While the platform is accessible and beginner friendly, there is still a lot to figure out. Installing, configuring, content creation, security, performance — these are just some of the things that you have to get familiar with.

So, how and where do you get your questions answered as a beginner?

That’s exactly what this article is about. Below, we list useful resources that you can turn to in order to find help with your WordPress inquiries and to learn more about how to use the platform.

1. Q&A Forums: Get Help From Other WordPress Users

In your quest to learn more about WordPress, one port of call to find support are forums. Here, you can ask any question related to WordPress and have it answered by other users or even specific people who work for the forum. Several of these kinds of options exist.

WordPress.org Support Forum

One of the most important resources for WordPress support are the official forums. Besides other content on WordPress.org, like the documentation, it’s one of the places where you can most easily find help.

The forums are divided into different topics and trawled by volunteers who spend their time giving a helping hand to help seekers. They also exist in different languages.

You have two different options here: either search the forums for an existing answer to your problem or ask your own question. For the latter, you need to create a (free) account and log in. However, since WordPress has been around for a while (20 years, baby!) chances are good that someone else has run into the same issue as you before and already asked it. For that reason, it’s always good to start with a search.

If the WordPress.org search does not show up anything satisfactory, you can also try a Google site: search, e.g. site:https://wordpress.org/support/. This will only show results for your keyword from the WordPress support URL.

If you still can’t find what you are looking for, the option to ask your own question still exists. To do so, simply click on the Create Topic button at the top of the subforum you want to post in. Make sure to be logged in to do this.

This takes you to this form:

Input a title, optionally a link to your website, include a description of your problem, and add some relevant tags. Then, post and wait for replies. Be sure to supply any additional information other users might ask of you (except for anything sensitive) and to be nice to those who are trying to help.

By the way, if you are looking for help with specific themes or plugins, those have their own support sections where you can talk directly to the developers. You get there via the View support forum buttons on the plugin and theme pages respectively.

Third-Party Forums

Besides the official support forums, there are a bunch of other online communities where you can turn to for help:

• Stack Exchange — Mostly for developers, therefore, it’s best suited for very technical questions. This forum also a great starting point to find existing answers and code snippets. Also check out the Stack Overflow WordPress forum, which is very similar.
• Reddit — The front page of the Internet comes with communities for pretty much any topic. Unsurprisingly, WordPress is among them. The most popular subreddits to check out are /r/Wordpress/, /r/ProWordPress/, and /r/WordpressPlugins/.
• LinkedIn — This professional social network also has some groups you can turn to to find WordPress help. They include WordPress Experts, WordPress Web Designers, and WordPress Developers.
• Facebook — You can find helpful WordPress communities on Facebook as well. Advanced WordPress, WordPress Help, and WordPress. are just a few examples. You can find more with a search, often groups that focus on specific topics such as performance, security, SEO, and more.

Another option you can check out is Quora, which is a popular Q&A forum where users vote on answers.

WordPress Slack Channel

The WordPress project also has an official Slack channel that anyone is free to join. However, and I can’t stress this enough, this is not a technical support channel. If you have general questions about how the WordPress platform works or how to achieve something on your website, stick to the support forums mentioned above.

However, if you want to become part of the WordPress project and contribute to it, Slack is where the real-time communication for all of that happens. The channel has channels for the different areas and topics, from core development over polyglots to marketing. There are also channels for WordCamps.

All you need to do to join is go to the Slack main page and create an account. For that, be sure that you are logged into your WordPress.org account. That way, the Slack page will automatically create a new account for you. It will also send the login code to the email address associated with your WordPress.org profile.

Once joined, you can subscribe to any channel and work together with thousands of others to make WordPress even better. Another Slack channel you can check out is WP Developers Club, which is a community for WordPress code wranglers.

2. Online Publications and WordPress Blogs

There seems to be one place you can go to find help with WordPress that you are already familiar with. After all, you are reading this on one of the many available blogs that post helpful tutorials about the WordPress platform online.

In fact, one of the best things about WordPress’ popularity is that there is a lot of content related to it out there.

Most larger WordPress hosting providers as well as plugin and theme makers have their own blog where they share useful knowledge about the platform they are providing products for. In addition, there is a whole number of blogs who fully focus on WordPress as their main topic. For that reason, a simple Google search pretty much always lets you find help for any topics you are looking for assistance for.

3. WordPress Classes and Online Courses

In addition to the options above, where you can get ad-hoc help for when you don’t know how to continue, there are also WordPress support resources that teach you how to use the platform in a more front-to-back manner.

learn.WordPress.org

This address above is the official WordPress learning resource.

It consists of tutorials, online workshops, courses, and lesson plans. Let’s go through each of them one by one.

Tutorials

In the Tutorials section, you find video presentations for all sorts of WordPress topics. They range from how to add a site logo to a block theme over migrating your site to another host to using the WordPress REST API.

The cool thing is, you can use the drop-down menus at the top to filter for exactly the kinds of topics that are interesting to you:

• Series — Find videos that belong topically together, for example, developing for the block editor or managing WordPress settings. This filter also includes topic clusters in different languages.
• Topic — Pick the topic you are most interested in, such as block development, CSS, or security.
• Language — At the time of this writing, video tutorials are available in 14 different languages.
• Subtitles — If your desired language of choice is not available, you can still check if you there are videos with subtitles you can understand.
• WordPress Version — Finally, this filter allows you to look for video tutorials that apply to specific WordPress versions.

Online Workshops

Members of the WordPress community regularly hold online workshops on a variety of topics. The accompanying page lists them in the form of a convenient calendar.

If you find something that you are interested in, click on the event to get to its dedicated page. There, you can register for and attend the workshop (it’s organized via Meetup.com).

In case you can’t make it or missed a workshop you are interested in, you can also find recordings on WordPress.tv.

Courses

In addition to the above, learn.wordpress.org also offers a number of online courses on different topics. You find them in the menu of the same name.

The content here is divided into different categories that you can jump to with the links at the top. There is also a search field in order to look for a particular topic.

Each course has a description for what it is about as well as the number of lessons it includes. When you find something you are interested in, simply click on it to get to the course homepage.

Here, you find a more detailed description and an overview of the course lessons at the bottom. There is also a Practice on a private demo site button. It takes you to a virtually spun-up WordPress website in which can practice what you learn in a sandbox environment.

Click on one of the lessons or the Take Course button to get started. The courses themselves happen in their own LMS with a different interface.

They come with descriptions, demos, code examples, quizzes and a lot more.

Lesson Plans

The final thing learn.wordpress.org offers are lesson plans.

They are available on different topics and intended for those who want to teach WordPress to other people.

How does help you? After all, aren’t you here to learn where to find WordPress help, not provide it?

True, however, when you click on any of the topics or other options available on the page, you see that they lead you to a collection of existing educational content on the site.

If your goal is not to help others improve their skills (yet), who’s to say you can’t use those lessons plans for yourself? Exactly.

Other Options

Aside from the official and free resources, there are also a number of commercial offers that you can take advantage of. They include:

• Udemy
• WP101
• WP Apprentice
• LinkedIn Learning
• Coursera
• Skillshare

Plus, you can find plenty of free tutorials and online classes regarding WordPress on YouTube. Here’s just one example:

4. The WordPress Community: Learn From and With Others

WordPress is a community effort. Built and maintained by a huge host of volunteers, it only makes sense that you can use the community aspect to learn more about it and find help for your WordPress questions.

Meetups

One of the first addresses here are WordPress meetups. They now exist in many places of the world, 115 countries to be exact.

The cool thing is, you can very easily join them via Meetup.com, where the above map is also from. That’s also where the WordPress.org site links to under Community > Meetups.

You can find both online and in-person events listed. Simply sign up and join with a free account!

