Most WordPress sites will likely have a link in the primary menu that goes to the homepage so visitors can easily navigate your site. Luckily it is very easy to add your home link in WordPress since version 3.0. To add your home link simply log into your WordPress dashboard and go to Appearance > Menus and under the “pages” section on the left side click on the “View All’ option and the very first option should be your home link which you can add to the menu.

See the screenshot below:

When you add the Home Link to your menu it will use a direct URL to your website’s homepage. So if you ever migrate your site or switch from http to https you need to make sure to update the menu item accordingly.

Adding a Home Link via Code

Now if you want to get a bit fancy or if you are working on a custom WordPress theme you can easily add your home link to your main menu using code by hooking into the wp_nav_menu_items wordpress filter. See the example snippet below.

/** * Add a home link to your menu * * @since 4.0 */ function wpex_add_menu_home_link( $items, $args ) { // Only used for the main menu if ( 'main' != $args->theme_location ) { return $items; } // Create home link $home_link = '<li><a href="' . esc_url( home_url( '/' ) ) . '">Home</a></li>'; // Add home link to the menu items $items = $home_link . $items; // Return menu items return $items; } add_filter( 'wp_nav_menu_items', 'wpex_add_menu_home_link', 10, 2 );

Simple change where it says “main” to be the name of the menu location where you want the home link to be added.

The “not-so-new-anymore” WordPress 3.0+ custom menu feature is not only extremely useful but is also very powerful. I have already written a few posts about editing and customizing the menu (such as how to highlight current page links ) and today I will show you how you can add special classes to your themes so you can easily show custom icons next to your navigation links.

Adding A Home Icon Next To WordPress Homepage Link

In order to better explain how to add icons I will take you through the steps for adding a home type icon next to your homepage link.

Step 1: Download a cool home icon

For the sake of this preview I just went over and downloaded a simple home icon from Finicons.com – link

Step 2: Enable Classes In Your WordPress Menu

By default the WordPress menu doesn’t show the “class” attributes in the menu builder, so hit the “screen options” and make sure it is checked.

Step 3: Add Style To Homepage Link

Now you can browse to or create a homepage link and add a new class to it. I added a class called “home-link-icon”.

Step 4: Add CSS For Home Menu Icon

Now the only thing left is adding the css to your stylesheet to show the icon for the class you just created. Note: Make sure you add the icon downloaded in step 1 into your theme’s images folder.

Sample CSS

.home-link-icon a{ padding-left: 30px !important; background-image: url(images/home.png); background-position: left; background-repeat: no-repeat; }

Sample Image

Below you can see my css in action in a theme I am currently working on to release for free over at my Free WordPress Themes section. It’s not really positioned perfectly and the icon doesn’t match, but for the sake of this tutorial you can see how it’s supposed to work.

WorddPress 3 has been out for a long time now yet there are still TONS of people who have no idea how to use the new WordPress custom menu admin. For this reason as a theme developer it’s important to show a fallback for your menu so your buyers/theme users don’t think that something is messed up with your theme. Below I will show you what I think is the ideal solution, creating a custom fallback with a link to “wp-admin/nav-menus.php” so when the user installs the theme they can click on the link and go set up their menu right away.

Step 1: Create The Fallback Function

First thing we are going to do is add a new function to your functions.php file (or whatever file you use to register your custom menu areas). Add the following code, preferably right after the register_nav_menu function for better usability. This function will grab the new file that you will create in step 2 with the code for your default/fallback menu.

// Menu Fallback function wpex_default_menu() { get_template_part( 'template-parts/default-menu.php' ); }

Step 2: Set Up Your Default/Fallback Menu

Now you need to create the file that the function added previously will grab and display when a menu isn’t defined in the WP admin for your menu area.

a. Create a new folder called “template-parts” in your theme folder if one doesn’t exist already

b. Create a new file called default-menu.php

3. Insert your code for your fallback menu in this file (make sure it matches the code used on your site so it looks nice). Below is a basic example:

<ul> <li><a href="<?php echo admin_url('nav-menus.php'); ?>"><?php esc_html_e( 'Set Up Your Menu', 'text_domain' ); ?></a></li> </ul>

Step 3: Call Your Fallback function in your menu

Now you’ll want to go back to your “ wp_nav_menu ” function and add your fallback as a part of the array and call the function  you created in step one, such as the example below:

<?php //define main navigation wp_nav_menu( array( 'theme_location' => 'main', 'fallback_cb'    => 'wpex_default_menu', ) ); ?>

With no less than 72 powerful features, Maps Marker Pro is (in its developer’s words) “the most comprehensive and user-friendly mapping solution for WordPress”. Whether you’re organizing a community bike ride, looking to increase foot traffic to your Thai restaurant, or are planning the launch of a boutique bakery shop, Maps Marker Pro is the WordPress mapping solution of choice.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at Maps Marker Pro and reveal how many of its most powerful features can be harnessed for your WordPress website.

Primary Features of the Maps Marker Pro Plugin

You can create clusters of markers as well. Say for instance that you’re an organic dog food manufacturer and distributer. Your customers might want to know where to purchase your product locally. You can use clusters to identify each region of the city where your dog food can be found, and consumers can find individual store locations within each region.

Noteworthy Additional Features of Maps Marker Pro

• Use shortcodes to embed maps into your pages, posts, templates, and widgets.
• Display icons are customizable.
• Choose your own base maps, including Google Maps, Open Street Map, Bing, Mapbox, and custom WMTS-maps.
• Fully responsive.
• Add QR codes of your maps to packaging, etc.
• Create a map legend.

All of these features and more are available for a one-time license fee.

Standard support for one domain is available on the Personal plan for $31. Five domains are supported on the Plus plan for $87, and the Professional plan offers support for 25 domains at the cost of $164. Although each license is a one-time fee, updates and continued support incur a yearly fee.

You can test out these features before fully committing by activating a 30-day trial . The trial seamlessly transitions into the paid version if or when you’re ready to upgrade to the Pro version.

Deciding Which Features are Best for You

With so many features to choose from, you might be wondering which ones could truly benefit you and your business goals. Let’s explore some real case studies.

Ewetopia uses Maps Marker Pro to indicate where customers can find their products. In the image below, they use clustering, layers, and icons to point to markets and restaurants that carry their products.

Niagra Cycling Tourism Centre created multiple maps as well. Some indicate cyclists’ routes, and others indicate where cyclists could stop for repairs and additional services along those bike routes. The third image is of a Maps Marker Pro legend.

Cartography training isn’t needed to create your own maps that look as precise and professional as these.

Bringing the World to Your (Virtual or Physical) Door

How exactly is all of this done? Let’s say you’re the owner of Mindi’s Moochi Delights & Cafe – where you sell moochi desserts, beverages, and short cook menu items. You have both a website and brick-and-mortar shop, but your primary marketing goal is to get foot traffic into your store. What would be your next step?

Step 1

After installation, click Maps Marker Pro in your administration panel within WordPress, followed by Add new marker. You should be led to a page that looks similar to this:

Step 2

Fill out all necessary fields. You want to name the marker, enter its location, choose its map size and zoom level, assign a layer (if desired), determine the type of control box and display panel, select an icon, decide if you’d like pop-up text, and if so, enter that text, and then click Publish .

You might be prompted to provide longitude and latitude coordinates for your desired location. Here’s the easiest way I’ve found to do that. Once all the fields have been filled out, they should look something like this:

Step 3

Copy the shortcode of your new marker from the top of the page:

Alternatively, you can click the Add map button located at the top of the text editor menu of your new page or post.

If you don’t have an existing post or page in which to display your new map, create one, then add the shortcode into the appropriate area. Format your page or post as desired, and then test out your new map. Here’s the end result:

This basic map has a clear image with precise coordinates. It’s sure to help patrons gain a visual understanding of the business location. Information added to the pop-up box further enhances the customer experience, as they don’t have to search for basic information such as business hours or parking availability.

Using Maps Marker Pro With a Growing Business

As your business or organized event grows, so can the depth of information you provide to site visitors using your WordPress Maps Marker Pro plugin.

On average, site visitors who make one map request – as in requesting to view one geographical location on your website – require hundreds of map resources behind the scenes. When a web server has to recall that much information, pages can potentially load more slowly, which makes for a poor user experience.

Site visitors will typically search for another website instead of waiting around for a page to load. But the good news is that the clustering option offered by the Maps Marker Pro plugin reduces page load time.

In the image above, the green circle is an example of clustering. There are two cafe locations in close proximity, so they’re clustered together. Once clicked, viewers can see the separate locations of each.

To create clusters, you’d make layers similar to the markers we went over above. Instead of “Add new marker” you’d select “Add new layer”. After filling out all the fields and saving the new layer, you can then assign your markers to appear on the layer you created. This results in the image directly above – one map with multiple clustered locations.

Have You Tried Maps Marker Pro?

The Maps Marker Pro plugin is a nifty tool that positions you to offer an added layer of information to site visitors and potential customers. It boasts dozens of features and translation options, and has a shallow learning curve, so you won’t have to carve much time from your busy schedule in order to activate and display your maps.

Get Maps Marker Pro

Do you think that the Maps Marker plugin will be a viable solution for your business? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Have you just started out as a WordPress developer only to find yourself battling clients who seem to have sprung straight from your worst nightmares? Are budget wrangles or constant last-minute changes stressing you out? If so, it’s time to put the foot down and commit to making a change.

