Mastering HTML tags in your WordPress posts and pages by using AddQuicktag

Hello friends,

Do you want to improve the way that you are creating WordPress posts and pages? If so you may be wondering how to do this. Well, since the content in WordPress is based on HTML then the answer would be – by adding some HTML tags.

And that is what we will be discussing today – how to master HTML tags in your WordPress posts and pages by using the plugin AddQuicktag.

Why would I need such a plugin since I can add HTML content by myself?

You are right – you can do this at any time. Either by using the Visual editor (where HTML is created automatically), by using Shortcodes (which may insert HTML elements as well) or simply by using the WordPress text editor where you can type your HTML code by yourself.

However we have just described the process of improving only one post or only one page with custom HTML tags and formatting. The next time that you have to create a new one you will have to either copy/paste from the previously published or by re-creating the content once again.

So wouldn’t it be easier if you could simply select the needed HTML tags in the WordPress editors and add them where needed? Well – it is easier indeed and it is also completely possible to do it!

And the way of mastering HTML tags in your WordPress posts and pages is by using AddQuicktag.

Begin by downloading and installing the plugin. Then activate it and head to Settings -> AddQuicktag.

You will be presented with a great amount of options.

The first section will allow you to add your custom HTML tags. In the first column you have to set up Button Label and Title Attribute for each of your tags. In the second column you have to add the HTML start and/or end tags. The third column presents you with the opportunity to define the access key and its order. Finally there are some check boxes which allow you to choose which editor and content type should be able to utilize the tags that you have added.

Once done with this you can save your settings and move to the second section of AddQuicktag’s settings.

It is meant to let you remove some or all of the core quicktag buttons that you already have in your WordPress editors. Most specifically – here the settings are related to the text editor. In order to remove some of the core tags simply uncheck the respective check boxes and you are done. Once again – save your settings when done.

The next section of AddQuicktag’s settings allows you to select and add enhanced quicktag buttons. Again select the check boxes that you desire and save your settings when done.

The two final sections allow you to export and import your settings and tags. The export is in a JSON format so that you can import it on another WordPress website that has AddQuicktag installed and activated.

How to use the custom HTML tags that I have created using AddQuicktag?

Create a new post or page. In the visual editor you can select the tag from the drop-down menu (which says Paragraph by default) and it will be added to your content.

In the text editor you can click on the respective buttons bearing the name of the tags that you have specified in AddQuicktag’s settings.

And what about custom post types or custom pages types?

AddQuicktag can be adjusted to work with any of your custom content types. There are examples on how to achieve this on the WordPress.org page of the plugin.

That’s all friends! What do you think of AddQuicktag? Will you use it? Share any thoughts and questions in the comment section below. See you soon!

Add files to any WordPress post or page using Google Drive Embedder

Hello friends,

Have you ever wanted to display an important document from Google Drive on your WordPress website? This can be done with ease! And in this post I will present to you how you can do it.

Before we begin, I am going to mention what is required for this process to work. First of all you are going to need the Google Apps Login plugin (the free or the premium version). You can get it from here. Next you need  to have either one of the G Suite Account types or a personal Gmail Account.  After this you need to install the Login plugin and configure it so that the required access is provided between your WordPress website and your Google Cloud Console. Just follow the instructions provided for this plugin in its settings page in your WordPress admin panel.

Once you do this it is time to continue with the actual plugin that will allow you to add files to any WordPress post or page. This plugin is called Google Drive Embedder.

Google Drive Embedder

If the above mentioned requirements are met you can download and install this plugin. Then activate Google Drive Embedder and head to Settings -> Google Drive Embedder so that you can adjust the plugin settings. Once you do this you will be able to proceed with adding files from Google Drive to your WordPress posts and pages.

So create a new post or page (or edit existing ones). In the visual editor you will get a new button. It should be displayed right next to the button that allows you to add files from the WordPress Media Library. This new button will be called “Add Drive File”. Click on it and you will be able to see all files that the plugin has access to from your Google Drive. You will be able to select not only uploaded files (like PDF’s, MS Word Documents, Images, etc) but also the Google Docs files (the ones that you have created using Google Docs and Google Drive).

