Web Design Archives | Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency

How to Install and Setup Yoast SEO

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:13:56 +0000

In this tutorial, we will guide you through adding the Yoast SEO plugin to your WordPress website. This plugin helps you understand and implement essential SEO rules, improving your overall search engine ranking.

Developed by Joost de Valk and his team at Yoast, the plugin enhances your site’s SEO across all areas. It even goes the extra mile by handling the technical optimisations required for your website to rank higher.

1. Install the Plugin

Begin by navigating to your WordPress admin area and selecting Plugins → Add New.
Type Yoast SEO into the plugin search bar and click the Install Now button.
Once installed, click the Activate Plugin button located below the installation log.
A Congratulations! message will appear. To explore the plugin’s features, click the Start Tour button.
If you miss the message, you can start the tour at any time by navigating to SEO → General.

2. Configure Titles and Metas Settings

After installation, navigate to Titles & Metas in Yoast SEO. The plugin will have some pre-defined settings, but you can tweak them based on your website’s needs.

In the General tab, pay attention to the Force Rewrite option. It’s usually unnecessary to enable this, as the plugin uses the wp_title tag for SEO titles on posts and pages. However, if your theme uses a different code, enable the Force Rewrite option.

The Title Separator setting is a personal choice. While it doesn’t affect search results, dashes are generally a clean option.

For the Homepage tab, the recommended Title Template is:

%%sitename%% %%page%% %%sep%% %%sitedesc%%

This will automatically replace variables with specific values from the page.

The Meta Description Template defines the text shown beneath your site link in search results. If your posts follow a consistent structure, use this template. Otherwise, configure each post’s Meta Description individually.

Post Types

Select noindex, follow to notify search engines to follow the links but exclude them from search results. This helps prevent duplicate content from appearing in search results.

Archives

Author Archive: Set this to noindex if you are the only content publisher to avoid duplicate content.
Date Archive: Set this to noindex, as it typically doesn’t contribute valuable information to search engines.

3. Configure Social Settings

Integrating your social media accounts with Yoast SEO is beneficial, as it can improve your site’s visibility in search results.

Facebook: Enable Add Open Graph meta data to define custom titles, meta descriptions, and images for Facebook. You can also upload a default image for posts without one. If you have a Facebook page, add the admin details here for traffic insights.
Twitter: Enable a Twitter card and select either Summary or Summary with large image. The latter generally works better as it is more visually engaging.

4. Configure XML Sitemap and Advanced Settings

XML sitemaps are crucial for SEO as they inform search engines about your site’s structure. However, multiple plugins generating sitemaps can harm SEO. Ensure only Yoast SEO is responsible for this task.

Post Types

You can exclude certain post types, such as media pages, that don’t contribute to SEO. Custom exclusions can be made for posts set to noindex.

Permalinks

Redirect Attachments: This is useful for sites with numerous images. Enabling it will redirect users searching for an image on Google to the corresponding post instead of the image’s attachment page.
Remove Stop Words from Slugs: This is important for SEO, as it removes common stop words from URLs (e.g., “and”, “to”, “the”), improving search rankings.
Replytocom Variable: Enable this for better crawl efficiency if your site has many comments, as it removes the ?replytocom variable from comment reply links.
Clean up : It’s safe to check all boxes here, except for RSS links if your site uses RSS.

RSS

The pre-configured RSS settings are generally well-optimised for SEO. You may not need to make any adjustments here.

5. Page Analysis

Yoast SEO provides valuable tools for analysing your page’s SEO performance. To access this, hover over SEO in the admin bar and click Analyze this page.

You’ll be directed to various tools that allow you to check:

Keyword density
Google Cache
Headers
Rich Snippets
Facebook Debugger
Pinterest Validator
HTML and CSS Validators
Google Page Speed
Modern IE Site Scan (for Internet Explorer)

These tools will redirect you to external resources for detailed analysis, helping optimise your page.

With these steps, you can unlock the full potential of your website and improve its search engine visibility.

Conclusion

In conclusion, installing and configuring the Yoast SEO plugin on your WordPress website is a crucial step towards improving your site’s search engine performance. By following the setup and using the plugin’s features, you will ensure your website is optimised for both search engines and users.

With Yoast SEO’s easy-to-understand interface and powerful technical tools, you can boost your site’s visibility, drive more traffic, and ultimately achieve better rankings in search results.

The post How to Install and Setup Yoast SEO appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

Top 10 WordPress Elementor Tips & Tricks

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 10:13:21 +0000

At Sky Blue Ocean Media, we’ve been using Elementor since day one, and it’s been a game-changer for us. This powerful page builder has been our go-to tool since its launch, consistently impressing us with its versatility and ease of use.

Over the years, we’ve built countless websites using Elementor, allowing us to fully explore its features and create unique, engaging pages that stand out.

Whether you’re just getting started with Elementor or you’ve been using it for some time, we know you’re probably looking for tips and tricks to elevate your designs.

Elementor offers a variety of ways to streamline your workflow and craft stunning pages with minimal effort.

In this article, we’ll share some of the best Elementor tips and tricks that you can start using right away.

