cPanel

If you have to do anything with Web hosting at your job, then it’s essential that you learn cPanel. This not only is the most common control panel, but it’s also the easiest to learn (which is good for you). This panel allows you to control all of the things behind the scenes. You can move files, create email in-boxes, analyze traffic and install scripts. In fact, all of the major things that you can do with a website will be launched from this panel.

The good thing about cPanel is that there are many videos and articles that will show you how to do anything. If you get stuck, then just go to Google and type: “how to do (function) in cPanel.” I’m sure you’ll find what you need.

If your boss isn’t using cPanel, then try to persuade him to change hosts.

FTP

An FTP server is essential if you are building any sort of website. This stands for File Transfer Protocol and it allows you to quickly batch upload files and manage existing files with ease. Every host has a File Manager program that allows you to upload, remove and download files. However, the problem is that this program is very slow and it’s only good if you need to upload one or two files. In fact, it really shows its lack of versatility when you try uploading five files or more.

An FTP program (which can be found for free online) allows you to upload thousands of files in mere minutes. Just download an FTP program and log in to see everything on your website. You can find the login information by talking to your host.

Prevent Hacking

You’re not being asked to stop a DDoS attack by yourself or issue an entire IP block to keep traffic from getting into your website. That’s far too advanced and your boss shouldn’t expect that of you. However, your boss will expect you to know how to prevent hackers on the basic level.

This mostly means using strong passwords, changing your password every few months and monitoring traffic to see if anyone is attempting to brute force their way in. You should also never give your password away, and it’s a good idea to limit form entries so that hackers can’t enter whole viruses on your forms.

Social Engineering

Social engineering is technically another type of hacking attempt, but it deserves its own section. This is when a hacker will try to use your trust and good nature against you. For example, the hacker will call or email you and say that he or she can’t login and either forgot the password, or was never told it because he or she is new.

You, feeling bad, will obviously want to help your coworker out. Obviously you can tell that this person is a hacker, but many people fall for this in real life. Have your boss verify that the person is real and request that he or she come into the office to talk to you. This mostly only works with larger companies, but you must still be aware of it.

Script Installation

This is especially true if you are the “everything” role in your business. Your boss will expect you to know how to install scripts so that you can get WordPress or Joomla on your website. Now there are two ways of doing this. The long and complicated manual way, or the easy and quick automated way.

If you have cPanel, then you can use the latter. Just go to the script installer (such as Fantastico or Softaculous), select a script, enter the root domain, make a username and password and let the program do the rest. You just need to fill in some basic information before the script will install.

How to Upscale

Your website has finally exploded and you are getting thousands of visitors a day! The shared hosting that your boss initial bought just isn’t enough to handle all of these visitors and you need more bandwidth to ensure that everyone is happy. So, what do you do?

Upscaling the website is easy, but you should only do this under your boss’s direction. You just need to call, email or somehow contact (carrier pigeon?) the host and explain that you want to increase your bandwidth cap. The host will explain the new pricing and the changes will go into effect immediately.

Common Hosting Terms

Every boss is going to expect you to understand common hosting terms like server, bandwidth, disk space, loading speed, shared hosting, VPS and dedicated hosting. If you have ever owned a website, then you probably already know this. If not, then just take some time to figure out what the above terms mean.

You don’t need to know much, but make sure that you comprehend what the basic terms mean. If you do that, then you should know more than enough to please your boss.

Setup Email Account

This is another one of those “sounds harder than it is” tasks that really only requires a few minutes of your time. Setting up an email account, especially when the website is just starting, will be essential because it allows you to have a branded email address.

Just login to cPanel and go to “Email Accounts.” Select the domain, enter the new email account, create a password and specify the level of access. That’s it. The email account is now up and running.

Analyze Traffic

Your boss is going to ask you any advanced questions here, but he is going to expect you to know if the traffic is rising or falling and if the changes are good. Once again, just login to cPanel and select “Webalizer.” This will show you how many people are coming into your website and how the traffic numbers have changed each and every day.

There are going to be a lot of figures here, but only pay attention to “Traffic.” Everyone else really doesn’t matter at this basic level.

