It doesn’t always work that way out of the box, though. We are becoming more dependent on site-building tools. As such, we rely on them to do things the right way.

These tools aim to simplify the design and build processes. Some do it very well. But there’s a side effect: They take control of the output. And there’s no guarantee that they’ll employ best practices.

It’s an issue as old as the WYSIWYG editor. The difference is that it’s harder to override any problematic code.

There are some less-than-great tools on the market. Site builders that are outdated or deeply flawed. But even a great tool can get in the way. None of them are perfect.

Let’s look at a few scenarios when a tool hinders your ability to follow best practices. In addition, we’ll show you some ways to get around these issues.

How Site Builder Tools Can Impact Accessibility

It’s never a good idea to assume your website is accessible. Doing so is a risk. You might have created a poor user experience. At worst, the site may not be compliant with the law.

Site builder tools can make accessibility issues less obvious. For example, they may not warn you if you choose an inaccessible color scheme. Subtle color differences could make a big difference.

They might also produce code that isn’t semantic. That makes it harder for screen readers to interpret your content.

There’s also the implementation of special effects. You might add intense animations that are harmful to some users. The tool won’t always tell you the potential consequences. Thus, it’s up to you to use it responsibly.

Accessibility testing is the only way to know – regardless of how you built the site.

Included Features Aren’t Always the Best Option

Site builders often include advanced features. Elements like sliders, modal windows, and media players come to mind. These items are essential for some projects.

Their inclusion doesn’t speak to quality, though. The tool may produce inefficient or buggy code. The result is poor performance.

There’s also a chance of a conflict with other software like themes or plugins. And there’s no guarantee of browser compatibility.

There’s a high level of convenience with these features. You don’t have to search for a plugin that does x, y, and z – it’s already there. However, they’re not always the best fit for the job.

WordPress page builder plugins are an example. The one you use may come with a forms module. Awesome! But does it do everything you need? Are the forms accessible?

It’s worth doing an honest assessment of these items. Look at what they do. Run performance benchmarks. Monitor your browser console for errors. That will help you determine if it’s worth using.

If not, there are plenty of other options. You don’t always have to settle. And moving to a different solution could offer better results.

The Potential for Becoming Locked In

Sure, a site builder may claim to offer everything under the sun. But will it grow along with your needs? How portable is your site’s content?

You’ll want to know the answers sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you might be stuck with a tool that can’t keep up with you. And moving on can be a tedious process.

That happens with WordPress. A page builder plugin may no longer meet your needs. Or you might want to switch to the native Block Editor.

Making a change is possible. But it’s not always easy. Page builders often have different ways of outputting code. Thus, you might be left to reformat content piece by piece. The WordPress Data Liberation project aims to help with this.

The challenge is a bit different with proprietary systems. Not all of them offer third-party plugins. And some make it hard to move your site to a new provider.

Either way, it isn’t easy to rid yourself of monolithic tools. A modular approach is more efficient. It’s easier to swap elements or add new ones.

Site Builders Are Great – Just Be Realistic

There’s so much to consider when building a website. That’s why site builders are popular. They aim to provide an all-in-one experience. And there’s a lot to like about them.

But there are also some drawbacks. It doesn’t mean you should avoid them altogether, though. Consider the pros and cons before committing.

Look for reputable tools that have a history of stability. Review their features and determine how they fit into your project. Ideally, you’ll find one that will serve you well into the future.

It’s also a good idea to set realistic expectations. A site builder can’t possibly cover every use case. There are times when you’ll need to go outside the box.

With WordPress, that means finding a separate plugin to perform the function you want. On other systems, you may need to write custom code.

The goal should be a website that looks and functions how you want. It should also be flexible enough to accommodate growth. Tools play a significant role.

Keep that in mind throughout the process. It may save you a headache or two along the way.

The post When Website Builder Tools Get in the Way of Best Practices appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

This holds true for web design resources as well. The goal here is to cut through the noise, directing your attention towards a curated collection of tools and resources. The big-name options already have plenty of exposure and are easily found, so they were intentionally excluded from this list.

Instead, we focus on showcasing 15 outstanding web design tools and resources that fly under the radar. These free and premium picks are less commonly discussed, offering fresh perspectives and solutions in the already crowded web design landscape.

1. Website and page building tools that include a very promising free AI website builder together with some popular free and premium WordPress themes.
2. Tools for building high-converting eCommerce stores – Shopify is gaining more followers every day. It made sense to include a first-rate Shopify theme. And you’re in luck if WooCommerce is your thing. We’ve included top WordPress themes in this list that have been developed specifically for WooCommerce and are top sellers.
3. Tools for adding animation & special effects – Static and motionless pages are page-loading performance-friendly but seldom do a decent job of engaging visitors. We’ve picked tools that will sacrifice a little performance in exchange for impressing visitors with amazing animations and SFX.
4. Tools that add popular website functionalities – One of the most popular post-2020 functionalities is tools that give your website the ability to take bookings, are easy to use, will do an excellent job, and can save time and money. These tools tick all those boxes and have been included.
5. Resources for visually improving your website – The best way to differentiate between related products or services is through visual elements. We have included unique illustrations and icons to help you address that issue.

Best of all, at least half of the following 15 web design tools and resources are free for you to use.

Three important things many of these web design tools and resources have in common:

• They are free. Many are either free or have a free version that will help you save money.
• They are of high-quality. Free does not imply substandard quality. They are aesthetically and functionally top tier web design tools and resources.
• Your website projects will look better. These tools and resources will turn a bland website or page into one that is appealing and exciting.

1. Trafft – Booking Solution with White Label Option

In Short: Trafft is a booking software solution with a great white label option.

Click the video above to see Trafft in action.

Trafft can make your day if you own or represent almost any type of service-oriented business and need to upgrade a manual or semi-automated booking operation or one that simply does not get the job done. In addition to booking, Trafft will help you automate requests for appointments, send reminders, and give your clients the option to pay online.

