Articles - Page 88

Agentic AI Is Coming. Is Your DXP Ready?

dsfaltudo

<p></p>
<p><a href="https://craftcms.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Craft CMS</a> 2.6 and Craft Commerce 1.1 are here, bringing about eager-loading support, along with several other refinements.</p>
<p><a href="/craft-2.5-craftcommerce-1.0-unveiled/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">CraftCommerce was only released for the first time back in December 2015</a>, so this marks the first semi-major update for Craft's eCommerce solution. Let's take a look at what's new.</p>
<h2>Eager-loading &amp; a New Charting Library</h2>
<p>Craft say they've added <a href="https://craftcms.com/docs/templating/eager-loading-elements">eager-loading support</a> for elements, which has the potential to drastically reduce the number of SQL queries required to render pages with nested element queries.</p>
<p>Eager-loading, according to Google's adopted definition, is, “the process whereby a query for one type of entity also loads related entities as part of the query.”</p>
<p>Users will now find that the following things are eager-loadable:</p>
<ul>
<li>Relations via Entries, Assets, Users, Tags, Categories, and Commerce Products fields</li>
<li>Matrix blocks</li>
<li>Commerce product variants</li>
<li>Image transform indexes</li>
</ul>
<p>Plus, third party element types can implement their own eager-loading support via the new <a href="https://craftcms.com/classreference/elementtypes/IElementType#getEagerLoadingMap-detail">getEagerLoadingMap()</a> method, and third party field types can also add eager-loading support by implementing the new <a href="https://craftcms.com/classreference/fieldtypes/IEagerLoadingFieldType">IEagerLoadingFieldType</a> interface.</p>
<p>Craft CMS has also gained a new charting library. We’re using it to draw a big Revenue chart at the top of Commerce’s Orders page, as well as a new “Revenue” Dashboard widget. Craft Pro sites can also start keeping track of new user signups with the new “New Users” widget.</p>
<p>For more of the nitty gritty details of both releases, <a href="https://craftcms.com/news/craft-cms-2-6-commerce-1-1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">you can check out the official announcement</a>, or jump striaight to the <a href="http://craftcms.com/changelog/2.6">Craft CMS 2.6 release notes</a> and <a href="https://craftcommerce.com/changelog#build1196" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Craft Commerce 1.1 release notes</a>.</p>
<h2>A Colorful New Look</h2>
<p>Craft also went to the trouble of re-designing their <a href="https://craftcms.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">home page</a>.</p>
<p>I've always maintained the importance of a strong home page and website for a CMS vendor. I begin all of my CMS reviews by checing out the main website,before I even think about moving on to the product.</p>
<p>It helps you get a feel of the vendor, what they see as important, and their level of attention to detail. Plus, it's a chance to be convinced that the CMS you're about to use is going to sweep you off your digital feet. And everybody likes that feeling.</p>
<p>Craft's homepage does a fien job of looking modern, and also gets the job done in terms of telling visitors what Craft CMS is all about. It's bold, informative and colorful. I like it.</p>
<p>For more info on Craft CMS, you can check them out <a href="/products/craft-cms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">via our CMS Directory</a>.</p>


Craft CMS Rolls Out Craft 2.6 & CraftCommerce 1.1 With Eager-Loading Support

mike-johnston

<p>Social Media Contests offer a great way for companies to increase online engagement and generate new leads, which is why they’ve become an integral part of social media marketing campaigns across the world.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7910370882_e2d8bfd3b4_o479x0-is.jpg" /></p><p>If you want your contest to stand out from the crowd, a well-designed template and easy entry process can make all the difference. You also need to consider how you’re going to set it up. To avoid any confusion, it’s usually best to host your contest on one social network – such as Twitter – and then utilize your other networks for contest promotion.</p><p>Once you’ve determined which channel you’re focusing your efforts on, it’s time to look at the various social media contest apps available to see which is best suited to your needs. In the this post, I'll cover 10 contest apps that are definitely worth checking out.</p><h2>1. WooBox</h2><p>Woobox is a social media contest app that's compatible with Facebook, Website, and Mobile. In terms of features, there are a variety of campaigns types available such as Sweepstakes, Photo Contests, Instant Win, Pin to Win, and Video Contests.</p><p>These guys are leading the social media contest crowd at the moment, with over 2 million users worldwide.</p><p>Pricing plans are extremely comprehensive and pricing is dependent on a number of factors including chosen apps, features, audience size, and no, of pages. New users can avail of a 30-day free trial to get started and you should have a good idea of what your requirements are after this.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://woobox.com/">Learn more about WooBox</a>.</p><h2>2. Offerpop</h2><p>Offerpop is an easy-to-use promotional app that offers a pretty extensive range of social media contest types, including Photo Contests, Video Contests, Quiz, Tug of War, Deals, Caption Contests, Engagement, and Conversion.</p><p>The app is compatible with Facebook, Mobile, and Website, and all apps are fully optimized for mobile.</p><p>Depending on your business needs, pricing runs on a pay per campaign or subscription basis (starting at $15 per month). <a target="_blank" href="https://www.offerpop.com/">Click here</a> for more about Offerpop has to offer.</p><h2>3. Rafflecopter</h2><p>Rafflecopter is a popular app that’s become a hit with bloggers and online influencers due to its easy embed feature. If embedding isn’t an option for you, Rafflecopter will set up a page on its site for your contest.</p><p>Even the least tech-savvy users can set up a social media contest on Rafflecopter in minutes – no coding skills required.</p><p>Users can choose from 2 campaign types – Sweepstakes and Mobile – and pricing plans start at free. Users can also opt for the Basic ($13 p/m), Premium ($84 p/m), or Enterprise (custom) package.</p><p>The Free option actually includes a decent variety of features such as unlimited giveaways, embed options, support, and the 1-Click Facebook App. But if you’d like to avail of high-end features, such as email list integration, you’ll have to upgrade to the Premium plan.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.rafflecopter.com">Learn more about Rafflecopter</a>.</p><h2>4. SnapApp</h2><p>SnapApp is a comprehensive social media promotion tool that’s compatible with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Website, Email, and Mobile. The various campaign types available include Sweepstakes, Contests &amp; Competitions, Offer, Polls &amp; Surveys, and Trivia.</p><p>SnapApp single app pricing starts at $249 a month and custom pricing options are available also.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.snapapp.com/">Learn more about SnapApp</a>.</p><h2>5. Wishpond</h2><p>Wishpond is a marketing automation platform that offers various contest types such as sweepstakes, coupons, hashtag contests, video contests, and more. Wishpond makes social media contest creation a simple endeavor, and users will have their competition setup within minutes.</p><p>This app is compatible with Website, Mobile, Facebook, and Twitter, and prices start at $44 p/m for the Basic plan. New users can also avail of a 14-day free trial to test it out (credit card required).</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.wishpond.com/">Learn more about Wishpond</a>.</p><h2>6. AgoraPulse</h2><p>AgoraPulse provides a complete CRM, Facebook apps, and analytics suite. It may not be the obvious choice for users who are only seeking a contest app, but this is a contest builder that's built for efficiency and it’s definitely worth consideration.</p><p>The analytics functionality with this app is impressive and pricing is extremely competitive. For $39 a month, businesses can onboard 2 Facebook pages and up to 50k fans.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.agorapulse.com/">Learn more about AgoraPulse</a>.</p><h2>7. ShortStack</h2><p>ShortStack offers a great range of contest templates that are well designed and easily customized. The drag-and-drop functionality makes this app incredibly intuitive and the analytics function is pretty detailed.</p><p>A CSS option is also available for the coders out there, so this app will appeal to technophobes and technophiles alike.</p><p>The Free plan includes up to unlimited campaigns, up to 25k Facebook fans and up to 5,000 campaign visits per 30 days. If your requirements exceed this, you can opt for one of the paid plans which kick off at $29 per month.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.shortstack.com/">Learn more about ShortStack</a>.</p><h2>8. Constant Contact Social Campaigns</h2><p>Contant Contact started out as an email marketing tool, but their social media contest app can now be used as a standalone tool completely separate to their other offerings.</p><p>If you’re already a Constant Contact user, this would be a great add-on service to avail of. Contest types include offer Coupon, Sweepstakes, and Downloadable Content.</p><p>You can try this app out for free for a period of 60 days, and pricing plans start at $20 after that.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.constantcontact.com/">Learn more about Constant Contact</a>.</p><h2>9.Binkd</h2><p>Binkd allows users to set up a free Twitter Contest to easily capture email addresses. There are a number of other content types available such as Sweepstakes, Challenge Contest, Word Contest, Video Contests, and Photo Contests. This is a beginner friendly app that’s easy to use and intuitively designed.</p><p>Premium plans start at $29 per month for unlimited campaigns and up to 5000 entries/leads.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.binkd.com/">Learn more about Binkd</a>.</p><h2>10. Tradable Bits</h2><p>Tradable Bits describes itself as an ‘all inclusive digital marketing toolbox’ and the social media contest app is just one of its available tools. Tradable Bits offers an extensive range of campaigns, such as Photo Contests, Tug of War, Quiz, Instant Win, Promotion, Slideshow, Downloads, Reviews, and Fan Wishlist,</p><p>Pricing is free for basic apps and paid plans start off at $15 per month for 1 page. An Agency plan is available for $250 and this includes online training and support.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://tradablebits.com/">Learn more about Tradable Bits</a>.</p><h2>What’s Your App Of Choice?</h2><p>Have you used any of the above apps to run contests on social media? Or perhaps you have a favorite that I haven’t mentioned here?</p><p>We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.</p><p> </p>

10 Awesome Social Media Contest Apps

grainne-logue

Webasyst Review

<p></p>
<p>While redesigning their websites, many businesses expect modern UIs and cool features alone to generate big leads. But they won’t. Unless backed by a consistent content marketing strategy that <em>talks big clients</em>.</p>
<p>Let me explain what I mean.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how_to_win_big_customers_with_your_website-02603x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2><strong>Understand Big Customers</strong></h2>
<p>Big attracts big. You don’t need to be as big in size as they are, but be big in your approach, look big, sound big. Embrace enterprise thinking in your message. Speak their language.</p>
<p>Because of the strict vendor selection policies, large companies tend to cautiously assess candidates’ competencies and processes. Don’t make them guess about your authority, state it right away on your pages. No gambling. They don’t want you to be the best, they want you to be reliable in delivering what they expect from you. They want you to solve problems.</p>
<h2><strong>Create Problem-oriented Content</strong></h2>
<p>Talking about problems on your website builds credibility. It means you probably know how to solve them. <em>These guys seem to be experts</em>, they’ll think. You <em>will</em> have to prove it, though, but for now it’s all about the first impression. So take your chance.</p>
<p>Use your blog to create problem-oriented yet engaging insights. To make your content more effective, follow these key steps:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Build content around clients’ problems and needs, not your products/services. No salesy, screaming copy</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Insert cross-references between posts and pages to engage visitors to read more</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Link articles with product/service pages</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Include confident CTAs</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>However, don’t try to cover every area of your expertise. Narrow down the focus to emphasize your strongest competences.</p>
<h2><strong>Increase Promotion of Key Expertise</strong></h2>
<p>Make your key products/services disproportionately visible for search engines and people (but don’t abandon other business directions). You will need to publish over 100 webpages to promote the focus area.</p>
<p>Should you start looking for copywriters? Yes, you should. Sounds heavy on your marketing budget? Yes, it does. But we are talking <em>big customers</em>, remember?</p>
<h2><strong>Provide Deep Insights</strong></h2>
<p>Large enterprises don’t make spontaneous moves. They take the time to think. So give them food for thought by offering detailed case studies and white papers (executives love white papers) available through registration. White papers are still the most influential lead generation tools.</p>
<p>For example, according to Eccolo Media 2014 B2B Technology Content Survey Report, 49% of respondents (US companies) rely on white papers (among other content items) while making technology purchases. But don’t disappoint potential clients by talking too much about your company and products/services.</p>
<p>Leave out that marketing hype and biased or too general information.</p>
<p><strong>Personalize Content</strong></p>
<p>Don’t be surprised if a potential client returns to your website in 2 months or more after downloading a white paper. You want to be prepared for that by showing relevant content based on the interaction tracked down during their previous visits. Collecting and analyzing data such as the time spent and the buttons clicked on particular pages, you can build each visitor’s up-to-date profile to help you personalize the content for further interactions.</p>
<p>In other words, you will increase your chances for conversion by giving visitors what they want on the go. If, say, last time they were looking for translation services at your agency, it makes no sense bombarding them with proofreading options now.</p>
<p>Have you ever noticed how accurate personalized product recommendations can be? You’d probably go ‘No way! How do they know?’ That’s exactly how you want to surprise your leads during the next visits.</p>
<p>So, when looking for a <a href="https://www.scnsoft.com/web-portal-development">web portal development vendor</a> to redesign your website, make sure to state your need for personalization features in an RFP to filter out those who can’t do it.</p>
<h2><strong>Ready for the Big Hunt</strong></h2>
<p>Generating big leads with a website requires a consistent content marketing strategy based on a complex portal development technology beyond just a <em>cool</em> design. But it <em>is</em> possible.</p>
<p>At <a href="https://www.scnsoft.com" target="_blank">ScienceSoft</a>, we delivered websites that attracted, and converted into customers, Royal Bank of Canada, Robert Half, Siemens, Philips and other large companies. Now, it’s your turn to win big leads.</p>
<p style="text-align:center">* * *</p>
<p><em>This post is sponsored by ScienceSoft. Find out more at </em><a href="https://www.scnsoft.com" target="_blank">ScnSoft.com</a>.</p>
<p></p>


How to Win Big Customers with Your Website

<p>Despite <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>‘s ever-changing algorithms, it can still provide an excellent means for businesses to build a community around their brand. Whether you want to increase your Facebook likes or drive more traffic back to your site – using Facebook contest apps will do wonders for your inbound marketing efforts, and it’s also a great way to engage with your online community.</p><p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/facebook-793048_1280550x0-is.jpg" /></p><p>According to the revised Facebook rules, you can now run a contest on your Timeline or via a Facebook app, but there are also a few third party apps that can make the process much easier for both you and your customers.</p><p>Of course, finding the right app takes a bit of time and research; both of which are pretty scarce when you’re running a business. So, I’ve narrowed it down the search for you.</p><p>Here’s my list of 7 Platforms To Supercharge Your Campaigns.</p><h2>1. WishPond</h2><p>Wishpond has a ‘keep it simple, stupid’ mantra that makes the app extremely user-friendly. Creating a campaign is simple and there are a number of contest types available. Wishpond also provides users with a range of well-designed templates to choose from. If you are looking to run a Facebook contest, this is one of the best apps there is.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_21_47_08.png" /></p><p>The reporting function is really Wishpond’s strong point, with a number of key filters and segmenting options available.</p><p>New users can avail of a 14-day free trial, and packages start at $19 per month after that. The packages are scaled according to the features needed, and users can unlock extra features by moving up to the next tier. For more on Wishpond, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wishpond.com/">click here</a></p><h2>2. Heyo Free Contest Builder</h2><p>Heyo is a drag-and-drop platform that makes it simple to launch your new Facebook application and drive traffic, sales, or leads. Heyo is aimed at entrepreneurs and SMB’s, and includes a variety of templates such as contests, deals, and promos.</p><p>This app really encourages creativity and there are fully editable templates available to suit your brand, with no coding skills required.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_19_23_29.png" /></p><p>This is a simple and intuitive platform that’s really geared towards businesses who want to get a Facebook contest set up quickly with zero hassle. That said, it still has an extensive offering.</p><p>There are over 30 widgets available, which you can drag or resize to your specific requirements; every contest you run is mobile optimized (so that you look good from every angle), and you receive a free Smart URL for your marketing campaign.</p><p>Sounds like a pretty good deal, right?</p><p>The pricing setup is simple and users can avail of a 7-day free trial to get started. After this, you can move on to the Business plan for $25 per month or get in touch with Heyo for a quote on their Agency package. For more on <a target="_blank" href="http://heyo.com/">Heyo</a>, just click here.</p><h2>3. ShortStack</h2><p>ShortStack makes it simple for users to create Facebook contests, landing pages, campaigns and apps. This app allows businesses to create custom tabs and contests on their fan pages, and users can also add videos/pictures to their contests or promotions.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_19_41_57.png" /></p><p>There’s a bit of a learning curve in comparison to other apps such as Heyo, but the platform is easy to navigate once you get the hang of it.</p><p>The free plan includes unlimited campaigns, 5,000 campaign visits per 30 days, promotions, share functionality, and a Facebook fan allowance of 25,000. So it’s a pretty great option for small businesses.</p><p>Paid plans start at $29 per month, and scale up to the ‘All you Can Eat’ $499 per month – so you can move up a gear as your business grows. These fees are also reduced if you choose to pay annually. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.shortstack.com/">Click here</a> to learn more about Shortstack.</p><h2>4. AgoraPulse</h2><p>AgoraPulse offers an all in one package when it comes to managing your Facebook page, and it allows users to easily create mobile-optimized apps and measure their results in-depth.</p><p>It’s easy to use, and businesses can use the Facebook Contest App to create a Facebook contest in minutes.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_20_03_08.png" /></p><p>However, this is really more than just a contest app, with a great CRM and analytics suite also available – so it may appeal more to users looking to tick all boxes.</p><p>AgoraPulse provides packages that will suit every business size, and paid plans start at $19 per month for up to 6,000 fans. To learn more about AgoraPulse, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.agorapulse.com/">click here</a>.</p><h2>5. Easypromos</h2><p>Easypromos makes the world of Facebook Contests very accessible to users, with prices starting at free for your first promotion and $15 per promotion after that – for fan pages of up to 5,000.</p><p>The options available on the free trial include photo contests, sweepstakes, and text contests.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_20_24_11.png" /></p><p>Businesses can also avail of subscription packages which kick off at $29 per month for the basic level, and users who sign up for a year can avail of a 2 month price saving. For more on Easypromos, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.easypromosapp.com/">click here</a>.</p><h2>6.PageModo</h2><p>PageModo provides a solid Facebook promotions tool with a range of widgets and features, and it won’t break the bank either. There are several theme options available, so you should have no problem with finding the perfect fit for your company (or as close as you can get, when it’s predesigned for you).</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_21_49_14.png" /></p><p>The free plan allows for one page and one tab, but if you’re planning on collecting analytics data from your content then you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.</p><p>PageModo's basic paid plan normally costs $6.25 per month but there’s a 48-hour sale on as I write this post, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the site in case it pops up again. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pagemodo.com/">Click here</a> for more on PageModo.</p><h2>7. Woobox</h2><p>Woobox is a popular Facebook contest app that’s mobile optimized and priced pretty competitively too. There are a number of premade templates available, but this app isn’t as easy to work with as the others I've mentioned.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-08_at_21_50_34.png" /></p><p>Woobox offers a downloadable list of entrants to both paid and free users, and the contest forms are completely customizable also, which means that you can get the exact information that you need for your lead generation.</p><p>Users can try Woobox out for free or opt for a paid plan starting at $30 per month. Prices and packages vary according to whether you opt for a monthly or annual payment, so it’s worth checking out in detail. <a target="_blank" href="https://woobox.com/">Click here</a> to visit the Woobox site.</p><h2>Make It Happen</h2><p>If you’ve been thinking about running a Facebook contest, but haven't had the time to do the research – now is the time to make it happen! Any of these apps will get the ball rolling for you, so all you have to do is pick your favorite and get started.</p><p>Have you tried out any of these apps? Or maybe you have a preferred Facebook contest app that I haven't mentioned? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.</p><p> </p>

Facebook Contest Apps: 7 Platforms To Supercharge Your campaigns

<p><a href="/products/motocms">MotoCMS</a> is a popular website builder that’s been around since 2009. The site takes a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) approach to website building, and allows users to design, edit, and publish their own website.</p><p>The WYSIWYG setup means that this process should be pretty simple and intuitive.</p><p>The software is updated on a regular basis and is designed to appeal to beginners and professionals alike. But does it?</p><p>I decided to check it out for myself. Read on for my MotoCMS review.</p><h2>Getting Started</h2><p>They don’t make this easy. To get setup with MotoCMS, you have to go on a bit of a field trip. Here’s how the process went down:</p><p>First, you click on the button to get started. This will take you to a screen where you select your chosen industry design.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-05_at_12_40_29636x0-is.png" /></p><p>After you’ve done this, you can select a template.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-05_at_12_40_53725x0-is.png" /></p><p>Then, a box pops up to insert your email address and your name.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-05_at_13_46_53490x0-is.png" /></p><p>And when you’ve done all of this, you receive an email confirmation. Once you click on that, you’re all set.</p><p>It all felt a bit time-consuming for my liking and it tainted my first impression of the site. There’s an optimal phone verification feature built into this process also, but I felt it just got in the way at this early stage – especially since it doesn’t replace mail verification.</p><p>Whilst the setup is generally pretty simple, I’ve reviewed a few of these sites now and I’ve come to expect a speedier signup process.</p><h2>Usability</h2><p>Once you get to the main site, users are greeted by a ‘Welcome To The Future’ slogan with the MotoCMS logo presented on a plain background. This is bordered by the admin panel, and the overall look is pretty sleek and sophisticated.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-05_at_12_47_14902x0-is.png" /></p><p>The admin panel utilizes the WYSIWYG system and drag-and-drop functionality, which means that you can see each change as it's implemented. This is especially useful for novice users.</p><p>A number of step-by-step tutorials are available via popups and this makes the process pretty easy to navigate – especially when it comes to adding pages.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-05_at_14_12_41710x0-is.png" /></p><p>To add a new page to the site, you simply click on ‘add page’ and a popup will come up asking for the page name and URL. You can then edit the page properties using the options in the right-hand column, such as assigning a URL name and assigning parent pages.</p><p>If you head over to the ‘Design’ section, you can also edit page specific options such as hiding certain page sections – e.g. the header and footer. By clicking on the viewing tool, you can preview the page to see the exact results.</p><p>I found the editor to be perfectly fine – the interface was quite quick and lag-free on all the contemporary browser platforms. The UI seemed to lag on the older versions of Firefox, which might be a concern to potential clients on older machines.</p><h2>Design</h2><h3>Responsiveness</h3><p>MotoCMS have made great efforts to make their templates as responsive as possible and there are a wide variety of mobile screens to test your designs on. The platform also allows users to hand edit certain elements of the templates. This is a pretty useful feature, as some of the native content can look a little disjointed.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-06_at_22_54_05.png" /></p><p>This screenshot is a random example. As you can see, the picture box is slightly misaligned. Whilst this won't be a massive issue for everyone, it may irritate the design perfectionists out there.</p><h3>Templates</h3><p>MotoCMS offer a wide range of premade templates in various styles and tones. There’s enough variety to meet the design requirements of most businesses, and the templates are arranged by industry type to ensure an easy selection process.</p><p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-06_at_22_57_59476x0-is.png" /></p><p>However, as I mentioned earlier, some of this design excellence is lost in the transition to mobile.</p><h2>Features</h2><h3>Social Media</h3><p>MotoCMS have a social media widget that is quite easy to use and allows you to integrate <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/?lang=en">Twitter</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>. It does this quite well, but it would be great to see a few more integration options available.</p><h3>Extras</h3><p>In MotoCMS, each template has an option for a few extra paid plug-ins like an SEO Audit and in-Depth Preloader Customization. These vary according to template.</p><p>MotoCMS do have some basic features like Google Analytics available for free, but that’s a bare minimum for most CMS these days.</p><h3>Widgets</h3><p>A wide range of useful and functional widgets are available as drag-and-drop items on the page editor. This selection includes galleries/portfolios, contact forms, text boxes, videos, and google maps.</p><p>The eCommerce widget is a premium extra and it’s quite expensive (up to $159), but there’s no other option if you want eCommerce functionality on your MotoCMS site.</p><h3>Blogging</h3><p>Only some of MotoCMS’s templates feature a blogging section, which will create a bit of a roadblock for many potential users. They have a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.motocms.com/blog/en/motocms-templates-with-blog-functionality/">few</a> templates with blogging options as standard, but the selection is extremely limited.</p><h3>Pricing</h3><p>MotoCMS offers a 14 day free trial period. After this, you're provided with a range of price options that are arranged in pack sizes. This applies to your own drag-and-drop creations.</p><p>Their basic price option includes a MotoCMS 3 website template for $199 and a HTML template for $139. There are optional extras available such website installation, an eCommerce plugin, an <i>Advanced</i> eCommerce plugin, or a ready-made website.</p><p>All of their plans and templates come with 24/7 customer support which doesn't discriminate by price. The pricing is very straightforward and transparent.</p><h2>Pros:</h2><p>The full hosting package gives users a comprehensive website including hosting.</p><p>The site has a nice range of contemporary templates that are perfectly suited to their ‘genre’.</p><p>The WYSIWYG interface is straightforward enough.</p><p>Sleek UI and UX design means that navigating is a breeze.</p><h2>Cons:</h2><p>The interface is a little clogged with sales pitches, offers of customer support help and calls to action. Distracts a little from the experience.</p><p>Signup feature is a little clunky and time consuming. Too much market research crammed in.</p><p>The responsive versions of the main templates look very disjointed.</p><p>Only some templates have blogging features as standard.</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>MotoCMS is a decent CMS option for small businesses. It’s a bit lacking in the features department, and the page editor is just about average, but it does provide good value and excellent hosting capabilities.</p><p>The template selection is decent and their template + hosting package is definitely good value.</p><p>The problem with MotoCMS is that it isn’t really the obvious choice for either the beginner or the professional. It sits on the fence a bit in this regard.</p><p>The design professional may not be overly impressed with the features available, and the less experienced site builder may find it a little too complex. Not a massive issue, but it’s worth noting.</p><p>Overall, MotoCMS provide a decent service at a reasonable price, and you can mix and match the plugins as you need. The lack of a blogging platforms available will be an issue for some, but this is still a site builder that’s worth checking out.</p><p>For more information, visit the MotoCMS site <a href="/products/motocms">here.</a></p><p>Have you used MotoCMS or are you interested in trying it out? We'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.</p><p> </p>

MotoCMS Review 2016

<p>With 2015 well and truly behind us, it's time to look forward to another year of activity from all corners of the vast CMS world.</p><p>Content management systems across the world are constantly being born, updated, exchanged and even <a href="/900dpi-set-to-shut-its-doors/">declared dead</a>.</p><p>In the midst of all that drama, it's sometimes hard to look past the biggest players on the market.</p><p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bigstock-white-conceptual-keyboard--cm-111546596614x0-is.jpg" /></p><p>Names such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, PrestaShop, Magento, Shopify, Squarespace, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a>, Wix and a host of other big names make up the glossy outer layer of the CMS industry, each one battling for niche domination. And although those battles are exciting, they are to be expected.</p><p>However, beneath that surface, the rest of the CMS world buzzes away. The the budding platforms, the smaller startups and the vendors that have been carving out a name for themselves for years are all making their own moves – and I, for one, don't want to miss a single bit of it.</p><p>So, without any further ado, here's a list of twenty-five CMS to watch in 2016.</p><h2>1. <a target="_blank" href="http://link.sitey.com/56a8f107d0d96/click">Sitey</a></h2><p>Everybody loves a good website builder, mainly because they do the basics so simply. Sitey is one such platform.</p><p>It's free, boasts over a hundred responsive templates, and can host blogs as well as online stores. What most impresses me though, are the templates. The quality doesn't seem to fade, no matter how deep you delve into their template library. That's rare to find with a website builder that already offers up a solid feature set.</p><p>I'll be keeping tabs, and I hope to get my hands on it for a full review sooner rather than later.</p><h2>2. <a target="_blank" href="http://format.com/">Format</a></h2><p>It's designed for creative minds, according to the website. Format is built to handle the online presences of photographers, illustrators, designers and artists.</p><p>They too have a healthy selection of themes to choose from, each one with a focus on presenting imagery. There's no long-term free plan, but its prices are reasonable.</p><p>To find out more about Format, you can check out our <a href="/format-review/">Format Review</a>.</p><h2>3. <a target="_blank" href="http://siftr.co/">Siftr</a></h2><p>Siftr is another portfolio website builder, but it comes with a twist of “artificial intelligence”.</p><p>Once you connect up your Facebook, Instagram and Flickr profiles, Siftr sifts through your galleries, curating your best work as it goes. It then automatically creates galleries on your Siftr powered website.</p><p>You can then make edits to the way your images and content is displayed, in order to bring the best out of your work.</p><h2>4. LightCMS</h2><p>LightCMS is a website builder with a slightly more technical focus – which it seems to be focusing on more and more lately.</p><p>Voted as the <a href="/the-winner-of-the-2014-peoples-choice-cms-award-for-best-cloud-cms-for-smb/">Best Cloud CMS for SMBs 2014</a>, LightCMS competes in terms of simplicity and approachability with the likes of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> and Wix, but it also boasts a Developer Program, which empowers web designers and agencies to white label and re-sell the platform to their customers.</p><p>Thanks to this blend of website building and white labeling, LightCMS finds itself in a relatively unique position, making it one to watch out for,</p><p>You can find out more about LightCMS by checking out our recent LightCMS featured week.</p><h2>5. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.django-cms.org/en/">Django CMS</a></h2><p>Django CMS was recently voted in as the <a href="/announcing-the-2015-winner-for-best-open-source-cms/">Best Open Source CMS 2015</a>, which is reason enough to keep tabs on them this year.</p><p>Built upon Django, a Python web framework, Django CMS is proven in the enterprise market, although its app-esque interfaces make it brilliantly approachable.</p><p>If you'd like to understand the inner-workings of Django CMS a little further, check out my recent <a href="/django-cms-review/">Django CMS Review</a>.</p><h2>6. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.strikingly.com/">Strikingly</a></h2><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.strikingly.com/">Strikingly</a> is another website builder that captured my attention on a few occasions in 2015. I found myself recommending it to people who needed small, manageable one-page style websites on more than one occasion. Probably because that”s exactly what its built to produce,</p><p>I don”t expect too many new groundbreaking features from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.strikingly.com/">Strikingly</a> in 2016 (after all, how functional can a one-pager really get?) but I do expect it to continue being a one-pager specialist, and at a fair price, too.</p><h2>7. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.phpfox.com/">PHPFox</a></h2><p>The social network builder market has been stale for the last few years (to say the least), but a handful of products are starting to re-emerge as worthy platforms for small, medium, and large sized online communities. PHPFox is one such product.</p><p>PHPFox “Neutron” was initially launched alongside Nebula, PHPFox's original, older platform. Now, though, Neutron has become the sole offering, meaning that the old PHPFox is gone – leaving one core product.</p><p>It's not a hosted solution, although in my eyes, that should be the next step for this promising community building solution.</p><h2>8. <a target="_blank" href="http://pulsecms.com/">PulseCMS</a></h2><p>PulseCMS is a flat-file CMS, meaning that it can be quickly downloaded and uploaded to any server with no database setup process to worry about.</p><p>Founded in 2009, PulseCMS isn't exactly new to the market. Unfortunately though, it doesn't have the broad feature set to match its age.</p><p>However, it's under new management since December 2015, which I learned when PulseCMS responded to my recent review by mentioning that more themes and plugins were in development. They also liked my idea to bring WYSIWYG editing into the fray, so here's hoping 2016 is a big year for PulseCMS.</p><p>To learn more about how PulseCMS works, <a href="/pulse-cms-review/">check out my PulseCMS Review</a>.</p><h2>9. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.motocms.com/">MotoCMS</a></h2><p>Another website builder trying to reinvent the wheel, some might quip. But MotoCMS is a genuinely good product with a lot to offer.</p><p>In 2015, MotoCMS 3.0 was launched, and it came with a bunch of features to complement its impressive themes. The hosted platform can be set up in two minutes, and is super easy to edit with, even from a mobile device.</p><p>The word I used to describe it in my <a href="/motocms-review/">MotoCMS Review</a> was “crisp”. Take a read of it to find out why.</p><h2>10. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.concrete5.org/">Concrete5</a></h2><p>Concrete5 has long been a trusted content management system. The open source platform is available for download, although it also offers a hosted solution, catering to personal projects, enterprises and everybody in between.</p><p>Japan's biggest website hosting provider, Sakura, recently started offering Concrete5 as an auto-install option – a bit of a coup considering that they valued it before the likes of Drupal and Joomla.</p><p>Plus, they recently revamped their website, bringing in a more modern look, and I'm sure they will continue to improve internally as the year goes on.</p><h2>11. <a target="_blank" href="https://socialengine.com/">SocialEngine</a></h2><p>2015 was a positive year for SocialEngine. Updates came regularly, and they seem to have emerged from a period of uncertainty.</p><p>As previously mentioned, only a handful of community building products are worth talking about at the moment, and I think SocialEngine is a product with a bright future.</p><p>With SocialEngine PHP and SocialEngine Cloud, I consider SocialEngine to be an online community builder with real potential. It has a good range of features, although I've never been too convinced by its theme library. Hopefully 2016 will have some better themes in store for us.</p><h2>12. <a target="_blank" href="https://mobirise.com/">Mobirise</a></h2><p>A website builder should be all about accessibility. Mobirise is a fairly new solution that allows you to build a relatively well-rounded website, offline.</p><p>So, you can roll into your client's office, fire up Mobirise, and thrash out some website design ideas without ever having to ask for their WIFI password.</p><p>Features are few and far between at the moment, but since my Mobirise Review, updates have already started to trickle in. I expect that to continue into 2016.</p><p>To learn more about how Mobirise can help you put a website together offline, check out my recently published Mobirise Review.</p><h2>13. <a target="_blank" href="http://pagecloud.com/">PageCloud</a></h2><p>Before launch, they claimed that their product would be “the world's most advanced website editor”.</p><p>Today, PageCloud is looking very promising indeed. Despite being cloud-based, PageCloud integrates with popular desktop apps like PhotoShop and Illustrator, while also playing nice with online platforms like MailChimp and Shopify. In-line editing is a big part of its identity, although it also offers up functionality like copy and pasting across apps.</p><p>CMS Critic Founder <a href="/interview-with-pagecloud-ceo-founder-craig-fitzpatrick/">Mike Johnston recently interviewed PageCloud CEO Craig Fitzpatrick</a>, so be sure to check that out for a deeper understanding of the platform.</p><h2>14. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.online.me/">Trident</a></h2><p>Boonex has been proudly pushing Dolphin.Pro as its flagship community website builder. Trident, though, is the company's latest downloadable venture.</p><p>Officially launched right at the very end of 2015, Trident has been in development for over 5 years. But it's now operating as a fully fledged SCMS (Social Content Management System).</p><p>It boasts a full set of CMS features, such as; custom page builders, navigation builders, a database builder, multiple-languages, content publishing modules, a media uploader, permissions control and more. Plus, it offers “unprecedented core tools” for social networking projects.</p><h2>15. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.silverstripe.org/">SilverStripe</a></h2><p>I sat down with SilverStripe CeO Sam Minnée and discussed SilverStripe's future over coffee in London a few months back. He was preparing for StripeCon Europe 2015, but he had time to show plenty of enthusiasm for the next big step – SilverStripe 4.</p><p>He mentioned that, “[With SilverStripe 4, we want to] allow for more flexible authoring via intuitive interfaces for block-based designs, without locking [the user] into that. Instead, we want to say that this is just one of the tools you can use.”</p><p>He told me the first beta would be released in “early 2016”, so I'm hoping to see that any day now.</p><h2>16. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.subbly.co/">Subbly</a></h2><p>The subscription box niche has been hotting up for a while, and <a href="/cratejoy-vs-subbly-battle-for-the-subscription-box-niche/">I summarised the battle going on between two dedicated subscription box eCommerce solutions a few months back</a>; one of which was Subbly.</p><p>Subbly was launched half-way through 2014 by Stefan Pretty and his small, passionate team. Their platform is healthily stocked with features, and their pricing relates to how many subscribers you have, rather than actual transaction fees.</p><p>Stefan Pretty personally informed me that 2016 would be a year with, “more features and themes”, so I'll be keeping a look out for those.</p><h2>17. <a target="_blank" href="http://start.cratejoy.com/">CrateJoy</a></h2><p>CrateJoy is the other combatant in the fight for subscription box eCommerce solution battle. CrateJoy boasts a larger presence, a larger team, and more funding, although with Subbly putting up a valiant fight, both of these products are worth keeping up with during 2016.</p><p>Unlike Subbly, though, CrateJoy opts to charge transaction fees along with its monthly bill. This is one of the core differences between the two platforms, as I mentioned in my coverage of the “<a href="/cratejoy-vs-subbly-battle-for-the-subscription-box-niche/">Battle for the Subscription Box Niche</a>“.</p><p>CrateJoy is the biggest player in the growing subscription box market, so you'd be missing out if you didn't keep tabs.</p><h2>18. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.myportfolio.com/">Adobe Portfolio</a></h2><p>It's in the name, but Adobe Portfolio helps you build an online portfolio. And it does it with a snazzy style that only Adobe can pull off.</p><p>You simply choose a layout, upload your images, and get editing. The entire layout is editable, with a simple interface which ensures anybody can make their work look great. Oh, and it also syncs with Behance, allowing you to publish once across the two mediums. That's an integration that will grab the attention of many designers.</p><p>I'm a fan of the platform already, but with only five layouts on offer, I'm hoping 2016 will bring a few more.</p><h2>19. <a target="_blank" href="https://ghost.org/">Ghost</a></h2><p>Ghost has excited me ever since it burst on to the blogging scene in late 2013.</p><p>For a while, it was hailed as the blogging solution that might best WordPress. Although it's nowhere near doing that in terms of sheer numbers (with WordPress accounting for over 20% of websites with known content management systems),, Ghost does offer up a refreshingly crisp blogging platform, with features that many prefer over WordPress.</p><p>It's still a relatively young platform, and I'm hoping 2016 will be a big year for this little gem.</p><h2>20. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boonex.com/">Boonex Dolphin.Pro</a></h2><p>I mentioned Boonex Dolphin.Pro when I discussed Trident (number 14 on the list). so, Boonex is behind two of the products I'll be keeping a close eye on this year.</p><p>Dolphin.Pro is their flagship product, powering over 300,000 online communities world wide. It's already jam packed with features, but with other social network softwares upping their game, I expect to see Boonex follow up on their recent <a href="/dolphin-pro-7-2-released/">Dolphin.Pro 7.2 release</a> with more goodies for their community throughout the year.</p><p>I got my hands dirty with the platform not too long ago, so be sure to read my <a href="/boonex-dolphin-pro-review/">Boonex Dolphin.Pro review</a> to find out more about how it works.</p><h2>21. <a target="_blank" href="https://thegrid.io/">The Grid</a></h2><p>The Grid is a website builder that”s aiming to change the way we experience website building. It brings artificial intelligence into the fray, making each of its websites smart enough to adapt to content changes, automatically apply design tweaks, and so forth.</p><p>Despite its potential, <a href="/the-grid-artificial-intelligence-meets-web-design-or-does-it/">I personally have my reservations about Grid</a>, but that's only more of a reason to watch out for any progress.</p><h2>22. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nopcommerce.com/">nopCommerce</a></h2><p>nopCommerce surprised a few people when it pipped industry leaders to the <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/cmscritic/status/689124383390961666">award for Best eCommerce Solution for SMB 2015</a>.</p><p>The free and open source ASP.NET solution is trusted by over 25,000 stores, boasting themes, plugins and a user friendly admin panel.</p><p>With their first award win here at CM Critic, there's no doubtng the strength of their community (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nopcommerce.com/boards/">which thrives within the nopCommerce communiy forums</a>). But i'm confident that their product will go from strength to strength this year, too.</p><h2>23. <a target="_blank" href="http://pligg.com/">Pligg</a></h2><p>Pligg drifted into dark waters throughout 2015, with updates drying up completely. Why, you ask? Well, <a href="/pligg-cms-goes-up-for-sale/">the owner's decision to sell the online community builder may have had something to do with it</a>.</p><p>And in December 2015, that sale went through on Flippa, for $56,000. In other words, Pligg is under new management – and I'm hoping that those in charge will revitalise the platform this year. It's already gone through a website re-design, so Pligg's future is once again looking bright.</p><h2>24. <a target="_blank" href="http://lemonstand.com/">LemonStand</a></h2><p>LemonStand is another eCommerce solution worth keeping tabs on this year. The snazzily designed platform is geared towards medium and large scale businesses, rather than to one-man-bands.</p><p>It has everything a standard eCommerce solution should have, plus powerful extras like; A/B testing, subscriptions, wholesale products, email marketing and advanced analytics, all built into the platform.</p><p>Why watch them in 2016? Well, <a target="_blank" href="https://lemonstand.com/roadmap">their roadmap looks very interesting</a>, with features like blogging and “advanced CMS” functionality already in the works.</p><h2>25. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackmonk.com/">BlackMonk CMS</a></h2><p>Last but not least, is BlackMonk CMS. <a href="/blackmonk-cms-review/">I first got my hands on this product back in 2014</a>, and their Banglore-based team has steadily improved the product ever since.</p><p>BlackMonk CMS took heed of some of the advice within my review, <a href="/blackmonk-v3-2-released/">by introducing rich formatting and multimedia support when creating pages</a>. I highlighted how the product lacked such features, and pointed out that it was an issue. To BlackMonk's credit, they saw to it very quickly indeed.</p><p>They have been updating the platform regularly, and even rolled out a <a href="/blackmonk-small-business-edition-released/">small business edition</a> a few months back.</p><h2>Who Are You Watching?</h2><p>That's my list of content management systems to watch in 2016. I'm looking forward to seeing how they all develop, alongside the bigger players, of course.</p><p>Think I missed out a platform worth watching? Let me know what CMS you'll be keeping your eye on this year in the comments below.</p><p> </p>

Top 25 CMS to Watch in 2016

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Spot what confuses your users with Hotjar & AI

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<p><a href="https://www.prestashop.com/en/">Prestashop</a> is an industry leader in the ecomerce solutions sector, with over 230,000 stores hosted online. This popular platform completely took over the ecommerce space with the launch of Prestashop Cloud in 2014 and has been thriving ever since.</p>
<p>Prestashop Cloud is the only free, cloud-based ecommerce platform in the world. Yep, that’s right, it’s <em>free.</em></p>
<p>So what’s the catch?</p>
<p>Whilst I’d love to join the Prestashop Cloud fanclub solely on the basis of its incredible pricing (i.e. the pricing that doesn’t exist), I had to suss it out for myself. Read on for my review of the popular ecommerce platform.</p>
<h2>The Initial Setup</h2>
<p>This was a doddle. To get set up with Prestashop Cloud, you simply have to select the ‘cloud’ option on the homepage and a window will pop up with 3 sections.</p>
<p>In the first section, you type in your email address and a name for your site. In the second section, you’ll be asked to create a domain, select your home country, and select your reason for joining the site. The final section then asks for your first and last name, and a password.</p>
<p>The whole process takes about 60 seconds.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_16_14_55522x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>When you’ve completed this, an email will be sent to your inbox with a link to verify your account. Easy.</p>
<p>Oh, and if you don’t want to receive any Prestashop news emails from these guys, remember to untick the little box beside the fine print before confirming your details. I’ve previously expressed how much that default tick irks me on these sites and I’m sure a few of you feel the same.</p>
<h2>The Dashboard</h2>
<p>After signing up, you’ll be redirected on the admin dashboard. Here, you’ll find access to domain configuration, settings, support/help. There is also a link to bring you to the management panel for your online store.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_16_17_52.png" /></p>
<h2>Help/Support</h2>
<p>The <strong>Help </strong>section offers assistance via tickets, and each user is assigned 10 of these for free to start with. If you require more assistance, though, you’ll have to pay for it. (aha, catch number 1?).</p>
<p>$179.00 for some customer support? Seriously?</p>
<p>That said, it <em>is</em> a free platform – so I can't get too peeved on this one.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_17_57_03705x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>With the support that's available on the website itself, you may not need to access this extra help at all. There’s plenty of information available on the Prestashop Cloud forums (probably because no-one else wants to pay for it either).</p>
<p>The forums are packed with insider info and tips and definitely worth a look before you send off a ticket, as you’ll probably find the answer to your query there instead.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_16_16_50932x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2>The Back Office</h2>
<p>To get to this part of the platform, you have to select the ‘Manage My Store’ tab and log-in again to be brought to the back office of your site. I’m not sure why you have to log-in again, though, seems a bit pointless and time-consuming. Once you get there, however, you’ll be impressed enough to get over it.</p>
<p>In the back office, you’ll find the admin panel for each store. The layout here is easy to navigate, sleek, modern, and designed with the user in mind.</p>
<p>The first thing that pops up here is the PrestaShop tour, which has 4 sections to work through: Customize Your Shop, Add Products, Configure Payments, and Choose Your Shipping Options. It stays on the page every time you log in until you complete it. I’ll come back to these later.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_23_341076x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>The top menu and left-hand sidebar both provide easy access to all of the tools you need to manage your site, from latest orders to registrations, and the activity overview section is unbelievably comprehensive – considering that it’s free.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_19_42891x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>Here, you can monitor online visitors, orders, visits, product reviews, and many more relevant notifications/statistics.</p>
<h2>Customizing Your Store</h2>
<p>This is Step 1 in the Prestashop tour. Once you click the link, you’ll be brought to page where you can adjust the settings on your default theme or choose a new theme for your store.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_34_23872x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>Clicking on the ‘Theme Configurator’ will present you with a number of options, depending on the theme you’re using.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_37_13511x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>If you want a new theme, it’ll cost you – as these fall under the ‘add ons’ section in Prestashop. These add ons are basically how the site makes money, since there’s no sign up fee. However, there’s still a lot you can do to make the default theme ‘your own’ and it <em>is </em>free after all.</p>
<h2>Adding Products</h2>
<p>To get here, go to the ‘click access’ menu on select ‘new product’. This process can be as simple or as technical as you want it to be. The left side of the screen, there are a range of options including SEO, attachments, and more.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_41_38735x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Configure Payments</h2>
<p>Prestashop's official payment solution is High Pay, and the 2 other default options are Bank Wire and Payment by check. Prestashop also supports and recommends further options such as <a href="http://www.skrill.com">Skrill</a>, <a href="https://www.realexpayments.com">Realex</a>, and Cash on delivery.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_46_26858x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Shipping Options</h2>
<p>Prestashop allows users to set up different shipping carriers. Users can also set default carriers, handling charges, and configure where order free shipping value starts at.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_18_41_38735x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>To organize taxes, you have to head over to the ‘Localisation’ page and go to ‘Taxes’, where you can add the name of the tax and give it a percentage value. To determine ‘Tax Rules’, you have to go to select this in the sidebar and go to a third page. It’s not a massive hassle, but it’s all a bit messy and could be laid out more intuitively.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_19_16_33844x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Front Office</h2>
<p>Once you’re finished in the back office of the site, you can head over to the front office to preview the fruits of your labor. Here, you can also adjust your theme color and the fonts used in your store. There could be more done with this section, but it works fine as a simple preview tool for now.</p>
<h2>PrestaShop Apps and Addons</h2>
<p>This is the main revenue stream for Prestashop and there are bucket loads of apps and extensions to choose from. If you’re the type to pay $10 for a flight on a budget airline, and then spend 5 times that on ‘in-flight purchases’, then you’ll probably end up with a few PrestaShop addons in your pocket too. And I don’t blame you – sometimes you just need to indulge and Prestashop offer a number of tempting online treats.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-03-02_at_19_16_33844x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>Whether you need help with marketing or web design, Prestashop has your back. You do have to re-register for it though, which is a little annoying. Plus, when there’s effort required, you’ll probably think twice.</p>
<h2>Pros:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Completely free, cloud-based ecommerce platform</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Easy to navigate</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Extensive customer forums for support</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Incredibly comprehensive range of features available including forecasting and analytics</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Excellent ‘add-on’ options</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Cons:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Customer Support gets a little pricey after you use up your free allowance</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The add-ons are great, but they’re paid extras</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Front Office section could be utilized more, it’s a little bare</p>
</li>
<li>Taxes section is a little bothersome to navigate</li>
</ul>
<h2>The Final Verdict</h2>
<p>Overall, Prestashop Cloud is a powerful ecommerce platform that outperforms a number of similar platforms on the market at the moment. And, it’s <strong>free</strong> – which makes it a seriously attractive option. It includes all of the core features you’d expect in an ecommerce platform and it throws in a few quality extras too.</p>
<p>Is there a catch? Kind of. The add-ons will set you back a bit and the payment for support is a little steep once you go over your initial 10 tickets. But who’s going to complain about that when it’s completely free in every other way? Not me.</p>
<p>This is an incredible ecommerce hosting platform with a strong community, an impressive design, and an array of quality features – especially in terms of forecasting and analytics.</p>
<p>Just <a href="http://www.prestashop.com" target="_blank">click here</a> to check it out for yourself.</p>
<p>Have you tried Prestashop Cloud out yet? We would love to hear about your experience in the comments section below.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>


Prestashop Cloud Review 2016

<p></p>
<p>Personalization has now successfully exited the “buzzword” phase. Today, its pretty much the first thing on the minds of most, if not all, enterprise marketing teams.</p>
<p>To keep up, dotCMS has unveiled some new personalization anf targeted content features, which can be tested via the dotCMS 3.5 beta.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dotcms-250h-1.jpg" /><br />There's no news on when the final release will be, but here's what you can expect.</p>
<h2>Personalization Personas, Tags &amp; dotCMS Rules</h2>
<p>Based on this beta, dotCMS 3.5 will be brimming with new features.</p>
<p>The sizeable update will bring with it; Personas, Conditions, Actions, Visitors, Weighted Tags and Content Scoring, all working in tandem to help marketers and developers quickly build more relevant and more engaging experiences for their visitors.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/edit-mode-view-as-persona536x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>Personalizing content wasn't beyond the reach of dotCMS before this update, but version 3.5 is certainly taking things to a new level.</p>
<p>The new Rule Builder in dotCMS has been designed to be used by site admins, marketers and content editors. They can set up complex Rules for targeting content or performing other actions without having to write any code at all.</p>
<p>Rules can be used to glean “ambient” visitor information such as; the visitors geolocation, their referring url, their browser capabilities and their visit history. In other words, dotCMS is now prepared to provide some pretty comprehensive segmentation options.</p>
<h2>Passive &amp; Active Targeted Content</h2>
<p>The dotCMS Rules engine will allows business users to drive both passive and active personalization and easily deliver targeted content.</p>
<p>Passive personalization occurs without any specific action from a visitor and happens as a visitor browses pages or views content. dotCMS 3.5 will look at how those contents or pages have been tagged and store this information in the visitor’s session as “Accrued Tags”.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/persona-flyout-startersite206x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>Active Personalization on the other hand, allows a visitor to select their interests manually, creating their own Persona and based on their selections. dotCMS can then display specific content tailored to each Persona.</p>
<p>dotCMS 3.5 is currently a limited beta, so you'll need to <a href="https://dotcms.com/content-management-system/Personalization-preview" target="_blank">request access here</a>.</p>
<p>Interestingly, you can also experience dotCMS' personalization prowess first hand by visiting their <a href="http://demo35.dotcms.com/" target="_blank">live 3.5 demo</a>, where you'll be served content based on a pre-assigned Persona.</p>
<p>To find out more about this beta release, <a href="https://dotcms.com/blog/post/dotcms-rules-targeted-content-and-personalization" target="_blank">check out the dotCMS announcement</a>.</p>
<p>To explore more of dotCMS, <a href="http://dotcms.com/" target="_blank">visit their website</a>, or explore them <a href="/2014-critics-choice-award-winner-best-cloud-cms-for-smb/" target="_blank">via our CMS Directory</a>.</p>
<p></p>


dotCMS 3.5 Beta Showcases Targeted Content and Personalization Features

<p></p>
<p>The first beta for WordPress 4.5 is in full flow, with a final release date set for April 12th 2016. And thankfully, unlike with WordPress 4.4, I'm quite looking forward to clicking the update button on release day.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/wordpress-logo-stacked-rgb_400x0_1.png" /></p>
<p>I've had my moments with WordPress recently. I have channeled some of my thoughts on the world's most popular CMS via my <a href="/wordpress-4.4-beta-bare-bones/" target="_blank">coverage of WordPress 4.4 (where I labeled the update as a bare bones excuse for a semi-major update)</a>, and also through my article entitled; “<a href="/how-wordpress-needs-to-improve-itself/" target="_blank">How WordPress Needs to Improve Itself (In 6 Ways)</a>“.</p>
<p>In fact, the latter publication caused a bit of a stir. In return, <a href="/how-not-to-show-your-support-for-wordpress/" target="_blank">I recieved some scathing feedback from well-known WordPress advocate, sparking a small debate</a>.</p>
<p>But as WordPress 4.5 edges closer, I'm happy to report that it looks far more useful than its predecessor.</p>
<h2>Customizer Gets a Much Needed Update</h2>
<p>The usefulness of WordPress 4.5 will largely reside in the updates it has for Customizer, WordPress' front-end editing environment.</p>
<p>But to be fair, there's more to it than that. Here's a summary, borrowed from the official WordPress announcement:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Responsive Preview of your site in the Customizer </strong>– See how your site looks in <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/01/28/previewing-site-responsiveness-in-the-customizer/">mobile, tablet, and desktop</a> contexts before making changes to its appearance.</li>
<li><strong>Theme Logo Support </strong>– Native support for a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/02/24/theme-logo-support/">theme logo within the Customizer</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Inline Link Editing</strong> – Within the visual editor, <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/files/2016/02/wp-inline-linking.mp4">edit links inline</a> for a smoother workflow.</li>
<li><strong>Additional Editor Shortcuts</strong> – <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/files/2016/02/wp-editor-updates.mp4">Includes a few new shortcuts</a>, like `..` forcode and **..** for <strong>bold</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Comment Moderation Improvements</strong> – An enhanced experience when moderating comments, including preview with rendered formatting.</li>
<li><strong>Optimization of Image Generation </strong>– Image sizes are generated more efficiently and remove unneeded meta, while still including color profiles in Imagick, for reduced sizes of up to 50% with near identical visual quality.</li>
</ul>
<p>WordPress developers will get a bundle of updates to play around with, too:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Selective Refresh</strong><strong> </strong>– A <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/02/16/selective-refresh-in-the-customizer/">comprehensive framework</a> for rendering parts of the customizer preview in real time. Theme and plugin authors should test their widgets specifically for compatibility with selective refresh, and note that it <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35855">may ultimately be opt-in for 4.5</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Backbone and Underscore updated to latest versions</strong> – Backbone is upgraded from 1.1.2 to 1.2.3 and Underscore is upgraded from 1.6.0 to 1.8.3. See the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/02/17/backbone-and-underscore-updated-to-latest-versions/">this post</a> for important changes.</li>
<li><strong>Embed templates</strong> – Embed templates were split into parts and can now be directly overridden by themes via the template hierarchy.</li>
<li><strong>New WP_Site class</strong> – More object-oriented approach for managing sites in Multisite</li>
<li><strong>Script loader</strong> – Introduces wp_add_inline_script() for including inline JavaScript just like wp_add_inline_style() works for CSS, and better support for script header/footer dependencies.</li>
</ul>
<p>Now that's an update!</p>
<p>Customizer has long been a relatively handy tool, but it was never truly impressive in terms of functionality. But this update is a solid step in the right direction for that particluar dimension of WordPress.</p>
<p>Plus, inline link editing and improved comment moderation seem like good additions to the platform. I'm hoping the latter can help speed things up when comments start to clutter up the moderation queue.</p>
<p>To find out more about WordPress 4.5 beta 1, <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2016/02/wordpress-4-5-beta-1/" target="_blank">check out the WordPress blog announcement</a>.</p>
<p></p>


WordPress 4.5 is About to Enhance the Customizer Experience

<p></p>
<p>When it comes to website traffic analytics, Google Analytics is by far the most popular and widely used tool on the market. It’s powerful, accurate, easy to install, and practically the industry standard at this point.</p>
<p>However, it’s not perfect, and there are a few flaws in GA that can leave some users feeling a little bewildered. Google has addressed this with a number of ‘hacks’ and native/third party plugins that can improve Google Analytics as you require.</p>
<p>I’ve put together a list of some of the best.</p>
<h2>1. Track Clicks On Links To Other Sites</h2>
<p>Tracking links that leave your site is exceptionally useful as it allows you to judge where and how your traffic flows away from your site. In order to track outgoing links within the system, GA users will have to code by hand which isn’t always the easiest task.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture_4.png" /></p>
<p>There are a number of different ways get around the coding aspect, such as adding a few short lines of jquery (which can be found in a number of sites like <a href="https://github.com/remy/min.js">min.js</a>,<a href="http://zeptojs.com/"> Zepto.js</a>,<a href="http://minifiedjs.com/"> and Minified.js</a>.</p>
<p>Using these lines of code, you can direct Google Analytics' pagetracker to track outbound link clicks extremely easily.</p>
<h2>2. Google Analytics Filters Bot Traffic Automatically – You Just Didn’t Know It</h2>
<p>This simple analytics hack makes life much easier by filtering all the automated bot traffic out of your metrics. So, you’re left with the real clicks that you’re actually interested in.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture_1507x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>To filter all the bot and search spider traffic from your metrics, just go to the Admin settings. In the View panel, you’ll see <em>View Settings</em>. At the very bottom of this panel, you’ll see a small section for <em>Bot Filtering</em> that has a box next to it that says: ‘Exclude all hits from known bots and spiders’.</p>
<p>Once you tick this box you’ll automatically filter all the known bots and search spiders from your metrics.</p>
<h2>3. Use In-Browser Extensions to Display Information In New Ways</h2>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture_5.png" /></p>
<p>Google Analytics can be augmented in many ways that don’t include tampering with your code or your site. There are hundreds of interesting and useful extensions that can be added via your browser.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tag-assistant-by-google/kejbdjndbnbjgmefkgdddjlbokphdefk">The Tag Assistant </a>: This chrome extension allow you to automatically check if you have installed your tracking tags in the correct places.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/table-booster-for-google/mhedbgbipbdppajofkiklhlbbdlldidj">Table Booster </a>: This extension allows you to change the way that data is visualized on your Google Analytics dashboard. This allows you to spot errors and identify trends much quicker.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gaidpiakchgkapdgbnoglpnbccdepnpk">Campaign URL Builder </a>: Using Google Tag Manager? If so, this extension can be a very powerful tool. It lets you insert your own GTM container snippet onto a page so you can create your own test environment test it on a site via your browser</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Track Your Downloads</h2>
<p>Google Analytics allows you to track your downloads ‘out of the box’ but it requires a lot of specific code manipulation that can be a little daunting for most. Fear not, Google Analytics Certified Partner firm <a href="https://www.analyticspros.com">Analytics Pros </a>have developed a plugin that allows you automate the tagging for your download files in just a few clicks.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4.png" /></p>
<p>This can be especially useful if you have a large number of file links on your site or you feel the code aspect might be a little too time consuming.</p>
<h2>5. Get Google Analytics On Your Apple Products</h2>
<p>As recently as two years ago, it was impossible to get Google Analytics to display on your iPhone without using a third party app that people found a little iffy, especially with data protection being such a hot topic.</p>
<p>You might not have realized that Google has launched an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/google-analytics/id881599038?mt=8">iPhone (and iPad) </a>specific app that gives you all of the power of Google Analytics, optimized for your smart phone.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5.png" /></p>
<p>With Google's app, you can track users in real time, analyze behaviours, and check referalls.</p>
<h2>6. Integrate Google Analytics With Google Docs</h2>
<p>A plugin<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-analytics/fefimfimnhjjkomigakinmjileehfopp"> available from Google </a>lets you automatically export your Google Analytics information into Google Docs to allow you to use their powerful word processing and visualization tools to present your site metrics in a clean, shareable manner.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/picture_3887x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>This free plugin allows you to query and display your data from multiple viewpoints, calculate and display custom reports, create pie charts or other visual aids and embed these on third-party websites, schedule your reports to process, and then update automatically.</p>
<h2>7. Use Google Analytics In Your CMS</h2>
<p>You don’t have to stick with Google’s dashboard – you can view your Google Analytics metrics directly on your CMS dashboard with a range of special widgets. Not only do these widgets allow you to easily insert your Analytics code onto your site (usually with a one click solution) but they also allow data visualization of real time traffic.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7.png" /></p>
<p>There’s a range of third party extensions for <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-analytics-dashboard-for-wp/">WordPress</a>, <a href="http://extensions.joomla.org/extension/asynchronous-google-analytics">Joomla</a>, and many others.</p>
<p>It's worth noting that, although most major content management systems support Google Analytics in one way or another, not all of them allow you to view your stats within their dashboard.</p>
<h2>Hack To Your Heart's Content</h2>
<p>These hacks and plugins allow you to bring Google’s powerful Analytic platform to a new level and customize it to the exact way that you need. I hope you’ll find them as useful as I have.</p>
<p>Why not tell us about some of your hacks and plugin finds? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.</p>
<p></p>


7 Google Analytics Plugins & Hacks You Should Know About

<p></p>
<p>If you’re the type to judge a book by its cover, then you’ll love Yola straightaway. The site has a really friendly, fun, and inviting look that will appeal to pretty much everyone. But, what’s behind that pretty face?</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-02-28_at_12_24_18.png" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.yola.com" target="_blank">Yola </a> was set up in 2007 and it’s helped to create more than 10 million websites since then. It was first launched as ‘SynthaSite’ but the name wasn’t a hit with initial users – who complained that the name was too difficult to say or even remember.</p>
<p>As a result, SynthaSite became Yola – the Hindu word for ‘hatch’. This meaning is reflected in one of Yola’s key slogans ‘<em>Yola is where you hatch your big ideas’</em>.</p>
<p>Yola is hardly a new kid on the block, so I decided to check it out and see whether it’s been keeping up with the plethora of new website builders on the market. Read on to find out.</p>
<h2>Getting Started</h2>
<p>Getting setup with Yola is simple, just insert your email address and password and you’ll be logged in with a free account straightway. After this, you just have to type in your chosen domain name and your home/office address details also.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-02-28_at_00_25_00452x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2>Themes</h2>
<p>Once you’ve set up your Yola account you’ll be presented asked to select a theme for your site. However, there are only 10 themes available on the free package and the quality of the templates seems inferior in comparison to Wix.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-02-28_at_00_25_21879x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>After you begin editing your site, a number of premium theme options will also appear – but these are also pretty unremarkable. Of course, you can edit and customize your site to the way you want it, but that takes time and effort that not everyone has to spare.</p>
<h2>Ease Of Use</h2>
<p>The Yola interface is quite easy to use and little ‘pop up tips’ follow the user around the site to ensure that it's easily navigated.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-02-28_at_11_02_00.png" /></p>
<p>However, the drag-and-drop editor on the free version is quite restrictive in comparison to other website builders and it’s not very intuitive. The drag-and-drop is actually limited to page sections, so you can’t drop elements wherever you like on the page which it takes a bit of getting used to.</p>
<h2>Features</h2>
<p>On a basic level, Yola offers the same DIY building blocks as other website builders. For more tech savvy users, the advanced functionality allows for HTML/CSS coding also.</p>
<p>Yola’s features on the free version are pretty sparse, but I was impressed with the SEO capability with allows you to edit your meta tags and page descriptions.</p>
<p>The premium package will also grant you access to ecommerce functionality, mobile and facebook publishing, and more advanced analytics and SEO options.</p>
<p>Yola’s internal blog creator discontinued in 2012 (<em>why?!</em>), but Yola does allow users integrate with a Tumblr blog. I don’t know how if many businesses are using a Tumblr blog, though.</p>
<h2>Customer Support</h2>
<p>The customer support seems pretty standard with Yola. There’s a chat function which is ‘live’ Mon-Fri from 3am-5om EDT, and this is supported by a community forum, training webinar, and help center. Users can also speak with a Yolo expert via email or phone.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-02-28_at_11_25_58.png" /></p>
<h2>Pricing</h2>
<p>Yola is a offers a freemium service. The free version will only allow you to set up a Yola site with 3 pages and a subdomain, so it’s likely you’ll opt for a paid plan if you’re using Yola.</p>
<p>The paid plans consist of Bronze ($4.16/m), Silver ($8.33/m), and Gold ($16.99/m). For more on pricing, <a href="https://www.yola.com/pricing">click here</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen_shot_2016-02-28_at_11_32_51864x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2>Pros:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Beginner friendly: easy to use and navigate</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Solid ecommerce offering</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>HTML/CSS coding option available</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Good SEO capability</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Cons:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Themes are a little dated and the selection isn’t great</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Drag-and-drop feature is a little restricted compared to other site builders, and it’s not as intuitive</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Free version is pretty sparse</p>
</li>
<li>No internal blog</li>
</ul>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>What’s The Verdict?</h2>
<p>Overall, Yola is a decent website building platform. It’s definitely not one of the better platforms I’ve tried – but I was limited to the free version which really isn’t very extensive in its offering. That said, it’s definitely beginner friendly and the ecommerce functionality looks pretty solid at a glance.</p>
<p>Personally, I think that Yola could get a little more creative with the interface and features offering if it wants to keep up with its competitors. So it’ll be interesting to see what if it expands its offering over the next year. If you’d like to try Yola out for yourself, you can sign up for a free account <a href="https://www.yola.com/">here</a>.</p>
<p>What’s your website builder of choice? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!</p>
<p></p>


Yola Review

<p></p>
<p>When it comes to website creation tools, there are a few criteria that all online businesses compete on; price, an intuitive layout, and ease of use.</p>
<p>In recent years, <a href="http://www.jimdo.com/">Jimdo</a> has become one of the more popular website builders on the market for this very reason. This popularity has been based on its plethora of features, easy navigation, and powerful online store features.</p>
<p>According to the Jimdo site, almost 200,000 online stores have been created since Jimdo launched in 2010, with small business owners, creatives, and bloggers as its primary customers.</p>
<p>One thing that causes a lot of CMS to go downhill is the addition of new features. It can be easy to bloat a CMS with unnecessary tools or widgets but it looks like Jimdo has managed to avoid this pitfall.</p>
<h2>Getting Set Up</h2>
<p>Getting your Jimdo account up and running is a pretty simple process.</p>
<p>You just pick a basic template, insert your email, set a password, and you’re on your way.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sign_in_2663x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>From there, you’re taken to a menu where you can select your domain name. Jimdo has a few options here – a free subdomain, your own .com domain for €5 a month, or transferring your own domain over via their nameservers.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/domain512x0-is.png" /></p>
<h2>Features</h2>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, Jimdo places a premium on ease of use. The opening page takes you straight down to business – which is refreshing. Navigation is quite simple and, if anything, maybe a little <em>too</em> simple in places. I would have liked a few more layers of complexity for certain aspects, but this doesn’t hamper the overall experience.</p>
<p>It’s also somewhat ‘inflexible’ when it comes to editing some things. You can’t move some of the text windows, for example.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/editing_page672x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>Jimdo has a well designed and intuitive layout. It also has the kind of drag-and-drop functionality that has become the standard in sites like these. This is an editor with no lag and it ran incredibly fast on all of the browsers I tested it on. You should be aware that all your changes are made live to the site as you save each element.</p>
<p>A ‘preview’ button combined with a feature that only publishes your changes on full completion, might be better suited to the rookie site builder. As it is, every change you make goes live straight away.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Intuition in Design</h2>
<p>If you click on a picture, you can edit it. If you click on text, you can edit it with the <strong>rich text editor </strong>right there on the screen. Everything is very simple and works as you’d expect it to.</p>
<p>You can create your own template from scratch but the available templates are of a great standard and contemporarily designed.</p>
<p><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/templates816x0-is.png" /></p>
<p>The design styles are clean and nicely put together but they might be a little basic for some people’s tastes and seemed a little ‘samey’ to me.</p>
<p>I also found that some templates were a little rigid in their layout but they are well designed overall.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Options</h2>
<p>Jimdo has quite a comprehensive settings page but all the premium features are listed on the free page’s settings, which means that you only find out you don’t have them after you click. A little frustrating.</p>
<p>All of Jimdo packages have a shop function with scaling features. The free package has 5 items, the professional package has 15, and the business package allows you unlimited items.</p>
<p>This online store function is one of Jimdo’s main selling points and it is quite well put together. However, <a href="https://www.paypal.com/">Paypal</a> is the only payment processing option available. This can be a big problem if you don’t want to use that site.</p>
<p><strong>Domains and Email accounts:</strong> Jimdo offers an email service with its premium packages which is something none of its competitors offer. This makes the premium packages extremely good value as they don’t charge extra for this service.</p>
<p><strong>App:</strong> Jimdo’s app is one of the best available when it comes to creating a website on a tablet or smart device. It’s available on both Android and iOS.</p>
<p><strong>Widgets:</strong> All of the plans offer a wide range of Widgets (e.g. YouTube embed, image galleries etc)</p>
<h2>Price Points</h2>
<p>Jimdo is quite reasonably priced. To be honest, the <strong>Free</strong> option isn’t really worth the effort of setting it up. It’s fine for testing something out, but no business or blogger will realistically use this subdomain as it hosts advertisements and offers only a basic package of features.</p>
<p>You can easily upgrade from your Free package to the Premium or Business package and the added features make it well worth it.</p>
<p>Premium packages start at <strong>€5 a month</strong> for the Professional package (charged yearly). This allows you to have one domain name of your choosing, numerous SEO options, and a lot of space.</p>
<p>The Business package is a really good option at <strong>€15 a month</strong>. It seems pricey but you get a ton of features including two domains, unlimited email addresses, unlimited shop items, unlimited storage, discount codes, full SEO customization, and more.</p>
<p>The extensive features available in the Business package make it an extremely good option for the medium sized eCommerce company. For more on pricing, <a href="http://www.jimdo.com/pricing/" target="_blank">click here.</a></p>
<h2>Pros:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Very quick and easy setup.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Fair pricing scale and lot of good features on their mid-range price option.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Offers email hosting with their premium packages.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Well designed app.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wide range of widgets and features</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Cons:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>The platform is only compatible with Paypal, which limits your options drastically.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Lack of a preview button on page means changes are published live to the site.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Slightly inflexible page editor.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>To Sum It Up</h2>
<p>Jimdo is a good website builder that’s just a shade away from being a great website builder. It falls down slightly with its Free package and the depth of editing available on the various templates.</p>
<p>Jimdo’s Business package really seems to be the best deal and it gives you everything that a potential online store could want – at quite a reasonable price for the various features on offer. So if you’re thinking about signing up to Jimdo, I definitely recommend trying going for this option. If you do, you’ll have an intuitive, powerful, easy to use website builder that is well worth the money you’ve paid for it. To sign up for Jimdo, just click <a href="http://www.jimdo.com" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>Have you tried Jimdo for your business? Why not share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.</p>
<p></p>


Jimdo Review

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