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Want More Happiness and Less Stress? Start Your Own Small Business

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Hosting

The post Want More Happiness and Less Stress? Start Your Own Small Business appeared first on HostGator Blog . A full 90% of small business owners say they’re happier now than when they worked for someone else, according to survey by Recruit Ventures. Another study found that 60 percent of self-employed people say their health improved after they started their own business . That’s remarkable because starting a business can be pretty stressful. 6 Ways Self-Employment Makes You Happier and Less Stressed Here are some of the reasons self-employment can make you happier despite the hard work it requires.   1. More control over your time You may find yourself working longer hours for yourself than you did for your old boss, at least for the first couple of years while you ramp things up. The trade-off is more flexibility if you need a sick day or a long lunch to run an errand. Setting your own work schedule can also boost your productivity. Some of us do our best work after dinner or at the crack of dawn, when the traditional office or shop isn’t open for business.   2. No commute You can use the time you would have spent in the car to build your business. In Austin, the average commuter spends a bit more than a full workweek—43 hours—stuck in traffic each year. Leaving my last job to freelance full time allowed me to reclaim 90 minutes a day for writing and landing new clients. Canceling your commute does more than save time. Eliminating your commute can benefit your health by reducing stress and your risk of a car crash. And of course, you’ll save a small fortune on gas, tolls, and parking or public transit passes.   3. A sense of purpose Most of us like to know there’s a reason for what we’re doing. If your job feels pointless or goes against your values, it’s easy to feel frustrated, depressed, or simply numb. When you run your own business, you’re not going to feel fulfilled by every small business task you undertake, but it’s easier to stay motivated because you know how those chores can help you reach the big goals that matter to you.   4. Stronger professional connections Being an employee can feel like being a schoolkid stuck with a group assignment. You don’t always get to choose who you work with, and you may not always like or trust the people you work alongside. When you work for yourself, you still work with other people – clients, customers, vendors, and eventually maybe even your own employees. The difference is that you can be more selective about who you work with. Working with people you like, trust, and respect makes the day-to-day a lot more pleasant, and it can help you build a great referral network .   5. A workaround for workplace discrimination Seventy percent of small business owners in the US are women and/or members of a minority group. Many older adults are starting new businesses after retirement—or after layoffs that effectively ended their previous careers. One reason for the growth in self-employment among these groups is the freedom to earn a living without the stress of harassment, glass ceilings, and other bias-induced career pitfalls.   6. Going with the flow When you’re doing challenging work you love, you can achieve something called “ flow state .” Flow happens when you’re totally absorbed in what you’re doing, you have a goal in mind, and you make progress toward your goal but it doesn’t feel like work . Psychologists say the experience of flow is elemental to human happiness . It’s possible to experience flow when you’re working for someone else, but it’s more likely to happen when you’re working on your own goals, at your own pace, at the time of day and in the space where you’re most productive. For example, an article that takes me 5 hours to research and write in daytime worker-bee mode at a café or co-working space can take as little as three hours (and feel like just minutes) if I work on it in my home office in the evening, when my creative energy and attention span peak.   Making Self-Employment Work for You Starting a business does come with some real risks and stressors. You’ll be spending a lot of time working, especially when you’re learning how to do everything and growing your client base. If you’re starting your business on a tiny budget, you also get to be your own HR, IT, accounting, and payroll departments, so you’ll need to figure out how you’ll handle things like insurance , computer repair, tax preparation, and other small business essentials . Before you start your business, you need to do thorough prep work to give yourself the best chance of success. Start by spending a few weeks on market research to make sure there’s a big enough market for your idea and to learn how you can set your business apart you’re your competitors. Once you verify that there are people who’ll pay for what you want to offer, it’s time to write your business plan . This doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be clear: Include your planned products or services, pricing, costs, and overall goals. Hang onto your business plan and update it at least once a year as your business evolves. You need some money to get your new business off the ground, either from savings or a small business loan. Even if your planned business won’t require a huge outlay upfront, you need to make sure you can pay your bills until your business is profitable. Before you leave your current job, figure out how much money you’ll need to cover your expenses for a few months and how long it will take you to save that much. You also need to create a marketing plan that includes a website for your new business. A small business website is a must for doing well in search results, establishing a sense of trustworthiness, and developing a strong marketing plan over the long term. Ready to get started? Explore your business web hosting options now. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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How to Build a Website From Scratch

Posted on April 23, 2019 by Hosting

The post How to Build a Website From Scratch appeared first on HostGator Blog . You’re here because you want to build a website. Luckily, building a website is much easier than it used to be. What used to take months and months of work can now be done in a single afternoon. Even if you’ve never built a website before, you can quickly build a professional website, all with the help of a website builder. But, building a website requires more than just choosing the right website builder . There are a few foundational steps you’ll want to complete to help ensure the success of your site. Jumping in without a plan is a surefire way to get overwhelmed by the process. Below you’ll learn about the different types of sites you can build, how to plan your website, and finally, how to build a website from scratch without having to touch a single line of code. Why Build a Website? There are plenty of reasons to build a website. Whether you have an idea for a new personal website, want to showcase your passion, start a blog, highlight your portfolio, build an eCommerce website , or create a website for your existing business, it couldn’t be easier to start a new