Web hosting is the service that lets you store and show your website on the internet. Web hosting is one of the most important choices you need to make when creating your website, as it affects your website’s performance, security, reliability and scalability.
But how do you pick the best web hosting platform for your website? There are many web hosting platforms in the market, each with different features, plans and prices. How do you compare and judge them to find the one that fits your needs and budget?
Here are some of the steps you can follow to pick a web hosting platform for your website:
Step 1: Know Your Website Needs and Goals Before you look for a web hosting platform, you need to know what your website needs and goals are. This will help you find the web hosting platform that can meet your expectations. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself are:
What is the purpose and objective of your website?
What kind of website are you making? Is it a blog, an e-commerce store, a portfolio, a news site, etc.?
How much traffic do you expect to get on your website?
How much storage space and bandwidth do you need for your website?
How much control and flexibility do you want over your website?
How much technical knowledge and support do you have or need for your website?
Based on your answers, you can decide what type of web hosting platform you need, such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, cloud hosting, etc. You can also decide what features and services you need from your web hosting platform, such as SSL certificates, backups, email accounts, domain names, etc.
Step 2: Compare Different Web Hosting Platforms Once you know your website needs and goals, you can compare different web hosting platforms based on their features, plans and prices. You can use online tools like HostingAdvice.com, HostingFacts.com or HostAdvice.com to find and compare different web hosting platforms. You can also read reviews and testimonials from other users to know their experiences and satisfaction with different web hosting platforms.
Some of the factors you need to compare and judge are:
Performance: How fast and reliable is the web hosting platform? What is their uptime promise and speed test results?
Security: How secure is the web hosting platform? What security measures and tools do they offer to protect your website from hackers, malware, spam, etc.?
Customer Support: How responsive and helpful is the web hosting platform’s customer support team? What channels and methods do they offer to contact them? Do they have 24/7 support and live chat options?
Scalability: How easy and flexible is it to change or upgrade your web hosting plan as your website grows or changes? Do they offer any discounts or incentives for long-term contracts or referrals?
User-Friendliness: How easy and intuitive is it to use the web hosting platform’s interface and tools? Do they offer any tutorials or guides to help you set up and manage your website?
Based on your comparison and judgment, you can shortlist the web hosting platforms that match your criteria and preferences.
Step 3: Test and Pick Your Web Hosting Platform The last step is to test and pick your web hosting platform. You can do this by signing up for a free trial or a money-back guarantee period from some web hosting platforms. This will let you test their features, services and performance before committing to a long-term contract. You can also ask for a demo or a consultation from their customer support team to get more information and guidance.
Some of the things you need to test and check are:
Loading speed: How fast does your website load on different devices and browsers? Do they offer any caching or CDN services to make your loading speed faster?
Downtime: How often does your website face downtime or errors? How quickly do they fix them? Do they offer any compensation or refunds for downtime?
Backup: How often do they backup your website data? How easy is it to restore your website from a backup in case of an emergency?
Migration: How easy is it to move your website from another web hosting platform or domain name? Do they offer any free or paid migration services?
Customer Support: How happy are you with their customer support team? How quickly and effectively do they answer your questions and solve your problems?
Based on your testing and checking, you can pick the web hosting platform that offers the best value, quality and service for your website.
SEO is how you make your website or web page show up higher on search engines. SEO is not only about using the right keywords and links, but also about making a website that is easy to use, interesting and helpful for your audience.
