why you need a website text in front of a store front

Why You Need a Small Business Website

October 29, 2018

Every business needs a website even your small business. Whether you’re starting a new business or you’ve had a storefront for years, there is value in joining the global community online with your very own website. The internet is a powerful tool that you can use to your advantage and reach millions of people. A small business website acts as a storefront, a marketing platform, and more all in one accessible place.

SEO

How to Measure Your Web Traffic and Performance

October 25, 2018

Understanding your web traffic and performance metrics will help you better evaluate your site’s value. Your website is an asset to your business. You can use it to increase your online revenue as well as the overall value of your business.

SEO, WordPress

SEO for WordPress: How to Get Started

September 18, 2018

Using WordPress to build your website has never been easier. You don’t need to take a class or learn how to code to use WordPress. While building a website is easy, getting people to visit your site is where it gets tricky. Simply having a website doesn’t mean people will find it and use it. You have to let people know your website exists first. And the key to attracting humans to your website is cooperation. Getting started with WordPress requires a little cooperation with search engines like Google and Bing. This cooperation is called search engine optimization (SEO).

WordPress security do's and don'ts for beginners black and gray text above black and white image of mobile device with wordpress website

Security, WordPress

The Do’s and Don’ts of WordPress Security

August 28, 2018

Don’t let the idea of WordPress security intimidate you. You can take a few simple preventative measures to reduce the risk of compromising your WordPress site. Here are some initial do’s and don’ts of WordPress security basics to get started:

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WordPress

How to Get the Most out of WordCamp Pittsburgh 2018

August 21, 2018

Pittsburgh will host its third annual WordCamp conference on September 22, 2018. Are you ready to learn, share, and absorb everything there is to know about WordPress? Conferences offer an overwhelming amount of activities, information, and free swag. Use this quick guide to help you get the most out of your WordCamp experience!

WordPress

5 Common WordPress Problems and Solutions

August 14, 2018

WordPress is a powerful tool for creating, managing, and sharing your content. But even powerful tools need maintenance and a little help troubleshooting problems. If you want to simplify your WordPress launch, you can get a ready-out-of-the-box solution from a reliable web host.

WordPress

Our 10 Favorite WordPress Plugins

August 7, 2018

WordPress offers over 55,000 plugins to its users. Your site would probably crash if you tried all of the WordPress plugins available and you don’t have time to waste testing Worthless Plugins. So, here are several of our favorite (and useful) WordPress plugins:

WordPress

5 Security Tips for WordPress Beginners

June 27, 2018

Why Worry About Security? Security is an important part to consider when setting up a website. You’ve probably heard about a high profile security breach or attack in the recent past, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that cybercrime only happens to big companies with big assets. But any site can become a victim of cybercrime and it’s important to take steps to reduce your site’s vulnerability. We’ve compiled five security tips for all you beginners out there who want to create a site and keep it secure, too. #1 Keep Site Up-to-Date Keeping your site…

WordPress

What Does It Mean to be WordPress Optimized?

June 14, 2018

What do web hosts mean when they say optimized WordPress hosting? You already decided you want to use WordPress to build your site. Do you really need special hosting services for WordPress? It depends on what you want your WordPress site to do and your technical abilities. Here’s what you need to know about web hosting services optimized for WordPress.

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Company News, WordPress

May 2018 Update: What’s New at pair Networks?

May 22, 2018

At pair Networks, we’re always working on new ways to give you more tools, services, and options! As part of our mission to give, we updated our WP hosting services. Check out the new features designed for WordPress accounts:

Design & Development, Web Hosting

How to Choose a Web Host

May 16, 2018

Updated: May 16, 2018 Ideally, you’ll choose the right web host the first time around so you don’t have to move your site later. Often, people realize their first host doesn’t meet expectations and they end up paying someone to move their site. In order to help you get to your second host the first time around, here’s a comprehensive guide with everything you need to know as you choose a web host.