site. And best of all, you don’t have to be an experienced web designer to make one. Just a few years ago building a site was an intensive process. You either had to spend time learning to code yourself or hire a website developer to turn your vision into reality for you. But today, with the help of intuitive website builders the process is incredibly simple. Even if you’ve never built a website before, or even registered a domain name , you can have a website online in a single afternoon, if not sooner. Overall, the length of time it’ll take to build your website will depend upon the type of site you’re building. A simple 3-page website will be much faster to build than an eCommerce site that’s selling dozens of products. Step 1: Determining Your Niche The first step in website building is determining what kind of site you’re going to build. The approach you’re going to take to start a blog will be different than building a site for a physical storefront. Review the questions below to determine what kind of site you’re going to build. This will help you save time over the long run and ensure you’re building the right kind of site the first time around. Who’s Your Audience? Every successful website serves a specific audience. By taking the time to understand exactly who your audience is first you’ll improve your chances of creating a successful site. However, you won’t have to do this if you’re creating a simple website that you have no intention of building a business around. For example, maybe you’re creating a personal blog so you can practice writing in public, or you’re creating a simple one-page site for fun. But, if you want to grow and monetize your website, then you’ll want to place a focus on your target audience. Spend time browsing through other sites in your niche and attempt to infer the kind of audience they’re serving. Why do they like certain content types?  Why are some forms of content more popular than others? You can also head over to a tool called Buzzsumo to find the most shared content related to your niche. This can give you an idea of what your audience likes to consume and directions you can take with your site.   How Are You Serving Them? Once you know who you’re serving, it’s time to figure out the best way to do that. For example, maybe you’ve found that your niche loves video content. In that case, you’ll build a site that’s oriented towards videos. Or maybe you’ve uncovered a ton of related eCommerce products you can sell, in that case, you’ll want to build a site that has eCommerce capabilities. Spend time browsing through other sites in your niche to get an idea of certain site elements you’ll want to include. Maybe you’ve found a similar site that you love the layout of, or you like the type of messaging they use on their site. As you browse through competitor sites take note of the things you like and other elements you think you could improve upon. All of this will come in handy during the design phase. Step 2: Planning Your New Website Now that you know the type of site you’re going to build, let’s do some basic planning that’ll help to accelerate the site building process. Below you’ll get a basic feel for the elements that make up a professional website. Get these elements right and your site will stand head and shoulders above your competition. Site Structure Most websites look and function the same. It can be tempting to buck trends and create something wholly unique, but you’ll do yourself a disservice in doing so. Most users have certain expectations in mind when visiting a website. They expect certain website elements to be where they should be. The last thing you want is to confuse and overwhelm your visitors the moment they land on your website. Basic website elements include: An easy to use navigation bar, typically at the top of the site Homepage text and a sidebar, or no sidebar at all Logical site organization that lets users intuitively move from page to page The theme you choose should take care of your initial site organization. It can be tempting but try not to stray too far from the initial build. These templates are created by professional designers and developers and have web design best practices built in. Essential Website Pages The number of pages your site has will differ depending on the type of site you’re building. But generally, most sites will have the following website pages, no matter the niche: Homepage. This is the first page your visitors will see. It should be simple, concise, and immediately tell your visitor’s what your site is about. About page. Your about page is your chance to establish a relationship with your visitors. It’s commonly one of the most popular pages on your site, so you’ll want to spend time creating quality copy that draws your readers in, tells them what you’re about, and speaks directly to their needs and how you’re uniquely qualified to solve them. Services/product page. This will look different depending on what you’re selling and the niche you’re in. However, most sites (unless it’s purely for personal use) will have one of these pages, if not multiple. Contact page. Depending on the type of site you’re creating you’ll probably want to make it easy for your visitors to contact you. This can be through a contact form, an email address, or even your phone number or Skype address. Blog page. Most sites will be able to find some value in maintaining a regular blog. Some sites are purely content-based, while others will be able to use the blog as a means to provide value to your visitors and improve search engine rankings. Keep in mind that most website building software will take care of the basic website layout for you. Once you select a theme or a template, this will form the foundation for the rest of your site. However, by knowing what other pages you want to add, and what site elements you’ll want to include you’ll be able to speed up the process and avoid wasting time when creating your site. Step 3: Choosing Your Website Building Platform By now you’ve determined the type of site you’re going to build, and you have a plan of attack for the website elements and pages you’re going to create. Now, it’s time to choose the right tool to help you build your website. As a beginner you’ll have a ton of different options at your disposal, from website builders to content management systems , and more. One of the easiest ways to build your site will be using the GATOR website builder. Website builders in general greatly simplify the website building process. There are many things you can do with the Gator website builder. You’ll select a theme or template that will act as the foundation of your site, you’ll use the tool to make changes and customize your site, you’ll add content, and then publish your site online. The process is quite intuitive and you’ll be able to build a custom website without having to change, or even look at, any code. In time you can test out other website builders, tools, and content management systems, but when starting out you’ll want to give yourself the advantage of using one of the easiest tools out there. Once you’ve successfully built your first site you’ll have more confidence when it comes to customizing your site, or using different tools altogether. Building a Website with the GATOR Website Builder For the sake of this tutorial, we’ll