Tools we recommend
As a web development agency, we recommend a variety of tools to our clients to help them build and maintain successful websites. Some of the tools we recommend include:
- Content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. These platforms allow non-technical users to easily update and manage their website’s content.
- Version control systems (VCS) such as Git. These tools allow teams to collaborate on code and track changes to their projects.
- Integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Visual Studio Code and Eclipse. IDEs provide a range of features for writing, debugging, and testing code.
- Project management tools such as Clickup, Asana and Trello. These tools help teams stay organised and on track with their tasks and deadlines.
- Design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and Sketch. These programs allow teams to create and edit graphics and layouts for websites.
By using these and other recommended tools, our clients are able to build and maintain high-quality websites that meet their business goals.
SEO Tools of the trade
As an SEO agency, there are several tools that can help you improve the search engine rankings of your clients’ websites. Some of the best tools for SEO include:
1. Google Search Console: This free tool from Google allows you to monitor and maintain the presence of your clients’ websites in Google Search results. You can use it to submit sitemaps and see how Google crawls and indexes your clients’ websites.
2. Google Analytics: This free tool from Google allows you to track the traffic and behaviour of visitors to your clients’ websites. You can use it to see how users are interacting with the site, which pages are most popular, and where visitors are coming from.
3. SEMrush: This paid tool offers a range of SEO, PPC, and content marketing features. You can use it to research keywords, analyse competitors, and track the performance of your clients’ websites.
4. Ahrefs: This paid tool offers a range of SEO and backlink analysis features. You can use it to research keywords, analyse competitors, and track the performance of your clients’ websites.
5. Moz: This paid tool offers a range of SEO and inbound marketing features. You can use it to research keywords, analyse competitors, and track the performance of your clients’ websites.
Our Favourite WordPress Plugins
WordPress is a popular content management system that powers millions of websites around the world. One of the reasons WordPress is so popular is its extensive plugin library, which allows users to add extra features and functionality to their websites. Some of the most popular WordPress plugins include:
1. Rankmath: This plugin helps users optimise their website’s content for search engines. It offers features such as keyword optimization, readability checks, and XML sitemap generation.
2. Gravity Forms: This plugin allows users to create advanced forms and surveys for their website. It offers a range of templates and customization options.
3. iThemes Security: This plugin helps improve the security of WordPress websites by adding features such as two-factor authentication, brute force protection, and malware scanning.
4. Elementor Pro: This plugin is an advanced page builder that allows users to create professional-looking websites with drag-and-drop ease.
5. LiteSpeed Cache: This plugin speeds up WordPress websites by caching pages and posts as static files and reducing the load on the server.
6. Really Simple SSL: This plugin helps users easily install and activate SSL certificates on their WordPress websites.
7. CleanTalk: This plugin helps protect WordPress websites from spam comments, form submissions, and brute-force attacks.
By using these and other WordPress plugins, users can add extra functionality and improve the performance of their websites.
FAQs about WordPress Plugins
A WordPress plugin is a piece of software that adds extra features and functionality to a WordPress website. Plugins are useful because they allow users to easily extend the capabilities of their website without needing to know how to code.
To install a WordPress plugin, log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to the “Plugins” menu. From there, you can either upload a plugin file or search for a plugin in the WordPress plugin repository. Once you’ve found a plugin you want to install, click the “Install Now” button and then activate the plugin.
When choosing a WordPress plugin, it’s important to consider the following factors:
- Does the plugin have good ratings and reviews from other users?
- Is the plugin regularly updated and supported by the developer?
- Does the plugin have the features and functionality you need for your website?
- Is the plugin well-written and compatible with your version of WordPress and other plugins?
Yes, there are some WordPress plugins that you should avoid. These can include plugins that:
- Have low ratings or many negative reviews
- Have not been updated in a long time
- Have a history of causing conflicts or errors on WordPress websites
- Are from unknown or untrustworthy developers
Yes, you can use multiple WordPress plugins on your website. However, it’s important to be mindful of how many plugins you are using, as too many can slow down your website and increase the risk of conflicts and errors. It’s also a good idea to regularly review the plugins you are using and deactivate or delete any that are no longer necessary or causing problems.
Design like the Pros
Here’s a list of design tools for web design:
1. Figma: This cloud-based design tool allows teams to collaborate on wireframes, prototypes, and graphics.
2. Adobe Creative Cloud: This suite of design tools includes programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. It is a popular choice for professional designers.
3. Depositphotos: This stock photo and video library allows users to purchase high-quality media for use in their designs.
4. Brandox: This brand management platform allows users to create and manage their brand assets, such as logos and colour palettes.
5. Sizzy: This tool allows designers to preview their websites on a range of device sizes and resolutions.
6. Canva: This design tool allows users to create graphics and layouts for social media, presentations, and other uses.
7. Sketch: This design tool is popular among web and app designers for its vector graphics capabilities.
By using these and other design tools, web designers can create professional-looking designs and user experiences for their clients.
Development Tools
Here’s a list of some of the best web development tools:
1. Integrated development environments (IDEs): These tools provide a range of features for writing, debugging, and testing code. Examples include Visual Studio Code, Eclipse, and PyCharm.
2. Version control systems (VCS): These tools allow teams to collaborate on code and track changes to their projects. Examples include Git, Mercurial, and Subversion.
3. Text editors: These tools allow developers to write and edit code. Examples include Sublime Text, Atom, and Notepad++.
4. Debuggers: These tools allow developers to identify and fix errors in their code. Examples include the debugger tools built into IDEs and browser-based debuggers like the ones provided in Chrome and Firefox.
5. Package managers: These tools allow developers to easily install, update, and manage the libraries and dependencies needed for their projects. Examples include npm (for JavaScript) and pip (for Python).
6. Task runners: These tools allow developers to automate repetitive tasks such as building and testing code. Examples include Grunt and Gulp.
7. Testing tools: These tools allow developers to test their code for correctness and performance. Examples include Jest (for JavaScript), PHPUnit (for PHP), and Selenium (for browser automation).
By using these and other web development tools, developers can more efficiently create, debug, and maintain high-quality web applications.
FAQs about development tools
An IDE, or integrated development environment, is a software application that provides a range of features for writing, debugging, and testing code. We recommend IDEs because they can improve the efficiency and productivity of developers by providing a range of tools in a single application, such as a code editor, debugger, and terminal.
Git is a version control system that allows teams to collaborate on code and track changes to their projects. It works by storing different versions of code in a repository, and allowing developers to commit changes, create branches for new features, and merge code back into the main branch when it’s ready. We recommend Git because it allows teams to work together efficiently, track changes to their code, and revert to previous versions if needed.
A package manager is a tool that allows developers to easily install, update, and manage the libraries and dependencies needed for their projects. Package managers work by downloading and installing packages from a central repository, and providing a command-line interface for developers to manage these packages. We recommend package managers because they can save time and effort by automating the process of installing and updating libraries and dependencies, and making it easy for developers to manage these packages.
A task runner is a tool that allows developers to automate repetitive tasks such as building and testing code. Task runners work by running pre-defined scripts or tasks when certain events are triggered, such as saving a file or running a command. We recommend task runners because they can improve the efficiency of developers by automating tedious tasks, and allowing them to focus on writing code.
Testing tools are software applications that allow developers to test their code for correctness and performance. Testing tools can include unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests, and can be run automatically or manually. We recommend testing tools because they can help ensure the quality and reliability of code, and catch errors and bugs before they are deployed to production.