If you are a developer/agency, the Trafft booking software’s White Label Option is one you can use for your clients. In short, the White Label feature will give you the opportunity to sell Trafft to your clients as if it was developed by you, with your own name and branding replacing Trafft’s.

As a user, you will quickly become familiar with Trafft’s ease of navigation, the depth this software solution’s customization options, and its extensive collection of prebuilt booking pages. The Career Mastery Coaching prebuilt booking page, illustrates how to manage bookings for a range of different services and can be put to good use by a wide range of different enterprises.

Client Average Rating: 5 stars on Capterra, 4.7 (Excellent) on Trustpilot.

Client Insight:“I give Trafft a 10/10. It’s so easy to use and customize to your business needs. The best part is Trafft is always adding new features. Don’t walk, RUN!”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support Manual, social networks, and YouTube videos.

Explore Trafft

2. wpDataTables – Table & Chart Builder & Data Management Plugin

In Short: wpDataTables simplifies your data management tasks including data that is complex or coming from multiple sources.

Click the video above to see wpDataTables in action.

wpDataTables is best known for its ability to enable its users to easily create tables/charts when confronted with vast amounts of data or data from several diverse sources. This plugin’s top feature, Multiple Database Connections, is relatively new and adds a significant amount of data management power to an already powerful plugin. With Multiple Database Connections, any table you create can establish an independent connection to MySQL, MS SQL, or PostgreSQL databases.

Soon after you use wpDataTables you’ll realize how easy it is to work with and how its intuitive user interface serves to streamline your workflow.

Timesaving wpDataTables templates can also be put to effective use. The Responsive and Sortable Cryptocurrencies Rank Table example can easily be applied to a wide range of uses.

Client Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (WordPress.org).

Client Insight: “I don’t write reviews very often but when I do it must be something special. And so it is in this case. The product is perfect for my needs. A lot of interesting solutions that save a lot of time. A very developed plugin and simple, intuitive to use – very helpful.Support should be 6/5 stars.”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, YouTube videos, and the Facebook community.

Explore wpDataTables

3. Amelia – Automated Booking Solution for Appointments & Events

In Short: Amelia is an automated appointment booking solution for your service-oriented agency or business.

Click the video to see Amelia in action.

According to 70%+ of Amelia’s users its Multilingual Notifications System is an outstanding feature. Why? The multilingual notifications system keeps all parties up to date on appointments/events status and fosters effective communication between your clients and your employees.

Templates can make it easy for you to set up a booking page with great UX for your clients that will also help you get new ones. Doctors You Can Trust is one of the more frequently used templates as it can be applied to a wide variety of healthcare service types.

Once you start using Amelia, you will appreciate its user friendliness, customization option, clean interface and straightforward pricing plans.

Client Average Rating: 4.8 on Capterra.

Client Insight: “The Amelia plugin is awesome! I have been using it on many of my client’s websites and the experience could not be better. It’s very easy for any customer to book an appointment, pay and have the details of the meeting right on their google calendar. Also, amelia offers a ton of integrations such as with google meets, zoom and WhatsApp. The plugin is incredible and the team behind it is very friendly and always ready to help you out. Thank you!”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, Discord Group, and YouTube videos.

Explore Amelia

4. Mobirise AI Prompt Website Builder

In Short: Use the Mobirise AI website builder to create your pages/websites using prompt commands.

Click the video above to see Mobirise AI in action.

It can be a genuine time saver whenever you are able to accomplish a lot by doing a little. Mobirise AI Website Builder’s top feature is its ability to create anything from a landing page to a simple or one-page website from a single prompt or a series of prompts.

Upload what you want, prompt Mobirise AI, and it will take that prompt and return a content-rich page or website. You will still have to do a little fine tuning to attain perfection.

Customizing a Mobirise AI’s template, through the use of prompts, is another approach. You will appreciate the builder’s ability to respond to prompts typed in any language and to edit content without any need for code.

Client Insight:“WOW, this is not the first AI website builder that I have tried to claim to be AI… It is definitely the best! The others I have tried that I have tried have not seemed like AI at all – and more like the old generic template-building frameworks like Drupal and WordPress – with the same completely irrelevant stock images… and completely unrelated to the topic/input that was given including the completely irrelevant stock images!!Your team has done VERY well here!”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, YouTube videos and forums.

Generate & Download Your Website for Free

5. LayerSlider – Versatile WordPress Slider Plugin

In Short: LayerSlider is the ultimate solution for creating beautifully designed and animated web content.

Click the video above to see LayerSlider in action.

What is there to like about LayerSlider? Quite a lot, in fact. You can use this WordPress slider plugin on any website to create richly animated sliders, slideshows, popups, or other engaging content.

The most important of LayerSlider’s features is the way it enables you to seamlessly integrate stunning animations, effects, and graphics into a website to create a strong connection between your page and its visitors.

LayerSlider offers a variety of prebuilt, easily downloadable, and aesthetically pleasing templates. They give you an added website-building advantage in that you can easily customize and fill them with your own content. The DJ Service Hero template illustrates how effortless it can be to engage your website audience with energy-filled immersive visuals.

Is there anything else that you will love? Yes – LayerSlider’s Project Editor. It makes it ever so easy for you to design and create as the mood strikes you, and don’t forget the popups and banners you can use for promotional purposes.

Client Insight:“A fantastic slider plugin with regular updates to make sure compatibility is never a problem. Keep up the amazing work!”

Help on the Spot Materials: Ticket system with direct support, plus built-in help and a walkthrough of the Project Editor.

Explore Layer Slider

6. Uncode – Creative & Multipurpose WooCommerce Theme

In Short: Uncode offers you an all-in-one web-building solution.

Click the video above to see Uncode in action.

This multipurpose WooCommerce theme’s users consistently point to its WooCommerce demo library when they are asked what they consider its most important feature to be. They will mention the strict attention to detail that is evident in their designs and the inspirational qualities of the demos as the rationale behind their choice.