show you how to build a website from scratch using the HostGator website builder. This website builder is packed with a vast selection of professional themes that span dozens of niches. Once you fire up the tool you’ll be amazed at just how easy it is to customize your template, add site elements, add pages, modify text, and more. Follow the steps below to build a website from scratch using Gator: 1. Select Your Template The first step when launching your website through HostGator’s website builder will be choosing your template. This template will act as the foundation for the rest of your site, so choose wisely. You’ll be able to filter the template selection based upon niche, or you can browse through all of the templates until you find the perfect fit. Most of the themes can fit into a variety of niches. But, you’ll notice that the preloaded content and general structure is more niche-oriented. If you want to build your site as fast as possible, then choose a template that’s within your niche. Once you’ve found a template you’d like to customize, just hover over the template and click ‘Select’. 2. Customize Your Template With your template selected it’s time to start customizing. You’ll probably want to spend a few minutes clicking around and getting used to the layout. It might seem a little confusing at first, but it will get easier. Almost every element of your theme can be customized by clicking. When you hover over and click any element of your site the tool will bring up a window to give you your customization options. If you like the existing layout of the site, then all you’ll have to do is edit and switch out the existing text, and upload your own images. On the left-hand menu you’ll be able to edit any additional pages, add new site elements and sections, along with changing out the overall color scheme. Once you’re satisfied with your site all you have to do is click ‘Publish’. However, it’s probably a good idea to preview your site to catch any last-minute errors before you publish your site online. Get Started Building with GATOR As you can see, building a website is much easier than it used to be. Today there are myriad tools that can help you build a website in a single afternoon, all without having to touch a single line of code. With the GATOR website builder, you can quickly and easily build a professional website completely from scratch. For beginners, it’s hard to beat the usefulness and simplicity of the GATOR website builder. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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SSD vs HDD

Posted on April 22, 2019 by Hosting

The post SSD vs HDD appeared first on HostGator Blog . Every year, the technological devices we use—and increasingly depend on—seem to get smaller and more powerful. And yet somehow these machines manage to hold large quantities of files, media, and applications. That’s possible because of the data storage technology available to manufacturers and consumers today. And in the world of storage technology, there are two main options: SSD and HDD . Your average consumer rarely has to worry about the difference between the two, but for the tech savvy, understanding the difference in how they work and the relative benefits of each can be valuable. This article will compare SSD vs HDD to help you decide which option is the right one for you. What is SSD (Solid-State Drive)? The solid-state drive is a relatively recent data storage technology that uses memory chips to store information. SSDs use the same technology that flash drives do, but on a larger scale. Specifically, they’re made up of NAND (negative-and) memory chips that house a number of memory cells. There are three types of memory cells: Single-level cells (SLC) Multi-level cells (MLC) Triple-level cells (TLC) SLCs can only hold two bits of data (a 1 or 0), which means a higher level of precision, but higher cost. MLCs hold two bits of data per cell, and TLCs three—each increase in bits leads to a tradeoff in precision and speed, but means greater affordability. With technological advances over time, SSDs have been able to hold more NAND chips with more memory cells, increasing power and storage capacity, while reducing cost. Many new computer models now come with SSD hardware and external hard drives that use SSD drive technology have become more common and accessible. SSD Pros: 6 Reasons to Consider SSD Over HDD SSDs are growing in popularity for good reason. The technology has a number of important benefits that make them a good choice for most tech manufacturers and users alike. Here are six of the main reasons to consider SSD over HDD. 1. They’re fast. Because a SSD drive has fewer moving parts in the way they function, it works more efficiently. On the user end, that means your devices work much faster. If you’re tired of watching the spinning ball of death (or throbber , if you prefer the more technical term) while you wait for files to open or pages to load, then you need a data storage option that works faster. This is a significant category where SSDs win, which is one of the biggest reasons many prefer them. The speed at which your computer or other devices you rely on work makes a discernible difference in your day to day life. SSDs increase convenience and efficiency, and thus make your life easier. 2. They’re quiet. Another benefit of SSDs using technology that doesn’t involve a lot of moving parts is that it means they can run without making as much noise. SSDs are virtually silent. If you prefer to do your work (and play) without the extra white noise that HDDs make when they get into gear, then SSDs are your best choice. 3. They’re reliable. Fewer parts also means fewer opportunities for pieces to break or wear out. SSDs can generally be counted on to last years, or even decades, without needing any repairs. And like most technologies, the longer companies work on them, the more reliable they become. Every year only increases the lifespan of new SSDs, which was already long to begin with. 4. They don’t use much energy. The efficiency in how SSDs work also means that they don’t use as much energy as HDDs. That means your computer’s battery power will last longer, and your electric bills could be lower. For anyone conscious about their energy usage and looking for ways to cut down, this is one small choice that can make a difference. 5. They’re light and portable. This is especially convenient when it comes to laptops or other devices you need to move from one place to another frequently. The technology SSDs use is relatively small and lightweight, which means products that use an SSD will be more convenient to carry around. 