In this factful (and tactful) in-depth Elementor Pro review, I’ll first assess the free Elementor plugin, followed by the Elementor Pro plugin: what extra features will it give you? Is Elementor Pro worth it? Let’s get on with it – let’s cut right to the cheese! Oh! Oops… Sowwyyyyyy, my bad… I meant chase… Let’s […]
Teachable Review – Why it Beats Kajabi & Thinkific
In this Teachable review, we look at one of the world’s most popular online learning platforms: Teachable. Ever since online marketing experts / gurus like Jeff Walker, Frank Kern, and Brendon Burchard began touting online courses (and promoting the online course software Kajabi) as the perfect platform to monetize your skills and elevate your authority […]
Divi Theme Review – You Better Get the Plugin!
In this Divi theme review, we focus on Divi 4 from a WordPress theme perspective! I highly recommend you also read the complementary, in-depth Divi Builder review which covers the Divi page builder plugin. Features of the Divi Theme Simplicity of the Divi Theme The Divi shortcode controversy What’s been so controversial, is the way […]
Divi Builder Review – a Refreshing Update
This insightful Divi Builder review dives deep into Divi 4 – and its new Theme Builder. Does it rival (or surpass) Elementor and Beaver Builder / Beaver Themer? I’ve done a lot of extensive (and at times: exhausting) testing and research to serve you this accurate, and (hopefully) helpful Divi 4 review. This review is […]
Page Builder Framework Review – Bare-bones but Powerful
In this in-depth Page Builder Framework review, we look at the free core theme – and the premium add-on plugin. How does Page Builder Framework compare vs alternatives like Astra, GeneratePress & OceanWP? As the name suggests, Page Builder Framework is a flexible, lean WordPress theme framework, tailor-made for use with page builders like Beaver […]
GeneratePress Review – a Simple & Fast WordPress Theme
In this GeneratePress review, I share my hands-on experience with this lean, fast, page builder friendly WordPress theme. I’m enjoying it a lot and have already made two GeneratePress sites – with a third in the making. They’re good examples of sites you can do with GeneratePress. All three websites were designed 100% from scratch, using […]
Hestia Theme Review – Better than Before
This in-depth Hestia theme review expands on my extensive WordPress theme comparison What’s the Fastest WordPress Theme for Your Page Builder? In that comparison, Hestia didn’t do too well. In fact: it came in last, performance-wise! Fortunately, ThemeIsle (the makers of Hestia) were quick to shoot me an email, wanting to find the cause and […]
The Fastest WordPress Theme for Your Page Builder
To help you find the fastest WordPress theme for your page builder – I’ve tested the most popular themes available: Astra Pro, Hestia Pro, GeneratePress, Genesis, Dynamik, OceanWP, Page Builder Framework, Freelancer – and even the Beaver Builder theme. Enjoy! With WordPress page builder plugins like Beaver Builder, Divi Builder, and Elementor constantly evolving, becoming […]
Dynamik Website Builder Review
This is an updated and revised review of my original Dynamik Website Builder review. Disclaimer: Since I already own and use several other WordPress theme frameworks, I asked Cobalt Apps for a complimentary license, so I could write this review. So in a way, this review has been sponsored by Cobalt Apps. Rest assured though: This review is in no […]
CoSchedule Review – Better than its Competitors?
Ahhh… Content marketing and social media marketing: either you love it – or you hate it. Or somewhere in between. Me? Honestly, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed by it. Hence I always strive to simplify it as much as possible. I even made it a challenge and shared the journey. Truth is, I’m not a […]
Elementor Pro 2’s New Theme Builder vs Beaver Themer
Anyone who has looked at Beaver Themer can see that Elementor Pro 2’s theme builder feature is conceptually a carbon copy clone of Beaver Themer. The main selling point of Elementor Pro 2 is its included theme builder. “Included” is the key word here. Elementor’s theme builder is a surreptitious attempt at matching (i.e. blatantly […]
Why the New Gutenberg Editor is a Vital (and Long Overdue) Step for WordPress
The huge outcry was likely an unintended backlash spawned by Gutenberg's 100% open development process. The developers wanted feedback from the WordPress community, early in the process. A choice we should all appreciate and applaud. Few seemed to appreciate it, however. They did get some feedback, though. Oh… my… Feedback is what they got. To […]
A Blissful Social Warfare Review – Social Media Icons Done Right
Social media icons should be a simple, trouble-free affair. Yet I’ve had my fair share (pun intended:) of problems with them. Indeed, social media icons are a necessary evil: temperamental and occasionally problematic – yet more or less mandatory for most websites. We want visitors to share our content – so it makes sense to […]
Is Yoast Premium Worth It? My Underwhelmed Review
When I recently realized the Yoast Premium upgrade would let me optimize each piece of content for multiple keywords, I was thrilled. That’s a feature I’ve been wanting for years! While doing keyword research, I often find several keywords to target. Typically alternative spellings or long-tail variants of the main keyword. The thought quickly crossed my […]
Thrive Architect Review – a Landing Page Builder for Marketers
Now that you’ve been assured of my integrity and heartfulness, here are my experiences with Thrive Themes (and in particular Thrive Architect) – or as they’d say in Germany: my “Thrive Themes erfahrung” :o) Thrive Themes isn’t German, though. It originates from Switzerland. Thrive Themes often make me think of Germany (even though they’re from […]
Full Width Backgrounds and Color Overlays in Thrive Architect vs Elementor vs Beaver Builder [video]
But what if your theme doesn't include an adequate page template for that purpose? And what if you're overall happy with your theme and not in the mood for a time-consuming switch to a more “page builder friendly” WordPress theme? Are you out of luck? Nope. Fortunately, both Elementor and Thrive Architect have good solutions, […]
Your New Year’s Success Principles (free worksheet!)