Which demo would be the best for you? That will be entirely up to you, as your choice will be dependent on your needs and desires. The Creative Studio demo is one of the five most widely used. Its layout and creative and somewhat unusual scroll effect will give you plenty to love.

As an Uncode buyer, you’ll will enjoy its in-depth customization options, and its clean and modern demos. Finally, outstanding support will be there when you need it.

Client Average Rating: 4.89/5

Client Insight: “We bought the first Uncode license for a customer project in 2016, and since then – we have bought another 20 Uncode licenses. Although we use a few other themes as frameworks for our customers’ web projects, Uncode has become an indispensable multi-tool for solving most types of large and small web projects for our customers”.

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, Facebook Group, and YouTube videos.

Explore Uncode

7. Essential Grid – WordPress Gallery Plugin

In Short: Essential Grid is the perfect WordPress Gallery Plugin for creating captivating online galleries.

Click the video to see Essential Grid in action.

Essential Grid’s standout feature is its extensive library of over 50 unique grid skins, which is a key reason for its popularity among WordPress users. These skins are central to the plugin’s purpose, providing a variety of grid formats that are both innovative and beyond what many users have previously encountered.

Exploring this collection, users will discover grid layouts that are new and unexpected, such as the Grant Fuhr Blog Grid. This particular example showcases a minimal, image-focused blog grid layout enhanced by an eye-catching circular mask animation effect. Its simplicity and visual appeal make it versatile for a range of applications.

Beyond its aesthetic capabilities, Essential Grid proves to be a practical tool for efficiently organizing content streams. It is an excellent option for any website project needing a system that allows images or other content to be sorted, filtered, and searched with ease, saving time and enhancing the user experience.

Client Average Rating: 4.7/5 on Trustpilot.

Client Insight:“It’s rare in today’s world to find support that is competent and responsive, but Theme Punch’s Essential Grid support is AMAZING!!! It’s visually flawless and easy to set up. The few times I’ve needed help with the plugin over the last year, I could always count on the prompt service of the support team.”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual and YouTube videos.

Explore Essential Grid

8. Blocksy – Premium WordPress Theme

In Short: You will find Blocksy’s free WordPress theme ideal for building lightweight websites.

Click the video to see Blocksy in action.

Blocksy’s standout feature is hard to pin down due to its wide array of capabilities that attract a diverse fan base. Key highlights include the Custom Blocks Module, beloved for its versatility; support for Custom Post Types and Dynamic Data, which wins plenty of praise; and its Advanced WooCommerce integration, crucial for online store functionality.

Developers, in particular, may be drawn to Blocksy’s White Label Module, which allows for customization without Blocksy branding.

This theme is appreciated for being fast, easy to use, and offering detailed control over page design, all at no cost. Additionally, Blocksy boasts an impressive collection of demos, including the popular Floreo demo. Designed for eco-friendly online shops, Floreo is easily adaptable for virtually any business, making it one of the top five most utilized demos.

Client Average Rating: 5/5 on WordPress.org

Client Insight:“Blocksy is among the finest themes available. Its support team is exceptional as well: they have been providing us with assistance for many years, consistently demonstrating responsiveness and effectiveness.”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support Manual and detailed documentation.

Download Blocksy for Free

9. Slider Revolution – a WordPress Slider with a Kick

In Short: Slider Revolution is not your run-of-the-mill slider plugin.

Click the video above to see this dynamic plugin in action.

Slider Revolution stands out for making it simple to design captivating content sections, whether for a homepage, highlighting special products, or other purposes. This tool not only aids in crafting original designs but also allows users to incorporate elements from preferred content sources or inventories.

Gone are the days when Slider Revolution was just a tool for creating basic sliders. It has evolved, offering a broad range of design possibilities that go beyond the conventional, enabling users to create dynamic, engaging content easily. With Slider Revolution you can:

• Build exciting multi-page websites.
• Build portfolios that will get you hired.
• Create page sections that stun.

You don’t have to be in the clothing or suit-selling business to put the Suits Product Showcase slider template to effective use. This and other Slider Revolution demos can easily be customized by individual web designers, web shops, and small agencies.

Client Average Rating: 4.65/5 on Trustpilot.

Client Insight: “The plugin is loaded with features and tools to create captivating content. I’m using it to create a presentation, sort of like PowerPoint. I am finding that every now and then it seems to get bogged down and things go wonky in the editor, but after saving, closing, and reopening the project, everything resets to normal. It takes a while to learn how to use it, but worth the effort. There are lots of tutorials, including videos, to help you if you get stuck. I really like this plugin”

Help on the spot materials Support manual and YouTube videos.

Explore Slider Revolution

10. WhatFontis

In Short: WhatFontis is the most accurate free font identifier on the market.

Click the video above to see WhatFontis in action.

WhatFontis shines as a valuable tool for anyone looking to pinpoint a “must-have” font quickly and easily, making it a standout addition to any design toolkit. Its primary strength lies in its core function: accurately identifying fonts from images submitted by users. For free.

What sets WhatFontis apart is its impressive accuracy rate of over 90% in identifying fonts, regardless of whether they are free or commercial. This high success rate is unmatched, with the few instances of misidentification typically due to the submission of low-quality images.

• WhatFontis searches your font through its approx. one million free or commercial fonts (that’s five times more fonts than the database of its competitors).
• You will get a rapid answer, thanks to is AI-powered search engine.
• And you will get 50+ close alternatives for the font you identified.

Client Insight: “I came across this website courtesy Google search, used their services successfully; and today I found out it’s on product hunt! If you are ‘driven’ by the need to discover what font ‘that person/ company’ uses, then this should be your go-to solution site. For most of us it would be a once in a blue moon need, except for the professionals.”

WhatFontIs – Identify Any Font for Free

11. XStore – Best WordPress Theme for WooCommerce

In Short: XStore is the best WooCommerce theme for building attractive and engaging online stores.

Click the video above to see XStore in action.

XStore is well known for its classic selection of pre-built online stores. However, a relatively new feature, a selection of Sales Booster Features, has replaced the impressive online store selection as XStore’s favorite feature.

The booster features are designed to make shopping quicker and easier for customers and consequently increase a store’s conversion rate. They include Frequently Bought Together, a Free Shipping progress bar, a sticky ad-to-cart bar, cross-sells after “Add to Cart,” and more.

XStore also features a Single Product Builder, an Archive Products Builder, a Checkout Builder, and a Cart Builder for shop owners.

The online stores (demos) are designed to get your project off to a rapid start. The XStore Elementor Yoga Accessories pre-built store is one of the most widely used, and one of the most effective at engaging visitors with its attractive layout.

Client Average Rating: 4.88/5

Client Insight:“I have been using the XStore theme from ThemeForest for a while now, and this is my third purchase of the same theme. XStore has been extremely helpful in customizing websites for my clients, saving me a lot of time and effort that would have gone into coding. The built-in plugins also help in reducing costs for developers like me. I must say the team behind XStore has done a great job, and I hope they will continue to do so.”

Help on the Spot Materials: YouTube videos and support manual.

Explore XStore

12. WoodMart – WordPress WooCommerce Theme with a Message

In Short: WoodMart should be your WooCommerce theme of choice for engaging niche eCommerce website designs.

Click the video above to see WoodMart in action.

The moment you see the WoodMart website, the unique custom layouts instantly stand out. With WoodMart’s standout feature, the Custom Layouts Builder, your online store can achieve the same striking appearance. The ease of customizing layouts is just the beginning; you’ll also appreciate WoodMart’s customer-focused features, like “Frequently Bought Together” and “Dynamic Discounts.”

Additional notable features include the Theme Settings’ Search and Performance Optimization. These tools not only enhance the shopping experience for customers with sales-boosting options like “Frequently Bought Together” and “Dynamic Discounts” but also provide benefits for store owners. For developers, WoodMart’s White Label option offers the chance to customize the theme for client projects.

No matter what your business niche may be, WoodMart provides a demo to kick-start your project. If setting up an electronics store is your goal, the Electronics 2 demo is worth exploring for a comprehensive look at what WoodMart can do for your online presence.

Client Average Rating: 4.93/5.

Client Insight: “This theme has a variety of customization options and the support is just amazing – they have wonderful people to support you. Really happy and satisfied choosing woodmart.”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual and YouTube videos.

Explore WoodMart

13. Hongo – Multipurpose Shopify Theme

In Short: Hongo is an optimized Shopify theme with unique customer-friendly demos.

Click the video above to see the Hongo Shopify theme in action.

Hongo stands out for its exceptional design quality, which shines through in the Shopify-like websites you can create with it. This high level of design not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your site but also saves you money. By utilizing Hongo’s custom eCommerce features, you can avoid the extra costs of Shopify apps. Additionally, Hongo offers extensive customization options for building your store, providing both financial and creative benefits.

The development team behind Hongo has focused on optimizing for speed, ensuring fast loading times on both desktops and mobile devices, enhancing user experience, and potentially boosting your site’s search engine rankings.

With Hongo, you have access to 19 pre-built eStores, covering a wide range of popular eCommerce niches. These are supported by over 150 sections and 100 pre-built pages, offering a robust foundation for your site. Hongo’s Modern Furniture Shopify theme is an excellent starting point for those looking to launch a new site. Plus, you have the flexibility to mix and match demos to create a unique online store that meets your specific needs.

Client Average Rating: 4.87/5.

Client Insight: “In my honest opinion from the quality of the theme to the customer support that stands behind Hongo this is a steal. You will not go wrong when purchasing any theme from them and I would strongly suggest purchasing the extension support because its beyond worth it.”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, 150+ online articles, and YouTube videos.

Explore Hongo

14. Litho Elementor WordPress Theme

In Short: Litho enables you to take full advantage of Elementor’s popular page building features.

Click the video above to see the Litho Elementor theme in action.

Litho’s standout feature is its strong integration with Elementor, which enhances its page-building options and capabilities. It attracts a wide audience, including freelancers, artists, shop owners, digital agencies, bloggers, and writers, and is likely to impress you, too.

For startup companies, using Litho can be beneficial. You can take advantage of its importable demos, which can be used individually or collectively, allowing for a variety of combinations. The SEO Agency layout, one of its most popular, is particularly suited for startup company websites.

Furthermore, with Elementor, you can customize various page elements, including the header, footer, mini header, archive pages or post templates, page titles, and promo popups, allowing for a tailored user experience.

Client Average Rating: 4.94/5.

Client Insight:“Customer support for the Litho theme has been fantastic. Very helpful, friendly and fast. The theme is full of features and design options that are modern, setting the look and feel of this theme apart from many of the older & more established themes. The design has a fresh and professional look.”

Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, support portal, and YouTube videos.

Explore Litho

15. Get Illustrations – Creative Stock Illustrations Collections

In Short: The number one resource for top-quality stock illustrations.

Click the video to see these illustrations in action.

GetIllustrations stocks a library of more than 21,000 ready-to-use illustrations in various categories. This resource’s top feature consists of:

• 21,500+ vector illustrations to download.
• Free updates for one year.
• New illustrations added every week.

These illustrations offer entertainment, knowledge, engagement, and much more. With over 40 carefully organized categories to choose from, many have hundreds of illustrations, while some boast over 1,000. Exclusive to Getillustrations, these illustrations give you an advantage over users of other stock illustration sources.

The Leap Illustrations pack includes 70 dual-toned illustrations tailored to complement your brand’s unique personality and style, helping you stand out from competitors. This pack is ideal for organizational employees, educational materials, and similar needs.

Client Insight:“Great product and I like the alternative as opposed to just using adobe stock for illustrations for my app. Really like the illustrations you have to offer!”

Help on the Spot Materials: Vector stock illustrations are in AI, SVG, PNG, and Figma formats.

Explore Get Illustrations

With this collection of lesser-known but high-quality web design resources and tools, you will be able to use them to better deliver:

• Website projects that persuade visitors through aesthetically better designs and visuals.
• High-converting eCommerce stores that utilize back-end theme features developed specifically for that purpose.
• High-demand website functionalities, such as booking forms.

Below, you will find the key information for each resource, which will help you make an informed decision about whether to try them or skip them.

The following brief recap will tell you what each tool or resource excels in and highlights their standout features:

The post 15 Free & Premium Resources & Tools for Designers in 2024 <span class="sponsored_text">Sponsored</span> appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Either way, you’re not likely to keep your clients satisfied with boring web layouts, graphics, or poor functionality. This is why helpful web design resources and tools can add an edge and enhance your web design process and projects.

Given the number of tools and web design resources available, finding new, useful, and interesting ones can be difficult.

The following collection of 19 web design tools and resources for 2023 that will help you build better and faster websites and add surprisingly useful functionalities to them.

1. Trafft – Booking Software

One thing many of the top tools have in common is they have much to offer for a relatively small investment. That is certainly the case with Trafft, where you can automate your bookings, maintain your calendar, and manage your services, employees, and customers in one location and all within one powerful tool.

Traff is also perfect for agencies and web designers looking to offer their clients a white-labeled booking solution customized to match their agency’s branding. Trafft’s features and integrations have been designed to keep your business running smoothly 24/7. Features include:

• Custom domains, fields, and the ability to manage bookings at multiple locations.
• Managing recurring appointments, group bookings, and sending appointment reminders.
• Tracking and managing taxes, invoices, and deposit payments.

The integrations include:

• Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar, and Google Meet
• Zoom for virtual meetings, Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager,
• Mailchimp, SendFox, and Zapier
• Online payments via PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, and Authorize.net

Click on the banner above to learn more about what Trafft could do for your business and clients.

2. wpDataTables – Tables & Charts WordPress Table Plugin

wpDataTables is a feature-rich WordPress plugin designed to simplify data management and visualization. Its intuitive interface allows you to effortlessly create interactive and responsive tables, charts, and graphs from various data sources.

Whether you’re a data analyst, business owner, or web developer, wpDataTables empowers you to make data-driven decisions with ease.

Embrace the simplicity of wpDataTables to unlock the true potential of your data with the following at your fingertips:

• Responsive, interactive, and editable data tables and charts.
• Front-end table editing and sorting, advanced table filtering, and conditional formatting to display key information.
• Multiple data source management, acceptance of all widely used data formats, pagination, and more.

Don’t miss the summer sale and grab UP TO 50% OFF on licenses or Add-ons.

Click on the banner above to learn more about how wpDataTables can simplify data management and presentation.

3. Amelia – Appointment & Event WordPress Booking Plugin

Amelia is a WordPress booking plugin for service-oriented businesses such as beauty parlors, health and fitness clubs, educational and training enterprises, and more.

With Amelia, you can automate your bookings, manage your schedules, streamline customer interactions, track your payments, and monitor your KPIs.

Amelia is easy to set up and use and is packed with features and integrations that make your work more efficient. Features include:

• Packages of services, resource bookings, event tickets and bookings, and event calendar view.
• Real-time notifications and appointment and payment reminders.
• Group bookings and recurrent appointment bookings.
• Custom fields to match your needs and brand.

Integrations include:

• Google Calendar, Google Meet, and Outlook Calendar
• Zoom for classes or virtual meetings.
• Elementor, Divi, and Lessonspace.
• Amelia also supports WooCommerce, PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, and Razorpay.

Click on the banner above and grab this all-in-one WordPress booking plugin now – up to 40% off for a limited time only.

4. Uncode – Creative & WooCommerce WordPress Theme

Uncode is a pixel-perfect and creative WordPress theme. Its attention to flexibility and performance and focus on WooCommerce has made it an Envato top seller with 100,000+ sales to date.

With Uncode, it is remarkably easy to provide website visitors with the ultimate WooCommerce shop experience.

• Create custom single-product designs with the drag-and-drop Product Builder.
• Enable users to filter products on the fly with Ajax filters, and implement product variations, quick view, and other special features.

Uncode’s Wireframes plugin allows you to import 70+ premade designs and 500+ section templates for creating landing pages or complete websites.

5. Brizy – White Label Website Builder

The Brizy White Label Website Builder offers a scalable solution for agencies and freelancers looking for a turnkey website builder solution capable of unlocking more revenue. With Brizy, you can:

• Avoid the time and effort required to create your own website building platform.
• Present the Brizy platform as your own, with your own branding, custom domain, logo, support link, and About link.

Brizy will continue to manage platform updates, hosting, SSL certificates, and CDN networks. And Brizy’s scalable infrastructure can serve 100 clients or 10,000. Click the banner above to learn more about Brizy’s white label advantages.

6. TheDock – Craft Visions & Forge Realities

TheDock is a WordPress editor designed for fast website building. TheDock-built sites look sharp, perform great, and are easily maintained through a well-organized backend using Custom Post Types and Custom Fields. TheDock features:

• Really fast page loads with new theme files with every build.
• A grid-based layout system that offers excellent flexibility together with auto-adjusting layouts for all screen types.
• A white label builder; share access to TheDock’s theme builder only if you want to.
• High security and easy maintenance.

Other features include global components and colors with tints, shades, and gradients.

7. What Font Is

At first glance, all font identifiers seem to work the same way: upload an image and get a list of similar fonts or kind of similar.

WhatFontIs is the only system that can identify fonts with an accuracy of 90% or more for both free and commercial fonts. The 10% misses are primarily due to the submission of low-quality images.

The WhatFontIs 840K+ font database and AI-powered font finder can search almost all fonts ever published, plus offer information on where they can be purchased or downloaded.

8. Getillustrations – Commercial Stock Illustrations Library Ready to Use in Your Designs

Illustrations in UI are here to stay. They have become an increasingly popular method of helping brands stand out. Digital designs are often the go-to choice, but hand-drawn illustrations can be equally effective.

Reasons for making Getillustrations your go-to source:

• You have access to more than 17,500 ready-to-use illustrations.
• Fresh illustrations are added every week.
• Download an illustration, and it’s yours to use forever.
• Choose from a range of formats: PNG, SVG, AI, Figma, and Sketch.

Use coupon code ULTIMATE30 and get a 30% discount off Getillustrations.

9. Slider Revolution – WordPress Slider Plugin

Slider Revolution has been updated and transformed into a video slider plugin that enables you to create incredible full-page video slideshows for your WordPress website without having to rely on professional coding or video editing skills.

You can build incredible full-page video slideshows for your WordPress website with Slider Revolution. However, it is more than a video editor or embedder as it comes with more than 250 pre-built templates that can make any site look like it took months and thousands of dollars to design.

Slider Revolution has been trusted by over 9 million users around the world.

10. Mobirise Website Builder Software

Mobirise is an offline downloadable app for Windows and Mac that you can use to create awesome websites, landing pages, and simple web stores in minutes. You can earn money with Mobirise as it is free for commercial and personal use.

• You get 7600+ fantastic blocks and templates to help you get started.
• You will own your site. You can edit it locally and upload it wherever.
• Since Mobirise is downloadable, you can use it offline as a Windows, Mac, or Linux desktop application.
• Mobirise also excels as a fast-prototyping tool.

11. Essential Grid – WordPress Grid Plugin

Essential Grid is considered by many web designers to be the best WordPress grid plugin on the market. Created by the developers of Slider Revolution (see above), Essential Grid can claim an impressive user base of 400,000 happy customers. Essential Grid’s remarkable features include:

• 50+ exceptional and customizable grid templates.
• A range of stunning grid layout options, including boxed and full-width, full-screen layouts, and even masonry and cobble grid items.
• Grid designs are fast, responsive, fully customizable, and include rows, columns, spacings, etc.
• Grid galleries can be loaded with social media content from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and Vimeo.

12. Total WordPress Theme

This aptly named multipurpose WordPress theme is a complete toolbox neatly wrapped in a single package with enough aids and options to create websites fast and test your creativity to the limit. Total‘s key features include:

• An advanced and extended version of the WPBakery page builder.
• Impressive selections of easy to work with demos and section templates.
• Custom page builder settings, live Customizer options, typography manager, unlimited colors, and more.
• Total integrates seamlessly with Elementor, WooCommerce, WPML, bbPress, and most other popular WordPress plugins.

13. Pulsetic – Free Website Uptime Monitoring

Pulsetic is a free website uptime monitoring tool with Status badges that show the up and downtime status of your site without changing pages. You will receive an alert when your website goes down. With Pulsetic, you can:

• Create a status page for your site, like the example displayed in the banner above.
• Receive instant alerts via phone call, SMS, email, or Slack whenever your website experiences downtime.
• Create visually appealing status pages and incident management reports that will keep your visitors up-to-date and informed.

14. Static.app – One-Click Hosting Solution for Your Static Website

Static.app is a one-click hosting solution for your static website with a drag-and-drop approach that offers the easiest way to get things done. Drag-and-drop an archive with your page or entire website, and Static.app will take care of the rest. With Static.app, you can:

• Overwrite existing website files if you want to make changes, and new website pages will appear online.
• With their online file management, you can edit and delete files and copy and clone them without leaving your browser tab.
• Everything is included, including SSL certificates, media storage, forms, and code editor, all in one place.

15. Microanalytics.io – Free Privacy-Focused Alternative to Google Analytics

Microanalytics.io is an easy to use, privacy-focused alternative to the big analytics platforms that preserves anonymity and puts you in complete charge. Created and hosted in the EU, Microanalytics.io is powered by renewable energy. Its key features include:

• A free privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics that does not track you or your site’s visitors.
• You have complete control over everything. Your data is not shared with anyone else.
• Microanalytics.io easily integrates with WordPress and is fully compliant with GDPR, PECR, and CCPA.

16. Siter.io – No Code Website Builder, Web Design Tool for Designers

Siter.io is a no-code website builder and web design tool for designersthat allows you to create and publish websites without coding. The platform operates by designing directly in the browser.

Siter.io offers a Figma plugin that enables you to convert Figma designs into live websites without any coding skills, and you can even insert HTML directly into the editor. Some of Siter.io’s features include:

• Thousands of free icons are available, as are links to your social media pages.
• You can insert videos directly on a page as an embed, a popup, or a background.
• You can use your own domain or Siter.io’s domain.

17. Unspam.email – Email Tester, Spam Checker & Deliverability Test

Unspam.email is an online email tester, spam checker, and delivery test tool. Email testing is free and provides an excellent way to improve deliverability. With Unspam.email, you can:

• Analyze your email and return a spam score so you will instantly know when your IP address name or domain name has been blacklisted, and can fix the problem quickly.
• Ensures everyone can read your emails with full accessibility checks.
• Instantly check for broken or bad links to avoid being caught in spam filters.

18. Absurd Design – Free Surrealist Illustrations & Vector Art

Absurd Design introduces a new way and visual perception for websites, presentations, apps, articles, and much more! Download and use the free illustrations and vector art for your own landing pages or presentations.

• Absurd Design artworks combine absurdity and childishness that make their illustrations nearly irresistible.
• Imperfection has its own drawing power, and something that has been created by hand is often all it takes to engage a visitor.
• Let your site guide visitors through fantasy worlds created by Absurd Design drawings that are anything but absurd.

19. Postcards – No-Code Email Builder, Edit HTML Email Template

With Postcards, you can create email templates 20x faster, with no design limitations or need for coding skills. Postcards provide all of the necessary tools to build and customize your email template in just a few minutes. With Postcards, you can:

• Customize content with ease with their intuitive no-code editor.
• Customize a mobile version of your content.
• One-click export your template to Mailchimp, HubSpot, or as a plain HTML file to upload anywhere.
• Give your team easy access to your projects to get the best ideas from everyone.

