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  • Installing Linux on Dell Vostro 1520 and Enabling RDP and AI Agents:

    Here’s a detailed guide to carrying out your plan:

    1. Choose a Linux Distribution:
    • Ubuntu LTS: Beginner-friendly, stable, good for AI development with tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch. Download the latest LTS version.
    • Fedora: More recent software packages, better hardware compatibility, good for AI with tools like Anaconda and scikit-learn. Download the latest version.
    • Other options: Linux Mint, Manjaro, Debian – choose based on your experience and specific needs.
    1. Create a Bootable USB Drive:
    • Download Etcher: https://etcher.balena.io/
    • Insert your USB drive (8GB+ recommended).
    • Run Etcher and select the downloaded ISO file for your chosen Linux distribution.
    • Flash the ISO onto the USB drive (be sure to back up any data on the drive).
    1. Prepare the Dell Vostro 1520:
    • Backup important data: Your existing drive will be formatted during installation.
    • Disable Secure Boot: Enter BIOS settings (F2 key during boot) and disable Secure Boot (if enabled).
    • Change Boot Order: Set USB drive as the first boot priority in BIOS settings.
    1. Install Linux:
    • Insert the bootable USB drive and restart the Vostro 1520.
    • Choose “Try Ubuntu/Fedora” (varies based on distro) to test the system.
    • If happy, click “Install Ubuntu/Fedora” and follow the on-screen instructions.
    • Choose the “Erase entire disk” option or create partitions if you want dual-booting with Windows.
    • Create a user account and set a strong password.
    • Complete the installation and restart the laptop.
    1. Enable RDP for Remote Access:
    • Ubuntu: Install and configure xrdp: sudo apt install xrdp
    • Fedora: Install and configure FreeRDP: sudo dnf install freerdp
    • Configure firewall rules: Open ports 3389 (RDP) and 5900 (X11 forwarding) in your firewall.
    • Test RDP connection from another computer using your Vostro 1520’s IP address.
    1. Setting Up AI Agents:
    • Install Python and necessary libraries: sudo apt install python3 python3-pip (or equivalent for Fedora)
    • Install your desired AI framework (TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc.) and libraries.
    • Develop your AI agent code or download pre-trained models.
    • Run your AI agents script in the background using screen or tmux for continuous operation.

    Additional Tips:

    • Download and install additional drivers if needed: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/vostro-1520/drivers
    • Consider virtualizing your AI development environment using Docker or Vagrant for easier management and isolation.
    • Use a system monitoring tool like htop or glances to monitor CPU, memory, and network usage.
    • Secure your Vostro 1520 by setting up automatic updates and strong firewall rules.

    Resources:

    Remember, this is a general guide, and specific steps might vary depending on your chosen Linux distribution and needs. Be sure to consult the official documentation and online resources for detailed instructions and troubleshooting assistance.

    I hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you have any further questions.

  • Seven Ways To Set Up A Sponsored Website

    Seven Ways To Set Up A Sponsored Website

    Nonprofits that need a website have a dilemma: A website can be great for raising the profile of the organization, but a website built on a shoestring may fail to deliver its message nor get traction for the cause.

    There are basics needed for all websites:

    • A front page: the intro and the summary of what your nonprofit does.
    • A contact us page: a way for the public to contact your organization.
    • Social sharing: make the content appealing and engaging when shared via social media.
    • A privacy policy: establish if your website is collecting information, or if third-party add-ons collect information.

    For non-profit website should have (at a minimum):

    • A mission statement, telling visitors what you’re all about.
    • Details on what you do and why it matters.
    • News and/or a blog: keep people apprised of the most recent updates and successes.
    • Bio sections for your organization’s key members, staff, or partners.
    • Compelling imagery, incorporated throughout your site.
    • A way to accept donations, if you solicit donations from the public.
    • Calls to action (CTA): prompt visitors to sign up, email, volunteer, donation or share information about your non-profits’ goals.

    Putting together a site with these elements isn’t all that hard. With some organization and some work, it’s easy to put together an effective site.

    How To Fund A Nonprofit Website

    Nonprofits are chronically underfunded: they need to put their money into the work they do. Nonprofits need to save money but some expenses are unavoidable: electricity, phone bills, office supplies. Website development and web hosting could be something solicited for as a donation, but there is an alternative: a sponsored website.

    Websites can be expensive, but they’re an investment in a nonprofit’s outreach and marketing. When done right, they can help to achieve organizational goals: publicizing accomplishments, attracting new support, raising awareness, and publishing key documents (budgets, AGM reports, etc.).

    Fundraising campaigns have typical avenues. Pleas via email, website and social media but there are a few other options when it comes to fundraising for a subscription-based website service.

    Here are seven ways to cover off both ongoing expenses of a nonprofit and the costs directly associated with running a website:

    Accept Online Donations

    Before fundraising online, there needs to be a mechanism to accept donations: a bank account, a payment processor, and linkage to said payment processing. That linkage can come as a link to an established system like Canada Helps. It can be a recurring donation through a system on a website (ie. GiveWP). It could also be a payment form linked to the charity’s bank account via Paypal or Stripe.

    Getting a process in place to accept donations directly through your online marketing makes it easier on donors.

    Direct Appeals

    This one is an oldie but a goody: ask people for money. Phone them or email and ask for the money needed. If this is a fundraiser to afford the website in the first place, understand the costs associated with the web design and the hosting. Make that your goal to reach.

