Articles - Page 118

What I Mean to Say: A Practitioner Perspective on AI, Semantics, and Content Evolution

msalvatierra

WordPress powers millions of websites and blogs worldwide. More than 60 million in fact, according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordPress">Wikipedia</a>. And this number is constantly growing. 
‘What makes it so popular?’ you may ask. Well, the answer is simple – WordPress is easy to setup and use. This CMS allows users to build almost any type of website – from blogs to multipage websites, online portfolios and even eCommerce websites. 
One more thing to mention is the wide variety of WP themes available. As you know, a WP theme is a fast and easy way to “dress” your site, so it is not such a bad thing that the web is flooded with millions of free and premium WordPress themes, developed to serve multiple purposes. 
Below we offer you an overview of the 12 essential components to which one should pay special attention when choosing a WordPress theme. Consider these elements and build a website that will set you apart from the rest.
<h2>12 Things To Look For When Choosing A WordPress Theme</h2>
In this section you may consider 9 basic elements that most popular WordPress templates boast. Making use of them, you can not only save time and effort on site development and management, but also start a project that will be in demand among the online audience. So, read on and remember these suggestions. 
1. Responsive Design
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/heyday.jpg" /> This is one of the indispensable features any website struggling to gain customer loyalty should incorporate. It’s no secret that modern users are shifting from desktop to handheld devices, so targeting mobile shoppers is the win-win solution. 
Think about this for a moment – would you stay on a page that doesn’t display content properly on your smart device? I really doubt that. When choosing a responsive WordPress theme you may feel secure your blog or website will adapt to any screen size, showing all elements the way you intended.
 Prime example: <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes/52087.html" target="_blank">Heyday</a> 
2. Auto Upgrades &amp; Support
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/club8700x0.jpg" /> No matter how stunning the look of the theme you’ve picked, customer service is what really sells. The good thing is that WordPress templates from trusted companies like <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes.php" target="_blank">TemplateMonster</a> come with auto upgrades and free 24/7 support. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes/51842.html" target="_blank">Club8</a> 
3. Navigation
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/recipes.jpg" /> You may have great content, a beautifully designed layout and several easy-to-reach social sharing buttons from which to choose, but all your efforts will be in vain unless you make your site easy to navigate. If the layout looks cluttered and users can’t figure out your site, they will simply leave.
Making your website easy-to-navigate is a key to success. So be sure to choose the theme that has a clean and intuitive navigation. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.wpexplorer.com/recipes-blogging-wordpress-theme/" target="_blank">Recipes</a> 
4. Social Media Integration
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/explorer.jpg" /> It’s unusual to find a modern user who doesn’t have a social media account. If you are running a blog or a corporate website, chances are you are trying to attract more users to participate in discussions and comment/like/share your posts.
With the help of social sharing buttons this can be easily achieved. Social media integration is known as a proven effective way to increase page views and sharing stats. 
Prime example: <a href="https://www.wphub.com/themes/explorer/category/business/" target="_blank">Explorer</a> 
5. Easy Customization
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/yamony.jpg" /> When buying a theme, check out whether or not it’s easy to customize. Some template providers will give you a theme together with detailed guides on installation and management. Depending on what goals you pursue, check out the advanced options with which the theme comes packed; does it include the functionality you might need (like calendar, slider, galleries, portfolios, etc.); what kind of standard pages does it offer? How many color/font options will you have at your disposal, etc.?
Also, check out whether the developer provides you with packaged functionality along with the template itself. As a rule, this functionality is not turned on by default. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.wpzoom.com/themes/photonote/" target="_blank">Yamony</a> 
6. Fast Load Speed
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elegant.jpg" /> Will you stay on the page that doesn’t load quickly? Modern users want everything instantly, otherwise they go elsewhere to get it. On average, people wait for three seconds for the website to load fully. It would seem a three second wait is not that long.
However, when online it can feel like an eternity. That’s why you should be especially selective when choosing a WordPress theme for your site. Many problems with load speed will vanish once you pick a well-coded, clean template and dedicated plugins created to speed up your site. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.wpexplorer.com/elegant-portfolio-wordpress-theme/" target="_blank">Elegant</a>
