Webflow vs WordPress: Which Is Better?

 

Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

Paul Wheeler

Deciding which of these two promising platforms to get?

Webflow and WordPress are two platforms worth trying, especially if you’re looking to design, manage, and promote a full-featured website.

Each system comes with built-in features for a professional web project. However, these services use different website development approaches.

Both platforms are worthy competitors capable of creating feature-rich projects. It also takes time to learn and master Webflow and WordPress because they have complex editors and a large inventory of elements and tools to explore.

So, which platform prevails over the other? Which is worth your attention, time, and budget investment? What distinctions affect your choice?

Here’s a detailed overview of the Webflow vs WordPress debate.

webflow vs wordpress what to choose

What Is WordPress?

WordPress is the world’s most popular open-source CMS. Do you know that 43% of all websites are from WordPress?

One thing that makes it so popular is that anyone can download the software from WordPress.org and install it on a host to create a website.

The original intention for WordPress was to be a blogging platform, but this gradually morphed into a full-service Content Management System (CMS). A CMS is a tool that helps manage critical aspects of a website without learning a programming language.

The result is a platform that makes website creation accessible to everyone—even if you’re not a developer!

WordPress can handle any website type, including:

  • eCommerce stores
  • Portfolios
  • Forums
  • Membership sites
  • Business sites
  • Blogs
  • Resumes
  • Social networks
  • Mobile applications
  • Anything you can dream up

What does WordPress do?

WordPress started life as a standalone project back in 2003. The platform is an offshoot of the previous b2/cafelog project.

The open-source CMS has licensure under GPLv2, and anyone can adjust or use the WordPress code. Its original creation was a collaboration between Mike Little and Matt Mullenweg. Today, the platform has a large community of contributors.

Why Use WordPress?

Big businesses, individuals, and everyone in between uses WordPress!

WordPress is an easy-to-use platform, especially if you’re new to web development. However, it also has a lot to offer if you have site-building experience.

WordPress is completely customizable and comes with plenty of features that help you create any site you’d like.

Many well-known entities are using WordPress, including:

WordPress Pros

Here’s why many people choose WordPress for their website projects.

1. Relatively Cheap Site Development

Website or blog building, development, and maintenance using WordPress are significantly cheaper than hiring a designer.

The platform is free to install and comes with cost-friendly 1-click hosting plans.

2. Wide Range of Professional Themes

You have the freedom to choose the theme you want from a wide selection. Premium themes cost as low as $19.

3. Mobile-Friendly Sites

Making your website as responsive as possible to multiple devices is critical.

Most WordPress themes and designs are responsive, so you automatically benefit from emerging responsive web technology when creating a new site.

4. Easy Updates

All you need is a little web development know-how and experience to make a few changes to your site.

5. Great for Online Stores

Many e-commerce sites use WordPress because of the number of plugins available, including WooCommerce, that make online selling easy.

6. Best for Aggressive Marketing Online

You can make as many updates to your content as you want.

Fresh and frequent content can help build credibility in your niche. Plus, you can create new WordPress sites in minutes to leverage tactical campaigns.

7. Exceptional Social Media Integration

It’s easy to integrate social networks with your WordPress-powered site. Social connectivity also makes it easy to update all your accounts with a single click.

8. Enhanced Security

WordPress security plugins and updates ensure your website is hack-proof. Security on WordPress sites is more enhanced than on traditional sites.

WordPress Cons

There are drawbacks to using WordPress, including:

1. Cost

The platform is free, but efficiency-enhancing plugins and themes have a price. Using more tools increases your budget.

2. Frequent Updates

After updating WordPress, you also have to update the themes and plugins you’re using to ensure proper functionality. You may run into compatibility issues when you have many plugins on your site.

3. Not beginner-friendly

Navigating the WordPress web design, maintenance, and development process can be difficult, especially without prior experience.

4. Site Vulnerability

WordPress is a popular CMS, making it a prime target for cyber attacks. Heavy reliance on plugins from different people also increases the chances of malicious code affecting your website’s functionality.

5. Poor SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) friendliness can be an issue if you have no SEO experience. Google will flag any WordPress content that is over-tagged or in too many categories as duplicate content. The result is a significant drop in your site’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

What is Webflow?

When building a website, the typical assumption is you need to code. As a result, it’s tempting to forgo creating your business site until you learn to code—which can take forever.

Why not consider a no-code website development tool instead?

One such tool is Webflow.

Webflow is an excellent tool for building and designing high-fidelity website prototypes. Use the platform to show team members and clients what the finished site will look like instead of imagining your website’s appearance and behavior.

What does Webflow do?

Webflow is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform capable of building websites via a visual, drag-and-drop tool. Unlike other SaaS website builders, such as Wix and Squarespace, Webflow gives you access to the website’s underlying code.

A visual builder is a visual tool for generating your website’s JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. Webflow also has a CMS for creating directories, e-commerce stores, blogs, and much more.

Webflow is a self-contained platform. While the platform’s core is everything you need to create your website, there are features for embedding code.

After creating your site, you can:

  • Export the code and host on your preferred hosting provider for static sites;
  • Or pay Webflow to host the site—a requirement if you want dynamic content via the CMS.

Why Use Webflow?

The platform empowers designers to build professional, custom websites using their visual online canvas.

Some of the leading websites using Webflow include:

Webflow Pros

Here are the significant benefits of using Webflow.

1. Website Customization

Webflow offers you complete control of what your business website will look like without entering a single code. Plus, you don’t have to deal with boring templates.

2. Free to Use

The platform is free to use unless you want features in the premium versions. However, the free features are an excellent starting point. Further, the paid plans are economical.

3. Flexible Plans

No other website builder offers as many plans as Webflow.

You can stick with the free plan or purchase a paid plan. The main plan categories are:

  • Site plans—These plans offer basic website direction and templates
  • Account plans—Enroll in these plans if you’re looking for advanced add ons and features

Both plan categories offer you more customizable options.

4. Plenty of Features

This drag-and-drop website builder also supports JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. But, you don’t need to learn to code, so you can easily build a static or e-commerce website with Webflow.

Webflow can also help rank your website on Google. The platform boasts advanced SEO controls so you can develop an SEO-friendly website fast. You also get over 100 responsive and unique website templates.

5. Easy to Use

The interface may look a little complex at first glance. However, you’ll find it easy to use once you get over the interface. There’s no coding, no hassle—all you do is drag and drop the elements you want.

Webflow also supports over 2,000 fonts and is capable of complex customizations. The platform doesn’t have plugins like WordPress, but they have a DropinBlog feature for adding a blog to your site.

6. Secure

Each Webflow plan comes with a free SSL certificate. As a result, no one can access your site’s backed without your permission, and Webflow complies with all security standards.

Webflow Cons

Webflow also comes with a few demerits.

1. No Code Customization

You get various editing level customizations with Webflow. However, you cannot customize a website at the code level.

Some basic level code customizations are possible. But you can’t change a code’s functionality via coding.

2. Confusing Plans

A wide variety of plans is both a pro and a con. The range of plans you get is sometimes confusing and complex, making it difficult to determine which plan is ideal for you.

3. A Steep Learning Curve

Building a website on your own might take time because you need to learn the platform’s ins and outs. You also need to have a basic understanding of website design principles, so the product looks and functions as expected.

Webflow vs WordPress: What’s The Difference?

Webflow and WordPress are excellent tools for creating stylish, professional sites without coding knowledge. Both platforms have a CMS that lets you publish news websites, blogs, portfolios, online shops, business websites, and more via a graphical user interface.

The platforms also offer pre-made, high-quality website templates. However, you can build your site from scratch.

Create unique designs in Webflow using the Webflow Designer. The drag-and-drop page editor lets you customize colors, layouts, elements, typography, etc.

The WordPress core version lets you adjust the design using the WordPress theme customizer. You can also create media-rich pages and posts using the WordPress block editor (Gutenberg).

Here are the other differences.

Features

Webflow and WordPress offer everything you’d need to create a website. However, you need to rely on plugins to get added functionality on WordPress.

Common features in both platforms are:

  • Pre-made themes and templates
  • A full content management system
  • Blogging
  • SEO optimization
  • Performance optimization
  • SSL certificates
  • Code access
  • Ecommerce
  • Static HTML websites
  • Visual drag-and-drop capabilities

However, there are a few feature differences, which we discuss below. But WordPress and Webflow both do almost everything for most website owners.

Ease of Use

The Webflow sign-up process is a breeze. All you need is an email, your password, and your name. Next, you get a few questions about your technical expertise and the type of website you want to build.

Beginners are better off choosing one of the templates even if Webflow allows creating a website from a blank canvas. The interface has many buttons, making using Webflow Designer a little daunting if you’ve never used a site page builder before.

Fortunately, Webflow has video tutorials to ease the learning curve.

WordPress needs to install the software before using it. Most web hosting service providers will install the platform for you.

The WordPress block editor provides a better user-friendly experience compared to Webflow. However, it’s less powerful and suitable for writers and bloggers.

Many WordPress themes allow modifications to the site design via the theme customizer tool. This customizer is easy to use but may be cumbersome when jumping back and forth between settings.

WordPress boasts a user-friendly theme customizer and editor, but Webflow is easier to use. Webflow takes care of all the major administrative tasks so that you can focus on the website.

Plans and Pricing

Webflow provides a transparent pricing policy. The annual membership costs 20% less than the monthly options.

Signing up to Webflow and creating two unique projects is free. However, the free account is only best for learning the platform and testing it. Restrictions on features and adding pages are present.

The plans on Webflow look like this:

  • For up to 10 projects, pay $24 a month
  • Unlimited projects go for $42 a month
  • Once you’re ready to publish the project online, you need to choose a plan at either $15, $20, or $45 per month

The Webflow pricing is competitive from a traffic point of view by offering you:

  • A basic plan with 25,000 visitors a month
  • CMS for 100,000 visitors monthly
  • Business plan for 1,000,000 a month

However, there are restrictions to the plans in other ways, such as:

  • The basic plan will not let a visitor search your content, and others cannot edit your site
  • They limited all websites to 100 static pages

Webflow monthly costs are fixed, so it’s easy to determine how much the service will cost your business when you know the traffic levels and e-commerce profits.

WordPress is free to download, but you need to consider several things. First, the platform may cost less than Webflow.

The cost depends on the site hosting package you choose, the WordPress theme you’re using, and the premium WordPress plugins you install.

Cost of running an e-commerce site using WordPress also varies. Free plugins such as Easy Digital Downloads and WooCommerce can help you build a simple online shop. However, you’ll likely spend thousands of dollars annually for added functionality.

Themes and Templates

For each Webflow template, you get a screen preview, description, and a features list. You can preview the templates within the Webflow Designer or in the browser.

You get about 100 website templates from which you can choose. Close to half of the templates are free for download. However, the premium themes will set you back up to $149.

Third-party Webflow templates are available on marketplaces such as Flowbase, but the market is thin. The all-in-one publishing solution, Webflow Designer, lets you add content, your shop products and change your site design.

The Designer is Webflow’s heart and an excellent selling point of the platform, but the initial loading takes a while. You get many elements, including CSS transitions, images, symbols, and animations. The premade layouts help construct pages fast, and you can view the page structure via the built-in navigator.

All you need to do is click a specific page element to change the size, design, colors, etc. Developers also get useful options, such as a style manager and the ability to export code.

The Interactions feature is a favorite for many because it lets you set triggers for specific actions. For instance, animating an element when visitors hover over a page section.

However, managing images on Webflow is frustrating. Image uploading is straightforward, but managing the current images is clunky.

On the other hand, WordPress features a media gallery that provides a refined experience. The platform also has one of the largest communities of website developers and owners online, so you get access to a massive collection of premium and free plugins and themes.

The official WordPress themes directory has about 4,000 free WordPress themes. You also get over 10,000 premium and free designs from third-party developers.

WordPress simplifies installing new themes. You can install the themes from WordPress.org in the admin section, while third-party themes are available in ZIP format.

Webflow Designer is a fantastic and powerful platform from a design view compared to the WordPress core version. However, you can expand the design functionality in WordPress using plugins—something that’s not possible in Webflow.

Plugins and Extensions

Webflow and WordPress provide all the tools for building your website. However, you can extend the site with features beyond the core platform.

Most website builders offer the extra functionality through extensions, apps, or plugins—the terminology differs.

WordPress offers a massive selection of plugins that add more functionality to your website. The platform assumes you’ll use the plugins to enhance website functionality, including SEO and making the website mobile-friendly.

Webflow doesn’t have official plugins, so you can’t add extensions to the interface directly. But you can add new features to extend your website through code snippets from other services.

The code snippet integrations have workarounds before they work compared to WordPress plugins that are fully native.

Content Management Functionality

You can add pages and assign them to folders using Webflow for a hierarchical flow of page management. Each page has a title, slug, and SEO settings.

You can edit the pages just as you would layouts. The functionality makes it easy to see how the content looks on your site. However, the process may be frustrating if you have a long article and your formatting options are limited to inserting links, italics, and bold.

You can also group blog posts in Webflow by content types, such as products, portfolios, and services. When adding new content, click the add new CMS Collection item button.

Unfortunately, you only get a few formatting options with Webflow.

WordPress doesn’t have restrictions on the images, users, pages, or posts you can add. The platform also offers a way to create custom post types for adding content using plugins. Such functionality allows transforming your website into a discussion forum or membership site.

The full-screen WordPress editor mode removes the admin menu so you can focus on writing your content. Click the plus icon at the top of a page to load content blocks and add rich media content.

You also can use the classic editor if you prefer the What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) function.

WordPress is the more powerful CMS compared to Webflow. There are no restrictions on items you can add, and the custom post types feature helps expand your website further. Writing long articles in WordPress is also a better experience.

Support

Webflow University offers hundreds of lessons, tutorials, and video courses. Their blog also contains helpful tips and example sites.

However, Webflow support is only active between 6 AM and 6 PM (Pacific Time) on weekdays. But you get an active discussion forum where you can ask for help.

WordPress offers us an extensive documentation area, so you learn more about the platform and troubleshoot common issues. Thanks to its popularity, a quick online search also reveals tens of thousands of WordPress tutorials.

The WordPress self-hosting version is open-source, so you can’t get help from WordPress. Fortunately, most website hosting services help their clients troubleshoot issues with WordPress.

The support level depends on the hosting service. WordPress hosting services, such as WP Engine, offer 24-hour, 7-day-a-week support.

What’s Our Verdict?

As we come to the end of this Webflow vs WordPress comparison, which is the better option?

Comparing the two platforms can be difficult because you need to consider several factors. To help you make the right decision, think about:

  • The type of website you’re building
  • Your budget
  • How much hands-on experience do you want with website maintenance?

Webflow is the best fit in some situations, while WordPress works best in others.

Webflow is an excellent platform if you’re a beginner, own a small website, or want to launch an online shop. Pricing is competitive, and the platform takes care of the time-consuming aspects of a website.

However, WordPress is the more powerful site-building platform. You don’t get restrictions on the number of pages you can add to your website, people editing the site, or the page builder you use. WordPress also offers you a chance to change to whichever e-commerce solution you want.

