Benefits of Cloud Web Hosting for Businesses

Doing business online is the new trend. The online businesses need the best hosting for their websites in order to perform well. In the past, individuals and businesses opted for shared hosting or dedicated hosting for their websites. In the recent past cloud hosting has been gaining popularity. This is a type of web hosting that has been adopted by large internet sites like Google and Amazon. Small businesses are also beginning to adopt cloud hosting due to the benefits that come with it. With cloud hosting, the resources for hosting websites are across a group of servers that work together which is the cloud. It comes with many benefits for businesses.

Benefits of Cloud Web Hosting For Businesses

Reliability is the main benefit that comes to the fore. This is brought by relying on many servers as opposed to one. As such, if one server malfunctions or breaks down, the other steps in and picks the slack. Using cloud hosting ensures your online business enjoys excellent uptime levels and completely minimizes downtime. The high quality servers cannot be afforded by individual businesses but cloud hosting makes it possible for businesses to use them.

The other advantage of using cloud hosting is bandwidth. With other hosting plans, if your website suddenly attracts a high level of traffic, it slows down thus affecting customer experience. In the case of cloud hosting, when this happens, another server provides extra resources instead of slowing down the site and reducing performance. This is good for your business as visitors will not experience problems with the website loading slowly and performing poorly. If you have a small business, you are guaranteed that even when its web traffic grows, the hosting plan will adapt to that.

Cloud hosting is also affordable and cheap when compared to other types of hosting such as dedicated hosting. The prices have been falling over the years. Many hosting companies only charge for the amount of resources the hosted website uses. This makes it affordable for small businesses which may not raise the high charges that may be applicable. It also benefits those who use their resources well.

Another on of the advantages of cloud web hosting for businesses is collocation. Having the servers at a distant location saves time and space for businesses. The servers are maintained by the cloud web hosting company and the IT team in the business is thus able to concentrate on other important matters in the running of the business. With the world focusing on green campaigns, cloud web hosting plays a crucial role since few servers are used meaning little energy is consumed.

Cloud web hosting also ensures that security of data is guaranteed. It would be catastrophic for a business to lose its data as it could even collapse. Backing up your data in the office can be good but is risky. Losing your back up server or tapes would be disastrous. With cloud web hosting, all your data is backed up in a secure location.

Cloud web hosting is advantageous to businesses. It is reliable, secure, cheap and easy to manage. A business saves a lot through the use of cloud hosting and the security and integrity of its data is not comprised. Its reliability means the business is available online at all times and it is performing well. If you are looking for the right type of hosting for your online business, cloud web hosting is the right plan to choose.

Why Your Company Needs Digital Asset Management

Digital Asset Management is a technology that creates digital media central repository. The DAM systems permit one to archive, organize, distribute and access digital content collections like images, video, documents, and some other creative files.
Several businesses and companies are now beginning to realize their digital assets' value and the need for a system to manage them efficiently. DAM has grown partly due to the large quantity of digital assets for interaction daily. As the quantity of digital assets increase, the need to manage them effectively also increases. With the lack of an appropriate system in place for digital asset management, companies go through a number of problems like lost productivity and time, confusion and chaos, and continuous search for good assets or repurchasing/recreating misplaced files. If you asking yourself; "Why does my company need digital asset management?" Here are some of the major benefits of Digital Asset management to a Company.

Why Does My Company Need Digital Asset Management?

Efficiency

In several organizations, a lot of time is spent hunting files on the discs, workstations, email, file servers, and the FTP sites. The best part about DAM is that it offers you an opportunity to rapidly get assets depending on the search question. DAM systems create a centralized asset index to aid in finding assets fast. You just require searching in a single place because this system's database is centralized, and there are instantaneous search results; since the search is conducted on an optimized and indexed database. Other kinds of file searches may just index local volumes rather than network locations, or gradually display the search results since the folders are examined one-by-one for any matching results.
After asset location, more efficiency is acquired because metadata is readily available for comprehending more information concerning the asset. The DAM systems provide prompt file processing choices that enhance efficiency by the conversion of the formats of files or automation of image manipulation jobs.

