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A Guide To Conducting A Website Safety Check

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Hosting

The post A Guide To Conducting A Website Safety Check appeared first on HostGator Blog . A Guide To Conducting A Website Safety Check Most people will think that hacking will never happen to their website until it does. Most people only think about their site’s security once their site has been compromised. But, security is something you’ll want to take seriously from the beginning. You never know when hackers could be trying to force their way into your website. To ensure that your site’s security standards are up to date, and you don’t have any existing security issues it’s important to do a website safety check. Below we’ll walk you through the process of doing a site security check .   How Your Website Can Be Attacked Simply having a website live on the internet means that it’s prone to a lot of risks. Here are the most common forms of attacks you’ll want to be aware of and protect yourself against: DDoS — This type of attack will flood your site with traffic and service requests, which will overwhelm your site and bring it offline. Brute force — This attack uses an application that cycles through password combinations until it finds one that works, and the hacker will have unlimited access to your site. Malware — Malware covers things like viruses, worms, spyware, and more. This type of attack and can steal your information, erase your website data, and even infect people who visit your site. Injection — An injection uses malicious data or some kind of command that will make your site give the hacker access to sensitive information. Scripting — Cross-site scripting lets hackers hijack your website’s traffic, or change it in some way. Simply having knowledge of the above types of attacks isn’t enough. You need to proactively protect your website and any users who are interacting with it. Below you’ll learn how to conduct a website safety check to ensure your current site is secure, and take steps to protect from any future attacks. Conducting a Website Security Check The goal of a security check is to identify any security vulnerabilities before they become actual issues. After all, you can only fix security issues if you know they’re there in the first place. Follow the steps below to find and fix and existing security holes.   1. Update Your Current Site Before you begin doing any security checks it’s a good idea to update your current website. If you’re running WordPress, then make sure your WordPress core, themes, and plugins are all up to date. This will help keep you safe from existing vulnerabilities that the updates have been created to protect against.   2. Remove Any Older Accounts If you’ve been running your site for a while, then you might have some user accounts that are no longer in use. These accounts might have weaker passwords and be easier to crack, or they might belong to people no longer associated with your site. Go through any accounts that have access to your site and delete them, or change the user permissions, so they don’t have access to the entire backend of your site.   3. Do a Security Scan Now, it’s time to run your site through an online security scanner to check for any issues. There are a variety of both paid and free tools you can use. If you’re just getting started with optimizing your security, then you can use one of the free tools below: Sucuri Site Scanner Web Inspector Pentest Site Scanner Input your URL into any of the above tools. The software will check your site for any known security issues and give you a report that shows things you can fix.   4. Fix Any Issues If any issues are detected, then fix these as soon as you can. The free tools above will only give you a quick check to known errors. If you want a detailed report, then you’ll have to pay for an in-depth security screen. If you use HostGator for your web hosting, we recommend Sitelock . However, the free scan will be enough for most website owners.   5. Use an Ongoing Solution Even if the scan above revealed that your website is secure and free of malware and other issues, it’s still a good idea to take the steps for ongoing site protection. There are a variety of tools out there that will regularly protect your site, and do regular malware scans, and backups in case something unfortunate happens. If you’re a WordPress user, there are a few security plugins you should consider: WordFence Sucuri Security iThemes Security All In One WP Security and Firewall BulletProof Security   Secure Your Site. It’s Important. Hopefully, you have a better understanding of the common ways your site can become compromised, and the steps you can take to improve your site’s security. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Introduction to Social Analytics [FREE Ebook]

