There are two ways you can set up a new project in Craft 3, vis-a-vis, via Composer and Manual. Both the methods require extensive technical expertise & understanding of Craft CMS.
With Composer method you have to know your commands and what you’re doing with them but in case of the manual method you just have to perform some simple operations.
Composer Method in Craft CMS
If you have a good understanding of Craft CMS, then you can setup a new Craft project with the some terminal commands.
Though, before installing Craft with composer, do make sure that you’re running Composer version 1.3.0 or above.
Here are the essential steps:
Check the Composer version
composer -V
Run this command in case your Composer needs updating
composer self-update
When you’ve confirmed that you’re running a compatible version of the Composer, run the following command (substitute with the path where Composer should create the project):
composer create-project craftcms/craft <PATH>
The composer will do all the work and it will display a success message.
Another way is to do it manually.
Manual Method to setup Craft CMS
You will have to download the archive from Craft’s website. Choose the archive format you’re familiar to work with. Extract the archive where you want your Craft project to be saved. Then follow these 5 steps:
Step 1: Setting up permissions
When you’re doing the manual setup, you have to download and extract the Craft archive in the desired place. The extraction will provide you with a Craft directory which has these files in it:
config/…storage/templates/vendor/…web/….env.env.examplecomposer.jsoncraftcraft.batLICENSE.mdREADME.md
Out of these files, there are some files for which PHP needs access permissions for different users to write on it. The files are:
.envComposer.json Composer.lockconfig/license.keystorage/*Vendor
The permissions are defined on the basis of the relationship between the system user that the PHP is running as and ownership of the folders/files.
If they are the same user, use 744.
If they’re in the same group, then use 774.
If you’re not sure, then use 777.
Step 2: Securing the project with a security key
You have to set up a security key to encrypt the data of your project. Every project in Craft has a unique one. You can also use same security key for multiple environments running Craft.
You can set a unique security key using the terminal or with a password generator. The password generator will help you to create a cryptographically secure key. Now you need to insert the generated key in your .env file.
Open the .env file and insert the security key in between the quotes where it says:
SECURITY_KEY=” “
Save the file.
Setting the security key with terminal
Run the following command in your project’s root directory:
./craft setup/security-key.
Step 3: Creating a database
Craft 3 supports MySQL 5.5+ and PostgreSQL 9.5+. So you can choose your database accordingly. But there are some recommended database settings:
For MySQL
Default Character Set: utf8
Default Collation: utf8_unicode_ci
For PostgreSQL
Character Set: UTF8
Step 4: Setting up a web server
With the database done setting up. You need a web server on which you can host your Craft project. Make sure you set the path of it’s document root to-
web/directory(name of the directory)
You will need to update your hosts file if you’re not using any local hosts like MAMP.
You can find your respective host files here
For macOS/Linux/Unix: /etc/hosts
For Windows: \Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Enter http://<HOSTNAME>/index.php?p=admin in the address bar of your browser (substitute <HOSTNAME> with your web server’s host name). Just to check if the setup works.
If there are no errors, Craft’s Setup Wizard will show!
Step 5: Running the setup
You can either run the setup from terminal or from the browser. In the terminal after running the setup command and telling the installer ‘how to connect to the database’, your installation should take care of itself.
Browser setup on the other hand provides an interactive installer to setup your Craft.
With Terminal
Open your terminal to run the command
./craft setup
Answer the questions about how to connect to your database to start the installation. After the installation, you can access your new Craft project.
With Browser
Open your browser and enter http://<HOSTNAME>/index.php?p=admin (substitute <HOSTNAME> with your web server’s host name) in the address bar of your browser to find Craft’s installer. Follow the instructions and your Craft should be up and running in few minutes.
I. Accept the license agreement
II. Enter the Database information
III. Create an admin account
IV. Enter the preferred system name, URL and language
V. Finish
You’re all set to tweak the website from your Craft control panel.
If you’ve followed every step mentioned in this tutorial then you should be able to fire up your Craft projects right away.
Both the methods require expertise in Craft CMS. You can connect with us here for further assistance and queries.
Forget the gold rush days of keyword stuffing and black-hat tactics. Today’s SEO landscape is a carefully cultivated ecosystem, and Craft CMS stands tall as a fertile ground for organic growth. Craft CMS, known for its flexibility and user-friendly interface, offers a fertile ground for implementing effective SEO strategies. This guide explores how to harness the full potential of SEO within Craft CMS, ensuring your website not only ranks higher in search results but also meets the evolving expectations of both search engines and users.
Setting the SEO Foundation in Craft CMS
To ensure your Craft CMS site ranks well in search engine results and offers an outstanding user experience, focusing on foundational SEO settings is critical. Let’s explore some of the essential steps for optimizing your Craft CMS site, providing a more detailed and structured approach to each key area.
