In business, you don’t get a trilogy of movies to set up your character — you need to build your personal brand from scratch. 

If this sounds like a time-consuming side quest, think again. Becoming a thought leader or influencer in your industry can help you land clients that would otherwise be out of reach. Why? Because they know who you are.

And actually, personal branding doesn’t have to take that much of your time. In this guide, we’ll show you how to define, cultivate, and grow your profile without filling your calendar.

You ready? Let’s dive in!

Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Personal Brand

To understand the importance of personal branding in business, take a quick look at this list:

• Richard Branson
• Steve Jobs
• Tim Ferriss
• Elon Musk
• Bill Gates
• Jeff Bezos
• Ariana Huffington

Recognize anyone? Of course you do. In fact, you can probably name the companies associated with these entrepreneurs.

Whenever you see the same people mentioned on the news or tagged on social media, the same brands pop into your head. That’s a crazy-powerful marketing tool.

You probably also have some impression of who these people are. Love them or loathe them, at least you feel something about the businesses they own. You’re buying from a human, not a faceless corporation. That’s why 65% of consumers say that a brand’s CEO and employees influence their decision to buy.

The benefits don’t stop there. Building a personal brand as a business owner can also help you to:

• Boost your digital marketing campaigns: Building your own audience gives you a chance to promote your business brand.
• Prove your expertise: People tend to trust experts. Around half of business decision-makers say that thought leadership has directly led them to choose a company. 
• Attract new talent: One study by the Brunswick Group found that 82% of potential employees will research a CEO’s online presence when considering whether to join a company.

We know what you’re thinking…“but I’m never going to be as famous as Bill Gates!” That doesn’t actually matter. What counts is whether your potential customers know who you are and respect your industry knowledge. That’s enough to get a major head start on your competition.

Industry-specific examples include:

• Brian Dean — Founder of Backlinko and Exploding Topics
• Lori Greiner — The “Queen of QVC”
• Noah Kagan — AppSumo
• David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried — Basecamp and HEY

There are also restaurant entrepreneurs who’ve built strong personal brands while growing their businesses through online takeout ordering systems and many more.

You won’t generally see these people dominating headlines, but they have each completely taken over their niche. Their businesses are thriving as a result.

The Building Blocks of Personal Branding

Following in the footsteps of these household names is completely achievable, even if you run a tiny business. The key is to have a rock-solid plan.

You can think of your personal brand as a house supported by seven stone pillars:

1. Values: Which principles guide your work?
2. Mission: Aside from generating profit, what are you trying to achieve in business?
3. Vision: Look into the future. What will define your brand’s reputation?
4. Personality: What makes you unique and relatable?
5. Voice: How do you communicate with your audience? Are you professional, relaxed, funny, or blunt?
6. Story: If someone made a movie about your journey as an entrepreneur, what would the plot be?
7. Expertise: What are you knowledgeable about, and which skills do you want to be known for?

If you can identify what your pillars should look like, you’re already halfway through construction!

The rest of the work is about filling in the details and creating actionable steps toward delivering your personal branding strategy.

How To Develop Your Personal Brand

Enough with the theory. If you’re keen to develop an effective personal brand, it’s worth getting started ASAP.

That doesn’t mean rushing over to LinkedIn to drop some corporate truth bombs. No, we highly recommend taking a methodical approach. It might take a little longer in the short term, but strategic thinking is what will put you ahead of the competition.

Here’s a blueprint to follow:

1. Start With Self-Assessment

Remember those pillars? The first step in building your brand is really nailing down who you are, what you want to achieve, and how you want to be known.

In particular, focus on:

• Core values: What are your professional principles? This could be anything from respecting your peers to hard work. Having a clear understanding of your beliefs is essential for shaping your professional identity.
• Your expertise: Which unique insights do you bring to the table? These gold nuggets will help you shine when everyone else is sharing the usual generic dreck.
• Passion points: If you had to write about two or three professional topics every day for the rest of your career, what would they be? You’re much more likely to come across as engaging and sincere if you’re talking about something that genuinely interests you.

You can use the answers to your self-assessment to construct a personal brand statement. This is a short bio that sums up your professional persona. It should look something like this:

“I’m a nonprofit technology strategist committed to amplifying social impact through data-driven solutions and community-centered approaches. With a deep belief in technology’s potential to empower marginalized communities, I specialize in developing scalable digital platforms that connect grassroots organizations with meaningful resources. My work is guided by the principles of equity, transparency, and collaborative innovation.”

If you take a closer look at this example, you’ll notice that it:

• Begins with a strong, declarative statement.
• Highlights key professional identity and core strengths.
• Emphasizes a unique value proposition.
• Communicates broader impact beyond technical skills.

Use this template when crafting your own brand statement.

2. Learn About Your Audience

While effective personal brands are heavily based on the values, expertise, and interests of the individual, there is another important ingredient to consider: your target audience.

Say you’re an accountant. You might get really excited about payroll solutions. But your clients are probably more interested in tax advice that will save them money. As you create a personal brand, balance your own preferences with those of your customers.

To get inside the mind of your audience, it’s worth creating some ICPs (ideal customer profiles). Think about who is likely to engage with your personal brand, factoring in their demographics, where they spend time online, and who they already follow.

It’s also really important to think about their needs and their pain points — these will form the bedrock of your content strategy (more on that later).

Here’s an example ICP you can use as a template:

Mid-career professional pivot

• Age: 35–45
• Gender: All
• Income: $85,000–$125,000
• Location: Urban professional centers (NYC, San Francisco, Chicago)
• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

Key characteristics

• Feeling stuck in current career trajectory.
• Ambitious and seeking meaningful professional growth.
• Active on LinkedIn and professional networking platforms.
• Desire to differentiate themselves in a competitive job market.

Pain points

• Struggling to articulate unique professional value.
• Unclear how to translate diverse experiences into a cohesive narrative.
• Lacking confidence in personal marketing skills.
• Experiencing career plateau or uncertainty about next steps.

Needs

• Clear, actionable personal branding guidance.
• Strategies to leverage existing professional experience.
• Personal brand development that feels authentic.
• Tools to confidently communicate professional identity.

3. Find Your Unique Voice and Aesthetic

You should now have a clear idea of what your brand will look like — and who you’re trying to reach. The final step is to figure out your place in the wider world of brands.

Start by taking a closer look at influencers within your niche. What kind of content are they publishing? What tone do they strike with their content? Are there any gaps that you could fill?

As you consider these points, it’s also worth thinking about what voice and personality you want to build around your personal brand identity.

Remember that your brand is a professional persona, not necessarily a perfect depiction of you as an actual human. Throwing in a hint of spice or glitter is totally acceptable. The world is your stage — go out there and wow them.

Remember that branding isn’t defined only by what you say; the visual side of personal branding is equally important. Think about how to present yourself in a way that complements your persona, whether that is goofy selfies or slick profile portraits.

You should also try to pinpoint colors and fonts that match your aesthetic. Are you more of a high-brow Garamond type or a Comic Sans joker?

You might even want to create your own brand guide! This is a guide that clearly defines your persona, from your values through to your chosen color scheme.

How To Promote Your New Brand

So, you have a kick-ass personal brand….on paper. Now how do you translate that into being a well-known influencer in your field?

It’s all about promotion.

Here’s how to put your new personal brand on the map:

1. Craft Your Content Strategy

To build a following, you’re going to need to make some noise. In today’s world, that generally means posting on social media, writing blogs, and/or cultivating an email list.

Crafting your content plan is a multi-step process:

1. Select your primary channels: Based on your own preferences and where your ICPs hang out, you need to select the channels or platforms where you’ll post most regularly.
2. Develop your content playbook: Most influencers and thought leaders don’t come up with something unique for every post. Instead, they tend to rotate through set plays. Create your own playbook by combining the following core ingredients:
   • Topics: Industry insights, process, personal development, leadership, etc.
   • Content types: Educational, inspirational, behind-the-scenes, etc.
   • Formats: Written (posts/articles), visual (images/infographics), video and audio snippets, etc.
3. Develop a posting schedule: If you want people to remember your personal brand, you need to publish content consistently. Social media management tools like CoSchedule and Buffer or WordPress plugins like Jetpack can help you plan ahead and post at regular intervals.
4. Don’t forget engagement: When you build your personal brand, it’s vital to connect with other people. Comment on posts from popular accounts in your niche, and strike up conversations. This is one of the best ways to attract new fans.

Content strategy is a pretty deep ocean, but we only have time to paddle in this guide. If you want to dive beneath the surface, check out these resources:

• Planning Your 2025 Content Strategy
• How To Create a Winning Social Media Strategy
• How To Start a Blog (Strategy, Tips, & Content Ideas)

2. Create Processes To Save Time

Hmm, this is starting to feel like a lot of work, isn’t it?

Don’t worry. The hard yards are definitely up front. Once you’ve clearly defined your brand and developed a content strategy, things get a lot easier. Trust us.

Along with your playbook, you can use the following techniques to reduce your time input:

• Repurpose your best content: Every business influencer reposts content. This can mean a simple repost, remixing an idea that has worked before, or converting your top-performing posts for other platforms. 
• Use AI for faster ideation: We don’t generally recommend using AI to write for your personal brand, because you end up sounding like…a robot? But you can ask AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to help you come up with new topics to talk about, and create a quick outline for your posts. AI tools can also help you quickly whip up visuals to complement your written content.
• Create content in batches: Finding the time to develop branding content every day is almost impossible if you run a business. Instead, try to create a heap of content in a dedicated session and then use tools to schedule the posts for the coming days.

If you’d prefer someone else to handle these tasks, our team of social media marketing experts would be more than happy to help!

3. Measure Your Progress

Don’t be discouraged if your brand doesn’t go global in the first month. That’s totally normal.

Even so, it’s definitely worth revisiting your plan every few months to see what’s working, and what needs to change. Even the most well-known personal brands are constantly evolving.

In your audit, make sure to assess:

• Your visual branding: Trends change quickly in design, so you might need to move with the times.
• Tone and voice alignment: Remember all that thinking work you put into coming up with a unique voice? Check whether your posts are actually following what you decided on.
• Content performance: Use analytics tools to figure out which types of content are resonating with your target audience.

Standing Out Is Way Better Than Blending In

Ultimately, developing a personal brand is about differentiating yourself (and your business) from others in your field. It doesn’t really matter which style you adopt, so long as your brand is distinctive and likable. Get it right, and you could see significant ROI within months!

Before you get started, make sure your website is ready for all the new visitors who will show up.

At DreamHost, we offer unlimited traffic and 100% uptime on all our shared hosting plans — so you’re never going to leave your fans disappointed.

Sign up today to prepare for your new-found fame!

This page contains affiliate links. This means we may earn a commission if you purchase services through our link without any extra cost to you.

The post How To Build a Strong Personal Brand as an Entrepreneur appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

If only it were that simple. XML sitemaps are some of the most misunderstood tools in website optimization.

Yet their proper implementation can dramatically influence how search engines perceive and crawl your site.

What Is an XML Sitemap?

An XML sitemap acts as your website’s directory for search engines.

While regular sitemaps help human visitors navigate your website, XML sitemaps help search engines understand your website’s structure and content.

Here’s what a sitemap looks like:

When you add a new product page, publish a blog post, or update your service offerings, you need Google (and other engines) to find and index that content as quickly as possible.

What Does a Sitemap Include?

Your XML sitemap tells Google four important things about every page.

1. Location (loc)

This is the URL of the page, and this needs to be the full URL.

<loc>https://www.dreamhost.com/products/blue-widget</loc>

2. Last Modified Date (lastmod)

A timestamp showing when content was updated.

Microsoft’s Bing team emphasizes that including the lastmod tag is “crucial” for effective crawling.

Google specifically looks for meaningful updates.

According to their documentation, “Google uses the <lastmod> value if it’s consistently and verifiably (for example, by comparing to the last modification of the page) accurate.”

<lastmod>2024-11-30T14:30:00+00:00</lastmod>

Google also explains how to view lastmod dates for page updates:

“The value should reflect the date and time of the last significant update to the page. For example, an update to the main content, the structured data, or links on the page is generally considered significant; however, an update to the copyright date is not.”

3. Change Frequency (changefreq)

How often the content typically updates. Here are some example values:

• For your homepage: “daily” or “always”
• For product pages: “weekly”
• For blog posts: “monthly”
• For about pages: “yearly”
• Misc pages: “never”

<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>

4. Priority (priority)

The relative importance compared to other pages. This value can range from 0 to 1:

• Homepage: 1.0
• Main category pages: 0.8
• Product pages: 0.6
• Blog posts: 0.4
• Archive pages: 0.2

<priority>0.8</priority>

Does Your Website Need an XML Sitemap?

We’d highly recommend you create a sitemap for your website. While most people would suggest having a sitemap only if you have:

• “A really large website” 
• “Websites with a large archive” 
• “A new website with just a few links pointing to it” 
• “A website which uses rich media content”

Google maintains that with proper internal linking, their crawlers should find your content naturally.

The reality? Most websites don’t achieve perfect internal linking structures. Every modern website benefits from having an XML sitemap.

Here’s why:

The internet grows more complex each day, making proper site indexing increasingly challenging. You should try to provide search engines with every possible detail to help them find your content.

XML sitemaps don’t just help with discovery; they make the entire crawling process more efficient and help make optimum use of the crawl budget.

What Pages Should You Add to the Sitemap?

Your website contains two distinct types of pages.

1. Search landing pages

Pages users should find through search:

• Product pages
• Category listings
• Blog posts
• Service descriptions
• Key information pages

2. Utility pages

Pages that serve a function but shouldn’t appear in search:

• Login screens
• Order confirmation pages
• Password reset forms
• Thank you pages
• Admin sections

Your XML sitemap should only include the search landing pages. Including utility pages dilutes your site’s perceived quality and wastes valuable crawl resources of the search engine.

How To Create XML Sitemaps?

You have several options for creating XML sitemaps, ranging from manual creation to automated solutions.

Let’s start with the simplest approaches and move to more advanced methods.

Manually Creating a Sitemap

For small static websites, you can manually create your XML sitemap using any text editor.

