Articles - Page 132

The Top 10 AI Tools for Small Business: From Automation to a Coordinated Team of AI Agents

matt-garrepy

To cap off another featured week here at CMS Critic, I’m taking a look at the vital day-to-day content management features of <a href="http://www.getmura.com/" target="_blank">Mura CMS</a>.
Previously, I explored the way in which <a href="/how-mura-cms-keeps-every-team-member-productive/" target="_blank">Mura CMS helps all modern team members to stay productive</a>. Before that, I looked at the <a href="/mura-experience-platform-market-with-relevance-automation-amplification/" target="_blank">benefits of the Mura Experience Platform</a>.
<img style="max-width:200px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mura_cms_200x0.png" />
Mura CMS was recently made winner of the <a href="/2014-best-enterprise-cms-other-langs/" target="_blank">2014 People's Choice award for Best Enterprise CMS (Other Languages)</a>, and that had a lot to do with the platform’s core content management features.
Let’s take a closer look at some of those key features now.
<h2>Content Editing: Inline, In-context &amp; Staged</h2>
The content on your website is absolutely vital for converting customers, attracting subscribers and conveying beneficial information about your brand.
Thus, the most important aspect of any CMS, is the way in which it allows you to control and craft your content.
Mura CMS makes it easy.
All content can be directly edited right there on the page, simply by clicking on it.
<img style="max-width:289px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ss-usability-inline-editing.png" />
There are no windows popping up to distract or slow you down, while pages can be saved as drafts, previewed and published just as easily.
To avoid any mistakes, Mura CMS's versioning system makes it easy to roll back to a previous version of the page in seconds. So, there’s no more worrying about saving over good copy, because it’s so easily reversible.
Furthermore, built-in content staging allows you need to make changes to multiple pages at once, and publish them all at the same time.
<img style="max-width:289px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ss-usability-content-staging-2.png" />
The platform’s Change Set feature allows you to save as many edits as you want to a Change Set, and preview the site as if all your edits were live. Once you're done with your edits, a single button allows you to publish them all at once.
You can even stack Change Sets on top of each other, and preview the site as if they were all active. Now that’s neat.
<h2>Scheduled Publishing &amp; Powerful Permissions</h2>
Need a blog post or press release published first thing in the morning, but don’t feel like waking up early? No problem.
Mura CMS allows you to schedule times and dates for your content to go live, so you can organize yourself and your content accordingly.
<img style="max-width:280px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4.png" />
Interestingly, you can also schedule when you want content to be removed from the site — so there’s no more outdated events or job postings cluttering up your website. Batch changes (via Mura CMS's Change Set feature) can also be scheduled for automatic publishing at a specified date and time.
Speaking of organization, Mura CMS also gives you the tools to organise a workforce made up of team members who require different website permissions and administrative access.
For example, you want Alan, your latest intern, to post job listings, but you aren’t not ready to give him access to the entire site just yet.
To deal with this issue, Mura CMS enables you to grant administrative users access to just the sections you want, even down to the page level.
<img style="max-width:289px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ss-usability-permissions.png" />
Users can even have different administrative roles; some users can edit and publish, while others can only post draft content for others to approve and publish when they see fit.
These permissions can extend to every key module and functionality; your most trusted groups can have Super User access to the entire set of tools, while other groups are only allowed access to specific Modules and Plugins.
Organisation, security and productivity — all rolled into one excellent feature.
<h2>Drag-and-Drop Form Building, And A Lot, Lot More</h2>
Forms are a great way to gather information from visitors and customers. The only problem is, building useful forms is usually a technical task. But not with Mura CMS.
Mura lets you craft powerful web forms via a drag-and-drop interface, requiring absolutely no coding or technical know-how.
This frees up marketers and administrators to tackle form building, putting them in touch with their audience in a new and useful way.
<img style="max-width:289px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ss-usability-form-builder.png" /> 
Form submissions are automatically stored for detailed reporting and retrieval with zero database modifications needed.
Further content management features include workflow and collaboration management, simplified mass copy-and-pasting, built-in help, and more.
Learn all about <a href="http://www.getmura.com/features/outstanding-usability/" target="_blank">everyday content management with Mura CMS</a>.
To find out more about Mura CMS, <a href="http://www.getmura.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a> or check them out through our <a href="/products/mura-cms/" target="_blank">CMS Directory</a>.

Simple Everyday Content Management With Mura CMS

mike-johnston

Earlier this year, CMS Critic attended Jahia's second ever international conference, <a href="/search/?q=jahia+one+2015">Jahia One 2015</a>.Mike and I soaked up the friendly atmosphere, enjoyed catching up with some of the Jahia team, and live-tweeted everything from the ground.And of course, the keynotes and presentations themselves were worth attending for all by themselves.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mosaic-web-800.jpg" /> Jahia have uploaded all the keynote and presentation slides and their videos right here, ready to be watched on demand. There's a wealth of informative (and entertaining) content there for those who missed out on the event in Paris.<h2>Jahia One 2015 In Pictures</h2>Apparently, a picture is worth a thousand words, which is terrible news for writers such as myself. But, I'm willing to take the risk with this montage below.Here's a light summary Jahia One 2015 from start to finish, in pictures.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11058762_854272848001031_5712146649284374933_n614x0-is.jpg" /> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/10410622_854270824667900_2058882058368611653_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/10354069_854270661334583_1866866880565907236_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/13353_854283457999970_5391926636909378827_n663x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11011123_854282874666695_2578160760772380734_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11406827_854273811334268_1927695764396603043_n273x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1795646_854283038000012_1667108340805245201_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11401251_854276424667340_1997392010597740483_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11011787_854278611333788_5577484105093738333_n614x0-is.jpg" /> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11401205_854279564667026_6952399249721800327_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/10458076_854284707999845_5389227834448868722_n614x0-is.jpg" /> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11537691_854285664666416_8718822586749716136_n614x0-is.jpg" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11256554_854285677999748_3736041437440428944_n614x0-is.jpg" /> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11108246_854288097999506_8942091079844359353_n614x0-is.jpg" />Want more Jahia One snaps? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.854269574668025.1073741828.100816510013339&amp;type=3">Jahia's Facebook album is where it's at</a>.To find out more about Jahia One 2015, you can check out my coverage for <a href="/jahia-one-2015-day-one/">Day One</a> and <a href="/jahia-one-2015-day-two-marketing-factory-commerce-factory-more/">Day Two</a>.

