What is Dedicated Web Hosting?

If you have ever looked at hosting terms you know that they can get quite confusing sometimes! Many people misunderstand what dedicated hosting is for example. This article will attempt to explain what dedicated hosting is in a straightforward manner.

The best definition I could find for dedicated hosting is:

A type of internet hosting where a client leases a server which is not shared by anyone else...

Obviously, your next question would be to know why you want to choose dedicated hosting.

Basically, you have two main options shared or dedicated hosting.  With shared hosting, you are as the name implies sharing space on the server with other clients. If something happens to one client you could experience the fallout from it. 

Someone could install a piece of software that has an adverse reaction on other members on the shared site. This could be done quite unintentionally but your website could be blocked for a certain time period.

With dedicated hosting, you are the only person on that particular server. So you don’t have to worry about what other clients are doing on their websites. In essence, you are renting your own personal space!

Using a dedicated server means that your site is more secure. The other advantage to this type of hosting is that your website will load more quickly.  Unless of course you install software that slows your site down, if this happens you will notice an increase in your bounce rate. Which is why looking at your stats is important!

The main reason why most people opt for a dedicated hosting service is that they want more control over their site. On a shared site the hosting service has to put restrictions and limitations in place. These limits are usually removed or higher on a dedicated server.

If you need to use PHP scripts and web applications then a dedicated hosting account is the best way to go. On top of this, you have more flexibility of what you can do with your account. If you suddenly start to get hundreds of thousands of visitors each day your dedicated server can handle this increase in traffic. On a shared account you may find yourself being shut down!

Another benefit is being able to customize your hosting package. You can add certain items and delete others. Shared packages are pretty standard and you may or may not have all the features you need.

You should now have a better understanding of what dedicated hosting is and can determine if this is an option to take a closer look at.

Everything a Small Business Needs t Know About AutoResponders

Throughout the Internet, autoresponders make for an excellent promotional tool.  Although the technical name is an autoresponder, other known names include auto email, mailbot, and email responder.  An autoresponder is a great way to save time, as it responds to any message with an automatic response.

Autoresponders can vary from messages that go through email to scripts that are programmed to run on servers.  

All types of autoresponders work the same, as they will automatically send a message out when a message is received.  Depending on the message they receive, they will send out the correct return message.  This can be determined by the script or the email address.

Although they are great for promotional reasons, they are also widely abused all across the Internet.  Autoresponders are great to use for your daily tasks, as they will basically do all of the work for you.  On the other hand, they can also be quite disastrous on those who happen to come in contact with them. 

When you submit your website to search engines, directories, or classifieds, you should never attempt to use an autoresponder address.  Most of these website types use autoresponders themselves, when they send out their messages.  If their autoresponder happens to send a message out to your autoresponder, they will continue responding - which can be very annoying.

When you decide to subscribe to an email or ezine you should always use your valid email address and never use the address for your autoresponder.  If you use your autoresponder to subscribe, chances are you’ll have your subscription revoked.  It can be very annoying if a group sends out emails, only to find that your autoresponder keeps sending return messages.  For that very reason, you should never use your autoresponder address to subscribe to anything.

Autoresponders can be great to use, although they can also be a hazard as well.  Often times, with subscriptions groups or ezines, it can be very hard to locate someone who is using an autoresponder. In most cases, those who use an autoresponder don’t have the same reply or from address as they did when they signed up.  In cases such as this it can take quite a lot of time and effort to locate the address.

If you take care of your autoresponder and don’t use it to annoy others or sing up for email subscriptions, it should treat you well. An autoresponder can do a world of good for your business, saving you a lot of time and effort.  Autoresponders are easy to set up and easy to use, which is great news for anyone who isn’t technical with the Internet.  

For the price they cost and how easy they are to operate – autoresponders can make your Internet business easier than ever before.

The Entrepreneur's Checklist

I was asked the other day what personality traits I thought were important to entrepreneurial success. I immediately gave my preprogrammed reply about passion and dedication and hard work. After taking some time later to ponder the question a little deeper (I normally operate in shallow waters), I came up with a more detailed checklist for entrepreneurial success. This is by no means a definitive list, but I'd be willing to bet that if you don't have at least a majority of these traits, your chances of business success will be greatly diminished. 

You must be self motivated.

If you don't have the wherewithal to bounce out of bed each day without your spouse drenching you with cold water, chances are you don't have the self motivation or discipline required to be an entrepreneur. Business demands that you take action based solely on your own volition. You have to do a hundred things every day that will not get done unless you make yourself do them. 

You can't be afraid of hard work.

If you think working for someone else is hard work, try starting your own business. You will be required to give every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears you can muster and then some. You will have to work long hours and be on call 24/7, at least in the beginning. If the mere thought of hard work makes you tired, maybe you should just keep your cushy day job. 

You should have experience in the type of business you plan to start.

If you can't locate your car's engine you have no business buying an oil change franchise. The most successful business owners have prior experience in the industry in which they have set up shop. Consider working in an industry at least part time for a year before jumping in with both feet. 

You must be able to climb back on the horse.

I always say: "If business was easy, everybody would do it." Starting a business is hard work and the odds for failure are against you in the first few years. If you want to ride herd on your own business, you must be willing to fall off your horse and get back on a few times without giving up. 

You need the support of your family.

When you start a business you may have to spend more time away from the family than you like. The business may also put a strain on you financially. You will have enough obstacles in your way without having to worry if you have the support of your family and those closest to you 

You must have a thick skin.

If your feelings are easily hurt, keep your non-threatening day job because business is not for you. Many days in business, rejection waits around every corner and you must be able to handle rejection without taking it personally. 

You must interact well with others.

Being an entrepreneur requires interacting with a variety of people, from your own employees to vendors to customers to investors. You must have the ability to effectively manage people without offending them; the ability to accept good advice from mentors and politely discount the bad; the ability to overlook mistakes or quietly rectify them; and the one I have trouble with: the ability to tolerate incompetence without losing your cool (at least not on the outside). 

The deeper your pockets the better. 

The number one cause of business failure is a lack of money. Before you start your business you should have access to enough capital to see you through until the business can sustain itself. 

You must be able to delegate.

Running a business requires the performance of dozens of simultaneous tasks and it's foolish to try to handle them all yourself. You must learn to put your trust in others. If you can't dish out responsibility without worrying over the result, your business growth will be limited.

Previous business ownership is a plus.

Prior business ownership is not a prerequisite, but it can't hurt. Many successful entrepreneurs have the skeletons of past businesses rattling around in their closet. 

Another of my sayings: 

Business is a lot like marriage: you learn a lot from the first one that may come in handy the second or third time around. 

With that kind of advice you can see why I didn't go into marriage counseling. 

Here's to your success!

What is a SSL Secure Server?

SSL Secure Server

A SSL secure server is a protocol which provides encrypted communication to a secure server.  A good example of this is when you are paying with a credit card on a website. 

The site will use a SSL Secure Server to process your transaction. This allows you as the customer to feel safe that your information cannot be read by anyone else.

The easiest way to understand a SSL Secure Server is to know that it is a method of transmitting information to and from a website securely.

The benefit to using a SSL secure server is one of protection and security. The information which the website collects is stored in a secure location. The type of information stored can include phone numbers, addresses, credit card numbers and social security numbers.

For visitors to your website using a SSL secure server means that they can trust your site. This is especially true if you are collecting data or selling products.

Using a SSL secure server is fairly easy. Your hosting provider may even set it up for you if necessary. Basically all you are doing is to create a new subdirectory in your hosting account. If you use the File Manager it is a simple process to set up.

Once your directory is created you add any pages that you wish to protect inside this subdirectory.  What this does is to redirect your website visitors to this secure page. The visitor themselves will not really notice any difference.

If you look in your address bar you will notice that your SSL pages are displayed by https:// instead of just http://.

Each web hosting provider may set up their SSL Secure Servers a little differently. If you are not sure how to do this contact support and they can redirect to the tutorial page.

To use a SSL Secure Server you normally have to purchase a SSL Certificate. Some domain name registrants may include this free with the purchase of a new domain name. Prices for these certificates can vary considerably. So it is worthwhile to research what different companies are offering.

If your website contains private information or you want to protect your content and products buying a SSL Secure Server Certificate is a wise investment. With more people expecting to make purchases online it really makes sense to protect your website. This will in turn attract more visitors who are willing to spend money on your site.

How to Use Articles and AutoResponders to Enhance Your Small Business Profits

Writing articles to market a product or service is an
excellent way to build a business. The articles should
be very informative, providing the reader with
information that is relevant to a specific topic. 

The article usually includes a link to a webpage for more information. 

The webpage, of course, is designed to
sell a product or service that relates to the topic of
the article.
These articles are commonly submitted to article
banks, websites, and ezine publishers.