These groups and events is where you can find others who are interested in WordPress, build contacts, ask questions, share your experience, and find help. It especially makes sense to look into local groups that meet in real-life. Face-to-face is often much easier to really get to know people and find more direct support.

By the way, you can also find information about upcoming local events in the WordPress dashboard. Unless you have removed it via the screen options, the WordPress Events and News widget shows you a list of upcoming meetups in your area including clickable links for more information.

WordCamps

As far as meetups go, WordCamps hold a special place. They are a more organized format of get-together with presentations on different topics relevant to the WordPress ecosphere.

The highlights every year are, of course, WordCamp US, WordCamp Europe (you can get an impression of past WCEU events here, here, and here), and, since 2023, WordCamp Asia.

Those three regularly attract thousands of visitors and allow you to connect to WordPress enthusiasts from allover the world in person.

However, besides these giant WordCamp editions, smaller WordCamps are happening globally year round. You can find those in WordCamp Central, which has a running list of camps near and far from you.

So, if you want to get your feet wet when it comes to the event experience, this is an easy way in. I, for one, first attended WordCamp Berlin before the European edition became a yearly staple for me.

Contributor Day

Something that deserves special mention when it comes to where to find WordPress help at WordCamps is the Contributor Day. These typically happen one day before the conference part and they are open to anyone who wants to contribute to WordPress.

Even if you don’t have any experience or coding skills, you can simply register, show up, and work together with others to make WordPress better. At the same time, you can learn more about the WordPress project.

The day is led by different teams, such as accessibility, community, core, documentation, marketing, and polyglots. There are workshops for first-time contributors and you can help in the form of bug tracking, translation, writing documentation, and more.

Where Else Do You Go to Find WordPress Help?

Knowing where to turn to is half the battle when it comes to learning anything new. In the case of WordPress, there are many places you can go to seek support. Above, we have listed a number of them.

So, where is the best way to find WordPress help in your particular case?

• For general knowledge, e.g. a guide to WordPress security, focus on publications and blogs.
• When dealing with more technical and specific issues, use forums such as Stack Exchange or the official WordPress support forums.
• If you want to learn WordPress in a structured and top-to-bottom fashion, turn to the resources on learn.wordpress.org and other online courses.
• To learn together with others and become a part of the project and the people that power it, make sure to attend events.

Of course, you can also use a mix of the above and probably will do so automatically on your WordPress journey. We hope we can be a part of it.

What’s your favorite kind of support resource to find help with WordPress? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Where to Find WordPress Help: 21 Excellent Resources to Try Out appeared first on Torque.

Fortunately, you can easily add multilingual features to your site. By simply creating a language switcher or enabling automatic translation, you can start serving your content to a global audience.

In this post, we’ll explain what multilingual websites are and the benefits of creating one. Then, we’ll show you how to make your site multilingual-ready with the TranslatePress plugin. Let’s get started!

What Is a Multilingual Website?

To put it simply, a multilingual website can serve its content in multiple languages. Meaning, even if the original article or page was written in English, visitors have the option of translating it into a language they can more easily understand.

For example, Etsy enables users to specify their location. Before browsing any content, you can choose a unique region, language, and currency:

Once a visitor saves these changes, the site will automatically switch to their region’s language. They’ll be able to browse Etsy shops that ship to their country. It will also only show items that they can buy:

However, many sites opt for simpler translation services. Usually, you’ll see a language switcher, which is a dropdown menu with all of the different translations available:

There are many different ways you can make your site multilingual-ready. Each of these methods ultimately involves translating your content so it can reach a global audience.

The Benefits of Making a Website Multilingual-Ready

One of the main struggles that website owners face is search engine optimization. Whether you’re promoting your small business or blog, you’ll want to find ways to draw in high-quality organic traffic. This can be the key to increasing conversions on your website.

If you limit your audience to English speakers, you’ll likely only reach about 25 percent of internet users. By adding multilingual features to your site, you can enable international visitors to read your content.

What’s more, when you offer a variety of different languages, you can improve your site’s User Experience (UX). Instead of having to manually translate your content, visitors can immediately understand what you’re trying to say.

Plus, you may notice better results using translated keywords. That’s because English keywords can often be oversaturated and hard to rank for. For example ‘dog grooming courses’ has a high level of competition:

By simply translating this keyword into Spanish, you can significantly decrease your search competition. Since they can also have a cheaper top-of-page bid, translated keywords may enable you to set up an affordable ad campaign:

To start growing your website, you’ll want to remove any communication barriers between you and your audience. Once you build a multilingual-ready website, you can successfully connect with international visitors.

How to Create a Multilingual Website (In 3 Steps)

Now that you know about the benefits of adding translation features to your website, let’s walk you through how to create a multilingual website. This way, you can make it easier for a wide range of visitors to read your content!

Step 1: Create a Language Switcher

To start making your site multilingual-ready, we’d recommend creating a language switcher. This is a simple dropdown menu that website visitors can use to select a different language:

One of the easiest ways to do this is by installing a translation plugin like TranslatePress. This helpful tool can translate every part of your website using a front-end editor. Plus, it includes many useful multilingual features like a language switcher:

First, install and activate TranslatePress. Then, navigate to Settings > TranslatePress > General. In the All Languages section, check to see if the default language is correct:

Under this, select a language that you want to translate your content into. You can choose whether to have an informal or formal translation. Lastly, you can customize the slug:

Continue to add as many languages as you need. Next, find the Language Switcher section. Here, you can choose whether to place these switchers on your website as shortcodes, menu items, or floating language selections:

You’ll also need to customize how your language switcher appears. Using the dropdown menus, you can choose the full or abbreviated language names. You can also include language flags if you’d like:

If you select the Floating language selection option, the language switcher will automatically appear on your entire site. Rather than manually adding it to each page, it will follow users as they interact with your content. In the following example, we can see the switcher in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen:

Alternatively, you can add a language switcher to a specific page. To do this, open the Block Editor and insert a shortcode block. Then, paste the following shortcode: ‘[language-switcher]’:

Once you hit Publish, you’ll see the language switcher at the top of the page!

Step 2: Set Up Automatic Translation

Next, you can set up automatic translation. Instead of manually translating every word yourself, you can allow a tool like Google Translate to automatically convert your content into another language.

This is likely the preferred method, since it will save you tons of time. Still, machine translation isn’t perfect, so keep in mind that this can lead to some awkward phrasing.

To get started, find the Automatic Translation tab in the TranslatePress settings. Then, enable automatic translation at the top of the page:

TranslatePress supports automatic translation with both Google Translate and DeepL. However, you’ll only be able to use Google Translate with the free plugin.

You’ll need to choose the translation engine you want to use. For each option, you’ll have to paste an API key:

For example, if you’re using Google Translate, you’ll need to enable Cloud Translation API in Google Cloud Console. To do this, go to APIs & Services:

Then, go to Library and search for the Cloud Translation API. Once you locate it, simply enable it:

Next, navigate to Credentials > Create Credentials. Be sure to select the API Key option:

Once your API key is created, copy and paste it into the appropriate field in your TranslatePress settings. If it is working properly, you’ll see a green checkmark next to it.

After this, you can click on the Translate Site button at the top of your WordPress dashboard. This will open the TranslatePress editor, which contains the automatic translations of your content:

Now you have a fully translated website! Although you can leave this translation alone, you’re also able to make manual edits if necessary. This can help you improve readability.

Step 3: Manually Edit Your Translations

Automatic translation can be a quick way to create a multilingual website. However, Google Translate may not provide the most accurate translations. When you’re translating content for native speakers, you’ll want to make sure it’s as readable as possible.

Fortunately, TranslatePress allows you to edit any of its translations. In the visual editor, you can click on the pencil icon next to any text. This will show the original content as well as the translation:

If you speak the second language, you can use the text boxes to remove any awkward phrasing. For additional help, TranslatePress will also provide suggestions on how to improve the translation.