Looking Back on Jahia One 2015 (In Pictures)

I recently compiled a list of the <a href="/top-10-crm-systems/">Top 10 CRM Systems</a> suitable for enterprises, but many small businesses and entrepreneurs require something a little more simple, and a little less expensive.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/startup-photos-large511x0-is.jpg" />
Such companies don’t have the time or resources to commit to a larger CRM process – and there's nothing wrong with that.
<h2>Self Hosted vs Hosted: The Fork in The Road</h2>
Businesses essentially have two options when it comes to cutting costs with their choice of CRM.
If you go for something self hosted, that will involve you downloading the product (usually for free), leaving you with a ‘free for life’ kind of deal. However, you’ll need someone with a bit of technical know-how to get you set up.
The alternative ‘freemium’ hosted CRM systems can be set up in minutes online, which may seem like the easier option for some. These CRM systems also won’t charge you a dollar until your business starts taking off and you need a more comprehensive package. Sounds like fair deal, right?
Let's take a look at the options which I feel are best suited to the average startup or small business, all of which are online based.
<h2>1. SuiteCRM</h2>
Suite CRM is a free and open sourced system which is based on SugarCRM. It provides users with an experience to rival SugarCRM – by offering similar sales, marketing, and service tools to its premium counterpart.
The add-on modules for workflow and reporting also cement its position on this list. And if you don’t have the time to spend customizing it yourself, there’s also an on-demand option available to do that for you – from just $10 per user, per month.
Find out more about SuiteCRM <a href="https://suitecrm.com/">here.</a>
<h2>2. Really Simple Systems</h2>
Well, the clue is in the name with this one. Really Simple Systems is really simple to use. It’s definitely not the most feature-packed CRM, but if you don’t need the extras then why pay for them? The design is easy to navigate, fully responsive, and quite linear in its approach.
Really Simple Systems offers 3 modules in sales, marketing, service, and support. The home screen is easily customized, provides a summary of live tasks and opportunities, and also displays a sales funnel which illustrates all lead conversions. The two users system is free for up to 100 business accounts, and if you wish to add more users or features – prices start as low as $8 per user, per month.
Find out more about Really Simple Systems <a href="https://www.reallysimplesystems.com/">here.</a>
<h2>3. FreeCRM</h2>
The free version of FreeCRM is pretty impressive – with an allowance for up to 100 users and all basic features. But this is only available for one year. After the year is up, you’ll have to upgrade to CRMPRO and pay $24.95 per user, per month.
FreeCRM is a web based system so it’s pretty easy to use, which is something you’ll be grateful for when you realise there’s no technical support available! That said, the upgraded version is still one of the most affordable CRM apps around and it’s well worth checking out.
Find out more about FreeCRM <a href="http://www.freecrm.com">here</a>.
<h2>4. Odoo</h2>
Odoo offers much more than your standard CRM, and it might be just the ‘all on one’ solution your business needs. Odoo is a free open sourced platform that offers pretty much every kind of app your business could ask for.
This CRM connects your contacts with their social network info and allows you to track those leads right to conversion. The tailored charts and reporting functions will also keep track of your team’s performance overall. The real benefit of Odoo is that you can bring customers from Step 1 of the sales process all the way through to the close – and all in the one app.
Find out more about Odoo <a href="http://www.odoo.com">here</a>.
<h2>5. Zurmo</h2>
Zurmo is on a mission to gamify the CRM business. This open source CRM allows companies to reward employees based on their performance by offering rewards for achieving set targets. It also has all of the standard offerings from a CRM, such as workflows, marketing automation, workflows, and reports.
Zurmo also provides a live demo option, which gives users the chance to test it out before installing it. For users who don’t want the hassle of self-installation, Zurmo also offers a hosted version starting at $35 per user, per month.
Find out more about Zurmo <a href="http://www.zurmo.com">here.</a>
<h2>6. Bitrix24</h2>
Bitrix24 is an easy to use CRM System with a wide range of features available and it’s perfect for small companies. It offers all the basic features a small business might need, such as a virtual call center, email marketing, and invoice management. If you want to access it on the go, it’s also available on iOS and Android.
Bitrix24 will let you manage up to 12 users for free and throw in 5GB of storage to top it off – which sounds like a pretty good deal. You can also upgrade to unlimited users and 50GB of storage for just $99.
Find out more about Bitrix24 <a href="https://www.bitrix24.com/">here.</a>
<h2>7. SpreadsheetCRM</h2>
SpreadsheetCRM is a free template that runs on Google Drive and is designed to help small businesses to manage their sales and leads efficiently. It’s one of the least complicated CRM practices on the market, and it allows businesses to focus on selling rather than getting to grips with a new CRM process.
To sign up, users simply have to fill out the form to get access to the Beta Spreadsheet in Google Docs, then add the file, and share it with members of the team.
SpreadsheetCRM also runs in tandem with ToutApp – a tool which can track and add analytics reports to your Gmail or Outlook account. Prices for ToutApp start at just $30 a month.
Find out more about SpreadsheetCRM <a href="http://www.onesheetcrm.com/">here.</a>
<h2>Customer Relationship Management: More Accessible Than Ever</h2>
As I mentioned previously, it’s imperative for small business owners and entrepreneurs to save time and money where possible – and with these free CRMs, it’s very possible.
In fact, it's safe to say that customer relationship management has never before been so accessible.
What CRM system makes customer relationship management easier for your business? Let us know in the comments below.