Create a new file called “sitemap.xml” and use this basic structure:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
   <url>
      <loc>https://www.yourwebsite.com</loc>
      <lastmod>2024-01-01</lastmod>
   </url>
</urlset>

Add a new <url> block for each page you want to include. While this method works for small sites, it becomes impractical as your website grows.

Automated Solutions for WordPress Sites

If you run a WordPress website, you already have several powerful SEO tools:

• All in One SEO: Offers comprehensive sitemap features, including custom post type support and automatic priority calculation based on content age and type. Access your sitemap at “yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.”
• Yoast SEO: The most popular choice for WordPress sitemap generation. After installation, your sitemap is generated automatically at “yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml.” You can control which content types appear in your sitemap through the plugin’s settings.
• Rank Math: Offers similar functionality to Yoast but includes additional features like Google News sitemaps and video sitemaps. Your sitemap will be available at “yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.”
• WordPress Core: Since version 5.5, WordPress includes basic sitemap functionality. However, most SEO professionals prefer dedicated plugins for their additional control and features.

Solutions for Non-WordPress Websites

If you used another platform to build your website, they likely have a built-in solution for creating these sitemaps.

If you don’t use a platform and have built a fully custom website, you’ll need to rely on an external sitemap generator and upload the auto-generated sitemap to your web server at regular intervals.

Here are a few good sitemap generators:

• XML-Sitemaps.com: Upload your site structure or let it crawl your website to generate a sitemap.
• Screaming Frog: Crawls your website and creates a sitemap based on your specifications.
• Sitebulb Website Crawler: Streamlines XML sitemap creation with powerful insights to optimize site structure.

How To Submit Your Sitemap to Google

Generating your sitemap marks only the beginning of the process. You need to tell Google where to find it.

While Google might eventually discover your sitemap through your robots.txt file, direct submission through Google Search Console speeds up the process significantly.

Before You Submit

First, ensure your sitemap actually works. A broken sitemap wastes Google’s time and yours. Visit “yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml” in your browser. You should see a properly formatted XML file, not an error page.

Pro Tip: If you see garbled text, don’t worry — that’s normal. XML files often look messy in browsers. The important part is that you can see your URLs listed.

Submitting Through Google Search Console

• Log into Google Search Console.
• Select your website property.
• Navigate to the Sitemaps section from the left sidebar.
• Enter your sitemap URL in the “Add a new sitemap” field and click SUBMIT.

Depending on if you have a domain property or URL prefix, you’ll either need to enter the full URL or just the part after your domain.

For instance, in the above image, you see that we entered the full URL since it’s a domain property.

Here’s what it looks like for a URL prefix property — here, you only need to enter the part after the domain name:

You’ll typically store the XML sitemap as “https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml” or “sitemap_index.xml.”

Google will immediately check your sitemap for basic errors. You’ll see one of these status indicators:

• Success: Google can read your sitemap correctly. 
• Couldn’t fetch: Google couldn’t access your sitemap.
• Couldn’t read: Google found your sitemap but couldn’t process it.

Understanding the Sitemap Report

Once submitted, Google Search Console shows you:

• How many URLs you’ve submitted.
• How many URLs Google has actually indexed.
• The last time Google read your sitemap.

Important: Don’t panic if the number of indexed URLs differs from submitted URLs! Google doesn’t index pages just because they’re in your sitemap — remember, it’s a suggestion, not a command.

Multiple Sitemaps

For larger websites, you might have several sitemaps:

• Product sitemap
• Blog post sitemap
• Category sitemap
• Image sitemap

Submit each one separately to help Google understand your site structure better and to make tracking indexation issues easier.

Submitting Your Sitemap to Bing

While Google dominates the search landscape, smart SEO professionals know the value of diversifying their search engine presence. Bing captures a significant portion of search traffic, especially in certain demographics and regions. Plus, their webmaster tools often provide unique insights you won’t find elsewhere.

You’ll notice that when you click on “Add new site”, it gives you two choices – “Import your sites from GSC,” or “Add your site manually.”

Importing Websites From Google Search Console

Already verified your site in Google Search Console? You’re in luck! Bing offers a streamlined import process that can save you valuable setup time.

1. Head to Bing Webmaster Tools.
2. Click Import from Google Search Console.
3. Follow the authentication steps.
4. Watch as your site details, including sitemaps, transfer automatically!

Manual Site and Sitemap Submission

For those starting fresh or preferring manual control, Bing’s direct submission process proves straightforward:

• Navigate to Bing Webmaster Tools.
• Choose Add your site manually.
• Enter your site’s URL.
• Verify ownership through your preferred method:
  • Upload an XML file.
  • Add a meta tag.
  • Add a CNAME record.

Head to Sitemaps from the left sidebar and then click Submit sitemap.

Finally, add the full sitemap XML and click Submit.

Common Submission Errors

For Bing Webmaster tools, you just see the word “Error” or “Success,” and clicking on the row will give you more details about the error.

For Google Search Console, however, you’ll see errors right there.

If you get “Couldn’t fetch,” check whether:

• Your sitemap URL is correct.
• Your website is accessible.
• Your robots.txt file isn’t blocking the sitemap.

If you get “Couldn’t read,” verify that:

• Your XML syntax is valid.
• You’re using the correct XML schema.
• The file isn’t compressed or corrupted.

After Submission

Monitor your sitemap status regularly. Pay attention to:

• Sharp drops in indexed pages.
• Growing gaps between submitted and indexed URLs.
• Warning messages in the sitemap report.

Remember: Submitting your sitemap to Google represents an ongoing process, not a one-time task. Keep monitoring and updating as your website grows and changes.

Common Myths About XML Sitemaps

Let’s clear up some persistent misconceptions about XML sitemaps and their role in search engine optimization.

Myth 1: Sitemaps Ensure Indexing on Google

Many website owners believe submitting a sitemap means automatic indexing. But adding pages to your sitemap doesn’t guarantee Google will include them in search results.

Google’s algorithm decides what to index based on many factors, including page quality, uniqueness, and overall value to users. Your sitemap only serves as a gentle suggestion to Google saying, “Hey, these pages are worth your attention.”

Much like adding a page to your main navigation menu, it’s one of many signals Google uses to understand your site’s structure and content hierarchy.

Myth 2: Every Page Should Be in Your Sitemap

Often, website owners add their entire site structure into their sitemap, thinking more is better.

Your sitemap should only include pages you genuinely want users to find through search. Try to maintain its size under 50,000 URLs and keep file sizes below 50MB uncompressed.

UTF-8 encoding also helps search engines read your sitemap correctly, while proper XML formatting prevents parsing errors that could derail your efforts.

The thing is, if you start including login pages, thank you pages, or duplicate content; it indicates to Google that you don’t understand what content actually matters to users.

Think of your sitemap like a restaurant menu. You wouldn’t list the kitchen, storage room, or staff bathroom — you only show what customers could order.

Myth 3: Update Frequency Doesn’t Matter

Sitemaps are living documents.

Even if manually updating them seems like a chore, you need to use some form of automation to auto-update the sitemap with any newly published pages that matter to you.

Outdated sitemaps containing deleted pages or missing new content can actually harm your site’s crawling efficiency. Google’s crawlers waste valuable time checking non-existent pages while potentially missing your fresh content.

Your sitemap should reflect your website’s current state, just like a map needs to show current roads and landmarks to be useful.

Myth 4: All XML Tags Are Equally Important

Many spend time perfecting their changefreq and priority values, thinking they significantly influence Google’s behavior.

The URL location (loc) and last modified date (lastmod) are the only two required elements of your XML sitemap. The other tags provide context but don’t directly impact crawling or indexing decisions.

So, focus your energy on maintaining accurate URLs and last-modified dates, and you can completely skip worrying about priority and change frequency.

Final Thoughts

Your XML sitemap tells a story about your website’s organization and priorities. So, make it worth the search engine’s time to read and process it.

And here’s one thing to take away: quality beats quantity here. A focused sitemap of your best pages outperforms a cluttered directory of everything you own.

Want to nail the technical foundation of your website?

Dreamhost’s managed WordPress hosting handles the complexities while you focus on what matters — creating content your audience loves.

This page contains affiliate links. This means we may earn a commission if you purchase services through our link without any extra cost to you.

The post Is Your Website’s XML Sitemap (or Lack Thereof) Holding Your Site Back? appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

OK, bad puns aside, keeping your site’s navigation easily accessible is key to enhancing user experience. Enter the sticky header, a fixed navigation bar that remains visible as users scroll down your page.

This handy feature keeps menu items and calls-to-action within reach no matter how far users scroll —a game-changer for small business owners aiming to boost engagement and conversions.

In this tutorial, we’ll explore three simple ways to create a sticky header in WordPress, catering to all skill levels —from beginners to those comfortable with a bit of coding. Whether you prefer using a plugin, leveraging your theme’s built-in settings, or adding custom CSS, we’ve got you covered.

Why Sticky Headers Take Your Website Up a Notch

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s look at why you might want to use a sticky header in the first place.

1. Enhanced Navigability

A sticky header keeps your site’s main menu in constant view, eliminating the need for visitors to scroll back to the top when they want to move on to a different page. This ease of movement can make browsing your site more intuitive and enjoyable, especially if you have content-rich pages that require a lot of scrolling.

2. Better User Experience

By keeping essential information and navigation links readily accessible, you reduce friction in the user journey. That kind of seamless browsing experience can lead to longer site visits and a lower bounce rate, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and engaging.

3. Increased Conversions

Imagine having a persistent “Book Now” or “Contact Us” button that follows your visitors wherever they go on your site. A sticky header allows you to keep important calls-to-action front and center, gently encouraging users to take the next step —whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or booking a service.

4. Brand Consistency

A fixed header keeps your logo and other brand elements visible at all times. This constant reinforcement can strengthen brand recognition and trust, making your business more memorable to potential customers.

3 Simple Ways To Create a Fixed (Sticky) Header in WordPress

Now that we know why you want a sticky header for your WordPress site, let’s talk about how you get one.

Below, we’ll guide you through three methods to add a sticky header to your WordPress site, starting with the easiest and progressing to more advanced techniques.

Choose your own adventure: the one that best fits your comfort level and the needs of your website.

Method 1: Using a WordPress Plugin (Easy)

For those who prefer a no-code solution, WordPress plugins offer a quick and user-friendly way to add a sticky header. Plugins are especially beneficial if you’re new to WordPress or want to implement the feature without delving into technical details.

Recommended Plugins

My Sticky Bar

Features:

• Simple setup process.
• Customizable appearance and behavior.
• Option to make any element sticky, not just the header.

Sticky Menu (or Anything!) on Scroll

Features:

• Flexibility to stick any element.
• Offset options to control when the sticky effect kicks in.
• Compatibility with most themes.

What to do

Step 1: Install the plugin

Log into your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Plugins > Add New Plugin. In the search bar, type the name of your chosen plugin, install it, and activate it.

Step 2: Configure the plugin (if needed)

Identify the header element you want to make sticky. Use your browser’s “Inspect Element” tool to find the exact selector if needed. Enter the selector into the plugin’s settings.

To do this, open your website in a browser, right-click on your header, and select Inspect or Inspect Element.

Common selectors include #site-header or .main-header.

Note: To learn more about using your browser’s developer tools, please read our guide on Viewing your website’s headers.

Depending on the plugin you chose, you may be able to customize other options, like adding animation effects or changing the scroll distance before the header becomes sticky.

Step 3: Save changes and test

Click Save or Apply to confirm your settings. Visit your website to test the sticky header. Scroll down to see if the header remains fixed at the top, and be sure to check on different devices.

Method 2: Using Your Theme’s Built-In Settings (Moderate)

Many modern WordPress themes come with built-in options to enable a sticky header. This method offers seamless integration with your site’s design and avoids the need for additional plugins.

Popular Themes With Sticky Header Options

• Astra
• OceanWP
• Divi

What to do

Step 1: Access the theme customizer

In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Customize.

Step 2: Find your header settings

In the customizer sidebar, look for sections labeled “Header,” “Menu,” or “Navigation” Click on the relevant section to access header settings.

Step 3: Enable the sticky header option

Find the setting labeled “Sticky Header,” “Fixed Header,” or “Enable on Scroll.” Toggle the option to On or Enable.

Step 4: Customize other settings (if applicable)

There may be other settings you can personalize, if you want to, like the background color, transparency levels, logo size while scrolling, etc. Use the live preview to see your changes in real time.

Step 5: Publish and test

Click Publish to save your changes. Visit your site to verify the sticky header functionality. Test on multiple pages and make sure to check its responsiveness on tablets and smartphones.

Method 3: DIY with Custom CSS (Advanced)

If you’re comfortable with a bit of coding, adding custom CSS allows for maximum customization and control over your sticky header’s behavior and appearance.

Again, you’ll need to identify your header element. Open your website in a browser, right-click on your header, and select Inspect or Inspect Element.

Note the CSS selector for your header. Common selectors include header, #masthead, and .site-header, so look for those.

What to do

Step 1: Go to your additional CSS editor

Go to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard. Click on Additional CSS at the bottom of the customizer sidebar.

Step 2: Insert custom CSS code

Insert custom code into the CSS editor. Replace header with your specific header selector if different (e.g., .site-header).

Here’s a sample sticky header code you can use:

/* Make the header sticky */
header {
    position: fixed;
    top: 0;
    width: 100%;
    z-index: 9999;
}

/* Prevent content from hiding behind the header */
body {
    margin-top: 80px; /* Adjust this value to match your header's height */
}

Step 3: Adjust the margin

Modify the margin-top value in the body rule to match the exact height of your header. For example, if your header is 100 pixels tall, set margin-top: 100px;.

Step 4: Publish and test

Click Publish to apply your changes. Visit your site to make sure your header remains fixed at the top when scrolling and there’s no overlap between the header and the content below. Test on different devices and browsers to make sure it’s consistent, too.

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Overlapping content

If the content below the header is hidden, adjust the margin-top value.

2. Mobile responsiveness

If your sticky header takes up too much space on mobile, you can revert it to a normal, non-sticky header for screens below a certain width. For example, if you want to disable the sticky header on devices narrower than 600 pixels, you could add:

@media (max-width: 600px) {
    header {
        position: static; /* Removes the fixed (sticky) positioning */
        margin-top: 0;    /* Adjusts the layout back to normal */
    }
    body {
        margin-top: 0;    /* Remove the top margin that was compensating for the sticky header */
    }
}

3. Z-index issues

Increase the z-index value if the header is appearing behind other elements.