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Hosting

The post Introduction to Social Analytics [FREE Ebook] appeared first on HostGator Blog . Free Ebook: Introduction to Social Analytics You know it’s important for your business to have a presence on social media, but figuring out what you’re doing on there is an ongoing challenge. Each social media platform is unique and requires its own approach and strategy. And no matter what you do when you’re just starting out, there will be room for improvement. The only way to learn how to get better as you go is to pay attention to what works . The way to do that is with social analytics. If you’re just starting to venture into social media marketing for your business, our ebook on social analytics provides all the information you need on how to access social media analytics and what to do with them.  Click here to download now or keep reading to learn more about what you’ll learn in this FREE ebook.   What Are Social Analytics? All of the major social media platforms offer data on how people interact with the posts and content you share. Some of the information they provide is fairly basic, like showing you how many people viewed or liked a post you published. Some of it goes deeper, providing demographic data on the people who interact with your posts or details about their behavior on the platform. All of this information can be put to use to strengthen your social media strategy and get better results for the time you spend on social media, but only if you know where to find it, and how to use it.   Why Social Analytics Matter There are thousands of blog posts and articles out there about how to do social media marketing well. And they’re a good place to start. Knowing the best practices and seeing examples of what has worked for other brands does help in establishing a solid plan when getting started. But ultimately, you don’t need to know what works on social media for another brand or media property – you need to know what works for your audience . The best way to figure that out will never be someone else’s blog post; you have to turn to your own social analytics for that.   What You’ll Learn When You Download the Ebook This ebook delves into how to access social analytics data for the five main social media platforms:      Facebook      Twitter      Instagram      LinkedIn      YouTube While there’s a lot of overlap in the kind of information each platform provides, each one supplies a different dashboard and layout for finding the analytics they make available. Once you’ve found the analytics, you’ll need to understand what you’re looking at. Our Social Analytics Ebook also covers the most important categories of data the platforms offer and why each one is valuable to users.   Download Now You know from running your website how important analytics are to analyzing what’s working and what’s not. You’d never know if your website was doing its job or not without useful metrics that show you how people find and interact with your pages. Social analytics do the same job for your social media profiles. With their help, you can optimize your social media efforts to make sure you’re reaching the right people, at the right times, with messaging and content they’re likely to appreciate. Download the Social Analytics for Business ebook to learn all the basics you need for success on social media. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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The 7 Best Domain Name Suggestion Tools

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Hosting

The post The 7 Best Domain Name Suggestion Tools appeared first on HostGator Blog . Best Domain Name Suggestion Tools Maybe you’ve come up with the perfect domain name. You’re unbelievably excited until you head over to a domain name registrar and find that your dream domain is gone . Choosing the right domain name is the first step in building your new site. But, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your website name and associated domain it needs to be catchy, short, memorable, and relate to what your website is about. If you’re stuck during the brainstorming phase or want a tool to help simplify the process, then this post is for you. Best Domain Name Suggestion Tools Below we highlight the best domain name suggestion tools to help you find the perfect domain name.   1. Namestation Namestation is a pretty cool tool. You enter the niche of the type of website you’re building, and the keywords you’d like in your domain, then let the tool do its thing. You can also check the box that says “ I need an available domain” , and the tool will only show you domains that are currently available for purchase. If you want to get the feedback of the community, then you can create an account and hold a contest. Once you create your content all the community members will be notified and vote on their favorite entries. You’ll be notified once 10 people have cast their votes.   2. Domainsbot Domainsbot is a unique tool in that it gives you a lot of different search options. First, you’ll be able to search for something similar to an existing website, like “ meditation.com ,” or you can enter a keyword or series of keywords like “ learn meditation .” With your seed domains or keywords in place, the tool will give you an initial domain list. You can filter this further by searching only for specific TLDs, languages, synonyms, and more. This tool will also search for expired domains and domains that are currently owned by third-parties and selling for higher prices via marketplaces like Sedo.   3. NameTumbler NameTumbler lets you enter a series of different keywords. The tool will then find various keyword and topic combinations to help you find a great domain name. You can also choose to look for domain combinations that use a certain TLD like .com or .net . Then, you’ll be given a list of potential domain names to choose from.   4. Domainr Domainr kind of acts like a search engine. You input your keyword, or series of keywords into the search bar, and choose your domain from the drop-down list. You’ll see the domains that are available highlighted in green, which you can purchase today. This tool will show you results that have a variety of different domain name extensions. Although some of them aren’t as great as the classic .com , you might be able to find something short and very brandable.   5. Lean Domain Search Lean Domain Search does exactly what it sounds like, it helps you discover a short and simple domain name. Just enter your chosen keyword into the tool and you’ll get an entire list of domains that feature that keyword. If it’s a popular keyword then you’ll find modifiers either before or after your keyword. The best part about this tool is the volume of results it provides. Just for a single search, you’ll have hundreds of options for potential domain names.   6. Nameboy Nameboy will help you find the perfect domain name based upon your target keywords. You can enter either one or two keywords to uncover a unique domain that combines the two. The results will give you around 30 different results and show which of the domains using your keywords are still available. The results will show you results for domains with the .com, .net. .org, and .info extensions. The best part about these domain results are that the tool will keep them as simple as possible, so you won’t end up choosing a long and difficult to remember domain.   7. Panabee Panabee will provide you with a massive selection of domain name choices based upon the keywords you’ve provided. You’ll get a ton of results that include multiple varieties and combinations of your keywords, plus a lot more. With each domain, you’ll also see the price for purchasing the domain . There are even additional sections that provide related keyword domains and also show which social media names are available if you want to build a cohesive online presence.   Ready to Get Your Domain Name? Hopefully, the seven tools above will help you uncover the domain name of your dreams. then, once you’ve settled on a domain name, you can purchase it easily with HostGator!  Remember that choosing your domain name isn’t something you’ll want to rush. Use your own creativity and the tools above to land on a domain you can build a successful website around. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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How Much Is My Website Worth?