Cost reduction

Together with significant labor savings, DAM may lower the costs by removing the necessity for the recreation of "lost" assets. Some cost savings may be realized by tracking information on the rights usage in the system to avoid any improper fee related to usage, violations of license, and any compliance issues.

Increase revenue

DAM may aid in monetizing assets by enabling asset licensing or sale. DAM offers a managing image collection method, back-end database for driving eCommerce solution and creative asset and stock photography databases for tracking pricing, regions, licensing terms, and some sale information. The DAM even increases revenue by bringing products to the market much more quickly with enhanced access to images and other documents for product creation and service delivery.

Usage and Brand continuity

A company's popularity is majorly determined by the visual brand. Therefore, it is critical that the visual elements like artwork, logos, and collateral are employed correctly and consistently. DAM systems ensure that the latest and right brand assets become available easily and prevent the use of unapproved or expired brand materials.

Customer service

This may be improved by reducing turnaround time for digital media delivery. This might include automatic brochure generation for potential customers or offering an image download for internal clients in departmental sales.

Open Source Web Content Management Trends to Watch for in 2013

The amount of change is breathtaking when Open Source Web Content Management Trends to Watch for in 2013 are considered. Users are getting used to touch screens and not only on mobile devices. With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft uses the same OS across a variety of devices, from mobile phone and tablets to desktop devices. Enhancements in Open Source CMS take into account not only mobile but tactile experiences. These facts, coupled with increased consumer behavior buying trends set the bar high and pave the way for the surprises 2013 has for the Open Source world. A list of trends is presented next:


1) Responsive Web Design Made Easier.

Many great changes in Open Source CMS are happening on the front end. A strong trend is standardizing the use of responsive web design. This trend arises from the pressing need for a website to look good on a variety of screen devices. Many core changes, add ons and APIs will be created to make this design shift easier. The most common resolution used to be 1024x768 pixels, now 320x480, 480x320, 768x1024, 1024x768 and 1680x1050 are the most usual, hence the need for integrating it directly into the system capabilities to make the transition smoother. If this trends comes to fruition it's a win/win situation because designers and developers have better tools and their reach makes consumers have a better experience therefore achieving business results faster.


2) Improved default Social Media Interaction.

Among the Open Source Web Content Management Trends to Watch for in 2013 is the growing popularity of open source itself. Coupling this fact with the gigantic social media growth it makes sense to standardize ways for developers and designers to add social media specs to websites and apps. This is made possible by making it easier to embed content from these social hubs. Extra support for Instagram, oEmbed, Tumblr, SoundCloud, Slideshare and other players, new and established, follows the internet bias of making information accessible at an exponential rate, therefore it is a strong trend.


3) Dramatic Publishing Improvements.

The amount of content published on the web per minute is astonishing. Printed content is also being repurposed to appear online and since Open Source CMS fuels much of the digital revolution, content publishing is always a pressing need for developers to improve. Among the Open Source Web Content Management Trends to Watch for in 2013 many improvements will be found in the areas of workflow and collaboration with the use of social not only for content consumers but for content creators. Multi-language capabilities out of the box will change the reach of informational and persuasive written communications. These technological advancements in Open Source CMS are driving major changes for the world at large due to increased preference by the general population for digital media instead of other channels.


These trends are strong and not only fads because they connect with the digital issues influencing the world right now. Although Open Source is driven by software improvements, these improvements themselves are influenced by hardware innovations and shifting consumer preferences. The rate of change increases exponentially for the Open Source world, all that is needed to test this assumption is comparing the specs from a few years ago to what is possible now. No doubt the near future will bring more surprises.

Why Your Website Needs a Web Content Management System in 2013

Why your website needs a web content management system in 2013 is a critical topic for many small and large companies. With all of the innovations in technology today, business owners and their representatives must be able to operate their companies, while also ensuring their websites are maintained well and up-to-date with engaging content.

Previously, companies could have a simple website constructed and published by a professional web designer and it was ready for doing business online. Today, companies are finding the development and the maintenance of these sites more complex and time-consuming. Which means, they need additional tools to accommodate the new growing demand. To ensure a site does well in the face of growing competition, the business owners will need a website content management system if they want to compete aggressively in the industry that they are in.

