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The days of a traditional business approach are long gone. As Bob Dylan puts it, “The times they are a-changin’,” and rising above the competition in today’s overly saturated business market requires far more than having a successful product or service or running a well-thought-out marketing campaign.

Companies must adopt new strategies to drive engagement and sales, and blogging for business is portraying itself as a winning strategy among the many new approaches. It refers to creating content related to the company’s product or service and is proving to be a fantastic solution to today’s business problems.

We’ll examine how blogging for your business has become an increasingly valuable part of any marketing strategy and discuss its benefits for modern online businesses.

Blogs As A Part of Your Marketing StrategyThe digital marketing world is highly volatile – new trends are constantly emerging, old ones are dying, and consumer behavior is shifting alongside these trends. Staying ahead in such a dynamic realm is more than just a strategy. It’s a necessity.

Unlike emerging and dying marketing trends, which are constantly in flux, blogs have a long and consistent history on the web and represent an established platform for companies to communicate with their audience. They focus on the written word, and through content marketing, still play a pivotal role in any company’s marketing efforts.

Pair the words with multimedia elements, and blogs become potent, multifaceted, and highly adaptable marketing tools. Not to mention that a business blog is one of the best ways to increase organic traffic to your website.

When compared with other marketing tactics, they remain an excellent choice for controlling the business narrative, addressing pain points and objections at length, and building the desired brand image while remaining simple and cost-effective.

Benefits of Blogging for BusinessBlogging for business unlocks indispensable advantages. It helps improve the company’s online visibility, builds authority, boosts customer engagement, showcases products or services in the best light, and elevates the brand image on social media platforms. On top of that, it’s an incredibly cost-effective method of driving sales.

Keep reading to learn how blogging for business helps in these areas as we’ll delve into each benefit.

Improved Online VisibilityOne of the most significant advantages of regularly writing blog posts is your company’s vastly improved online presence. Every article you write is treated as a separate page on your site, each separately indexed by various search engines.

You’re getting countless opportunities for new customers to discover your website and, thus, building brand awareness for your company and its products or services.

Frequently publishing relevant content with smart keywords also pushes your website to the front pages of the internet, increasing your chances of getting clicks and increasing your website traffic. Furthermore, the more visits you have, the higher the chances of customer conversion and the better your sales.

Building Expertise and AuthorityCreating a viral ad may work for Coca-Cola, an already-established conglomerate with millions of regular customers. However, it doesn’t work as well for smaller companies and startups just entering the market. These companies lack the authority of larger enterprises, often needing help building expertise or fostering the ever-important trust among their audience.

Blogging helps to address these issues and aids in portraying your company as a trusted authority. It uses well-researched, quality content to present various industry challenges and your product or service as the most practical solution. As such, it becomes a testament to your expertise, pushing your company’s products and services as reliable go-to solutions to your potential customers.

Establishing a Community and Engaging CustomersMarketing to a target audience means very little without creating a community around your brand. Here, blogging emerges as the ultimate solution to establishing a customer relationship, as it creates a platform where consumers feel a sense of belonging. That also increases trust in the company and turns occasional website visitors into your brand’s loyal advocates.

Moreover, companies can also benefit from encouraging customers to engage with the article’s content by sharing their opinions, asking and answering questions in the comments, and sharing blog posts on various social media websites.

As we believe that every small business should also be aggressively building their email list and doing email marketing, blog content not only serves to help you build your email list but also provides an easy source of new topics for your email newsletters. In this way you can increase traffic to your site by combining the powers of your blog and newsletter.

Such an interactive approach works wonders for transforming your blog, further improving the bond between your company and its customers.

Showcasing the Real Value of Your Products and ServicesStraightforward product descriptions don’t do much regarding showcasing your products and services. Alone, these descriptions, no matter how creative and well thought-out, don’t convey the true value of your offerings. On the other hand, blogs don’t suffer from the same issues, as they can include various elements that showcase the impact of your products or services.

By adding well-written stories about real-world applications, detailed case studies that showcase your offerings’ advantages, and success stories among your user reviews, blogs can convey the actual value of your products or services in the best light possible. Such content goes above and beyond, becoming an incredibly persuasive element and boosting your sales in the long run.

Improving Social Media PresenceBesides vastly enhancing your website’s online visibility and reverberating across multiple search engines, adding a blog to your business impacts your brand’s presence on various social media platforms. Each blog post becomes a shareable piece of valuable content, functioning in tandem with customer engagement strategies and generating new leads for your business.

Your entire digital footprint massively benefits from business blogging and the insights you deliver to your audience, increasing the number of likes, comments, and shares your content gets. Therefore, such an intertwined digital marketing approach will resonate with a larger audience, converting thousands of leads into sales figures.

Cost-effectiveness and Sales NumbersTraditional marketing campaigns often include hefty prices, making them sustainable only if most campaigns are a massive hit and resonate with the target audience. Blogging, however, doesn’t suffer from these issues, providing a cost-effective method for driving your leads and increasing your sales numbers.

As a marketing strategy, blogging requires minimal upfront expenses while offering significant benefits in the long run. All you need is a handful of skilled writers who’ll do their research and regularly publish content according to your needs.

Here, strategically placed relevant keywords are far more vital than advertising expenses, and have a much longer shelf life. Along with interesting, informative, and well-written blog posts, these keywords keep your business blogging efforts continuously effective in creating new leads and converting customers.

Integrating Your Blog into Your Marketing EffortsIf you’re wanting to start a blog, blending your blog strategy into your different marketing strategies can seem overwhelming. With planning, it proves remarkably straightforward once you start, but it does require efforts in terms of:

• Thoroughly researching your blog topics and completing keyword research
• Creating well thought-out and valuable content
• Combining the written word with different visual elements to enrich your posts
• Aligning blog posts with other campaigns like product launches or service changes
• Utilizing the power of social media and frequently sharing blog posts on various platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
• Integrating blog content into your email marketing strategies and creating intriguing newsletters
• Adding keywords and other search engine optimization (SEO) elements for improving the search engine results page (SERP) rankings of your blog

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Combining these strategies allows you to create a content bank of informative and intriguing posts and integrate your blogging efforts with your other marketing strategies for maximum impact.

In fact about 80% of marketers create blog posts to reach their overall marketing goals showcasing that it can be a very powerful tool.

Business Blogging Best PracticesHarnessing the full power of blogging for business requires more than just writing informative posts that showcase your products or services. It requires following the latest blogging trends, which often include the following:

• Adding interactive elements like polls and surveys
• Focusing on long-form content that dives deep
• Creating content that addresses common objections and addresses pain points
• Optimizing blog posts for mobile devices
• Integrating multiple multimodal elements into word-focused blogs
• Staying consistent when representing your brand

While some blogging trends have existed for years, others may be temporarily popular. Creating rich blog posts and engaging your audience will likely require researching what is trending.

As with any other marketing type, the impact of blogging on your marketing efforts is tied to the amount of thought you put into it.

By putting together a thoughtful and effecting blogging strategy you have the ability to drive traffic to your website, put your offers in front of potential clients, and become a reliable source of information for your customers.

ConclusionThe evolving marketing landscape is in constant flux, making it difficult for businesses to stay ahead of the current trends and reap the benefits of expensive marketing strategies. Due to these circumstances, companies need all the help they can get to drive sales, and that’s where blogs come in.

Blogs emerge as a constant in this dynamic marketing sphere, carrying numerous advantages for marketing efforts and allowing companies to reach broader audiences, improve customer conversions, and drive product and service sales when done correctly.

The post Blogging for Business: Unlocking the Endless Source of Sales appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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The past decade has seen an outstanding growth of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. Countless companies have turned their heads towards these easily-implementable software distribution models. With SaaS, businesses of all sizes can effortlessly make their services available to customers over the web.

From such a remarkable expanse of SaaS models, another new trend has also emerged in recent years. We’re, of course, talking about micro SaaS. Unlike its older cousin, this new approach focuses on much narrower audiences and highly specialized products and services.

Today, we’ll delve deep into the world of micro SaaS models, examining their recent growth and emerging trends, exploring the challenges of developing such a model, discussing the current top ideas in the industry, and going over the benefits of starting such a business.

What is Micro SaaS?Micro SaaS refers to a tinier SaaS model that caters to a specific industry and offers a specialized solution for a niche market. These businesses can be developed by a minor team or even individually and have a much smaller user base than a regular SaaS. Of course, micro SaaS models are based on SaaS, meaning their software is also licensed on a subscription.

Compared to regular SaaS businesses, micro SaaS startups can also easily be self-funded and have much lower costs of creating and marketing a product or a service. They can be managed without the massive funding required for regular SaaS ideas, making them a trendy option for many entrepreneurs.

Emerging Micro SaaS Trends and GrowthWith SaaS businesses rapidly changing the scalability and service agility of countless organizations while bringing tremendous cost savings, it’s evident that this business model is here to stay. Just seven short years ago, the SaaS market had a value of less than $60 billion, but today, its annual growth rate of over 25% has brought it to more than $200 billion in 2024.

Micro SaaS has also seen tremendous growth, as companies are seeing outstanding benefits of acquiring specialized services and deploying them over the web to their customers instead of developing solutions from scratch, investing in cloud services, or installing applications on their users’ devices.

At the same time, micro SaaS businesses are reaching higher profit margins than regular SaaS because they’re targeting a niche market with specific niche problems. It allows them to skip various costs regarding the development, marketing, sales, and customer support areas that come with one-size-fits-all SaaS solutions.

In short: the micro SaaS market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

Challenges and Considerations of Starting a Micro SaaS BusinessWhile micro SaaS businesses are undoubtedly the top model of the future offering a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs, creating your own micro SaaS company isn’t without its challenges. With that said, these are the five elements you’ll need to consider when starting a micro SaaS business:

• Competition from Regular SaaS – Despite your efforts to target specific audiences without competition, chances are still high that regular SaaS companies have already established themselves in the industry. You’ll have to battle these larger companies for market share with innovation, better features, and personalized service.
• Marketing Challenges and Customer Conversions – The primary difficulties with micro SaaS businesses aren’t with creating a service but marketing the service to the right customer. Gaining visibility and converting customers will require impeccable digital marketing strategies, and even then, it’s a significant challenge as micro SaaS companies don’t have massive marketing funds.
• Risks Associated with a Niche Market – Even something that’s an advantage for micro SaaS can pose a challenge for emerging companies in the industry. A micro SaaS depends on the target audience – if the market experiences negative changes, so will the business.
• Limited Resources and Customer Support – The term “micro” in micro SaaS also applies to the company’s resources in terms of development, marketing, and sales teams, with many such businesses spending far less on customer support than regular SaaS. Yet, providing quality customer support is vital; you’ll need to manage all inquiries efficiently to keep your customer satisfaction up.

If you’re reading this and thinking to yourself that you don’t have any coding knowledge or any idea how to actually build a micro SaaS platform, the barrier to entry might not be as high as you think. Platforms like Acquire are ripe with developers out to sell the micro saas project they’ve built.

Many times these developers are looking to get the MVP build (minimum viable product build) completed and shift to another project. By acquiring a platform at this stage, you can likely opt for no external funding and bootstrap your marketing efforts to build up your online presence.

Many micro SaaS companies opt for listing their product on a site like AppSumo for a reduced price, or a life-time subscription, allowing users to beta test their platform and inform any future development.

Sites like these typically have repeat customers who are on the lookout for the best new tool, giving micro SaaS companies the opportunity to leverage influencer marketing and affiliate programs for growth.

There’s also the option of choosing an existing SaaS platform that allows you to white-label and targeting a specific niche. By doing this you can provide a micro SaaS service for small businesses. This play is particularly popular when it comes to niche platforms for marketing agencies.

While bypassing challenges to launching a micro SaaS solution might require a lot of innovation, being intelligent with your marketing strategies, and proper management tactics, there are always techniques to help help you better navigate the SaaS landscape.

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Best Micro SaaS Ideas for 2024Micro SaaS projects exist in a highly dynamic environment. Nonetheless, there are multiple stable landscapes where you can find opportunities for growth and profit. In 2024, these micro SaaS ideas include sustainable business, health and wellness, and niche e-learning tools, with AI automation apps, CRM solutions, and localized marketing platforms as other great options.

Sustainable business toolsOne of the primary industries where micro SaaS businesses can thrive is the landscape of sustainable business tools. Countless companies are adopting sustainable business practices as they positively impact the firm’s brand image and showcase innovation.

Developing software that allows these companies to optimize their operations and improve their productivity while minimizing their supply chains and carbon footprints can be an excellent idea and an extremely potent revenue model.

Health and wellness toolsThe health and wellness sector can also be a perfect niche market to develop your micro SaaS business. Nurturing a person’s physical and mental well-being is essential in today’s world of social media sites, fast food places, and sugar-infused soda drinks.

That’s why examples like mental health and support apps, fitness-tracking tools, or lifestyle and wellness solutions can all target a specific niche and create a fantastic revenue stream for your company.

Niche e-learning toolsBesides catering to one’s well-being, your micro SaaS business can also cater to a person’s growth through learning and self-improvement. Platforms focusing on interactive internet courses, frequent assessments of knowledge, certifications for passing these assessments, and other e-learning tools can be highly profitable.

Not only are they perfect for individuals or even schools, but these micro SaaS models can also be business-oriented and train a workforce, making them highly profitable for the developer.

AI-task automation softwareThe rise of artificial intelligence has brought immense benefits to our everyday lives. That’s why everyone is trying to get their hands on AI-infused tools, regardless of their industry, as they can automate countless tasks and significantly improve one’s productivity.

As a result, these tools remain valuable assets, while micro SaaS businesses creating AI-task automation software remain a promising idea for 2024.

The great thing about choosing to integrate AI into your micro SaaS business plan is that it’s applicable to nearly every niche or vertical.

Vertical-specific CRM solutionsWhile CRM solutions aren’t a novelty, and there are countless successful CRM tools online, most are based on regular SaaS and work as a one-size-fits-all solution. However, industries can still benefit from vertical CRMs, highly specialized and custom-built tools catering to a specific sector.

As an added bonus, focusing on ad campaign analytics tools as a feature can give businesses extra control over their ad spend and be able to more closely monitor the effectiveness of their online marketing efforts.

With these, a business’s customer relationships can effortlessly flourish, as users will feel heard and understood, thus making this micro SaaS business idea highly valuable.

Ultra-localized marketing platformsAlthough social media is the current king of marketing campaigns, it still needs specialized localization features and often targets the incorrect audience. That’s why there’s a need for ultra-localized marketing platforms that can create targeted, location-based campaigns.

Micro SaaS companies developing such marketing platforms can profit significantly by connecting businesses with their local audiences and boosting a firm’s customer engagement and loyalty.

Consider Starting a White-label Micro SaaSWith so many niche markets and a rapidly changing environment, the micro SaaS model is undoubtedly the future of software and services. We mentioned earlier than an option is to start a white-label of an existing SaaS but of course, you could also take the additional step and start your own white-label micro SaaS company, allowing you to market to other businesses with a SaaS model.

These companies would then further resell and redistribute your offerings under different brandings, but you wouldn’t have to worry about marketing, sales, or customer support for these businesses. Instead, your profit would depend on finding companies with existing customer bases that want to customize your software and resell it as their own.

This task would be less challenging than you might think, as it doesn’t require coding knowledge. At the same time, many companies want to skip the time and cost of creating a product or service from scratch, but your software would undoubtedly need to be adaptable for any branding requirements.

Advantages of Focusing on Niche MarketsThere’s a reason why micro SaaS models are booming nowadays. This exponential rise has much to do with the nature of micro SaaS businesses, which focus on a much narrower audience than regular SaaS models. That also brings micro SaaS models numerous benefits, including some of the following:

• Effortlessly Reaching the Target Audience – Niche markets allow entrepreneurs to focus their micro SaaS model on a particular audience. Such an approach makes reaching the audience easier if you can nail the marketing strategy.
• Low Development and Marketing Costs – Micro SaaS businesses are characterized by lower development costs as they can be developed by a minor team or individually. At the same time, marketing these products doesn’t require nearly as much funding, as there’s easy access to the target audience.
• Battling Far Less Competition – The fact that you’re dealing with a niche market automatically means there’s far less competition than with broader audiences. Micro SaaS businesses can easily stand out and establish themselves as the industry’s leaders by focusing on solving a specific problem for their audience.
• Higher Service Prices and Profits – As an already established industry leader, an entrepreneur with a developed and successful micro SaaS model can charge significantly more for a service without breaking the user’s bank. The lack of competition will also help keep your prices up and create higher profit margins.
• Increased Agility and Adaptability – Due to their smaller-scale business models, micro SaaS businesses are highly agile and can effortlessly adapt to any changes in the market. As such, micro SaaS models can quickly respond to customers’ changing preferences and stay profitable.

It’s worth noting that end users in niche markets can also benefit from micro SaaS models. They won’t be paying the end cost of having massive development, marketing, sales, and support teams. Even so, these micro SaaS businesses still have room for profit.

Best Examples of Micro SaaS BusinessesThe advantages of micro SaaS businesses can be seen in live examples of companies relying on this business model. Some of the most well-known micro SaaS businesses include the following:

PlutioPlutio is a reliable, easy-to-use online toolkit for managing, collaborating, and automating daily business tasks. The software streamlines countless task creation, tracking, and sharing operations, helping users manage their projects from a single, centralized, all-in-one platform.

With Plutio, users can safely create tasks, collaborate with their colleagues, share progress and files, automate operations, and even get paid through the platform, which also supports 25+ languages.

AnyTrackMicro SaaS models are also present in the marketing world, and AnyTrack is a perfect example of such a solution. This marketing platform is the ideal weapon for any marketer needing data-driven insights.

The tool works as a lightweight JavaScript Snippet for your browser, tracking your business’s customer conversions and syncing this data with various Ads Managers your company might use, including Google Analytics, CRM, Meta Pixel, etc.

ZendeskAnother excellent example of a successful micro SaaS business is Zendesk, a robust CRM tool with years of experience in the industry. Companies of all sizes use Zendesk to manage customer relationships through the tool’s helpdesk, live chat, email marketing, and customer engagement features.

With Zendesk’s multichannel customer support tools, built-in ticketing system, and feedback analysis features, customers can feel heard, and the business can enjoy a better reputation.

ConclusionThanks to the rapid growth of the SaaS market, the industry has seen another emerging trend – micro SaaS. It differs from its older brother in terms of shorter development times, need for only limited resources, and targeting a specific audience instead of relying on the one-size-fits-all SaaS model.

That’s not to say that starting a micro SaaS business is without its challenges, as discussed above. However, if you can get around these issues, building a micro SaaS empire can be advantageous, and we’ve provided ideas that could propel your business in 2024, along with examples of successful micro SaaS companies.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is a micro SaaS? A micro SaaS is a type of software as a service (SaaS) that’s intent is to address a very specific niche or problem. Unlike larger SaaS products that cater to a broad audience, micro SaaS solutions are typically created, and maintained, by solo entrepreneurs or small teams.

They often require minimal resources to operate and can be developed with little to no coding, especially with the rise of no-code platforms. This approach allows entrepreneurs to launch a viable saas product that serves a targeted group of users efficiently.

How can I come up with a micro SaaS idea? To generate a micro saas idea, consider identifying a specific pain point within a niche market. It helps if you have first hand experience in that niche. A great place to engage with your potential target audience is through surveys or forums like Reddit. This allows you to better understand their needs. Look for opportunities in existing saas solutions that may lack niche specific functionality.

Another approach is to explore trends and emerging technologies that could inspire new startup ideas. The top focus right now is around integrating AI into all business models so with that in mind think about how you can automate or streamline processes to enhance user experience.

What are some examples of successful micro SaaS products? Successful micro SaaS products often focus on solving specific problems for niche markets. Examples include a tool that helps marketers optimize their email marketing campaigns, or a simple landing page builder for independent artists.

Other examples include SaaS applications that assist in project management specifically for freelancers, or a subscription-based service that curates useful templates for digital marketing. Products like these typically cater to a well-defined audience and offer unique features that larger platforms may overlook.

How do I market a micro SaaS platform? As with any marketing plan, it’s best to have a multi-pronged approach for a micro SaaS platform targeting both organic and, if you have the budget, paid traffic. It’s necessary to build a social media presence as this can bring in organic traffic to your offers as well as building brand awareness and increasing the effectiveness of any social media ad campaigns you launch.

Before you can do any of that, you’ll need to build a website with valuable content and information about your micro SaaS company. Make sure your SEO strategies are set to bring in your ideal customer by highlighting their pain point and offering your platform as their solution.

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Forget short stories and elevator pitches. A modern writer’s true artistry is measured by his ability to craft clickable blog headlines. As a blogger, you surely know what we’re talking about. There’s nothing more challenging – or important – than coming up with titles that convert.

Luckily, we know what it takes to write eye-catching blog post titles.

How to Create a Fantastic Blog Post Title The best-performing blog post titles for both organic clicks and search engine optimization (SEO) are concise and impactful. They straightforwardly reveal the context and the benefits while also throwing a hook for the readers by offering quick and effective solutions or appealing to readers’ interests and emotions.

Combine that with a killer meta description for your post and you’re reeling in traffic!

These techniques work for more than just Google. Catchy titles are important in all sharing sites like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Medium, and Reddit.

Keep it Short Let’s face it: most of us don’t have the attention span for long titles. As a blogger, you have a tricky task – to draw your readers’ attention and set the scene for your post in about 60 characters. That’s between 8 and 15 words, which should be more than enough to make an impact.

Plus, Google will cut your title off if it’s too long. A part of the message (and some SEO keywords) might get lost. Like its users, Google likes its titles short, sweet, and compact.

Emphasize Benefits Bloggers publish around 7.5 million posts on the internet every day. Why should anyone click on yours? You must give your readers a good reason to read your post.

So, a clickable title must put this reason front and center. Consider the benefits of individual posts for your readers. What will they learn? Will it help them achieve something they need or want?

In short, you want your post to match their search intent. This brings you highly engaged and relevant readers visiting your page.

Depending on the type of the blog post, there are various title techniques you can use:

• How To
• Guide/Checklist
• Question
• What/Why
• Solutions

If you’re offering urgent solutions, remember that your readers are probably nervous and in a hurry. To make them click, you need to be very straightforward and on-point.

Need help with your title? Try this free blog title analyzer!

Add Power Words Which solution is better – a plain old good one or a solution that is simply perfect? Perfect beats good just as impressive trumps solid or fantastic beats okay. These are power words.

Titles that include words like these are more persuasive as they invoke a psychological response from readers. Take meaningful, for example. It implies value and instills confidence.

Power words help establish authority on the topic, but you can achieve the same effect using statistics and numbers. Both signal to the reader that this is a post from a field expert.

Know Your Audience Take this title from a popular economics blog: Matriline versus Patriline: Social Mobility in England, 1754-2023. It’s a fine title, but would you ever click it? No, unless you’re into economics or history. How about this one: How I Grew My Blog By An Unbelievable 650% In Six Months? If you’re looking for solutions to increase your blog traffic, that post would be a no-brainer!

When writing a catchy title, you must remember that different styles appeal to different audiences and that this doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with a topic.

You must find an appropriate voice and language for a specific audience. Analyze your main demographics – if you’re writing for the younger crowds or about casual topics, you can use slang and pop culture references. If you’re running a legal blog, use legalese, and so forth.

Invoke Emotions Connecting to your audience on a deeper level will help you build a community of loyal followers. So, feel free to get personal. Here’s a good example: Working Harder than Ever, but Still Worried about Downsizing?It shows you know and care about their feelings.

If your niche allows it, you can get a bit poetic, too. Emotional words like heartwarming, joy, pride, awe, or acceptance tug at their heartstrings and make it easier for them to relate.

Review and Improve When you’ve conveyed the benefits and values and achieved the right emotion, it’s time to step back and reevaluate. Is it clear enough? Could it be shorter and hit the same target?

Let’s not forget – your blog title must satisfy whichever algorithm you’re catering to before it can get clicks from readers. SEO is integral to this, so ensure you’ve used the right keyword. It should fit in the title effortlessly so your readers can’t tell it’s strategic.

Of course, avoid clickbait at all costs.

Engaging Blog Post Title ExamplesYou’re not sure how to start? Here are some great examples to inspire you:

• Your Guide to Mastering Productivity in 2024 [Step by Step]
• How to Make Authentic Bolognese Sauce: 5 Secret Ingredients
• Would You Like to Skyrocket Your Blog’s ROI? Here’s How I Did It
• 10 Key Reasons to Exercise When You Don’t Feel Like It
• Data Recovery Solutions: 8 Methods That Actually Work

Each of these exhibits one or more of the elements we discussed and clearly states what benefit the reader will get from clicking.

Conclusion A well-written title can make or break your blogging efforts, so here’s one last tip for you: create a couple of versions of each title and test them on your friends. The best title is often the simple one. The title perfectly sums up your blog post’s topic, intent, purpose, and style.

The post How to Create a Meaningful Blog Post Title That Gets Clicks appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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You don’t have to be a professional digital marketer to know that attracting more website visitors is always a good thing. After all, whether you’re starting a blog, trying to establish an online presence for your small business, or getting into larger ecommerce waters, you probably aren’t building a website for it to be your private little online space. You’re building it to attract traffic.

Now, there are two major types of online traffic – organic and direct. Traditionally, we refer to traffic coming naturally from search engines as organic and traffic coming from no apparent source as direct. However, there’s more to organic and direct traffic than meets the eye.

Let’s delve deeper into the similarities and differences between organic and direct traffic and see which one you should focus on.

What Is Organic Traffic? Organic traffic is generally much easier to define. It’s any traffic that comes to your website from search results on engines like Google or Bing. However, remember that this doesn’t include any traffic from paid ads you’ve invested in to make your website stand out.

It only includes the influx of website visitors who come to your pages because they appeared among the results of their search engine inquiries.

Let’s say you’re trying to make money online by starting a parenting advice blog. Someone comes and googles “How to calm down a crying infant,” and your blog catches their attention because it appeared among their search results. In this instance, their traffic would be deemed “organic”.

Of course, the key to making organic traffic work is developing a worthwhile website that will rank higher on the search engine results pages (SERP). That’s directly influenced by your search engine optimization (SEO), which we’ll discuss in a moment.

What Is Direct Traffic? Direct traffic is a bit trickier to define and track. As the name suggests, it refers to traffic coming from users who visit your site directly. Not through reference links, Google searches, social media, ads, or other websites, but straight from their browser to your website.

For instance, that occurs when someone types in your URL in their address bar. It can also happen when they’ve bookmarked your website and clicked on their bookmark.

As you can see, these users don’t have a specific source they come from. They didn’t click on your paid ad or open the link you sent them in their email.

While this can indicate that direct traffic comes from those already familiar with your brand (since they seem to know your URL), that’s not always the case. Direct traffic might also come from your word-of-mouth marketing campaign, for example, newspaper ads, flyers, billboards, etc.

Therefore, you’ll need to increase your brand awareness and invest in many different marketing strategies to increase your direct traffic.

Other Types of Web TrafficIt’s important to note that web traffic doesn’t fit into just the categories of organic or direct. There are other categories as well, like the following, that account a more full picture of where your web traffic is coming from.

• Referral: This is the number of visitors that come to your website by clicking a link from another website. This is important when you are focusing on link building as this contributes to increased traffic landing on your site.
• Organic Social: This is the same as organic web traffic, but coming specifically from social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.)
• Paid Search: This represents traffic coming from paid ad placements (Google ads)
• Organic Video: This type of traffic comes from video only sites like YouTube, TikTok, or Vimeo. This is a great area to focus as video content is king currently.
• Unassigned: This type of traffic is essentially a catchall for website traffic that can’t be categorized into the other channels.

This list isn’t exhaustive as there are a number of other types of traffic that can be directed to your website and tracked specifically (email, affiliate-based, etc) but it’s enough to get you thinking about the different ways to send traffic to your website.

Comparative Analysis: Organic vs Direct TrafficIf you want to start making money blogging, for instance, or if you simply want to increase your website monetization and boost traffic, you’ll need to understand precisely how direct and organic traffic are different.

The following are the key differences between the two:

• Source – as mentioned, organic traffic comes from search engine results, while direct traffic has no apparent source;
• Search engine impact – organic traffic depends heavily on your SEO and changes in the search engine algorithms, while direct traffic isn’t impacted by search engines whatsoever;
• Intent – most organic traffic comes from users with specific search intent, aka those seeking information or a particular kind of product/service, while direct traffic is mainly from users who already know about your brand;
• Predictability – depending on your SEO, competitors, and search engine algorithms, organic traffic can frequently fluctuate, while direct traffic tends to remain stable, reflecting your brand loyalty;
• Cost – you don’t have to spend much money, just time, to improve your organic traffic; you only need to invest time in improving your website, while direct traffic usually requires various indirect investments that will build up your brand awareness;
• Tracking – you can track organic traffic by assessing your ranking on SERP and analyzing your keywords, while you need detailed website analytics to track direct traffic.

Organic and direct traffic aren’t antonyms. You need to focus on driving both organic and direct traffic if you want to ensure success.

The Role of Google Analytics in Understanding Traffic If you’re new to building a website, it cannot be stressed enough how critical it is to take advantage of all the benefits of Google Analytics.

It’s a comprehensive web analytics tool that will give you all the essential insights into your website performance. Whether you’re using the free or the paid version, it will provide you with a clear overview of your key performance indicators that will help you improve your website.

With Google Analytics, you can better understand user behavior, track your conversions, identify your target audience, analyze your costs, identify your site’s strengths and weaknesses, and more. Of course, you’ll also be able to identify your traffic sources and assess your best performers.

Google Analytics enables you to seamlessly segment your audience based on their origin and assess your traffic patterns. The metrics it provides can be the key to gauging the effectiveness of your different marketing campaigns, allowing you to pinpoint precisely which campaigns trigger direct and which trigger organic traffic.

SEO and Its Influence on Organic Traffic As mentioned previously, SEO directly impacts your organic traffic. Whether you’re running a blog or a website, the more you work on your SEO, the more organic traffic you can expect to receive.

In a nutshell, SEO is the process of making your website more appealing to potential visitors. That can mean many things – optimizing your website for mobile visitors, publishing informative content, reducing page loading, using relevant inbound and outbound links, adding useful media to your pages, and more.

There are over 200 unique Google ranking factors, but they all have to do with ensuring a seamless user experience. All search engines are primarily focused on improving the overall user experience. To that end, they’re doing everything possible to present users with valuable, relevant results for their search queries.

So, the more valuable your website appears to search engines (and users alike), the higher your website will rank on SERP. Furthermore, the higher you rank on SERP, the more organic traffic you can receive.

The first search result on Google receives 27.6% of all clicks, and the number of click-throughs drops significantly the lower you go.

The Google landscape changed drastically in late 2023 and early 2024, to the point that, unfortunately, it’s becoming harder to rely solely on organic traffic, especially for new or small sites.

We recommend making sure to not only focus on Google SERP’s, but also think about Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo SERP’s as well.

Since we can’t rely solely on Google traffic anymore, it’s important to build a varied traffic strategy including sources like: social media, forums, email marketing campaigns, and video platforms.

It’s your classic case of “Don’t put all your eggs in the Google basket.”

Find out how we use Pinterest to increase our organic traffic.

Common Issues in Tracking and Interpreting Direct Traffic While organic traffic can be tracked rather easily, even if your ranking on SERP isn’t as desirable as you’d like it to be, the same can’t be said of direct traffic.

Without knowing where your website visitors are coming from, tracking and interpreting direct traffic can be highly problematic. Sure, direct traffic could come from brand-new visitors on occasion. However, it can also come from existing customers or your employees, which doesn’t tell you much about the success of different marketing campaigns, for instance.

You could also see an increase in direct traffic if you have an unsecure (HTTP) website and the reference website is secure (HTTPS). Or if visitors are coming from mobile apps, desktop software, and the like. In those instances, you might not get the referring information even though there is a “referrer” to your site.

To overcome the issues of tracking and interpreting direct traffic, you’ll first need to analyze your typical traffic patterns. Then, monitor any changes with every new marketing campaign you launch.

Conclusion There isn’t just one winner in the battle of organic traffic vs. direct traffic. Organic traffic informs you about the success of your SEO. Direct traffic informs you about the success of your brand awareness campaigns and brand loyalty. You’ll want both organic and direct traffic to be high, not sacrifice one for the sake of the other.

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High-quality content marketing plays a pivotal role in the marketing industry. Innovative strategies for engaging new customers and keeping existing ones have never been as vital as today, as many businesses are dropping outbound marketing strategies in favor of inbound marketing ones.

