Digital Pacific Company Blog

Seeking: Tech-savvy, organised individuals with a desire to earn extra income while being your own boss. Must be responsible and knowledgeable.

Does this sound like you? If yes, then Digital Pacific has a great opportunity that can help you achieve your money goals. It’s called reseller web hosting, and it basically gives you the ability to start your own web hosting business, but with the benefit of having someone else actually provide and manage the hardware itself that would normally cost a start-up thousands of dollars to do. Now, with “total control” features provided with our WHM (WebHost Manager) and cPanel packages, starting a reseller web hosting business has never been easier!

The Business

As a web hosting reseller, you first choose a reseller package. You simply pay a set fee for a certain amount of space on our servers that you are then able to allocate, package and price for your own customers. You manage the selling and support side of the business while Digital Pacific remains silent in the background simply watching over the hardware. If done correctly, your customers will never know that we are in the background as everything will work under your business name. We will never phone your customers as we believe it may harm the integrity of your business.

The Investment

In terms of a business start-up, investment is definitely minimal. We have four packages starting for as little as $45 a month that help get you off your feet and making some extra money. Remember, there is no overhead on this program since we provide and manage the hardware, including server upgrades, behind the scenes.

The Gains

Besides being your own boss, you can choose how much profit you will make from this job. For example, if you choose the Reseller BASIC plan for $75 per month, you will receive 20Gb of disk space, 100Gb of bandwidth and the ability to host 40 different domains. At this point, you could potentially package this into 40 different accounts, each with 500mb of disk space and 2.5Gb monthly bandwidth, and sell it for $10 each. If all 40 accounts are sold, that would bring in $400 a month for a profit of $325. That is a decent amount of extra income right there.

Now imagine if you can somehow incorporate this into a current business. Web designers and developers are definitely in the market for being successful resellers since they are able to offer the hosting as an extra service to their clients. Be creative and see how you can make this program work for you.

The Benefits of cPanel & WHM

We like to call the combination of cPanel and WHM our “total control” package. The features provided by these two systems make a reseller web hosting program with Digital Pacific that much better and easier.

Cpanel is a control panel loved by many around the world. We recently started offering this option to our customers because of the high demand for the product, so we know this can be a huge benefit to your business as well. Your customers are given the ability to manage their account through cPanel, where it will also display your business logo. Included with this configuration is the amazing add-on of Fantastico, which allows users to install popular open source applications at the touch of a button.

WHM, or WebHost Manager, is your admin panel that allows you to manage all of your accounts and their allocated space. It is also where you upload your logo so that it displays to your customers in their control panel.

Together, cPanel and WHM give you and your customers total control, and that is a win-win situation for all involved!

So, like we always say, this opportunity isn’t for everyone, but it’s a good one for those with a bit of knowledge looking to create an extra source of monthly income. Feel free to contact us with any additional questions you may have about this opportunity!

For more information see our reseller web hosting page. You may also be interested in our affiliate program, another great partner program offered by Digital Pacific.
 

We get plenty of customers coming to us concerned that they won’t be able to get a website going since they have never done it before. There’s so much to learn as a total beginner, and it is usually so much that it scares them away from giving it that initial go. However, with the Internet being around for some time now, many systems have been put into play that make it so even individuals with no prior knowledge can harness its power.

So, if you’re wondering, “Can I make a website if I’ve never had any experience?” then you should know that you can. There are several options for you, and the best one that we can recommend is to choose a content management system (or CMS).

Why a CMS Works

It’s easy. Once the CMS software package is installed on your hosting account, you simply log in and start producing content. You can add photos, videos and other media to make the site come alive.

It’s simplified. A CMS takes the hard-to-understand code and wraps it in an easy-to-use back-end. It is possible to have a dynamic site without ever having to sort through random tags and functions.

It’s visually appealing. With the amount of templates and themes (some free) that are available for all the CMS options, you can be sure that there is one that will make your website look amazing.

It’s dynamic. A CMS can often be enhanced with additional add-ons or plugins. If there is a feature you’d like to incorporate into your website, there is probably one around to make it happen.

Which CMS to Choose

There are many different CMS platforms to choose from, and since they are all a little bit different, it is important to choose one that suits your needs and website goals. WordPress, for example, is a CMS platform that is typically used for simple, blog style websites. Drupal, on the other hand, is harder to learn but can be used to create websites of a more advanced nature.