    Traditional Channels

    Use any established donors and supporter lists. Craft an appeal to email and send the request through to them with a means of donation: via eInterac, via Paypal or whatever system you may have in place to receive donations.

    Grants

    This one is a given for most non-profits: there are grants available from government and foundations who want to see an organization use the Internet to achieve their goals. Working with a designer will let a non-profit get a firm number for the grant application and provide assistance with the application process.

    Crowdfunding

    Crowdfunding has surged in popularity: platforms like GoFundMe and IndieGogo can be used to both collect donations, update donors, and share your message. We have helped with a number of campaigns. In one case, it was to raise money for a cancer victim’s family; in another, it was completion money for the first in a book series. There are different sorts of campaigns available. A campaign could be “all or nothing.” If it doesn’t reach its fundraising goal all of the donations revert to their donors. Crowdfunding needs its own set-up and the level of effort can be great, but so can the payoff.

    Sponsored Web Pages

    Does the website need some community champions? When little league teams need support, they canvas the local business community. They ask for support and in exchange, they put up banners of the businesses and make mention of them. The pages of a nonprofit’s website can be sponsored by businesses with a recognition and link through to their business.

    Banner Ads

    If the site has some very handy information, maybe it draws a lot of traffic. If that’s the case, it could be a good candidate for banner ads. Google Adsense is more strict in its application process, but it is still a decent way for a popular site to earn an income.

    If Google Adsense doesn’t appeal for whatever reason, it is easy to set-up a banner system in a website to link through to your own list of advertisers. Often that takes more upkeep than tasking it off to an advertising service.

    How do you raise money to fund your subscription-based nonprofit website? Have any other fundraising ideas? Anything that we missed? Contact us.

     

  • Top 7 Signs A Website Is Abandoned

    Top 7 Signs A Website Is Abandoned

    Websites need TLC. A garden and a website have a lot in common:

    • They start in the dirt: for gardens, it’s literal soil; for websites, it’s dirt poor rankings and lack of discoverability. 
    • The conditions need to be favourable to growth.
    • Plant the seeds and give them some time.
    • Nurture them.
    • Prune the weeds (ie. spam comments and performance issues). 

    An abandoned website can pose some liability for the site owner– the business the website represents. It could have outdated information, security exploits, and not adhere to the current legislation. 

    I get approached by many website owners and their websites have tell-tale signs of websites in trouble.

    Something Major Has Broken

    Several years ago, one version of PHP (version 5.6) was in common use. It was replaced by PHP 7 and its sub-versions. That broke a lot of the Internet. Some web hosts have kept support going for the old sites, but that exposes their systems to security exploits. One by one, they’ve been emailing clients with warnings that support for the old system has lapsed. When the support is pulled, some websites will crash entirely. 

    The Forms Don’t Work

    Website forms are critical to connecting with clients– both current and potential. If the web-based forms no longer work, it’s a sign that something has busted along the way. Some examples of what could have gone wrong: 

    • Web forms need spam proofing, often called “Captcha.” if something has changed and the website can no longer connect, the forms won’t work.
    • The mail connection may be broken. If the forms need a working mail system, maybe that has broken down. There’s nothing wrong with periodically testing your own forms to make sure the connections are intact.
    • The web form license may be out of date. Products like Gravity Forms need to be annually renewed to stay in working order. Did someone renew the licenses?

    It’s Not Mobile Ready

    This is 2024. The majority of website traffic comes from phones and other mobile devices. Granted: a big screen lets things look their best, but all websites need to look okay on mobile. If a website looks bad on a phone, it didn’t get the mobile readiness (aka responsive) pass. Making the choices required to make a mobile website look great takes work and if it’s not mobile-ready, that was skipped or it fell into disrepair. 

    Just another WordPress Website

    Remember when people bought VCRs and the clock kept flashing 12:00? They hadn’t finished the set-up. When a site’s slogan or subtitle reads “Just another WordPress Website” it says to the world: 

    • We gave up before we were finished
    • We launched with the basics, so we likely skipped optimizations and security safeguards.
    • We may not know what we’re doing. Don’t take it personally: maybe you hired someone who didn’t know what they were doing.

    Copyright 2018… 2017…. 1066….

    A copyright, in part, is a legal defence of your web content. More than that, it’s a datestamp that speaks to when your website was last overhauled or updated. I’ve recently seen websites with “Copyright ©2004” A lot has happened with web technology in the last 20 years. An old website may be missing out on many technological advents. At the very least: mobile readiness. An old website may have dodgy security in place. It could have outdated information. A website should have a refresh every three years. If the copyright is much older than that, the site may not have relevant information.

    Your Designer Is Gone

    Some designers put a link to their website at the bottom of a client’s site. At Web321, we do that unless expressly asked to not include it. Web design is a field where people enter and leave. The low-level skills needed to roll out a website can be adopted by former graphic designers, former writers, and former marketers. If it’s easy to get into the field, it’s easy to get out. Some web designers just pack up. If their site is down, then they are likely gone too. They may be on the beaches of Thailand defending their camera from monkeys, but you’re left with an aging website. Check your footer, if the link goes to a dead page or a hacked page, then maybe your web designer has retired, died or just moved to Chang Mai.

    Your Designer’s Copyright

    Web designers often have the “Cobblers Shoes Dilemma.” While their client sites look good, their own sites have aged. Maybe your designer’s website is still going through the miracle of automatic updates and recurring billing, but if their copyright is several years out of whack, maybe they did abandon their own website and, by extension, their clients. I tried following up with one designer to see if they were in business still. According to their website and their social media accounts, they dropped off the Internet five years ago. Poof. Guess the quality of support one gets from a phantom. 