Here, blogs and newsletters emerge as top marketing approaches, but many business owners struggle with adopting both due to the challenges of simultaneous marketing, often picking one or the other. These decisions are usually based on the differences between blogs and newsletters.

However, for those with enough time or a dedicated marketing team, combining the two strategies can significantly impact the growth of various small and medium-sized businesses.

Blog vs Newsletter: Main DifferencesBlogs and newsletters primarily differ in the medium by which they attract customers. On the one hand, blogs live on a website and pull in new users, whereas newsletters are delivered via email and are usually sent to existing customers or subscribers. Of course, other differences also exist, including formats, monetization methods, and content.

Different Mediums & AccessibilityAs mentioned, blog posts exist on the business’s website. They use well-written articles fueled by SEO strategies to reach the front pages of the internet and get new users to click on them. As such, they cast a wide net to reach a broad audience and attract new visitors to the business’s website.

These pieces of content focus on showcasing your expertise on a particular topic, portraying you as an industry leader, and displaying your products or services in the best light to convert visitors to customers.

On the other hand, newsletters exist in inboxes. While they can be hosted on a website, in most cases, they’re sent directly to your subscribers via email. Most businesses marketing with newsletters send these weekly, ensuring existing customers keep returning to their products or services.

Different FormatBlog posts often use the article format, covering a single topic in as much detail as possible. They can vary in length; short ones have as little as 400 words, while long-form ones dive deep and contain as much as 2500 words. However, these posts usually sit around at the thousand-word mark.

They usually have an enticing introduction that hooks the customer, a body that mentions advantages or compares your products and services to similar ones on the market, and a conclusion that summarizes the article. In essence, blogs are created to educate a broad audience about your business’s offerings and display your company’s expertise.

With newsletters, however, the goal is to design an attractive, consistent, and easily digestible format that’ll constantly present your existing customers with tiny content snippets. They’re intended for an audience that’s already aware of your products and services and, as such, can be pretty short and straight to the point.

Monetization MethodsAmong the countless ways to monetize blogs, most businesses focus on affiliate marketing, sponsored blog posts, advertisements, and online courses. Of course, links to your digital services and product placements inside the content are also fantastic options.

Contrary to popular belief, newsletters can be monetized in similar ways as your blog posts, and without being offered as a paid subscription. Yhere are two popular ways companies go about it.

The primary method of newsletter monetization involves using ads and affiliate links inside the newsletters, where every click toward another business’s product or service earns you revenue.

Another approach focuses on creating physical products and digital services and promoting them in your newsletters. This strategy can be more challenging and might get fewer clicks, but companies can earn 100% of the revenue for each sale with this method.

Content, Information, and ValueBlogs usually rely on long-form, in-depth content focusing on a single topic. Their posts can give a detailed overview of an issue and dive deep into the topic’s nooks and crannies, providing viewers with valuable information.

At the same time, their content usually showcases your company’s expertise, and these posts place your business’s product or service as a top solution in a particular situation you’re writing about. As such, blogs aim to convert website visitors into regular customers.

On the other hand, newsletters’ content isn’t designed to attract a broad audience. Instead, it focuses on nurturing your existing audience by continuing to provide short, valuable content. This is with the goal to improve the relationship between your subscribers and your brand.

That also means newsletters, by default, have limited content depth, as there’s no space or time to get into the details. In most cases, they’re a collection of anecdotal stories or short topic descriptions from 50 to 100 words, combined with calls-to-action to click through for more information.

Harness the Power of Blogs and NewslettersWhile many business owners consider one or the other and usually opt to start a blog due to many available online guides, combining these with newsletters can significantly benefit your company. With that said, let’s dive straight into the whys and hows of this powerful marketing duo.

Combing Their StrengthsBoth blogs and newsletters have numerous unique advantages. Combining their strengths lets you get the best of both worlds and harness most of these advantages for your business’s growth.

By doing both, you’re effectively reaching a broad audience who might not be familiar with your company and potentially converting them into customers. At the same time, you’re retaining the existing customer base by informing them of new content and getting them to return to your business.

It’s worth noting that simultaneously creating both is an extra draw on your time. Focusing on SEO-rich, well-thought-out blog posts, and attractive newsletters can spread your resources thin.

Nonetheless, with some learning and practice, you should have enough time for both strategies. While having marketing professionals around certainly helps, you probably won’t need an entire marketing team if you create blog posts and newsletters weekly or monthly.

Cross-promotions for Better ReachCross-promotional benefits are another crucial advantage of adopting blog posts and newsletters in your marketing strategies. On the one hand, blogs cast a wide net, attract thousands of visitors, and usually contain forms where these visitors can leave an email address and subscribe to keep in touch with your company and return to your products and services anytime.

On the other hand, newsletters can contain tiny snippets from your blogs, introducing an exciting topic or idea to your existing audience and enticing them to read the full article by having links back to your fresh blog posts. These snippets often include a personal or interesting story that helps to achieve the desired effect.

These benefits represent a powerful marketing combination that keeps new visitors and existing customers in a loop, constantly reminding them of your company and increasing sales.

Driving Blog Traffic Using NewslettersWhile newsletters primarily serve as weekly reminders about your business’s offerings, they also inform those unsure visitors and existing customers about your new content. As they’re often filled with various links, they can be used to link to your regular blog posts and drive additional direct traffic to them on top of your organic traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others.

This additional traffic is precious to small and medium-sized businesses. It increases your sales figures, keeps customers up-to-date with your products or services, and enhances the quality of your website. That’s because various search engines see the traffic your website is receiving and further push it through SERP rankings, improving your website’s click-through rates.

Most companies choose weekly schedules for blog posts and newsletters, as the benefits of driving blog traffic with newsletters are the highest when their publishing times coincide.

Creating A Seamless User ExperienceAlthough creating both can be time-consuming and incredibly challenging for a busy company owner, their advantages are undoubtedly worth the hassle, as blogs and newsletters seamlessly complement one another. They reach different audiences and promote one another by creating a customer loop that markets your offerings as the best in the industry.

These two marketing approaches also help you learn your audience better and improve your future content. Combined with some experience and other marketing techniques, you’ll create a seamless user experience where customers see you as an established leader in the industry and trust your product and services far more than those of other companies.

ConclusionWhile the differences between blog posts and newsletters are evident in their mediums, formats, monetization strategies, and content type, combining these two marketing approaches creates a powerful strategy that can significantly impact your customer engagement, retention, and sales.

Utilizing both marketing approaches creates a platform that gives you the best of both worlds. Blogs and newsletters can feed into each other, where blogs can encourage viewers to sign up for your weekly or monthly newsletters. In contrast, newsletters drive traffic back to your blog, creating a powerful loop and improving your overall marketing game.

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If you’re on a mission to conquer the tech industry, you’ll need fresh and innovative SaaS business ideas to beat your competitors and disrupt the already saturated market. As a SaaS entrepreneur, executive, or startup founder, you need innovation to launch a unique venture that will become the next big thing in tech.

Though the SaaS market brings many lucrative opportunities, numerous business challenges require capital, grit, and immense commitment to overcome. Thankfully, the SaaS business model gives you access to the cloud-based software market, allowing you to establish viable ventures and scale your operations efficiently.

According to the latest forecasts, the SaaS business market is booming and expected to grow in the coming time. Since the software business industry is overwhelmingly competitive and increasingly more regulated, picking the right market and target audience is critical to your success.

With that in mind, here are the best SaaS business ideas you should keep on your radar to help you navigate the murky waters of the software business industry and evaluate the viability of your SaaS entrepreneurship.

What is a SaaS business? SaaS stands for Software as a Service. This business model is the most popular way to launch digital services in 2024. Since the cloud-based software market is rapidly expanding, starting a SaaS business today allows you to tap into a thriving industry and harness the full potential of innovative software products, such as digital apps, software tools, project management systems, etc.

Now, a SaaS business organization hosts a software system or an application to make it readily available to the target audience over the internet. The clients pay a subscription to access the online service remotely. There are two established ways to start a SaaS business. Firstly, you can start a SaaS company and launch a certain type of software-based product for your customers.

The second option is to white-label an already established SaaS company. This is by far the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to get into the SaaS business. In this article we’re primarily focusing on starting your own SaaS company. We’ll briefly touch on white-label SaaS options a little later on and more in depth in future content.

When you start a SaaS company, you are in charge of maintaining the software and its databases and servers to enable your clients to access the service over the web using their web browsers, mobile devices, or any other device they prefer. In return, your clients pay a subscription fee on a monthly or annual basis to ensure steady access to the service.

You can use different pricing methods to charge your clients for the subscription. For example, you can charge by the level of tech support your customers require or the number of users who will have access to the service. Additional options include basing your subscription plans on the amount of data a client requires or just a flat fee for software access.

If you have any concerns about the profitability of the SaaS industry, here are some stats to help you get a better understanding of this thriving market:

• By 2024, the SaaS industry will have grown from $197 to $232 billion;
• At the moment, the SaaS market counts over 59 billion SaaS clients worldwide;
• The market shows the potential for steady growth over the next six years.

As you can see, you’re dealing with a highly profitable business niche here. Hence, the emphasized importance of tapping into the best, most profitable, and most market-distrupting SaaS business ideas in 2024.

Read more: What are SaaS products? Basic requirements of starting a SaaS business Before we outline the basic requirements of starting a SaaS company, let’s quickly explain why you should consider venturing into such a business endeavor:

• Worldwide market – the SaaS business market gives you global access to target audiences. With such a high demand, you won’t have to worry about reaching the right customers. In addition, the cloud-based software service makes your business accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
• Streamlined software maintenance – software startups have the advantage of leaving the software maintenance to the software provider. Since establishing the right maintenance system for your services is one of the biggest challenges in the industry, this streamlined software maintenance can help you focus on the core mission while avoiding additional expenses.
• Scalable operation – thanks to the available automation solutions, you can streamline the process of upscaling your SaaS software products to ensure your business can cope with the ever-increasing amounts of data and customer demand. This scaling ability also gives you a competitive advantage over other companies in your niche.
• Pre-calculated development and low entry costs – with the pre-calculated costs of developing SaaS products and no hardware costs involved, it will be much easier to develop and launch your SaaS products to enter the industry without breaking the bank.

Let’s briefly review the essentials you’ll need to start a SaaS business in 2024.

Your startup nameThe first step to starting a SaaS business is to choose a simple and memorable name. You need a name that will stand out and convey the company profile memorably and attractively. Check your competitors to come up with something similar but better.

Product requirementsOnce you have a catchy name figured out, think about the SaaS product you want to develop. Think about its strengths, advantages, benefits, etc. Your product should offer a solution to common pain points of your target audience.

Break down the basic product requirements, such as:

• Design features;
• Advantages of the product;
• How the product benefits users in real life;
• How it solves real-life problems;
• Customer testimonials and examples of use by clients.

Understanding all these points will help you a lot when developing your product as well as knowing exactly how to position it in the market.

Hire the right SaaS developerNow, it’s time to get on with the software development lifecycle. We recommend outsourcing your software needs to a development team as per your software’s requirements.

Creating a modern, innovative, and user-friendly UI/UX design is paramount to launching a market-disturbing SaaS product and attracting the right target audience.

Find a software development team that can go about your development and design needs.

This process has gotten increasingly easier with the advent of online freelance services like Fiverr, Upwork, and Toptal.

Build the productWith the right team on your side, building your SaaS product should be straightforward. At this point, time is of the essence.

So, talk to your developers about how much it will take to develop your product or service and understand the implementation requirements. They should inform you of the project status throughout the development cycle.

Follow the legal rules and regulationsEvery industry is subject to strict state and federal legal regulations. Understanding these formalities can help you avoid unnecessary risks and complications associated with implementing a SaaS business. Register your business by following the niche-specific regulations.

Explore the law regarding starting a SaaS business in your state or country. In addition, do your due diligence regarding data privacy, business insurance, industry compliance standards, and all the permits and licenses your type of business entails.

If you haven’t already, it’s wise to also start a Limited Liability Company (LLC) for your SaaS business to protect yourself and your personal assets. You can do this yourself or hire a service to start an LLC on your behalf for a small fee.

Don’t forget about advertisingWhile you should focus your investment capital on development, design, and other essential SaaS startup processes, don’t forget to allocate some of your budget to a proper advertising campaign.

Promotion helps your target audience learn about your brand, product, and business in general. Thankfully, you have multiple communication channels for promoting your business these days. A website, email marketing service, and social media networks are just the tip of the iceberg.

Building a website doesn’t have to be intimidating, check out our website step-by-step guide.

Track your progressOnce you have everything up and ready, track your progress to quickly identify obstacles, mitigate cart abandonment, monitor monthly income, and ascertain average revenue per client.

Common challenges of starting a SaaS business and opportunitiesLet’s delve deeper into common SaaS business startup challenges and how to overcome them.

How to overcome common SaaS challenges Below are the common challenges and the best ways to beat them.

Data privacy and security concernsThough cloud-based apps offer high-end security measures, they aren’t immune to increasing data privacy and security concerns. Your clients must be able to rely on you to comply with the latest data privacy compliance regulations and safeguard sensitive data.

Prioritize security measures such as the latest encryption, blockchain-enabled cybersecurity, AI-powered security systems, two-step authentication, etc.

Service reliabilityAll SaaS services depend on internet connectivity. This is more of a concern if you’re running a SaaS business in a country with unreliable internet services, you could face service disruptions and downtime.

You can solve this by outsourcing your internet connectivity needs to countries with reliable providers to avoid hindering your operations.

Limited customizationAvoid the common mistake of offering limited customization options, as you could lose clients with specific needs. Adding new options could expose you to new challenges like vendor lock-in, data migration issues, and additional costs.

Make sure you introduce a healthy number of customization options in the development phase as per your clients’ needs but know as well that you can always roll out more options once your SaaS is launched and producing revenue.

Pricing model restrictionsThough the subscription-based pricing model may be cost-effective, it can incur long-term expenses. Therefore, you need a flexible pricing structure to accommodate the ever-changing client needs. Such pricing models should also be scalable enough to fit the needs of different clients.

Finding scalability and growth opportunities Though no one can guarantee that your SaaS business idea will work, you should build a business around the possibility of future expansion. The ability to scale your operations on demand gives you a huge competitive advantage and ensures your company identifies lucrative and feasible growth opportunities.

One of the best ways to make your SaaS company scalable is to consider migrating your software architecture to a multi-tenant database environment. In simple words, you can share a single software instance with multiple SaaS businesses to seamlessly scale your SaaS services by dynamically allocating the resources according to your needs.

Navigating competition and staying on topAside from identifying challenges, faulty systems, and scaling problems, you should also work on staying ahead of the competition by learning to navigate the market and industry trends. Remember, the SaaS market is still evolving.

Staying ahead of the ongoing and coming trends is paramount to beating your competitors to the best, most profitable business concepts. However, you’ll need to find your expertise first to get ahead of the curve and stay on top of the current and future market trends.

Learn from your competitors and take their ideas as creative suggestions. Keep researching the market, leading companies, and everything else related to the industry to get the best SaaS startup ideas you can work with.

Different SaaS business idea models for 2024 Now that you have a basic understanding of the SaaS business market, let’s tap into the top SaaS business idea models for 2024.

White-label SaaSAs we mentioned earlier, the white-label SaaS business model allows you to invest in an existing SaaS product, rebrand it as your own, and market it to your target audience for a subscription fee.

Your clients pay a fee to get online access to your product on a recurring basis. Top white-label SaaS products include email marketing, SEO, chatbots, social media automation, etc.

One white-label SaaS company that has been growing quickly in popularity over the last several years is GoHighLevel, which is an all-in-one marketing platform, but there are plenty of other options if marketing software isn’t interesting to you.

Micro SaaS Micro SaaS is a SaaS subcategory that revolves around developing custom-tailored software solutions for a specific target audience or business niche. This business idea involves building performance-oriented solutions for addressing specific real-life problems at more affordable prices than broad-based SaaS business models.

The main differences between SaaS and micro SaaS are the size and scope of the business operation, with the latter catering to smaller and more specialized business organizations or very specific niches.

For example, developing a lead generation platform specifically for dentists would be a micro SaaS example compared to a general lead generation platform, or even a lead generation platform for healthcare providers.

Freemium SaaS model The freemium SaaS model involves offering free trials or free versions of a particular product to convince the target audience a service is worth paying for. Freemium is a term for combining premium quality products with a free subscription model.

By allowing your clients to test your product for free, you get a chance to beat your competitors and stay relevant in a saturated market. MailChimp, WebFlow, and Zoom are all excellent examples of freemium SaaS products.

Subscription SaaS The subscription SaaS model involves purchasing an online software product for a monthly or yearly subscription fee. The subscriber makes a periodic payment to access the product via a one-time download, application, or web browser. The most common types of SaaS subscription models include freemium, custom, hybrid, pay-as-you-go, fixed fee, tier fixed fee, etc.

Usage-based SaaS model This SaaS model lets you charge for your SaaS service per usage. In other words, it allows your clients to pay for a service according to how much they use it. Great examples of this would be Zapier or the SMS service Twilio which charges per execution.

Retail sales SaaS model This software delivery strategy allows SaaS business organizations to increase operational efficiency, enhance business performance, and streamline operations by offering custom-tailored subscription packages to their target audiences.

By paying subscription fees, clients get access to the SaaS service. The retail sales SaaS model either lets SaaS companies charge per service or user.

Types of SaaS businesses to consider in 2024Now let’s explore the popular SaaS business types, or verticals, in 2024.

Collaboration tools Teamwork is vital to keeping a business organization relevant and competitive. However, staying on top of team collaboration can be challenging when you have to use multiple tools to manage scattered communication and data sets across multiple verticals of your company.

SaaS collaboration tools help corporate teams of all sizes and shapes (in-house, remote, distributed, or hybrid) streamline collaboration through automated and centralized interactions.

Businesses get a centralized communication and collaboration platform to bring all their communications under one roof and consolidate project tracking, task management, time orchestration, file sharing, etc.

Asana, ClickUp, Notion, Slack, and Monday are all great examples of established collaboration or project management tools.

Cybersecurity solutions In an internet-driven world, data is the new currency. Naturally, every internet user makes their data privacy and security their primary concern. With cyber threats evolving and becoming more sophisticated every day, data breaches have become a real threat to every individual and business on the internet.

Hence, there is an ever-increasing demand for top-grade cybersecurity solutions. The cybersecurity SaaS business model empowers clients to safeguard their data and digital assets from all sorts of cyber attacks, including hacking, malware and virus infections, ransomware, DDoS attacks, and more.

Cybersecurity software tools help business organizations optimize security, reduce the risk of attacks, reduce costs, and increase their overall credibility in their respective industries, markets, and niches.

Business intelligence and data analytics Data analytics and business intelligence are the lifeblood of modern-day digital business. Why? Because they help enterprises gather, process, and analyze industry, market, competitor, and customer data to optimize operations, discover new opportunities, and take their decision-making processes to the next level.

Using BI and data analytics software solutions, companies can collect data from multiple sources and turn it into actionable insights into business performance, competitor activity, market trends, customer behavior, and more.

E-commerce tools E-commerce SaaS businesses offer automated and centralized online sales platforms with streamlined features and functionalities to empower clients to build and manage all sorts of online stores and digital interfaces with payment processing, shopping cart technology, and website hosting.

Marketing automation In the current data-driven era, social media platforms, and other similar communication channels dominate every industry and market. Conquering as many of these channels as possible is the most effective way to stay ahead of the competition.

Automated online marketing is the most efficient method to accomplish that goal. This type of SaaS business allows you to reap increased ROI by thoroughly integrating your sales with online marketing campaigns through a centralized marketing platform.

The marketing automation SaaS automatically gathers, processes, and analyzes the online marketing data and stats to give you actionable insights into the best marketing strategies for your company.

Conclusion Starting a profitable SaaS business is all about coming up with a solid, innovative, and viable idea. Aside from helping you validate your SaaS concept, it can also help you assess your market share, potential customer demand, competition, and everything else you need to start building a lucrative cloud-based software solution to help your target audience solve real-life problems.

This article shed some light on what a SaaS business is, its concepts and challenges, and gave you insights on the most viable SaaS business ideas and types you should know about in 2024.

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According to the latest SaaS industry statistics, about 30,000 SaaS companies operate worldwide, with +8,550 generating over $1 million in revenue. Experts estimate the market will grow dramatically, reaching nearly $1.3 trillion by 2030.

Now is the time to start a SaaS company and get your piece of the financial pie. The question is, what SaaS product should you offer? What business model should you choose?

Find a suitable pick below and discover the essential elements of SaaS products.

What are SaaS products?SaaS (Software as a Service) products are cloud-based solutions that don’t require downloading and installing software. They’re available online for a monthly or annual fee, running on SaaS providers’ servers and enabling users to access the features via web browsers and use them on the go. SaaS vendors handle the maintenance, security, and updates, taking a load off their clients’ IT staff.

However, you don’t have to build a SaaS product from scratch. You can get a white-label SaaS to rebrand and market as your own. Think of it as leasing the software and selling it under your brand.

Crucial elements of SaaS productsAll SaaS products have the following essential elements:

• Accessibility – Being cloud-based solutions, SaaS products give users on-demand access, eliminating the need for downloads and installations. That means no setup and maintenance costs on the user’s end, making SaaS solutions attractive to consumers.
• Scalability – Customers can scale SaaS products to accommodate their changing needs. They can expand the capacity as their businesses grow or reduce it during low demand to avoid wasting resources.
• Integration – SaaS products integrate with multiple third-party apps to help users work seamlessly with their favorite cloud tools or on-premise systems.
• Automatic updates – SaaS providers regularly update their products, ensuring they remain accessible, functional, and secure. Users don’t need to worry about maintaining the infrastructure or implementing the latest security measures.

These benefits make SaaS products fantastic for consumers, enabling providers to attract more customers consistently and generate high revenue.

Different types of SaaS productsMany SaaS product types exist, the most prevalent including the following:

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software – a system for managing customer data (e.g., contacts, interactions, and purchases), nurturing and converting leads, and building relationships. The most notable examples are HubSpot, Zendesk, Salesforce, and Zoho CRM;
• Project management software – a platform for planning, scheduling, executing, and monitoring tasks and projects. Confluence, Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and Wrike are some examples;
• HR (Human Resources) management software – a system for streamlining HR processes like recruitment, onboarding, training, employee performance, and payroll. BambooHR, Paycor, Rippling, and Gusto are among the top solutions;
• Accounting software – a bookkeeping system for recording and reporting financial transactions like invoices, assets, inventory, revenues, and expenses. The top-rated solutions include QuickBooks, NetSuite, FreshBooks, and Zoho Books;
• Team communication software – a platform for real-time online collaboration, enabling users to share files, hold virtual meetings, and boost efficiency and productivity. Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom are among the most prominent players;
• Marketing automation software – a system for automating repetitive tasks (e.g., social media and email marketing) and creating workflows. The most notable trendsetters include HubSpot Marketing Hub, Mailchimp, GoHighLevel, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud;
• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software – a system for streamlining back-office functions (e.g., HR, accounting, process compliance, supply-chain operations, and procurement). Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, and Oracle ERP Cloud are among the most famous providers.

These and other SaaS products suit businesses across almost all industries, including finance, IT, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, etc.

Different SaaS business modelsSaaS business models differ in the pricing structure. Here are the most widespread types among SaaS companies.

You don’t have to be a programmer to have a Saas business. White-label Saas businesses are a great, low-barrier option.

Subscription-basedSubscription-based SaaS products are available for a recurring fee, typically monthly or annual. They offer a free trial or demo to let users explore all the features before committing. The pricing can be user-based, tiered, or usage-based.

Netflix is one example of a subscription-based service, as users must pay to stream the video content once their free trial expires.

User-basedUser-based SaaS products include per-user or per-seat pricing. Businesses pay a flat per-user rate, choosing between a monthly and annual plan. The more individuals that use the product, the more revenue the provider generates.

The most prominent examples are Salesforce, HootSuite, and Dropbox, while Slack charges for active monthly users.

FreemiumFreemium SaaS products offer free and premium plans. Free versions have limited functionalities, while their paid counterparts unlock all features. Some providers have only one paid option, while others include more as part of a tiered pricing strategy.

Many SaaS vendors offer freemium products. Some examples are Asana, Trello, Zoom, FreshBooks, and Mailchimp.

Tiered pricingTiered pricing is a feature-based structure that lets businesses choose a package suitable for their needs and budget. Each upper level includes the previous tier’s features and adds extras for a higher fee. The pricing often includes per-user monthly rates.

Most SaaS companies use tiered pricing, including HubSpot, Slack, and Zendesk.

White labelWhite-label SaaS products are unbranded solutions that companies sell to other businesses. Users can rebrand them to include their logo, colors, and other design elements and resell them for profit. However, they must still pay a licensing fee, typically a monthly or annual subscription.

The most notable companies offering white-label SaaS products include GoHighLevel, Sendible, Unlayer, and Ecwid.

Vertical SaaSA vertical SaaS business model involves SaaS products for specific industries like retail, healthcare, education, construction, manufacturing, insurance, or finance. Contrary to horizontal SaaS solutions, they don’t suit every industry or niche market. As for the pricing, they can include any structure their providers prefer.

Some vertical SaaS providers include Riskalyze (finance), Kinnser Software (healthcare), and ServiceTitan (commercial and home service).

Pay-as-you-goPay-as-you-go (PAYG) or usage-based SaaS products enable customers to only pay for what they use without committing to fixed monthly or annual payments. They can use all the features, but their provider will only charge them according to usage.

Some SaaS companies using this adaptive pricing model with metered billing include Amazon Web Services (AWS), DigitalOcean, and WordStream. Mailchimp also has a PAYG plan besides its freemium structure.

ConclusionSaaS products are excellent for startups, requiring minimal upfront investments, especially when using a white-label SaaS. They open the door to recurring revenue, high scalability, and soaring customer retention rates.

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Even though Pinterest isn’t the most popular social network, it offers incredible opportunities for bloggers and marketers. Pinterest has become a category of its own, and today, it has the status of a visual discovery engine millions of users use to view images, find videos, get inspired, research their market, and discover new ideas.

9 Ultimate Pinterest Statistics

• Pinterest has 482 million monthly users
• Over 5 billion Pinterest searches monthly
• Pinterest has grown 65% since 2016
• 40% Pinterest users are looking for new brands
• Up to 97% of Pinterest searches are unbranded
• Pinterest refers 33% more traffic than Facebook
• 80% of weekly users discover new brands and products

• Pinterest users spend 2x as much per month Top 9 Pinterest Statistics for 2024 Pinterest is an extremely attractive platform for showcasing products, services, and ideas. Today, we’ll share some of the latest Pinterest statistics and trends that reveal just how much potential there is for marketing on Pinterest.

• Pinterest has 482 million active monthly users
  Find more statistics at StatistaIn the fourth quarter of 2023, Pinterest peaked at 498 million active monthly users. That’s 20 million users more than the previous record of 478 million users during the first quarter of 2021.

In other words, this is the biggest number of active users since Pinterest was launched.

Pinterest is here to stay, and it’s not just a temporary trend that will vanish quickly because data shows a steady increase in users each year. Read about that below.

Source: Statista.com

1. The Pinterest search engine has over 5 billion monthly searches Pinterest’s Senior Vice President of Products, Naveen Gavini, published a blog post on Medium via Pinterest Engineering. He talked about some exciting details about how Pinterest works and shared internal numbers only the company knows.

In this post, he shared that Pinterest had over 5 billion monthly searches in 2021. The most active subgroup is Gen Z users, but the platform had overall growth in searches across all demographics. Given that the number of users has grown since then, we can only expect higher numbers regarding monthly searches.

Source: Medium/Pinterest Engineering

1. Pinterest has had a 65% user growth since 2016
   Find more statistics at StatistaPinterest is growing rapidly in terms of active monthly users. When it first became popular, Pinterest grew quickly, but the numbers then diminished quickly as well. However, Pinterest found its audience over time, and users have started piling up.

Pinterest had 128 million active users in 2016 and has 498 million active users as of as of 2023. In other words, the number of users has almost quadrupled! That’s truly a fantastic statistic and indicates that the platform is doing something right since new users keep coming in every year.

Source: Statista

1. 4 out of 10 Pinterest users search for products and brandsOne of the main reasons why people use Pinterest is to find new information about brands or products. Around 4 out of 10 users use the platform to look for products and brands, meaning bloggers and marketers can use it to showcase their products and ideas directly.

That’s especially true when you take into account some of the other reasons why people use this platform. Pinterest users are trying to find entertaining and funny content and share videos and photos. Simply put, not only can brands showcase their products, but they can expect great shareability.

Source: Global Web Index

1. Most of Pinterest searches are unbranded (97%)Most of the searches on Pinterest are unbranded, but then how could 4 out of 10 users be looking for products or brands? That’s because people on Pinterest don’t often look for specific brands or their products.

Pinterest users want to discover new things randomly, get interesting suggestions, and find new ideas. That leaves much room for marketers to explore advertising tactics and target the right people for the best results.

Source: Hootsuite 2022 Digital Trend Report

1. 40% of weekly Pinterest users say they love shopping Pinterest shared its Feed Optimization Playbook with valuable data that marketers can use to create strategies and advertise on Pinterest. Among many other things, the playbook shows that 40% of weekly Pinterest users say they love shopping.

At the same time, 75% of Pinterest users say they’re constantly shopping. All of this indicates that these users are shoppers and aren’t just spending time on Pinterest, they’re also spending money. The more consumers that are on the platform, the higher the chances are of making sales and driving traffic.

Source: Feed Optimization Playbook

Read more: How to Use Pinterest for Blogs 7. Pinterest offers 33% more referral traffic to websites, compared to Facebook.

Pinterest drives 33% more referral traffic to websites than Facebook. Even though this might not look impressive, you should know that Facebook has 3 billion users, while Pinterest doesn’t even have a sixth of that.

The difference in this traffic lies in the purpose and algorithms of Pinterest versus other platforms, like Facebook. Pinterest’s algorithm encourages click-throughs to the links in Pinterest pins. Alternatively, Facebook’s algorithm wants to keep more traffic on the Facebook platform making click-throughs less likely.

Pinterest drives 71% more traffic than Snapchat and 200% more than Twitter(x). In other words, if you’re looking for a social media platform to drive visitors to your blog and ultimately sell products, Pinterest is an excellent choice because it effectively convinces people to click-through to websites.

Source: Tailwind Instagram

1. 80% of weekly users has discovered new products or brands.In a previous statistic, we noted that roughly 40% of Pinterest users are looking for new brands and products, and they are finding them! In fact, Pinterest is a great place for users to find new products or brands.

Whether they do this intentionally through branded searches or by accident, 80% of weekly users discover new brands and products. That means the platform isn’t monopolized, and no two to three brands cover all the space while the rest fight for scraps.

Source: Pinterest

9. Pinterest users spend double the amount of money per monthGiven that Pinterest users are generally shoppers, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they spend 2x more on buying products or services per month compared to other social media users.

Pinterest users have a 35% chance of waiting seven days or longer before making a purchase decision. In other words, they like taking their time to see what’s offered and buy products they know are worth their money.

Source: Pinterest

ConclusionPinterest offers amazing opportunities for websites and blogs looking to advertise and drive traffic with valuable visitors who can convert and become loyal customers. All the numbers indicate that Pinterest is here to stay and help businesses grow, whether big or small.

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Update: This article is part of a series. Check out the full series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

Social Media Surge and Mobile InternetThe 2010s saw the explosive growth of social media and the widespread adoption of mobile internet. These two elements reshaped how we connect, share, and do business. The introduction of Instagram and Snapchat changed how we communicate globally. The founding of Quora increased the ease with which we can share information and learn. Internet-based freelance services like Fiverr made finding help online that much easier.

4G mobile internet was introduced making the internet more accessible than ever. This decade was not without its own difficulties, though. The continued growth of the internet and the bulk of new data requiring storage brought to light concerns of ethical data privacy. Meanwhile, blockchain technology and Netflix’s streaming service disrupted traditional sectors making this decade one of continued innovation.

2010Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched Instagram. Instagram quickly grew in popularity and became one of the largest social networks.

Source: PopularMechanics.com

The Quora Inc. Company was created in June. A year later, the company launched its quick questions and answer website that gained a large following.

Source: Wikipedia

Viber was launched. It was first used exclusively for iPhone smartphones, as a response to Skype.

Source: Wikipedia

Shai Wininger and Micha Kaufman co-founded Fiverr.

Source: Wikipedia

Research showed that China was dominating the internet with over 450 million internet users.