Should You Add a Sticky Header? The Ongoing Debate

While sticky headers can enhance user experience, opinions vary among web designers and users. One Reddit discussion captures this debate, with some arguing that sticky headers are intrusive, while others believe they’re essential for modern navigation.

To sum it up, here are some of the pros and cons of sticky headers:

When in Doubt, Consider Your Audience

According to research, sticky header preferences can vary by demographic. Who would’ve thought, eh?

Contentsquare’s insights report that younger users might appreciate the convenience, while older audiences could find it confusing or obstructive. Aligning your design choices with your target audience’s preferences is crucial.

Best Practices

• Minimalist design: Keep the header clean and uncluttered to minimize distraction.
• User control: Offer options for users to collapse or hide the sticky header if they prefer.
• Responsiveness: Make sure the sticky header adapts well to different screen sizes, or consider hiding it on mobile devices.

The Verdict

Ultimately, whether to use a sticky header depends on your site’s goals and your audience’s needs. We recommend testing its impact using analytics tools.

A/B testing can also provide valuable insights into how a sticky header affects user behavior and conversion rates on your site.

Conclusion

We’ve explored three straightforward ways to add a sticky header to your WordPress site:

• Using a plugin: Ideal for beginners seeking a quick, no-code solution.
• Using theme settings: Leverages built-in options for seamless integration.
• With custom CSS: Offers maximum customization for those comfortable with coding.

A sticky header can significantly enhance the user experience by improving navigation and keeping important elements accessible. For small business owners, this can translate into higher engagement and increased conversions.

Now that you’re equipped with the know-how to add a sticky header, it’s time to put it into action! Choose the method that suits you best and enhance your website’s navigability today.

Ready to take your website beyond the basics? Explore our additional resources and continue your journey toward a more effective and engaging online presence.

Additional Resources for Website Enhancement

Beginner guides:

• Learn WordPress, Fast: 25 Resources To Get You Started
• How To Build Lead-Generating WordPress Landing Pages
• WordPress Posts: Here’s Everything You Need to Know
• Your Website Redesign Checklist for an Incredible Revamp

Tutorials:

• How To Find Your WordPress Login URL & Upgrade It for Security
• Decoding WordPress: Working With Block Patterns
• Your Key to Building a Winning Customer Journey Map
• What To Do When You’re Locked Out Of WordPress Admin
• Keyword Research: How To Reach More Customers With SEO

At DreamHost, we’re dedicated to empowering small business owners and website managers with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed online. From hosting solutions to expert tutorials, we’re here to support your journey every step of the way!

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The post 3 Simple Ways To Create a Fixed (Sticky) Header in WordPress appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

You just completed a critical update that needed to go live before midnight. You’re amazing, brilliant, you did it!

You hit Publish with relief.

And then…disaster strikes.

Your browser serves up the Chrome dinosaur game — and suddenly that midnight deadline feels very, very close.

While jumping over internet cacti can be fun, the ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED error when you need internet access feels like getting betrayed by the a constant presence in your life — your internet provider.

Don’t worry though; you’re not alone.

Almost everyone has had these moments, and the good news is that this is easily fixable.

Let’s get you back online!

First, What Is ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED?

If you already know what’s happening, skip right to “How do you get back online?”

When browsers display the ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED message, they’re telling us that our device has lost its connection to the internet.

You can think of it as a delivery truck attempting to transport packages, only to find that all the roads out are blocked.

The truck (your browser) wants to move data, but the roads (internet connection) are inaccessible. Different browsers handle the internet disconnected error differently, too.

Chrome introduces its famous dinosaur game, a playful nod to times before internet connectivity.

Microsoft Edge has a fun surfing game.

Firefox too has a cute little ping pong-styled game that can be run when the browser has no internet connection.

Safari maintains its minimalist aesthetic with a simple alert.

Despite their different presentations, each browser communicates the same fundamental problem — your device can no longer reach the internet.

Why Did You Get Disconnected?

Network connections operate through a complex chain of components working together.

If these get disrupted, the ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED error shows up on your browser window.

Here’s a typical home network setup.

You have the WiFi router connected to the internet, and every device in your house connects to the WiFi router.

BTW, your office network is quite similar. There just are more devices and more routers working together to connect to the internet in an office setup.

There are generally two reasons why you’d get disconnected from the internet:

• Your connection to the router is broken; WiFi disconnects or the wire comes loose.
• The router’s connection to the internet (the cloud) is broken. This is generally out of your control.

Physical connection issues are often the first things you want to check. A cable might have worked itself loose during office cleaning, or for WFH folks, perhaps a pet pulled it loose.

Here’s what you need to do to get back online.

How Do You Get Back Online?

When your internet connection fails, your first instinct might be to try everything at once — unplugging cables, restarting devices, checking settings — all in rapid succession.

While this panic-driven approach is completely understandable, especially with a deadline looming, it rarely solves the problem. In fact, making random changes often creates new issues that mask the original problem.

Instead, we’ll think of it as a detective story.

Every lost connection has clues pointing to its cause, and like any good detective, we’ll examine each piece of evidence systematically.

Let’s walk through the investigation process step by step, checking each potential trouble spot until we uncover the culprit behind your disconnection.

Step 1: Assessing the Physical Infrastructure

You know that moment when your phone isn’t charging and someone asks, “Is it plugged in?”

It might seem obvious, but even the professionals sometimes overlook the simple stuff.

Walk over to your setup and follow the cables from your computer to your router. Give each cable a gentle wiggle. Sometimes they look connected but aren’t clicked in all the way.

Keep an eye on your network indicator while you do this because it might spring back to life right as you adjust the right cable!

Check the power cables next.

They tend to loosen over time, especially if your desk gets bumped occasionally. Take a quick look at each power cable for any loose connections or wear and tear (especially if you have cats– check for bite marks. I speak from experience.)

Watch for any power cables showing wear marks or unusual bending — these indicate potential points of failure requiring replacement.

Quick Fix:

Found something loose or worn?

1. Push loose cables back in firmly; they should click securely.
2. Test your connection after fixing each cable.
3. Consider labeling the troublesome cables for future reference.
4. Get IT help (or grab a new cable at home) if you spot damage.

Still offline? Let’s move to Step 2.

Step 2: Equipment Status Evaluation

Your router uses lights to tell you what’s wrong, kind of like a car’s dashboard.

The power light is your first clue: green means good, blinking suggests power problems, and no light means it’s not getting power at all.

The internet light (or WAN–Wide Area Network) is your connection indicator.

• Rapid blinking = active internet.
• Slow blinking = trying to connect.
• Solid light  = might be frozen.
• No light or red light = lost connection.

Some routers have different blinking styles and light colors, which will be specified in the manual.

Quick Fixes:

1. Try a different power outlet.
2. Use a spare power adapter if you have one.
3. Take a photo of the lights – This is really helpful for IT support.

Step 3: The Strategic Reset Process

Instead of just flipping the switch, we’ll use a much more effective method to restart your network.

This is pretty much a reboot but gives the router time to completely power down, delete all cached data from memory, and start fresh.

Here’s how:

1. Document your current setup. Photograph or note your router’s position and cable connections. There’s nothing worse than unplugging everything, just to realize you have no idea where to plug it back in.
2. Disconnect power from both modem and router, starting with the router.
3. Wait a full 30 seconds. This critical pause allows internal components to fully discharge.
4. Unplug all ethernet cables and reconnect them firmly, ensuring proper clip engagement.
5. Reconnect your modem’s power supply.
6. Allow exactly two minutes for modem initialization and connection establishment.
7. Power up your router.
8. Wait three full minutes for complete system initialization.
9. Verify indicator lights show proper operation patterns.

If you’re still stuck with no internet connectivity, move on to step 4.

Step 4: Verify Connection

After completing the power cycle, systematically verify each connection layer.

Open your device’s network panel and look for your network name. If it’s missing or showing weak signal bars, try getting closer to your router.

Quick Tests:

1. Try connecting with a cable if possible.
2. Test with your phone to rule out computer issues.
3. Check if others around you have the internet.

Here’s how you can check if your computer has connected to the network or not:

Open your device’s network settings panel. Your network should appear in the available connections list. Here’s what it looks like when my laptop is connected to WiFi, but everything else is disconnected.

If your device isn’t picking up any networks, your router might not be broadcasting properly.

If your laptop supports it, try connecting to the internet with a wired ethernet connection. This helps rule out any wireless issues.

Also, check the WiFi signal strength with the WiFi Analyzer app; if it’s weak, you might need to reposition your router or check for interference.

You can also perform the WiFi signal strength check on your laptop with:

• Windows – WiFi analyzer
• Mac – Ultra analyzer

If you can connect with ethernet but not wireless, then you know the problem is with your wireless setup. Try connecting wirelessly from different spots and see if the signal strength changes.

Still no luck? Let’s move on to Step 5.

Step 5: Advanced Diagnostics

If nothing has worked so far, we need to dig a bit deeper. We’ll use some built-in tools to see exactly where the connection’s breaking down.

Quick Fixes:

Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) and type ping 8.8.8.8 to test the internet connection:

If that fails, contact your internet provider.

If it works but websites don’t, try changing your DNS to 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare).

Remember: Every internet problem has a solution. If you’ve tried all the steps and still need help, don’t hesitate to call your IT support or internet provider.

They’ll appreciate knowing you’ve already tried these steps, and it will help them solve your problem faster!

Preventing Internet Disconnected Error

You need to do a few things to make sure you don’t lose your connection. Let’s look at each of these steps in more detail.

Smart Router Placement

Router placement often becomes an afterthought in busy offices.

The device gets hidden behind plants or stuffed under desks for aesthetic reasons. However, router location directly impacts video call quality, cloud file access speeds, and overall team productivity.

Remember the WiFi analyzers we talked about before? Any of those can reveal where you’re receiving the maximum network and where the WiFi strength gets weak enough to be disconnected.

You can also create a heat map of your WiFi signal.

For office setups (and even large homes), heatmaps tell you where your signal strength starts dropping so you can add WiFi repeaters, extenders, or signal boosters until you see full coverage across the area of your office.

Often, moving a router just 15 feet above the ground can dramatically improve coverage. The most effective position tends to be mounted 6 feet up on a central wall, as WiFi signals travel downward in a dome shape.

But it’s less common for the router to have a consistent signal throughout its range. Common office items can disrupt WiFi signals in surprising ways:

• Microwave ovens can disrupt 2.4GHz signals.
• Cordless phones may share frequency bands.
• Metal filing cabinets create signal shadows.
• Neighboring networks compete for bandwidth.

Find ways to isolate this interference or strengthen your WiFi signal by placing more devices on the floor.

Create a Maintenance Schedule

Just as vehicles need regular maintenance, network infrastructure requires consistent attention. Your IT department probably has this on lockdown, but here’s an example of what a maintenance schedule would look like, so you can appreciate all their hard work:

• Monthly checks should occur during off-peak hours, typically early in the morning before regular business operations begin.
  • Run speed tests from every department.
  • Clear dust from equipment (compressed air works wonders).
  • Check cable connections (they loosen over time).
  • Update network documentation.

• Quarterly assessments provide opportunities for deeper system evaluation.
  • Comprehensive speed testing with detailed mapping.
  • Equipment inspection (looking for wear signs).
  • Review and update emergency contact lists.
  • Team training refreshes on basic troubleshooting.

• Firmware management deserves special attention. Outdated firmware can lead to major outages, while proper tracking and testing of updates helps maintain stable performance.
  • Track firmware versions in a shared spreadsheet.
  • Review update notes before installing.
  • Test updates on backup equipment first.
  • Keep detailed logs of performance changes.

Backup Connections Planning

A robust backup strategy protects businesses from costly interruptions. Here’s how you can think about planning your backup connections:

• Primary connection: Maintain a business-class internet service with guaranteed service levels and priority support. Also, create direct contact with service provider technical support to avoid customer service channels during outages.
• Backup systems: Along with this, we’d recommend having a secondary cable connection from a different provider for redundancy. 
• Mobile hotspots: If keeping a secondary connection active costs too much at your business stage, mobile hotspots can do the job just fine considering how fast mobile internet is these days. But keep running trials every few weeks with all your internet out and just the mobile hotspots to ensure people on the team can handle an outage.
• Emergency response: Create detailed procedures for connection failures:
  • Diagnostic steps for common problems.
  • Contact information for support services.
  • Alternative workspace arrangements.
  • Customer communication templates.

A final resort would be to stay connected with local co-working spaces as emergency workspaces when needed for business continuity.

Documentation and Training

Technical documentation should be clear and actionable.

A centralized guide containing network diagrams, equipment information, and troubleshooting steps helps staff resolve common issues independently.

Maintain comprehensive network documentation such as:

• Network topology diagrams.
• Equipment specifications and warranties.
• Configuration backups.
• Maintenance logs.
• Update histories.

Train team members on basic troubleshooting procedures. Create quick-reference guides for common issues. Clear escalation procedures help staff identify when to handle issues themselves and when to seek additional support.

More Than Just Connection Problems

While we’ve focused on internet disconnection errors, you might run into several other errors that prevent access to websites.

Sometimes your browser and server just aren’t speaking the same language.

Each of these guides walks you through fixing the problem step by step. Bookmark them for those moments when things aren’t working quite right — they’ll help you get back on track quickly!

• The 400 Bad Request Error pops up when something’s wrong with how your browser asks for information — maybe a mistyped URL or some cookie problems. 
• You might also see ERR_CONNECTION_RESET when your connection drops mid-conversation with the server. These connection hiccups can be particularly frustrating when you’re in the middle of important work.
• Form submissions can be especially tricky. Ever filled out a long form only to lose everything when you hit submit? That’s often related to ERR_CACHE_MISS Errors. They’re particularly annoying when trying to save important information or make a purchase.
• WordPress users face their own set of challenges. The “Maximum Execution Time Exceeded” message might appear when trying to install a new plugin, or you could run into WordPress image upload issues while updating your site’s media library.
• Sometimes the problem lies within the server itself. A 504 Gateway Timeout means the server’s taking too long to respond, while a 503 Service Unavailable error suggests it’s too busy or down for maintenance. These server issues usually resolve themselves, but our guides can help you understand what’s happening and what you can do about it.