WordPress is the ideal platform for writers. It does not cramp editing like in Webflow, and changing your writing and design setup is easy through plugins.

Web Hosting for Webflow and WordPress

Web hosting is one of the critical components of any successful website. Choosing the best hosting company can improve SEO and increase sales.

You can use the Webflow hosting service and get a managed experience.

Otherwise, use the code export option in Webflow to download your site and upload the files into your preferred hosting service (available for paid account plans only).

Another easier option is to point your custom domain name to your Webflow website.

Here are web hosting services that work best with Webflow and WordPress.

Webflow Hosting—Best For Webflow Sites

Hosting with Webflow is easy and worth considering for several reasons.

The hosting service has backing from Amazon Web services and Fastly. The collaboration means you get “lightning-fast” and “ultra-reliable” hosting, according to Webflow.

Hosting on the service also means you get free SSL, versioning and backups, a built-in Content Distribution Network (CDN), SEO management, and more.

To host your site on Webflow, purchase the Site Plan (separate from the Account Plan), which ranges from $12 to $36 a month.

SiteGround—Best WordPress Hosting Service

SiteGround is one of the few hosting services WordPress officially recommends, making it an excellent choice for your WordPress site.

The platform has its environment optimized for WordPress websites of any type and size and offers simple-to-use tools for setting up the website.

SiteGround currently houses over 2,000,000 domains worldwide and is one of the most reliable and fastest-growing independent web hosting companies.

WP Engine—Most Popular WordPress-Only Host

WP Engine offers premium integrated WordPress hosting services. However, the service does not host non-WordPress websites.

You gain access to thousands of WP developers who create integrations for full website customization.

WP Engine also has a reputation for stellar support via phone, chat, and helpdesk.

Wrap Up

WordPress is clearly the better option compared to Webflow.

WordPress comes with more design options, e-commerce, support, and flexibility options at a lower price point. You can also manage your spending by choosing what you want.

Webflow offers you an excellent web design tool that works flawlessly. However, limited CMS features, support, integrations, and flexibility can be a drag.

The Webflow vs WordPress debate all comes down to your specific requirements. So take the time to decide, but consult with a professional to see all the options and what will pay off in the end.

 

  • Top Web Hosting Providers Non-Technical People Should Know

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

    Paul Wheeler

    Every day, new websites are popping up-and with good reason!

    The internet is one of the best ways to reach new customers for businesses, connect people socially, and so much more. But where are these websites stored? That’s where web hosting comes in! Web hosts store websites, keeping their data safe and sound.

    Web hosting for non-technical people makes it easier for them to set up and manage their websites without needing any knowledge of how web servers work or what makes a website go viral.

    Ease of use is one of the main reasons why companies choose web hosting services over other options like self-hosting or renting space on someone else’s server. It is not just about the server but also about the speed and security of your website. For example, if you are running an e-commerce site, you need to make sure that your site loads fast and stays safe from hackers.

    Hosting is a service that provides you with a URL and holds all the data and code for your site, so that you can share content on the internet. It allows you to create your website and have access to your domain name.

    These web hosts are used by individuals, small businesses, and large corporations to host their websites. There are two types of hosting: shared hosting and dedicated hosting. Shared Hosting is where the host shares resources with multiple customers, while dedicated hosting is where the host has all the resources for one customer.

    Shared web hosting comes with an extra cost of maintenance fees and support fees, while dedicated web hosting does not have these costs.

    What To Look for in a Web Host

    All hosts are different and will provide various features, levels of performance, customer support, uptime guarantees, and price. Hosting is vital for maintaining a website, so you need to know what you absolutely cannot compromise on.

    It is important to make sure that these companies have the right features and services for your website and business before you sign up with them. Consider:

    • Cost: The price should be affordable but competitive enough to provide value for your money. To avoid any hidden fees that come with the service, it’s best to ask all about fees when you talk to a representative.
    • Support: Make sure that the company offers 24/7 customer support and has an easy-to-navigate website so that you can find solutions quickly.
    • Features: Look at what features they offer and how they compare with other providers on the market. What features do they offer that others don’t? What features do they provide that are similar to your competitors?
    • Performance: Make sure that the company’s performance and uptime are comparable with others in the industry.

    If you are looking for a web hosting company, you should decide what you are looking for and how much commitment you want to make.

    Customer Support

    It’s 3 AM your time, but it’s prime browsing time for your user base. If your website goes down, you need support immediately, regardless of the hour.

    Some of the best web hosting services offer 24/7 phone support and a live chat option so customers can reach them any time of the day. It’s also important to offer email and ticketing options so that they can help customers who are not online.

    When choosing a web host, it is crucial to find one that offers live chat rather than email or ticketing options. Live chat allows the customer to talk to an agent directly without having to wait for an email reply or call back.

    Dashboard User-interface

    There’s nothing worse than trying to build your website or access your web host, only to be foiled by a confusing dashboard.

    A good web hosting that is easy to use usually has features like automatic backups and website migrations. These are essential for people who don’t have time to learn about everything that goes into the technical side of things but still need the website up and running all the time.

    Web hosting is an essential part of any website. It is the place where all your content and data are stored. A good dashboard should be simple and straightforward. It should also have a lot of features that will help you manage your website easily.

    The best providers for this are managed WordPress hosting services, which provide the most out-of-the-box solutions for managing your website.

    Affordability

    If your business is just starting, or you’re starting a blog on the side, then affordability is vital to keep your overhead costs down. It is important for non-technical people because it allows them to share their content with the world without having to invest heavily into something they are not familiar with.

    It is not advisable for anyone to go for the cheapest hosting service because that can cause performance and reliability issues. It is also important that your website be up and running all of the time without any downtime. The best way to check this is by using a monitoring tool like Pingdom or Google Analytics.

    Email

    One perk of having your own domain is getting an email address or two included with your web hosting. This is especially true if your website is for a business, as your own email domain will be more reputable than, say, a Gmail account.

    Email hosting helps people create their own domain and email addresses without having any technical knowledge or experience.

    Top 10 Web Hosting for Non-technical People

    1. InterServer

    InterServer

    Beginner Rating: 4.9

    InterServer is a web hosting company that helps people who are not technically inclined to create websites. It provides step-by-step tutorials and templates for websites without the need for coding knowledge. InterServer has been around since 2009 and currently has over 100,000 customers in more than 150 countries around the world.

    They have everything you need from their website and are also very affordable. InterServer is one of the few providers that can offer this kind of service to its users.

    InterServer has a unique approach to the industry by providing features that are specifically designed for those who don’t have technical knowledge. For example, InterServer’s website builder allows users to create websites without any coding knowledge, and it also offers an intuitive interface with clear navigation menus.

    InterServer’s customer support team is available 24/7 and provides help for all technical issues.

    They also offer a free trial of their service so you can test out their features before you decide on your final choice of a web host.

    InterServer features include:

    • Managed WordPress Hosting
    • Managed Drupal Hosting
    • Managed Joomla Hosting
    • 24/7 technical support
    • Free domain name registration
    • Free SSL Certificate
    • One-click installation for popular CMS platforms
    • Unlimited storage space
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • A free domain name and website builder

    Pros:

    • Reputable company
    • Scalability without downtime
    • Excellent customer support

    Cons:

    • Limited locations
    • Higher price point than other options

    2. Bluehost

    BluehostBeginner Rating: 4.7

    Bluehost has been around since 2000 and has become one of the most popular web hosting companies in the world. They provide low-cost, reliable, and secure solutions for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises alike.

    Bluehost is one of the best web hosting companies for non-technical people. It’s simple and easy to use, has a great user interface, and does not require any technical knowledge to get started.

    Bluehost offers a free domain name with each account that you purchase, which is perfect for businesses or individuals who are just starting out. You can also easily transfer your domain away from Bluehost if you need to change providers later on.

    Bluehost offers a wide range of features that are suitable for non-technical people, including:

    • 24/7 customer support,
    • Free domain name registration,
    • Free website transfer to Bluehost,
    • Free website migration to Bluehost,
    • Online backup and restore service with unlimited storage space,
    • Unlimited email accounts and email forwarding,
    • Cloudflare CDN integration for faster websites.

    Pros:

    • Extremely WordPress friendly
    • Wide selection of features
    • Good security features

    Cons:

    • Customer support could be faster
    • More fees than other services

    3. InMotion hosting

    InMotionBeginner Rating: 4.8

    Inmotion Hosting offers a wide range of hosting plans, including shared, VPS, and dedicated servers. It also has a range of add-ons to your plan that would be useful for bloggers and content creators.

    Inmotion hosting is a hosting web service that caters to people who are not tech-savvy and can’t handle the complexity of a website.

    Inmotion hosts websites on the cloud, which means you don’t need to worry about installing software or having your website on your own computer. They also offer free SSL certificates for all websites hosted with them.

    Inmotion offers great customer support and has an easy-to-use dashboard with features like auto-updates and backups.

    Inmotion hosting was founded in 2013 by two guys who wanted to make sure that everyone could host their website without needing a technical background. They found out that most companies were not able to provide services for people with no technical skills, so they decided to create a new business model for the industry.

    Inmotion has been growing steadily since then and now hosts over six million websites around the world, as well as provides data center services for businesses and government agencies.

    Inmotion hosts over 500,000 websites on its servers, including some of the most popular brands in the world like Hulu, Netflix, and HBO GO.

    Inmotion is an affordable web hosting service that offers various features for non-technical people. They have a list of features which includes the following:

    • One-click WordPress installation, one-click WP plugin installations, and automatic backups.
    • Unlimited bandwidth and disk space.
    • Unlimited email addresses with spam protection.
    • Free domain name registration ( .com, .net, .org).
    • 24/7 customer support via phone or chat.
    • Free website builder tool (Visual Composer).

    They offer a free trial, so you can test out the service before committing to it.

    Pros:

    • Numerous products for scaling your website
    • Reputable company
    • 90-day guarantee

    Cons:

    • Domain names must be purchased separately
    • No Window add-on capability

    4. SiteGround

    SiteGroundBeginner Rating: 4.7

    SiteGround is a web hosting company that offers a unique service to non-technical people. They offer the option to install WordPress with their software, which means that you can host your own website without any technical knowledge.

    SiteGround has been around for over 12 years and is one of the most popular web hosting companies in the industry. They have won many awards due to their outstanding customer support and the services provided.

    SiteGround provides unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, and 24/7 customer support at only $3.95 per month.

    SiteGround has been recognized for its unique approach to customer service, which includes live chat during office hours and a customer care team of over 400 people. It also offers features like auto-installs, free SSL certificates, and free migrations for all its customers.

    This company has grown to be one of the top choices for small businesses as well as individuals looking for affordable and reliable web hosting services.

    SiteGround offers a list of features which include:

    • Unlimited Disk Space
    • Unlimited Bandwidth
    • 1 Free Domain Name with Hosting
    • 24/7 Support

    SiteGround offers a list of features that make them different from other web hosting companies.

    These include the option to use their website builder, which is designed for non-technical people.

    Pros:

    • Excellent customer support
    • Offers an extensive learning platform
    • Great WordPress integration

    Cons:

    • High price point for renewals
    • The domain name must be purchased separately

    5. BuildYourSite

    BuildYourSiteBeginner Rating: 4.9

    BuildYourSite is the perfect solution for people who want to start their own website but don’t have the time or resources to learn how to code. They can use BuildYourSite’s drag-and-drop interface and templates to build their site without any technical knowledge.

    BuildYourSite also offers a variety of packages so that you can choose the one that suits your needs best.

    It’s not just about getting a website up and running, but it’s about making sure that your site looks good, has all the necessary features, and is easy to navigate.

    The company offers three plans with unlimited storage space and bandwidth, which are perfect for small businesses and individuals who don’t have the budget to hire a developer.

    BuildYourSite is a web hosting service that provides simple, affordable.

    • Free domain name with your hosting plan
    • Unlimited storage space, bandwidth, and email accounts
    • One-click installation of WordPress and other popular CMS platforms
    • 24/7 customer support
    • 99.9% uptime guarantee
    • Fast SSD servers
    • Unlimited domains and subdomains
    • Unlimited MySQL databases

    BuildYourSite is an easy-to-use web hosting service that provides all the features you need to set up a website. You can create a website in minutes with just one click, and there are no fees or contracts to worry about.

    Pros:

    • Excellent customer support
    • Great dashboard user-interface
    • Offers professional web design service

    Cons:

    • Does not offer a free trial
    • Lacking in marketing features

    6. Hostinger

    Beginner Rating: 4.8

    Hostinger provides a unique and comprehensive solution that is available to everyone. Their services are accessible through an easy-to-use interface for both beginners and experts. With hostinger, anyone can easily start their own website without any technical knowledge or expertise.

    Hostinger provides hosting for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises with a variety of packages to suit any need. They have over 10 million customers worldwide and are continuing to grow in popularity.

    The company is based in Romania and offers its services through its website, mobile app, and phone call center.

    Hostinger offers users a wide range of features such as:

    • Free SSL certificate
    • Free website builder
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Unlimited storage space
    • 24/7 customer support
    • Dedicated IP address
    • Free domain name registration
    • Cloudflare DDOS protection

    Hostinger offers 1-click installation and easy-to-use tools like Web Builder, DNS Manager, SSH access, and more to make managing your website hassle-free.

    Pros:

    • Offers free hosting
    • Easy WordPress installation
    • Customizable dashboard

    Cons:

    • Some plans lack essential backup service
    • Restrictive refund policy

    7. A2 Hosting

    A2 HostingBeginner Rating: 4.7

    A2 Hosting is a web hosting company with a focus on simplicity and affordability. They are one of the few companies that provide web hosting services for non-technical people like bloggers, small businesses, and non-profit organizations.

    A2 Hosting has been around since 2003, but they have only recently started offering their services to non-technical people. A2 Hosting is an affordable web hosting provider that provides many features at no additional cost to the user. They have a simple website with an easy-to-use interface that guides you through the process of setting up your own website.

    A2 Hosting is unique in that it doesn’t offer any technical support for its customers. Instead, it offers customer service through chat or email and provides tutorials on how to use its website without any assistance from A2 staff members.

    A2 Hosting has a list of features that include:

    • A simple, straightforward interface
    • 24/7 customer support team
    • Free domain names up to 10 years old
    • Simple installation process and easy setup (including a one-click WordPress installation)
    • Unlimited domains
    • Unlimited subdomains
    • Free SSL certificates with Let’s Encrypt integration
    • Free email forwarding (with up to 10 email addresses) – Free website migration (within 30 days)

    A2 Hosting is one of the best web hosting services that provide powerful tools for non-technical people to create websites, manage blog posts, and build online communities.

    Pros:

    • “Turbo Speed” feature grants excellent website speed
    • Hosting options in 13 countries
    • Great storage

    Cons:

    • Must purchase a domain name separately
    • Lacks security features

    8. DreamHost

    Beginner Rating: 4.7

    Dreamhost is one of the cheapest and most reliable web hosting that you can find on the market. It offers all the features that a user needs, including unlimited disk space, email accounts, and a fast and reliable hosting service.

