Tag: Growth

Hostnames and domains are integral to the internet’s domain name system (DNS). However, subdomains have become increasingly vital for website owners to serve the growing needs of their audiences.

As a child of the parent domain, subdomains are a separate but useful part created to offer specialized features or functionality.

For instance, while the domain is your primary website, you can offer users a blog under a subdomain, just like blog.duolingo.com. And since a subdomain is an extension of a regular domain, it appears on the left side of the hostname in the URL.

Subdomains can also be used strategically by operations, marketing, and technical support to organize your website’s content into different, user-relevant sections.

For instance, nytimes.com leveraged a subdomain to establish a dedicated cooking section for its readers.

What Is a Subdomain Name?

In simple terms, a subdomain name is the title associated with sub-websites created under a website’s main domain, but let’s back up a bit.

A domain represents a website’s core, where its primary functions are centralized. A domain is equivalent to the hostname or URL we enter into a browser to reach a website, like Google (google.com) or Quick Sprout (quicksprout.com). To acquire a domain, you must register the name with a domain registrar.

When internet users go to navigate to your website, the domain name system (DNS) uses domain pointing and lookups, eventually translating the domain name into the IP address of the host server…

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If you’re new to the website building game, there isn’t a better place to start than with Wix. Everything about this website builder is designed to make it fast and easy to create amazing websites—even for first-time users.

The best part is that this ease of use doesn’t come at the expense of customization. Wix is one of the most versatile site builders out there, giving you tons of options and templates to bring your vision to life. No matter what you have in mind, it’s easy to create amazing websites with Wix, just like these.

For artist and photographer Sharon Radisch, visual presentation of their work is essential. The choice to skip text on their homepage in favor of images is what makes this site work. Imagery is front and center.

No white space, no distractions.

When you land on this page, you intuitively know this page is about artistry in some form or another.

What works especially well here is that when you scroll over each image, you’re invited to learn more about each category of the artist’s work. That, too, is minimalist and streamlined, with a pop of yellow replacing the image and a clean, simple font for the one or two word category descriptors. The three line icon at the top of the page keeps with the minimalist approach and is a clever way to give the viewer quick access to the site menu.

This approach is ideal for anyone creating a website to show their photography or visual design work.

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To build a successful website, you need to start with a solid foundation—a reliable and reputable web hosting provider. Without one, you risk excessive downtime, slow page loading speeds, and even security threats.

This guide introduces and makes a side-by-side comparison of two of the most popular web hosts. Read on to discover the right web host for your unique needs.

Hostinger vs. Bluehost Compared to the Best

Hostinger and Bluehost were both among our favorites in our review of the best web hosting providers. They both deliver in all the key areas, like uptime, speed, security, and ease of use—but Bluehost came out on top. We did the research and can confidently recommend Bluehost for most web hosting needs. Get started today for just $2.95.

While Bluehost holds the top spot in our rankings, Hostinger ranks fourth on our list. We recommend Hostinger for people who want to lock in the best long-term deal. With plans starting at just $1.99 per month with a 48-month contract, Hostinger lets you secure four years of quality hosting for less than $100—which you won’t find elsewhere.

HostGator ranks second on our list of the best web hosts. It’s the best option for websites that plan to grow quickly, as HostGator makes it easy to accommodate scaling traffic without breaking the bank. The entry-level shared plan supports roughly 10,000 monthly visits (which is on par with our other top picks). But the mid-tier plan can handle up to 100,000 monthly visits, and the top-tier shared plan supports a whopping 400,000 monthly visits—for just $5.99 and $7.99 per month, respectively.

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When it comes to promoting your brand online to other businesses, straightforward and streamlined is a solid approach. People buying products and services for their own business usually want to cut to the chase. They don’t have time to sift through flashy features or complicated functionality to find the information they need.

Knowing this, you want the website you’re creating to showcase your product or service, not get in the way of it. A website visitor should understand within seconds what you offer and how your solution meets their needs. Here are some great B2B websites that do just that.

Nextiva is all about business communications. It’s a pretty meaty topic that can quickly overwhelm a business owner trying to find a solution to keep their teams connected.

Nextiva knows this and counters the complexity with a simplified website that takes the guesswork out of what they offer and how their products and services solve a business need.

A site visitor immediately knows exactly what Nextiva offers—a simplified approach to managing all business communications.

There’s a crystal clear headline that calls out their simplified approach and a one-sentence description that explains who and how they help do it. The accompanying graphic reinforces the message with a clean, easy-to-understand breakdown of the different ways Nextiva can help.

The menu is also concise and covers all the essentials with just four choices. The contact telephone number is easy to find. The call to action of Get Started is also prominently displayed. Most importantly, Nextiva makes it simple to find out pricing, a key influencer for many businesses searching for solutions.

This simplified approach carries through across the entire Nextiva site. No matter which…

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There are several factors that go into figuring out the cost of a VoIP system, so we’re going to break it down for you.

The cost of a physical phone is the first factor to consider, as costs can range between $100 to $1,000 depending on the phone type. Don’t need a phone? Softphone software can place calls directly through your internet connection, eliminating the need for a physical phone entirely.

Next, you’ll need to sign up for a standard hosting system. If you elect for on-premise hosting, costs can range from $500 to $1,500 per agent per month. Upfront hardware installation can average to about $500.

You can also opt for a cloud-based call center software that can operate remotely. This is often a more affordable option, with services ranging between $20 to $300 per month per agent.

So in short, you can customize the cost of your VoIP system to your budget pretty easily, which makes it accessible for businesses of all sizes.

Of course, there are plenty of other factors to consider when pricing out your VoIP system, from additional accessories to the best call center software features. So let’s take a look at how much each of these factors could potentially cost.

The Most Common VoIP Pricing Structures

Here are some common pricing structures you’ll come across, with tips on when it makes the most sense to go with each option.

Unlimited plans with monthly fees

This pricing structure offers a monthly fixed rate for unlimited minutes every month. This is best for businesses with high call volumes like outbound sales teams or large customer service departments.

The benefit of this plan is that you know exactly how much you’ll be paying each month, making it easier to budget. However,…

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Website privacy policies may not be the hottest topic in the business world—or any world for that matter—but if you’re a website owner, you should at least be aware of them and what they do.

A website privacy policy is a document that tells visiting users how the website will collect, store, and use whatever personal information they share with it.

By law, any website that collects user data is required to have a privacy policy. However, despite how it’s an obligation, it can also be an opportunity. That’s because having a credible privacy policy can also create transparency and build trust among users.

Who Needs a Website Privacy Policy?

If you own or are planning to build a website, the answer to the above question is probably you.

Every website collects personal information. Even if you’re not collecting obvious personal details like names or email addresses, you’re still receiving traffic with other information like IP addresses.

If you plan to use third-party apps from companies like Google, Meta, and Apple on your website, you’ll need a privacy policy to stay compliant while you use their services.

As for the public sector, no overarching federal law in the United States applies to internet privacy policies, but a collection of federal, state, and international regulations requires anyone who owns a website to have a privacy policy.

Here’s an overview of the internet privacy laws that require U.S. website owners to have privacy policies in place:

No Privacy Policy? No Bueno.

Not having a privacy policy displayed on your site can have major consequences.

First of all, privacy disputes can erode customer trust, disrupt sales cycles, and lead to negative media coverage.

Second, if someone discovers you’ve collected data or shared their information without their knowledge,…

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It’s probably obvious that investing in your website’s aesthetics and user experience is vital for retaining visitors and boosting conversions. What’s not so obvious, however, is how Google’s search ranking algorithm actually rewards content that provides users with a good page experience.

That said, even if you’re a small business on a tight budget, there are plenty of templates that can help you create a stunning website—and you’ll never have to splurge on expensive web designers or waste time building your website from scratch.

With just a few tweaks and customizations to the following themes and templates from today’s top website builders and web hosts, your small business can have an awesome website that reaps conversions and earns the top spots in search engine results pages.

1. Astra – Local Business

Start building this website design on Hostinger.

Astra is a WordPress theme used by over 2 million websites. It has hundreds of highly customizable templates catering to specific industries and use cases such as restaurants, online stores, SaaS app companies, and more. All you need to do is to add your own images and write your own copy.

One of the standouts is the Local Business template, which nails down most web design best practices right off the bat. Its navigation menu is simple, the CTA buttons are clear and pop out, and it offers plenty of space to show off your business with images.

Moreover, the template also makes it super easy to show…

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Let’s cut to the chase, SMS messages and texts are the same thing. The only difference is that text messaging is an umbrella term for different messaging types—including SMS, MMS, and even OTT messaging services.

When you send a message via your phone using its cellular network, the text can either be an SMS or an MMS.

SMS stands for Short Message Service. It’s typically limited to 160 characters per message and includes only text. In contrast, an MMS or Multimedia Message Service lets you send videos, images, and audios—as well as longer texts of up to 1,600 characters.

But there’s a catch with MMS too, because it’s much costlier than sending SMS texts. In fact, some network providers or devices don’t even support MMS. If they do, they may not support all file types and sizes.

While most businesses opt to choose both these messaging types, it’s crucial to understand which will work best for yours so you can keep costs down while reaching your target audiences the right way.

Despite how the tech behind texting is decades old, it would be wrong to assume that it’s not relevant anymore. That’s because text messages have a 98% open rate, even in 2023.

Thus, it’s no wonder that 52% of marketers plan to increase their SMS marketing budget when they can.

Essentially, SMS marketing is a great way to keep customers in the loop. Since text messages are to-the-point with no room for frills, you don’t need an extra resource to help you come up with catchy wording. They’re also inexpensive, and delivered immediately.

MMS, on the other hand, may require a designer to help with the images or videos in the message. This type of messaging also requires a reasonable data…

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Wi-Fi calling enables voice communication anywhere you have access to the internet, including areas where the cellular signal is weak or unavailable. This is an ideal solution for people who live in rural locations, adventurers working in remote destinations, and those who simply have trouble finding cell service in underground office spaces or other dead zones.

The concept of Wi-Fi calling is fairly straightforward, offering a means of making or receiving phone calls and texts using an internet connection rather than cell networks. In most locations—including areas with poor Wi-Fi—the internet still proves more reliable and consistent than cell service capabilities, resulting in fewer dropped calls.

The majority of service providers don’t charge an additional fee for using Wi-Fi calling, and it won’t use up your available mobile data. Still, it’s important to note that these conversations use your phone plan’s allotment of minutes in the same way they would as regular calls.

If your cell carrier and specific device support the feature, you can enable Wi-Fi calling on iPhone or Android devices with the simple tap of a finger anytime you have access to a strong internet signal. Once it is switched on, your device will automatically route calls and/or texts through the strongest network available between Wi-Fi and cellular.

How Does Wi-Fi Calling Work?

Making and receiving Wi-Fi calls feels exactly the same as making a regular cell phone call—the main difference lies in how the signal travels.

When you make a call using the cellular network, your voice travels as a signal along a series of cell phone towers between you and the other party. When you make a Wi-Fi call using the same device, your voice is converted into a digital signal that travels over the broadband internet network using Voice over…

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