• Sat, Jan 19, 2013

    Web hosting is an Internet service that allows people or organizations to make their websites accessible to their clients through the World Wide Web. On the other hand, web hosts are those companies which provide space on the server that is usually owned and sometimes leased for the clients’ use. In addition, web hosts provide Internet connectivity in a data center.

    How to Become a Web Host

    Web hosting in some cases is looked at as part of the Internet access plan in general. With the several types of web hosting services, there also exist web hosting service providers, who come in two categories of those who do it for free and those who are paid. Paid services could appear a no-go zone but on the contrary, they are always the best.

    However, with the several types of the web hosting services, it is upon the customer to clearly evaluate all the available cases before choosing on any type of web hosting. Factors to put in consideration in this case are as follows: consider the database server software and evaluate it to see if it is appropriate for the web hosting of your choice, consider the scripting software and also look at the operating system.

    Types of Web Hosting

    Web hosting comes in different forms. However large a company could be it must get connected to the Internet in order for the company to access such services as email, files and any other relevant sites. Therefore the different types of the web hosting will make all the above possible.

    Free web hosting is one type offered by many companies though it comes with limited services with the overreliance on advertisements. Shared web hosting is the second type whereby an individual’s website is placed on the same server just like other sites. Virtual dedicated server hosting involves segmenting the server resources in a way not directly reflecting the underlying hardware. Dedicated hosting service is another type where an individual gets a server and gains its full control over web hosting. The other types include: cloud hosting, clustered hosting, grid hosting, home server and reseller web hosting. However, reseller hosting is unique in its ways that make most people to prefer it.

    Web Hosting Reseller

    A web hosting reseller essentially allows one to become their own web boss. Reseller hosting offers web hosting services which enable clients to become web hosts of their own. In addition, it works for any individual who indulges him or herself in any form of web hosting. The sizes of the web hosting reseller accounts vary. As a result, a hosting reseller could have a virtual dedicated server of its own or alternatively, it could have a collocated server.

    It is upon the web resellers to provide services that are nearly similar to the shared hosting plan of their providers. In addition, they provide the technical support and therefore resellers hosting is the best web hosting.

  • Sat, Jan 19, 2013

    Online marketing is taking a new direction in improving businesses on the internet. A lot has been gained and much more is still to come. If you own a site, in one way or another you may want to use it for marketing. The things you market on your site matters a lot to the kind of reception they are going to get. Most definitely, you want to get the attention of the market and gain from the marketing itself. You must be extra careful with how you do your marketing to avoid any flops. Here are 5 ways not to use your website for marketing.

    Do Not Copy Content

    In your need to increase market returns and become like some of the best sites, it does not entail actually copying their content. It is easy to be noticed by Google and become enlisted as a scam site that way. This is not so good for online businesses. Recently Google started publishing the names of sites that are notorious for copying others’ content. Make sure that you stay as original as possible to ensure that you do not fall a victim to duplicate content rank downs.

    Do Not Be Too Complex

    Make sure that your site is easy to navigate for visitors to easily see the content they are looking for. The chances of getting a message to the clients will be higher when you use easy steps than trying out a complex design. Many marketing strategies that employ simple tactics usually succeed in reaching their intended goals.

    Do Not Be Too Ordinary

    In as much as you look to be as simple as possible, there is the need to ensure that yours does not look like any other site that would be easily neglected by the market. Try to make it an attractive site that clearly gives your business the image it requires to win the people’s trust. Use easily seen tabs and clear and good quality images where necessary. Ensure also that it is not hard for the clients to contact you’re the site’s admin for any inquiries.

    Do Not Do Too Much Advertising

    Online advertising for other sites using Google AdSense and other options is a common trend. It is one way you can use your site to market for you and other businesses. However, putting too much information about many other products in the market on your webpage may disrupt the actual image and aim of your own site. People may be more attracted to the adverts than your own store. If you need to have many ads, just make sure your business is not hindered at all.

    Do Not Use Offensive Content

    If yours is a site that will be dealing with people from various walks of life, religions and ages, then there is the need to be as neutral as possible. The use of discriminating terms may lead many potential customers away from your site. Be wise and ensure that you understand your clients very well. A little market research will be very helpful for you to know what to market and how best you can present it.

