The new European data protection regulations (GDPR) are right around the corner and many website owners are in a panic. There’s been a lot of talk about rules, regulations and hefty fines that await those that don’t comply.
Most “how to GDPR” content seems to suggest that you have to add multiple checkboxes, prompts and extra steps all over your website.
In this post, we’ll take a look at what GDPR actually means for small business entrepreneurs and email marketers. And you’ll discover ways in which you can make your website compliant without sacrificing your visitors’ user experience or your conversion rates.
Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer and this post does not contain legal advice. Always work with your legal counsel to determine the right decisions to make about regulations.
When it comes to conversion focused design for your sales page, understand that purpose is ALWAYS more important than presentation.
The 4 Primary Design Modules
Text
Illustrations
Lists
Pattern Interrupts
1. Text Modules
Text modules usually include a heading, subheadings and a few short paragraphs. Follow these rules when designing your text modules:
Include 1 to 2 headings per screen height
Make your paragraph sections short and concise (short paragraphs = short, easy to digest ideas)
2. Illustration Modules
Illustrations are any graphical element that help make a point and add visual interest to your page. Follow these rules when designing your illustration modules:
Ask "Can this be more effectively communicated with an illustration?"
Don't use images as filler
Don't use graphics or visual elements that don't make sense with your brand or purpose of your page/website
Not every illustration has to be important, but EVERY illustration had to add information
3. List Modules
Lists allow you to present more information in less space while forcing you to be more concise about the point you're trying to make. Lists are also:
Skim friendly
Imply simplicity
Demonstrate volume ("look at all this stuff you get!")
Provide structure, order & clarity to the point(s) you're communicating
Most lists are made up of the following elements:
A graphical indicator
Title (optional)
Text content
4. Pattern Interrupt Modules
When it comes to design, a pattern interrupt breaks the established visual pattern to try and grab the reader's attention. Visual pattern interrupts can include:
Highlight boxes
Changes in Background Section color
Large or stylized text (e.g. for quotes)
Illustrations
Note: Be careful not to place multiple visual pattern interrupts close together as this will reduce their attention grabbing impact. Try to re-establish the original pattern first before using another pattern interrupt.
Secondary Modules
There are other design modules you'll need to include on your sales page. These include:
Product sections (where you introduce or showcase your product)
You’ve worked hard to write an amazing blog post or build a new homepage for your website…
...something your online followers are really going to love.
But now you're faced with the troublesome task of finding the perfect images needed to help illustrate your point.
Of course, you know better than to just swipe any image you find off of Google — you don’t want copyright infringement lawyers to come knocking on your door, right?
It's day 5 of our Opt-in Templates week and today's design is a bold one!
I have to admit I was impressed with what our designers managed to accomplish, especially given that every element on this template is made in Thrive Leads and is completely customizable.
Do you find yourself glazing over when reading a long blog post or article?
Or skipping ahead, searching for the actionable content?
Worst of all, have you ever just given up reading, rather than face an intimidating wall of text?
In this article, you’ll learn how to solve these frustrations for your website visitors with a Table of Contents, and encourage them to keep reading what you have to share.
Please note that our Legacy Themes have been replaced by new Thrive Theme Builder Themes. While our Legacy Themes are still functional, we are no longer actively developing them. Check outthis article to find out how to customize the "Header Section" when using Thrive Theme Builder.
To change the style of your theme’s header, go to the “Theme Customizer” by clicking on “Appearance” and then, on “Customize” in your WordPress admin dashboard:
Once you access “Theme Customizer”, click on the “Header” section to open it:
At the bottom of the “Header” section, there are several options available, that let you change the header background. In order to access them, click on the “Header Type” field to open the drop-down:
Custom Color
Select this option to choose a custom color. You can do this by using a color picker or entering a color code in the field next to the “Select Color” box. The color that you choose here will display uniformly across the entire header background.
Background Pattern
Select this option if you want a pattern to be displayed as the header background. Click on the arrow next to the “Pattern” field and choose one of the many included patterns that will be opened under it.
Background Image
Select this option in order to have an image used as the header background.
You can upload an image by simply clicking on “Select image”. Your WordPress Media Library will open. Choose the image you want to upload and then, click on “Choose Image”.
After the image is uploaded, you can set a header height (in pixels) in the “Header height” field to show more or less of the image.
Furthermore, there are two ways in which an image can be displayed in the header: “Full-Width” and “Centered”.
When you choose the “Full-Width” option, the image will be scaled to fit the entire width of the screen.
When you choose the “Centered” option, the image is shown at its full width and full height, centered in the header area. This will look best when the header image has the same width as the total content width.
Once you have set a header style you are happy with, you can use the menu link color pickers at the top of the “Header” section to make sure that the menu items are visible on the chosen background.
Hopefully, this article was useful for you. If so, please give us a smile below :)
Please note that our Legacy Themes have been replaced by new Thrive Theme Builder Themes. While our Legacy Themes are still functional, we are no longer actively developing them. Check out this courseto find out how to switch your site to Thrive Theme Builder.
You can easily add a video to your content by using the Video Section shortcode.
First, got to the Editor in your Dashboard. Click on the ThriveShortcodes drop-down menu and select "Video Section".
As you click on it, a new window will pop up with the following shortcode options:
1. YouTube / Vimeo / Custom
Here you need to set where has you video been uploaded to. Tick the box before "Custom" if the video is uploaded to a website different from YouTube or Vimeo.
