Articles - Page 163

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

msalvatierra

You've probably never used a CMS that had the word “bling” in it, let alone one that uses an icon of a rapper with a bling logo on a gold chain. Prepare to meet Bling Blocks, the latest comer to the CMS world.
Bling Blocks definitely walks to a different beat, and that's not just because their logo is cooler than WordPress's.
Here's what the new CMS has to offer.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/blingblocks400x0.png" />
<h2>The Big Idea:  No More Backend</h2>
The devs at <a href="http://www.beligum.com/">Beligum</a> wanted a CMS that was like no other. Like no other means that Bling Blocks has no backend (sort of). Some people will love that. Some people will, er, not love it.
<h2>Built on the Play! Framework</h2>
The CMS is Java, meaning you get a slick interface. It uses the lightweight <a href="http://www.playframework.com/">Play framework</a>, so it's also pretty quick as CMSs go.  
<h2>For Developers</h2>
Rappers, be warned:  This is a rocking CMS, but it's actually built for developers, not rappers. That means, hopefully for Beligum, the CMS will take on a life of its own as developers work, tweak, play, and use the system. 
<h2>Blocks</h2>
The CMS uses something called “blocks.” Basically, this means you can add portions of content, i.e., blocks, on your website. After adding a block of content, you can go in and edit it. Because they are “blocks,” you can pick them up, move them, drag them around, and place them where you want. It's WISIWYG plus blocks.
<h2>Responsive Heaven</h2>
One does not simply make a CMS in 2013 and not have responsive design. Behold, Bling Blocks is fully responsive. 
<h2>What's Next?</h2>
To jump on stage and give it a try, you can download Bling Blocks and let loose with your thing. Be warned, though. You'll probably hit bugs along the way. Beligum themselves confess: “We totally know there's still a ton of bugs in this 0.1 release, but hey, we release early and release often.”
<a href="http://www.blingblocks.org/en/">Read more about it.</a>
Download it yourself.
Watch a video:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pAUF9HqYCzQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
What are your thoughts on this Java-driven, backend-less, developer-oriented, block-heavy CMS? Does it have enough “bling”?

Introducing the new Bling Blocks CMS

daniel-threlfall

<blockquote>
Update: It has come to my attention that this software was actually forked from a free product called Offiria and is almost a complete copy (aside from a logo change). Offiria is free and available from <a href="https://offiria.com/">https://offiria.com/</a> for those interested in getting the software from the original source and for free!
</blockquote>
There are plenty of products out there that add social networking functionality on top of Joomla via plugins but to date, there haven't been any that have used Joomla as a framework to develop something uniquely different. Today, this changes. We recently were contacted by developers of a new social networking platform built upon Joomla called Undiscuss It  who have done just that.
While the name of the product might be a bit odd and confusing, the product itself looks quite promising.
Here are some screenshots of the system in action:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/undiscuss-it1010x0.jpg" />
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/undiscuss-it-21010x0.jpg" />
As you can see, the system is quite the departure from what we normally see from Joomla and we think there's definitely potential (with enough interest and support from users) for this system to evolve nicely.
Interested? Check it out at <a href="http://www.undiscuss.it">http://www.undiscuss.it</a> and let us know what you think in the comments!

Social Networking with Joomla just got better

mike-johnston

Bigcommerce Review

It ain't easy being an Internet professional. It seems like technology is always advancing too fast, the rules are changing too often, and there are a few too many things to remember to do all at the same time. In this article, we've simplified things for you. Here are the biggest Internet no-nos. Are you violating any of them?
<hr />
<h2>1.  You don't have social.</h2>
In some of the flourescent-lit halls of business-as-usual corporate America, social media is oft-derided. Why would a powerful business need to waste time and resources on social networks like Facebook? Scoff though they may, they are neglecting a crucial component of marketing. If you think, “social just doesn't work for us,” or “we're just not in the right industry for social,” think again. Social is one of the core aspects of successful SEO, not to mention a crucial channel for connecting with your target audience. 
How to fix it:  Social signals are one of the three major means that the search engines use to determine a site's rankings. (The other two are onsite optimization and healthy linkbacks.) All you need to do is get on the social networks and stay active. 
<h2>2.  You don't have a responsive design site.</h2>
More users than ever are accessing sites via mobile devices. The best way to connect with such visitors is by having a website that is optimized for mobile devices. Some Internet prognosticators say that businesses without a mobile-ready site are doomed for failure within the next 18 months. That's kind of a harsh tack, but there is some validity to their statement. Failure, maybe not. Decline, probably yes. 
How to fix it:  If your site was created in 2005 or earlier and left to languish, it's probably time for a major overhaul. If, on the other hand, you're using a good CMS with strong capabilities, there is probably a way to go responsive without too much hassle. Investigate your options, count the cost, and go for it. 
<h2>3.  Your CMS is outdated, broken, or just plain aggravating.</h2>
An annoying CMS can cripple your entire Internet strategy. This is no joking matter. The CMS is where it all begins — content, user experience, branding, information architecture, etc. The wrong CMS will profoundly inhibit the online success of your company.
How to fix it:  Find out if your CMS is worth the grief it's giving you, and make plans to get a new one. Although switching CMSs is a major pain, it's worth it in the long run. 
<h2>4.  Your website takes a long time to load.</h2>
This may sound trivial when compared with an issue as big as switching CMSs. Nonetheless, website load time is huge. Think of it this way. Your company's homepage is the door to your business. Beyond the door are sales, products to buy, engagements, conversions, whatever. But what if the door is stuck? People push gently, trying to get in. Nothing happens. They push harder. At this point, one of two things will happen. Either they will turn away, frustrated, or they will finally get in, but are still frustrated. Either way, you've lost. The frustrated customers are less likely to by, and the rest have just turned away in frustration. Think of a slow load time as a stuck door, and do whatever you can to get it unstuck.
How to fix it:  Check your website load time for free at <a href="http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/">http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/</a>. If it takes longer than 2.5 seconds to load, consider taking action to speed it up. ANother helpful place for page speed improvement is <a href="https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/">https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/</a>
<h2>5.  You don't really care about SEO.</h2>
SEO is the only way to Internet success. Sorry, but there is no other way. Among some, there exists a belief that SEO is dead. They were saying that about ten years ago. SEO hasn't died, and as long as the Internet is around, it will not die. It will change — it's always changing — but it will not die. I'm not saying that just to improve my self esteem as an SEO. People will always be searching for things on the Internet, and there will always be a need to help them find it. Google may stay. Google may go, but search will always be a crucial part of the Internet.
How to fix it: If you're either uninformed or disdainful of SEO, do a little bit of research to figure out what it is and how to do it. The best insights will come from a reputable SEO company who knows their stuff and does it well. 
<h2>6.  You're lazy about content.</h2>
You've heard it so many times that it makes you almost nauseous:  “Content is king.” The Internet is content, and so the point should be obvious. Yet the phrase, “content is king” is constantly parotted by gurus and newbies alike. But is it true? Is content really king? Well, yeah, it still is. Content is what the Internet is all about. Call it interactive. Call it social. Call it ubiquitious. Call it what you want. It's still content. And that's what matters.
How to fix it: If your careless with content, think of it this way:  You're in the content industry, simply because you're in the Internet industry. Hire someone who does content right, or give it a little extra oomph yourself. If you don't have the time or chutzpah to make your own content, don't worry. The webz is full of people who are willing to do it for you, at a reasonable price.
Sins, by their very nature, are to be punished. The retribution for these oversights is that your e-commerce business or website gets squashed by the squeaky-clean. If you'll clean up your act now, though, you'll probably be forgiven for past iniquities.

Six Deadly Website Sins and How to Fix Them

On July 2nd 2013, Koken released version 0.9 of their popular content management system, built from the ground up for Photographers, designers and other creative media publishers.
Koken 0.9 brings about an array of over 50 updates relating to image editing, media organization, essay presentation and social sharing. Let's now delve into the most exciting features of Koken's latest update.
<h2>Featured Images &amp; Essays</h2>
One of the updates brought about by Koken 0.9 is featured images, which can be assigned to different essays and pages. Users can now quickly and easily insert images from their media library into various content, which prompts Koken to assign it as the featured image for that particular publication.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1.png" alt="Koken 0.9" />
Additionally, Koken 0.9 brings about the ability to set featured essays, allowing users to display a certain essays in a way which is more distinct, and will thus draw the direct attention of their website visitors.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2.png" alt="Koken 0.9" />
Users can now simply click the star next to any essay to give it its featured status. Koken has also updated the vast majority of its themes in compliance with this feature, to allow all-round featured essay support and display capability.
<h2>Image Focal Points</h2>
Like many themes across a variety of CMS, Koken's templates often crop images to fit certain thumbnail and page sizes. Previously, images may have been cropped in a way which removes the focus of the picture itself. For example, faces or wording which hold value may have been cropped out of the image altogether. 
As a solution, Koken 0.9 introduces an image “Focal Point” tool, which allows users to pinpoint an area within an image which must always kept within the frame, even after cropping. This ensures that all forms of cropping never negatively affects the impact of the image.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/3.png" alt="Koken 0.9" />
<h2>Better Media Organization</h2>
Photographers and others who wish to upload large amounts of images and other types of media will be happy to see Koken's improvements relating to media organization, searching and general management.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4.png" alt="Koken 0.9" />
Users are now able to search and sort their content by filename, displaying media is ascending and descending order. Additionally, a “Reverse Order” button has been added, which flips the order or albums, making older uploads easier to locate.
<h2>Improved HTML Editing</h2>
Koken 0.9 also presents a completely revamped HTML editor. The new editor offers features such as syntax highlighting, code completion and the ability for users to view their changes in both edit modes. Essentially, the HTML editor provides an instant preview of the changes being made.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5.png" alt="Koken 0.9" />
<h2>Tumblr Sharing</h2>
Also amongst Koken's new features, is the ability to share content directly to the extremely popular social network, <a href="/could-tumblr-become-the-next-cms-powerhouse/">Tumblr</a>.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/6.png" alt="Koken 0.9" />
The Tumblr sharing option has been added to Koken's default themes, as well as the Library section located within Koken's administration console. This allows users to publish content to Tumblr without ever having to leave their admin panel.
<h2>Additional Features</h2>
In addition to the new features and capabilities mentioned above, Koken 0.9 also introduces changes such as, RSS feed improvements, navigational enhancements, slideshow titles &amp; captions, and much more.
Also, just hours after the release of Koken 0.9, a much smaller update in the form of <a href="http://blog.koken.me/essays/2013/07/koken-091-released/">Koken 0.9.1 was a</a><a href="http://blog.koken.me/essays/2013/07/koken-091-released/">nnounced</a>, which fixed a number of minor issues relating to the previous burst of updates and enhancements.
For further information on the changes we have highlighted, and a full list of Koken 0.9's CMS features and updates, check out <a href="http://help.koken.me/customer/portal/articles/848339-release-notes">Koken's official release notes</a>.

