In February, I posted about discontinuing web design services on Wix due to the far-right Israeli Government’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
I’ve been deliberating about how to manage my Israel-based Elementor WordPress site builder subscription for some time. But this month’s killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers – including Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom – by the Israel Defence Force, has cemented my choice.
I’ve made the decision to stop offering new WordPress builds using Elementor for the foreseeable future.
What does this mean?
This means I’ll be moving away from my current approach to WordPress web design in April 2024.
This will not affect existing client sites which have already been constructed – nor my own site, which is made using Elementor. New WordPress builds will continue to be available using child theme customisation, templates, and other US-based builders such as Divi and Beaver Builder. I’ll also continue to offer new website builds on US-based Squarespace and Canada-based Shopify.
If you already have an Elementor site, and you require help editing it, I also remain happy to do so.
What happens now? Is my Elementor site at risk?
There are plenty of options moving forward for existing Elementor sites. Firstly, I’m retaining my annual Elementor subscription, so there is zero effect on existing builds – I’m just not using this software to create any more websites, because I do not feel comfortable expanding the reach and popularity of this Israeli company.
What’s more, if I were to cancel my annual subscription and all my clients purchased individual ones, that would be more net revenue to Israel than if I just retained my agency subscription. I’m therefore retaining my subscription, as I feel this minimises harm.
My first responsibility is always going to be supporting my clients and ensuring you aren’t left in the lurch. So even if, in future, I decide to cease my Elementor subscription completely and completely disengage from Israeli services, you will – as above – have the option to purchase an individual subscription for yourself to keep receiving updates. Or, you can contact me for assistance moving your site design over to new software without penalty – which is exactly what I would do with my own site.
If you have any questions about my shift away from Israeli software and why I’m choosing to boycott Elementor, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Cheers!