6. They’re versatile. Because SSDs can be made with different types of memory cells, numbers of chips, and design approaches, you have a lot of options when it comes to their shapes and sizes. While replacing the drive in your computer requires finding something that’s the right fit, for other purposes like choosing an external drive, you have more choices. SSD Cons While the pros are compelling, there are a few potential downsides to consider when it comes to SSDs. 1. They’re expensive. The biggest drawback of SSD in relation to HDD is that it’s more expensive. While the technology is getting more affordable every year, SSD is still quite a bit more expensive than HDD drives. And the types of SSDs that deliver better performance or more storage space, such as those with SLC or multiple NAND chips cost more. 2. They often have a smaller capacity. Related to cost is the issue of storage capacity. The more files and data you have to store, the more you’ll have to spend on an SSD big enough to fit them all. For creators with especially high data storage capacity needs, SSD is often prohibitively expensive, where HDD drives with a comparable storage size cost quite a bit less. 3. In some cases, you’ll face compatibility issues. If you’re looking to replace the drive you have in your current computer and the device now has an HDD, there’s a chance that an SSD won’t be compatible. Many computers that now come with HDDs are designed to be compatible with both types of storage drives, so you have the choice to trade up down the line. But older devices, or more affordable ones, may only be HDD-compatible, so you have to make sure switching to SDD is even an option before you consider it. What is HDD (Hard Disk Drive)? A hard disk drive, sometimes just called a hard drive, is a data storage device that stores information on rotating magnetic disks. The technology includes an arm with a head that floats above the disks until called on to write data on the disks in tiny tracks, much like a miniature record player, then “read” or retrieve the data as needed. It’s an older form of computer storage, developed in the early days of computers and refined in the decades since. For a long time it was the dominant computer data storage option, but as SSD technology has gotten more advanced and, crucially, more affordable, it has begun to lose ground in popularity.  Nonetheless, it’s still easy to find and a better option in some use cases. HDD Pros: 3 Reasons People Prefer Them Over SSDs Hard disk drives have a different set of benefits they offer in comparison to SSDs. Here are the main reasons some people prefer them. 1. They’re more affordable. HDDs cost quite a bit less than SDDs, and always have. While over time as SDD technology advances, the difference in cost narrows, it’s still considerable enough that you can expect to spend a lot less if you opt for an HDD. This is true across use cases—computers, external hard drives, and web hosting servers that use HDDs will consistently be cheaper than those of a comparable size that use SDDs. If price is your biggest deciding factor, you can check out our cheap dedicated server hosting plans here. 2. They’re better for high-capacity storage. For anyone that has a lot of files, media, and applications that require a significant amount of space, HDDs are an affordable option for managing larger amounts of storage. HDDs can go up to two terabytes in laptops and ten terabytes in desktops. 3. They’re a proven technology. While both technologies have been around for some time now, HDDs are the legacy tech of the two. The longer a technology has existed, the more time companies have had to work out any kinks and improve upon it, and HDDs have existed for decades. Part of the reason you get to pay less for an HDD is because of that extra time experts have had to advance the tech and make it work better for less. HDD Cons There’s a tradeoff to any choice you make, and HDDs of course have several areas in which they’re the weaker choice. Here are the main reasons not to go with an HDD. 1. They’re slower than SSDs. As previously mentioned, the technology behind HDDs is simply less efficient. For users that means everything you do with them will be slower. With your computer, you’d face a longer time waiting for the device to boot up and slower load times when opening files and media. With external drives, it means backups and transfers take longer. And with web hosting, it can potentially mean slower load times for your website. All those times you spend waiting can really add up and make your days more inefficient. 2. They’re loud. The technology behind HDDs involves spinning disks and that spinning makes noise. Whenever the drive goes into high gear saving or accessing data, it gets louder. If you have a device that uses HDD, then you’re probably all too familiar with the spinning noise. It can be distracting as you work, and cause problems with family members or roommates you share a space with. If you care about keeping some peace and quiet in your home or workspace, an HDD can work against you. 3. They’re vulnerable to damage. Because the technology involves a number of different moving parts, there are more opportunities for parts to wear out or break. HDDs therefore tend to have a shorter lifespan than SDDs, and are more prone to needing repairs. While they cost less upfront, HDDs can cost you extra down the line when you have to replace them sooner, hire a professional to fix them, or deal with lost productivity because they’re not working properly. 3 Main Uses for Different Storage Solutions As we’ve touched on a bit in the comparison, there are three main use cases where you’ll have a choice to make between SSD vs HDD. 1. Computers All computers need a hard drive to store the operating system, applications, and various files users need to store on the device. When you’re looking for a new computer, you can find both models that use SSD and HDD. Typically, SSD computers are higher end and will cost you more upfront, and most Apple computers now come only in SSD versions. But for those needing to pinch pennies, or who want more storage for the money they spend, you can find HDD models as well. 2. External Hard Drives External hard drives come in handy both for making backups, and storing any files you don’t want taking up space on your computer. If you own a lot of games, movies, or other files that take up a significant amount of space, storing them externally can open up space on the computer itself so you don’t run out as fast. You can find plenty of choices for external hard drives, both SSD and HDD. HDD options are typically cheaper and sometimes much larger. SSD ones are smaller, lighter, and more costly for the amount of storage you get. 3. Web Hosting Servers A sometimes overlooked area where you have a choice between HDD and SSD is when it comes to choosing your web hosting, particularly if you invest in dedicated server hosting . Some web hosting providers will allow you to choose between an SSD or HDD plan. As you’d expect by this point in the piece, and SSD plan will typically cost more but deliver more speed (twice as much, in the case of HostGator’s plan). But for websites with less storage or bandwidth needs, an HDD plan can offer savings. Other Storage Options While SSD and HDD are your main options in many contexts, we now also have a couple of alternatives in some use cases. Hybrid Drives While not as common as SSDs or HDDs, in the past few years an alternative that combines the best of both worlds has come onto the scene. You can find computers and external drives that use both types of technology in order to provide the faster speed of an SSD, with the affordable higher capacity of an HDD. A hybrid drive will store the files you access most on the SSD part of the device, so you can load them quickly; while the files that mostly stay in storage without frequent access can be stored on the HDD part of the device.   Cloud Storage While computers require a physical drive to function, for many other data storage needs you can now turn to cloud options. Cloud storage is a popular choice for backups and any files or programs you have that won’t fit on your computer. And web hosting companies now frequently offer cloud hosting plans as well that offer significant storage options and faster speeds. Make the Right Data Storage Choice For You All of your data storage options have unique benefits and drawbacks. Deciding between SSD vs HDD will require figuring out your particular situation and priorities. Do you have a tight budget and need a large amount of storage space? Or is convenience and speed more important than cost? Now you’ll know how to make an informed choice that best suits your needs. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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The Best Free WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs Now