Koken 0.9 - Feature Roundup

Hannon Hill has released Cascade Server 7.4 and today, we're going to take you through some of the new features of their latest release.
Cascade Server 7.4 introduces some key new features such as in-context editing and stale content reporting to name a few.
<h2>In-Context Editing in Cascade Server 7.4</h2>
With Cascade Server 7.4, In-context editing as been introduced into the CMS. What this does is provide a more customizable and simplified editing interface for content contributors. What is especially nice here is that users may determine which field(s) should be editable for specific piece(s) of real estate on a page. Users may also determine which groups can edit those specific fields on the page.
To identify areas that have been marked as editable, an icon that looks like a pencil is shown:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7_4_in_context_blog_pic_one953x0.png" />
Clicking on an editable field will bring up the editing interface:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7_4_in_context_blog_pic_three953x0.png" />
Normally, making changes such as setting which fields should be editable is a complicated task. Not so with Cascade Server 7.4, the interface for setting these options is easy to use for most non-technical of users as well.
The image below displays the interface to set the Display Name as editable for the Breadcrumb region.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7_4_in_context_blog_pic_four953x0.png" />
Finally, here is an image depicting the interface to set the main WYSIWYG as editable for the Main Content (Default) region.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7_4_in_context_blog_pic_five.png" />
<h2>Stale Content Reporting</h2>
Nobody likes stale content and to make sure you are on top of it, Cascade Server 7.4 has introduced Stale Content Reporting. How does it work? Let's take a look.
To start off, this new version of the CMS introduces a Stale Content Dashboard that shows a graphic depicting a summary of your site's stale content.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/stale_content_blog_pic_one.png" />
The dashboard graphics also alert you to content that has upcoming review dates or has not been updated in some time.
There is also a new Stale Content tab on the dashboard that lists the stale content items. Using built in filter options, you can then personalize what you consider to be stale. (Any personalizations you make here are reflected on the dashboard overview as well.)
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/stale_content_blog_pic_two.png" />
In order to take action, you are given the opportunity to set up email notifications to let the content creators (or others) know that their content requires updating or review. If the content passes their inspection, you can set up a new review date down the road as well.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/stale_content_blog_pic_three.png" />
<h2>Moving to Cascade Server from another CMS</h2>
It happens all the time. You are on a specific CMS and down the road, you decide something else might be better suited to your needs. Should you feel the need to move to Cascade Server, you are now in luck. With their new migration tools, the process just got easier.
As part of their push to make migration easier, Hannon Hill has introduced a legacy CMS-agnostic, HTML-based migration tool, which means that you don’t even need to export your web content from your existing system (as some CMSs make it more cumbersome than others). All you need to do is copy your web files, either directly from the server or by using a copier such as HTTrack.
The process is fairly simple, you set up your page types in Cascade Server and use the migration tool to map the appropriate HTML sections to the corresponding fields in the CMS using a wizard like interface.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7_4_migration_blog_pic_two.png" />
More details on the process can be found <a href="http://www.hannonhill.com/news/blog/2013/cascade-server-7.4-generic-migration-tool.html">here</a>.
Some additional features of this release include: drafts for new assets, the ability to preview content on create and a new code editor to name a few. For a full breakdown, check out their <a href="http://www.hannonhill.com/news/press-releases/2013/hannon-hill-releases-cascade-server-7.4-with-in-context-editing-and-state-content-reports.html">release announcement</a>.

Cascade Server 7.4 - Feature Overview

Power your CMS on AWS

Manage your websites & apps in the most trusted cloud.

#ffffff

The recently released Magnolia CMS 5 is the latest iteration of the open source Java CMS from Magnolia International Ltd.  With this release, a number of new features were introduced to make the overall experience a better one all around. Before we dive into what has changed, here's a quick overview video of the new version.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y-bjCo2M16Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>Touch Inspired Interface for Tablets and PCs</h2>
One particularly nice feature of this new release is the introduction of a touch inspired interface that lets you work with Magnolia using swipe actions. This new interface exists for both PCs and touch devices.
Here is an example of how it works:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/tablet_action_bar_collapsed_detail_-_copy.png" />
Collapsed action bar on the iPad. The actions themselves are represented by touch-targeted squares.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/tablet_action_bar_uncollapsed_detail_-_copy.png" />
Swiping the action bar will make it collapse.
<h2>App Launcher</h2>
Magnolia 5 allows you to navigate between available Apps just like you would on a smartphone device using a springboard. It doesn't stop there, however. You can also create your own Apps to do things like update customer details, access records &amp; more.
Check out this video showcasing the Apps Launcher.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lGjTY37Vr-0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>The Pulse</h2>
The Pulse, as it's called, keeps you up-to-date with a continuous activity feed and discreet notifications. From this hub, you can receive updates on content status, comments, requests and warnings, as well as statistics and analytics.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-TrnxjDNZ_k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>Favorites</h2>
Magnolia 5 lets you create shortcuts (or favorites) to your most common tasks within the system. Whether it be creating a new website or creating a new offer, you can quickly add these functions to your favorites for future use and quick access. Even shortcuts to simply update your homepage will help you save time, ensure consistency and make it personal to you.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XKyoys9zSOM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>Digital Asset Management</h2>
With Magnolia's Digital Asset Management, you can manage all of your digital assets, from images to videos and PDF files. The system allows you to upload, edit, crop, save, tag, categorize, resize, use and reuse your assets whenever you need them.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LWgEuDts_m8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Want to learn more about Magnolia 5? Check it out at <a href="http://www.magnolia-cms.com/">http://www.magnolia-cms.com/</a>