    What If Your Site Has Been Abandoned?

    Get Control Back

    Try to get in touch with your former designer. If that fails, get in touch with the service provider that hosts the website. If you don’t know who is hosting your site, ask for help from a web developer to connect the dots.

    If you have the login credentials to WordPress or the web hosting: that’s great. If you don’t, get in touch with the service provider and plead your case. It’s not uncommon for this to happen. If your credit card is attached to the hosting account, then it’s possible for them to consider your claims to be valid. If they won’t go for it, see if you can get access to the domain name and its registration. From there, an updated alternative web host can be used. The domain name can be pointed to the new web hosting. If you have an administrator-level WordPress account for your website, you can get into the site and make a complete duplicate of the site. Pick it up, move it to a new host and voila: control.

    Worst comes to worst, if you’ve lost hosting and WordPress access, maybe consider building a new website from scratch: crib what you can from the old site and start the new site. 

    If you have lost access to the domain registration: that’s more challenging. Domain name registrars have layers of defenses to prevent bad actors from getting control of domain names. The first play for a bad actor is often to impersonate the rightful owner. It can be difficult to convince a registrar. If that’s ultimately impossible, then rebrand: register a similar domain name and re-do all of the marketing material as well as your email addresses. It’s a worst-case scenario, but sometimes it’s the only recourse. 

    Get Help

    Some of these steps are painful and difficult to navigate. Most business owners are not web developers or web design consultants– they’re anything but. If you’re out of your league on reviving your website, get professional help. No surprise: rescues like this are common for me. Feel free to reach out: [email protected] or 1-844-493-2321

     

  • ETModules Icon Cheatsheet

    Here’s a short cheatsheet of Elegant Theme’s Divi icons:

     
/************************************ MENU ICONS **********************************/
 /*** QUOTE MARKS ***/ .et-icon-1 a:before { content: "c"; }
 /*** CLOCK FACE ***/ .et-icon-2 a:before { content: "d"; }
 /*** CLOSED PADLOCK ***/ .et-icon-3 a:before { content: "e"; }
 /*** KEY ***/ .et-icon-4 a:before { content: "\e001"; }
 /*** CLOUD ***/ .et-icon-5 a:before { content: "\e002"; }
 /*** LANDSCAPE IMAGE ICON ***/ .et-icon-6 a:before { content: "\e005"; }
 /*** LIGHTBULB ***/ .et-icon-7 a:before { content: "\e007"; }
 /*** CAMERA ***/ .et-icon-8 a:before { content: "\e00f"; }
 /*** ENVELOPE ***/ .et-icon-9 a:before { content: "\e010"; }
 /*** CREDIT CARD ***/ .et-icon-10 a:before { content: "\e014"; }
 /*** SHOPPING CART ***/ .et-icon-11 a:before { content: "\e015"; }
 /*** LOCATION PIN ***/ .et-icon-12 a:before { content: "\e01d"; }
 /*** CALENDAR ***/ .et-icon-13 a:before { content: "\e023"; }
 /*** CONTACTS BOOK ***/ .et-icon-14 a:before { content: "\e026"; }
 /*** HEART ***/ .et-icon-15 a:before { content: "\e030"; }
 /*** COFFEE CUP ***/ .et-icon-16 a:before { content: "\e105"; }
 /*** WALLET ***/ .et-icon-17 a:before { content: "\e100"; }
 /*** BRIEFCASE ***/ .et-icon-18 a:before { content: "\e0fe"; }
 /*** STAR ***/ .et-icon-19 a:before { content: "\e031"; }
 /*** HOME ***/ .et-icon-20 a:before { content: "\e009"; }
 /*** LINK CHAIN ***/ .et-icon-21 a:before { content: "\e02c"; }
 /*** LIKE THUMBS UP ***/ .et-icon-22 a:before { content: "\e106"; }
 /*** HOURGLASS ***/ .et-icon-23 a:before { content: "\e0e1"; }
 /*** PIE CHART ***/ .et-icon-24 a:before { content: "\e029"; }
 
}
/************************************* END *****************************************/

    Here’s what they look like:

    QUOTE MARKS
    CLOCK FACE
    CLOSED PADLOCK
    KEY
    CLOUD
    LANDSCAPE IMAGE ICON
    LIGHTBULB
    CAMERA
    ENVELOPE
    CREDIT CARD
    SHOPPING CART
    LOCATION PIN
    CALENDAR
    CONTACTS BOOK
    HEART
    COFFEE CUP
    WALLET
    BRIEFCASE
    STAR
    HOME
    LINK CHAIN
    LIKE THUMBS UP
    HOURGLASS
    PIE CHART

    Here’s a problem I had: I was encountering CORS errors when trying to load a font from a WordPress site. What are the best ways to resolve this cross-origin font loading issue?

