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Top 10 Most Popular Design Templates for Gator Website Builder
The post Top 10 Most Popular Design Templates for Gator Website Builder appeared first on HostGator Blog . The new Gator Website Builder by HostGator comes with more than 200 professionally designed templates included in the package price. But, if the idea of browsing through 200 design templates is overwhelming for you, all of the design themes are sorted by category to help you find themes that fit the type of website you are looking to build. With categories such as architecture & real estate, beauty & fashion, pets & animals, professional services, restaurants & eateries…there is something for almost every website. All of these website design templates are mobile friendly, meaning that they will automatically adjust based on screen size of the person visiting your website. In addition, all of the design templates can be customized to match your company branding with custom colors, fonts, and your own photos. Here are the top 10 most popular design templates available in Gator Website Builder : Professional Law Firm The Professional Law Firm design is clean with minimal distraction so website visitors can focus on the content at hand. The center icons illustrate content themes, and the horizontal sections help the mind separate content types. 2. Personal Diary The Personal Diary design template is ideal for a writer or poet who wants to start a personal website to feature content such as writings and photos. This design template features large photos and minimal distractions from the main reason someone visits this website – to read what you wrote! 3. Musician The Musician design template is eye catching due to the bright colors and artistic feature image. But don’t forget – you can change all the colors to match your personal brand! Quickly and easily import your music from YouTube on the ‘music’ tab. 4. The Designer The Designer template offers quirky, unique layout options while still remaining professional. For example, the social media icons are placed under the title, still obvious, but in a different location than the traditional layout. The design template also features interesting text overlay on images. This template would be great for a business that likes to show their fun personality. 5. Newspaper Blog The Newspaper Blog design features a grid-like pattern perfect for a website that wants to showcase a lot of content on their homepage. This design template would be great for a newsroom website or blog that produces lot of content on a regular basis. Content is king here, as the layout prefers content layout over design. Customize it with your own colors and fonts! 6. Fashion Boutique The Fashion Boutique design is bright, fun, and focuses on photos to display your boutique items. Pair this with our eCommerce package and you’ll be ready to sell items from your fashion boutique in no time! Remember, you can change the background image and color palette to match your business. 7. Advertising and Marketing The Advertising and Marketing design theme is perfect for showcasing two sides of your brand. Drop in your portfolio and you’ll be ready to rock quickly! 8. Fine Cars Dealership The Fine Cars Dealership design template is perfect for a business that wants to highlight stunning photography without distraction from a busy design. Show off the best part about your business without any other frills. The “call now” button at the top is an added benefit for customers that want to contact you quickly about what they see online. 9. Retro Pastels The Retro Pastels design template features artistry through unique background patterns. This design template would be perfect for a business that maybe doesn’t have a lot of their own business photos to display, but still wants website visitors to get an understanding of their unique character. You can use textures and patterns for website visitors to understand your personality – simply swap out colors and patterns that fit you best! 10. Freelance Copywriter The Freelance Copywriter design template allows solo entrepreneurs the chance to feature their skills in a clean, simply design that focuses on you and what you offer. Swap out your profile picture in the top section, drop in your social media pages, personal portfolio samples, and you’ll be good to go! You can preview more templates at the Gator Website Builder page . Which one are you interested to try? Comment below and let us know! Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading
Posted in HostGator, Hosting, VodaHost
Tagged advertising, boutique, copywriter, design, design-template, ecommerce, hostgator, music, real-estate, retro-pastels, web hosting tips
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Brands, Drive More Blog Traffic with These 5 Video Ideas
The post Brands, Drive More Blog Traffic with These 5 Video Ideas appeared first on HostGator Blog . 5 Ways Brands Can Drive More Blog Traffic with Video Video content plays an integral role in people’s lives. According to a Wyzowl survey , respondents said on a typical day they watch 1.5 hours of video. Take advantage of this trend by adding video content to your blog. Explain how to cook a new recipe or earn their trust with a heartfelt confessional. It’s time to use video content to benefit your corporate blog. Here are five ways to drive more blog traffic. 1. Grab Attention Between breaking news and cute puppy GIFs, it may seem downright impossible to gain any attention from your audience. Video helps break up the monotony of text and adds a new flare to your blog. Before you spend countless hours shooting a video, it’s vital to understand what actually grabs your visitors’ attention. Do the research to learn what content appeals to them and how you can insert your own brand personality to the mix. Also, think about what emotions you want viewers to feel. Kimbe MacMaster , former manager of content marketing at Vidyard, explains: “Video is the most powerful way to evoke emotions online. It’s King because it offers a slew of attributes above and beyond traditional content like tone of voice, face expressions, and music, to name a few.” Stay away from superficial tactics to draw people to your video content. (So, no throwing a toilet off a five-story building.) Doing absurd stunts or saying ridiculous phrases will leave your audience confused and possibly upset. Instead, share a unique story about your brand , employees, or customers. Grabbing (and maintaining) your visitors’ attention starts with video storytelling. 