Ready for Any Internet Adventure

Network problems never arrive at convenient times. That dinosaur game might be fun, but not when you’re facing a critical deadline or in the middle of an important task.

The key isn’t avoiding every possible problem but knowing what to do when they occur.

Keep this guide handy, save your ISP’s number somewhere offline, and know that every connection issue has a solution.

And when in doubt, explore our guides on common website errors and management tips.

Sign up for our newsletter to be notified about new tutorials when they’re published. We may not be able to every internet hiccup, but we can sure help you handle them like a pro.

The post Disconnected Again? How To Fix the ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED Error and Get Back Online appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

Forget Hollywood budgets and film crews; anyone can make good video content using generative AI. Yes, that includes small business owners like you!

Of course, there’s still a learning curve. Writing good text prompts is a skill, and AI video makers vary widely in features, style, usability, and price.

Navigating this world can seem daunting if you’re not a creative professional. That’s why we decided to compile an accessible guide.

Stick with us for the next few minutes to learn about the benefits of AI-generated video, and find out how we rank the best AI video generators in 2024.

You ready, Spielberg? Let’s dive in!

How Small Businesses Can Benefit From AI Video Generation

One of the biggest challenges for small businesses is being seen. While multinationals can throw millions at content and ads, smaller brands have to find cost-efficient ways to stand out.

In some ways, AI video tools are helping to close the gap.

With relatively little investment, business owners and marketers can now —

• Turn text prompts into short video clips: Text-to-video AI models can magic up content based on your written requests, meaning you don’t need the help of creative professionals to produce simple videos.
• Convert images into videos: Adding motion to an existing photo is a great way to catch the eye of potential customers.
• Extend and edit existing videos: Many AI tools can extend an existing clip or assist you with intelligent video editing. In both cases, you’re likely to save time.
• Build AI avatars: Don’t have time to record an endless list of videos in front of a camera? With some AI video creation tools, you can build a controllable avatar by uploading one short clip. It’s kinda like turning yourself into a game character!

Put together, these AI features open up a wide range of use cases. Here are some examples of video content you can create using AI:

• Product demos: Showcase your products in action, with engaging visuals and snappy descriptions.
• Explainer videos: Simplify complex concepts or services with easy-to-understand animations and voiceovers.
• Video tutorials: Guide your audience through a process, like using your product or troubleshooting a common issue.
• Promotional videos: Highlight special offers, discounts, or new product launches to drive sales.
• Social media content: Create short, eye-catching videos optimized for different platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
• Training videos: Onboard new employees or educate customers with concise and informative video guides.
• Video content for ads: Create compelling video ads for various platforms, capturing attention and driving conversions.

The benefits of using AI to generate videos like these are pretty obvious. Hiring an experienced employee or an agency to produce video can be costly for most small business owners. And spending hours learning video editing yourself requires time — let’s be honest — you don’t have. With AI, you can simply type in a few words and watch the magic happen.

And because you can produce more content in less time, you’re likely to see a positive effect on your marketing efforts. In one recent survey, 87% of marketers said video has directly contributed to increased sales and leads. That’s a big number you can’t ignore!

Choosing the Right AI Video Creator

The hardest part of the video creation process with AI is knowing which tool to use.

Right now, we’re seeing an explosion of video models entering the market. Each offers something a little different, so it’s essential to find a platform that matches your specific needs.

Here are the key ingredients to look for as a small business owner:

• Usability: While most AI video makers are designed to be user-friendly, some hit this mark better than others.
• Style: Every AI model is trained on different data, so you can expect different video outputs. For instance, some models are better at photorealistic videos, while others are better at animation.
• Features: While traditional video editors share the same basic set of tools, AI studios all offer something a little different. For this reason, you might need to switch between apps for different video projects.
• Speed: Creating AI videos from scratch can last seconds, minutes, or hours, depending on the model you’re using, and the length of the clip you’re trying to create. 
• Price: Generating video with AI takes plenty of computing power, so it does come at a cost. It’s worth taking a closer look at how much usage you get with each tool.

Test Driving the Best AI Video Generators

To help narrow down the field, we decided to take the top five AI video generators for a test drive.

Our testing method was to identify key use cases for small businesses, and try them out on each platform. You can see some of the best outputs under each app.

Let’s see what these hotrods can do!

1. Klingai

Billed as a general-purpose video generation model, Klingai is a creative tool that focuses on text-to-video.

The app is relatively simple, with a dark interface that’s easy to navigate.

You can choose between two models: Kling 1.5 is the newer version, aimed at delivering cinematic results; and while the older Kling 1.0 might be rougher around the edges, it has a Motion Brush feature that allows you to draw a path for characters and objects to follow across the frame.

In both cases, you can enter text, set your preference between creativity and relevance, and create prompts to exclude elements. You can also choose between three aspect ratios, and even take manual control of camera movement.

In terms of real-world use cases, Klingai is better suited to creating eye-catching clips rather than detailed tutorials and explainer videos. From our testing, it produces better results with detailed, prescriptive prompts.

Highlights:

• Simple interface.
• Motion Brush tool for creative control.
• Free to try and cheap upgrades.

Best for: Eye-catching social media and promo videos.

Pricing: Free to try. Paid plans start at $120 a year, which covers 66 standard videos per month.

2. Runway

Runway is considered one of the leading lights in AI video. This platform offers a suite of tools that have caught the attention of content creators and businesses alike.

The latest addition to the Runway toolbox is Act-One, a model that can convert a simple video from a camera into an animated short. It’s essentially like creating a Pixar version of yourself, although it doesn’t necessarily have to be cartoon-like — Runway has some very realistic avatars to choose from. The results are impressive.

You can also generate videos from text, although Runway encourages you to upload some reference imagery as a starting point. In addition, the platform provides a library of example prompts to give you a sense of what’s possible.

The AI video generation interface is slick and clean, with a limited array of controls to keep things simple. Once you’ve created your first cut, you can open your videos in Runway’s full video editing suite.

This area offers an impressive selection of tools. 3D Object Capture allows you to create dynamic scenes based on the real world; Super-Slow Motion can turn any video into a smooth action replay; and Motion Tracking allows you to add graphics that stick to any element within an existing video.

Because Runway is a complete video production studio rather than a standalone AI tool, the platform is well suited to creating polished video content for professional use cases. It can handle AI image generation, as well.

Highlights:

• High-quality output.
• Extensive suite of creative tools.
• Strong community and learning resources.

Best for: Using AI content as part of professional video production.

Pricing: Free tier available. Pro plans start at $15/month for individuals, with team and enterprise options available for larger operations.

3. Luma Labs Dream Machine

Some of the most viral AI-made clips on social media were created with Luma Labs Dream Machine. This platform definitely leans into the creative side of video production, with a model that morphs characters and creates dreamy transitions.

Creating a video using the Dream Machine is very simple because there’s only one control: a text box. Here is where you type in your prompts and use commands to take control of camera motion.

Compared with some other AI tools, the Dream Machine can produce good results with very little input. Just a one-line prompt is enough to deliver something you would consider sharing on social media. If you like what you see, you can also extend videos with a tap.

As an overall theme, Luma Labs has opted for simplicity and ease of use over manual control. For busy marketers and business owners, that might make it an attractive option.

Highlights:

• Very easy to use.
• Delivers good videos from short prompts.
• Camera motion commands.

Best for: Creating social media content, product launch previews, and fun introductions.

Pricing: Free to try, although your tasks may end up on a waitlist. Paid plans are based on credits, starting at $7.99 per month for up to 70 videos.

4. Pika

Looking for something whimsical and creative? Time to check out Pika.

This platform is based around fun visual effects, like eyes popping out and objects being crushed under a vice. You can apply these templates to your own creations using text prompts.

After a brief wait, Pika spits out short, colorful clips with audio to match.

With an emphasis on fun and creativity, Pika isn’t loaded with controls. The idea is to create videos from text, without spending too much time tweaking settings.

That said, you have six different aspect ratios to choose from. You can also keep unwanted ideas at bay using negative prompts.

While the outputs are not always faithful to the original prompt, Pika produces really good-looking videos. We didn’t come across any weird morphing or glitches in our testing.

Highlights:

• Built-in templates with fun visual effects.
• Six different aspect ratios.
• Quick to generate AI videos.

Best for: Quirky, attention-grabbing social media posts and video ads.

Pricing: Generous free AI video generator plan with 10 videos per month. Paid plans start at $8 per month for 150 videos.

5. Synthesia

And now for something completely different.

Synthesia is an AI video generator that was specifically built for business. Instead of asking you to dream up ideas to fill an empty canvas, this platform has pre-built workflows for creating business-related videos. These videos are based around AI avatars, speaking to the camera.

You start by picking which type of content you want to make — a product launch video, sales training, a case study, and so on. Synthesia then asks you to explain what the video is about; you can paste in any URL or file as a reference here. The platform also asks you to name the areas of focus for your video.

Next, you get a preview, which includes an AI-generated script. This is usually pretty good off the bat, but you can wade in to make adjustments if you want. Equally, Synthesia’s editor allows you to tweak any part of the video — from the on-screen text to the placement of the avatar.

The output videos are polished, and Synthesia supports much longer runtimes than most other AI models. For easy sharing, the platform also provides video hosting and embedding.

Highlights:

• Over 230 AI avatars.
• Guided workflow for creating videos.
• Large range of editable video templates. 

Best for: Sales, training, customer support, and marketing videos.

Pricing: Free AI video plans with limited avatars and video generation. Paid plans start from $18 per month, providing up to 10 minutes of video.

The Verdict: Which AI Video Generator Is Right for You?

Choosing the right AI video generator depends on your specific needs and priorities. Here’s a quick rundown to help you decide:

• If you need short, engaging videos with minimal effort: Luma Labs Dream Machine is your best bet. The simple interface and quick generation times make it ideal for busy marketers. Klingai is also a strong contender in this category, especially if you want control over character and object movement. If quirky and fun is your style, Pika is another low-effort option.
• For polished, cinematic video production: Runway stands out with its editing tools and high-quality output. While more focused on business applications, Synthesia also delivers polished results thanks to the AI avatar generator.
• If you’re primarily creating business-related videos like training, sales presentations, or customer support content: Synthesia is the one. The guided workflows really help to streamline the process of creating professional videos.
• For experimenting with ideas and getting creative: Runway and Luma Labs Dream Machine offer the most creative flexibility. Runway’s advanced features allow you to go wild with pro-level motion graphics, while Luma Labs Dream Machine excels at generating dreamy, visually captivating content. 
• On a budget? All five platforms offer free trials or free tiers. Klingai and Pika offer particularly generous free plans, making them great options for budget-conscious users.

Start Harnessing AI Today

The latest wave of AI video generators can produce some pretty impressive content. You probably won’t get it right at the first attempt — prompting is a skill that takes time to master. But with a little time (and effort) investment, you should soon be knocking out new videos like Scorsese on steroids.

Just remember, video isn’t the only arena where AI can help your business. For instance, DreamHost Liftoff is a new AI tool that can build a design for your WordPress website in just 60 seconds! Our customers also get free access to the AI Business Advisor, which can help you plan ahead and perform everyday marketing tasks.

Sign up with one of our hosting plans today to try these tools for yourself!

The post We Tested 5 of the Hottest AI Video Generators, These Were Our Result appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

In fact, at a time when a website may be the only connection point entrepreneurs have with their target audience, graphics may be more critical than ever to telling your story.

Which leads to the question: What does your imagery say about you?

Does it load fast and clear, making a modern impression and pulling shoppers deeper into your conversion funnel?

Or is your imagery a little bit blurry or on the slow side, leading visitors to wonder about the trustworthiness of your brand —and if they should click away to a competitor instead?

A small business website’s performance, success, and user experience depend heavily on modern image formats. And upgrading yours may actually be a lot easier than you think.

In this guide, we’ll explore what those modern formats are, how to choose the one that’s best for you, a WordPress plugin to make it all happen in just a few clicks, and finally — a strategy for keeping an eye on site performance to make sure you stay aligned with contemporary consumer trends.

Understanding WebP Images and AVIF Images

The WebP format hit the scene in 2010 to improve upon the JPEG image format by offering superior quality and compressibility, without increasing file size.

It supports lossy compression (significant size reduction with minimal quality loss) and lossless compression (no quality loss), enabling smaller file sizes while maintaining visual clarity. WebP also handles features like transparency (like PNGs) and animations (like GIFs).

Thanks to its efficiency, versatility, and compatibility with all modern browsers, WebP has become a go-to format.

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) was launched in 2019 to deliver better image quality and compression than WebP. It offers even higher quality visuals with minimal file sizes, thanks to advanced image compression and the ability to produce richer colors.

While AVIF files aren’t yet as widely adopted as WebP due to being younger, the format’s popularity is growing as more platforms begin to accept it.

To summarize, JPEG and PNG images are older formats that result in larger file sizes and, thus, slower loading times. The WebP and AVIF formats are newer and highly compressible, making them smaller and faster to load —usually without losing much, if any quality.

One other thing you should know: Modern Image Formats is also the name of a plugin built for WordPress.org sites to enable AVIF and WebP support for media uploads.

In just a bit, we’ll walk you through how to install it on your own website to take advantage of the benefits of these modern formats.

Why Modern Formats Matter (Hint: Speed!)

Images contribute significantly to a website’s page weight, with desktop images averaging over 1,000 KB out of a total of 2,315 KB. That’s nearly 50%!

On mobile, images account for almost 900 KB out of 2,020 KB.

Given that images make up the majority of a website’s page weight, their formatting becomes crucial. This is because different formats can dramatically influence the size, weight, and, ultimately, the loading time of images.

And you want your images to load as quickly as possible, as the impact is two-fold.

First, it’s critical for search engine optimization (SEO).

Google uses something called Core Web Vitals, a set of metrics it measures for each website, to gauge how user-friendly your site is based on stability, responsiveness, and, you guessed it — speed!