Here’s how these tips will benefit you:

Speed up your workflow and simplify the page-building process
Leverage advanced features to add exciting visual elements
Design sleek, professional pages with ease using Elementor

Top 5 WordPress Elementor Tips & Tricks

I’ve compiled the top Elementor tips and tricks in this article to help you boost your skills.

Let’s kick things off with the most essential and simplest tip — one that will save you time and streamline your workflow.

Copy/Paste Widgets & Sections

Have you ever needed to reuse sections or widgets on the same page or across different pages?

Many Elementor users simply duplicate a widget and then drag it to the desired spot — something I used to do when I first started.

But that method is inefficient and time-consuming, especially on lengthy pages.

A faster solution? Just copy and paste your widgets and sections in Elementor. Here’s how:

Copy/Paste Widgets or Sections Directly

Simply right-click on the widget or section you want to copy and select Copy.

Next, right-click on the desired area and select Paste — it’s that easy!

Copy/Paste Style Of Widgets or Sections

Are you still applying the same style to each widget or section manually?

Save time by copying the style from one widget and pasting it onto any other widget with ease.

This method is incredibly helpful when you need to apply the same size or color to icons or images.

By copying and pasting styles, you can achieve consistent designs much faster.

I highly recommend this technique to all new Elementor users — it’s simple, efficient, and a real time-saver.

2. Upload Your Own Fonts

Elementor offers a vast collection of Google Fonts to help you design stunning pages.

However, if you’re like me and want to stand out, using custom fonts is the way to go.

In Elementor, you can easily upload your own fonts and apply them to your pages. At Pixify, we also use custom fonts to enhance our website’s unique look.

Here’s how to upload custom fonts in Elementor:

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Elementor > Custom Fonts.
On the Custom Fonts page, click Add New to upload your custom font.

You’ll need to upload your font in the following formats:

woff
woff2
ttf
svg
eot

While uploading every format isn’t mandatory, it’s a good practice to ensure your fonts display correctly across different browsers.

If your font isn’t available in all these formats, you can use a font converter to generate the missing ones.

Also, remember to upload all variations of your font. Elementor allows you to specify the font weight and style during the upload process for better control over your typography.

3. Add Entrance Animation To Your Widgets/Sections

Even subtle visual elements can significantly enhance your website’s user experience. One simple way to achieve this is by adding entrance animation effects to your widgets and sections.

Elementor makes it easy to add these animations with its built-in features.

Here’s how you can add an entrance animation effect in Elementor:

Select the widget you want to animate.
Go to Advanced > Motion Effects.

From this tab, select the entrance animation for your widget. There are many options to choose from.

You can also set an animation duration and delay for the widget.

4. Add Shape Dividers

Chances are, you’ve already used this feature on your website. Shape dividers are stylish dividers that can be added to the top or bottom of a section.

Instead of relying on plain dividers, shape dividers can enhance your page design and make it more visually appealing.

To add a shape divider:

Select the section where you want the shape divider.
Go to Style > Shape Divider.

You can place the shape divider at either the top or bottom of the section. With over 15 shape divider styles available, you have plenty of options to enhance your design.

After selecting your preferred shape, you can customise its colour, adjust the height, flip the divider, and even bring it to the front for better layering control.

5. Add Video Backgrounds

Video backgrounds can make your website look stunning, and the good news is that adding them in Elementor is simple.

Here’s how you can add a video background in Elementor:

Select the section where you want the video background.
Go to Style > Background.
In the background settings, change the background type to Video.

After selecting Video as the background type, you’ll need to add the video link.

You can also set a start time and end time for the video to control which part plays.

Additionally, there’s an option to upload a fallback image — this image will replace the video background on tablets and mobile devices for improved performance and compatibility.

6. Set Default Fonts

Just like with fonts, you can also set default colors in Elementor. However, unlike default fonts, this feature doesn’t automatically apply the colors — instead, it adds your chosen shades to Elementor’s color picker presets.

This is still incredibly useful, saving you from repeatedly copying and pasting color codes.

To set default colors:

Click the Elementor hamburger menu in the top left.
Select Default Colors.

You can set default colors for Primary, Secondary, Body, and Accent elements.

If you prefer, Elementor also offers pre-made color palettes that you can choose as your default colors for a quick and cohesive design.

7. Add Parallax Effects

Parallax effects enhance your page by making it more engaging and immersive. Beyond aesthetics, they also improve the user experience by adding depth and interactivity.

Elementor’s Motion Effects feature makes it easy to add various parallax effects to your design. There are two types of motion effects available:

Scroll Effects — These effects activate as users scroll through the page. You can create both vertical and horizontal scroll movements.
Mouse Effects — These effects add a sense of depth by making elements move in response to mouse movement.

To add these effects:

Select the widget you want to animate.
Go to Advanced > Motion Effects.

In the Motion Effects tab, you’ll find both Scroll Effects and Mouse Effects options.

Simply enable the effect you want and customise it to suit your design.

You can adjust various properties such as transparency, blur, scale, rotation, and more to achieve the perfect look for your widget.

8. Saving A Section As Template In Elementor

We’ve already covered how to create global widgets for reuse across your website. But what if you want to reuse a section with different content?

In that case, you can save sections or widgets as templates in Elementor. This allows you to reuse the design while customising the content as needed.

Give your template a name, and you’re all set! Your template will be saved in the Elementor templates library for easy access.