To help you make a decision on which CMS platform to choose, check out the 12 Most Popular Requested By Our Customers. This list touches on the different CMS platforms Digital Pacific customers choose and use, which means you can do the same. Of course, you’re definitely not limited to this list. If you happen to find another system that you like, as long as it is MySQL and PHP based, it will most certainly run. If you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask us!

Out of all of these, the 3 most popular CMS platforms are probably WordPress, Drupal and Joomla. We did a nice comparison of the three a while ago, which may also help in your decision.

Setting Up the CMS

Many newbies find that getting the platform set up is the hardest part of the whole process, and we agree. It involves installing the software on the hosting account, setting up a database, and configuring it all to work together. If this seems a little overwhelming to you, we are more than happy to help. For a small fee, we will get the CMS set up and ready to go (see Extended Support). From that point on, it is extremely easy to customise and update the website on your own.

Using the CMS

After you’ve got it set up, some CMS platforms make it so easy. WordPress, for example, allows users to browse and change website templates with a click of a button, directly from the back-end. It also gives users the ability to compose pages and posts using a WYSIWYG editor. What this means is that you never have to worry about including HTML bits to change the way your content appears, which is absolutely perfect for a beginner that just wants to get online, and look good doing it.

You don’t have to be a web genius to get on the Internet, as long as you know where to look for help. We are always here to assist our customers with any questions that they have when it comes to getting online for the first time. It’s a big step, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

You might not think about the repercussions at the time, but poorly named images, html files and directories(folders) can cause total confusion when it comes to updating your website later down the track. It can be a key indicator to a visitor that your site lacks professionalism but most importantly, it can hinder your website marketing efforts before you have even begun.

Examples of poorly named images, html files and directories include:

• Example of poor file names: page8.html, page9.html, mypage.html, default.html
• Example of poor directory names: /my directory/ or /MYDIRECTORY/
• Example of poor image names: DSC23233.jpg, image of boat.jpg, weunfdweialksdfwe.jpg

In the first example, these file – or web page – names are identified in a very general way. Instead of page8.html, why not try to name it according to the information that can be found on that page, such as example: web-hosting-plans.html. By doing this, it not only allows users to be more aware of where a link will take them, but it also helps website owners with the big SEO factor.

For the directory example, the issue of extra spaces, as well as capitalisation comes up. When spaces arise in a web URL, it can make it an ugly mess to say the least. Spaces will get replaced with a “%20″, which can make a URL hard to decipher. If you feel you must use a space, try replacing it with a dash. Also, issues with calling URLs can come about when there are unnecessary capital letters in directories, so it is best to keep it standard with lowercase. As with html files, it is just as important to be descriptive when naming directories as these will form part of a URL, so therefore will have an impact on your SEO.

The last example deals with images that are not optimally named. This can occur when someone keeps the original image number description given to it by the camera, when the image name is vague or has spaces, and also when they are not comprehensible at all. Just as in the above two examples, using a descriptive name helps with SEO, and SEO of images is an often under-utilised area of optimisation. This simple change can easily be done by right-clicking the file name and choosing to “rename” before uploading. Or, you can usually make a change through whatever FTP program you use to upload.

As stated in the introduction, having concise and clean URLs makes a business or other online presence look more professional. Remember, it’s the small things that make a difference.

In addition, the SEO capabilities of tagging images correctly is often overlooked by many website owners and webmasters. However, with the popularity of using search engines to find images, naming the image with the correct keywords can help individuals find your site.

So, do yourself a favour and have an inspection of your website’s file names to make sure they are serving you the best that they can.

If you want your visitors to return, or if you want to turn your visitors into customers, a base rule is that you need to gain their trust. Only, gaining visitor trust through a website can be easier said than done. In fact, it involves being able to portray an open and honest vibe throughout the entire website in a way that makes them not feel like they have to look for another. The following points should be considered when trying to gain visitors’ trust.

Give the user the information they want and need easily.

Visitors love it when all of their questions are answered right then and there on the website. It just has a way of making life easier since there is no need to search around for other websites, or to have to contact the website owner. This method also makes it appear as though you want the visitor to know everything there is to know about your site instead of making it feel like you’re hiding something. The easiest way to do this is to add all of these pages, as necessary, to your site:

About Us
Write a thorough About Us page so that visitors can get to know the company better. Photos can always help put a face behind the name, as well, and most people can associate better with someone they view as a real person. Besides this, it helps to tell of any successes and achievements made that will help you stand out amongst others in the same field.

