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Discover what’s new in WordPress 6.6

WordPress
WordPress 6.6 has landed! It brings a suite of updates designed to enrich your site's functionality and aesthetic appeal. At WHC, we're committed to helping you succeed online, and we’re excited to dive into the details of this update. Let’s explore how these new features can transform the way you create and manage your website.
If you manage a complex website with several plugins, we recommend waiting a few weeks before upgrading to 6.6 to avoid any compatibility issues. Major upgrades may break some plugins/themes.

What’s New in WordPress 6.6?

WordPress 6.6 introduces enhancements that promise to streamline your web design and management experience even further. Whether you're a novice building your first website or a seasoned developer, WordPress 6.6 is designed to make your workflow more efficient and intuitive.
In addition to the new features offered by WordPress 6.6, WHC has also recently enhanced WordPress for its customers by launching new AI-powered features. Discover AI-powered WordPress.

Exploring the Standout Features of WordPress 6.6

Introducing the New Grid Block

Elevate your site's layout with WordPress 6.6's new Grid block. This feature allows you to display any blocks in a well-organized grid layout, providing enhanced control over columns and styling for both the grid and individual items. Adjust the minimum column width and set the grid layout to 'Manual' to drag items across columns for custom designs, ensuring your layouts remain beautiful across all devices. Screenshot of the new Grid block in WordPress 6.6

Enhanced Color and Typography Customization

WordPress 6.6 enhances block themes by allowing theme authors to create unlimited color and font sets. This addition offers more precise design options within the same theme, allowing for deeper customization of color and typography without altering the site's broader styling. These sets open up new possibilities for unique and personalized website appearances. Screenshot of the new styles section in WordPress 6.6.

Quick Previews for Pages

Optimize your editing workflow with WordPress 6.6’s improved layout for managing pages. The new side-by-side layout in the Site Editor allows you to view all your pages and preview any selected page before editing, simplifying the process and saving you time. Screenshot of the new preview pages section in WordPress 6.6.

Rollbacks for Plugin Auto-Updates

Experience worry-free plugin updates with the new automatic rollback feature for plugin auto-updates in WordPress 6.6. If an update causes issues, WordPress will automatically revert to the previous stable version of the plugin, enhancing your site's stability and security while minimizing potential downtime.

Major Performance Enhancements

WordPress 6.6 brings significant performance improvements, including a 33% reduction in template loading time in the editor, removal of redundant WP_Theme_JSON calls, and optimizations such as disabling autoload for large options, eliminating unnecessary polyfill dependencies, and introducing lazy loading for post embeds. These updates contribute to a faster, more responsive site editing experience.

Accessibility Improvements

With over 55 accessibility fixes and enhancements, WordPress 6.6 focuses on improving foundational elements of the user experience, particularly in new site editing features and crucial interaction areas like the Inserter. These updates ensure a more accessible and inclusive environment for all users. Want to learn more? Check out the official 6.6 release notes for additional info about this release.

Upgrading to WordPress 6.6

WordPress 6.6 is now available on our Web Hosting and Managed WordPress plans. If you have a complex site, it's best to test the new version on a staging site first. This approach ensures that your live site remains unaffected until you confirm the new version's stability and compatibility with your setup.
Backup Your Site: Always ensure you have a functional backup before upgrading. This safety measure allows you to revert to your previous setup if needed.
WordPress 6.6 is an opportunity to leverage new functionalities and design enhancements to make your website more robust, attractive, and user-friendly. For any questions or assistance with updating to WordPress 6.6, our WHC support team is here to help you maximize these exciting new features.

Looking Forward

As you prepare to upgrade, remember that staying updated with WordPress not only enhances your site's capabilities but also its security. Get ready to explore all that WordPress 6.6 has to offer and stay tuned for future updates as we continue to help you excel in the digital space.
WordPress AI

AI-powered WordPress is here, and it’s going to change everything!

WordPress

For over 20 years, WordPress has been the go-to platform for creating and managing websites. Today, it powers over 43% of websites worldwide, nearly 10x as many as any other platform, making WordPress the world’s most popular content management system.

In early 2023, Artificial Intelligence, specifically generative AI, stunned the world with the launch of OpenAI’s GPT-4 and continues to push boundaries with every new release. 

Today, we’re excited to announce that AI-powered WordPress is now available on WHC’s Managed WordPress Hosting and Web Hosting services! 

