WordPress Tips

8 New WordPress Resources for September 2023

You won't just fall into a great website; you have to work at it. Having the right tools and resources at your fingertips can be a good start. This month, we've collected some great resources to help you make the most of your WordPress website. Here are eight new design tools and resources to explore: 1.

Carrie Cousins

Updated:Nov 9, 2023
Published:Sep 25, 2023

Filed Under:WordPress Tips

Reading Time:6 min.

You won’t just fall into a great website; you have to work at it. Having the right tools and resources at your fingertips can be a good start. This month, we’ve collected some great resources to help you make the most of your WordPress website.

Here are eight new design tools and resources to explore:

1. How to Get Better Customer Reviews

It’s never too early to start thinking about the holiday season, and great customer reviews are one more thing that can both boost search engine optimization and help shoppers convert when making a purchase decision.

But how do you generate better reviews online?

It starts with offering a great product or service – that part you probably already know – but there are other things you can do to help establish better trust and credibility.

IconicWP goes into detail on how to get better customer reviews for your eCommerce store. These are the highlights:

  • Offer an incentive in exchange for a review
  • Engage with customers after the purchase
  • Prioritize quality reviews over the number of reviews
  • Address negative feedback in a polite and helpful manner
  • Create a user-friendly review process
  • Use the right tools to help, such as the WordPress Business Reviews Plugin, which aggregates and showcases reviews from multiple sources

2. Cool New Features for Events Calendar Pro

The Events Calendar Pro is the go-to calendar tool for most WordPress sites. It’s robust, easy to use, and can handle almost anything. The other big bonus? The development team is always listening to suggestions for use and how to improve the tool.

And with that, they’ve released some updates to improve functionality for you:

  • Multiple venue support for multiple venues for a single event
  • Featured images for venue and organizer pages (SEO booster!)
  • Categories for venue and organizer pages
  • Ability to hide organizer email address and phone number

3. The Future or WordPress, Kadence and 100 Year Legacies [Podcast]

Fresh off WordCamp, the podcast team talks about all the excitement from the event in Washington, DC, as well as the future of WordPress as we know it. The biggest takeaway might be the progression of full site editing (FSE) and everything that has to happen to make that a reality.

The team also drops a few other fun facts into the mix as well from some new features for Kadence and WordPress.com’s plan to offer 100-year domains. (Does anyone want/need a 100-year domain?)

It all boils down to a one-word theme for the podcast episode – legacy.

Ben, one of the cohosts, explains the legacy of Kadence like this: “I think the mission for the Kadence team has been, how do we help the average person compete with the Fortune 500 companies online? Like at the core of it, it’s been, how do we give them the tools to allow them to create a website that is as compelling and as engaging as the companies that can spend millions of dollars to develop a website?”

Listen to Episode 33 of The Kadence Beat here.

4. WordPress Vulnerability Report

You need to stay current with WordPress issues to keep your site safe and running smoothly. The WordPress Vulnerability Report shows all of the core issues that might pop up if you aren’t on the latest version of WordPress, as well as vulnerabilities with plugins.

There were some WordPress core updates recently that impacted major plugins. It is important to ensure that you are on the latest version of WordPress because many of these have been fixed.

Did you know one of the best things you can do to prevent these vulnerabilities on your website is to keep plugins up to date?

Some things to be on the lookout for in the latest report include vulnerabilities with these popular plugins: ElementsKit Lite, Slimstat Analytics, Folders, Donation Forms by Charitable, and more.

Read all the WordPress Vulnerability Reports for September:

5. WordPress Plugin Roundup

If you want to keep up with everything happening in the world of WordPress, join the monthly Plugin Roundup.

Each month, Nathan Ingram combs the WordPress plugin directory for interesting plugins that have been added or updated in the last 30 days and assembles a list of helpful and unique plugins for your WordPress website. And it’s free!

The next online event is on October 3rd. Register for free today!

6. WordPress News Roundup

If you want to stay up-to-date on everything happening in the world of WordPress, join the monthly
WordPress News Roundup.

In this session, Ingram will discuss the latest developments in the WordPress ecosystem in this informational webinar. We’ll talk through this month’s WordPress news with plenty of interaction and Q&A.

7. Webinar Replay: The 3-Dimensional Strategy for WordPress Security

Discover best practices for safeguarding your WordPress website through proactive security measures. WordPress security expert Thomas Raef explains the art and science of WordPress security, focusing on three key dimensions: hosting, WordPress configurations, and user management. You’ll also learn how Solid Security equips users with tools that diminish hacking risks, focusing on safeguarding plugins, themes, and user accounts.

8. Webinar Replay: Solid Security and Passkeys: Seamless WordPress Logins

Discover a streamlined approach to WordPress logins with Passkeys and Solid Security (the new name for iThemes Security). Passkeys are compatible with leading browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, as well as biometric logins like Face ID, Touch ID, and Windows Hello. Say goodbye to the hassle of extra two-factor apps, password managers, or intricate password requirements, as website administrators and end users can now enjoy secure logins effortlessly.

Powered by the WebAuthn protocol, these cutting-edge login methods redefine passwordless login experiences, setting the stage for the future of safeguarding sensitive online information, including accessing WordPress sites. Timothy Jacobs, Lead Developer for SolidWP, gives an in-depth exploration of how this innovative technology enhances the WordPress login process for both you and your clients.

Wrapping Up

New tools and resources for WordPress are being released all the time, and we hope this list helps you discover new ways to improve your workflows. Make sure to check back next month for more new tools and resources.

Author:

Carrie Cousins

Carrie Cousins has more than 15 years of experience in media, design, and content marketing. She works in digital marketing and is also a freelance writer and designer, specializing in creating amazing experiences online for small businesses. Her work has been featured in publications such as Design Shack, Webdesigner Depot, The Next Web, and Fast Company. She’s an avid runner, which comes in handy with Australian shepherds at home.

Browse all of Carrie's articles

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Author:

Carrie Cousins

Carrie Cousins has more than 15 years of experience in media, design, and content marketing. She works in digital marketing and is also a freelance writer and designer, specializing in creating amazing experiences online for small businesses. Her work has been featured in publications such as Design Shack, Webdesigner Depot, The Next Web, and Fast Company. She’s an avid runner, which comes in handy with Australian shepherds at home.

Browse all of Carrie's articles