If you’d like to save the entire page as a template instead of just a section, simply go to the Elementor panel, click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner, and choose Save as Template. This will save the entire page layout, including all sections and widgets.

9. Add Filters To Your Images

Chances are, you’ve already customized images in Elementor by adjusting alignment, size, or width.

But did you know you can also perform basic image editing right inside Elementor?

In the Style tab of the image widget, you’ll find an option called CSS Filters. This feature allows you to make simple edits to your images, like adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, and more!

With CSS Filters, you can adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue of your image. You can even apply a blur effect to give your images a soft, unique look.

10. Create Anchor Links

Anchor links allow you to create a smooth scrolling navigation experience on your page, making it easy for users to jump to specific sections. With Elementor, creating anchor links (or jump links) is a breeze.

The first step is to add a Menu Anchor widget. Place this widget where you want the link to scroll to. The great thing about the menu anchor widget is that it’s invisible on the page and doesn’t take up any space.

Next, edit the widget that you want to link to. In the link field, type # followed by the anchor name you assigned to your menu anchor (for example, #pricing). This creates a smooth scroll effect when the link is clicked.

That’s it! Now, when you click the widget, it will smoothly scroll to the menu anchor, creating a seamless navigation experience on your page.

The post Top 10 WordPress Elementor Tips & Tricks appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

The Best Booking Systems for Beauty Salons

admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:56:29 +0000

We’ve all used booking systems that leave us frustrated, struggling to complete a simple task. At its core, an effective booking system UI design ensures that users can quickly and easily complete their bookings without confusion.

Exceptional booking system UI designers go a step further. The best designs don’t just facilitate a smooth booking process but also enhance the user experience, adding an aesthetic touch that makes the process enjoyable.

This can involve elements such as an innovative, intuitive interaction that guides users to specific actions, or a minimalist, clean layout with smart use of white space, creating a calm and organised atmosphere.

In this article, I’ll explore what makes a good booking system interface—drawing on insights from the Nielsen Norman Group—and highlight eight examples of outstanding booking system UI design, explaining why each one stands out.

When assessing whether a user interface is good—or even exceptional—how can you approach it in a structured way? You might consider its visual appeal and test whether it offers an intuitive, seamless experience. But is there a more objective or formalised approach?

A more formal assessment often involves evaluating the interface based on established usability principles. These principles, such as clarity, consistency, and efficiency, help assess whether the design enables users to achieve their goals with ease. Usability testing and user feedback also provide valuable insights into how well the interface performs in real-world scenarios, making it possible to measure aspects like task completion rates and user satisfaction.

By combining these approaches with qualitative and quantitative data, you can form a more comprehensive, objective assessment of a booking system’s UI.

1. Fresha

Fresha, an online booking platform, combines simplicity with functionality. Its clean, minimalist design, clear layout, and intuitive navigation provide a seamless user experience.

Upon logging in, users are welcomed with an easy-to-navigate dashboard, making appointment management effortless. The platform’s streamlined interface ensures that scheduling and client interactions are smooth and straightforward.

Fresha’s features, such as automated reminders and integrated payment processing, enhance convenience. The system also offers insightful analytics and reporting, enabling businesses to make informed decisions and optimise their operations. Overall, Fresha delivers a highly efficient and user-friendly booking experience.

Visit Fresha

2. Treatwell

Treatwell revolutionised the beauty and wellness booking experience by making it simple and intuitive. Booking an appointment is often seen as a hassle, but Treatwell focused on making the process effortless.

By cutting out unnecessary steps, Treatwell’s platform zeroes in on what matters most: finding the right treatment at the right time. Users can quickly browse, book, and manage appointments without distractions.

While the design has evolved over time, it remains a prime example of user-friendly interface design. Treatwell continues to offer a seamless, customer-centric experience, making booking beauty services as easy as ever.

Treatwell’s website excels with its user-friendly design, featuring a persistent bar that displays the user’s current selections throughout the booking process. This clever addition allows customers to effortlessly view and adjust their choices without needing to remember previous steps.

The interface is designed to keep users focused on their goal, ensuring a quick and efficient booking experience. By simplifying the process, Treatwell makes it easy for users to book their beauty and wellness appointments with minimal hassle.

Visit Treatwell

3. Booksy

Booksy, like Airbnb, focuses on simplifying the booking experience right from the home screen.

With its approachable, user-friendly design and clear call-to-action prompts, such as What service are you looking for today?, Booksy welcomes users and guides them through the process with ease. This friendly tone helps customers feel comfortable while navigating the platform.

For the initial booking, users only need to specify key details: the service they want, their preferred time, and the professional they want to see. By delaying additional options until later, Booksy keeps the experience straightforward and intuitive, making it easy for users to book appointments.

Booksy’s listing pages are designed with clarity and transparency, displaying any additional fees upfront to ensure users know exactly what to expect. Below this information is the prominent Request to Book button, making it easy for users to finalise their appointments without hassle.

Once a user clicks Request to Book, they are directed to a detailed checkout page. On the right, users can view the service, pricing, and booking details, eliminating the need to remember information from the previous page.

On the left, rather than diving straight into payment, the page invites users to provide a personal note to their chosen professional. This step fosters a sense of connection before the transaction, creating a more human experience and reinforcing Booksy’s focus on building relationships between service providers and clients.

The interface reflects this personal approach with thoughtful copy, engaging imagery, and a focus on user comfort, helping to establish trust and encourage a positive experience for both parties.

Visit Booksy

4. Vagaro

Vagaro’s UX/UI design is highly effective due to its user-focused approach, intuitive navigation, and clean layout. The platform is designed to provide a smooth browsing experience, prioritising functionality and easy organisation, making it simple for users to find services and information. The use of vibrant images and consistent branding improves engagement, while its responsive design ensures accessibility across all devices. By blending visual appeal with practical usability, Vagaro delivers a platform that caters to both user needs and business goals.

Moreover, Vagaro’s design incorporates well-placed calls-to-action and fast loading speeds, ensuring an efficient experience. Interactive elements, such as filters and search features, simplify service discovery, while personalised recommendations and clear service details enhance the user journey. By aligning design elements with user behaviour, Vagaro not only meets customer expectations but also strengthens brand loyalty and satisfaction.

Visit Vagaro

5. Phorest

The UI design of Phorest, as a booking system, is both clean and effective, prioritising simplicity and ease of use. The intuitive layout, paired with clear typography and high-quality visuals, allows users to easily navigate the platform. White space is used strategically to ensure content stands out without feeling cluttered, creating an organised environment for a smooth booking experience. The interface also features clear calls-to-action and menus that guide users effortlessly through their booking process.

Phorest is fully responsive, optimised for all devices to provide a seamless experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Consistent visual elements, such as branding and imagery, reinforce the platform’s identity while maintaining a sleek and functional design. This combination of simplicity and practicality makes Phorest an engaging and user-friendly system that enhances the booking process.

Visit Phorest

The post The Best Booking Systems for Beauty Salons appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

How to turn off comments in WordPress

admin — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:52:25 +0000

Why do I need to disable WordPress comments?

To prevent spam, as WordPress comment sections often attract unwanted messages from bots and advertisers, cluttering your site with irrelevant and harmful links.

To save time and resources, since moderating and responding to comments can be time-consuming, especially for large websites. Disabling comments allows you to focus on content creation.

To keep your comments in one place, as many businesses and bloggers prefer directing discussions to social media or forums, where engagement is easier to manage.

To improve website performance, because a large number of comments can slow down your site, affecting load times and user experience.

To avoid negative or toxic discussions, since open comment sections can sometimes lead to unmoderated negativity, disputes, or misinformation that could harm your site’s reputation.

How to Disable Comments on a Single Post or Page in WordPress

Select Posts > All Posts or Pages > All Pages from the left-hand menu in your WordPress dashboard.

Find the post you want to edit, hover over it, and click Edit

In the Discussion section on the right-hand panel, uncheck the option that says Allow comments.

Click Update to save your changes.

How to Disable Comments on Multiple Pages or Posts in WordPress

Select Posts > All Posts or Pages > All Pages from the left-hand menu in your WordPress dashboard.

Find the post you want to edit, hover over it, and click Edit

In the Discussion section on the right-hand panel, uncheck the option that says Allow comments.

Click Update to save your changes.

How to Disable Comments Globally in WordPress

If you want to disable comments across your entire WordPress site, you’ll need to follow a three-step process: disabling comments on new posts, disabling them on existing posts, and optionally deleting old comments.

To Disable Comments on Future Posts:

Go to Settings > Discussion in your WordPress dashboard.

Uncheck the option that says Allow people to post comments on new articles.

Click Save Settings to apply the changes.

To Disable Comments on Existing Posts:

Go to Settings > Discussion in your WordPress dashboard.

Automatically close comments on articles older than _ days, and set the number of days to 0.

Click Save Settings to apply the changes.

To Delete Existing Comments on Your Site:

Navigate to Comments in the WordPress dashboard.

Select the checkboxes for all the comments you want to remove.

From the Bulk Actions dropdown menu, choose Move to Trash.

Click Apply to delete the selected comments.

The post How to turn off comments in WordPress appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

Most Common WordPress Errors of 2025

admin — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:43:22 +0000

We’ve all faced those frustrating moments when our WordPress site suddenly breaks, leaving us feeling helpless. Whether it’s a blank page or an internal server error, these issues can prevent users from accessing your content and cause unnecessary stress.
Good WordPress troubleshooting ensures users can get back to browsing without unnecessary delays. But the best fixes not only restore functionality—they improve the overall experience, helping to keep your site running smoothly with minimal disruption.
Here, we’ll break down five of the most common WordPress errors, what causes them, and how to resolve them quickly.
These are the most common errors found within a WordPress site. Luckily for you, we have your solution listed below.
White Screen of Death (WSOD)
Internal Server Error
Error Establishing Database Connection
Incorrect wp-config.php information
Connection Timed Out
How do you know when something’s gone wrong with your site?
While some errors might be immediately obvious, others can be more subtle. Whether you’re faced with a blank screen or an internal server error, identifying the issue is the first step. But is there a more methodical way to tackle these problems?
We recommend following a set troubleshooting process that addresses the most common causes of WordPress errors. Below, we’ll explain the causes and solutions for each issue, helping you get your site back online as quickly as possible.

