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Online Business / Hosting: Most Popular Articles

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Cheap Web Hosting Under \$10
Cheap, low cost shared Web hosting providers that are reliable options for a business website.
Find the Best Web Hosting
5 steps to find a Web hosting provider that perfectly suits the needs of your online business
11 Do-It-Yourself SEO Tricks
DIY strategies for smart usage of search keywords and keyphrases on your website.
Get the Best Web Design Work
Getting a successful website design can be tricky business. A successful project is very much the result of a good collaborative effort between both Web designer and client. Here are some tips on how to get the best work from your Web designer.
42 Most Useful Firefox Add-ons
List of 42 useful Firefox addons, sorted by functionality and work needs.
Affiliate Marketing Basics
Affiliate marketing is the business of marketing a product or service for someone else, then getting paid if visitors complete an action like fill out a form or actually purchases the product. Here are the top ten tips for successful affiliate marketing.
Where to Find Blogging Jobs
Top 10 websites where you can find paid blogging jobs.
Hiring a Web Designer
Step-by-step guide to hiring the best possible Web designer for your budget.
Brick-and-Mortar to Ecommerce
A step-by-step guide for main street retailers on how to start an ecommerce business selling goods online.
Top 10 Web Design Job Boards
Places where people can post Requests for Proposals/Quote (RFP), or where freelance Web designer can find job.
60+ Ad and Affiliate Programs
List of Advertising Networks and Affiliate Programs
Small Biz Accounting Interview
13 Questions for Quickbooks expert and small business accounting consultant Camille Wright.
5 Web Design RFP Essentials
How to Write an Effective Request for Proposal (RFP)
Forum Marketing
Participating in forums is a great way to market your online business. Forum users are generally net savvy and open to making online purchases. Many forum users are also respected experts and bloggers in the specific topics covered by the forum. Making a good impression in front of this influential audience can help you make sales and generate critical buzz for your online business.
10 Get Started Blogging Tips
Whether you want to publish a blog for fun or profit, use these 10 tips to get started on the right foot.
Firefox 3 = Best Web Browser
Firefox 3 is the best Web browser on the market due to its significant performance boost (it's blazingly fast!), new anti-phishing features, and a revolutionary user interface.
Types of Web Hosting
Overview of the types of Web hosting from the cheapest shared hosting to running your own dedicated server.
Google AdWords
Best practices for buying contextually relevant online advertising via Google AdWords.
AdWords Local
AdWords also allows you to target ads to a local audience and have your business listing appear in Google Maps searches.
5 Traits of Successful CEOs
A successful CEO (one who leads their company to its highest potential) has the following 5 traits: understands the vision, macro manages, follows industry trends, hires a strong team, and always has the customer in mind.
Monetization for Probloggers
An Interview With Lynn Truong, the Director of Sales for blog network Killer Aces Media. In this interview, we ask Lynn to share some behind the scenes tips for making money from blogging.
Online Advertising Terms
Glossary of Essential Online Advertising Terms
Web Design Contract Essentials
6 essential clauses in a Web design contract
6 Copywriting Tips
Copywriting is your website's secret weapon for customer conversion. Use these 6 strategies from Scott Fox, author of Internet Riches, for successful copywriting.
VPS Web Hosts
Top Web Hosts Specializing in VPS Hosting. VPS stands for "Virtual Private Server".
6 Benefits of Social News
In addition to the potential to drive 50,000+ page views to your website in a single day, there are several other business benefits to having a social news marketing strategy.
Contextual Ads w/ AdWords
How to run a contextually relevant, keyword targeting ad campaign on search and content sites using Google AdWords.
6 Easy Ways to Monetize a Site
Ad networks and affiliate programs that are easy to get started and use so you can monetize your blog or website quickly.
AdWords Website Placement
How to buy text or banner ads on specific websites in the Google Content Network.
Amazon Associates
How to use the many tools and options available in Amazon.com's affiliate program.
AdWords Getting Started
Google AdWords is an extensive advertising program that offers targeted campaigns shown across Google's network of sites and its millions of partner websites that display AdSense. AdWords' ability to deliver contextually relevant ads, its ease of use, and extensive reach make it a powerful marketing tool for any business.
eBay Search Tips & Tricks
Tips & tricks for mastering eBay's search engine so you can find stuff.