1. Enhancing SEO with Built-in Fields
Utilizing Meta Titles and Descriptions:
Craft CMS is equipped with specific fields for meta titles and descriptions, crucial for telling search engines what your page is about. To make the most of these:
Craft Compelling Meta Titles: Keep them under 60 characters to ensure they display fully in search results. Incorporate main keywords at the beginning and your brand name towards the end.
Write Descriptive Meta Descriptions: Aim for about 160 characters, using active voice and including a call-to-action. Mention primary keywords naturally to improve relevance and click-through rates.
2. Customizing URLs for Enhanced SEO
Implementing SEO-Friendly URL Structures:
Craft CMS offers the flexibility to tailor your URLs, a feature you should leverage to boost your SEO:
Include Relevant Keywords: Ensure URLs reflect your content’s primary keywords, enhancing relevance and searchability.
Maintain Simplicity and Readability: Use hyphens to separate words, keep URLs short, and avoid unnecessary parameters or numbers.
Follow a Logical Structure: Organize your content hierarchically, using URL paths that indicate the relationship between pages, which helps users and search engines navigate your site more effectively.
3. Maximizing Visibility with Rich Snippets
Implementing Schema Markup:
Schema markup is a form of structured data that you can add to your Craft CMS site to help search engines return more informative results for users:
Identify Appropriate Schema Types: Depending on your content, choose from a variety of schema types like Article, Local Business, Event, or Product.
Use Craft CMS Plugins: Tools like SEOmatic for Craft CMS can simplify the process of adding schema markup to your site, automating much of the work and ensuring your pages stand out in SERPs with rich snippets.
Test Your Implementation: Utilize Google’s Rich Results Test tool to verify that your schema markup is correctly implemented and visible to search engines.
Advanced SEO Techniques in Craft CMS
Here are the strategies to master advanced SEO techniques for enhanced visibility and user experience of your Craft CMS site.
1. Site Speed Optimization
Why Site Speed Matters:
A fast-loading website is essential for both SEO and user satisfaction. Google prioritizes site speed in its ranking algorithm, understanding that users prefer websites that load quickly.
How to Optimize Site Speed in Craft CMS:
Optimize Images: Use Craft CMS’s built-in image transformation capabilities to serve images at the correct size and format, reducing unnecessary file size without compromising quality.
Implement Caching: Craft CMS supports several caching strategies, such as template caching, that can significantly reduce load times by storing copies of dynamic content for faster retrieval.
Minimize and Combine Files: Minify CSS and JavaScript files to eliminate unnecessary characters. Consider combining multiple files into one where possible to reduce the number of HTTP requests.
2. Mobile Optimization
The Importance of Mobile-Friendliness:
With over half of global web traffic coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-optimized site is non-negotiable for SEO success.
Achieving Mobile Optimization in Craft CMS:
Responsive Design: Ensure your Craft CMS theme is responsive, meaning it automatically adjusts to fit the screen size of the device it’s being viewed on. Craft CMS’s templating system allows for flexible design implementation.
Touchscreen Readiness: Make sure all elements are easily navigable on a touchscreen, with adequately spaced links and easily accessible navigation menus.
Speed Considerations: Mobile users often rely on cellular data, making site speed even more critical. Apply all site speed optimization strategies with a mobile-first mindset.
3. Strategic Content Creation and Management
Content’s Role in SEO:
Quality content drives engagement, shares, and backlinks, all of which are critical factors in SEO rankings. Consistently publishing relevant, high-quality content positions your site as an authoritative source in your niche.
Maximizing Content Impact in Craft CMS:
Keyword Optimization: Research and integrate relevant keywords naturally into your content, titles, and meta descriptions to improve visibility.
Content Structure: Use headings (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content for easy readability. This not only benefits users but also helps search engines understand the hierarchy and relevance of your information.
Update Regularly: Keep your content fresh and up-to-date. Regular updates signal to search engines that your site is active, encouraging them to crawl your site more frequently.
Leveraging SEO Plugins and Tools in Craft CMS
The integration of Google Analytics and Google Search Console with Craft CMS sites offers valuable insights into traffic patterns, keyword rankings, and user behavior, enabling data-driven decisions to refine SEO strategies. Craft CMS’s ecosystem includes powerful plugins like SEOmatic, which simplify tasks like generating sitemaps and optimizing meta tags, ensuring your site is fully optimized for search engines.
Boost Your Craft CMS Site with Strategic SEO Implementation
As we navigate the digital landscape of 2024, the significance of SEO in crafting a successful online presence cannot be overstated. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you can utilize the full potential of your Craft CMS site, ensuring it not only ranks high in search results but also delivers an exceptional user experience.