7. Cross Browser Compatibility
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/delaila.jpg" /> People are using a variety of different browsers nowadays. Alongside such popular solutions as Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer, there are many lesser known browsers (like Konqueror) that are also being used to view your site. That’s why it’s important to know your site will perform properly across all major media platforms.
To release you from the heavy burden of checking out your web page each time changes are being applied, modern template providers make themes cross-browser compatible for you to feel safe these will look and work effectively in all browsers. 
Prime example:<a href="https://www.wphub.com/themes/delaila/category/business/" target="_blank"> DELAILA</a> 
8. Clean Layout
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/delicious.jpg" /> Apart from functionality, design factor should also be considered. It is not always recommended to pick a template heavy in design elements. Clean and minimalist layouts are always in demand. Have a look at the screen shot below.
Delicious is a clean and minimal WordPress theme best suited for developing cafe &amp; restaurant websites. Thanks to the pale background, users can focus attention on the menu and specialties rather than be distracted by heavy graphics. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes/50762.html" target="_blank">Delicious</a> 
9. Unique Design <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oshin.jpg" /> Those who want to stand apart from competitors and grab user attention with something outstanding, can opt for unique designs. As a rule, such resources are very interactive, allowing visitors to participate in storytelling.
For instance, Oshin is a beautifully designed multi-purpose WordPress template with 15 different layouts from which you can choose, 50 page builder shortcode modules, a bundle of free fonts, and much more. Incorporating the latest web design trends, like slow load effect, full- width visuals, ghost buttons, and grids, it was developed to catch the user’s eye at first sight. 
Prime example: <a href="https://www.cmscritic.comhttps://www.cmscritic.com/themeforestitem/oshin-creative-multipurpose-wordpress-theme/9545812?ref=cirvitis" target="_blank">Oshin</a>
10. Cherry Framework
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/car-wash.jpg" /> Cherry Framework, along with its child themes, was launched by <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/presentations/cherry-framework-wordpress-themes.php" target="_blank">TemplateMonster</a>. This is a free parent framework that comes with various widgets, shortcodes, and solid Bootstrap options.
Originally released in December 2012, Cherry is now compatible with more than 900 child themes. The admin panel resembles the original WP interface in many ways, allowing even those of us who are not tech-savvy to set up a site and bring it to life hassle-free. Cherry is easy to install, requiring only three clicks. Overall, it comes with most of the WP features, like SEO optimization, excellent support, custom post creation, easy import/export data procedures, XML sitemap generation, and a number of other extra features. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes/51818.html" target="_blank">Car Wash</a> 
11. Custom Widgets
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/agrofields.jpg" /> The best part about WordPress themes is that many of them are filled with widgets that you can add to your site. These range from contact forms to menus, full screen slideshows, and other features. When working on the design of your future site, these are some of the elements in the Library adding functionality to your project. 
Prime example: <a href="https://www.cmscritic.comhttps://www.cmscritic.com/themeforestitem/agrofields-food-shop-grocery-market-wp-theme-/9725100" target="_blank">Food Shop Premium WordPress Theme</a> 
12. Shortcodes
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dentist.jpg" /> Attaching media data can be facilitated by means of shortcodes. These are known as the easiest way to embed lists, tabs, audio and video data, Google maps, grids, and plenty of other elements into your site. If you need any of the above features, then look for a WP theme that comes with shortcodes. 
Prime example: <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes/52373.html" target="_blank">Dentist</a>
<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>
Although there is no way to guarantee success in the online world, one thing is for sure: by taking into consideration the 12 aforementioned elements you can set up a website that will be user-friendly, easy-to-customize, intuitive, easy-to-navigate, appealing and remarkable. 
Interestingly, free WordPress themes don’t lag far behind their paid equivalents, however the latter do provide a number of additional features and functionalities, like free 24/7 support, regular updates, protection from malware of any kind, etc. When looking for a template with which to build your next web project, there are several things to consider in order to obtain a product that is really worth the money. 
If you have any other thoughts or ideas on other elements to consider when choosing a good WordPress theme, you are welcome to mention them in the comments.