Why Your Website Needs a Web Content Management System in 2013, can be answered by the responses listed below:

Content management systems make it easy to maintain the site. Once the web developer has designed a site for a business owner, the maintenance duties and responsibilities is often done by another individual in the company. These duties normally involve adding, modifying and deleting content from the site. Therefore, keeping viewers of these sites engaged is often a time-consuming responsibility. To reduce the time involved in these processes, the changes must be easy and simple to perform, especially if the site owner does not want to pay a developer to maintain the site.

Enterprise content management systems reduce the need for paying professional software developers. The competition in today's business environment is stiff. Keeping a competitive edge involves a wide variety of different things including keeping expenses down. This is one of the reasons why many companies have outsourced various kinds of functions like software development. As a result, software developers are hired for the design and the development of these sites but they transfer the maintenance duties to others that have less skill sets. Which means, the maintenance duties that they pass to others must be simple to do. Content management systems help to fill in these gaps by making the transfer easier. The person that performs these duties can make the essential changes by using user-friendly content management systems and other associated software tools.


Built-in Features

Even though the owners of these sites are normally inundated with various kinds of content management software, they can choose a system that is best for them when they consult with the professional that designed the site. By consulting with a professional, they can choose the right built-in features as they move forward. For instance, there are some features that's standard in most systems, since they are needed for basic functionality. However, the software developer may also assist the business owner by recommending other essential features that can be customized.


Security

With any content management system, security is always on the top of the list. The security for these sites must be easy to modify and maintain, especially if the owner of site expects to protect the customer and client information that they have secured. Security is also complex because it involves content approval, authenticating various protocols and validating emails. Therefore, it is important for the security in CMS to be the best available on the market. It should also be easy for others to use, specifically when they fear other are hacking into their site.

Common Web Design Mistakes That Businesses Make

The design of a website will give a potential client the first impression about the business that owns the site. If it is appealing and functional, the customer will likely proceed to use it, otherwise he or she will turn away out of disappointment or mistrust. Here are the five web design mistakes that most businesses make.

1. Mass Targeting

Businesses are always looking for a way to increase their website traffic and page view but some of them do it in the wrong way by targeting everyone. All websites need to start the design process with a particular kind of visitor in mind. In this regard, the design process should put an emphasis on what that particular visitor or user will find useful and attractive on the website. If the website's design targets different kinds of people, some of its characteristics will displease some people.

2. Failing to involve experts in the design

Some business owners are frugal with their web design and try to minimize all design related costs. They choose to make their own websites even though they lack the necessary knowledge on user experience. In the end, they end up with average website looks and feel that fail to make a good impression.

3. Relying on a unique navigation

When users go to websites, they expect to find navigation links on the menu or on the sidebar. An attempt to make the website fancy by interfering with the universally accepted design framework will only lead to a frustrated user experience. At any time, a user needs to know where he or she is on a website and where to go for the content they seek.

4. Failure to direct users

The most critical factor for a business is the conversion of visitors into clients. A website must compel its visitors to do something while they are on the site. This is a 'call to action'. Most business owners provide rich content about their business but forget to tell the potential customer what they should do after interacting with the content. To forget a call to action message is the same as to let a customer enter a physical store and leave without talking to any staff. Users need direct instructions but instead, most web owners make them work and think too hard to understand the website's design.

5. Poor presentation of content

It is true that the content of a website attracts visitors and keep them returning to the site. A mistake that business owners make is to stuff content instead of arranging it in an easy to digest way. The overcrowding of content makes it hard for people to scan a website and decide whether it is relevant for their needs.

A business website is a huge investment. It needs a proper design to make it serve its intended purpose of providing visitors an opportunity to build relationships with the web owner. By using the above common mistakes for making websites made by businesses as a checklist, you can go on to build relationships with customers in an engaging way. This will result to good prospects for your business.

How to Integrate E-commerce and Content Management Systems

E-commerce software enables business to reach new heights in the online market place by presenting buyers with a seamless shopping and payment experience. Nevertheless, without content management systems (CMS), businesses cannot attract and retain web visitors that eventually convert into customers. One way of increasing the conversion rates of visitors into customers is by providing them with a smooth user experience while they shop. This discussion below explains how you can integrate e-commerce and content management systems on your website.