You may also have images, sliders, or other media that needs to be translated. For example, an image overlaid with English words won’t automatically be translated:

To fix this problem, you can upload a translated version of the image. First, create a new image with translated text. Then, click on Add Media and upload the new file:

Once you save this change, the translated image will appear alongside the automatic translation of the text. This can allow international users to receive a fully readable version of your website!

Conclusion

You don’t have to limit your audience to your native country. By adding a few multilingual features, you can make your content accessible to users across the world. This can significantly expand your organic traffic and improve the user experience on your website.

To review, here’s how you can create a multilingual website:

1. Create a language switcher.
2. Set up automatic translation.
3. Manually edit your translations.

Do you have any questions about how to add multilingual features to your website? Ask us in the comments section below!

The post How to Create a Multilingual Website (In 3 Steps) appeared first on Torque.

Fortunately, digital products offer a great way to earn revenue without any hassle. If you’re looking to monetize your WordPress site, you can start selling downloadable content in a few simple steps.

In this post, we’ll talk about the benefits of selling virtual goods online. Then, we’ll show you how to get started in three easy steps. Let’s dive right in!

The Benefits of Selling Digital Products

There are a lot of benefits to selling downloadable and digital products. For starters, there is much less overhead when dealing with non-physical goods. You don’t have to worry about shipping, handling, or storing them like you would physical items.

Once you have created your digital products, you’ll just need to embed them on your website and set up a payment method. Then, customers can pay for them and download them without delay.

There are many different digital products that you could sell. For example, you might offer online courses through videos. If you have a travel site, you could sell downloadable guides and itineraries:

Meanwhile, graphic designers and photographers can sell their creative work online. If you’re a software developer, you could enable users to purchase your apps or plugins from your site.

No matter your niche and area of expertise, there’s probably a digital product that you can create and sell on your site. Additionally, the process is very simple!

How to Sell Digital Products in WordPress (In 3 Easy Steps)

Fortunately, WordPress makes it very easy to sell products online. Whether you already have a site or want to create one for your digital items, you can get started in three simple steps.

Step 1: Set up WordPress and eCommerce Hosting

First, you’ll need to download WordPress and set up a hosting account. Since you plan on selling digital products, you might want to look for a powerful eCommerce plan.

WP Engine’s managed WooCommerce hosting is easy to set up and comes with tools to help speed up your site:

If you already have an online store, WP Engine will even help you migrate your site to your new hosting account for free. It also offers an Instant Store Search feature to help you make more sales.

If you only plan on selling a few digital products, then a basic WordPress plan may suffice. However, WP Engine’s scalable eCommerce plans are worth considering if you plan to expand your site in the future.

Step 2: Upload Your Digital Products

The Easy Digital Downloads plugin has everything you need to sell digital products on your WordPress site, including payment via Stripe. Just install the plugin from the directory to get started:

Once the plugin is installed, you will notice a new Downloads tab on the left-hand side of your dashboard. Hover over it and select Downloads. Then, click on the Add New button to create your first digital product:

The process is pretty straightforward. Just enter a name for the downloadable item, set your price, and upload your files.

There are some additional settings such as refund terms and download limits that you can adjust. You can also add images. Once you have it all set up, you can publish your product and embed it anywhere on your site using shortcodes.

You’ll also need to set up your payment methods. Go to Downloads > Settings > Payments, and select your preferred payment gateways and methods:

If you navigate to the PayPal and Stripe sections, you can connect your site to those accounts. You can also configure settings for refunds and recurring payments.

Step 3: Add Your Digital Products to Your Pages

Now that you’ve created your digital products, you just need to decide where to put them on your website. When you upload a product with Easy Digital Downloads, the plugin automatically creates a page for it.

You can view your products in Downloads:

To see what your digital product looks like on the front end, hover over it and select View:

You can also add the purchase button to any page on your site, using its shortcode. You can find the code in the settings panel of your digital product page:

Copy the shortcode and paste it anywhere you want on your site. This will create a purchase button for that product:

For instance, you might add it to your homepage or a relevant blog post. All customers have to do is click on the button to add the product to their carts.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to sell downloadable products in WordPress, you can easily monetize your website. Whether you want to create an eCommerce store or make money from your blog, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by choosing digital items over physical ones.

To recap, here’s how to sell virtual goods in WordPress:

1. Set up WordPress and eCommerce hosting.
2. Upload digital products to your site, using the Easy Digital Downloads plugin.
3. Add your products to your pages.

Do you have any questions about selling digital products in WordPress? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post How to Sell Digital Products in WordPress (In 3 Easy Steps) appeared first on Torque.

Although, if you know what to look for, there are a few obvious signs that can indicate when you might want to switch WordPress hosting providers. For instance, slow page loading times or poor customer service may mean it’s time to look elsewhere.

In this post, we’ll discuss five situations in which it makes sense to consider switching hosts. Then, we’ll take a quick look at how to change to a new web host. Let’s get started!

When to Switch WordPress Hosting Providers (5 Situations)

Here are five clear indicators that it’s likely time to switch WordPress hosting providers.

1. Your Loading Times Are Slow

Fast page loading times are important for your website’s User Experience (UX). They can also impact its search engine rankings.

Furthermore, site speed influences ‘time on site’ and ‘bounce rates‘, which also indirectly affect organic search rankings. In fact, as page load time increases from one to three seconds, bounce rates increase by 32 percent. Then, from one to five seconds, this rate skyrockets to 90 percent.

This means you might want to aim for a 1-2 second load time. To determine if load times are an issue for your site, you can run multiple speed tests using tools like Pingdom:

If you find that your site is experiencing slow loading times, your host might be able to identify the problem. For example, if you use shared hosting, there may be too many users on the same server.

Alternatively, there may be a lack of data centers, meaning there’s a greater distance between visitors and servers. If your current host can’t find a way to optimize your site’s speed, it might be time to switch WordPress hosting providers.

2. Your Site Is Experiencing Increased Downtime

Downtime refers to any period when your site is unavailable to users. It can result in a loss of traffic and can damage your business’ reputation as trustworthy and professional.

Fortunately, there are tools like UptimeRobot to help you assess this metric:

When it comes to downtime, you’ll want to find a host that can hit at least 99.90 percent uptime. This equals roughly nine hours per year of downtime. Keep in mind that even an extra 0.90 percent can mean an additional three days of downtime for your site.

If you suspect your site has poor uptime rates, it’s best to monitor its downtime over a few months in order to verify this. After that, if you discover an issue, you might consider switching to a new host.

One of the main causes of downtime is compromised server security. Therefore, when looking for a new hosting provider, it’s important to look out for security features like firewalls and automatic daily security scans. Plus, it might be useful to consider the reliability of hosting equipment.

3. Your Host’s Customer Service Is Poor

If hosting-related issues are left unresolved, you can lose out on traffic and sales. It can also be frustrating when you’re ignored or can’t get any assistance with these problems. Therefore, it’s important that your host’s support team is knowledgeable and responds quickly.

When looking for a new hosting provider, Trustpilot is a great platform to assess a company’s customer service:

It’s also important to note that web hosts may refuse to assist with WordPress. Some claim that their support policy doesn’t cover the software. They also might be difficult to get in touch with or lack the expertise to solve your issues.

If you don’t receive the support you need with your current host, it might be time to consider switching. Additionally, when you’re looking for a new provider, you’d be wise to read the fine print about customer support and WordPress coverage.

4. You Can Find Better Prices Elsewhere

Due to WordPress’ widespread use and popularity, there are many web hosts that provide robust and affordable plans that are optimized for the Content Management System (CMS). In fact, some boast peak performance and a vast suite of features. Therefore, you might be paying for a larger plan than you need, or have access to a ton of features you don’t use.

In this case, it makes sense to keep an eye out for other deals. For example, some providers offer seasonal sales and special offers. So, if you’re not in a particular hurry, you can wait to claim the best offer. You can prioritize the plan that provides the best value when considering its price.