It will use your Core Web Vitals, along with other factors, to determine where your website shows up versus competitors on the search engine’s result pages. (Stay tuned, we’ll dive deeper into Core Web Vitals again later!)

Additionally, loading speed and accuracy are huge elements of the customer experience, and as such, greatly impact your ability to convert. This is shown by the fact that conversions drop off as sites get slower.

Choosing Between AVIF or WebP

Before you can dive into using WebP or AVIF on your website to boost speed, you’ll want to determine which format you prefer for which images.

The truth is both AVIF and WebP are excellent image formats for the web, so the choice is really just all about your priorities.

Here’s our verdict:

AVIF for Image Quality

AVIF is perfect for sharp, detailed images like photography portfolios, digital art, or e-commerce sites showcasing high-end products. It delivers stunning visuals with minimal impact on loading times.

WebP for Versatility

WebP works well for most websites, handling photos, illustrations, logos, and animations with ease. It’s widely supported, making it a reliable choice for quick-loading, high-quality images on the web.

We actually already wrote a detailed guide to help you make this decision, so if you want more details, don’t miss AVIF vs. WebP: How To Choose the Right Modern Image Format.

Upload Your Best Images With Modern Image Formats WordPress Plugin

That plugin we mentioned earlier, Modern Image Formats? It may just be the best way for small website owners and operators to get their updated graphics online.

So, let’s explore what the tool features, how to install and use it, its benefits, and how to determine if it’s the right solution for you.

What Is the Modern Image Formats Plugin for WordPress?

WordPress just introduced AVIF support in 2024 on version 6.5, so some websites may not be set up to use this format just yet.

That’s where a plugin like Modern Image Formats comes in (formerly part of the Performance Lab plugin, then separated out and known as WebP Uploads until 2024).

The Modern Image Formats plugin was created to enable the use of WebP and AVIF image formats in WordPress. As long as your hosting server supports AVIF, it will be the default format the plugin outputs, otherwise, WebP will be used. When both are supported, you can choose your preferred output in the “Settings” menu.

Quick note: You can only modernize the formats of new uploads using this plugin, so it won’t work retroactively on the graphics you already have on your site.

Have your ideal modern file type chosen and ready to upgrade your graphics and site speed? Perfect —let’s dive into using the Modern Image Formats plugin!

Reminder: Your hosting environment must also be able to support WebP and AVIF if you want to use these file formats. If you’re not sure it does, reach out to your provider!

How To Start Using Modern Image Formats

Like all plugins, you’ll install Modern Image Formats through your WordPress admin. Just log in and navigate to Plugins > Add New Plugin in the left menu.

Search “Modern Image Formats,” click Install Now, then wait for it to install before hitting the Activate button.

When it’s done, you’ll be redirected to your Installed Plugins page, which is organized alphabetically.

Scroll down to find Modern Image Formats, then click on Settings.

Here, you just want to take a look and make sure you like all the default settings around your preferred image output format, the output of fallback images, and more.

When you’re happy with your setup, use the Save Changes button.

Now when you upload a new graphic, the plugin should automatically convert it into your chosen default format.

Let’s test that by publishing a graphic really quickly. We’ll head to Posts > Add New Post and simply drag an image onto the page.

Give it a title and hit the Publish button in the upper right corner. On the live post, hover over the image, right-click, and Inspect. You should see that the image is in your preferred format!

By default, when you upload JPEG or PNG images, the resized versions will be created in modern formats like WebP or AVIF. Don’t worry—the original file will stay in its original JPEG or PNG format!

Quick note: You can only modernize the formats of new uploads using this plugin, so it won’t work retroactively on the graphics you already have on your site.

Benefits of the Modern Image Formats Plugin

Really the biggest benefit of this plugin, and its whole goal, is that it makes it easy for website owners of all technical backgrounds to do something to bring their site into the modern age. Once installed, it instantly makes your site compatible with today’s most efficient image formats, ensuring fast loads, high quality, and better experiences.

Secondarily, the other key benefit of choosing this plugin is that it simplifies format selection. It does this by automatically selecting the optimal format, based on your server capabilities. AVIF is prioritized when it’s supported, and WebP is used as a fallback —unless you choose to adjust the settings otherwise. That makes for just one less thing you need to think about when it comes to site management and optimization.

Is the Modern Image Formats Tool Right for You?

As usual, it’s hard for us to say exactly what’s right for you. The tooling you use to support your small business is so personal to your brand, your website, you and/or your team’s skillset, and the time you have available to devote to all of the above!

That said, we’ve worked with tons of small business owners and websites over the years as an independent (one of the last!) web hosting provider, website building helper, and proud pro services purveyor.

So, we do have an opinion on who the Modern Image Formats plugin is best for!

We’d recommend using this tool if the success of your website and business depends on imagery. This may apply to photographers, digital service providers who need to be able to show off high-quality work samples, e-commerce sellers, etc.

Basically, if your site is full of graphics, you need to take care not only that they look great, but that they don’t harm your loading speed on either desktop or mobile.

If this sounds like you, there’s no harm in using a plugin to make it easier to quickly upgrade your images to the best and fastest format when uploading them to your site. 

Measure Your Image Optimization Efforts With Core Web Vitals

Now that you’ve made this big adjustment, if you aren’t already, it’s time to start keeping an eye on your Core Web Vitals scores to understand how they impact your website performance.

Reminder, this is a set of metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative, Layout Shift (CLS), and Interaction to Next Paint (INP), Google tracks on websites to help determine their usability and rank them for Google searchers.

Here are three ways to determine your Core Web Vitals scores to track and boost your site’s performance:

• PageSpeed Insights: Visit Google PageSpeed Insights, enter your website URL, and click Analyze. It will provide mobile and desktop Core Web Vitals scores, along with recommendations for improvement.
• Chrome User Experience Report: Head to Google Search Console > Core Web Vitals > Experience to access valuable insights into how real visitors interact with your site.
• Web Vitals Chrome extension: Add the Web Vitals Chrome extension to Chrome for instant access to Core Web Vitals scores directly from any website you visit.  

More Solutions for Revving Up Your Website Engine

OK, OK just one more thing before we wrap it up. We’ve been writing about small business websites for a while, so we’ve built up a nice backlog of resources all about boosting your site speed.

For those of you on a mission to do everything you can to boost sales and customer experiences by way of increasing site speed, here are a handful of articles to read next:

• Everything You Need To Know About Speeding Up WordPress
• How To Supercharge Site Speed With GTmetrix
• PageSpeed Insights Deep Dive (Full Walkthrough & Tips for Scoring 100)
• Decoding WordPress: Build Fast With WordPress Pattern Directory
• A Comprehensive Guide to Website Caching

It’s also important to know that website hosting has a lot to do with speed!

Overloaded servers, distant servers, limited bandwidth, poorly built infrastructure —all of these features of poor hosting can seriously slow down your site, no matter what you do to optimize graphics.

If you’re worried this is one of the roots of your performance issues, it may be time to check out DreamHost’s award-winning web hosting. We guarantee 100% uptime, easy installation and management, and human support should you ever run into a problem.

Drop us a line on our website with questions, or sign up and dream big with DreamHost today!

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The post Need for Speed? Meet WebP, AVIF, and Modern Image Formats appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

No, we aren’t talking about that Bing.

We’re talking about this Bing:

Sure, it might not have Google’s massive user base, but Bing attracts a crowd you don’t want to miss — users who are often more mature, with deeper pockets, and a stronger intent to buy.

This means they could be more likely to convert into paying customers on your site.

But that’s not all — Bing Webmaster Tools offers a suite of powerful features that can give your website a competitive edge, providing insights and analytics you won’t find elsewhere. Ignoring Bing is like leaving money on the table.

So, if you’re ready to diversify your SEO strategy and unlock new opportunities for growth, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Bing Webmaster Tools and how it can be a game-changer for your business.

What Is Bing Webmaster Tools?

Bing Webmaster Tools is a free, comprehensive platform provided by Microsoft that helps website owners monitor, maintain, and improve their site’s presence in Bing search results.

This tool offers valuable insights into how Bing crawls and indexes your site, provides keyword research data, and highlights many issues that might affect your site’s performance. By leveraging Bing Webmaster Tools, you can optimize your website to reach a wider audience and tap into Bing’s surprisingly vast user base.

Why Use Bing Webmaster Tools?

If you’re wondering whether adding another tool to your SEO arsenal is worth the effort, let’s break down what Bing Webmaster Tools brings to the table:

1. Access to a Unique Audience

Bing users are different from Google users in a few key ways.

First, Bing tends to attract an older, more affluent audience. If this matches your target market, optimizing for Bing is a no-brainer.

And second, Bing users often have a higher intent to purchase, meaning they could be more likely to convert into customers.

2. Comprehensive SEO Insights

The main features Bing Webmaster Tools offers are in its SEO section (which we’ll dive into later in the article). Nevertheless, as a preview, when you sign up for Bing Webmaster Tools, you get (among other features):

• Keyword research tools: Discover new keywords and see how they perform specifically on Bing.
• SEO reports and suggestions: Get actionable recommendations to improve your site’s SEO directly from Bing.
• Site scan functionality: Identify and fix issues like broken links or crawl errors that could be hurting your rankings.

3. Enhanced Reporting Capabilities

Bing Webmaster Tools offers detailed search performance data specific to Bing, so you can understand how your site is performing in Bing search results with metrics like clicks, impressions, and click-through rates.

It also provides backlink analysis, allowing you to monitor who’s linking to your site and assess the quality of those backlinks.

Is Bing Webmaster Tools Worth Your Time?

When you use Bing Webmaster Tools, it shouldn’t feel like adding another item to your to-do list. This invests in a resource that can drive real results. It opens doors to new audiences, provides deep insights, and enhances your overall SEO strategy.

So, is it worth your time? Absolutely! Here are a few reasons:

1. It gives you a competitive edge: While your competitors may focus solely on Google, optimizing for Bing can give you an advantage in reaching untapped markets.
2. It’s part of a more holistic SEO strategy: Diversifying your SEO efforts makes your site more resilient to algorithm changes on any single platform.
3. It has the potential for higher ROI: With less competition and a high-converting user base, your effort into Bing could yield significant returns.

How To Get Started With Bing Webmaster Tools

With the benefits out of the way, let’s talk about how to actually start using Bing Webmaster Tools.

Getting started is straightforward and can be done in just a few steps. In this section, we’ll guide you through the initial setup — from adding your website to verifying ownership and submitting your sitemap.

Let’s dive in and set the foundation for optimizing your site on Bing!

Adding Your Site to Bing Webmaster Tools

Getting your website onto Bing Webmaster Tools is your first step toward unlocking valuable SEO insights and reaching Bing’s audience. Here’s how to add your site:

1. Sign in or create a Microsoft account: Visit Bing Webmaster Tools and sign in with your Microsoft, Google, or Facebook account. If you don’t have one, creating a Microsoft account is quick and free.

2. Add your site: Once you’re logged in, you’ll have an option to add your site from Google Search Console, or manually. We’ll talk about importing from GSC momentarily — keep following these instructions to import your site manually.

3. Input the full URL of your website: Make sure to include http:// or https:// to specify the protocol. Click Add.

Bing Webmaster Tools Verification

Verifying your site confirms to Bing that you’re the legitimate owner, granting you access to all the data and tools.

Bing offers three different verification methods, and the process differs a bit depending on which one you choose.

1. DNS Auto Verification: Access your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider and add a Bing-provided CNAME record to your domain’s DNS settings as instructed.
2. XML file authentication: Download an XML file provided by Bing and upload it to your website’s root directory using an FTP client or your web hosting control panel.
3. Meta tag authentication: Copy a meta tag provided by Bing and paste it into the <head> section of your site’s homepage HTML, just before the closing </head> tag.

After completing the chosen method, go back to Bing Webmaster Tools and click Verify.

Bing will check for the presence of the verification file, meta tag, or DNS record. If everything’s set up correctly, you’ll receive a confirmation message. If not, double-check that you’ve followed all the steps accurately.

Adding a Website From Google Search Console

If you don’t want to go through the verification process, Bing allows you to import your site directly from Google Search Console instead.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the “Add a Site” page, select Import Sites from Google Search Console.
2. A prompt will appear asking you to sign in to your Google account associated with your Google Search Console.
3. Grant Bing Webmaster Tools permission to access your Google Search Console data.
4. A list of your websites from Google Search Console will appear. Select the one(s) you want to import to Bing Webmaster Tools.
5. Since your ownership is already verified in Google Search Console, Bing will automatically verify your site(s) without additional steps.

Submitting a Sitemap or URL to Bing

Submitting your sitemap helps Bing crawl and index your website more efficiently. Here’s how to do it:

1. Prepare your sitemap: Make sure your sitemap is in XML format and accessible via a URL (e.g., https://www.yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml).
2. Go to the sitemaps section of Bing Webmaster Tools: In the Bing Webmaster Tools dashboard, select your website. Click on Sitemaps in the left-hand menu.
3. Submit your sitemap: Click on the Submit Sitemap button. Enter the full URL of your sitemap and click Submit.
4. Your sitemap will appear in the sitemap list with a status indicating when it was last crawled.

Alternatively, if you’ve just updated a single page or added new content, you can manually submit the URL for indexing. Here’s how to do that:

1. Go to URL Submission: In the left-hand menu of your Bing Webmaster Tools home page, click on URL Submission.
2. Submit your URL: Enter the URL of the page you want Bing to crawl and click Submit.

Heads up: There’s a daily limit to how many URLs you can submit manually.

By adding your site and submitting your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools, you’re helping Bing’s crawlers efficiently find and index your content, making it accessible to users searching for what you offer. This can help increase your site traffic and other important website metrics.

Exploring Your Bing Webmaster Tools Home Page

Once you’ve added and verified your site, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the Bing Webmaster Tools dashboard. This home base offers a wealth of information at a glance, helping you monitor your site’s health, performance, and visibility on Bing.

Here’s a breakdown of the key features you’ll find on your home page:

Search Performance

The “Search Performance” section provides insights into how your site is performing in Bing search results. You’ll find data on:

• Clicks: The number of times users clicked on your site’s link from Bing search results.
• Impressions: How often your site appears in search results.
• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of impressions that resulted in clicks.
• Average position: Your site’s average ranking position in search results.