A new year has begun, and with it comes a great chance to reflect on the year that’s gone by – as well as your plans for the coming year. Time for some new year’s resolutions, right? Wrong. New year’s resolutions don’t work for most people. Why new year’s resolutions don’t work There are two […]
Your Peak Brain Score – Does Peak Brain Training Work?
What’s your Peak Brain Score? Is your Peak Brain Map accurate? Are Elevate, Lumosity and Peak brain training scores correct? I asked Peak’s expert! You know those days when you simply can’t accomplish what you set out to do? To train my focus, I’ve been using the Peak brain training app (for iOS and Android) consistently, […]
Rainmaker Digital? Where’s the Rainmaker Platform? Alternatives?
Update, September 4th, 2019: Just the other day, I received news that Rainmaker Digital Services / Nimble Worldwide (or whatever they’re called… I’m truly confused…) are finally ready to launch their “new and improved” (given their history, I find that somewhat hard to believe, let alone buy into…) version of the Rainmaker Platform: Rainmaker Platform Andromeda. […]
Fastest WordPress Hosting Update! Flywheel vs WP Engine vs Bluehost vs Media Temple vs Pressable vs StudioPress Sites
Update: the WP Engine PHP 7 results are in! Download the updated report and read the results below! When it comes to hosting your WordPress website, you want it to be fast-loading. And when it comes to hosting in general, we all know you get what you pay for. Right? Right. Still, there must be […]
Elementor Page Builder – the Fastest Meteor to Hit Planet WordPress
The first time the Elementor page builder popped up on my radar, was mid-2016. Since then, in little over a year, this remarkable WordPress page builder has gained magnificent momentum, and not only caught up with, but outpaced its biggest rivals Beaver Builder and Thrive Architect (f.k.a. Thrive Content Builder). Take a look at this screenshot […]
Beaver Themer Review – Beaver Builder’s Limitless Pill
If you’ve read my Beaver Builder review and Divi vs Beaver Builder speed comparison, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Beaver Builder (and less so of Elegant Themes’ Divi – even with the improvements in Divi 3). Beaver Builder is a flexible and powerful WordPress page builder – without the complexity seen in other WordPress themes and […]
Your Fear Isn’t Real – It’s Anxiety!
The other day, I decided to confront one of my fears. After I’d done so, I had a realization that I decided would be a good kickstart for my YouTube videos. You can watch it here (and don’t be afraid to have a reaction – having a really good laugh is okay): So… What can […]
Need a Color Scheme? Spectrum by Eigenlogik is a great ColorSchemer Studio alternative!
ColorSchemer Studio has been discontinued. Fortunately, Spectrum (a great alternative to ColorSchemer Studio) is still available and was recently updated to add compatibility with macOS Sierra. The app hasn’t changed much (if at all) UI-wise since this review below was published, so it’s still as valid as ever (and I still love Spectrum!) – so […]
Simplero Review – After 8 Years of Experience
I’ve been a big supporter since their early beginnings as “zenbilling”. If you’ve been considering Infusionsoft, Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable or the Rainmaker Platform – you should also consider Simplero. If I was only allowed a single adjective to describe Simplero, it would be “tailor-made”. The elegance of Simplero is a work of beauty. Especially considering […]
Divi vs Beaver Builder… The Fastest WordPress Page Builder?