With this in mind, it can be a good idea to start out with a basic plan when you switch WordPress hosting providers. This way, you can avoid overpaying for features you don’t currently use or need. Plus, you can always upgrade when you decide you need more advanced features.

5. Your Site Has Outgrown Your Host

When you first created your website, you might have been looking to keep costs low. Or maybe you opted for simple plans with streamlined services.

However, if your website is growing, it will likely have different needs than it did when it first launched. For example, if your site now has lots more traffic, you might require a server upgrade to handle the increased volume of visitors.

In some cases you may be able to upgrade resources with your current provider. On the other hand, you might need to switch to an entirely different host. For instance, you can change from a shared host to a Virtual Private Server (VPS):

With a shared hosting plan, resources are distributed between all sites hosted on the server. In this case, you have no control over what the other sites are doing. Likewise, they have no say about the activity on your site.

Still, your site’s traffic can affect theirs, and vice versa. Simply put, when one site on a shared server is very busy, it takes essential resources from the other sites and can slow them down.

This can happen without warning, leaving you unprepared. If this occurs often, it can be an obvious sign that you’ve outgrown your hosting provider.

How to Switch to a New Hosting Provider

Luckily, switching WordPress hosting providers doesn’t have to be a hassle. You can get migration plugins to make the process easier. Even better, some hosting providers will include a migration service that takes care of this for you.

If you’re sure you’d like to change hosts, the first step is to choose a new one. Ideally, you’ll select a host that’s so good that you won’t need to move again.

WP Engine is a fantastic option if you’re looking for fast and secure hosting specifically for WordPress:

It’s an excellent choice for all kinds of websites, from small business sites to complex eCommerce stores. WP Engine prides itself on speed and can help you increase your loading times by up to 40 percent. This can boost your search rankings and drive more traffic to your site.

Once you’ve chosen a new host, you’ll need to back up your files and WordPress databases. The next step is to export this data to a new SQL database and upload your files to your new web host. Lastly, you’ll need to configure your DNS settings and complete the necessary redirects. This way, you don’t send users to your old site location.

This may sound a bit complicated, but there’s no need to panic. If you choose a web host with a quality customer support team, they should be able to walk you through this entire process or even take care of it for you.

Conclusion

With so many web hosts to choose from, it’s easy to end up with a provider that isn’t well-suited to your unique needs. Still, you can look out for a few clear indicators to help determine if you should change hosts.

To recap, here are five situations when you might consider switching WordPress hosting providers:

1. Your page loading times are slow.
2. Your site is experiencing increased downtime.
3. Your host’s customer service is poor.
4. You can find better prices elsewhere.
5. Your site has outgrown your host.

Do you have any questions about switching WordPress hosting providers? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post When to Switch WordPress Hosting Providers (5 Situations) appeared first on Torque.

Dropshipping can make your business dreams possible. This modern model requires little up-front investment, and relieves you of the responsibility of managing inventory. Plus, you can be successful while maintaining a smaller-scale store.

In this article, we’ll explain how dropshipping works and explore some of its pros and cons. Then we’ll show you how to start a dropshipping business via AliExpress in four steps. Let’s get started!

An Introduction to Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a business model that enables entrepreneurs to sell merchandise online without ever handling a physical product. Over the past few years, it has been rising steadily in popularity.

With dropshipping, you can generate a largely passive income by outsourcing production and shipping to the supplier. That way, you don’t have to create, store, and ship your product. You simply offer the item for sale and work directly with a supplier to coordinate fulfillment.

To start your dropshipping business, you’ll want to create a product page for each item on your website. Then you’ll drive traffic to your site by advertising to a targeted audience in a relevant geographical area.

When a customer orders an item, you forward it to the supplier for packaging and shipping. Finally, you contact the customer to confirm the shipment and timeline, so that the package arrives at its destination.

The Benefits of Dropshipping

It’s no coincidence that the popularity of dropshipping has increased over the past few years. There are plenty of benefits to this modern business model. Let’s explore a few of them.

Minimal Upfront Investment

Dropshipping requires less investment when compared to other types of retail operations. You do not have to open a physical store, hire employees, keep the lights on, pay overhead, or stock products. Instead, you can purchase wholesale from suppliers and sell products online through an eCommerce storefront that you manage.

No Minimum Orders or Inventory Requirements

Most start-up businesses struggle to shoulder the cost of ordering inventory. With no minimum orders or inventory requirements, dropshipping can allow retailers to start small and grow at their own pace. Plus, you won’t spend any money until a customer purchases a product from your store. This means you can reduce your start-up costs and lower your risk.

Beginner and Remote Friendly

With dropshipping, you don’t need any special skills or knowledge. Additionally, it can be managed entirely from your computer. That means anyone can start an online business, as long as you are willing to put in the time, energy, and effort to create a simple website.

Global Potential

Dropshipping allows you to sell products that you may not have access to locally. This is especially helpful for small businesses, which may not have the means to sell all available products due to capital constraints. This allows you to reach a global audience without having to ship products overseas.

Expanded Product Flexibility

The ability to dropship opens up more product opportunities. You can sell a wider array of items, boosting sales and making your site more appealing to consumers. If you’re a small business, this allows you the product range of a larger entity while maintaining control over your costs.

The Downside to Dropshipping

Dropshipping can be easy and profitable when done right. However, it does have a few downsides. Here are a few you may want to consider before launching your dropshipping business.

Lower Profit Margins

In the dropshipping setup, you’re not purchasing inventory in bulk and you’re paying someone else for storage and order fulfillment. Therefore, your profit margins are typically lower than they would be if you managed the whole process in-house.

Dependence on Suppliers

When you are unable to track inventory levels, inventory management can be difficult. You are dependent upon suppliers for stock. As such, if they run short, your customers could be left waiting for their orders. To avoid losing business, it’s essential to choose reliable suppliers with a strong track record.

Lack of Quality Control

When you outsource your shipping and order fulfillment, the responsibility of resolving an issue will ultimately fall on you. That’s because you are the customers’ first and only point of contact. If you don’t carefully select quality products from quality buyers, this can cause lead to unhappy buyers.

How to Start an AliExpress Dropshipping Business (In 4 Steps) 

Now that you know how dropshipping works, you’re probably wondering how to get started. Here’s how you can launch your dropshipping business in four simple steps. Keep in mind that you’ll need an active WordPress site and Google Chrome in order to proceed with this tutorial.

Step 1: Register for an AliExpress Account

To get started, go to the AliExpress website and click on Account. Then select Join. This should prompt a pop-up with a registration form:

Here, select your country, enter your desired email address, and create a strong password. Then click on Create account.

Next, you’ll need to navigate to your email to find the four-digit verification code that AliExpress sends you:

Enter your unique verification code and click on Verify Email. If you’re having trouble, you can always select Resend code and try again.

Step 2: Install Your Essential Plugins

Once your AliExpress account is set up, you’ll have to download and install a few essential tools. Fortunately, this is quick and easy.

First, you’ll need WooCommerce, a popular and versatile eCommerce plugin that allows you to sell products on any WordPress website.

To get the plugin, navigate to your WordPress dashboard. Then go to Plugins > Add New and enter “WooCommerce” in the search bar:

Once you locate the plugin, click on Install Now, and then Activate. Now the plugin should be ready to use. You can follow the prompts on the screen to quickly set up a simple WooCommerce store.

Next, you’ll need the ALD plugin to import products from AliExpress into your WooCommerce store. This free plugin will make setting up your dropshipping business a lot easier:

ALD can help you with importing products, order fulfillment, and more. To get the plugin, simply repeat the same steps for installation as you did with WooCommerce. After that, follow the prompts in the ALD setup wizard to configure the plugin to your desired preferences.