And it's set to make everyone's online journey easier, faster, and more fun. Let’s dive in:

What’s AI-powered WordPress?

Imagine having the power of the latest generative AI technology at your fingertips as you create your website. That moment is here and it’s baked right into WordPress!

AI-powered WordPress makes building and managing your website easier and faster than ever. Here’s what it can do for you:

  1. Fast, Prompt-Based Website Creation: Generate a custom website in minutes by simply typing in what you need and answering a few questions. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a beginner, this feature allows you to create high-quality websites without any coding quickly.
  2. AI Content Creator: Leverage the AI Content Creator to generate product descriptions, blog posts, and even images based on your guidelines. It’s like having your own professional writer and designer on call 24/7. Browse the Design library and easily drag and drop website sections like call-to-actions, hero banners, and more into your existing site pages.
  3. AI WordPress Assistant: Get your own personal WordPress AI assistant in the dashboard to help guide you through some of the more complex tasks with WordPress. Follow the steps to help you get from zero to website in no time and get more done, faster.
AI-powered WordPress is now included for free with WHC’s Managed WordPress Hosting and Web Hosting services. 

Why you should care

Creating and managing a website has traditionally been tedious and technical, and WordPress had a steep learning curve. AI-powered WordPress changes all that! Here's how:

It simplifies website creation (and makes it fun!)

AI-powered WordPress makes website creation accessible to practically everyone, from small business owners, bloggers and creatives, to their grandma. No technical skills? No problem! Everyone can now create professional-grade websites effortlessly.

This also empowers individuals with disabilities, including those who are blind or have dyslexia, with intuitive interfaces and AI-generated content. It simplifies complex tasks in WordPress and underscores the importance of web accessibility in the evolution of digital technologies.

And as AI continues to learn and evolve, you can expect even more sophisticated and tailored website solutions. 

It gets you there faster

No matter your industry, AI-powered WordPress can help you work faster. 

  • Real estate agent? Set up property listings with detailed descriptions and images in no time. 
  • Tech startup? Craft technical blogs and product pages effortlessly.
  • Launching a new fashion line? AI can generate product descriptions, create blog posts, and design banners. 
  • Thinking of opening a restaurant? Create a website in less than a minute to see if interest is there or create buzz.

By leveraging AI capabilities, you can respond quickly to market opportunities, keep your content fresh and relevant, and significantly reduce the time and effort required to maintain a dynamic online presence. 

This means faster time-to-market, quicker adaptation to trends, and more efficient updates, giving you a definite edge over your competitors.

It’s open-source and portable

AI-powered WordPress is built on the world's most popular open-source software, giving you unmatched flexibility and control. You can choose from thousands of plugins to customize and expand your website as you grow online. 

Unlike other website builders that restrict you by locking you in, WordPress lets you fully control your data and move your site to a different hosting provider if needed. Plus, by using WordPress, you join a large, active community of developers and users who can provide support, share ideas, and offer solutions. 

This means your website is adaptable, portable, and success-ready, giving you the freedom to focus on your business.

It’s affordable

You must be wondering: this sounds great but how much more is this going to cost me?

We think you’ll love the answer: absolutely nothing!

Generative AI has proven so useful in our testing that we felt compelled to make this powerful technology available to all our clients. So, AI-powered WordPress is included at no additional cost with WHC’s Managed WordPress Hosting and Web Hosting services. You’re welcome! 🙃✌️

It’s safe and respects your privacy

WHC’s AI-powered WordPress, using GPT-4o, prioritizes your privacy by ensuring that your prompts are not used for AI training purposes. This means your data stays confidential and secure. You can also turn it off at any time by simply removing the AI plugin.

It’s a powerful tool for agencies, too

If you run a web agency, you’ve likely wondered how AI will impact your business. With AI-powered WordPress, web and marketing agencies can now create initial website prototypes in seconds instead of weeks.

Picture this: a client reaches out to 2 different agencies for a custom website quote. The first agency provides a few examples and a description of the proposed outcome. Your AI-enabled agency, however, presents 3 tailored, ready-made website variants that look ready-to-go. Who do you think will win the client's business? And with the contract secured, you'll find building and editing the site effortless, letting you focus on delivering exceptional value and exceeding client expectations.

What if I hate AI?