Source: The Two-Way

| PeopleKevin Systrom – born in Holliston, Massachusetts in 1983. An internet entrepreneur and programmer who is best known for creating Instagram together with Mike Krieger. He’s also the former CEO of Instagram and a former board member of Walmart. He worked for Google and Burbn before founding Instagram.Source: WikipediaMike Krieger – born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1986. A software engineer that co-founded Instagram and was the CTO of the company. He is the partner of GiveWell, a non-profit charity.Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companiesInstagram – also known as Insta or IG. This social network was launched in 2010 by Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom. It’s a video and photo-based platform designed for mobile users. Even though Instagram has had a desktop interface since 2012, it doesn’t offer all the functionalities of the app. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for a total of $1 billion.Source: WikipediaPinterest – a social network where users share images. It’s made to present ideas visually and help people discover and share new images. This social network is dominated by female users and in August of 2020 it had over 400 million active users per month.Source: WikipediaQuora – one of the most popular forum-like sites and platforms where users can ask questions and get quick answers by other users. The site has over 300 million monthly users and people can log in to edit answers, give answers, and submit questions.Source: WikipediaFiverr – an online platform where freelancers can offer their services to people around the whole. This company was launched in Israel in 2010 but it quickly established a global presence. There are many different kinds of freelancers on Fiverr some of which do their work online, while others do it in the office.Source: WikipediaViber – “Rakuten Viber” is an instant messaging Voice over Internet Phone application owned by the Rakuten company from Japan. The company gives this app as freeware for Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Users register on the app by giving their cellular number, but the app can even be used on desktops without a phone number.Source: WikipediaStatistics255,287,546 hosts202,000,000 domain names99,008,445 websites1.971 million Internet users |

2011The Royal Wedding of Kate and Will was streamed online. This is the largest ever internet event recorded up until that moment, with the most live viewers watching the same stream simultaneously.

UCLA opened up its Internet History Center, the place of the first ARPAnet node.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

One of the most popular photo & video sharing platforms called Snapchat was launched.

Source: Wikipedia

A live-streaming platform called Twitch was launched by Justin Kan and Emmett Shear. Twitch later became the most popular site of its kind, with millions of viewers.

Source: Wikipedia

The first-ever Darknet Market was launched, called the “Silk Road”.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleKevin Systrom – born in Holliston, Massachusetts in 1983. An internet entrepreneur and programmer that is best known for creating Instagram together with Mike Krieger. He is also the former CEO of Instagram and a former board member of Walmart. He worked for Google and Burbn before founding Instagram.Source: WikipediaJustin Kan – born in 1983. an investor and entrepreneur. He co-founded Justin.tv which later turned into Twitch. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Atrium. Kan was also a partner at Y Combinator at the Silicon Valley. He also created The Drop and made a lot of contributions to TechCrunch.Source: WikipediaEmmett Shear – born in 1983. He co-founded Twitch and Justin.tv. He also co-founded Kiko Software and is one of the partners at Y Combinator. Shear is the CEO of Twitch and is a long-lasting business partner of Justin Kan.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesSnapchat – created by Snap Inc. this messaging app lets users share messages, pictures, and videos that are available for a short time. At first it was created as a person-to-person platform, but it added the “Stories” and “Discover” features.Source: WikipediaTwitch – a live-streaming platform created by “Twitch Interactive”. The majority of users stream live games, but it also includes esport competition streams, music broadcasts, different types of creative content, and IRL streams (in real life). Twitch was acquired by Amazon in 2014 only a few weeks after the company was renamed from “Justin.tv.”Source: WikipediaSilk Road – an online black market that started in 2011. At first it was mainly used for buying or selling illegal drugs. It was a part of the dark web and people had to use the Tor browser to reach this marketplace. Due to these illegal activities the site was shut down by the FBI in 2013 and it went completely offline in 2017.Source: WikipediaStatistics555,482,744 hosts225,000,000 domain names175,249,222 websites2.267 million Internet users |

2012The Internet Hall of Fame was founded by the Internet Society. The whole event took place in Geneva, Switzerland and during the founding, the first 33 members were added to the hall of fame.

Source: Wikipedia

The first globally-popular dating app, “Tinder”, was launched. Tinder would become one of the most popular apps in the world and inspire hundreds of other dating sites and apps to follow its steps.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleKevin Systrom – born in Holliston, Massachusetts in 1983. An internet entrepreneur and programmer that is best known for creating Instagram together with Mike Krieger. He is also the former CEO of Instagram and a former board member of Walmart. He worked for Google and Burbn before founding Instagram.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesInternet Hall of Fame – an organization that grants lifetime achievement awards to individuals that have made important contributions for the development of the internet. It was created in 2012 by the Internet Society and anyone can be nominated for being added to the hall of fame.Source: WikipediaTinder – an online dating app created by Tinder Inc. in 2012. The app lets people “swipe” profiles of other users anonymously. Simply put, they can like or dislike the profiles of other users and once they match, they can start communicating with each other. The people are suggested by the app through geo-tracking.Source: WikipediaStatistics633,706,564 hosts252,000,000 domain names185,922,303 websites2.439 million Internet users |

2013A social media service for video sharing, Vine, was launched by Colin Kroll, Rus Yusupov, and Dom Hofmann. It was acquired by Twitter shortly before being launched. The service grew in popularity very quickly, but was eventually shut down.

Source: Wikipedia

Pavel and Nikolai Durov launched Telegram. This messenger app has users across Europe, Russia, and the United States with over 400 million users.

Source: Wikipedia

Edward Snowden copied and leaked sensitive files from the American NSA as an employee of the CIA. He revealed various surveillance scandals run by the NSA for tracking individuals, companies, and governments.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleDom Hofmann – born in 1986 in New York, United States. A programmer and internet entrepreneur who created Byte, Peach, and co-created Vine.Source: WikipediaRus Yusupov – born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 1984. This entrepreneur and designer co-founded Vine and HQ Trivia. He was also the CEO of HQ Trivia, which was a live trivia game that broadcasted on mobile devices. He also founded Big Human and won various awards for his work.Source: WikipediaColin Kroll – born in New York, United States in 1984. Together with Rus Yusupov he co-founded HQ Trivia and Vine. Sadly, Kroll died very young at age 34 in 2018 due to a drug overdose.Source: WikipediaPavel Durov – born in Saint Petersburg in 1984. He is the founder of Telegram Messenger and VK. This internet entrepreneur is also a member of the Young Global Leaders Forum and World Economic Forum. He was the CEO of VK until 2014 after which he decided to travel the world in exile. Nikolai Durov is his older brother and together they founded VK.Source: WikipediaNikolai Durov – born in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1980. A mathematician and programmer he co-created VK and Telegram with his brother Pavel. He also worked as a research mathematician and contributed with various geometry theories.Source: WikipediaEdward Snowden – born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina in 1983. A former CIA employee and NSA contractor. Snowden’s name became known worldwide in 2013 when he leaked information about various global surveillance programs run by the NSA and its associate organizations.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesVine – a social networking platform that had a short video format sharing system. Users could upload up to 7-second-long looping videos. Videos from Vine could also be shared on Twitter and Facebook and for two years, it was a trending service. Vine was shut down in 2017 for uploading videos, but users could still view the archive.Source: WikipediaTelegram – a cloud based internet messenger with chat, VoIP, and video telephony. It’s available to macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android users. It has over 400 million users in Asia, Europe, and the US.Source: WikipediaStatistics861,023,217 hosts271,000,000 domain names184,156,064 websites2.802 million Internet users |

2014Facebook acquired the WhatsApp messaging service for around $19 billion. It was yet another event that solidified the Facebook Company as the leading internet giant.

45% of people aged 18 to 29 who were in a relationship said that the internet affected their relationships in a major way.

Source: Pew Research Center

| Technologies & CompaniesWhatsApp – a messenger platform that combines several communication methods. It’s a VoIP service created by WhatsApp Inc. but it was acquired by Facebook. It can be used on both desktop computers and mobile devices. It requires a phone number to be added before you can start using the app.Source: WikipediaFacebook – a social media giant from Menlo Park, California. Initially, Facebook was a network for Harvard students but it expanded to Yale, Stanford, and Columbia until it went public in 2006 and everyone could register. Facebook “inherited” MySpace as a leading global social network in 2009 and also acquired the second most popular social network “Instagram”.Source: Wikipedia |

2015Apple Released the “Apple Watch”, the first commercially available smartwatch. Even though it had a high price and short battery life, almost a million units were ordered the first day.

The Federal Communications Commission said that all Internet Service Providers needed to follow net neutrality as a principle to create a truly free and equal internet platform for everyone.

Source: Computer History Museum

| Technologies & CompaniesApple Watch – Apple’s first smartwatch was released in 2015. Over the second quarter of 2015 the company sold more than 4.2 million Applet Watches. They work on iOS and can be connected to other Apple services or products. Since then Apple released new versions each year with added features.Source: WikipediaNet Neutrality – also known as Network Neutrality. An internet principle that states all Internet Service Providers should treat all internet users and communications equally. Net neutrality obligates Internet Service Providers to treat all traffic equally and provide the same service to all users, regardless of who they are.Source: Wikipedia |

2016Yahoo announced that the company suffered a major data breach that affected over 3 billion user accounts. The company revealed that the breach happened in 2014 and this is considered the largest online data breach ever recorded.

Source: CSO

The Pokemon Go app was launched. Every kid growing up in the 90s finally got the opportunity to catch ‘em all. The app used augmented reality that let people use their smartphones to see Pokemons outside and find them in their neighborhood. For around two months, the whole world went crazy about Pokemon Go.

Source: PopularMechanics

| Technologies & CompaniesPokemon Go – an augmented reality mobile game created for Android and iOS smartphones. The Pokemon Company and Niantic created and published the game in 2016 as a part of the Pokemon franchise. It’s a free to play game with in-app purchases. At first users could use the game to find around 150 types of Pokemon, and by 2020, the number was increased to 600.Source: WikipediaStatistics1,739,031,487 hosts326,400,000 domain names170,129,118 websites3.696 million Internet users |

2017The TikTok social network was launched globally. One of the latest successful social networking platforms that emphasized short music & video clips. TikTok was the global version of the app called “Douyin” that was launched in China in 2016.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleZhang Yiming – born in Longyan, Fujian, China in 1985. An internet entrepreneur who founded TikTok, ByteDance, and Musical.ly. ByteDance is the most valuable startup ever, estimated at over $75 billion. He is also the CEO and Chairman of the company. Yiming is the richest person in China.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & CompaniesTikTok – a social network owned by ByteDance. It has a unique format that includes short videos with dancing, comedy sketches, and lip-syncing. It’s a viral video platform that’s been downloaded over 2 billion times and has 100 million active users in the US.Source: WikipediaStatistics1,734,290,608 hosts330,600,000 domain names171,959,694 websites4.156 million Internet users |

2018The Cambridge Analytica scandal broke out in March. The company harvested the personal data of over 50 million Facebook users and used it to help promote the campaign of Donald Trump during his election run. This sparked a lot of debate about online privacy and how Facebook was treating user data.

Source: The Guardian

| Technologies & companiesCambridge Analytica – a political consulting company founded in 2013 in London, UK. The company was involved in numerous political campaigns, but its name became known to the public during the Cambridge Analytica–Facebook scandal in 2018. Shortly after, the company was closed.Source: WikipediaStatistics1,656,556,205 hosts348,700,000 domain names187,919,646 websites4.313 million Internet users |

20195G was introduced across the United States. The first two cities that got 5G were Chicago and Minneapolis, followed by Denver, Providence, and many others. This technology offered a substantial increase in internet speed that is expected to help the development and implementation of many other new technologies.

Source: Verizon

| Technologies & companies5G – the 5th generation standard for broadband cellular networks. It’s the successor of 4G and even though it’s still not used in all countries and regions, experts expect that it will be implemented by networks across the globe in the near future. 5G will offer a substantial increase in bandwidth speeds going up to dozens of gigabits per second.Source: WikipediaStatistics1,268,289,402 hosts351,800,000 domain names183,209,340 websites4.536 million Internet users |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845-1940 Timeline (Part 2) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1941-1970 Timeline (Part 3) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1971–1979 Timeline (Part 4) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1980–1989 Timeline (Part 5) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1990–1999 Timeline (Part 6) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 2000-2010 Timeline (Part 7)

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Update: This article is part of a series. Check out the full series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

The Beginning of the Dot Com EraThe early 2000’s were a period of swift change and enormous growth in internet history. This time period witnessed the dramatic rise and fall of the Dot-com bubble, the introduction of groundbreaking social media and search platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and the roll-out of revolutionary technologies like the iPhone and 4G networks. Read on for a look at the stories of influential figures like Satoshi Nakamoto, who introduced Bitcoin, and companies like Google and Apple that continued to push the boundaries of innovation.

2000One of the worst crises for tech and internet companies happened in 2000. The “Dot-com bubble burst” happened on the stock market, because too many people started investing in technology and internet companies due to the growth of the internet. The height of the bubble was when the NASDAQ stock index reached 5132. This caused the crash of many startups. From 2000 to 2002 the bubble caused a total loss of $5 trillion for various tech companies.

Source: Wikipedia

The first large-scale DDos attack was launched in 2000 by Mike “MafiaBoy” Calce. The attack combined a total loss of over $1 billion and targeted companies like Yahoo, Amazon, eBay, Dell, and CNN. This event showed just how important internet security is and that even a 14-year-old boy can cause serious issues when he knows what he’s doing.

Source: Cnet

A social networking website for young adults and teenagers, “Habbo”, was launched. This video-game-like online community showed how creative the internet can be and that even younger generations can have a lot of fun on it.

Source: Wikipedia

An online advertising site by the name of “Google Ads” is launched by Google. It was the first online advertising platform that offered a lot of different marketing options.

Source: Wikipedia

A game development company Maxis launches the “Sims” game through Electronic Arts. This was one of the first globally popular simulation games where players created virtual people and their home. Players could customize characters, change their living space, and control their careers and social life.

Source: Wikipedia

The African father of the internet, Professor Nii Quaynor, starts his own training workshop focused on the African Network Operators’ Group. His training efforts have a great impact on the growth and development of the African internet.

Source: NewAfrican

| PeopleMike “MafiaBoy” Calce – born in Montreal, Canada in 1986. Calce became known as a 14 year old kid, when he launched a large-scale DDOS attack (denial of service attack) in 2000. He targeted some of the largest sites of the time, including CNN, eBay, Dell Inc, Amazon, and so on. Calce was sentenced to an 8-month open custody for his acts. He is currently a known security expert.Source: WikipediaNii Quaynor – date of birth unknown. This Ghanaian engineer and computer scientist had an instrumental part to play in bringing and developing the internet around Africa. He was the Board Director of ICANN, member of the Internet Society, National Information Technology Agency Chairman of the Board.Source: ICANNWikiTechnologies & companiesDot-com bubble – the tech bubble, or dot-com boom. This stock market bubble caused the collapse of many different tech companies from 2000 to 2002. It was caused by heavy market investment in tech companies. The Nasdaq Composite stock index grew by over 400% from 1995 up to 2000 and fell by 78% in just a month.Source: WikipediaDDos attack – denial-of-service attacks are computer attacks where the attacker tries to make a network or device unavailable by disrupting the services of the host. This is usually done by sending a large number of requests to a network or machine to put a strain on the system and make it impossible to handle legitimate requests.Source: WikipediaAdWords – this platform is now called Google Ads. It’s an advertising site where people can pay to create different types of advertisements, videos, product listings, or service offerings. The ads can be placed on search engine results or on websites, videos, and mobile apps. The advertiser pays for their ads per each click – the PPC model.Source: WikipediaThe Sims video game – a series of a simulation video game released in 2000 by Electronic Arts and developed by Maxis. It’s one of the first simulation games and a top-selling video game with over 200 million sales. It’s a sandbox game in which players create their “Sims” – characters and control their lives.Source: WikipediaStatistics25,632,018 hosts26,993,431 domain names10,371,777 websites361 million Internet users |

2001Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales launched Wikipedia in January. The first commercially successful online encyclopedia that wasn’t only open source but free for all to use and update.

Source: Wikipedia

Lawrence Lessig led the project on building Creative Commons. Within the Harvard Law School Professor’s team was Aaron Swartz, who made some major contributions to the Creative Commons open architecture. This architecture reduces various barriers for reusing and sharing various educational and research materials.

Source: Wikipedia

Mike Bergman coined the term “Deep Web”. He came up with the phrase while leading Bright Planet, a data collection company. This term was used when they were looking for web data that wasn’t indexed.

Source: Computer Hope

Google introduced its “Image Search” that instantly gives users access to more than 250 million images on the internet.

Source: Wikipedia

XM Radio made its services commercially available to the public. This was a satellite radio connected to the internet.

Source: Wikipedia

The first Apple earbuds and the iPod are presented by Apple Inc. Nobody knew just how successful these would be at the time.

Source: Apple

| PeopleJimmy Wales – born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1966. A successful internet entrepreneur that founded two important online encyclopedias. He co-founded Wikipedia which is a nonprofit, and Fandom that’s a for-profit company. Even though Larry Sanger was the co-founder of Wikipedia, Wales never wanted to admit they created the site together.Source: WikipediaLarry Sanger – born in Bellevue, Washington in 1968. As an internet project developer his most recognized work is the development of Wikipedia. He created the governing policies for Wikipedia and came up with the name. He also worked on other educational sites like Everipedia, Citizendium, and Nupedia.Source: Wikipedia Aaron Swartz – born in Highland Park, Illinois in 1986. He was a computer programmer, internet hacktivist, and political organizer. He helped develop RSS, Creative Commons, and put Reddit where it is today. He also helped with the formation of Progressive Change Campaign Committee and a group called the Demand Progress that wanted to make internet piracy legal. Swartz committed suicide in 2013.Source: WikipediaMike Bergman – date of birth unknown. An internet entrepreneur, consultant, and scientist. He was the founder of BrithPlanet, chairman, and CTO. He also founded VisualMetrics and TheWebTools Company. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Zitgist LLC and Structured Dynamics LLC.Source: MKBergmanTechnologies & companiesCreative Commons – a large educational network and nonprofit organization. Since its formation the goal was to give more people access to creative work and give education to individuals. Creative Commons has given free licenses to the public to help them copyright their work.Source: WikipediaDeep web – also known as hidden web or invisible web. It includes online data and websites that aren’t indexed by mainstream search engines. All the contents of the deep web are hidden with HTTP forms. Some people say that this is the “free web” and as the internet should have been. Others say that it’s only the place people go to when they want to engage in illegal activity.Source: WikipediaGoogle Image Search – also known as Google Images. This Google service lets internet users search the WWW for images. When launched, this service had over 250 million indexed images. But by 2010, the number of indexed images surpassed 10 billion. In 2011 Google added the reverse image search and let people discover the origins of an image or what it represents.Source: WikipediaXM radio – the XM Satellite Radio was one of the first Online satellite radio services in North America. It was launched and managed by Sirius XM Holdings. But it quickly expanded to offering TV channels as well and had a total of 73 music channels, 23 sports channels, and 39 news channels.Source: WikipediaiPod – the first iPod was released in 2001 by Apple Inc. At first, it was a portable media player that could be used for listening to music. Subsequent versions could also play video files and they ultimately grew into small computers that people can buy today. They aren’t that popular today, but they held a large market share throughout the 2010s.Source: WikipediaStatistics36,249,374 hosts30,969,311 domain names13,462,537 websites513 million Internet users |

2002eBay acquired PayPal. Up until that moment, PayPal had been doing well on its own, but this acquisition was a decisive moment that propelled PayPal into the large payment platform we know today.

Source: Wikipedia

Reid Hoffman started working on a business network called LinkedIn. By May 5th, 2003, Hoffman launched his new network that would become the proving grounds for internet professionals and other industry leaders.

Source: The Linked In Man

Nepal was connected to the internet by Mahabir Pun and his associates from Europe and the US. Using homemade antennas and long range wireless links he was able to connect a small village in Nepal to the internet. This was just the beginning and it led to the formation of the Nepal Wireless Network that connected more than 175 locations to the web.

Source: Everys

| PeopleReid Hoffman – born in Palo Alto, California in 1967. A distinguished author, investor, and internet entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder and chairman of LinkedIn, a social network for business. He is also one of the partners at the Greylock Partners venture capital firm.Source: WikipediaMahabir Pun – born in Myagdi District, Nepal in 1955. He is a respected teacher, activist, and social entrepreneur. He is the leader of the Nepal Wireless Networking Project which was instrumental in bringing internet connectivity and wireless technology in Nepal and its rural areas around the Himalayas.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesLinkedIn – a business social network designed for business networking and employment. People can post their portfolios, look for jobs, and companies can offer job listings. LinkedIn makes most of its profits by selling information to sales experts and recruiters. In 2020, LinkedIn recorded over 706 users from 150 different countries.Source: WikipediaStatistics35,518,063 hosts31,580,000 domain names16,626,205 websites587 million Internet users |

2003Apple launches its iTunes Music Store. This was the first music web store that legally sold music coming from some of the largest labels in the world. Even though the store initially had around 200,000 songs available, it developed quickly, as all the labels continued adding the songs of their artists. In just 24 hours, the store sold over 250,000 songs that could be played on iPods.

Source: The Telegraph

Hutchison Telecommunications launched the first publicly available 3G network.

Source: History of GSM

Andy Rubin founded Android in October.

Source: Wikipedia

A company from Luxembourg called Skype Technologies launches its online communication software “Skype”. The company was founded by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom with this single vision.

WordPress was launched by co-founders Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little.

Source: Wikipedia

MySpace was launched and in just a couple of months it became the largest social network on the internet. In 3 years, the total number of accounts was over 100 million. The co-founders of MySpace are Jon Hart, Chris DeWolfe, and Tom Anderson.

Source: Wikipedia

Apple Inc launched its own mobile internet browser for iOS devices called Safari.

Source: Wikipedia

One of the most popular peer-to-peer platforms, “The Pirate Bay” or TPB, was launched in November.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleReid Hoffman – born in Palo Alto, California in 1967. A distinguished author, investor, and internet entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder and chairman of LinkedIn, a social network for business. He is also one of the partners at Greylock Partners venture capital firm.Source: WikipediaAndy Rubin – born in Chappaqua, New York in 1963. He’s a venture capitalist, computer entrepreneur, programmer, and an engineer. Known as the founder of Playground Global and CEO. He also co-founded Android Inc. and Danger Inc.Source: WikipediaMatt Mullenweg – born in Houston, Texas in 1984. This web developer and businessman is best known for creating WordPress, an open-source and free-for-all web software. Mullenweg dropped out of college to work for CNET for two years, after which he founded Automattic. This company created Tumblr, WordPRess.com, Gravatar, IntenseDebate, and Akismet.Source: WikipediaMahabir Pun – born in Myagdi District, Nepal in 1955. He is a respected teacher, activist, and social entrepreneur. He is the leader of the Nepal Wireless Networking Project which was instrumental in bringing internet connectivity and wireless technology in Nepal and its rural areas around the Himalayas.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesiTunes store – a digital media store created by Apple in 2003. This software-based digital marketplace has been launched predominantly for music. It currently has over 60 million different songs that people can buy legally. However, over time the store expanded and it now has mobile apps, movies, and TV shows. It was the first legal digital marketplace for music when it opened.Source: Wikipedia3G – the 3rd generation wireless mobile telecommunications technology is an upgrade of 2.5G GPRS and 2.5G networks. It helps transfer data faster and is based on many different standards for mobile telecommunications and mobile devices. 3G is used for mobile TV, video calls, wireless internet, mobile internet, and wireless voice telephony.Source: WikipediaSkype – a telecommunications app that allows voice calls and video chat between mobile phones, tablets, computers, laptops, and smartwatches using the internet. It was released initially in 2003 but the application has been upgraded many times. At its peak, Skype was used by over 6,060 million people and around 300 million active monthly users.Source: WikipediaWordPress – WordPress.org or WP is a content management system that’s free and open-source software. It combines MariaDB database and MySQL along with a large template system and a plugin architecture. It was made originally for bloggers, but it can now support all kinds of web content, such as learning management systems, e-commerce stores, forums, mailing lists, and so on.Source: WikipediaMySpace – the first globally popular social networking site that was commercially available. It was created by Tom Anderson, Jon Hart, and Christ DeWolfe in 2003. From 2005 to 2009 it was the most successful social network that had over 100 million monthly users. It had a huge impact on the development of social media and is currently a music-based social networking site.Source: WikipediaSafari browser – a graphical browser launched by Apple Inc. in 2003. It uses the WebKit engine and it was a desktop browser at first until Apple introduced its first iPhone in 2007. It’s a standard web browser for all Apple devices and there was also a Windows version that was shut down in 2012.Source: WikipediaStatistics45,955,158 hosts31,580,000 domain names21,335,629 websites587 million Internet users |

2004Facebook was created in 2004. At first it was called “The Facebook” and it wasn’t meant to be used as a global social network. It was an online directory for college students to help them connect. It was created by a group of Harvard College students Mark Zuckeberg, Chris Hughes, Dusting Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, and Eduardo Saverin. Overnight Facebook got over 1,000 registrations and soon enough, the network expanded to other large universities in the US.

Source: Wikipedia

Source: PopularMechanics.com

Gmail was first launched. At the time, the most popular email services were Yahoo that gave its users 4MB of free storage and Hotmail that provided 2MB. But when Google announced the release of Gmail, they shocked the world when they promised that their email service would give 1GB of free space to its users.

Even though many thought this was only marketing talk, Google delivered. This made a great impact on how much storage space email providers gave to users. Megabytes simply weren’t enough anymore. It sparked a storage war that Gmail ultimately won as almost nobody uses Yahoo or Hotmail today.

Source: Wikipedia

This was the same year when Digg was created. Initially it was a tech news hub but over time Digg expanded into various areas such as entertainment, economy, and politics. This news site is socially moderated meaning that the users decide what happens on the platform and how it evolves. It’s one of the most popular Web 2.0 products even though it wasn’t acquired by any major tech company. Sadly, Digg couldn’t keep up with the newer online technologies and designs, which drove its users away over time.

Source: Mashable

The video and image hosting service Flickr was launched. This online platform and community was made by Ludicorp and it quickly gained popularity with both professional and amateur photographers who could use it to host and post high resolution photos they’ve made.

Source: seowebmarketing

Blizzard Entertainment created and published its MMORPG called the World of Warcraft. Even though it wasn’t the first MMORPG, for many people it was because it became the most popular game for a certain time and the most popular game ever in the genre.

Source: Wikipedia

OPENWORLD LTD was founded by Dorcas Muthoni. This software company was crucial in developing and delivering some of the most important cloud and web-based applications throughout the African continent.

Source: Lioness of Africa

| PeopleMark Zuckerberg – born in White Plains, New York in 1984. An internet entrepreneur and media magnate, best known as the CEO of Facebook and one of the main-contributing founders. He’s also the board member and founder of the “Breakthrough Starshot” project. He’s the main shareholder of Facebook and is currently the 4th richest person on Earth, according to Forbes.Source: WikipediaMahabir Pun – born in Myagdi District, Nepal in 1955. He is a respected teacher, activist, and social entrepreneur. He is the leader of the Nepal Wireless Networking Project which was instrumental in bringing internet connectivity and wireless technology in Nepal and its rural areas around the Himalayas.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesFacebook – a social media giant from Menlo Park, California. Initially, Facebook was a network for Harvard students but it expanded to Yale, Stanford, and Columbia before it went public in 2006 and everyone could register. Facebook “inherited” MySpace as a leading global social network in 2009 and also acquired the second most popular social network, “Instagram”.Source: WikipediaGmail – an email service owned and created by Google in 2004. It uses the IMAP and POP protocols to synchronize email content when accessed through different programs or devices. It was the first web email service that offered 1GB of storage space when others only offered a couple of MBs. In October 2018, Gmail had over 1.5 billion active users.Source: WikipediaFlickr – a hosting platform for video and image content founded in 2004. Flickr is very popular among photographers and videographers. It has a rich database of photos and videos that can be accessed by anyone. However, to upload content you need to be a member of the community with a registered profile.Source: WikipediaDigg – a social news web application with stories about science, internet issues, and politics. It had a social architecture where people could vote if they liked a piece of content or not. This was known as “digging” and “burying” and this is where the name of the site comes from. But since 2012 the site has turned into a support platform for sharing stories on social media like Facebook or Twitter.Source: WikipediaStatistics56,896,710 hosts45,175,199 domain names25,942,131 websites817 million Internet users |

2005YouTube was founded by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim – three former employees of PayPal. It was a perfect moment for creating this kind of service, as web-based and flash-based video sharing was booming. In a short period of time, YouTube became the main engine for revolutionizing web-based video. Even though it didn’t have the best video quality, it was approachable and easy to use. YouTube also hosted the first-ever online presidential debate in the United States. Google acquired YouTube in 2006 for $1.6 billion.

Source: Cnet

Aaron Swartz, Steve Huffman, and Alexis Ohanian started Reddit – a discussion, content rating, and social news aggregation website.

Source: Wikipedia

Google announced the launch of its Web mapping site called “Google Maps”. At first, it was designed as a desktop program developed by a company called “Where 2 Technologies”. However, it was quickly acquired by Google and transformed into a web mapping service.

Source: Wikipedia

Dial-up internet connections became obsolete, as they were surpassed by high-speed broadband internet connections. The number of broadband internet users in the US surpasses narrow-band users.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

| PeopleJawed Karim – born in Merseburg, Germany in 1979. An internet entrepreneur and software engineer that co-founded YouTube. The first video ever on YouTube was uploaded by Karim with the name “Me at the Zoo” in April 2005. He designed some of the essential components of the platform such as the anti-fraud system that works in real-time.Source: WikipediaSteve Chen – born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1978. He is the former CTO of YouTube and a co-founder of the- platform. He also created an app for video sharing called MixBit and co-founded AVOS Systems Inc. Since 2014 he has been a member of Google Ventures.Source: WikipediaChad Hurley – born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1977. He is the co-founder of MixBit and YouTube. Hurley is also the former Chief Executive Officer of these companies. Together with Steve Chen, he is responsible for selling YouTube to Google and making the acquisition a reality. While working for PayPal, he was instrumental in designing the company’s logo.Source: WikipediaAlexis Ohanian – born in Brooklyn, New York in 1983. A known venture capitalist and internet entrepreneur. One of the co-founders of Reddit and Initialized Capital. He created Breadpig and Hipmunk and was one of the leading partners at Y Combinator.Source: WikipediaSteve Huffman – born in 1983. An internet entrepreneur and web developer that co-founded Reddit. Huffman is currently the CEO of the website and was also one of the co-founders of Hipmunk. Even though he is the leader of one of the top websites in the world he is a strong advocate of Net Neutrality.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesYouTube – the most well-known video hosting service/video-sharing/video-based social media site. Users can create profiles on YouTube and upload videos, share videos, create playlists, comment, subscribe to channels, view, and rate content. Anyone can upload and create videos on YouTube, whether they are individuals or companies.Source: WikipediaReddit – the most popular discussion forum and news aggregator site in the world. It includes thousands of forums where people discuss a variety of topics from technology, pop culture, to bath salts. In terms of popularity it’s the 17th site in the world and 7th in the US. Users can add content like images, text posts, or links.Source: WikipediaGoogle Maps – a commercial Web mapping site owned by Google. Google Maps is available for anyone to use. It offers street view, route planning, traffic conditions, street maps, aerial photos, and satellite images that people can use in real-time. The company invested millions of dollars to take photos of cities via plane, take satellite images of the landscape around cities, and make 360 degree images with Google Cars for the street view option.Source: WikipediaStatistics74,353,725 hosts60,783,042 domain names34,401,084 websites1.018 million Internet users |

2006Noah Glass, Biz Stone, Evan Williams, and Jack Dorsey launched Twitter. The site would eventually grow into one of the largest social media platforms.

Source: Business Insider

VKontakte was launched. This social network is designed for Russia and Russian-speaking regions. It grew quickly in popularity and became “the Facebook of Russia”. Its founders are Lev Binzumovich Leviev, Yitzchak Mirilashvili, Pavel Durov, and Nikolai Durov.

Source: Wikipedia

jQuery was presented by John Resig. It would quickly grow into the largest JavaScript library.