    Dreamhost has a unique feature called “Managed WordPress,” which helps users with easy installation of WordPress websites without any technical knowledge.

    Dreamhost is a web hosting company that offers a discounted plan to non-technical people. It’s one of the most affordable web hosting companies that are available in the market today.

    Dreamhost has a list of features that provide great value to its customers. These features include:

    • Unlimited disk space and bandwidth
    • Unlimited email accounts and email forwarding
    • Up to 5 websites with unlimited domains
    • 1 TB of Google Drive storage for free for every new customer
    • 1-click installation
    • Easy setup
    • Free SSL certificates
    • 24/7 customer support

    Dreamhost also offers a variety of plans to fit every customer’s needs and budget.

    Pros:

    • Unlimited storage
    • 100% uptime guarantee
    • 97-day guarantee

    Cons:

    • The dashboard could be more user-friendly
    • Many extra fees

    9. HostColor

    Beginner Rating: 4.8

    HostColor is a web hosting company that offers a unique and simple way to host your website. They are dedicated to making their service easy to use and affordable for everyone.

    With their current services, they have covered all types of needs, from personal websites and blogs to e-commerce sites and large enterprise solutions.

    HostColor has been recognized by many publications such as PCMag, TechCrunch, Forbes, TheNextWeb, CNET, etc., for its innovative features such as the ability to host multiple domains on one account with unlimited subdomains and the ability to choose between shared or VPS.

    Web Hosting for Non-technical People: HostColor is a website that provides an easy-to-use interface and a variety of features to make it easier to host your websites.

    Features list:

    • Superfast SSD Storage
    • Easy to use web interface
    • Unlimited Disk Space and Bandwidth
    • Free Domain Name

    Pros:

    • Great customer support
    • Hosting plans are customizable
    • Impressive technical infrastructure

    Cons:

    • Reports of lacking chat support
    • Not recognized by the BBB

    10. Wix

    Beginner Rating: 4.7

    Wix is a web hosting platform that gives users the power to create professional websites without technical knowledge. Wix was born in 2006 when two friends decided they wanted to build their own website. It started with just one website and have since grown into one of the top 10 most visited website worldwide.

    Wix’s unique selling point is that it provides a user-friendly interface for non-technical people to build websites without having any coding skills. This makes it simple for anyone, from business owners and bloggers to artists and photographers, to get their work out there on the internet.

    Wix offers its users a unique drag and drop interface that allows the users to create their own website in minutes by simply dragging and dropping elements onto the site layout. This way, anyone can build a website without having any design or programming skills.

    In addition, Wix also provides its users with an easy-to-use back-end editor that allows them to edit pages on their website with no coding knowledge needed.

    Features include:

    • Drag and drop page builder
    • Easy editing options for text, images, videos, etc.
    • Built-in social media integration

    Pros:

    • Extensive selection of templates
    • Offers a wide range of features
    • Great dashboard user-interface

    Cons:

    • Free plans include mandatory Wix branding
    • Cannot transfer your website

    Web hosting is also for non-technical people

    Let’s face it: there’s no going online without web hosts. They play a vital role in keeping the internet going. However, not all hosts are made equal. Each one will have its own strengths as well as weaknesses.

    If you’re building a website, you need to think of what specifics are vital for you, and where you can compromise. For example, if you want an e-commerce store, security and up-time guarantees may be more important than a drag-and-drop builder. If you want to run a blog dedicated to Fido, your furry friend, social media integration and an easy builder may be more important.

    If you need to weigh them out more, you can find a list of detailed reviews available here.

  • Web Hosting for E-Commerce: Which is Best for Your Site?

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

    What Does Web Hosting for E-Commerce Mean?

    E-commerce, web hosting, and WordPress e-commerce is taking the online world by storm. With all these tools, it can be a lot to determine what’s best for your site. As you build your e-commerce store and your hosted e-commerce platform, there’s a variety of software to help you find your footing.

    What is E-Commerce Hosting?

    Every business needs a way to reach its customers, and in this increasingly digital world, no company is complete without a website. Beyond that, any business that sells goods should have a way to sell products online, too. Growing into an online business ensures longevity that many brick-and-mortar stores are losing.

    E-commerce hosting is a way to sell your products and goods to consumers all over the world. It offers ordering and payment options as well as a basic web hosting service. However, it differs from traditional web hosting in demand for better speeds and higher quality web content.

    Does Your E-Commerce Store Need to Be Hosted?

    Short answer: yes. Web hosting for e-commerce is essential. Your company and consumers need to know that security, payment processing, SSL, shopping cart software, and the business website are protected.

    Building your own hosted site is an option if you have the skills and time to do so, but when thinking about web hosting for e-commerce: what’s best for your site? Hiring an existing platform to do the dirty work saves you a lot of time that you can instead focus directly on your business.

    Why Choose A2 Hosting for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    A2 Hosting is one of the best sites available for e-commerce web hosting. With excellent packages, speeds, and customer service, A2 sets itself apart from the competition. A2 uses WordPress, which continues to grow as one of the top web hosting sites around.

    What Are the Benefits of A2 Hosting for E-Commerce?

    A2 Hosting offers easy solutions for your e-commerce web hosting. You can register your domain, transfer an existing domain, buy a new domain, forward emails, and utilize their software to support your e-commerce site.

    A2 Hosting has excellent customer service and offers domain options such as .biz, .com, .io, .net, .org, .ca, .cc, .in, .us, and .co to meet all your business needs.

    They offer domain theft protection, ID protection, Free DNS management, and 24/7/365 customer support in the form of their ‘Guru Crew.’

    What Features Does A2 Hosting Have for E-Commerce?

    A2 uses Linux for its service, with several tiers to choose from for the best fit for you. Their WordPress options come with a shared WordPress option or a Managed WordPress choice. Prices are per month, with discounts available for long-term contracts.

    Shared WordPress has four tiers. Startup comes with unlimited data transfers each month, 100GB SSD storage, 25 email addresses, and one website domain. It has A2 Optimized WordPress and site staging. This option can be as low as $2.99 a month.

    Drive offers everything that Startup has but includes unlimited emails, domains, and storage. Drive has plans as low as $4.99 a month.

    Turbo Boost includes everything in Turbo and Startup but adds in preconfigured site caching and NVMe SSDs on A2’s AMD EPYC servers. Turbo Boost pricing is as low as $6.99 a month.

    Finally, Turbo Max includes all of the above, plus increased memory from 2GB to 4GB and the ability to switch from a 2-core server to a 4-core server. Turbo Max starts at $12.99 a month.

    Managed WordPress hosting comes with everything mentioned above and adds on WordPress backups, a free personal license for JetPack, and pre-installed WP-CLI. You can choose from one, three, or unlimited sites priced at $12.99 a month, $22.99 a month, and $43.99 a month when signing up with a three-year plan.

    All A2 packages come with a money-back guarantee, making your risk easier to manage while they handle all your web hosting needs.

    Why Choose SiteGround for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    SiteGround is a WordPress-based hosting site offering technical superiority with in-house solutions. They were among the first to use Linux containers with customization that upholds the security and reliability that any business would love to have as their service.

    What Are the Benefits of SiteGround for E-Commerce?

    SiteGround uses Let’s Encrypt SSL, customized and available since its inception. They continuously maintain high security standards for clients as they build on to their fully managed service options.

    Their customer service is available 24/7/365, making your business their priority no matter where you are in the world or whatever your working hours. They have a myriad of resources available to clients, including ebooks on business and marketing guides, and optimization, security, commerce, and more.

    What Features Does SiteGround Have for E-Commerce?

    Their StartUp package begins as low as $4.99 a month and comes with one website and 10GB of web storage. With free SSL, daily backup, caching, unlimited databases, and free CDN and email, this package promises around 10,000 visits to your site each month.

    The GrowBig package begins at $7.99 a month and has all of the features of the StartUp package with added features such as unlimited websites, 20GB web storage, and around 25,000 site visits per month.

    GoGeek is their most extensive package. At $14.99 a month, it offers the same as the GrowBig package but promises around 100,000 site visits each month, making this an incredible deal.

    SiteGround also offers managed WordPress hosting with four options: fast, smooth, managed, and unmatched. Each builds on the other for the ultimate performance solution to speed up your website with updated WordPress plugins and security.

    Their WordPress services include SSL certificates, daily backups, email services, staging tools, development tools, and collaboration tools.

    Who Should Choose SiteGround for E-Commerce?

    SiteGround is another excellent choice for small and new businesses. Still, with their variety of options for plans and management from the hosting platform itself, it is an excellent choice for established and tech-savvy companies, too.

    Choosing your plan based on your needs offers a way to have a safe and attractive web hosting for your e-commerce website while maintaining professional and exciting web content for your clients is what makes SiteGround an excellent choice.

    Why Choose InMotion for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    InMotion is another hosting service provider that uses shared, dedicated, reseller, WordPress, and virtual private servers (VPS) to build your web hosting. With an uptime of 99.99% and continuous security monitoring, you can trust your business needs with InMotion.

    InMotion hosting is a top choice because of its commitment to open source development and its award-winning service teams. They continually show their dedication to excellence and put customers first.

    They offer hosting and application software via ceph, puppet, ansible, Virtuozzo, docker, WordPress, and OpenStack, making them a versatile e-commerce platform as well as innovative. They also provide an SSL certificate at a dedicated IP address.

    What Are the Benefits of InMotion for E-Commerce?

    InMotion offers a 90-day money-back guarantee, showing that they have your satisfaction in mind as they move forward with your business needs. They continue to show relevance in the field as they’ve installed over 500,000 WordPress sites to date.

    It’s easy to onboard with InMotion, taking your business off the ground quickly. They use flexible billing and allow plan changes whenever you need them, so your plan can change alongside it as your business changes. They also offer server solutions to host your apps, build custom stacks, and choose your operating system.

    What Features Does InMotion Have for E-Commerce?

    Shared hosting is one of the features available through InMotion. With three tiers, you can choose what fits your business. Launch begins at $5.99 a month with two websites, 50GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, 3x performance, 10 email addresses, marketing tools, a free domain and SSL, and a security suite.

    Power is their mid-level tier with all of the above, as well as 50 websites, 100GB SSD storage, 4x performance, 50 email addresses, and advanced caching. As low as $5.99 a month, this is an excellent option for businesses that expect growth in the next few months.

    Their higher tier, Pro, begins at $14.99 a month and includes everything that comes with Pro, as well as 100 websites, 200GB SSD storage, 6x performance, unlimited email addresses, and pro support SLA.

    Their WordPress services offer similar tiers with WP-1000S at $6.99 a month, offering one website, 50GB storage, 4x performance, free SSL, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited email, marketing tools, advanced caching, and their security suite.

    WP-2000S begins at $6.99 a month with everything included in WP-1000S and increases to two websites, 100GB storage, 6x performance, and Jetpack personal.

    WP-3000S starts at $12.99 a month and bumps your options to three websites, 150GB storage, 8x performance, and adds a dedicated opcode cache pool.

    Their top tier, WP-4000S, starts at $19.99 a month and provides all of the above, expanded to 6 websites, 200GB storage, 12x performance, and a dedicated IP address.

    They also offer an ecommerce website builder via WordPress, with a drag-and-drop option making your website design and management more user-friendly. With hundreds of template designs and a full WordPress suite, your website development is easy.

    InMotion also offers VPS hosting ranging from 2-8 CPU cores, 2-8GB RAM, 45-140GB storage, three dedicated IPs, and more. Pricing varies from $19.99 to $59.99 a month.

    Who Should Choose InMotion for E-Commerce?

    InMotion is a fantastic choice for businesses with significant web hosting needs. If you have more than one business or chain attached to your commerce, InMotion is well-equipped to handle the traffic flow you’re seeing.

    InMotion is excellent for smaller businesses but shows their power status for larger companies with high web demand. As some tiers become more expensive, smaller businesses won’t need the kind of performance InMotion offers.

    Why Choose Bluehost for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    Over 2 million hosted websites worldwide speak for themselves: Bluehost is an excellent e-commerce hosting provider. Their services don’t stop at web hosting, either. If you want to know more about SEO, social media marketing, content creation, graphic design, and more, Bluehost has the tools you need.

    Bluehost welcomes all levels of experience and involvement in their web hosting processes and caters to the needs of every type of business. Like most other web hosting services, Bluehost is WordPress-focused and offers 24/7 support.

    What Are the Benefits of Bluehost for E-Commerce?

    Hosting company Bluehost has been in business for nearly twenty years, making them experts in web hosting. They offer a variety of service packages with competitive pricing and on-demand support. It is one of only three companies explicitly endorsed by WordPress, giving them more credibility.

    Bluehost offers fantastic uptime and a clean, intuitive control panel so you can build a complete website for your business. They have a virtual private server (VPS) and dedicated packages like many other services.

    What Features Does Bluehost Have for E-Commerce?

    Building a site with WordPress is the first feature Bluehost offers. Hosting with WordPress starts at $2.95 a month.

    Managed packages begin with their Build package and include WordPress tools, support, and resources available. This plan offers one website, 20GB storage, 200 Global Edge servers, free SSL, a staging environment, and Jetpack Personal.

    Grow, a managed WordPress package, starts at $14.95 a month. It builds on the previous package with 40 GB storage, Jetpack Premium, 10 GB video compression, business review, SEO tools, and Blue Sky ticket support assistance with design and functionality 24/7.

    Their Scale package begins at $27.95 a month and offers 80 GB storage, Jetpack Professional, unlimited backups and restore, domain privacy and protection, business and SEO tools, PayPal integration, unlimited video compression, and Blue Sky Live Chat support.

    These packages also include malware detection and removal, domain privacy protection, and a 30-day free trial of Microsoft email.

    Who Should Choose Bluehost for E-Commerce?

    Bluehost is a solid hosting provider choice for every business of every size, but their PayPal payment gateway option is a fantastic addition. With a portfolio of more than 2 million websites hosted, Bluehost proves that it can manage any level of business needs, making them ideal all-around.

    Why Choose HostGator for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    With a 99.9% uptime guarantee, HostGator is a unique web hosting product for your e-commerce. Their 24/7/365 service and live chat options make them easily accessible for support and maintenance for your business needs.

    HostGator caters to new businesses looking to make their mark in the e-commerce world, and their quick and easy customer service options stand out across the platform.

    What Are the Benefits of HostGator for E-Commerce?

    HostGator offers a free SSL certificate, WordPress installation, dedicated hosting, and a free domain for your first year. Their plans start at $2.75 a month, making them one of the more affordable web hosting solutions.

    Their server speed is decent, at 707ms, which means the site can handle the traffic your business sends their way.

    What Features Does HostGator Have for E-Commerce?

    HostGator has three shared hosting plans, each with unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and a free domain.

    The Hatchling plan starts at $2.75 a month and offers one website, quick WordPress installation, and free WordPress/cPanel website transfers.

    The Baby plan starts at $3.50 a month and offers the same as the Hatchling plan, but unlimited websites. The extra $.75 a month is an excellent deal for unlimited websites, especially as your business continues to expand.