Use this data to identify high-performing pages and opportunities for optimization.

URL Inspection

The “URL Inspection” tool allows you to check the indexing status of specific URLs on your site.

You can:

• See crawling and indexing details, find out if a URL is indexed, and view any crawl errors.
• Request Bing to crawl or re-crawl a specific page, which is helpful after making significant updates.
• Get recommendations on how to improve the page for better search performance.

Site Explorer

“Site Explorer” offers a hierarchical view of your website, similar to a file manager. It’s a good place to visualize and navigate your site structure —you can come here to see all the pages Bing has discovered on your site and how they’re organized.

Site Explorer can also help you identify crawling issues —like spotting pages with errors or those that are disallowed by robots.txt — and understand which pages are included in Bing’s index, and which aren’t.

Sitemaps

The “Sitemaps” section displays all the sitemaps you’ve submitted. Here you can check if your sitemaps have been successfully crawled and when they were last processed, add new sitemaps or sitemap indexes, and identify any issues with your sitemaps that might prevent proper indexing.

Bing Webmaster SEO Tools

Optimizing your site for search engines is crucial, and Bing Webmaster Tools offers a suite of SEO tools designed to help you improve your site’s visibility and performance on Bing. These tools are particularly valuable because they provide actionable insights tailored to Bing’s algorithms, which can also positively impact your overall SEO strategy.

Keyword Research

The “Keyword Research” tool helps you discover new keywords and analyze their performance on Bing. You can:

• Find new keywords: Enter a seed keyword to get suggestions related to your niche.
• Analyze search volumes: See how often specific keywords are searched on Bing.
• Understand keyword demographics: Gain insights into the age, gender, and location of users searching for these terms.

This information can guide your content strategy and help you target keywords that resonate with your desired audience.

SEO Reports

“SEO Reports” provide automated audits of your website’s SEO health based on Bing’s best practices.

This tool is all about finding issues —and fixing them.

Using SEO Reports, you can root out problems like missing meta descriptions, broken links, or duplicate content. Plus, understand which issues are critical and which can be postponed for a little later. The reports you generate can also offer specific advice on how to fix each issue.

Regularly reviewing these reports can help you keep your site optimized for Bing search so you can take advantage of as much search traffic as possible from Bing users.

Site Scan

The “Site Scan” feature is a comprehensive auditing tool that crawls your site to identify technical issues affecting its performance. With Site Scan, you can:

• Customize scans: Choose the depth of the crawl and the areas to focus on.
• Detect technical errors: Find issues like 404 errors, server errors, or problems with mobile usability.
• Generate detailed reports: Receive in-depth analyses that you can share with your development team.

By addressing the issues uncovered in Site Scans, you improve user experience and boost your site’s ranking potential.

Bing Webmaster Configuration, Tools, and Enhancements

Beyond monitoring and analyzing your site’s performance, Bing Webmaster Tools offers a range of configuration options and utilities that allow you to fine-tune how Bing interacts with your website.

These features give you greater control over crawling behavior, indexing, and how your content is presented in search results.

So, let’s explore these tools below!

Crawl Control

“Crawl Control” allows you to manage how and when Bingbot crawls your website. This is particularly useful if your site experiences high traffic at certain times and you want to prevent server overload. Features include:

• Customized crawl rate: Adjust the crawl rate to be higher or lower depending on your server’s capacity.
• Crawl pattern scheduling: Specify preferred crawl times during off-peak hours.
• Daily crawl distribution: View and adjust how Bingbot’s activity is spread throughout the day.

How to use Crawl Control:

1. In your site’s dashboard, go to Configure My Site > Crawl Control.
2. Choose between the default crawl settings or customize your own.
3. Use the interactive graph to allocate crawl load to specific times of the day.
4. Click Submit to apply your changes.

Block URLs

The “Block URLs” feature lets you prevent specific pages or directories from appearing in Bing search results. This can be useful if you need to temporarily remove content (for example, to hide pages that are under maintenance or outdated), or exclude pages that shouldn’t be publicly accessible, like sensitive information.

How to use Block URLs:

1. From the dashboard, select Configure My Site > Block URLs.
2. Enter URL details. Choose between blocking a single URL or a directory. Enter the exact URL or use wildcards for patterns.
3. Set the duration. Specify if the block is temporary (90 days). For long-term blocking, consider updating your robots.txt file or using meta noindex tags.
4. Click Block to implement the change.

Remember that blocking a URL doesn’t remove the page from your website — it simply prevents it from appearing in search results.

Robots.txt Tester

The “Robots.txt Tester” is a handy tool for checking the directives in your robots.txt file to make sure they are correctly configured. This file instructs search engine bots on how to crawl your site. You can use it for:

• Syntax validation: Identify any errors in your robots.txt file.
• Testing URLs against rules: Enter specific URLs to see if they are allowed or disallowed based on your rules.
• Live editing: Make changes within the tool to test different configurations.

How to use Robots.txt Tester:

1. Go to Diagnostics & Tools > Robots.txt Tester.
2. The tool will display your existing robots.txt content.
3. Test URLs. Enter a URL in the testing field and click Test to see if it’s allowed or disallowed.
4. Make any necessary changes directly in the editor and re-test URLs to confirm the new rules work as intended.
5. After finalizing changes, remember to update the actual robots.txt file on your server.

Microsoft Clarity

Microsoft Clarity is a free, user behavior analytics tool that integrates seamlessly with Bing Webmaster Tools. It provides deep insights into how visitors interact with your website through features like heatmaps and session recordings.

Key features of Microsoft Clarity include:

• Heatmaps: Visual representations of where users click, move, and scroll on your pages.
• Session recordings: Replay individual user sessions to see their mouse movements, clicks, and scrolls.
• Insight dashboards: Get metrics on user engagement, such as bounce rates and time on page.
• Filters and segments: Analyze specific user segments based on device type, browser, or user behavior.

You can use Microsoft Clarity to:

• Improve user experience: Identify areas where users may be experiencing friction or confusion.
• Optimize content placement: Use heatmaps to see which parts of your pages attract the most attention.
• Debug issues: Session recordings can help you spot errors or bugs that aren’t apparent through traditional analytics.
• Comply with privacy requirements: Clarity is designed to be GDPR and CCPA-compliant, guaranteeing that user data is handled responsibly.

Microsoft Clarity is a powerful part of Bing Webmaster Tools that gives you a deeper understanding of user behavior, so you can make data-driven decisions that boost engagement and conversion rates.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bing Webmaster Tools

Does Bing SEO matter?

Absolutely! While Google may dominate the search engine market share, Bing still accounts for a significant portion of web searches — especially among certain demographics. Optimizing for Bing can help you tap into a unique audience with less competition, plus improve your site’s overall SEO across all search engines.

Ignoring Bing means missing out on potential traffic and customers that could contribute to your business’s growth.

How is Bing Webmaster Tools different from Google Search Console?

While both tools aim to help you monitor and optimize your website’s performance in search results, there are some key differences:

• User demographics: Bing provides insights into a different user base, which can be valuable if your target audience aligns with Bing’s demographics.
• Keyword research: Bing Webmaster Tools offers robust keyword research features with unique data not available in Google Search Console.
• Integration with Microsoft Clarity: Bing integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Clarity for in-depth user behavior analytics.
• Different algorithms: Bing and Google have different ranking algorithms, so optimizing for both ensures broader visibility.

Using both tools provides a more comprehensive understanding of your site’s performance across the web.

Is Bing Webmaster Tools free to use?

Yes, Bing Webmaster Tools is completely free! There are no premium tiers or hidden costs, giving you access to all features. This makes it a cost-effective addition to your SEO toolkit, providing valuable insights without any financial investment.

How often should I check Bing Webmaster Tools?

Regular monitoring is key to maintaining and improving your site’s performance. Consistent engagement with Bing Webmaster Tools helps you stay ahead of potential problems and capitalize on new opportunities.

Consider checking Bing Webmaster Tools weekly, monthly, or after you make major updates — but keep in mind that the right monitoring cadence is different for every site owner and will depend on your unique business needs.

The post Everything You Need To Know About Bing Webmaster Tools appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

But the confusing mobile menu, teeny-tiny links, and lack of a search bar on the retail site you’re looking at might just drive you to *gasp* resort to Amazon instead.

If you can even imagine one of your shoppers having the above experience with your website —it’s time to get to work.

In the competitive online world, anything that makes it difficult for users to view and interact with your site today is likely to lead to bounces, lost sales, and even potentially lower search engine rankings.

The first line of defense against a bad user experience is your site’s navigation menu. It’s usually one of your customers’ first points of interaction with your brand and website and the best tool to help them quickly find the content and offerings they want to engage with. This is what you want if you are looking to convert customers, as most small businesses do.

In this post, we’ll introduce you to the critical website element that is the navigation menu, why it matters so much, how to craft yours flawlessly; and finally, how to keep an eye on it to make sure its performance is always up to your standards.

An Introduction to Navigation Menus

Navigation menus display an organized list of all your web pages from one dedicated area. Typically, they appear as headers or sidebars, so that they’re clearly visible and accessible for your website visitors.

Menus enable users to navigate around your site more easily, but they also help them to make sense of your content. For instance, by viewing your menu, users can better understand the relationships between your web pages.

For example, here are the menus we’re currently working with on the DreamHost website:

16 Tips for Designing the Perfect Navigation Menu

Now that you know how essential navigation menus are, let’s take a look at 16 useful tips for designing one.

1. Readability is Everything

Improving how readable your website navigation menu is is essential for ensuring visitors can quickly find what they need, enhancing the user experience (UX) — more on that soon.

Here are some actionable tips for ensuring readability in your menu:

• Choose readable fonts: Use legible fonts that are optimized for digital and at a size large enough to read easily across devices. Avoid overly decorative or complex fonts.
• Deploy visual cues: Consider adding icons next to text labels to make menu items even easier to understand.
• Keep it simple and concise: Stay away from jargon or overly creative terms, and stick to commonly used words that users expect to see in a menu. 
• Organize logically: Group similar items together in categories or submenus, and use an intuitive hierarchy to guide users through the menu items.
• Make it visually distinct: Use contrasting colors for the menu text and background to ensure readability. Consider separators or whitespace to visually distinguish groups of menu items. And implement a design feature that highlights the active page, or menu item a user is hovering over.

2. Optimize the User Experience

Enhancing user experience (UX) increases customer satisfaction, which ultimately drives a healthy return on investment (ROI) on the money you put into making your website flow.

In fact, investing in improving elements of your website UX can boost your key performance indicators (KPIs) by as much as 83%.

To put it simply —making the effort to optimize your UX in places like your website navigation is a smart, engaging, money-making move.

To optimize your UX, a great goal is to keep your menu simple. You don’t want users to wrestle with a complex system — There’s a lot to be said for neat, clean designs that allow visitors to breeze through your website.

Pro Tip: It’s a general rule of thumb that in three clicks or less, people should be able to land where they want to be on your site. That’s why websites, like this one from Puma, with lots of content areas often choose mega menus:

These mega menus are frequently used by large e-commerce stores since they make all pages accessible from one space.

3. Stick With Straightforward Designs

You might be tempted to fill your menus with lots of effects to impress your visitors. However, consider saving the flashy features for other elements of your web design.

This is because you really want to make sure your navigation is fast to load and easy to read and use, no matter who the visitor is or what device they’re on. Blinking or moving text and heavy graphics or photos can bungle up the experience.

All that said, it may make sense to utilize relevant, helpful, and overall simple icons, such as directional arrows, to guide users through your sections. Just use your best judgment!

4. Cater to Your Audience

Typically, very experienced website users, as well as those who are familiar with your brand, can navigate complex menus with ease. But, naturally, more infrequent and unfamiliar users may struggle.

So, design your navigation based on what you know about your existing and target audience.

With this in mind, you can choose color schemes, typefaces, and structures that are more likely to appeal to your market. This can make your navigation way more usable.

For example, a news website is unlikely to focus on design simplicity, imagery, and branding the same way a small bakery would:

5. Be Consistent

Nothing should be a surprise when it comes to your navigation menu. It’s important that the format and design of your menu meet your visitors’ expectations, and remain the same across your site.

For example, the Give Me Glow website uses directional arrows very clearly, consistently, and traditionally. They always appear beside menu items that can expand into dropdown menus:

6. Organize Content Appropriately

A navigation menu can be an ideal place to organize product pages if you have a lot of different categories. Plus, it enables users to view your content in a way that makes sense.

For instance, a retail website might group products by categories right in the main navigation:

Once you’ve identified the main categories of your content, you can build your navigation menu around this. It’s also useful to choose relevant headings, or images in cases where it makes sense, that properly describe the page.

7. Establish a Clear Hierarchy

Implementing a hierarchy within your menu enables you to break content up into smaller chunks. This makes it more digestible for users. As such, try to group relevant information together.

For some websites, it can be useful to organize information according to what is most popular or important to visitors. Then, you can make these headings stand out within your menu. Strive to achieve a balance between showing users pages of interest while also leading them towards pages that best serve your business goals.

8. More Complex Sites Don’t Need More Complex Menus

Even websites with an extensive number and network of pages don’t have to have levels upon levels of navigation.

Consider whether all pages need to be accessible through the menu. What if only the first two, or maybe three, levels of pages were shown in the menu — with deeper pages available in other ways, such as via search, on-page links, or footer menus?

For example, GOV.UK, despite its size, limits its menu to two main sections, leaving deeper navigation accessible through links on separate pages:

Before adding tons of levels to your menu, test if simplifying to just a few might suffice. It often does, and in turn, improves clarity for users.

9. Consider the Mobile Experience

Nearly 100% of consumers have made at least one purchase via a mobile device, and a third of them make up to 40% of all their purchases on mobile.

Suffice to say, optimizing your site for mobile with a responsive menu is critical for today’s small business owners.