Source: Wikipedia

| Key peopleJack Dorsey – born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1976. A tech entrepreneur best known as the CEO and co-founder of both Square and Twitter. He is also the board member of Berggruen Institute’s Governance Center. Dorsey is one of the most successful internet entrepreneurs with a net worth over 10 billion.Source: WikipediaEvan Williams – born in Clarks, Nebraska in 1972. Best known as the former Chief Executive Officer of Twitter and CEO. Williams is also the co-founder of Twitter, Medium, and Blogger. Initially, he and Meg Hourihan created Pyra Labs that was supposed to be a project management software, but it evolved into Blogger.Source: WikipediaBiz Stone – born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1974. He is one of the co-founders of Twitter. He also worked at Xanga as the creative director and launched Jelly together with Ben Finkel. Stone was the CEO of Jelly until 2017 when the company was acquired by Pinterest. After that stone decided to come back and work for Twitter Inc.Source: WikipediaNoah Glass – date of birth unknown. Glass is an internet entrepreneur that is best known as the co-founder of Odeo and Twitter. He was instrumental in creating Twitter and naming the platform. Even though his work was important for the launch of the company, he left in 2006.Source: WikipediaPavel Durov – born in Saint Petersburg in 1984. He is the founder of Telegram Messenger and VK. This internet entrepreneur is also a member of the Young Global Leaders Forum and World Economic Forum. He was the CEO of VK until 2014 after which he decided to travel the world in exile. Nikolai Durov is his older brother and together they founded VK.Source: WikipediaJohn Resig – born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1984. A JavaScript programming expert who created jQuery. Resig worked on various JavaScript projects that are still essential for the development of the web. He also wrote two books on JavaScript: “Pro JavaScript Techniques” and “Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja”. He also works at Khan Academy, giving free education to people all across the globe.Source: Johnresig.com, WikipediaCompanies and technologiesTwitter – One of the most popular social networks in the world along with Facebook and Instagram. Twitter is also a microblogging service that lets people interact with short messages. It was founded in 2006 and by 2012 it had over 100 active users. The first project code for Twitter was called “twttr”, which Noah Glass transformed into Twitter.Source: WikipediaVK (VKontakte) – translation: “InContact”. A predominantly Russian social network even though it offers multiple language options. VK is similar to Facebook as it allows users to message each other, create posts, events, groups, or pages. It also allows sharing videos, audio, and images and playing various browser games. VK is the most popular site in Russia and 14th most popular site globally.Source: WikipediajQuery – a JavaScript library created by John Resig in 2006. Resig created the library to make event handling, HTML DOM usage, and event handling easier. It has the MIT License and is an open-source software that can be used for free. Its syntax makes developing Ajax applications easier and lets developers build their own plug-ins.Source: WikipediaKey statistics105,179,587 hosts79,580,008 domain names49,247,263 websites1.093 million Internet users |

2007The iPhone was created by Apple Inc, which marked the turning point in mobile internet development. The first iPhone was introduced to the public with 4GB and 8GB storage options. They were sold respectively for $499 and $599.

Source: Wikipedia

Ermanno Pietrosemoli achieved the official world record for the largest Wi-Fi connection that spread over 382 km.

Source: Cnet

Estonia used the internet for voting in their parliamentary election, becoming the first country in the world to use the internet for voting.

Source: Wikipedia

Netflix introduced its streaming services. Even though Netflix was founded in 1997, its core services were movie rentals. However, in 2007 the company introduced a new type of service called “streaming” that allowed users to watch films, TV shows, and documentaries instantly over their website. Netflix became the largest video streaming platform and today it’s the synonym for streaming.

Source: PopularMechanics.com

An electronic musician and sound designer from Sweden Eric Wahlforss and Alexander Ljung created SoundCloud in Berlin, Germany. The official website was launched a year later.

Source: Pagan Research

Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi created Dropbox. Houston was instrumental in expanding the idea behind Dropbox and making it a global service used by millions of people.

Source: Dropbox

| PeopleErmanno Pietrosemoli – date of birth unknown. Currently working as researcher at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste. Ermanno has been spreading the internet ever since it started. He helped deploy low cost technical solutions and wireless communication in countries like the USA, Venezuela, Peru, Morocco, Mexico, Italy, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, and so on.Source: IEEE.orgAlexander Ljung – born in the United Kingdom in 1981. He is one of the co-founders of SoundCloud and its Managing Director and CEO. He is a motion film music producer and sound designer that specializes in post-production. Before founding SoundCloud he worked at SF Anytime as Business & Product Developer.Source: CrunchbaseEric Wahlforss – data of birth unknown. One of the founders of SoundCloud. He is the Chief Technology Officer of the company. Apart from working at the company he is a full-time music artist performing by the name “Fortress.” He also co-created the “Strategy & Interaction” web consultancy network before starting SoundCloud.Source: gotopiaDrew Houston – born in Acton, Massachusetts in 1983. One of the co-founders of Dropbox and the CEO of the company. This internet entrepreneur has a net worth around $2.5 billion. Before founding Dropbox he worked on various startups including HubSpot, Accolade, and Bit9. He currently owns 25% of Dropbox.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesiPhone – the most popular smartphone in the world. Developed by Apple Inc. and released in 2007. Since then, Apple sold over 2.5 billion iPhones around the world. Even though it’s one of the most expensive smartphones, the marketing buzz, along with the smooth running hardware and software, made it very popular.Source: Wikipedia SoundCloud – a music community, social network, and music sharing platform. Users can create their profiles on SoundCloud, upload their music, share it with others, and promote it in different ways. It’s one of the largest websites of its kind with around 175 million monthly users. SoundCloud Limited is based in Berlin, Germany.Source: WikipediaDropbox – a file sharing and hosting platform. Dropbox has cloud storage, client software, personal cloud storage, and offers file synchronization. It received its first funding from Y Combinator and at one point it was the most valuable startup in the whole world, being valued at more than $10 billion.Source: WikipediaStatistics155,230,051 hosts95,115,501 domain names68,060,458 websites1.319 million Internet users |

2008Apple launched its software digital market for iOS devices called the App Store.

Source: Wikipedia

At the same time, Google also launched its software digital market “Android Market” for devices using Android operating systems. This store would later be named “Google Play”.

Source: Wikipedia

The first version of Google Chrome internet browser was released to the public by Google.

Source: Wikipedia

Satoshi Nakamoto created Blockchain. It was designed to be used as the public transaction ledger for all the transactions made via bitcoin cryptocurrency. There are speculations that the name Satoshi Nakamoto was a pseudonym for a group of people.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleSatoshi Nakamoto – a pseudonym used by a group of people who created blockchain and bitcoin. This name is also the name behind the first blockchain database, bitcoin reference implementation, and bitcoin white paper. He (they) is also responsible for implementing a peer-to-peer network to prevent double spending with digital currencies.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesApp Store – Apple’s App Store was launched in 2008. This digital platform lets users download various apps on their iPhones. Later the platform was expanded to all Apple devices including iPads, Apple Watches, and iPod Touch. It initially had 500 applications, but the number reached 2.2 million in 2017.Source: WikipediaGoogle Play – a digital distribution service for Android smartphones created by Google. Initially it was called “Android Market”, but the name was changed. It can be used for downloading applications for Android devices but also TV shows, movies, books, music, and much more.Source: WikipediaChrome – Google’s official web browser. Initially released for Windows OS in 2008 it was later extended to other operating systems including iOS, macOS, Android, and Linux. The source code of Chrome comes mainly from “Chromium”, which is a free open-source software made by Google. However, the browser has a proprietary freeware license. Google Chrome is the most popular web browser in the world.Source: WikipediaBlockchain – a large list of blocks that are linked together with cryptography. Every record has a cryptographic hash timestamp or a transaction data connected to the previous block. This open distributed ledger doesn’t allow data to be modified. That’s why it’s great for creating safe and reliable transactions between two people.Source: WikipediaStatistics182,727,854 hosts105,023,604 domain names72,605,663 websites1.574 million Internet users |

2009The alias Satoshi Nakamoto appeared again to present Bitcoin to the world.

Source: Wikipedia

Evan Sharp, Paul Sciarra, and Ben Silberman finished their work on creating Pinterest and launched the platform. Initially, it was imagined as a website for sharing photos, but it quickly evolved into a social network as well.

Source: Wikipedia

Google acquired the GrandCentral telephone service and launched Google Voice. It’s basically an upgraded and rebranded version of GrandCentral.

Source: Wikipedia

A messenger app called WhatsApp was founded.

Source: Wikipedia

Microsoft launched its own search engine to complete with Google – Bing.

Source: Wikipedia

Garret Camp and Travis Kalanick founded Uber in March.

Source: Wikipedia

TeliaSonera launched the 4G network publicly. This was the first telecom operator ever to offer 4G commercially.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleSatoshi Nakamoto – a pseudonym used by a group of people who created blockchain and bitcoin. This name is also the name behind the first blockchain database, bitcoin reference implementation, and bitcoin white paper. He (they) is also responsible for implementing a peer-to-peer network to prevent double spending with digital currencies.Source: WikipediaTravis Kalanick – born in Los Angeles, California in 1976. A successful businessman that co-founded Uber, Red Swoosh, and Scour. He is also the former Chief Executive Officer of Uber. Due to the scandal that made him quit Uber, Kalanick also sold most of his shares at Uber. He is one of the richest people in the world.Source: WikipediaGarrett Camp – born in Calgary, Alberta in 1978. A product designed and internet entrepreneur. He is best known as one of the co-founders of Uber, and he is also a board member of the company. Apart from that, he founded many other successful companies, including StumbleUpon and Expa.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesBitcoin – the first ever cryptocurrency released in 2009 as on open-source software implementation. Created by Satoshi Nakamoto which is a group of anonymous developers. It doesn’t have any administrators and is completely decentralized. Network nodes verify transactions and there is no need for intermediaries since there is a peer-to-peer network.Source: WikipediaGoogle voice – a telephone service created by Google in 2009 after acquiring GrandCentral. It offers text messaging, voice messaging, voicemail, and call forwarding. It was one of the first commercially popular Voice over Internet Protocol phone services. It works strictly over the internet, giving more flexibility to users.Source: Tom’s GuideWhatsApp – a messenger platform that combines several communication methods. It’s a VoIP service created by WhatsApp Inc. but it was acquired by Facebook. It can be used on both desktop computers and mobile devices. It requires a phone number to be added before you can start using the app.Source: WikipediaUber – Uber Technologies Inc. is a service that lets users hire vehicles, get food deliveries, send out couriers, transport packages, and rent motorized scooters online. At the moment, Uber covers more than 900 metropolitan areas in the world.Source: Wikipedia4G – the 4th generation of cellular networks. It’s defined by IMT Advanced and ITU requirements. The current applications of 4G include 3D TV, HD mobile TV, video conferencing, gaming IP telephony, and mobile web access.Source: WikipediaStatistics243,848,493 hosts111,889,734 domain names79,610,999 websites1.802 million Internet users |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845-1940 Timeline (Part 2) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1941-1970 Timeline (Part 3) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1971–1979 Timeline (Part 4) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1980–1989 Timeline (Part 5) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1990–1999 Timeline (Part 6)

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Update: This article is part of a series. Check out the full series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

The True Era Of The World Wide WebThe 1990s were packed with advancement in the digital world, characterized by groundbreaking developments in internet technology. During this time period there was also the emergence of soon-to-be digital titans that have shaped the online world as we know it today including eBay, Amazon, PayPal, and Google.

1990The Association for Progressive Communications or APC, was founded by Karen Banks and her associates. This nonprofit organization was a network of global experts whose goals were to create and maintain a free and transparent internet network. The whole of society was to benefit from this technology and not just big companies.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

In 1990 Dr. Stephen Kent started getting interested in open networks and their security. Until 1999 he would work on securing these networks and perfecting their protection methods for safer use.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

This year is also the start of internet development in Latin America. From 1990 to 1999 Ida Holz led a group of computer scientists and experts on the path to developing various computer networks across Latin America.

Source: Lacnic

The Academic Internet Network of Sri Lanka was deployed. The network LEARN was created and managed by Gihan Dias.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Linux was created by Linus Torvalds. The concept of Open Source Software is brought into the mainstream and from there on, it exists as a part of the free internet idea.

Source: Linfo

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is founded by John Perry Barlow and his associates. The goal of this organization is to provide legal support to technologies and individuals in case of legal abuse related to the new technologies that are being developed.

Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation

1990 is the year when the world saw the first ever version of Photoshop. It was a revolutionary photo editing software the likes of which nobody had ever seen before. John and Thomas Knoll are the two brothers behind Photoshop. Thirty years later, Photoshop is still the most popular photo editor.

Source: PopularMechanics.com

| PeopleKaren Banks – date of birth unknown. This British networking pioneer worked at ISP GreenNet where she ran the GnFido gateway. She also founded the APC and the WNSP (Women’s Networking Support Program). This organization was the first to provide web access to United Nations delegates.Source: WikipediaStephen Kent – born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1951. This computer scientist is best known for his work on network security. Kent worked at BBN Technologies, where he was the first Chief Scientist to work on developing Security Technologies. He developed many internet security standards.Source: WikipediaIda Holz – born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1935. She was a computer researcher, scientist, engineer, and professor. She was one of the internet pioneers in Latin America and helped create the internet in her country in the early 90s. Subsequently, she helped connect the whole continent through various projects.Source: Ida HolzGihan Dias – date of birth unknown. A computer scientist and engineer working at the University of Moratuwa. A pioneer of the internet in Sri Lanka. He helped develop and manage the Lanka Education and Research Network.Source: WikipediaLinus Torvalds – born in Helsinki, Finland in 1969. One of the most influential software engineers who developed Linux operating systems. This is also the kernel for Chrome OS and Android. He also created Git and Subsurface. Torvalds is one of the biggest protagonists of open source internet and software.Source: WikipediaJohn Perry Barlow – born in Cora, Wyoming in 1947. Even though he didn’t have any technical knowledge about computers or the internet, he was instrumental to its development. He was a libertarian and worked at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Barlow founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He died in 2018.Source: WikipediaThomas Knoll – born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1960. This software engineer is best known for creating Photoshop. He started the development of various image processing techniques in 1988. He showed these core routines to his brother and together they worked on developing Photoshop for Adobe Systems.Source: WikipediaJohn Knoll – born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1962. Knoll was the chief creative officer at Industrial Light & Magic company and a visual effects supervisor. Apart from creating Photoshop together with his brother, Thomas, he also worked on the special effects for the original Star Wars trilogy.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesAPC – The Association for Progressive Communication was founded in 1990. This network of organizations was created to give internet access, applications, and communication infrastructure to people who work in developing sustainability, green initiative, human rights, etc. APC members were also involved in developing the internet for their countries.Source: WikipediaLinux – Linux includes various operating systems similar to Unix. It’s an open source Linux kernel family, developed by Linus Torvalds and it comes with supporting system software, libraries, and the Linux kernel. Linux is often used for network servers, hosts, and other technical uses. Source: WikipediaOpen Source – open source software is a computer program that can be used for free, license, change, study, and copy. The code of this software is shared openly so that other programmers and developers can change it in any way. Linux was the first major open source software.Source: WikipediaPhotoshop – Photoshop was developed by Thomas and John Knoll. It was then sold by the brothers to the Adobe Systems company, which released it in 1990. Adobe is a raster photo editor that evolved over time and became the standard in raster graphics editing and digital artwork overall.Source: Wikipedia |

World Wide Web going public1991The year that marks an important milestone in the history of the internet. The World Wide Web (WWW) went public. On August 6th, 1991, the world witnessed the launch of the first website. It was created by Tim Berners Lee, who was working at CERN at the time.

In a symbolic manner, the site was all about the WWW project and how it could change the world. Lee didn’t want to patent his work – he wanted to share this technology with the whole world.

Source: The Next Web

At the same time, internet technology was absorbed into EuropaNet, the backbone of European Internet. This network would subsequently use TCP/IP. This project was set in motion by Dai Davies.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The development of the internet in the Netherlands had begun. Kees Neggers started his work on creating the first Internet Provider in Europe.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Pretty Good Privacy software was created by Philip Zimmermann. This email encryption software suite was given to the public for free. Even though it was originally made for organizations and individuals working in human rights, PGP goes public and becomes the most popular email encryption tool.

Source: Springer Link

The Gore Bill was put in motion in 1991 by Al Gore. Also known as the High-Performance Computing and Communications Act, with the goal of creating and managing the National Research and Education Network as well high performance computing in general. The Gore Bill allocated a total of $600 million for this purpose and it also led to the creation of the Information Superhighway.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleDai Davies – date of birth unknown. A British internet pioneer that upgraded the EuropaNet with internet technology. Apart from working on creating the pan-European research network, he was instrumental in helping develop new communication and data-transfer systems that improved the speed of data transmission.Source: Internet Hall of FameKees Neggers – born in Breda, Netherlands in 1947. His work on developing and connecting research and education networks internationally as well as in the Netherlands was instrumental to the development of European internet. Neggers was also the director of EARN in the Netherlands.Source: WikipediaPhilip Zimmermann – born in Camden, New Jersey in 1954. A known professor, cryptographer, and computer scientist. He is best known as the developer of Pretty Good Privacy software, which is the most popular email encryption system. He also worked on creating the Zfone and ZRTP encryption protocols.Source: WikipediaAl Gore – born Washington, D.C. in 1948. He is a well-known politician who served as State Senator, Vice President of the US, and was a member of the House of Representatives. After reading the report by Leonard Kleinrock, one of the co-founders of ARPANET, Gore started writing his High Performance Computing Act that was passed in 1991, securing an allocation of $600 million for developing internet technologies.Source: WikipediaLinus Torvalds – born in Helsinki, Finland in 1969. One of the most influential software engineers who developed Linux operating systems. This is also the kernel for Chrome OS and Android. He also created Git and Subsurface. Torvalds is one of the biggest protagonists of open source internet and software.Source: WikipediaJohn Perry Barlow – born in Cora, Wyoming in 1947. Even though he didn’t have any technical knowledge about computers or the internet, he was instrumental to its development. He is a libertarian and worked at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Barlow founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He died in 2018.Source: WikipediaThomas Knoll – born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1960. This software engineer is best known for creating Photoshop. He started the development of various image processing techniques in 1988. He showed these core routines to his brother and together they worked on developing Photoshop for Adobe Systems.Source: WikipediaJohn Knoll – born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1962. Knoll is the chief creative officer at Industrial Light & Magic company and a visual effects supervisor. Apart from creating Photoshop together with his brother Thomas he also worked on the special effects of the original Star Wars trilogy.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesFirst website launched – created by Tim Berners-Lee and launched on August 6th, 1991. This website contained information about the whole World Wide Web, what the web is, what are its potentials, and current uses. The site was hosted on a computer called NeXT at CERN.Source: HistoryEuropaNet – the first network managed by a nonprofit company DANTE. It had access ports going from 64 kbit/s to 8 Mbit/s and it used the X.25 technology in the beginning. It was a multi-protocol backbone network that provided gateways and intercontinental connections.Source: WikipediaPretty Good Privacy – created in 1991 by Phill Zimmermann. PGP is an encryption program for data communication authentication and cryptographic privacy. It’s used for email security for encrypting information, decrypting information, signing in, and sharing files.Source: WikipediaThe Gore Bill – also known as “High Performance Computing Act of 1991.” The bill was presented by Al Gore and voted in by the 102nd United States Congress. This act secured funding for the National Research and Education Network, as well as the development of the National Information Infrastructure in the United States.Source: WikipediaStatistics1 Website – ever since Tim Berners Lee created the first ever website in 1991, we’ve seen a drastic growth of websites across the world. In less than 30 years, people have created a total of 2 billion sites. However, only around 400 million sites are actually active.Source: HostingtribunalInternet users – during its beginnings only a select number of people used networks and the internet. Scientists and internet pioneers used these networks. But since WWW became public, the number of users around the world started growing exponentially. In 1995, only 0.4% of the world population used the internet (16 million). In 2020, a total of 62% of the world population uses the internet (4.8 billion).Source: Internet World Stats |

1992The Internet Society was founded by Robert Khan and Vint Cerf. At the same time, the number of internet hosts grew to over one million.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Tracy LaQuey’s “First Layman Guide to the Internet” was finally published. It quickly became a success and was translated into 8 different languages across the world.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Ermanno Pietrosemoli started his project of providing technical education about the internet in many different countries in Africa and Latin America.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The internet was introduced to Japan by Dr. Harusha Ishida. He explains all the potential of working online and brings UNIX computing closer to Japanese people.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

George Sadowsky started an educational initiative for training people from over 100 countries around the world on internet governance, management, operation, and technologies. By the end of this initiative more than 1,500 certified internet instructors would start sharing their knowledge about the internet in their countries. This initiative was instrumental for spreading the internet globally.

Source: Eyerys

| PeopleErmanno Pietrosemoli – date of birth unknown. Currently working as researcher at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste. Ermann has been spreading the internet ever since it started. He helped deploy low cost technical solutions and wireless communication in countries like the USA, Venezuela, Peru, Morocco, Mexico, Italy, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, and so on.Source: IEEE.orgHaruhisa Ishida – born in Taiwan in 1936. Ishida studied at The University of Tokyo and ever since the start of the internet he knew how important the TCP/IP protocols were. He brought the internet to Japan, worked on internet security measures and protocols, and presented UNIX computing to Japan. Ishida died in 2009.Source: Internet Hall of FameGeorge Sadowsky – born in Novocherkassk, USSR in 1936. He is one of the most successful global internet promoters. He worked on providing the internet to developing countries by helping with legislation, making this technology more affordable, and helping establish a plan on how these countries could connect.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesInternet Society – Internet Society is a nonprofit organization. Ever since it was founded in 1992 its goal was to give more education and knowledge about internet policies, access, education, and technical standards. The official motto of ISOC is “The Internet is for Everyone.” The organization had offices in Geneva, Switzerland, and Reston, Virginia.Source: WikipediaLayman’s Guide to the Internet – even though this book was first published in 1992, its last publication came out in 2013. This is how big this book was. It’s a guide that teaches people everything they need to know about computer technology and the internet while using these things at home. Source: Vector7UNIX computing – UNIX technology involves a group of operating systems with multiple users who are multitasking. UNIX computing has origins in AT&T UNIX and this technology was developed by Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson at Bell Labs.Source: WikipediaStatistics992,000 hosts – the number of internet hosts reached almost a million by the end of 1992. In 1993 it finally broke that number, marking an important milestone in internet history.Source: Statista10 Websites – the total number of websites in 1992 was 10 on a global level. However, the W3 technology became available to everyone in 1993, sparking the growth of the internet.Source: Statista |

1993The Mosaic Browser was released by the NCSA. The Mosaic browser is created by Eric Bina and Marc Andreessen at the NCSA (National Center for Supercomputing Applications). This was the first commercially successful web browser that popularized the World Wide Web and made it accessible to the public.

Source: Wikipedia

Nabil Bukhalid created a team of internet professionals who built the Domain Registry for Lebanon and brought internet to the country. The team from the American University of Beirut was instrumental in developing the internet in this country.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

John Cioffi develops the digital subscriber line technology (DSL). His Discrete Multitone version of DSL instantly became a success and it was adopted as a standard in the US. That’s why Cioffi was named the “Father of DSL.”

Source: ETHW

The first newspaper ever appears online – “The Tech.” These were campus newspapers at MIT and this was the first ever complete newspaper server that saved all the editions that came out.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleMarc Andreessen – born in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1971. This known software engineer and entrepreneur is one of the developers of the Mosaic web browser. He also co-founded Netscape, the Andreessen Horowitz company, the Opsware company, Ning, and is also on the board of directors at Facebook. Source: WikipediaEric Bina – born in Champaign, Illinois in 1964. Together with Marc Andreessen, he was one of the co-founders of Netscape and Mosaic, the first commercially used web browser. He also worked for the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.Source: WikipediaNabil Bukhalid – date of birth unknown. An internet pioneer from Lebanon. He was instrumental in developing and managing the internet networks throughout Lebanon. He created the first Lebanese node as well as the Domain Registry of the country. He also worked as the registrar and administrator for the Lebanese registry.Source: World Economic ForumJohn Cioffi – born in Champaign, Illinois, in 1956. He is a known inventor and electrical engineer. Cioffi is the father of DSL as he created the first digital subscriber line. He made it applicable and practical. Cioffi also wrote a lot of publications on this technology and created various patents.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesMosaic browser – the first commercial web browser that was used by the public. It was essential for the popularization of the internet as it included graphics and text. It could support several internet protocols. It was created at the NCSA in 1993 and was the first graphical browser.Source: WikipediaDSL technology – digital subscriber loop or digital subscriber line includes many different technologies designed to help transmit data via phone lines. The most commonly used DSL type for internet use is ADSL or asymmetric digital subscriber line. The consumer-level DSL bit rate usually goes from 256 Kbit/s to 100 Mbit/s.Source: WikipediaThe Tech first web newspaper – one of the first ever publishers online. The Tech started in 1993 on the World Wide Web and all the issues that were published online are available on the website.Source: WikipediaStatistics1,776,000 hosts26,000 domain names150 Websites |

1994Yahoo was started in 1994 by Jerry Yang and David Filo, who were still PhD candidates in electrical engineering. The two started the company in a small trailer and they wanted to create a catalogue of all the interesting sites.

This small idea let them reach far with their company, as Microsoft offered a buyout worth $44.6 billion in 2008. At first, the company was called “Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web”, but it was quickly changed to Yahoo.

Source: Wikipedia

China started working on its own internet backbone. More specifically, Jianping Wu was the head of the project and the leading developer of CERNET. In just a short amount of time, CERNET became the largest Chinese network. At first, it was an academic network, but it was used for the internet in the future.

Source: Xinhuanet

At the same time, Qihen Hu brought the Chinese delegation to the National Science Foundation in the US to discuss connecting the two countries. As a result of these discussions, the first TCP/IP connection was established in China.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The first ever “Request For Comments” publication was released by Erik Huizer. It presented the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), their Working Groups, and standard processes.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Marc Andreessen ordered his company to come up with a way to secure all the sensitive data that was being transmitted online. The answer was security encryption called Secure Socket Layer or SSL. This security encryption is still an internet standard.

Source: Eyerys

The first Web camera was also developed the same year. It was named the “Connectix QuickCam”, with a price tag of around $99. Some of the first models could only capture images in grey, with a 320 x 240 resolution, and they could be used on Mac computers only.

Still, this didn’t stop inventive computer scientists from using this Webcam with CU-SeeMe conferencing software and the internet to begin video chatting online.

Source: PopularMechanics.com

Marc Andreessen also started the Netscape company that same year. The company instantly began working on a web browser of the same name. Many give credit to Netscape for starting the .com revolution with their easy-to-use browser.

Netscape also contributed a lot to the popularity of the internet, as many people didn’t understand what it was all about.

Source: PopularMechanics.com

| PeopleDavid Filo – born in Wisconsin, United States in 1966. A known computer technology businessman that co-founded Yahoo. He created the Filo Server Program that dynamically displayed different web pages.Source: WikipediaJerry Yang – born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1968. He is a computer programmer, entrepreneur, and investor. He is the co-founder of AME Cloud Ventures, Yahoo, and was a major stakeholder of Alibaba. Yang was also the CEO of Yahoo until 2007.Source: WikipediaJianping Wu – born in Taiyuan, China in 1953. This professor and computer scientist was instrumental in developing the China Education and Research Network also known as CERNET. He served as the director and technical board member of CERNET and was also China Internet Association’s vice president.Source: WikipediaErik Huizer – date of birth unknown. A distinguished member of ICANN with contributions to the internet, digital technologies, media, and ICT. He was also the CTO of SURFnet and a Professor at Utrecht University. Huizer also wrote the first Request for Comments publication.Source: WikipediaMarc Andreessen – born in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1971. This known software engineer and entrepreneur is one of the developers of Mosaic web browser. He also co-founded Netscape, the Andreessen Horowitz company, Opsware company, Ning, and is also on the board of directors at Facebook.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesYahoo! – an internet web services company formed in 1994 by David Filo and Jerry Yang. The headquarters of the company are in Sunnyvale, California. Even though Yahoo! is nowhere close to its former glory, it was a pioneering internet company at the time. Its core services were its search engine and web portal, along with sports betting, social media, email services, advertising services, messaging, and news portal.Source: WikipediaIETF – The Internet Engineering Task Force is a non-profit standards organization. The goal is to create and adopt various internet standards with the emphasis on standards that could complement the TCP/IP technology. Anyone can become a member if they have the knowledge to contribute. It was formed in 1986.Source: WikipediaSSL – the first Secure Sockets Layer was developed by Netscape in 1994. However, the 1.0 version had a lot of flaws and it never went public. SSL encryption has a cryptographic system that encrypts data with a public key and a private key. SSL is the predecessor to TLS, which is a better version built on the same principles.Source: WebopediaFirst Webcam – developed in 1994 by the Connectix company. Even though it wasn’t used as a Webcam at the start, the development of the World Wide Web and Video conferencing software made it ideal for this use. QuickCam was completely black and white and could handle a maximum of 15 frames. It was used on Apple Macintosh devices of the time.Source: WikipediaNetscape – a computer services company founded in 1994 by Marc Andreessen and James H. Clark. The company created the first commercial web browser “Netscape”, SSL encryption technology, JavaScript language, and created a sister company called the Mozilla Organization, before being bought by AOL.Source: WikipediaStatistics3,212,000 hosts46,000 domain names3000 Websites |

1995Together with his team, Karlheinz Brandenburg created a file extension to be used for audio format called MP3.

The internet became commercialized as Amazon went live in 1995, a year after it was founded. Many people believe that Amazon is the most successful story of the early commercial internet because it was one of the few companies of the time that survived the “Dot-com bubble”.

The company was forced to fire most of its employees, and lost around $1.4 billion in just 12 months. Despite all of this, Jeff Bezos (founder) was able to restructure Amazon and turn it into one of the leading e-commerce giants.

Source: Cnet

This is the same year when eBay was founded. However, at first, it was called AuctionWeb. It was created by Pierre Omidyar, whose goal was to create an online marketplace that would offer equal opportunities for everyone. The site was built on trust between users and emphasized honesty and fair trade.

Source: Cnet

LiveScript is launched for the first time together with Netscape Navigator 2.0. This might not seem like an important moment, but LiveScript is the precursor of JavaScript. In December of 1995, Brendan Eich renamed it into JavaScript after working with Sun Microsystems. Interactivity on the web wasn’t possible until JavaScript came along.

Source: Cnet

Apache servers were first released. In a short amount of time, these servers will become a standard on the internet and everyone will use them. To this day, around half the sites online are running on Apache servers. These servers were completely free and open source solutions created by Rob McCool. The Apache servers were indispensable for the growth of the web throughout the 90s and early 2000s.

Source: Britannica

1995 was also the year that gave birth to the first internet radio. Norman Hajjar created Radio HK, which was a 100% internet radio station that “streamed” music from various bands that weren’t yet signed by any record label. This radio station was able to reach over 100,000 people in many different countries around the world. It also had the ASCAP trial license, and was a pioneering internet radio that opened the door for many others to follow.

Source: Cnet

| PeopleKarlheinz Brandenburg – born in Erlangen, Germany in 1954. This mathematician and engineer developed the MP3 format together with Harald Popp, Bernhard Grill, Ernst Eberlein, and other associates. He also contributed to psychoacoustics, audio coding, and perception measurements.Source: WikipediaJeff Bezos – born in Albuquerque, United States in 1964. He is a known businessman, investor, and billionaire. Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, for which he’s best known. He was also the president and the CEO of this e-commerce giant. Since 2017, Bezos has been considered the richest man on the planet.Source: WikipediaPierre Omidyar – born in Paris, France in 1967. Omidyar studied at Berkeley, where he got his degree in engineering. A known philanthropist and entrepreneur Omidyar created eBay in 1994 and served as chairman until 2015. He also created the “Omidyar Network” to expand his philanthropic work and worked as an online journalist in 2010.Source: WikipediaBrendan Eich – born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1961. Eich is best known for creating the JavaScript language and being one of the co-founders of the Mozilla Corporation. He also worked as the CEO and CTO of the Mozilla Corporation. He also founded Brave Software company, where he is the CEO.Source: WikipediaRob McCool – born in 1973 in the United States. Robert Martin McCool authored the first NCSA HTTPd server that became popularly called the Apache Server. He created this server software while working on the Mosaic team created by NCSA. McCool also worked for Netscape, Yahoo!, Google, Stanford University, and so on.Source: WikipediaNorman Hajjar – date of birth unknown. He was an electrical engineer that broadcasted a radio stations over the web. With his Hajjar/Kaufman New Media Lab company he successfully broadcasted a completely internet-based radio signal in 1995.Source: WikiwandTechnologiesMP3 – this digital audio coding format or file extension was created by Karlheinz Brandenburg and a number of his associates. It had several versions before creating a standard one. It’s also a compression standard that loses some of its audio quality, but not in any major way. This makes files far easier to manage while retaining most of their quality.Source: Wikipedia Amazon – the company was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994. Its headquarters are in Seattle, Washington. Some of the core services of Amazon are e-commerce, cloud services, AI development, and online streaming. It’s one of the largest information technology companies in the world along with Facebook, Apple, and Google.Source: WikipediaeBay – founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar as AuctionWeb. It was set up as an auction site where people could interact individually. The first item sold on the platform was a laser pointer that was broken. The company exploded and its name was changed to Ebay in 1997. It quickly grew into one of the largest auction-based websites in the world and earned billions.Source: WikipediaJavaScript – a programming language that uses the ECMAScript specification. JS is a multi-paradigm, instantly compiled, and high-level language. It’s one of the most important technologies of the WWW as it allows the use of various web apps and interactive web pages. Brendan Eich played a key role in creating JavaScript.Source: WikipediaApache – the Apache HTTP Server is an open source and completely free cross-platform software for web servers. It was originally created by Robert McCool in 1995. However, it was further upgraded and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. Most of the Apache HTTP Servers run on Linux, but there are also Windows, and Unix-like versions.Source: WikipediaRadio HK – created in February 1995, it was the first ever internet-based radio station. It used a virtually created audio CD that was put in loop along with the CU-SeeMe web conferencing software.Source: Guinness World RecordsKey statistics62,803 hosts 120,000 domain names25,000 websites16 million Internet usersSource: Netcraft |

1996Essential Voice over the Internet Protocols were developed by Dr. Henning Schulzrinne. These protocols enable VoIP.