While you can’t always spot dreadful clients in advance, you can put systems in place to manage your business better and make breaking ties with problematic clients much less painful.

In this article we’ll discuss ways you can find and attract ideal prospects, best manage your developer business, and part ways with nightmarish clients. Let’s start with identifying the right people.

Get to Know Your Ideal Client

Are you crystal clear on who you’d ideally like to work with? Sometimes, freelancers and less experienced developers are so eager to get started working that they don’t screen their clients properly.

If you find yourself struggling to attract decent clients, it might be time to alter your approach. Ask yourself the following key questions:

• Do I want to work with startups or established companies?
• What are my non-negotiable terms?
• What type of clients are my skills best suited to serve ?

Once you’ve established the answers to these initial questions, you want to start thinking about mistakes to avoid. Start pondering the following questions:

• How do I positively contribute to the overall tone of communication on the project?
• How do I plan to present the finished project?
• Will I transition the client to manage his own account at the close of the project, or not?

Having a dream client in mind and actively thinking about future project-related scenarios makes you far less likely to attract the wrong type of client to begin with. Now that we’ve covered the happy path, let’s turn our attention to less desirable situations.

Identifying and Managing Nightmarish Clients

As a relatively inexperienced WordPress developer, it’s not always easy to spot a horrendous client in advance – even when you’ve taken precautions. There are, however, some sure signs of terrible clients. Any of the following issues should be enough to set alarm bells ringing and send red flags hurtling skywards:

• Consistent problems with payment.
• Clients who consume too much of your time.
• Constant changes or massively shifting project goals.
• Aggressive or manipulative clients who string you along with the possibility of future work rather than fair pay now.
• Clients who don’t let you do your job and attempt to commandeer your responsibilities.

It’s not always easy to keep a cool head, but you need to be able to objectively notice these behaviors in the first place, then calmly decide how to address the problems.

Once you’ve determined which of your current clients are potentially problematic, it’s time to take steps to mitigate against possible issues. Basic project organization goes a long way towards putting out fires in advance, or at least getting you through to the finish line in one piece. Consider employing all of the following techniques:

• Use a client management system like Trello , or Basecamp to keep your various ducks in a row.
• Create a client manual to help your client transition to managing his own website, and spare future pain.
• Create a client questionnaire to clarify terms of service and expectations up front.
• Edit your client’s administrative menu to make self-management an easier option down the road.
• Carefully review and (potentially) revise your contract.
• Constantly hone your client communication skills.

Most importantly, treat yourself well throughout this process. Professionalism does not equate to being anyone’s doormat. If you do feel you’re going to have to bite the bullet and endure a difficult client experience until the end of a particular project, keep these cautionary points in mind:

• Set boundaries. Don’t go to great extremes trying to please unreasonable clients. Some people will simply never be satisfied, regardless of what you do. You have every right to preserve your sanity; your long-term success depends on doing so.
• Be straight with yourself. Honestly assess your feelings about a client and, if something feels weird but you can’t pinpoint what it is, trust your gut and start taking steps to disengage. 99 times out of 100, you’ll be right.
• Don’t fear letting go. Plan ahead by marketing your services to your ideal customer as you prepare to fire your current client. Sometimes letting go of a bad client opens the door to several perfect ones.

Firing Clients That Aren’t a Good Match

Even with the best efforts, sometimes you simply have to sever ties with a client sooner than anticipated. When a client-developer relationship breaks down irreparably, it’s time to part ways – no exceptions. The idea of firing a client can be scary, but it’s a normal part of commercial life and you should treat it as a learning experience. Here are key steps to bear in mind:

1. Respect and gratitude: Maintain this overall tone, don’t let emotions creep in, and remain calm and respectful.
2. Remain neutral but firm: Don’t blame, use factual language, and make it clear that you are severing the relationship.
3. Summarize your position: Offer a brief explanation for your actions and set a final date.
4. Offer a solution: Suggest other WordPress developers that might be a better fit. If appropriate, offer a full or partial refund.
5. Positive send off: Thank the client for the learning experience and wish him well in all future endeavors.

Example Template

There are many ways to do this. Here’s how the above outline might look in email-form:

Now What?

Are you ready to kiss your nightmare clients goodbye? Let’s recap the steps we suggested:

1. Start by determining who you’d like your ideal clients to be.
2. Confirm whether you have any current hellish clients.
3. Manage problem clients effectively in the short term.
4. Manage yourself – there’s no need to take extreme abuse. If an abrupt firing is necessary, do it.
5. Gracefully fire clients that aren’t a good match.

We’re curious to hear how you’ve handled similar experiences to the ones discussed above. How do you manage unbearable clients? Have you ever had to fire any? Share your experiences in the comments below!