How to Add Content Lockers to WordPress (Quickly and for Free)

Trying to figure out how to add content lockers to WordPress? By that, I mean locking your content behind a notification that requires your visitors to complete an action before they view your content.As youve probably figured out, WordPress doesnt include this functionality in its core. But you can get it with plenty of handy plugins. And in this post, Ill give you some of the best plugins, as well as quick tutorials on how to use them to add content lockers to WordPress in various ways. Content locker is actually a fairly broad term. See, there are a variety of ways in which you can add content lockers to WordPress. So before you run off to start locking up your content, think about what you want to accomplish with your content locker.Generally, your options are requiring users to:Share or like your post on social mediaSign up for your email listRegister as a user at your sitePay a small feeWhile some plugins let you add multiple methods, most are focused on one specific action.So, quite obviously, if you want to boost your social media presence, youll want a social locker plugin. Whereas if you want to grow your email list, youll want something that offers email opt-in locker functionality.Ill cover plugins for each different use below.How to add a social locker to WordPressIf youre just concerned with adding a social locker to WordPress, OnePress Social Locker is a popular, free, and well-rated plugin for the job. OnePress Social Locker Author(s): OnePressCurrent Version: 5.3.0Last Updated: December 18, 2018social-locker.zip 88%Ratings 387,768Downloads WP 3.2+Requires You can use it to require users to either share or subscribe to three different networks:FacebookTwitterGoogle +You can also get more features in the Pro version.To use OnePress Social Locker, all you need to do is install and activate the free plugin from your WordPress dashboard.Once its activated, head to Social Locker → All Lockers and edit the locker youre interested in:Sig n-In Locker requires users to follow you to gain accessSocial Locker requires users to share or like on a social network for accessThen, you can configure the message and styling for your social locker. Below the configuration interface, youll see a live preview:Once youre happy with how your locker looks, save your changes.Now, to lock part of the content in your posts, you just need to use the new Social Locker button in the WordPress Editor:And your social locker is good to go!A more lightweight social locker pluginIf you want something a little more lightweight (but less flexible), Social Locker Content Locker – Locker Cat is a good option from a quality developer. Social Locker Content Locker Locker Cat Author(s): Fatcat AppsCurrent Version: 1.0.1Last Updated: July 19, 2018locker-cat.1.0.1.zip 80%Ratings 6,954Downloads WP 4.0+Requires To use it, all you need to do is install and activate the free plugin. You can configure some basics about the social locker by going to the Social Locker tab:Then, simply wrap the content you want to lock in the [lockercat] shortcode to require users to Tweet or share it on Facebook:How to add an opt-in locker to WordPressIf you want to add an opt-in locker to your WordPress site, OnePress, the same developer behind the social locker plugin above, also has an opt-in locker plugin called OnePress Opt-In Panda. OnePress Opt-In Panda Author(s): OnePressCurrent Version: 2.3.0Last Updated: December 18, 2018opt-in-panda.zip 88%Ratings 40,152Downloads WP 3.2+Requires It syncs up with all the major email marketing service providers to require users to sign up for your mailing list before they can view the content.The interface is pretty much identical to OnePress Social Locker (in fact if you install both, theyll actually work together).Just install and activate it, then head to Opt-in Panda → All Lockers to configure your opt-in locker:Then, you can add the shortcode to your posts using the Opt- in Panda button:And the plugin will lock up your content on the front-end:How to add a paywall and sign-up lockers to WordPressUnlike the first two uses, there arent any popular lightweight solutions for easily adding a paywall or signup locker to your content. They do exist, but none are popular enough that I feel comfortable recommending them.But while that may be the case, theres actually already a massive WordPress industry covering this use:Membership plugins.If you want to require users to pay or sign up in order to access certain pieces of content, youre probably best off just using a dedicated membership site plugin.And, as luck would have it, we actually have an incredibly detailed guide on how to create a membership site with WordPress.If you really dont want to deal with setting up a membership site, you can consider a plugin like Content Locker to require users to sign up to view your content. And if you want a paywall, you can find some plugins like Leaky Paywall.But ag ain I think that, at least most of the time, a membership site is your best option for these two applications.Wrapping things upThere you go a few different ways to add content lockers to WordPress.If you want the flexibility to stack social content lockers and email opt-in content lockers together, then using the two options from OnePress is a great solution. They integrate together, so you can manage all of your content lockers from one place.And if you just want a lightweight option for social lockers, I think the plugin from Fatcat Apps is a great solution that gets rid of some of the unnecessary features from OnePass.Just remember when you add content lockers to WordPress, you always want to make sure youre not tanking your sites user friendliness. That is, use content lockers judiciously. If you have any questions related to how to enable content lockers in your WordPress site, feel free to submit them in the comments section below.Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up You r WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips. * This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then purchase the product, well receive a small fee. No worries though, youll still pay the standard amount so theres no cost on your part.