VocalTec created the “Internet Phone.” It was the first-ever commercially available VoIP software that could be used on personal computers. This was almost a decade before Skype came out. Even though dial-up modems were used at the time, the Internet Phone could deal with packet loss and slow internet. It showed the potential of VoIP technology and how it could be used in the future.

Source: Cnet

In 1995 Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia started working on Hotmail, the first web-based email service. It launched a year later and was acquired by Microsoft for $400 million in 1997. This was an important event for internet communication, as it showed that email could be used outside of Internet service providers. Simply put, anyone on the web could use email, no matter where they were.

Source: Cnet

A computer drawing software called SmartSketch was developed in 1995 by a company called FutureSplash. The company was acquired by Macromedia and rebranded the software into FutureSplash Animator. It was later renamed into Macromedia Flash 1.0. The company distributed its plugin for free so that everyone could use their software. Soon enough, over 90% of internet users had Flash Player.

Source: Wikipedia

The ICQ chat platform was created. It was developed by an Israeli company called Mirabilis in 1996. It was one of the first stand-alone clients that allowed instant messaging. Even though it wasn’t the first real-time chat platform it was the first one that offered a centralized service through different user accounts. ICQ was acquired by AOL in 1998.

Source: Wikipedia

The Internet Archive is created by Brewster Kahle after successfully creating the Wide Area Information Servers System. He wanted to archive audio files, videos, images, text, and websites across the internet. That’s why he invented the Internet Archive, which was free to use.

Source: Cnet

| PeopleHenning Schulzrinne – born in Cologne, Germany (date of birth unknown). An internet multimedia expert and computer scientist. He is best known for developing internet standards. Together with Mark Handley, he created the Session Initiation Protocol, Real-time Transport Protocol, Real-time Streaming Protocol, and the Next Steps in Signaling Protocol.Source: WikipediaBrewster Kahle – born in New York City, New York in 1960. This internet activist, entrepreneur, and computer engineer is a digital librarian and promoter of the internet. He founded the Alexa Internet and the Internet Archive. He also founded WAIS Inc. along with the WAIS system, a document retrieval system a precursor to search engines.Source: WikipediaSabeer Bhatia – born in Chandigarh, India in 1968. This Indian-American engineer co-created Hotmail in 1996 with Jack Smith as an answer to an ISP email. Bhatia was also the CEO of Hotmail until it was acquired by Microsoft. He also created JaxtrSMS, a free messaging service, and the Arzoo Inc. e-commerce company.Source: WikipediaJack Smith – born in 1968 in the United States. Together with Sabeer Bhatia, he created Hotmail in 1996. He worked for Apple Inc, founded EEE.com, co-founded Akamba Corporation, and is currently the CEO of Proximex.Source: WikipediaJonathan Gay – born in 1967 in the United States. A software entrepreneur and programmer who founded the Future Wave Software Company. He is one of the main contributors to the development of Flash. He also founded the Software as Art company that developed solutions for the efficient use of energy. Source: WikipediaNorman Hajjar – date of birth unknown. He was an electrical engineer that broadcasted a radio station over the web. With his Hajjar/Kaufman New Media Lab company he successfully broadcasted a completely internet-based radio signal in 1995.Source: WikiwandTechnologies & companiesVoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol involves a number of technologies and methodologies that allow multimedia transmissions and voice communications over the internet. The information sent via this protocol is packetized and sent through a packet-switched network.Source: WikipediaVocalTec Internet Phone – The Internet Phone is the first VoIP software used on the internet. It was created by Lior Haramty and Alon Cohen. The phone worked using the Audio Transceiver that handled sample rate adjustments, packet reordering, and packet loss.Source: WikipediaInternet Archive – an online digital library created with the goal of providing free access to universal knowledge. It includes tons of data from books, movies, images, videos, games, software, and so on. It’s an open and free internet archive at everyone’s disposal. It was founded in 1996.Source: WikipediaHotmail – the first web-based email service completely independent from internet service providers. Hotmail was created by Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia in 1996. Anyone could access their email inbox no matter where they were. It offered 2MBs of storage and reached 8.5 million subscribers by 1997, when it was sold to Microsoft.Source: WikipediaFlash – a multimedia software application for viewing and creating visual media such as games, mobile and desktop apps, animations, and so on. Flash is currently owned by Adobe and it has been upgraded many times throughout its history. Its origins go back to 1996, when its initial version was released by FutureWave company.Source: WikipediaICQ – the first widely adopted instant messaging platform that offered centralized service. Users had to create their accounts and start conversations between themselves. This VoIP client messenger was created in 1996 by the Mirabilis company. In 2001, ICQ peaked with over 100 million registered accounts.Source: WikipediaStatistics603,367 hosts488,000 domain names300,000 Websites36 million Internet users |

1997The term “weblog” was created by Jorn Barger. He came up with this term while logging data onto his site. He was one of the blogging pioneers and remains a blogger to this day. However, the term “blog” came into existence a bit later, in 1999, when he wanted to shorten the term “weblog”.

Source: Peterme.com and Cnet

SixDegrees.com was launched. It was the first social networking site that allowed people to create accounts using their email, adjust profiles, and connect with people.

Dave Winer developed the scriptingNews format, a precursor of RSS feeds. RSS lets people subscribe to a website in a standardized fashion and receive readable content. Based on XML language, this format helps people get information from different sites in the same channel. Ramanathan V. Guha and Dan Libby from Netscape continued to develop this XML-based technology and created the RSS 0.90 in 1999. RSS feeds made blogs much more accessible and enabled podcasting as a concept.

Source: Tutorialspoint

WiFi was introduced to the world. It was made publicly available to everyone, and that event led to the formation of the 802.11 committee that was renamed to IEEE802.11. The name was inspired by a set of standards that define wireless local area network communication.

Source: PopularMechanics.com

Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph founded Netflix Inc. in Scotts Valley, California. Initially, the company sold and rented DVDs via mail, but it quickly switched to rental only and this remained its primary business model until 2007, when it started a streaming platform.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleJorn Barger – born in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1953. One of the blogging pioneers that had an influential website called “Robot Wisdom.” He came up with the term “weblog”, which would later evolve into “blog”. He made many publications about a variety of topics, including AI and James Joyce.Source: Wikipedia Dan Libby – date of birth unknown. A Software Engineer that contributed to the development of RSS fees while working at Netscape. He also helped port Netscape onto the OS/2 platform. He is currently working at Open Source Consulting as a software engineer.Source: WikipediaRamanathan V. Guha – born in Tiruchirappalli, India in 1965. He contributed to computer technology by creating various interest standards such as Scheme.org, RDF, and RSS. Guha also created Google Custom Search and co-founded Alipiri and Epinions.Source: WikipediaReed Hastings – born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1960. An American entrepreneur and businessman. He co-founded Netflix and is currently the chairman of the company. Hastings is also a board member of many non-profit organizations.Source: WikipediaMarc Randolph – born in Chappaqua, New York in 1958. One of the co-founders of Netflix and former CEO. A successful advisor and businessman that co-founded the Macworld Magazine and MicroWarehouse. He’s a board member at Chubbies Shorts and Looker Data Sciences.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesWeblog – a weblog is a term used to describe a blog. It was coined by Jorn Barger in 1997. These informal sites usually consist of news or diary-like posts filled with text information. These mediums sparked a lot of discussion about various topics on the internet. Today there are various types of blog niches that focus on a variety of topics.Source: WikipediaSixDegrees – the very first social network website. Even though, at the time, there wasn’t a term for these kinds of sites, SixDegrees offered all the aspects of social networking, including creating a profile, customizing it, adding friends, posting bulletin boards, and chatting with people.Source: WikipediaRSS – a web feed that gives internet users access to different content a site offers in a readable and standardized format. Sites use RSS feeds for different reasons, but in most cases, the goal is to spread information about any important updates like news, new episodes, new blog posts, and so on. RSS was developed by Netscape in 1999.Source: WikipediaWiFi – a group of network protocols designed for wireless internet. Designed on IEEE 802.11 standards used for WLAN internet and devices. The term Wi-Fi is trademarked by Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi works together with Ethernet and it allows devices that are compatible with its protocols to connect through different access points without a physical connection.Source: WikipediaNetflix – one of the largest streaming companies in the world. Netflix was founded in Scotts Valley, California in 1997 by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings. The initial business model consisted of selling and renting DVDs. However, from 2007, the company established itself as an inline streaming platform that people could access by subscribing. Subsequently, Netflix started producing and distributing TV series and films.Source: WikipediaStatistics1,681,868 hosts1,301,000 domain names1,200,000 websites70 million Internet users |

1998Two Ph.D. students, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, founded a company called Google in September. Google was incorporated by the two students as a privately held company.

Source: Wikipedia

The first blogs were published. The social blogging network, Open Diary was launched. Readers had the option to comment on someone’s blog for the first time. At the same time, the network gave bloggers the option to share their content only with their friends. All these publishing tools on Open Diary inspired a number of new blogging platforms.

Source: Wikipedia

The Mail Abuse Prevention System Company was founded by Paul Vixie. The goal of this organization was to combat spam messages and other abusive behavior via email.

Source: Wikipedia

PayPal was launched in Paolo Alto, California. At the time, nobody knew just how big this money transferring platform would get and many people were sceptical about online transfers.

Source: Electronic Payments International

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers got its first CEO and president – Michael Roberts.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The multi-language internet domain name system was founded by Tan Tin Wee. He was the key to putting it on the international map – throughout the 1990s, he led a group of people that hosted Tamil and Chinese sites in Singapore. He received many rewards for his technological achievements in developing the Tamil internet.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleLarry Page – born in Lansing, Michigan in 1973. A successful internet entrepreneur and software engineer. He was one of the founders of Google and worked as a CEO of Google until 2001. He also created a search algorithm used by Google, the “PageRank”, and was the CEO of Alphabet.Source: WikipediaSergey Brin – born in Moscow, Russia in 1973. Together with Larry Page, he co-founded Google and Alphabet Inc. They also co-created PageRank and made a lot of success doing business together. In 2020, Brin was the 20th richest person of the world.Source: WikipediaPaul Vixie – born in 1963 in the United States. This computer scientist contributed to developing the Domain Name System, its procedures, designs, mechanism, and implementations. He also made important achievements in open source software. Vixie was behind the first anti-spam service provider.Source: WikipediaMichael Roberts – date of birth unknown. An internet technology expert and consultant. He was the CEO and president of the ICANN. He is currently chairman of the U.S. UCAN and Darwin Group, Inc. president.Source: ICANNWikiTechnologies & companiesGoogle – a multinational computer technology company that offers various internet products and services. Some of the company’s core offers include hardware, software, cloud services, search engine, advertising, and so on. It was founded in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page. The company is one of the leaders in developing information technology.Source: WikipediaPayPal – an online payments system company based in America. The company provides online money transfer infrastructure and acts as a payment processor for commercial users, auction sites, and vendors. PayPal was founded in 1998 by Luke Nosek, Peter Thiel, and Max Levchin. The company was originally called Confinity.Source: WikipediaOpen Diary – one of the first social networking/blogging platforms. It was created by Bruce Ableson in 1998. It was the first example of websites being used as online diaries. The peak number of diaries on this platform was over 600,000. Its architecture inspired various blogging platforms and social media networks to sprout.Source: WikipediaMail Abuse Prevention System – one of the first commercial anti-spam service companies. The company did this by creating a Domain Name System Blacklist. The company had 5 lists based on which IP addresses and emails were blocked. The name MAPS was given by the founder Pau Vixie, and it spells “Spam” backwards.Source: Wikipedia ICANN – the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. A nonprofit organization that maintains various databases that control the numerical and namespace of the internet. The goal of the organization is to make sure that the whole network is operating in a secure and stable way. Source: WikipediaStatistics3,689,227 hosts4,300,000 domain names2,410,067 websites147 million Internet users |

1999Winifred Mitchell Baker joined the Mozilla Project. She also founded the Mozilla Foundation and became the chairperson. Her work gave legitimacy to Open Source internet software clients.

Source: Wikipedia

Craigslist was founded by Craig Newmark. Craigslist quickly became one of the most popular websites in the world. It introduced classifieds to the internet and revolutionized them. Due to the impact of Craigslist, classified advertising has become an internet industry.

Source: Wikipedia

The .SE board realized the value of Domain Name System Security Extensions or DNSSEC. This internet protocol protection gives more security to visitors and lets them know if they are visiting a safe site. The application of DNSSEC is mostly due to the efforts of Anne-Marie Eklund Lowinder.

Source: Wikipedia

Pyra Labs creates and launches their “Blogger” platform. Everyone on the internet could now create their own personal blog on this platform, quickly and free of charge. Blogger was a major hit for the blogging community, and it started developing rapidly. That’s why Google acquired the company in 2003.

Source: Wikipedia

One of the first globally popular messaging, voice call, and video call services was launched – Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger.

Source: Wikipedia

The first large-scale internet-based music platform was launched – Napster. In just a month, Napster started distributing MP3 data to its users. The application was created by Sean Fanning, and it was an important milestone that showed how the internet could change the whole music industry in the future.

Source: Wikipedia

The BlackBerry “850” was presented in Munich, Germany for the first time. This two-way email pager was named by the Lexicon Branding marketing company. The company soon branded itself as BlackBerry Limited and it was instrumental to the development of smartphones and the whole mobile industry.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleMitchell Baker – born in Berkeley, California in 1959. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Mozilla Foundation and Executive Chairwoman of Mozilla Corporation. She worked for Netscape Communications Corporation and Open Source Applications Foundation. She made great contributions in protecting intellectual property and legal issues concerning internet services and product development. Source: WikipediaCraig Newmark – born in New Jersey, United States in 1952. He is best known for creating the popular website Craigslist. This entrepreneur, philanthropist, and computer programmer has made lots of contributions to humanitarian organizations and served as an advisor to nonprofits.Source: WikipediaAnne-Marie Eklund Löwinder – born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1957. A proud member of the Internet Hall of Fame, and board member on several internet organisations and the representative of ICANN. Anne-Marrie is one of only a handful of people who have control over key generation for the DNSSEC internet protocol. Source: WikipediaShawn Fanning – born in Brockton, Massachusetts in 1980. This investor, entrepreneur, and programmer is best known for creating Napster. This was the first peer-to-peer platform that people used to share music. However, he sold the company after numerous copyright claims. He also started Rupture, Path, Airtime, and Snocap companies.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesMozilla Project – the project started in 1998 when the Netscape browser code was released to the public. The goal of the project was to combine the knowledge of many programmers to bring innovation and perfect the browser market so that the whole world could benefit.Source: MozillaCraigslist – the first classifieds website that includes many sections. Craigslist was incorporated in 1999 by Craig Newmark and offered advertisements for forums, music shows, various services, items, housing ads, jobs, and much more. Craigslist is used in over 70 countries with more than 55 million monthly users.Source: WikipediaDNSSEC – Domain Name Security Extensions are a number of IETF specifications (Internet Engineering Task Force) used for securing information coming from the DNS. These extensions give DNS clients data integrity, authentication, and existence denial authentication.Source: WikipediaBlogger – a publishing platform launched in 1999. It allows users to create blogs and to be used by multiple people. Created by Pyra Labs and acquired by Google in 2003. Blogs can use the subdomain of the site or get a custom third-party domain. A single user can have up to 100 blogs.Source: Wikipedia MSN Messenger – Windows Live Messenger or MSN was a messaging platform created by Microsoft in 1999. It was a cross-platform messaging platform compatible with Facebook Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger. At one point, it had 330 million users but the final release was in 2012.Source: WikipediaNapster – one of the first peer-to-peer platforms. It allowed sharing audio files and songs in MP3 format. It quickly became an online music store due to copyright issues. It was created by Shawn Fanning in 1999 and sold to Rhapsody.Source: Wikipedia Statistics9,544,483 hosts7,052,350 domain names3,177,453 websites248 million Internet users |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845-1940 Timeline (Part 2) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1941-1970 Timeline (Part 3) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1971–1979 Timeline (Part 4) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1980–1989 Timeline (Part 5)

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Update: This article is part of a series. Check out the full series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Encouraging Global ConnectivityThe 1980’s saw a surge in the spread of the internet to new regions. These connections would be the beginning of a true world wide web and would play a large role in setting the standards and expanding internet connectivity on a global scale.

1980In 1980 the world was witnessing the rapid growth of computer networks and new protocols.

Mike Jensen started his project on developing networks for connecting non-profit organizations. His work would ultimately lead to the creation of a network meant for developing nations.

Source: APC

Jaap Akkerhuis was the leader of internet development in the Netherlands. He was also one of the important contributors for developing the internet in Europe.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Radia Perlman starts working on her Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) protocol design. It would be used for IP routing which is still used today. It’s also used for the Spanning Tree algorithm, a technology that lets Ethernet control larger amounts of data.

Source: Wikipedia

The CSNet (National Science Foundation Computer Science Network) is organized and created by Professor David Farber. It was essential for creating a global internet presence.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

DR. Van Houweling starts managing and overseeing all the operations on NSFnet. This was the foundation for creating the global internet network.

Source: Wikipedia

The Internet Activities Board is formed by Dr. Barry Leiner. Leiner was a DARPA manager who worked at IAB until 1989 and helped create various technical standards for the internet.

Source: Internet Society

Lawrence Landweber starts working on creating the first network gateways between the US and Europe. He created multiple gateways from the US and to other European countries. Landweber worked on this project from 1980 to 1989. During this time he also held the “Landweber Conferences” around the world to teach scientists from different countries how to set up their own research, academic, and national networks.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleMike Jensen – born in Johannesburg, South Africa. As an internet pioneer and ICT expert he created many non-profit networks. His work helped many countries get internet connectivity. He was named the “Global Connector” by the Internet Hall of Fame. Source: Wikipedia Jaap Akkerhuis – born in 1951 in the Netherlands. He is one of the leading research engineers working at NLnet Labs. During the early 1980s he played the leading role in developing the internet in Europe and the Netherlands. Source: Wikipedia Radia Perlman – born in Portsmouth, Virginia in 1951. She is a network engineer and programmer. Her greatest achievements so far are the invention of different network standards and designs. This includes various protocols such as the STP and IS-S. Source: Wikipedia Van Houweling – born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1943. This computer scientist worked and led various projects related to the internet. This includes the National Science Foundation project, Internet2 project, and distributed computing. Source: Wikipedia David Farber – born in 1934 in the US. This computer scientist made a lot of contributions to the development of computer networks and their systems. He also worked on various programming languages. He worked on designing the SNOBOL language, the ESS-1 switching system, NREN, NSFNet, CSNET, and so on. Source: Wikipedia Barry Leiner – date of birth unknown. Leiner was added to the Internet Hall of Fame after his death. He helped create the Internet Architecture Board while working as one of the DARPA managers. He also established structures through which internet communication protocols were developed. Source: Internet Hall of Fame TechnologiesIS-IS – the Intermediate System to Intermediate System routing protocol helps computer networks move information a lot faster. It analyzes the network to find the best route for a piece of data being set via packet switching. Source: Wikipedia NSFnet – the National Science Foundation created the NSFnet, National Science Foundation Network, to help provide networked education and improved research practices. It grew into a couple of important computer networks and became essential for the formation of the internet. Source: Wikipedia |

1981The Computer Science Network (CSNET) was created by Lawrence Landweber and computer scientists from BBN, RAND Corporation, University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, and University of Delaware. The NSF granted seed money for the project and the goal was to give network accessibility and communication services to university scientists without ARPANET. From 1981 to 1984 the network covered more than 180 government computer science, industrial, and university departments.

Source: Purdue University

That same year BITNET was created by Ira Fuchs and Greydon Freeman. The network was founded at the City University of New York and Yale. The acronym BITNET stood for “Because It’s Time Network.” Other universities and colleges that wanted to join the network had to get their own phone line and modems and connect without any charges.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleIra Fuchs – born in 1948 in the United States of America. Known for being one of the co-founders of the computer network BITNET. Fuchs is also the president of a consulting firm for online learning called BITNET, LLC. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesBITNET – one of the first co-operative computer networks. At first it connected Yale and CUNY. BITNET had a LISTSERV and Email software that could be used by anyone on the network. It offered interactive message and file transmission. Source: Wikipedia CSNET – The Computer Science Network was the first computer network available to research and academic computer science departments. Those organizations that couldn’t access ARPANET needed an alternative and the answer was CSNET. Source: Wikipedia |

1982The first public WAN came to fruition in 1982. It came about in the form of the EUUG dial-up service through EUnet started by Teus Hagen.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

At the same time, Asia got its own first internet connection SDN, developed by Kilnam Chon. This was a sign that scientists in Asia needed to start promoting regional internet development.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleTeus Hagen – born in Wijnjeterp, Netherlands. He started the European Unix User Group and the European Unix User Group. He also created the Eunet which was the European Unix Network. This was also the first ever public WAN. He also received the “Global Connector” acknowledgement by the Internet Hall of Fame. Source: Wikipedia Kilnam Chon – born in Osaka, Japan in 1943. This South Korean/Japanese computer scientist understood the value of the internet and because of his efforts South Korea was the second country after the US to be connected to the internet through the System Development Network. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesFirst Public WAN – EUnet was the first ever public WLAN. At first it had 4 essential backbones. However, in just a couple of years it spread onto 21 countries and had over a 1,000 websites. EUnet used TCP/IP for its network. Source: Internet Hall of Fame System Development Network – SDN was the first internet network to be established in Asia by Kilnam Chon in 1982. It used similar technologies as the internet. |

1983In 1983 ARPANET finally switched to the more powerful system of protocols TCP/IP. Up until then, the network had been using Network Control Program protocols, which were already outdated. This switch marked the start of the internet as we know it today.

Source: Wikipedia

At the same time, the Domain Name System was invented by Paul Mockapetris, allowing the internet to expand to everyone in the world, not just people in the academic community. With the help of John Klensins, the early work definitions and procedures to be done on DNS by administration were set.

Soure: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeoplePaul Mockapetris – born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1948. Mockapetris and Jon Postel invented the Domain Name System for the internet. He was one of the internet pioneers and still remains a successful computer scientist. Source: Wikipedia John Klensin – born in 1945. A computer scientist, internet protagonist, and political scientist. He worked at the United Nations University, MIT, and was AT&T’s vice president. He worked on developing the Domain Name System and File Transfer Protocol. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesDomain Name System – a naming system for various resources, services, and computers that are connected to some network (the internet). It looks at domain names of all entities on a network and translates them into IP addresses to find the devices and services required while using various network protocols. Source: Wikipedia |

1984In 1984 Top level domains like .com, .edu, and .org were introduced. Their inventor Jon Postel describes top level domains as “administrative entities”. He published a series of papers from the Internet Engineering Task Force. One of the things that these documents mentioned were top level domains.

Source: Cnet.com

That same year, the Global SchoolNet was formed by Yvonne Marie Andrés. This nonprofit educational organization looked to help various people internationally for free and introduce them to important technologies and projects.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Ben Segal started pursuing his idea of adding TCP/IP to the internet. Until 1989 he pushed this idea forward in the scientific community and CERN. Without his involvement who knows how the internet would look today.

Source: CERN

The first university network is developed in Japan called the JUNET. It was a Unix Network made by Jun Murai.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

This was also the year when Germany received its first email. The email said “Willkommen CSNET” and it was greatly appreciated because of the contribution made by Werner Zorn to connect Germany to the internet.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleJon Postel – born in 1943 in Altadena, California. Postel had a very successful career in computer science. His work with internet standards is praised to this day. He’s known for Postel’s Law, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, and Request for Comment. Postel died in 1998. Source: Wikipedia Yvonne Marie Andrés – date of birth unknown. One of the pioneers of e-learning. She co-founded the Global SchoolNet in 1984 and the Global Schoolhouse in 1992. She was also behind the start of the Friendship Through Education Initiative. Source: Wikiwand Ben Segal – date of birth unknown. Ben Segal was responsible for adding TCP/IP protocol to CERN. He also introduced the organization to Application Programming Interface and IP stack. His role in shaping the internet was crucial. Source: Internet Hall of Fame Jun Murai – born in Tokyo, Japan in 1955. He is also called “Internet Samurai” and “father of Japanese internet”. He created the JUNET network, first of its kind in Japan. Murai also founded the WIDE project and he received the IEEE Internet Award in 2011. Source: Wikipedia Werner Zorn – born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany in 1942. This internet pioneer and computer scientist that worked on bringing email to Germany, connecting China with international networks, creating one of the first internet providers in Germany, and much more. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesTop level domains – Top-level domain – a domain located at the top level of the Internet and Domain Name hierarchy. At first, the domain space for top-level domains was separated into three categories including multi organizations, categories, and countries. Initially, the ARPA infrastructure top-level domains were the only ones, but they developed along with the internet. Source: Wikipedia Global SchoolNet – an educational international nonprofit founded in 1984. A lot of the educational projects at Global SchoolNet use the Constructivist Learning model. This organization focuses on creating and managing projects around diplomacy, humanitarian issues, entrepreneurship, computer science, STEM, new teaching methods, and so on. Source: Wikipedia JUNET – the first internet network in Japan. This commuter network connected three Japanese universities including the Keio University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Tokyo University. Similar to USENET, JUNET also used a telephone line connection. Source: Wikipedia |

1985The first ever domain name was recorded and registered as Symbolics.com. It was provided to the Symbolics Inc. company.

Source: gcn.com

Stephen Wolffs Research & Education Network led to the development of a brand new network called the NSFNET. This was the first ever public network for researchers and students in the US.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleDr. Stephen Wolff – date of birth unknown. He is one of the many internet pioneers. His greatest contribution is the fact that he was able to turn the internet towards commercial use and let the public benefit from it, not just the government. He was the NSFNET project manager, introduced UNIX to the army, and worked on developing ARPANET. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesThe first domain registered – on march 15th, 1985, the Symbolics Inc. registered their domain (Symbolics.com). It was the first moment when someone got their own autonomy over a piece of the internet. Source: Wikipedia NSFNET – the National Science Foundation created the NSFnet – National Science Foundation Network to help provide networked education and improved research practices. It grew into a couple of important computer networks and became essential for the formation of the internet. Source: Wikipedia Statistics1 Domain names – the first domain name was registered on march 15th, 1985. |

1986The standard email routing system is developed by Craig Partridge. This technology routes emails through domain names, and the technology is still used today.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The iconic IETF 1 is held in San Diego, California. This was the first ever IETF meeting with 21 participants. The Internet Engineering Task Force is a global community of internet experts who suggest standards and architecture designs for the internet.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleCraig Partridge – born in Washington, Columbia District in 1961. He is a computer scientist that worked for BBN, chaired the Association for Computing Machinery, worked on the Internet Engineering Steering Group, and so on. His most recognized work is the mail and domain routing system.Source: WikipediaTechnologiesEmail routing system – the first email routing system enabled users to redirect or copy their email based on the conditions they set. This helped support the growth of the internet as older routers couldn’t keep up with all the emails being sent. Source: CisionIETF First Meeting – held in 1986 with 21 attendants. The first meeting continued the world of GADS Task Force. Those first meetings were completely public and anyone could spectate. The goal of all the meetings was testing, reviews, development, specification proposals, drafts, and internet standards.Source: Wikipedia |

1987The release of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Internet” written by Ed Krol. Krol understood how valuable the internet can be for everyone, and especially for the academic community. However, he knew that academics weren’t using the internet properly.

This is why he made “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Internet” as a user-friendly guide on how to use the internet if you didn’t have any programming language. The guide later became the RFC-1118 of the Internet Engineering Task Force.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The internet continues to expand. Florencio Utreras, a Chilean scientist, helps bring the internet to his country. Chile is connected to BITNET.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Srinivasan Ramani started developing the Education and Research Network of India, also known as ERNET. He played a key role in setting up the first international gateway for ERNET, which linked it with Amsterdam.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

In 1987, the connection of the whole of Southern Africa to the internet began. By the end of 1992 all the countries in the region were connected to the internet. One of the people that have contributed the most to this project is Anriette Esterhuysen. Due to her hard work, a huge part of the continent now had internet and email.

Source: Wikipedia

The African Information Society Initiative is formed with the help of Nancy Hafkin. This group is responsible for setting up email connectivity in the first 10 African countries.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

This was also the year when GIFs were born. A group of developers from CompuServe including Steve Willhite found out about the LMZ compression algorithm. Its efficiency and lossless quality helped these developers create the first GIF ever, and GIFs became popular really quickly. Through them, the web was transformed into a more colorful place.

Source: Cnet

| PeopleEd Krol – born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951. He was a distinguished network manager and internet enthusiast. Krol is best known as the author of “The Whole Internet” and “Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Internet.”Source: WikipediaFlorencio Utreras – born in Ancud, Chile in 1951. He is considered the father of the internet in Chile. This mathematician and programmer was in charge of connecting Chile to the Bitnet and created the National University Network, an academic network for the whole Latin America.Source: WikipediaSrinivasan Ramani – born in 1939 in India. One of the most important internet pioneers of India. He helped develop and launch the ERNET. He also worked as the coordinator for the network and helped establish email and gateways for the ERNET.Source: Internet Hall of FameNancy Hafkin – date of birth unknown. Hafkin is one of the main contributors for the development of information technologies, electronic communications, and networking in Africa. The result of her work was the development of the PADIS network and she helped 10 countries get email in Africa.Source: WikipediaSteve Wilhite – date of birth unknown. This computer scientist from America worked as a developer at CompServe. He is the main person behind the creation of GIFs, which were a standard until the PNG format became available.Source: WikipediaTechnologiesThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Internet – this guide was published in 1987 and written by Ed Krol. It was the first ever commercially popular guide on internet use and history. It helped many people understand what it was and how to use it.Source: WikipediaGIF image – Graphics Interchange Format was created in 1987 by Steve Wilhite and his team. This format supports 8 bits for a single pixel per image. Every image can reference its palette with 256 colors. This format was the first to support animations and give different color ranges for each frame.Source: Wikipedia |

1988The first Internet Exchange point is created by Dr. Glenn Ricart. This exchange point has connected all the TCP/IP networks run by the government with all of the commercial and other internet networks in the US.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

“The User’s Directory of Computer Networks” book is being written by Tracy LaQuey Parker. It’s one of the first really popular books about the internet. This book later became part of NSFNET’s historic record.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

With the hard work and dedication of Dr. Kanchana Kanchanasut Thailand finally gets its own domain name.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Francois Flückiger organized the first-ever meeting of RIPE (Réseaux IP Européens), during which the organization itself was created. RIPE is a nonprofit organization focused on giving technical support and expertise for the internet infrastructure in Europe.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

The first ever European Internet Service Provider is built by Daniel Karrenberg and his associates. While doing this, Karrenberg is also one of the founders of Reseaux IP Europeens as well as the founder of the RIP Network Coordination Centre – the first regional internet registry.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleGlenn Ricart – date of birth unknown. A successful entrepreneur and internet pioneer that has contributed to the development of the internet. He helped introduce ARPANET protocols to the commercial and academic sector. He also created the distributed mutual exclusion algorithm.Source: WikipediaTracy LaQuey Parker – born in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada in 1963. She founded the UTech Institute, was a CTO at Cisco, and is currently VP of Parker Solutions Group. Shes’s the author of “The Internet Companion” and “The User’s Directory of Computer Networks.”Source: WikipediaFrancois Flückiger – date of birth unknown. A French computer scientist working for CERN. He was instrumental in the creation of Ebone, RIPE, and CCIRN. He was also the chairman of Intel in 1988, 2001, and 2002.Source: WikipediaDaniel Karrenberg – born in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1959. This internet pioneer and computer scientist helped create the EUnet and worked as a network administrator and scientific assistant at TU Dortmund. He is also one of the founders of RIPE and worked together with NSFNET.Source: WikipediaVan Jacobson – born in the United States in 1950. This computer scientist is best known for his work on improving TCP/IP protocols scaling and network performance. His work is instrumental to the TCP/IP as we know it today and its role in establishing the internet.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesInternet Exchange Point – also referred to as IXP or IX. This physical infrastructure allows CDNs (content delivery networks) and ISPs (internet service providers) to exchange traffic between networks. They reduce the traffic that needs to be delivered through upstream transit suppliers.Source: WikipediaThe User’s Directory of Computer Networks – published in 1990, this book is the guide through internet networks. It helps readers learn how to use the internet while learning about all the research, academics, and discoveries that contributed to computer networks.Source: ScienceDirectRIPE – the RIPE Network Coordination Centre was originally the regional internet registry for Europe. But today it covers the Middle East, Russia, West Asia, and former USSR countries. It was the first registry of its kind with the job of overseeing internet numbers and registration.Source: WikipediaEUnet – a network of UNIX sites in Europe that evolved into a commercial network EUnet. This was the first public WLAN and played a crucial role in using TCP/IP as a standard for internet connections in Europe.Source: WikipediaTransmission Control Protocol (TCP) – one of the most important internet protocol suite protocols. It first complemented the IP. It’s a computer standard designed to establish and track proper network communications. All the major applications on the internet use TCP.Source: Wikipedia |

1989The World Wide Web is created by Tim Berners Lee. While working for CERN Lee puts the finishing touches to the World Wide Web. His partner on the project was Rober Cailliau, who secured funding.