YouTube
If the video you want to add to your page/post is uploaded to YouTube, here are the options you need to set:
The Video URL looks like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2Wrei2bXM4
You can set other options, for example hiding YouTube logo, title, related videos.
You don't need to add the video's embed code.
Vimeo
As you tick the box before 'Vimeo', the following options will appear:
Here you only need to add the Video URL. It’s important that you add the full URL of the video (including the “http://” part), like in this example: http://vimeo.com/28202814
Custom
This is the option you need if the video you want to add to your post or page was not uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo. Here are the options you need to set:
Unlike in the previous cases, first you need to add the embed code of the video. The embed code starts with <iframe . Here is an example for an embed code:
Then you need to add the Video Custom URL. It’s important that you add the full URL of the video (including the “http://” part), like in this example: http://vube.com/s/8744jr
2. Maximum Video Width
Set how many pixels you want you video to be maximum.
3. Heading Text
There is going to be a background with maximum three different texts before your video is played. The Heading appears on the top and it is the biggest one. Adding a text is not obligatory.
4. Subheading Text
This is the text that is going to appear under the Heading text. This text is much smaller than the Heading text.
5. Call to Action Text
This is the third type of text you can add. This will appear right under the play button with an arrow pointing to it, just like in this example:
6. Text and Play Button Color
You can set whether you want the abovementioned texts and play button to appear in dark or light.
7. Background Type
Before you start the video, there is going to be a background with a play button and optional texts above and below it. You can have an image, pattern or solid background.
Image
As you tick the box before 'Image', these are the options you will see:
By clicking on 'Upload', you can choose an image as background from your Media Library. Delete the chosen image with the 'Remove' button.
Pattern
Here are the options you will see if you decide to choose a pattern as background:
Click on the drop-down below 'Select Pattern' and choose a pattern you would like to add as a background to your video.
Solid
Here are the options for adding a solid background:
Click on 'Select Colour' and choose a colour you like.
9. Default / Top of the Page / Bottom of the Page
Set where you want the video to appear in your post/page
10. Insert
Once you are done with all the settings, click on 'Insert' and the video will be added to your content.
Here is an example for the Video Section:
Important!
Please note that in order to use the Shortcodes as they are described in this article, you have to install the "Classic Editor" plugin. Check out this articleto find out more about how to install and use the plugin.
Content marketing can be a very important strategy for your online business, but you have to do it right. Creating boring content will not help your business grow.
Our Method for Creating Better Blog Content
Use a Repeatable Format
The best way to create an engaging blog post is to use a repeatable format.
This works for list posts, but it works just as well for any other type of post.
You'll start with a teaser introductions, add a "Read More" tag and from here, you'll start your repeatable format.
In the demonstration we use the following format:
Title
Picture
Paragraph: What's good
Paragraph: What's bad
Summary box: This is a Thrive Architect content box that you can save an re-use every time. This will save you time and help you keep the format consistent.
We end the blog post with a conclusion title and paragraph.
In the video, we show the pattern for a list post, but it can be used in any circumstances. You should always ask yourself: "How can I break this topic down in repeatable chunks?"
Issue The ‘403-Forbidden’ error can occur while you are trying to save the content on your WordPress based website.
Sometimes a security layer of the website can be a little overaggressive and block genuine, harmless requests. This can happen because of server security settings, because of bad characters/patterns that trigger the firewall, or because the size of the request is too large. In any of these cases, you will see the ‘403-Forbidden’ error displayed.
Solution Since the cause of this is almost certainly related to a security setting or a security plugin on your website blocking the request of saving your content, the solution is to white-list (to allow) the request.
Doing this depends on the type and the settings of security plugins as follows:
1. WordFence
If you have installed and set up the security plugin called “WordFence” on your website, then set it to “Learning Mode” in order to resolve this issue. If you need details on how to do this, please check out this tutorial.
2. Other security plugins
If you (as a user) have installed other security plugins (that are not WordFence) on your website, you can try deactivating them, to see if this solves the error.
Note: This is only for debugging purposes, to see if deactivating the security plugin really solves the issue. You should not leave the security on your site deactivated. You are only doing this for a few minutes, to see if this is the actual problem.
In case deactivating the security plugin has indeed solved the issue, then try one of the following:
check the firewall rules, to see if you can set any exclusions for plugins (if so, then include the Thrive plugins there);
or see if you can find anything similar to a learning mode in the settings, (if so, then activate it).
If you do not find such settings or you are not familiar with them, then you should reach out to the developers of the respective security plugin. Tell them about the issue, send them the steps to replicate it and ask them to white-list the blocked request.
3. No known security plugins or settings
If you haven’t actually installed a security plugin on your website, and you are unaware of any such security settings, then, it is best if you contact your web hosting company.
Let them know about the error you have encountered and send them the exact steps to replicate it. Since they have access to all the settings and logs, they should be able to figure out the root of the error and the solution for it as well.
In case you still encounter difficulties, after trying all of the above mentioned troubleshooting tips, then please contact our support team by creating a new support ticket here.
Hopefully, this article was useful for you.If so, please give it a smile below :)
Every day of this week we will unveil a new set of opt-in form templates that you can access right away, on your own WordPress website from within Thrive Leads.
Today’s template set includes various opt-in form types with a modern design, that feature a round image with vivid colors.
