A case for building sites with iThemes Builder
Builder is a powerful tool for building custom websites. It offers the most flexibility of any other framework balanced along side a user interface that anyone can learn to use. I often describe it to other developers as a sandwich style layout designer. Kind of like building a hamburger, you can layout any combination of elements stacked up together. There are a few design limitations that come along with that model, but nothing that can not be worked around with a little creative graphic implementations. It works best when you just embrace the simplicity and flexibility of the layout...
read moreBest WordPress Plugins
Michael Torbert of semperfiwebdesign.com and author of the All in One SEO Pack WordPress Plugin wrote an article recently on his “Best WordPress Plugins” that every blog should use. It is a great recommendation for a default install of WordPress. Check it out here: http://semperfiwebdesign.com/blog/best-wordpress-plugins/. I know ‘All in One SEO Pack‘ is on the top of my list. Even if you are not going to put in the effort on your writing for altering titles and descriptions for each post, it does a lot for you just by turning it on with it’s default...
read moreURGENT: Security Vulnerability in Many WP Themes
Many WordPress theme developers (including Main Street) have relied on a nifty little code plugin called TimThumb to resize images for WordPress themes. Yesterday a security vulnerability was discovered that can use this plugin to load malicious code on your site. Current versions of WordPress do resizing automatically, but until recently developers had to rely on plugins like TimThumb for these functions. Unfortunately this flaw is in an incredibly popular plugin that major developers have used for years. All themes by ElegantThemes include this code. We recommend all WordPress users verify...
read moreiThemes Loopbuddy: the plugin I’ve been waiting for
For years, theme developers have been creating sophisticated themes that let us easily change colors, backgrounds, and even column widths. But we’ve always had to revert to “programming” to change the way archives list or posts display. Even seemingly simple tasks like “listing only posts from category=’News’ in a widget area” required searching for plugins that never quite did exactly what I wanted. Of course, you can custom program anything. That’s how companies like Main Street make their living, but it seems like WordPress should offer some...
read moreSpring Cleaning for Your WordPress Site
WordPress is a wildly popular platform for hosting website. When properly configured, it’s extremely secure, easy to use, fast, and incredibly search engine friendly. But the way WordPress achieves these distinctions is by frequent updates and tons of support from third-party plugins. It’s important to review your WordPress site a couple times a year to make sure it is running at it’s best. DISCLAIMER: This list is provided as an outline of technical tasks required. It does not provide step-by-step instructions. Do not mess with the backend of any website unless you know...
read moreCreating a simple web-based registration system using Gravity Forms
Most websites have simple contact forms that collect data from site visitors and email it to a specific contact. This is great for low volumes of responses, but it doesn’t give you an easy way to collect and manage dozens or hundreds of responses without slogging through pages and pages of emails. One of our favorite WordPress plugins is Gravity Forms. This premium plugin lets you create all types of fancy input forms that email the data like usual, but also collects the information in a database which you can export in a spreadsheet format. This gives you an easy way to do simple...
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