This is one of the most effective ways to market a service or

a product on the Internet and it can become even more
effective when it is combined with the use of an
autoresponder.

Begin by setting each of your articles up in your
autoresponder. It is important that each article has
its very own autoresponder address so you will
need an autoresponder service that will allow you to
do this. 

Next, make a master list of your articles, with
the autoresponder address for each article listed
beside the title. 

You can even add descriptions of the
articles on your master list if you want to.
Advertising your articles one at a time can take a
great deal of time…but advertising one autoresponder
address – the one for the master list – won’t take
very much time at all. 

Simply put it in your newsletter
and on your website. 

You can even allow other
ezine publishers to use this is a free resource for
their subscribers!

Writing Engaging Follow Up Messages For Autoresponders

When it comes to making a sell using your autoresponder, follow up messages are very important.  Most website visitors won’t buy something on the first visit; it normally takes more than 6 or 7 visits before they decide to make a purchase.  To keep them interested and eventually make the sale, you’ll need to come up with some innovative yet captivating follow up messages.

When you start writing your message, you’ll need to come up with compelling headlines.  Compelling headlines will draw attention from readers, making them feel excited to read the rest of your message.  If you send a message with a shoddy headline, chances are that your readers will just glance over the email and not pay much attention to it at all.

You can also grab attention from your readers by sending them personalized messages with their names and other details.  There are several autoresponders that personalize messages through the insertion of codes.  When you send a message out, the code is replaced with the personal information of the subscriber.  When receiving the email, the reader will see his or her personal information instead of the code.

The first message that you send out is normally an introduction message. This message should be geared towards giving readers what to expect from your messages.  You can also mention information about your company and your products as well.  Your introduction message is very important, as it sets the pace for the messages that follow.

When you send out your second message, you should inform readers about your products and services.  Make sure that you explain what your products do and how your readers can benefit from using them.  Then, in the messages that follow, you should put added emphasis on your services and products.  You should be trying to convince readers that they simply must have your products and that your products are a cut above the rest.

To ensure that you get a sale, you should include comparisons between what you offer and what competitors offer.  This way, you’ll show potential customers that you are indeed the best, with the best features and the best prices.  Once you have a few satisfied customers, you’ll start to build up your credibility.  If a customer is satisfied, he will let you and others know.  Once a customer has praised your products, you can add it to a testimonial and send it out in a future follow up message.

When you end a message, make sure that you leave a teaser for the next message.  This way, your customers will look forward to receiving your next message.  You should also carefully weave in messages regarding your contact and order information as well, so readers can place an order without any problems.  If you put some time and thought into your follow up messages – you’ll start racking up customers and sales in no time at all.

Understanding Web Hosting Fundamentals

If you are serious about your business you will need to have your own website. Having control over this site is important. You need access to the site at any time and the ability to upload any form of content. One way to achieve this is by opening up your own hosting account.

Remember with a free website you have no control over how long it will be hosted for. You can easily wake up one morning and the site is gone, along with all your hard work!

Hosting can be confusing so to help you understand why you need hosting I will try to explain the concept of hosting fundamentals.

Every webpage or blog has pages full of content including text, images and videos. For people to access these pages the entire site has to be accessible. This is done by purchasing a domain name and then hosting the name on the internet.

The hosting portion is done by a hosting company. For a fee they will allow you to upload your content and make it viewable for visitors.

Hopefully you now understand why you need hosting. It allows you to have secure web pages on line and gives you control over how your site looks and what type of content you place on it.

Choosing Your Web Host

Of course there are plenty of hosting companies to choose from. To help you narrow your choices down take the following points into consideration. You will then be able to make a wise hosting decision.

• Is this a personal or business site?
• Do you have a budget for hosting?
• How big do you plan or growing your website?
• Do they offer Cpanel?
• Are you uploading lots of images?
• Will you require a shopping cart and payment method?
• Do you plan on installing a forum?
• If running a business will you need to set up an affiliate program?
• What type of security does your site require?
• Does the hosting company offer website templates?
• Will your account allow for growth or upgrading if and when you require more space?
• Is there a support desk and an online customer service system?

As well as thinking about what features you want for your site you need to think about how much work you are prepared to do if things go wrong! Does the hosting company offer free support or will they charge you extra to go into your account and fix something?

Each web hosting company offers different packages and features. Be sure to check each one at and make comparisons before making your final decision.