In this article we'll introduce you to our complimentary RBA Cash Rate and Exchange Rate graph WordPress website plugin. We'll also introduce basic graphing features that are built into the BeliefMedia Core plugin - a plugin that's required before any of our other finance plugins may be used.

The plugin will return a naked RBA cash rate, or a cash rate graph which includes optional CPI, inflation, and Interest Rate data. The secondary feature of the plugin returns a single currency exchange rate value or currency exchange rate graph. All data is sourced via Belief's RBA and Exchange API.

The plugin is part of a suite of complimentary tools we'll be making available to the finance industry simply because the basic functionality isn't made available elsewhere.

Note that we've introduced alternate versions of the RBA Cash Rate Graph, CPI Graph, Inflation API, and Exchange Rate API in previous articles. However, those articles were designed to illustrate how the image graph returned in every API response by default might be used to return a basic graph to a page. In each of those articles we highlighted the necessity for more dynamic JavaScript elements as described on this page (although image graphs certainly have their advantages).

The Result

Current Cash Rate Value

There are times where you will need to return the current cash rate into your website (often in your website footer as a quick reference). The shortcode of [bm_cashrate] will return 4.35% (bolding is ours). Simple.

Cash Rate Graph

The Cash Rate Graph returns a historical record of cash rate movements, CPI data, Inflation Data, and 'average' Interest Rates as reported to APRA. Fields may be removed by way of shortcodes (as detailed shortly). A standard all-inclusive graph is returned by including [bm_cashrate_graph] into your post or page. The result:

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Various components of the chart may be removed. For example, to remove the limited interest rate dataset we'll use the shortcode of [bm_cashrate_graph rates_new_oo="0" rates_existing_oo="0" rates_investment="0"]. The result:

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In the next example we'll limit our results from November 2019 until May 2021. To return a more realistic chart we'll include just the always-important inflation data alongside the basic cash rate. Simply to illustrate how components of the graph may be altered we'll also change the bar colour with bar_colour="rgb(7, 120, 16, 0.4)" (a HEX green colour, #077810, with a transparency of 0.4 applied - don't worry too much about the apparent complexity here). The shortcode in this case is as follows: [bm_cashrate_graph rates_new_oo="0" rates_existing_oo="0" rates_investment="0" cpi="0" bar_colour="rgb(7, 120, 16, 0.4)" start="20191101" end="20210501"]. The result:

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Exchange Rate Graph

The exchange rate graph return major currencies compared against the Australian dollar. It's not a particularly pretty chart but the colour values may be altered by way of shortcode (we've used very different bold colours to clearly differentiate one currency from another).

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The RBA plugin documentation page details the various attributes that alter the colour and currencies returned.

Exchange Rate Values

Not unlike previous exchange rate shortcode we introduced, exchange rates are returned in placeholders. We've had to use the placeholder feature in case we update the plugin to include the functionality described in the previous article.

Shortcode of [bm_exchange_value to="usd" value="3.25"]%%exchange%%[/bm_exchange_value] returns $0. In other words, AU$3.25 will buy you USD$0.

Core Graph Features

BeliefMedia Core is a plugin that contains core code that is used by a range of our plugins, and it is required before installing any of our other finance plugins. Core handles registration upon activation (and saves an API Key to your website database), and it permits updates of tools from our plugin repository. The plugin also includes a range of graphing functions, including a single shortcode function that permits the creation of basic charts.

It should be noted that shortcode is never a good way in which to create custom graphs as the attribute usage simply becomes too confusing. Good graphing is almost always handled programmatically, and the latter method allows more detailed or complex graphing with ease.

The following graph is one that shows broker originated volume measured against leads delivered exclusively via our Facebook Program. We automate this graph in Yabber but for the sake of the example we've hard-coded the volume into a shortcode. So, [bm_graph type="bar,line" labels="Q1 2020,Q2 2020,Q3 2020, Q4 2020,Q1 2021, Q2 2021" label="Percentage of Loans Written by Brokers, Belief Facebook Volume" background="#FF0000,#549A52," data="57.6|42195,58.4|38955,57.6|32542,60.1|44523,61.1|41588,59.8|40151"] returns the following:

Yabber delivers around 10k Facebook leads per month fairly consistently (growing as more subscribers take advantage of the system).

A grouped bar graph with a single line is returned as follows: [bm_graph type="bar,bar,line" labels="Alpha,Bravo,Charlie,Delta,Echo,Foxtrot" label="Foo,Bar,Bel" background="#FF0000,#549A52,#000080" data="9|8|72,22|5|67,7|8|92,10|11|125,13|14|150,16|17|45"].

A pie chart can be returned as follows: [bm_graph type="pie" labels="Red,Blue,Green" label="Colours" background="#FF0000,#0000FF,#286C4F" data="20,50,70"]. The pie chart can be rendered in 3D (as can any other chart) with the dimension="3d" attribute.

Shortcode Attributes

Shortcode attributes are introduced on the plugin documentation and download page.

Conclusion

We've got an article scheduled in a few days that provides a demonstration of our broker website. That website includes a number of tools we provide only to our clients but also includes the features introduced to brokers by way of our free plugin program.

We advocate for holistic marketing for one reason: it works. We encourage brokers into supporting their paid promotion with a sound digital footprint for a another single reason: it works. And we automated SEO and encourage a content strategy for another single reason: it works. In order for marketing to perform efficiently, and the reason we simply guarantee our programs return more than competing finance products, is that we craft an actual marketing funnel that optimises your entire digital footprint.

The graphs we've introduced on this page are one small, minuscule piece of of a much larger puzzle. However, they contribute towards your expertise and authoritativeness, they garnish search engine attention, and they provide an ongoing resource for your clients.

Updates are made available to the plugin from within your WordPress plugin dashboard so it's always up-to-date, and we certainly expect to build upon the Core graphing features.

Download

This plugin is currently made available from within our Facebook Group . Documentation is located in the plugin repository. Please note that the BeliefMedia Core plugin is required before this plugin will activate or function.

Related: If you're interested in graphing you'll be interested in our suite of proprietary Mortgage Calculators provided in our broker website by default.