Source: CERN

The start of one of the most important projects for the internet beings in 1989. Alan Emtage starts working on a program called “Archie”, the very first search engine. Various techniques, structures, and designs that were used with Archie are still used in modern search engines.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Tadao Takahashi starts creating the foundation for the Brazilian internet. The primary focus is on building an academic network, but after that, it becomes the backbone for establishing an internet connection for the whole country.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Dr. Stephen Goldstein starts working on global internet development. Goldstein works on funding and evaluation internet development initiatives around the globe. Over 25 countries have been connected to the NSFNET due to his work.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

At the same time, an Australian scientist Geoff Huston worked on expanding the internet in his country from research and academic purposes to the general public. Together with Telstra, a company that provides communication services, he was able to deploy the internet on a large scale through the country, as well as a transit provider in the region.

Source: RogerClarke.com

1989 also marks the year when the first publishing system was created called the Wide Area Information Server or simply WAIS. It was made by Brewster Kahle along with the company WAIS Inc. WAIS was a precursor to search engines as we know them today. It was able to index lots of online data and make those resources searchable.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleTim Berners-Lee – born in London, England in 1955. This computer scientist is the inventor of the WWW (World Wide Web). He created an information management system and established a communication between HTTP and Hypertext (server and client) using the internet. He’s also the director of W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).Source: WikipediaRobert Cailliau – born in Tongeren, Belgium in 1947. He is an author, computer scientist, and informatics engineer. Together with Tim Berners-Lee he was responsible for establishing the World Wide Web. He also contributed to moving web development to the Web Consortium from CERN.Source: WikipediaAlan Emtage – born in Barbados Island, Barbados in 1964. This computer scientist is best known for creating and implementing “Archie”, the first search engine before the Web Internet, which impacted the development of modern SEs.Source: WikipediaTadao Takahashi – date of birth unknown, born in Japan. Takahashi was the person behind the development of RNP, the National Research Network of Brazil. He was also the director of RNP for some time. Apart from spreading RNP to a public network in the country he was also a proponent of inclusivity for network development and management.Source: Internet Hall of FameStephen Goldstein – date of birth unknown. Goldstein is praised for his efforts on spreading the internet across the globe. He was a Program Director at the NSF. During that time, he started the ICM project and connected over 25 countries from around the world to NSFNET. He was also involved in STARTAP, a global exchange for fast networks used by the G7 initiative.Source: Internet Hall of FameGeoff Huston – born in 1956 in Australia. An important computer scientist that brought the internet to Australia in the form of an academic network. He also connected this network to the global internet. Houston authored three books on ISPs.Source: Internet Hall of FameBrewster Kahle – born in New York City, New York in 1960. This internet activist, entrepreneur, and computer engineer is a digital librarian and promoter of the internet. He founded the Alexa Internet and the Internet Archive. He also founded WAIS Inc. along with the WAIS system, a document retrieval system, and a precursor to search engines.Source: WikipediaTechnologies & companiesWorld Wide Web – the WWW or the Web is a system of information where various web resources and documents are all marked with URLs (Uniform Resource Locators). They can be accessed via the internet and interlinked via hypertext. The resources are transferred with HTTP and can be accessed through web browsers.Source: WikipediaThe First Internet Search Engine – the first search engine was named Archie. It was made by Alan Entage in 1989 while he was a student at McGill University. It used script-based data gathering software combined with an expression matcher to find the right files in searches.Source: Search Engine HistoryNSFNET – the National Science Foundation Network included various projects revolving around the internet. It started in 1985 and ended in 1995 and this network was directly responsible for creating computer networks leading to the development of the commercial internet.Source: WikipediaWAIS – this text searching system is the precursor to search engines. It used an ANSI Standard and a set of protocols used for library applications. WAIS could search for indexes on other computers and it was the first ever client-server search engine.Source: WikipediaStatistics130,000 Hosts – In 1989 the total number of internet hosts was around 130,000. From perspective today this might seem as a small number. However, at that time it was a clear signal that the internet has a lot of potential for public success and use.Source: Netvalley3,900 Domain names – The total number of domain names in 1989 was 3,900. It was the first time they were all accounted for. Today, we have over 360 million domain names. This just shows how much the internet has developed and how far it’s gone.Source: Netvalley |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845-1940 Timeline (Part 2) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1941-1970 Timeline (Part 3) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1971–1979 Timeline (Part 4)

The post Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1980–1989 Timeline (Part 5) appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Update: This article is part of a series. Check out the full series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

The Dawn of the Digital OdysseyThe 1970’s mark a pivotal period in the the history of the internet. During this decade the foundational circuitry would be laid paving the path for the internet as we know it today. Many of the major and influential players in the technology landscape, like Microsoft and Apple, also go their start in the 1970’s.

1971In 1971 ARPANET was improved by yet another technology – email messages. A member of the BBN Company Roy Tomlinson implemented a program that allowed users to send email messages across the ARPANET distributed network.

At the beginning, the whole program was actually a combination of two programs:

1. CPYNET (a file transfer software)
2. SENDMSG (intra-machine email software)

Source: Wikipedia

That same year, Michael Hart started the project Gutenberg. The goal was to make various resources and works available electronically for free. The US Declaration of Independence is the first piece of information available.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleRay Tomlinson – born in 1941 in Amsterdam, New York. He was one of the pioneering computer programmers. His greatest achievement is the implementation of an email system on ARPANET. That’s what let him earn the title “inventor of email”. Tomlinson died in 2016. Source: Wikipedia Michael Hart – born in 1947 in Tacoma, Washington. He is best known for his life work, “Project Gutenberg”, and as the inventor of e-books. He populated ARPANET with free books and other resources to make them available to everyone. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies Email program – the first ever email program was designed to work on PDP-10 computers. It was a combination of two programs. READMAIL retrieved emails while SNDSMG sent emails. The programs worked on Tenex operating systems. Source: Stanford Project Gutenberg – this project is the attempt to digitize essential resources and help distribute eBooks online. It’s the oldest digital library in the world and it still exists today on the internet. This is a public domain platform that provides most things for free. Source: Wikipedia |

1972The email program used on ARPANET was modified by Ray Tomlinson. A new sign (@) was introduced to create a difference between local and global emails. At the same time, Larry Roberts starts writing the first ever program for managing emails.

The program is called RD and it will ultimately let users respond, forward, file, and read emails. While all of this is happening the IMP network is slowly expanding and currently has 23 hosts and 15 nodes. ARPANET is demonstrated to the public by Robert Kahn for the first time.

20 computers are connected at the International Computer Communication Conference. This is actually the moment when the public learned just how important packet-switching will be for the future of computing.

Source: Live Science

The first Internet Address Registry is created by Jon Postel and other scientists. This technology will later turn into IANA or Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. All of this enables IP addresses and many other essential internet functions.

In France, Louis Pouzin is leading a team of his own towards building their own ARPANET called CYCLADES. However, even though CYCLADES was built on the same principles as ARPANET, it was only meant for internetworking.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleRobert Kahn – born in Brooklyn, New York in 1938. This electrical engineer is known for working with Vint Cerf and establishing the two essential internet protocols IP and TCP. These are the fundamental communication protocols even today. Source: Wikipedia Louis Pouzin – born in 1931 in Nievre, France. This engineer and computer scientist developed CYCLADES, a packet communications network similar to ARPANET. The enetwork contributed to the TCP/IP protocols and it used the datagram model. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies The “@” sign – Roy Tomlinson introduced the “@” symbol to display a networked email. The sign separated the name of the user from the name of the machine, a practice that’s been used for emails to this day. Source: The Verge Internet Address Registry – Internet Address Registry or Internet Assigned Numbers Authority is an organization that tracks IP address allocation on the global level, performs root zone management for DNS, internet numbers, and other symbols related to internet protocols. Source: Wikipedia CYCLADES – one of the first research networks that used packet switching. Hosts had to deliver data independently and there wasn’t a centralized delivery service. Transport protocols were used for exchanging Datagrams. Source: Wikipedia First email management program – at first the emails at ARPANET were sent “manually”, which involved coding. That’s why Larry Roberts decided to make things easier on ARPANET and develop the first email management program that would make sending, managing, and forwarding emails easier. This program was the foundation of email as we know it today. Source: The Guardian |

1973Ethernet was invented in 1973 by Bb Metcalfe at Xerox Parc. Metcalfe was given the task of connecting a room of computers and creating a network.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

At the same time, Robert Kahn and Vint Cerf started developing the most important internet protocol TCP/IP. This protocol will be the major breakthrough that would allow different networks to communicate through the same standards.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Danny Cohen implemented the “packet voice and packet video” when setting up the visual flight simulator and upgrading its functions on ARPANET. This is called the “Network Voice Protocol” and it was the first time that packet switching was used with applications running in real time.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

ARPANET went international as University College of London created a successful link. The connection was established via NORSAR in Norway.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleBob Metcalfe – born in Brooklyn, New York in 1946. He was one of the co-inventors of the Ethernet, formulated Metcalfe’s Law, and founded 3Com. Metcalfe received many awards for his work and is considered one of the pioneers of the internet. Source: Wikipedia Danny Cohen – born in 1937 in Haifa, Israel. He is one of the biggest internet pioneers of the 60s. He used the ARPANET to run the first ever real-time visual flight simulator. Cohen was also the person that designed the simulator. The American-Israeli scientist died in 2019Source: Wikipedia Louis Pouzin – born in 1931 in Nievre, France. This engineer and computer scientist developed CYCLADES, a packet communications network similar to ARPANET. This network contributed to the TCP/IP protocols and it used the datagram model. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesEthernet – a set of computer technologies often used for creating local area networks (LAN), but also for wide area networks (WAN), and metropolitan area networks (MAN). The first Ethernet network was established in 1973 and patented in 1975. Source: Wikipedia TCP/IP protocol – the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol are two essential internet communication protocols. Through this technology computers are able to communicate from far away. TCP is in charge of reassembling and collecting data packets, while IP pinpoints the destination to which the packets should go. Source: Britannica Network Voice Protocol – NVP was the first ever protocol for computer networks that allowed the transportation of human speech. It used a packet switch communication principle. This was the first Voice protocol for the internet. Source: Wikipedia |

1974The SRI International’s NIC (Network Information Center) was joined by Elizabeth Feinler. This event was very important because Feinler formed a group that had a major role to play in the development of the first white and yellow-page internet servers.

They also created the Host Naming Registry, WHOIS server, and query-based host names for the internet. Her group also created the first essential domain names for the internet including .com, .gov, .org, .edu, .net, and so on.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

Robert Kahn and Vint Cerf continued their work, successfully publishing a new paper that detailed how the TCP (Transmission Control Program) would be designed. Cerf and Khan are the people who coined the term “Internet.”

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

That same year, ARPANET went commercial as Telenet. It was the first ever packet data switch network made by the BBN Company and Lawrence Roberts.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleElizabeth Feinler – born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1931. As director of the Network Information Systems Center at Stanford she led the group operating the NIC. She was the leader throughout the ARPANET era and was an integral part of the evolution of the network and formation of the internet as we know it today. Source: Wikipedia Danny Cohen – born in 1937 in Haifa, Israel. He is one of the biggest internet pioneers of the 60s. He used the ARPANET to run the first ever real-time visual flight simulator. Cohen was also the person who designed the simulator. The American-Israeli scientist died in 2019. Source: Wikipedia Louis Pouzin – born in 1931 in Nievre, France. This engineer and computer scientist developed CYCLADES, a packet communications network similar to ARPANET. The network contributed to the TCP/IP protocols and it used the datagram model. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesNetwork Information Center (NIC) – NIC was the first ever auditory body to regulate and coordinate all the network operations for ARPANET. NIC published numbers for the network and gave reference services to all of the people using the network. Source: Wikipedia Top-level domain – a domain located at the top level of the Internet and Domain Name hierarchy. At first, the domain space for top-level domains was separated into three categories including multi organizations, categories, and countries. Initially, the ARPA infrastructure top-level domains were the only ones, but they developed along with the internet. Source: Wikipedia |

1975The development of the connected networks that started from ARPANET was always controlled by ARPA, but in 1975 the operational management of these networks (the internet) transferred to the Defense Communications Agency (DCA).

That same year, the first unified email platform was created. Anyone on the network could use it for drafting, forwarding, and replying to their messages.

UCL, BBN, and Stanford ran tests through new satellite links stretching from the UK to Hawaii.

Raphael Finel released Jargon File.

Source: The History of the Internet

A small company called “Microsoft” was co-founded by Paul Allen and Bill Gates.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleJohn Vittal – date of birth: unknown. Vittal was an American computer programmer responsible for the development of email as we know it today. His MSG program showed how user-friendly and approachable email can be for everyone. Source: IT History Society Raphael Finkel – born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951. A distinguished professor and computer scientist. He created the first ever Jargon File and wrote many books on programming, operating systems, and paradigms in programming. Source: Wikipedia Bill Gates – born in Seattle, Washington in 1955. One of the best-known businessmen and software developers in the world. As the co-founder of Microsoft, he created the most commercially successful operating system, Windows. Source: Wikipedia Paul Allen – born in Seattle, Washington in 1953. He is best known for being the co-founder of Microsoft and a successful businessman. He remained on the board of Microsoft until his death in 2018. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesMSG email program – the first user-friendly email platform that anyone could use. MSG was very useful for people using ARPANET and it was vital for sharing information and the development of new ideas that would perfect the internet. Source: Phrasee |

1976The Queen of England, Elizabeth II sent an email from RSRE located in Malvern on March 26th 1976. It was the first time ever a monarch sent an email.

Source: MRATHS

AT&T Bell Labs started developing the Unix to Unix Copy Program (UUCP). A year later, the company started distributing UUCP along with UNIX.

Source: The University of Rhode Island

Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple in April.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleSteve Jobs – born in San Francisco, California. Jobs is one of the most revered tech business magnates, known best as co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. He was one of the key players during the personal computer revolution. Jobs died in 2011. Source: Wikipedia Steve Wozniak – born in San Jose, California in 1950. Wozniak is an entrepreneur, programmer, and electronics engineer. As co-founder of Apple Inc. Wozniak designed the Apple I and Apple II, which were pioneering microcomputers. Source: Wikipedia Ronald Wayne – born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1934. One of the three co-founders of Apple Inc. However, he forfeited all the rights to ownership a year after the company was founded and left Apple for good. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies UUCP – Unix to Unix Copy is a protocol and computer program suite. They enable remote file transfer and commands between computers. It was originally implemented on UNIX. Source: WikipediaApple Inc. – one of the largest Big Tech companies in the world. Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, and Steve Wozniak. Apple sells, develops, and designs computer hardware, electronics, software, and provides various software services. Source: Wikipedia |

1977Larry Landweber created THEORYNET at the University of Wisconsin. He used TELENET and an email system on the local level to provide email access and communication to over 100 computers at the university. THEORYNET is the spiritual predecessor of CSNET.

Source: FTP server

| PeopleLawrence Landweber (Larry Landweber) – born in Brooklyn, New York in 1953. A computer scientist and professor. His greatest achievements are the development of NSFNET and efforts to push the TCP/IP onto the computer science community. Source: IT History Society TechnologiesTHEORYNET – this was the first college-level computer network used by scientists at the University of Wisconsin. It allowed file transfer and email communication. THEORYNET is the predecessor of the Computer Science Network (CSNET) that would serve as a mutual network for all US universities. Source: Internet Hall of FameStatistics 100 hosts –a computer networking system created and used at the University of Wisconsin. It used TELENET as a network server and had an email system. It was used by 100 scientists on the campus. Source: Internet Hall of Fame |

1978The first ever spam is recorded. A DEC employee Gary Thuerk sent an email advertisement to almost 400 ARPANET users. The email advertised System-20 mini-computers that were sold by the DEC. It asked email recipients to drop by their stores and check out their product.

Source: Cnet.com

| PeopleGary Thuerk – date of birth unknown. Known as the “father of spam” and “father of email marketing.” He is a hidden innovator and the first person to ever send unsolicited commercial emails. Source: Lon Safko TechnologiesFirst spam – the first spam email was sent to 600 internet addresses, but only over a half of the recipients received it. Gary Thuerk and Carl Gartley wrote a single email message and sent it to a large number of addresses at the same time. Source: Wikipedia |

1979James Ellis and Tom Truscott create the Usenet system. Usenet is the first online chat service in the world and it exists to this day. It’s the precursor to peer-to-peer systems, internet chat applications, and online message boards.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleTom Truscott – date of birth unknown. Truscott is a curious programmer and entrepreneur. Apart from developing Usenet he worked for Bell Labs where he developed one of the first computer chess programs. He also released a lot of articles on UNIX and worked for IBM. Source: NewsDemon James Tice Ellis – born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1956. His life work is the development of Usenet for which he was awarded with the Usenix Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. Ellis died in 2001. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesUsenet – a globally distributed computer chat system. Tom Truscott and Jime Ellis finished it in 1980 using Unix to Unix Copy dial-up architecture. Usenet used newsgroups for posting and reading different types of messages. Source: Wikipedia |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845-1940 Timeline (Part 2) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1941-1970 Timeline (Part 3)

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Early Beginnings of the Internet 1945In 1945 Vannevar Bush wrote an essay called “As We May Think.” This essay predicted a lot of things that will happen in the future with computer information technology. It was deemed visionary and ahead of its time. He introduced the “memex” concept that would be used for storing various data and communication – the computer.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleVannevar Bush – born in 1890 in Everett, Massachusetts. This American engineer was the head of the Office of Scientific Research and Development. He is one of the key players that contributed to the start of the National Science Foundation. Bush died in 1974. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesMemex – Memex is a concept of the first hypertext system. Its description led to the development of the first hypertext systems. It grew into knowledge base systems and led to the start of the World Wide Web. |

1957The first space satellite was launched by the USSR in 1957, “Sputnik 1”. It orbited around the earth while transmitting radio communication for 22 days. The Sputnik launch in 1957 and the Atlantic cable in 1858 were two of the most important events that impacted long-distance communication.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleSergei Korolev – born in 1906 in Zhytomyr, Russia. Called the father of astronautics, he was one of the best rocket engineers during the Space Race and the cold war. He was the main engineer behind the “Laika” launch, the “R-7 Rocket” development, and the launch of “Sputnik 1”. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesSputnik 1 – Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite launched into space. It was launched by the USSR. It orbited around the earth for two weeks, and its launch marked the start of space technology development. |

1958The year that Sputnik was launched, the US government formed the ARPA – Advanced wResearch Projects Agency as a response to Soviet success. At the same time, this was the year when AT&T Corporation released the first commercial computer modem.

Source: Wikipedia , Wikipedia

| PeopleDwight D. Eisenhower – born in 2890 in Denison, Texas. Eisenhower was a soldier, a politician, and the president of the United States. He was directly responsible for the formation of ARPA and said that America couldn’t let the Russians beat them in space technology. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies The ARPA organization – founded in 1958 by Eisenhower to respond to the Russian success with Sputnik 1. ARPA’s goal was to provide research and development of various technologies for the military and general public. It was later renamed to DARPA. Source: Wikipedia Bell 101 modem – the very first commercial modem. It was able to transmit digital data through telephone lines. Its maximum speed was 110 bits/s.Source: Wikipedia |

1961The packet-switching concept was pioneered by Leonard Kleinrock in 1961. In his doctoral thesis at MIT, he described packet-switching and how it works. His “Information Flow in Large Communication Nets” was very influential for the development of communication technologies.

Source: Time Graphics

| PeopleLeonard Kleinrock – born in 1934 in New York City. This computer scientist has made a lot of important contributions to computer science, but the most important discoveries he made are the data transmission theories for computer networking. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesPacket-switching concept – packet—switching is a known concept In telecommunications. It involves piling up data into group units before transmitting it over the network. Today this is the primary technology used for data communication and computer networks. Source: Wikipedia |

1962When writing a series of memos in 1962, Joseph Carl Robnett Lickner described global networking as a concept. Licklider talked about the “Intergalactic Computer Network” and demonstrated his progressive ideas on networks and computer technology.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

| PeopleJ.C.R. Licklider – born in 1915 in Arlington, Massachusetts. This computer scientist and psychologist is a very important figure in computing history. He expanded concepts of interactive computing, developed various graphic interfaces, and formed the ARPANET. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesIntergalactic Network concept – known as Galactic Network and IGCN. This computer networking concept was described by J.C.R. in 1962. It was a similar network to the modern internet. J.C.R said that this was the main electronic platform where all information and communication can be shared between individuals, governments, companies, and institutions. Source: Wikipedia |

1963The year 1963 marked the release of the first computer standard – ASCII. The American Standard Code for Information Exchange was set in place by a joint committee. Its goal was to allow communication between computer devices coming from different manufacturers.

Even though ASCII was a joint effort, the man with the greatest credit for its development was Bob Bemer. Bemer developed this coding system for the purpose of standardizing all the controls, punctuations, and letters that all computers would share.

Source: CNN

| PeopleBob Bemer – born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, in 1920. This American computer scientist is also known as the father of ASCII. His major contributions to computer science were made during the 50s and 60s when he worked at IBM. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesASCII – this computer standard puts in place numbers, letters, and various computer characters within an 8-bit code throughout 256 slots. The decimals are made from binary, and since it was first created, the standard was revised 10 times. Source: Computer Hope |

1964In 1964 Paul Baran started developing the first message blocks. His project was completed in 1967. At the same time, Donald Watts Davies created packet-switching. The two technologies were very similar, and they both made a great impact on data communications in general.

Source: Rand Corporation

| PeoplePaul Baran – born in 1926 in Grodno, Belarus. This Polish engineer worked and lived in the US throughout most of his life. He is one of the pioneers of computer network development, and his greatest contribution is message blocks technology, similar to packet switching. Baran died in 2011. Source: Wikipedia Watts Davies – Donald Watts Davis was born in 1924 in Treorchy, Wales. He worked at the UK National Physical Laboratory as a computer scientist. His biggest invention was packet switching, which is still used for data communications across the globe. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesPacket-switching – this type of computer communication was a major breakthrough. With this technique, all the individual data streams are broken into smaller packets that are transferred more easily and then extracted into original data. Source: Britannica Message blocks – this system of sharing information across the computer network was similar to packet switching. But Baran called the divided information “message blocks”, and these blocks would also be rejoined when reaching the final destination. Source: Rand Corporation |

1965The first wide-area network (WAN) was created in 1965 by Thomas Marill and Lawrence Roberts. They were sponsored by ARPA for this project for establishing this connection between a computer located in California and in Massachusetts. This system confirmed packet switching as the best model for computer communication. The study was called “Cooperative Network of Time-Sharing Computers.”

Source: HostingCT

| PeopleLawrence Roberts – Lawrence Gilman Roberts was born in 1937 in Westport, Connecticut. This computer engineer was one of the key players in the creation of the ARPANET. He is a major contributor to the development of the internet and received a Draper Prize for his achievements. Lawrence died in 2018.Source: Wikipedia Thomas Marill – born in 1929 in Massachusetts Marill was a computer scientist whose biggest contribution was the idea of the ARPANET. Marill died in 2000. Source: MyHeritage TechnologiesWide-area network (WAN) – a type of telecommunications network used for a large area of communication in computer technology. It allows data transfer regardless of the location, and the whole internet is built on WAN. Source: Wikipedia |

1966The ARPANET project started in 1966 by Robert Taylor. His primary goal was to discover a method that would let IPTO contractors communicate and share valuable data resources. His inspiration was the network idea from Licklider, and he picked Larry Roberts as the leader of the project.

The ARPANET is considered the first network that was similar to the internet as we know it today. Lawrence Roberts used the concepts from the “Cooperative Network of Time-Sharing Computers” study to develop the plan for ARPANET.

Source: Britannica

| PeopleRobert Taylor – born in 1932 in Dallas, Texas. He was one of the pioneers of the internet and was the director of the Information Processing Techniques Office at ARPA during the 60s. He was an important leader in various computer departments and projects. Taylor died in 2017. Source: Wikipedia Lawrence Roberts – Lawrence Gilman Roberts was born in 1937 in Westport, Connecticut. This computer engineer was one of the key players in the creation of the ARPANET. He is a major contributor to the development of the internet and received a Draper Prize for his achievements. Lawrence died in 2018.Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies ARPAnet project – the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network project started in 1966, and its goal was to network remote computers. Robert Taylor was the head of the project, and this network was the first to use TCP/IP and packet-switching technologies successfully. These technologies are the foundation of the modern internet. Source: Wikipedia |

1967In 1967 a year after the start of the ARPANET project, Lawrence Roberts published the project’s initial design and described it in his paper – “Multiple Computer Networks and Inter-Computer Communication.” Interface Message Processors are used for all the main devices for managing the network.

IMPs were suggested by Wesley Clark and these devices were the predecessors of modern internet routers. The packet switching technology for transferring data is borrowed from Donald Watts Davis and his paper.

At the same time, Danny Cohen innovates the real-time visual flight simulator as well as the real-time radar simulator. Together with Ivan Sutherland, Cohen creates line clipping algorithms for computer graphics called the “Cohen-Sutherland.”

Source: HostingCT

| PeopleWesley Clark – born in 1927 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a computer scientist and a physicist. He was a great innovator in computer technology hardware. Clark designed the TX-0, TX-2, and the LINC computers. His IMPs were used for networking the ARPANET project. Source: Britannica Danny Cohen – born in 1937 in Haifa, Israel. He’s one of the biggest internet pioneers of the 60s. Cohen used the ARPANET to run the first-ever real-time visual flight simulator. He was also the person who designed the simulator. The American-Israeli scientist died in 2019. Source: Wikipedia Ivan Sutherland – born in 1938 in Hastings, Nebraska. Sutherland made important contributions as a computer scientist to the development of the internet. More importantly, he is one of the pioneers of modern computer graphics. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesInterface Message Processors (IMPs) – the IMP was the packet switch infrastructure for ARPANET. They were connected with telephone links and with a modem. Host computers were connected to IMPs via host & IMP protocol. Source: Computer History Wiki Visual flight simulator – The first real-time flight simulator. It used an algorithm that allocated 9 regions for 2D space and 27 regions for 3D space. It also selectively chooses the lines that are going to be displayed. Apart from being the first flight simulator, it also introduced many computer graphics innovations along with on-screen instruments that were controlled in real-time. Source: Wired |

1968In 1968 the concepts of collaborative computing and hypertext were introduced for the first time by Douglas Engelbart. In his presentation called “Mother of All Demos” at the Fall Joint Computer Conference, Englebart did a presentation in which he had a live conference with his coworkers who were located 30 miles away.

This iconic moment is still called “Mother of All Demos.” At the moment, it was something nobody had ever seen before. This proved yet again how innovative Englebart was, even though most people didn’t understand his work.

Source: Wired

That same year the BBN – Bolt, Beranek, and Newman, Inc. locked in the contract for building the IMSs for the ARPA project. The fact that Edward Kennedy (US Senator) sent a telegram of congratulations to ARPA only shows how important the whole project was.

Source: Wikipedia

At the same time, the Host Level Protocols for ARPANET were developed by UCLA. The UCLA Network Working Group was headed by Steve Crocker and overlooked by Professor Leonard Kleinrock throughout the entire project.

This group created the foundational protocols that are used in the modern internet. Some of the most important members of the project were Jon Postel and Vint Cerf.

Source: Columbia University

| PeopleDouglas Engelbart – born in 1925 in Portland, Oregon. This internet pioneer, inventor, and engineer is best known for his invention of the human-computer interaction field. He also contributed to the development of graphical interfaces, hypertext, the creation of the mouse, and networked computers. Engelbart died in 2013. Source: Wikipedia Leo Beranek – born in 1914, in Solon, Iowa. Beranek was the founder of BBN Technologies (formerly Bolt, Beranek, and Newman), a professor at MIT, and an acoustics expert. Beranek died in 2016. Source: Wikipedia Richard Bolt – born in 1911 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was one of the co-founders of BBN Technologies and an MIT professor. Bolt also did a lot of work in acoustics. He died in 2002. Source: Wikipedia Robert Newman – Robert Bradford Neman was born in 1917 in Ungkung, China. He was a founding partner of BBN Technologies and a faculty member of MIT. Newman was an amazing teacher and an acoustics engineer. He died in 1983. Source: Newman Student Award Fund Leonard Kleinrock – born in 1934 in New York City. This computer scientist has made a lot of important contributions to computer science, but the most important discoveries he made are the data transmission theories for computer networking. Source: Wikipedia Steve Crocker – born in 1944 in Pasadena, California. Since his young age, Crocker became an active member of the internet community. He worked on developing the ARPANET internet protocols, a teacher at UCLA, and was the ICANN chairman. Source: Wikipedia Vint Cerf – born in 1943 in New Haven, Connecticut. One of the fathers of the internet along with Bob Kahn for their invention of the TCP/IP. Together they are also the founders of the nonprofit organization “Internet Society.” Source: Wikipedia Jon Postel – born in 1943 in Altadena, California. Postel had a very successful career in computer science. His work with internet standards is praised to this day. He’s known for Postel’s Law, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, and Request for Comment. Postel died in 1998. Source: Wikipedia Technologies“Mother of All Demos” – One of the most iconic moments of computer demonstration. This live demonstration made by Douglas Engelbart and his associates introduced the oN-Line System (NLS), which featured software and hardware. They used the system to present all of the essentials of modern computing. Source: Wikipedia Host Level Protocols – The first Host-Host protocol used within the ARPANET. It was designed for packet-switching and transferring connections. Source: IETF Tools |

1969In 1969 the Interface Message Processor was finished. ARPANET was the first-ever physical node – a network of 4 different computers. The four hosts were located in:

1. The University of Utah
2. University of California at Santa Barbara
3. Stanford
4. The University of California in Los Angeles

The first data packets were sent by a team from UCLA on October 29th. Charley Kline was in charge of the project while Leonard Kleinrock was supervising the whole thing. However, the first attempt was unsuccessful. On the second try, the transfer was successful.

That same year, the contract for designing the ARPANET network structure was given to Howard Frank.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleCharley Kline – Charley S. Kline was a computer scientist. Birthdate: unknown. He was the man behind the first login on ARPANET IMP. The first remote host initials on ARPANET were CSK, which were his initials. Source: Wikimedia Commons Howard Frank – born in 1941. Frank was an electrical engineer best known as the co-author of the ARPANET network structure design. He was also in charge of the topological analysis of the ARPANET. Frank died in 2017. Source: Informs TechnologiesFirst network 4 computers – First network 4 computers or initial four hosts were SDS Sigma 7 at UCL, SDS 940 at Stanford Research Institute, IBM 360/74 at University of California, Santa Barbara, and DEC PDP-10 at the University of Utah School of Computing. These were the first hosts that hosted an internet connection on ARPANET. Source: Wikipedia Network structure ARPAnet – the main concept behind the ARPA network was for a single user to access another computer on the network and get valuable resources. This was achieved through hosts that connected to IMPs, and packets were relayed through nodes. All the connections traveled through telephone lines using modems. Source: Arpanet |

1970ARPANET expanded using transatlantic IP connectivity to connect to a European node. The node was located at the University College London and operated by Professor Peter Kirstein.