Fortunately, there isn’t a shortage of resources available to help designers stay on top of the latest web design tool trends.

Having a well-stocked designer’s toolkit can be the key to your success. But discovering and learning about the best web design resources can be like finding a diamond in the rough..

Whether you need a tool to help you create a full-blown website, to give you a little design inspiration, or to help spark an idea, consider this collection of top tools and resources for 2023 as an opportunity to level up your web design skills.

The post 19 Web Design Resources and Tools for Designers and Agencies (2023 Updated) <span class="sponsored_text">Sponsored</span> appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

That’s why, regardless of your skill level, you need a tool that can help to simplify the process. Something that serves as a powerful companion to unleash your creativity, allow for complex layouts and add useful functionality in mere minutes.

SP Page Builder brings it all together in one package. Professionals will appreciate the increased efficiency, while novices will be thrilled by its ease-of-use. The end result will be a website that looks and functions exactly the way you want it to. All of it done in a fraction of the time and saving you money to boot.

Build Your Website Super Fast

Developed to be the most complete and robust Joomla page builder, SP Page Builder enables you to create full-featured, 100% responsive websites in short order. And with real time editing on the front end, you’ll see the result of your edits as you make them. No more guessing as to how something is going to look.

It’s also compatible with any Joomla template, framework or extension. So, no matter what your site utilizes, you can safely add SP Page Builder to the mix.

Using the Page Builder Module, you can also build custom layouts and add functionality directly in the back end. Create beautiful designs – all without writing a single line of code.

With support for native Joomla articles, you’ll have the freedom to create rich, interactive content that rivals the biggest news sites. Go beyond text and add functionality that turns an ordinary article into an experience.

To speed up the process even more, take advantage of the available free pre-designed page templates. They feature awesome layouts for common types of pages such as a Home Page, About Us, Services, Contact Us and Our Team. Simply add the desired template to your page and edit to fit your needs.

Complex Layouts Made Easy

No matter the type of layout you desire, SP Page Builder can help make it happen. The included layout tools give you the ability to create something as simple or complex as you’d like. Build new layouts for every page or create a template to use the same layout in multiple locations.

Layout elements such as columns and rows can be easily added and arranged. You’ll have complete control over all aspects – including margin, padding and gutter spacing. This enables you to position items exactly where you want them.

The powerful nested rows feature lets you insert rows inside of existing rows or columns. This opens up the door to creating incredibly detailed layouts – all with just a few clicks.

If you’re still developing your ideas, you can even choose to disable any row, column or addon. This lets you continue to work on things in the back end, while hiding those elements from users on the live site. Plus, you can use Joomla’s ACL (Access Control List) to restrict the visibility of layout elements for specific types of users.

Add Powerful Functionality and Beautiful Design Elements in a Click

The included addons put a vast selection of functionality and design elements right at your fingertips. Whether you’re looking to call attention to content or provide an added convenience for users, there is something for everyone.

Functionality
The process for adding important functionality to any page is incredibly simple. Here are just a few of the items you can add with just a click:

• Joomla Module
• Accordion
• Carousel
• Client, Team and Testimonial Listings
• Contact Form
• Modal Windows
• Multimedia
• Photo Gallery
• Raw HTML
• Social Media Sharing and Feeds
• Tabbed Content

Design Elements
Choose from an array of items that bring informative and fun features to your content, including:

• Alert Message
• Animated Numbers and Countdowns
• Button
• Call to Action
• Divider
• Drop Cap
• Icons
• Progressive Pie Charts and Bars
• Pricing Table

You’ll also want to check out the all new Advanced Media Manager. It’s fast, user-friendly and will massively accelerate the design process.

Start Building Smarter

It’s time to get smart about the way you build Joomla websites. With the power and speed of SP Page Builder, you’ll accomplish more while exerting a lot less effort. You’ll save precious time and spend less money on development costs. And, your website will be better for it.

Give SP Page Builder a try for free and see how it can take your Joomla development process up to the next level.

The post Take Control of your Joomla! Design with SP Page Builder <span class="sponsored_text">Sponsored</span> appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

With the advent of better do-it-yourself tools for creating websites, the power of complex layouts are no longer just for CSS junkies. Using high-end WordPress plugins enable just about anyone to add functionality like eCommerce, forms, multimedia and more.

While those tools are all well and good, I still don’t believe it makes web designers anywhere near obsolete. No, in my admittedly biased opinion, I think quality designers and developers are needed now more than ever. Here are just a few reasons why…

We Serve More than Hamburger Helper

I’m not much of a cook. But give me a box of Hamburger Helper, and I can create something resembling a tasty meal. Still, for the health and well-being of my family, a well-prepared meal that didn’t come from a box is far better.

Similarly, no matter how good a page builder or 3rd party web application is at helping the non-technical person set up a website, they don’t provide the experience or expertise that a real designer can.

No question that some technical aspects of the job can be replicated. But the knowledge of knowing what solutions work and how best to implement them isn’t really in point-and-click form just yet.

A good designer/developer understands the needs of a specific project and comes up with a strategy to see it through the entire process. It takes time, energy and a sharp mind to create a truly custom website.

Professionals Sweat the Details

The little things can make all the difference in both design and functionality. In code, one false move means something is potentially insecure or just plain broken. A developer can surely make mistakes, but a good one will test their code again and again to ensure it works.

A designer’s eyes can pick out the details that make a website work better for everyone. Text that doesn’t provide enough contrast, layout elements that don’t quite work on a mobile device, etc. are crucial to usability and accessibility. Testing in multiple browsers, operating systems and devices can find bugs that otherwise could be missed.

In other words, it’s our job to think of everything. The non-technical user dragging and dropping elements in a browser window may not realize all of the other aspects of readying a website for launch. Attention to detail is too vital to leave out of the process.

Who Can You Call?