To do well in SEO, you need to have some skills that can help you plan, do and check your SEO work. Here are some of the most important SEO skills you need to have:
Technical SEO Technical SEO is about making your website work well and be safe. Technical SEO skills include:
Knowing how search engines find, read and rank websites
Using tools like Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools and Screaming Frog to check and fix your website
Following the best ways to make your website fast, mobile-friendly, secure, clear, organized and more
Solving and fixing any problems that hurt your SEO
Content Marketing Content marketing is about making and sharing good content that attracts and keeps your audience. Content marketing skills include:
Finding the best keywords and topics for your content
Making content that is engaging and helpful for your audience
Making your content easy to find and read by using title tags, meta descriptions, headings, images, links and more
Sharing your content on social media, email, blogs and other places
Checking how well your content is doing by using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console and SEMrush
Link Building Link building is about getting links from other websites to your website. Link building skills include:
Finding good websites that can link to your website
Making things that people want to link to like infographics, guides, stories, reviews and more
Asking people to link to your website by sending them nice and convincing emails
Checking and improving your links by using tools like Ahrefs, Moz and Majestic
Following the rules and tips for getting good and natural links
User Experience (UX) User experience (UX) is about how people feel when they use your website. UX skills include:
Knowing how people use, think and feel about your website
Making your website easy and fun to use by choosing the right layout, colors, fonts and other things
Asking people what they like and don’t like about your website and how to make it better
Testing different things on your website to see what works best for getting more people to do what you want them to do
Analytics Analytics is about collecting, analyzing and reporting data to measure and improve your SEO. Analytics skills include:
Setting up and using tools like Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and Google Data Studio to track and show your SEO data
Setting and tracking your SEO goals, numbers and results
Looking at your data to find out where your traffic comes from, how people use your website, how many people do what you want them to do and more
Making reports to show your SEO results and suggestions to other people
These are some of the most essential SEO skills you need to have if you want to rank higher on search engines and get more people to visit your website. Of course, SEO is always changing and you need to keep learning new things. So you should also be curious, ready to try new things and passionate about making value for your audience.
Your website security is very important. If hackers attack your website, they can steal your data, your customers’ information, your money, and your reputation. A report by RiskIQ says that hackers cost the world $2.9 million every minute in 2020.
You need to use some tips and best practices to protect your website from hackers, malware, and other threats. In this blog post, we will show you how to protect your website with these 7 tips.
Install an SSL Certificate An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that makes the data between your website and your visitors’ browsers safe. It also shows that you are the real owner of the website. An SSL certificate helps to stop hackers from stealing or changing your data.
An SSL certificate also helps your SEO ranking and your trust. Websites that have an SSL certificate show a padlock icon and an HTTPS prefix in their URLs, which means that they are safe and reliable. Websites that do not have an SSL certificate may show a warning message or a red cross in their URLs, which can make visitors leave them.
You can get an SSL certificate from different sources, such as hosting providers, domain registrars, or certificate authorities. Some of them give free SSL certificates, while others charge a fee. For example, if you host your website on SAND IT SOLUTION, you can get a free SSL certificate as part of our hosting plans.
Use Anti-Malware Software Anti-malware software is a software that checks your website for any bad code or activity and removes or blocks them. Malware can infect your website through different ways, such as old software, weak passwords, file uploads, or phishing emails. Malware can harm your website’s function, speed, look, or content.
Anti-malware software can help you find and stop malware attacks before they hurt your website or your visitors. You can use anti-malware software as a separate tool or as a plugin for your website platform. Some examples of anti-malware software are Sucuri Firewall, Wordfence Security, and MalCare.
Make Your Passwords Uncrackable Passwords are one of the most common ways to access your website’s admin panel, database, email accounts, and other sensitive areas. You need to make sure that your passwords are strong and secure. Weak passwords can be easily guessed or cracked by hackers using brute force attacks or dictionary attacks.
To make your passwords uncrackable, you should follow some basic rules:
Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
Avoid using common words, names, dates, or phrases
Make your passwords long and unique
Change your passwords often
Do not use the same password for different accounts
Do not share your passwords with anyone
Use a password manager to store and generate passwords
Keep Your Website Up to Date Keeping your website up to date is important for keeping its security and performance. Old software, plugins, themes, or scripts can have problems that hackers can use to get into your website or put bad code. Updating your website often can help you fix any bugs or issues and improve its function and features.