However, SEO is an ongoing journey that requires expertise, dedication, and a keen eye for evolving trends. This is where Galaxy Weblinks comes in. Our team of SEO specialists and Craft CMS experts are equipped to take your website to the next level. From strategic SEO planning to execution and monitoring, we provide comprehensive solutions tailored to your unique needs.
Ready to enhance your site’s SEO and drive measurable results? Contact Galaxy Weblinks today for a free discovery call. Let’s collaborate to ensure your Craft CMS site is perfectly aligned with your business goals and poised for success in the competitive digital arena of 2024.
The digital marketplace of 2024 places a critical demand on brands to transcend the confines of static, rigid templates and deliver exceptional, personalized customer experiences. Content Builder in Craft CMS emerges as a revolutionary tool, enabling businesses to create customized, engaging content without the constraints of coding. This innovation allows for the crafting of immersive experiences tailored to the unique needs and preferences of consumers, marking a significant leap towards greater flexibility and creativity in content creation.
The shift away from one-size-fits-all website templates to dynamic, personalized content reflects the evolving expectations of today’s digital audiences. With Craft CMS’s Content Builder, brands are empowered to construct captivating, code-free content landscapes, fostering deeper connections with their audience. This tool is indispensable for any brand aiming to stand out in the competitive digital environment of 2024, offering a pathway to crafting content that resonates and truly engages.
Why Do You Need a Content Builder?
Using Craft CMS’s Content Builder brings several key advantages that can transform how you create and manage content:
Making Content Creation Easy for Everyone:
Content creation isn’t just for developers anymore. A 2023 report from HubSpot shows that 74% of marketers see creating engaging content as their biggest challenge. The Content Builder lets people without technical skills, like marketers or business owners, jump into content creation. This change means quicker content updates, more flexibility, and content that really connects with your audience. Imagine your marketing team putting together dynamic landing pages or your sales team customizing product pages on their own, without needing a developer.
Letting Your Creativity Flow:
Forget being stuck with standard templates. The Content Builder gives you the freedom to drag and drop elements, designing layouts that show off your brand’s personality and meet your audience’s interests. Use text, images, videos, forms, and more to create anything from interactive landing pages and personalized product showcases to engaging blog posts or fun learning modules. This tool lets your creativity shine, helping you stand out.
Boosting Your Website’s SEO:
In today’s online world, being visible on search engines is crucial for drawing in organic traffic and leads. The Content Builder helps you cleverly include keywords, headings, and links in your content. This not only engages your audience but also boosts your site’s search engine ranking, bringing more potential customers your way. Great content leads the way, and the Content Builder equips you to craft content that’s both engaging and discoverable.
Building Your Content Piece by Piece:
Here’s how to make the most of the Content Builder:
Choosing Your Tools:
Craft CMS offers a wide range of field types to help you put your content together. There are Matrix fields for flexible layouts, Rich Text fields for stories, Assets for beautiful visuals, and even Live Data fields for up-to-date content. Picking the right tools is the first step to captivating your audience.
Mapping Out Your Content:
Before you start creating, take some time to plan. Think about the layouts you want, identify elements you might reuse, and consider how to guide users through their journey on your site. Know what your audience enjoys, set clear goals for your content, and understand how it fits into your wider marketing strategy. Good planning makes sure your content always lands well.
Making It User-Friendly:
Design with your audience in mind. Aim for layouts that are easy to get around on any device, use visual cues to draw attention, and make sure your calls to action stand out. The best content looks great, is easy to access, and gets users to take action.
Adding Extra Features:
Take your Content Builder further with plugins. Look into SuperTable for detailed layouts, Feed Me for auto-updating content, or Formidable for interactive forms. Plugins are your secret weapon, enhancing your Content Builder and giving you new ways to connect with your audience.
By making content creation more accessible and allowing for greater creativity, Craft CMS’s Content Builder is essential for businesses aiming to make an impact in the digital world of 2024.
Real-World Success Stories:
See how the Content Builder has already made a big difference for businesses and their customers:
RedSky Travel
This popular adventure travel agency started using the Content Builder to make unique landing pages for each travel destination. These pages have fun interactive maps, custom trip plans based on what the visitor likes, and forms that update in real time to let you book your adventure right away. This approach makes it easier for travelers to find exactly what they’re looking for, leading to more people reaching out to book trips. In fact, RedSky Travel’s inquiries went up by 30% after they began using the Content Builder, proving it’s a game-changer for offering personalized experiences and getting more bookings.
Green Thumb Garden Supply
This online gardening store uses the Content Builder to put together product pages that not only look great but are also interactive. They feature galleries full of images, detailed specs, and care guides for plants that change based on where the customer lives. This hands-on way of showing products boosts customer interest, helps them understand products better, and, most importantly, increases sales. Green Thumb Garden Supply noticed a 25% increase in the value of the average order after bringing in the Content Builder, showing how it can make product pages more engaging and encourage customers to spend more.
