Despite their overwhelmingly bad reputation, popups are a useful tool, but high conversion potential is not worth sacrificing user experience. Luckily, with the right WordPress popup plugins, you can leverage the high-conversion potential of popups without driving users away.)
Guide to WordPress Security
“A great-looking, high-performing website can be the key to success online, and WordPress checks all the boxes. It’s almost infinitely scalable and capable of nearly endless functionality. However, as with any website, WordPress requires security measures to keep it online and running at its best.
This WordPress security guide will empower you to thwart bad actors seeking to exploit the website you so lovingly crafted. Implement the strategies included here, and you’ll likely leave hackers and attackers tooting their sad trombones as they look for an easier target.”
Instructions on How to Use Forums on the YCL Website
I have set up Forums to personal and professional use. They are a great alternative to Facebook groups or Chat. They have excellent privacy so people can talk comfortably. To help you get started I created a little video on how the forums work. Click here to view the video!
How to Use Categories on a WordPress Site
Just a Little Updating & Maintenance – Flying Crane Astrology
The Flying Crane Astrology site is visually pleasing and has good content. Dr. Castle just needed some help updating the site and keeping it in good working order. Visit the site!
A WordPress site requires regular maintenance. YCL has a plan! Monthly maintenance costs a whole lot less than an emergency site repair. Let’s not even talk about the cost from a total site crash! We provide off-site back ups. Should the site be hacked, we can re-install a back up and have your site up and running within a few hours generally. We install security plug-ins to monitor the site and notify us quickly of attacks or problems.
It is true. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Common Ways Attackers Are Stealing Your Password
Today passwords are a part of our everyday life. It is critical to protect our information from getting into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, a weak password is a weak defense against hackers. Here are a few ways hackers are trying to get a hold of your information and how you can help stop them.
1: Credential Stuffing
This happens when an attacker already has your login info – typically from a data breach at a large company like Target, Bank of America, etc. who store credit card and login info for their clients. They will log in as you and impersonate you to make changes on your account. If you have used the same password on different accounts, they now have access to all of them. Your best defense is to make sure you have strong passwords and different passwords for every site.
Read how to use a password pattern.
2: Password Cracking Techniques
These are techniques that attackers use to “guess” passwords to accounts. They have algorithms that can crack a weak password. The best way to prevent this is to make sure you have strong passwords that aren’t repeated for logins to other sites. Use a mixture of upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers and characters. Never use names or real words. Not even your favorite cat’s name!
3: Shoulder Surfing
Shoulder surfing is when someone around you watches to see the private information you type on your keyboard or on your screen from over your shoulder. It can happen at the grocery store or the ATM. We have to be aware of our surroundings whenever we are typing in sensitive information in a public place.
4: Social Engineering
This is when someone tries to get you to reveal sensitive information by pretending to have clearance for it. If a customer service agent is calling you and wanting to verify your credentials, make sure you verify them first! Never give passwords or private info to strangers no matter who they claim to be.
Microsoft, Google, the IRS, Dell will never call you. Never.
5: Phishing
Phishing is similar to social engineering but it’s more specific to email. Hackers will create an email looking like it’s from a legitimate source prompting you to type in information. If you are ever questioning the legitimacy of an email, call the person sending the email. If it’s a large corporation, open a new browser window and log in directly from their website. Never click the links in the email to log in.
6: Wireless Sniffing
This happens when a hacker collects data that is being sent between your computer and someone’s server. If a site isn’t using a TLS/SSL Certificate, the information being sent isn’t secure. You should see a closed padlock symbol on the left end of the site’s address telling you it is a secure site. If the padlock isn’t there, don’t give them any information! Not even your email.
7: Man-in-the-Middle Attack
This is similar to wireless sniffing but the information continues on to the server and back to your computer while the “man in the middle” is observing it. Once again, your best protection is to make sure the sites you visit have an updated TLS/SSL certificate. If you are using the Chrome browser, Google will alert you as to when a site’s certificate is bad and if it does you shouldn’t input any information.
Your Computer Lady recommends Last Pass as a storage vault for passwords and private data. Visit their website.
The information for this article was found here.
Word Press 5.5
WordPress is rolling out a new version with some big changes and new features.
- Improvements to the Editor for creating pages or writing blog posts.
- On-the-page image editing.
- Improved content preview (more WYSIWYG!!)
- XML sitemaps which help search engines index your site
The roll-out will begin any day now.
If you are on our WordPress Site Maintenance program, your site will be updated at the end of the month.
If you aren’t on the program, you should be! Let’s talk! Regular maintenance prevents those nasty surprises when you discover your site has been down for some unknown amount of time!
You need to check your site 2-4 times a week for the next month or so to know when WordPress is updated and to be sure your site is still functioning properly.
A WordPress website is made of multiple components: the WordPress software (the frame of your site), the theme (the design components) and the plug-ins which give you special features like spam protection, a rotating testimonial space, a photo gallery, etc. The three pieces have to be kept in sync for your site to function well.
In our maintenance program, we make a back up of your site for safety. Then we update each component to be sure everyone stays happy.
How To Keep Your Website Updated
New version of WordPress
On Dec. 6th, WordPress released a new version with a new editor. We were aware of the coming change. One of my programmers has been participating in the beta test team.
The new release is supposed to make the web experience better for your visitors and speed up load times. So far we are not impressed!! The upgrade has caused more problems than anticipated. Previous upgrades may have conflicted with a plug-in for a little glitch. This update has caused major issues on a couple of sites. On one of my sites, every blog was pointing to the same blog post! On another site, the payment processing glitched. I encourage each of you to carefully look at your pages and test all of your forms. (It’s good to review your site 2-3 times a year any way!)
In addition, WordPress published a new editor. Again, we are not impressed! The new editor does not seem to be as versatile as the previous one. It is definitely not “What you see is what you get” which makes pages and blogs easier to create. Fortunately, we are able to return/switch to the previous editor.
Please email if you have questions.
What is Duplicate Content? Does It Harm Your Site?
A great way to beef up your website content and educate your visitors is to share websites and articles from other sources. Industry sites. Industry magazines. Expert articles.
Your best method is to write a short intro using your keywords and showing your expertise on the topic THEN link to the article.
There is a proper way to it and this article walks you through the pros and cons.