Bandit Media http://banditmedia.com Simple, Beautiful Website Design Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:10:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Our Quick Guide To Choosing A Web Host http://banditmedia.com/2009/05/bandits-quick-guide-to-choosing-a-web-host/ http://banditmedia.com/2009/05/bandits-quick-guide-to-choosing-a-web-host/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 15:00:17 +0000 admin http://banditmedia.com/?p=135

Many times, businesses and individuals are sorely disappointed with their web hosts. They open their accounts optimistically, hoping for the best, later to realize that their needs aren’t being met.

So, how do you choose a web host that can reliably support your website as it grows? Below, I’ll explain how to compare hosting providers so you can confidently choose a plan that won’t leave you disappointed.

What Features Do You Need?

Before you begin researching web hosts, you should have a clear grasp of the features and options you’ll need. How much bandwidth and disk space will you need? How many websites do you plan to manage? Will you need to install blogs? How many visitors does your site receive a day?

You may not know the answers to these questions or where to start to find the answers. In this case it is best that you speak directly with several web hosting companies as they can help you to better determine your needs.

How Much Can You Afford?

Once you have identified the features you’ll need, review your budget. With web hosts, you’ll often get what you pay for. A hosting provider that offers “unlimited” hosting for $3 a month should raise a red flag. Many of these hosts “oversell” their servers, expecting that most of their clients will only utilize a small percentage of the resources offered.

By contrast, a hosting package that offers 100% uptime through server redundancy, along with every option you could possibly want may cost $100 per month or more. The greater your needs, the more you can expect to pay. We recommend starting small with a host that allows you to grow as your needs do.

Customer Service And Support

Customer service and timely response to support tickets are often overlooked by webmasters when they’re looking for a hosting provider. Expect consistent support around the clock. Ideally, you’ll be able to call your hosting provider during normal business hours and submit support tickets 24 hours a day. Further, response to your support tickets should be reasonably quick.

Experience And Client Base

Unfortunately, it’s very easy to establish a web hosting company. There are thousands of hosting providers that were created on a whim and are poised to disappear at the first hint of trouble. You should choose a hosting provider that has a long history of servicing a consistent client base. There are hundreds of web hosts that have been in business for several years and have consistently provided great service. The company’s longevity should be a significant factor in your choice.

Conclusion

Selecting the right web host is a process. It shouldn’t be done haphazardly. Review your needs (current and future) and your budget. Then, judge hosting providers based upon their customer service, support, and experience with serving a longstanding client base. It’s the most effective way to find a dependable host who won’t disappoint you. Web Hosting Talk is a great place to start as the forums are full of web hosting recommendations and answers to many of the web hosting questions that you may have.

]]> http://banditmedia.com/2009/05/bandits-quick-guide-to-choosing-a-web-host/feed/ Why Content Is The Most Important Part Of Your Website http://banditmedia.com/2009/05/the-most-important-part-of-your-website/ http://banditmedia.com/2009/05/the-most-important-part-of-your-website/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 15:00:35 +0000 admin http://banditmedia.com/?p=54

The most important part of your website is your content. Your content serves several purposes and most importantly it gives your website a voice. It is the easiest way to interact with your website visitors 24 hours 7 days a week. Your website visitors will have a specific goal or objective and your content can help them achieve it.

Creating content is not as hard you may think. Take a look at some of our suggestions below to get a head start.

Answer Questions

People are constantly searching for answers to questions. Quite often it is the same question asked repeatedly by many different individuals. Answering common questions helps you to build a reputation as an expert in a particular area.

Clear and concise answers will

  1. Bring people back to your website in the future
  2. Will cause other website owners to link to you, and
  3. Help you receive word of mouth referrals from those that found your answers useful.

Give Advice

Before purchasing a product or signing up for a service many individuals will seek out the advice of others. It helps to ease their mind when making a decision by either affirming or denying their beliefs. Just be sure that you stand behind the product or service you are recommending.

For example, we highly recommend the Thesis WordPress theme. The theme is used on this site and quite frequently in websites that we develop. Our use of the product only enhances our recommendation and your belief in Bandit Media as a trustworthy source for information.

Share Your Opinion

Contrary to popular belief many people do care about what you think. How many times have you asked a friend or family member for their opinion on a particular topic? Sharing your opinion helps to create a conversation through your website while establishing a rapport with your readers.

Now take a second to think about why you just read an article on a subject that has been covered repeatedly on the web. Were you interested in our opinion? :D

]]> http://banditmedia.com/2009/05/the-most-important-part-of-your-website/feed/ The Cheapest And Quickest Way To Create A Website http://banditmedia.com/2009/04/the-cheapest-and-quickest-way-to-create-a-website/ http://banditmedia.com/2009/04/the-cheapest-and-quickest-way-to-create-a-website/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:00:59 +0000 admin http://banditmedia.com/?p=26

hammerAs a website design company there are many times when an individual or business has contacted us stating they need someone to design a “cheap” website. Cheap usually ends up meaning free and the statement is usually followed by - “There will definitely be more work for you later and I will take care of you as soon as my business takes off.”

Thanks to amazing advancements in technology you can DIY and with minimal technical skills. We are assuming that you at least own a domain name. If not, we recommend purchasing one from NameCheap (we really like them) or GoDaddy. Afterwards, follow the steps below.

The Super Quick (and Free) Method

Note: No domain needed. Just be sure to select the Gimme a blog! option.

  1. Signup for an account at WordPress.com

That’s it! People can now visit your website at http://username.wordpress.com

The Quick And Highly Recommended Method

  1. Download the latest version of WordPress and upload to your web host
  2. Create a MySQL database and MySQL user on your web host
  3. Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php
  4. Enter your database name and MySQL username and password in your wp-config.php file
  5. Visit your website and install WordPress

For some, the steps above may seem intimidating and even complicated. We promise it is not difficult and you should take the time learn these basic steps. There are plenty of resources on the web to help you along the way. If you need a little extra help, we suggest starting here. Enjoy creating your website!

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