Web Based Invoicing Tools
Billing and invoicing websites that are easy to use and have just enough features for an individual or small team of freelancers.
DNS
Definition of DNS - The Domain Name System is like the phonebook for the Internet. DNS assigns IP addresses to domain names, so when you type in "about.com" in your browser, you are sent to the proper Web server.
Choosing a Domain Name
Tips for choosing a domain name from a domain registration expert.
5 Effective Web Writing Tips
Writing great Web copy means it's easy-to-read and scannable.
Changing E-Mail Service
Advice on changing email newsletter providers.
CPA (Cost Per Action)
Advertising pricing model where advertisers pay only when users completes a specific desired action. The action is usually a sales transaction or a registration.
Expandable Banner Ad
A banner ad that expands in size after a user clicks on it or hovers the mouse cursor over the banner.
3 Blog Revenue Streams
There are three primary revenue sources for blogs: advertising, donations and paid membership. Here are tips for using each profit vehicle.
AdWords Ad Formats
Buying image ads (banners) using Google AdWords.
5 Keys to Pay-Per-Post Success
How to Add Sponsored Posts to Your Blog Without Angering Your Readers
Top Pay-Per-Post Networks
Top 5 Pay-Per-Post Marketplaces for Selling Sponsored Blog Posts
Above the Fold
The term "Above the Fold" means the part of a webpage that visitors can see on their computer monitor without the need to scroll down.
Choosing a Web Designer
How to choose the best Web designer for your project among a sea of applications.
Affiliate Network
Affiliate networks are brokers between advertisers and individual websites.
VPS - Virtual Private Server
VPS stands for "virtual private server". When you have a VPS Web hosting plan, you are allocated a dedicated slice of system resources but share the physical hardware with other hosting clients.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
How much it costs an advertiser to show an ad 1,000 times. A $100 CPM means the advertiser paid $100 per every 1,000 times his ad appears on a website. CPM is the most common measurement of online advertising costs. Also known as cost per thousand (Mille is Latin for one thousand).
Registrar
A company that registers, sells, and manages domain names.
Blog
Definition of weblogs or blogs. Blogs are a journal-like website that displays its entries in reverse chronological order.
AdWords TV, Print, Radio Ads
Google's AdWords is experimenting with selling ad space in traditional media like print (newspapers, magazines), television, and radio.
Job Board Affiliate
Team up with job board software publishers to show relevant jobs on your website. Earn money when employers post a job and/or when job seekers apply for one.
Website Monitoring Services
Top site monitoring services that alert you when your website goes down. Some also provide uptime and response time tracking and reporting.
Social Media Overview
Overview of Social Media Including Social Bookmarking, Networking, and Marketing.
Brochureware
Websites created by publishing a company's traditional print marketing materials online. Like a brochure, such websites contain only basic information about the company and does not offer any interactive features.
Dynamic Webpage
A webpage that is created in real time, usually as an interactive response to a visitor's preferences.
IP Address
Internet Protocol address. A unique number assigned to every computer connected to the Internet. The IP address appears as a set of four numbers separated by three dots. For example 208.185.127.40.
Keyword
A word or phrase users type into search engines in order to find relevant information.
Ecommerce
Commercial transactions conducted over the Internet, such as the selling and buying of goods and services online.
Affiliate Marketing
A marketing model where a website (the affiliate) agrees to feature ads for an advertiser in exchange for a commission on the sales generated by such ads. For example, many websites generate sales leads for Amazon.com by displaying Amazon's ad banners. In return, Amazon pays these websites a percentage of the sales revenue generated by the ad banners.
CMS
Software that facilitates the creation, modification, organization, and publication of content (usually in the form of articles). Examples of CMSs include Wordpress, Movable Type, Joomla!, and Drupal.
Dedicated Server
Dedicated server Web hosting means you are renting an entire physical server for use all by yourself. Dedicated servers generally cost $200 or more.
Phishing
Phishing is a common email and Internet scam where the perpetrator tries to get your personal information including usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and home phone and address. Scams often originate as a fake but legitimate looking email from a trusted bank.
