If you follow the WordPress trends without double checking, you will be doing something mainstream.Globally, more than 70% of the websites are now powered by WP. With all the free plugins and themes, a good part of those sites look too similar to each other. So how do we stand as a unique site, which is more likely to be noticed? What plugins and themes work well for making a WP site user-friendly, SEO-friendly and with high content marketing efficiency? Here are some of the templates and extensions working for 411 Locals.

Masonry Layout

It is a Pinterest-like grid. The card-based layouts are easily seen on Pinterest, Dribble, Behance, Twitter, Facebook, G+ and so forth. This pattern slices your content and make it readable. It is also a mobile-friendly solution. With a structure like this, you can start your blog, online magazine, or e-commerce site with ease.

Parallax Scroll

This is the solution when you wish to create a header, or even a custom page with a scrolling parallax background by using only simple shortcodes. You only need to create the content needed for this specific post type. The admin page will display the shortcode that fits. You only need to toss the code into your page or post. Or else, implement the plugin straight into your theme or php code.

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Welcome back to the summary of the most important changes in SEO by the end of September. This part will introduce you to the social media aspects of the latest updates. 411Locals will also give you some insights concerning the current SEO and online marketing trends.

New Rules: Getting a Verified Profile on Facebook

Facebook has implemented new rules for branded content. Evidently, the verification of your FB business page is becoming more important than ever. Verified celebrities, public figures, and easily recognizable brands have blue badges. On the other hand, companies and businesses, especially local ones, receive gray badges. Verifying your FB business page is a smart move since it boosts your rankings and your trust metrics,  as well as widens your audience. Basically, businesses have two options for verification: over the phone or via documentation. The latter takes time since you need to upload business documentation, and confirming your business’ legitimacy is also time-consuming. (more…)