Crafting the Future with Galaxy Weblinks
In 2024, making your website stand out is crucial. With Craft CMS, you can create a site that really connects with your audience. This isn’t just about technology; it’s about bringing your digital vision to life.
Galaxy Weblinks is here to help you do just that. We have the expertise in Craft CMS to help you build a website that not only looks great but also engages your visitors. Think of us as your partner in making your website more than just another URL.
Ready to make your website truly engaging? Get in touch with Galaxy Weblinks. Let’s make your site something special together.
We are not saying that we do not like WordPress but old man has to move the order to pave way for new and what better than Craft CMS to do so.
The key difference is how both the CMSs approach development. WordPress is a have-it-all and pick what you need approach, while Craft is ripped to basics so that you have a blank slate to build what you need.
Craft CMS is minimalistic, it’s simple, it’s dynamic, and offers key features. In fact, our developers have chosen right and wrong enough times to pick a final side.
You might not believe us right away so here’s what made us a fan.
Fields in Craft
Craft is a boon if you love neat organization. With Custom Fields you can get second level of control over your content type. Different content types ask for different formatting and layouts. Custom Field lets you define those types.
Craft’s Custom Fields & Sections make it easier to manage different types of content while WordPress makes up for it using plugins like ACF (Advanced Custom Fields).
Matrix block model in Craft
Matrix is like Legos, you can use the building Blocks to create a desirable layout for your content. It is a fun way to create complex layouts with ease. The rearrangement of these blocks is even easier. The blocks can be rearranged with a simple drag and drop without affecting the code in the template. You can define field types in the blocks.
WordPress’ ACF plugin adopts heavily from the Matrix content blocks of Craft for custom layouts but it isn’t as efficient as the Matrix.
Live Preview in Craft
Craft’s Live Preview allows you to make changes in real time. You can see the changes as you make them. It splits the screen, showing you the changes in real time on one side of the screen while you make those changes in other.
Craft’s Live Preview lets you review the changes in real time while in WordPress you will have a separate tab open for every little change you make.
Sections in Craft
With Craft you can create different sections for different content types:
‘Single’ section for unique content requirement.
‘Channel’ section for streamlined content with an order.
‘Structure’ section for content type which follows a predefined structure.
As Homepages have unique content requirements, they’re made in the Single section. News and Case Studies need to be ordered by date so they are made in the Channel section while a page like Services needs a predefined structure which can be achieved in the Structure Section.
Craft completely focuses on Content Management and makes it easier for your users to consume content & design distinctively. WordPress on the other hand doesn’t have any such feature.
Localization in Craft
When in Rome, speak as Romans do. Because Craft conveniently lets you. Localization is a powerful Craft feature. It lets you present content on a website in a specific language to target specific audience. The feature proves to be very useful when your audience is of different nationalities. Localization can be achieved by setting up and enabling locales. You can simply switch to the desired locale from the sidebar of the edit entry section, even in a particular section.
Localization translates your page’s content according to your target audience. WordPress relies on heavy plugins that interrupt with the security too.
Relations in Craft
Craft’s relationship engine allows you to form relations between posts with entry fields. You can create relations within the entries. Make an entry field determine the field type and update the template code. Drag, Drop, done. It’s that easy in Craft.
Craft’s Relationship engine allows you to form relations between post types while in WordPress you will be creating a separate category and some PHP tweaks or a plugin.
One-Click Updates in Craft
Craft’s update feature is highly underestimated. It provides the critical updates vis-a-vis features, improvements, bug fixes, security enhancements, and plugins in a single easy-to-install package.
Whenever there is a new update in Craft, it will appear in the control panel as a notification badge. You can download the update just by clicking on the badge. Craft even takes the precautionary measure of taking a backup of your data before installing any update package. Pretty clever! Isn’t it?
You can just go through the brief about the bug fixes, security enhancements, and improvements which come with the package before actually installing the package.
Craft’s One-Click update feature literally updates everything in a single click while in WordPress you have to update every other element almost exclusively.
Security in Craft
Since Craft’s one-click update feature is so efficient, users don’t delay the most important part of keeping a CMS safe, Updates.
It’s just a matter of a click and Craft takes care of the rest.
Craft CMS provides freedom of customization, central update system, and state-of-the-art security, all at a one-time fee of $299. WordPress on the other hand is free, at least initially. For the added security — which is a necessity — you’ll have to pay up to $500/month.
Looking at the vulnerabilities that the dependency on plugins bring, Craft CMS does not only look like a safe bet but also a smart decision.
Craft 3 supports MySQL 5.5+ and PostgreSQL 9.5+. So you can choose your database accordingly. But there are some recommended database settings:
