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How to Find an Affordable Website Builder

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Hosting

The post How to Find an Affordable Website Builder appeared first on HostGator Blog . You’ve had a great idea for a website for a while and you’re finally ready to take the first steps to getting it built. Congratulations! But you’re a little worried about figuring out how to get started and, even more importantly, how to pay for building a new website. The good news is that you no longer have to choose between spending a lot of money on a professional website designer or learning how to code to do it yourself. You can build a website all on your own with limited to no web design skills by using a website builder. Even if your budget is especially limited, you can still find an inexpensive website builder that’s within your price range. Should I Use a Free Website Builder? Before we get into how to find a good affordable website builder, you may notice in your early research that there are actually some free website builders on the market. Even better than cheap ones, right? Not necessarily. Any company that offers a website builder has to make money in some way, so free website builders usually have trade offs or limitations that make them less useful than paying for an affordable website builder. There are a few common forms this takes: Ads – If they’re not making money from you directly, a website builder company may make their money by serving ads on your site. That could make your site look more cluttered and tacky, and distract your visitors from the messaging you want them paying attention to. Shared branding – In addition to serving ads, some website builders treat your website as a way to promote their brand. That could mean their logo somewhere on your page, or even right there in your URL, which would look something like yourname.theirname.com. This sets your own branding back by making it hard for visitors to differentiate you from the website builder’s brand and see your website as having a memorable, unique identity. Limited pages – This is a common limitation with free plans. In some cases, the most you can build on a free plan is a one-page website. That doesn’t give you much room to work with. Limited bandwidth – This is another big one. The amount of bandwidth you have affects how long your site takes to load and is especially an issue on sites that have media elements like audio, video, social media displays, or animation, which require more bandwidth to load. Visitors won’t wait around for a slow site to load, so if your website builder doesn’t offer enough or unlimited bandwidth, you’ll lose visitors because of it. Important features require a paid upgrade – For a lot of the companies that offer a free website builder plan, it’s a way to get your foot through the door so they can, eventually, convince you to upgrade to one of their paid plans. They do this by limiting the features in the free plan so that you’re likely to realize over time that actually you do need one of the paid plans. If none of that sounds like an issue for you, keep in mind that there’s still a catch: for most of these free website builders, if you create a website and decide down the line you want to switch to a different website builder, you can’t take what you’ve already built with you. You’ll have to start from scratch. If your website’s URL is a subdomain of the website builder’s URL (e.g. the yoursite.theirsite.com situation we described earlier), any visibility you’ve built for your initial website will be lost as well in the move to a new URL. In other words, if your website is a personal passion project and you’re sure you won’t ever care about personal branding, ecommerce website options, or other brands’ ads on your site, then a free website builder could make sense. For everyone else, you’ll be better off starting with the right affordable website builder so you can stick with it as you grow.   How Much Do Affordable Website Builders Actually Cost? Paying for a good website builder doesn’t have to break your budget. The most affordable website builders cost in the range of $4-$25 a month . Most companies offer several web builder packages , so pay attention to how the costs and features compare for the different plans. If there are any features you’re okay without now, but you may want in coming years, be aware now what the cost of an upgrade will be. You don’t want to pick the option that seems the cheapest now, only to pay more over the long-term when you need to upgrade to a business website and switch out your basic plan. Also pay attention to the deals you sign. In many cases, a lower cost comes with a longer-term commitment. That could be fine if you do enough research going in to be sure of your choice, but you don’t want to feel stuck with a website builder you don’t like because you agreed to a three-year commitment to save a couple of bucks a month. What Features Should I Look for in an Inexpensive Website Builder? When you’re weighing your options, be sure to consider the features each website builder has to offer, not just the cost. The cheapest plans may be missing key features you need, especially if you run a business website, and paying just a little bit more could get a website builder with all the functional benefits you need both now and in the long term. While there are many benefits of using a simple website builder, it’s still important that you outline your future site goals so you choose the best website builder plan for your future. Here are some of the top features to consider when browsing different website builders. Necessary Features To start, there are a few features you definitely don’t want to skimp on. Consider these a necessity when perusing your options. A website builder that doesn’t offer them won’t provide what you need for a successful website. Ease of use – If you have to spend hours learning how to use a new website builder, then it’s not providing a great value—even if it didn’t cost much. Your time is worth something too. Look for a website builder that boasts drag-and-drop functionality and intuitive editing tools. Ideally, you should be able to jump right in and start building your website the same day you purchase. Educational resources – While a good website builder shouldn’t require you to spend much time learning the ropes, a good library of educational resources (tutorials and articles) will ensure that you know all the different features available, are able to make the most of them, and have access to easy answers whenever you have a question. Customer Support – Just as importantly, any time you run into confusion and need assistance from an actual human being, you should be able to trust someone will be available and helpful at the moment you need them. Check that your website builder offers customer service and has a good reputation for it. Website Templates – Building a website with a website builder usually starts with design templates. By having a well designed starting point, all the other changes you make come much easier. And having a good looking template to start with really makes a difference in the quality of the end result. Look for a website builder that offers multiple templates for you to choose from, and you’ll have no problem creating a beautiful site . Mobile-friendly compatibility – People now do more of their browsing on mobile devices than on their computers, which is exactly why you need a mobile responsive website. If your website does not have a responsive design, you’ll lose visitors. Plain and simple. For a website that all your visitors can interact with, go with a website builder that makes it easy to make your website mobile friendly. Nice-to-Have Features Along with the essentials, there’s a good chance you’ll want your website builder to offer some useful additional options. These won’t necessarily be required for all websites, but they’ll be important for some to have and useful for others. Multiple pages – Before you choose a website builder, consider how many pages you’ll want your website to have. And not just right now, will you need room for it to grow in the months and years to come? Some of the most affordable website builder plans put a limit on the number of pages you can create. That will be fine for some sites, but become a big problem for others. Custom domain – Most website builders that you pay for will offer the option of having a custom domain. With many, you’ll need to pay separately for the domain name, but some will include it in the cost. Confirm if you’ll be able to use a custom domain at all, and whether or not you should anticipate it costing extra. SEO (search engine optimization) features – Creating a website is one thing, getting people to see and interact with it is another. If you care about people finding your website, then you should start thinking about SEO now. Check for helpful SEO features that make it easy to perform on-site optimization for your pages (customizing the fields that matter to Google, such as your URL, title, and image tags). Media features – Will your website ever include media like audio or video? If so, make sure the website builder you choose is set up for the bandwidth those feature require and make it easy to load them to your site. Security features – Hackers abound, which is why you must protect your website from hackers at all costs. If your website isn’t secure, you risk hackers taking it over or stealing sensitive information your customers provide you. Security features like an SSL certificate or compatibility with security hardware are crucial if you’ll be accepting payment information through your ecommerce store, and are still useful to have if you’re not. E-commerce functionality – Will you be using your website to sell items on an online store? If so, a website builder that allows you to add a shopping cart and secure checkout process is a must.   Your costs when investing in a website builder will have a lot to do with which of these features you need, and which you can easily live without. Even if you need some advanced features though, you can still save money when looking for an inexpensive website builder. 4 Ways to Save Money When Investing in a Website Builder If looking at your options still has you worried about the costs of getting the website builder you need, there are some potential ways to make the money you spend go further. 1. Only pay for what you need. If your website will be fairly simple and you don’t expect much traffic from day one (most people won’t get a lot of traffic right away), then you don’t need to invest in a high-level website builder plan with lots of different features. Figure out what features you actually need now, and find the most affordable website builder that offers those. But do also consider the features you anticipate needing in the coming years as you grow, and consider the cost of future upgrades when making your decision. The most affordable option for the long term may be different than the one that’s cheapest for right now, and you may be better off spending a little more now to save later. 2. Look for bundles or packages. Some website builders include other services you’ll need in the price. For example, HostGator’s website builder comes with free web hosting —something every website requires to go live on the web. Web hosting is another monthly cost, so saving that money pays off for you in the long term. Similarly, if a website builder package allows you to register a domain name for free or includes free ecommerce features, that could save you money on services you’d be paying extra for anyways. Pay attention to what’s included in the website builder packages you consider before making a final decision. 3. Wait for specials. Like any other type of business, the companies that provide website builders often offer specials and sales. Making your purchase at the right time could earn you a discount. Often these fall at the times of year that sales are common for other companies, like Black Friday, Labor Day, or  Memorial Day. If you have your eye on a particular website builder, or a few, sign up for the company’s email list so you’ll be alerted if the company’s plans go on sale. Many website builders offer referral or affiliate programs , so you may be able to score a discount at any time of year if you have a friend that’s a current customer or you learn about the website builder from an affiliate who provides a discount code. And you can save money on your renewals over time by taking advantage of those programs yourself and sharing your discount code with others. 4. Pay for a couple of years upfront. Many website builders offer a different monthly price to customers that sign up for a long-term commitment. If you’re not entirely sure about the website builder you choose, this option could be risky. But if you’re confident you’ll be sticking with your website builder for years to come, then agreeing to be a customer for one, two, or three years and paying upfront can save you a considerable percentage versus paying month to month and reserving the right to cancel at any time. Get Started with an Affordable Website Builder You could easily spend weeks studying up on all the different features and options available in different website builders. Or you can cut the process short by checking out HostGator’s website builder to see if it matches everything you need. If you have any questions about how it all works and what’s included, our support team is available 24/7 to provide answers. And you won’t have to worry about finding and buying web hosting separately, as it comes included (and from one of the most well respected web hosting companies out there). Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Responsive Web Design Examples

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Hosting

The post Responsive Web Design Examples appeared first on HostGator Blog . When building a new website or considering a new design for a site you already have, one of the best ways to clarify what you want and get some inspiration is to spend time looking at examples of other websites. For web designers, looking at the layout or design of other websites can spark ideas for how to approach the website you’re working on. And for business owners or amateur website owners who struggle to communicate what they want visually, it’s much easier to analyze what you like and don’t like about another website than it is to figure out what you want from scratch. For modern website design projects, it’s not enough to spend time perusing website examples on desktop alone. A majority of web users today do their searching, browsing, and shopping on mobile devices. When you’re building your website, you have to think about mobile. And that means when you’re searching for inspiration you should as well. What you need is to look for responsive web design examples. What is Responsive Web Design? Responsive web design is the dominant trend in web design today. Responsive websites are designed to look good on all possible screen sizes, while still providing the same information and page elements no matter the device. Designers pull this off by changing the way page layout elements are organized on the website, rather than changing what elements are included. For a simple example, a website that has text and and an image show up side by side on a desktop screen could have the text move below the image when the same page loads on a mobile device. In the coding, designers tell websites how to recognize the type of device or screen size the site is loading on, and change how it appears accordingly. Hence the name “responsive website design”—the website responds to the screen size it’s being viewed on. Responsive website design has become the norm because it’s Google’s preference, which makes it good for search engine optimization (SEO), and because it provides a straightforward way to ensure your mobile visitors get a good experience without having to design a separate mobile website. Having one responsive website versus different websites for different devices saves you the trouble of having to do twice as much work during the initial design phase and for ongoing maintenance. And it means your website will work on the growing range of device types and screen sizes that have now come onto the scene.   In short, whatever type of website you’re looking to build, responsive web design is widely considered the best choice. Why Look at Responsive Web Design Examples? Looking at examples of responsive web design with a flexible layout is a valuable way to come to your own website design project with clearer idea of how you want your website to look. In particular, reviewing examples will help you do a few things. 1. You can see different organization styles. One of the challenges of responsive web design is figuring out how to organize both your website in general and each individual page in particular in a way that remains intuitive and useful no matter the device type. You shouldn’t assume your own experiences and preferences are good enough for this. By looking at the choices other skilled designers have made, you’ll gain an understanding of the overall best practices in responsive website organization. 2. You’ll see how different types of websites approach responsive web design. Different types of websites have different goals. An eCommerce website has the goal of driving sales, while an entertainment site wants to you spend time on the site consuming content. When you view a lot of different responsive websites, you’ll start to see how the different design choices are influenced by a website’s particular goals. That’s good information to bring into your own website’s design. 3. You’ll get a feel for how a good website hierarchy works. Designing your website with a visual hierarchy means thinking through which parts of each page are most important and making sure the design centers them. A common website building mistake is not creating a mobile-responsive web design. It’s especially important for responsive web design, where many of the visitors viewing your website on smaller devices will see less of the page they’re on at a given time. You want to make sure that the most important parts of the page are placed higher up in the design, and that key features and links like your main menu and call to action (CTA) are easy to find. 4. You’ll gain insights into why designers organize things the way they did. As you browse different websites, think about why pages are organized the way they are. Analyze the design choices made in each case: consider how images are used, and where different links, buttons, and other features are placed. Think about the usability of the site and how the overall viewing experience is compared to others. Don’t just take in how the website looks on different devices, think about why. Asking those questions will reveal insights that help you make better design decisions for your own website. 5. You may see examples of design choices to avoid. You can learn a lot from good responsive web design examples, but you can learn just as much from those that don’t work for you. As you browse a website and click around to see different pages or take different actions, pay attention to anything that’s harder to do on a small screen than a desktop. Consider any page elements that don’t look quite right on some screen sizes, because they were clearly designed for others. Those insights will help you determine what not to do. How to Look at Responsive Web Design Examples You don’t have to go out and buy a multitude of device types to see how responsive websites look on all of them. A number of handy responsive design testing tools will let you see how websites look on different screen sizes all from the same device. If you have a computer, tablet, and smartphone you can use to supplement your research, it’s always good to get that more direct experience as well. But to see a larger number of examples in a more efficient way, a tool like Resizer (which we used for all the screenshots below) will make the process more efficient. 15 Responsive Web Design Examples Now that we’ve laid out a convincing argument for why you should pay attention to a variety of responsive web design examples, we’ll help you get right to it. We’ve compiled a list of responsive websites with a variety of website types and subjects covered. Business Responsive Design Examples Every business needs a website these days, and every business website should be responsive in order to reach prospective customers no matter how they come to your site. Here are a few examples of businesses that got the message and created responsive business websites. 1. CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Finance, outsourcing, and tax firm CliftonLarsonAllen is a good example of visual hierarchy in a website. You’ll notice all three of the main versions of their responsive website center the same image, message, and call to action (CTA) button. Can you tell what action they want visitors to take? Each website version also provides a number of clear links to learn more based the types of services the visitor is interested in, all of which are easy to spot as you scroll (or right there on the first screen in some cases). 2. The Living Well Women’s health and wellness company, The Living Well , has a simple image-focused website that provides the same information across device types. The initial logo, tagline, and menu items are visible on all versions and communicate what the business is all about. And prospective customers can learn more about the women behind the business and the specific services available by scrolling down, clicking on the relevant links obvious on the page, or following the social buttons that are visible on all screen sizes. 3. Yard Bar The dog park bar and restaurant Yard Bar also has a responsive website that centers images. The sliding images prominently feature the main things you need to know about the business: it’s all about food, drinks, and dogs. Across devices, scrolling down provides more information about those three main categories, plus happy hour times. Anyone visiting the site from any device can quickly learn what the business is about and the main information they need to know before heading over. 4. Bonsai Freelance business software company Bonsai has a clean and clear responsive website. Like CliftonLarsonAllen, they make the main message and CTA clear on the site across devices. The website offers a good example of moving or removing certain elements that are less important on the smaller screen. While for the most part, the page is the same across the devices, the larger screens have a form for providing your email right there on the page. To save space, the mobile version moves the form off the home page, but keeps the CTA there (once you click, you get to a form field). It makes the space look cleaner, while still providing the same basic information and options. 5. Salt Lick Cellars The winery Salt Lick Cellars is another business website that centers images, which makes sense for a business in an industry that often draws customers in with beautiful views. While the cut of the main image on the smartphone screen is smaller—you don’t see as expansive a view of the photo, you still get the main idea of it, along with intuitive access to the menu (a hamburger menu in the top right), and an image directing you to scroll down for more information. eCommerce Responsive Design Examples While business websites have an ultimate goal of trying to sell a product or service, eCommerce websites are trying to make the sale in a more direct fashion—right there on the website itself. It’s worth seeing some examples of how different eCommerce sites use their responsive design to do that across devices. When designing an eCommerce website , it’s especially important that you make your site mobile responsive and easy to use. 6. Paper & Ink Arts Paper & Ink Arts has all the same elements on its mobile homepage as on the desktop and tablet versions, but because of the way the same elements take up different amounts of space, the homepage has a bit of a different feel between devices. The image slideshow that dominates the screen on the larger devices, becomes a smaller banner on mobile in order to make room for other promotions. And the menu is squished into a hamburger menu in order to make space at the top for easy access to search, contact information, and the shopping cart. The choices make clear the company’s priority to make sales, and make it easy for visitors to get in touch. 7. Penzeys Penzeys looks like they designed their main menu with the mobile experience in mind. With four simple categories that take up a narrow amount of space on the larger screens, the menu fits perfectly on the smartphone-sized screen. All three screens make the checkout button in orange and free shipping offer in red in the top right corner obvious. While all versions let the central image that dominates the screen be the tasty-looking images of recipes you can make using the company’s spices (a compelling reason to buy). 8. Bon Bon Bon Like many of the business websites, chocolate shop Bon Bon Bon puts an image with an obvious CTA front and center. It has an image slider, so the image and CTA change, but the CTA is always in a bright red button. As with Paper & Ink though, Bon Bon Bon lets the main image get smaller so it’s more like a banner ad, in order to let some of the other page elements onto the screen on mobile. And the shopping cart and Information link to find contact information remain clear at the top on the mobile screen. 9. Chewy.com The online pet supply store Chewy.com looks very similar across the three devices, with the main difference being the common responsive choice to make the menu into a compressed hamburger menu. This is a rare example of a responsive website where the main image on mobile doesn’t load to fit the screen—you notice it’s cut off, but visitors have the option to scroll left to right to see the parts of the photo you can’t see here. All three versions prominently feature the search bar, to make it easy for visitors to find specific products. And all have the obvious 30% off offer in orange. 10. Pacha Soaps Pacha Soaps has a pretty similar look across devices. As is common in the other websites we’ve seen, they have sliding images that dominate the screen in all three versions. Unlike some of the other examples, the image takes up more screen real estate rather than less on the smartphone screen. While small, they keep the brown menu with their free shipping and social handle information present throughout screen sizes, while switching to a hamburger menu for their main menu on the smaller screen. Personal Website Responsive Design Examples Even if you’re building a personal website to share your passion, rather than sell products or promote a business, it’s worth making your website responsive. Here are a few responsive web design examples from personal websites people have built around their passions. 11. The April Blake April Blake’s blog is primarily focused on sharing recipes she cooks and occasional musings. Her website looks very similar across screen sizes, with just a couple of small differences. The social icons at the very top of the page on desktop are removed on the smaller screens, and the main menu is compressed to a hamburger menu. Otherwise it’s simply a matter of re-arranging the elements on the page to better fit the screen. 12. House of Hipsters Kyla Herbes home design blog, House of Hipsters , changes little between device types. The menu switches to a drop-down menu, the title banner at the top becomes smaller, and the right-side menu moves down the page on the smaller devices. But otherwise, the site’s essentially the same no matter where you’re coming from. 13. I Am Aileen Lifestyle and travel blogger I Am Aileen ’s responsive website centers a image slideshow on all device sizes, with an obvious search bar and social icons above it. The main menu becomes a hamburger menu on mobile, and the boxes of content and images below the main image become stacked on the smaller screen. 14. The Frugal Girl The Frugal Girl blog keeps the logo and tagline visible at the top across website types, and centers the top blog post in all three versions. The main menu becomes a hamburger menu on the smallest screen, and the information and images in the right-side menu get pushed to the bottom. 15. Budget Bytes Finally, the recipe site Budget Bytes centers the image and details of the most recent recipe on all device sizes, but moves the details and name below the image on the mobile device. The logo and website name show up at the top in all three versions. And, as is common in our examples, the main menu is replaced with a hamburger menu in the mobile version, along with a search icon to make more space at the top of the screen. While the images and names of additional recipes show up side by side below the main image on the two larger screens, they become stacked on the mobile device. Ready to Create a Responsive Website? As all these examples demonstrate, there are a number of ways to organize a responsive website that works equally well on all device types. And you don’t have to be a big business with a large budget to create a responsive website—many of these examples are of small businesses or individuals. If you want a simple, affordable way to create a responsive website, the Gator Website Builder has over 100 responsive templates that provide a headstart to putting together a website that looks good and works across device types. To get started with building your website, give our professionals a call at HostGator to find the right web hosting option for you. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Website Builder Comparison

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Hosting

The post Website Builder Comparison appeared first on HostGator Blog . When the time comes to build your new website, you’re going to have a lot of different types of website builders available. Even though the search might be a little overwhelming, this is actually a good thing. Back in the day, it was much more difficult to build a website and use to involve having to hire out the work. But, the plethora of beginner-friendly tools available today makes the process of building your website much simpler, and even enjoyable. The two main options you’ll probably consider are using WordPress or a website builder . Although they both accomplish the same general goal you’ll find that the process for doing so differs greatly. Below we’ll explore what a website builder is, how it works, provide a website builder comparison,and finally offer you some advice for choosing the best option for your needs. What Is a Website Builder? At the core, a website builder is a tool that lets you quickly create a website without any previous design or programming experience. Most of these builders will come equipped with drag and drop or point and click functionality that’ll allow you to easily add and remove site elements. Website builders are usually equipped with dozens or even hundreds of different starting themes or pre-made templates. These act as the foundation for your new website. Usually, you’ll find themes that cater to different niches or industries, as well as offering eCommerce specific themes. They’ll also be fully responsive, mobile-friendly, and based on the latest web design trends . Depending on the builder you’re using you might also have access to tools that allow you to turn your site into an eCommerce store, including shopping cart capabilities. You’ll find dozens of different website builders to choose from. Some are purely built for eCommerce, where other’s let you create a myriad of different types of sites.   