As any of us who’ve worked on the web know, there is no shortage of things that can break a site. Server issues, malware, software incompatibilities, user error and other mayhem are always right around the corner. When it happens, it pays to have someone on your side who has been there before and can help set things right again.

Personally, I’ve been contacted by several site owners over the years that have tried to go it alone and ran into major problems. Sooner or later, a lot of people realize that it just makes more sense to bring in a professional to handle things.

That’s not to say we have all the answers. But we do have the skills to do the research required to find the right answer and help clients through a tough situation.

Your Skills Are Needed

All tools have their place. Whether it’s a WordPress page builder plugin or a service like Wix or Weebly, they each have their own unique value. Some are even used by professionals for a variety of reasons.

But these tools are just that – a means to perform specific tasks. They are not built to fully replace a person.

True, there are people out there who are dedicated do-it-yourselfers, willing to learn the ropes of setting up their own website. And more power to them! But, for most people, they simply don’t have the time or willingness to learn it all. Sooner or later, they come to find out that a professional is needed to perform certain aspects of site building and maintenance.

So, while tools will continue to evolve, don’t look for web design to become a fully-automated industry anytime soon.

The post You’re Worth More Than a Page Builder appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Website builders and ready-made templates are a way for everybody to create a site, even if he or she has absolutely no knowledge of HTML, coding, or design. They are a relatively simple and relatively cheap (and very often completely free) solution to get a decent website fast. In a sense, they are a quick and dirty solution when a client wants a not-so-complex but good-looking site and when he or she doesn’t have the money, the time, or both to have a site created especially for him or her.

However, these aspects of website builders and ready-made templates have raised quite a lot of negativism in the Web community. Yes, you can see some not-so-good-looking sites created by a website builder or by using a ready-made template, but unfortunately, you can see many more of these created by designers who deem themselves professional.

Actually, these concerns over the quality of sites cover a bigger concern – that website builders and ready-made templates compete with designers and as a result, many designers have to either lower prices or lose clients. In some cases, even if you lower your prices, you can’t beat a free service, so you just see how you are losing another client.

You can hear quite a lot of concerns that website builders and ready-made templates are killing the business of designers but are these concerns grounded? Can website builders and ready-made templates really be a problem for a designer, not to mention kill his or her business?

Yes, You Do Have a Problem

This problem is called positioning – you are not properly positioned on the market. You are in the same segment as them and this is why you are competing with website builders and ready-made templates. They are cheap and quick and so are you. Is this where you want to be?

Yes, website builders and ready-made templates do eat market share but they are in the lowest price segment. In a sense, you have $5 T-shirts vs $500 suits. Both of them have their place in life, and manufacturers of $500 suits aren’t angry that $5 T-shirts are eating their market.

Image Source: Very Angry Woman via Shutterstock

If you need a $5 T-shirt, you won’t buy a $500 suit even if you can afford it, so you are not a client in the expensive segment. The same applies to website builders and ready-made templates on one hand and your professional services on the other.

Well, if you are trying to sell $5 T-shirts for $500, then you will have a problem. There isn’t a shortage of stupid clients, but (fortunately) it will be very hard to find victims to scam them to this amount.

The opposite scenario – when you have a professionally-made site for $500 but the client won’t pay more than $5 because this is what he or she sees as a fair price based on his or her experience with website builders/ready-made templates might be more problematic. In this case, you either try to explain to the client why this suit/site can’t cost as low as a T-shirt, or simply turn the client the down.

In either case, website builders and ready-made templates shouldn’t be a competitor to you. In a nutshell, if they are a problem for you, then you have a problem with your design/sales skills and this is what you must improve rather than complain how automation is throwing you out of business.

The Solution? Turn Your Enemy Into an Ally

You might feel very much like exterminating website builders and ready-made templates but this is not possible (and not necessary, I would say). Of course, the best is to be in the $500 suit segment – i.e. to play high where website builders are not present at all but since this is not always possible simply because there are many more clients in lower segments than in this one, you need to adapt.

Image Source: Girl in the Field via Shutterstock

All you need to do is adjust your business to their existence – not exactly if you can’t beat them, join them but a variation of the tune. Here are three ways in which you can make use of website builders and ready-made templates:

1. Use them as a basis for your designs. I know that many of you frown at the very idea to do this (“What?! Do I have to go that low?!”), but actually, this isn’t something to be ashamed of. Do you start every single site you design from scratch? No, you re-use much of what you have. It really makes no difference if you use website generators, your own templates from previous projects, or website builders/ready-made templates (provided they are not an unusable mess) as a time-saving basis for your designs. Many top designers do it, so why reinvent the wheel?
2. Offer customizations. There are really a lot of free and paid templates but this doesn’t mean you can find absolutely everything you want. A client might like 90 or 99 percent of a template but want minor modifications to make it exactly what he or she likes. Here you come to the play. You can offer customizations. Small jobs, such as adding/removing a column, or changing the color of items, are not difficult, and even if the template is made in a way you don’t agree with, usually these changes are safe to make – i.e. you won’t break the whole template. I know it’s not the most pleasant thing to deal with changes to design/code unknown geniuses made, and there are many mines to watch for but if the template is done according to the rules, minor changes are usually fast and safe to make.
3. Create free templates with your contact info and use them as a promotion tool. Finally, one more way in which you can use website builders and ready-made templates is as a promotion tool. Create a bunch of free templates, put your contact info in the footer, and offer them as a free download. These might not bring you crowds of clients but they help spread the word about you and your services. You can also offer customizations for a moderate fee – these customizations should be much easier when you yourself have created the template and know its intricacies.

Website builders and ready-made templates are here to stay – you can’t change this. If you want to stay in business, you need to change your routines. Move to a higher segment where these tools aren’t a competitor, or offer additional services they don’t offer (content writing, SEO, etc.) and you won’t have to cross ways. You just need to adapt to the realities!

The post Are Website Builders and Ready-made Templates a Competitor to Designers appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.