Magnolia CMS 5 Overview

As you may already know, the nomination stage for our 2013 <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Critics Choice CMS Awards</a> has been open for almost one month. There is one month to go before nominations close and we begin shortlisting potential candidates for the voting stage.
We've prepared this handy badge to use on your site to help inspire your supporters to cast their nominations. Please feel free to use it in your efforts to boost your nominations.
<img style="max-width:250px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/nominate-us.png" alt="nominate us - cms awards" />
We're coming down to the wire now for the nominations to get them in while you still can. Remember, these awards are not just here as a popularity contest either so if your community is small and you are worried about not getting enough nominations, don't be. There's a reason we've broken these awards into two types; Peoples Choice and Critics Choice. The latter does not require nominations at all. (more details on the <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">awards page</a> as to how it works).
Best of luck to you all!

Nominate your Favorites for the 2013 Critics Choice CMS Awards!

Want to win a copy of  <a href="http://www.informit.com/store/drupal-7-explained-your-step-by-step-guide-9780133124231"> Drupal 7 Explained: Your Step by Step Guide</a> by Stephen Burge? We're giving a paper copy away to one lucky reader. This is a great book that gives your pretty much everything you need to know about Drupal and it's written by a top Drupal trainer.
We'll ship it straight to your door. This is for North American readers only (sorry!) – If you prefer a digital copy, we can do this as well.
<img style="max-width:500px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/drupal_7_explained.jpg" alt="Drupal 7 Explained: Your step by step guide" />
<blockquote>At last: Drupal made truly easy! Master Drupal 7 hands-on, step-by-step, through easy examples from a leading Drupal trainer!
Drupal 7 is an amazingly powerful web content management system. But many newcomers find it confusing, and most Drupal books are just too complicated to help. If you want to spend less time struggling with complex instructions, and more time building sites that make you proud, this is the book for you!
Top Drupal trainer Stephen Burge teaches everything you need to know—and nothing you don’t need to know! You’ll master Drupal one easy step at a time, through a complete, real-world sample project. You’ll find crystal-clear visuals, simple explanations, perfect analogies—all extensively tested with real Drupal beginners.
This Guide’s quick, easy coverage includes:
<ul>
<li>Planning a site that will be easy to build and manage</li>
<li>Installing Drupal and setting it up to work reliably and securely</li>
<li>Quickly finding the Drupal tools and features you’re looking for</li>
<li>Mastering an easy 3-step workflow for creating new content</li>
<li>Delivering more interesting content with fields and new content types</li>
<li>Creating intuitive site structures and user navigation</li>
<li>Adding powerful site features with just a few clicks</li>
<li>Completely redesigning your site in minutes with Themes</li>
<li>Adding site search, registration, and more</li>
<li>Presenting content in tables, lists, grids, or photo galleries</li>
<li>Creating advanced layouts and 2- or 3-column designs</li>
<li>Controlling what users on your site can see and do</li>
<li>Preparing your site for launch</li>
<li>Administering and updating a live site efficiently and safely</li>
</ul>
Drupal 7 Explained requires absolutely no experience with Drupal, content management, website construction, programming, scripting, or even HTML. Stephen Burge has taught thousands of beginners—and thousands more who’ve experimented with Drupal but haven’t mastered it yet. Nobody knows more about guiding Drupal users up the 
learning curve—from confusion to results!</blockquote>
<h3>How do you enter to win?</h3>
Simply post a topic in our forums and then let me know (either by commenting here or tweeting to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cmscritic">@CMSCritic</a>). It can be anything from a question to a general post showing your support for a nominee in the <a href="/cms-critic-awards/"> Critics Choice CMS Awards</a>.
Good luck to all who enter!