    These errors are related to Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) and typically occur when a web page tries to load a resource (in this case, a font file) from a different domain. Here are some approaches to address these issues:

    1. Server-Side Solutions (Recommended):
      • The website owner should configure their server to send appropriate CORS headers
      • For a WordPress site using the Divi theme, this typically involves adding headers in the .htaccess file or through server configuration
    2. Browser Extension Workarounds:
      • Temporarily disable CORS restrictions using browser extensions like “CORS Unblock” or “Allow CORS” for testing
      • Note: This is only for development and should not be used in production
    3. Proxy Solution:
      • Set up a proxy server that adds the necessary CORS headers
      • Use a service like CORS Anywhere or create your own proxy
    4. Local Workaround:
      • Download the font file and host it locally on your own server
      • Update the font source in your CSS to point to the local file
    5. Web Font Alternative:
      • Use a web font service like Google Fonts that handles cross-origin issues
      • Replace the problematic font with a similar web font

    The best long-term solution is for the website owner to properly configure CORS headers on their server. If you’re the website owner, you would typically add something like this to your .htaccess file:


    <IfModule mod_headers.c>
    <FilesMatch "\.(woff|woff2)$">
    Header set Access-Control-Allow-Origin "*"
    </FilesMatch>
    </IfModule>

  • An Old Dog With A Few Tricks: The Dogpile Search Engine

    An Old Dog With A Few Tricks: The Dogpile Search Engine

    Dogpile, a name that might conjure up images of the last time you strolled through a busy park, has a rich history as a metasearch engine. Established in 1996 by Aaron Flin, a research attorney, Dogpile was born out of frustration with the search engines of the time. Flin was dissatisfied with the cluttered and often limited search results they provided. Thus, Dogpile was designed to aggregate multiple search indexes to present more organized and relevant results. Go2Net acquired Dogpile in 1999, which later merged with InfoSpace, making Dogpile the flagship engine of InfoSpace.

    Dogpile continues its legacy by fetching results through its mascot Arfie. Arfie compiles search results from Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and other search engines. Users can conduct searches across various categories, including Web, Images, Audio, Video, News, Yellow Pages, and White Pages. The platform has also evolved to include new features that are keeping pace with the modern user’s needs.

    Key Features of Dogpile:

    1. Comparison View: With Dogpile, users can select which indexes to perform a search under, using the Comparison View. This feature highlights the sources of the search results, and Arfie ensures duplicates are removed for a more streamlined experience.
    2. Pay-for-Inclusion Service: If you want your website to be listed on Dogpile, you can opt for its pay-for-inclusion service. However, since Dogpile fetches its results from other search engines, optimizing your site with SEO services can also get it listed for free. Listing your site with the pay-for-inclusion service ensures faster inclusion, typically within 72 hours.
    3. Toolbar with Integrated News Feeds: Dogpile’s toolbar can be customized to include an RSS ticker, allowing users to stay up to date with the latest news feeds of their choice.
    4. Popular Searches Page: This feature showcases the most popular searches on Dogpile, categorized as a directory. Categories include Arts and Entertainment, Computers & Internet, Games, and more.
    5. Recent Searches Feature: Users can view their recent searches, with the option to clear or hide this history.
    6. Advanced Search Options: To refine searches, users can use the ‘Advanced Search’ feature which allows them to:
      • Specify exact words or phrases.
      • Set a date range for when the original content was published.
      • Choose the language of the search results, including Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
      • Filter specific domain names and set content filters to exclude or include adult content.

    Dogpile persists as a valuable metasearch engine for users looking to gather information from various sources. Website owners and marketers should consider optimizing their websites not just for the primary search engines but also for metasearch engines like Dogpile, as it can enhance visibility and reach to a broader audience.

    Going to the Dogs?

    Web321 offers Dog Breeder design templates for Breakdance.

    More on search:

  • Calligo Going Away And What You Can Do About Your Website

    March 1st is coming up fast and Calligo (www.calligo.io) clients have to find somewhere for their sites to live.

    This from Calligo :

    Important notice about your website and mail service from Calligo

    (previously 3 Peaks / Pacific Online)

    From 1st March 2021, you will no longer be able to access these hosted website or email services and should ensure you have made arrangements to migrate or back-up any data in advance of that date.

    Calligo, who acquired 3 Peaks and Pacific Online in 2017, currently provides a selection of website and email hosting services (including smartmail and mailsite) to customers across the world, of which you may be one.

    We are writing to inform you that Calligo as a business will no longer offer these services and so the Calligo management has taken the difficult decision to retire them as of Sunday 28th February 2021. This communication serves as our formal notice to that effect. Service and any current invoicing will continue and be unaffected until this date.

    From 1st March 2021, you will no longer be able to access these hosted website or email services and should ensure you have made arrangements to migrate or back-up any data in advance of that date.

    They identified some hosting options, but we have a great list:

    WPPro.ca – John Overall hosting
    A2 Hosting
    EZP Hosting – Canadian Web hosting

    ***Please note that we do not officially endorse or recommend these suppliers and has no commercial arrangement with them in this regard.

     

  • Play Twenty Questions With Your Website Decisions

    These are unprecedented times, right? Unprecedented can be a good thing, though. Given industry make-overs across regions, fields and firms requiring re-evaluation of company structuring, financing, product placement and promotion, there is no better time than now to change how you use your web presence. Given the vast shifts to online research, merchandising, sales and delivery, crafting a site that maximizes search engine optimization, content delivery, user friendliness and e-commerce efficiency has never been more important. Whether potential clients are looking for new employment, expanding their network or just to make a purchase, your website could be the destination they rely upon to make an informed decision. If you’re a small business trying to gain your foundation or a mid-sized firm looking to expand, your site has to allow you to stand out from the competition instantly.