    Their most extensive shared hosting plan is the Business plan, which starts at $5.25 a month and includes the same as the Baby and Hatchling plans, but adds on Cloudflare CDN, 2.5x faster load times, free dedicated IP, and free SEO tools. The amount included in this upgrade is a great deal.

    HostGator offers three options for website building for your hosted platform with various email campaigns, products for your ecommerce store, appointment booking, and even a plan that waives transaction fees for purchases made on your website.

    Their VPS hosting offers anywhere from 2-8 GB RAM, 2-4 core CPU, 120-240 GB SSD, and unmetered bandwidth, which then allows you more control over your website if you’re a more tech-savvy business owner or prefer to keep some of the work in-house.

    Who Should Choose HostGator for E-Commerce?

    HostGator is best for brand new businesses without a lot of e-commerce experience. The bigger the need, the less HostGator can provide, and their add-ons get pricey pretty quickly. They’re a great way to get into the web hosting game but might not offer a long-term, cost-effective e-commerce solution.

    Why Choose WP Engine for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    WP Engine is a great place to start if you’re looking for a focused web hosting provider. One of the top names in WordPress hosting, WP Engine offers unmatched performance. Your high-traffic sites are perfect for WP Engine, and as your business grows, you’ll be glad you’ve chosen this platform.

    What Are the Benefits of WP Engine for E-Commerce?

    WP Engine offers consistent speed, meaning whether you have one visitor to your site of 100, the site will load just as quickly. Online consumers prefer to see a web page load quickly, and that speed relays the quality of the business, whether or not consumers realize that connection. WP Engine creates mobile-friendly websites also, making your business hand-held and easy to access.

    What Features Does WP Engine Have for E-Commerce?

    WP Engine is limited in its scope – it only offers managed web hosting. It is the most expensive on our list with four plans, which could mean pricing out some early developing businesses.

    Their Startup plan begins at $30 a month. It offers one-click store creation, an optimized theme for your store, WooCommerce templates, automated plugin updates, 24/7 support, 10 premium themes, daily backups, free SSL and SSH, free automated migrations, and one-click staging. It offers one website, 10GB storage, and 50GB bandwidth per month.

    For $62 a month, their Professional package offers all of the above and instant store search, three websites, 15 GB storage, and 125 GB bandwidth, with an estimated 75,000 visits per month.

    The next tier is $116 a month. The Growth package offers all of the above with 10 websites, 100,000 visits per month, 20 GB storage, and 200 GB bandwidth.

    Their premium package, Scale, is $291 a month and includes all of the above with 30 websites, 400,000 visits per month, 50 GB local storage, and 500 GB bandwidth.

    Who Should Choose WP Engine for E-Commerce?

    WP Engine is best for large, established businesses. Their pricing could easily be too much for small local businesses, but the price is worth it for a web host that will ensure your business growth.

    Why Choose IONOS for Your E-Commerce Hosting?

    IONOS, formerly known as 1&1 web hosting, offers 99.8% uptime and is one of the more affordable options with outstanding customer support and reliability.

    What Are the Benefits of IONOS for E-Commerce?

    IONOS offers page loading times faster than many competitors, making it a solid option for fast service for your customers. It has geo-redundant hosting, which means they store your data in two different centers. In other words, your hosting remains uninterrupted during maintenance and power outages.

    Their server shield technology and cutting-edge security prevent DDoS attacks, keeping your website and data secure.

    What Features Does IONOS Have for E-Commerce?

    IONOS has three web hosting plans. Essential is for one website or project and begins at $4 a month. This plan offers 10GB storage, professional email, 10 databases (2GB SSD), your domain for 1 year, and basic CPU and MEM resources.

    The Business e-commerce hosting plan has an introductory rate of $0.50 a month, then climbs to $10 a month after the first year. It offers the same as Essential, but with unlimited websites, storage, and databases.

    Expert is designed for multiple large web projects and begins at $8 a month. It offers everything in the Business plan and SiteScan malware protection and content delivery network (CDN).

    Who Should Choose IONOS for E-Commerce?

    IONOS advertises web hosting for agencies like small government settings. It is a basic and no-frills ecommerce host, making it a good option for someone who needs the simplest ecommerce solution.

    To learn more about which e-commerce hosting solution is best for your e commerce site, read our web hosting reviews. Our reviews offer in-depth analysis of these web hosting providers and more.

  • Which Web Hosting is Best for Your e-Commerce Site?

    Are you looking to expand your brick-and-mortar business to virtually the rest of the world? Or maybe you have a service you’re looking to sell via the web. E-Commerce is more popular than ever.

    And why wouldn’t it be? Consumers have access to just about everything they need with a few keystrokes. These days, people feel more comfortable and secure shopping on their tablets or phones any time of the day or night.

    Businesses that started with a small online presence (let’s say selling books online) have turned into massive companies. How massive? We’re talking revenues reaching hundreds of billions of dollars.

    Now your profits may not reach into the multiple billions-although we wish you luck trying-but your business can certainly thrive. All it takes is some time, effort-and maybe a little luck-and you can have a profit-earning electronic business.

    Part of this process means setting up your e-Commerce site.

    But maybe you don’t much about setting up a website. Should this keep you from starting or growing your business? Of course not. While setting up a website requires a little learning, it is probably easier than you think.

    This is especially true if you pick a web hosting service with features to help you get your site up and running quickly.

    But we will get into that in a little bit. Let’s talk about the basics first.

    What is an e-Commerce Website?

    At the most basic, an e-commerce website allows a consumer (the person with the money) to buy something from a producer (person with goods or service) electronically. This is typically done over the internet.

    An e-Commerce website facilitates the whole shopping experience. Highlighting the products and/or services, ordering, and, of course, transferring the money.

    There are many kinds of e-Commerce websites. You probably know about the retail and auction sites. But e-Commerce can include finance management, music portals, selling to other businesses…the list goes on.

    Does an e-Commerce Website Need Web Hosting?

    Yes, it certainly does. Without web hosting, you have no website.

    Web hosts are large servers that hold the information of websites. When a person types in a business’s web address, the computer is directed to the server that houses the website. Web hosting companies also offer a variety of other services to help the website run smoothly, provide support, and enhance security.

    By now you’re probably wondering…

    What are Some Good Suggestions for E-Commerce Web Hosting?

    That’s a great question. The answer, however, maybe kind of long. You see, there are so many different web hosting plans out there. You really need to decide how you plan to use your e-Commerce website and what features you need.

    At the most basic, you want to make sure the web hosting company has highly rated servers and network connections. This means searching for a web host with an uptime rating of at least 99.5%. Uptime is the time in which the web hosting service is available and operational. All web hosting services listed below have an uptime rating well above 99.5 percent.

    Let’s run down a few popular hosting companies and why they may be good for your business. Included are our ratings of these companies for your business website.

    InMotion Hosting: Rating A+

    InMotion

    InMotion Hosting has an impressive Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting that may be perfect for your small business. If you did any research on web hosting, you probably came across those offers for web hosting costing anywhere from 3 to 15 dollars. That’s shared hosting. VPS hosting may cost a little more, but it gives your more resources and the efficiency of your site doesn’t rely on the traffic and bandwidth of other sites shared on the server.

    InMotion uses the most popular eCommerce apps like WooCommerce, OpenCart, and Magento. They also offer an impressive 90-day guarantee to try out the host and see if it works for your business.

    FatCow: Rating A-

    FatCow

    This curiously-named web hosting service may not be as widely known as some of the other companies listed here, but it is a viable contender.

    If you’re looking for a stable website and highly rated customer support, FatCow may be for you. They offer a variety of reasonably-priced hosting types. You can even score a pretty decent discount for some plans if you sign up for three years upfront. Plans include a free domain name and several site templates.

    Bonus features include a $100 bonus for both Google Adwords and Bing ads to get the word out about your e-Commerce site.

    iPower: Rating A-

    iPower Logo

    If you’re looking for a web hosting service that doesn’t need robust services, iPower may be a great middle-of-the-road option. It’s great for small t0 mid-sized e-Commerce sites.

    While iPower has many features of other web hosting services mentioned here, there is something that sets it apart.

    iPower is a green hosting provider using renewable wind energy to help power its servers. The energy efficiency of the site can be compared to planting hundreds of acres of trees every year.

    The drag and drop website builder along with over a hundred templates can make it easy to create your website.

    Uptime rivals its competitors, and customer service is quick and responsive.

    If you’re looking for a “greener” way to make your presence on the web, iPower may be for you.

    BlueHost: Rating A-

    BlueHost offers a wide range of plans for all levels of experience. They offer the usual website builders like WordPress, Weebly, and concrete5 along with all the e-Commerce essentials. Also, 24/7 tech support via chat, email, or phone can help you with any issues getting your website up and running.

    Uptime ratings range around 99.99% and page load speeds are also good.

    Wondering if BlueHost is right for you? Get access to a demo of their control panel to see how everything works. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied.

    Top 25 Ways to Market Your Law Practice When It’s Only You

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

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    Outsourcing law firm marketing to an agency can be expensive. As a result, it might not be a practical option, especially if you’re just getting started with your law firm.

    A sound marketing plan to sell your law practice is helpful for solo starters. Thankfully, you can implement it all by yourself to grow your online presence and get your first paying clients. In this article, we give you the top 25 effective ways to market your law practice when you’re a one-man team.

    elements of a quality website for law firms

    1. Create a Quality Website

    Before discussing online marketing for lawyers, it’s important to establish your online presence with a great website.

    Different digital marketing strategies bring potential clients to your site, but you need to ensure that visitors can find the information they need. It’s important to understand that a bad website can affect your law firm marketing’s success. It should be able to turn a potential client into a paying customer.

    Here are a few things to keep in mind to deliver a positive experience with your website:

    • Choose a reputable web hosting company that can guarantee a 99.9% uptime for your website and deliver fast loading speed. If you need some recommendations, see our full reviews of some of the leading website hosting services.
    • Limit navigation to five or six options so visitors can easily find your pillar pages. Use a secondary navigation scheme to help users explore additional content.
    • Create a strong internal linking structure so potential clients can easily consume content.
    • Make sure you have the full name of your business, address, and contact information on every page of your site.

    2. Optimize Your Site for Mobile Users

    Mobile searches represent more than 60% of all searches. Mobile users often issue searches to locate goods and services in their area, and 76% of these users usually visit a place of business within 24 hours of searching.

    You need to offer a positive experience to these users by optimizing your law firm site for mobile:

    • Use responsive mobile-friendly design so that your content can adapt to different screen sizes.
    • Improve page loading times through excellent web hosting.
    • Keep your design clean and simple. Use white space to draw attention to important information. Upload useful photos that show the credibility of your law firm.
    • Take advantage of the unique features of the mobile platform, for instance, by adding a call button to your site.
    • Make sure your clients and website visitors can easily navigate your website on their phones.

    Google has a great Mobile-Friendly tool you can use to test your site.

    3. Improve Your Rankings in Search Results

    Without strategizing on SEO, your content marketing can suffer. Search Engine Optimization or SEO refers to different strategies to get your content to rank higher in search results. There are a few things you can do yourself to optimize your content:

    • Add strong keywords to your copy, headers, URLs, meta descriptions, etc.
    • Use internal links to connect your different pages.
    • External links from reputable sources can help improve your rankings.
    • Post more content regularly since fresh content will help you rank higher.

    4. Start a Blog

    blog to market your law practice

    A blog is a great way to keep visitors coming back to your site for more quality content. Publishing blog posts regularly will also help you target important keywords.

    Blogging is one of the best marketing solo law practice strategies because you can rely on your own expertise and experience to create content.

    There is a wide range of topics you can write about, from new laws to legal questions. The American Bar Association has a list of the best law blogs if you need some inspiration.

    5. Host a Lawyer Q&A

    A Q&A is an opportunity to showcase your expertise while connecting with potential clients. You can create an email address and have users send you their legal questions so you can select the best ones and address them in a weekly blog post.

    You can also partner with a local news source for a monthly legal Q&A column or host a live Q&A on social media.

    This short video can give you an idea of the kind of format you can use for a Q&A that is easy to watch and share.

    6. Use Visual Content

    Visual content is more likely to receive shares on social media. Plus, people retain information more easily with content like images or infographics.

    We discussed starting a blog earlier, but you should consider branching out and working with other content formats. For instance, an infographic that sums up a law proposal would likely get some shares on social media.

     

    7. Create a Legal Resource Repository

    A legal resource repository can bring more traffic to your site and help establish your expertise. You’re probably familiar with the online legal encyclopedia Nolo.com.

    While creating a repository of the same scope isn’t realistic, you can create a series of guides for the area of law you specialize in. Add a search box so users can locate the answer to their questions.

    8. Stay Active on Social Media

    Social media marketing allows you to connect with your audience and establish social proof through reviews, ratings, and interactions.

    Take a look at this Facebook page from a law firm in Farmington Hills, MI. The posts include a mix of stories about the cases the firm is working on, educational content, and fun posts.

    It’s important to branch beyond Facebook, however. For example, Twitter has 192 million daily active users, a huge potential source to attract new clients. LinkedIn saw a 55% increase in conversations in 2021, and can give you a better understanding of the pain points business clients experience.

    Second only to the Meta empire is YouTube, with 247 million users in the US alone. This video where a lawyer breaks down legal scenes in movies and TV shows is a great example of how you can engage with your audience while having fun.’

    9. Create a Lead Magnet

    Who doesn’t love free things? Whether it’s a newsletter, a gratis consultation, or informational digital pamphlets, ebooks, and more, people who are interested will avail of it. For a lead magnet, you can offer a free something in exchange for their contact details.

    People who avail of free offers are usually the ones who have great interest in your service. For example, if a potential client signs up for a free phone consultation, you’ll now know that they need your law firm’s services.

    10. Add a Live Chat Feature to Your Website

    live chat law practice website

    You may not realize it, but having a live chat on your website is one of the best ways to improve customer satisfaction. It’s one of the easiest Why? While clients (and potential clients) may want to get a hold of you, they certainly don’t want to speak to you.

    Having live chat features bridges that gap: it allows your office to be accessible immediately without the pressure of being on the phone, long call waiting with bad elevator music, or the interminable wait for a response to an email.

    Businesses that have a live chat feature have a robust approval rating, with customer satisfaction being over 85%. Having the ability to chat with your practice may be the difference between you and a local competitor, so give yourself the edge.

    11. Be a Guest on a Podcast (Or Launch Your Own Podcast)

    Did you know that 177 million Americans have listened to a podcast at least once? Podcasts are a popular content format for users who want to explore topics in-depth, and the format is ideal for discussing complex legal topics.

    It can be a great marketing solo law practice strategy since you can get started with very little equipment and use your expertise to create engaging content.

    If you don’t want to commit to recording a weekly or monthly podcast, reach out to popular legal podcasts to see if they would be interested in having you as a guest.

    Check out podcasts like Technically Legal or Court Junkie to get some ideas. Technically Legal stands out by discussing the legal aspect of the latest tech innovations, while Court Junkie appeals to the true-crime audience by sharing unique courtroom stories.

    12. Advertise Across Social Media

    Your ideal client has social media, and likely more than one. Before you start your campaign, however, you need to determine which types of social media your demographic uses the most.