Web Hosting, WordPress

Getting Started with the WordPress Gutenberg Editor

May 1, 2018

WordPress developed a new visual editor and you can finally take it for a test drive! The WordPress Gutenberg editor, named for the inventor of the printing press with movable type, is now available as a plugin. Before you install the new Gutenberg plugin, here’s what you need to know: What Is Gutenberg for WordPress? WordPress version 5.0 will include the new Gutenberg visual editor, which you can test as a plugin before the real launch. The existing visual editor that you know and love requires more shortcodes and HTML. Gutenberg employs a block interface and is designed to simplify…

Email, How To, Tutorials

7 Tips for Writing Email Subject Lines

April 9, 2018

How many emails have you received today? With over 105 billions emails sent every day, you probably have a few unread emails in your inbox and so do your customers. Compelling email subject lines may be the difference between the emails you read and the ones you move to your trash folder. Subject lines are like first impressions; you want them to be good, memorable, and, in this case, clickable.

Email, Web Hosting

How to Get Started with Email Marketing

March 30, 2018

Email marketing can help you maintain engagement with your website visitors. Have you ever heard of FOMO or the “fear of missing out?” Even if you’ve never heard of FOMO, you’ve probably experienced it. FOMO drives people to engage with the world so they don’t feel left out. Usually FOMO refers to a person feeling anxious after realizing they missed a cool event or a fun time with friends.

Design & Development, Email

Getting Started with Your pair Email

March 14, 2018

Introduction to pair Custom Mailboxes pair Networks includes custom mailboxes on its Shared, VPS, and Dedicated hosting packages. Custom mailboxes look professional and are a great addition to any business. With so many different possible uses, having the option to create custom mailboxes is a great addition to a hosting account. If you have a pair Networks’ Shared, VPS, or Dedicated hosting account, there’s a good chance you have custom mailboxes included on your account at no extra cost. For example, our base Shared hosting packages come with 500 custom mailboxes. These custom mailboxes are based on your domain,…

Security

How to Get SSL Free

March 1, 2018

How to Get Free SSL As a website owner you want to achieve the best possible SERP ranking, but you’re not sure where to start. The Internet has been abuzz with the need for an encrypted browsing experience ever since Google announced changes to displaying websites without ‘https’ early 2017. What is SSL? Do you need SSL even if you don’t sell anything on your website? How do you access free SSL? What is SSL? The simple explanation is that SSL stands for secure sockets layer. This secure socket layer creates a privacy tunnel. The tunnel or SSL is the…

Web Hosting, WordPress

How Much Does WordPress Hosting Cost?

February 22, 2018

How Much Does WordPress Hosting Cost? The time has come for you to build your website. You’ve decided WordPress has everything you need to launch and scale in the future. All that is left on your to-do list is to learn the cost of hosting your WordPress website. Hosting Shared Hosting Shared hosting for your WordPress website is available for less with annual payment or $5.95 monthly. Shared hosting includes reliable uptime, rapid loading speed, and up to 500 custom email addresses using your .COM. For $2.95 per month, pairSIM provides 1-Click installation, automatic software updates, and management. Top level…

Design & Development, Security, Web Hosting

What is an SSL Certificate?

February 9, 2018

An SSL Certificate can be installed on your site to create an encrypted link to your visitors. This helps keep information from being stolen during transit between the browser and server. In a world with rising cyber crime, you can never be too careful with your online presence. An SSL certificate also authenticates that your company is associated with your domain, thus giving visitors peace of mind when they land on your site. Visitors will know your site is secured by the lock icon in browser URL field. It is commonly believed that you only need an SSL certificate if…

Design & Development, How To, Security

How to Serve Your Site Over HTTPS

February 9, 2018

How to Serve Your Site Over HTTPS A site served over https is more secure. Since https uses the secure port 443, which encrypts outgoing information, it is much more difficult for people to spy on your site’s information. Regular http, on the other hand, uses port 80, which sends information via plain text. Plain text can easily be compromised during transit and by using it, you risk exposing your site and its visitors’ information to the world. However, in order to use https, you will first need an SSL certificate. For more information about SSL certificates, see our What…

Design & Development

What is a CDN?

February 2, 2018

What is a CDN? A Content Delivery Network, commonly referred to as a CDN, offers a way to cut down on bandwidth usage and site load time. How does it do this? Well, that requires some explanation about how CDNs work. CDNs are a network of geographically dispersed servers. They have servers in many different locations, commonly called points of presence (PoP). CDNs can hold some of the content for your site so when visitors load your site, the content will load directly from the CDN. Loading directly from the CDN reduces the strain placed on your hosting server, who…

Design & Development, SEO

Understanding Local SEO

December 13, 2017

Supporting local businesses is essential for community growth and development. As a local business, you can’t expect all the locals to know your independent store exists or its exact location. That’s where local search engine optimization (local SEO) comes into play.