Frequently Asked Questions
If someone has asked you a question, chances are that many other people have the same one. Create a frequently asked questions page that will cover all of the information not given anywhere else on the site.

Contact
Create a contact page that includes all of the various methods of getting in touch including email, phone and mailing address. If you are also on social networking websites, include that information as well if it is another way to be easily reached.

Testimonials
Feedback from previous customers is a marketing goldmine. It gives users honest information from people other than the company or website owner while also selling the product or service for you. Including a page of testimonials is highly recommended.

Privacy Policy
A privacy policy is essential if you are running an ecommerce shop especially. It lets visitors know the ways in which their personal information may or may not be used if they should decide to become a customer.

Postage, Payments & Returns
Details covering the specifics of postage, payments and returns for your website, if you sell a product, is vital. It helps customers make informed decisions on whether or not buying from your site is a viable option right from the beginning. In addition, having a return policy clearly set out on the site may give them more confidence for making a purchase.

Create multiple channels of feedback, support and transparency.

The easier you make it for customers or visitors to get in touch with you, the better. Multiple channels of feedback or support make it so visitors have more options, so they are able to choose a method that suits their needs. It also makes it so the company or endeavour appears more transparent to the public, and like mentioned above, it lets them know there’s not some scam hiding in the background.

Social Networking
Social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, have been utilised by many companies and online presences as a way to interact more frequently with potential customers. Integrating these avenues of feedback into your existing setup can be a worthwhile time investment that let your visitors know they can rely on you always being accessible.

Other
Other methods of adding increased openness with visitors is by adding a forum, integrating a blog, and just plain consistently and quickly responding to emails.

Moreover, gaining a visitors’ trust can be summed up as easy as this: don’t do, say or promote anything that you wouldn’t enjoy as a visitor yourself; and definitely do, say and help the visitor as you would. What are some examples of tactics you’ve seen web presences use to gain a visitor’s trust?

How good are you at getting your web visitors from point A to B on your website? If you haven’t thought about that question much in the past, it is definitely something to put on your to-do list now. Simply getting your web visitors from A to B can rely mostly on your web page navigation system and how it is set up. Here are some tips to keep in mind while assessing your layout.

Keep It Simple

Like so many other things in life, simple is better. Too many links in too many places can be overwhelming and confusing, so it is best to focus on what is important for your specific site’s goal. Also, extremely fancy designs for a navigation can have a similar negative effect.

Consistency is Key

The navigation menu should be the same on all of your pages. What this does is makes it quick and easy for users to find what they need instead of spending extra time trying to get re-accustomed to a new system. When that happens, you can be sure that most people will simply go back to the search engine and find another site.

Vertical vs Horizontal Navigation

When deciding the location on a web page for the navigation menus, it is best to think about the natural flow of the site. It is best to note that visitors will most likely click on items as they come in order, either left to right or top to bottom. Therefore, it is vital to organise your navigation links accordingly. Many websites include both a vertical and horizontal navigation menu on a web page, but is wise to note that the top navigation will probably be more popular than the horizontal, depending on the layout.

Be Descriptive

Be concise, but also be descriptive by choosing appropriate words. You want your visitors to know what sort of information is going to be on the page before getting there. This lessens the amount of times users have to click around to find what they are looking for.

Link Home

A good point to keep in mind is that web visitors may enter your website on any page (not just the home page). You want to keep those people interested in your site as long as possible, and easy and clear navigation with a link to the home page is essential. In addition, it’s not pleasing to make your other visitors use the back button to return home, and it can be just another annoying feature to drive them away.

Grouping

It is important to put similar navigation items near each other. For example, if your sidebar navigation system lists fantasy books, rock music, cell phones and science fiction books in that order, you might want to make sure all the book topics are together. This helps visitors to be able to keep track of what’s on offer at your site without having to jump around. If your navigation system contains sub-pages, be sure that your group subpages in logical categories as well.

Another idea to keep in mind is that of primary and secondary navigation menus. Primary navigation should include links to your main pages of interest. All others, such as the Contact or About Us pages, should be put into a secondary navigation and stressed less in the design.