Obviously, if you want a much more advanced report, you’re going to want to use Google Analytics.

Add Domains

Lastly, your boss might expect you to know how to add domains to the account. This is especially true if you are working at an SEO firm or if your boss wants to expand his digital reach. There are two ways of doing this.

You can enter cPanel, select “Addon Domains” and then buy a domain from your host.

You can also go to an external domain seller (which is usually the better of the two) and then purchase the domain. Then, go to the DNS editor and point the domain to your server (your host will give you the exact DNS information for this).

Conclusion

The truth is that most bosses will only expect you to know half of these things, but they are all basic and you should understand them to please your boss if you are working for a small company or if you are expected to do some work with the company’s hosting. Even if you aren’t tech savvy in the least, it should take no longer than a week or two for you to fluently do all of these tasks with ease.

The post 10 Things Your Boss Expects You to Know About Web Hosting appeared first on James Timothy White.

Easing the weight in figuring out what a good price is and a wonderful place to stay is executed only through engaging a travel agency. Another advantage may be the reductions they offer by having specific holiday plans available for their clients. Cheaper fares for airlines and resort deals can be some of the numerous things accessible to someone n the travel sector. They can offer recommendations for destinations that maybe you have not even thought of, and then tailor a holiday around your interests and price points. All aspects of the holiday might be covered from tickets to resorts to car rentals and day trips. The guess work that one might encounter when planning their own holiday is taken away.

From the simple to the exotic, romantic escapes to family vacations, a travel agent can help and plan the most amazing vacations you could ever imagine. When you are feeling daring and could use a little bit of time away, trust online and also reserve a holiday – or better yet, get the professionals to do it for you.

With the extensive resources available in the net as it pertains to travel, for those seasoned in traveling holiday planning can be straightforward. Many sites offer comparisons of resorts and airfare. If you have an idea of where you need to be and a great comprehension of what it should cost you, finding your own accommodations online can save time, money and frustration. However, for those unfamiliar with the place they want to travel to, another alternative is accessible – the support of a travel agent. When considering traveling to locations such as Costa Rica Villas, or Las Vegas hotels on the strip, consider talking to a travel agent who can help you plan your trip.

The post Costa Rica and Cabo Resorts appeared first on James Timothy White.

A company’s HR manual sets the tone and policies for the employee/employer relationship and is important even with few employees.

Written policies and procedures serve as a reference document for employees and employers. The policy manual should set the stage for all disciplinary action up to and including termination. Further, the federal government mandates that particular items, such as the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), are documented and distributed to employees. Having a formal manual addresses all of these concerns.

Additionally, a detailed HR manual can be used as evidence against discrimination claims. Although it can be distributed in hard copy, the HR manual is a living document and should be updated and modified as the company grows

Every startup business should have a HR manual that includes the following:

• Letter from the Owner – This communication is the owner’s introduction to the employee. The letter should outline how the employees are a part of the business’ successes. The letter should be inspirational and sets the tone for the HR manual.
• Mission Statement – The mission statement declares the company’s vision. When developing a mission statement it’s important to select a vision that is broad enough to be applied to every business decision, but specific enough to specifically address the needs of the company.
• Code of Conduct and Business Ethics – The Code of Conduct and Business Ethics spells out the type of behavior that is expected from employees. This document should discuss the fact that the company follows all laws and should also support the mission statement. Further, the document should outline what it means to behave in an ethical manner.
• Employment Policies – The employment policies section will have job specific policies and procedures. The company’s anti-discrimination policy should be included here. This policy should specifically state the types of behavior that are not acceptable, the process for reporting violations of this policy and the ramifications for policy violation. Other policies that should be included in this section are: attendance, internet usage, sales and customer service.
• Compensation and Benefits – The compensation and benefits section should discuss pay periods, how commissions are paid and how performance reviews are done. Further, this section should summarize any benefits offered.

A company manual creates the foundation of the employee/employer relationship and plays a large role in employee relations. This document should be created early on in the process and updated as the needs of the business change.

The post Startup Companies: Why Building an HR Manual is Important from the Beginning appeared first on James Timothy White.