2. Boost Engagement Enticing people to visit your blog is one hurdle to jump, but keeping visitors engaged requires another level of strategy. To avoid high bounce rates , your brand must continually captivate your audience’s time. Video is one solution to grow your engagement. Effective video marketing centers around information and entertainment. Today’s consumer enjoys learning something new and having fun in the process. Your short-term goal may involve getting the person to smile or laugh in the first 30 seconds of your video. By doing so, the viewer becomes comfortable and more willing to continue watching. In the video below, content unicorn Brittany Berger introduces her audience to the idea of repurposing content. The description even includes a link to a free download for viewers to further their engagement with her. Your team can execute a similar technique by driving YouTube viewers to your blog. It will inspire new visitors to explore about your brand, and you’ll have another high-quality traffic source. 3. Explain Concepts The Internet is a hub of information for people to learn everything from how to build a rooftop patio to how to pass a Calculus class. Using video to explain concepts is a surefire way to drive more visitors to your blog. “How-to videos catch viewers with prime buyer intent. They have a problem they want to solve or something they want to learn. It is up to you to show them how to do it…For example, explain to consumers how to tie a tie or show home cooks how to make certain recipes for your ingredient,” writes Anton Eliasson , director of marketing at Shakr. Retailer Lowe’s uses video to show its customers how to complete home improvement projects. In this example, the viewer learns the steps to building a raised garden bed. When creating how-to videos, think about your audience’s level of expertise. You may decide to segment your videos into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Avoid forcing every little detail in your video. It’s perfectly okay to link to supplemental material, like a guide or checklist. 4. Answer Questions In this moment in time, online search engines help people find directions to a local grocery store, purchase movie tickets for the weekend, and recreate unicorn cakes with detailed recipes. If someone wants answers to their burning questions, most people respond with “Google it!” This simple response offers your brand an opportunity to create content for people seeking answers on search engines. Your videos will stand out if they offer immediate value. When creating a Q&A video, provide clear and concise answers. A long-winded response will only annoy your viewers and send them to another blog. Start with common questions answered by your customer support team. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box to differentiate your Q&As from the competition. AT&T gets creative with this format by posing a question and then answering it with a video. These short, original videos work well on social media channels. Quick! What’s ∞ x ∞? Answer: https://t.co/6O3dGoCFHX #GalaxyNote9 pic.twitter.com/EvY0vSVuvw — AT&T (@ATT) August 9, 2018 You also can experiment with unrelated product questions. Enlist the help of your employees to answer silly questions about your brand culture. A little variety offers an appealing charm. 5. Build Trust People buy from companies they trust. Establishing trust means showing a genuine interest in your audience’s interests. Video makes it easier to build that authentic connection. Unlike text, video can translate into an intimate experience for viewers. If it’s an interview between experts, your audience can see the sentiment behind their words. So, how can your brand mix trust into your video production? For starters, be honest with your audience. Steer clear from using any misleading or false information in your content. Plus, disparaging your competitors isn’t a good idea; it only emphasizes your brand’s weaknesses. It’s also important to respect your viewers’ time. It shouldn’t take five minutes to explain the main point of your video. Nathan Ellering , head of marketing demand generation at CoSchedule, agrees: “Length is an important element of video (and definitely ties into distribution). Shorter videos tend to perform better. And if you do it right, you can create one video and share it in multiple different channels.” Try asking your loyal customers to participate in your video content. Their sincere experiences will be relatable to blog visitors, too. Earn More Blog Traffic Video marketing is a powerful way to attract visitors to your blog. Video content holds readers’ attention, builds trust with your audience, and opens doors to more engagement. Upgrade your blog with video today. Get started by turning your current blog posts into videos. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading
I very need your advice – bluehost, hostgator and woocommerce
Hi, I’ve hosted my Open Cart store at Hostgator for a few years. I’ve not had problems with Hostgator. However, I’d like to move my small o… | Read the rest of http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1755413&goto=newpost Continue reading
Posted in HostGator, Hosting, php, VodaHost
Tagged hostgator, hosting, not-had, open, read-the-rest, store-at-hostgator, the-rest, web hosting
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4 Best Free WordPress Themes for Photography Blogs