    Next, you need to work on getting your ad to your best potential clients. Keep in mind that there are different ways of targeting your audience:

    • You can target users based on their searches. Use this strategy to pinpoint users who are researching legal topics.
    • Most social media allows you to target users who have expressed an interest in a specific topic or recently experienced a major life event. For instance, you can target someone who has been researching legal questions or who recently moved or started a new job.
    • Online marketing for lawyers can get competitive. Stand out by targeting users who have visited a competitor’s channel.
    • You can use demographics to target users. Beyond age, gender, or income, you can use criteria like whether or not a user is a homeowner.
    • Location is another way of targeting users. Most forms of social media give you precise targeting options, and you can show your ads to users within a specific radius of your law firm.

    13. Leverage Video Marketing Campaigns

    Displaying video ads is the best way to increase awareness of your practice. Video ads are still king, in no small part because they have excellent return on investment

    Not only do nearly 90% of marketers think that video increases traffic, but over 80% say that it keeps viewers on their content longer. Video can generate leads, increase sales, all while generating more awareness than any other form of advertisement.

    Viewers are more likely to buy a service if they’ve seen a brand video, and they say they learn more from video content than other forms of sharing. If you want your clients to share your ads with their friends and family, video gets more shares than any other form of content.

    To make a successful video, ensure you adhere to the following:

    • Keep videos short, preferably under 15 seconds, unless you’re using YouTube (then aim for two minutes)
    • Use captions as only 30% of viewers watch with the sound on

    If you’re going to invest in an ad campaign, it really needs to include video. While YouTube and Instagram are the most visual forms of relevant social media, you can still use video advertising on popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even Pinterest.

    14. Give Interviews and Share Your Expertise

    Local news sources are an excellent platform for your legal marketing efforts. Giving an interview to discuss local issues, share your expertise, or comment on a local crime story will make your name more recognizable.

    You should reach out to local TV channels, newspapers, and magazines and express your interest in becoming an occasional contributor.

    15. Share Case Studies

    Few legal firms share case studies because lawyers can discuss the specifics of a case. However, you can still craft compelling case studies as long as you don’t reveal the identity of the parties involved.

    You can create engaging case studies by presenting a situation that prospects will find relatable, discussing the strategies you used to help your client, and going over the case’s outcome.

    It’s fine to change the details to preserve anonymity as long as you add a disclaimer that explains your purpose was to give a general idea of the kind of cases you usually work on without sharing personal information.

    Case studies can help establish trust and give prospects a better idea of what they can expect once you start working on their case.

    16. Write Press Releases

    A press release is an opportunity to have the name of your firm mentioned online. Depending on the platform’s guidelines that publish your press release, you might also be able to include a link to your website.

    You can write press releases to discuss milestones your firm is reaching, such as hiring more staff. While you won’t be able to discuss most cases in a press release, some public matters such as business law cases and class action settlements will call for a press release.

    This press release is a great example of how you discuss the details of a legal case while mentioning your legal firm.

    17. Invest in PPC

    ppc ads law firm websitePPC or Pay-Per-Click is a strategy that uses ads to increase awareness of your law firm and get some clicks.

    You can invest in PPC ads displayed above search results, but you can also have your ads show up on web pages if you use an advertisement network. Google is a popular option for PPC ads, but there are other networks to consider.

    PPC ads can be a good strategy for targeting users researching legal questions in your area or drawing attention to your law firm if a user looks up a competitor.

    18. Go Further with Paid Social Ads

    Most social networks offer paid ads or sponsored posts. Running paid social campaigns can help you reach out to a local audience and even target users who match a specific demographic profile.

    According to Facebook, 1.6 billion worldwide users have connected with at least one small business on this platform. Facebook and other social networks are becoming a popular way of fostering connections with small businesses, and it’s a platform where users will be receptive to ads and posts coming from a local business.

    19. Increase Awareness With Connected TV Ads

    Running ads on local TV channels is more affordable than you think. Many law firms are using this channel to increase awareness and recognition.

    However, traditional TV ads don’t let you target your audience, which might not be the best way to spend your advertising budget.

    With 119 million smart TV users, connected TV ads quickly become a more cost-effective alternative. Like online ads, connected TV ads allow you to target your audience based on location, demographics, online behaviors, and other factors.

    20. Stay in Touch with Email Marketing

    Email is one of the marketing channels with the highest potential ROI. The great thing about email marketing is that you can create email series and automate distribution to save time.

    You’ll get better results if you segment your audience and deliver email content relevant to each segment’s needs.

    You can use email marketing for different purposes:

    • Connect with prospects and deliver an email series that will help them learn more about your services.
    • Stay in touch with clients after a case ends to encourage them to leave a review or refer their contacts to you.
    • Deliver educational content to users who want to keep up with the latest regulatory changes in a specific area.

    21. Attend Professional Events

    When planning a professional event, organizers will often share the event program online or use social media to share a preview of the event.

    Attending professional events as a speaker means organizers will mention your name and possibly link to your law firm when promoting the event.

    Plus, some events include a live video stream to reach out to a broader audience or video content edited and shared after the event. If you give a good speech, there will probably be mentions of your name on social media after the event and videos of your speech that you can ask the event organizers to share along with a link to your website.

    This speaker panel featuring Latino Alumni of Northwestern University shows how you can share your unique experience as a legal professional to inspire others.

    22. Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

    Google My Business is one of the many products created by the search engine giant. It’s a platform that gathers information about local businesses for the purpose of displaying accurate information when search results return cards with local listings. This information also appears in Google Maps searches.

    Claiming your Google My Business listing is one of the first things you should do when establishing your online presence.

    You need to make sure your information is accurate, and you can also add more content to make your listing stand out, for instance, by adding images of your practice. You can also respond to reviews, answer FAQs, and share events or social posts.

    Get started by claiming your Google My Business profile here.

    23. Make Reputation Management a Priority

    When researching local businesses, consumers often rely on first-party information shared by the business itself.

    However, consumers will also look at third-party information in reviews and ratings shared by other users. Research shows that 84% of people trust online reviews, and 91% of internet users take the time to read reviews.

    Online reviews and ratings can play an essential part in shaping how people perceive your business and whether or not they will decide to use your services.

    Here are a few tips to help you manage your online reputation:

    • Keep an eye on your law firm’s reviews and ratings on Google, Facebook, business directories, and other sources.
    • Respond to negative reviews. Seeing a bad review can cause a prospect to develop a negative opinion of your firm, but they might not feel this way if they see that you’re trying to address the issue.
    • Look for trends in reviews. Negative reviews can reveal an ongoing issue with customer service or another business area that you should address.
    • Send reminders to rate your business or write a review after a case ends.
    • Developing your social media presence and encouraging clients to review your law firm on social media can positively impact your online reputation since users will be more likely to trust reviews and ratings from people they know.

    24. Use Testimonials to Build Social Proof

    testimonials for social proof law firm website

    Positive reviews and ratings will help build trust and establish social proof for your firm. You can go further by publishing testimonials from satisfied customers.

    Before we discuss this strategy any further, you should know that regulations regarding customer testimonials and legal firms can vary from one jurisdiction to another.

    Make sure you can legally use testimonials for marketing purposes and that you meet any additional requirements, such as including disclaimers. You will also need to get the client’s consent before sharing their name and testimonial.

    You can share short testimonials on your homepage to showcase how you have helped clients or create in-depth testimonials that you can structure as blog posts. Don’t hesitate to explore different formats and use a mix of quotes, articles, short videos, and more.

    Take a look at how this law firm uses a few quotes on its homepage to show how the legal team met and exceeded the expectations of several clients.

    25. Claim Your Business Listings

    Business directories are another method prospects can use to find a law firm in their area. Local SEO efforts allows you to claim your business listing on as many directories as possible to ensure that your information is accurate. Through this, business directories can generate traffic and leads.

    Business listings also count as local citations for your business. Local citations are an SEO concept that refers to mentions of your business along with its name, address, and phone number. Google and other search engines look for local citations when establishing rankings for local searches.

    You can start by claiming your listing on all the major directories, including Google My Business, Bing Places, Yahoo Business, Yelp, the White Pages, or FourSquare. Some directories specialize in listing law firms, such as Avvo, Nolo, FindLaw, Lawyers.com, Justia, and many others.

    Start Marketing Your Law Practice Today!

    Marketing your law practice doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t have to hire a full team just yet — solid online marketing strategy will surely bring in customers to your law practice. These different strategies will help you build a strong online presence, even if you’re running your law firm by yourself.

    If you’re ready to get started, we recommend selecting a reliable hosting provider for your website. Check out our full reviews to learn more about your different options.

  • 15 Ways To Market Your Real Estate Business Online

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

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    Online marketing has been changing the game for the real estate industry.

    How to market real estate online should be a top priority for every real estate agent, especially during this social-distancing era. A National Association of Realtors (NAR) study showed the importance of promoting your properties on digital platforms.

    The study found that searching online for properties was the first step in the purchasing process for 41% of recent buyers. In addition, 73% of buyers interviewed the first real estate agent they found during their home search. Thus, it is vital to create an excellent first impression to survive and thrive in the digital marketing world.

    How Real Estate Industry Thrives Online

    As a property owner or a real estate investor, it is necessary to understand how the real estate industry thrives online. The pandemic forced many businesses, including the housing sector, to seek new ways to make a sale.

    Real estate agents gradually turned to webinars, video meetings, and online chat rooms to reach prospects and clients. The housing industry found success by adapting to the new online protocol. Here are three factors explaining how the real estate industry thrives online:

    1. Establishing Connections

    Realtors use their digital real estate business to connect with clients and establish reliable relationships. The key to a successful connection lies in adding human and personal touches to your communication.

    For instance, you can send your clients an email to see how they are doing. This strategy helps customers view you as a person, not just a robot sending emails.

    2. Building a Reliable Reputation

    The real estate world thrives online because agents get back to the basics and focus on their brand reputation. Generally, a prospect’s first step when seeking a new home is research. Hence, building your brand online and getting top ranks in Google searches helps the property industry to thrive.

    The realtors get their online reputation from their reviews, websites, and social media platforms. This method promotes real estate business success because clients get familiar with your online brand.

    A reliable reputation with outstanding results means customers will begin their home purchasing experience with you on the right foot.

    3. Optimizing Customer Experience

    The housing industry thrives in the digital world by optimizing the customer experience. They state that a customer is a king in the marketing sector.

    Optimization is a strategy adapted in private and commercial real estate marketing to help realize this quote. It is vital for running a business online, determining website traffic, search engine ranking, and satisfactory user experience.

    The real estate websites continue to improve their experiences, ensuring they maintain traffic to thrive in the online arena. It requires hard work and commitment, where you view your site and systems through an unbiased lens. You place yourself in homebuyers’ shoes and correct the points where the experience is inconvenient, time-consuming, or flawed.

    Ways To Market Your Real Estate Business Online

    Most companies are shifting to the online world, adopting marketing approaches to reach their target audience. Similarly, the housing industry increasingly searches for innovative real estate marketing ideas to grow in the digital market.

    Implementing quality online marketing strategies is essential to transforming your business into a success story. For instance, the rising tide in digital transformation caused realtors to optimize their websites for mobile.

    Optimization ensures you create a seamless web experience to attract prospects while keeping clients. Constantly monitoring your competitors is another winning tactic in the online marketing battlefield by helping you become more innovative.

    Aside from these, what other real estate marketing ideas can you adapt for your business? The following are 15 ways a real estate business can use to succeed in the online seller’s market:

    1. Create a Strong Presence Online

    It is critical to create a strong presence online by building a solid foundation of knowledge. You want the majority of your marketing ventures to occur online. Most people will try to find a property via digital means, meaning a strong online presence will deliver exceptional results.

    You want to develop a skill and mindset compatible with digital strategies and platforms. A good understanding of various platforms and methods allows you to recognize the best options for your real estate business.

    For example, you know that the knowledge and mindset needed to market on Google are entirely different from those applied to Facebook marketing. This understanding lets you recognize when to hire professionals to achieve your desired outcomes.

    2. Get a Good Website Hosting

    An excellent website hosting service is vital for conducting an online real estate business. Without a good host, your website may experience downtime, lag, or be otherwise unreliable. A good selection ensures your website runs smoothly, delivering an optimal client experience.

    A quality website hosting platform lets you attract and maintain good website traffic, SEO ranking, and overall performance. They often say you do not get a second chance at a first impression.

    An excellent host helps you merge digital marketing techniques to make your business stand out in the housing market.

    3. Consider Geo-Targeting Campaigns

    Advertising works best when the right customer sees it at just the right time. You can use geo-targeting to ensure you deliver your business’ custom content to the target demographic.

    Geo-targeting first creates a geo-zone, an area set as the target for the marketing campaign you create. When a person moves into that zone, the ads or marketing campaigns are delivered to the person while they’re still a lead.

    Geo-targeted ad campaigns can make your business memorable for the people who live in the area or are visiting. This is a great marketing strategy for someone wanting to hone in on a specific audience and location.

    4. Use Email Marketing

    Email marketing is an approach you can use to create email newsletters for prospective clients. This strategy is crucial to succeeding in real estate marketing since it provides an audience that is entirely yours.

    It lets you continue marketing to your audience on your terms, providing an avenue for growing a substantial asset.

    You want to build value when sending people messages, meaning you give valuable content without excessive promotion. In addition, you want your newsletter to feature a good content schedule that engages and interests the audience.

    It does not need to be complex, covering themes like updates on listings and local real estate news reports.

    5. Create a Website and Blog

    Creating a website allows you to show a potential client what you have to offer. A good recommendation is to include listings on your website and regularly update them. You also want to incorporate something unexpected that sets your site apart from the competitors.

    Once you have a website, you can build a blog with infographics, creating content optimized for SEO.

    It is vital to make your website convenient by making it easy to navigate. This step ensures your articles appear in user search results each time, boosting your reach and lead generation efforts. You can also include links to your profile pages, leading visitors to learn more about your business.

    6. Have Social Media Presence

    Many people spend plenty of their time on social media, so it is essential to have a solid presence on the platform. Although users do not primarily use the platforms to purchase property, proper strategies ensure your label can reach their eyeballs.

    You can build a brand on social media by posting engaging and relevant material.

    A social media strategy is to offer significant content like educational guides that attract people to visit your site. For instance, posting entertaining and funny memes causes users to want to subscribe to your page.

    People will associate you with engaging and funny content, willing to purchase from you based on your personality. You can also expand your profile further when impressed users share your content with other users.

    7. Stay Active on Twitter and Instagram

    Twitter and Instagram feature some of the most famous people posting every day. They present a reliable opportunity to access a broad audience by building your brand.

    If you have a viral tweet, you could get thousands of users visiting your site. Instagram operates similarly, enabling you to promote your listings and contact homebuyers.

    Research shows that 90% of users on Instagram follow a business. You can run a paid promotion on the platform to reach even more people. Instagram advertisements let you choose a budget and target audience.

    Moreover, it permits you to pick a post type, such as video, image, and carousel. You can incorporate targeted hashtags to ascertain your post reaches your desired audience.

    8. Apply SEO Techniques

    The key to successfully optimizing your website is finding the right target keywords. Proper application of SEO techniques is among the most reliable methods of getting a steady traffic stream to your site.

    SEO techniques enable you to create SEO materials and content to drive your site to the top of Google rankings.

    Ahrefs and Google Analytics are quality examples of tools you can depend on to improve your SEO utility. They help you find search terms your prospects are looking for and can inspire you with fresher marketing ideas.

    Google Analytics allows you to understand a client’s journey across platforms and devices, letting you see where to enhance performance.

    9. Optimize Google and LinkedIn Ads

    Optimized Google and Linkedin ads can assist in getting reliable traffic to your real estate website. Both Linkedin and Google can drive traffic and engage audiences, so they move from just a hit to a possible lead.

    With either Google Ads or Linkedin Ads, it’s important to run multiple variations within the same campaign while keeping all but one of the characteristics the same. This technique is called A/B testing; you can look at the metrics that come back from the advertising and see which single change made the biggest difference.

    Try rewriting older advertisements to shift how customers perceive them. Active voice shows the subject acting rather than having something done to it. It can encourage someone to click an ad because it makes a bolder, more convincing statement.

    10. Host a Webinar

    Organizing a webinar can help prospective sellers or buyers in your region understand the current market. It reflects your expertise in the real estate industry, fostering trust by establishing your brand as reliable and knowledgeable.

    You can host the webinar alone as a business or co-host with other partners.

    Co-hosting leads you to work with a local home improvement provider to prepare a relevant webinar. You can decide to cover a topic that might greatly interest your target audience.

    For example, you can address the top four most significant home improvements sellers can make to boost sales performances.

    11. Use Facebook Advertising

    NAR statistics show that 74% of real estate agents use Facebook for their jobs. This social media engagement platform considerably increases your chances of success via its significant global user base.

    A Facebook ad is similar to pay-per-click (PPC) marketing. The difference is that the former enables you to use images, whereas the latter provides text information.

     

    It is imperative to master Facebook advertising for your real estate marketing efforts to be effective. You can use real estate customer relationship management (CRM) software to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your sales.

    The client CRM software lets you equip your sales force and management efforts. It allows you to know and serve your customers better on the platform.

    12. Incorporate Quality Footage

    You want to use quality footage to showcase your property online, showing what appeals to prospective buyers. One of the best ways of presenting an impressive virtual space tour is via drones.

    You can also find a drone photographer to create a 3D representation of your property. Virtual tours and 3D maps allow clients to make well-informed decisions without visiting the physical property.

    Videos are an essential marketing tool that can set you apart from your competitors. You can create videos yourself apart from drones without denting your wallet. For example, you can utilize video software to record a pitch to potential clients via a laptop.

    13. Use Reviews and Referrals

    They typically say the proof is in the pudding, and satisfied previous clients are a perfect resource for boosting your credibility.

    You can contact a customer whose sale went well and obtain a paragraph-long blurb addressing how helpful you were. After that, get their permission to post it before placing it on your site.

    Referral marketing refers to using word of mouth and recommendations to develop a real estate customer base. It involves getting your biggest supporters to assist in spreading the word about your brand to those who trust them.

    You can send an email requesting satisfied clients to inform anyone around them searching for a property to contact you.

    Add case studies to your website and give your potential customers more opportunities to read about your past successes. These can be short explanations of sales that have gone well or full pages detailing what happened in one particular sale and what your real estate business learned from the experience.

    14. Build a Real Estate Network

    Networking is a strategy implemented by different industries in the marketing world. Using it in real estate marketing means sending prospects to your counterparts when your business cannot serve them.

    It also supports the opposite scenario, giving a convenient method of getting a steady stream of customers hassle-free.

    Find counterparts at local in-person industry events like auctions, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and trade shows which perform tasks that would benefit your clients.

    You already have the industry in common, but you probably occupy different parts of it. Since no one person can do everything, you have a chance to pick up where they can’t reach. Look for opportunities on social media and use social media to keep in contact with people you’ve met.

    A network aids you in establishing solid relationships and creating trust with your customers. This connection leads people to want to talk about you to their loved ones, extending your reach.

    15. List Your Properties on Major Real Estate Websites

    Listing your real estate on popular websites is one of the simplest marketing options, turning you into a big agent. You can add private or commercial business real estate on major sites like Zillow. Zillow real estate agents enjoy access to a massive audience.

    Websites like Zillow include steps for creating a profile to enhance user experience and convenience. Incorporating your properties into such websites lets you reach millions of visitors monthly.

    It can transform your real estate business without requiring you to undertake other forms of marketing. These listings also increase your chances of getting a client when advertising your next property.

    Website Hosting and Real Estate Marketing

    As mentioned above, finding a good website hosting platform is critical to real estate marketing. A good web hosting service is the primary tool that keeps a real estate business’ online presence in tip-top shape. It’s the very first thing to consider before building a high-quality website.

    how to market real estate online

    Below are three primary ways showing why it is an effective real estate marketing strategy:

    1. Enhances Website Security

    A survey recorded that 30% of real estate organizations experience cyberattacks. However, only 50% of them are ready to prevent or mitigate such attacks.

    When attacking a website, all a hacker needs is one vulnerable point. A trustworthy website hosting package makes your site safe by making it less susceptible to cyber-attacks. It delivers constant security checks and support systems to ensure you run your website safely.

    If you have a hacked website, it takes time to get matters back on track. Consequently, your SEO ranking takes a hit, leading to further losses of potential customers. Realtors should pick a hosting platform wisely and thoroughly read the security measures beforehand.

    2. Influences SEO and Content Quality

    According to a 2021 study, about 51% of real estate buyers bought their home through online searches.

    SEO performance is among the best ways of ensuring that your website is doing well. A website hosting service allows you to boost efficiency, ranking your site higher in search engines like Google.

    The hosting platform assists you in properly using SEO techniques, giving you a website in excellent condition.

    Many people lose traffic to their websites because of performance issues that make navigation difficult. However, a hosting service enables you to build your website strategically with content marketing tools.

    It makes it easier for users to understand and navigate your site. The website hosting platform helps improve your real estate content and content marketing plan.

    3. Boosts Website Speeds

    In today’s customer-centric world, every second counts. In fact, 40% of website visitors leave a website that takes longer than 3 seconds to load.

    Website hosting influences website speeds, making it an essential consideration when pondering how to market real estate online. Efficiency is necessary when you want to maintain excellent overall performance.

    It aids you in facilitating good website traffic to boost your SEO ranking.

    Selecting an appropriate hosting platform helps you improve your site and customer experience. The fast-page load time leaves a good impression on your customers and visitors.

    It also allows you to attract more potential clients to grow a small business in this competitive market.

    Top Web Hosting Providers for Real Estate Business

    The various web hosting providers available can make it challenging to find the right solution for your property website requirements. It is critical to find a suitable option, ensuring you reach and meet your target audience’s real estate demands.

    An excellent hosting platform offers access to several features that let you tailor your site for the best customer experience.

    Below are five of the top web hosting providers in the digital world. They can help you manage and turn your online real estate business into a success story. Understanding what they offer lets you know the option that best suits your housing business needs.

    1. WP Engine Hosting

    WP Engine hosting offers an integrated WordPress hosting service, giving all the necessary features for real estate careers to grow.

    It exclusively focuses on WordPress hosting, meaning it does not support non-WordPress sites. Nevertheless, it incorporates many integrations to customize your site thoroughly.

    WP Engine provides convenient access to insights and data concerning your website and visitors. You can use this feedback to understand your target audience profile and tailor your site to the client’s needs.

    The hosting platform also backs your site with top-grade security, ensuring your online business remains safe and reliable. It includes incomparable customer service to satisfy your demands as a first-time user or an experienced online real estate agent.

    Features:

    • A+ BBA rating
    • Free WordPress themes
    • 27% faster load speeds
    • 60-day guarantee

    2. Bluehost Hosting

    Bluehost is a quality hosting provider with a user-friendly dashboard and 24/7 customer support. It presents an all-in-one solution, letting your online property business proceed quickly via marketing, optimization, and analytical tools.

    The features facilitate scalable development with security, reliability, and backup data protection.

    Bluehost also provides shared hosting if you run a small real estate website or blog. It incorporates WooCommerce hosting to support online stores, enhancing convenience when marketing your real estate brand and products.

    It managed WordPress hosting at a low monthly rate, with most packages charging under $15 each month with 36-month terms. Unlike Bluehost, many hosting providers bump up the prices after 12 months of service.

    Features:

    • One-click WordPress
    • 30-day guarantee
    • A+ BBA rating
    • Unmetered bandwidth

    3. InterServer Hosting

    InterServer’s objective is to offer reliable and appropriate data and hosting services at affordable rates. It promises its clients up to 99.9% network uptime and 100% power uptime.

    Its availability and reliability make it a suitable option for the ever-competitive digital real estate industry. This provider gives free migration services and SSL certificates, freeing your budget to invest in luxury real estate sites.

    InterServer has pocket-friendly plans with quality features like unlimited storage, transfer, and email. Its versatility allows you to maintain up to 20 different websites, increasing comfort when running a sizable real estate office.

    InterServer has a remarkable network delivering 10Gbps Ethernet connections to suit the commercial real estate industry.

    Features:

    • 24/7 US-based support
    • 30-day guarantee
    • Price lock guarantee
    • Free SSL certificates

    4. iPower Hosting

    iPower is a hosting company that offers simple and comprehensive solutions for small and mid-sized property businesses globally.

    The American service provider owns two reliable and state-of-the-art data centers in Boston. These centers feature superior hardware, top-grade load-balancing technology, and redundant power systems.

    iPower has plenty of options to let you customize your website for better customer experience and content marketing solutions. The company provides seven hosting plans with unique features to enhance your digital marketing services.

    This variety enables you to pick the most suitable offers for your rental property business. After choosing a plan, you can also add specific services, aiding you in eCommerce, marketing, and website management.

    Features:

    • Unlimited bandwidth and storage
    • 30-day guarantee
    • BBA rating of A
    • 24/7 security

    5. IONOS Hosting

    IONOS hosting, formerly 1&1, is a hosting service provider with various plans, including free options. You can get free domain registration and email addresses, facilitating affordable real estate email marketing.

    Furthermore, IONOS offers a branded email account, helping show prospects that you are a valid realtor or a business owner.

    IONOS has an uptime guarantee to ensure your real estate website stays up as often as possible. It also provides impressive loading speeds, helping you attract clients and visitors to your site.

    An excellent site speed is among the essential tools Google uses to determine its rankings. IONOS is suitable for various clients, from small business email hosting to growing real estate companies.

    Features:

    • 30-day money-back guarantee
    • Email account
    • Dedicated and free wildcard SSL certificate
    • Unlimited storage and bandwidth

    Conclusion

    Marketing real estate ideas online require you to understand how to create and run an effective website.

    Whether you seek private or commercial real estate marketing strategies, it is necessary to learn digital promotion tactics. The ideas provided above provide a way to impress potential customers and attract them to your real estate website.

    The article also presents various web hosting providers to help you develop and maintain effective content marketing.

    Check out our full reviews to help you know the right hosting platform for your online real estate marketing needs.

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    One thing to consider when looking to change website hosting companies is the potential of transferring domains. You’ve read through many web hosting reviews and thought you made the right decision. Unfortunately, the web hosting company you chose just isn’t working out for you. Maybe there were a bunch of hidden fees you didn’t see in the fine print. Or your website’s performance was much too slow. Did you try to connect with customer service and only get more discouraged?

    It may not even be the company. Perhaps your website simply outgrew the web hosting plan you choose. Websites with a lot of traffic can get bogged down by some shared hosting plans.

    Whatever the reason, you know you need to make a change. 

    But what about your domain name? You know, the name that people type into their browser to get to your website (e.g. www.yoursite.com)  

    Can you actually use the same domain name with a different company? More importantly, is transferring domain names easy?

    Why Keep Your Domain Name?

    The domain name is part of your website’s identity. If it’s catchy enough, people remember it and type it in whenever they want to see what’s new with your site. Or they have it bookmarked on their browser. 

    If you decide to change your domain name when you switch web hosting companies, there’s no telling how many potential readers (or customers) you may lose. 

    They may type in your website address and get “This Site Can’t Be Reached” or a similar error message. Or their bookmark link will not work anymore. 

    Unless they are diehard fans of your website, they probably won’t invest much time trying to figure out what happened to it.

    After all, there is no shortage of websites out there to view.  

    Sure, you can redirect your old domain name to the new one. Transferring domain names, however, is much less of a hassle for you. It’s also easier for your readers to remain connected to your site while you transition to a better web hosting company. 

    Let’s take a look at some of our favorite web hosting companies and how easy it is to transfer domain names. 

    Transferring Domains to WPEngine

    To transfer domains in WPEngine, download their “WP Engine Automated Migration” plugin and follow their simple directions.  They also have people available 24/7 to assist you.

    Transferring Domains to InMotion

    If you just purchased a domain with another web hosting company, you will need to wait past the 60-day waiting period. Also, if your domain name is about to expire (in 14 days or less) you should renew it with your current company. 

    Once you are set up with InMotion, go to the Account Management Panel (AMP) of your account. From there, go to “Manage my Account” and click on the “Transfer Domain” icon. They offer a domain transfer walkthrough for beginning users. If you have a little more experience in this area, there is also an advanced user option.  

    Transferring Domains to Fat Cow

    Fat Cow also makes it easy to transfer your domain with a few steps. Simply add your domain to your account and then go to “Domain Central”. Choose the domain you want to transfer and then click the “Transfer” button. Type in the authorization code and click “Transfer” again.

    You will get an email with a confirmation link. Click on that link. The process should be completed within 5 days.

    Transferring Domains to iPower

    Fat Cow and iPower have the same parent company (Endurance International Group) the process for transferring a domain to iPower is very similar to what is mentioned above for Fat Cow.

    Transferring Domains is Easy with Reputable Web Hosting Companies

    Why did we mention these four companies out of all the web hosting companies out there? Simple: We did our research. We found hosting companies that performed consistently well and had a high rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).  

    If you are not happy with your current web hosting company, switching to one of these companies is easy. And you get to keep your website’s domain name with a few easy steps.

    Don’t stick with a web hosting company if you are unsatisfied. It can sacrifice your website’s up-time and the attention of your potential readers and/or customers with a hosting company doesn’t perform well.

    Take peace of mind in knowing a reliable company is powering your website. It could save you time, money, and headaches down the line.  

    Related Blog

    How to Transfer Domain Names Between Web Hosting Companies

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

    How to Transfer Domain Names Between Web Hosting Companies

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

    Have you decided that your current hosting company doesn’t meet your needs anymore?

    If so, then you might feel intimidated about the process of transferring your domain over to your newly chosen host.

    Interestingly, you’re not alone despite the actual process being one of the more simple website management tasks.

    In this article, you’ll learn each step to take your domain through so that you can successfully transfer it between web hosting companies. We’ll also suggest a few web hosting services that make these transfer domain names free of charge.

    Step 1: Decide Which Host to Transfer Your Domain to

    You may already have decided which web host company to use when you switch your domain over. Even if you have, you might want to check that they offer free domain transfers. Here are six website hosting companies that transfer domain names without fees.

    SiteGround

    Siteground offers a quality website hosting solution via its:

    • Quality uptime
    • Safety
    • Performance

    Siteground does charge a transfer fee if you use its StartUp plan. However, you can benefit from a free transfer if you choose to use their GrowBig or GoGeek plans. After you transfer your domain into Siteground, you’ll notice that the company has plenty to offer in terms of SEO and performance tools.

    InMotion

    InMotion Hosting doesn’t offer the lowest-cost hosting plan, but it does transfer your domain in for free. You won’t run into any problems transferring with InMotion. Once you initiate the process, its migration team steps in to handle everything for you.

    They say you get what you pay for in life. Even though InMotion isn’t the cheapest website hosting company out there, you’ll find their SSD-powered servers give you excellent speed and performance.

    A2 Hosting

    A2 Hosting asks you to fill out a migration form, and then their hosting specialists complete the website migration for free. Their process typically completes within a week.

    A2 Hosting offers quality uptime, SSD storage, SSL certificate technology, and speed optimization tools at competitive prices.

    Bluehost

    Bluehost will transfer domain names for free. You should watch out for a few optional offers when you checkout of the account setup process. Take the ones you need while leaving any unnecessary add-ons out of your shopping cart.

    This hosting company ranks well among competitors when you’re looking for quality uptimes, customer service, and overall value.

    InterServer

    You’ll benefit from free website migration after selecting a hosting plan from InterServer. They ask you to open what they call a migration ticket. Include all the details about your domain and the hosting plan you’ve selected. The InterServer team will then make sure your website successfully transfers into the new account.

    This host charges slightly more for hosting than many other competitors. However, the service and website performance provided is top-notch.

    WP Engine

    WP Engine will transfer domain names free of charge for you. The company gives you a plugin that makes the process quite simple. They call this plugin WP Engine Automated Migration. Give the plugin your SFTP information, and you’re good to go.

    Let’s now look at the steps to take after you’ve selected your new website hosting service.

    Step 2: Remove the Domain Lock

    The majority of website hosts and registrars include a “domain lock” feature. A domain lock prevents unauthorized transfer attempts while you’re happy with the service and have no plans to leave. Now that you are leaving your current host, it’s time to unlock your domain to free it up for transfer. Unlocking your domain is a simple process that you can do by logging into your dashboard. Every website hosting company is different but you’ll typically find this feature under headings that reference “Transfer” or “Sharing”. Look for the “disable domain lock” option and disable it. By the way, you should disable domain privacy on your domain either before or after completing this step. You probably chose domain privacy during setup to protect your name and address from being visible inside the WHOIS database. Domain privacy protects you from getting junk mail associated with domain transfers. Since you’re now transferring out of the current hosting account, you need to disable this feature so that the WHOIS registry has time to update your name and address as the one associated with the domain. Important: Make sure WHOIS has an email address that you control during this process. Use your Gmail, Yahoo!, or another similar service that isn’t tied to the domain. Using an unrelated email is a safeguard in case your domain-based email doesn’t work until the transfer completes.

    Step 3: Request the Transfer Authorization Code

    You should immediately see information about obtaining a transfer authorization code after disabling the domain lock feature. A transfer authorization code is an extra layer of protection to ensure you have the authorization to disable the domain lock and initiate the domain transfer between hosting companies. It sometimes takes 3 to 5 days to receive this code via email. Make sure to use a personal email address as you did with the WHOIS database.

    Step 4: Initiate the Transfer at Your New Hosting Company

    It’s time to initiate the transfer at your new host after you receive the transfer authorization code via email. The new host will ask you which domain you’re transferring in. Don’t make a mistake here and tell the new hosting company that you’re starting a new domain. Select the option to transfer with an existing domain. You’ll usually find this section under the “Domains” section of your hosting dashboard. Enter your domain name and the authorization code. Click to save your selection and the transfer is now underway.

    Step 5: Verify Your Transfer

    Most hosts will send you an email so that you can click to confirm and verify that you’re authorizing the transfer of your domain into the new hosting service. The email typically states the domain you’re moving over and the company from which you’re transferring. Click on the link provided in the email to confirm the transfer and agree to the new company’s terms.

    Step 6: Pay Your Domain Renewal

    While it’s true that many website hosts let you transfer in for free (like the hosts listed above), most of the time, it’s required that you renew your domain for the next year at this point in the process. You need to pay the renewal to bring the transfer to a successful ending. It shouldn’t take long to complete the transfer process after you pay for the domain’s renewal fee. Each hosting company is different. Some transfers will complete almost immediately, some take less than 24 hours, and others can take up to 5 days to finish. Whenever the transfer process does complete itself, you’ll see your domain appear in the website management section of your new hosting provider’s dashboard.

    60-Day Limit on Transferring Domains

    You should know that you can’t transfer the domain again until 60 days have passed. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) governs this policy, and it means that you can’t transfer out of your current host if you happened to transfer the domain less than 60 days ago. You also can’t transfer any domain no matter where it sits if you registered it as a new domain less than 60 days ago. This policy is in place to prevent domain hijacking.

    How to Decide if You Should Change Web Hosts

    It’s not a simple decision to change website hosts. It can turn stressful for some business owners. Unfortunately, that fact means many entrepreneurs suffer from less than optimal hosting services because they’re afraid to switch. You now know that the domain transfer process isn’t difficult. You might simply be in consideration mode when it comes to transferring your domain name. How do you know when it’s the perfect time to switch hosts? Use these tips to make your decision.

    • Your website speed isn’t optimal
    • Your site goes down too often
    • You’ve experienced a website hack
    • The current company’s customer service isn’t helpful
    • You need a less expensive option
    • Someone told you about a better option
    • You require additional features, storage space, or other functionality

    Due to Google’s recent algorithm changes that focus an even higher emphasis on website speed, this is of paramount importance for the future of your business. You can’t afford to stay too long with a host that experiences downtime or doesn’t provide proper website speed functionality. Make the switch as soon as possible if this is a problem for you. You’re playing with fire because your site will most likely experience a slide in its rankings. It’s more effective to switch hosts after finding one with superior website speed performance than to try and regain rankings later with different SEO practices.

    Conclusion

    Now it’s your move. Was this information helpful to you? Is the process seeming less difficult and intimidating to you? After you complete all six of the above steps, you’ll be off and running with your next website host. The next action item is to settle on your favorite host that will transfer domain names for free and start at step 1.
  • 15 Mistakes To Avoid When Building A Website

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

    Paul Wheeler

    Building a website yourself can be challenging, especially for beginners.

    There are many things to consider, from web design and layout, down to the content and navigation. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to make mistakes that can impact your website’s success and ultimately the ability to monetize and grow traffic successfully.

    You don’t want to rush through the process and make mistakes that could cost you later. If you’re planning to build a website for yourself or your business, it’s best to be aware of some of the most common mistakes when building a website to help you avoid making them yourself in the future. And if you’ve already committed them, let this guide help you on how to fix them for the better.

    1. Not Choosing A Good Web Hosting

    The first and probably the most common mistake people make when building a website is not choosing a good web hosting that fits a certain website’s needs. Many people think that they can throw up a website on any old server, and it will work fine, but this isn’t always the case. This mistake usually happens when people are first starting, and they don’t know the signs of a good web host, which include:

    • Uptime of 99.9% or higher
    • 24/7 customer support
    • Fast and reliable servers

    The best way to fix this mistake is to research what makes a good web host and find one that fits your needs.

    2. Not Creating A Sitemap

    Another usual mistake when building a website is not creating a sitemap. A sitemap contains information about the pages, videos, files, and other content you put on your website and how they correlate with each other. It’s essential to have one if you want to help search engines crawl your site more efficiently. A sitemap helps your visitors navigate your website and helps search engines find your pages.

    Not having a sitemap can hurt your website’s ranking in search engines, so it’s essential to create one as soon as you start building your website. If you’ve already made your site but don’t yet have a sitemap, it’s not too late to create one.

    In general, a sitemap should include all of the pages on your website, as well as any other important information such as your contact information. Creating a sitemap is relatively simple, and there are plenty of resources online that can help you create one. You can create it by hand or use a sitemap generator tool.

    3. Not Checking For Broken Links

    You think it will cost you time, but not checking for broken links is one of the biggest mistakes you might be overlooking. This mistake can be more costly, as it can damage your website’s reputation, causing higher bounce rates because of visitors leaving your site.

    This usually happens when a website is new and in its testing stage. You have to constantly check on links when you’ve made changes to your website and to see if there are broken links.

    Of course, there’s a way to avoid this mistake without spending too much of your time. You can use a link checker to scan your website for broken links. You can find free link checkers online or use a paid service. These services work by checking your website for broken links and then providing you with a report of the results.

    Once you have the results, you can fix the broken links by pointing them to the correct page or removing them from your website.

    4. Not Optimizing Images

    Images are important for web design. When building a website, optimizing your images is also crucial for your overall website performance. This means shrinking them down to the smallest size possible without compromising the quality of the picture. When your images are optimized, you see the following results:

    • Faster loading times
    • Reduced bandwidth usage
    • Better search engine rankings

    Not optimizing your images can cause your website to load slowly, and it can also use up more bandwidth than necessary. As we all know, slow-loading pages aren’t good for your website traffic. Use a photo editor to optimize your images before uploading them to your website to fix this. In addition, you can use a plugin or tool to automatically optimize your images as you upload them.

    These are great because they help you optimize your photos without having to do it manually, saving you time and energy.

    5. Not Using A Favicon

    A favicon is a small image that appears next to your website’s name in a web browser’s tab. It’s a simple way to add branding to your website, and it’s also a great way to keep visitors aware that they are currently on your site without having to view all their tabs. Unfortunately, many new website builders forget to add a favicon because it’s not something most people think of.

    Not adding a favicon to your website is like having a business without a logo – it just looks unfinished.

    To add a favicon to your website, you can use a free online tool or create your own. If you create your own, make sure it’s a small image that’s easy to see and recognize. In addition, be sure that the file type is .ico to be accepted by web browsers. You’ll know your file works if you see the favicon next to your website’s name in the tab when you visit it.

    6. Not Creating A Mobile-Friendly Version Of Your Website

    With so many people using their phones to browse the web, creating a mobile version of your website is crucial. A mobile version of your website will look different on different devices, and it will be optimized for browsing on a phone or tablet.

    According to Perficient.com, 68.1% of all website visits in 2020 came from mobile devices, increasing from 63.3% in 2019. That is a pretty significant increase in just one year, which shows how important it is to have a mobile version of your website.

    If you don’t have a mobile version of your website, you’re missing out on many potential visitors.

    To create a mobile version of your website, you can use various tools and services. There are also plenty of templates and themes available that will help you create a mobile version of your website quickly and easily. The easiest way to create a mobile version of your website is to use a responsive design template.

    7. Not Testing Your Website on Different Browsers

    When building a website, you need to test it on different browsers. Not all browsers are created equal, and your website may look different on each one. Some browsers you should test your site on include:

    • Google Chrome
    • Mozilla Firefox
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Safari
    • Opera

    Testing your website on different browsers is the only way to make sure it looks the right way on all of them. If you don’t test your website on other browsers, you could be losing traffic and sales.

    The best way to fix this mistake is to use a browser compatibility testing tool. These tools will tell you which browsers your website is compatible with, and they’ll also give you instructions on how to fix any issues.

    8. Not Using Google Analytics

    If you’re not using Google Analytics, you’re making another big mistake for your website. Google Analytics is a free tool that allows you to track your website’s traffic and see how people use your website. Google Analytics can provide you with some vital statistics, such as:

    • How many people are visiting your website
    • Where your visitors are coming from
    • What pages do they see on your website
    • How long they’re staying on your website
    • What devices they’re using to visit your website

    Google Analytics is a potent tool, and it’s one that every website builder should use. To set up Google Analytics, you need to create a Google account and add the tracking code to your website. It’s a quick and easy process, and it’s well worth the time. It is also free and can be used by anyone with a new website.

    Even if your website is already established, it’s still a good idea to connect it to a Google Analytics account.

    9. Creating Pages Without Titles

    We have different website preferences, but when building a website it’s crucial to not forget to put titles on your pages. This may not seem like a big deal, but it can hurt your website’s ranking in search engines. That’s because search engines use titles to help index websites, and if your website doesn’t have a title, it may not be indexed at all.

    As a result, the search engines might not have enough information to know what your website is about, which could hurt your ranking.

    To add a title to a page on your website, add a title to each website’s pages. The title should be relevant to the page’s content, and it should be keyword-rich. It should also include a number and a power word. With this information, your page’s title should look something like this: “The Best 10 Places to Buy Widgets Online.”

    10. Not Using HTTPS

    If you’re still not aware, not using HTTPS for your website is definitely a big mistake. HTTPS is a secure protocol protecting your website’s data from unauthorized access. HTTPS is the standard for online security, and if you’re not using it, you’re putting your website at risk. Not using HTTPS can leave your website vulnerable to attacks, and it can also damage your website’s reputation.

    Many new website owners don’t use HTTPS because they’re not familiar with it, and it’s not something they see regularly. If you’re not sure how to set up HTTPS on your website, there are plenty of resources available that can help you. The best way to get started is to contact your web hosting provider and ask them to enable HTTPS on your website.

    Usually, this entails purchasing an SSL certificate and installing it on your website. Some SSL certificates are free, but most of them will cost you a little bit of money. It’s worth the investment, though, because HTTPS can help keep your website safe and secure.

    11. Creating Pages With Only Text

    Another common mistake when building a website is eliminating imagery and creating pages with only text. Images keep your web design look better, and more pleasing to look at. Not incorporating images and photos in your design be a big turn-off for visitors, as much as it can hurt your ranking in search engines.

    That’s because search engines prefer websites rich in multimedia since human visitors tend to choose them. It used to be that websites could get away with having only text, but that’s no longer the case. If you want to succeed, you need to include images, videos, and other multimedia elements.

    When you’re creating pages, be sure to include various elements, such as images, videos, infographics, and charts. This will help keep your website’s visitors engaged, and it will also help your website rank higher on search engine results pages. That’s because with those elements, your visitors will spend more time on your website, and that’s what search engines want.

    12. Not Using Social Media Buttons

    If you’re not using social media buttons, you’re missing out on an excellent opportunity to promote your website. Social media buttons allow visitors to share your content with their friends and followers. New website builders might not think to use social media buttons, but they can be a great way to promote your website and its content.

    Some of the social media buttons you might want to add include:

    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    There are a variety of social media buttons available, and you can usually find them for free online. Once you have the social media buttons, you need to add them to your website. You can add them to the top of your website, the bottom, or in the sidebar. If you’re unsure where to put them, try a few different places and see what works best for you.

    13. Not Optimizing Your Pages for Search Engines

    When building a website, you need to optimize your page content for search engines. Not optimizing your pages can hurt your website’s ranking in search engines, and it can also reduce your website’s traffic. Optimizing your website for search engines means including keywords in your page’s title, description, and content. It also means using the correct formatting and structure.

    If you’re not sure how to optimize your pages for search engines, there are plenty of resources available that can help you. You can find articles, tutorials, and even courses that can teach you to optimize your website for search engines.

    It’s worth taking the time to learn how to do it properly because optimizing your pages can help your website rank higher in search engine results pages, and it can also help you get more traffic.

    14. Not Updating Your Website Regularly

    If you’re not updating your website regularly, you’re definitely making one of the biggest mistakes in building a website. Outdated content on your website can hurt your ranking in search engines, making your website look dated. An outdated website can turn off potential customers and clients, making you look unprofessional. Some features of obsolete websites include:

    • Outdated information
    • Broken links
    • Old design
    • Slow loading times

    To regularly update your website, you need to add new content and features. If you’re adding new content, you should aim to add at least one new article per week. You can also add new images, videos, and infographics to keep your website looking fresh.

    On the other hand, if you’re updating any outdated or irrelevant content, you should aim to do so with at least two pieces of content per week. That way, your website will be current and relevant, and it will also look well-maintained.

    15. Not Planning Your Website’s Navigation

    A big part of your web design should be planning how visitors can navigate through it. Ecommerce websites, real estate websites, and other high-traffic websites should have a clear UI/UX design plan. Not planning your website’s navigation can lead to confusion and frustration for your visitors.

    That’s because if your website’s navigation is not designed properly, visitors will not be able to find the information they’re looking for easily. If there’s too much confusion for your visitors, they won’t stay on your website for long, and they’ll probably never come back. Search engines will then not rank your site very high.

    To plan your website’s navigation, you need to create a sitemap and use it as a guide. The sitemap should include all of the pages on your website and their hierarchy.

    However, if you’ve already started your website without thinking about your website navigation, don’t worry. It’s not too late to fix it. You can still create a sitemap and use it to guide you in redesigning your website’s navigation.

    Why Start With A Good Web Hosting Provider?

    Good web hosting is essential for any kind of website. It can help you make your website faster to attract visitors, be more secure for the long run, and make it easier to manage for you and your team.

    In addition, good web hosting also helps improve overall site performance and gives you a boost to rank better in search engines. There are a lot of web hosting companies to choose from, and it can be tough to decide which one is right for you.

    Take the time to do your research to find a web hosting company that meets your needs. While you’re at it, check out our full and honest reviews of the top web hosting providers in the market.

     

  • Cybersecurity Trends and Threats to Watch Out for in 2023

     

    Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

    Paul Wheeler

    Cybersecurity continues to evolve and change- and you should too.

    Currency, jewels, and gold have been valuable assets for centuries, but the information is oil in today’s world. User personal information is the golden grail for hackers and an invaluable commodity.

    We must understand the dangers that await us to develop a system to counteract cyberattacks. In this article, we analyze the upcoming cybersecurity trends and threats to help you get started with 2023 on the right foot.

    Let’s Talk About Cybersecurity

    With billions of devices connecting online, new threats pop up each second. The interconnected world makes everyone susceptible to cyberattacks.

    But what does it mean, and why is it important for your business?

    What is it?

    Cybersecurity involves protecting your network, systems, and programs from digital attacks. Malicious individuals launch cyberattacks to access, change, or destroy sensitive information. Some also extort money from the users or interrupt business processes.

    A successful cybersecurity approach creates multiple protection layers, spreading across the systems and devices you want to keep safe. The technology, processes, and people in a business must complement each other to create an effective defense from online threats.

    Why is it Important?

    If you’re still contemplating the importance of cybersecurity and where it fits in your IT strategy, here is a compilation of the most prevalent considerations.

    Increasing Volume and Complexity of Cyber Attacks

    Close to 15 million data breaches took place in the third quarter of 2022, a massive 167% increase compared to the previous quarter! A hacker attack occurs every 39 seconds, and 43% target small businesses.

    Tech Innovation

    Technology continues to play a critical today, but it also reinforces why protection against modern threats that stem from emerging tech, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is vital.

    Going to the Cloud

    A continual shift to cloud services means more companies are now hosting business processes and storing customer data off-site. The strategy also helps bolster a remote workforce strategy. Cloud deployment comes with many benefits but also more security risks.

    Impact on Operations

    Cybercrime is detrimental to businesses with an average loss of over $4 million per data breach. Don’t forget to account for long-term losses after a data breach, which can last for months or years.

    Top 8 Trends in Cybersecurity to Watch Out For

    Exponential technology advancements also mean cybersecurity is developing and maturing, so it’s able to remove cyber attacks and threats. Next, we delve into the latest eight trends in cybersecurity and how they affect organizations.

    1. User Awareness

    Cyber threats are becoming more aggressive daily, and businesses must take proactive steps to strengthen their security policies. Cybersecurity awareness is critical to preventing expensive network hacks and identity theft instances. In addition to sophisticated IT protocols and firewalls, it’s necessary to augment IT personnel capabilities through seminars.

    Developing an awareness of the threats and taking basic precautions should be a fundamental component for everyone in an organization in 2023!

    Do you know 97% of people cannot identify a phishing email? And one in 25 individuals will click on such emails and fall prey to cyberattacks?

    Cybersecurity awareness can help prevent an onslaught of attacks and threats. Some businesses are already implementing classroom- and web-based teaching to promote awareness. Further, have policies that focus on how employees handle and share confidential business information.

    2. Increased Healthcare Sector Attacks

    A lax cybersecurity system in the healthcare sector exposes millions of people and organizations to multiple security and liability issues. It’s now pertinent for health organizations to invest more in cybersecurity.

    The healthcare cybersecurity market value will rise to $59 billion by 2030. Data breaches are a leading trend in the industry, with over 157 million records exposed between 2015 and 2019. Such breaches can cost healthcare organizations an average of $7.13 million.

    Healthcare players are now paying more attention to their security requirements, which drives considerable growth in the sector. The figures show data breaches are a major continuing threat to organizations handling sensitive information about patients, employees, and businesses.

    3. GDPR Compliance

    General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a significant development in the data privacy regulation sphere of the European Union (EU). The regulation has its roots in the EU, but any business marketing its services or goods to the region must comply with it—regardless of location.

    GDPR imposes a consistent data security law on all EU countries, so each member doesn’t have to come up with their data protection law. Customers get uniform protection over their data. While the law affects EU citizens, it affects any business targeting the European market.

    4. Increased Attacks on the Financial Services Sector

    Phishing attacks are prevalent in the financial services industry but are not limited to emails. Hackers are coming up with attacks via social media and multiple messaging platforms.

    Asset managers, banks, and insurance companies also have to deal with data breaches and malware attacks. Firms in the industry are 300 times more prone to cybersecurity attacks compared to other niches.

    5. Increased Geo-Targeted Phishing Attempts

    Phishing is still a big problem in the IT industry, with many falling victims to persistent attempts. Cybercriminals now deploy advanced techniques to create well-executed Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks. Hackers are using malicious URLs and emails, but they are no more geo-targeted, personalized, and localized.

    Expect an increase in targeted phishing through 2023 and later years. It’s time you adopt and invest in a comprehensive security awareness program. Some are going as far as creating simulators that explain and recognize upcoming phishing patterns and hacker operations.

    6. IoT Vulnerability

    Most Internet of Things (IoT) devices on the market today are still experiencing many security issues. The computing devices in IoT products are constantly sending out and receiving data over the internet. The system is a significant security threat that exposes you to attacks such as hijacked devices or Denial of Service (DoS).

    IoT connects the physical world and the virtual space, and home intrusions are increasing the number of threats the tech brings. So, your IoT device presents an enormous opportunity for businesses and cybercriminals.

    7. International State-Sponsored Hackers Attacking Businesses and Governments

    Different countries are constantly taking part in cyber espionage as they try to undermine competing or unfriendly governments or gain access to secrets. However, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and companies are likely to be targets of state actors.

    An example is the WannaCry ransomware attack believed to come from hackers with connections to the North Korean government. Since then, there have been numerous attacks on servers across the world that security agencies allege have support from foreign governments.

    Over 70 countries will hold their elections in 2023, which increases the chances of attacks by hostile nations. Common attempts are hacking and cyberattacks through social media disinformation campaigns.

    8. Work-From-Home Cybersecurity Will be Critical

    Organizations are now focusing on securing millions of worldwide devices used for remote and home working, especially after the pandemic. In the pre-COVID era, most work was office-based, and IT teams only ran regular checks and updates of company devices. The structure is simple and ensures work-related smartphones, laptops, and PCs have the latest anti-virus apps and preventive measures.

    2023 brings new challenges as more employees choose to use their devices for remote work. Non-secured gadgets increase the risk of workers falling prey to phishing attacks. Further, people are more likely to work with colleagues they don’t know, increasing impersonation scams.

    Top 8 Threats in Cybersecurity

    Scammers and attackers are more creative, so stay on top of the latest dangers to protect yourself, your business, and your reputation.

    Cyber attacks come and go out of fashion and knowing what’s in now and for the next season can help you stay safe. Here are the biggest cybersecurity threats to watch for in 2023.

    1. Human Error

    IBM estimates 23% of all data breaches are due to human error, making humans a big risk factor for IT security. An unsuspecting worker can put your entire network of devices at risk, no matter how much you lock it down. After all, malicious attachments and links, spoofing, phishing, and other scams still trick millions of people into opening a door for cybercriminals.

    Consider investing in IT security training in your company. The training should emphasize why the security measures matter and employees should follow the protocols. However, training should be intensive, or you can even run phishing tests to keep the team on their toes.

    2. Supply Chain Attacks

    In a 2018 disaster, a hacker compromises the bank transactions of 380,000 customers making payments to British Airways between August 21 and September 5. The cybercriminals walked away with user names, card number information, and card security codes (CVV).

    British Airways does not store any information on its servers, so the hacker added a script to the airline’s site. The result was enormous financial theft and a serious reputation challenge for the giant airliner.

    This is a supply chain attack that requires introducing malicious code into a software development process—usually using third-party apps. Code execution allows the hacker to gain access to all the information they want.

    However, avoiding a supply chain cyberattack is harder because the criminals are using Trojan horse strategies and spreading malicious code via updates. Keep this type of attack by:

    • Reducing the number of outside IT service and software providers with access to your system
    • Carrying out regular comprehensive audits and ensuring partners implement measures to protect your business infrastructure
    • Not adding updates to your antivirus exclusion list and testing updated on isolated systems before installing on your network

    3. Cloud Misconfiguration

    Human negligence can also play a disastrous role if you choose popular cloud providers such as GCP, Azure, or AWS. An administrator can overlook setting the cloud security option when configuring the cloud.

    For instance, accidentally allowing unrestricted outbound access gives unauthorized apps a communication avenue with your server. An infamous example is the 2017 Alteryx breach. A tiny misconfiguration mistake was all that was required to release details on millions of households.

    Some recommendations to avoid cloud misconfiguration include:

    • Understanding the full state of the cloud environment, including every resource, relationship, and resource
    • Using infrastructure as code everywhere to bring predictability, scale, and efficiency to your cloud operations
    • Using code to express your cloud environment’s compliance and security policy for maximum efficiency and fewer developer errors
    • Adopting a “deny by default” access policy

    4. Web3 Implementation

    New technologies, such as Web3, are making headway in 2023 and will become a big target for hackers. The Web3 tech takes control from large companies and decentralizes power between users using token-based economics, cryptocurrency, and blockchain.

    However, the excitement around Web3’s potential means security is left behind. We often forget security as a new software product rushes to release services—as we’ve seen with multiple hacks against crypto exchanges.

    Laying out cybersecurity basics can help prevent Web3 breaches, especially as the technology becomes more popular.

    5. Mobile-First Attacks

    Almost everybody is using their mobile device to store an extensive amount of valuable information. Further, smartphones facilitate several remote tasks, including cab booking, banking, hotel reservations, and shopping. However, 60% of cyber fraud, such as stolen passwords and phishing, occurs on these devices.

    Hackers seeking access to information will increasingly turn to smartphones. They use attack strategies such as data manipulation, ransomware attacks, malware, and data loss.

    Security professionals are working on solutions that can help protect smartphones from cyber threats. However, it’s up to you and me to take preventative measures to protect the phones from threats. Also, add mobile device security to the cybersecurity training program and offer your team access to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and virus scanners.

    6. Operational Technology (OT) Attacks

    Operational technology is the hardware and software system that monitors and detects changes in industrial processes, systems, and equipment. Huge targets for cybercriminals are Industrial Control Systems (ICS), which are major OT components. Data security and actual damage are the primary sources of worry.

    For example, a hacker may gain access to the New York water system. The hacker manipulates the water’s chemical balance to make it more acidic and have a statewide impact. Organizations should have policies to prevent such tragedies and respond at once to curtail the effect.

    7. Increased Internal Cybersecurity Hazards

    Internal cybersecurity threats arise from negligent actions or malicious intentions of disgruntled or former employees. These insider menaces are a major concern because they implicate somebody with privileged and trusted access rights to data.

    Common insider threats include:

    • Physical theft of company equipment and devices
    • Unauthorized use of devices that create risks such as virus infections and malware attacks
    • Deliberate and inadvertent data sharing

    Some strategies to combat these risks are:

    • Employee training
    • Installing strong security protections, such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools
    • Tightening access control
    • Encrypt data and devices, and even allow remote wiping

    8. Data Poisoning

    About 35% of businesses are using AI in their operations, and 42% are exploring the technology. While AI opens up new possibilities for companies in all industries, hackers are taking note.

     

    Cases of AI system data poisoning are increasing as cyber attackers find ways of injecting corrupted data that skews result inquiry. Data poisoning is an additional risk for corporate systems, and continuous monitoring of AI results is one way to stay safe. If the results are significantly different from what you’ve been getting in the past, question the integrity.

    How Your Web Hosting Helps Secure Your Website

    Hackers that breach your website security can do a lot of damage. They can corrupt the site, steal valuable personal information, and cause irreparable damage to your brand reputation.

    So, how does web hosting provide security for your website?

    Using SSL Certificates

    Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates allow web host providers to protect transferable data. Sites with an SSL certificate start with “HTTPS://” where the S is for secure.

    Websites that ask for and require personal information, such as email addresses and credit card information (especially e-commerce pages), need SSL certificates to ensure a secure connection.

    Regular Hardware and Software Updates

    Hackers are always looking for new ways to hack into hardware and software, and old security protocols are a risk. Web hosts regularly update their systems to stay a step ahead.

    Some providers employ colocation services and have fully managed dedicated server boxes. Others, however, leave the task of updating software and hardware to staff.

    Provide Data Backups and Easy Recovery Measures

    You should not lose all your data and start from scratch in case of the website hacking or crashing. The ideal web hosts offer physical and digital backups.

    The physical backup occurs in a second location when the current server is compromised. A digital backup of your site helps restore to an earlier working version if something goes wrong.

    Conclusion

    These are just some of the biggest cybersecurity trends and threats predicted for 2023. The numbers show individuals and businesses must be more vigilant when drafting their cybersecurity approaches.

    However, improved cybersecurity depends on a reliable host. See my hosting reviews to learn about the different security options available.