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Hosting

The post The Best Free WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs Now appeared first on HostGator Blog . Sharing stories is part of the adventure for most people who love to travel, and one of the best ways to share your experiences is with your own travel blog. Travel blogging can be a good way to document your trips for yourself and for your friends and family who want to travel vicariously through you. You can also earn money from your travel blog if you’re willing to put in the work to create a great-looking site, share entertaining content, and build an audience. Whether you blog about your travels as a hobby or a side gig, you need a site theme that fits your niche, your goals, and your audience habits. Best WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs Here are four WordPress blog themes we like for travel content because they’re designed to highlight your travel photos. They’re also free, which means more money saved for your next big trip.   1. Travel Magazine If you post a lot, run a travel blog with multiple authors, or have a lot of posts in your blog’s archive, Travel Magazine by Rara Theme offers a way to display a whole bunch of your visual content without crossing the line into visual clutter. The desktop display includes a slideshow banner with thumbnail images, plus featured images in varying sizes below. Travel Magazine’s mobile configuration scales down the slideshow banner and uses a single column display featured images for posts. Search engine optimization, social media integrations, and fast load times make it easy for visitors to find your site and stick around to explore. Travel Magazine is fully compatible with WooCommerce, so you can set up a store to go with your blog . The premium version of Travel Magazine is its parent theme, Numinous Pro ($59). Numinous Pro includes more customization options than the free version. It also includes an ad management system to help you monetize your blog and an ad-blocker detector to help you protect your ad revenue stream.   2. Travel Lifestyle Travel Lifestyle is a free theme from The Bootstrap Themes that loads quickly and displays cleanly on computers and phones. Travel Lifestyle’s image-heavy design focuses visitors’ attention on your travel photos. There’s also a built-in Instagram section plus integration tools for your other social media accounts. The layout and customization options are somewhat limited in the free version of Travel Lifestyle. You get one layout, banner slider, and header option, plus a limited menu of Google Fonts. But with its clean design and WooCommerce compatibility, Travel Lifestyle’s free version is a simple, budget friendly way to start your travel blog and an online store. To get color options for your theme and its menus, ad management tools, and ad-blocker bypass functionality, you can upgrade to Travel Lifestyle’s premium version ($49). The premium version also includes options for right sidebar, left sidebar, or full-width single column layout on desktop, and a full-width column or left sidebar below the fold on mobile.   3. Image Gridly Image Gridly, from Superb Themes , is a good choice for travel bloggers who take professional-quality photos. The design, as you might guess, is an image grid, with titles overlaid on the lower third of each post’s featured image rather than formatted as separate blocks of text. The desktop display features a full-width banner photo, with a three-column image grid below. On smartphones, the display switches to a full-width banner that’s smaller in proportion to the featured post images that are displayed in a single column. Image Gridly is an exceptionally good looking theme. However, the free version offers few of the features you can find in free versions of other themes, like comprehensive SEO configuration, fast load time, Google fonts, and appearance customization tools. For these features, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium version. Premium plans start at $26.   4. Camer Camer, from Blogging Theme Styles , is another image grid theme, this one featuring images that display text only when visitors mouse over or tap the images. On computers, Camer has a full width text header and 4-column image grid. On phones, the images display in a single column. Camer’s free version is ready for Gutenberg, WordPress’ new modular editor that’s designed to make post creation faster and more intuitive. The free version of Camer also includes lots of design options, including blog- and box-style layouts, recent and related posts widgets, five page templates, 13 sidebar positions, and a built in social media menu. Camer Pro ($49) adds more design options, the ability to adjust the width of the sections on your pages, and more layouts, page templates, and sidebar positions.   Picking the Perfect Theme for Your WordPress Travel Blog The live demos that theme publishers offer on their sites can give you a general idea of how a particular theme will look and act, but it’s smart to try out the ones you’re interested in with your content before you commit to one theme. As you try out different themes on your computer and mobile devices, think about: How well the theme highlights the type of content you publish most often , whether that’s photos, videos, or text. How you intend to make money with your blog. If you plan to display ads, sell merchandise in a store on your site, or offer a subscription service, will the theme support those plans? How your followers access your blog. Are they reading on their laptops or checking in on their mobile phones during their own travels? Choose a theme that makes it easy for your fans to see your posts and get the most from your site. Your theme journey isn’t over after you pick a theme and publish it. You’ll want to monitor site metrics like visitors, bounce rate, time spent on the site, and—if you’re selling—conversions. If your numbers aren’t trending upward after a few months, you might want to try a different theme from this list to see if that gives your numbers a boost. Running a travel blog is a journey of its own, and choosing a good theme is just one element of your travel blogger’s online toolkit . To get even more functionality our your blog, check out these  WordPress travel plugins. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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What Is a SSL Certificate?