Why do these people do it? Well, people who SPAM your inbox with messages like “Opportunity” or “Best Kept Secret” are trying to get your attention to sell you their products or services, but in reality what they consider a “smart” marketing strategy simply makes me cringe. The most frustrating part about these messages, though, is that I will repeatedly report spammers and yet LinkedIn still allows them to spam away at my inbox. Why even have “report as spam” buttons at all?

Not only do I report spam, but I also remove the culprits from my contacts shortly after writing them a brief message on how unprofessional and tacky their “marketing strategy” is. Perhaps I could get through to them, but the more logical explanation is that I need to let off a little steam. Just think of all of the lost business they could have if they weren’t forcing themselves into our inboxes like some pushy, two bit used car salesman with greasy palms.

No, I prefer receiving real proposals for business deals like, “Hey James, can I talk to you for a minute? We have a business idea that I’d like to share.” Not someone trying to sell me on the next BIG lotion or potion.

So for all of you spammers out there with the next big thing: if you use LinkedIn, make sure you use common sense and keep it professional; after all, if you want to spam someone stick to regular email marketing where your “proposal” will end up where it belongs, in the SPAM folder.

The post A Rant on Why Spamming My Linkedin Inbox is Bad for Your Business appeared first on James Timothy White.

What Makes Link Building Useful?

Link building is a great way to generate additional traffic for a website. The greater the number of quality links, the more traffic your website can expect to attract. Search engines will not take into account poor links, so quality is of the utmost importance here. Quality links will draw visitors to the website and the more visitors that stop buy your business’ website, the more potential customers you will have access to.  Back linking will link your website to interesting and relevant content which means that those who wind up following links to your website should already have an interest in the product or service that you are offering. The more inbound links you have, the more popular the website becomes. The more popular the website is, the more sales will increase.

Improve Product Branding

When you engage a professional link building service, they can also make a positive contribution to your product branding since these links will help to create demand for your product. When a website is popular and is highly ranked by search engines like Google consumers tend to have more faith in the product advertised.  It is common for consumers to trust products if they have high visibility on the internet and high ranking websites are trusted more than those languishing on page twelve! This makes SEO and link building a very important part of your brand recognition and reputation.

How Rankings Are Decided

Search engines decide which order websites will be ranked in based on a number of different factors. High quality links are one of the key factors in the decision and the websites with the best links will be ranked highest while those with poor or irrelevant links will be in danger of being tagged as spam. This results in the website being penalized with poor rankings, or in the worst case scenario – blacklisted completely. This means that link building is only ever effective if it is carried out properly using only quality back links. When it is used alongside other aspects of SEO, link building can ensure great rankings and generate lots of traffic.

The post Link Building Could Be Your Key To Success appeared first on James Timothy White.

Do you know how sick and tired I am of receiving investment pitch, after pitch offering me HIGH Returns? I decided this week Monday, May 27, 2013 to Friday the 31^st to count how many I received, what’s your guess?

Answer. THIRTY-ONE investment proposals which were offering me as high as 200% returns – how CRAZY, right?

The only time I decided to give someone the benefit of the doubt and invest (more because they were a friend, or so I thought) and the rate of return seem reasonable at 6% annual – I figured I’d try. The next thing I see is him driving an Escalade – how did he get that? My investment of course. Apparently, he needed it for “sales” purposes. Ever hear of a KIA, dude? Yep – lost on that deal.

I always here this hype – it’s a great return, and then I say, well how do you plan on fulfilling your rate of return? Is it established? Cash flowing? If the business is not proven then don’t tell me I’ll a rate of return where there isn’t even enough money in the coffers to pay that – like seriously how do these people survive or get people to invest in there scam?

So, it’s very early Saturday morning, June 1, 2013 at 3:28AM, I login to Linkedin, check my inbox and I see one from a “Nigerian Scammer”, “Ponzi Scheme” money raiser and this sketchy Forex Guy – Really I ask myself, What is wrong with the world?

Then I decide to follow up and do a Google search on another Scammer, John Rogers . This non-human creature scammed me and my group once (when I was young and naive) only to find out that he did it AGAIN! This time ripped investors off for SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS!