  • Sat, Jan 19, 2013

    Having chosen a web host does not mean one has to stick to such web host forever. Web site owners or clients can choose a web host and can also replace them. Though it might be a bloody process, changing web hosts can be reasonable. An obvious reason is when the client is not happy with the service anymore. The hassle part of changing web hosts can save a business from potentially losing visitors and clients. Here are five possible reasons why people decide to change their web hosts.

    • Services Are Withdrawn

    If the web host provider is not already giving the services and features it promised from the start, it is a big disservice. The client must be alarmed and think that the host is mis-selling their package. Or maybe the web host company is in trouble. The client and the website can be affected. It is time to scout for another web host especially if the website is already earning money.

    • Lots of Downtime

    One of the hallmarks of a good web host service is less downtime. Web sites expect stable uptime on their site. A must-have feature is a 99.50 percent uptime rate. Being down or unavailable gives a bad impression to the website. Being out of sight is being out of business. It loses website presence on the internet. It is time to look for another web host before losing site visitors, regulars and clients.

    • Lack of Support

    Another good reason to stay with a web host is a good support team. In fact, clients should try the customer support of a web host before signing up. A good host offers 24/7 support and has two contact methods at least, such as email and live chat. The web host should always be there to support the clients. If the support is not helpful enough, then the client might need to change his web host provider.

    • Negative Media Coverage

    Web hosts usually maintain a low profile. However, if the web host gains negative media coverage or review, it can be a warning sign. The client should further investigate what is going on with his host provider if the host appears negatively in the press. It is better to consider changing a web host before it is too late. Any bad thing that happens on the web host can in any way affect its clients.

    • In Need of More Features 

    In today’s competitive world, websites should be able to keep abreast with the latest trends and technology. If the web host is lagging behind and is not dynamic enough to cater to the increasing needs of its clients, it deserves to be changed. More good features can mean more productivity. To be more productive, clients need a host that provides better features. That is how any business should go.

    Important Note 

    When considering changing a web host, it is of vital importance to back up all the files on the current web site. This is absolutely a must before initiating any transfer process to avoid loss of valuable data. If something goes wrong along the process, then the backup data can be restored.

  • Fri, Jan 4, 2013

    E-commerce is one of the many Internet opportunities that continue to provide a level playing field for entrepreneurs of all sizes. It offers the little guy the ability to compete for web traffic through visitors and subscribers with search engine optimization (SEO) and application programming interface (API). With the Internet, content and connectivity allow each and every web-based operation an opportunity to generate traffic and sales through multiple channels and a variety of platforms.

    To SEO or Not to SEO

    When web-based operations incorporate search engine optimization (SEO), they may find out that many of the keywords that they have chosen have been utilized by other web designers and programmers. His leads to lower rankings when competitors have bid for search engine rankings related to these keyword searches. Unfortunately, when working on e-commerce sites like Amazon and eBay, webpreneurs may also find themselves outranked by some of the more popular items trending through search engine results due to a variety of factors. If an affiliate marketer decides to utilize a website or blog outside of Amazon or eBay, he or she needs to ensure that search engines pick up keywords and tags that direct web traffic to listed product descriptions.

    Careful selection of keywords and tags should be at the top of the list for web-based entrepreneurs seeking to compete for traffic on Amazon, eBay and similar e-commerce sites. Whether seeking to market products through these sites or one’s own website, the search engine optimization tags and keywords should be tested thoroughly as the first step in deciding how to list, categorize and describe items for sale.

    One Product with Multiple SKU Numbers: Good or Bad?

    The SKU is the store keeping unit, a code or number used to identify an item in inventory. At times, a single product may have multiple SKU numbers. This can work in favor of an affiliate marketer when sales generated by links, banners and embeds matching the source coding related with the affiliate identification number or account for that particular site. Amazon’s Associates program offers tags within coding to identify the associate linked to that strand of HML code so that no discrepancies can occur when doling out its payouts. This system works whether it is a product listed on an affiliate’s website, blog or online catalog.