How do you do this? There are a few key tactics:

• Use a hamburger menu: Replace traditional navigation with a compact hamburger icon (see the three lines in the upper right corner of the example below). It conserves space and is widely recognized by users. And if you squint, it almost looks like a stacked burger, doesn’t it?!
• Optimize for touch: Ensure menu items are large enough to be tapped easily and spaced to avoid accidental clicks. Aim for at least 48×48 pixels per tappable area.
• Prioritize key items: Display only the most important menu options on mobile. Use dropdowns or submenus for less critical items.
• Implement sticky navigation: Keep the menu accessible by making it sticky, so users can access it without scrolling back to the top. (We’ll talk about this more later.)
• Include a search bar: Add a search bar to help users quickly find what they’re looking for, especially when navigation options are limited or hidden like they often are on mobile.

10. Use Familiar Web Conventions

How do you expect a website to behave? Those expectations are guided by web conventions —practices website builders use so often they become the “standard.”

For instance, one of these conventions is clicking on a website’s logo to return to the homepage. So, if your logo leads to a signup or product page, this may confuse your visitors and send ‘em packing.

Designing your menu with unfamiliar conventions requires users to learn new practices, which can be inconvenient, annoying, and bounce-inducing.

Consider well-known web practices (how dropdown menus usually behave, how search bars typically look, etc.) when designing your menu to enable users to navigate to all of your website pages intuitively.

11. Get Descriptive With Your Labels

When possible, navigation labels should focus on the topic of the content, not just the format.

For example:

• Formats: Articles, whitepapers, webinars, etc.
• Topics: Baking, cooking, cookbooks, etc.

This is important because people don’t usually visit websites searching for a general type of content; they’re looking for specific answers or information, which descriptive and topic-focused labels help them find.

Case studies may be an exception to this rule, since visitors seeking real-life examples are well aware of this content format.

12. Optimize for Search Engines

To drive more organic traffic to your website, you can optimize your navigation labels with popular phrases found via keyword research. Then, include these key terms within your menu. As a result, your website may just rank higher in search engines.

In addition, there are lots more strategies you can try when structuring your website and navigation to boost search engine optimization (SEO). Find out what you need to know at Mind Those URLs: How to Create an SEO-Friendly Website Structure.

13. Prioritize Accessibility for People With Disabilities

Website accessibility measures how well a site accommodates individuals with disabilities, including visual, auditory, mobility, and cognitive differences. These people make up about 15% of the world’s population —over a billion people!

Here are some tips to get you going in the right direction:

• Provide thoughtful navigation: Organize menus logically, use consistent layouts, and add skip-to-content links for quick access.
• Make content clear: Use simple language, short sentences, and a straightforward layout to accommodate a wider range of cognitive abilities.
• Allow keyboard navigation: Make sure users can navigate your site using only a keyboard, catering to those who cannot use a mouse.
• Increase readability: Use high-contrast colors and scalable fonts, and provide volume controls for multimedia content.
• Use text alternatives: Include alt text for images, captions for videos, and transcripts for audio content so users with visual or hearing impairments can access the information.
• Avoid blinking or flashing content: Reduce the risk of triggering seizures by avoiding content that flashes more than three times per second.

Learn more about website accessibility, why it matters, and how to check and upgrade yours at How To Design An Accessible Website (A Complete Guide).

14. Consider Human Psychology

There are many types and shapes of navigation menus to consider. Horizontal menus, which list major pages in a row format, are probably the most common. And there’s a good reason for that —they work with how we read web pages!

The F-shaped reading pattern is one of the most common ways readers scan blocks of content.

It goes like this:

1. Readers first horizontally scan across the top of the page, where your menu typically lives, to form the upper line of the “F.”
2. They then move down and scan another horizontal section, creating the second line of the “F.”
3. Finally, their eyes follow a vertical path down the left side of the content, completing the “F” shape — making this a wise place to put your most important and/or longest dropdown menus.

15. Add Breadcrumbs

Not everyone is going to enter your site from the same point. Breadcrumbs enable users to see where they are within your site’s structure, no matter how they got there. This makes it easier for them to orient themselves, figure out where they want to go next, and ultimately navigate to the areas where they’re likely to convert.

16. Longer Pages? Use Sticky Menus

Users at the bottom of a long page often face the hassle of scrolling back up to access the main menu at the top of the page. It’s a competitive world for a small business like yours —don’t introduce more navigation friction than necessary for shoppers and scare them off to your competition!

Fixed menus, AKA sticky menus, that stay visible at the top of the page even while scrolling can eliminate this issue and provide a more seamless experience (especially on smaller screens!)

Excellent Examples of Small Business Navigation Menus

Now that you know how to design the perfect menu for your site, let’s take a look at some examples from a handful of small businesses that are crushing it.

Mostly Serious Breaks the Rules Wisely

Mostly Serious is a creative agency with a fittingly creative website. When you first land on the site, you’ll notice a hamburger icon, which makes room for and puts the focus on the fun animation at the top of the page:

When you click on the icon, it opens a large, crisp vertical sidebar menu, with only the primary headings displayed:

However, if you start scrolling past the animation at the top of the page, you’ll see a sticky horizontal menu appear. This more traditional layout remains accessible but takes care not to distract from the experience of reading the page.

This website gets creative with its menu, making it a great example for brands that want to think outside of the box without breaking too many rules.

Claude Home Prioritizes Accessibility

The mobile website and navigation (pictured here on iPhone) for Claude Home’s interior goods are just as elegant as the wares they sell.

However, it’s their choice to implement accessiBe that we really want to highlight.

accessiBe is a web accessibility company with AI-driven features for making websites available to individuals with disabilities. Since it can be difficult to decide exactly how to design your mobile website and menu in a way that’s navigable for everyone, we appreciate that Claude Home exemplifies bringing in an existing tool that lets users do all kinds of things like enhance visuals, adjust contrast, optimize for screen readers, and much more.

Golde Knows That Less Can Be More

Golde is a superfood brand with a menu that’s as simple, and therefore powerful, as the ingredients in the products they carry.

It’s immediately easy to see and laid out in the order in which they want customers to engage. Only one item in the menu — ”Shop” — features a dropdown to dive deeper into the site. This is a call-to-action of sorts that immediately funnels visitors to the product pages where they can complete their purchases.

Mented Offers Mobile Gold

The cosmetics brand Mented gets everything right on their menu for mobile devices (shown here on iPhone).

Compared to the desktop version, the mobile version of the website features a stripped-down menu that features exactly what they want shoppers to focus on. It’s easy to see and use, encouraging visitors to dive right into engaging with the site.

Clicking on the hamburger icon to the left of the site logo pulls up the rest of the menu, as well as a very obvious search bar. This makes it exceedingly easy for visitors to quickly navigate to the product they’re looking for, therefore, very likely boosting conversions for their business.

Why Is It Time To Revisit Your Menu Design?

If you haven’t taken a look at the state of your website’s navigation in a hot minute, we’ll help you understand why it’s time by diving into the many benefits for small businesses.

Boosts SEO

Well-organized navigation isn’t just for users, it’s for search engines, too!

A main menu that’s labeled and structured thoughtfully helps search engines quickly understand what your website is all about, and how navigable it is for its users. That’s how modern and smart navigation design can improve your site’s ranking, visibility, and organic traffic.

Encourages Shopper Retention

When users can breeze through your website with ease and achieve their goals effortlessly, they’re much more likely to browse for longer, return, and even recommend your brand to others.

With the cost of user acquisition on a steep incline, user retention is becoming more and more important to business success. As such, great navigation can play a big role in the performance of your small business.

Simplifies the All-Important User Experience

As we dug into above, the user experience is one of the most important things a small business can focus on to heighten its success.

Well, great navigation is core to the user experience.

When navigation is intuitive, it reduces frustration, removes barriers, keeps engagement high, and can even create delight for shoppers who long to be treated as more than a wallet.

Honing in on, and simplifying the experience of navigating your website reinforces your brand as a user-centered business to create satisfaction, trust, and even long-term loyalty.

Instills Users With Confidence

Clear paths and intuitive menus can help your users feel comfortable and in control of your website. This can greatly encourage further exploration: keeping visitors on site longer, increasing your SEO rankings, and improving the likelihood of making a sale.

Strengthens Business Identity and Credibility

Your menu design may be one of the very first things a potential customer sees about your brand, making it a key part of your first impression. A clean, functional navigation layout reflects attention to detail, leaving users with a clear and positive perception of your business identity.

In addition, an easy-to-navigate design shows that you have both the awareness and means to prioritize the user experience for all your shoppers. It’s a subtle yet powerful way to build your credibility and foster trust in your product’s and business’ overall quality.

Promotes Inclusion

Intentional navigation design that takes accessibility into account ensures everyone can navigate your site effectively. Think of it as a rising tide that lifts all boats. A commitment to accessibility broadens your audience and displays your brand values.

How To Measure the Success of Your Navigation Menu

Your website’s navigation plays a critical role, but how do you know if it’s performing at its best?

There are a variety of methods, tools, and reports small business owners can use to track and improve the success of their website menus.

Watch Your Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a handful of metrics Google measures to grade your website’s performance. They evaluate the user-friendliness of your site, including your navigation menu, with a focus on speed, responsiveness, and visual stability.

There are a few ways to access and track your vitals so you can ensure you’re doing the best you can on the usability front:

• Online tooling: Pingdom, GTmetrix, and probably the simplest: Google PageSpeed Insights, can all help you access a Core Web Vitals report. 
• Chrome UX Report: Available through Google Search Console, this report offers real-world data from your visitors, providing valuable insights into how users interact with your site and highlighting areas for improvement. 
• Chrome Web Vitals Chrome extension: If you use Chrome, the Web Vitals extension makes it easy to assess Core Web Vitals for any site you visit. Yep, including yours!

A/B Test Navigation Options

A/B testing is a powerful way to refine pretty much any element of your website by relying on real performance data.

Start by selecting an element to test, such as one of the labels in your navigation, or how you structure it.

Then, create two versions (A and B) with just one variable changed between them. Display both versions simultaneously to audiences of similar size and composition. Once the test concludes, compare the results to identify and implement the version that performs better.

Conduct Attribution Reporting

Attribution reports, sometimes called lead attribution reports, reveal how interactions on your website directly contribute to converting visitors into leads. They enable brands to understand exactly what content, menu items, and other features are most effective, so you can make data-driven decisions to optimize your navigation and other site elements.

Several marketing platforms offer a version of attribution reporting, including Wicked Reports, HubSpot, and LeadGenius.

Check Out Reporting in GA4

Acquisition reporting in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) provides valuable insights into the sources of your website traffic. Additionally, the path exploration report then visualizes the rest of the user journey through your site.

Together, these reports can tell the story of how potential customers interact with your site, including the navigational elements, so you can spot opportunities to enhance the user experience.

Get out There and Upgrade Your Website Experience

A navigation menu is a necessary part of any website, so it’s important to make sure that yours is user-friendly and effective. Otherwise, your content can be difficult to find and hard to make sense of.

Hopefully, when you follow a few (or all) of our tips today, you’ll be able to more easily design the perfect navigation menu.

But don’t forget about another very important factor that can impact your website’s UX — your hosting provider.

DreamHost provides quality shared hosting that can set you up with customizable themes and must-have plugins for all types of fast, secure, and lovely websites. We also offer user-friendly interfaces, plus regular updates and around-the-clock support.

At DreamHost, we understand the importance of getting your content online quickly. That’s why we offer tons of hosting options with SSL certificates, a domain, and privacy protection to get you set up in no time. You can also engage our team of pros at any time for further support in designing, marketing, and managing the small business site of your dreams.

Pro Services – Design

DreamHost Makes Web Design Easy

Our designers can create a gorgeous website from SCRATCH to perfectly match your brand and vision — all coded with WordPress so you can manage your content going forward.

Learn More

The post Website Navigation Menu Best Practices: 16 Design Tips appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

The core of SEO is simple. It’s about making your website more visible to people who are searching for products or services like yours. In this guide, we’ll demystify SEO by breaking it down into two main categories: on-page and off-page SEO. We’ll explore what each term means, why they’re essential, and — most importantly — provide actionable tips that you can implement to improve your website’s search rankings.

Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience, this guide is tailored to help small business owners like you navigate the world of SEO effectively. Let’s get started!

Why SEO Is Important for All Websites

Before diving into tactics, it’s essential to understand why SEO is crucial for your business. Imagine having a storefront that’s beautifully designed but hidden in a back alley. Without signs pointing customers your way, even the best products might go unnoticed. SEO acts like those signs, guiding potential customers to your online doorstep.

On a daily basis, the average online user will conduct a wide variety of searches on the web. From looking up directions to the nearest shoe store, to learning exactly how many steps there are in the Eiffel Tower, most of us turn to the search bar as a reflex. In fact, more than 90% of online traffic comes from search engines.

When your website ranks higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), more people can find you. This increased visibility can lead to more website traffic, higher sales, and growth for your business. SEO isn’t just about pleasing search engines, though. It’s about creating a user-friendly website that provides value to your visitors.

Understanding On-Page and Off-Page SEO

Now that we’ve covered the SEO basics, let’s dive into the differences between on-page and off-page SEO.

What Is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO, also known as on-site SEO, refers to the practice of optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic. It involves improving the content and HTML source code of a page. Think of it as all the things you can control directly on your website to make it more appealing to both users and search engines. This includes the content on your product and service pages, blog posts, landing pages, and microsites.

What Is Off-Page SEO?

Off-page SEO involves actions taken outside your own website to impact your rankings within search engine results. It’s about improving your site’s authority and reputation by building relationships and creating content that others want to share. This includes backlinks from other sites (also known as inbound links), social media strategy and marketing, and online directory listings.

10 Effective On-Page SEO Strategies

Improving your on-page SEO is like setting up your store in an organized and attractive way. It makes for a more pleasant user experience. Let’s explore some practical steps you can take to optimize your website.

1. Craft Compelling Title Tags

A title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. It’s the clickable headline that appears on SERPs and is crucial for both user experience and SEO.

Title tags help search engines understand what your page is about. A well-written title tag can entice users to click on your page over others.

How to optimize title tags: Start by including your primary keyword naturally within the title. Keep it under 60 characters so it doesn’t get cut off in search results. Make it engaging to encourage clicks.

For example:

A good title tag: Freshly Baked Artisan Bread | Your Bakery NameA not-so-good title tag: Home

Here’s what to do:

1. Identify primary keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner.
2. Write unique titles so each page has a unique title tag.
3. If you’re using WordPress, plugins like Yoast SEO can help you edit title tags easily.