Step 3: Find AliExpress Products to Sell

With so many products to choose from, it can be difficult to decide what to sell in your new WooCommerce store. However, there are a few crowd-pleasers that you may want to consider, since they may win the most sales:

• Women’s Clothing. One of the most popular categories on AliExpress is women’s clothing. This includes everything from dresses and skirts to blouses and pants. There are millions of products to choose from, so you’re sure to find something your customers will love.
• Smart Home Devices. With the rise of smart home devices, it’s no surprise that this is one of the fastest-growing categories on AliExpress. This category includes a wide range of products, from smart TVs to voice-activated assistants.
• Phones and Accessories. Another popular category on AliExpress is phones and accessories. This includes everything from smartphones to phone cases and cables.

AliExpress also updates its best-selling page from time to time, so be sure to check it regularly for new popular items that you may want to capitalize on. Alternatively, you may want to cater your search to a unique niche that you’ve already established for your WooCommerce store.

Either way, to start researching and selecting products, go to the AliExpress website and use the search function to browse items by keyword or category. For example, you can search for “women’s clothes” or “phone cases”.

Step 4: Import AliExpress Products to WooCommerce

Once you’ve installed all your essential tools and found a product you’d like to import, return to your WordPress dashboard. Go to Dropship & Fulfill > General.

Here, you should see a link to Add WooCommerce AliExpress Dropshipping Extension to your Chrome browser:

Select this link and follow the steps to install the extension. Then verify that the button to let this extension connect to your store is toggled to Enable.

Next, to start importing products, access the extension from the upper-right corner of your Chrome browser and input your domain. Also, make sure it is authenticated on WordPress and that you have entered your Secret key from the previous screen:

Then you can click on the plus (+) buttons to add your selected product. The ALD plugin will automatically import all of the product’s details, including its image:

To finalize your selection, click on Import Now. If you want to add more products to your store, simply repeat these steps.

If you’re having any issues importing products, you can always check out VillaTheme’s demo. Otherwise, your new online dropshiping business is now ready to receive its first order!

Conclusion

If you want to start earning money now, dropshipping offers a highly-accessible way to grow a successful eCommerce business. This beginner-friendly online model can allow you to tap into global markets and start making a profit fast.

Let’s quickly recap the four simple steps you’ll need to follow to get your dropshipping business off the ground:

1. Register for an AliExpress Account.
2. Install your essential plugins (WooCommerce and ALD).
3. Find AliExpress products to sell.
4. Import your products to WooCommerce.

Do you have any questions about how to start an AliExpress dropshipping business? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post How to Start an AliExpress Dropshipping Business (In 4 Steps) appeared first on Torque.

Using the post blocks such as post title, post content, featured image, post author, and the others, it is possible to build a template that pulls existing content from your database to create any type of page.

In this video I use the blank template to build a specialized single post template that is used when I want a traditional right sidebar layout for some of my blog posts.

Here I used the Blockbase theme developed by Automattic, but any block theme that has a blank template will suffice.

Prior to the release of WordPress 5.9 in January 2022, none of this would have been possible without knowing PHP and how to create a template file.

The post Using The Blank Template To Create A Sidebar For A Single Post appeared first on Torque.

Fortunately, these hidden gems don’t have to remain in the shadows. By understanding how to use WooCommerce blocks with the modern WordPress editor, you can start upgrading your website in record time.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the basics of WooComerce blocks. Then we’ll walk you through your options and provide a few tips for using them. Let’s begin!

An Introduction to WooCommerce Blocks

The WordPress block editor segments your content into discrete areas. As such, you can design your website in an organized and intuitive manner. There are lots of block options available, but we’ll be focusing on one group in particular: WooCommerce blocks.

If you’re an active WooCommerce user, you’re probably already familiar with what the plugin has to offer. This customizable, open-source solution provides one of the most effective ways to launch an online store. By dividing its functionality into blocks, you’re free to create your pages with few limitations.

To get started with these blocks, open up the page or post you want to edit. Click the plus icon in the upper-right corner. Then, scroll down until you see the WooCommerce section:

From there, you can click on your desired block to add it to your page. There’s also no limit on how many you can use, so feel to make your content as simple or complex as you want to.

How to Use WooCommerce Blocks in WordPress

Now that you’ve found the WooCommerce blocks in the WordPress editor, you’ll see that you have a lot to choose from. Here’s an introduction to each of your options!

1. All Reviews Block

The All Reviews block will display a complete list of reviews from all of your products. Positive reviews can lead to increased conversions, so you may want to consider taking advantage of this block:

With the All Reviews block, you can choose to display a lot of different information. Your options include elements like star ratings, specific products, and user photos.

We recommend that you make good use of the sorting function. For example, consider putting the newer reviews close to the top.

2. Best Selling Products Block

The Best Selling products block provides an easy way to put your most popular items on display:

There are several elements you can choose to highlight. Details such as Product rating and Product price are two smart options to include.

You might also want to consider utilizing the Add to Cart button. That way, users have a quick and easy way to make purchases.

3. Cart Block

The online shopping cart is the foundation of any eCommerce store. Therefore, including the Cart block is likely essential. Simply drag and drop it wherever you want it displayed:

A straightforward and simplified cart is likely best. However, you may want to include the shipping rates in this block. That way, your shoppers will have a better idea of the final price. This increased transparency can build customer trust and may reduce shopping cart abandonment.

4. Checkout Block

The Checkout block is a companion to the Cart block. Instead of showing the items in the cart, it includes the necessary fields to complete a purchase:

You’ll likely want to use this primarily on your Checkout page. However, you might also want to add it wherever you add the Cart block. That way, users can have a more streamlined shopping experience.

5. Reviews By Product and Category Blocks

These are technically two different blocks. However, the main difference is in the filtering: you can either show reviews for certain products or specific categories:

If you have separate shopping pages for categories, consider using this block to refine what information you give to customers. On the other hand, product-specific filtering might be the ideal way to promote a new item.

6. Hand-picked Products Block

The Hand-picked Products block enables you to show off your personal favorite items. You can choose to feature one that you particularly like or several – it’s up to you:

This block may be a great way to highlight certain products, such as popular holiday items. However, try not to pick too many.

This may make the distinction seem unimportant. Keeping this element limited to three or four items emphasizes that they’re truly special.

7. All Products Block

In contrast to the Hand-picked option, the All Products block shows off everything your store has to offer:

It also provides an easy way to generate interest for other content and products. You can even change the layout settings, including the number of columns and rows in your grid layout.

Additionally, there are plenty of content settings. Consider using these to display a sorting dropdown or to edit how much product information you’ll show your shoppers.

8. Products by Category and Categories List Blocks

The Products by Category and Products by Categories List blocks are also very similar. With these tools, you can choose to display certain groups of products. As such, they can be useful for narrowing down what you advertise to your shoppers:

You may also want to use these alongside the Reviews by Category block. This will give your customers a more holistic view of what you have to offer.

9. Product Search Block

Smooth navigation is essential to a well-run website. Therefore, a search bar may be a wise idea:

We recommend using the Product Search bar frequently on your WooCommerce site. If you do, your users will likely have an easier time browsing your offerings.

In fact, we suggest that you add this block to almost every page. You never know when a user might want to search for a term. Making this as easy as possible is a simple way to improve the user experience.

10. Filter Blocks

You can use these blocks to let customers can easily filter the products they’re looking for:

• Filter by Price
• Filter by Attribute
• Filter by Stock
• Active Product Filter

These elements help to organize your products. They enable shoppers to select their desired filters and see the results without even reloading the page. Thus, it’s a fast and easy way to build a modern eCommerce site.

In fact, you may want to consider using all of these filters together. Your customers don’t have to use them all, but giving them multiple choices adds a professional touch:

In the above example, you can see both the price and attribute filter blocks at play. However, keeping track of all of them can be tough for shoppers.