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Hosting

The post What Is a SSL Certificate? appeared first on HostGator Blog . As a website owner, you’ve probably heard the words “SSL certificate” getting thrown around a lot. When you’re first getting your website built all of this technical jargon can seem like you’re trying to learn another language. However, if you plan on having your customers input their private information online, then you need to utilize the additional security measures provided by an SSL certificate . Plus, SSL certificates are quickly becoming a necessity. According to Google, SSL and HTTPS should be used everywhere across the web . Sites not using SSL will be marked as unsecured if they’re viewed using the Google Chrome browser . But, SSL certificates can do a lot more than just give you a rankings and trust boost. Below we highlight what an SSL certificate is, how it works, and what situations it would be smart to encrypt your website with SSL. The Importance of Online Security and Your Reputation Trust is so important on the Internet. Any site that acquires a reputation for unreliability, insecurity or dishonesty can expect to see traffic dwindle to zero. On the other hand, a site that can prove it takes security seriously can attract more visitors. That’s always a good thing, whether your web site is for a nonprofit, small business, or eCommerce. Surfers and online shoppers also increasingly recognize the on-screen presence of a small padlock icon or a website address that begins with “https://…” as signs that they can trust the site they’re connecting to. That’s SSL or ‘secure sockets layer’ in action. The biggest reason websites use SSL is to protect sensitive information that’s sent between computers and servers. If information like credit card numbers, passwords, and other personal information isn’t encrypted this leaves it open for hackers to easily step in and steal the information. With the SSL certificate. your information is unreadable to anyone who attempts to steal it. The only people able to decipher it are the intended recipients at the other end of the connection. With an SSL certificate, your customers can do business with you knowing that their information is going to be safe from identity thieves and potential hackers . What is an SSL Certificate? First, SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer . At the core, this technology helps to secure an internet connection and protect any data that’s transferred between a browser and a web server. By encrypting and securing any data that passes through this connection you help to prevent any data theft or hacking. Plus, if any data is stolen from this connection it’ll be impossible to decipher since it’s encrypted. An SSL connection needs two systems in order to be active. Think a server and a website browser, or a server to server connection. With this connection, any data that’s transferred between the two will actually be impossible to read. The encryption algorithms will scramble any data being sent over the connection, so if the information is compromised it’ll be impossible to decipher. In the past, SSL was commonly used to protect and secure sensitive information, like banking details, credit card numbers, and sensitive personal information. However, today with stricter privacy standards, almost every website can benefit from installing an SSL certificate to protect any user information. TLS and SSL Another term you’ve probably seen in relation to SSL is TLS. TLS stands for Transport Layer Security . You can think of it as an upgraded and more secure version of SSL. At the core, they’re both cryptographic protocols that help to authenticate and secure user data over a network. SSL is the initial version of TLS. Over the years upgrades have been made, new versions have been released, and the ciphers and algorithms have been updated to reflect the latest risks that exist online. However, you don’t need to worry about replacing your SSL certificate with a TLS certificate. Essentially, the phrase SSL certificate is the common industry phrasing to refer to SSL/TLS certificates. In time, TLS may replace SSL as the commonly used phrase. HTTPS and SSL HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol . You’ll see it to the left of the website URL when the site has been secured using SSL. If the site isn’t secure, then you’ll see the traditional HTTP in its place. When you hover over the secure HTTPS section on the URL bar you’ll be able to see the security credentials of the site you’re on. How Does an SSL Certificate Work? SSL operates between a visitor’s browser and your site or application. It’s an industry-standard mechanism that ensures the encryption of data being passed backward and forwards so that no unauthorized person can spy on the information and hack it. It also prevents cybercriminals from diverting visitor traffic to their own site using their own encryption and gaining access to your data that way. All major web browsers have SSL capability built in. The process of enabling an SSL certificate on your site is quite simple. First, you’ll install an SSL certificate on your server. A web browser will connect to your server, see the SSL certificate and initiate the SSL connection. This will then encrypt any information that passes between a browser and your server. Here’s the process broken down a little further and the steps in place to guarantee site security: An SSL handshake occurs once the web browser validates the presence of an SSL certificate on the server. The server then sends all of the necessary information including the type of SSL certificate present, the level of encryption to use, and more. If the SSL certificate is valid, then the secure connection begins. All of this takes place instantly. It might seem fairly technical, but if you open up a website with an SSL certificate installed you’ll never even notice that the above steps occurred. What Do SSL Certificates Do? SSL certificates add an additional level of security between your website and the information visitors are sharing on your site. It creates a secure and encrypted link between your website and server. This adds a layer of protection that accomplishes two goals: 1. Enabling Encryption It can be scary to share your personal and financial information online. A lot of people prefer to use large-scale eCommerce sites like Amazon because they feel much safer and protected. With an SSL certificate, sensitive data will remain encrypted and secure, thus providing your customers with a sense of relief. Higher level SSL certificates will have higher levels of encryption, but the standard SSL certificate should be enough for most websites. 