The post 4 Best Free WordPress Themes for Photography Blogs appeared first on HostGator Blog . A well-designed blog is a must, by definition, for photo bloggers, but professional photographers and Instagram addicts can benefit from having a photo blog, too. That’s because a blog that’s set up to show off images does more than connect bloggers and fans. A regularly updated blog also helps pro photographers keep their portfolio current and helps them rank better in search results. And photographers with a following on Instagram can use a blog to reach a wider audience with their images and build a list of prospects who may want to buy prints, products, or how-to know-how. To create a photo-friendly blog, you’ll need a theme that’s designed with images in mind. Here are four of our free favorite WordPress themes for photography blogs. 1. Camer Camer is an image-grid based theme from Blogging Theme Styles . Images on Camer’s pages only display text when site tap or mouse over them, which keeps visitors’ focus on your work, not your words. Camer’s layout for computer screens features a full-width text header above a 4-column image grid. On phones, Camer displays images in a single column. The free version of Camer is designed to work with Gutenberg, the new modular editor for WordPress that’s meant to make it easier for users without web design backgrounds to create and update their websites. Camer’s free version includes an unusually wide array of design options, such as five page templates, thirteen sidebar position options, a built-in menu for social media feeds, and more. To get tools to let you adjust the width of each section on your pages, plus additional layouts, page templates, and sidebar positions, you can upgrade to Camer Pro ($49). 2. Himalayas Himalayas from Theme Grill is one of the most popular single-page themes around, and it’s a great option for photo bloggers who want to keep their site simple while showing off their best work. The full-width banner slider is followed by a blog section with featured images and text snippets and a portfolio section that’s all images with mouse-over/tap text display. There’s a built-in call-to-action button so you can invite your visitors to sign up for your newsletter, contact you to book a sitting, or visit your online store. Services and portfolio widgets help showcase your work, too. The pro version ($69) is WooCommerce compatible and includes Google fonts along with font size, color palette, and slider options not available in the free version. 3. Image Gridly Photographers can display their work and their words with Image Gridly from Superb Themes . The name probably gives away that the layout for this theme is an image grid. Unlike Camer (above) Image Gridly overlays titles on the lower third of each image, so users can see text related to each photo without having to tap or mouse over. Image Gridly’s desktop display includes a full-width banner photo with a three-column image grid below it. On smartphones, Image Gridly’s display has a full-width banner followed by featured post images displayed in a single column. Image Gridly’s free version is a great choice for showing off photography, but it lacks some of the features that other free themes include, like tools to customize the theme’s appearance, Google fonts , and speed and search optimization. Upgrading to the premium version (starting at $26) adds these features and tools. 4. Juliet Juliet is a minimalist, image-heavy, feminine theme from Lyra Themes that’s a solid choice for photo bloggers who enjoy writing about their work. It’s designed as a fashion blog theme, but the full-width image header followed by a 4-column row of featured images from different blog categories works for other types of photography, too. Juliet is responsive, WooCommerce compatible, and lightweight for fast image load times . The free version also gives you options for image and text logos, overlay colors for the banner, background color and image, sidebars, headers and footers, and two different skins. Although the free version has enough features to get most photo bloggers off to a strong start, the pro version ($35 plus $8/month for support and updates) has a lot to recommend it, like a lookbook template that could make a great portfolio tool, additional video display options, Jetpack-powered social media sharing tools, and an email subscription widget. Picturing Your Ideal Photo Blog Theme Each theme publisher offers a live demo so you can see how their designs look and work on computers, tablets, and phones. However, it’s a good idea to try out the themes you like with your own blog content before you commit to one theme. As you try them out, ask yourself a few questions: How does the theme look with your content? Does the overall design of the theme work with the overall themes and mood of your photos? For example, a soft-looking theme like Juliet might be a great showcase for portrait photography but not so much for shots of brutalist architecture. Do you want to make money with your blog ? If you plan to sell prints of your work on your site, display ads, or set up a customer service chatbot to connect with potential clients, does the theme integrate easily with the tools you’ll need to use? How quickly does your site load with the theme installed? Images can dramatically slow down page load times, which can lead to lower search-results rankings, more bounces, and less traffic overall. Ideally, each page on your photography site should load in less than 3 seconds. Once you start using a theme, keep an eye on your blog’s bounce rate, the average length of time visitors spend on your site, and whether conversions are increasing, falling, or staying flat to get a sense of whether your theme is helping visitors get the most from your content. You can also listen for feedback from your visitors to see what they think of it. Do the images display properly for them? Can they navigate around the site easily? Use their questions and comments to get a clear picture of where the theme is working for you and where it may need improvement. Then, optimize your photo blog with these essential tools . Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading
Posted in HostGator, Hosting, VodaHost
Tagged camer, content, hostgator, images, photos, social-media, visitors, web hosting tips, web-design, work
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How Much Is A Website Domain Name?