Right here at HostGator, you’ll find a website builder that’s perfect for beginners, that includes the option to add eCommerce functionality to your website. Advantages of a Website Builder Website builders are incredibly popular, because they make building a website almost too simple. Here are some of the biggest benefits of using a site builder : 1. Very Easy to Use Website builders shine in how easy they are to use. Even if this is your first day on the internet, you could figure out how to use a website builder software. If you’re intimidated by things that are technical in nature, then a website builder is perfect for your needs. Not only are website builders created to be very intuitive, but you’ll find a wealth of tutorials that’ll walk you through building your site step-by-step as well. 2. Speedy Site Creation Website builders are fast. Fire up the tool, select your theme, drag and drop your site customizations, then hit publish. With website builders, you don’t have to worry about things like domain name propagation, site maintenance, and other technical tasks that might slow you down. 3. No Technical Skills Needed When you use a CMS like WordPress you’re responsible for all the technical tasks required to get your site online. Plus, things like ongoing maintenance and website updates. When you use a website builder all these things are taken care of for you from your web host. Also, when you’re building out your site, you’ll never have to adjust or code anything yourself. Drawbacks of a Site Builder Even though website builders are great for a variety of reasons, they’re not a perfect fit for everyone. Here are the most common drawbacks you’ll find when using a site builder: 1. Limited Site Functionality With website building, you’re limited to the features that are included with the builder. Any new features or functionality need to be added and approved by the team who created the tool, so new features will be added at a slower rate. If you need to create a site with extensive features, you might want to consider using something like WordPress.   2. Stuck to a Platform Depending on the website builder software you’re using, you might be stuck using that tool for the lifetime of your site. Most website builders aren’t cross-compatible, so if you want to move platform or hosts, then there’s a good chance you’ll have to rebuild your site from scratch. 3. Might Run Into Builder Limitations If you want to build a content heavy site or a massive eCommerce store, then you’ll probably run into the limits of whatever website builder you’re using. Overall, it depends on how well your website builder can scale up to support larger projects. In some cases, you might end up paying a very high monthly fee just to be able to support a larger site. When Should I Use a Website Builder? Website builders are generally best suited for specific types of websites. Simple sites that don’t require too many pages or complex functionality are well-suited for website builders. Generally, this applies to several types of websites you can create , like portfolio websites, small business sites, creative sites for musicians and other artists, sites offering your freelance services, and even simple eCommerce shops. If you’re building a site like one of those mentioned above, and want to get your site online as fast as possible, then consider using a website builder. Website builders will help you save time and get rid of any complex tasks standing in the way of getting your site online. Popular website builders often come with web hosting included, so you don’t have to worry about finding a host and going through the technical steps of configuring your hosting account to work with your new site. What is WordPress? WordPress originally started as a website builder, but in time has morphed into a full-fledged content management system (CMS). This makes it perfect for sites that either has a lot of content or are planning to scale up content creation in the future. The single aspect of WordPress that trips up a lot of beginners is the fact that there are two different versions of WordPress available. The first is a self-hosted version of WordPress, where you host a site using the WordPress.com subdomain . In this case, your URL will read something like “catsanddogs.wordpress.com”. Using this version will give you access to a handful of themes and some basic features. However, taking this route isn’t recommended as your theme customizations and plugin access will be limited. Along with only getting access to a restricted feature set your domain name won’t be the most professional or sharable since you won’t have a branded domain. The other version of WordPress is fully downloadable and you install the CMS on your own server. If that sounds difficult, don’t worry, most hosts have bundled software installers that make it incredibly easy to install WordPress and configure it properly within minutes. Similar to a website builder, WordPress also relies upon themes that act as the foundation for the rest of your site’s customizations. You’ll find a ton of different free and premium themes to choose from that will give you endless customization options. You select a theme, install it, then customize it to make your own personalized website design. The process of customizing your theme will depend upon the theme you’re using. Some themes will operate in a drag and drop fashion, while others will handle there customizations via a theme setting panel, or the use of shortcodes. Plus, you have access to a massive library of popular WordPress plugins , which will allow you to add even more features to your site. Overall, WordPress gives you a lot of control over how your site looks on the web. However, all of this control and flexibility means that there’s a much steeper learning curve when compared to using a website builder. Advantages of WordPress WordPress is a powerful and flexible tool.Here are some of the most common reasons people choose WordPress :: 1. Incredibly Flexible WordPress really shines in its flexibility. You’re truly only limited by your own imagination (and your technical skills). With WordPress, you not only have a massive theme selection but a nearly endless plugin library as well. Since it’s an open-source platform, there’s no limit to what can be built to unlock the power of WordPress. However, with this added flexibility and ability to create to your heart’s desire there’s a steeper learning curve and a lot more things you’ll need to master to get your site up and running. 2. Gives You a Lot of Power WordPress has a powerful internal engine. It has everything you need to get to where you want to go. That means you can build virtually any kind of site you desire. Plus, it has the necessary technical foundation to scale with you as your site grows. Some of the largest sites in the world, including TechCrunch, BBC America, and the HostGator blog, utilize WordPress to power their sites. Drawbacks of WordPress Still, WordPress isn’t perfect. Right out of the gate it has a higher learning curve. Here are some of the most common reasons people will opt for a simpler solution: 1. Higher Learning Curve WordPress is a beginner-friendly CMS. But, there are a bunch of technical tasks that you’ll need to accomplish before your site will be online. And the more features you want to add to your WordPress site, the more technical it’ll be to setup your site the right way. Luckily, you’ll be able to find extensive documentation, tutorials, and how-to guides that can walk you through almost everything. However, it might take some trial and error to get your site how you like it. 2. Might Need to Edit Code If you truly want to get the most out of WordPress you might have to edit some code. For some, this can be a very intimidating process, but others won’t mind getting their hands dirty and learn a bit about how their site’s work. You won’t have to write anything from scratch. But, sometimes you might need to copy and paste existing code, or fire up the HTML editor and add WordPress shortcodes and more. When Should I Use WordPress? WordPress will help you build content-heavy websites. The range of sites you can build using WordPress is quite vast, from basic blogs to massive highly-trafficked sites with thousands of pages of content. Put simply, it’s quite scalable. If you’re building a very simple website, then you might not require the power that WordPress can provide. However, if you have plans to scale up your website, or you simply want a higher level of control over your website, then WordPress is worth considering. You still might be wondering, is WordPress a website builder? At its core, WordPress doesn’t fit the traditional description of a site builder, but yes, it does help you build a website. Using WordPress will take more effort and technical knowledge. But, even if you’re starting at zero, you’ll be able to get a grasp on WordPress without spending too much time. Website Builder vs WordPress: Which Is Right for You? If you want to get a website online this afternoon and you don’t need any advanced features, then using a website builder can be a great option. By using a website builder all you have to do is select your template, make a few modifications, and publish your site. The entire process is very simple and straightforward. However, if time isn’t your biggest concern, and you want to use a platform that can grow with you and support any kind of site you desire, then using WordPress is a great idea. WordPress gives you more control over your site, and with access to the nearly endless supply of themes and plugins, you can create any kind of site you desire. Overall, a website builder will allow you to quickly build a beautiful and functional website without any coding skills. On the other hand, WordPress affords you immense flexibility and gives you a very powerful platform to build any kind of site. However, you can expect to put more time and learning into the building process. Hopefully, you have a better idea of how using a website builder vs. WordPress compare, as well as the right direction to take for your new site. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Application Web Hosting 101

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Hosting

The post Application Web Hosting 101 appeared first on HostGator Blog . You’re still working out the details for your website and you’re facing two related decisions: what application will you use to build your website, and what type of web hosting will you choose? While it’s possible to build your website without using one of the popular applications available, using an application such as a content management system (CMS) is an extremely popular choice for good reason. They make website creation and maintenance easier and can help you implement more of the elements and features you want on your website. What Is Application Web Hosting? To understand application web hosting, you should start by understanding what web hosting is . Web Hosting Every website you encounter online is made up of a number of different files and elements arranged in just such a way to create your website experience. While we tend to think of the things we encounter online as existing somewhere outside of physical space (we even call it “cyberspace”), all of the different parts that go into making up each website do take up space. And it all has to be stored in a physical web server that’s powerful enough to hold the many files that make up the website, and to deliver them all up to every visitor that comes to the site. That requires a lot of space and bandwidth on a platform, which makes web hosting something that few website owners can handle on their own. Instead, the vast majority of websites are hosted by companies that provide web hosting on a subscription model. These companies maintain the buildings required to house thousands of physical web servers. They do regular maintenance on the servers, provide the climate controlled environment required to keep them in good working condition, and put protections into place to keep them from being hurt by bad weather or accessed by malicious hackers. In exchange for paying a set amount of money each month or year, you can rent out a space on one of these servers (or a whole server with dedicated server hosting , if you need it). It’s a necessary service all websites need in order to be accessible online. Application Hosting Packages The short version: application hosting is the term used to describe web hosting plans that specialize in providing hosting services for websites built on a particular application. Many websites are now built and maintained using popular applications. This includes popular CMSs such as WordPress or applications specifically designed for building forums like phpBB. While many types of web hosting services will work fine for websites built with a particular application, application web hosting plans provide specific features and benefits related to the application you built your website with. They can make it easier to install the application software when you’re getting started, and provide special compatibility that ensures your web hosting account and application software play nice together. How Does Application Hosting Compare to Other Web Hosting? The main difference is that you never have to worry about compatibility issues between your application and your web hosting service. Application web hosting plans often include easy one-click installation of your application, so you can get the two services working together on a single platform without any real effort or difficulty. In addition, an application hosting plan may include features that allow you to more easily access or use the application’s features within your web hosting account, to make the experience of working on your website more seamless and efficient. In short, while other web hosting services may work just fine for your website, finding an application web hosting plan that supports the application you use can make your life a little easier. What to Look for In an Application Web Hosting Plan If you’ve decided to seek out an application web hosting plan for your new website, there are a few main features you should look out for: Compatibility with your preferred application This is the whole point of getting an application-specific web hosting plan to begin with. Make sure the application hosting option you consider works specifically with the CMS, forum, or wiki application you’ll be using for your website. Application hosting isn’t one-size-fits-all, so find the option that will fit your particular needs. Easy setup A web hosting plan that offers one-click set up for the application you use will vastly simplify the set-up process. But also consider how intuitive the web hosting company’s account management and cPanel tools are. And look into what kind of resources they offer to help you get started using the web hosting service. Your web hosting account will be where you complete important tasks like domain name management, setting up redirects, and managing your web hosting billing. You want to make sure it’s all easy to learn and use.   99% uptime One of the main jobs a web hosting company has is keeping your website up and available on the web. Realistically, web hosting servers do occasionally have to go offline for maintenance. And sometimes they go offline for other reasons, such as issues caused by improper maintenance, repair needs, hacker attacks, weather-related disruptions (the server warehouse floods, for example), or hardware glitches. One of the main differentiating factors between different web hosting providers is how much of the time their service is affected by these kinds of issues. If you choose an unreliable application hosting provider, your website could end up offline frequently while they deal with various issues. Ideally, you want to find an application hosting provider that promises at least 99% uptime and backs that up with a guarantee. Some of the most reputable web host providers go even further, such as HostGator’s 99.9% uptime guarantee. If you want people to be able to access your website every time they visit, make uptime a priority in your decision. 24/7 customer service Working with websites, no matter the application you use, will present challenges and issues on occasion. When that happens, you want to be able to identify the issue and fix it fast. If your application hosting company doesn’t offer customer service at all hours, you could be stuck waiting for hours to fix a serious issue with your website, delivering your visitors a disappointing experience all the while. Look for an application web hosting company that promises 24/7 customer support. And check that they provide your preferred option for communication when issues arise, whether that’s live chat, email, or phone. Security features Website hacks and data breaches are nearly everyday news lately. And the most popular website application are often targets of hacks because of their popularity. Website owners should always be on the offensive when it comes to security. While there are a number of steps you can take to keep your website secure , one of the first and most important is choosing a respected web hosting provider. A web hosting company that invests in the infrastructure to keep their web servers protected and sets up firewalls to keep hackers out is the first line of defense you have. Many application hosting packages will also offer additional features or add-ons such as an SSL certificate or security software that makes your website’s protection even stronger. Security should be a priority for every website owner today. If your website will be collecting any personal visitor information, such as names and emails, it’s even more important. And if you’ll be running an eCommerce store that collects customer financial information, it’s indispensable.  