Test for Maximum Ad Revenue
Test your ad placement, design and partner programs to maximize revenue.
Landing Page
The advertiser's webpage visitors "land" on after they click on an ad. Usually the landing page will have a call to action prompting the user to sign up for a service or purchase a product.
RPM (Revenue Per Mille)
The amount of revenue a website generates per thousand page impressions. Also known as revenue per thousand (Mille is Latin for one thousand).
Drop Shipping
Retail business model where the Internet merchant does not keep an inventory of goods. The merchant will accept product orders from customers and forward those orders to a distributor or manufacturer, who will ship the product directly to the end customer.
Call To Action
Definition of Call To Action (CTA). The portion of ad copy that prompts customers to take a specific action.
Exit Page
The page from which a visitor exists a website. A website's most popular exit pages may have problems with usability, bad writing, or technical errors.
Merchant Account
A special bank account that enables merchants to accept credit card payments. You can get a merchant account from any bank.
Microblogging
Microblogging refers to the posting of very short blog-like posts.
B2C (Business to Consumer)
Commercial activity conducted between a company and an end consumer. B2C is often used to describe the retail part of Ecommerce.
MFP
Definition of MFP -- multi-function printer.
Search Engine Results Page
Definition of SERP or Search Engine Results Page
Animated Ad
A graphical ad with movement, usually generated by an interactive Java applet, flash or an animated GIF file.
FAQ
A list of answers to questions that typical new visitors to a website or online store are likely to ask. A typical FAQ may answer questions like how to contact the company, how to navigate the website, or how to return a product.
Sponsored Content
Advertising message integrated into the editorial content or placed in a special context on the webpage. Also known as content integration or Web advertorial.
Floating Ads
An ad that appears on the main browser window and floats across the top of the webpage's normal content.
Geo-targeting
The ability to target ads at users based on their geographic location. The targeting can be based on country, state, city, or postal code. Geo-targeting is an important tool for local small businesses that wants to run focused, cost-effective ad campaigns.
Back End
Behind-the-scenes technology that powers a technical system such as a website.
Clickthrough
A clickthrough occurs when a user clicks on an ad and gets successfully redirected to the advertiser's website.
Contextual Advertising
Advertising designed to be related to a website's content. For example, placing presidential campaign ads on a political blog is a form of contextual advertising.
CPC (Cost Per Click)
Advertising pricing model where advertisers pay by the number of times visitors click on an ad. A typical range is 5 cents to $1 per click. Also known as pay-per-click.
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
The graphical front end of a software or website that makes it easier to use.
Insertion Order
A purchase order that specifies the terms and conditions for a specific online advertising campaign.
Autoresponder
An "autoresponder" is a tool that automatically sends a pre-written email in response to an incoming email, often used to acknowledge receipt of a message.
How to Write a Web Design RFP
Where to send your Web design RFP to find the best talent.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer)
A commonly used protocol for securing the transmission of confidential data (such as credit card numbers) through the Internet.
Text Link Ad
A text ad with a link to the advertiser's website. The link usually includes the name of the advertiser or a call to action.
Browser
Short for Web browser. Software used to view websites on the Internet. Popular browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla, Opera, and Safari.
Domain Name
The unique name that identifies a website on the Internet.
Belkin F5L009
Review of the Belkin F5L009 Network Attached 5-Port USB Hub
Aggregated Content
Content -- such as articles, videos or images -- gathered from various sources and presented on one website.
Banner Ad
Banners are graphical ads that links to an advertiser's website.
Shopping Cart
The software used to create an online storefront. Shopping carts keep track of items visitors have ordered, allows visitors to add or remove items, and facilitates the payment for the selected items through a checkout process.
Social Networking
Social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook let people with similar interests interact online.
SEO
Strategies used to improve a website's ranking on search engine results pages for specific keywords and phrases.
5 Online Marketplaces
Where to Sell Physical Goods Online
Information Architecture
The organization and structure of information on a website. In particular, the organization of a website's pages using directories and subdirectories.
Privacy Policy
A website's written statement that explains what personal information is collected by the site and how that information will be used.