    The big question you’re probably wondering is, what is it that sets one site from another? In short, brand optimization: knowing what you want to present to your potential client and how you’re going to present it. To get there, and create the online performance your brand deserves, you need to consider the following questions:

    1. How easily can customers access the information they need? An educated consumer is a reliable consumer and one who will likely generate many referrals.
    2. Does your site inform visitors what service or product your business provides? Purpose generates performance.
    3. Is your site compatible on mobile and desktop interfaces? In a changing and dynamic world, you need to be able to accommodate multiple user platforms.
    4. What attributes do you find effective about your competitor’s sites? Comparison and competition are what drive the innovation that will carry over into your site’s performance.
    5. How is your server speed? In fast-paced and changing world, top download speeds can separate the elites from the needy.
    6. How clearly is your brand conveyed to your potential consumers? You need to be able to convey your brand’s mission to clearly and effectively win customers and sales.
    7. How easily can visitors access your site’s features? The unknowns of online traffic make this exciting consideration a necessity to ensure site accessibility for anyone and everyone.
    8. What kind of search engine optimization are you willing to develop? Search engine optimization can be a deal-breaker in saturated markets.
    9. Who is your ideal client? You need to make your site as tailored to your clients as your brand is.
    10. What is your desired site traffic? Maximum traffic is critical to generating consistent sales.
    11. What content is generating the most traffic on your site? Another critical component in ensuring that your site is as tailored and accommodating to your user base.
    12. How well can you monitor traffic and capture data? A difference maker when it comes to providing real-time updates relating to consumer support, client feedback or brand development.
    13. What are your long-term goals for your site? Given the variety of dynamic features and accessibility tools, this is the component that generates the long-term development strategies essential for sustained growth.
    14. What development plans have you considered relative to your long-term site management? As consumer tastes and preferences change, your site needs to be able to change with them.
    15. How well are you generating repeat traffic? Not everyone shops the same and many patronize as much for the entertainment value as for the retail value.
    16. How well do you encourage users to share your content? A crucial factor in a world driven by social networking and 24/7 digital presence.
    17. How well does your site interface with social media? Again, necessary for compatibility, particularly in targeting younger and middle-aged demographics to keep them informed and engaged with your developments.
    18. What ways can users interact with your site? As with making your site user friendly, consumers often gravitate towards sites that provide maximum sensory stimulation relative to the online format, allowing them to conveniently engage with your product and spend at the same time.
    19. How well doe your site suggest that sales are the main priority? Because, as we all know, sales are success for brand and client.
    20. How well does your site help you reach your performance objectives? Site traffic is product placement, more traffic equals higher sales, and higher sales leads to higher sales objectives that lead to sustained success!

    If attracting traffic and keeping visitors engaged is the main priority in website design and management, you may be feeling your eyeballs spinning inside your head after all these considerations. The priority, however, is your vision from a web management company so that they can craft and maintain the site that will generate YOU the revenue YOU deserve. Here are some considerations when choosing a web management service for your site:

    1. Provides domain name acquisition, expediting and easing the searching and branding process to allow your business to stand out and stay that way.
    2. Obtains an SSL (secure sockets layer), certificate which allows your site to conduct transactions involving sensitive data, crucial to conducting online sales, password storing and other sensitive information logging sought by online consumers. Some providers charge extra for services such as customer support and enhanced encryption rates. The truth: there’s good SSL and there’s overkill. We know the difference.
    3. Facilitates website hosting, an essential service that allows your website to be connected to other servers, essential for users to access and engage with your site in any capacity, whether it is browsing, connecting to provide feedback or procuring product that drives your sales. Website hosting range in value but there is a Goldilocks zone of how much hosting should cost. We have hosting that suits our clients well.
    4. Provides website updates to keep your site looking sleek, savvy and user friendly. Sought after features include webpages, content, media, navigation, forms and background images. These features allow your site to generate the brand image that helps to drive reliable consumer traffic, sales and trust. The more updates you need, the higher the fee can. But what if that’s a blank cheque you don’t want to write? Our maintenance plan includes unlimited updates.
    5. Monitors CMS, or content management system, updates that allows you to manage your marketing through uploading, publishing and managing your site’s content.
    6. Provides technical support, including server errors, broken links, encryption holes and any other possible hindrance to successful site operation. Turnaround times regarding fixing errors after they’ve been reported are a critical component to fluid site operation; the faster, the more expensive.
    7. Generates website analytics support that, while not always a necessary service, provides clients with such information as site usage time, traffic volume and individual user frequency, allowing clients to tailor their site design to their targeted market
    8. Enables e-commerce system support, streamlining online payment to allow secure, timely and reliable transactions and payment confirmation.

    All of this sounds great, but the problem is, if you don’t know who you’re dealing with, what essential services you require and don’t research carefully, you can get stuck paying for services you don’t need or that don’t maximize your online commercial activity. If you don’t like that, there is good news: we carry out our management and updates as part of one done-for-you fee. If you’re a mid-sized enterprise trying to run a stream-lined, online enterprise and take it to the next level, or you’re a small business looking to break through into your respective industry, creating a well-managed and affordable online presence is key. That’s where Web321 comes in. Web321 offers industry-tested, constantly-updated, consumer-driven and economical web design and web management services to meet your business’s needs. With a price of $321 per month, Web 321 is offering a bargain compared to the fees charges by other providers, you get the following:

    1. 24/7 managed web presence, including website design and maintenance, search engine optimization, social media networking and online advertising, with unlimited support requests to handle the dynamic nature of your enterprise
    2. Daily site backup with malware and virus protection and real time site monitoring to address whatever problems you may encounter
    3. Design and development standards such as domain name registration, SSL, CDN and hosting to ensure that you have a solid foundation in the online marketplace to maximize and maintain your desired traffic
    4. Per request, website design refresh every 2-3 years to ensure that your product remains attractive to Google and its avid users, another traffic maximizing feature
    5. Streamlined, three-step account set up that speedily and securely allows you to share your passion and allow Web321 to provide a quote, get to work, and continuously provide feedback and reports to get your brand to the next level,
    6. Custom booster packs for additional web management that includes brand awareness, online sales, impactful images, Google adwords and the latest techniques to generate maximum site traffic

    Just because these are unprecedented times does not mean these are impossible times. Whether you are entrenched in your industry or taking advantage of market opportunity, Web321 can help you accelerate your goals and dominate your online presence. Now is the time to take advantage of what the web has to offer; Web321 can make these unprecedented times exceptional times. Go to https://calendly.com/web321/lets-talk to begin your journey to making your business future better than ever.

  • WordPress: How Popular Is It?

    WordPress has become a global marvel and it has taken a long leap since its release in 2003. From the 1st version of WordPress in 2003, it has been growing considerably even today.

    Being the most superior CMS in this industry, WordPress stands above its rival brands and constitutes a good amount of market share. The sheer scope and size of the impact of WordPress are huge, which is why we have gathered some shocking stats to help you put into perspective.

    The Project Cost Calculator of Open Hub claims that WordPress took approximately 112 person-years to build itself with 423,759 lines of code and an approximate cost of $6 million to fund the size of this project.

    The WordPress platform is a simple and free content management system that involves varying levels of technical knowledge to develop impressive and innovative websites and web content. The boundless library of plugins and themes boosts the possibility of this platform.

    If you want to make an online appearance today, you can follow the WordPress stats that can help you to gain an online presence. The following are the important WordPress stats in 2020 that you may need to know –

    • WordPress powers 35 percent of the internet with a 2 percent surge in contrast with early 2019 and a 4 percent increase compared to 2019.
    • If you consider the sites built by only CMS, around 60 percent of the CMS-built sites are WordPress.
    • Around 661 WordPress websites pop up every day.
    • Back in 2018, non-English WordPress downloads outpaced the English ones.

    These numbers are facts that are important since WordPress plays a vital role in the online marketing environment.

    The capabilities and contribution of this platform have motivated others to level their playing field and compete. The central determiner of the effectiveness of this platform is not the net worth but their creativity. This is why it is possible for small businesses to compete with global companies who enjoy major marketing budgets.

    • 59% of websites using well-known content management systems are using WordPress. There are around 46.2 percent sites globally that do not use a CMS and the rest depend on WordPress.
    • There are 64 million websites that employ WordPress in absolute measures. This stat is based on the global count of active sites, according to the Netcraft.
    • WordPress is accountable for the added 1.1 million domain registration every half-yearly. This stat is an estimated value from 2015. The actual value is likely to be more since the level of market penetration and domain registration of WordPress have risen.
    • Around 34 percent of the 10,000 most famous websites across the world use WordPress. These famous sites are Etsy, Reuters, TED, Whitehouse.gov, Yelp, TechCrunch, The New Yorker, and People. Among international celebrities, Snoop Dogg, Justine Bieber, Katy Perry, Jay Z, and Stephen Fry also use this platform.
    • The second most commonly used CMS, Joomla, constitutes 5.7 percent of the market share. This positively skewed market has many competitors but only one of them has been able to take an enormous lead. Drupal, Shopify, and Squarespace follow Joomla with market shares of 3.7%, 2.4%, and 2.5%, respectively.
    • WordPress 4.9 version has been downloaded around 159 million times. When you read this article, WordPress downloads would cross 160 million.
    • WordPress receives unique monthly visitors the same as Twitter. According to Twitter stats, unique monthly visits are around 152 million in the US but for WordPress, it is around 149 million. Both Amazon (with 199 million visits) and Twitter recently ranked lower than WordPress in terms of unique monthly visitors.
    • WordPress users create around 52.1 million comments and 70.5 million new posts every month. This blogging platform encourages a huge population across the world to initiate discussions and add fresh content every month.
    • A total of 409 million users view at least 21.1 billion pages every month on the popular WordPress sites. For daily content consumption, a higher count of users views WP blogs.
    • WooCommerce constitutes 27.7 percent of the market share among all eCommerce platforms. This is vital information for all online businesses. Online business platforms let merchants build digital stores to allow transactions online. WooCommerce is an eCommerce platform of WordPress that is growing faster than the competitors such as Shopify and Squarespace.
    • Around 13.2 percent of all sites use WooCommerce.
    • 7.5 million spam comments are blocked by Akismet every hour. Akismet is a famous WordPress plugin that saves its users who deal with spam. Spam is one of the most common nuisances online today.
    • In 2017, the 3 best WordPress plugins were WordPress Importer, WooCommerce, and the All in One SEO Pack.