    The beauty of multiple SKU numbers comes into play when targeting different segments of the market for the same product. Multiple SKU numbers work best to track the different types of referral and promotional tools that generate the greatest percentage of sales. Using multiple SKU numbers can assist an affiliate marketer in determining if a social media promotion brought in as much traffic and sales as a Twitter retweet. Such tracking measures assist marketers and affiliates in measuring sales and traffic to online storefronts. The downside of the multiple SKU numbers scenario is that a single product could appear as multiple products and throw off numbers and percentages when measuring marketing effectiveness. Thus, excuse the pun, multiple SKU numbers for a single product can end up skewing the actual numbers.

    API’s and Feeds

    Online affiliate marketers, web-based entrepreneurs and others tend to use both Amazon and eBay to by implementing API, RSS feeds and other promotional tools across multiple channels, including their own websites and blogs. Most e-commerce sites and affiliate programs offer an extensive help menu along with a newsletter geared towards their affiliates. These are helpful resources for affiliates who want to maximize the affiliate program.

    Web traffic utilizing multiple channels can pay huge dividends if incorporated effectively by an affiliate. Clicks on affiliate ads may stem from an RSS feed of an affiliate’s blog or an image on a product review site. Online affiliate marketing offers a potential source of ongoing income. The opportunities for affiliate marketers are quite extensive, even if all they have is an active blog.

  • Wed, Dec 19, 2012

    If you have an existing business or are in the process of setting up a new business you must also have a website. This is important in order for your business to be successful and also to be competitive. Although it is easier and cheaper than ever to set up a website, you still will need to invest time and money to have a well-constructed and functional website. For your website to be accessible to internet users you will need a website hosting company to store and host your website data. Here are some of the main reasons your new or existing business should consider having an online presence:

    1. The majority of businesses have to shut their doors in the evening time and a number of holiday days etc. throughout the year. However your online store will be open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week making it more accessible for potential customers.

    2. If you have one or more store locations, they are only accessible to people who shop in that particular area. A website will make your products or services available to shoppers around the globe.

    3. Offering customers an online location where they can research your business and read product and customer reviews helps to build credibility and trust around your business.

    4. Promoting a business can be difficult but through your website you can promote your products, special offers through e-mail lists and newsletters.

    Web Hosting Explained

    Web hosting is a service that stores your websites folders and data on a server and makes it available to users through the World Wide Web. You can avail of a server or server space rental through web hosting companies for a fee. These companies offer different types of hosting including free web hosting, dedicated hosting, shared hosting, collocated hosting and cloud hosting. The service suitable for you will depend on your websites needs and your budget. A server is basically just a computer with a permanent internet connection so you could in fact host your website from your own computer. However this is not recommended and it can cause a range of problems for your website. You should use a professional web hosting company for the following reasons:

    1. The server you buy or rent will be connected to high speed internet which will be constantly online which will ensure that your website is always accessible.

    2. These high powered computers are capable of efficiently delivering your website and its data to thousands of people at once.

    3. These companies offer many different features such as anti-spam, e-mail, security and password protected directories.

    4. Offer expertise which means that if there are any technical issues they will be able to resolve them quickly.

    5. Very affordable in most cases, especially for people with reasonably sized websites.

    When you buy any product or service you should always do research and this is also the case when looking for a web hosting company. Hosting can vary in price depending on what extras and features are included, you may not need all of the services offered so don’t pay for what you will not need. Establish the needs of your website and find a hosting package from cloud hosting providers to fit this. The location of the hosting companies data centre should be considered and remember that the free and cheapest options are often not the best options.

  • Tue, Dec 4, 2012

    Graduates of web design programs have a number of decisions to make, as do any recent post-secondary graduates. For this group in particular, they have to decide how exactly they should employ their talents: working for themselves, or working for a website design firm. It’s a tough question that can set the course for your entire career, but unfortunately there is no easy answer. With a little research and consideration, however, you should be able to figure out which path is best for you.

    The period immediately following graduation is the best time to carve out your professional identity. A lot of young, aspiring web designers want to take this chance to immediately show the world who they are and what they’re about, and feel that the best way to do this is to strike out on their own rather than join a website design firm. Working independently can be very satisfying, and is a great way to really assert yourself and establish a signature style. However, you will be missing out on some of the advantages of putting some time in with a website design firm.