Referrer
When users visits your website by clicking on a link from another website, that linking website is considered a referrer.
Server
A computer connected to the Internet that is especially designed to host websites and make them accessible online.
Keyword Density
The number of times a keyword appears on a webpage. Achieving the ideal keyword density will help draw search engine traffic for that specific keyword.
Pop-Up Ad
Definition of pop-up advertising.
HTML
The primary computer language used to create websites on the World Wide Web.
Dedicated Hosting
An advanced form of Web hosting where the hosting company dedicates a single server to an individual customer.
Spyware
Software installed on computers (usually without the user's permission) used to track an Internet user's surfing habits.
Cookie
A small file websites leave on its visitors' computers. Cookies allow websites to identify each user as an unique individual. Websites use this information to provide customized content, track traffic patterns, and identify usage habits among its visitors.
COPPA
US federal law which regulates the online collection of personal information from children under the age of 13. COPPA specifies a website's responsibility for the protection of children's privacy and safety online, such as how to draft and display the website's privacy policy, and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent. For more information, visit COPPA.org.
Exit Strategy
A plan for making a profitable exit from a business venture. For online businesses, exit strategies often involve the founders selling the company or taking the company public.
Meta Tags
Information stored in the HTML that provides additional details about a webpage, such as its keywords and descriptions.
Search Engine
Websites that allow users to search for information online using keywords or phrases.
Spam
Unsolicited advertisements usually in the form of emails, blog comments, or forum postings.
Contributor Profiles
Profiles of contributors to the About.com Online Business / Hosting guide site.
B2B (Business to Business)
Commercial activity conducted between two businesses, as opposed to between a business and an end consumer.
Bandwidth
The total amount of data that can be downloaded from your website each month. Your hosting company will usually set a bandwidth limit and charge you a penalty fee for exceeding that limit.
CRM
Business tools and strategies used by companies to better attract, service, and retain customers.
Front End
User interface that allows a visitor to interact with a website's features.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
One of the most common methods for transferring files online. It is a popular way for webmasters to upload and download files from their Web servers.
Analytics
Statistical analysis of the behavior of a website's visitors, such as where they came from, what information they were looking for, how they navigate around the website, and whether they performed a desired action (e.g. purchase a product or register for an account). The results of such analysis is used to determine whether a website is achieving its business objectives.
Interstitial Ad
An ad page that appears before the user-requested page is displayed. Also known as a splash page or transition ad.
Hit
A hit is a single file request from a website's visitor to the server hosting the website. When a visitor accesses a single webpage, he may download several image, text, or CGI files. Because one visitor viewing a webpage may trigger multiple hits, hits are not considered a precise measurement of traffic.
Page View
The measurement of how often a webpage is displayed to visitors. Each time a webpage is displayed to a visitor is considered one page view.
Pay Per Click (PPC)
Advertising pricing model where the advertiser pays Web publishers based on the number of times visitors click on an ad.
Pixel
Tiny dots that make up a digital image. It is commonly used as a unit of measurement for Web design and advertising.
Enterprise
Large businesses and organizations. For example, "enterprise software" refers to software designed for large business customers.
Internet Service Provider
A business that provides users access to the Internet, usually through DSL, cable, or dial-up telephone lines.
Portal
A website that acts as a gateway to other sites on the Internet. Portals often provide directories, search engines, free email accounts, and personalized news.
Stickiness
Measurement of how long visitors stay on a website. The most sticky websites usually feature highly compelling content and popular interactive elements.
Online Business / Hosting - StepBySteps
An index of StepBySteps for the Online Business / Hosting guide site.
RSS
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication
Monetize
The process of converting a website's traffic into money.
Pop-Under Ad
An ad that pops into a separate browser window that remains hidden until the visitor closes his current window.
Flame
An insulting online message. A series of flames are known as flame wars.
Flash
A popular technology developed by Adobe used to deliver animation, video, and various interactive elements on a website.
Conversion Rate
The rate at which visitors are "converted" from viewing an ad to taking a desirable action on an advertiser's website. The desired action might be buying a product, registering for a membership, opting into a mailing list, or subscribing to an RSS feed.
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