We get it, generative AI might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Some prefer doing things the old-fashioned way, and we respect that. That's why AI in your WordPress is entirely optional. You can choose between the Classic and AI experience, or easily remove it from your WordPress site with just a few clicks, without impacting the site and content you already have.

However, if you’re a business, remember that your competitors might already be using AI to boost the speed and quality of the content they create. Don’t get left behind!

Why choose WHC’s Managed WordPress?

If AI alone isn’t enough (and it shouldn’t be!), here are 7 solid reasons why WHC’s Managed WordPress service is a must-have for any Canadian business online:

  • It’s simple yet powerful: Features an intuitive dashboard and advanced features like site staging, GIT, WP-CLI and the brand new site performance monitoring, WHC’s Managed WordPress service outshines competitors' offerings that cost several times more.
  • It’s fast: Optimized for speed with the latest technology, including multiple levels of caching powered by Litespeed Web Server technology, the fastest file and database storage powered by NVMe drives and the latest PHP and database versions, bringing WHC’s set up among the fastest in the industry.
  • It’s secure: Includes Imunify360 protection, a 6-layer web defence firewall that stops hackers in their tracks. It also includes free SSL certificates, daily backups and automatic WordPress updates at no extra cost, keeping your data safe.
  • It’s reliable: Backed by our 99.9% uptime guarantee, our team monitors WHC’s WordPress Cloud 24/7 ensuring it’s operating optimally. We also have real humans (you know, the non-AI kind 🙂) standing by to lend a helping hand every second of every day.
  • It’s Canadian: Crafted with love in Canada and hosted on WHC’s Canadian Cloud, it’s designed to put (and keep!) Canadian businesses front and center, all around the world with compliant and local infrastructure.
  • It’s sustainable: Managed WordPress is hosted in eco-friendly datacenters powered by renewable energy, virtually eliminating greenhouse gasses that damage our planet. WHC is proudly certified by the Green Business Bureau.
  • It’s instant: Spin up a new WordPress site in seconds, not hours. We’ve already done the heavy lifting for you by using optimal configurations, so you can focus on publishing great content and running your business.

And this is just the beginning…

If you’re this far into this read, I hope you share my excitement about the new AI capabilities integrated into WordPress at WHC.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s also be real: generative AI is an incredible tool, but it's still just that — a tool. It helps those who want to work faster and more efficiently, but AI won’t single-handedly ensure anyone’s business's success. It will only perform tasks when instructed to and it might occasionally make mistakes in text and image content. 

Just like any tool, you need to learn to work with it. Leverage its powers, and understand its limitations. You'll need to proofread, tweak its outputs, and familiarize yourself with WHC’s new AI Policy to understand the risks and limitations.

This learning process can be fun, enlightening and empowering so long as you manage expectations (and take it for a test run!).

It’s incredible how far this technology has come, and the future possibilities are nearly limitless. One thing is certain: this is only the beginning. We will continue to work hard every day to improve the products you know and love in a safe and responsible manner. AI-powered WordPress will be no exception, with new features already in development.

As always, feel free to send us your feedback or drop a comment below.

Try AI-powered WordPress with WHC’s Managed WordPress Hosting or Web Hosting services.
Business Networking

How to optimize business networking

Small Business Success

The mere mention of the word "networking" can be intimidating, especially for introverts, but is it really as stressful as it sounds? Let's take a look at the best practices for stress-free business networking!

What exactly is networking?

Networking is a face-to-face or online event that enables you to create and maintain professional or personal relationships with other people, with the aim of exchanging information and developing connections. Business networking is the best-known form of networking, but there’s also social or romantic networking.

Types of networking

Formal networking

Formal networking is characterized by organized, structured, face-to-face events. This is the classic type of networking organized by Chambers of Commerce, conferences and seminars. This is a targeted and effective approach to networking.

Informal networking

Informal networking takes place in less structured settings, such as social gatherings, sporting events, coworking spaces and so on. Links are forged over time in a much more natural way, without professional pressure.

Online networking

Online networking, meanwhile, is just a click away! Relationships are forged through a presence on digital platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook, for example. It's possible to connect with people from all over the world, which can be attractive to those who offer extended services without any geographical constraints. More introverted people particularly appreciate this type of networking.

The benefits of networking

Participating in networking events brings many benefits: you'll have access to information and resources that are exclusive to networking participants, all while increasing your visibility and building your professional reputation.

Best practices for smart, profitable networking

How to prepare

To optimize your networking experience, thorough preparation is essential. Here are a few things to think about:

  • Start by defining a clear objective. For example, you might want to talk to one person in particular or make contact with three prominent people during the event. Setting an objective will help you stay focused and maximize your time.
  • Prepare a short sales pitch and practice it! However, avoid rigid presentations that may come off as forced and unnatural. Settle your 2-3 main points, but otherwise adapt to whoever is in front of you. The important thing is to clearly explain what you do, why you do it and how you can help the person.
  • Arrive at the event early so that you can meet more participants in a less crowded setting, thereby facilitating your interactions. If possible, find out in advance who will be in attendance. In this way, you can channel your energy towards essential interactions with key people.

Building an offline network

Participating in face-to-face networking events will certainly require a proactive approach. The first step is to identify places to network. Here are a few examples of networking events you could attend:

  • Networking events organized by local Chambers of Commerce, business associations, etc.
  • Training courses and conferences of all kinds often include a cocktail and networking period. It's the perfect time to meet new people!
  • Professional associations, entrepreneurial networks, and networking groups such as BNI are also worth joining.

When networking, don't hesitate to ask questions and, above all, listen to the answers you get. People respond well when you show interest. Listening is an important skill. By being present and listening carefully, you'll better understand people’s needs and how to meet them.

When you talk about yourself, keep it short and concise: no one wants to listen to a self-involved, 30-minute rant. Above all, be yourself while avoiding main character syndrome.

After an event, follow up with the people you meet. Ideally, connect with them on networks like LinkedIn or use a CRM.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management): a software tool for managing and organizing interactions and relationships with customers or business contacts.

What about business cards? They're less prevalent these days. A good, up-to-date LinkedIn profile will do. Speaking of which, did you know that you can connect to someone on LinkedIn simply by using the QR Code associated with your profile?

Developing an online network

We're all familiar with face-to-face networking, but one mustn't underestimate the power of online networking, particularly through the use of social networks.

  • Target the platforms or communities most relevant to you.
  • Stay active in Facebook groups related to your field of activity.
  • Maximize your use of LinkedIn: it's the ideal network for sharing content and making connections.
  • Participate in discussions, comment on other people's publications, reply to comments you receive, etc.

There are also virtual networking events you can attend from the comfort of your own home. Do you have a creative streak and like to take charge? Why not organize your own virtual networking event?

Maintaining your network

Once you've created a network, it's important to know how to maintain it. Start by connecting online with the people you meet at events. LinkedIn is ideal for this, enabling you to maintain relationships and track your contacts’ progress. Beyond that, don't hesitate to check in with your contacts on a regular basis: this will show your interest in them, and you won’t likely be forgotten. Finally, stay proactive by putting members of your network in touch with each other. For example, if someone is looking for a professional in a specific field, don't hesitate to recommend the appropriate contact. Then, let the people referred know that you've recommended them, reinforcing your presence in their minds and strengthening the professional bond.

From networking to business growth

First of all, just because you meet someone while networking doesn't mean they'll sign a contract with you. Nevertheless, there are several strategies you can follow to make networking work for you and your business.

When you talk to someone at a networking event, ask yourself if they represent a sales or partnership/collaboration opportunity. They may not be either at present, but you never know when that might change.

Furthermore, investing in a relationship that isn't a client or partner can help you generate opportunities:

  • Ask the person if they know a professional in a particular field; this reference could become a potential customer.
  • Invite the person to become an ambassador for your company. You could even offer a referral program for people who bring you new customers.
  • Go networking together. Not only will this give you a new person to go to events with, but it will also allow you to meet more people and set up mutual contacts.

Networking in a nutshell

Business networking, although intimidating for some, has proven to be a powerful tool for broadening professional horizons and developing rewarding opportunities. By understanding and applying different networking techniques, whether in formal, informal or online settings, you can cultivate valuable, lasting relationships.

With a proactive approach and targeted practices, your network will become a real driver for your business. So dive in and turn every meeting into a new opportunity for collaboration and success!


Not sure how to find networking events? Ask your local Chamber of Commerce, join a BNI or take advantage of LinkedIn Local.

Artificial Intelligence Policy

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Artificial Intelligence Policy