7 Free CRM Systems That Prove Customer Relationship Management is Easy

grainne-logue

WordPress 3.9 is now out and brings with it a number of welcome changes including improved image editing, an updated visual editor has improved speed, accessibility, and mobile support, drag and drop images and more.
<h3>Improved visual editing</h3>
The updated visual editor has improved speed, accessibility, and mobile support. You can paste into the visual editor from your word processor without wasting time to clean up messy styling. (Yeah, we’re talking about you, Microsoft Word.)
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/editor1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9 editor" />
<h3>Edit images easily</h3>
With quicker access to crop and rotation tools, it’s now much easier to edit your images while editing posts. You can also scale images directly in the editor to find just the right fit.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9" />
<h3>Drag and drop your images</h3>
Uploading your images is easier than ever. Just grab them from your desktop and drop them in the editor.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dragdrop1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9" />
<h3>Gallery previews</h3>
Galleries display a beautiful grid of images right in the editor, just like they do in your published post.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/gallery1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9" />
This is only a small subset of the features in this release. For a full run down and a video showcasing the features, visit the announcement page: <a href="http://wordpress.org/news/2014/04/smith/">http://wordpress.org/news/2014/04/smith/</a>

WordPress 3.9 Brings Improved Image and Post Editing & More

Joomla 3.5 is well and truly on the way. The first beta has been released, for developers to download and experiment with. Plus, a release date for the stable release has been revealed; which is December 8th 2015.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/joomla_logo_slogan_700x0.png" />Joomla is flexible, extendable, open source and totally free, all of which has contributed to its wide usage across the globe.Here's what's new with Joomla 3.5.<h2>Email Alerts, Drag &amp; Drop Images &amp; More</h2>Some features to look out for include:<ul><li>Automated emails to alert super users of updates.</li><li>The ability to drag and drop images into the tinyMCE editor that comes with Joomla.</li><li>The number of published, unpublished and trashed articles in the Category Manager will be displayed for the articles, banners, contacts and newsfeeds.</li><li>Show/hide functionality for links to the frontend and backend of the site.</li><li>Ability to download system/environment information for support purposes</li><li>A number of <a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms/issues?q=milestone%3A%22Joomla!+3.5.0%22+">bug fixes and other extras</a>.</li></ul>Slightly underwhelmed? You should be.I think this is another example of a large CMS vendor pushing out a string of small enhancements in the guise of a relatively major update. I get that it's Joomla 3.5 and not Joomla 4, but automated emails to super-users to alert them to upgrades is hardly going to rock anybody's world.To me, it seems to be missing something to go along with the new ability to drag-and-drop images, which is the feature that most Joomla users will be taking notice of.The full announcement <a target="_blank" href="https://www.joomla.org/announcements/release-news/5637-joomla-3-5-beta-1-released.html">can be found here</a>.Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/joomla">Joomla through our CMS Directory</a>.

First Beta Available for Joomla 3.5

As we continue with our <a href="http://www.getmura.com/" target="_blank">Mura CMS</a> featured week, we’re taking a look at how the platform keeps its users as productive as possible.
Previously, we got to watch <a href="/cms-critic-interviews-sean-schroeder-matt-levine-of-mura-cms/" target="_blank">Mike Johnston interview Sean Schroeder &amp; Matt Levine</a>, before getting a <a href="/a-video-walkthrough-of-3-great-mura-cms-features/" target="_blank">tour of Mura CMS’ best features</a>.
<img style="max-width:200px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mura_cms_200x0.png" /> 
According to the Mura CMS team:
<blockquote>“With Mura's pre-built content objects, starter templates and intuitive interface, your productivity will get turbo-charged.”</blockquote>
Furthermore, that turbo-charged productivity extends to every major department and job role within a modern enterprise.
Let’s take a look at exactly how.
<h2>Content Administrators</h2>
Content is the most important aspect of any website, application or marketing campaign. To make crafting and managing that content easier, Mura CMS has some usability-focused solutions.
Inline Editing
Making edits to content with Mura CMS is as simple as clicking into the page, and working with the content directly. Right there on the page.
Mura imposes no pop-ups or form fields to get in your way, so you can get on with honing your content without any distractions.
Local Content Indexes
As well as making every day page content easier to edit, Mura CMS also simplifies the more technical side of content management.
With Mura CMS, complicated SQL and programming is a thing of the past. Unlike other systems, Mura’s easy to use, intuitive Local Content Index tool allows you to do it quickly, with zero coding, even if you have complex rules and scenarios in place.
You can drag and drop to specify the fields you want to display, in any order you choose, and you can even assign custom CSS classes or IDs right in the configurator.
Form Builder
Mura makes more use of dragging and dropping when it comes to building forms.
Creating web forms is easy; just drag and drop the fields you need in the Form Builder, making it an extremely basic and non-technical process. This empowers marketing teams, because there’s no need to involve the IT team just to get a form build and deployed on the site.
Form submissions and data can also be customized to integrate with external systems like CRMs, Marketing Automation Systems, etc.
Multi-File Upload
When you need to add multiple files to your site — like when creating an image gallery or when adding a folder’s worth of documents to a section of your site — you can simply drag and drop them into Mura CMS, and you’re all done.
You can batch re-name them, and images get automatic creation of thumbnails and alternative size options (no need for external photo manipulation in Photoshop).
<h2>Front-end Developers</h2>
Mura CMS provides a lot of features and tools for developers looking to quickly build layouts and designs – there’s nothing in the way of getting your hands dirty with some code. In fact, it only makes it easier thanks to a number of features and capabilities.
Common Conventions for HTML, CSS, &amp; Javascript
Web Standards, HTML 5, CSS3, LESS, jQuery. All of those familiar languages are also standard practice in Mura CMS.
Mura ships with tons of built-in objects and features, all targetable with your own custom CSS or theme. So, designing and re-designing your website with Mura is as fast as it can be.
Direct Access to Markup
Need to add another container or even substantially change the markup of a built-in Mura object? No problem.
Mura CMS lets you easily override defaults at both the site and theme-level for complete control. You can create custom objects and stay on the upgrade path.
Mobile Support
Responsive or mobile-specific? Either one works with Mura CMS.
The platform ships with both Bootstrap 3 and jQuery Mobile, and offers several frameworks, wired up and available for download on the Mura CMS website.
<h2>Programmers</h2>
When the job requires a more technical touch, Mura CMS is able to flex its muscles accordingly. Here’s how the platform keeps programmers programming productively.
Events
Mura's front-end request lifecycle is fully event-driven.
So, developers are able to augment or override any of the default behaviors without needing to customize the Mura CMS core, which means you — the programmer — can customize Mura CMS as much as you want while staying fully update-safe.
ORM
To avoid unnecessary bloat, Mura CMS’ ORM provides a light-weight route towards quickly creating custom entities that seamlessly blend into Mura's object model, content versioning, and bundling.
As a result, you can quickly and easily craft custom apps and functionality all within Mura's default programming system.
Mura Scope
The Mura Scope provides a single point of access to everything that Mura provides. In turn, this allows code portability between execution contexts.
Mura Scope is similar to jQuery's syntax, so the average programmer can get up to speed quickly.
<h2>IT &amp; System Admins</h2>
The last thing you want from any CMS is for the complex stuff to be dealt with brilliantly, only for the most basic wants and needs to be left out. Here’s how Mura CMS takes care of the smaller, yet arguably most important stuff.
One-click updates
Updates to some CMS systems can be a pain, but thankfully your Mura CMS site only needs you to log into to the admin area as a super-admin before clicking the “update Mura Core” link.
Doing this simple task automatically updates Mura CMS to the latest stable release, with no need for lengthy downtime or compatibility testing. It’s supremely quick and easy.
Allow Customization &amp; Stay on the Upgrade Path
In almost every modern enterprising context, one size does not fit all. As a result, you and your team will need to make customizations on the fly that support your business in various ways.
The only problem is, many teams take steps to do this, only to find out years later that they have backed themselves into the corner on an old version.
Thankfully, Mura CMS allows teams to customize as needed and stay on the upgrade path without any hassle.
Multi-Site Support
Mura CMS empowers you to easily setup multiple sites in a single installation, and even share administrative rights between the sites.
Plugins, display objects, layout files and more can all be shared between the various sites, making development and maintenance much faster and more manageable.
So there you have it, productivity boosts for content managers, front-end developers, programmers and IT specialists alike — all under one Mura CMS roof.
Learn more about how <a href="http://www.getmura.com/features/serious-productivity" target="_blank">Mura CMS keeps everybody super productive</a>.
To find out more about Mura CMS, <a href="http://www.getmura.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a> or check them out through our <a href="/products/mura-cms/" target="_blank">CMS Directory</a>.

How Mura CMS Keeps Every Team Member Productive

The recent CMS Critic North American Tour saw Mike Johnston stop off at the headquarters of <a href="http://www.agilitycms.com/" target="_blank">Agility CMS</a>.
Agility provides cloud-based digital content management solutions for top brands across the globe. The Agility Team has years of experience providing top-notch solutions and professional services, and they’ve leveraged that expertise to build a flexible, powerful and intuitive CMS platform that powers websites welcoming millions of visitors per day.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/agilityteam700x0.jpg" />
After meeting with the team, Mike had a chance to sit down and chat with the CEO and Founder of Agility CMS, Jonathan Voigt.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NOjCDuukUFk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
This interview kicks off yet another <a href="/featured-weeks/" target="_blank">featured week here at CMS Critic</a>, with our focus shifting totally towards Agility CMS.
To find out more about Agility CMS, <a href="http://www.agilitycms.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a>, or check them out through our <a href="/products/agility-cms/" target="_blank">CMS Directory</a>.

CMS Critic Interviews Jonathan Voigt of Agility CMS

WordPress powers 58.6% of all the websites whose content management system we know, making it by far the most popular CMS in existence (<a href="/wordpress-is-a-cms-whether-you-like-it-or-not/" target="_blank">and yes, it is a CMS</a>).
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wplogoblue-stacked-rgb.png" />
Yet, it has glaring <a href="/wordpress-4.4-beta-bare-bones/" target="_blank">flaws that get ignored year after year, update after update</a>. And despite my fondness for WordPress as a platform, I'm getting tired of the same old issues.
To vent, and hopefully to make some sort of impact, I've compiled a list of six ways for the WordPress team to finally iron out the frustrating problems that plague their excellent CMS. Here goes nothing.
The WordPress team needs to:
<h2>1. Fix Those Damned Default Themes</h2>
One thing that really grinds my gears about WordPress is the platform's arrogantly plain default themes. Their latest “design” was recently unveiled, and as you can see, it's lackluster, to say the least.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/00_twentysixteen-886x1024_354x0-is.png" /> I mean, really?
As the most popular CMS in the world, I expect WordPress to have a default theme worth a second glance. I totally understand that WordPress doesn't need to compete with the massive library of third-party themes available out there, but that doesn't mean that they should lead with a default theme as bad as that. It's nothing short of lazy.
<h2>2. Purge The Plugin Library</h2>
WordPress' plugin library is what makes it such a great CMS. Thousands upon thousands of plugins mean that users can almost always find the extra functionality they're looking for. If you want your website to do something specific, there's probably a WordPress plugin (or five) designed solely for that purpose.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/plugins673x0-is.png" />
But there's a problem. Large chunks of garbage are floating around this impressive sea of software, and it's getting out of hand. The rating system helps to weed out the worst of the bunch, while WordPress gives users a pre-installation warning if the plugin hasn't been updated in two years. But it's clearly not enough.
Many plugins simply don't work, while many more are poorly put together, which in turn makes WordPress as a platform harder to use. Quality control needs to improve.
<h2>3. Curb The Clutter</h2>
You may have heard that WordPress is easy to use, and while that may be true to an extent, installing a third party theme or plugin can seriously confuse matters.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/menu.png" />
This is because plugins and themes are able to add new buttons on the WordPress side-menu, and elsewhere, making it seem like a long list of cluttered headings. Not to mention, notifications are allowed to pop up at the top of the dashboard, making WordPress's already busy admin panel look crammed.
It can be daunting, especially if you don't know your way around in the first place.
I'd like to see WordPress group third-party menu options together, in a way that's a little more organized and less intrusive. Perhaps this can be done by giving them a sub-section within the menu which can be collapsed. The solution itself is up to them, but the problem is evident.
<h2>4. Stop The Spam</h2>
If you own a WordPress-powered website, you'll know that spam comments spread like wildfire across all blog posts.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/spam.png" />
Spam isn't something WordPress specific, by any means, but there's no doubting that they take up the time, bandwidth and sanity of all WordPress users in a way which makes me ask why more isn't being done to control the spammy madness.
Akismet, a spam comment filter, now comes with every WordPress install – which is a good thing. But the free version doesn't do enough for me, as comments still pile up in the back end. If you ask me, WordPress needs to find another way to turn the unrelenting tide of spam.
<h2>5. Update Updates</h2>
Updating WordPress sounds simple, but it isn't.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/update.png" />
Are you updating a theme? A Plugin? WordPress itself? In most cases, you'll need to watch your step, because one update can lead to several headaches.
Updating a plugin may cause conflicts between it and another plugin. Updating a theme can erase your modifications (unless you use a child theme), whereas updating WordPress itself can render a variety of your plugins redundant until their developers apply a patch. Confused yet? You should be.
Maybe WordPress can look into preserving theme changes across the board in some way, and provide alerts for when an updated plugin interferes with another.
<h2>6. Handle The Hackers</h2>
WordPress is like a magnet for hackers and malware. <a href="/imperva-report-wordpress-is-the-most-attacked-cms/" target="_blank">Perhaps this is simply down to its popularity, rather than its lack of security</a>, but that debate isn't actually that relevant,
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/hack.png" />
I think we can all agree that WordPress needs to beef itself up (by shoring up its admin login page, for example), but I call for it to go a step further and start offering better protection, even if it comes at a small price.
Third party solutions exist, sure. But why should I have to patch together several security plugins, each with their own confusing settings, just to secure my website? Many WordPress users have become accustom to handling their own security in this way; but I think WordPress needs to take on more responsibility.
<h2>It's Time to Innovate</h2>
Some of you may be wondering how I propose WordPress fixes some of the above issues realistically. The issue of spam, security and updates in particular may seem like un-fixable problems.
How can WordPress roll out further security measures for self-hosted WordPress sites? How are they meant to solve updating issues, seeing as third party software is such an integral part of the platform? What more can they do to shield websites from spammy comments?
All legitimate rebuttals.
My response though, to all of the above, is this; it's high time that WordPress starts to innovate.
Other than the solutions I provided in the list above, I don't have detailed answers as to how each issue should be tackled. But I'm not the one calling the shots at the most popular CMS in the history of the Internet, am I? That's WordPress.
The onus isn't on me to provide the solution, it's upon WordPress. And it's about time they started coming up with innovative solutions for their long-standing issues.
To be frank, WordPress is far too popular and far too successful as a CMS to get away with ignoring these flaws. It's about time they showed some ingenuity in the face of their problems, instead of hoping that everybody assumes that they're too complex to fix.

