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Why Buy a Web Domain?

Pierre — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:01:16 +0000

When the internet first started coming into fashion, in the mid-1990’s, domain names were extraordinarily expensive. Buying just one domain name could set you back a minimum of $50, and sometimes more. You could only get .com domain names, and if you wanted a .org or a .net, then you had to apply to a special authority. It could takes weeks or months to get the domain name you wanted. Today, however, if you want to buy a web domain name, it is as easy as a few clicks.

Some company owners still do not see the value in a good domain name. When you buy a domain name, you want it to be as short as possible because the fewer letters a customer has to type, the better. They will also be less likely to make a mistake and accidentally surf over to a competitor. You will also be putting that domain name on printed materials, advertisements, and other materials, so you want it to be obvious, catchy, and as memorable as possible. Any strange spellings or characters could cost you business.

When you go to buy a web domain name, it is best to buy as many as you can easily afford. You want your main domain name, the one that you put on all of your printed materials, but you also want domain names that are similar or just one character off the main one. This is to prevent other companies from moving in on your business.

If you own the .com name, then you should also buy the .net and .org names, and if you do business overseas, then you should consider buying the Canadian and British versions of the name as well. Stake your claim online early and you will prevent other people from coming in and taking your business.

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Choosing Your PHP Website Hosting

Pierre — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:01:14 +0000

Not all web hosts are the same. Some will allow you to FTP your files up to your site and send basic email, using a CGI form, but that is it. If all you want is a basic website, then that should be fine for you. But, if plan on expanding in any direction in the future, then you should start doing research into PHP website hosting.

PHP is a website programming language, one that runs behind the scenes of almost every commercial website you see online. It is used to handle content, deliver feeds, send and receive email, and even operate shopping carts. Without access to PHP, you will never be able to grow your website.

PHP website hosting does change from provider to provider. Some hosts will allow you to work on the server and make intricate changes to your coding while others will not. Some will allow you to alter certain files (that you need to change to make programs work), while others will expect you to change your programs to work with their system.

The more access you can get to the “back room” of your web host, the better you will be if you are using PHP website hosting. This doesn’t mean that you have to be a techno-geek, but it does mean that you will need to understand at least the basics of programming (or hire someone else that does!). Some of the most popular additions to websites – article submission services, databases, rotating content, functional links to outside sources, and shopping carts – all rely on PHP and without the ability to tweak that source code, you might be limited in the programs you can use.

When you are choosing a provider, also make sure that you choose one that provides great customer support, as PHP can be somewhat complicated to even the most qualified programmer.

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Website Hosting Companies Can Rip You Off!

Pierre — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:01:19 +0000

Watch out! There is a new fad on the Internet – website hosting companies that don’t really exist. People masquerading as hosting services are taking people’s money, hijacking their domains, and immediately putting them out of business. Here are a few things to look out for to make sure this doesn’t happen to you!

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You already know the average cost of hosting if you have done any research online at all. If you find a company that is so cheap that you can’t say “No”, then you better say “No”! Chances are that it is not legitimate.

2. Make sure the company that you end up signing up with allows you to pay via credit card. Companies that only allow checking account transactions are notorious for not being on the up and up. A company that does business through your credit card knows that it is subject to the rules of your credit card and the funds can be reversed at any time.

3. Do your research! Make sure that the website hosting companies you are looking at have been in business for a year or more. Also, just do a Google search on them and you should find out what the overwhelming sentiment is among users. If you hear stories about too many unsatisfied customers, you might want to move on to another.

Perhaps the worst thing you could do with your business is to put it in the hands of someone who just doesn’t care about you as a customer. The key to building a strong and thriving online business really does lie with your hosting company. Deciding upon website hosting companies can be the most important decision you make with your online business, both now and for the future.

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Why You Need Easy Web Hosting

Pierre — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:01:00 +0000

There is a trend in web hosting toward elaborate, high-level packages that include everything from e-commerce, shopping carts, credit card processing, and more. These are great if you have a website that needs all of these, but if you don’t, then you may be paying for functionality that you just don’t need. If you are a small business that doesn’t necessarily want to take credit card transactions online, then you need easy web hosting.