The post How Much Is A Website Domain Name? appeared first on HostGator Blog . If you’re looking to build a website, then one of the first things you’ll need to do is buy a domain name for your new project . But, how much is a domain name actually going to cost you? Well, that depends upon a bunch of factors, as the cost of a domain name can vary based on several factors. For example, be prepared to spend a bit of money on domains that someone else already owns. Some older domains have gone for millions of dollars, specifically domains that are very broad such as single word domain names like insurance.com, hotels.com, and investing.com So, if you want a single word, used domain, then be prepared to spend a lot of money on your domain name. On the other side of the equation, you have new domains. The average cost for a brand new domain will typically be anywhere from $10-12, depending upon the registrar you choose and the length of your registration contract. Below you’ll learn why some domains are more valuable than others, the average costs for getting a domain name, and some tips to help you get started. How Much Does a Website Domain Cost? If you’re just getting started online, then the best course of action is to choose a new domain. A new domain will be cheaper, and allows you to build your own brand from scratch. Typically, you’ll be paying around $10-$12 for a new domain, depending upon the domain name extension you choose. Some extensions like .biz, .xyz, or .info, along with hundreds of others will end up being incredibly cheap because internet users aren’t quite used to those extensions and they don’t pack the same kind of punch. Some extensions will lead to even higher registration fees, like .co, .ai, .io and others. Other costs you’ll want to research include: Renewal fees . Some registrars will charge a cheap registration fee, along with a pricier renewal fee. Make sure you’re aware of the price increase upon renewal (if there is one). Privacy fees. Some registrars will charge additional fees to improve the privacy of your domain . This service will hide your contact information from public records. Transfer fees. Sometimes you might want to switch registrars. Make sure there aren’t any hefty fees associated with migrating your domain out of your current registrar. Buying a New Domain Name For most people, they go with the option of purchasing a new domain name. It’s the quickest and cheapest option, and with a little creativity, you can find a solid domain. First, you’ll need to choose a domain registrar. For the sake of example, let’s say you’re going to register your domain with HostGator. Navigate to https://www.hostgator.com/domains Type in your domain of choice. This will let you know if the domain, along with your desired extension is available. If it’s available, then follow through with the purchase. Buying an Old Domain Name If you’ve found the perfect domain, but someone else already owns it, follow these steps to see what you can do it your domain name is already taken . This is only recommended if you have more cash to spend and require a very specific domain for branding purposes. You may have to visit a domain auction site and make an offer for the domain. Keep in mind that you’ll probably have to do a lot of back and forth negotiation to secure the domain, and the price could be very steep. You can also find expired domains , that might have an existing link profile and authority. Just make sure you thoroughly research the domain before making a purchase. Domain Name Fees to Watch Out For Sometimes you might not be getting as good a deal as you think when registering your domain name. Below you’ll learn about some hidden charges you’ll want to watch out for: Hidden fees. A lot of times what might seem like a good deal up front won’t actually be a good deal. Sometimes fees will be buried within the terms of service. Look out for things like transfer fees, increased renewal fees, long-term domain contracts and more. Short-term discounts. Some domain registrars will offer seemingly good discounts, but this discount will only apply if you register for a long-term contract, or pay for multiple years up front. Short-term coupons can help you get a cheap domain up front, but make sure the costs won’t increase drastically after the first year. Scams. Some domain registrars that offer ridiculously cheap, or even free, domain names will end up charging very high administration fees, or even manipulating your Whois records. Make sure you’re only buying your domain name from a reputable seller. Which Option is Best for Me? For most people, buying a new domain is going to be the preferred route to take. You’ll not only get the best deal, but the registration and purchase process will be the simplest. In time, as your experience and online assets grow it might make sense to negotiate for a domain or purchase an expired domain. But, when you’re just starting out make it easy on yourself and find a solid new domain. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading
Posted in HostGator, Hosting, VodaHost
Tagged after-the-first, domain-name, getting-as-good, hostgator, hosting, price, register-domain, website-domain, your-domain
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