Choosing A WordPress Theme: 12 Things To Look For

mike-johnston

eCommerce solution <a href="https://www.avactis.com/blog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Avactis</a> has released the latest version of AvactisNext.
Avactis allows you to launch a cloud-hosted online store, and also gives you the option to download and self-host their software. The platform also integrates nicely with Facebook and existing websites. Signing up with Avactis gives users free access to its themes, plugins, and language packs. Let's take a look at what's new with AvactisNext 4.7.4.
Responsive Email Notification: All the email notifications that customers receive will now be totally responsive.
Ajax Filter: Users can now filter the extensions as purchased, free, and premium on your manage extensions page in the admin area without reloading the page.
Page Layouts: Page layouts have been enhanced at the manage extensions page
To find out more about AvactisNext 4.7.4, check out the <a href="https://www.avactis.com/blog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">official blog announcement</a>.
And of course, you can explore more of Avactis through our CMS Directory.

AvactisNext 4.7.4 Released

WordPress is a monster in the CMS industry, to the point that it's almost unfair how many websites are powered by the popular open source CMS. With a whopping 23.4% of the web running WP, it's amazingly popular and far surpasses any other CMS in the world. Today, I'm going to share with you my thoughts on why WordPress beats Drupal and Joomla. I'm going to do so by sharing what I consider to be the 8 ways it does this.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/header_image-2500x0.png" alt="8 Ways WordPress Beats Drupal and Joomla" />
<ol>
<li>
<h2>Ease of use</h2>
When it comes to ease of use, WordPress is definitely the king amongst these three. Not only does it have one of the simplest and most straight forward interfaces, it far exceeds Drupal and Joomla when it comes to usability (in my humble opinion). WordPress has been used by many projects as a model for how to do a proper user interface and continues to improve with each new update. For an overall writing experience, it also offers a very unique distraction free writing mode which allows you to focus solely on your writing. Drupal, for instance, has an interface that fosters confusion and feels too complex. It doesn't feel as fluid as I'd like to see from such a powerful CMS. Joomla has some oddball ways of navigating the menus and accomplishing simple tasks and still needs some work (although over the years I've seen some good improvements).
</li>
<li>
<h2>Ease of Installation</h2>
WordPress is incredibly easy to install, the entire process is very, very straight forward and requires little knowledge. Having said that, services like Fantastico have made it much easier to install all three of these CMS with relative ease. Without Fantastico however, WordPress is definitely the simpler of the three. Even better, if you are using a hosting service like <a href="/bluehost">Bluehost</a>, it couldn't get much easier with their automated tools and WordPress managed hosting services.
</li>
<li>
<h2>Word of mouth</h2>
This is rather obvious but given the popularity of WordPress, it gets more word of mouth than Joomla or Drupal and is far more likely to be recommended as a solution than the other two. This can, however, result in people using WordPress for purposes outside the products means so it's a double edges sword in some cases.
</li>
<li>
<h2>Theming options</h2>
Sure, themes aren't the end all be all but for those looking to start a new website from scratch, they are certainly a huge help and with WordPress as popular as it is, there are literally thousands if not millions of themes out there to choose from. New theme development agencies are popping up every day offering more and more options to choose from which again, leads to more and more adoption of the CMS. Joomla is second to WordPress when it comes to theming and the situation with Drupal is just bad. There might be one or two decent Drupal theme companies out there but the work is often poor or unappealing to the masses (feel free to correct me if you know of some I'm unaware of).
</li>
<li>
<h2>Community</h2>
The WordPress community is nothing short of massive. With a huge number of blogs running on the WordPress.com hosted platform in addition to the downloadable version, WordPress has a community of millions of users around the world. This allows for a much quicker turn around for support questions and it's much much easier to find someone with the ability to assist in either developing plugins or a theme for your website. With a community this large, there are definite advantages.
</li>
<li>
<h2>Integrations</h2>
Almost any type of web software available has an integration with WordPress already in place or is working on one. This saves significant time working with code and allows users of the platform to benefit from the ease of use it's best known for. When integrating with a third party service involves a quick process rather than editing code, the world becomes an easier place for those looking to expand their websites with new functionality. Furthermore, with a massive directory of plugins, it's easy to accomplish new things and expand your website by simply installing a new plugin.
</li>
<li>
<h2>Niche Adoption</h2>
Since WordPress was a blog platform first and foremost, there was little competition other than Blogger to contend with. As a result, WP was quickly able to establish itself as the king of hte ring in this arena. As blogging became more popular, more of those individuals who first started out using WP for their blogs started to look at how they could continue their love affair with the plaform by adopting it to other niches. As a result, WordPress now can be used for far more than just blogging and continues to grow in capability.
</li>
<li>
<h2>Ease of Development</h2>
WordPress is a very simple CMS to use to develop websites. I've worked with it for years to build a number of sites including originally using it to power this very website you are reading this on. We are now powered by Processwire but I used WordPress to begin with to help me get this far. In addition, I built my wife's website, <a href="http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com"> http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com </a> (through which she ended up signing a book deal with Random House) as well as a ton of others such as <a href="http://www.baconhound.com"> http://www.baconhound.com </a> and many others. I find the development process very straight forward and since I am self taught in PHP, easy to pick up and understand.
</li>
</ol>
Now that I've shared the number of ways I think WordPress beats Drupal and Joomla, what are your thoughts? Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below (but please do play nice!)
~Mike

8 Ways WordPress Beats Drupal and Joomla

TERMINALFOUR, a digital engagement and web content management platform for higher education institutions, today announced its plans to expand its North American operations.
The expansion comes in the form of 15 new positions in TERMINALFOUR's Boston headquarters. Naturally, This growth will strengthen the support and customer service availability for TERMINALFOUR's clients throughout North America.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/terminalfour.jpg" /> 
According to TERMINALFOUR, the expansion is a result of winning 7 new significant higher education clients. This success has been largely afforded to <a href="/terminalfour-releases-new-higher-education-digital-engagement-platform/" target="_blank">TERMINALFOUR's most recent platform update towards the end of 2014</a>, which saw the introduction of 150 new features.
<h2> “A Bigger, Bolder &amp; More Pronounced Commitment”</h2>
The 15 new positions on offer cover business development and client-facing roles including account management, client support, and training and new business development. These roles will be recruited over the next 18 months with interviews already underway.
TERMINALFOUR's digital engagement and web content management platform is used by more than 155 university and college clients to power in excess of 10,000 higher education websites throughout the world.
With its main headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, the platform helps Universities and Colleges engage more effectively online to drive key results such as student recruitment numbers. Last year it announced plans to double this to more than 300 clients by 2016, although its current client portfolio already spans the globe.
TERMINALFOUR's Boston expansion is being led by Mike Taylor, TERMINALFOUR's VP of Worldwide Sales. Here's his take on the news:
<blockquote>“TERMINALFOUR has had a presence in the US for a number of years but it needed to make a bigger, bolder and more pronounced commitment to this market. While we still have significant and robust ties to the global business unit, the expansion of the Boston team is about bolstering local resources to drive our ambitious national business development plans but also ensuring a personalized experience for our US client base.”</blockquote>
The official press release for this news <a href="http://businessandfinance.com/news/terminalfour-announces-15-new-jobs-for-boston-hq/" target="_blank">can be seen here</a>. To find out more about TERMINALFOUR's latest higher education digital engagement solution, <a href="http://www.terminalfour.com/" target="_blank">check out their website</a>.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/terminalfour-site-manager/" target="_blank">TERMINALFOUR via our CMS directory</a>.