You do want a fast website, right? Most of us do. It’s with great pride that I hereby welcome you to the fully updated and revised Divi vs Beaver Builder WordPress theme speed test! Note: for reference, I’ve archived the 2016 version here, as a PDF you can download should you wish. To speed up […]
Genesis Framework Review (on Rainmaker Platform)
Note! This is just one of my Rainmaker posts – Be sure you check out everything I’ve written on the New Rainmaker Platform! As you could read in my previous blog post, I recently switched this, my whole website – from being a self-hosted WordPress installation on Media Temple hosting – to Copyblogger’s relatively new Rainmaker Platform. Rainmaker is a remixed WordPress-version, tailor-made for […]
The Latest in Managed WordPress Hosting: a StudioPress Sites Review
Despite my intergalactically high intelligence (no less! ?) I must admit I hadn’t seen this one coming. Yet, now that it’s here: it’s an obvious move by Rainmaker Digital (formerly Copyblogger) to release a hosted WordPress service, in the “tradition” of WP Engine, Flywheel, Pressable, and Media Temple, to name a few of the big-name players. […]
The Best Mailchimp Alternatives in 2017 – a ConvertKit Review by WebMatros
In this fresh ConvertKit review, I’ll explore one of the absolute best Mailchimp alternatives in the email marketing automation arena: ConvertKit. What are its pros and cons? Is it a viable Mailchimp alternative? Or just a dumbed-down ActiveCampaign copycat? Read on! To bring you as much value as I can with this review, I looked […]
How to Market Yourself (and Make a Difference) if You Have Too Much To Do: Month 7 on My Journey to Joyful Digital Marketing
On my continued journey towards joyful digital marketing on the Rainmaker Platform, I’ve been wondering… how to market yourself (and make a difference) if you’re feeling overwhelmed by having too much to do? The answer seems to be: removing (even more) obstacles… Last month I shared why I decided to stop freelancing fully and completely. I did so […]
Letting Go of Clients – to Focus 100% on Digital Content Creation: Month 6 of My Journey to Joyful Digital Marketing
In last month’s Rainmaker Marketing Journey update, I shared how my lack of so-called WIP (work-in-progress) limits clogged up my content creation process. Realizing that is indeed helping me unclog my content creation process. However, I also mentioned a few other factors hindering my content creation process from flowing freely. I’m referring to freelance web design done for clients. That […]
Can RescueTime Challenge You To Be More Productive?
RescueTime is one of the world’s absolute best productivity apps. Still, imagine it also had a Productivity Challenge feature – motivating you to be more productive at work? As a solopreneur, a singular entrepreneur, a small business owner if you will: I need all the help I can get, to be more effective – be more […]
Optimize your WordPress SEO with the Beaver Builder Theme & WordPress Category Page Descriptions
If you’re using the Beaver Builder theme and the Yoast SEO plugin (f.k.a. the WordPress SEO plugin) chances are you’re missing out on one of the simplest to pursue, yet powerful to do, WordPress SEO tips known to man. It first got popular in the classic Thesis WordPress theme by DIYthemes (Chris Pearson) all the way back in 2011 or […]
How my Content Creation Process got “Totally Clogged Up!” (Rainmaker Marketing Journey – Month 5)
True to my promise in last month’s results update I’ll keep future updates from my Rainmaker Marketing Journey short’n’sweet, starting with this one! In this post, I’ll share how my content creation process got totally clogged up, leaving “almost there” blog posts unpublished! But first, without further ado: what I hope to be my last month […]
My Journey to Essentialist Marketing on the Rainmaker Platform – Month 4 (August) Results
To say that last month’s marketing challenge report was delayed, would be an understatement. Now, this month’s report has been even more delayed. Truth is, I’ve been thinking. About strategy. You see, I realized that I didn’t have any! Oh yes, what I did have was lots of scrappy notes in paper form, in Evernote, OmniGraffle, […]
Is the CoSchedule Headline Analyzer worth your time? [VIDEO]
As part of my ongoing Rainmaker Marketing Challenge and initiative to rid myself of the many marketing tools I’ve been using – I’ve been wanting to test the accuracy of the CoSchedule Headline Analyzer. I’ve used it numerous times when crafting headlines for my blog posts, call to actions, headlines for landing pages, Hello Bars […]
Headway Themes 4 Review – Revised and Twice as Ranty
Update on April 2, 2019: Redirected links to the Headway fork “Blox” to this post instead, as the project seems abandonware. My alternative recommendations below still hold true! Update on February 13, 2018: As a Headway Themes alternative, I still recommend Beaver Builder (as mentioned below). However, while writing my review of Thrive Architect, I felt […]
My Journey to Essentialist Marketing on the Rainmaker Platform – Month 3 (July) Results (or lack thereof… but there’s holiday pictures!)