2. Verifying the Identity of the Site Owner The SSL credential identifies the owner of the website, and creates an additional layer of trust. Put simply, your customers will know with whom exactly they’re doing business. Before the certificate can even be issued the identity of the website owner has to be verified through multiple methods. With digital communication, it’s often difficult to determine the person on the other side of the connection, but with an SSL certificate you can be sure you’re doing business with your intended recipient, and vice versa. What Levels of SSL Certificates Are Available? Beyond adding an additional layer of encryption and security, SSL certificates are also used to verify the identity of a site owner, or company behind the site. There are three different identification certificates: 1. Domain Validation Certificates With a Domain Validation Certificate, you’re proving ownership over the domain name. At this level, the identity of the organization won’t be checked, just that the person who has the SSL certificate also owns the domain name tied to the website. This is the most basic level of SSL certificate and is usually the level of certificate that comes free with most hosting plans. It’s well suited for simple websites, but eCommerce sites and other websites that are dealing with sensitive personal information will want to obtain a higher-level certificate. 2. Organization Validation Certificates With Organization Validation Certificates you’ll have to prove that you own the domain name, along with proving that your company is accountable and registered as a business. Usually, this means you’ll need to have proof of a registered company name and proof of domain ownership. This level of certificate can only be issued to businesses and organizations. Individuals running a website won’t be issued this level of certificate. 3. Extended Validation Certificates Extended Validation SSL Certificates are the highest level of SSL certificate available. To obtain this level of certificate you’ll need to validate your business, as well as your domain name. Plus, there are additional verification steps that you’ll also have to complete. Obtaining this level of SSL certificate will take longer, but for some website’s it’ll be worth it. It goes a long way towards showing your visitors that you value their privacy and protection. When visiting a site with this level of SSL certificate you’ll often see the URL bar is entirely green. This is a highly visual form of trust that you’ll exhibit to your customers. Note that this level of certificate is also only available to businesses and organizations. It is not available to individuals. Do I Need an SSL Certificate for My Website? Basically, every site today could benefit from an SSL certificate. Overall, it’s more advantageous to have an SSL certificate installed than not. For starters, HTTPS is a ranking factor , so site’s that have an SSL certificate installed will rank higher than those that don’t. Second, if a user accesses your site and you don’t have an SSL certificate installed, then your site will be marked as unsecured, which can greatly diminish your user experience. Basically, Google is pushing hard towards an HTTPS/SSL web, and it’s always a good idea to be on the right side of Google. Beyond everything highlighted above, there are a few additional circumstances where an SSL certificate is a necessity. 1. Users Are Making Online Purchases Online shoppers are concerned about their online privacy today more than ever. With an SSL certificate, you’ll not only improve your site’s security, but you’ll make it that much more likely that your users will actually complete their purchases. The chances are pretty slim that your visitors are going to pull out their credit cards on a site that isn’t secure. 2. You’re Running a Membership Site Usually, when you’re running a membership site, you’re not only collecting a lot of information about your users, but you’re collecting their banking or credit card information as well. With an SSL certificate, you’ll not only improve the security of your site and help keep your member information safe, but you’ll increase the chances of them feeling safe enough to sign up as well. 3. You’re Collecting User Information If you have forms on your website that are collecting user information, then you’ll want to use an SSL certificate. This will help to keep the information that your visitors submit safe and secure. Plus, give them peace of mind that the information they share won’t fall into the wrong hands. An SSL certificate can help to build trust between your visitor and your website. Building trust online is all about giving subtle cues to your visitor that you can be trusted. By having the little lock on the browser bar, you’re guaranteeing to your customer that your site can be trusted. If your website requires the exchange of any personal information, then you might want to consider getting an SSL certificate. If your user is required to enter their credit card information, then an SSL certificate is almost mandatory. However, you don’t always need a sitewide SSL certificate. Since going through multiple levels of encryption can slow down your website it may be disadvantageous to have certain pages of your site encrypted. There’s also a decent cost involved in order to get your site verified and operating effectively, so this also has to be considered. If you’re doing business online and are exchanging sensitive information with your visitors, then an SSL certificate will provide an additional layer of security, while increasing your trustworthiness. How SSL Impacts Your Visitors One of the biggest benefits of installing an SSL certificate on your site is how it will positively impact your user experience, and grow the amount of trust that users have on your site. The moment a visitor lands on your site they’re making judgments about its trustworthiness. Usually, this happens subconsciously. But, there are a few things you can do to push this in the right direction—like installing an SSL certificate to bolster your website’s security and trustworthiness. An SSL certificate is installed on your web server, and your visitors will see that there’s actually a certificate installed. The web browser will show visitors whether or not the site they’re on is secure. The first indication is seeing ‘https://’ present at