You should check for any updates for your website platform, hosting service, plugins, themes, or scripts whenever they are available and install them as soon as possible. You can also turn on auto-updates if they are supported by your website platform or hosting service. For example, if you use WordPress as your website platform, you can turn on auto-updates for WordPress core, plugins, and themes in the settings.
Train Your Staff If you have staff members who work on your website or have access to it, you need to train them on how to use it safely and securely. Your staff members can be potential targets or sources of cyberattacks if they are not aware of the best practices and policies for website security.
You should teach your staff members how to:
Create and manage strong passwords
Recognize and avoid phishing emails
Use secure connections and devices
Backup and restore data
Report any suspicious activity or incident
You should also limit the access levels and permissions of your staff members according to their roles and responsibilities. You can use tools such as user roles or user management plugins to control who can access what on your website.
Scan Your Website Regularly Scanning your website regularly is another way to make sure its security and health. Scanning your website can help you find any problems, errors, malware infections, or speed issues that may affect your website’s function or reputation.
You can use different tools or services to scan your website, such as:
Google Search Console: A free service that helps you watch and improve your website’s presence on Google search results. It can also alert you of any security issues or manual actions that may affect your website’s ranking or visibility.
Google Safe Browsing: A free service that helps you check if your website is safe or bad according to Google’s standards. It can also alert you of any unsafe content or downloads that may harm your visitors or devices.
Site Checker: A free tool that helps you analyze and improve your website’s SEO, speed, usability, and security. It can also alert you of any broken links, redirects, or errors that may affect your website’s performance or user experience.
Use Security Tools or Plugins Security tools or plugins are extra features or extensions that you can use to make your website’s security and protection better. Security tools or plugins can provide different functions, such as:
Firewall: A firewall is a system that watches and filters the incoming and outgoing traffic on your website. It can block or allow requests based on predefined rules or criteria. A firewall can help you stop hackers, bots, spam, DDoS attacks, and other threats from getting into your website.
Backup: A backup is a copy of your website’s files and data that you can store in a safe place. A backup can help you restore your website in case of any data loss, corruption, or damage caused by cyberattacks, human errors, or technical failures.
SSL: An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that makes the data between your website and your visitors’ browsers safe. It also shows that you are the real owner of the website. An SSL certificate helps to stop hackers from stealing or changing your data.
Captcha: A captcha is a test that checks if a user is human or a bot. It can be a simple question, a puzzle, or an image recognition task. A captcha can help you stop bots from spamming, hacking, or abusing your website forms, comments, registrations, or logins.
You can find different security tools or plugins for different website platforms or hosting services. For example, if you use WordPress as your website platform, you can find security plugins such as iThemes Security, Jetpack Security, and All In One WP Security & Firewall.
Conclusion Website security is not something you can ignore or take lightly. A website that is exposed to cyberattacks can endanger your data, your customers’ information, your money, and your reputation.
To protect your website from hackers, malware, and other threats, you need to use some security tips and best practices. In this blog post, we showed you how to protect your website with these 7 tips:
Install an SSL certificate
Use anti-malware software
Make your passwords uncrackable
Keep your website up to date
Train your staff
Scan your website regularly
Use security tools or plugins
If you are looking for a reliable, affordable, and easy-to-use web hosting platform that supports all these security tips and more, we recommend SAND IT SOLUTION. SAND IT SOLUTION is a web hosting platform that provides:
Shared hosting, VPS hosting, cloud hosting, and WordPress hosting plans
Free domain name registration and SSL certificate
Free website builder and CMS
Free email hosting and backup
24/7 customer support and security
To get started with SAND IT SOLUTION, visit our website and choose a plan that suits your needs. You can also contact us if you have any questions or need any help. We are happy to assist you with your web hosting needs.
Web designer and web developer are two related but distinct roles in the web industry. They both work on creating and maintaining websites, but they have different focuses and skill sets.
