS/SCSS files, it features Mailchimp integration, AJAX forms, and parallax backgrounds for a dynamic user experience. Will You Create a Static Website?Deciding to build a static website can be a strategic move. With the advantages of speed, security, and simplicity on your side, a static site can serve as a solid foundation for your online presence. Whether you’re a business looking to provide quick information, or a creative showcasing your portfolio, the static approach could be your answer. And don’t forget, Envato Elements offers tons of templates to get you started. So, will you tap into the potential of static websites and carve out your niche on the internet? The resources are at your fingertips, and the choice is yours. via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/nmJdeq0 Create a Menu First things first, in the
Through the admin, we’ll create a new menu and associate it with this location: Next, we’ll display that menu everywhere we want by using the In our example, this will be the primary menu and sit on the header. Here’s the header code—our logo will come from an SVG Sprite like we discussed in a previous tutorial:
Style the Header With CSSHere’s the header appearance: To achieve this layout, we’ll need the following styles:
Make a PlanLet’s now make our menu more attractive by adding one icon to each menu item. There are different ways of doing it, for example: Here we’ll go with the second option. If you search for this filter in the WordPress files, you’ll find it in the The goal is to add a callback function to that filter that will only modify the header menu items. So, in the
For dev purposes, we can print in the front end the To make this process as understandable as possible, we’ll add icons in four different ways. Icons from the Font Awesome LibraryLet’s first discuss how to include Font Awesome icons in our menu. For simplicity, we’ll load this library through a CDN like this:
Next, we’ll place the desired icon classes for each menu item in the description field—this field isn’t printed by default in the code unless we force it. Back to our callback function, we’ll use an
In the browser console, we’ll see something like this: The end result will look like this—the first item shows the hover and active states: Icons from the Feather CollectionMoving on, let’s learn how to embed icons through the Feather icon collection. Again, for simplicity, we’ll load this collection through a CDN like this:
As we’ve done with the Font Awesome icons, we’ll place the desired icon name for each menu item in the description field. Back to our callback function, we’ll use an
Last but not least, in our JavaScript, we’ve to call the In the browser console, we’ll see something like this: The end result will look like this—the first item shows the hover and active states: Custom IconsAll that seems great, but what if we want to use custom icons? In such a case, we’ve different options. Let’s see two of them in action. Upload Icons to the Media LibraryOne option is to upload all icons to the media library and then pass their image attachment ID in the menu description. For example, in our case, I’ve uploaded the same SVG Feather icons we used before.
Make sure to enable SVG support to your WordPress site. You can do it by code or by installing a plugin like SVG Support.
In my case, the attachment ID for the home icon is 47. Then, in the callback, we’ll use the
Depending on how large are your icons, you might want to render a different image size. In the browser console, we’ll see something like this: The end result will look like this: Notice that the icon’s fill color doesn’t change on the hover and active states as it’s rendered as an image and not SVG. Create a New Field – ACF PluginAnother option is to use a plugin like the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) WordPress plugin for adding a new image field to the menu items. This case is more convenient in case you want to display the description field and need another field for the icon. Through the settings, we’ll specify as the return type the Image ID and not the default Image Array. Then, we’ll upload the desired icon: And finally, we’ll use ACF’s
The generated code and result are exactly the same as before: ConclusionDone, folks! I hope you now have a good understanding of how to make your WordPress navigation menus more appealing by incorporating icons from different icon libraries, or even your custom ones! Stay tuned as more WordPress content is coming.. As always, thanks a lot for reading! via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/VBuUXwj One page HTML templates are ideal for landing pages. There are plenty of HTML templates made specifically for this purpose—let’s take a look! One Page HTML Landing Page Templates for 2024Let’s have a look at some of the best one page HTML landing page templates on Envato Elements. 5. Stellar – One Page Multipurpose HTML Template
Stella is a responsive one page HTML multipurpose template with three predefined designs, blog and portfolio pages. Notable features include:
6. Ananke – Parallax One Page HTML Template
Ananke is the go to templates for a creative portfolio website with a focus on visual elements like photograpy or video. Notable features include:
7. Webox – One Page Parallax
Webox is a responsive HTML5 template suitable for all kinds of websites. This flexible template comes with:
8. Superb – Responsive One-Page Portfolio
If you’re a freelancer or a creative agency looking for a responsive single page HTML template with customizable parallax effect then Superb is the perfect choice. Notables features include:
9. Exhibiz – One Page Event, Conference, and Meetup
Exhibiz is a visual attention-grabber that will make your upcoming events, webinars and conferences jump off the screen and increase signups. This stylish, pixel-perfect one page HTML template includes features like:
10. Legal – Law Firm One Page HTML Template
This responsive one page HTML template is made specifically for law firms that want to build an impactful online presence. It comes with standout features including:
11. Ne22 – Watch Store One Page Template
Ne22 watch store one page template stands out for its clean, uncluttered layouts. It comes with two 1170 px grid design PSD layouts, which makes it ideal for many platforms. Other features include:
12. Ramsay – Personal One Page HTML Template
Ramsay is a fast-loading one page HTML template suitable for personal and designer portfolios. The template is seo-optimized and works on all devices. Notable features include:
13. Personal Trainer – One Page HTML5 Template
If you are a personal trainers and want to reach a wider audience, then this visually-rich, clean and modern one page HTML5 template is for you. Some features it comes with include:
14. Onepager – Responsive One Page HTML Template
Looking for a versatile one page HTML template that is clean and easy to customize? Consider Onepager. This responsive template comes with features like:
ConclusionI hope one of the one page HTML landing I have covered in this article helps you create an attractive website. And if these templates don’t do it for you, then take a look at Envato Elements where for one small monthly subscription fee you have access to millions of creative assets under one platform. These include web templates, video templates, graphic templates, photos and more. You can download any of these assets to your heart’s satisfaction and they covered by a creative license. via Pixel Lyft https://ift.tt/Vfx2n8Q |
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