Even if you’re not 100% sure what structured data is, you’ve undoubtedly run across it in Google. For instance, a search for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” brings up a wealth of information. I can see where the movie is playing, its listing on IMDB, and aggregate reviews. Much of this comes from structured data pulled from multiple websites.

But this goes beyond just finding the latest movie listings. Structured data can help almost any business, from restaurants to pet stores and everything in-between. Helpful info such as business hours, cafe menus and addresses are just a few examples of what can be mined. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg. To get a better sense of the types of data being used, check out Schema.org’s website.

So, how do you get started? In general, structured data requires adding some attributes to your site’s HTML tags. But thanks to some terrific WordPress plugins, we don’t have to do this manually. Instead, the plugins below provide an easy way to add your website to this data powerhouse.

WPSSO Core WordPress Plugin

With support for over 500 Schema types and sub-types, WPSSO core can provide structured data in many popular formats. It works with Facebook Open Graph, Google Rich Results/Knowledge Graph, Twitter Cards, oEmbed, and Slack.

The plugin will automatically read your site’s content and third-party APIs, then generate the appropriate data. A premium version adds support for WooCommerce, Google Merchant Feed, and several popular WordPress plugins.

Schema WordPress Plugin

Schema will add valid markup to your WordPress website and supports a variety of data types. It’s a great option for publishers, as it will improve articles, blog posts, multimedia content and author profiles.

Need more? There are free extensions for marking up reviews and setting a default image.

Business Profile WordPress Plugin

Structured data spans a vast number of categories. But what if you just want to share basic business information? Business Profile will do exactly that, without all the extras you don’t need.

Enter your business name, hours, etc., and the plugin will generate a “Contact Card” widget that you can place anywhere via a shortcode. It’s an easy way to share your business info with search engines. Support for reviews can also be added via a free companion plugin.

WP SEO Structured Data Schema

For those who really want to micromanage their site, WP SEO Structured Data Schema offers options galore. An options panel will appear on individual pages and posts to let you tweak a plethora of items to your heart’s content.

The available pro version ups the ante by auto-filling page/post data, support for custom post types and more data types.

Markup (JSON-LD) for WordPress

Though a little light on documentation, Markup (JSON-LD) is a fairly straightforward plugin for adding structured data. Within its settings panel, you can choose from a number of different types of data (Article, Blog Post, Event, Local Business, Site Navigation – among others).

Simply click on the data types you want, enable them and tweak settings. While there isn’t much in the way of plugin-specific info, each data type features some helpful Schema.org/Google links for further information.

Schema & Structured Data for WordPress

With Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP, you have a comprehensive plugin that is both highly tweakable and easy to use. For instance, you can conditionally display markup fields based on a number of criteria, such as post type.

It’s also compatible with Google AMP, putting you into the good graces of the search behemoth.

Schema App Structured Data WordPress Plugin

Schema App Structured Data is another great choice if you prefer something that doesn’t require a complicated setup. Once you activate the plugin and fill out a few basic details, all of your pages, posts, categories, and more will be automatically marked up with compliant Schema.

Optionally, you can also display breadcrumb navigation that will further improve both your site and your SERP listing.

Enjoy the Benefits of Structured Data

Adding structured data markup to your website helps users get the information they need with less hassle. Instead of having to comb through your website to find business hours, they can simply ask Google. This is especially important as voice-based search becomes more prevalent.

Users no longer have to attempt the dangerous combination of typing and driving. Talking to whichever virtual assistant they’re using will provide the answers they’re looking for.

While there are certainly some concerns that users will bypass your site altogether, providing access to this data at least keeps your business in the game. If your competitors share structured data and you don’t, you could lose some potential customers. Plus, the fact that website navigation can be mined could be of some benefit as well.

In short, structured data is too important to ignore. Thankfully, the plugins above can help make the process quick and easy.

The post 7 Best Free Structured Data WordPress Plugins appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

You could also use automated billing software to handle your invoicing. However, that’s not in the budget of every designer. Sometimes, all you need is a simple invoice template to get the job done. And that’s exactly what we have for you here.

These free invoice templates are easy to edit and re-use. While all the templates are free, double-check licensing before adding them to your workflow. The templates come in various formats, including InDesign (INDD), Word, Excel, Photoshop (PSD), Sketch, and Illustrator (AI & EPS).

Design & Web Design Invoice Templates

In Word & Excel Formats

This invoice template has been specifically designed for web and graphics designers. It is available in Word and Excel formats and can be quickly customized to suit your business needs. You can add your business name, logo, and contact information, customize the number of lines, and your invoice will be ready for use.

Freebie Invoice Bundle

In Illustrator AI Format

This free invoice template bundle has been organized into layers for quick cutomization in Illustrator. It uses free fonts, so you can easily replicate the look of the sample template. It’s fully print-ready in CMYK and at 300 dpi. You can add a custom logo and contact information and modify the line items to reflect your business or the project you’re working on.

Modern Invoice Template

In Sketch Format

This invoice template features a modern design with a bold and colorful header that makes it stand out. To get started using this Sketch App template, simply add your logo and contact information. From there, add your line items and client’s info, export the file, and repeat next month. Easy as that!

Minimal Invoice

In Illustrator AI & InDesign INDD Formats

This minimally designed invoice template can be quickly edited in Illustrator and is sized at US Letter or A4. It includes free fonts and is print-ready. You could also export to PDF and submit your invoices that way, too. Add your logo, company name, line items, and reference numbers, and your invoice is ready to send.

Free Invoice Templates for Contractors

In Word & Excel Formats

These free templates for contractors are in Word and Excel formats. They feature a colorful stripe across the center of the invoice to add some style, but it does so without diminishing the general form and function of the invoices. You can customize the logo, company info, client info, and anything else you need to get paid promptly.

Freelance Invoice Template

In Illustrator AI Format

This free invoice template has been designed for freelancers. It can be quickly edited in Illustrator. You can customize the logo and color scheme, determine the payment amount, include your company information, and add anything else you need. You can also include information about how you would like to be paid.

Modern, Simple and Unique Invoice

In InDesign INDD Format

This invoice template’s design is understated. It is simply black and white, but it does include subtle lines and bold areas to create a professional finish. The invoice is in Adobe InDesign format and is suitable for any business type, including freelance design.

Modern Invoice Template

In InDesign INDD Format

This InDesign template has been designed with simplicity, but it does a lovely job presenting your billable hours. My favorite part is the arrow pointing from your information to the clients. It’s a great visual cue. If you prefer a minimalist aesthetic, you could go logo-free, and the invoice would still look amazing.

Invoice Template

In AI, EPS, INDD & PSD Formats

This grid-based template is another simple black and white invoice with a minimalist design. The design is focused on the important information you want your clients to see. This cross-platform invoice template can be customized with your own logo, company information, and signature.

Simple & Basic Invoice Templates

In Word & Excel Formats

These simple invoice templates have been designed for editing in Word and Excel. To get started, add your logo and company information, fill in the details of your latest project, and then add the payment terms. These free templates offer a simple solution to an issue that can be time-consuming, especially if you have many clients.

Clean Invoice Template

In Photoshop PSD Format

This clean invoice template is available in both Word and Excel and is very easy to configure for personal use. Add your logo and contact info, choose a color scheme, add your line items, and export the file.

The Design Invoice

In InDesign INDD Format

The overall design of this InDesign invoice template is muted but professional. You can customize the logo, company info, and imagery. The paragraph and character styles make for a consistent layout that would suit many business types.

Free Invoice Template

In Sketch & InDesign INDD Formats

The last invoice template in our collection is available in Sketch and InDesign formats. It is very easy to edit and export. Simply select the colors you want to use, input your business information, add the payment details, and you’re good to go.

Conclusion

This collection of free invoice templates will help you manage getting paid by your clients without spending a lot of extra time facilitating it.

As always, double-check the licenses of these free templates before using them to be on the safe side. Otherwise, enjoy not having to spend so much time on invoicing anymore!