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Design & Development, SEO, WordPress

What To Do After You Build Your Website

October 25, 2017

So, you built your website. Now what? A site that simply exists on the internet isn’t enough. Hitting “publish” won’t be your last step. How will your audience find your site? Do they even know it exists? You have to let people know your site is live and make it easy for them to find. If you want your site to be successful, you have more work to do. Here’s what to do after creating a website:

Security, Web Hosting

What Kind of SSL Certificate Do I Need?

October 24, 2017

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificates are quickly becoming necessary to make Google Chrome happy. Without an SSL Cert, your site may suffer when it comes to search rankings and web traffic. And, with a new update in October 2017, Google Chrome will actively try to turn traffic away from your HTTP site. Even if you’re not collecting information from people, they may not make it to your site without first reading a warning message from Google. Without an SSL Certificate, Google Chrome will tell viewers your site isn’t secure and make them think twice before continuing to your website.

How to Put Varnish Cache on WordPress featured image

How To, Tutorials, WordPress

How to Put Varnish Cache on Your WordPress Site

September 8, 2017

What is Varnish Cache? Varnish Cache is a web accelerator, which is used to speed up site loading times. So, how does it work? Well, a web accelerator acts as a proxy server that reduces the time it takes to access a website. A proxy server operates as a go-between for requests to the server. When a computer wants to load a site, it will contact the server and request the site’s information and resources. A proxy server intercepts those requests and processes them according to its instructions.

Design & Development, Security

An Introduction to SSL Certificates

September 5, 2017

An Introduction to Encryption Ever wonder how websites help keep hackers from stealing private information, like your credit card number or passwords? The answer: SSL. SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is a security protocol that protects the connection between your site and the visitor. When a visitor logs in or makes purchases on your site, the client (such as a browser) sends information to your website’s server. This information can be vulnerable while it’s traveling, making this the opportune time for hackers to strike. However, using SSL can secure the channel between client and server, making hacking much harder to pull…

how to start a podcast with wordpress and pair networks hosting

How To, Tutorials, WordPress

How to Launch Your First Podcast with WordPress

August 28, 2017

In 2017, 42 million Americans listen to podcasts weekly. With such a large variety of engaging, hands-free audio content, it’s not surprising that podcasts are growing more and more popular.

Web Hosting, WordPress

5 Ways to Improve Your eCommerce WordPress Site

August 22, 2017

Entrepreneurs frequently start selling their latest products or services online with a cool new business website instead of a store front. Without a physical location, you can reduce startup capital and reach a larger audience. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as creating a new WordPress site and magically becoming a bestseller overnight. Even the most experienced entrepreneurs and business-savvy people may find the world of eCommerce websites difficult to navigate. Here are a few ways to increase traffic and drive revenue with your eCommerce WordPress site:

Design & Development

Improving Accessibility on Your Site

August 21, 2017

When we’re creating for the web, it’s easy to forget about making our content accessible for all audience types. With more than 36 million adults in the United States being unable to read past a third-grade reading level and the growing usage of screen readers for the visually impaired, making your website accessible is more important than ever. Making Your Site Accessible When it comes to website structure, we often consider the website finished when the front-end is visually pleasing. However, screen readers use the website’s code to navigate. So if your code is messy, your website would appear to…

Design & Development, How To, SEO, Tutorials

8 Tips for Building Your Nonprofit Website

August 16, 2017

You don’t need a huge budget to have an engaging website for your nonprofit organization. Having an online presence will help your organization achieve success whether you define success as awareness, donations, or something else entirely. With a well-designed and thoughtfully-created website, you can accomplish more than you thought possible.

Email

5 Advantages to Having a Custom Email Address

July 26, 2017

When you launch a website, you want people to visit, check out your content, and engage with the site. In addition to social media and commenting, people also like to communicate and engage via email. When you have an email address that’s not associated with your web domain, people are less likely to email you. It can also look unprofessional when you use email addresses like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com. Fortunately, you have another option, custom domain email. Here are a few of the advantages that come with having a custom email address: