3 Fundamental Design Principles for Building a Lawyer Website

In this article, we will explore the essential components that every lawyer website should include to attract leads and convert them into clients. From design and navigation to content and SEO, every detail is critical if you want to take your legal practice to new heights.

In today’s digital age, having an online presence is crucial for businesses in every industry. Whether you’re a real estate agency or a financial institution, consumers mostly turn to the Internet when searching for professional services.

Law firms are no exception. A website is essential for every law firm, regardless of its size. It serves as the initial point of contact for potential clients and can also serve as a powerful marketing tool to showcase your business.

Websites are especially valuable for smaller law firms that may not have extensive resources to compete with larger legal practices. A well-designed website can attract organic traffic without the need for expensive advertising campaigns.

Once you recognize the importance of having a website for your law firm, there are two common approaches to consider.

Option 1: Use a CMS / Page Builder

If you have some knowledge of web development, you can leverage content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or page builders like Squarespace. These tools simplify the process of building a lawyer website, even for those with no prior experience.

WordPress offers a wide range of free and premium themes specifically designed for law firms. Simply choose a theme that aligns with your brand and customize it accordingly. You can also enhance your website’s functionality by adding plugins, such as Google Analytics, to gain insights into your visitors’ behavior.

Using a CMS or page builder to create your own lawyer website is a convenient and cost-effective method. However, it does come with a few drawbacks:

Websites built using these tools often look similar, lacking a unique appearance. To stand out from the competition, you may require assistance from professional developers and designers.
These tools are best suited for simple websites. If you need advanced features or have a complex site structure, you may need to explore other options.
Managing a WordPress website requires technical expertise. Without proper knowledge, you may encounter performance and security issues that could negatively impact your business.

The second option for developing a lawyer website is hiring professionals.

Option 2: Harness the Skills of Experienced Designers and Engineers

Depending on your business needs and plans, opting to have professionals build your lawyer website from scratch can be more or less expensive compared to other approaches. Although it may cost more upfront, the benefits it brings are certainly worth your investment of both money and time.

Here are some advantages of hiring professional developers for your lawyer website:

You will have a unique website built following the best UX and UI design practices. This will enhance the user experience and encourage visitors to stay longer on your site, resulting in more organic traffic and better search engine visibility.
Specific features can be implemented directly into the core of your website, eliminating the need to rely on third-party tools that may not be regularly updated and could lead to errors and crashes.
Your dedicated lawyer website development team will ensure optimal performance, minimizing page load times. Slow-loading pages are a common cause of high bounce rates, and by addressing this issue, you can retain more visitors.

The Site Slinger, with over 16 years of experience, has successfully built numerous websites for law firms of various sizes and complexities. If you choose to follow the custom approach, our team is ready to share our unrivaled expertise with you.

Regardless of the method you ultimately choose to build your law firm’s website, there are certain design considerations that cannot be ignored. Let’s explore these further.

3 Essential Design Guidelines for Building a Lawyer Website

Ensure Smooth and Effortless Navigation

Have you ever found yourself in a sprawling building, trying to locate a specific law firm without any guidance or directory? The frustrating experience of wandering through floors and scanning door plates is far from convenient.

The same holds true for a lawyer website. If your navigation is confusing and difficult to follow, it will only frustrate your visitors, leading them to leave your site for good.

Here are some crucial rules to adhere to when it comes to website navigation:

Keep your menus concise and straightforward. Limit the number of submenus under each main navigation item. Ideally, your main navbar should feature links to the most essential pages, such as Practice Areas, Attorney Profiles, Cases, and more.
Ensure that the main navigation bar is present on every page of your law firm website. This allows visitors to seamlessly switch between different pages at any point.
Consider incorporating a local search box within the main navigation bar, especially if your law firm offers multiple services and employs a large number of attorneys.

User-friendly lawyer websites not only provide a great user experience but also receive higher rankings from search engines like Bing. Such websites are easily indexed by search engine robots, enhancing your visibility online.

If you find it challenging to design the optimal layout and navigation for your lawyer website, our team of expert UX designers is always available to assist you with this crucial task.

Give Utmost Importance to the Visual Representation of Your Legal Business

No matter how impeccable the navigation, layout, and content of your law firm website may be, neglecting its visual representation will render it less valuable as an online resource.

The primary objective of building your lawyer website is to establish unwavering trust with potential clients. While a multitude of words can attempt to demonstrate this, nothing compares to the impact of a perfectly captured photo of your team or an engaging video showcasing your triumphs in resolved cases.

Exceptional visuals are indispensable for a law firm website. Here’s what you should know about this aspect of lawyer website development:

Use original, high-quality photographs. When visitors encounter real individuals in a genuine business environment, their confidence in your skills and competence grows. However, this task is best entrusted to a professional photographer, even if it comes at a cost.
Exercise caution when using images from online photo banks. The Internet is flooded with readily available photos that can be purchased from premium sites or obtained for free from various platforms. Approach these images with skepticism as prospects can discern their lack of authenticity. It’s unwise to present an attorney hiding behind someone else’s identity.
Extend your visuals beyond the confines of your office. While a photo of your team smiling at their desks is commendable, it’s vital to showcase a broader context in which your legal business operates.
For instance, if your office is based in New York City, include a high-resolution, original image of the Statue of Liberty, or if you work in San Francisco, feature the Golden Gate Bridge. This demonstrates to prospective clients that you possess knowledge of local intricacies and can better assist them with their “home-grown” legal concerns.
Harness the power of video in crafting your lawyer website. This medium allows you to bridge geographical distances and connect with clients. A well-executed video where you address common questions or explain why your law firm stands above the rest holds more weight than a hundred pages of text. Additionally, consider incorporating a professional loop video footage of your office in the website header.
Optimize your images for online use. One drawback of high-quality visuals is their potential to hamper page loading speed, a critical factor for any business website. To mitigate this, ensure all images are optimized for the Internet using tools like this. If you find this task challenging, our developers are ready to lend their expertise.

Enable Various Communication Channels to Engage Your Prospects

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When developing your lawyer website, it’s crucial to provide multiple contact options for potential clients. After incorporating captivating visuals, user-friendly navigation, and compelling content, it’s natural that your prospects will want to connect with you.

A vital design principle for attorneys’ websites is to offer several touch points throughout the pages. Here are the essential ones:

Prominently display your physical address, email address, and phone number not only in the header but also on Attorney Profile, Services, Cases, and other significant pages. This ensures that visitors easily find your contact details when they come across a lawyer’s qualifications that meet their specific needs, prompting them to call and become potential leads.
Include a contact form positioned preferably at the top of each page, typically on the right-hand side. Placing it below the fold may cause visitors to miss it, resulting in lost lead opportunities. Keep the form concise, asking for essential contact information like name, email address, and phone number. Once the prospect reaches out, you can gather more details personally.
Incorporate a live chat feature to capture leads effectively. By answering visitors’ questions in real-time, you establish yourself as a trustworthy provider who genuinely cares about your clients. If your lawyer website is built on WordPress, explore various plugins that offer live chat functionality, such as LiveChat.
Integrate social media buttons across all pages of your website. In today’s digital landscape, it’s essential for law firms and potential clients to have a presence on platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). By including these buttons, you make it easy for prospects to visit your social media accounts and engage with your brand.
Use call-to-action (CTA) buttons as another means of contact. For instance, clicking on the “GET A CONSULTATION” button can open an email form or initiate a live chat. Alternatively, it can redirect visitors to a dedicated contact page where they can provide more detailed information about their case. When incorporating CTA buttons, remember the following:
- Limit each page to one clear call-to-action to avoid confusion.
- Make sure the CTA button stands out from other elements on the page, either by increasing its size or using a distinct color.
- Craft meaningful and precise CTAs, such as “GET LEGAL ADVICE NOW” instead of a generic “CONTACT US” message.

By enabling various communication channels, you increase the chances of connecting with potential clients and converting them into valuable leads.

In Conclusion

Creating a lawyer website is a smart decision. It helps legal businesses attract clients and leads with ease. The success or failure of a law firm website depends on various factors, with proper design being one of the most important.

The three design principles discussed above are just a glimpse into the many considerations for a lawyer website. Every aspect must be taken seriously.

However, it is crucial to make a positive impact on visitors with top-notch visuals, provide easy navigation, and offer multiple ways to contact you. Additionally, filling the pages with engaging and informative content is essential too.

While using page builders can help create a basic website, seeking assistance from professional web developers will provide greater value in the long run. You’ll have a unique and impressive website with exceptional performance and desired functionality.

How to Create a High-Performing Real Estate Website: 5 Key Components

Are you considering creating a real estate website? In this post, we will delve into the reasons why investing in a real estate website is essential, explore different development methods, and highlight the key features that every property website should possess.

While physical contact with clients remains vital for real estate agents, it’s important to acknowledge that the majority of people looking to buy, sell, rent, or lease properties begin their search on websites containing property listings. Therefore, if you own or are planning to establish a real estate agency, it is imperative to recognize that a website is not merely a luxury but a necessity.

Why Building a Real Estate Website Should Be Your Top Priority

There are numerous compelling reasons to allocate your resources toward building a real estate website. Here are some of the most significant ones:

Enhances Credibility: A well-designed real estate website positions your agency as a knowledgeable specialist within the local market. Displaying testimonials, reviews, and any awards or certificates you hold instills trust in potential clients.
Expands Reach: Unlike the traditional approaches, a website enables you to reach a much broader audience. Newspaper ads, magazine features, and television commercials may be less effective and more costly compared to online marketing strategies such as pay-per-click campaigns, vlogs, blogs, social media, and affiliate links.
Improves Conversion Rates: A compelling real estate website presents property information in an engaging manner through high-quality photos, videos, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other modern technologies. This means that clients often do not need to meet an agent in person and can ask questions through live chat. This saves you time and effort while generating leads effortlessly.

In addition to boosting credibility, effortlessly generating leads, and promoting your agency to a larger pool of potential clients, a real estate website allows you to stay ahead of competitors in your niche or, at the very least, remain on par with them.

Now that you understand the significance of a website for your business, let’s explore the three main approaches to building one.

3 Common Approaches to Real Estate Website Development

Approach #1: Custom Development – Unleash Your Creativity

For those looking to create a real estate website that stands out, custom development is the way to go. This approach involves hiring a professional real estate website developer or collaborating with a development agency. While it may be the most expensive option, the investment is well worth it.

With custom development, you have full control over every aspect of your site, from image quality to search filters. You can have a unique theme that sets you apart from the competition. Plus, you’re not reliant on third-party vendors, so making changes or adding features is a breeze.

Approach #2: The Golden Mean – Use WordPress

Another popular option for real estate website development is using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress. WordPress offers easy setup and administration, with a wide range of themes and plugins available. You can customize your property website to include any functionality you desire, from search capabilities to security measures.

While WordPress requires some expertise, our team is here to help. We can assist with everything from UI/UX design to database optimization and custom feature development.

Approach #3: DIY Website Builders

If conquering the world isn’t your aim and you simply need a website to advertise a single property, there’s an option for you – a lego-like tool like Squarespace. Unlike the more advanced methods we discussed earlier, these tools provide basic functionality and a generic appearance.

With a website builder, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to create a real estate website. Just drag and drop elements to their desired locations on your pages, and make adjustments to customize their behavior.

However, these “one-cell” tools have their limitations when it comes to building large, feature-rich real estate websites:

Adding new functionality or changing the design is often difficult or impossible.
Your website may end up looking like just another bird in a crowded chicken coop, even with some theme customization.
You’re restricted by the capabilities of the tool. If you require a specific business feature that isn’t available, you won’t be able to add it.

Therefore, if your real estate agency is serious about outperforming the competition, we recommend the custom approach. But regardless of the method you choose, there are certain essential components that every property website should have. Let’s explore these next.

The Essential Elements of a Real Estate Website

Efficient Property Searching

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When designing a real estate website, it is crucial to provide users with a fast and convenient way to search for specific properties. Implementing search filters or fine-tuning options is essential to ensure a seamless experience. These filters should include common parameters such as price, location, and floor space, as well as additional options based on local market demands.

For instance, if there is a concern about industrial objects in the area, consider adding a checkbox filter for that specific requirement. Additionally, offering the ability for registered users to save their search results can help attract more leads.

Informative Property Descriptions

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While text descriptions are important, a real estate website should go beyond that. To engage users effectively, high-quality visuals are crucial. High-resolution images are essential components of property listings.

However, it is important to optimize the images for web use to avoid impacting website performance. Using plugins or consulting with WordPress development experts can help achieve this.

To enhance property listings further, consider incorporating features such as interactive maps to showcase the property’s location and amenities, videos that provide a comprehensive view of the property, and AV/VR technology to offer an immersive experience for potential buyers. These additional features can elevate the overall user experience and make the website stand out in a competitive market.

A Tool to Determine the Value of a Property

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A top-notch real estate website should feature handy calculators.

No matter how enticing a property may appear, potential home buyers would likely hesitate if they couldn’t afford it. On the contrary, if they discover that the price aligns with their budget, you can expect a higher conversion rate.

That’s why it’s prudent to incorporate a tool for calculating property value when designing a real estate website. There are various types of calculators available. For example, one allows users to determine whether purchasing a home is more or less expensive than renting it for a specific duration.

Customer Testimonials

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Trust is paramount in the real estate industry. So, how can you instill trust in your prospects? By highlighting what your clients have to say about your services. Therefore, when developing a real estate website, make sure to include a dedicated section for testimonials.

Make this section dynamic, rather than static, so that you can include as many reviews as possible. If feasible, consider adding a photo of the respective homebuyer or seller who provided the feedback.

If you have received awards, certificates, or other credentials that validate your expertise and experience, consider including their logos or photos too.

Effective Calls-to-Action

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Incorporate a call-to-action button with each property description.

When we talk about “something to act on,” we’re referring to a call-to-action (CTA) button. After conducting research on your real estate website, it should be easy for clients to connect with you or an agent. Therefore, include a CTA button not only in the header but also within each property description. This will significantly increase your chances of generating more leads.

Choose appropriate wording for the button, such as “GET IN TOUCH,” “LET’S MAKE A DEAL,” or other compelling phrases. Opt for a color that stands out from the rest of the page or section. Additionally, provide your contact information alongside each property description on every page, not just in the footer and header.

Final Thoughts

Creating a real estate website is a smart move for any agency. It serves as a powerful marketing tool that attracts new leads, converts them into clients, and adds credibility to your real estate business.

You have the option to use do-it-yourself tools or a CMS to build a simple real estate website. However, if you want to maximize the value of your site, consider custom development. This will give you a unique-looking resource that meets your specific business needs and gives you full control.

A good real estate website should allow home buyers and other participants to easily search for properties and access detailed listings with high-resolution images, quality videos, and maps. It should also provide them with the ability to evaluate their preferred property, read reviews from other clients, and effortlessly contact an agent.

In short, when creating a real estate website, always prioritize the needs of your prospects. Make sure they can navigate the entire process effortlessly and reach a successful deal without any hassle.

Resolving Common Challenges in Building a WordPress Website

WordPress has long been celebrated for its ease of installation and user-friendly interface, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and experienced developers looking to build websites. With its extensive range of themes, plugins, and customization options, WordPress empowers users to create stunning and functional sites with relative ease.

However, as with any powerful tool, there may come a time when issues arise during the WordPress development process. These issues can range from minor frustrations to more complex challenges that require expert guidance. In this post, we will delve into some of the most common of those issues and provide practical advice on how to resolve them effectively.

Whether you’re a novice WordPress user or an experienced developer, understanding these common pitfalls and learning how to address them will not only save you time and frustration but also enhance your overall WordPress development experience.

Let’s get started.

Challenges With Data in WordPress Website Development

Issue #1: Database Connection Failure

One common problem that many WordPress developers and users encounter is the inability to connect to the database. This can occur when trying to add a new blog post, for example. There are various reasons why this may happen:

Incorrect Database Connection Information

First, ensure that the wp-config.php file contains the correct username, password, hostname, and database name. It’s possible that someone may have changed these details without informing you. Check the file and make any necessary edits if the information is incorrect. If it is correct, continue troubleshooting.

Hosting Provider or Server Issue

Another potential cause of database connection problems is your hosting provider. It’s possible that you have exceeded the allowed amount of data in your database. Contact your hosting provider to confirm if this is the case. Additionally, there may be an issue with the server itself, which may require some time to resolve.

Issue #2: Excessive Unnecessary Data

Another significant challenge in WordPress website development is the accumulation of unnecessary data in your database. When you first install WordPress, your database is clean and well-organized. However, as you start adding posts, comments, and other content, additional tables may be created, leading to a complex data structure.

As more data accumulates, querying the database becomes increasingly difficult due to the numerous interrelationships between tables. This can result in slow website performance, especially when dealing with large amounts of data. While WordPress provides methods to simplify the table structure, it may not be sufficient for extensive data sets.

To address this issue, it is recommended to enlist the help of WordPress development experts. They can thoroughly review your database organization and propose effective strategies to maintain a clean and optimized database. With their expertise, you can ensure better performance and efficient data management for your WordPress website.

Common WordPress Issues Related to Plugins When Using or Developing a Website on this CMS

Headache #1: The Home Page or Another Page on Your Site Is Blank

A common issue reported by WordPress website development experts and users is encountering a blank page without any notifications. This problem often occurs when using plugins to enhance the functionality of a WordPress site.

Although WordPress continuously improves with each new release, it heavily relies on plugins for added features. With a vast array of plugins available, it’s easy to choose and install multiple plugins on your site.

However, this can lead to unforeseen problems, such as opening your WordPress website only to find a completely blank page. Without any warnings or notifications, it can be challenging to determine what went wrong.

In such cases, it is vital to consult a WordPress website development professional who can quickly identify the issue. Typically, this problem is caused by a faulty or outdated plugin that may not have been adequately tested.

To troubleshoot this issue, experts recommend temporarily deactivating all plugins to see if the problem persists. Here are the steps to follow:

Access your site via FTP.
Locate the plugins directory.
Rename the plugins directory to something different.

Now, refresh your site and check if the content reappears. If it does, then one of the plugins is causing the problem. Follow these additional steps to identify the culprit:

Rename the plugins directory back to its original name.
Move all plugin folders to a separate folder.
Gradually move each folder back into the original plugins directory, checking the page after each addition.
Once you identify the problematic plugin, remove it or replace it with a different one.

It’s important to note that this issue can affect any page on your WordPress website. Additionally, since PHP is commonly used in WordPress development, a lack of PHP memory can also cause this problem.

To further diagnose the issue, you can enable the debug mode by setting the WB_DEBUG constant to true in the wp-config.php file. This will provide more detailed information about the error, allowing for a quicker resolution.

Issue #2: Sluggish Page Loading Times Becoming a Headache

It’s no secret that plugin-related problems can arise during WordPress website development. While the plugins installed by you or a WordPress web developer may not be inherently faulty, the sheer number of plugins used could be the culprit. We understand the temptation to incorporate as many plugins as possible to fulfill your business needs.

However, an excessive number of add-ons can result in unpleasant WordPress issues, one of which is painfully slow page loading times. If you’ve noticed that your site’s speed is reminiscent of a bygone era rather than meeting modern expectations, it’s time to review your plugin list.

Ensure that you don’t have any unnecessary plugins weighing down your site. Consider streamlining your functions, such as retaining a single plugin for search engine optimization or data analytics purposes.

While custom WordPress development remains the optimal solution for a smooth and swift website operation, we understand that achieving optimal speed can be challenging on your own.

In such cases, it may be worth considering the expertise of our skilled WordPress and WooCommerce developers. Well-versed in essential web technologies, they can add the necessary features to your site, allowing you to avoid complete reliance on third-party WordPress plugin developers.

Some Other Common Issues That Can Arise During WordPress Website Building

Issue #1: The Infamous Parse Error

Dealing with a parse error in WordPress can be frustrating, but fear not, it’s usually an easy fix. Instead of reinventing the wheel, take advantage of others’ coding solutions. Even seasoned WordPress developers make mistakes.

The parse error often occurs due to a missing slash or bracket in external code. The good news is that the error message provides detailed information about the exact location within the file where the issue lies. Follow these steps to fix the issue:

FTP into your site
Locate the file specified in the error message
Identify the line(s) causing the problem
Correct the mistake and save the file
Refresh your browser.

Sometimes, clearing the cache in both the WP admin panel and on the server side might also be necessary.

Opting for expert white label WordPress development services ensures clean, error-free code. These professionals thoroughly test the project before delivering it to you.

Issue #2: Broken Links Leading to the Dreaded 404 Page

We’ve all experienced the frustration of clicking a link only to land on a page displaying a prominent “404” and the disheartening message that the page doesn’t exist. But fear not – you don’t need to be a WordPress web developer to ensure your visitors see the intended page instead of an error page, regardless of how stylish it may be.

Simply navigate to the WordPress admin area and locate the “permalinks” menu item. Check if the URL to which the link points is correct. If it’s incorrect, edit it and save the changes. There could be various reasons why a permalink leads to “nowhereland,” such as a deleted post.

In some cases, it’s advisable to save the permalink changes even if the URL is correct. Just click “Save changes.”

Another possible cause is a problem with the .htaccess file. To address this common WordPress issue, it’s recommended to consult a professional WordPress developer. Modifying the .htaccess file without proper expertise can have unintended consequences, considering its significance in website functionality.

Final Thoughts

WordPress is widely regarded as the most flexible and user-friendly content management system available. With each new version, the platform continues to improve and become more robust. However, it’s important to acknowledge that WordPress does have its fair share of shortcomings, as any WordPress web developer or user can attest.

This article has only touched on a few commonly reported issues that can arise during website development with WordPress. There may be other pitfalls awaiting developers and users alike.

While some non-technical administrators may be able to resolve certain WordPress problems on their own, there will inevitably come a time when an ordinary user encounters a problem they are unsure how to solve. This is when seeking advice from expert WordPress developers can truly add value.

The Pros and Cons of Developing a React WordPress Theme

In this post, we’ll delve into the details of creating a WordPress theme with React and explore the value it brings to the table.

We all know that content is king, but simply creating content isn’t enough. Efficiently manipulating it – adding, editing, and removing – is equally important.

Back in the early days of the Internet, working with content was a daunting task for regular users. That all changed with the advent of content management systems (CMS), and one of the most popular platforms to emerge is WordPress. With its user-friendly admin panel, WordPress allows site owners to effortlessly handle both back-end and front-end tasks.

However, a monumental shift occurred a few years ago when REST API was integrated into WordPress’s core. This decoupled the front-end from the back-end, enabling developers to use other technologies such as React.js to create custom WordPress themes or enhance existing ones. React.js, released by Facebook in 2013, has become one of the most beloved JavaScript frameworks/libraries for this purpose.

So, what makes building a WordPress theme with React so attractive? It all boils down to the REST API, which serves as the architectural style that enables developers to work with React and WordPress. Let’s discuss it next.

REST API: The Architectural Style That Empowers Developers to Build React-Powered WordPress Themes

Previously implemented as a plugin, the REST API is now an integral part of WordPress, revolutionizing the platform.

REST API, an acronym for Representational State Transfer, defines the rules for manipulating website data in the form of collections and objects. Each data type in WordPress has its own endpoint or URL, which developers can leverage in their code to interact with the database.

Data is exchanged between the back-end and front-end as JSON objects, utilizing JavaScript Object Notation. Think of it like a TV remote control – pressing a button sends a signal to the TV, and information starts flowing. In this analogy, the endpoint is the button, and the corresponding JSON object is the signal.

Using the REST API for a WordPress theme with React (or a similar JavaScript framework) offers several advantages. Firstly, the front-end and back-end are distinctly separated, allowing different development teams to work from different locations and servers. This also means you can create a React app as a WordPress theme, resulting in a Single Page Application (SPA) with a unique design and exceptional user experience.