Easy Access to Important Pages

Any important pages, such as your main information or selling pages, should be accessible within one click from the homepage. Pages that are hidden deep within the site are likely to get skipped over as a web visitor is generally not going to stick around for more than a couple minutes.

Avoid Linking Out

In the navigation, it is probably a bad idea to link out to external websites. If you have these external links on the main navigation, it will most likely lead to visitors quickly exiting your site, and if you’re wanting sales, clicks or loyal readers, then you want to keep your visitors on your site as long as possible.

Check for Broken Links

A broken link anywhere can be annoying to web visitors, but a broken link in the navigation can be even worse. Be sure to use a link checker to see that your site’s links are all active.

Tip:

If you use Google Analytics to track your website’s stats and traffic, they have a handy “Site Overlay” tool that can show you which links get the most clicks (in percentages) on each page. In that way, it’s easy to see where visitors tend to go next, and it can help you make better navigation plans.

Beyond Main Menus:

Navigation structures go deeper than the main navigation menus on a web page. Think about a blog that features links to the next and previous posts at the top or bottom of each article. This navigation structure is also good to think about within the content sections themselves to help guide a visitor where you want them to go.

Without proper web page navigation, it is safe to envision your web visitors as lost sheep with the attention span of a fly. Don’t assume that people will simply know where to go just because you do, and don’t assume that they will take the time to work it all out on their own. In today’s fast-paced Internet world, visitors are generally skimmers, and if they can’t get the info they need in an instant, they will simply move on to the next. I know I would. You?

If you haven’t upgraded to WordPress 3.0 yet, we definitely suggest you get on it. Upgrading this CMS not only makes your install more secure, but it also opens you up to some amazing new features. Seriously, this is one update you would be sad to miss given the number of fantastic upgrades and features. Here are some of those that should be noted.

Custom Username

On the initial install, users are given the option to choose a custom username instead of using the standard “admin”. There have been security risks associated with the past use of “admin”, so the ability to choose now makes access more secure. Passwords are also open for customisation at this time.

New Default Theme

Kubrik has been retired, and “2010″ has been installed as the default theme. One look and you will surely agree that the new default theme opens users up to a more modern blog look right from the beginning. It is also more capable of harnessing the additional 3.0 features.

Custom Headers

When navigating through the backend, you will quickly notice a cleaner and brighter appearance, but the changes go much deeper. There is now the option to choose a custom header right from the backend by either choosing one of 8 given for the default theme, or by uploading one of your own.

Custom Background

There is also the option in the backend to choose either a new background color, or for uploading a new background image without the need to play around in the code.

New Updates Menu

Any plugins or theme updates that need to take place will be notified under the Dashboard Menu, and it is good to note that plugins can be updated in bulk.

Shortlink Feature

In a world of Twittering and Facebooking, shortened links are great for saving space and keeping things tidy. WordPress 3.0 has integrated a shortlink feature right on the post page to speed up the process. The cool thing about this option is that the shortlink is given with your base domain name (great for online branding), and it looks like the post id (what would originally be displayed if you didn’t set up pretty permalinks.

Custom Post Types & Menus

If there are certain types of posts you are constantly creating that have special functions, such as adding a video or podcast, you can create a custom post type for it. They sort of act as categories for your posts, but they also give you the ability to choose certain features that should be active for that post type. In addition, users can now access these post types from menu options in the dashboard.

Multi-Site Feature

WordPress 3.0 gives you the functionality of WordPress MU by allowing multiple blogs to be run from one master install. As with many of these options above, it is not available on immediate install; you have to insert a simple line of code into your config.php file to enable the Network option underneath the Tools menu in your dashboard.

The Multi-Site feature opens up many doors for bloggers who couldn’t be bothered previously by converting to MU.

For a complete list of the new WordPress 3.0, please consult the official WordPress codex.

Have you already upgraded to 3.0? If so, what do you think of these new features.

The world of web design is constantly changing, and let’s face it: your website (the one that you spent forever designing in the first place) can age within a few years and look outdated. Keeping fresh appearances can take a lot of time and effort, but in doing so, you’ll be putting your best foot forward in a very, very long race.

If you have been thinking of doing a website redesign, it is imperative to not get carried away. Focus is key, meaning you don’t want to take away the elements that are already working well, and you don’t want to not change the ones that aren’t. Before you go about this somewhat complex process, depending on the size and structure of your current site, have a good, long think with the following points in mind.

Evaluate Your Visitors’ Needs

Your visitors are a combination of people. They could be first-time visitors, customers, blog readers and so on. It is important to think about all of these visitors when considering a redesign as each might have different needs and expectations in the site. For example, does the website act as a portal where customers can find support? Is the site’s main focus gaining new customers? Is what you’re doing now working?

More than anything, you don’t want to alienate any of your main visitors. In other words, if what you’re doing now is working, you should probably not stray away too far from that when doing the redesign. It can be confusing, shocking or off-putting to say the least to frequent visitors that have to look somewhere new. Change is good, but too much can be overwhelming.

Evaluate the Needs of Your Site Maintenance Team

If other people will be overlooking the maintenance and updates for the site in the future, it is best to consider the code structure and simplicity of the redesign. Will the individual (or team) be able to quickly understand the layout, or should careful labeling of the code be a priority?

Keep the Same URL Structure

This is an easy point to overlook when making a redesign, but you absolutely MUST have a plan for your URL structure or else disastrous events may occur (OK, maybe not disastrous). Just imagine changing a URL when people might be linking to, or bookmarking, the old one. That comes across as a dead link, and chances are that many people won’t bother taking the time to search out the updated one.

There’s also the fact that Google may have indexed the old URL, meaning any traffic you could be getting to your page via search engines will be compromised. Let’s not forget whether or not the page had a Google ranking as well.

If you are unable to do the redesign without URL changes, then it is important to make sure you install the proper redirects so that it runs without a hitch, and your site doesn’t suffer.

Keep It Simple

While fancy additions and plugins are enticing, as stated before – too much change can be overwhelming. Or, unnecessary for that matter. There’s no need to flaunt it just because you can, especially if that flaunting gets in the way of the website’s purpose. There are ways to make a website aesthetically pleasing and powerful without overdoing it with the redesign and taking away from the original vibe.

Convert to CSS

If you haven’t already, setting your website up with a CSS-based framework makes life easier when it comes to upgrades and overhauls. The CSS document will hold all of the formatting for the website’s look, so instead of combing pages and pages of code and content, you may only need to make some changes in the CSS alone. A good setup from the beginning will give future designers and developers a stronger frame to build from, and hopefully less confusion.

Think About Design Trends

One of the main reasons for a redesign is the ability to look more modern, so you have to look around to gather ideas on what is popular now, and what is on its way up. A good place for browsing is on CSS galleries — websites that showcase various website designs. It’s basically a one-stop shop for seeing what’s out there, but you have to be sure to not just steal the ideas and hard work of others in the process.

Note Theme Differences

Whether you are taking over someone else’s project, or overhauling your own, to minimise issues with the redesign, it is wise to note where features may have problems. For example, if you have images and tables that are currently set to a specific width, but the new proposed new design calls for some structural changes, perhaps the information will not display as desired. Go through and make a list of items like this in the beginning, both big and small, so there are fewer issues down the road.

Evaluate Your Logo

Does your logo also look dated and old-fashioned? While it is generally not a good idea to completely revamp your logo (it is part of your brand, after all), it is smart to touch it up when necessary. Think about Google’s recent look upgrade, which also involved slight logo changes in order to bring about a sleeker-looking design. It would simply be a shame to put out an amazing new website that is brought down by an old logo.

Design For Convenience

Perhaps there are some repetitive tasks you are having to undertake with your current website design that could be alleviated with a bit of code and scripts. During a redesign is as good a time as ever to make these sorts of changes.

Don’t Forget Your Purpose

Through all of these points, a good focus on the original purpose of the site is key. Don’t get lost in the moment and add a bunch of gadgets that have no real benefit, and don’t get caught up on the little things that really don’t matter. Your visitors will most likely thank you for sticking to the point anyway.

Tell us what you think about this article by leaving a comment.

Web hosting, bandwidth, domain names and code – where to start?! We understand that getting a website set up for the very first time can be a little on the overwhelming side for those not experienced. Choosing what’s going to work best for your needs takes into account numerous factors, but we’ve tried to make it easier with this handy guide.

The first thing on the list is a web hosting plan.