More Print Template Collections

The post 10+ Best Free Invoice Templates for Freelance Designers & Developers in 2025 appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

The argument made sense on some levels. Facebook Pages were free – websites not so much. Why pay for a potentially complex marketing vehicle when there was a simple, no-cost option? This seemed like a particularly good path for small businesses.

As you might have guessed, that optimism faded rather quickly. Facebook started charging for the ability to reach your entire audience. It also became increasingly difficult to stand out in a user’s chaotic social feed.

Now, let’s fast-forward to today. Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter (and subsequent headline-grabbing actions) has caused concern among users. Content moderation has taken a backseat to the billionaire’s vision of what the platform should be. It’s fair to wonder how this will impact the ability to reach and engage with people.

With that in mind, it seems like a good time to reinforce the important role websites play. Here are some reasons why they’re still the best bet for anyone that has a message to share.

A Permanent Home for Your Content

Social media still offers a great way to promote your content. But your content shouldn’t live on Facebook or Twitter. Rather, social postings should point readers toward your website.

Housing exclusive content on social media is a risk. Changes in platform ownership or policies could negatively impact what you’ve built. And if you decide to leave a particular service, how are you going to take everything with you?

Websites serve as a repository for content. That’s precisely what content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress are meant to do.

News, blog posts, and multimedia can be added, edited, or removed at any time. Most social networks don’t make these processes easy. Finding a particular tweet that you failed to bookmark, for example, is like finding a virtual needle in a haystack.

Most importantly, you’ll maintain ownership of your content. This means that you’re not subject to the whims of a third-party service provider. And you can keep it as long as you want.

The Focus Is on You

Users have a notoriously short attention span. Add to that the sheer number of posts in a typical user’s timeline and the popularity of doomscrolling. This makes social media a difficult place to make an impact. All but your most loyal followers will struggle to see your message.

At the very least, a well-made website will take those last two items out of the equation. Getting users to care is still a challenge. But you’ll stand a fighting chance when compared to the algorithm-enhanced free-for-all on the likes of Facebook.

A website can provide visitors with a clear path to action. It gives them space and time to explore content. And it serves as a reference that can be easily accessed later.

You’re not limited by character counts, nor forced to compete with thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of other posts on a feed. For one shining moment, the focus is on you with zero distractions.

It’s an opportunity that most social media platforms can’t offer. Plus, you’re in complete control of the user experience.

Websites Can Live Anywhere

Companies can come and go without a moment’s notice. Others may simply fall out of favor (I see you, MySpace). It’s something that can impact both social media and website providers.

The big difference is that a website offers options. Even if your DIY website tool were to go belly up, you could still rebuild elsewhere. And an open-source CMS gives you the flexibility to host anywhere.

If your social media network of choice went away, you’d likely be left in the cold. Your data may or may not be accessible. And what use would you have for it, anyway? It’s not like you can import your tweets into LinkedIn and keep moving forward.

Plus, if you’re not satisfied with your current site, you can make changes. Hosting, CMS, look, content, and underlying technologies are all fair game. If you have enough budget, virtually every part can be customized to match your needs.

Keep the Roles of Social Media and Websites in Mind

For a brief moment in history, the lines between social media and websites may have become blurred. Some saw the potential of the former to be a primary messaging tool. But as social media has experienced both growth and controversy, the division between the two has become clear.

Sure, many web designers may have understood this concept from the start. But clients aren’t always aware of what makes a website necessary and unique.

They may have been swayed by the thrill of posting content wherever they’ll get the most “likes” and comments. As such, they may not have thought about what happens when a platform goes away or is no longer an attractive option.

If you help clients with their marketing and content strategy, it may be worth having this conversation. Help them to understand what role social media can play in their success. But also look at the associated limitations and risks.

Conversely, there are benefits to using your website as a driver of content. This is a solution that can withstand the test of time – no matter what happens on social media.