    The WordPress usability statistics in 2020 are as follows –

    • WordPress.com is different from WordPress.org. These 2 versions can be very confusing. The latter is a free and open-source CMS built for the WP software. Whereas, WordPress.com is the blogging platform that is based on the said software.
    • To host an appreciable WordPress site, it costs as low as $60. At this cost, you also get unmetered bandwidth and sufficient storage. In the case of a high-traffic site, you might have to go for expensive versions such as the managed WordPress hosting.
    • Being platform-agnostic, WordPress provides native applications for common platforms such as iOS, Windows Phone, WebOS, Android, and even Blackberry. You can use all the functions regardless of what system you are using.
    • WordPress is currently offering 47,350 active plugins out of a sum of 56,311 plugins listed by the Plugin Directory for WordPress.
    • Around 80 to 90 percent of the SEO mechanics are taken care of by WordPress. This stat was mentioned by Matt Cutts in 2009 who was the head of Google’s webspam group. The platform is still continuing to make it more SEO-friendly with more plugins to assist its users in getting the SEO right.
    • At least 36 percent of WordPress sites are served by HTTPS. This figure denotes an increase of more than double from 2016.
    • Being the fastest growing web-publishing platform, WordPress helps you to draw more traffic with higher ranks of WordPress keywords than its competitors.
    • Despite issues, Jetpack is the most accepted WordPress plugin for all marketers. It is a free tool, facilitating vital tasks such as social media integration, traffic insight, security, and backups.
    • WordPress employs not more than 800 workers worldwide, the majority of which are from the US. They collaborate from their residence and they ensure that the requirements of all countries are met.
    • WordPress involves more than 100 contributors. Being the world’s one of the biggest open-source platforms, it has 100 contributors in the developer team, containing more than 430,000 lines of codes.
    • Taking 2020 as an exception to the rule, WordPress has helped 128 WordCamps in around 48 countries, involving 1091 sponsors and 2310 speakers in 2017.
    • This WP platform has also had 4379 meetups, a surge of 43 percent compared to 2016. Above 99 thousand people attended the meetups which were a whopping rise of 65 percent from 2016. The reason for this upsurge was because of the introduction of the Events widget in the WP 4.8 version.
    • Some of the amazing WordPress sites are shown at WordPress.org site. The platform showcases the best sites and the list includes names like the City University of New York, the Obama Foundation, and the Houston Zoo.
    • A typical WordPress developer earns an average of $50,365 in the US.
    • WordPress has denied around 61 percent of DMCA takedown notices. This has added transparency to functionality, security, and versatility. DMCA notices are filed by individuals or companies if they find any posts on the platform trespassing on intellectual property rights.
    • WP has also denied around 65 percent of government information requests. WordPress not only cooperates with the government on important and valid cases but also strongly resists circulating information that puts the blogger’s freedom of expression at stake.
    • The major WordPress versions are released after approximately 152 days.
    • Most number of downloads on WordPress is done on Wednesdays and least on Fridays.

    WordPress is one of the most widely known content management systems and blogging platforms.

    The above WordPress stats prove that the popularity of this platform is not only because of its simplicity and low costs but also other factors such as a wide range of themes and plugins, security, SEO-friendliness, and language packs availability.

    The popular platform has journeyed a long way. It has evolved from basic and simple blogging too to a global phenomenon, endorsed by some of the biggest brands and popular celebrities. The features of WordPress are particularly helpful for small and medium businesses since it allows the use of high-functioning and attractive websites without having an expert developer or big budget.

    The shocking WordPress stats provided in the article prove the capacity of this platform and why it has spread to such a large extent in terms of usability, web standards, security, etc. The WordPress community is flourishing at an increasing rate every day.

    References

    https://www.whoishostingthis.com/compare/wordpress/stats/

    https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/wordpress-statistics/#gref

    https://digital.com/wordpress-hosting/wordpress-stats/

  • Can Google Advertising Grants Help With Your Online Marketing?

    Have you heard of Google grants? Google grants are another version of Google Adwords.

    However, this one is specifically for non-profit organizations. If you are a listed non-profit organization in Canada, then you can get $10,000 every month. In a year it becomes $12,000 with the help of google grants.

    All non-profit organizations need traffic and attention from people as well, like any other website. Using the internet, you can easily get the word out about your organization and gain the interests of many people.

    That’s great, right? So, if you want to get this opportunity, check out your eligibility, and apply now. Here is what you need to qualify for Google grant;

    • You need approved charity status in Canadian Federal Non-profit or Canadian Provincial Nonprofit organization.
    • Agree with google non-discrimination, usage, and donation certificate.
    • Make sure you have a decent website with enough content for your viewers.

    If you fulfill these three requirements, you can apply for google grants. A good application can get your organization website at the top of google’s search engine list.

    However, some changes have been made to the program requirements. It includes keeping a good performance as it is needed with the google Adwords grants program.

    How does Google grant program work?

    The google program is based on keywords search and pay per click to advertise management. Here when a person searches for anything online, if the words are related to a keyword, it will appear on the search engine.

    Pay per click is a payment module. Here you one needs to pay for the ad only when a visitor clicks on the advertisement. Otherwise, nothing is charged for it.

    If you want an AdWords account, you will need to apply for it. Once the Adwords authority receives your request, they will check and explore your website for a certain time.

    At first, your mission, and what you want to accomplish will be examined. Once this phase has passed, they will contact you and discuss how to integrate your website better with google. Here you will learn about developing your landing page, attracting more visitors, and improving connections with google.

    If the suggested changes are made to your website, you will notice significant traffic flow to your site. Your site will jump at one of the top searches and you will get many visits to your site from all over the world.

    However, google asks something in return for them. They want at least a 5 percent monthly click-through rate, and the ads placed are related to your organization. This way, both the organization and google gets some benefits.

    What are the problems a non-profit organization faces with google grants?

    Many organizations try to apply for the google grants program, but not all of them get accepted. Most of the organization face problems during the setup or maintaining with the google terms.