Web hosting is essential when wanting to set up a website because it acts as the place that stores the files, images and documents that make up your website. This space is basically a partition of a server (or large computer) that the Internet can have access to. Plans come in all different sizes, and they have varied features depending on your specific needs. If you aren’t planning on anything extravagant for your first website, then the more basic shared web hosting packages will probably suffice.

>> Read more in the Different Types of Web Hosting Explained.
>> Learn more about Digital Pacific’s Web Hosting Plans.

Are you debating between web hosting in Australia versus overseas? You might want to have a quick read-through of the benefits in hosting locally as opposed to internationally before making your final decision.

>> Take a look at these 5 Reasons to Choose Australian Web Hosting.

Choosing a domain name is the second essential step.

The domain name acts like an address to your web hosting account so that when a Web user enters the address, your information (website) is accessed and displayed. There are no real rules to choosing a domain name, but a little forethought can go a long way.

>> Take a look at these tips for Choosing the Right Domain Name.

With so many people getting online than ever before, you might find that your preferred domain name has already been taken. If it has, don’t worry! It just means you might have to get a bit more creative.

>> Take a look at these Creative Ways to Choose a Domain Name.
>> Learn more about domain registration through Digital Pacific.

The biggest step in getting online is deciding how to build the website.

This all depends on your personal website needs, your knowledge and your budget if you decide to have someone else do the dirty work for you.

>> Read more in How to Build a Website.

If your needs are basic, and your coding knowledge limited, there are the possibilities of using an easy Sitebuilder or installing a content management system. A CMS is generally constructed so that individuals can make updates and changes without having to deal with any sticky code.

>> Read more about
Content Management Systems – The 12 most popular requested by our customers.
>> Read more about
Drupal, Joomla! and WordPress – Which CMS to Choose?

If you do know a bit of code and are willing to sit down and do the work, then it might be worthwhile checking out some great tools that can help with the process.

>> Read more about these Awesome Tools for Coding Websites.

Finally, you will want to put the finishing touches on your site just before it goes live.

Did you forget to insert your keywords? Did you check the way it looks in different Web browsers? There are a million and one things to look at when dealing with a website, and if you want to make the best impression possible, you will want to go over all of them. However, it might not be possible to do that, so at least look at the big ones, such as spelling and grammar of the content, navigability, links and buttons.

>> Read more about 10 things you should do before your website goes live.

Of course, we can add numerous items to this guide, but these are the important ones for those that have never been online before and just want a way to make it happen quickly. After you have this all covered, you can start looking at other activities associated with having a website, such as website marketing and SEO.

As always, you can give our sales team a call (1300 MY HOST) if you have any questions on getting set up for the first time. We are always happy to help!

There’s nothing quite like launching a new website. It could be days, weeks or months in the making. Hours may have been spent combing through each and every word, perfecting the message sent across to visitors. Even more time might have been spent playing around with colours and image placement. You may think you’re ready to go live, but are you really?

Any webmaster knows there are a lot of little details that need to be looked at when putting a website up, including everything from checking the links to onpage SEO. With so much on your plate, it is easy to forget a thing or two, so here is a handy list that can be used as a reminder.

1. Create a Favicon.ico

A favicon rounds out a website’s image, providing the tiny icon that can be found in your saved bookmarks, and at the top of browser tabs. Imagine the little “t” for Twitter and the “f” for Facebook. You can create a favicon of your own, and this tutorial will tell you how to do it.

2. Research your website’s colours.

You may not realise how much your website’s colours can impact a Web visitor’s experience until you read the Choosing Website Colours guide. There is definitely more to consider in regards to your palette when you think about your target audience and the cultural meanings of colours.

3. Check your links.

Broken links are links that take you nowhere. The page can either not be found, or it never existed in the first place. The most common cause of broken links is a simple misspell, but sometimes websites switch things around, or simply close down. You should use the W3C Link Checker from time to time to make sure your links are active.

4. Validate your website.

Beyond checking links, it is imperative to check your website’s code and CSS. Simply access the W3C website and type in your URL to see if your site is up to standards.

5. Check your website in all browsers.

The joys of a multi-browser world: what looks good in one, might look completely different in another. It would be a shame to come to this realisation just before launch, so it is always best to check your work from the beginning. You can read more in this article about browser compatibility.