Win a copy of Drupal 7 Explained - Your Step by Step Guide

With over 15 million websites built and hosted on its cloud servers, it's safe to say that <a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> has built itself an impressively solid user base since its release in 2007. <a href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> is an AJAX-based drag-and-drop web page creator, capable of producing truly beautiful and professional websites with a variety of functionalities. The websites themselves are hosted for free on the Weebly servers, with each user choosing between a Weebly sub-domain, or their own personal domain name.
The simple drag-and-drop system is brilliantly implemented by Weebly, giving its users direct, detailed control over the content of their websites. The process requires no knowledge of coding or web design, as elements can be quickly dragged, dropped, modified and deleted via easy to grasp interfaces.
On May 2 nd 2013, Weebly made a number of changes to its admin panel, calling the updated version the  <a href="https://www.weebly.com/"> All New Weebly </a> . The changes included a revamped user interface, a mobile editor and other useful improvements. Here is our Weebly Review.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z6iqVxaALas?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h2> The All New Weebly </h2>
The release of the All New Weebly has brought about a host of changes. Most noticeably, the drag-and-drop admin panel was moved from the top of the browser window, to the left-hand side.
Although the new positioning of the admin panel was received with mixed reviews, the improved, sleek new design was certainly welcomed across Weebly's user base. Options concerning design, functionality and widgets are now elegantly laid out using a more modern, tiled display. Despite the beauty of the new interface, it would have been nice to see Weebly offer users the option to move the admin panel back to the top of the browser screen.
The All New Weebly also brings about a new mobile editor, allowing you to preview and modify the mobile version of your website. Changes made to your website in either browser or mobile view will be automatically synced between both, maintaining a steady appearance to all of your visitors.
Additionally, Weebly now has a built-in Site Planner, which takes users through a step-by-step guide of their powerful new admin panel, setting goals, learning new skills and understanding the basic principals of website growth and success along the way.
Setting user interface updates aside, the All New Weebly update also brings a re-worked pricing plan. A totally free Weebly is still available to users, whilst both a Starter and Pro plan are offered at $4 and $8 per month respectively.
<h2> Initial Thoughts </h2>
Upon entering the Weebly website, you get the immediate impression that you're in for a powerfully simple ride.
It's important for any CMS to ensure its main website is professionally presented, and well polished, and Weebly does just that. A selection of themes, features and website examples are on show, accompanied by a simple sign up form, which includes a Facebook sign up option for extra convenience.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
Equally, it's essential that the sleek nature of the main website is not compromised or lost completely during the sign up process, leaving you with a dire looking control panel. Thankfully, this is certainly not the case with Weebly, as each menu, page and panel looks modern, clean and easy to understand.
<h2> Getting Started </h2>
Whether you decide to use your email address, or your Facebook account, creating your Weebly account is a quick process. As soon as you enter your details, Weebly presents you with an array of over 200 free, pre-designed themes for you to choose from.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
For me, the option to choose your theme as your very first step is a statement of intent by Weebly. They would prefer their users to take pride in the appearance of their websites, and would surely hope to avoid a user base who are keen on creating websites full of content, but devoid of aesthetically pleasing pages.
Weebly's elegantly designed templates are inspiring to look over, and selecting your favourite one definitely gets the ball rolling in the right direction.
<h3> The Site Planner </h3>
After selecting your websites theme, it's time to take a glance at Weebly's Site Planner. The planner is divided into three main sections, which are Plan, Build and Grow.
Each section includes an informative, instructional video, which walks you through various useful processes. For example, the first step in the Build section contains a video demonstrating the page creation and organization process.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/18700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
As well as teaching you the basic of Weebly, the planner helps you to set personal goals for your website, and enables you to check out completed websites for inspiration.
Following the Site Planer from start to finish will eventually result in a fully functioning website, complete with images, pages and even a domain name to boot.
The Site Planner is an optional extra for first-time website builders, and can be completely disregarded if you so wish. Essentially, it's a great feature for the large group of Weebly users who need a degree of guidance when it comes to web design, content creation and marketing.
<h3> Your Home Page </h3>
Moving away from the Site Planner, Weebly allows you to dive right into the customization process, by offering up your unpopulated homepage for you to fiddle with.
Your website will be displayed in preview mode on the right, whilst the recently revamped admin panel takes up the left-hand side of the screen.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" /> 
To begin adding to your website, you can simply start dragging and dropping different elements from your side bar. These include titles, images, videos, buttons, dividers and more.
Areas such as the website logo can be edited by hovering and clicking on the available options. For example, I chose to import an image to act as the logo, whereas other options allowed by to type in standard text, or remove the logo entirely.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/6.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
The same hovering rule applies to all other elements on the website, so long as you are in preview mode. Images, blocks of text and so forth can be hovered over, resulting in some options being displayed. Modifying or deleting the element is then a piece of cake.
Generally, the drag-and-drop system adopted by Weebly works a charm. Anybody can understand the process, and adding your own layout and design touches is incredibly easy.
<h3> Themes &amp; Design 
</h3>
Across the top of the preview page, tabs are displayed. One of which is entitled “Design”. Within this page, you can select a different theme, or modify your existing one.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
Options such as the base colour of your theme can be changed, along with font styles, social icons and phone number location. Despite a healthy range of options, it would have been nice to see a full colour palette being made available, instead of just the pre-set colours currently on offer.
As well as being able to select a different theme altogether, Weebly also gives you full access to the HTML and CSS coding behind all of its themes, allowing you to tinker with the design and functionality.
<h3> Adding Pages </h3>
A web page doesn't make a website, so it's good news that Weebly allows you to quickly and easily add as many different pages as you want.
Heading over to the “Pages” tab at the top of the preview page, you will be presented with the option to create a new page, and alter the order and settings of your existing pages.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/12700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
Adding a page is simple. You enter the title, followed by the layout you wish to utilise, which largely depends on the theme you are currently using.
Weebly allows you to easily copy and re-order your pages, as well as create sub-pages, which will be displayed as drop down menus.
<h2> Functional Flexibility 
</h2>
One of Weebly's key strengths is its sheer flexibility. It does a superb job with the basics, allowing elements such as maps, contact forms and slide shows to be seamlessly incorporated. But on top of that, Weebly offers a wide range of other functionalities.
Uploading images for example can be done in a variety of ways. They can be uploaded from your computer, via a URL or even via Weebly's built in image search function.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
However, you can also create a variety of different website types, by simply dragging and dropping elements.  Adding a product to sell or even an entire discussion board is just as easy as inserting an image. What's more is, you can run such elements side by side, on the very same page.
<h3> Ecommerce </h3>
Selling products on Weebly can be done with relative ease. Dragging and dropping the “product” element from the admin panel will allow you to modify your product image, set a price and add a description.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/13.jpg" alt="weebly review" /> 
However, it must be said that Weebly does have some limitations in the ecommerce department. Payments can only be taken via PayPal and Google checkout, and it doesn't offer an integrated order management system.
<h3> Forums </h3>
Weebly also offers a fairly comprehensive discussion forum solution, which can be dragged and dropped on to any page. You may then go ahead and customize your forum, adding log in buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google and other services.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/15-1700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" /> 
You can create a total of 5 forums, with a limitation of 200 replies per discussion. Weebly requires you to upgrade your account in order to bypass these limitations.
<h2>Social Features</h2>
Implementing social buttons into your website is absolutely vital for both marketing and engagement purposes. Thankfully, Weebly has yet again made life easy in this regard. Social icons such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn buttons are often built in to certain Weebly themes, with the option to remove them, or add your personal social profile links to them.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7-1.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
Weebly offers a range of social buttons, including Flickr, Google+, Yahoo and more. Much like other elements, they can be dragged and dropped almost anywhere on your web pages.
<h2>Mobile View</h2>
One of the brand new features that the All New Weebly update introduced, was the ability to view your Weebly website in mobile view, further customizing it to fit the purposes and requirements needed.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/33700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" /> 
Using the mobile view, you can customize the colour, header images and social icons, and even select a brand new theme specifically for mobiles. Extra elements can be added from the admin panel, which will automatically sync with the desktop version of your website.
Additionally, Weebly allows you to preview your website via an on-screen iOS and Android device, giving you a realistic impression of what your mobile site will really look like.
<h2> Getting Help </h2>
As with any CMS, being able to find useful help pages and contact details is vital, and Weebly helps you do just that. Across the top of the preview page lies a question mark icon, which leads you to the Weebly Support Centre.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/20700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" /> 
The Support Centre is a comprehensive tool to help you get ove rany issues you may be facing. Help concerning images, text, widgets, forums, ecommerce and so on can all be easily accessed. Additionally, Weebly allow users to submit their own questions using the “Ask Us a Question” button. 
 