As the story goes some old lady lost $550,000 CDN (lost 50,000 with John Rogers too – how funny!) and you wonder why no one will invest money in small businesses anymore?

The lesson is only invest what you can afford to lose, and when you do invest make sure you “consider” it a gift to the person. I say this because if something like the above takes places then it will be much easier to accept.

Remember, return of principal is more important than rate of return.

The post Return Of Principal Is More Important Than Rate Of Return appeared first on James Timothy White.

Your book cover art is the first impression a reader gets, and with it, you want to draw in the right audience. If your novel is in the sci-fi genre, you want that to be reflected in your cover, and so forth. You need to ask yourself a few questions when considering a book jacket design: what genre do I want to convey with my cover? Who am I trying to attract? Does my cover stand out from the crowd? If you want your cover to stand out of the crowd, you should hire a professional designer with high graphic standards. The right place to look for something like that is Nessgraphica, a company founded by a multiple award-winning designer, Alexander Von Ness.

Coming up with an idea might be easy, but executing it is where things get more difficult. Doing a cover yourself, unless you are an artist, is not really recommended. You cannot just throw together something on Photoshop and hope it will be enough; going to a professional book cover designer is a sure-fire way to get the quality you want. They already know what sells, they have experience to guide you in the right direction. This is especially true for those just selling their first novel. You might be at a loss for where to even begin and they have the know-how to give you guidance. If you need professional guidance, don’t hesitate to contact Alexander von Ness who offers great book cover designs and also provides useful information on his blog for those who are engaged in self-publishing.

Beyond just an image for your cover, you need to consider font. You want your title to stand out, but not overwhelm. The best book covers make it easy to spot the title without taking away from the rest of the image. If you have a subtitle, it’s important to find good placing for it as well, in addition to your pen name. This placement can get tricky; this is why a book cover designer will often give you several mock-ups to choose from, so you can pick which works best aesthetically.

Doing your research and checking out other book covers of bestsellers will help you understand how a great design really makes the difference in sales. You’ll find they will have some of the most imaginative covers that still represent their novel accurately. They might inspire some new ideas if you are struggling to come up with any.

Another idea for good marketing inspiration? Take a look at popular and unique billboards. It might sound strange, but the concept is similar; they utilize a graphic design to get someone’s attention instantly so that they check out said product, website, or service. You are doing the same, except you want the person to open your book and see what’s inside. In the end, your cover design has to be equally as important as your content. If your content is great and something you are ready to show off, you need to know how to design a book cover that can match it. A not-so-great cover can equal a loss of sales and a great one can change that. That is why you will sometimes see authors update a cover a couple years after releasing a novel; they are likely seeing a rise in sales with a better design, but getting it designed right the first time is better than having to make changes later on!

If you are still struggling to find the best solution, visit the site and portfolio of the very talented designer Alexander Von Ness and let his work speak for itself!

The post Book Cover Design: The Strongest Marketing Tool for Your Book appeared first on James Timothy White.

I stated to watch American Greed about a year ago when I came across it one night while I was working late and wanted some background noise – I turned my head and stated to watch. Unfortunately, my work was never finished that night because I could not believe what I was watching and what some businessman do for fame and fortune. The question I ask myself is don’t these scammers realize that there party will be over when people ask for their money back? Or are they that caught up that they can’t think past the end of the month. Did Bernie Madoff, pardon the pun, not understand that people will one day need the money they entrusted with him?

Take for instance one of their featured stories, former Rabbi Sholam Weiss, and young, energetic entrepreneur who turned a small plumbing supply company into a million dollar company, he was loud, confident, loved bright lights and women. In addition to leaning business he’s also learning the art of a con man. Before he caught he leads federal agents on a international manhunt, changes identities, but then get caught in 2000.

Weiss the con was finally convicted of multiple fraud and money laundering counts and sentenced to 845 years in prison for looting the National Heritage Life Insurance of a staggering $450 million.

The sentences imposed on Weiss and his accomplice Michael Blutrich was the lengthiest known in the world for a white collar crime. Weiss was convicted on 78 counts including racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering and ordered to pay $125 million in restitution and $123 million in penalties. About a dozen individuals were convicted for involvement in the collapse; another defendant, Keith Pound, received a 750-year sentence, and $139 million in restitution. Pound died in prison in 2004 at age 51.