It’s high time for the monthly results report from my Rainmaker Marketing Journey :o) Somewhat overdue, the delay is due (pun intended) to most of July (and first week of August) being dominated by one vacation after another. I’ve been in England for the EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) 1-day electronic dance music festival, with a luxurious stay in […]
My Journey to Essentialist Marketing on the Rainmaker Platform – Month 2 (June) Results
In April I began a journey towards simpler, more focused digital marketing. And hopefully as a welcome bonus: less stress – and more success:) I’ve given myself a 12-month digital marketing challenge: How much can I grow my business by using ONLY the digital marketing tools available on the Rainmaker Platform? Essentially reducing my digital marketing to the […]
My Journey to Essentialist Marketing on the Rainmaker Platform – Month 1 (May) Results
Last month I began my journey towards simpler, more focused digital marketing. And hopefully as a welcome bonus: less stress – and more success:) Basically I’ve given myself this 12-month digital marketing challenge: How much can I grow my business by using ONLY the digital marketing tools available on the Rainmaker Platform? Essentially reducing my digital […]
My Journey to Essentialist Marketing on the Rainmaker Platform – Month 0 (April – the baseline)
I guess you can say I went through “a phase” during my latest 3 blog posts. In vivid Technicolor (and with some ambivalence) I went from: admitting my failure to properly market my membership website (not taking full advantage of the Rainmaker Platform’s many built-in content marketing tools) and, as a result; contemplating how my business and solopreneurial life […]
One Conscious Marketing Channel to Rule Them All
Last week I wrote a blog post sharing what I see as my failure to properly market my membership website, products and services – not taking full advantage of the Rainmaker Platform’s many built-in content marketing tools. That realization got me contemplating: how would my business and solopreneurial life look, if I deliberately chose to […]
Great Idea? But… I Ain’t No Digital Marketing Specialist!
Hmmmm… I must admit that I have some doubts about this idea of “simplifying my marketing to its bare bones essentials” that I blogged about last week. Truth is, I’m not 100% confident it’s such a brilliant idea after all; for me to narrow-mindedly rely 100% on just the Rainmaker content marketing platform? I fear painting […]
My First Year on the Rainmaker Content Marketing Platform – a Review (how did it go?)
When I migrated my membership website from a self-hosted WordPress + WooCommerce concoction to the Rainmaker content marketing platform, I desperately wanted to escape the “plugin-updates-always-breaking-something” conundrum. Happily, I can declare that my switch to Rainmaker absolutely got rid of my frustrations. So far so good great! Secretly, I also had another, additional hope: to rely 100% on what the […]
The FULL Beaver Builder Review
I recently designed a client website using the infamous Beaver Builder plugin, including the Beaver Builder theme. If you need a WordPress page builder, I recommend you read this, my full Beaver Builder review – in which I pit it against Divi, Thrive Architect and the Headway WordPress theme. As you could read in my recent Divi review, […]
How to Create a Genesis Child Theme From Scratch (inside Rainmaker)
Note! This is just one of several Rainmaker posts – Be sure you check out everything I’ve written on the New Rainmaker Platform! In my previous Rainmaker-series blog post, I discussed Rainmaker’s themes and design functions. Most of them are very easy to use, and customize to your needs. But what if you have… ahem… ehm… special needs… […]
Headway, WordPress, Multisite, Domains – Easyfied for You
WebMatros / Headway Hero member Ngozi wanted to know how she can run multiple Headway websites, from the same WordPress install. Quickly, my comment spiraled into a mega-comment, worthy of inclusion in Guiness’ Book of World Record’s (for longest comment ever), so I decided to turn this into this impromptu blog post, so you may benefit as […]
This Website is Now on the New Rainmaker Platform!
Note! This is just one of my Rainmaker posts – Be sure you check out everything I’ve written on the New Rainmaker Platform! I did it. I’ve converted my whole website, including its membership area: to Copyblogger’s refreshing, relatively new Rainmaker Platform. In case you haven’t yet heard about Rainmaker.fm – or the Rainmaker Platform – it is Copyblogger’s WordPress-based, […]
Media Temple WordPress Hosting Review
This is my freshly updated 2015 review of Media Temple’s managed WordPress hosting offer. So much has happened since I published the first review, just one year ago. Enjoy reading it – and let me know what you think! (in the comments) Tip! Check current hosting discounts, offers and coupon codes here » A year ago, Media Temple launched […]
HitTail – a Google Keyword Tool for the Lazy Ones
Keyword research takes time. Too much time! Can HitTail help? I say it can, and here’s exactly why it’s such a powerful Google keyword tool for your website! Fresh for 2015, this HitTail review (one that I’ve been wanting to write for a while now) will show you a unique Google keyword tool that’s built […]