 Marketing &amp; Monetizing 
Being able to market and monetize your website is hugely important. Simply publishing content on your homepage willl not help bring in visitors. Instead, Weebly offers a helping hand by being SEO friendly, allowing title, meta and description tags to be customized at page level, along with image ALT tags.
<h3>Blogging</h3>
Maintaining a blog relevant to your website is an extremely efficient way of driving traffic to your website. Good quality blog posts will eventually rank in the search engines, and will also do well on social media networks.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/21700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
Weebly offers a pretty solid blogging solution, allowing you to quick and easily add blog posts. Elements from the admin panel can be dragged and dropped into posts, which means that maps, slide shows, videos and galleries can all be added very quickly, which is something many other blogging applications lack.
<h3> Google Adsense </h3>
Monetizing your website or blog is a great way of earning revenue. Weebly allows you to insert your own Google Adsense codes, and then drag-and-drop the banners anywhere you wish.
However, users who are using the free version of Weebly will be giving up 50% of their Google Adsense revenue until they upgrade their accounts. On top of a handful of other restrictions impose on free Weebly users, some users may find such a large percentage unfair.
<h3> Site Stats </h3>
Along with the traditional option of Google Analytics, Weebly also offers its users a free, in-house Site Stats page, which keeps track of visitors, search terms, referring websites and so forth.
Monitoring your audience is vital when it comes to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your website, and Weebly's inclusion of a built-in Site Stats page is therefore extremely useful.
<h2>Price Plans</h2>
Along with the release of the All New Weebly, a new price structure was unveiled. Before the update, Weebly offered their Starter plan at $3.29 per month, along with their Pro plan from $6.63 per month. In comparison to their competitors, Wix and Webs, these fees were very reasonable.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/17700x0.jpg" alt="weebly review" />
However, since the update, Weebly have raised their fees slightly, offering the same Starter and Pro plans for $4 and $8 respectively. The price hike is minimal, and can be justifed by the recent classy updates made to the site builder. More importantly, the price rise still keeps Weebly competitive in the face of its rivals.
Webs offer three paid plans, priced from $3.75, to $7.50, up to $16.67 per month. Wix on the other hand, charge $5.73 for their lowest package, climbing up to highs of $19.18 per month for their highest plan.
<h2> Verdict </h2>
Overall, Weebly is a simple, yet powerful site builder which helps you to easily incorporate a wide range of features and widgets. The uncluttered user interface, paired with the extremely easy to use drag-and-drop system, makes Weebly a brilliant choice for a novice web site builders, and for those who know exactly what they're doing.
Weebly's speedy service and cloud-based servers allow you to get your website up and running in minutes, without compromising on the sleek, professional presentation which is manages to capture in all of its themes and widgets.
<h2> Pros </h2>
<ul>
<li>Weebly's drag-and-drop system works wonderfully, enabling almost anybody to try their hand at web design.</li>
<li>The sheer speed and simplicity of Weebly is enough to make you fall in love with the site builder.</li>
<li>Hundreds of free, modifiable themes ensure that your website will be truly unique in terms of design.</li>
<li>The revamped admin panel is a joy to use, and is very easy on the eyes.</li>
<li>The new Site Planner is a welcome addition, which does a great job of walking newcomers through the building and publishing process.</li>
<li>Being able to view and edit your site through Mobile View is an excellent, useful feature.</li>
<li>Ecommerce and Forum options are great examples of the impressive flexibility of Weebly.</li>
<li>Built-in Site Stats and a Blogging feature are a tremendous help in terms of marketing and visitor engagement.</li>
<li>Prices are agreeable in comparison to Weebly's competitors.</li>
</ul>
<h4> Cons </h4>
<ul>
<li>Weebly's ecommerce solution is under-developed, offering just two payment options and no order managing functionality.</li>
<li>Along with a long list of restrictions, including Weebly's logo on their website's footer, users of the free Weebly service are only entitled to half of their Google Adsense earnings, which will understandably disgruntle some users.</li>
</ul>
<h2> Final Remarks </h2>
As mentioned in <a href="/weebly-review/"> our last Weebly review </a> , the quirky web site builder has always been packed full of features, offering an easy, unintimidating solution to those with no coding experience, and perhaps even for those with no web experience at all.
Additionally, to put it simply – which is the Weebly way, the recently introduced updates have injected a new spirit into the service, making it leaner and more flexible than ever before. The core features have remained, but they have now been expertly polished and presented within the elegance of the new admin panel.
Weebly's drag-and-drop site creation system has served it well in the past, and will surely continue to do so, especially now that it works in tandem with a brand new mobile editor, a user-friendly site planner, and a modern user interface. After the All New Weebly release, it would seem that both Wix, Webs and the rest of Weebly's competition have some catching up to do.
<blockquote><a href="https://www.weebly.com/"> Try Weebly  </a></blockquote>