Moreover, a WordPress React theme is highly dynamic, performs well, and can incorporate animations more easily than other frameworks. It can also store data on the client side for faster performance and even function offline thanks to Service Workers.

While using the WordPress REST API isn’t mandatory, the benefits it brings to your project are undeniable. So, why choose React for your WordPress theme? The answer lies in its ability to create a powerful, interactive, and visually appealing website that stands out from the crowd.

React WordPress Theme Development: The Ideal Choice for Your Website

Let’s delve into why React is an excellent library for building WordPress themes.

Fast Development Speed and Easy-to-Grasp Syntax

React’s syntax, known as JSX, combines JavaScript code with HTML elements. Additionally, React treats everything as a component, housing logic, structure, and visual presentation in one place.

Although this may challenge the separation of concerns principle, developers quickly adapt to this concept and find it convenient. Those familiar with JavaScript and HTML can grasp React’s fundamentals swiftly, while mastering advanced concepts may take some time.

The straightforward syntax and familiar technologies make React WordPress theme development fast and efficient, contributing to reduced development costs. However, certain tasks like implementing server-side rendering may require additional time.

Reusable Components

React WordPress theme development offers the advantage of reusing components from one project in another, similar to Lego building blocks. WordPress developers can extract and insert a single ‘cube’ into different sites seamlessly.

While some features might pose challenges when porting them, simple components can be easily transferred. Best of all, these building blocks are independent, allowing modifications without impacting other elements.

Efficient Redrawing of React.js Theme Components

React.js employs a virtual DOM, unlike manipulating the real DOM, which consumes time and resources. Consider a scenario with six checkboxes, one of which is selected. With Vanilla JavaScript or other frameworks, the entire group of checkboxes reloads to reflect the changes in the DOM.

However, if you choose to create a React app for your WordPress theme, only the selected checkbox will be redrawn in the DOM. React provides a virtual DOM object for each real DOM object, serving as a comparison tool. The lightning-fast virtual DOM is re-rendered without delay.

Afterward, React compares the new virtual DOM with the previous version, redrawing only the selected checkbox in the physical DOM. This approach boosts the performance of your themes significantly.

These are just a few remarkable features of React.js that attract site owners towards using React themes for their WordPress projects. To explore more about React’s advantages, check out this post.

Like any technology, React has a few drawbacks, too, but they are minimal.

Limitations of React for WordPress Theme Development

React.js is Continuously Evolving

While React is fast and efficient, it remains a relatively new tool, first released in 2013. Consequently, ongoing development means occasional issues and bugs.

However, with each new version, React becomes more mature and robust. The thriving React development community ensures developers can find solutions to their problems easily.

Additional Efforts for Implementing WordPress REST API With React Might Be Required

Connecting React.js to WordPress through the REST API doesn’t guarantee instant speed improvements. Extensive data retrieval from the database, particularly for complex user interfaces, can hinder performance.

To create a truly fast WordPress theme with React, developers must go the extra mile. For example, they might need to create an indexer to optimize data retrieval or employ other workarounds to enhance the efficiency of the React-WordPress combination.

If you find this overwhelming, the Site Slinger WordPress development team can handle React WordPress theme development for you. With years of experience in React.js, we have created numerous custom WordPress themes harnessing the power of this advanced technology.

React WordPress Theme Development: Frequently Asked Questions

Does a React WordPress theme work well on mobile devices?

Certainly! React is a versatile solution that ensures seamless rendering across all devices. React apps can be built to deliver a flawless user experience on both desktop and mobile platforms.

What about the SEO-friendliness of React?

Search engine optimization can be a challenge when building React apps due to factors like JavaScript rendering and metadata management. Although Google can crawl and index client-side rendered websites, other search engines and SEO tools may have limitations.

To address these issues, developers can employ techniques such as creating isomorphic React apps or utilizing pre-rendering. Isomorphic apps can render on both the client and server sides, enabling search engines to access content while JavaScript loads in the background. Frameworks like Next.js and Gatsby facilitate the development process and help solve SEO-related problems.

Why Is creating React components so efficient?

When building UIs, developers often rely on modern CSS frameworks like Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, or Material Design. These frameworks offer pre-built components that can be easily integrated into React apps, saving significant development time. By leveraging these ready-to-use components, developers can focus on customizing and scaling their apps without starting from scratch.

Is React suitable for WordPress theme development?

Yes, React is a viable option for WordPress theme development since the introduction of the REST API functionality in the core system. With the decoupling of the back-end and front-end, developers can leverage various technologies to create custom WordPress themes. React.js stands out as one of the best choices, allowing seamless communication with the WordPress back-end through HTTP calls and JSON objects.

What are the benefits of using React for WordPress theme development?

Simple Syntax: React offers an easy-to-master syntax, making it accessible for front-end developers of any level.
Component Reusability: React components can be easily reused across different applications, making the development process faster and more efficient.
Virtual DOM Implementation: React’s virtual DOM concept enables rendering only the elements that have changed, resulting in exceptionally fast UI updates.

Can React be used to build custom WordPress themes from scratch?

Absolutely! Building a React.js WordPress theme from scratch gives site owners complete control over every aspect of their websites. Rather than relying on pre-designed themes and struggling to customize them, React empowers developers to create tailor-made themes that perfectly align with their business needs.

Why Your Business Should Choose a Custom WordPress Theme: 7 Convincing Arguments

Some twenty years after its initial release, WordPress remains the world’s most popular content management system (CMS). As of now, WordPress version 6.3 has been downloaded over 53.5 million times and continues to grow in popularity.

WordPress is a versatile platform that caters to various types of websites, from personal blogs to online stores. Renowned companies like Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, and Bloomberg are among its many users.

The secret behind WordPress’s incredible popularity lies in its open-source nature, user-friendly setup and management, and extensive community support. Additionally, WordPress offers a vast selection of plugins and themes to meet the needs of businesses.

While the features of a WordPress website are undoubtedly important, the visual appeal and functionality of the theme can greatly impact the success of a business. In this post, we will explore why choosing a custom WordPress theme is preferable to using a premade free or paid one.

Different Types of Themes: Exploring the Concept and Variants

A WordPress theme consists of files that determine the appearance and layout of a website’s content. These files include CSS stylesheets, templates, images, JavaScript files, PHP files, and more.

There are three options for obtaining themes:

Downloading a free WordPress theme from the official vendor’s website.
Purchasing a premium theme from various sites.
Hiring a professional designer and developer to create a custom theme tailored to your specifications.

While it is possible to customize a premade theme by tweaking its code, building a theme from scratch offers numerous benefits for your business. Let’s explore them.

The Main Benefits of Selecting a Custom WordPress Theme for Your Project

#1: A Custom WordPress Theme Aligns Perfectly with Your Company’s Goals, Vision, and Content

A custom WordPress theme is essential to aligning with your company’s goals, vision, and content. While there are many attractive themes available, modifying their appearance and layout may not accurately reflect your business objectives. This requires the expertise of professional WordPress developers who understand the intricacies involved.

Choosing the right colors and fonts is just the beginning. Before diving into HTML or PHP coding, you must answer several crucial questions:

What are your website’s intended business goals? Is it for representation, lead generation, or sales?
What content will be featured on your main page?
Who is your target audience? What do you know about them, and why would they visit your site?

Only after conducting thorough research, analyzing your business data, and understanding your core needs will a custom WordPress theme developer start coding. Customizing a premade theme to the necessary extent can be time-consuming and may not guarantee the desired outcome.

#2: A Custom WordPress Theme Sets You Apart from Competitors

Even if you alter the colors and content, sticking to the same theme as others will make it difficult for potential customers to remember your website and increase the likelihood of them not returning.

While you may believe that purchasing a premium theme and customizing it to your preferences will differentiate you from other companies in your industry, the unfortunate reality is that five premium themes currently dominate around 25% of the market. As a result, even with significant changes to the purchased theme, its layout and features will resemble those used by many other players in the market.

On the other hand, opting for a custom WordPress theme or a custom WooCommerce theme (for online stores) will set you apart from your competitors. With its unique design that you have personally created, it will enhance brand recognition, customer engagement, and ultimately lead to better sales.