    Working for a website design firm will guarantee you work. You might have all the talent in the world, but if no one knows who you are, you aren’t going to get too many clients. Even raw talent needs guidance sometimes too, and working for a firm will teach you everything you need to know about the industry, and will put you in a room with more advanced people in your field who have tons of tips to share. Though you might think working on your own is the best way to establish your own style, odds are you will be positively influenced by the website design firm you join with. Being around experts in the industry will help you to further develop your aesthetic and really fine tune your craft. It’s also important to remember that just because you take a job with a firm now, it doesn’t mean you have to stay there forever. Once you’ve established yourself, developed an aesthetic, and have a solid reputation that will help you to bring in new clients, you can always head out on your own and start your own web design business or work on a freelance or contract basis.

    Web design is one of the most exciting fields out there. It allows you to be creative and innovative, and can be a very lucrative career. The toughest part f almost any career is figuring out where to start it. You do have a few options with web design, but the most valuable is probably going to work for an established, reputable website design firm. They will help you to get yourself established in the business, and will serve as an extension of your education. After all, all the classroom time in the world isn’t enough to get you one hundred percent prepared for the real world, but that’s exactly what a good firm will do. From there, you can stay with the firm or choose to go out on your own. Beginning your career will prepare you for any option and opportunity you might face.

  • Wed, Oct 31, 2012

    When it comes time for your business to develop a new website for itself, there might be a few questions you’ll find yourself asking. One of the biggest questions that business owners ask is what the difference is between a self-designed website, and the work of a website design agency? There are so many tools available now for people to independently build their own websites that many people are curious as to what the function of a website design agency is. Do they use programs that are different from the tools available to the mass public? Will the results be any different? Are there trade secrets that only they know? Will customers be able to tell if you’ve developed your website yourself?

    It is true that there are many tools available now to develop your own website, many of them free. Many of these tools, when put in the right hands, can build beautiful and functional websites. However, just because these tools are capable of building amazing websites, it doesn’t mean they always do. Any pencil is capable of producing a beautiful and lifelike sketch, but the skill level of the person holding the pencil will control the outcome. The same is true of the website development tools available to the mass public and the difference in outcome when a website design agency uses them.

    The truth is that many professional website design agency employees actually do use the free tools made widely available to the public. The difference is that they combine them with industry-specific tools, and use them at a much higher level than the average person. Many tools, such as WordPress, can provide a wonderful framework for a website, but it will look cheap and unprofessional if designed using a premade template. You don’t your website to look like a teenager’s blog, right? A professional web developer will know how to take a tool like WordPress and customize it in such a way that it becomes completely unique, with no risk of the site looking like someone else’s. Web developers are highly trained professionals with a very specific set of skills and an understanding of certain technologies. Without a formal education, most people couldn’t successfully use the industry tools they combine with the mass-market ones in order to make beautiful websites. Though it is entirely possible to create a website yourself online using only amateur tools, it simply won’t have the same look, feel, depth, or functionality as one professionally designed and built by a website design agency.

    Your website is one of the most important investments you’ll make into the marketing of your business, so it has to be done right. If you have experience and expertise in building websites, go ahead and design one yourself. Otherwise, you will get a much cleaner, more streamlined, and more user-friendly result from hiring a website design agency. It might cost a bit more than using a free online tool, but the boost it will give to your business will be well worth the initial costs. Hiring a professional is money worth spending.

  • Wed, Sep 19, 2012

    This article gives advice on finding a domain host right for your needs, listing ten questions that you should ask before signing up with a particular host, and why you should ask them.

    Make or Break

    Your domain host could well be the difference between your website being a runaway success or failing your business badly. Whether it is through poor technical support, a slow server, or other issues, problems with web hosting have the potential to ruin your reputation. The biggest, most galling factor about this is that a lot of the time it will be issues beyond your control.

    To give yourself the best chance of finding excellent domain hosting services, ask these questions first.

    1.Do You Charge a Set Up Fee?

    If they do then it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in fact many of the best ones will. It is more of a financial consideration for your budget.

    2.How Much Uptime Will My Site Have?

    You want at least 99.8% per month to be in serious business, with guarantees that you will get a refund if this is ever not met.

    3.Can I Upgrade?

    If you cannot upgrade without paying a financial penalty, avoid the domain host.

    4.What are the Charges for Excess Bandwidth?

    Ideally, go for unlimited bandwidth – if you can’t afford that option then this is very important to know.

    5.How Long is the Contract?