Weebly Review: Hands On With the All New Weebly

Are you looking for a solid editor to use when developing code for websites? Look no furhter than Codelobster PHP edition. While there are certainly plenty of paid options available in the editor market, this particular one is free of charge and full of functionality.
<h3>Codelobster PHP Edition – Features:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Code highlighting – The editor supports a mix of code and as such, highlighting occurs for HTML, PHP &amp; Javascript, all within the same file. You are also able to adjust the color schemes.</li>
<li>AutoComplete – Have you ever been in the middle of writing code and then blanked completely? No need to worry, this editor has autocomplete that can help nudge you along in your coding. HTML, PHP, CSS and Javascript are fully supported and the editor will also support HMTL5 and CSS3 as well.</li>
<li>HTML / CSS Inspection – Similar to the way the popular addon, Firebug, works… Codelobster PHP edition will allow you to inspect the contents and elements of pages, directly from within the editor.</li>
<li>Context Help – Plenty of help is available within the editor and is available in a number of languages. Simply Press F1 to get a detailed description for the current tag, attribute or function to open.</li>
<li>PHP Debugger – line by line php debugging directly within the editor is supported. This way you can check out each individual line of code for errors. Pretty handy!</li>
<li>SQL Manager – integrated database querying with SQL is also supported which means you can connect with and add, delete or eidt a structure and records in tables as well as export data. Highlighting and autocomplete for SQL is also supported.</li>
<li>FTP Support – connect to a remote server and make any necessary changes with built in FTP support.</li>
<li>Portable – no installation required, simply download and launch and you are on your way.</li>
</ul>
Need to work with other types of software such as Drupal, Joomla, CakePHP &amp; more? No problem, there are plugins available for:
<ul>
<li>CMS: Drupal, Joomla</li>
<li>PHP frameworks: CakePHP, CodeIgniter, Symfony, Yii</li>
<li>JavaScript libraly: JQuery</li>
<li>WordPress blogging engine</li>
<li>Smarty template engine</li>
</ul>
You can get more info from the <a href="http://www.codelobster.com">Codelobster</a> website or you can use the direct download link: <a href="http://www.codelobster.com/download/CodelobsterPHPEditionSetup.exe">http://www.codelobster.com/download/CodelobsterPHPEditionSetup.exe</a>

Free PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript Editor (IDE) Available

We've decided to expand what we offer on CMS Critic and introduce some new forums that we can all use to better collaborate with one another.
I've added a new section which I think will be a lot of fun called “Ask Mike” where you can ask for help and suggestions as to which CMS (or related technology) to use for your projects.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/forums902x0.jpg" />
I'm hoping that by capturing all of this great content in one place, we'll be able to further help other visitors with similar questions so please, feel free to ask away. I promise to do my best to stay on top of things and answer as quickly as possible.
There's also a Critics Choice CMS Awards forum where we will post news and updates about the awards currently underway. It's also the place to ask questions pertaining to the awards.
We hope you find the forums helpful and we look forward to chatting!
~Mike

We now have forums!