Do your due diligence when choosing your application hosting plan to make sure security is well covered. The 6 Main Types of Application Hosting As we mentioned previously, you don’t want a general application hosting plan. You want hosting that’s specific to the type of application you’ll be using. These are the six most common types of application web hosting to consider. 1. WordPress Hosting WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world, with over half of the market share. That makes WordPress hosting the most common type of application hosting website owners are likely to consider. Websites powered by WordPress are easy to build, update, and maintain, even for people that don’t know to code. You can make changes to the website through the WordPress interface rather than having to update the page code directly. And with a library of over 50,000 WordPress plugins and thousands of themes, you can easily add a lot of features and functionality to a WordPress site. There are many reasons to choose WordPress hosting for your website and it is a smart choice that makes maintaining your website that much easier. 2. Joomla Hosting Joomla is another popular CMS option that falls behind WordPress in the number of users, but still dominates a certain segment of the market. Joomla is a bit harder to use than WordPress, but it’s a little more powerful and customizable, which makes it a popular choice for website owners and designers who want a step up in functionality. Joomla also has a comprehensive library of themes, extensions, and educational resources to learn how best to use the website. For anyone that chooses Joomla as the best option to build a website with, Joomla hosting is an obvious choice. 3. Drupal Hosting Drupal is the third most popular CMS is in the world. While it lags behind WordPress and Joomla in number of users, it has a reputation for being more sophisticated and powerful than the other two. The tradeoff is that it’s harder for any beginners or amateurs to use, meaning it’s mostly used for websites that have professional developers behind them. If that describes your website and you choose to go with Drupal, you can keep the web hosting part of running your website simpler by choosing a Drupal hosting plan . 4. Magento Hosting Anyone building an eCommerce website will need an eCommerce app that enables shopping cart and checkout functionality on the website. The most popular option for that is Magento, an open source shopping cart option that’s currently used by over 240,000 websites. Magento’s eCommerce features are both customizable and easy for even beginners to set up and work with. Magento is the obvious choice for anyone building an eCommerce website, and by choosing compatible Magento hosting you can ensure that your web hosting service works well with your eCommerce software. 5. Wiki Hosting While slightly less popular than some of the other most common types of websites , Wikis are an important part of the web. They deliver valuable information on a variety of topics in a way that’s easy to browse, search, and contribute to. The most popular Wiki apps, such as MediaWiki, TikiWiki, PmWiki, and WikkaWiki all help users create functioning Wiki websites. If you’re specifically building a Wiki, then you’ll want to use one of the Wiki apps to get your website up and running. And for that, investing in Wiki hosting is a solid choice. 6. phpBB Hosting User forums are another important part of the web, enabling users from all over the world with common interests to find and communicate with each other. For websites that are either forum-based or plan to include a forum , phpBB is the primary application available for building online communities. phpBB is an open-source bulletin board software that makes it easy to build a space for users to communicate with each other online. If you choose to build an online community with phpBB, consider phpBB hosting to provide easy accessibility to your users.   Choose the Right Application Hosting Provider You have a number of choices when it comes to finding the right web hosting plan for your website. If you’re using one of the applications described here, you’ll benefit from finding a provider that specializes in the application you use. HostGator is one of the most respected application hosting providers in the industry. We offer hosting plans for all the most popular applications, and have a variety of plan options at different price points that are compatible with each. We provide a 99.9% uptime money-back guarantee, and 24/7 customer support. We can offer both compatibility and reliability for your website. Sign up today. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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How to Use a Domain Name Checker to Check Domain Availability

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Hosting

The post How to Use a Domain Name Checker to Check Domain Availability appeared first on HostGator Blog . Finding the perfect domain name for your new website can be a little tricky. Not only do you need a domain that perfectly represents your website, but you need to ensure it’s short, catchy, memorable, and actually available. Luckily, there’s a number of tools that’ll help you not only uncover the perfect domain name, but also ensure it’s available. Below you’ll learn how to find the right domain name for your website, and how to use a domain name checker to help speed up the process of locking down your dream domain. Finding the Right Domain Name There’s a lot that goes into a domain name. Your domain needs to succinctly sum up what your site is about while being catchy and easy to remember. Your domain will define your brand and be the first thing that visitors see. As a result, your domain will create either a good or bad impression of your website. Here are some tips for finding the best possible domain name for your new website: 1. Connect Your Brand to Your Domain Name You want your domain name to be a differentiator. Having a unique domain name will always be better than a generic domain that sounds all-too-similar to competing sites. When you’re launching a brand, chances are you’re doing something different than the competition. Make sure that your domain name reflects this. For example, think of sites like Google, DropBox, Zillow, Facebook. All of these sites have unique and memorable names. Whether you’re creating new words from scratch or combining two unrelated words, one thing is for sure: they stick in your mind. 2. Keep the Character Count Low As a general rule, the shorter the domain name, the better . It might be very difficult to find a shorter domain name as most of these were purchased a long time ago. But, you still might be able to find a unique word or combination of words that are still available. When in doubt, go for something memorable over something long. Think about when you’re telling your friend about a website. For example, they’re more likely to remember catgram.com over picturesthatiloveaboutcats.com. 3. Make Your Domain Easy to Pronounce Your domain name needs to be easy to remember, and part of that is making it easy to pronounce. When someone thinks about your domain name, they shouldn’t have to look it up in a dictionary to get the spelling right. You want to make it easy for other people to pass on your domain name, whether that’s written or spoken. 