Source: Internet Hall of Fame

That same year, Norman Abramson developed the ALOHANET at the University of Hawaii. It was the first packet radio network in the world.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeoplePeter Kirstein – born in 1933 in Berlin, Germany. This British/German computer scientist was monitoring the work on ARPANET and was the first one to reach out and expand the ARPANET in Europe. He also helped implement and define TCP/IP together with Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf. Many consider him the father of the internet in Europe. Kirstein died in 2020. Source: Wikipedia Norman Abramson – this American computer scientist and engineer was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1932. He created ALOHANET that allowed wireless long-distance computer communication. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies First European ARPAnet node – the first European computer to be connected to ARPANET was operated by Professor Peter Kirsten. This is just a result of his long-lasting academic and industrial collaborations with computer scientists in the US. Source: Internet Hall of Fame ALOHAnet – Aloha System or Aloha was one of the first computer networking systems. It was deployed in 1970 and first demonstrated a wireless packet data transfer in 1971. It used the Marisat satellite network for communication. Source: Wikipedia |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1) * Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845-1940 Timeline (Part 2)

The post Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1941–1970 Timeline (Part 3) appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Update: This article is part of a series. Check out the full series: Part 1

1854In 1854 began the construction of the first transatlantic telegraph cable line. The construction took four years, and it was stored on the “Agamemnon” from Britain and “Niagara” from the US. These boats were financed by the two governments.

Even though this was a big event that made an important mark in history, the project quickly fell apart due to technical issues. It only lasted for three weeks, but it showed that it was possible to achieve something like that.

In 1866 the project was finalized, and the cables were completely functional. It remained operational for almost a century.

Source: Netvalley

| PeopleCyrus West Field – born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1819 Field was an innovative entrepreneur, financier, and businessman. He started the Atlantic Telegraph Company and was keen on adopting new technologies for commercial use. Field died in 1892. Source: WikipediaTechnologiesTelegraph cable – The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable route to connect America and Europe. It reduced the message delivery time from 10 days to around 5 minutes. This project marked the start of intercontinental long-distance cables for transferring information.Source: Wikipedia |

1876In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell officially presented a couple of prototype telephones at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. This was the first World’s Fair in the US, and in an instant, Bell became a world-famous inventor.

Source: National Museum of American History

| PeopleAlexander Graham Bell – born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His name is famous for patenting and inventing the very first telephone device. Bell was an engineer, scientist, and inventor. He was also the co-founder of the AT&T company. Bell died in 1922. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companiesThe Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell made the first patent for a telephone device in 1876. It was the first-ever phone that could clearly produce human voices and allow two people to have a conversation over a phone line. Source: Wikipedia |

1885The year when the American Telephone and Telegraph Company was founded. AT&T was first called the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, but when Bell joined forces with Thomas Sanders and Gardiner Hubbard, they rebranded the company.

AT&T is still an active conglomerate and one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.

Source: ICANNWiki

| PeopleAlexander Graham Bell –born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is famous for patenting and inventing the very first telephone device. Bell was an engineer, scientist, and inventor. He was also the co-founder of the AT&T company. Bell died in 1922.Source: Wikipedia Gardiner Greene Hubbard –born in 1822 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a financier, lawyer, and businessman. He was the first president of AT&T. He was also the president of the National Geographic Society, and the founder of the “Science” journal. Source: Wikipedia Thomas Sanders –Sanders was a successful businessman who lived in the 19th century. His name is best known for being one of the founders of AT&T. Technologies & companiesAT&T Corporation – The AT&T started as the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. It changed into the Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885 and later became the AT&T Corporation. This company still remains one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world, along with several parent companies. |

1892In 1892 Nikola Tesla created the first radio design. By 1898 patented a boat that was radio-controlled. He demonstrated what his patent could do at the Madison Square Garden in 1898 at the Electrical Exhibition.

Source: Tesla Society

Nikola Tesla was ahead of his time, and he predicted wireless technology. For many, his quote was a mystery until we finally started using wireless technology:

“When wireless is perfectly applied, the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact, it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance.”

Source: Business Insider

| PeopleNikola Tesla –Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 in a small Serbian village within the former Austrian Empire. This Serbian mechanical and electrical engineer, physicist, and inventor came to America, where he could focus on science. He is the inventor of the alternating current as we know it today, and he also contributed with various patents. TechnologiesWireless radio-controlled robot-boat –Tesla’s radio boat was way ahead of its time. After demonstrating what it could do in 1898, very few people had an interest in it. It was only after WWI that scientists started to understand the value of this technology. Source: Wikipedia |

1936In 19365 Alan Turing was the first one to describe and set up “Turing Machines”, a mathematical model used for computation that describes an abstract machine. It’s an important event that led to the research on computations and how far they can actually go.

Source: Wikipedia

| PeopleAlan Turing – born in London in 1912, this English mathematician, philosopher, logician, and computer scientist was one of the most influential scientists of his era. His biggest contributions were to computer science in terms of computation research and laying the foundation for algorithms. Turing died in 1954. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesTuring machine – the Turing machine was the first machine that could simulate algorithms. Even though it was very simple, it was the foundation of modern computation. It uses symbols on an infinite tape using a table of rules. Source: Wikipedia |

1938The first plan for a logical computer was laid out in 1936 by Konrad Zuse. It was named the Versuchs Model or V1. The manufacturing of the V1 started that same year, while the first prototype came out in 1938.

Source: History-computer.com

| PeopleKonrad Zuse – born in 1910 in Berlin. He was an engineer, computer scientist, and inventor. Zuse is known for creating the first-ever programmable computer in the world called the Z3. That’s why he is considered the father of the modern computer. Zuse died in 1995. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesRelay computer – these computer systems are designed on relay logic and electromechanical relays. This technology replaced mechanical computers and were the predecessors of vacuum tube computers. Soure: WikiChip |

19391939 is the year when the Hewlett-Packard Company was founded. The founders of the company, Bill Hewlett and David Packard, first developed audio oscillators and sold them to Walt Disney. The company switched to computer production in 1966.

Source: Computer History Museum

| PeopleBill Hewlett – born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1913. This American engineer graduated from Stanford University. He is most known for being one of the co-founders of the HP company. Hewlett died in 2001. Source: Wikipedia David Packard – born in Pueblo, Colorado in 1912. Packard was an electrical engineer and one of the two co-founders of HP company. He was also the Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Nixon administration. Packard died in 1996. Source: Wikipedia Technologies & companies HP – Hewlett-Packard Company was founded in 1939. The company developed and manufactured a wide range of software and hardware, as well as computer services for various types of businesses. It’s one of the largest information technology companies with a global presence. Source: Wikipedia |

1940George Stibitz first ran his Complex Number Calculator on January 8, 1940. It was the first “remote job entry.” This technique was a major breakthrough in spreading information through computer networks and telephones.

Source: History-Computer

| PeopleGeorge Stibitz – born in York, Pennsylvania in 1904. He’s considered to be one of the most important contributors to the invention of the digital computer. Stibitz’s Boolean logic is considered his greatest achievement. Stibitz died in 1995. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesK-model computer – the K-model computer was created by George Stibitz while working for Bell Labs. This was the first relay-based calculator that used binary addition for calculations. Source: Wikipedia |

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:* Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1)

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The internet appeared as an idea long before the World Wide Web was formed. When the telegraph was discovered in the 19th century, it sparked the first idea of a large network of computers that are connected to each other.

However, the World Wide Web has contributed the most to what the internet is today.

The WWW (World Wide Web) was invented by a British scientist Timothy John Berners-Lee in 1989. At the time, Berners-Lee was working for the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Since that moment, he was known as the founder of the Web.

However, there is certainly more to it. Berners-Lee played a major role, but there are so many factors and discoveries that need to be considered before that.

That’s why we’ve decided to take you on a journey back throughout the history of the internet and try to answer 3 essential questions:

1. What led to the creation of the internet?
2. When did the internet first appear?
3. Who is the person that “discovered” the internet in its form? A lot of brilliant people have contributed to the development of the internet as we know it today. Many discoveries and important events have transpired to get where we are today.

Defining the WWW and Internet World Wide Web – It’s the largest information retrieval system that lets users gain access to a large number of documents (web pages) connected through hyperlinks.

Internet – a globally connected network of computers powered by various internet protocols that lets different devices and networks communicate with each other.

The development of any technology and innovation is always a result of many events happening before the actual invention. When talking about the World Wide Web and the internet, there are two important storylines to follow:

1. The invention of internet protocols
2. The invention of hypertext

These two are what made this global network possible, but at the same time, there are many other technologies that have contributed to the development of the internet. That’s why we’ll start off by talking about them.

What is covered in this article.

The “Prehistoric Period” of the Internet The internet as we know it today would never have been possible if it wasn’t for two essential 19th-century inventions: The telegraph Electricity

Historic timeline of the Internet development We will follow a relevant history timeline of internet development. We’ll mention some of the key technologies, organizations, events, and people that have contributed to creating the modern internet.

1828 In 1828 a German scientist by the name of Pavel Schilling invented the first electromagnetic telegraph called the Schilling.

| PeopleBaron Pavel Lvovitch Schilling – born in 1786. Even though he worked in the Russian military and as a diplomat, his roots were German. He died in 1837. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesElectromagnetic Telegraph (Schilling Telegraph) – A telegraph that uses electric current and was operated via primate keyword. It had needles that used the binary code. The telegraph was controlled from a distance via cables. Source: ETHW |

1833 Two German scientists Wilhelm Weber and Carl Friedrich Gauss created a code that they used for long-distance communication in Gottingen, Germany. Their communication stretched for 1200 m.

Source: Nationalmaglab

| PeopleWilhelm Eduard Weber – born in Wittenberg in 1804. This German physicist worked with Carl Friedrich Gauss on developing the first electromagnetic telegraph. He died in 1891. Source: Wikipedia Carl Friedrich Gauss – born in Brunswick in 1777. This German physicist and mathematician. He is considered one of the most successful mathematicians in history. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesElectromechanical Telegraph – This telegraph had a binary code transmitted by different voltage pulses. It used a moving induction coil on a magnet along with transmission wires. Source: Notionalmaglab |

1838In 1834 Charles Babbage started working on his Analytical Engine prototype after his Difference Engine project fell apart. He made quick progress, and in 1838 he had all the essential design concepts in place.

Source: Union.edu

| PeopleCharles Babbage – born in 1791 in London. This English mechanical engineer, inventor, and mathematician is considered as the originator of the programmable computer. Many call him the “father of the computer.” Babbage died in 1871. Source: Wikipedia TechnologiesAnalytical Engine – this was the first general-purpose computer that was completely mechanical. It was invented as part of the difference engine made by Babbage in 1838. Source: Wikipedia |

1843Ada Lovelace was the first programmer in the world. Similarly to Babbage, she was interested in Analytical Engine and how it worked. However, on top of that, she knew how to input data into the program and use it to solve Bernoulli numbers, which is considered to be the first computer program in the world.

Source: Nemo Science Museum

| People Ada Lovelace – born in London in 1815. She was the first programmer in the world. As a mathematician, Lovelace was fascinated by Babbage’s machine. She described how it worked and created the first computer program. Technologies First Programmer – Lovelace understood programmable calculators ahead of her time. She knew the potential for highly complex calculations. Simply put, she understood how programs and computers could be used in the future. Source: Nemo Science Museum |

1844The first-ever Morse code was sent from Washington to Baltimore by Samuel more. It was a public telegraph stating: “What hath God wrought?” This event was actually the development of the first-ever phone line between these two cities using telegraph technology.

Source: Postscapes

| PeopleSamuel Morse – born in 1791 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. This American inventor was one of the major contributors to the invention of the telegraph system. He is also the person who made telegraphy commercial. Source: Wiki TechnologiesMorse code – Morse code is a telecommunication method that encodes letters as sequences of two signals. It was named after its inventor, Samuel Morse. Source: Wiki |

To Be Continued

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Cloudflare is one of the most prominent internet security companies. Since its 2009 establishment, it has grown continuously in size and number of users. Cloudflare offers cloud security, domain registration, DDoS mitigation, and a content delivery network.

It’s a big part of the internet. Chances are you’ve used or are using sites powered by Cloudflare. The company’s goal is to improve the internet, and Cloudflare has been successful for a long time. Currently, various global websites and businesses use its services.

Interesting Cloudflare Statistics

• Cloudflare currently powers 14,891,093 live websites.
• Cloudflare has 1,760,448 users in the US.
• 20.5% of all websites use Cloudflare servers.
• 320,000 of the top million sites use Cloudflare servers.
• 1 in 6 websites use Cloudflare CDN.
• ​​25.2% of top-level domain websites use Cloudflare servers. Today, this internet giant indirectly affects all internet users, even if they don’t know it. Let’s see some of the most exciting stats about Cloudflare.

Top 20 Cloudflare usage statistics To show you just how many websites use CloudFlare and how significant and essential Cloudflare is, we’ve gathered 20 most relevant statistics.

1. Cloudflare currently powers 14,891,093 live websites.Apart from the current number of users, additional 15,869,904 websites have used Cloudflare at some point, demonstrating how many websites use Cloudflare. This shows that the number of users is constantly growing.

Source: Builtwith.com

1. Cloudflare has 1,760,448 users in the US.Out of 15 million active Cloudflare websites, 1,760,448 are in the US, putting the country at #1 spot regarding users.
   Source: Builtwith.com

2. 20.5% of all websites use Cloudflare servers. Cloudflare servers power 20.5% of all websites that disclose their server information, making it one of the most popular services in the world, with over a fifth of websites using Cloudflare servers.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 25.2% of top-level domain websites use Cloudflare servers.Cloudflare servers power 25.2% of websites that use .com as their top-level domain, meaning that over one-fourth of all websites worldwide use this service.

Source: W3techs.com

1. Almost 320,000 of the top million sites use Cloudflare servers. The internet houses many websites, but almost a third (32.9%) of the top 1,000,000 websites use Cloudflare servers.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 14.7% of Cloudflare websites run on Unix OS. Of 20.5% of websites using Cloudflare servers, 14.7% run on Unix OS.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 21.6% of Cloudflare websites use Google Analytics.Websites that use Google Analytics for various actions account for 21.6% or a fifth of Cloudflare-powered sites.

Source: W3techs.com

1. Amazon hosts 9.4% of Cloudflare sites.Of 20.5% of Cloudflare-powered websites, 9.4% are hosted by Amazon. That shows just how versatile and flexible the company is.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 28.8% of sites with Facebook social widgets use Cloudflare. Websites that use Facebook social widgets account for 28.8% of those using Cloudflare servers. Cloudflare servers are popular with sites that use Facebook widgets.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 63.5% of Cloudflare Web Analytics users use Twitter. The Cloudflare Web Analytics tool has many functions, including web traffic analysis. Twitter users who rely on it to analyze traffic account for 63.5% of people.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 76.3% of reverse proxy users use Cloudflare.Websites using reverse proxy services account for 18% of all websites, around 200 million. Out of all those, 76.3% use Cloudflare services.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 76.3% of sites with UTF-8 character encoding also use Cloudflare. Out of all websites that use reverse proxy services and UTF-8 encoding, 76.3% use Cloudflare.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 75.7% of the top one million websites with reverse proxies use Cloudflare. Most websites in the top one million category (75.7%) using reverse proxy services also use Cloudflare.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 14.3% of all websites use Cloudflare DNS. Over 161 million websites worldwide use Cloudflare as a DNS service – 14.3% of all websites.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 0.3% of websites use Cloudflare as an email service provider.Only 0.3% of websites use Cloudflare as an email service provider.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 1 in 6 websites use Cloudflare CDN.Cloudflare is a popular content delivery network service. One in six websites uses Cloudflare content delivery network services as of 2021.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 1.1% of all websites use Cloudflare Web Analytics tools. Cloudflare Web Analytics has a fair share of the market. The Cloudflare Web Analytics tool is a preferred choice of 1.1% of all websites worldwide. That accounts for 1.6% of sites with known traffic analysis tools that use UTF-8 encoding.

Source: W3techs.com,

1. 3.04% of Cloudflare server sites used Nginx before. 3.04% of websites currently using Cloudflare Server have used Nginx until recently.

Source: W3techs.com

1. 1.21% of Cloudflare users switched to Nginx.Users who have recently switched from Cloudflare Server to Nginx account for 1.21%.

Source: W3techs.com

1. Some of the most popular sites in the world use Cloudflare.Some best-known websites using Cloudflare are Medium, Soundcloud, Apache, Nytimes, Nih, Cloudflare, Mozilla, Vimeo, and Netflix.

Source: W3techs.com

ConclusionCloudflare has many individual users and prominent companies using its services worldwide, and there aren’t any hints of slowed growth. In just six years, Cloudflare has increased the number of high-paying customers ten times.

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Your browser would be worthless if it wasn’t for the interactivity of JavaScript. If you don’t believe us, just disable JS in your web browser and try to surf the web for a day or two without it.

Though you may see fewer pop-ups and ads and might even enjoy a faster page loading speed, most parts of the websites you visit won’t work. That goes for all Google products, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, and what have you.

Today, almost every internet-enabled device actively relies on the latest JavaScript frameworks. As of last year, JavaScript is the coding language for around 98% of websites.

With advanced plugins like DOM, Flash, and Silverlight, and the latest graphical and HTML elements integration, JavaScript dominates progressive web app and dynamic website development.

Interesting Javascript Statistics

• 98.7% of all websites on the web use JavaScript as a client-side coding language.
• There are 370,832,322 JavaScript Libraries and Functions detections on the entire web in 2023.
• There are 6,537,089 JavaScript detections in the top million websites.
• All the leading web browsers use JavaScipt, including Edge, Baidu, Opera, Safari, Firefox, and Chrome.
• As of 2022, the JavaScript community has around 17.4 million software developers.
• JavaScript and CSS/HTML are the preferred programming languages for over 65% of software developers worldwide.
• The average annual salary for JavaScript developers in the US is around $96,003. Let’s delve deeper into the latest JavaScript statistics to see what makes this client-side programming language popular with developers worldwide.

Top JavaScript StatisticsWe’ve gathered the hottest JavaScript stats for this year to keep you in the loop with the latest JS developments. Read on to learn how many websites use JS and more.

1. Around 98.7% of all websites on the web use JavaScript as a client-side coding language.According to usage stats of JS as a client-side coding language, JS is the go-to programming language solution for 98.7% of all the websites on the internet. Most popular websites like Wikipedia.org and Google.com use JS.

Source: W3Techs

1. There are 370,832,322 detections of JavaScript Libraries and Functions on the entire web in 2023The latest research indicates that in 2023, the internet saw 370,832,322 JavaScript detections. According to the last update, the most popular technology in the distribution of websites using JS is Intersection Observer (8%).

Source: BuiltWith

1. There are 6,537,089 JavaScript detections in the top million websites.JavaScript Libraries and Functions were detected 6,537,089 times among the top one million websites on the internet.

Source: BuiltWith

1. JavaScript is the go-to coding language solution for 95.67% of the largest web browsers on the web.All the leading web browsers use JavaScipt, including Edge, Baidu, Opera, Safari, Firefox, and Chrome.

Source: Caniuse

1. Google.com is among the top 10 biggest websites using JavaScript.JavaScript stands behind the top 10 biggest, most popular websites. The list of high-traffic sites using Javascript includes:

2. Google.com

3. Facebook.com
4. Microsoft.com
5. Youtube.com
6. Twitter.com
7. Netflix.com
8. Instagram.com
9. Apple.com
10. Linkedin.com
11. Live.com

Source: W3Techs

1. 2022 stats indicate that the most popular JavaScript tech skill is React.According to global stats on the most popular JavaScript technologies in 2022, React was the go-to JS solution for 26.8% of companies.

Source: Statista

1. According to the latest usage stats, jQuery is the most popular JavaScript library for over 150,000,000 websites.The latest study on jQuery usage indicates that 154,275,544 websites opt for the jQuery JavaScript library.

Source: BuiltWith

1. JavaScript and CSS/HTML are the preferred programming languages for over 65% of software developers worldwide.More than 65% of software developers opted for JavaScript and HTML/CSS in 2022. According to the same study, JS, CSS, and HTML are the most popular coding languages in the world.

Source: Statista

1. As of 2022, the JavaScript community has around 17.4 million software developers.As of 2022, JavaScript is the most used coding language in the world. Its community gathers about 17.4 million developers. Python is next in line with over 15 million users.

Source: Statista

1. The average annual salary for JavaScript developers in the US is around $96,003.According to Flexiple, US JavaScript developers can earn up to $96,003 per year.

Source: Flexiple

1. The average pay per hour for US JavaScript developers is $46. US-based JavaScript developers get paid $46 per hour. However, different sources indicate that the hourly rate may range from $25 to $79, depending on the source.

Source: Flexiple

ConclusionThese were the hottest JavaScript statistics to keep in mind in 2023. If you plan to become a JS user or a JS software developer, there’s no better time than now.

JavaScript is the leading coding language across global industries. The entire internet depends on it, so let that sink in while determining your career direction.

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Protecting your website image is a big issue. You don’t want people stealing or copying your hard work or using it for their gain without permission.  Sadly, many people take online assets for granted and think they’re free for everyone to use.  If you want to protect your website images, you’ve come to the right […]

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Changing the header color on your Weebly website can make a significant impact on its appearance and user experience. Whether you’re looking to match your brand’s color scheme or simply want a fresh look, adjusting the header color is a straightforward process. However, if you’re unsure where to start or worried about making a mistake, […]

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Facing issues with Weebly not sending password reset emails? It’s a common yet distressing problem, especially when you’re locked out of your account and need immediate access. This section will guide you through the possible causes and solutions to ensure you regain control of your Weebly account. 1. Check Spam or Junk Folder For more […]

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Are you struggling with Weebly not working in Chrome? Whether you’re trying to build a personal blog, an online store, or managing a business website, this issue can bring your progress to a halt. It’s frustrating, time-consuming, and can even affect your online presence. You’re not alone, and we understand the urgency to fix this […]

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There’s plenty to be said about PHP, one of the most widely used and influential scripting and server-side programming languages, but we’ll start from the beginning. With its first official release in 1995, PHP has gained massive popularity in the past three decades. Still, its origins go back to 1993, when Rasmus Ledorf, a Danish-Canadian […]

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Launched in 2005, Joomla CMS has become one of the most favorable, reliable, and trustworthy global content management systems for websites. Aside from being so versatile and user-friendly, it is also completely free due to its open-source infrastructure.  Though Joomla requires a bit of a steep learning curve, it’s ideal for web development projects as […]

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Weebly is a great website builder which allows you to create your own blog, website, or online store for free. Over 900,000 websites on the internet are using this service for site building plus its hosting services (Weebly is currently nr.5 in the US most popular hosting solutions). All this being said, Weebly sometimes won’t […]

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Weebly has an impressive user base of over 1,7 million customers and over 900,000 live sites out there. Being the 6th web hosting company in the world comes with a lot of responsibilities when the Weebly service is not working. We have already written about Weebly running very slow, the potential causes, and fixes to […]

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Weebly is a popular Hosting solution (Nr.5 in US), but also a versatile tool for website owners, which use their website builder for design and visuals. It is also good for Ecommerce and has drag-and-drop visuals. Any other interesting features that you could use are described in detail in our Weebly review. It can be […]

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One-page solutions may be your perfect choice if you want to create simple, easy-to-use websites. To build such websites, you need reliable hosting and web builder tools that will help you manage your content and deal with search engine optimization.  Since many options are available, choosing your ideal tools may take time and effort. That’s […]

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SQL is a programming language that enables you to manipulate datasets using code lines. Businesses usually use SQL to protect their data and create strong codes. However, some cybercriminals have found a way to break through your SQL lines and inject malicious codes you won’t initially notice.  This is known as an SQL injection attack […]

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XSS stands for cross-site scripting. It allows hackers to exploit web security vulnerabilities to access internet users’ data. Though modern websites employ origin policies, hackers can use XSS attacks to bypass those policies and breach into website interactions and transactions. Statistics show that about 30,000 websites are hacked every day worldwide. Thanks to XSS, cybercriminals […]

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Whether you plan to make a website or an eCommerce store or already have one, it is essential to track its functionality. You must understand whether your website is available for other users 24/7 and what might cause it to crash. One of the best ways to monitor it is to use advanced, automated tools.  […]

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If you’re looking for the best website availability (uptime) monitoring solution, consider Uptime Robot and Uptime Kuma.  Since Uptime Kuma is the best alternative to Uptime Robot, let’s explore their features, pricing, and main differences. Uptime Robot vs Uptime Kuma – Main differences Let’s take a look at their key features and differences. Uptime Robot […]

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Owning a website comes with its advantages and disadvantages. You can enjoy the traffic and optimization but may worry about threats everywhere in the digital world. In the digital era, you must take care of your valuable assets and protect them from potential theft or misuse.  The best way to get high-end protection is to […]

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If you plan to design your new website or want to maintain your existing one, you can use advanced toolkits to take complete control. You may need help choosing the perfect option, as various tools are available. This WP Buffs review covers one of those advanced tools that help with WordPress maintenance. We’ll address WP […]

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Protecting your digital assets from cyber threats is crucial when making a website or launching an eCommerce business. As the number of attacks increases daily, taking another step regarding your security and ensuring no one can bypass your measures is essential.  One of the ways you can achieve high-end security is to use authorized web-protection […]

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Google is the gold standard for search engines, with more than 3.7 billion daily searches. With so many searches, you may wonder how your website can reach the top of any search results page. After all, what’s the point of running a blog, business website, or online shop if no one can find you?  One […]

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Building your website is a big deal – you must choose the right platform and hosting solutions to manage it effectively and make it accessible to everyone. However, finding the right services to build a website isn’t that simple.   You must consider and go through many things before making a financial decision. If you’re trying […]

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Have you been planning to release a new website or application? You may wonder which hosting services to use to improve the experience, especially if you’re a beginner in the industry.  You may have heard about two extraordinary hosting solutions, KnownHost and DigitalOcean, and are probably here to decide which is better for your needs. […]

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As the hosting services market proliferates, you might be in a slump, wondering which service to choose. If you are stuck between NameHero and A2 Hosting, two leading providers, we’re here to help you determine which one might be a better choice for your website and hosting needs.

Comparing NameHero vs. A2 Hosting Both NameHero and A2 Hosting have their advantages and disadvantages. They offer similar features, except that NameHero provides daily backups, and both have high performance, but A2 Hosting solutions are more cost-effective. If you are looking for a budget-friendly solution, A2 Hosting may be a better choice, but if you are looking for more features, NameHero is your service.

Below, we’ll compare NameHero and A2 across six crucial categories and see how they differ.

| NameHero | A2 Hosting | | Hosting plans | – Offers various hosting plans. | – Similar hosting plans. | | Server options | – Can handle up to 100,000 monthly visits but lacks. Windows-based servers. | – Excellent Linux servers, but lacks Windows-based servers. | | Pricing options | – One of the pricier hosting services. | – Barely any cheaper than NameHero. | | Level of customer support | – Excellent and reliable 24/7 support. | – 24/7/365 support. | | Uptime and downtime | – 99.9% uptime guarantee. | – 99.9% uptime guarantee. | | Hosting features | – Excellent hosting features and additional security items. | – Similar features to NameHero, but without the security part. |

Hosting plans comparedNameHero offers a few different hosting plans, including shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, cloud, and reseller hosting services. These plans can grow depending on your expected monthly visits ranging from 10,000 for the Starter Cloud to about 100,000 for the Business Cloud.

A2 Hosting also offers four different plans, ranging from the Startup plan to Drive, Turbo Boost, to the Turbo Max plan. Unlike NameHero, A2 plans differ in all aspects, such as storage, number of websites, mitigation, etc.

Server optionsNameHero’s servers will depend on the plan you go with. For example, using the Business Cloud option, you’ll get 4GB of RAM, storage for 500,000 files, unlimited websites, and the server can handle up to 100,000 monthly visits.

A2 Hosting offers similar Linux servers for dedicated hosting, but just like NameHero, it lacks Windows-based servers, making these two hosting services identical regarding server options.

Pricing optionsNameHero offers pricing options ranging from $3.40 for the Starter Cloud to $14.98 for the Business Cloud.

Although A2 may be cheaper, the prices don’t differ significantly. A2 offers prices from $2.99 for the Startup plan to $14.99 for the Turbo Max plan.

Level of customer supportNameHero offers incredible customer support, and there’s a 24/7/365 service. You can chat live with a “Superhero” or open and submit a ticket.

A2 is tied with NameHero regarding the level of customer support; they also offer 24/7/365 services and are ready to solve any issues you have as quickly as possible.

Uptime and downtimeNamehero states that their servers have an uptime of 99.9%, which many reviewers and users can confirm.

Similarly, A2 has an uptime guarantee, which is also somewhere in the range of 99.9%, so there aren’t any significant differences here, as both hosting providers are highly reliable.

Hosting featuresWhen NameHero’s hosting features are concerned, there are daily backups and excellent security features such as file monitoring, regular patches, and an AI WAF. Namehero also includes a free Imunify360 security add-on.

On the other hand, A2 Hosting offers WordPress management tools, the same cPanel control panel as NameHero, and unlimited email addresses.

Read more: NameHero vs. Namecheap: How Do They Compare? ConclusionChoosing a good hosting service can make all the difference in managing a successful website, and there are a few aspects to consider. You’ll need to consider the price, hosting plans, features, server options, uptime, and customer support. We compared NameHero and A2 across these categories, which hopefully helps you make the right decision.

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Picking a good hosting service for your website needs isn’t simple, as there are multiple factors to consider.

However, if you’re debating whether NameHero or Namecheap hosting services are better, we’re here to compare these two and possibly make your choice easier.

Comparing NameHero vs. Namecheap Even if they appear similar, NameHero and Namecheap are different hosting services. On the one hand, NameHero focuses on performance and features. On the other hand, Namecheap is one of the cheapest hosting services with limited features.

Here, you can see how NameHero and Namecheap hosting services compare across six categories.

| NameHero | Namecheap | | Pricing | One of the pricier hosting services. | The name matches the price. | | Customer support | Excellent and reliable 24/7 support. | Lacks Business Hours support. | | Hosting type | Offers various hosting types. | Less hosting types than NameHero. | | Server capabilities | Can handle up to 100,000 monthly visits but lacks. Windows-based servers. | Offers Windows, Linux, and SaaS. | | Available features | Includes everything you’ll need. | It doesn’t offer as many features as NameHero. | | Ease of use | Easy-to-use dashboard and cPanel. | Easy-to-use cPanel interface. |

Read ahead to learn more about the differences between these two.

Pricing differencesCurrently, NameHero’s prices begin at $3.40/month for a beginner hosting service with 10,000 expected monthly visits and go up to $14.98/month for business cloud hosting, ideal for eCommerce websites with 100,000 visitors.

On the other hand, Namecheap hosting service is much cheaper and currently costs $1.98/month for a starter plan and goes up to $4.98/month for a business plan.

Level of customer supportNameHero’s users love their customer support, as there’s a 24/7/365 service where you either do a live chat with a so-called “Superhero” or open a ticket.

Similarly, Namecheap lets you open and submit tickets, talk to customer support agents, and there’s also a knowledgebase of guides for their products and services. Still, it lacks Business Hours support, which NameHero does have.

Hosting typeRegarding hosting types, NameHero offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, cloud, and reseller hosting services, and it puts your websites on its Linux servers. Moreover, their servers have an uptime of 99.9%.

Similarly, Namecheap’s servers have a 99.82% uptime. Namecheap also offers shared, WordPress, VPS, reseller, and dedicated hosting types.

Server capabilitiesNameHero’s servers depend on your monthly plan. Still, if you go for the Business Cloud option, you get 4GB of RAM, unlimited storage, unlimited websites, and the server can handle up to 100,000 monthly visits.

With Namecheap, your website is hosted on shared servers with a dual-core Intel Xeon CPU, 256GB of RAM, and storage devices configured in a RAID6 configuration to prevent disasters.

Available featuresNameHero gets the point when features are concerned, as incredible security features include an AI WAF, file monitoring, constant patching, and DoS attack prevention. There’s also an Imunify360 security add-on.

However, Namecheap doesn’t have such features. There’s no free add-on to improve security. They do offer a free SSL certificate. Namecheap focuses on being one of the cheapest hosting services.