1. The White Screen of Death (WSOD)

Causes: Plugin conflicts, theme issues, exhausted memory limits.
Solution: Deactivate plugins, switch themes, and increase the PHP memory limit.

2. Internal Server Error

Causes: Corrupted .htaccess file, plugin/theme conflicts, memory exhaustion.
Solution: Rename the .htaccess file, deactivate plugins, switch themes, and increase memory.

3. Error Establishing Database Connection

Causes: Incorrect credentials, hosting issues, or hacks.
Solution: Verify wp-config.php credentials, contact your hosting provider, and scan for malware.

4. Incorrect wp-config.php Information

Causes: Errors in the wp-config.php file.
Solution: Double-check the database credentials in wp-config.php and correct any mistakes.

5. Connection Timed Out

Causes: Server overload due to limited resources.
Solution: Deactivate plugins, switch themes, increase memory, and ask your hosting provider to adjust execution time.

Final Thoughts
WordPress errors can seem overwhelming, especially for beginners, but they’re often easily fixed with the right approach. Make sure to back up your site before making changes and, if in doubt, contact us for assistance.

The post Most Common WordPress Errors of 2025 appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

Top 5 UX UI Websites of 2025

admin — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:46:27 +0000

We’ve all encountered websites and applications that make us feel like throwing our devices across the room in frustration—or at least, I hope that’s not just my experience. At its core, good website UI design ensures that users can complete the task they came to the site to do easily and without confusion.
Truly exceptional UI designers go beyond this. The best UI designs not only enable seamless task completion but also delight users aesthetically and enhance their overall experience.
This can encompass a variety of elements: a sleek, innovative animated interaction that intuitively guides the user’s attention to a specific feature, or a minimalist, uncluttered layout with clever use of white space that instils a sense of calm, for instance.
In this article, I’ll explore what makes a good user interface—with a bit of insight from the Nielsen Norman Group—before delving into eight examples of outstanding website UI design and explaining my choices.

If you’re trying to assess whether a user interface is good—or even exceptional—how do you go about it? You can judge whether you find the interface visually appealing and test whether it provides an intuitive, straightforward experience. But is there a more objective or formalised approach?

I personally always refer to the usability characteristics outlined by the research company Nielsen Norman Group.
Nielsen defines usability through five key characteristics: learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction.
Learnability: Can users complete their tasks with minimal difficulty?-
Efficiency: Does the interface enable users to complete tasks quickly?
Memorability: After leaving a website, how easily can users remember how to use it when they return?
Errors: How effectively does the interface minimise the likelihood of user errors, and how well does it support users in correcting mistakes?
Satisfaction: Do users find the design enjoyable to interact with?
Beyond these standards, a truly excellent UI should reflect the brand’s personality, helping it stand out from competitors and offering users a delightful experience. Let’s explore a few examples where I believe companies have nailed their website UI design.

1. Medium

Medium, an online platform for reading and publishing, is as beautiful as it is functional. With its minimalist use of colour, generous line spacing, and expertly chosen typography, the website strikes the perfect balance.
On Medium, content takes precedence. Once logged in, users are greeted by a box at the top of the article list reading Write here, which encourages everyone to start writing effortlessly.
Clicking the Write a Story link opens a virtually blank white page, removing distractions and offering a clean, focused space for writing.
Articles are displayed in a single-column layout, making the content easy to read and absorb. Thoughtful features, such as estimated reading times and the ability to highlight and respond directly to specific parts of articles, make Medium an exceptional platform for an enjoyable and seamless editorial experience.

2. Virgin America

When it comes to making the flight booking process simple and user-friendly, Virgin America was a pioneer—if not the first—to truly prioritise the user’s needs. Let’s face it, booking a flight is often seen as a tedious task.
Much like a dishwasher spares us the hassle of scrubbing dishes, Virgin America’s website streamlined the experience by focusing on the most essential question: Where would you like to go? By stripping away unnecessary content, users could dive straight into the booking process without distraction.
While the design might now feel somewhat outdated, it deserves recognition as a groundbreaking example of user-centred interface design. Unfortunately, since merging with Alaska Air, their clean and intuitive approach has given way to a noticeably more cluttered interface.

Let’s turn our attention to what made Virgin Atlantic’s website so effective. Throughout the booking process, a persistent bar at the top of the screen displayed the user’s current selections. This simple yet clever feature ensured that users could always see and update their choices without needing to rely on memory.
The interface was thoughtfully designed to help users stay focused on their goal, allowing them to complete the booking process quickly and efficiently.

3. Airbnb

Airbnb’s website UI excels in two key areas: facilitating the booking of accommodations and fostering trust between complete strangers.

Airbnb, like Virgin Atlantic, places a strong emphasis on simplifying the booking process straight from the home screen.
With its signature conversational tone, such as the friendly What can we help you find, Edward? and clear, helpful cue text, users are both warmly welcomed and seamlessly guided to begin planning their stay.
This conversational prompt to begin searching is a charming way to reflect the brand’s personality while keeping the process of finding a place to stay straightforward.
For the initial search, users only need to specify three details: their destination, the duration of their stay, and the number of guests. By postponing additional filters until later in the process, Airbnb creates an experience that feels streamlined, user-friendly, and approachable.