How WordPress Needs to Improve Itself (In 6 Ways)

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Progress, the company behind <a href="http://www.telerik.com/" target="_blank">Telerik</a> and its products, has unveiled new functionality for <a href="http://www.telerik.com/teststudio" target="_blank">Telerik Test Studio</a>; a test automation solution for desktop, web and mobile applications.
<a href="http://www.telerik.com/teststudio" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/telerik.jpg" /></a>
With mobile apps now being more relevant to sales and lead generation than ever before, testing the functionality and aesthetic integrity of iOS and Android apps is crucial.
This new update brings in mobile test automation for native iOS and Android applications with Telerik Test Studio Mobile solution. The point-and-click functionality enables users to capture and replay complex mobile testing functionality quickly, reducing the time required for testing.
<h2>“Mobile Apps Deployed With Confidence”</h2>
Here's a summary of what's new:
<ul>
<li>Record and Test Mobile Gestures: Users can record and test multiple gestures such as scroll, zoom, swipe and pinch, and more.</li>
<li>Update Automated Tests Quickly: Test elements are stored in an “element repository” for quick test maintenance.</li>
<li>Test Lists: Telerik Test Studio Mobile solution supports creating and executing test lists, enabling users to execute tests across multiple devices simultaneously.</li>
<li>USB Execution iOS and Android: Telerik Test Studio Mobile solution enables users to connect iOS and Android devices directly, over a USB as well as WiFi connection.</li>
<li>Support for Continuous Integration with Windows, MAC and Linux: Telerik has and will continue to stay at the forefront of development as new updates are released.</li>
</ul>
Brandon Satrom, Progress' General Manager for Developer Platforms and Tools, is aiming to give Telerik Test Studio users more confidence when it comes to testing and delopyment:
<blockquote>
“With today’s release, testers and developers have a unique and seamless solution for comprehensive testing across devices, enabling increased agility, accelerated time-to-market and reduced testing costs.
The end result: mobile apps deployed with confidence.”
</blockquote>
Progress has also pointed out that not a “single line of code” will need to be written by Telerik Test Studio users as they test their projects on real and emulated devices, aiming to make it a simple and automated process. 
The <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151027005447/en/Progress-Introduces-Mobile-Test-Automation-Native-iOS" target="_blank">official press release can be found here</a>, while the <a href="http://www.telerik.com/teststudio" target="_blank">Telerik website sheds more light on Telerik Test Studio</a>.

Telerik Test Studio Gets Automated Mobile Testing

CS-Cart, the popular eCommerce solution, has released a newer, faster version of itself.
The platform comes in two editions; CS-Cart and CS-Cart Multi-Vendor. The latter is an extended version of the software, enabling larger outlets to manage and operate from different branches and departments via one website.
Previously, the platform was <a href="/cs-cart-offering-five-free-1-year-licenses-to-beta-testers/" target="_blank">offering Beta testers of CS-Cart 4.3.1 five free 1-year licenses</a>.
<h2>Speed, Blogging &amp; A Variety of Enhancements </h2>
Both CS-Cart and CS-Cart Multi-vendor have benefitted from this update.
Most notably, this latest version is faster than any other release before it thanks to:
<ul>
<li>SQL query optimization speeds up product search and filtering.</li>
<li>Optimized caching makes the search faster, if you call the same search twice. Storefront pages also load faster on the second visit because CS-Cart 4.3.1 caches the content during the first visit.</li>
<li>CS-Cart 4.3.1 supports <a href="http://php.net/manual/en/intro.apc.php" target="_blank">Alternative PHP Cache</a>. This technology speeds up PHP scripts on your server. Even well-optimized websites load with a delay because it takes time to execute PHP scripts. APC cache shortens this delay.</li>
<li>JavaScript code was moved to the bottom of pages so that the code doesn’t slow down page loading. Store pages now load faster on the first visit.</li>
</ul>
Additionally, a new CS-Cart <a href="http://blog.cs-cart.com/2015/03/16/blog-add-on-make-a-blog-inside-your-store/" target="_blank">Blog add-on</a> lets you create a fully functional blog inside your store. Naturally, this will help merchants to keep their customers informed by posting news and special offers.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/blogaddon.png" />
Further enhancements include importing and exporting, a user-friendly upgrade center, and more.
For more information on CS-Cart 4.3.1, <a href="http://blog.cs-cart.com/2015/04/29/cs-cart-and-multi-vendor-4-3-1-released/" target="_blank">check out the official blog announcement</a>.