A web designer is a graphic artist who is responsible for designing the layout, usability, and visual appearance of a website. They use tools such as WordPress, Adobe Dreamweaver, and InVision Studio to create mockups and prototypes of how a website will look and function. They also need to have a good sense of aesthetics, typography, color theory, and user interface design. A web designer’s goal is to make a website that is attractive, user-friendly, and consistent with the client’s brand and goals(elementor.com).
A web developer is someone who builds and maintains the core structure of a website using coding languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, etc. They use tools such as Angular.JS, Chrome DevTools, and Sass to write, test, and debug the code that makes a website work. They also need to have a good understanding of web servers, databases, APIs, security, and performance optimization. A web developer’s goal is to make a website that is functional, reliable, and secure(coursera.org).
There are also different types of web designers and developers based on their specialization. For example:
Front-end web designers work on the parts of a website that users see and interact with (also known as the user interface). They design the layout, graphics, menus, buttons, etc. using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back-end web developers work on the parts of a website that users don’t see directly (also known as the server-side). They create the logic, functionality, and data management of a website using languages such as PHP, Python, Ruby, etc.
Full-stack web developers do both front-end and back-end development. They have the skills and knowledge to build a complete website from scratch using various languages and frameworks.
Webmasters are responsible for maintaining and updating a website after it is launched. They monitor the site’s performance, security, traffic, content, etc. using tools such as Google Analytics, Hotjar, etc.
Web development skills are the abilities and knowledge that enable you to create and maintain websites. There are different types of web developers, such as front-end, back-end, and full-stack, who work with different aspects of a website’s functionality and appearance. Some of the common web development skills are:
Coding knowledge: You need to be familiar with various coding languages and frameworks that are used to create websites, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js, Python, Django, etc. You also need to understand the concepts of web development, such as web servers, databases, APIs, etc.
Design skills: You need to have a sense of aesthetics and usability when designing a website’s layout, color scheme, fonts, images, etc. You also need to know how to use design tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, etc.
Problem-solving skills: You need to be able to identify and fix errors and bugs in your code, as well as optimize your website’s performance and security. You also need to be able to test your website across different browsers and devices.
Collaboration skills: You need to be able to work well with other developers, designers, clients, and users. You also need to use tools such as Git, GitHub, Slack, etc. to communicate and share your code and feedback.
Analytical skills: You need to be able to analyze data and user behavior on your website using tools such as Google Analytics, Hotjar, etc. You also need to be able to measure and improve your website’s SEO (search engine optimization) and accessibility.
Communication skills: You need to be able to express your ideas clearly and concisely in written and spoken form. You also need to be able to listen and understand the needs and expectations of your clients and users.
These are some of the essential web development skills you must have in 2023 Of course, there are many more skills that you can learn and improve as a web developer depending on your interests and goals.
A Learning and Development Specialist is a professional who is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing training and development programs for individuals and organizations. Their main goal is to improve the performance of employees by providing them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform their jobs effectively.
The role of a Learning and Development Specialist can vary based on the organization’s needs, but some common responsibilities include:
Assessing the training and development needs of an organization or department Designing and developing training programs, including instructional materials, training manuals, and e-learning courses Delivering training sessions and workshops, both in-person and online Evaluating the effectiveness of training programs and making improvements as needed Collaborating with subject matter experts to ensure training content is accurate and relevant Managing the training budget and ensuring training programs are cost-effective Researching and staying up-to-date on new training methods and technologies Learning and Development Specialists require excellent communication skills, strong organizational skills, and the ability to work well with others. They must have a thorough understanding of adult learning principles, instructional design, and training evaluation methods. They also need to be able to adapt to changing business needs and be able to design and deliver training programs that meet those needs.
Learning and Development Specialists can work in a variety of industries, including corporate training, education, government, and non-profit organizations. They play a critical role in helping organizations develop their workforce and achieve their business objectives.
An IT support specialist is a professional who provides technical assistance and support to individuals and organizations that use computer software, hardware, and other IT equipment. They are responsible for identifying and troubleshooting technical issues, resolving problems, and providing advice and guidance to end-users.