Provide a link to a standalone e-commerce software

The simplest way to have e-commerce functionality to your CMS would be by creating a link on the content to direct visitors to your online shop. You will have to install the software separately on your server and assign it a sub domain name. This method of integration provides a limited option of you to influence the experience of your visitor as they transition from your content to the e-commerce software that powers your online shop. For example, it may not be possible to change the appearance of the online shop so that it matches your website's look.

Use e-commerce plugins on your CMS

A simple and effective way is the use plugins for e-commerce that are available on the support site of every major CMS. Plugins make it possible to have components of e-commerce join in the core of the CMS so that you can manage your online store in the same way you would manage your content. The plugins covert every item on sale into a piece of content that is retrievable from the CMS database using keyword, tags, date and category. Users can therefore search for it or use relevant navigation links to find the product and its descriptions. The CMS will also allow you to include additional details such as reviews and customer feedback. The CMS will then direct users to the payment processing engine of the e-commerce software, whenever the users need to make a purchase.

Make php code adjustments to your CMS

A complicated way of integrating your e-commerce with CMS is by writing the code. This option gives you the freedom to come up with a look and feel that you desire for your website. It lets you discard e-commerce components that you don't need on your website, as well as create custom designs and functions. Writing your own scripts on the CMS files could be the only way for large websites to offer e-commerce solutions because most of the available software only works for generic setups. Large sites require lots of customizations to keep them from breaking down as they serve millions of people. Large organizations also have their culture and regulations that they would need to maintain on their websites and the only way to do this is by implementing custom installations.

After going through the options outlined above, you are now in a position to assist someone who needs to know how to integrate e-commerce and content management systems. You can use the options to decide what e-commerce software is good for you. So far, the commonly available e-commerce CMS software that provide quick install and integration options are Business Catalyst, Magento, OpenCart, PrestaShop and osCSS.

Web Design Strategies for Businesses

The website of a business is like an image of the company. A customer should enjoy visiting a business' website to ensure that they can visit again. Unfortunately not all businesses have websites that are attractive and efficient to give the customers a good impression. This is why a serious business must employ the web design strategies for businesses in order to give the customers the desired impression when they visit the business' website. Her are the strategies that should be employed when designing a website for a business:

1. Make the website simple
A business website is meant to serve all kinds of customers. The website should be simple to ensure that all the customers get the information or services that they need easily. A simple website that can be used by most customers without any problem is important for a business.

2. Pick a theme and stick to it
A business website should have a single theme that can easily be recognized by anyone who has ever visited the site. Changing the theme every time will confuse the customers. A business' website is an image of the business, hence changing it may make the customers feel like they are visiting an entirely different company every time they want something from your business.

3. Use quality font and graphics
Fonts that are appropriate to business should be used in a business website. The font used should look professional. Quality photographs and graphics are also equally important. Irritating pop-ups with bright colors will definitely drive away some customers. Good graphics on the other hand will keep a customer exploring the website for longer.

4. The products should be put on the forefront
The main function of a business website is to market the products. Therefore ensuring that the websites customers see the products is top among the web design strategies for businesses. Showcasing the products offered by a business will help to increase the sales volumes.

5. Easy navigation
It should be easy to navigate around a business website. Therefore the website should be well organized to ensure that the customers get all the contents of the website without struggle. The visitors should be able to 'move' around the website easily.

6. Creativity with the website content
This web design strategy for business is important as far as marketing the business is concerned. The wording of the text used in the website should aim at convincing the customer to purchase goods or services offered buy the business. Creative text on the website will not only keep the customer on the website for a long time but convince them to purchase a product. Open source web content management systems are the suggested method in dealing with this aspect.

7. Checking the spelling of each and every word
Incorrect spelling in a business website may drive the potential customers away. This is because the customers expect to be facing professionals when they need services from your business. Wrong spellings on your website indicate unprofessionalism. Therefore, thoroughly checking spellings is a crucial web design for strategy.
With these web design strategies for businesses in mind, a professional business website can be made by anybody.