#3: A Custom WordPress Theme Enhances Security

Security is paramount for any business, especially in the face of cyber criminals who exploit website vulnerabilities. One drawback of WordPress’s popularity is that it becomes a prime target for hackers. Shocking statistics reveal that 90% of the sites targeted by hackers a few years ago were powered by WordPress.

So, how do these cybercriminals usually gain access to WordPress websites? They often download free themes or purchase premium ones, then dismantle the code to uncover weaknesses. Once they identify these vulnerabilities, they scour the internet for websites using the same theme and exploit the security holes.

By using a custom theme, you can ensure that hackers won’t be able to access your website’s code. While this doesn’t guarantee complete immunity from cyber attacks, it significantly enhances the security of your WordPress website compared to using free or premium themes.

#4: A Custom WordPress Theme Is Better Optimized for Search Engines

If you want your website to rank high on Google’s search results, having an SEO-friendly website is crucial. While many ready-made WordPress themes come with built-in SEO features, customizing them to meet your specific needs is essential for optimal search engine visibility.

In addition to using relevant keywords, the structure of your website plays a significant role in improving search engine rankings. By building a custom WordPress theme from scratch, you have the opportunity to design a structure that allows search engine crawlers to easily index your content.

#5: A Custom WordPress Theme Is Fast and Well-Performant

Many premium themes come bundled with unnecessary features that may not be relevant to your business. The inclusion of these features adds unnecessary weight to the code, resulting in longer loading times for your website.

For a business website, loading speed is a critical factor. If the loading time exceeds two seconds, visitors are likely to leave and find an alternative. This not only leads to reduced sales but also negatively impacts your SEO rankings as the bounce rate increases significantly.

On the other hand, a custom theme is tailored specifically to your business needs and does not include any extraneous features. This lightweight nature allows your custom WordPress website to run faster, providing a better user experience.

Furthermore, you can have peace of mind knowing that the code of your custom WordPress theme has undergone extensive testing to eliminate any bugs, especially when you outsource WordPress development. This level of assurance is not always guaranteed with premium or free themes.

#6: With a Custom WordPress Theme, You Get Direct and Instant Support From the Developer

Encountering problems with a premade theme, whether free or paid, can be quite bothersome. Incompatibility with plugins could render your website useless, requiring professional assistance.

The catch is, if thousands or even millions of websites are using the same theme, their owners may also face similar issues and need technical help. This means you might have to wait indefinitely for a resolution, a nightmare scenario for any business.

On the other hand, with a custom theme, you can rely on top-notch support that’s only a call away. Through white label WordPress development, the theme’s developer is always ready to address any concerns or fix bugs in your custom WordPress site promptly upon notification.

#7: A Custom WordPress Theme Is Easy to Update

Regular updates are essential for maintaining the functionality and security of your website. While premium theme providers may neglect updates over time, leaving your website vulnerable to cyber threats, a custom WordPress theme offers a different experience.

With a custom theme, updating is as simple as notifying the developer, ensuring that your website always has the latest features and security patches. This provides a stable and secure online presence for your business and an enhanced user experience for your customers.

Conclusion

Selecting a custom WordPress theme for your project is a strategic decision that offers substantial benefits. With a custom theme, you can ensure that your website accurately reflects your business’s unique goals and vision, distinguishing you from competitors.

Custom themes also significantly enhance your website’s security and are better optimized for search engines, making them an ideal choice for businesses aiming for a robust online presence. Furthermore, a custom theme is not only fast and performant but also offers the advantage of direct developer support and easy updates

All these factors combine to provide a seamless and enriching user experience for your customers, making the custom WordPress theme an investment worth considering for every ambitious business.

What Exactly Does WordPress Development Involve? The Site Slinger Explains

According to the data on builtwith.com, WordPress (WP) firmly holds first place among similar content management systems (CMSs) and is far ahead of its closest competitor.

What makes this CMS so popular among many businesses and organizations such as the White House or Sony Music? Here are just a few of WP’s benefits to give you an idea.

Flexibility. WP is one of the most flexible content management platforms out there and a good WordPress development agency can work wonders for your business website. While its original purpose was to host and manage blogs, these days, it’s used for almost any type of site, be it a portfolio site, non-profit organization site, or e-commerce store.
Extensibility. A WP site is extremely easy to create, even for someone who has never been involved in web development before. However, basic WordPress has limited functionality, which is not sufficient to handle more complex tasks such as inventory management or video conferencing. To fill this gap, the official WP directory offers tons of helpful plugins, both commercial and free. In addition, WP site owners can hire developers to code custom plugins for their unique business needs.
A rich variety of themes. The way a site looks is no less, and in certain cases even more important, than the way it functions. WP offers its users a huge number of ready-made themes, which represent collections of code in separate folders that you can download and install through the dashboard. Then, you can tweak them to give your site a unique look. Another option is to create a custom theme.
Convenient content addition and manipulation features. WP is a blogging software pioneer. Over the years, it has been improving existing and adding new content creation and management options such as the Gutenberg content editor or autosaving. Even novices can get to grips with these features in no time. This incredible ease of working with content attracts many news agencies to WP, for example, BBC America.

Of course, WP has a lot more advantages than we’ve listed above. When companies start working with this platform, though, they realize that they need more fine-tuning than they can get out of the box. This prompts them to start looking for WordPress developers. Sadly enough, they often come across people who don’t deserve the title.

That’s why we think it will be interesting and useful for you to learn what skills and knowledge a professional WordPress developer should possess and what WP development actually involves. This should save you time, nerves, and money in the long run.

What Differentiates Amateurs from True WordPress Developers?

Amateurs

First, let’s talk about people you can hardly consider WP developers, let alone WP experts.

The ease of using and configuring WP is both its blessing and its curse. Even a teenager can get a WordPress site up and running by spending just a few weeks or even days learning how to do it. This is the reason why there are so many freelancers claiming to be professional WP developers.

However, just installing and tweaking a theme or adding a couple of plugins is far from being classified as professional WP development.

True WordPress Professionals

A true WP developer is someone who knows the platform inside and out — its file system and core functions. They are not just simple users who can install a plugin or change a theme, although they can do that all too.

What distinguishes a real WP expert is the knowledge of the principal web development technologies for the front-end (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) and the back-end (PHP and SQL) sides. Additionally, they should have an eye for aesthetics and be well familiar with the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) principles.

What Exactly Do a WP Developer’s Responsibilities Involve?

WP developers belong to a broader category of web developers. If necessary, they can take on the full website development cycle, starting from the requirements analysis to support and maintenance. However, they are back-end specialists in the first turn.

A WP developer is an expert in PHP, one of the most popular programming languages in the world. PHP is the weapon of choice in the majority of e-commerce projects. Its main purpose is to interact with a database, sending data to it and retrieving data from it through SQL queries, and then manipulating it as required.

THEMES

By using these two essential tools (PHP and SQL), a WP developer takes theme files prepared by a designer and front-end specialist and integrates them into the WP site. Data from forms that a theme contains must be sent to the site’s database safely. Product data with descriptions, prices, and visuals stored in the database must be retrieved and displayed on the site correctly.

All this requires writing high-quality PHP scripts that contain SQL queries. The code must be clean, easy to read, and hard to crack by hackers. It must also be well-tested by the developer himself or herself and by dedicated QA professionals to ensure the best quality.

For example, our WP developers follow the TDD (Test Driven Development) methodology. In a nutshell, it assumes writing tests based on the technical specifications prior to typing a line of code. As a result, our WP experts create top-quality, bug-free code.

PLUGINS

Another major area of a WP developer’s expertise is writing custom plugins or tweaking existing ones. WordPress provides some basic functionality to add and manipulate content. To extend it, WP developers create PHP scripts that perform additional functions, known as plugins.

There are tons of plugins in the official WP directory, fulfilling all kinds of functions, starting from search engine optimization and security and ending with data import and export. Plugins often represent a collection of several types of files (CSS, JavaScript, images, PHP) intended to perform a particular task.

What makes PHP scripts as plugins different from PHP scripts written for themes is that the former are available to all themes, while the latter are attached to the current theme only. Change the theme and your functionality is gone.

That said, the same requirements for code quality concern plugins as well. WP developers must pay particular attention to the security of their plugin code and regularly update it, since plugins are the most coveted of hackers’ targets. To learn more about plugins, visit the official WP website.

ENTRUST YOUR WORDPRESS PROJECT TO A RELIABLE PARTNER

WordPress is the leading content management platform on the planet. With its flexibility, extensibility, and versatility, it attracts a wide audience of users, starting from individual bloggers and professionals who want to showcase their projects and ending with governments and large corporations.

Not everyone who can add plugins and tweak themes deserves to be called a professional WP developer. A genuine WP specialist has deep knowledge of the main web development technologies and can create high-quality custom plugins and themes.

This is exactly what The Site Slinger WordPress developers can offer you. With over 2,415 WP projects implemented to date, our WP pros have amassed unrivaled experience in all WordPress-related tasks.

We can develop a WP site of any scope and purpose from the ground up or tweak your existing site to suit your needs. The Site Slinger WP developers are proficient in using all staple web technologies, PHP and its frameworks like Lavarel in particular, and can integrate a wide variety of external solutions with your WP site, such as WooCommerce or the Event Calendar.

Avoid amateurs, trust professionals! Get in touch with us for any requests or questions regarding WordPress development.

7 Tips on Making Your WordPress Site Hack-Proof Without Changing a Line of Code

According to the latest statistical data, the number of WordPress-based websites in the United States is over 9.6 million. WordPress is the most popular open-source platform in the world, boasting a share of over 50%. It powers numerous types of websites, starting from blogs and job boards and ending with business directories and Q&A websites.

Such tremendous popularity, though, comes at a cost. Cybercriminals of all kinds try to break into WordPress-powered websites and, unfortunately, succeed far too often. The WPScan Vulnerability Database currently lists over 16,700 WordPress core, plugin, and theme vulnerabilities—enough for any hacker to feel hopeful.

The WordPress Security Team

That said, the WordPress Security Team is very strong. It includes 50 top professionals who constantly monitor the WordPress security shield and eliminate any weak spots in it. Watch this video to learn more about the Security Team’s working process.

Over the years, WordPress has become more stable and secure. However, making the system’s core less vulnerable to attacks is only part of the solution. The Security Team’s duties don’t include checking the themes or plugins available at wordpress.org. Anyone who’s willing and has enough time can review those. As a result, security breaches through plugins and themes are quite frequent.

The Most Common Threats to a WP Site from Hackers

Installing malicious software. Cybercriminals implant their code into a WordPress site’s files and use it to collect confidential data secretly.
Cross-site scripting. A hacker tricks a WordPress site user into loading pages with JavaScript code. The code steals private data from the site user’s browser and sends it to the hacker over the Internet.
Injecting SQL code. Once a criminal breaks into a WP site’s database, they can inject SQL code for creating a new user. Then, they can log in at any time and use the site’s files in any way they want without the owner suspecting anything.
Including PHP files. PHP is the programming language that allows WordPress to do all the great stuff it does. A hacker can find a way to upload their PHP scripts into a WP site’s directories and use those for their criminal purposes. This is the most common method of taking control of the crucial WP file wp-config.php
Brute force attacks. These mean bombarding the login screen with millions of nickname/password combinations in order to stumble upon the right credentials. What’s sad — this savage approach often yields positive results for the hacker.

While cybercriminals’ tricks may seem too clever for a layman to counteract, you can prevent many of them by applying 8 simple techniques we’ve described below. No knowledge of coding is required.

Essential Tips on Protecting a WordPress Site from Intrusion

1. Avoid Using a Weak Password

Let’s start with the essential measures to avoid brute force attacks. We can’t stress enough the importance of a good, hard-to-guess password. A password that only includes 6 random digits or characters is the surest way to losing your valuable data sooner rather than later. With powerful modern technologies, any hacker will be able to crack a password like that in no time.

A strong password means a well-mixed combination of digits, letters in lower and upper case, and special characters. View Google’s recommendations, for example.

Make your password unique and as unrelated to your life as possible. Avoid including your apartment number, spouse’s name, child’s birthday, or any similar information. Many people prefer coining a lengthy phrase instead of an arbitrary array of characters or numbers to make a hacker’s task more difficult.

Does coming up with a strong password seem an excessively challenging task? Then, use one of the numerous password generators like this one. Find it hard to remember passwords? Then, take advantage of this free tool to store them securely.

Finally, a password is not something carved in stone. Depending on how sensitive your data is, consider changing your password weekly or monthly.

2. Bring the Number of Login Attempts to a Minimum

Another way to protect your site against brute force attacks is to allow users to make just a few login attempts in a row. By default, WordPress doesn’t restrict users in the number of times they may try to sign in. Hackers adore this feature, as they can enter a multitude of username/password pairs into the login form in the hope of breaking inside.

Leaving one login attempt is not enough. Sometimes users forget to press the Shift key when necessary or enter a hyphen instead of an underscore. So give your users a chance to try to log in three-four times. If they fail, block them for a certain period.

How can you achieve that? Install the Limit Login Attempts Reloaded plugin. Then, go to Settings, select the plugin, and change the values in the fields under the Lockout category. You can increase the lockout time if more unsuccessful attempts are made after the first time a possible hacker has been blocked.

3. Select a Hosting Provider with a Strong Security Mechanism

When it comes to hosting, any business faces a big dilemma: pay less but get fewer features and weaker security, or pay more and get more features and stronger protection. If your budget allows it, we highly recommend spending more money on hosting that offers several security layers.

Otherwise, you’re running a risk of losing your data or letting crooks redirect your traffic to other sites. High-quality hosting companies perform daily scans for malware and monitor any attempts to gain unauthorized access to the hosted sites.

4. Implement an SSL Certificate

Transmitting data from a server to a browser over the Internet without an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificate is like leaving your personal diary in a public place for everyone to read. An SSL certificate, on the other hand, allows you to encrypt all your data, making it impossible for cybercriminals to decipher.
There are two ways you can get an SSL certificate:

Purchase it from a provider.
Use the free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate offered by your hosting company.

The paid option is preferable if you have enough financial resources. To get a better insight into the difference between a paid and free SSL certificates, read this post.

Installing an SSL certificate not only makes your WP site more secure but also improves its search engine visibility. Google considers ‘https://’ at the beginning of a URL an important factor and ranks the site higher.

5. Make Regular Backups of Your Site

Hackers are very inventive. Whatever measures you take to protect your WordPress site, there’s always a potential crack in the armor through which a criminal can get inside. So, it’s advisable to have a working copy of the website safely stored in a place where no one can get hold of it, like an external hard drive.

How often do you need to make backups? It depends on the scale of your business activities. For small and medium-sized companies, a monthly backup is probably sufficient. The sensitivity of information is also important in this respect.

There are some excellent backup plugins that make copying a site’s files easy and fast. One of them is BackWPup. It’s simple in operation and comes with a series of training videos to get you up to speed. You can plan and schedule backup jobs and push backup archives to an external storage service if you don’t want to store them on the same server.

6. Keep Everything Up to Date

Have a look at the long list of WordPress versions that have been released since 2003. Every new version added something to the core functionality of the CMS including security patches.

That’s the reason why updating the WordPress core as well as its plugins and themes is so important. It helps you avoid dangerous security breaches. In the same video about the WordPress Security team, Aaron Campbell says that the Team postpones the announcements about new security improvements closer to release dates so that hackers couldn’t use that information to their advantage.

While WordPress automatically performs minor updates, dealing with major ones is the user’s responsibility. So, keep track of the WordPress versions and update plugins and themes. To do this, go to the Plugins page and click the Update Now link next to a specific plugin if this link is available.

7. Monitor Your Website for Malware with a Security Plugin

Finally, installing a security plugin to monitor your website for any malicious software installation is a must. A person who’s not versed in coding may not even understand that a hacker has infected their WordPress site with bad code. A plugin, on the other hand, is capable of analyzing the files and detecting any code injected by hackers.

In our opinion, one of the best plugins for this purpose is iThemes Security. It has been installed on more than 900,000 sites and performs a wide range of functions. It blocks bad users, monitors the site and reports suspicious changes to the file system and database, hides common security vulnerabilities (e.g., changes the URLs for WordPress dashboard areas, including login and admin), regularly updates the WP database, and does other useful things.

Conclusion

The security of a WordPress website is not something to be taken lightly. Cybercriminals are always searching for new loopholes and trying to exploit them. The techniques we’ve listed above are essential for the health and safety of your site.

To make your WP site even more secure, tweaking its code is necessary. That job should be left to professionals. The Site Slinger’s highly skilled and experienced WP developers can help you with many WP-related tasks such as PSD to WordPress conversion. Tell us what you need and we’ll get it done.

10 Reasons NOT to code your own HTML

At The Site Slinger, we see LOTS of different kinds of web designs from our customers, and we hear lots of different reasons why they choose us to turn their designs into code. I wanted to share 10 of these reasons with you to show you the ways The Site Slinger helps you bring your designs to life, whether you are building a simple landing page, a complex web application, a WordPress theme, or even a great looking HTML email.

10 great reasons not to code your own HTML for your next project.

10. You can’t code.
Design to code services are for people just like you, no technical experience required. Don’t worry, developers don’t bite.

9. You are on a deadline (or multiple deadlines)
Rapidly approaching deadlines are not good for your stress level. If you don’t know how you will get the job done in time we have RUSH PSD to HTML options available.

8. You need jQuery or JavaScript animations
Most design to code services charge extra for JavaScript animations, we include it in the per page price.

7. Your client doesn’t want to pay for you to code by the hour
Using a design to code service for your website will be a fraction of what it would cost to code by the hour. We’ll even give you a PDF estimate to take to your client!

6. You don’t know any reliable web developers
Finding any good developer is hard, finding reliable outsourced development is even harder. You need someone you can count on who knows how to make you happy.

5. You have a LOT of pages to develop
If you build large, complex applications with extensive views, design to code services save you time so you aren’t wasting developer time coding HTML.

4. Your development team is backlogged
Your team is great, but they are busy building out your application. Don’t slow them down!

3. You are building a WordPress theme
WordPress sites are overtaking the web — everybody wants one and now you don’t have to be an expert to give it to them.

2. You build lots of web applications
We work with Bootstrap, 1140gridCSS, 960gs, Zurb and many other responsive web application frameworks. Get your prototype up in 5 days or less.

1. You are the smartest person on the planet and realize The Site Slinger should code your designs, not you.
We are happy to help!

Want to Learn More? See Examples!

Best Resources for Learning WordPress Development

Odds are, if you’re a web developer, learning WordPress is either on your todo list or something that you’ve already committed yourself to. Learning to build WordPress themes is an excellent professional move that will open you to a wealth of new clients and personal opportunities.

To follow up our article last week on tutorials for learning web design, below is a list of books and free tutorials specifically targeted at learning to develop for WordPress. Whether you’ve never heard of WordPress or are just looking to update your current WordPress skill set, there are plenty of resources below to get you on your way.

Free Tutorials

If you’re on a budget and need to learn quick, free tutorials provide a great way to get started and provide just enough information to help you pick up WordPress without bogging you down with too much unnecessary extras.

WordPress 3.0: Ultimate Guide to New Features (Six Revisions)

Many of the articles below are for older versions of WordPress so I wanted to begin by pointing out this guide to WordPress 3.0. The older articles still have plenty of solid information and relevant examples, just be sure to keep the newest version of WordPress in mind when reading them.

How to Create a WordPress Theme from Scratch: NetTuts

“Following on from the recent article on “PSD to HTML”, this tutorial will look at taking a HTML/CSS template and turning it into a functioning WordPress theme. There is so much you can do when creating your own theme we couldn’t nearly cover it all. So, we’re going to look at how themes are structured, creation of the core files and splitting up that index.html file.”

Designing for WordPress: CSS Tricks

“Over the last few weeks, I have been been doing a video screencast series on Designing for WordPress. It is a three-part series which covers downloading and installing WordPress on a server all the way to a completed theme.”

Premium WordPress Theme Design: Design Reviver

“This time you’ll learn how to slice the design and convert it into XHTML + CSS, then I’ll show you how to use the css files to mock-up a WordPress template.”

WordPress Theme Development Checklist: divtodesign

“As you might know, I have been diving into WordPress theme development and I’ve learned many tips and tricks along the way. I noticed I was forgetting about some small issues all the time. That’s why I decided to make a WordPress Theme Development Checklist. ”

How To Create WordPress Themes From Scratch: ThemeTation

“I’m going to show you how to create a wordpress theme from scratch in these 3 parts of tutorial series. I will cover from Structuring, designing in Photoshop, slicing, coding into fully css based html, and finally wordpress implementation.”

Creating WordPress Themes: Introduction

“This new series will begin with the basics and then I’ll proceed to more advanced techniques. I will also be incorporating different techniques that I’ve picked up from other developers that I’ve found to be extremely handy, and I’ll be providing links and credits to that info as I go along.”

Developing a WordPress Theme: Dezinerfolio

“Instead of coming up with some more themes, we decided to write a tutorial on how to develop a wordpress theme which we are sure will help a lot of you to design as you wish and bring them out into wordpress. We are not too advanced wordpress developers but still we are sure the below tutorial will help you successfully develop a wordpress theme. Below you will learn to convert your xHTML CSS site into a Compact WordPress Theme (final output is same as the normal theme but here code is shorter and easier to understand).”

How to Build a Custom WordPress Theme from Scratch: SpoonGraphics

“If you’re confident with your CSS and HTML, it’s not hard at all to step up to the challenge of building a custom WordPress theme. This overview shows the process of how my latest custom WordPress theme was built from design concept through to completed theme. See how the static design is split up into the various WordPress theme files, and discover how the simple PHP snippets can add that dynamic functionality of a blog.”

Creating A Quality WordPress Theme: 12 Points to Consider (Noupe)

“But what exactly makes a WordPress theme great? How does one go about creating a quality theme? In fact, it’s not that difficult. You can do a few simple things while developing your theme—from the planning stage right through coding—to make it stand out from the legions of average (and below-average) themes out there.”

Customize Your Own WordPress Theme: Vandelay Design

“An increasing number of businesses and website owners are using blogs as a means of communication with their customers and website visitors. If your business already has a website it is possible to have a blog that matches the look and feel of your existing website without doing a complete re-design and without paying thousands of dollars to have the blog developed. Using WordPress you can tailor an already existing blog theme to seamlessly flow with the rest of your website.”

Designing and Coding a WordPress Theme From Scratch: DeveloperTutorials

“In this multi-part series I’ll detail how to create and design a WordPress theme from nothing more than your imagination using Photoshop, CSS, XHTML and PHP.”

So you want to create WordPress themes huh?

“Creating a WordPress theme from scratch is not hard. I’ll hold your hand through it. Tutorials on this topic have been written before and the WordPress website also has guides for you to follow. But are those tutorials and guides really helpful to you when you don’t understand the lingo? Even I got lost while reading the WordPress guides.”

Create Your Own WordPress Theme from an HTML Template

“In this article, I’ll show you how to take an existing HTML and CSS site template and convert it into a theme for WordPress. Of course, WordPress theming is much too vast a topic to cover entirely in a single article, so I’ll provide you with some resources at the end to further your learning. It’s hoped, though, that this article will serve as a good introduction and give you a solid foundation to start learning about creating your own WordPress themes.”

How To Create a WordPress Theme: The Ultimate WordPress Theme Tutorial (ThemeShaper)

“In Only 11 Individual Lessons this WordPress Theme Tutorial is going to show you how to build a powerful, up-to-date, WordPress Theme from scratch. As we go along I’ll explain what’s happening including (for better or worse) my thinking on certain techniques and why I’m choosing one path over another. Essentially, I’ll be teaching you everything you need to know about WordPress Theme development.”