The role of an IT support specialist can vary based on the size and complexity of the organization they work for. In small organizations, they may be the sole IT support person, responsible for all aspects of IT support. In larger organizations, they may be part of a team of specialists, each with a specific area of expertise.
Some common responsibilities of an IT support specialist include:
Providing technical support to employees or customers via phone, email, or in-person Troubleshooting hardware and software issues Installing and configuring software and hardware Maintaining and upgrading IT systems and equipment Managing user accounts and permissions Creating and maintaining technical documentation Providing training and support to end-users on how to use IT resources effectively
The role of an IT support specialist requires strong problem-solving skills, excellent communication skills, and a broad understanding of IT systems and technologies. They must be able to work well under pressure, prioritize tasks, and manage their time effectively to meet the needs of the organization.
Networks and system administration are two closely related fields that deal with managing and maintaining computer systems and networks.
System administration involves the installation, configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of computer systems and servers. This includes managing hardware and software components, setting up user accounts, managing security, and ensuring system backups are in place. System administrators are responsible for ensuring that the systems they manage are running efficiently and reliably.
Network administration, on the other hand, is focused on managing and maintaining the network infrastructure that connects devices and systems. This includes setting up and managing network components such as routers, switches, firewalls, and other networking hardware. Network administrators are responsible for ensuring that the network is secure, efficient, and reliable, and they must be able to troubleshoot network issues quickly to minimize downtime.
Both system and network administrators play critical roles in ensuring that computer systems and networks are running smoothly and securely. With the increasing reliance on technology in today’s world, the demand for skilled system and network administrators is high. Many organizations require dedicated IT departments to manage their computer systems and networks, and there are also many specialized IT service providers who offer these services to businesses of all sizes.
If you have ever visited a website, you have seen web development. But what is web development and what does it involve? In this post, we will tell you what web development is, what types of web development there are, and what skills and tools you need to be a web developer.
What is Web Development? Web development is making, designing, and keeping websites and web applications. Websites and web applications are collections of web pages that show content and functionality to users through a web browser. Web development can be simple static websites that only show text and images, or complex dynamic web applications that let users interact with data and do various tasks, such as online shopping, social networking, gaming, etc.
What Types of Web Development are There? There are two types of web development: front-end and back-end.
Front-end web development: Front-end web development is making the user interface and user experience of a website or web application. It is making and using the visual and interactive elements of a web page, such as layout, typography, color, animation, buttons, menus, forms, etc. Front-end web development uses things like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as frameworks and libraries like Bootstrap, jQuery, React, etc.
Back-end web development: Back-end web development is making the logic and data of a website or web application. It is making and managing the server-side functionality and database of a web page, such as authentication, authorization, validation, processing, storage, retrieval, etc. Back-end web development uses things like PHP, Python, Ruby, Java, Node.js, etc., as well as frameworks and databases like Laravel, Django, Rails, Spring Boot, MongoDB, MySQL, etc.
What Skills and Tools Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? To be a web developer, you need to learn the skills and tools for both front-end and back-end web development. You can start by taking online courses or tutorials on websites like Coursera, Udemy or Codecademy. You can also join online groups or forums like Stack Overflow or Reddit to ask questions and get feedback from other web developers. You can also make your own projects or websites to practice your skills and show your skills. You can also look for internships or freelance work to get some experience and meet potential employers or clients.
Web development is a fun and rewarding career that lets you learn new things and grow. If you want to make websites and web applications that are useful, beautiful and effective, you might like being a web developer. We hope this post has helped you learn more about web development and how to start your career.
Do you have a website? Do you want to keep it safe from hackers, malware, and other cyber threats? But do you think that making your site safe is too hard, expensive, or time-consuming, and that you need an IT expert to do it for you? Well, we have some good news for you. You can make your site safe, without needing IT, by using some easy and cheap tools and services that we offer at Sand IT Solution. In this post, we will show you how to make your site safe, without needing IT, in three easy steps.