    Many great deals may be dependent on you signing up for a long time, up to five years in some cases. Always give these hosts serious consideration, what if you are not happy after year one?

    6.When Will My Site Be Backed Up?

    This is one of those where you get what you pay for. If you go with a high end premium host, expect to have your site backed up a lot.

    7.Do You Offer Built in Secure Server and e-Commerce Upgrades?

    Whether you are selling a product online or giving people an option to pay you via PayPal on your site, this can be hugely important to your site credibility, and you really don’t want to be paying the cost of an external business adding it into your site.

    8.Do You Operate a Referral Program?

    If they are a serious service provider, they will offer incentives for you to recommend their work. This is often a sign of a quality domain provider.

    9.When is Technical Support Available?

    If the answer is not 24/7, then run a mile and don’t look back! This doesn’t have to be telephone support, just an assurance that they will reply to an e-mail within 10 minutes, for example.

    10.How Big Can My Website Be?

    This may not a problem now, however as your business grows you will want to expand your site massively. If you have business objectives to meet in year three however your site will hold you back, reconsider your choice of domain host.

    Choosing the domain host will be one of the most important things you ever do in terms of your website. Ensure that you take the time required to get the best deal for you.

  • Tue, Sep 18, 2012

    Have you noticed the trend for explain-it videos? I’ve spoken to a bunch of video production houses, and they’re all saying the increasing trend is for value ‘real’ how-to explanations.

    The problem I see though, is that the lack of production value sometimes leads to creating a ceiling for your brand image. Until I saw this video. It looks homespun, it still has that warm outreach as though it’s produced by real people speaking on our terms. But – clearly there’s a higher production value than just a whiteboard.

    InMotion Hosting have taken infographics a step further by animating them. If you look around carefully, they had already produced a poplar infographic to explain the differences between Shared, VPS, and Dedicated Hosting.

    In filmmaking terms the homespun animations are referred to as ‘animatics’ and are usually one of the first draft of videoboards to demonstrate framing and pace with very basic puppet or claymation works.

    This is a simple video made by a real associates at InMotion Hosting. But it serves to show us that we can also adopt the explain it approach for our own niche industries by using infographics as animatics.

    Dedicated Hosting Specialist

    InMotion Hosting is a web hosting company specializing in Shared, VPS and dedicated hosting based in Los Angeles. Please direct any questions to the Twitter account @JulianaPayson who produced the video, or you can check out the video here:

  • Mon, Sep 17, 2012

    When you publish a website you are promoting yourself and your business to the entire world, just like millions of other businesses and individuals who currently have webpages. You need to find a way to make your page stand out from the rest, to get it noticed and for it to be the page that people go to above millions of others. It needs to be unique but also incredibly user friendly.

    Try More than One Design

    Try and make a mock up of how you want your page to look before you jump in or try twiddling with html code, a rough sketch showing the layout and the colours you want is fine. This gives you a starting point a basic design which you can adapt and manipulate to get the look and functionality that you want. Ask for input from your friends, research current internet and website trends and look for new design tools that you can use. Draw up several drafts of your basic design so that you compare and contrast before making your final decision.

    Make Your Site User Friendly

    Despite you making a website to suit your own style and tastes you are also making a site that is hopefully going to be used by millions of people, so you need to consider the general internet user when you are designing your site too. Knowing what it is that the users want and what makes them happy when they use a site, will help you when it comes to you putting your site together. You need to ensure that the site that you create is not only attractive to the eye it also needs to be easily readable, have a high standard of information and text and where applicable good animation and pleasant audio.

    Use the Right Formats in Your Design

    When it comes to placing images on your site, make sure that you upload them in the right format for a web page. GIFS and JPEGS are the best kinds of files to use for photographic images and GIFS and PNG files should be used for graphic elements such as logos, banners and screenshots. A PNG file offers the ability to use Alpha Transparency, which means that you can use your graphic image over the top of any other graphic element without it looking messy or unprofessional.

    The internet is a great place to look for tools to help you design the perfect website, and making your site can be great fun as you learn about all of the different elements that make a webpage work. Take your time, do your research and find a set of tools that you find easy to operate and that you can work with, leave and come back to without forgetting how they work. Always remember that before you actually publish your site you can spend as long as you need to tweak and perfect you page, and then even when it does go live you can still make tweaks should you notice any glitches.

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