Starting out your career in any creative field is quite challenging. Whether you are looking to get hired or to try your luck freelancing, you will need a solid portfolio. I won’t get into detail on what that should include or how you will find the first projects to display, but I will guide you on your <a href="http://dashboard.webydo.com/landingpages/starta.aspx?campaign=CMSCritic">website design</a> step by step using <a href="http://dashboard.webydo.com/landingpages/starta.aspx?campaign=CMSCritic">Webydo</a>. Furthermore we won’t write a single line of code to achieve that!
Hope you are eager to get started!
<h2>First Steps</h2>
Setting up an account at Webydo is a very easy and fast process. And after you finish you will be prompted to select how you’d like to begin:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-1918x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
For the purposes of this tutorial we’ll select “Layout”. That will give us 4 layout templates to begin our project with.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-2918x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Go ahead and select the portfolio layout. This will load for us the editor we’ll be working on, with the standard portfolio structure ready.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-3918x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
<h2>Customizing your Portfolio</h2>
Let’s begin customizing our portfolio website by visiting “Site presets”.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-4918x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Through here we can select some site wide options for our portfolio.
Let’s leave the site size and alignment as is. We’ll go select a favicon, by clicking the small image icon, next to “Favicon Image”.
Next we can select a background for our page. Click on the pull down menu next to color, and select “Solid Color”, also click on the color swatch and set it to #e9e9e9.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-5918x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
To set a background you can click on the small image icon, next to the text image, and select the image you will use for the background. I selected a small pattern image with diagonal lines, which we can repeat to fill out the whole background.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-6.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Here we can also set the generic color styles. I changed my main color to #333333 by clicking on the swatch next to it, and the secondary to #222222. You can create 4 additional color styles if you like.
After you finish, click “ok” to close these settings. We can come back to them if necessary at any time of the process, by visiting the “site presets” menu option.
<h2>Adding your content</h2>
Let’s now place our logo. Click on the logo rectangle, and then the interface will change to give you a property bar on top of your page. From there we can set the image dimensions, and add our image.
Click “Change” and that will prompt you to select the image file.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo_tutorial-7_jpg902x0.png" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Here we can also specify a title and alt attribute to our image, as well as if it links to a page of our website or not.
Let’s now set the menu. Click on any menu item. This will give some new options both in the top and right panel.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-81250x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
From the top panel you can choose options that affect the whole menu, and from the right panel affect each menu item individually.
I will leave the menu alone for now. And we get back to it after we finish with our homepage.
Double Click on the Text “Insert your slogan”.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-9.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Here we can modify the text and add our slogan. Notice how the top panel adjusted to give us options that relate to the selected object. So always keep that in mind as you explore the editor’s interface.
Try to find a catchy slogan to use here. You can easily adjust font, size and colors from the top panel.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-10.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
When you finish you can click outside and the changes will take effect. You can move any element on the page with the mouse or the arrow keys. Now let’s add our portfolio projects!
To do that, we simply double click at an image placeholder. Then select the image. Notice that the placeholders are 300x150px so you might think to crop your thumbnails at this size. Don’t!
If you use a larger image, you can change its dimensions from the top panel after it is placed to fit or match the container size. Clicking any of these thumbnails after the site is launched will open the full image in lightbox mode.
In order to edit the captions and the text below your thumbnails you simply double click them. And to delete elements you don’t need simply hit the delete key. The choices for editing these texts are similar with those on the slogan we set not long ago.
You can preview your website at any time by clicking “Preview” on the black top menu. Then click “Design” to get back to editing your website.
After all the thumbnail slots have been filled, If you need to add more projects to the home page you can create some space by moving the footer.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-11.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Simply move your mouse to the blue line, till your pointer turns to a bi-directional arrow, and then click and drag to create more space.
To add more thumbnails Shift+Click the 3 last projects, right click on them and select copy and then paste. Or simply alt-drag them in the spot you’d like to copy them.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-12.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
After the new row is created you can double click the images, and add more of your projects.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-13.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
<h2>Adding more pages</h2>
Now we have finished with the home page, let’s see how we can create the rest of the 3 pages!
Click on any menu item and then from the top panel choose “Manage”. (You can access the same menu by clicking on “Pages” on the top menu.)
Then double click on “About Us”.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-14.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
That will generate for us the template for the about us page. By now you should feel comfortable enough, to fill on your own.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-151250x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
You can generate and fill the Gallery page the same way. Or create your own pages. Perhaps you want each project in the home page to have its own page displaying more images and details. You can add those pages from this menu. But for our tutorial purposes, let’s also generate the “Contact Us” page to see a fine detail you need to pay attention as far as the form is concerned.
Click on the “Pages” menu, and then double click “Contact Us” to generate the page.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-161250x0.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Select the whole contact form, as in screenshot and from the right panel set your email. Otherwise the form data won’t reach you! If you want to add an additional email simply click on the add email button.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-17.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
<h2>Tweak your SEO</h2>
Before we publish our website, it’s a good idea to visit the “Pages” menu once more and add some SEO details and descriptions to our pages.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-18.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-19.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
Fill in the details for each page and the click “Ok” to save your changes.
<h2>Publish your website</h2>
Simply hit publish and you are done! Your site is now live. You can upgrade your plan or edit your site name and other important settings (like adding Google analytics code, web master tools verification etc.) through your dashboard.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo-tutoral-20.jpg" alt="webydo tutorial" />
You can access your dashboard at any time through the main menu on top, while you are on the design view.
I hope you enjoyed and found this tutorial useful! If you have any questions feel free to comment below!
<a href="http://dashboard.webydo.com/landingpages/starta.aspx?campaign=CMSCritic">Head on over to Webydo</a> to get started building your Portfolio (or Business, Personal) website today.

How to: Build your portfolio website fast with Webydo

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Be an SEO hero with Semrush

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