Every deal you see online is not a good deal, especially if they are offering you stuff that you just don’t need. In addition, you may find that the web hosting packages that offer a lot of extra functionality will actually make your website building much harder. If you are going for something simple, keep it simple by choosing easy web hosting to build your site.

What you are looking for is simply this – enough space on their server to host your files, the ability to send and retrieve emails, and the ability to track who has been to your site. Almost all website packages now offer some sort of statistics package so that you can find out who came to visit you, where they came from, and who they are. Don’t scrimp on this part of any web hosting package.

Some companies that offer easy web hosting do so because they know that not everyone is particularly technologically up-to-date. If all you can do is FTP your files up to your site, that’s OK with them. They can provide you with the interface to do it, so you don’t even have to worry about downloading another program. Sometimes simple is better and often times, simple is less expensive, too! So, by choosing hosting that is appropriate for your company, you will save money and probably a lot of time as well.

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Finding a Website Hosting Provider

Pierre — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:01:44 +0000

Finding a website hosting provider is much like finding an auto insurance company. Most people usually rely on word of mouth – they go with the company that their family or their friends use. And then, once they are locked into one company, they usually stay there for quite some time. But, you don’t have to do business like that and you should actually put a little more thought into what company you end up working with.

Remember that your website hosting provider is your link to the outside world. If they are down, then you are down. If they don’t answer your questions in a timely manner, then you are out of business. You have to have a company that is reliable, affordable, and will stay in business for a long time.

But, you also need functionality. The hosting company that your best friend uses may not be the best one for you. Maybe you want to do some high level programming behind the scenes, or you are in the process of buying a lot of mirror domain names – your friend’s website provider may not be able to manage that.

Perhaps the best thing you could do before you sign on with any one company is to build a list of the specifics that you need – how much email traffic, how much web traffic, how much web space, what kind of programming accessibility, what kind of statistics packages – and then shop those requirements around. You will find that some companies offer you much more than you need, and some companies offer you more. The key is to find one that offers you what you need at a good price and still allows you room to grow later on.

No one said that finding a website hosting provider would be easy, but it is a lot easier if you do the legwork before you make a wrong decision.

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Understanding Website Hosting Reviews

Pierre — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:01:42 +0000

If you are starting to look into either changing website hosting companies, or are just getting into building your own website, you might want to start out by looking at some of the many website hosting reviews that you can now find online. This can save you an awful lot of time, but more than that, it can save you from making a very expensive and potentially disastrous decision that could affect the prospects of your business.

When you are reading website hosting reviews, the first thing to do is “consider the source”. On one hand, a skewed or biased review may be in fact completely truthful and the person doing the review is writing it because they are happy with the service they are receiving. On the other hand, though, the review may be biased because the writer is getting a commission back from the company. You have to weed this information out for yourself.

Not all website hosting reviews are as up-to-date as you would like them to be. Website technology is still changing so quickly that the information that is prevented could be obsolete by the time it makes the web. So, before you sign up with any company, make sure that the information you have received is both truthful and timely.

Building a business online is potentially very lucrative, but the pitfalls are many – and one place where many people stumble is with choosing a website host. Do yourself a huge favor and make sure that you properly evaluate any host before you hand over the cash. Make sure that they are legitimate, have been in business for a long time, and that they have a track record of satisfied customers. Once you have done that, you should feel satisfied that you have made the right choice for your online business.

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Evaluating Web Hosting Prices

Pierre — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:01:21 +0000

When you are starting to evaluate web hosting prices, there is a lot to consider. You may pull up a company’s best “deals” on their home page, but that doesn’t mean that they are for you. And, like all purchases you make, you really need to read the fine print or you could be in trouble.

So, what are you looking for when you are digging deep into the web hosting prices of various companies?

1. Some companies will sell you on the fact that you can have virtually unlimited server space. This sounds great, but in reality, you will never use as much space as they have to offer. So, unless you are building a site that is sending out huge videos, you don’t need to consider this as a very important aspect of the pricing structure.

2. Some companies will charge you a surcharge for every domain that you associate with an account. This will seriously prohibit your growth, as everyone knows that the more domain names you have, the greater your presence on the web. There are companies, however, that will allow you to load up your accounts with various domains, using them to mirror your one chief directory.