That’s why we recommend that you also use the Active Product Filter block. This is a block that tracks whichever parameters your users have entered. They can quickly review their Active filters if they forget their selections.

12. Featured Product and Category Blocks

These blocks let you highlight a single product and category respectively. They’re also highly customizable. That means you can have full control over how users will view your featured items:

Since the Featured Product block only focuses on a single item, we recommend that you use it sparingly. If you do so, it’ll be more likely to catch your shopper’s attention as it’ll stand out more – especially on mobile devices.

13. Products by Tag and Attribute Blocks

These two blocks offer more ways to filter your items. The first will display products based on tags – in the below example, these products could be tagged as Music:

The attributes block gets even more specific and can filter by elements such as color or size.

You may want to consider using a few of these blocks on one page. Additionally, you could choose related tags to stay organized and on-topic with your sales pitch.

14. Top Rated Products Block

Sometimes, you want to show off the best of what your store has to offer. For this, you can use the Top Rated Products block. It’s an easy way to display your items with the most positive reviews:

This is also a clever tactic to add more social proof to your website. Shoppers tend to appreciate seeing their fellow customers’ input. As such, you may want to consider placing this block somewhere prominent on your site.

15. Newest Products Block

Creating a sense of excitement and anticipation can be an effective sales strategy. The Newest Products block can help you with this, by showing off the most recent additions to your stock:

It will also check for new products consistently, so you don’t have to worry about manually adding new items. You can just focus on updating your inventory and let this block do the rest.

16. On Sale Products Block

Frequent sales can be an effective way to appeal to your customers. They can help drive up conversions. They also build trust, as your shoppers are likely to appreciate the discounts:

We recommend that you place the On Sale block somewhere on your front page. That way, it’s easy for new and returning visitors alike to find it. You might also want to consider placing it in your blog section, as this can be a quick way to entice casual readers.

Conclusion

WooCommerce is an undeniably powerful plugin. While it can be difficult to take advantage of every feature, trying out the straightforward WooCommerce blocks can help you easily improve your eCommerce store.

In this article, we covered what WooCommerce blocks are and why you might want to use them. As you can see there are many options – don’t be afraid to experiment with them liberally to find your perfect fit(s).

Do you have any questions about WooCommerce blocks? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post An Introduction to WooCommerce Blocks in WordPress (And How to Use Them) appeared first on Torque.

Fortunately, there are plenty of web hosting options to choose from. By comparing their features and services, you’ll be able to select the hosting that best suits your needs.

In this post, we’ll explain what website hosting is and why choosing the right provider is so important for your future success. Then we’ll share three factors you should keep in mind when you’re shopping for a WordPress hosting provider. Let’s get started!

An Introduction to Website Hosting

In a nutshell, web hosting is what enables you to have a website live on the internet. Using powerful web servers, hosting companies house and manage access to the many files that make up your site.

When you purchase a web hosting plan, your website’s data is stored on one or more servers. Every time a visitor accesses your site, their browser sends a request to the relevant server. That server sends back your site’s files, and the browser displays them to the visitor.

It’s also important not to confuse a domain name with a web host. Your site’s domain name is its primary URL (for example, “https://mywebsite.com”). If your web hosting server is your site’s ‘house,’ then your domain name is its home address.

There are a few different types of hosting to choose from. Some of the most popular include:

• Shared hosting. The simplest and cheapest option, shared hosting is when a single physical server houses multiple websites and users.
• Virtual Private Servers (VPS). Like shared hosting, a VPS plan stores your site’s files on the same server as many other sites. However, your website has its own virtual partition with dedicated resources that keeps it separate and safer.
• Dedicated servers. A top-of-the-line hosting option that gives your website its own physical server. This offers the ultimate in security and performance, but comes at a steep cost.
• Cloud hosting. Rather than a single physical server, cloud hosting gives you access to a network of servers that share the load of your site’s files (and the data for other users’ websites). This way, your site can still be available if one server goes down.

Along with simply providing space for your site, web hosting services typically manage a lot behind the scenes. They can take care of site maintenance, backups, security, and more. Exactly what you get depends on the provider and plan you select.

Why Choosing the Right Hosting Provider and Plan Is So Important

There are lots of hosting options out there, and each one has different implications for your website. Your choice of hosting directly affects your own day-to-day management of the site, as well as its user experience. Plus, your provider and plan will affect your site’s security, performance, percentage of ‘uptime’, and more.

Ultimately, the success (or failure) of any website is greatly influenced by its web hosting. For that reason, you may want to consider a managed WordPress plan. This type of hosting offers you an all-inclusive package that makes handling your site a lot easier.

Managed WordPress hosting is an excellent opportunity for anyone, but especially for beginners. Here are a few advantages to going this route:

• Access to expert technical support
• Dependable security and backups
• Site optimization for best performance

These are just a few of the many benefits of choosing a managed WordPress host. It’s a more hands-off experience, taking many of the key technical tasks off your plate so you can focus on creating content and/or running your business.

Managed hosting is a level of service, rather than a type of plan per se. In other words, you can find managed shared hosting, managed VPS hosting, and so on. These plans will typically be a little pricer than their unmanaged counterparts, but the tradeoff can be well worth it.

Many providers offer managed WordPress hosting, and it’s important to choose the company you’ll do business with carefully. When you sign up with a web hosting provider, you’re usually making a long-term commitment, so it’s important to give this decision the weight it deserves.

3 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Web Hosting Provider

With so much variety out there and so much depending on your hosting provider, it can be helpful to narrow your search by focusing on the most important criteria. With that in mind, let’s explore three key factors to consider when choosing web hosting.

1. Your Needs

Every WordPress website has a distinct set of goals. You may be running a simple blog, a business website, or an eCommerce store. With these different use cases come different needs.

For example, a large online business with lots of traffic will need robust security and performance optimization, so that customers can make their purchases smoothly and safely. It may also need more resources.

On the other hand, a modest hobby blogger will probably want a hosting plan with a more basic suite of features. When making your choice, you’ll need to consider the type of site you’re building and who your audience will be.

Some providers serve one particular type of user, while others have packages catering to a wide variety of needs. For example, WP Engine offers hosting plans for almost everyone. Small businesses, eCommerce stores, and even developers who want lightning-fast headless WordPress websites should find a suitable plan for their unique requirements.

The bottom line is that web hosting is not one-size-fits-all. It’s smart to opt for a provider that offers a variety of plans, so that if your site’s needs change over time, you won’t have to move your site elsewhere.

2. Customer Support Options

All web hosting providers should offer their customers a solid support system, so that when problems occur they can be troubleshooted and resolved as quickly as possible. However, the reality is that some hosting services are notorious for providing minimal customer service.

A bare-bones customer support team can be extremely frustrating. Since you’re likely to need them during a time of great distress for your website, you’ll want your web host to be both available and knowledgeable.

At a minimum, you may want to look for a solid knowledge base of information, and a support ticketing system so you can reach out and receive prompt responses regarding your issues. Ideally, you’ll also want access to chat and phone support.

It’s best to opt for a provider that offers multiple support channels, so you can use whatever is most convenient to you during a given situation. We’d also suggest checking out user reviews for any hosting provider you’re considering, so you can see what kinds of experiences real customers have had.

3. Plans and Pricing

For many people, budget can present a very real limitation. Thus, it’s important to be realistic about the funds you can afford to invest in web hosting. You want to strike a balance by not overpaying for unnecessary add-ons, yet not neglecting essential features that will safeguard the well-being of your site.

So you’ll want to know what your budget is before searching for a provider and plan. You can find options for as little as $5 per month, while high-end hosting can cost hundreds of dollars per month. Domain names also carry annual fees, so you should factor in that cost as well.

Plans are almost as varied as hosting providers themselves, which can make deciding overwhelming. To make your choice, take advantage of any comparison tables, and look closely at the details of each plan before choosing. Some important features you might want to look for include storage space, backups, performance monitoring, and security.