6. Create a robots.txt file.

A robots.txt file is located on your server and tells the search engine bots which pages to crawl (and index), and which to avoid. So, if you want non-pertinent webpages, like login pages ignored by the search engines, then this is the place to specify that. Use this guide to create a robots.txt file of your own.

7. Prevent image theft with watermarks.

If you spent a lot of time and effort getting the perfect images put together for your website, you might want to protect those images by using watermarks. In this way, if people do decided to steal your images, at least it has your watermark on it for some free marketing.

8. Set up your forms to use CAPTCHA.

Spam emails and comments that result from your website can be a huge time drain, and there’s nothing more frustrating than not being productive with your work. CAPTCHA helps to make sure the person leaving the comment or sending the email is not actually a spam bot. Read more about CAPTCHA in the article, Beating Website Spam.

9. Check your onpage SEO.

When it comes to SEO, the basics that should be addressed from the beginning include the title, meta description and meta keywords to name a few. However, SEO is not a one-time activity; the process of optimising a website for the search engines is ongoing. Get some tips and ideas in our DIY SEO Hints and Tips page.

10. Make sure you’re not driving website visitors away.

A while back, we produced a humourous blog posts about all the ways you can make visitors never want to return. Although satirical, it is always a good idea to double check and make sure you’re not committing any of these website crimes.

Get these right, and you’ll be 10 steps closer to a successful website launch. Is there anything we missed that would be helpful? Leave us a comment!

With a Digital Pacific hosting account, there’s always the opportunity to get your email hosted as well. This email is available in a webmail version at all times, but for those that want better email management, an email client is generally the way to go. Dozens of these clients are available on the market, both free and paid, so the main question is which one to choose. Here is a list of the most commonly used email clients and a little bit about them.

Email Clients for WINDOWS

Microsoft Outlook comes in a couple versions, which are Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007. These programs are generally used to managed email accounts, but they also integrate other features such as a task manager and calendar. The newer 2007 version has some additional features beyond the 2003 version, such as the ability to bring in RSS feeds and share snapshots of your calendar with others. Another change that occurred was with the rendering of code within email. Instead of reading HTML and CSS as Internet Explorer would, 2007 started to render it as Microsoft Word would. Outlook allows for the setup of POP3, IMAP4 and MAPI accounts.

Outlook 2010 is the newest version that should be hitting the market very soon. Upgrades from the 2007 version includes conversation grouping, ribbons, and a social network connector.

Outlook Express is also a Microsoft product, but it is not directly related to the previously mentioned Outlook clients. It came with the earlier version of Internet Explorer, specifically IE4 and IE6. It manages emails and news, and the address book is managed by the Windows Address Book and integrates with Windows Messenger. With the release of Vista and Windows 7, Outlook Express has been overtaken by Windows Live Mail.

Windows Live Mail is the Microsoft product that is the more advanced version of Outlook Express in more recent operating systems. It supports RSS feeds and Web email accounts, like Gmail and Yahoo.

Thunderbird is an open source email client and news manager made possible by Mozilla, the same group that brought us all the Firefox Web browser. Thunderbird was first released in 2004 as demand for an email client to go with the browser, and it remains a simple client at its base level, but can have added functionality with numerous plugins. One of the newest features to this program is tabbed emails, allowing users to flip between emails easily.

Eudora is a formerly commercial project that became open source in 2006, based on the Mozilla project. It is code-named Penelope and is available as an add-on to Thunderbird.

Opera Mail is the email and news client connected to the Opera browser. It supports POP3 and IMAP, as well as RSS feeds. Email HTML display is rendered using the Presto layout engine.

Email Clients for MAC

Mac Mail is the default email client built into the Mac operating system that proves to be useful and functional. It supports POP3, IMAP, and SMTP, as well as various webmail accounts. The most recent version has acquired the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 support.

Thunderbird also has a version for Macs. For details on Thunderbird, see section above.

Entourage is an email and information manager for the Mac operating system made by Microsoft. It includes a calendar, task list and a project manager to name a few of its features, but it appears as though it will soon be replaced by Outlook in late 2010.

As always, our list of popular clients wouldn’t be complete without asking for the personal reviews of our readers and customers. What are your thoughts on these clients? Which do you use and prefer to manage your email, calendar, tasks and more?

.