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Hosting

The post How Much Is My Website Worth? appeared first on HostGator Blog . How Much Is My Website Worth – Knowing When To Sell You’ve put a lot of time and energy into your website. After another long day of typing away at your keyboard and working away at your website, you’re probably wondering, what’s the end goal? Some people create websites for the love of it, or as a necessity for their small business. Some people create sites with the goal to eventually sell their site down the road. Have you ever thought about selling your site and asked yourself the question, “How much is my website worth?” This post is for you. Below we’ll show you how to determine how much your website is worth, so you can answer the question, should I sell my website? Should You Sell Your Website? If your website has been generating consistent revenue, then it is up to you whether you want to continue that monthly income, or try and cash out for a lump sum payment. Ultimately, choosing to sell your website is up to you. If you’ve been generating consistent revenue, have decreased expenses as much as possible, and optimized your revenue streams, then you’re in a solid position to sell. If this sounds like you, then it could be time to sell your site: You feel like your site has reached it’s potential, both in income and traffic. You feel bored with your current site or frustrated that it’s still taking up your time. You want to cash out and move onto other opportunities. Selling your site should be something you’re excited about and not something you feel forced or pressured into.   How Much is Your Website Worth? There isn’t a way to determine the exact amount you’ll get for your website. But, you can get a general range that’ll be pretty close to what you can expect to get for the sale. To get a sense for how much your website is worth you’ll multiply your monthly or yearly profit times a certain multiple. How large that multiple is depends upon what kind of site you run, its legacy of income, its traffic sources, and a lot more. The general equation is: ( your monthly revenue)  multiplied by (a factor of 24-36) . However, this multiple will vary based upon a variety of factors. Below we explore how you can both determine and increase the amount you’ll get for the sale: Your Net Profit — How much does your website actually make? What’s your yearly or monthly net profit after expenses? The higher this number the better. Long-Term Profit — Have you been consistently generating revenue for years? Or, are you experiencing an income spike? Buyers like to see steady, or increasing income, month after month. Multiple Revenue Streams — How many revenue streams do you have? If you rely on a single revenue stream your site could be risky. While if you’re diversified across things like your own product income, advertising, and affiliate products, you’ll get a higher multiple. Multiple Traffic Streams — If your site relies on a single traffic source it could be risky if that dries up. Having a site solely based on SEO can net you more cash than an advertising-based site. But, the more traffic sources available the better. External Factors — Do you have an engaged email list ? How about active social media channels? These aren’t necessary, but they can help to improve the overall value of a sale. Time Required to Run — Does your site require you to work a 50-hour week? Or, is it optimized where you only need to put in an hour or less per day? The less time your site requires to run the more it’ll be worth. If you want to get an accurate representation of how much your current site is worth then check out the Empire Flippers valuation tool . It uses the criteria above and more to give you a general valuation of your existing site.   How to Sell Your Website Although you can technically sell your website to anyone at any time, the recommended approach is to go through a website broker. This will help get your site in front of potential buyers and help to ensure the safe transfer of your site and payment. The three most common places to sell your site are highlighted below:   1. Flippa Flippa is an auction site where people can place bids on your website. You can list your site for a certain amount, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll get that amount, or that it will sell at all. They currently have around a 10% sell rate for the websites listed. You can think of it like a marketplace that’s similar to eBay. Typically, sites that are sold on Flippa end up selling for smaller amounts, however, there have been some larger deals processed through the platform.   2. Empire Flippers Empire Flippers acts as a partner in helping you sell your site. They help to walk you through the entire process, get your website in front of serious buyers, and even transfer over the site to the new owner, so you don’t have to. You can expect to pay a higher fee than listing your site on Flippa. But, if you’re selling a high-quality site, and you want it done right, then they’re worth checking out.   3. FE International FE International is an online brokerage that helps you sell your website and online business. They will work with you side by side the entire time and make it as easy as possible to sell your website or online business. With a 94.1% success rate, the chances of selling your website are high, as long as it’s high-quality.   Is Your Website Worth Selling? Hopefully, you have a better idea of when you should sell your site, how to determine how much it’s worth, and where you should consider listing your site for sale. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Page Speed Matters: 4 Reasons Why Bloggers Need To Care About Load Time