At the end of the day the show exposes the greed in investors, companies, and businessmen alike and makes you wonder if any investment in a company is a safe place to park your money.

Just remember nothing is guaranteed, not even banks (look at Cyprus).  I almost think that some of the investors who lose money to these people deserve to lose it (I’m not serious about that).  It’s sad to see honest, hardworking individuals lose their life savings to these cons, but at the end of the day some of these “deals” are so “too good to be true” it baffles me why anyone would give them a dime to begin with.

I suggest you watch CNBC’s American Greed: Scams, Schemes, and Broken Dreams on Thursdays at 10p ET/PT, and learn what people will do for just plain ol’ paper.

The post American Greed: The Show Everyone Who Invests Money Should Watch appeared first on James Timothy White.

Companies such as Trollbeads, Pandora and Aagaard have capitalised on this fashion for customisable jewellery and developed their own range of high end jewellery to meet the demand of their savvy customers.

Charm bracelets were traditionally made of gold or silver links, with the charm themselves secured via a clip onto an individual link. However, today’s bracelets commonly take the form of a silver snake chain. The main benefit of this is that it can accommodate large quantities of charms, unlike their predecessors. The charms themselves are engineered with a hollow centre, allowing them to slide over the end of the bracelet and remain secure. One can also find hanging charms similar to the old style that used to dangle down. However, these are also fastened by sliding over the end of the bracelet, as opposed to the old method of “clipping” onto a chain link.

The bracelet clasps vary between brands. Most designers favour a traditional lobster clasp. However, there are other brands that feature more intricate clasps to make the charms extra secure. For instance, a Pandora bracelet is composed of a specially branded clasp that opens like a clamshell. These bracelets also contain threaded ends and threads on the inside of the charms. This means that the charms must be screwed over the threads in order to slide onto the bracelet. In addition to keeping them secure, it also ensures that only Pandora charms will fit onto a Pandora bracelet, thereby tying the customer into that one brand.

Charm bracelets are now regularly available in a variety of different materials. Sterling silver is the most prevalent kind on the market. However, there has been a deliberate move towards targeting more affluent customers with the introduction of 14 carat and 18 carat gold bracelets. There are, of course, cheaper alternatives. Leather charm bracelets are particularly popular amongst male customers, with Aagaard Jewellery leading the field with a range of rugged stainless steel charms to match their hand-woven soft leather bracelets.

The post The Growing Popularity of Modern Charm Bracelets appeared first on James Timothy White.

Penalties

It used to be that ‘every link counts’ but that is no longer true. No link could hurt your website in the past, despite the link contravening Google’s rules. That’s no longer the case. Thousands of websites are being hit with penalties for manipulative linking. If your website is hit by a penalty you can recover by getting the toxic links removed. I can’t think of a worse job that trying to get thousands of toxic links removed from largely indifferent webmasters, not to mention the cost. I get cold sweats even thinking about it.

Not Effective

If it didn’t work at all no-one would bother. However, compared to building high quality, legitimate links, web spam will only get you so far. You might go to the top of Google but you could just as well get their using better techniques for the same effort and similar money.

Temporary Results

Google is constantly devaluing dodgy links. You may get to the top of Google within a few weeks but that will only raise flags at Google and if you don’t get flagged up for a penalty sooner or later those spammy links will be devalued and you will have to put in the work again.

Stress

If you are engaging in web spam you are breaking Google’s rules of service. If you get found out you could lose your livelihood. If that’s not stressful I don’t know what is. Cut out the web spam and cut your stress levels. What is worrying is that some business owners are blissfully unaware of the dodgy tactics being used by their SEO firm.

It’s Not Nice!

When I think of all the time I have wasted blocking spam, getting rid of spam, dealing with spammers my heart sinks a little. What a waste, can I have a few weeks back please websmammers! Be one of the good guys and don’t do it. If you are hiring an SEO firm try to get a recommendation or referral, don’t fall for some dodgy SEO firm cold calling you.

For further tips visit www.thinkgenial.com

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