CS-Cart 4.3.1 Released

<a href="https://www.act-on.com/" target="_blank">Act-On</a>, the marketing automation software vendor, has appointed a new CEO to help push the company to new heights.
<a href="https://act-on.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/act-on_logo.png" /></a> In the eyes of many brands, marketing automation software is fast becoming the natural partner for their existing content management systems, as they seek to optimize and automate their marketing efforts using the latest and most relevant techniques.
Act-On provides one such product, and they're looking to improve with a new leader in place.
<h2>Who is Andy MacMillan?</h2>
As you might expect, Andy MacMillan's recent employment history is impressive. He held lofty positions within Oracle and Salesforce before becoming CEO of Crushpath, a sales prospecting platform, for a short stint earlier in 2015.
<a href="https://act-on.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/00a80b3.jpg" /></a>
Now, though, the San Franciscan is succeeding the Act-On founder Raghu Raghavan, who in turn is stepping down as CEO to become Chief Technology Officer.
Raghavan himself has stated that the company needed renewed leadership, claiming that Act-On had recently grown too fast, and in all the wrong places.
Act-On itself is no small startup. The privately held company has grown to accommodate 400 employees, and reported $32.3 million in revenue last year, up 70 percent from 2013.
Pivotal moments like these in industries so closely aligned with web content management are always noteworthy. It'll be interesting to see if Andy MacMillan can steer Act-On into more stable waters in terms of business; but I'm personally more intrigued about how Act-On can grow as a product throughout his reign.
To find out more about Act-On, <a href="https://act-on.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a>.