The listing pages clearly outline any additional fees, ensuring transparency and simplicity for users. Directly beneath this information is the prominent Request to Book button, designed as one of the brightest elements on the page to encourage users to finalise their booking effortlessly.
Once a user clicks ‘Request to Book,’ they are directed to a checkout page. On the right, the listing, pricing, and booking details are prominently displayed, reducing the need for users to remember information from the previous page.
On the left, instead of jumping straight to payment, the page invites users to say hello to your host and tell them why you’re coming. By prioritising this personal interaction before payment, Airbnb fosters a sense of connection between guest and host, aligning perfectly with its mission of bringing people together.
The interface also reflects this ethos beautifully through carefully crafted copy and the use of engaging photos and videos. This thoughtful approach creates an emotional tone that establishes trust between strangers, highlighting Airbnb’s commitment to building relationships over transactions.

4. Boosted Boards

BoostedUSA’s UX/UI design is effective due to its user-centric approach, intuitive navigation, and visually appealing layout. The design ensures a seamless browsing experience by prioritising functionality and clear organisation, making it easy for users to find products and information. The use of vibrant visuals and consistent branding enhances engagement, while responsive design ensures accessibility across devices. By combining aesthetic appeal with practical usability, BoostedUSA creates a platform that caters to both user needs and business goals.

Additionally, BoostedUSA’s UX/UI design incorporates strategic calls-to-action and optimised loading speeds, ensuring a smooth and efficient shopping experience. The thoughtful placement of interactive elements, such as filters and search functionality, simplifies product discovery and selection. Personalised recommendations and clear product details further enhance the user journey, building trust and encouraging conversions. By aligning design elements with user behaviour, BoostedUSA not only meets customer expectations but also strengthens brand loyalty and satisfaction.

5. Apple

Last but certainly not least, the UI design of the Apple website is both simple and effective, reflecting the brand’s minimalist approach. The clean layout focuses on high-quality visuals and clear typography, allowing users to easily navigate the site. Strategic use of white space ensures that the content stands out without feeling cluttered, creating a calm and organised environment. The design also prioritises ease of use, with intuitive menus and clear calls-to-action guiding users effortlessly through their journey.
The Apple website’s UI design is highly responsive and optimised for all devices, ensuring a smooth user experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones. The consistency in visual elements, from the iconic Apple logo to the product imagery, reinforces brand identity while maintaining a sleek and functional interface. This combination of simplicity and practicality creates an engaging, user-friendly experience that encourages exploration and conversion.

The post Top 5 UX UI Websites of 2025 appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

How to backup your WordPress website using Updraft

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 13:36:00 +0000

What is Updraft?

UpdraftPlus is a popular and widely used WordPress backup plugin that enables website owners to back up, restore, and migrate their WordPress websites with ease. It is a highly regarded plugin, especially known for its ease of use and reliability in safeguarding website data. Key Features of UpdraftPlus:

Backup and Restore: UpdraftPlus allows users to create full backups of their WordPress website, including files, databases, plugins, themes, and other media. You can schedule automatic backups or create manual backups whenever needed. In the event of a problem with your website, UpdraftPlus provides an easy way to restore everything to its previous state.

Cloud Storage Integration: The plugin offers seamless integration with various cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Microsoft OneDrive, and others. This ensures that backups are safely stored off-site and can be retrieved when required.

Migration and Cloning: In addition to backup and restore, UpdraftPlus also includes tools for migrating or cloning a WordPress site. This feature can be handy when you need to move your website to a new host or replicate your site for staging or testing purposes.

Backup Scheduling: Users can set up backup schedules to run automatically at their preferred times, whether daily, weekly, or monthly. This reduces the need for manual intervention and ensures that backups are consistently up to date.

Why back up your WordPress site?

1. Protection Against Data Loss Server Failures
Hosting servers can experience technical issues, crashes, or outages. Without a backup, you risk losing all the content, files, and settings that make up your website.
Human Error:
Accidental deletion of files, wrong configurations, or changes made by mistake can break your site or result in lost data. A backup allows you to restore your site to its previous state quickly.
Malware and Hacking:
Websites are often targeted by hackers or infected with malware. These attacks can corrupt or erase files, making your website inaccessible. Having a backup ensures you can recover your site if it becomes compromised.
Plugin or Theme Conflicts:
Sometimes, updates to plugins or themes can cause compatibility issues, leading to site errors or crashes. A backup allows you to restore your site to a working version before the issue occurred.
2. Disaster Recovery
Site Outages or Crashes:
Websites can experience downtime due to server issues, cyberattacks, or even accidental mistakes. If your site goes down, having a backup lets you quickly restore it and minimize the time it’s offline.
Backup for Emergency:
When an unexpected disaster strikes, such as a malicious attack or system failure, having a recent backup provides a safety net, allowing you to recover your site without much hassle.

Preventing data loss

Backing up your WordPress site is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your valuable content and data. Without backups, you risk losing everything if something goes wrong. Whether it’s a blog full of cherished posts or a business website, having a backup ensures that you’re prepared for any data loss scenario. Here are four common causes of data loss and how they can impact your site:

Accidental Deletion: It’s easy to delete the wrong post, page, or file while editing or managing content. Even though WordPress has safeguards like the revisions feature and trash folder, these aren’t foolproof, and mistakes can still happen.