Conclusion

Getting started with a new website can seem overwhelming. Everyone is a beginner at some point, and choosing a web hosting provider is one of the first steps you’ll have to take. However, you don’t have to feel like you’re stepping into uncharted territory. If you’re equipped with the right knowledge, you’ll be able to make a wise decision for your site’s future.

In this post, we looked at three main things to consider when choosing a web hosting provider:

1. Your needs
2. Customer support options
3. Plans and pricing

Do you still have questions about choosing a WordPress web hosting provider? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post How to Choose the Right Hosting Service for Your WordPress Website (3 Considerations) appeared first on Torque.

But if you want to write about something, you first have to become knowledgeable about it. Whether you want to start your own blog or provide content marketing services for other businesses, you need expertise. Otherwise, how will you provide value to your or your clients’ readers? 

For example, I became a WordPress blogger for several reasons. For one, I needed a website and taught myself how to build one with the WordPress platform. Secondly, I like writing. Thirdly, I continue to enjoy exploring WordPress and WordPress-related topics. 

In addition to that, I really like helping others and sharing my knowledge is a great way to give back to the WordPress community as a whole. 

What follows is my strategy to become an expert in virtually any subject to the point of being able to write about it with accuracy and thoroughness. 

1. Assess Your Current Knowledge

Before you do anything else, you need to assess your current level of knowledge in your chosen topic. No matter what you’re writing about, you need to figure out what you already know about it. You can use a notebook or start off with a Google Doc or another digital tool. You don’t have to follow the rules of proper grammar here or any specific format. Simply jot down what you already know. 

Once you’ve collected that information, it’s time to think about where you’d be able to find out more about this subject. Are there only online or print publications that would be a good place to start your research? 

What about books or websites that would help you broaden your knowledge? Are there any scholarly articles on the topic? Make a list of those publications and then you’ll be ready to move onto the next step. 

2. Gain a Cursory Understanding of a Subject

Now you have a pretty good idea of your current knowledge on the subject and where you can go to find out more about it. Remember, you’re not trying to become the world’s most acclaimed scholar in this area — just expert enough to be able to write and talk about it with confidence. As such, you need to gain a cursory understanding of what you will ultimately teach others about. 

Start by reading the headlines and summaries of articles. This will give you a good idea about different angles you could cover the topic from. It will also give you a good indication of its breadth as well as what people are most interested in learning. 

You can then evaluate your basic understanding again. Have you learned anything new? If the answer is yes, you can move on to the next step. But if you don’t feel like you’ve learned anything new, then you might need to dig deeper and expand your list of sources. 

3. Narrow the Topic Down to a Single Keyword

Armed with cursory knowledge of your topic, it’s time to narrow it down to a single keyword or idea. If what you are trying to write about is too broad, you might become overwhelmed by the amount of information you have to read. Not to mention, you might not even have the time needed to read and process it all. 

Choose a keyword that’s popular enough to generate interest but there’s not so much information on it out there that your article will get lost. There are plenty of online tools like Keyword Surfer, Answer The Public, and others that can help you with keyword research. Our article linked above will also point you in the right direction.

You can even install browser extensions to find keywords worth writing about. A few of those include Keywords Everywhere, SEO Minion, and UberSuggest. 

Search For Your Keyword

When you’ve decided on your keyword, open at least the top five articles on that topic that currently exist in new tabs. For example, I often open every article that’s on the first page of search results.  

You’ll also want to note down relevant questions from the “people also ask” section. Remember that if you click on one of the questions in this section, the list will expand with even more similar questions and give you even more ideas for your topic. 

Be sure to also check the related keywords at the bottom of the page. If there are any related keywords that seem relevant to the topic, open them in new tabs as well.

Review Searches for Related Keywords

In some cases, you’ll find plenty of overlap between related keywords and your main keyword. In others, you’ll often find new posts with additional information on those pages. Open them in browser tabs as well and then pull up the first five articles from the first page of the search results.

You can also run those additional keywords through the keyword research tools mentioned above to see how popular they are. This can give you a good idea if you should include them in your article or not. 

4. Start Reading!

With your main keyword and all those articles, questions, and related keywords, you should have plenty of material to start on your quest for expert status. The first step, though, is to go through all the material you’ve gathered and actually read it.

If you’re fairly new to the topic, you’ll want to read every article in depth. But if you’re already familiar with the topic you’re writing about and need just a little more knowledge to feel confident in your expertise, you might skim through the parts that cover what you already know. 

At this stage, you’ll want to open a Google Doc or new WordPress post in a separate window to take notes. You’ll be using these notes to create an outline for your article. 

Aside from the content itself, try to pay attention to how the article is structured and try to note down the general length. This can give you an indication of how long your article should be and how deep you need to go. 

5. Write an Outline

As you’re reading the articles and other materials, start jotting down notes and putting together an outline. 

Again, you don’t have to follow grammar rules or worry about making every sentence sound perfect. What matters more is getting the key ideas down along with main points you want to cover. 

In many cases, you can use the keywords and related questions you saw on the search page directly as section headings and subheadings. It’s also common to gather a lot of information from the first article you read. In fact, don’t be surprised if almost half your outline is done at this point. But don’t stop here. Instead, move on to the next post and add information that the earlier posts overlooked.

It’s also a good idea to make a note of sources mentioned in the article so you can double-check the information. In some cases, you might find that the linked source is not the original source of information. Other times, the quoted resource no longer exists. It’s worth going down the rabbit hole and finding the proper source if you want to use it within your article as well. 

Take Note of When You Don’t Understand Something

As you’re putting together your outline, you’ll probably come across something you don’t understand. This is more likely to happen if the topic you’re writing about is very new to you. When that happens, take note of it. 

This can be a term or a process or it can be information that you think is worth covering or mentioning but it’s not mentioned in any of the articles you came across. Mark those gaps and question marks to fill them in later. Highlight them, use a different color or add a heading in all caps so you don’t forget it. I like to mark those instances with either a question mark or notes in square brackets.

6. Review Your Outline

After this process, you should end up with a pretty thorough outline of your topic. Now it’s time to review it. Go through the entire thing again. Figure out if some of the information could use a better structure and if it follows a logical sequence. 

Feel free to move sections around if it feels like the article would flow better that way. At this point, nothing is set in stone and you’re still in the planning and preparation stages. 

If there are things you didn’t understand previously, now is the time to turn to Google and fill in those information gaps. 

Make sure you are confident in your understanding of the matter. You need to be able to become enough of an expert in the subject so you can explain it to someone else. If you can’t do that effectively, it’s likely that you have more information gaps to fill. 

At this point, you can refer to any additional sources you’ve gathered or you can go through the steps described above to broaden your knowledge even more.  

7. Write with Confidence

Now that you’ve done enough research, you should be able to write with authority on a subject. The key is to relay this in your writing. Speak with authority. And if you are unsure, lean on the expertise you’ve compiled to back up your claims. 

When it comes to writing, don’t expect to nail it one go. In fact, it’s often better to write the first draft using your outline and then walk away from it. As you’re writing that first draft, don’t focus on being grammatically correct. Get it all out on the paper — most seasoned writers refer to this as “vomit draft”.

Mine will regularly include German words and expression if I can’t come up with the correct English equivalents in the moment. Nobody but me will see this so there is no need to be meticulous about it. I also won’t input any links before the editing phase and instead simply underline words that I want to add a link to later.

Resist the urge to self-edit — that part comes later on. Just focus on fleshing out the ideas from the outline and getting it all down into your document. You can use a separate doc for your draft so you can refer to your outline easily or you can write it below the outline. 

When you’re done with the first draft, take a break and go do something else. Then, come back to it with fresh eyes the next day and go through it. 

8. Refine And Edit

The last step in the process is to go through that initial draft you wrote and see what you can improve. Are there any ideas that you could communicate better? Different words or terms you could have used? 