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Hosting

The post Page Speed Matters: 4 Reasons Why Bloggers Need To Care About Load Time appeared first on HostGator Blog . Why Page Speed Matters for Your Blog Everyone’s talking about how important page speed is for online businesses now. But does it really matter for your blog? It might, depending on your goals and whether you earn money from your blog. Here’s how to know if page load times are a big deal for your blog ( hint: the answer is yes ), and how to test and improve your blog’s page speed. 4 Ways Faster Page Load Times Help Your Blog   1. Faster pages rank better in the search results. Page load time is a factor in Google’s desktop search results rankings. In July, Google’s planned Speed Update will add mobile page load times to the factors for mobile search result rankings. Google’s Webmaster Central blog says all pages will be held to the same standard for search rankings, but that developers expect the update to “only affect pages that deliver the slowest experience.” How big a deal is it? If your mobile pages load fast or even at middling speeds, you’re probably OK. If your site loads really slowly on mobile, now’s the time to start speeding it up.   2. Fast page loads keep visitors from giving up on your blog. Even if Google doesn’t downrank your site for loading slowly on mobile, visitors may decide it’s not worth waiting around for your content. More than half of mobile users will bail on a site that takes more than three seconds to load—but many mobile pages take 15 or more seconds to load . How big a deal is it? It depends on your bounce rate and your page speed. Check your analytics to compare your mobile and desktop bounce rates. If your bounce rate is higher and your page load times are lower on mobile than on desktop, you’ve got a problem that needs fixing.   3. Faster page loads may help you beat the competition. If you sell on your blog and have competitors, remember that they’re under the same pressure to get with the page speed program. Deliver faster load times than they do and you may appear higher in search results. How big a deal is it? If you make money from your blog and sell in a competitive niche, faster load times are a must.   4. Faster page load times may raise your blog’s conversion rates. Even if you don’t sell on your blog, there’s probably something you’d like your visitors to do besides read and leave— join your email list , follow you on social media, join the discussion in the comments. All of these steps are conversions, just as getting a visitor to sign up for a class or buy the jewelry you blog about are conversions. Faster page speeds won’t translate directly into more conversions, but they can contribute. How big a deal is it? If prospects find your competition first in search results and never see your blog, or visit but bounce after 8 seconds of waiting, there’s no chance they’ll convert. Get those calls to action in front of your visitors fast and you stand a better chance of earning conversions.   5 Free Google Tools To Improve Your Page Load Times Here are five Google tools you can use to see how fast your site loads and how you can make it faster.   1. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test is easy. Plug the page URL you want to test into the search field and run your test. In a minute or so, you’ll get the verdict: mobile-friendly or not. If there were any issues loading your page during the test, you’ll get a list of those along with tips on fixing them.   2. Google PageSpeed Insights PageSpeed Insights compares your site’s load times on desktop and mobile. You may find that your site scores fine on the Mobile-Friendly Test but does poorly on PageSpeed’s mobile evaluation. Again, you’ll get a list of suggestions for improvement (such as optimizing your images for fast loading times ) plus a downloadable file of site elements that Google optimized for you.   3. Lighthouse Lighthouse is a good option if the fixes recommended in your Mobile-Friendly and PageSpeed test results don’t solve your slow load times. It’s a developer tool, so the results are more technical than those in the tests above. They’re also broader – Lighthouse checks SEO, progressive web app performance, accessibility, best practices, and overall performance. You’ll get a downloadable report with recommendations you can work on or share with a professional developer.   4. Speed Scorecard Speed Scorecard is one of Google’s newest tools.  It lets you compare load times for up to ten sites, including your own. However, its comparison database only includes sites popular enough to appear in the Chrome User Experience Report. Most smaller blogs won’t show up, but that doesn’t mean you can’t check out larger competitors or colleagues in your niche.   5. Revenue Impact Calculator Google’s new Revenue Impact Calculator (below the Speed Scorecard) is where you can put a dollar amount on your page speed, if you sell things on your blog. Even if your site doesn’t show up in the Speed Scorecard database, you can still measure the revenue impact of speeding up your page loads if you enter a few pieces of data from your dashboard and accounts: Current page load speed Average monthly site visitors Average order value Conversion rate For example, a blog that loads in 8 seconds, has 500 visitors a month, an average order value of $50 and a conversion rate of two percent could earn $471 more per year by reducing the page load time to 4 seconds. Another blog that loads in 5 seconds, gets 20,000 monthly visitors, has an average order value of $100 and a conversion rate of 1% could earn $14,721 more per year by dropping the page load time to 2.8 seconds.   Page Speed Does Matter for Blogs Ultimately, page speed is a big deal if you want visitors, readers, and revenue for your blog, and it will probably become an even bigger deal as more traffic moves from desktop to mobile. Keep up with the latest innovations, make sure your web host delivers the speed you need, and make sure you’re following all seven of these best practices for speeding up your website . Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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