3. Be careful of smaller hosting companies that offer great deals if you pay a year ahead of time. Some of these companies are “fly by night” and will run off with your money after you pay the large sum upfront. A legitimate company will allow you to pay monthly or quarterly as long as you have a direct debit set up with your bank account, credit card or Paypal.

Web hosting prices vary considerably, so start searching online, see what you can find, and make a list of the options that are vital for the growth of your business, both now and in the long run.

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Choosing Your Ecommerce Web Host

Pierre — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:01:23 +0000

There was a time a few years ago when if you wanted to have ecommerce on your website, you had to deal with multiple companies. You needed to be able to process credit cards, you needed a secure connection on your server, and you needed to be able to transfer the funds to your own bank account. Now, however, by choosing an ecommerce web host, you can do all of it in one place, much easier than every before.

One of the main problems with website hosts that did not operate as an ecommerce web host was that they required too many pieces of a puzzle to fit together. Their shopping cart had to fit with your credit card processor, and their server (PHP, MSQL, etc.) had to work with the shopping cart. It was a lot of work, even for people who really enjoyed building sites like this.

Luckily, times have changed and it is very easy to build a site by using a dedicated ecommerce web host. You don’t have to worry about who is processing the credit card transactions, they are all done behind the scenes. You can integrate PayPal into your site as well, giving you more reliability and a greater audience to work with.

Remember that when you work with any ecommerce application that several companies will be getting a slice of your pie before it ever comes to you. Every company that processes something for you – shipping, the shopping cart, the credit card – will expect a percent of the sale, so make sure that you build all of that into your final cost.

Doing business on the internet has never been easier and thanks to new ecommerce applications that build right into your website, you can be up and running online in a matter of hours.

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Which Is the Top Web Host?

Pierre — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:01:20 +0000

Choosing a web host is one of the most important things you will do with your online business. Of course, advertising your services is important, as is finding the right product or service to sell, but if you don’t have the top web host for what you are doing, you might as well just close up shop. A web host can make or break you, so you should spend time at the beginning, determining what it is that you need and what you can do without.

When you are looking for a top web host, you must first determine what you need. How many email addresses or domain names will you need to associate with one account? Some companies will only allow one domain name per account, which could end up costing you an awful lot of money down the line. Make sure that you can load up one account with as many domains as you can before you sign on with anyone.

Then, you have to think about what you will be doing as far as ecommerce is concerned. If you want to host your own shopping cart and ecommerce facility, then you will need a hosting service that allows that. Not all of them do – some will require that you use what they provide, and that can come at a very high cost.

The key to finding the top web host for what you are looking for is to really take the time to evaluate the services of each and find a company that fits you now and will fit you down the line when you are ready to expand your website and your company. A web host that prohibits your growth, either in terms of server space or server access will only cause problems for you down the line.

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Ecommerce Website Hosting Made Easy

Pierre — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:01:34 +0000

Putting up your website is one thing, but making it ecommerce accessible is another. You can’t open a business without unlocking your front door, and that is what ecommerce is all about. You have to turn on that cash register so you can start logging sales and ecommerce website hosting will help you to do that.

There are still some website designers who insist that there is no easy ecommerce application, one that is good enough to support a business, and they try and sell poor, unsuspecting customers on their intricate, proprietary shopping carts. But, if you look around, you will be able to find a host that makes ecommerce website hosting easy.

This is done by incorporating all the aspects of ecommerce into one package. There are website hosts that do this, and although it will be a little more expensive than your traditional hosting, you will begin to see profits right away. After all, who doesn’t like to buy stuff online?

When you are looking into choosing an ecommerce website hosting package, make sure that it fits the type and size of business that you are running. Some packages will only work with tangible products, so if you are offering a service, then you need to make sure your shopping cart package will allow that. Some companies will take a percentage of your sales before it even gets to you, so make sure you are aware of how much you will be paying. And, this is in addition to the price of buying the shopping cart, setting it up, and having it running all the time.

There are many parts to running a business and utilizing ecommerce, so do as much research as you can before you buy into any package, but rest assured that a quality package will bring in almost instant revenue for your business.

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