The Valet Blog
Bringing together tips, news, and everything you need to know about your WordPress site.
Why Choose WordPress in 2024
In 2020, we published a post titled '3 Simple Reasons to Use WordPress', highlighting scalability, flexibility, and ownership as the key factors that make WordPress an excellent choice for site owners. These reasons remain as valid as ever in 2024 and we would like to take those core reasons and expand a bit on the…
The Benefits of Expert WordPress Support
Imagine this: You've just had that lightbulb moment for a business idea, so you set out to develop a website to showcase your vision to the world. You hire a developer or do it yourself, purchase web hosting, and select premium WordPress plugins and themes. After lots of hard work and dedication, the project is…
6 Unconventional Sources of Web Design Inspiration
As web designers, we’re often on the hunt for inspiration to fuel our creativity and take our projects to new heights. Sometimes, we can find ourselves scouring through endless online sources, hoping to find something that sparks our imagination. But occasionally - despite our best efforts, there are times when we face that dreaded designer’s…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
Not to Be Outdone, California Comes Up with Its Own Version of GDPR—the California Consumer Privacy Act
Made your peace yet with GDPR? If so, laid-back California’s got some news that will definitely harsh your mellow. Starting in 2020, the Golden State will have a GDPR law of its own. It’s called the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCP). So now you need to do more than comply with Europe’s tough new data…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
Some Influential U.S. Companies Say No to GDPR Compliance
Well, THAT escalated quickly. Europe’s new GDPR law took effect on May 25. That same day, a number of influential companies in the U.S. announced their rejection of GDPR compliance. Many earlier assumed those companies would go all-in to achieve GDPR compliance. But no. They instead moved to block access to their online properties by…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
Why your WordPress website needs a GDPR audit fast
GDPR audit. You likely need one if you operate a blog. Or a website, a newsletter, an e-commerce store, or anything online that harvests user data. And you’ll need that GDPR audit soon, like yesterday—because Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (that’s what GDPR stands for) went into effect May 25. So you better find out…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
Heed Google Analytics’ Warning About Data Retention—Or Risk Losing Years of Stored Info
Guess what type of email we love getting here at Valet? Anything that isn’t a notification. It’s not that notifications upset us. We know they’re necessary. It’s just that we receive so many of them. The reason we get so many notifications is that we support and love so many websites. Each of those websites…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
The Right Way to Respond to Google’s Mobile-First Initiative
Google’s Mobile First initiative. Have you heard about this yet? You have? Great. But what are you planning to do in response to it? Nothing? OK, that’s not great. Not great at all. Because ignoring Mobile First is a surefire way to sink your website’s rankings in Google search. A big drop in rank portends…
Do You Wonder If the New WordPress Editor Will Break Your Website? The Answer is….Maybe
WordPress is pushing out a new code version next week and soon you'll be invited via the admin area to try out the new editor coming in release 5.0—but before you click that button be sure to read this very informative article by Joe Casabona about the potential problems you may face and how to…
Google introduces new Search Console
A new Google Search Console. Over the last few months, Google has been sending out invitations to their BETA version of the new Google Search Console to select users. If you are not among that BETA group, that's ok. They will be opening up the experience to all the users of the current Search Console…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
WordPress is ending support for Internet Explorer, should you worry?
What is happening? WordPress has announced that it's "officially ending support for Internet Explorer versions 8, 9, and 10, starting with WordPress 4.8." Microsoft officially discontinued supporting these browsers themselves in January 2016. Matt Mullenwig states in his announcement: "I realize that folks still running these browsers are probably stuck with them because of something out…
The Hidden Dangers of Using Free Site Scan tools.
Site scan tools are becoming more and more popular. There are hundreds of services and free online entry points where you can gain insight and specific information on your website. While often helpful, these tools can lead the unsuspecting professional into needless anxiety. Pages of recommendations, suggestions, waterfalls of data, are all good things. In…
Marketing & Content, Tech Talk
How to Launch an Event Management Website Quickly
Your client asks you, “Hey, so I have a website project that needs some complicated moving parts, but I only have a limited budget...can you help? Oh, and it needs to be done in a few weeks.”
Hiring the Right Team for Website Management
Taking care of your website should be manageable. Given the fantastic open-source software like WordPress available, the wide variety of plugins, and the massive amounts of data you can collect to gain context on how you’re doing—website management should be easy.
Should Your Web Developers Be Available by Phone?
We're all familiar with the nightmare that can be working with a web developer on a project. You talk to someone on the phone and via email. They really seem to understand how to build websites. The pricing matches your expectations. And so, not having many clear expectations, you agree to the build—paying half up…