Act-On Software Appoints Andy MacMillan as CEO

Is web design dead?
Countless articles, videos, and subreddits have pondered this question over the last few years, and for good reason. With the growth of canned templates, off-the-shelf themes, and pre-packaged options, web design can feel less… designed.
Despite this state of sameness, the web is still the central communications platform. At last check, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/website-statistics/#:~:text=There%20are%20about%201.13%20billion,are%20actively%20used%20and%20updated." target="_blank">71% of businesses</a> have a website, and there are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/website-statistics/#:~:text=There%20are%20about%201.13%20billion,are%20actively%20used%20and%20updated." target="_blank">1.13 billion sites</a> swarming the Internet. How can a brand stand out?
The answer is simple: they invest in beautiful, high-quality, custom digital experiences, the kinds that inspire visitors to engage, convert, and buy. And while a stunning UX can turn heads, the best sites put content first and utilize modern tech in profound ways.  
<a href="https://www.kentico.com/" target="_blank">Kentico</a>, a leading composable hybrid headless digital experience platform (DXP), has long been a champion of custom website design, highlighting the spirit of innovation through its exclusive “Site of Year” competition. The annual contest recognizes the most ambitious sites built with Kentico – and the 2022 winners were, in a word, breathtaking.
“The [Site of the Year] winners are clients and partners who succeed in delivering exceptional user experiences,” said <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-xperience-pinter/" target="_blank">Dominik Pinter</a>, Kentico CEO. “Their websites or apps show excellence in creativity, innovation, content modeling, and the use of technology. The creators of the websites are experts in innovative thinking – creative people with a strong vision.”
According to Pinter, the winners and finalists went beyond attractive content and interactive features, leveraging Kentico’s full potential to improve productivity for marketers while providing a solution to future-proof their growth.  
While 2022 is in the rearview, many of the sites produced on Kentico continue to shine. We wanted to take a fresh look at the winners, dive deep into a few standouts, and share how these projects continue to challenge the status quo.
<h2>Celebrating innovation across industries</h2>
The “Site of the Year” competition solicits entries from any global partner or customer that built a website or app using <a href="https://www.kentico.com/discover/blog/kentico-xperience-13-is-here" target="_blank">Kentico Xperience 13</a> or the new <a href="https://www.kentico.com/platforms/xperience-by-kentico" target="_blank">Xperience by Kentico</a> – and launched it in 2022.
The competition covered ten industry categories: Entertainment and Hospitality, B2B, Commerce, Consumer Goods, Education and Careers, Healthcare, Financial Services, Government and Municipal, Industrial Manufacturing, and NGO and Associations.
Submissions were evaluated by a hand-picked committee of experts, who judged each entry on a range of criteria. All winners were then entered into a Community Choice competition, which was open to public voting.
While each category showcased its top pick, Kentico also included other finalists – which, in all cases, offered exceptional experiences. You can peruse every project in more detail by downloading this <a href="https://www.kentico.com/discover/resources/soty-2022-ebook" target="_blank">dynamite ebook</a>.
It was a tough call with so many great use cases, but these three really exemplify the quality and innovation in this year’s crop.
<h2>Pro Football Hall of Fame</h2>
As the Entertainment and Hospitality Industry winner and Community Choice Award recipient, the <a href="https://www.profootballhof.com/" target="_blank">Pro Football Hall of Fame</a> scores on every play.
Like a wide receiver scrambling downfield, this website is blazing fast. The mobile experience is elegant, app-like, and features intuitive navigation. From a visual perspective, the whole experience unfolds with gorgeous, energetic photography, reflecting the dynamic history and culture of American football.
For an organization that’s been around for over 100 years, making a bold digital statement reflects modern relevance. <a href="https://www.americaneagle.com/" target="_blank">Americaneagle.com</a> – the agency behind the site – did its homework to ensure a seamless, cohesive brand experience that celebrates the past while looking ahead. 
What we really love about the Pro Football Hall of Fame site are the interactive details. Visitors can search its rich database of athletes based on a series of filters, and each player’s page features a slick design that combines career performance stats with powerful imagery.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/kentico-sites-pro-football-hof-1024x655.jpg" alt="Kentico Site of the Year 2022 example of the Pro Football Hall of Fame with both desktop and mobile views" />In addition to an online store featuring an array of merchandise, fans can score tickets to the museum experience and plan their trip to the storied venue in Canton, Ohio. These enhancements have increased online transactions and foot traffic, making it a site that blends the past and the future – and one that earns its place in the digital experience hall of fame.  
<h2>Potten &amp; Pannen</h2>
For Czech-based <a href="https://www.pottenpannen.cz/" target="_blank">Potten &amp; Pannen</a>, the ingredients for a successful digital strategy called for more than the typical accoutrements. As an importer, distributor, and retailer of kitchen equipment, it needed a website that reflected its reputation for luxury and sophistication while scaling to meet the demands of online retail.
Everything about the new Potten &amp; Pannen site exudes elegance, from the wide-format hero images to the light and airy template. The product photos are bright and beautiful, and the text and graphics bring a distinctly European sensibility to the general gestalt. Superb.
One thing that really stands out from a UX perspective is the mobile experience. Elements are well-placed within the frame and highly clickable – and the use of white space helps the overall legibility on longer-form product pages, where images and details can get lengthy. The result: a more pleasing shopping experience and more conversions at the right points.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/kentico-sites-potten-pannen-1024x655.jpg" alt="Kentico Site of the Year 2022 example of Potten and Pannen with both desktop and mobile views" />The secret ingredient for Potten &amp; Pannen is baked behind the scenes, where the Cloud adds pizzaz. The company launched four e-Commerce websites to meet growing demand, and an auto-scaling strategy allows for dynamic resource allocation during peak periods.
<a href="https://www.bluesoft.cz/en/" target="_blank">Bluesoft</a>, the Kentico partner that brought the project to life, didn’t stop with scalability. The solution also tapped the power of artificial intelligence by leveraging Kentico’s integration with <a href="https://www.recombee.com/" target="_blank">Recombee</a> – an AI-powered recommender. This allowed the brand to serve more relevant recommendations for products.
With such rich innovation from frontend to backend, Potten &amp; Pannen brought real sizzle to the commerce category – and a great menu addition to the “Site of the Year.”
<h2>Suffolk Credit Union</h2>
Rounding out our picks in the financial services category is <a href="https://www.suffolkcu.org/" target="_blank">Suffolk Credit Union</a>, built by <a href="https://www.zaginteractive.com/" target="_blank">Zag Interactive</a>. It’s hard to ignore the innate challenges that any fintech application faces around security and trust, so we were immediately drawn to the use case.
What struck us about this project was the uniquely inviting design. The thoughtful approach to journey mapping in key customer areas like auto loans and mortgages makes the experience easy to navigate while supporting users at every step.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/kentico-sites-suffolk-credit-union-1024x589.jpg" alt="Kentico Site of the Year 2022 example of Suffolk Credit Union with both desktop and mobile views" />The large, legible text and high-contrast color scheme help this site stand out, but the visual choices also reflect a commitment to accessibility. Using brand elements from the logo icon (we especially like the “hello” emblem in the footer) makes the experience more cohesive.
This site “feels” impressive on all screens, but the magic doesn’t end there. Zag also focused on delivering trusted security to support Suffolk’s online banking – one of its most vital services. Along with improved SEO and other integrations, technology helped enhance the experience.
Many financial websites rely on predictable stock images and tired templates to build their digital brand. But Suffolk has bucked the trend with an inspired design you can bank on.
<h2>Good design is never a commodity</h2>
After reviewing the 2022 “Site of the Year” winners, it’s abundantly clear that unique, high-quality web design continues to thrive. To bring custom ideas to life, web agencies and brands leverage Kentico’s complete range of DXP capabilities – from its customizable CMS to its breadth of marketing capabilities and integrations.
Boasting a network of <a href="https://www.kentico.com/partners/find-a-partner" target="_blank">1,000 digital agencies</a> globally, Kentico’s partners are a critical factor in the success of these projects. Their expertise delivers beautiful UX with secure and scalable performance while utilizing Kentico’s industry-leading features. Partners also receive technical support, training, and certifications that help ensure quality implementations.
As an annual event, we can anticipate the 2023 call for entries before the end of this year. And if the use cases are anything like 2022, we’re preparing to be blown away.

Kentico ‘Site of the Year’ Competition Proves Custom Web Design is Alive – and Thriving

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If you're a business owner or marketing professional that’s looking to tap into the online marketplace to supercharge the sales of your product or service, then it's essential that you have a <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/5-steps-towards-a-more-effective-landing-page/">compelling, well-crafted landing page</a>.
Of course, marketing companies realize this as well – that's why there are so many high-priced enterprise landing page building solutions on the market today.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ipad-605420_1280550x0-is.jpg" />
Although many of the enterprise landing page builders offer a myriad of extras, those additional features may be more than your business needs at its current stage of development. Fortunately, there are also some “no-frills” solutions available that give you the ability to create the sleek, professional landing page you want without costing you and your business an arm and a leg.
In fact, there are several free options available that can allow you to build landing pages that will compel your visitors to convert without putting a dent in your bottom line. Here are seven of the top free landing page builders out there today:
<h2>1. Wishpond</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wishpond-logo-blue.png" />Simple, yet comprehensive – Wishpond’s free landing page builder makes it easy for just about anybody to build a stylish and effective landing page for their product or service while still packing more-than-expected extras.
It has a drag-and-drop editor, so you can put things exactly where you want them on your page. This allows you to easily create and design the look that you may already have in your head. From there, you can customize it in any number of fun ways – and you won’t need any sort of programming experience to do so.
Once you've got your page designed the way you like it, it's a snap to both integrate it with your website and additional marketing tools, as well as create a popup to capture leads. You can also use the software for email marketing and marketing automation, if you don't already have tools in place for those purposes.
The free plan allows one user to capture up to 200 leads. That's not a huge amount, but you can easily use this software to generate enough business to afford a paid builder. If you find, in time, that 200 leads isn’t enough, Wishpond offers tiered paid plans that allow for more leads, and provide such additional features as A/B testing, social promotions, and API access. If you want to know more about Wishpond, read <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/wishpond-review/">our in-depth review of the landing-page builder</a> or visit their <a href="https://www.wishpond.com/" target="_blank">official website</a>.
<h2>2. Landingi</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/landingi.jpg" />
Another landing page builder with a simple drag-and-drop editor, Landingi gives you all the tools that you need to create beautiful, responsive landing pages without requiring the assistance of a technical team. Once you've got your page up and running, you can easily tweak it on the go with this software.
Like Wishpond, Landingi offers marketing integration and automation options as well. You can generate an automatic reply to anyone who enters their contact info on your page, or you can easily integrate it with your existing CRM or email marketing solution.
You can create as many fields on your page as you wish, and the software helps you to easily organize and classify contacts based on the data received. Of course, if your creative design isn’t your thing, there are plenty of effective templates to choose from as well.
To use their free option, you can have one landing page with up to 100 unique visitors a month. This requires you to keep Landingi branding on your page, but it's fairly unobtrusive. If you like the software and are ready to upgrade, they offer paid options from $19-29 a month.
<a href="https://landingi.com/">Find out more about Landingi</a>.
<h2>3. LaunchRock</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/launch-rock.png" />
LaunchRock is a landing page builder service that actually specializes in start-ups, so it definitely places an emphasis on getting you up and running as quickly – and cheaply – as possible. Its responsive design is a block-based, What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) technology, so you can throw up a beautiful landing page within minutes of signing up.
Not only that, but all of its designs are mobile-optimized, so you don't have to worry about losing customers who are on their phones or tablets.
Beyond their attractive yet simple designs, they also offer lots of reporting and analytics options, as well as email marketing and automated response campaigns. Over 800k start-ups use LaunchRock to get their business off the ground, making it a great option for businesses of every size.
<a href="https://www.launchrock.com/">Find out more about LaunchRock</a>.
<h2>4. PromoJam</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/new-promojam-logo-_navy.jpg" /> 
PromoJam sets itself apart by targeting social media traffic. It works great with all the major outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you get a lot of your traffic from social shares, then PromoJam definitely deserves a long look.
The landing page creator itself is pretty simple, but that doesn't mean it's not effective. Again, all of their templates are optimized for social media sites, so you can get great results from a page you put together in just a few minutes.
That's why many major corporations like RedBull use PromoJam for their campaigns. It's great for any business targeting a younger audience especially. While it is used by major corporations, you don’t need an enterprise-level budget for this software; besides their free option, you can also get started for as little as $29.99 a month.
<a href="https://www.promojam.com/">Find out more about PromoJam</a>.
<h2>5. IncomePress</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1.png" />
There's no other way to say it: this landing page builder isn’t exactly going to win any beauty contests. It looks archaic, but looks can often be deceiving. While it isn’t exactly as intuitive or eye-appealing as the alternatives, IncomePress has a reputation of producing landing pages that get the job done.
IncomePress only offers a handful of templates to choose from, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. When presented with the sea of options that other landing page generators offer, many people spend way too much time trying to find the “perfect” design, rather than just getting to work.
While the options may be limited, they have all been proven to be effective in the online space, so they should work well for just about any business. IncomePress also offers aWeber integration, so if that's your email provider of choice, you won't miss a beat when you use IncomePress.
Find out more about IncomePress.
<h2>6. Leadsius</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/leadsius.jpg" /> 
Leadsius is a company that emphasizes its goal in providing marketing automation services that satisfy needs of small and medium-sized businesses. While other providers offer free services as a “taste” to get you hooked, Leadsius seems to use their free option as a base upon which to build their premium service.
The basic package is completely free – you pay for the add-ons you need, as you need them. You can also build a database of up to 2500 contacts, which is massive for most free generators. This is great because if you have a database of more than 2500 leads, you should definitely be able to afford one of their paid options.
The free features they offer include the landing page builder, a web form creator, media repository, email creator, analytics, and more. You're limited to 1 user, so it's not a great option for enterprise-level businesses, but if you're handling most of your marketing yourself, this should be all you need and more.
While the landing page editor isn’t drag and drop at this moment, the company claims that one is in the works and will be available shortly. In the meantime, marketing professionals and business owners can use their HTML editor and templates to build a conversion-driven design. <a href="https://leadsius.com/landing-pages/">Find out more about Leadsius</a>.
<h2>7. Kickoff Labs</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/kick-off-labs.jpg" />
As its name indicates, Kickoff Labs is a landing page builder that is designed to get your online marketing efforts up and running before switching you to a paid account. They have a “forever free” option, which allows you to try the service for free, up to 1,000 unique views per month.
Once you get the hang of it and start seeing a return on your investment, you can start investing in their paid options. They have packages at $27, $48, and $104 a month, and the differences are largely based on how many visitors you can handle and how many sub-accounts you need. You could easily start for free and then climb your way up to the $104/mo business plan, paying for it with the increased revenue you'll generate from your marketing.
Beyond their landing page generator, they also offer an autoresponder service, analytics, and domain hosting.
<a href="https://kickofflabs.com/">Find out more about Kickoff Labs</a>.
<h2>Which Landing Page Builder is Right for You?</h2>
If you're just beginning to dip your toe into the waters of online marketing, then any of these options can help you to build an attractive and effective landing page to capture leads without breaking the bank.
Of course, as your business grows, you'll likely want to transition to a paid (and perhaps enterprise-ready) solution, but in any case, you should certainly test drive the above products before putting any money down. At the end of the day, whichever landing page creator is easiest for you to use – and gives you the best results – will be worth its weight in gold.
Which landing page builder do you prefer? Leave us a comment and let us know.

7 Landing Page Builders That Can Boost Sales

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