2. Write Engaging Meta Descriptions

A meta description is a brief summary of a webpage’s content. It appears under the title tag in search results.

While meta descriptions don’t directly impact rankings, they influence click-through rates by telling users what to expect on your page.

How to write an effective meta description: Aim for 150-160 characters to ensure the full description is visible. Include your target keyword and a clear call to action.

For example: Discover our range of freshly baked artisan bread made daily using organic ingredients. Visit us today!

Here’s what to do:

1. Summarize your content: Clearly explain what users will find on your page.
2. Incorporate keywords naturally: This can help users see that your page matches their search intent.
3. Use SEO plugins: Plugins can help you add meta descriptions without touching code.

3. Use Proper Heading Structures (H1-H6)

Headings help organize your content, making it easier for users to read and for search engines to understand the hierarchy of information on your page.

How to optimize headings:

• Only use one H1 tag. This is typically the main title of your page.
• Use H2-H6 for subheadings. Break down your content into sections and subsections.

Here’s what to do:

1. Outline your content before writing it, planning out headings as you go to make sure they have a logical flow.
2. Write descriptive headings that accurately reflect the content of each section.
3. Don’t overstuff headings with keywords. Instead, focus on readability.

4. Optimize Images with ALT Text

ALT (alternative) text is a written description of an image, used by screen readers for visually impaired users and by search engines to understand the content of the image.

Properly optimized images can improve your site’s accessibility and help with SEO by providing context to search engines. Assistive technologies (such as dictation tools) can help visitors listen to the descriptions of your visual media files. Plus, bots can’t see pictures, but they can read the alt text.

How to write effective ALT text: Describe what’s in the image in a concise way. Include keywords if they are relevant, but avoid keyword stuffing.

For example: Woman holding a freshly baked sourdough loaf at Your Bakery Name.

Here’s what to do:

1. Add ALT text to all your images when you upload them to your CMS. In WordPress, when editing your site in the Block Editor, just select the block for an image and find Alt text in its settings. Then type in a brief image description and input some relevant keywords.
2. Use descriptive file names. For example, instead of “IMG_1234.jpg,” use “fresh-sourdough-bread.jpg.”
3. Reduce file sizes to improve page loading times.

5. Implement Open Graph Data for Social Sharing

Open Graph tags are snippets of code that control how URLs are displayed when shared on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.

Proper Open Graph data ensures your content looks appealing when shared, increasing the likelihood of clicks.

How to implement Open Graph data: Include the og:title, og:description, and og:image tags in your page’s HTML.

Here’s what to do:

1. Use SEO plugins that allow you to add Open Graph data without coding.
2. Use Facebook’s Sharing Debugger to see how your content appears when shared.
3. Use images that meet the recommended size and resolution for social platforms.

6. Set Up Canonical Tags to Prevent Duplicate Content

A canonical tag tells search engines which version of a URL should be considered the master copy, helping to prevent duplicate content issues.

Duplicate content can confuse search engines and dilute your ranking potential.

How to implement canonical tags: Set a self-referencing canonical tag on each page, pointing to its preferred URL.

Here’s what to do:

1. Use an SEO plugin to automate canonical tag implementation.
2. Make your URL structure consistent. Decide on using either ‘www’ or non-‘www’ and stick with it.
3. Use tools like Siteliner to periodically check for duplicate content.

7. Improve Site Speed and Mobile Performance

A fast-loading site improves the user experience and is a ranking factor for search engines. More than half of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so a mobile-friendly site is essential. There are currently more than 4.9 billion mobile internet users globally, and that number is growing. It’s no surprise that Google declares mobile-friendliness a must for SEO. Plus, with the rise of m-commerce, any online businesses that neglect their mobile visitors are likely to miss out on significant sales.

How to improve mobile performance:

• Use a mobile-friendly WordPress theme so you can set it and forget it.
• Use a WordPress page builder that has mobile previewing and modification settings.

How to optimize site speed:

• Compress your images using a tool like TinyPNG or Squoosh, so they’ll load faster.
• Enable browser caching to store frequently used files.
• Minify your code to remove unnecessary characters from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Here’s what to do:

1. Use responsive website design to make sure your site adapts to different screen sizes.
2. Test your site with a tool like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
3. Avoid Flash content, since not all devices support it.

8. Leverage WordPress Plugins for SEO

Plugins can help simplify tasks like editing meta tags, generating sitemaps, and analyzing content for SEO best practices. Some recommended plugins include:

• Yoast SEO: Offers comprehensive tools for on-page optimization.
• All in One SEO: Another popular option with a robust set of features for a wide range of SEO needs.

Here’s what to do:

1. Install and activate your plugin(s) of choice.
2. Use its built-in tools and content analysis features.
3. Keep your plugins up-to-date to ensure compatibility and access to new features.

9. Create High-Quality, Relevant Content

Engaging, informative content attracts visitors and encourages them to stay on your site longer, which can positively impact your rankings. After all, Google’s algorithms are designed to provide users with only the best and most relevant content.

Keep in mind that quality includes everything from appearance to practicality. Your ultimate goal should be to create visually appealing, accurate content that’ll serve a useful purpose.

For example, if you’re starting a blog, you might want to make sure you have a clear niche and stick to it. That way, you can work on growing your knowledge and establishing credibility in your subject area.

Similarly, you’ll want to produce new blog posts regularly because readers and Googlebots alike favor fresh content. You may also want to develop a brand style guide and reference it when creating new content. Your audience will likely appreciate the consistency.

How to produce great content:

• Understand your audience: Know what they’re searching for and the questions they have.
• Provide value: Offer solutions, insights, or information that your competitors don’t.
• Be original: Unique content sets you apart.

Here’s what to do:

1. Research keywords to identify topics that matter to your audience.
2. Create a content calendar and plan regular updates to keep your site fresh.
3. Use images, videos, or infographics to complement and enrich your content.

10. Use Internal Linking Strategically

Linking to other pages on your site helps users navigate and signals to search engines the importance of different pages. An “internal” link is a URL that leads to another page on your website. For example, you may have a footer with links to your blog, contact page, and other essential information.

When creating your web pages, it’s a good idea to include internal links wherever possible. Of course, this process should always be done naturally. Internal links are crucial because web crawlers use them to jump from page to page while scanning information.

If one of your web pages doesn’t have any internal links leading to it, it’s considered an “orphan page.” Search bots can’t find it, meaning it can’t be indexed, and it definitely can’t be ranked.

Internal links can also keep users on your website for longer. This increased time on page may lead to conversions, lead generation, and more. Lastly, and most importantly, internal links help provide a positive user experience (UX).

For example, in a blog post explaining a complex subject, it might make sense to link to another one of your articles elaborating on a related concept. Internal links can also help users navigate around your site as they search for specific details, such as contact information.

How to optimize your internal links:

• Link to relevant pages to connect related content and provide additional value.
• Use descriptive anchor text so users know what to expect when they click.

Here’s what to do:

1. Audit your existing content to look for opportunities to add internal links.
2. Update anchor text to make sure it reflects the content of the linked page.
3. Don’t overdo it with too many links — focus on user experience.

7 Effective Off-Page SEO Strategies

Now that you know everything about on-site SEO, let’s explore how you can improve your rankings by other means. While on-page SEO focuses on optimizing elements on your website, off-page SEO involves improving your site’s reputation and authority through external means.

1. Get Listed on Online Directories and Review Sites

Being listed in reputable directories increases your visibility and can improve local SEO.

Start by identifying relevant directories that might make sense for you to list your site on. Think of platforms like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites.

As you’re listing your site, make sure your information stays consistent. Your name, address, and phone number ‌should be the same across all listings.

Here’s what to do:

1. Claim your business profiles to verify ownership and manage your information.
2. Complete your profiles by adding descriptions, operating hours, and photos.
3. Monitor reviews and respond to feedback professionally.

2. Optimize Your Google Business Profile and Apple Maps Listings

Platforms like Google Business Profile and Apple Maps are critical for local searches and to help customers find you easily. They also help provide potential customers with “social proof” about your business. This includes things like reviews and testimonials, which help build up your trustworthiness by providing evidence from other customers.

Some ways to optimize your use of these platforms include providing them with accurate information about your business, including your address, business hours, and contact information. Use relevant keywords in the descriptions you provide for your profiles. This can help enhance your visibility and make it easier for potential customers to find you on more platforms. Finally, add high-quality images to showcase your products, services, or premises.

Here’s what to do:

1. Visit Google Business Profile and Apple Maps Connect to set up your profile.
2. Follow the verification process to gain control.
3. Post updates and respond to questions to encourage customer interaction and engagement.

3. Encourage and Manage Customer Reviews

Positive reviews build trust and can influence search rankings, especially for local SEO. They also help build more social proof for your business.

There are many ways you can encourage more reviews for your business. The easiest way is to just ask directly. After a purchase or service, invite customers to leave a review.

It’s also important to make it easy for customers to leave reviews. Provide direct links to your review profiles to simplify the process for customers. And don’t forget to provide excellent service. A great customer experience naturally leads to positive reviews.

Here’s what to do:

1. Regularly check sites like Google, Yelp, and industry-specific platforms to monitor your reviews.
2. Respond to new reviews by thanking customers and addressing any concerns they may have.
3. Use feedback constructively to improve your services based on customer input.

4. Build Quality Backlinks Through Guest Posting

Backlinks from reputable sites signal to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative. Building backlinks can be an uphill battle, but guest posting is one way to do it in a straightforward fashion.

First, look for blogs or publications in your industry. Then, pitch them with valuable content ideas that offer unique insights or expertise that benefit their audience. They may even offer guidelines or submission requirements for guest posts. If so, be sure to follow them.

Here’s what to do:

1. Create a list of potential sites, including their contact information and submission guidelines.
2. Develop high-quality content that’s well-written, provides value, and is relevant to your business.
3. Include a bio with a link to direct readers back to your site.

5. Utilize Press Releases for Significant News

When your business has big news to share, a press release can help spread the word, increase brand awareness,and generate backlinks. There are some best practices to keep in mind, however.

First, make sure that you only send out press releases when you have something genuinely newsworthy to announce, like a product launch, event, or significant milestone. Write press releases in a professional style, following a standard format (you can find a template online to help with this). And if you don’t have contacts at news organizations, consider using a service, like PRWeb or PR Newswire, to help distribute your release.

Here’s what to do:

1. Craft a compelling headline to help your press release grab attention.
2. Include key information like who, what, when, where, and why.
3. Add your contact information to make it easy for journalists to reach you with follow-up questions.

6. Engage With Your Audience on Social Media

While social signals aren’t a direct ranking factor, social media can increase content visibility and drive traffic.

How to use social media effectively:

• Choose the right platforms: Focus on where your target audience spends time.
• Share valuable content: Think business updates, promotions, and industry news.
• Interact with your followers: Respond to comments and messages promptly.

Here’s what to do:

1. Set up complete profiles that contain information about your business, including links to your website.
2. Develop a social media content calendar where you plan regular posts to maintain engagement.
3. Analyze social media performance and use those insights to refine your strategy.

7. Avoid Black Hat SEO Techniques

Engaging in unethical practices can result in search engine penalties, damaging your site’s visibility.

Unethical practices can include (but aren’t limited to):

• Buying backlinks
• Keyword stuffing
• Using hidden text or links

Here’s what to do instead:

1. Stay informed and up-to-date with SEO best practices.
2. Focus on quality and prioritize providing value over shortcuts.
3. Turn to trusted resources like reputable SEO blogs or experts when you need help or advice.

Monitoring and Measuring Your SEO Efforts

Implementing SEO strategies is just the beginning. To make sure your efforts are paying off, you need to monitor your site’s performance continuously.

Use Google Analytics and Search Console

Google Analytics and Google Search Console are free tools that provide insights into your website’s traffic, user behavior, and search performance. They’re powerful and easy to use, even for beginners.

Start by setting them up:

• Google Analytics: Sign up and add the tracking code to your website.
• Google Search Console: Verify your site ownership and submit your sitemap.

Then, here’s what to do:

1. Set goals in Analytics. Many businesses set up conversion tracking, whether that’s form submissions or product purchases.
2. Monitor search queries to see which keywords are driving traffic.
3. Use Search Console to identify issues you can address, like crawl errors or security problems.

Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

You can also use Google Analytics and Search Console to track KPIs to monitor your site’s performance and your SEO efforts over time. Some KPIs to consider tracking include:

• Organic traffic: The number of visitors coming from search engines.
• Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave after viewing one page.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action.

You can set up monthly or quarterly reports to help keep a close eye on your progress and look for patterns or changes over time. Using that data, you can refine your SEO efforts and adjust your strategies to meet your goals.

Use SEO Tools for Deeper Insights

Other SEO tools can uncover opportunities and identify issues that might not be obvious through basic analytics. Some good tools to check out include:

• Ahrefs: Offers backlink analysis and keyword research.
• Semrush: Provides competitor insights and site audits.
• Moz: Features rank tracking and site optimization.

Look for free trials to test out different tools and see which ones have features you like. It’s also a good idea to look for online tutorials to help you understand how to use the tools effectively and maximize the value you get from each one.

Improve Your Site’s Visibility Using On-Page and Off-Page SEO

SEO is an ongoing process that requires patience and persistence. By focusing on both on-page and off-page strategies, you’re setting a strong foundation for your website’s visibility and success. Remember that the goal is to provide value to your visitors, making it easy for them to find the information or products they need.

Start by implementing the tactics outlined in this guide. Monitor your progress, learn from the data, and don’t hesitate to adjust your approach as needed. SEO may seem complex, but with consistent effort and the right resources, you can navigate it effectively.

When it comes to on-page optimization, you can start small by implementing keywords, internal links, and high-quality content. Later, you can advance to title tags and meta descriptions. For off-page optimization, backlinks, testimonials, and a solid social media presence are essential.

If you’re a beginner looking to improve your SEO, you might want to forget the site audits and leave them to the professionals. Check out our DreamHost Pro Services and free up your time to focus on the creative side of your business. We offer specific plans for SEO marketing that’ll help you rank higher on SERPs. Plus, we have an SEO toolkit to take your site to the next level!

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