The post How Social Media Uncertainty Reinforces the Importance of Websites appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

For example, the recent sale of the wildly-popular Advanced Custom Fields plugin is a pretty big deal. The free version of the plugin is active on over a million websites. And that doesn’t even include those utilizing the commercial “PRO” version. It spent 10 years as a project of solo developer Elliot Condon. Now, it’s in the hands of the team at Delicious Brains.

Other plugins changing hands include GiveWP, Kadence Blocks and Kanban for WordPress. Then there was the controversial move in which WP User Avatar was purchased and rebranded into a completely different plugin. We could go on, but you get the idea – there has been a lot of movement.

What does this flurry of activity say about the state of WordPress and its future? The following are a few thoughts on what it all means. At least, according to this user’s perspective.

The WordPress Ecosystem Is Maturing

WordPress has been around since 2003 and has grown to dominate the market. During its rise to the top, many developers jumped into the surrounding ecosystem by releasing plugins.

In some cases, these plugins were a hobby or intended as a way to give back to the open-source project. Others looked at plugin development strictly as a business opportunity. Regardless of intent, the door was wide open for anyone with an idea.

Along the way, the growth of WordPress brought with it an explosion of use cases. What started out as simple blogging software became a full-fledged content management system (CMS). WordPress is now as likely to power a large enterprise site as it is a mom-and-pop business.

This has completely changed the game for a lot of plugin authors. User expectations are high. Stability and new features are paramount to success. Not to mention having to keep up with the massive changes to WordPress core.

Frankly, it’s becoming a lot harder for solo entrepreneurs or small development shops to manage a popular plugin. Supporting a large userbase while also focusing on the future could become overwhelming.

Thus, it’s not surprising to see that some of these products are being sold off to larger firms. We saw something similar happen with internet providers back in the early 2000s. The more mature the market, the harder it became for a small company to carry out its mission. Pretty soon, they were just about all bought up by corporate interests.

While that may not fully reflect the case here, it seems to at least be trending in that direction.

For Better or Worse, Large Developers Will Hold More Sway

It stands to reason that the more popular plugins a developer acquire, the more users they have access to. This provides companies with plenty of opportunities to upsell premium products and collect user data.

A company such as Automattic, owned by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, already had an edge in this area. They were humming along thanks to their do-it-all Jetpack plugin, among other offerings. But their 2015 acquisition of WooCommerce only added to their cachet.

The amount of product movement we see now makes it looks like more companies may join the party. It will take some time. But there might come a day when a typical business website runs plugins from perhaps only a few big development houses.

This may cause a bit of concern for some observers. Seeing the likes of Google, Facebook and Amazon push their weight around leads to thoughts of something similar happening with WordPress. A few big players simply set the rules for everyone else to follow.

However, there’s reason to believe things won’t become quite that dystopian. WordPress is, after all, an open-source application. Anyone with the talent and desire to build a plugin can still do so. It just may become more difficult to gain traction.

The Good and Bad of Consolidation

Consolidation is always going to be a part of business. With regards to WordPress, both themes and plugins will continue to change ownership for a variety of reasons. It’s something we should be used to by now.

But as some of the more widely-used plugins are bought and sold, we’re seeing more than just software changing hands. The entire ecosystem has the potential to change along with these moves.

On the one hand, user confidence and stability can (theoretically) be enhanced when a solo entrepreneur sells to a multi-person company. Web designers and website owners won’t have to worry quite so much about a plugin becoming extinct.

New ownership often means more resources to maintain, support, and extend the software. This could be a great thing for the WordPress community.

The potential downside is that consolidation will do to WordPress what it has traditionally done in other industries. That entails massive amounts of market share being gobbled up by a few large players, with everyone else hunting for scraps. The fear is that competition will shrink and that we may become too reliant on a small number of developers for the bulk of a site’s functionality.

Here’s hoping that a proper balance can be struck. In the long term, it’s in everyone’s best interest that the WordPress ecosystem be diverse, stable, and affordable. That will keep the CMS and its surrounding community both thriving and sustainable.

The post WordPress Plugin Acquisitions: What They Say About the Future appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.