Building Custom WordPress Theme

“This chapter will show you how to build a custom WordPress theme. Although the Codex site provides very good documentations on how to create a theme, but I find it too complicated for a beginner. In this tutorial, I will explain the basics of how WordPress theme works and show you how to convert a static HTML template into a theme. No PHP skill is required, but you need Photoshop and CSS skills to create your own design.”

Books on WordPress

If you’re serious about becoming a professional WordPress developer, it’s time to pick up a good book on the subject. These are usually far more in-depth than free tutorials and really cover the material you need to know inside and out.

Below are a few great books to consider in your search. Some are physical books that you can purchase on Amazon, others downloadable PDFs.

Rockstar WordPress Designer: $29

“During the course of the book you’ll build THREE WordPress themes, a blog, a portfolio site and a general site with menus and submenus. Each theme demonstrates different aspects of WordPress theming and all three are packaged in with the book so you’ll have Photoshop, HTML, CSS and WordPress PHP files to refer to.”

Beginning WordPress 3: $26.99

“WordPress is one of the most popular blogging and content management web templating platforms—it easily allows you and your business to make a statement about yourself and what you do. WordPress is also quite cost-effective, as it’s free for just about anyone to use. WordPress is colorful and flexible, and includes a variety of themes, templates, and plug-ins for you to explore and use. Beginning WordPress 3 aims to address these for the beginner who wants to start using and developing with WordPress.”

WordPress For Dummies: $16.49

“The bestselling guide to WordPress, fully updated for newest version of WordPress. WordPress, the popular, free blogging platform, has been updated with new features and improvements. Bloggers who are new to WordPress will learn to take full advantage of its flexibility and usability with the advice in this friendly guide.”

Smashing WordPress: Beyond the Blog: $29.69

“Smashing WordPress shows you how to utilize the power of the WordPress platform, and provides a creative spark to help you build WordPress-powered sites that go beyond the obvious. You will learn the core concepts used to build just about anything in WordPress, resulting in fast deployments and greater design flexibility. Inside, WordPress expert Thord Daniel Hedengren takes you beyond the blog and shows you how WordPress can serve as a CMS, a photo gallery, an e-commerce site, and more.”

Professional WordPress: $29.69

“An in-depth look at the internals of the WordPress system. As the most popular blogging and content management platform available today, WordPress is a powerful tool. This exciting book goes beyond the basics and delves into the heart of the WordPress system, offering overviews of the functional aspects of WordPress as well as plug-in and theme development.”

WordPress: Visual QuickStart Guide

“This book gives readers the tools they need to create beautiful, functional WordPress-powered sites with minimal hassle. Using the WordPress user interface as a baseline, authors Jessica Neuman Beck and Matt Beck walk new users through the installation and setup process while providing valuable tips and tricks for more experienced users. With no other resource but this guide, readers can set up a fully-functional and well-designed WordPress site that takes advantage of all the features WordPress has to offer.”

Using WordPress: $16.49

“WordPress has grown into the #1 blogging tool in its category: several million bloggers have downloaded this powerful open source software, and millions more are using WordPress.com’s hosted services. Thirty-two of Technorati’s Top 100 blogs now use WordPress. Using WordPress is a customized, media-rich learning experience designed to help new users master WordPress quickly, and get the most out of it, fast! It starts with a concise, friendly, straight-to-the-point guide to WordPress. This exceptional book is fully integrated with an unprecedented collection of online learning resources: online video, screencasts, podcasts, and additional web content, all designed to reinforce key concepts and help users achieve real mastery. The book and online content work together to teach everything mainstream Wordpess users need to know.”

Head First WordPress: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Creating Your Own Custom WordPress Blog ($23.09)

“Whether you’re promoting your business or writing about your travel adventures, Head First WordPress will teach you not only how to make your blog look unique and attention-grabbing, but also how to take advantage of WordPress platform’s more complex features to make your website work well, too. You’ll learn how to move beyond the standard WordPress look and feel by customizing your blog with your own URL, templates, plugin functionality, and more. As you learn, you’ll be working with real WordPress files: The book’s website provides pre-fab WordPress themes to download and work with as you follow along with the text.”

Closing Thoughts

I hope the resources provide the catalyst you need to begin your journey as a WordPress developer. In closing, I want to remind you that the official WordPress codex is definitely on of the best resources out there for all things WordPress.

Let us know in the comments below if we left out any of your favorite tutorials or books for learning WordPress.

Option 1: Use a CMS / Page Builder

Option 2: Harness the Skills of Experienced Designers and Engineers

3 Essential Design Guidelines for Building a Lawyer Website

Ensure Smooth and Effortless Navigation

Give Utmost Importance to the Visual Representation of Your Legal Business

Enable Various Communication Channels to Engage Your Prospects

In Conclusion

Why Building a Real Estate Website Should Be Your Top Priority

3 Common Approaches to Real Estate Website Development

Approach #1: Custom Development – Unleash Your Creativity

Approach #2: The Golden Mean – Use WordPress

Approach #3: DIY Website Builders

The Essential Elements of a Real Estate Website

Efficient Property Searching

Informative Property Descriptions

A Tool to Determine the Value of a Property

Customer Testimonials

Effective Calls-to-Action

Final Thoughts

Challenges With Data in WordPress Website Development

Issue #1: Database Connection Failure

Incorrect Database Connection Information

Hosting Provider or Server Issue

Issue #2: Excessive Unnecessary Data

Common WordPress Issues Related to Plugins When Using or Developing a Website on this CMS

Headache #1: The Home Page or Another Page on Your Site Is Blank

Issue #2: Sluggish Page Loading Times Becoming a Headache

Some Other Common Issues That Can Arise During WordPress Website Building

Issue #1: The Infamous Parse Error

Issue #2: Broken Links Leading to the Dreaded 404 Page

Final Thoughts

REST API: The Architectural Style That Empowers Developers to Build React-Powered WordPress Themes

React WordPress Theme Development: The Ideal Choice for Your Website

Fast Development Speed and Easy-to-Grasp Syntax

Reusable Components

Efficient Redrawing of React.js Theme Components

Limitations of React for WordPress Theme Development

React.js is Continuously Evolving

Additional Efforts for Implementing WordPress REST API With React Might Be Required

React WordPress Theme Development: Frequently Asked Questions

Does a React WordPress theme work well on mobile devices?

What about the SEO-friendliness of React?

Why Is creating React components so efficient?

Is React suitable for WordPress theme development?

What are the benefits of using React for WordPress theme development?

Can React be used to build custom WordPress themes from scratch?

Different Types of Themes: Exploring the Concept and Variants

The Main Benefits of Selecting a Custom WordPress Theme for Your Project

#1: A Custom WordPress Theme Aligns Perfectly with Your Company’s Goals, Vision, and Content

#2: A Custom WordPress Theme Sets You Apart from Competitors

#3: A Custom WordPress Theme Enhances Security

#4: A Custom WordPress Theme Is Better Optimized for Search Engines

#5: A Custom WordPress Theme Is Fast and Well-Performant

#6: With a Custom WordPress Theme, You Get Direct and Instant Support From the Developer

#7: A Custom WordPress Theme Is Easy to Update

Conclusion

What Differentiates Amateurs from True WordPress Developers?

Amateurs

True WordPress Professionals

What Exactly Do a WP Developer’s Responsibilities Involve?

THEMES

PLUGINS

ENTRUST YOUR WORDPRESS PROJECT TO A RELIABLE PARTNER

The WordPress Security Team

The Most Common Threats to a WP Site from Hackers

Essential Tips on Protecting a WordPress Site from Intrusion

1. Avoid Using a Weak Password

2. Bring the Number of Login Attempts to a Minimum

3. Select a Hosting Provider with a Strong Security Mechanism

4. Implement an SSL Certificate

5. Make Regular Backups of Your Site

6. Keep Everything Up to Date

7. Monitor Your Website for Malware with a Security Plugin

Conclusion

10 great reasons not to code your own HTML for your next project.

Want to Learn More? See Examples!

Free Tutorials

Books on WordPress

Closing Thoughts