4. Avoid Numbers, Hyphens, and Other Characters A memorable site name can go a long way towards helping your site gain traction. One quick way to make things more difficult is by adding hyphens or numbers to your domain name. Hyphens not only make it more difficult to pass on your domain, but it’ll probably lead to a lot of misspellings and people not being able to find your site. For example, what’s easier to remember and type into your browser? C-N-N.com or CNN.com. Or how about Face-book.com, or Facebook.com? The same goes for numbers. Adding numbers to your domain can come across as spammy and much more difficult to pass on. What’s a Domain Name Checker? Domain name checkers are tools that help you to determine if a domain name is still available . Often, these tools can also suggest other related domain names, along with presenting other domain name extensions that might be available under your chosen domain name. There are also other related domain finder tools that are more focused on helping you generate unique domain names, while at the same time searching for availability. Domain Name Checker Overview There are a myriad of different domain name checkers you can use to see if a given domain is available for purchase. Most domain name registrars will have these tools built into their domain search tools. After all, it’ll be impossible to buy a domain if it isn’t actually available. However, you might also come across domains that have been previously purchased or are currently owned by another party. Still, you can purchase these domains, but expect to pay a great deal more than a fresh domain. Here’s a breakdown of a few different domain name checkers you can use: 1. HostGator Domains HostGator Domains is not only a domain name registrar, but it’ll tell you which domains are available, and even offer suggestions for similar domains. With this domain name checker you can quickly see if your domain of choice is available and get it registered right away. Plus, you can pick up quality web hosting at the same time and start building your new site right away. 2. LeanDomainSearch LeanDomainSearch is another pretty helpful domain lookup tool. All you have to do is enter a keyword that you want to build your domain around, and this tool will do the rest. If you’re stumped for ideas then this tool will help you get started. For example, here’s a sample search for the word ‘house’. From that simple word, we’ve got over 400 different domains to look at and draw inspiration from. 3. DomainHole DomainHole is a search tool that allows you to find a very specific type of domain. Whether you’re looking for a new domain or an aged domain for SEO or other purposes, this tool is worth exploring. You’ll be able to search for expired, expiring, or dropped domains, plus with the extensive search filters you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for. 4. Knowem Knowem should be used in conjunction with another domain checker tool, but it’s still just as valuable. If you’re going to be creating social media profiles for your new website, then this tool will check to see what social media profiles are available. Even if you aren’t going to be using social media right away, it can be helpful to still grab any existing social media handles for future use. What to Do if a Domain Isn’t Available? Let’s say you’ve found the perfect domain name, but when you run it through a domain name checker, it comes up as unavailable . This doesn’t mean that your search should end there. In some cases, you might be able to place a bid on the domain or even pick up a different domain name extension. Here are these two options in a little more depth: 1. Placing a Domain Name Bid Sometimes the domain you want will already be owned by someone else. If the domain isn’t being used for an existing website or application, then you can usually get in touch with the owner and place a bid on the domain. For example, here’s the website of a domain name that someone else owns. You have the option to reach out and purchase the domain. Keep in mind that the owner might not always respond, or they might want more than you’re willing to spend. Generally, when you place a bid you’ll be spending a couple of hundred bucks at the very minimum. Sometimes these domains will run up into multiple thousands of dollars. For example, take a look at some of these domains offered on Sedo . Overall, the price of domains will go up the simpler they are. You’d be hard pressed to find a single word domain of a dictionary word for less than a few grand. If you’re placing a bid on a domain name, expect a little negotiation back and forth until you land on the selling price. 2. Choosing a Different Domain Name Extension The most common domain name extensions are .com, .org, and .net. But, that doesn’t mean your search should end, just because these extensions aren’t available. In some cases, a different domain extension might even work better, but overall it depends on the type of site you’re running. When considering a different domain name extension, keep the following questions in mind: Does the extension I want belong to an existing website? If I choose another extension will it work with my brand? Can I get a different extension that doesn’t feel like spam? Is the new extension memorable? Overall, if the domain is taken by a website that’s currently live on the internet, then you’ll want to choose a new domain name. Otherwise, you’ll run the risk of copyright infringement and run into all kinds of legal issues. This headache isn’t worth it, and your time is better spent coming up with a new domain. However, if your first choice domain name extension is taken, but isn’t being used for a website you could get away with using another extension. For example, I really wanted a domain name, but the .com was already taken but wasn’t being used for anything at all, so I went with the .net version. This allows you to start building your site if you’re absolutely attached to a given domain name, while in time you can acquire any other extensions with the profits from your new site. How to Register a Domain Name Once you’ve found the perfect domain name that’s actually available, then it’s time for the easy part. Registering your domain. If you were using the HostGator Domains tool to search for the availability of a domain, then you’re already halfway there. Just, add your domain to your cart, and complete the checkout steps. Here’s a brief walkthrough just in case: 1. Navigate to HostGator Domains Here you can enter your domain name that you want to purchase. You can enter your domain with or without your desired extension. 2. Input Your Domain First, input your domain name and click ‘Search’. If the domain name is available, then you’ll get the message ‘Congratulations, Your Domain is Available!” This will automatically add your domain to your cart, and all you have to do is click ‘Continue to Cart’ and complete your purchase. 3. Select Your Terms When you register a domain name you’re going to have a lot of different options to choose from. For example, you can add things like domain privacy . You’ll also select the term for which you want to register your domain. Overall, the cheapest option will always be to register your domain for the longest term offered. You’ll be spending more up front, but the monthly rate will typically be much lower than paying a yearly fee and having to renew every single year. Plus, then you don’t have to worry about accidentally letting your domain lapse. Get Started with Domain Name Checkers Hopefully, you have a better idea of what to look for in new domain name for your site, plus how to use a domain name checker to actually see if your dream domain is available. Getting a domain name isn’t a process you’ll want to rush. Spend some time with the domain name checkers above until you find a great domain that speaks to the core of what your site’s about, while remaining memorable and catchy. Then, when you’re ready, you can register your domain right here at HostGator. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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