Feel free to rewrite sections if they would make more sense that way, change up the words, simplify sentences or expand upon ideas. At this stage, you’ll also want to add any links, statistics or any other information that backs up your claims. 

When you’re happy with the article, it’s time for the actual edit process to start. Go through your article one more time to check for spelling errors and any grammatical errors. Make use of tools like Grammarly and the Hemingway Editor to ensure your writing is error-free, clear, and concise. You might also want to run it through an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO to make sure its on-page SEO is on point.

What Will You Become an Expert in?

As you can see, with proper preparation and planning, you can become an expert in any topic. What’s more, if you follow the tips in this article, you’ll be able to write confidently no matter what. 

As mentioned earlier, you don’t have to absorb every piece of information on the topic. You just need to know more than the person who will be interested in reading the article. The only thing left to do now is to put these tips to use and embark on your blogging journey. Happy writing!

Do you have additional tips on how to gain enough expertise in unknown topics to write about them? Please share in the comments below!

The post How to Become an Expert in Anything (And Write About It) appeared first on Torque.

If you’re buckling under the weight of your to-do list, then a managed hosting plan might be the answer. By opting for managed hosting, you can be confident that all of these time-consuming tasks are being handled by a professional.

In this post, we’ll discuss what managed WordPress hosting is, and why it’s different from other web hosting plans. We’ll then share five reasons why a managed service provider may be the solution to all of your WordPress woes. Let’s get started! 

An Introduction to Managed Hosting

When it comes to launching your website, there are various WordPress hosting options to choose from. These plans are designed to suit different budgets, requirements, and levels of technical expertise.

As an example, providers often pitch shared hosting as a budget-friendly option for startups and small businesses. At the other end of the scale, dedicated hosting is widely recognized as a good option for business-critical projects, and websites that have more demanding technical requirements. 

Although every hosting provider is different, many companies offer each plan as either a managed or unmanaged service. If you opt for the latter, your service provider will be responsible for maintaining and securing the server, but you’re responsible for maintaining your website. This includes performing critical tasks such as creating regular backups and scanning your site for malware. You may be renting space on the provider’s server, but with unmanaged hosting you’re largely on your own.

Alternatively, you may prefer managed hosting:

This is where your provider adds a number of features and services that are designed to make your site easier to manage, secure, and optimize. Every company is different, but many managed hosting providers offer automatic WordPress core updates, backups, and launch readiness assessments. 

5 Reasons to Choose Managed WordPress Hosting in 2021

There are no set rules for what a managed hosting plan should include. Different providers will prioritize different features, or tailor their offerings based on their target audience.

Before purchasing a plan, it’s important to do your research so you know exactly what you’re getting. However, there are some features that you can generally expect from the majority of managed providers. With this in mind, let’s look at five reasons why you should consider a managed plan in 2021. 

1. Automated Backups

Your website may contain dozens or even hundreds of pages, posts, and comments. Some sites even record visitor information. For example, if you run a membership site then your content might include usernames and passwords. If you don’t create regular backups, then you risk losing all of this content forever.

Something as simple as a database error could spell disaster for your website. WordPress is also a favorite target amongst hackers, with Wordfence recording 4.3 billion attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in a single year. If someone did manage to gain access to your site, they might delete all of your content and you might be unable to retrieve it.

By creating regular backups, you’ll always have something to restore, even in the worst case scenario where a malicious third party hacks into your site and deletes all of your content. To make your life easier, some WordPress hosting providers like WP Engine offer automated backups.

Ideally, your provider will offer these backups at no additional cost, with the added freedom to back up your site manually as and when required:

When choosing a managed package, it’s also smart to check where your backups will be stored. For added security, we always recommend choosing a provider that uses offsite storage. For example, WP Engine stores all backups offsite on Amazon S3.

2.  Performance Optimization

When you opt for a reputable managed WordPress hosting provider, you’ll get an environment that’s optimized for this popular Content Management System (CMS). For example, WP Engine’s managed packages come with a proprietary layer that’s based on thousands of code rules that aim to provide the best possible performance for your WordPress website. 

Many managed plans also come with built-in performance boosting features like caching. Caching means that a copy of your website is stored on the visitor’s computer. Your content can then be loaded locally whenever this person pays you a repeat visit. This can significantly reduce page load times and provide a better user experience. 

There are some free caching plugins available, but many require a significant amount of configuration. By opting for a plan that provides built-in caching, you can be confident that you’re getting the greatest performance boost with minimum manual configuration. 

Other common performance-boosting features include a built-in Content Delivery Network (CDN), which is a global network of servers. Whenever someone visits your site, the CDN will deliver your site’s content from the server that’s physically located closest to that visitor. This can reduce latency and boost your page loading speeds.

3. Enhanced Security 

In a recent survey by Patchstack, over 70 percent of agencies, developers, and freelancers confirmed that they are increasingly worried about their websites. In fact, 25 percent of respondents even stated that they had to deal with a hacked site in recent months. Security is clearly a huge concern for WordPress website owners. 

With unmanaged hosting plans, it’s your responsibility to protect your site against digital threats, including hackers. While there are steps you can take to keep your site safe, there’s no such thing as too much protection.

Many managed hosting providers have systems in place to help defend your website. This often includes firewalls that automatically detect and block malicious traffic, which is an effective defence against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Some attacks may be obvious, for example hacks that take your website offline. However, some are more insidious. To help you spot the more sneaky hacking attacks, some providers will automatically log all attempts to write to the disk. This can be invaluable for pinpointing malicious code, and helping you identify these attacks before they have a chance to inflict serious damage.

4. Added Protection Against Theme and Plugin Vulnerabilities

Third-party plugins and themes are a huge part of the WordPress experience. However, they can also add security vulnerabilities to your website. In a 2021 report, WP White Security discovered almost 4,000 known WordPress plugin vulnerabilities, and 443 theme vulnerabilities. 

While we always recommend vetting your plugins and choosing your themes carefully, experts have discovered security loopholes in many legitimate and well-respected WordPress products. Even if you take precautions, there’s still a chance that you may install some unsecured third-party software. 

A secure WordPress hosting provider can also help defend your site when you’re running a theme or plugin that has a known vulnerability. For example, WP Engine’s hosting environment restricts the processes that can write to the disk. This limits the damage that a hacker can inflict when exploiting a security loophole.

WP Engine will also scan your site for software that contains known security vulnerabilities. It’ll then disable any plugins that are putting your site at risk.

5. A One-Click Staging Environment

Over time, you’ll want to make some changes to your site. This may include design changes, such as trialing a new theme or updating your plugins. If you apply these changes directly to your production site, you risk all sorts of problems. This may range from minor user experience issues to data loss and downtime.

It’s always a good idea to test your changes on a staging site, which is a clone of your live website. This provides a safe location where you can experiment without damaging your live site. When you’re happy with the results, you can push your changes to production. 

With some hosting providers, creating a staging environment can be a time-consuming and complex process. However, a reputable managed WordPress hosting provider should offer a one-click staging or development environment:

By enabling you to quickly spin up a staging site, managed hosting providers can significantly reduce the time it takes to test upcoming changes. With some plans it’s even possible to merge your staging site back with your live installation, directly from the hosting provider’s dashboard. 

Conclusion 

Running a successful WordPress website isn’t always easy. However, a managed hosting plan can do much of the heavy lifting for you. This leaves you free to concentrate on what really matters – producing great content and growing your audience. 

Let’s quickly recap five reasons you may want to choose managed WordPress hosting: 

1. Automated backups
2. Performance optimization
3. Enhanced security
4. Added protection against theme and plugin vulnerabilities
5. A one-click staging environment

Do you have questions about managed WordPress hosting? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post 5 Reasons to Choose Managed WordPress Hosting in 2021 appeared first on Torque.