Step 1: Use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) SSL is a technology that mixes up the data that is sent between your site and your visitors’ browsers. This stops hackers from taking or changing the data, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal information. SSL also makes your site look more trustworthy and professional, as it shows a padlock icon and a green address bar in the browser. To use SSL, you need to get an SSL certificate, which is a digital document that proves your site’s identity and authenticity. You can get an SSL certificate from us at Sand IT Solution for a very low price. We will also help you install and activate the SSL certificate on your site, without needing IT.
Step 2: Use Cloudflare Cloudflare is a service that protects and makes your site better by acting as a proxy between your site and your visitors. Cloudflare has many features that help you make your site safe, such as:
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) protection: Cloudflare blocks bad traffic that tries to overload your site with requests and take it offline.
Firewall: Cloudflare filters out unwanted traffic that tries to get into your site or use its weaknesses.
Web Application Firewall (WAF): Cloudflare finds and blocks common web attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), etc.
Malware scanning: Cloudflare scans your site for malware and tells you if it finds any.
You can use Cloudflare for free or upgrade to a paid plan for more features and benefits. You can sign up for Cloudflare through us at Sand IT Solution and we will help you set it up on your site, without needing IT.
Step 3: Use Sucuri Sucuri is a service that watches and cleans your site from malware and other threats. Sucuri has many features that help you make your site safe, such as:
Malware removal: Sucuri removes any malware that infects your site and brings it back to its original state.
Blacklist removal: Sucuri removes your site from any blacklists that may affect its reputation or ranking, such as Google, Norton, McAfee, etc.
Hack repair: Sucuri fixes any damage that hackers may cause to your site, such as defacement, redirection, spam injection, etc.
Security audit: Sucuri checks your site for any security problems or gaps and gives you advice and solutions.
You can use Sucuri for a very fair price and get unlimited malware removal and hack repair. You can sign up for Sucuri through us at Sand IT Solution and we will help you activate it on your site, without needing IT.
By using these three tools and services, you can make your site safe, without needing IT, and enjoy peace of mind and confidence. You can also save money and time that you would otherwise spend on hiring an IT expert or dealing with security issues. If you want to make your site safe, without needing IT, please contact us today. We will be happy to help you and give you the best security service possible.
A web master is someone who takes care of a website. A web master makes sure that the website works well, is safe and easy to use. A web master may also make new features, fix problems, check how the website is doing, and work with other people who make websites. A web master needs to know how to use things like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, WordPress and other systems that help you make websites. A web master also needs to know how to handle things like web hosting, domain names, servers, databases, backups and security.
What is a Web Analyst? A web analyst is someone who collects and studies data from a website. A web analyst uses tools like Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Search Console, A/B testing and heat maps. A web analyst may also set goals, measure results, do user research and surveys, give advice and tips for making the website better. A web analyst needs to know how to use things like sessions, pageviews, bounce rate, conversion rate, funnel analysis and attribution models. A web analyst also needs to be good at math, statistics and communication.
What is a Front-End Developer? A front-end developer is someone who makes the website look and feel good. A front-end developer uses things like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap and React. A front-end developer may also work with web designers to make mockups and prototypes, make the website fast and responsive on different devices and browsers, and follow the best practices of web development. A front-end developer needs to know how to use things like layout, typography, color theory and user interface design. A front-end developer also needs to be good at solving problems, debugging and testing.
How to Get Started? If you want to be a web master, web analyst or front-end developer, you will need to learn the skills and tools for each job. You can start by taking online courses or tutorials on websites like Coursera, Udemy or Codecademy. You can also join online groups or forums like Stack Overflow or Reddit to ask questions and get feedback from other people who make websites. You can also make your own portfolio or website to show your work and skills. You can also look for internships or freelance work to get some experience and meet potential employers or clients.
Web development is a great field that lets you learn new things and grow. If you are passionate about making websites that are useful, beautiful and effective, you might enjoy being a web master, web analyst or front-end developer. We hope this post has helped you learn more about these jobs and how to start your career.