Glitches and Corruption: Sometimes, a routine update or new plugin installation can result in issues like a white screen of death or site corruption. These technical glitches can render parts of your site broken, making it difficult to restore without a backup.

Server Failures: Servers can experience crashes due to technical failures, which can lead to data corruption or complete loss of your website and its database. Unfortunately, these incidents are often beyond your control.

Malware and Hacking: If your site gets hacked, malicious actors could delete, alter, or deface content. Even after cleaning up the malware, restoring your website to its pre-attack state is the most efficient way to recover from such an incident.

What is the best way to back up a WordPress site?

When it comes to backing up your WordPress site, there are several methods you can use, ranging from plugins to manual techniques. Each option has its own benefits and limitations, depending on your specific needs and technical skills. Here’s an overview of when to use each backup method:

Using a Plugin for Backups: The easiest and most efficient option for creating backups. Plugins automate the process and are perfect for those who want regular backups with minimal effort. It’s also the go-to choice if you don’t have access to advanced tools like cPanel or FTP.

Manual Backup via cPanel: A quick manual backup method, cPanel provides an intuitive, web-based interface to download both your website files and database. This is a good option for those with access to cPanel but who don’t need a fully automated solution.

Manual Backup via FTP: This method requires installing an FTP client and connecting to your server. While it allows you to back up your website files, it doesn’t include your database, so it should be used alongside another backup method.

Manual Backup via phpMyAdmin: A straightforward way to download your WordPress database, phpMyAdmin offers a web interface for easy access. However, it only covers the database, so you’ll need to combine it with other methods to ensure a complete backup.

Backup via Your Web Host: Some web hosts offer backup features that allow you to schedule automatic backups directly through their dashboard. While convenient, this method can be less reliable, as it may vary by host and can lack transparency. It’s wise to combine it with other backup methods for added security and control.

Remember, your WordPress site is made up of two main components: the website files (core WordPress files, themes, plugins) and the database (which stores your content such as posts and pages). A common mistake is only backing up one part, which can lead to issues when restoring your site. To ensure a full and complete backup, both the website files and database must be included.

How to backup up a WordPress site using the Updraft plugin?

Backing up your WordPress site is an essential step in safeguarding your content, files, and settings. One of the easiest and most efficient ways to create backups is by using the UpdraftPlus plugin. This plugin allows you to back up your entire WordPress site, including files and databases, and store them securely. Here’s how to back up your WordPress site using UpdraftPlus:
Step 1: Install and Activate UpdraftPlus
Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New, and search for UpdraftPlus.
Click Install Now and then activate the plugin once it’s installed.
Step 2: Configure Backup Settings
After activation, go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups. Here, you can set up backup schedules and choose where you want to store your backups (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, or your own server).
You can also enable automatic backups at regular intervals, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on how frequently you update your site.
Step 3: Perform a Backup
To back up your site immediately, click the Backup Now button on the UpdraftPlus settings page.
A pop-up will appear asking if you want to include both your database and files in the backup (recommended). Click Backup Now again to start the backup process. UpdraftPlus will begin the backup, and you can monitor the progress. Once the backup is complete, your site’s files and database will be securely stored in the location you specified.
By following these simple steps, you’ll have a reliable backup of your WordPress site that you can restore if anything goes wrong.

The post How to backup your WordPress website using Updraft appeared first on Web Design Newcastle | A Creative Agency.

The Confusing States of UX Market Today

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 10:21:26 +0000

The job market doesn’t seem to be in crisis for UX designers and all product design professions. Start-ups have multiplied all over the world bringing with them new ways of collaborating through agile methods. These agile methods are also more and more present in old companies and large groups that are abandoning V-shaped development and hierarchical relationships.
However, this popularization of UX professions is accompanied by a perverse effect: the confusion of professions and skills.
UX jobs are not yet fully understood by recruiters and other bosses. Or rather, by becoming common, people have associated stereotypical ideas with the names of the jobs to make a difference. UX designer are seen as people drawing screens. Product designers are seen as Ux designers’ manager, etc.
There are two ways of thinking that we regularly encounter:
Thinking that two jobs are different and that you can’t go from one to the other.
Thinking that all jobs are similar and that one can do the work of the other without any problem.

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Companies looking to ride the new trends to stay revelant don’t always understand the value of having a dedicated product team. They create teams and hire profiles because they were told it was important and their competitors were doing the same thing.
Depending on the profiles that compose it, the product team can be independent, included in the development team, or in the marketing team. It all depends on the vision that the managers have of what the UX professions should bring.
The UX market is disrupted because of job posts that don’t correspond to the needs of companies.
A UI and a UX designer do not have the same objectives, do not work in the same way, and are different professions. Yet job offers for designers often ask for UX/UI designers.
This confusion is even more important since the skills cross between professions and the names used in the ads often confuse professions and roles.

Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash

The product professions
Initially, product designers were often senior engineers in charge of a development team. Their role was to oversee the progress of a project for which they were responsible for both the technical and interface aspects.
When the new profession of UX designer was born, a new profile was included in the teams, not doing development but being dedicated to the analysis of usability, ergonomics, and user satisfaction . UX designers are in charge of studying users, and their needs, carrying out tests, and designing mock-ups.
With the UX designers came a complementary profile: the UI designers, taht are in charge of designing the interfaces after the UX designer has defined the information architecture and the interaction design.
UX designers then diversified and specialized in certain activities. Some became product designers, splitting product development from technology development. Some specialized in user research, creating the profession of UX researcher. Some with a more marketing profile created the CX designer working for the consumer rather than the end-user.
In addition to these new profiles and their diversification, other job names have appeared. Coming from agile methods, product owners and product managers are sought-after profiles. However, they are not professions in themselve. These are roles that are given within an agile team. The product owner must be the voice of the end-users to the developers, it’s a role that UX designers, researchers and product designer can have.

Photo by Lala Azizli on Unsplash

All these new titles groups together common technical and social skills and are quite similar to each other. In bulk, we can find on almost all the job offers :
The social skills
empathy, to create for users you have to be able to put yourself in their shoes and understand how they think.
curiosity, the environment evolves quickly, having a curiosity for other disciplines and subjects than one’s own is a prerequisite for creativity
communication skills, working in a team and having to explain their role to other teams, being able to communicate effectively is essential
Interest in technology, as product experts are looking to innovate and invent new technologies, so an interest in technology is the foundation.
The technical skills
mock-up, main deliverable mock-ups are the heart of the visible work. Mastering Figma, Adobde XD or Axure is therefore necessary
information architecture and expertise that others don’t have, the organization of information allows directing users to the important things
Usability tests are a major tool in user research that can be used upstream or downstream of product development and allows ideas to be compared with real-life conditions of use
Qualitative and quantitative analyses, justifying the ideas we have with questionnaires and quantitative reports allow us to give credibility to our projects

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And an interest in
ergonomics, simplifying interfaces to make them ergonomic is at the heart of the user experience
design thinking, a methodology for developing a product through design found in many product teams
Agile design is a new and widespread way of working. Knowing the principles of SCRUM is therefore a minimum
HTML/CSS coding, without needing to code, many ads ask for knowledge on this subject so as not to ask the impossible of developers
More specific skills like 3D design for product designer or to know one specific skills for user research aren’t known by recruiters and will only be asked for specific project.
Companies are looking for the same kind of profile for all product team positions to assign them a part of the project.

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In theory, the design flow could follow the following pattern:
The product designer designs the product in an iterative process and ensures that what is done will fit properly in the market
The product owner decides what needs to be done, prioritizes the features to be developed, and liaises with the development team.
The UX researcher studies the market, the users and defines their needs, their constraints, what they are willing to do, what they can do
The UX designer designs a low-fidelity model, the skeleton of the interfaces, allowing to understand the interactions, the user path, and the friction points to avoid
The CX designer studies how to transform the end-user into a consumer and the purchasing and engagement functionalities to include
The UI designer transforms the low-fidelity mock-ups into screens according to the standards in force, applies the graphic charter, and finalizes the appearance of the product
(This flow also represent the unoficial hierarchical position often perceived by people inside companies. Flat hierarchie still being a hard concept to grasp for people.)
In reality, these jobs intersect and one will regularly be asked to do the work of the other due to a lack of human resources. A product designer may have to design mock-ups and have them validated during user tests, thus fulfilling the role of UX designer and Ux researcher. A UX designer will often have to propose complex interfaces during prototyping, becoming de facto a UI designer.
All of these skills are required and sought after in all people working in the product world. This common base then begs the question: are the jobs interchangeable? The short answer is yes.
However, a UX designer applying for the position of product designer will often be turned down simply because his title does not match, even though the required skills are there.
Designers are seen as doctors. The UX designer is the general practitioner who knows everything without being an expert, the product designer and UX researcher are seen as specialists who are therefore able to fulfill the role of a general practitioner. The UI designer is seen as a nurse whose skills are more remote but who can do the job if no doctor is available.

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The major difference between the product professions is the sensitivity and expertise of the skills. Information architecture and visual design are more in demand for UI designers. User research will be the specialty of UX researchers who will push techniques and tools to their limits. Agile management is mainly required from product designers who will have to oversee the design process.
If a Ux designer is comfortable with creativity or user testing, there is nothing to prevent him from becoming a good Ux researcher or product designer. On the other hand, a product designer is expected to have skills in Ux design, or even UI design, because as a project manager, managers expect him to be able to do the work of his subordinates.
In the end, the UX market has created a lot of specialized job names but they still require the same profiles, the same common skills. One is often asked to do the work of the other, proof that a porosity exists which means that career evolutions are not limited to a single title. This does not mean that everyone can do everything, but that the specific skills needed to move from one function to another are not so complicated to acquire if you take the time to study the subject.
What to do with this whole situation?
From an immediate pragmatic point of view, Ux designers must question their ability to move to another job to open up their possibilities.
In the medium term, all the product professionals will have to get together to clarify the situation. We can imagine grouping all these professions under a common name and specifying, through a tree of more specific skills, which specialty we are heading for.
A new common title will probably appear in a few years to designate people working to construct products and current terms will be seen as specialization or role. Just like developer is a general term and people have specialized in front or back end clarifying their current skills and their acquirable skills

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