the start of a URL, instead of ‘http://’. Site’s with an SSL certificate installed will have ‘https://’. The next visual factor will depend on the level of SSL certificate that’s installed on the site. To the left of the ‘https://’ will either be a padlock, or a green address bar. Plus, if your website visitors happen to be using Google Chrome, then your site will always display as secure. Failing to use an SSL certificate will lead to an error message like the one in the image below—before they ever get to reach your site. Imagine seeing this warning the first time you land on a website. The chances are pretty high that you wouldn’t return. What is an SSL Connection Error? SSL connection errors occur for the benefit of the user, not the site owner. If you’re trying to access a website and an SSL connection error occurs, it’s because the website is currently experiencing some security issues. In most cases, you can usually still access the site, but just know that the site isn’t as secure as it should be. There are a variety of security and connection errors that can be displayed. Usually, these will differ based upon the browser you’re using and the type of security error the site is undergoing. Sometimes, this will be because they don’t have an SSL certificate installed, they’re using an expired certificate, or there are outdated security codes on the site. The error messages might seem a bit scary, but just because these messages show up doesn’t mean that the site is doing anything malicious, or trying to steal your information. If your site is currently experiencing any SSL security errors, then this is something you’ll want to get fixed right away. This might mean you’ll have to update your sitewide security protocols, or it might mean upgrading or renewing your SSL certificate. It’s important that you get this issue resolved right away. If any visitors land on your site while you’re experiencing an SSL error they probably won’t bypass the security message, and you’ll lose their trust. Does SSL Work Over Email? Does SSL work when sending emails? Generally, most email providers are already using SSL to encrypt emails that are sent and received using their service. For example, Google encrypts all traffic between Gmail and its servers. So, whenever you login to your Gmail account, you’ll notice the HTTPS connection. Most email service providers are currently using an SSL/TLS connection. But, these connections aren’t foolproof. For example, SSL/TLS will protect your emails when you’re composing them and during any transmission to your email client server. But, there’s no guarantee that the person you’re sending the email to will have the same level of security in place. How to Add an SSL Certificate to Your Site The approach you’ll take to install an SSL certificate on your site depends upon the host you’re using, and the type of site that you’re running. For example, here at HostGator, you’ll get a free SSL certificate no matter the hosting plan you’re on. Even the shared hosting plans are equipped with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. This SSL certificate will not only apply to your current domain but any subdomains you’re using as well. You can activate your SSL certificate from within your hosting control panel. Once you have your SSL certificate activated you’ll need to ensure that your domain redirects from the previous HTTP to the new HTTPS. If you’re using WordPress, then all you need to do is install a plugin called Really Simple SSL . With this plugin installed you’ll have a new option within your WordPress dashboard under Settings> SSL . Once you’ve activated the plugin it’ll scan to see if there’s an SSL certificate installed. If there is a certificate installed, then you can enable SSL with a single click. On the ‘Settings’ tab, you can further configure your settings. But the most important option to turn on is the ‘Enable WordPress 301 redirection to SSL’. Now any time a person types in or links to the HTTP version of your site, it will automatically redirect to the HTTPS version. Top SSL FAQs Hopefully, the information above answered a lot of your questions regarding SSL certificates. However, you might still have a few lingering questions. Here are some of the most common questions we’ve received regarding SSL: Is SSL compatible across devices? Yes. SSL certificates will remain in effect across any device that you’re using to access the internet. Keep in mind that this secure connection applies to when you’re using a web browser and not necessarily when you’re using a mobile app. Does SSL work across different operating systems? Yes. All of the major operating systems and devices are supported. However, some operating systems might not support the newest versions of SSL. But, older versions should still be supported. How about across different browsers? Yes. All of the big web browsers will be supported. Whether you’re using Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or even Internet Explorer, SSL will be supported. If you’re using a very niche web browser, then this might not hold true. But, all of the major web browsers will support SSL. How can I tell if my site has SSL? Maybe you’re not sure if your site already has an SSL certificate installed? Or, you’ve gone through the installation process and you’re not sure if it’s worked or not? The easiest approach is just to type in your domain name with HTTPS before the URL. Or, you can use a tool from Digicert to see if there are any issues with your SSL certificate. Just enter your URL, and the SSL checker will see if your site has an SSL certificate installed, and if there are any existing issues preventing it from functioning properly. The Necessity of SSL SSL certificates are an important tool to improve the security of your website and ensure that your visitor’s data is protected. SSL certificates are quickly becoming a necessity and offers your site several invaluable benefits. Plus, installing an SSL certificate on your site is incredibly easy, and bundled with HostGator’s web hosting plans for free. With an SSL certificate, you’re on your way towards improving sales and conversions, increasing visitor trust, and growing your search engine rankings. No matter what kind of website you run you can benefit from at least the basic level SSL certificate. Whether you need SSL encryption for your eCommerce site or something else, you can secure your site today with HostGator. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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