    However, you don’t have to worry about that. There are booster packs available that will help you stay connected with the google grants program.

    Once you use this booster pack, you will know how to use your fund to improve your website statistics. Additionally, you will know about the keywords search, and which ones can help you get better traffics for your website.

    Overall, the booster pack will make google Adwords more effective on your website. After this, even if your keyword fails, the google grant system automatically brings the traffic and motivates Adword to visit your website.

    Google wants to develop an understanding with the charity organizations. They want to make sure that the organization can use its revenue wisely and keep all the records up to date.

    So, they can track their contacts, donations, funds, and keep things running properly. For this, they need to keep their google grants account.

    If you can maintain your google grants account properly, you can control your organization data and keep it up to the mark. Along with that, you can use the account to manage the ads from Adwords as well. Optimize the advertisements and get the maximum benefit from the google grants account.

    Maintaining optimizing the ads is not the only advantage you will get. It is recurrent and helps to predict marketing costs.

    By using the guidelines and google grants account, you will have access to unlimited digital ads with their budget. All you need to do is select one to display on the website and let the traffic flow. The ads are paid and provided by Google.

    What can you do with the google grants program?

    A non-profit organization can get lots of benefits from the google grants program. It can help them hold fundraising campaigns, donations, events, and more.

    On top of that, they can do all this in front of the public, so everyone knows about their activities and the good work they do. This way, the organization can gain fame easily among large numbers of people.

    It all depends on how you arrange your website. If you have an impressive goal, and how you present your organization on the web, you can easily gain the attention of many viewers.

    They will want to know about your organization if they like how you present it. This will help to get the word about your organization to many people.

    So, focus on getting a good impression on your visitors. To get their attention, you can highlight special campaigns on the website. Promote events and point out the areas in your organization that need more attention.

    Getting good website traffic flow is extremely important. Google grants know that, so they try to help you out as much as they can.

    A charity organization needs attention as much as a business organization does. However, business organizations have their products to boosts business where non-profit organizations are behind.

    But like any other website they can get intense traffic flow too, thanks to google grants. Now the non-profit organizations can take help from google grants and get the word out about their organization to everyone around.

    On top of that, there is the latest Adwords grant PPC setup that will help you manage the existing accounts of the google grants. Get your hands on this one and start managing your website today.

  • Web Presence Grant from the NASE Growth Grant in 2020

    Web Presence Assistance provides a non-repayable contribution to Prince Edward Island businesses to assist them in establishing a presence on the Internet. The purpose of this assistance is to help Island companies increase business by creating a website to establish online visibility and reach. Consumers today use Internet search engines to locate companies the way previous consumer groups used the Yellow Pages. If a company isn’t visible on the Web, it’s losing an opportunity to connect with potential customers.

    A website allows customers to easily find information they want – when they want it – and allows a company to expand its potential customer base beyond those in its immediate geographic area to a global customer base. Web321’s team can do a lot to make the most of your web presence.

    NASE Members can apply for small business grants worth up to $4,000 each. Small business grants are useful for financing a particular small business need. Past recipients used their growth grants for website creation and more. Here’s some fun math: Web321’s websites are $2999/yr. – in Canadian Funds. Your $4,000 grant is worth over $5000 CDN. If successful, you could use NASE grant to pay for almost two years of web design, hosting, domain registration, support and updates. Our affordable web design fees have gotten even lower!

    Grants will be funded within 30 days after all signed usage and required regulatory documents are received by the NASE.

    What are the application deadlines?

    Grant applications are reviewed quarterly, based on the following schedule:

    • Completed applications received in January, February and March will be reviewed in April.
    • Completed applications received in April, May and June will be reviewed in July.
    • Completed applications received in July, August and September will be reviewed in October.
    • Completed applications received in October, November and December will be reviewed in January of the following year.

    ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION

    Growth Grant applicants must be a member in good standing for 3-months prior to submitting an application. Annual members may apply immediately. Monthly members may apply ninety days after joining the NASE. If you are a NASE member, apply now for October funding window. If you are not a NASE member, join them now to be eligible for next year.

    What are the selection criteria?
    Criteria used in evaluating applications and awarding grants include:

    • Review of identifiable business need
    • Detailed use of the proceeds of the grant
    • The potential of the grant to satisfy the identified business need
    • The potential impact of the grant on overall business growth and success

    Growth Grants are awarded at the sole discretion of the NASE. The NASE has the sole discretion to make no grant or present a higher or lower amount than requested. The NASE in its sole discretion may award less than the totals indicated to be potentially available. The NASE will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability. Decisions of the selection committee are final and are not subject to appeal. Application feedback is not required by the NASE.

    ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

    The types of services that may qualify include the registration of a domain name and the design, development, hosting, and search engine and mobile optimization of a website. Once approved, the grant money can be applied to a Web Design Subscription through Web321.

    RESPONSIBILITIES & CONDITIONS

    The following conditions apply:

    • The use of funds must be consistent with written statement of grant use.
    • Recipients must maintain records showing use of the money.
    • The funds may not be used to pay debt or rent/mortgage payments.
    • Recipients agree that NASE has the right to publicize names, business name, amount awarded and photographs of the recipients. 
    • The NASE requests that the recipient place the NASE Member Badge on the recipient’s website for one year after the growth grant check is received.  NASE Member Badges can be found by visiting http://www.nase.org/become-a-member/member-benefits/MemberBadges.aspx.

    Need Help?

    We can help with the grant application process. Contact us

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