7 Reasons to Celebrate Your Favorite Teacher

7 Reasons to Celebrate Your Favorite Teacher The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) instituted World Teacher Day on October 5. However, many countries observe Teacher Day celebrations independently. In America, students celebrate  Teacher Appreciation Week  in the first full week of May. In that week, Teacher Appreciation Day is celebrated on Tuesday. How You Can Celebrate Teacher Day On Teachers Day, students express their gratitude and  appreciation  to their teachers. Many educational institutes commemorate Teacher Day with elaborate entertainment activities that include short plays,  dance,  and music. Parent volunteers and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members often host a small celebration party for the teachers. As a student, you can put up banners, and posters with  a thank you note  scribbled on them. Express your appreciation through  thank you cards. 7 Reasons to Appreciate Teachers A Teachers Influence Lasts Forever: In the words of William Butler Yeats, Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire. We must credit our teachers who ignite the fire of learning in the mind that is yearning for knowledge. Someone once said, Teachers dont impact for a year, but for a lifetime. A teacher can make a lasting impression on your mind. This influence persists beyond school, college, and university, and becomes the beacon of light, guiding us through the journey of life. Good teachers play the role of a parent, providing encouragement, inspiration, and invaluable guidance.Teaching Is Not Easy: Not everyone can be a teacher. Sure, you can pursue teaching programs to gain the necessary certification to be a teacher. But a good teacher has to have certain qualities to be an icon of inspiration. Great teachers are those who can extract the nectar of goodness from young aspirants. They can fish out the hidden qualities of every student. With words of inspir ation, persistent training, and rigid discipline, they steer the students in the right direction. Great teachers teach the student to believe that nothing is impossible. Teachers Impact Many Generations:  Everyone has a favorite teacher. You may love this special teacher for her charisma, enthusiasm, or knowledge. Often, your best memories of childhood revolve around a great teacher, who inspired and changed your life. Their words  or actions linger in your memory decades after you leave school. Subconsciously, you emulate them as you pass on your knowledge to the next generation. Thus, a great teachers influence can last for many generations.Teaching Self-Reliance: By setting the right example, a teacher can impress the importance of self-reliance, instead of expecting help from others. This can teach students to build on their strengths and be responsible for their successes and failures. Students can learn to push their limits.Teachers Teach You to Seek Knowledge:  You may have come across some teachers who instilled value education in you. This kind of education can mold a human being for life. Teachers bear an enormous responsibility of pa ssing on their wisdom and knowledge. Italian astronomer and mathematician Galileo expressed, You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself. Good teachers help in enabling this discovery. They open new avenues  and encourage students to explore and achieve their true potential. The Best Teachers:  Recollect the good qualities of your favorite teachers. You may notice some common qualities. They motivated you to work harder, and take bigger initiatives. They are passionate about their subject and enjoyed teaching. Good teachers understand the importance of nurturing the love and thirst for knowledge. Some nuggets of their valuable advice remain with you forever. Their insight broadens your horizons and enables you to expand your knowledge.Teachers as Entertainers: Good teaching involves good delivery. African-American scholar and teacher John Henrik Clarke rightly said, A good teacher, like a good entertainer, first must hold his audiences attention; then he can teach his lesson. It is not enough to simply know your subject. To initiate learning, teachers have to make the classroom experience enriching. Appreciate Your Teacher's Efforts With Gratitude Use this opportunity to get to know your teachers better. Share your thoughts and ideas and learn what inspires them. Make beautiful Teacher Day cards with  Happy Teacher Day quotes to express your admiration. One beautiful Teachers Day quote by Albert Einstein goes, It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. Every Day Is Teacher Day Why wait for  Teacher Day to come around? You dont need a special occasion to express your affection towards your teacher. Make each day of your teachers life special with thoughtful words and deeds. A first-grade teacher is pleased as punch whenever she gets a hand-made card from one of her students. Overlooking the spelling mistakes and scrawny handwriting, she says that it is the thought that counts. Your Success Is Your Teacher's Success A teacher considers herself successful when her students achieve success in their respective careers. For her, the only reward is your advancement. On Teachers Day, pay a visit to your alma mater, and meet the teachers who molded you. You will be surprised to find that they remember you, even though many years have rolled by. Your visit might bring tears of joy to their eyes. Express your appreciation by writing a personalized message. It is the best gift you could ever give your teachers.