TERMINALFOUR Announces New Jobs For Boston Headquarters

Since arriving on the scene back in late 2013, <a href="https://ghost.org/" target="_blank">Ghost</a> has been hailed for it's blogging-centric approach. It made a lot of tasks easier for bloggers, but it also had some areas which weren't as smooth, like navigation management. That has now been seen to.
In the most recent CMS Awards, Ghost was crowned the <a href="/2014-most-promising-cms/" target="_blank">2015 Critic's Choice Most Promising CMS</a>.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2178663.png" /> Before this much needed update, users had to code custom navigation menus directly into each Ghost theme, Hardly a hallmark of user friendliness. 
Now though, Ghost has unveiled a new interface which enables users to easily build and edit custom navigation menus.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/nav-admin_1.gif" />
Users can drag-and-drop menu buttons, rename them, edit their URLs, add news ones and delete existng ones, all from the same simple interface. Now that's more Ghost-like.
Ghost Pro users will notice this update immediately, whereas self-hosted Ghost users will need to upgrade to <a href="https://ghost.org/download/">Ghost 0.5.9</a> in order to enjoy easier custom navihgation management. 
You can see the <a href="http://blog.ghost.org/navigation/" target="_blank">official announcement here</a>, and you can also <a href="https://ghost.org/" target="_blank">visit the Ghost website</a> to get started on your own blog.

Ghost Introduces Simpler Custom Navigation

<a href="https://www.shopify.com/" target="_blank">Shopify</a>, a platform considered to be high up in the eCommerce food chain, has unveiled a storefront editor which lets anybody customize the look of their Shopify store in detail and across devices.
With price plans to suit all business sizes, combined with a feature-filled platform, Shopify is one of the world's leading eCommerce solutions for companies large and small.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/storefront_hero_image.jpg" /> 
This new Storefront Editor feature enables merchants to easily customize things like logos, menus, typography, and more. The short video below takes you behind the scenes for a first hand look.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N08ftKJ4c1U?start=36&amp;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Via their <a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog" target="_blank">official blog announcement</a>, Tom Burns of Shopify said:
<blockquote>“Storefront editor simplifies how you make changes to your store’s design by splitting your screen into two panels. In one panel, you’ll make design choices like picking colors, fonts, photos, and more. In the other, you’ll see a live preview of your store that updates as you make changes.”</blockquote>
You can learn more about <a href="/products/shopify/" target="_blank">Shopify via our CMS Directory</a>.

Shopify Unveils Storefront Editor

Joomla's popularity stems from its open-source nature, ease of use, and rich functionality.
Joomla is also a reliable assistant in expanding the website reach, which is possible due to its compatibility with modern browsers, multilingual support, and SEO-friendliness. These and many other things are constantly increasing the Joomla community. 
 If you belong to users of this CMS too, we have prepared a cool set of free Joomla templates for you. Of course, if you’d like to find a premium <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/joomla-templates.php" target="_blank"> Joomla solution for your website </a> , there is a large number of themes available. However, if you are eager to save money, you could try downloading a free theme. It is definitely a smart choice in such an undertaking. Finding a decent-quality theme available at no cost may take a lot of time, that’s why we’ve decided to facilitate your efforts. 
 Check our set of free Joomla templates offered by trustworthy companies, and you are guaranteed to find the right design for your site. You probably know about the major Joomla update to version 3.x. The web technologies are constantly changing and so is Joomla. In this compilation all the templates are compatible with the latest versions of Joomla 3.x. Some of them still work well with version 2.5, so we included this information in the description of each template.
<h3>Ulmus</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ulmus700x0.jpg" />
Ulmus is a powerful, feature-rich Joomla template that suits for companies who specialize in interior and exterior design, furniture, hotel business, architecture and other related fields. Parallax scrolling and lazy load effects can add spice to your website. The theme is compatible with Joomla 3.0.x-3.3.x versions.
<a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/interior-furniture-free-joomla-template.html"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com/demo/52986.html"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Magazine</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/magazine700x0.jpg" />
Magazine is a light-weight Joomla template compatible with both 2.5 and 3.3 versions. It is responsive and looks great on different kinds of devices. The theme also provides you with different page layouts.
<a href="https://www.gavick.com/joomla-templates/magazine,111"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://demo.gavick.com/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Meet Gavern</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/meet_gavern.jpg" />
Meet Gavern is a responsive theme with a two column layout which is compatible with Joomla 3.2. It is built with Bootstrap framework and suits well for business related websites.
<a href="https://www.gavick.com/joomla-templates/meet-gavern,93"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://demo.gavick.com/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>nuModusVersus</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/numodusversus.jpg" />
The theme has three variations of a color-scheme and a pack of nice icons that can be featured on the front page. It can be used with the latest version of Joomla, but if you haven’t updated your website, version 2.5 is still supported.
<a href="http://www.joomlaworks.net/joomla-templates/free-templates/numodusversus"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://demo.nuevvo.com/#numodusversus/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Takai</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/takai.jpg" />
Takai is a simple Joomla template that had been used as an official demo page of the well-known Joomla extension K2 back in 2012. The theme has all the coolest features of K2. Right now you can download it and install on your website, as it is a great theme for any Joomla beginner. Both 2.5 and 3.x versions are supported.
<a href="http://www.joomlaworks.net/joomla-templates/free-templates/takai"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://demo.nuevvo.com/#takai/ "> Live demo </a>
<h3>Helix II</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/joomla-template-shaper-helix-ii1.jpg" />
Helix is a Joomla template based on Helix Framework, developed by JoomSharper. It is fully responsive and open source which means you can download it and use for free. It also has a set of useful shortcodes. Helix template is compatible with 2.5 and 3.x versions.
<a href="http://www.joomshaper.com/joomla-templates/helix-ii"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://demo.joomshaper.com/2013/helix-ii/ "> Live demo </a>
<h3>Radon</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/radon.jpg" />
Radon is yet another theme built with Helix framework. It has different types of page templates, such as business, portfolio, corporate, agency, etc. It has rich administration features and is compatible with both Joomla 2.5 and 3.x.
<a href="http://www.joomshaper.com/joomla-templates/radon"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://demo.joomshaper.com/2014/radon/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Section</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/section.jpg" />
This template can suit nicely for different types of websites, as it is multipurpose. With its help you can create a business site, photographer’s portfolio, agency website, etc. It is responsive and has a lot of useful features. The template is compatible with Joomla 3.x.
<a href="http://ordasoft.com/Joomla_templates/Portfolio-Templates/section-multipurpose-business-template-2014.html"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://ordasvit.com/business10/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Eximium</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/eximium.jpg" />
Eximium is a template based on Yjsg v2 Framework. It has an appealing flat design, different types of website layout, and a large number of other helpful features, so you won’t even need to install additional extension for your website. It works well on both 2.5 and 3.x versions of Joomla.
<a href="http://www.youjoomla.com/joomla-templates/eximium-free-joomla-template-powered-by-yjsg-v2.html"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://joomlatemplates.youjoomla.info/eximium/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>BaseLine</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/baseline.jpg" />
BaseLine is a bright, light-weight theme with minimalist layout. It doesn’t have any excessive design elements, the only thing that draws our attention is a call-to-action button in the center. BaseLine is compatible with versions 2.5 and 3.x.
<a href="http://www.youjoomla.com/joomla-templates/baseline-free-joomla-template.html"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://joomlatemplates.youjoomla.info/baseline/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Shoe Store</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shoestore.jpg" />
Shoe Store is a great VirtueMart 3 powered Joomla template that makes it a great choice for any eCommerce website. The theme is simple, good-looking and is compatible with Joomla 3.3.
<a href="http://ordasoft.com/shoe-store-virtuemart-3-template.html"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://ordasoft.com/demo.php?view=pc&amp;t=ShoeStore"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Free Estate</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/free_estate.jpg" />
Free Estate is a clean, responsive Joomla template. It has a large image slider on the home page, and some useful modules, such as a search module, Google Maps module, etc. The theme is compatible with Joomla 3.x.
<a href="http://ordasoft.com/free-estate-free-real-estate-template-2014"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://ordasoft.com/demo.php?view=pc&amp;t=FreeEstate"> Live demo </a>
<h3>JA Elastica</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ja_elastica.jpg" />
Elastica is fully responsive template, compatible with versions 2.5 and 3.x. It is well suited for different kinds of devices, including mobile phones, tablets and laptops. The layout is clean and simple.
<a href="http://www.joomlart.com/joomla/templates/ja-elastica"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://www.joomlart.com/demo/#ja_elastica"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Purity III</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/purity_3.jpg" />
Purity III is a minimalist free Joomla template that can be used as it is, or you can customize it and add big-resolution hero images and ghost buttons. It has a clean drop-down menu and small logo at the top. It is compatible with the latest version of Joomla and can suit well for a business website.
<a href="http://www.joomlart.com/joomla/templates/purity-iii"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://www.joomlart.com/demo/#purity_iii"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Mondrian</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mondrian.jpg" />
The theme has two different color options. The layout is responsive and fits nicely into different screen resolutions. The typography may seem a little oversimplified, but that can be easily changed. It works well with versions 2.5 and 3.3.
<a href="https://www.joomlashack.com/free-joomla-templates/mondrian-free-corp"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://mondrian_free.joomlatemplate.joomlashack.com/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Wright</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wright.jpg" />
Download: https://www.joomlashack.com/free-joomla-templates/wright-free-minimalist Demo: http://wright.joomlashack.com/demo/ Wright is a simple minimalist template built with Wright Framework – one of the most light-weight Joomla Frameworks. It has a minimum set of features, but provides you with speed and responsive design. It’s compatible with versions 2.5 and 3.3.
<a href="https://www.joomlashack.com/free-joomla-templates/wright-free-minimalist"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://mondrian_free.joomlatemplate.joomlashack.com/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Time</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/time.jpg" />
Time is a perfect theme for a news portal. It has a multi-column layout, an extendable mega menu and image sliders. At the top you can see various social sharing buttons. The theme is responsive and looks good on different devices.
 View this theme <a href="http://demo.joomlashine.com/joomla-templates/jsn_time/pro/index.php"> Live demo </a>
<h3>One</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/one.png" />
This is a free stylish Joomla template with a big image slider on the front page. It has a special emphasis on visuals and typography. The theme may be a great fit for various types of websites.
 View this theme <a href="http://demo.joomlashine.com/joomla-templates/jsn_one/pro/index.php"> Live demo </a>
<h3>Business Template</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/business_template.jpg" />
This is a simple Joomla template built for a business website. It has some basic features, such as an image slider, and three social media buttons. It may be a nice solution for those who are new to Joomla and don’t require additional functionality. It’s compatible with Joomla 3.0.
<a href="http://www.jm-experts.com/templates/business-template-1-joomla-3-0-series"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://192.163.226.228/~ballu/template/"> Live demo </a>
<h3>YouGrids</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/yougrids.jpg" />
YouGrids has three layout options, mega menu, different SEO features, a large number of shortcodes and font types. Moreover, it is responsive and looks great on different screen resolutions. It is compatible with a large number of Joomla versions, including 2.5 and 3.x. That’s it for now. You have looked at some great free designs for your Joomla website and hopefully have chosen the one that suits your needs. Which template did you like the most? If you know another awesome free Joomla template that wasn’t included in this roundup, please let us know. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
<a href="http://www.youjoomla.com/joomla-templates/yougrids-free-joomla-template-yjsg-powered.html"> View this theme </a> <a href="http://joomlatemplates.youjoomla.info/yougrids/"> Live demo </a>

Top 20 Free Joomla Templates For 2015

<a href="http://designmodo.com/?u=1182" target="_blank">DesignModo</a>, the company behind Startup Framework, has released a new version of their WordPress plugin, Qards.
Qards 1.1 adds to the plugin's ability to bring drag-and-drop website building to WordPress. Users can combine pre-designed cards (or Qards!) to create a variety of one-page-style website types. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/reimagine4700x0.png" />
No coding is neccessary of course, and the interface works nicely with the standard WordPress backend, making for a relatively smooth website creation and management process. Here's a short video detailing Qard 1.1.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uj2rOm8Jdx8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
According to their announcement, DesignModo claim to have added new Qards and “spiced up the process of site created on WordPress and now you have a completely new fun and simple experience.”
To get the full breakdown of Qards 1.1, checkout the official features page.
Also, you can check out my <a href="/startup-framework-review/" target="_blank">review of DesignModo's Startup Framework</a>.

DesignModo's Qards 1.1 For WordPress Released

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<a href="https://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Weebly</a>, one of the world's most popular website builders, has released Weebly for Enterprise.
Chosen to be one of our recommended website builders over at <a href="https://www.websitebuilderscritic.com" target="_blank">Website Builders Critic</a>, Weebly offers a simple drag-and-drop interface enabling users to customize sleek templates.
Weebly for Enterprise combines comprehensive content management, robust APIs, and Weebly signature drag-and-drop editing.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weeblyenterprise700x0.jpg" alt="Weebly for Enterprise" />
<h2>Scalable, Powerful, Professional</h2>
Weebly for Enterprise has been launched to simplify the process of building and managing hundreds of websites, providing a flexible content management system for a wide variety of applications across industries including technology, real estate, healthcare, and education.
Weebly for Enterprise features include:
<ul>
<li>Powerful Site Creation and Editing: Weebly for Enterprise extends Weebly’s popular creation and editing experience to large organizations giving employees the freedom to design high-quality websites. Organizations can customize site design to match their brand identity and empower users to create and edit sites on their own with ready-made building blocks such as text, images, buttons, contact forms, maps, and videos. They can then publish those sites online in minutes.</li>
<li>Scalable and Customizable Site Management: Weebly for Enterprise offers a powerful CMS to administrators and can be easily scaled to the needs of any organization, streamlining the process of managing a large number of websites and setting up user accounts and permissions. It is fully customizable so that customers can define, limit and build on top of Weebly to meet any specific need.</li>
<li>API Support Simplifies IT Implementation: Weebly for Enterprise comes equipped with full API support, easing the process of integration with existing IT structures and protocols. No need to re-work supporting systems such as billing, CRM software or security protocols.</li>
<li>Central Cloud Hosting: Weebly for Enterprise provides remote site hosting with exceptional site speed, reliability and redundant data centers on Weebly’s servers, letting users access company sites from anywhere and saving time and money on server setup and maintenance when compared to internally hosted sites.</li>
</ul>
<h2>“It Shouldn’t Be So Difficult &amp; Expensive To Build &amp; Manage Hundreds Of Websites.”</h2>
Regarding the release of Weebly for Enterprise, I managed to get some questions answered by Nick Dellis, Weebly's Vice President of Business Development. Here is our full discussion:
<h3>1) What has spurred Weebly into moving into the Enterprise space?</h3>
The idea for Weebly for Enterprise grew out of organic demand. Organizations of all types regularly approach Weebly to leverage our intuitive consumer experience for a wide-variety of applications.
The main requirement they had was for enterprise features like the ability to manage staff and clients, permission control, APIs, automation and things like that. We already have thousands of companies of all sizes using Weebly in this way in a pilot program we kicked off to understand these use cases.
When we dug into the reasons people reached out, the main driver was that the expectations of the average employee are changing, and they want to use enterprise software that’s intuitive, effective and easy to use, just as they can at home. It shouldn’t be so difficult and expensive to build and manage dozens or hundreds of websites, but surprisingly most enterprises are using a costly internal CMS or open source solutions that don’t scale effectively and are extremely resource intensive. We heard horror stories from IT managers who had dozens of requests for simple marketing and content changes to sites that couldn't be done for months. Marketing departments and staff were frustrated because they couldn't just do it themselves.
With Weebly, we can provide the same intuitive site creation and editing experience every customer gets, while also integrating the tools, controls and scalability required in the Enterprise space.
Weebly for Enterprise is the end result, and is a simple, turn-key solution for any organization to build and scale their business on top of the Weebly platform. It’s an off-the-shelf solution that’s fully customizable and has enterprise level controls and robust APIs for easy integration into existing IT structure. We already have customers in over 15 verticals and there is huge opportunity for expansion.
<h3>2) In a nutshell, what are the key differences between “Normal” Weebly and “Enterprise” Weebly? </h3>
The “normal” consumer version of Weebly is a product more intended for a person or a small company who wants to build their own website, blog or eCommerce store — they can choose a theme, drag and drop elements like images or video and enter text quickly and effectively, publishing a site in minutes. It’s perfect for a person or organization who wants to build just one or a handful of sites.
However, for an organization that needs dozens of websites (or hundreds), things get complicated quickly. You need to manage staff members, admins, control branding elements and assets, integrate into your internal workflows and systems, add your own themes, develop your own apps/elements and so on. Weebly for Enterprise is the core Weebly consumer experience with a “layer” on top designed for enterprises to easily do those things.
<h3>3) What does the future hold for Weebly Enterprise, both short term and long term?</h3>
We see expansion into new verticals, where we use Weebly for Enterprise as a base and add components that are specific to certain industries on top.
For example, we are pretty sure that hosting companies who want to sell 100,000 websites to their clients are going to have different needs than a large hospital who is using Weebly for Enterprise to create and lock down 1,500+ physician sites. When you think about digital agencies, universities, franchises and dozens of other use cases, we have a lot of work ahead of us.
To find out more about Weebly Enterprise, check out their official website.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/weebly/" target="_blank">Weebly through our CMS Directory</a>.

Weebly For Enterprise Announced

<a href="http://www.blueconic.com/" target="_blank">BlueConic</a>, the digital marketing platform, has announced some new and notable integration options.
The platform collects and unifies user actions, decisions and profiles, thereby activating relevant interactions accordingly. Founded in 2010, and headquartered in Boston, more than 70 brands including Volvo, Boston Globe, ING and Ahold make use of BlueConic to drive their marketing campaigns.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1700x0.jpg" />
BlueConic’s new “Quick Connections” feature, the main proponent of this update, connects previously separated marketing applications into a single, rich view of the customer that is actionable in real time. 
Built on a flexible Rest API structure, Quick Connections enables marketers to integrate BlueConic with platforms like Salesforce, Google Universal Analytics, Facebook Connect and a host of customer relationship management systems (CRM), data management platforms (DMP) and content management systems (CMS).
The integration allows for a direct exchange of information and data between previously compartmentalized components within the marketing stack. 
Bart Heilbron, the CEO and Co-founder of BlueConic, made these comments upon the release:
<blockquote>
“We’ve built BlueConic to help marketers identify, understand, and interact with customers on an individual basis. This release is another step in our commitment to improving marketing outcomes at a faster rate, without the need to rip and replace existing marketing applications and without reliance on IT organizations.
With this latest release, marketers can quickly synchronize and leverage their existing marketing ecosystem within the BlueConic platform, to drive richer, more meaningful customer engagement.”
</blockquote>
To find out more about BlueConic, <a href="http://www.blueconic.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a>.
Furthermore, the official announcement for this piece of news <a href="http://www.blueconic.com/news/blueconic-delivers-unparalleled-marketing-outcomes-synchronizing-data-across-siloed-ecosystem/" target="_blank">can be found on the BlueConic blog</a>.

Digital Marketing Platform BlueConic Announces Enhanced Integration Options

<a href="http://buildwithcraft.com/" target="_blank">Craft</a> has made itself accessible in a new, faster, and much easier way.
Recently, Craft came out on top as the <a href="/2014-critics-choice-award-winner-best-php-cms-for-small-to-midsize-business/" target="_blank">2014 Critics' Choice Award Winner for Best PHP CMS for Small to Midsize Businesses</a>. This news comes just a few weeks after <a href="/craft-2.3-arrives-with-flurry-of-features/" target="_blank">the release of Craft 2.4</a>.
The all-new <a href="https://demo.buildwithcraft.com/" target="_blank">Craft Demo Website</a> allows users to try out the dedicated demo site is called, “Happy Lager”. Each user who signs up will get a personalized version of the site — so there's no having to share the demo with the rest of the community. All users need to provide is a name and an email address.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1700x0.jpg" alt="Craft" /> 
Essentially, it's a super-easy way to try out Craft for yourself, and perhaps introduce it to friends or co-workers.
Furthermore, <a href="https://github.com/pixelandtonic/HappyLager" target="_blank">Craft have open sourced Happy Lager via GitHub</a>, so you can freely tinker with it on a deeper level.
To find out more, c/dir/products/craft/heck out <a href="http://pixelandtonic.com/blog/meet-happy-lager-crafts-new-demo-site" target="_blank">Craft's blog announcement</a>, and of course <a href="https://demo.buildwithcraft.com/" target="_blank">the demo website itself</a>.
Plus, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/craft-cms/" target="_blank">Craft via our CMS Directory</a>.

Craft Launches New Demo Site

The open source content management system <a href="http://typo3.org/" target="_blank">TYPO3 CMS</a> is available for Microsoft Azure effective immediately.
<a href="http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/" target="_blank">Microsoft Azure</a> is the Microsoft cloud solution for enterprises looking to integrate on-premises apps and data, whereas TYPO3 is a free and open-source web content management framework based on PHP. The Swiss software company was founded in 2004.
According to the TYPO3 Association, more than 500,000 active websites worldwide use TYPO3 CMS.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/typo3-logo-webdesign-duisburg1-1_400x0.png" alt="Typo3" />
Microsoft Azure customers now have total access to TYPO3 CMS on the Azure Web App Gallery. Naturally, this will enable such users to build, manage and/or adapt complex websites. Additionally, they can now easily change system requirements through autoscaling.
Peter Jaeger, the Senior Director Developer Experience &amp; Evangelism (DX), and Member of the Management Board of Microsoft, Germany, had this to say:
<blockquote>“Microsoft is increasingly embracing open source applications for the company‘s platforms and solutions. This is because we do not attach priority to technologies, but to people who wish to be productive across platforms and devices.
In recent months, we have made several development tools like .NET open source, thereby intensifying our collaboration with the open source community.
Deployments of TYPO3 on our Microsoft cloud platform Windows Azure are another step towards the community: not only do we address developers, but also many thousands of web designers and website administrators who benefit from Azure as a high-performance, secure and easily scalable platform.”</blockquote>
For more information on this integration, check out <a href="http://typo3.org/news/article/typo3-cms-now-available-for-microsoft-azure/" target="_blank">TYPO3's official announcement</a>.
Also, you can explore more of <a href="/products/typo3/" target="_blank">TYPO3 via our CMS Directory</a>.

TYPO3 CMS Now Available For Microsoft Azure

This year, CMS Critic is doing something that has never before been done in the industry. We're touring both North America and Europe to meet with interested vendors to learn (and share) about their products and the people behind them.
<h3>For our audience:</h3>
We'll be giving you a unique behind the scenes look at some of the top content management companies in the world at what (and who) makes these companies tick and is something you can only find right here.
<h3>For interested vendors:</h3>
While I'd love to spill the beans right here and now, this is a very unique offering and I'd hate to steal the thunder from the companies who are participating. Let's just say that this is what CMS Critic is known for, giving you material that you can't find anywhere else.
We've almost sold out completely in California but have a couple of spots that can be made available for interested vendors. We'll also be touring the East Coast before heading over to Europe for the European portion of our tour.
Piqued your interest? If I haven't contacted you already, then please drop me a note to mike@www.cmscritic.com for details.

CMS Critic is Touring North America and Europe this Year.

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