Select the needed file and then choose one of the three possible options:

• Viewer file link – creates a link that will allow your visitors to reach the Google Drive file;
• Download file link – creates a link that will allow your visitors to directly download the file;
• Embed document – displays the contents of the file directly on WordPress. You have to specify the width and the height of the embedded file;

After you make your choice you have to click on “Insert File” and then you have to publish your post or page (or save it as a draft). Once you view it in the frontend of your website, you will be able to interact with the added Google Drive file depending on the ways you have decided to display it.

Simple as that! Google Drive Embedder also has a premium and an enterprise versions as well.

The premium one will provide extra features to the plugin’s functionalities such as:

• Browsing Google Drive to locate files;
• Embed folders in WordPress;
• Allow visitors to download your Google Calendars or you can also embed them in WordPress;
• Support and updates for one year;

The enterprise version is meant to be used for companies, especially if WordPress is used as an enterprise intranet solution. There are advanced features that will allow you to combine your corporate Google Drive and your corporate WordPress intranet into one powerful document sharing system.

Want to find out more about Google Drive Embedder?

Check the wordpress.org page of the plugin as well as this video:

That’s all friends! Will you use Google Drive Embedder  for your WordPress website? Share your thoughts and questions in the comment section below.

See you soon, friends!

Allow your customers to reach you via Skype (Tutorial on adding the button to WordPress)

Hello friends,

In this tutorial I am going to present to you one convenient way for a communication with your website visitors and current (or potential) customers. I will be covering the steps that you need to go through for WordPress, however the tips that you are going to discover in this post can be applied to other websites as well.

So let’s begin – this tutorial will describe how to add the official Skype Contact Me Button for your WordPress website so that your customers can reach you.

First of all – what is Skype (in case you haven’t heard about it yet)?

Skype is a great technological solution that allows you to communicate with other people (family, friends, co-workers, customers, etc) over the Internet. The program can be used for making free audio and video calls from one Skype client to another as well as chatting and file sharing.

Skype can also be used for calling mobile phones and landlines after the purchase of Skype credit. There is also a business version of the tool.

There are Skype clients for mobile devices, Windows, Linux, Mac, Wearables and Xbox devices. The official website is skype.com.

Skype is quite popular and millions of people worldwide are using it every day.

Second – how to add the official Skype button for WordPress (and any other website)?

Begin by visiting this link. Here you will need to adjust a few settings and when you are done you are going to receive a code that you need to add to your website. But we’ll get back to this in a moment.

Add your Skype Name in the respective field. Next choose what your buttons should do. It can allow your customers to call you directly or to start a chat with you. Of course you may select both functions. Next select the color of the button and its size. After you do this you will get a preview of the Skype Contact Me button as well as the code that I have mentioned above.

Now it’s time to copy it and head to your WordPress website. Add a widget that supports HTML. For example the classic Text Widget is great for this purpose. If you are using a Page Builder you may choose a different widget type (which will also result in the possibility of adding the Skype Contact Me button wherever you want). This code can be added in your theme’s templates as well.

When you do this you have to update your Skype settings so that you can accept incoming calls or chat messages from Skype users that are not currently in your contact list. After this final step the Skype Contact Me button is successfully integrated with your WordPress website and your customers can reach you with ease.

These steps can be applied for any other website type. Simply discover where you can add the code and you are done.

That’s all friends! What do you think of this tutorial? Share any thoughts and questions in the comment section below.

See you soon!

How to secure WordPress content with passwords [Tutorial]

Hello friends,

In this tutorial I will show you how to secure any part of your WordPress content with passwords.

Before we begin, let’s take a moment to discuss why you would want to password protect your content in the first place.

In most cases this is not needed. In fact if you are aiming at generating high traffic to your WordPress website you’d want to have as much content as possible. You’d also want to have fresh content each week and most importantly you’d want your content to be accessible by users and bots.

However in some cases it is worth having some or all of the content hidden from the bots and the public. Here are some example situations:

• Private blog – you may want to document something using WordPress and keep it to yourselves or to share it with specific people. While there may be more convenient ways of achieving this (for example using Google Docs), a WordPress website (either self-hosted or wordpress.com account) can be useful for such purposes.
• Notes and instructions that need to be visible for the administrative users of the website – in such case you’d want to password protect this content so that only the selected individuals can access it securely.
• Providing access to paid/premium content – in this way the users will need the password in order to access all of the content.

How to secure WordPress content with passwords?

Option 1: The integrated password protection for WordPress:

This method will work on self-hosted sites as well as on wordpress.com blogs. Simply create a new post or a page. Then click on the “Edit” link next to Visibility and choose the  “Password protected” radio button. Then type your password and you are done! Bear in mind that additional steps are required to hide the password protected content entirely – i.e. from Homepage and Archives. Here is a guide on how to achieve this: Click here.

Option 2: Secure only a portion of the content with passwords:

This method requires a plugin and this means that only self-hosted websites can benefit from it.

Begin by downloading, installing and activating the WordPress plugin Content Protector.

After you do this you will get a new section in your dashboard from where you can enter the plugin’s settings. You may add a message that informs users that part of the content is secured using a password. You may set the password and adjust various other settings as well.

Here are some of the Content Protector capabilities:

• You may password protect multiple parts of your content;
• The content can be displayed inline (using AJAX) or you may require a page reload in order to view the secured parts of it;
• Cookies can be set in order to allow authorized visitors to gain access to the content without the need to enter passwords for each visit;
• CSS settings for the forms;
• Variety of encryption methods;
• Custom passwords can be set or you may decide that you want to use CAPTCHA protection;

Next add shortcodes around the part of the content that you want to be secured using a password and publish it. You may also use the TinyMCE dialog menu in order to add shortcodes without making a mistake.

Option 3: Hide all content completely from non-registered users:

This can be achieved for self-hosted sites only. You need a plugin like WP Maintenance Mode. However I personally do not recommend this option. Use it only for maintenance modes only.

So what do you think, friends? Share any thoughts and questions in the comment form below.

See you soon!

How to quickly restore Facebook comments to your WordPress website after migration to SSL

Hello friends,

In today’s post I will share with you one quick and easy to apply fix for your “lost” Facebook comments after you’ve managed to move your website to SSL.

Before we begin – let’s define when this tutorial will be useful for you.

First of all you have to be using Facebook comments for your WordPress website. As you know from our previous posts on the topic, this is a great way to allow more people to get involved with your content without the need of additional registrations. Also each Facebook comment increases the popularity of your website within the social media.

For the purpose of this tutorial you may need to use the plugin “Facebook Comments”. Read more about it here: Facebook Comments for WordPress.

Second – this tutorial will be useful if you have just migrated from non-SSL to a SSL version of your WordPress website by using the “Really Simple SSL” plugin. Read how to achieve this from our post: Really Simple SSL – the proper way to secure WordPress.

Now let’s assume that you have been using Facebook Comments for a while before the migration to SSL. You have set up the plugin correctly and your visitors have commented on your website at least once and you are sure that the comments have been displayed correctly. Then you have decided to migrate to SSL and the comments are gone.

This is where our tutorial begins. Prepare to learn how to quickly restore Facebook comments to your WordPress website after migration to SSL!

Your Facebook comments are not lost! You can check them out in your moderation tool. They may have been disabled or hidden, but they are still there. Re-enable them if needed and then return to your WordPress website.

Create a child theme if you haven’t done this already. This will ensure that your Facebook comments won’t get lost again during your theme’s update. If you have set up your child theme successfully simply create a new functions.php file for it. This can be a blank file (i.e. without any content in it). Save it and then edit it.

Add the following code:

function rsssl_exclude_http_url($html) { 
//replace the https url back to http 
$html = str_replace('data-href="https://www.domain.com', 'data-href="http://www.domain.com', $html); 
return $html; 
} 
add_filter("rsssl_fixer_output","rsssl_exclude_http_url");

Change domain.com to your website’s domain name (with or without www). Do this for both entries (http and https) in the code above. Save the file and clear your cache.

Reload the post or page where you were certain that you had Facebook comments before the migration to SSL. They should be back once again.

In case you are not using a child theme you can add this code to your main functions.php file and save it. However when your theme gets updated this code will be lost and you will need to re-enter it once again.

That’s all friends! For more information and other solutions for the “lost” Facebook comments after migrating to SSL for your WordPress website, please read this post: How to recover Facebook likes after moving to https/ssl.

If you have any questions or other feedback, please share them in the comment section below. See you soon, friends!

SB Welcome Email Editor – The WordPress plugin that sends custom welcome emails

Hello friends,

Have ever wanted to surprise your newly registered users with great-looking custom welcome emails? If so then you may have been wondering how can you do this.

In today’s post I will present to you the WordPress plugin that will allow you to send custom welcome emails that will not only provide quality in terms of looks and functionalities, but also in terms of useful content. This plugin is called SB Welcome Email Editor.

Why would I need such a plugin in the first place?

The default email that each registered user will receive looks boring. You will also not be able to change its contents. By default it will present the user with their username, a link to generate a password and a link for the currently set wp-login page.

While this may be useful enough for some users, others might expect a little bit more information or options. Especially if you are aiming at building a community website.

How SB Welcome Email Editor works?

When you download, install and activate the plugin you will get a new sub section under Settings -> SB Welcome Email. There you will be able to create your custom email messages.

Once you get on this screen you will see the possible tags that you can choose from in order to create easily the email structure that you desire. Some of the choices are:

[site_url], [login_url], [user_email], [user_login], [plaintext_password], [blog_name], [admin_email], [user_id], [custom_fields], [first_name], [last_name], [date], [time]

In order to provide the information or the functionality that you desire, all you need to do is to select and copy one of the tags and then paste it within the editor’s fields. Simple as that!

SB Welcome Email Editor can be used to create custom emails to newly registered users and to the admin users of your WordPress website as well. You can create custom HTML emails (which will provide you with more options in terms of design and formatting) or plain text emails. The customization is also applicable for the emails that are to be sent when a user is requesting a password reset.

You will be able to customize the following:

• From Email Address
• From Name
• Set Global Email Headers
• Email Subject
• Email Body
• Attachment URL
• Additional Email Headers
• Reply To Email Address
• Send Admin Email To (provide User ID’s of the users that are to be notified of a new registration with you custom email for the admin users)

When you are done setting all of these for the 3 email types (emails to users, emails to the admin, password reset emails) you have to click on the “Update Settings” button in order to save your work.

Once you are done with this you can send a Test Email in order to verify that SB Welcome Email Editor has been configured correctly.

What should I have in mind when using this plugin?

If you are intending to have many user registrations, then you must bear in mind that many emails are going to be sent. So in order not to burden your host’s email server you should use WP Mail SMTP and a custom mail server. Read more about this topic in our post: Integrate custom mail server/service for WordPress

That’s all folks! What do you think of SB Welcome Email Editor? Would you use it? Share any thoughts and questions in the comment section below.

See you soon!

Polylang – a way to create bilingual or multilingual WordPress site

Hello friends,

In this post I will show you another great alternative to the popular WPML plugin. By using it you will be able to have different language versions of your website so that you can target different audiences.

This solution is called Polylang and it is another way to create bilingual or multilingual WordPress site.

What does Polylang do exactly?

Polylang makes it extremely easy to create content in any language. For this purpose you only need to download and install the plugin and then activate it. After this is done you can start writing your new post. Let’s assume that your default language (before installing Polylang) for WordPress is English. However you want to create a post in German language so that you can target German visitors. So simply write your new post in German language. Fill in all the needed details (for example alternative texts for images, SEO meta information, excerpts, etc) in this language as well and then save the progress. When you are done with this you can tell Polylang that this post is in German language and it will be shown only for the German version of your website. Simple as that!

And if you intend to translate it later – no problem! Polylang will allow you to do just this if you wish. However bear in mind that this step is considered to be optional. But what is more important is that you will be able to make translations not only from the main language of your WordPress website to another one, but also from any secondary language as well.

If you have ever used WPML for the purpose of creation bilingual or multilingual WordPress site, then you will be happy to notice that the functionality and the way of usage of Polylang is similar. This makes it easy for you if you want to change plugins for some reason.

What other features does Polylang provide?

You will be able to add as many languages as you desire. Polylang also supports RTL language scripts. Another great feature is that for each chosen language, this wonderful plugin will check for language packs and will install them automatically. If an update is available for any of them it will also be processed automatically. This ensures you that you will be always providing the latest versions of any translations.

Speaking of translations – let’s see what exactly can be translated by using Polylang. The options are many. For example you will be able to translate content in your posts and pages. This plugin will make sure that you can have a bilingual or multilingual WordPress media library as well. The translation capabilities of Polylang also apply for your categories, tags, menus and even widget content. This plugin will be able to translate additional content types as well. For example if you want to run it with WooCommerce you can have a bilingual or multilingual WordPress e-commerce website with ease. However a premium addon is required in order to allow these two plugins to work together.

But if you want to translate custom post types, custom taxonomies, sticky posts and post formats, RSS feeds and the default WordPress widgets, then you can relax! Why? Because Polylang will allow you to take care of them without any additional hassles.

When translating you can re-use the same categories and tags as well as some of the other SEO meta elements from the original post. Polylang will make sure that they will be copied over to the translated version.

Polylang sets languages based on the content of the language code in the URL. Alternatively you can use a new subdomain of domain per language. Switching languages can be done by using a customizable switcher which can be placed as a widget or as a part of your main WordPress navigation menu.

What if I want to migrate from WPML to Polylang? Is it possible?

Sure! All you have to do is install and activate the plugin WPML to Polylang and follow its instructions.

This great plugin has a PRO version as well. Make sure that you check it out as well. You can do this from the official website polylang.pro.

That’s all friends! What do you think of this great plugin? Will you use to to make your website bilingual or multilingual? Share any thoughts and questions in the comment section below.

See you soon, friends!

*The images are embedded from the WordPress.org page of Polylang.

Responsive Lightbox by dFactory – [Review]

Hello friends,

In this post I will make a review on one plugin that will allow your website visitors to experience better image viewing on your posts and pages.

The plugin that will allow you to achieve this is called Responsive Lightbox by dFactory.

What does Responsive Lightbox by dFactory do?

It will simply add the beatiful lightbox (overlay) effect for your WordPress website. Thus your images will stand out when clicked upon. They will appear in a stylish window that will provide options for switching images and closing the current view. Also some info about the image will be presented as well.

What is so special about this plugin?

Responsive Lightbox by dFactory will not only present your images in style but it will also do this with consideration for the devices that your visitors are using to browse your WordPress website. This means that the lightbox effect will look great on any device due to its responsiveness. And let’s not forget that having an optimized responsive website is very important for SEO (especially for mobile optimization).

How to work with Responsive Lightbox by dFactory?

Begin by downloading the plugin (ether from WordPress.org or from the plugin installer system in your dashboard).

Then install and activate it. Next you need to set some settings in the admin panel of your WordPress website.

The General Settings are first.

There you need to decide what your default lightbox will look like. You can choose from SwipeBox, prettyPhoto, FancyBox, Nivo Lightbox, Image Lightbox, TosRUs, Featherlight.

Next you need to set up the rel selector that the effect will be applied to.

After this you have to decide whether or not to enable the effect for WordPress image links.

Next you can choose a single image title and then choose to display your images as a gallery or not. Speaking of galleries – Responsive Lightbox by dFactory can be enabled for them as well. You can even set the image size for them and the image title as well.

What is more important is that Responsive Lightbox by dFactory can be used to display embedded videos from YouTube and Vimeo in a stylish lightbox effect. You can read more on the topic of embedding videos from this post in our website.

Responsive Lightbox by dFactory can be enabled for widgets and comments. The plugin can be forced for different WordPress gallery replacements like Jetpack or Visual Composer galleries. Responsive Lightbox by dFactory can also replace the default product gallery lightbox from WooCommerce.

There are some other settings that you need to take care of before you go on to the next tab. Remember to save your changes.

The Lightbox tab is second.

Here you need to adjust stand-alone settings for each of the default lightbox effects. Simply select the one that you chose in the General tab and adjust its settings. The image below presents the options for SwipeBox:

Again you need to save your settings or progress will be lost. After you are done you can start enjoying your new lightbox effects.

This plugin also comes with its own *.pot file for translations.

A few words on the premium extensions for Responsive Lightbox by dFactory.

This plugin provides premium extensions that will enhance its functionality. For most website the free version will be enough but if you are aiming at providing premium experience for your visitors and you have the budget, you can consider bringing Responsive Lightbox by dFactory to another level by purchasing some (or all) of the extensions. The third tab in the plugin settings can provide more information as well as the official website of the plugin developers: dfactory.eu .

So what do you think friends? Will you give this plugin a try? Share any thoughts and questions in the comment section below.

See you soon, friends!

*The images are embedded from the WordPress.org page of the plugin

Various ways of embedding YouTube videos in WordPress

Hello friends,

As you know YouTube is a powerful social network that can increase your website traffic and brand awareness (if used properly). That is why it is always a good idea to consider creating your own channel and start uploading videos related to your business. These may be presentations, tutorials, reviews, etc. You should keep in mind that this channel and each of the videos, that you are going to create and upload, need to be branded appropriately with texts that contain relevant keywords and phrases. This will help for SEO as well. Also you should bear in mind that you have to follow YouTube rules when uploading video content, so make sure that you get familiar with the requirements.

So if you are really considering starting your own channel you need to be familiar with the ways of integrating your content with your website. That is why in this post I will present to you various ways of embedding YouTube videos in WordPress.

You can also find this post useful if you just want to embed content created by others to your personal blog or website.

Why do I need a guide on embedding YouTube videos in WordPress? Isn’t this supported out of the box?

You are right! WordPress does support out of the box embedding of YouTube videos (and videos from other websites). By default all you need to do is just paste the link of the video and voila – it will be added to your post or page without any problems.

However there are some cases that require a different approach than the default one. You may want to place a video at a special location on your website with special formatting. And these are the tips and tricks that you are going to find in this post.

OK – What other ways of embedding YouTube videos do exist?

The next popular method is related to the embed code that you can get from YouTube for each video. Simply right click on one and select the option to copy the embed code. Then paste it in the desired location on your WordPress website.

By default this code may look like this:

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="YOUTUBE VIDEO URL" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

You will be able to change the width and height values in this iframe. A suitable location for it may be a text widget.

Another way of embedding a YouTube video in WordPress is by using the “embed” shortcode. You can find more information about it in the WordPress Codex (click to read). This method is suitable when you want to add videos as part of your sentences. By default this is not possible as any additional text that wraps the oEmbed code will be considered as part of it and you will encounter an error. But the “embed” shortcode fixes this issue. Here is how to use this method (replace the …… with the video url and ** with [ at the beginning and respectively ] at the end for both “embed” and “/embed”) :

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit -**embed**……**/embed**. Sed semper urna et enim pulvinar faucibus.

This will add the video as part of the first sentence (as you can see the dot is placed after the embed structure).

Another method is by using Jetpack. Simply install and activate this plugin and then go to the admin panel. Select Jetpack – Settings and activate Shortcode embeds. This will allow you to easily manipulate the width and height of the video. Here is an example (again replace ** with [ at the beginning and ] at the end of the url):

**YouTube URL**&w=800&h=600

And you should be able to receive an embedded YouTube video with the desired dimensions.

Any other methods that I may find suitable for embedding YouTube videos in WordPress? Some plugins maybe?

If you thought that there are no plugins for this purpose – you thought wrong. There are various great solutions that you may use. Here are some of them:

Page Builders

Most (if not all) page building solutions for WordPress provide ways of embedding YouTube videos. You can easily set up different options (not only related to size but to similar videos, autoplay, etc). What is most important is that this method will allow you to place the video where you want exactly the way you want it. Without any coding, of course. Check our selection of great page builders from here.

YouTube Embed

This plugin will provide various options embedding YouTube videos in WordPress.  Download it from here.

Lazy Load for Videos

Lazy loading is essential for faster website. Especially if you have many embedded YouTube videos on one place. This WordPress plugin is a great solution for YouTube and Vimeo embeds as well. Get it from here.

WP Video Lightbox

If you want to embed YouTube, Vimeo and other videos in a stylish lightbox then this is the WordPress plugin for you! Grab it from here. You can also read our review for this great plugin.

That’s all friends! Share your thoughts and questions on these methods in the comment section below. I hope that you are going to find them useful.

See you soon!