Ease of useRegarding usability and ease of use, NameHero’s interface is famous, and users love it. Both the dashboard and the cPanel are excellent and straightforward to use. However, many advanced features might make NameHero’s dashboard overwhelming.

Similarly, Namecheap also has a fantastic user interface and cPanel. The lack of features means they can’t overwhelm you, and the entire service is easy to use.

ConclusionPicking the correct hosting service for your website can be challenging. However, our guide on NameHero and Namecheap hosting can shed some light and help you see the difference. Hopefully, you now know which of these two similar-sounding services is the right choice for you.

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SiteGround is one of the leading hosting providers in the game, with more than 2,800,000 domains around the globe.

Among other things, SiteGround makes installing WordPress a piece of cake. It also guarantees high uptime, automatic backups, and free SSL certificates.

SiteGround Trusted by the owners of 2,800,000 domains As low as $1.99 per month 65% off discount available * Free CDN * 30-day money-back guarantee * Free SSL certificate

Read review 4.8 / 5 Visit SiteGround → So if your SiteGround website keeps showing the “Not Secure” warning, it’s probably not their mistake. Here are some reasons for this website killer and how to treat it.

Why is your SiteGround site not secure? The “Not Secure” error warns visitors that they are accessing a website without a secure HTTPS protocol. In most cases, it points to a problem with an SSL certificate, but it can also be a server issue or a local problem with the browser, system settings, or your firewall.

No SSL certificate If you need a short reminder, SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a web protocol that encrypts the connection between the browser and server, two servers, or another network. Without it, the connection to your website is considered unsecured regarding privacy and data sharing.

Browser problems Website visitors receive the “Not Secure” warning from their browsers, so this might be a browser issue. Protocol mismatch, confusing settings, and extensions come to mind. If the browser is the problem, any of these things could be blocking the SSL encryption on your website.

Server issues SSL is not rocket science, but it involves complex computing. So, without going into details, let’s say the “Not Secure” warning sometimes happens because one of the SSL chain certificates between your website and the root SSL has not been correctly installed on the server.

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Poorly configured local system settings Though server issues always happen, it’s usually safer to assume that the problem is local. For example, the “Not Secure” SSL error is very often caused by a local firewall.

Expired SSL certificate If you don’t remember paying for an SSL certificate, SiteGround has probably provided a free one for you. Remember that SiteGround’s free SSL certificates are valid for only three months (while paid last for one year). It might be that your SiteGround SSL certificate has expired.

Six possible solutions to fix the SiteGround not secure messageIn short, the best solution for a “Not Secure” warning on your website is a fast one. Luckily, these quick fixes should work in most scenarios, so we suggest trying them right now.

1. Verify your SSL certificate Before anything else, ensure you have an SSL certificate installed on your website. SiteGround users can navigate to Site Tools > Security > SSL Manager.

2. Clear browsing data For every site that you’re frequently visiting, including your own, your browser collects cache. It helps you browse faster but can also interrupt an SSL protocol. You should clear your browsing data just in case there is an outdated cache causing an insecure connection.

3. Clear browser SSL state Clearing the SSL slate on your browser will ensure that it is not trying to access the website with an expired SSL certificate that’s been stored while it was still active.

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1. Disable all browser extensions If you’re using Chrome, you can disable all browser extensions by clicking on the three dots and selecting More Tools > Extensions. It’s similar to all other browsers.

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1. Reset local system settings Check your local system settings to ensure the error is not due to the incorrect date and time setup, security and privacy settings, or your antivirus and firewall.

2. Get an SSL certificate To get a SiteGround SSL certificate, visit Site Tools > Security > SSL Manager. Click Install to get a new one or Renew to keep using the one that’s already there.

Get a Free SSL Certificate For Your New SiteGround WebsiteConclusionThe “Not Secure” warning on your website could be a crippling problem for your business. It can scare off potential clients and customers, hurt Google’s rankings, and damage your brand’s reputation. Don’t just let it sit there. In fact, make it your top priority for today.

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Your GoDaddy website is showing the “Not Secure” message, and you don’t know why? There are a few possible reasons for this, though it’s not necessarily because you’re using an unsecured connection.

Follow this guide to remove the “Not Secure” message quickly.

Why is your GoDaddy site not secure? The reasons for your GoDaddy site to have a “Not Secure” message have to do with your connection or whether you’re using HTTP or HTTPS. Moreover, the problem may not be that you’re using the wrong connection but that the proper connection isn’t working.

You are using the HTTP protocol If you’re using an HTTP connection, Google Chrome, and Firefox will mark your GoDaddy site as not secure. That’s because HTTP lacks encryption and verification.

Without the two, HTTP is less secure and marks your GoDaddy site as not secure.

You’re not using HTTPS HTTPS is the same as HTTP, but it includes encryption and verification, which contribute to the safety of the GoDaddy site. If you’re not using an HTTPS connection, your site probably shows the message “Not Secure.”

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Your HTTPS isn’t working properly Even if you’re using HTTPS, you can also sometimes see the “Not Secure” message, which means that your HTTPS isn’t working correctly, usually due to an out-of-date browser, a VPN, an antivirus, etc.

Three ways you can fix the not secure message There are several ways to fix the “Not Secure” message on your GoDaddy site, and the easiest is to install an SSL certificate to set up an encrypted connection between a server and a client.

1. Buy an SSL certificate An SSL certificate should be bought from a trustworthy source since it represents a type of identification of your GoDaddy site.

GoDaddy offers several SSL certificate services for this purpose.

Choose The Right SSL Certificate For Your GoDaddy Website2. Install an SSL certificate with your web host Once you’ve bought an SSL certificate, it’s time to install it on your GoDaddy site. You can easily install the SSL certificate you purchased through your cPanel and under the SSL/TLS section.

1. Change your GoDaddy URL after installing an SSL certificateIf you bought and installed an SSL certificate and it’s still showing the “Not Secure” message, you can change the URL from HTTP to HTTPS manually. Save the changes, and your GoDaddy site should be secure now.

ConclusionGoogle Chrome and Mozilla Firefox sometimes label a website “Not Secure” because it uses an HTTP connection. Switching to an HTTPS connection will secure the site, and the message will disappear.

Fortunately, doing this is relatively straightforward. By buying and installing an SSL certificate and changing the URL, your GoDaddy website won’t show the “Not Secure” message anymore.

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If your GoDaddy website is showing the “Error establishing a database connection” instead of your home page, don’t panic.

This can be due to your database server being down or corrupted, or you entered the wrong login credentials. Fortunately, this error can easily be fixed by checking the connection, changing the URL, rebooting the server, testing login credentials, or checking WordPress login settings.

Why are you getting the “Error Establishing a Database Connection” message? The “Error Establishing a Database Connection” message can appear for several reasons. Luckily, none of them are severe and can be fixed easily.

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However, it needs to be addressed for your website to work.

The database server is down If there are some technical issues on the server, or your server is facing high traffic at the moment, your GoDaddy website will show the “Error establishing a database connection” message.

Your WordPress database is corrupt Another reason the message appears is that your WordPress database may be corrupt. This may mean that your WordPress plugins are failing, some content is missing, or some fails are corrupted.

You entered the wrong database login credentials Another easily-fixable reason for the error message to appear can be the wrong database login credentials. Check if you’ve entered different login credentials in the PHP files and MySQL database.

Five ways to fix GoDaddy “Error Establishing a Database Connection” in WordPress 1. Check your connection with the hosting provider Many hosting providers limit the number of connections allowed on their servers at once. If you’re on shared hosts, this can be a common occurrence. Use a caching plugin to reduce the database interactions on your GoDaddy website. 2. Update your WP website URL To fix the error message, go to the WordPress admin section, click “Settings,” then “General.” You can check and update your WordPress website URL, which should fix the error. 3. Reboot your server If your GoDaddy website shows the “Error establishing a database connection” message, another way to fix it is by rebooting your server. Rebooting can be done on the VPS server, not on the cPanel server. 4. Test current login credentials To test your current login credentials, you can use a built-in function of WordPress. The function most WordPress users use is “is_user_logged_in().” This test function will give you a True or False answer to the given command. 5. Check wp-config login settings Another way to fix the error message is to check the wp-config.php file in WordPress. This file includes the configuration details of your GoDaddy website, and you can check the login settings. ConclusionIf you can’t open the home page of your GoDaddy website, you’re probably presented with the “Error establishing a database connection” message. This error can happen for various reasons, such as the database server being down, the WordPress database being corrupted, the wrong database login credentials, etc.

Fortunately, this can be easily fixed by checking the connection with the hosting provider, updating the WordPress URL, rebooting the server, testing the login credentials, or checking wp-config login settings.

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Starting a new blog can be overwhelming. What niche should you choose? What should you write about to engage your readers and compel them to return for more? What writing style to use to attract the right audience?

How should you write your blog post? Should you dive right in, providing relevant content to establish yourself as an expert in your niche? Should you create an “About me” introductory post to share who you are and why you’re starting your blog?

The questions pile up, and the answers lie in research.

Whether you have writer’s block or need help structuring your first blog post, sifting through popular blogs will give you insight into how professionals do it. First blog post examples can inspire and nudge you in the right direction, helping you kickstart your new blog like a pro.

Check out some of the best examples and discover the essential tips to follow when writing your first blog post.

Blog examples to use for inspirationThe online world is an infinite well of inspiration, with over 572 million blogs across various niches. However, fewer provide high-quality content that drives consistent traffic and attracts a loyal reading community.

Here are a few of the most popular blog examples to use for inspiration:

• Apartment Therapy — This lifestyle blog provides interior design advice, including DIY tips, shopping guides, budgeting hacks, and cleaning and organization tricks. All its posts have a clean, SEO-friendly structure, with many images and a consistent flow to engage the readers.
• Corporette — This work fashion blog offers career, lifestyle, and fashion tips for professional women. It’s the ultimate blog for corporate wardrobe essentials, courtesy of Kat Griffin, who used to be a litigator at a Wall Street law firm.
• Trips With Tykes — This family travel blog by a mom of two offers tips and tricks for traveling with kids. Lesley Harvey shares personal stories (with photos) to help families hone organizational skills, budget, and make the most of every vacation. These blogs are the tip of the iceberg, but you must start somewhere (more examples below). Each suits a different niche but has a similar blog post structure with an attention-grabbing title, many headers, subheaders, lists, eye-catching images, and a logical flow.

Read more: Good Blog vs. Bad Blog: What Are the Main Differences? Ten tips for writing your first blog post + examplesHave you checked other blogs in your niche, but your inspiration muse still needs a nudge? Don’t worry — our top ten tips for writing your first blog post will help. Each includes an introductory post example to get your creative juices flowing.

Let’s dive in.

1. Think of the purpose of your blog.Do you want to teach your readers a new skill, provide extensive knowledge on a specific topic, solve a particular problem, or build a community through personal stories?

Share your blog’s purpose to invest your readers in your story. You can provide a personal anecdote (like most blogs below) or use a professional voice to bring focus to what you want to accomplish with your blog

See how Full Focus did it.

This introductory blog post — doubling as an “About Us” page — is a perfect example of showcasing you’re an expert in your niche while sharing your mission with the audience.

1. Determine your goals.Your blogging goals must align with your blog’s purpose. Do you want to establish thought leadership? Do you wish to generate leads and customers because you’ll focus on direct or affiliate sales?

Once you determine your goals, consider how you’ll achieve them by providing readers with real value — and share those plans in your first blog post.

Look at how Chonce of My Debt Epiphany did it.

She told a personal debt-related story to help her audience relate, addressed their pain points, and shared her goal — living debt-free while helping her readers master personal finances.

1. Focus on what you want people to know.Do you want your readers to know why you started a blog, what problems you aim to solve, what content to expect, or what products or services you’ll promote (if any)?

Focus on that in your first blog post — without overwhelming people with details. After all, the key is to drive interest. Informing future readers about your planned content is crucial. It will capture their attention and entice them to tune in regularly.

Jamie Hord of Horderly did it perfectly.

She started with an introduction, where she welcomed her readers, and proceeded to three sections:

• Why she started Horderly;
• What people can expect from her posts;
• How she revamped her website.

Besides sharing her vision and story (with personal photos), she encouraged readers to reach out and share advice so she could continually inspire them.

1. Brainstorm your topic. Focusing on your blog’s primary topic is an excellent way to grab people’s attention — and establish yourself as an expert in your niche. Brainstorm the subject to determine how to leverage it to stand out, adding a personal twist to make your post unique

Here is an example of how An OCD Outlook did it.

The blog’s creator, Lauren, focused her first post around her primary topic — OCD. She shared a personal OCD journey, bringing awareness to stereotypes, assumptions, and genuine OCD struggles. She also told future readers what relatable content to expect.

1. Look at some of the best blogs. Your successful future competitors are the best source of inspiration. Head to their first blog posts to see how they wrote and structured them — not to copy their work but to identify gaps you can close. Look at what they did, and do it better.

Take The Everywhereist, for example. It’s among the best travel blogs — with accolades from The New York Times, TIME Magazine, and other renowned media.

Geraldine DeRuiter infused her introductory blog post with humor to showcase a unique, fun personality and establish authority. Do something similar, and you’ll be on the right track.

1. Conduct thorough research. Besides competitors, research your target audience to understand their pain points and interests and discover relevant keywords to get on their radar. The deeper you dig, the better your first — and subsequent — posts will be.

Steve Chou of My Wife Quit Her Job used extensive research to dive right into producing content — without introducing his blog. His first blog post, “Why You Should Never Start an eBay Store,” is an information-packed article of 2,600+ words, with many relevant keywords, numbers, and links.

Steve Chou instantly built authority with data-based facts and a step-by-step guide — his first step toward his seven-figure eCommerce store. It’s an excellent first blog post example if you want to skip the introductions.

1. Craft a catchy title. Most first blog posts don’t have a title — unless they dive right into the content that their readers seek. Creating one is a perfect opportunity for you to stand out.

Gala Darling did it beautifully with her “Ever expanding, like the universe” title — apt for her personal development blog promoting self-love.

Be sure to tie your catchy title — which will grab your audience’s attention and compel them to read on — to the content below, instantly forming a meaningful connection, as Gala did.

1. Prepare an outline and revise. An outline will help you structure your blog post, organize information in naturally-flowing sections, and focus on the main points.

Here’s an unconventional example on the Zen Habits blog.

Leo Babauta’s first post is like a diary entry, listing his 2006 accomplishments. Soon after, he followed with a list of goals for 2007 and plans for achieving them.

It’s inspirational, sparking curiosity in readers and enticing them to stay tuned for motivational advice. It’s excellent for a mindfulness blog like this one. Whether you follow suit or not, take a page from Leo’s book by drafting a well-structured outline that answers the five Ws — who, what, why, when, and where.

1. Remove filler text.When did filler text ever provide value? It unnecessarily lengthens a text and can even confuse readers.

Removing redundant words and phrases from your post will increase engagement and add credibility.

CityGirl Meets FarmBoy is a brilliant example.

Kelly Ballard gets straight to the point, skipping the fluff and sharing her DIY home decor blog’s ultimate message — “how the world is better when people do what they love.”

1. Properly structure your blog posts. Properly structuring your blog posts will improve your SEO. Posts with a clean structure — including an introduction, body, and conclusion — rank better in search engines because of higher readability.

A Girl’s Guide to Home DIY is among the best first blog post examples regarding an SEO-friendly structure.

Lauren knew how to structure a blog post for SEO while telling an inspiring story and connecting with her readers.

Are you ready to start your own blog?Creating a personal blog can be done so quickly. You need to choose a name for your blog first. It’s one of the most important steps when starting a new blog.

Recommended tool:

After choosing your domain name, you need to decide on a blogging platform and a web hosting provider.

For all new bloggers, we recommend self-hosted WordPress.org and Bluehost, a company that powers over 2 million websites worldwide. You will get a free domain name when you sign up with them, and if you don’t like their services, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

1st choice for new bloggers     4.8 / 5  Starting at $8.99 $2.75/month    * Free domain name

• 63% off regular price
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Set up a blog with a one-click

Visit Bluehost website → ConclusionDid you find these first blog post examples inspiring? Have your gears started turning yet? It’s okay if you need more time to transform your thoughts into words. Inspiration will come if you have something unique to share with the world.

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If you’re thinking about starting a new blog in 2023, there are several things you must first consider. From finding your niche and target audience to getting reliable hosting to optimizing your content to perform better, you’ll need to go over each step to succeed.

Review our new blog checklist, and see what you must do before launching a blog. Spending extra time on the new blog checklist can ensure you’re creating a blog that will reach many readers and have a lot of traffic.

New blog checklist Before starting a new blog, you’ll need to go over the following steps:

• Find your niche
• Learn about your target audience
• Set clear goals
• Design your blog properly
• Brainstorm topics
• Determine your branding
• Get reliable hosting
• Do keyword research
• Set up your blog for SEO success
• Start promoting your blog early
• Create a content calendar
• Measure and analyze your blog

Complete “new blog” checklist If you find our short list intriguing and think you could use some help, we’ve written about every step of the way in more detail below. Read ahead to learn how to start a blog and everything there is to it.

Find your nicheYou can’t become a doctor if you’ve been to law school, right? It’s the same thing with blogs. You’ll need to find your niche, which includes categories and topics of things that interest you and things that you’ll be interested to learn more about, and present to your readers with passion.

Suppose you’re into cars, motorcycles, and technology like smartphones, gadgets, computers, etc. You could start a blog about these topics, but you could also have articles on tech gadgets and computers inside newer cars or bikes, which would be more interesting than simply writing about cars.

Read more: How to Find and Validate Your Niche As a Blogger Learn about your target audienceBefore you start writing any articles, you’ll need to figure out who you’re writing them for, and that’s your target audience. If you want your blog to succeed and get lots of traffic, you’ll need to investigate and analyze your target audience and find out as much as possible about them.

If you’re writing for the wrong audience, no amount of keywords, marketing, and promotions will help you. No matter how good your blog is, how catchy your titles are, and how informative your articles get, it will feel like talking to a wall.

Read more: Good Blog vs. Bad Blog: What Are the Main Differences? Set clear goalsWhen you find your niche and determine who your readers will be, you can start thinking about what you want to achieve by creating this blog. Is it your passion to write about these topics, or are you looking for a way to make some cash on the side? Those goals can be anything related to blogging.

Be realistic about your goals, put them down on paper, and add relaxed deadlines to these goals. For example, “By the end of 2023, I want to have this many monthly blog visits.”

Don’t set high goals in the beginning since you’re likely a novice at blogging, and it can be a recipe for disappointment and disaster as you’re still figuring things out and don’t know how blogging stuff functions.

Read more: 20 Reasons Why You Should Start a Blog (for Business and Pleasure) Design your blog properlyChoosing the right blog platform can make your life much easier when starting a blog, but you’ll also need to adjust design elements to fit your style and complement your niche and articles.

Focus on the design of the homepage, buttons, dropdown menus, fonts, colors, etc. You want your homepage to catch the attention of new visitors and your website’s navigation to be as simple as possible for your existing readers.

Look at Apple, for example. Such a clean design is much better than something filled with buttons, images, and other graphics. Remember that your design elements might affect your website’s responsiveness, which is another reason to keep it simple.

Read more: Website Design Tutorial for Beginners Brainstorm topicsAfter you figure out your niche and find out who your audience might be and what they want to be explained and answered, you need to start creating engaging topics that combine these elements.

You can use search engines and see what others are searching for when they look up items in your niche. That will give you ideas about what you can write about, and you can brainstorm ideas for your next article.

Read more: What to Blog About – 10 Ways to Find Popular Topics Determine your brandingOnce you know more about what you’re interested in, want to write about, and what your target audience wants to see, you’ll need to consider your articles, what they say about you, and how you handle certain things.

You’ll want to determine what your brand is all about, and that includes things from logos and colors to fonts, graphics, and style that your articles will use to how you’ll talk about things in your texts.

All these combined help create your brand; the more unique you are, the better it is.

Read more: The Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Logo for Your Blog Get reliable hostingHaving clear goals and knowing your target audience, what you’ll write about, and how often, you can effectively determine how many monthly visitors your blog will get. However, it’s always great to plan and think about growth. That way, you can figure out what hosting service you’ll need without overpaying.

Research different hosting providers, compare their prices, create a list of popular hosting services in your area, and choose one that can handle your website. Ensure that such a hosting service has all the features you might need, and remember to also look into their tech support, as unexpected disasters can always happen.

Read more: How to Find a Reliable Hosting Company for Your Blog 1st choice for new bloggers 4.8 / 5 Starting at $8.99 $2.75/month * Free domain name * 63% off regular price * 30-day money-back guarantee * Set up a blog with a one-click

Visit Bluehost website → Do keyword researchOnce you have everything related to what your blog is about figured out, you can start creating content for your blog and writing articles on the topics you’re passionate about.

However, for these articles to succeed and hit the first page of various search engines, you’ll need to do your research regarding popular keywords, which you’ll then need to incorporate into your texts.

Read more: How to Do Keyword Research for Your Blog Various tools can help you at this step, such as Semrush, and incorporating these keywords can increase your blog’s visibility and drive more traffic to your articles.

| Semrush | Semrush is the best all-around solution for businesses of all sizes. | Visit Semrush |

Set up your blog for SEO successAlthough keywords are a great way to improve the blog’s visibility and increase its ranking on search engines, they’re not the only thing that can help your blog do better.

Some studies have shown that over 50% of organic traffic comes from search engine searches. That’s why optimizing your blog for search engines is an excellent way of driving more traffic and readers to your blog.

Read more: Beginner Guide on How to Structure a Blog Post for SEO Various things affect work together and make excellent SEO, and you’ll need to research these and figure them out.

For example, SEO meta tags are a great place to start, and they include a meta title and meta description, which help search engines determine what your content is about.

Read more: Easy-to-Follow SEO Guide for Beginners Start promoting your blog earlyOnce you have certain things going for you, like an excellent blog design, catchy titles, informative articles, and great keywords, it’s time to start promoting your blog, and there are many ways you can do that.

Although social media ads have been popular recently, they’re not the only way to promote your blogs. Of course, ads on social media websites such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and even Reddit can be an excellent way of getting new readers, but they can miss your target audience.

You can also research similar niche blogs and other popular ones and get a collaboration going where you’ll link their websites in your articles, and they’ll do the same for you.

Read more: Beginner Guide on How to Promote Your Blog Create a content calendarAlthough the best texts and articles are most often created when you write when you feel like it and not because you have to, that’s not something you can rely on with a new blog.

Sometimes you’ll write five items in one day, but then a dry period might hit, and you won’t feel like writing for weeks. That’s bad for your blogs, as even missing a week can reduce your blog’s visibility by a margin.

Read more: How Often Should a New Blogger Post? You’ll need to create a content calendar and stick to it. Even if you write five articles in a day, plan them out, and publish articles on a set plan that you’re comfortable with.

Read more: The Beginner’s Guide to Content Planning and Strategy Measure and analyze your blogFinally, there’s also the monitoring part, which will help you see how successful your blog is and how many visitors your website’s getting.

You can use Google Analytics and various other important analytics for this step. These tools can help track the website’s performance, traffic, popularity, and why and how someone clicked on your blog or article.

| Hotjar | Best for for marketers and companies. | Visit Hotjar |

That can help you realize what you’re doing right or wrong and what needs to be adjusted or improved so that your content does better if it’s not doing well and does excellent if it was already doing good.

Read more: The Best Web Analytics Tools ConclusionStarting a new blog can be challenging, but this list of essential steps can help beginners start writing what they’re passionate about.

These items include everything from finding your passions and learning about your readers to finding the perfect hosting service, optimizing your blogs for higher search engine rankings and better visibility, and monitoring how well your blog is doing.

The post A Complete New Blog Checklist You Need To Know in 2023 appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Everyone knows what a blog is.

But when defining what makes it good vs. bad, only some are experts. Nevertheless, understanding the difference between what works and what doesn’t is crucial in this highly competitive field.

Lucky for you, we have the answer.

Good blog vs. bad blog differences In short, the main differences between a good blog and a bad blog include logical blog post structure, catchy headlines, quality content, a solid SEO strategy, frequent posting, knowing your target audience, enjoyable blog design, and compelling CTAs.

Here’s a brief overview of the main differences:

| Good blog | Bad blog | | Blog post structure | Content is presented in a logical and engaging way. | Thoughts are loosely connected without a clear purpose. | | Headlines | A good headline is revealing and intriguing at the same time. | If you want to lose clicks, make your headlines short and vague. | | Content quality | Quality content provides value to the readers. | Bad content is a waste of time, but not in a funny way. | | SEO strategy | Keywords, meta-text, and quality links boost visibility. | Google doesn’t like blogs that are difficult to read. | | Blogging frequency | Good bloggers keep up a consistent posting schedule. | Publishing once in a while shows a lack of commitment. | | Audience targeting | A blog is only as good as its audience-targeting strategy. | Bad blogs don’t think about or know their readers. | | Blog design | Good design is readable, eye-catching, and interactive. | Poor blog design feels sloppy, messy, and confusing. | | CTAs | An effective CTA must tell the reader what to do next. | Missing or complicated CTAs are common on bad blogs. |

Feel free to take a closer look at how these elements compare to each other:

Blog post structureGood blogs have well-structured posts. The perfect blog post structure uses different elements to convey a message. These elements must ensure that your content is crystal clear, easily scannable, visually rich, and – engaging.

A blog post is not a stream of consciousness or a collection of random thoughts without any logical structure. If the order is all wrong and the ideas are messy, your blog post structure is terrible.

Read more: Read: How to Write a Blog Post (+ The Perfect Structure) HeadlinesA good headline doesn’t have to ask for clicks. Instead, it grabs attention by using words that resonate with the readers. It’s concise but information-rich, relatable but intriguing.

If you want a blog without readers, use harsh language for your headlines. Make them short and basic without even hinting at what the post is about.

Here is the cheat sheet you can use that will help you to come up with headline ideas.

Content qualityCompelling, engaging, coherent, relevant, up-to-date, evergreen, helpful, reliable, data-rich, well-researched, and quotable – blog content must be all these things.

In other words, content is the soul of every blog. Because of that, uncreative, uninformed, and overly promotional content that doesn’t have any purpose is an instant blog killer.

Read more: Blog Content Planning & Strategy (Guide) SEO strategyDid you know you need to structure your blog posts for SEO, too? Good blogs have a focus keyword, meta-text, quality links, and images in addition to the head, body, and tail.

If nobody can see your blog on Google, your SEO strategy is not working. Maybe you’re ranking for the wrong keywords, or Google doesn’t think you’re relevant and user-friendly enough.

Read more: Beginner Guide on How to Structure a Blog Post for SEO Blogging frequencySuccessful bloggers post new content two to four times per week. This frequency may vary, but what’s important is that you honor the schedule and respect your readers’ time.

In reverse, publishing a new post every two months tells two things about you as a blogger: 1. You are not very passionate about it, and 2. You don’t care if your content is outdated and irrelevant.

Read more: How Often Should a New Blogger Post? Audience targetingTargeting the right audience means finding a subset of people responding to your opinions, ideas, and products. That requires thorough and continuous research, but you can’t have a good blog without it.

Believe it or not, you can be a great blogger with a mediocre blog. Doing everything right makes no sense if you’re doing it for the wrong audience. Know your readers inside and out.

Read more: What Are The Goals of Your Blog? 5 Main Reasons People Blog Blog designGood blog design puts content front and center, making it easy to read and navigate. With on-brand graphics and media, the visual appearance must be enjoyable and professional-looking.

But blog design isn’t only about aesthetics. Poor design is a significant turn-off because it feels sloppy. Messy navigation is confusing and leads to nothing other than a high bounce rate.

Read more: Blog Design Tutorial for Beginners CTAsA potential buyer has read your post. Now what? If you don’t tell your new readers what you want from them with a clever CTA (call-to-action), you probably won’t see them again.

Examples could be sharing your post on social media, commenting, or subscribing to your blog.

“Click here for more,” “Let’s stay in touch,” “Subscribe now,” “Tweet this” – an effective CTA must be clear with its intention, straight-to-the-point, and easy to act on.

Here’s an example of a CTA that we use in our popular How to Start a Blog guide. We offer to download an eBook to anyone who subscribes:

Conclusion The rumor is 80% of blogs will fail by the end of 2023.

Do you want to know why? It’s because most bloggers don’t know what constitutes a good blog. If you want to start a blog that your audience will love, take some time to study the craft.

The post Good Blog vs. Bad Blog: What Are the Main Differences? appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Getting into the world of blogging can be overwhelming.

Where do you get started? Do you have to learn how to code? How do you make your blog go “live”? Though it may seem like too much work to figure it all out on your own, solutions like Notion help you simplify the whole process.

You don’t even have to understand the basics of coding or have any prior experience building blogs to use it. After all, there are over 572 million blogs currently online – would you expect all those bloggers to be familiar with coding? No. Instead, most of them rely on solutions like Notion to keep things running smoothly.

Originally a simple productivity and note-taking app, Notion is now an all-encompassing, flexible content management solution that enables you to publish blogs with the utmost ease.

Take a look below to learn how to blog with Notion.

How to create a blog post with Notion in 3 easy steps The notion is all about simplicity, so it takes just three simple steps to create a blog with Notion:

1. *Step #1: Open Notion and write your article To get started, you’ll want to sign in to Notion and add a new page. Choose the type of page you want to build, come up with its title, and tap Enter*. You can now start writing your blog post.
   In general, it’s in your best interest to first write your new blog post on a private page, as any changes you make on your public page will automatically go live on your blog.
2. *Step #2: Customize your blog* No one wants to read blog posts that are nothing more than a wall of text. So, use Notion to customize your post, add formatting elements like lists and bullet points to break up the text, and include multimedia files like GIFs, images, and videos.
   In Notion, you can fully customize the layout of your page, ensuring that it looks nice and streamlined.
3. *Step #3: Get a URL and publish Once you’re finished with your blog, all you have to do is click on the “Share” button in the upper right-hand corner and select “Share to Web.”* From there, you can get your blog page URL and share it with the world. Use templates While you can use Notion to format your blog however you want, the simplest way to ensure it looks nice, organized, and presentable is by using its free templates. Again, you won’t need any coding knowledge or the help of web developers to ensure your blogs have all the elements they need.

Templates allow you to rearrange your pages however you see fit and help you make your site esthetically pleasing.

Adding visual elements In all likelihood, you don’t want your blog to be just a wall of text. It’s best to break up the text, format it well, and include plenty of visual elements so your site visitors can read it more easily.

You can use simple visual elements such as headers, line breaks, and columns to break up long chunks of text. However, Notion also allows you to easily embed images, video, and audio files to make your blogs more dynamic and exciting.

Publishing online Once you’ve created your blog, formatted it, and added all the necessary visual elements, it’s time to make it go live. You can publish any page you create with Notion in just a few clicks.

As mentioned, you can get your page URL directly from Notion by clicking Share to Web. You can use the URL you receive to share the newest blog post on your social media sites via email or text messages.

You can also take advantage of search engine indexing on Notion, making your blog visible to all search engines.

Conclusion The notion makes creating and publishing blogs a piece of the cake. Within a few clicks, you can create a new blog page, type out your content, and have it published and ready for reading. With no prior experience or technical knowledge, you can have your blog up and running without a hitch.

The post How to Blog With Notion: Simple Checklist appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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In an internet-driven world, you need a recognizable and memorable domain name and a responsive, user-friendly website to get ahead of the curve. These elements are the foundation of your digital business.

Since your total website traffic depends on your online visibility, you should aim to host a website that can give you the traffic you need to take your lead generation, conversion, and retention rates sky-high.

Google Cloud is the best solution for hosting a high-traffic website without breaking your budget. This Google Cloud web hosting tutorial will help you learn about everything you need to host your website on Google Cloud, including how to do it.

So, let’s get down to business.

What you need to do to host your website on Google CloudThe Google Cloud web hosting service lets you put your website on a digital platform through an affordable subscription. You rent a virtual server to host your website on Google Cloud, thus getting access to all the perks of cloud hosting.

Google Cloud offers numerous solutions for hosting your website and business-related applications in the cloud. You can also get ultra-secure data storage for storing your business data and web content.

Thanks to the cloud, you can easily access, share, and distribute your online business assets according to your needs without worrying about cyber threats, hack attacks, data loss, etc. More importantly, the cloud scales with your business operations without additional resources.

With that in mind, here’sa list of everything you’ll need to host your website on Google Cloud:

• Google account;
• A domain (you must be its administrator or owner);
• A CNAME record;
• A storage bucket;
• Uploaded website data to the cloud;
• Access permission;
• Website configuration for the cloud. How to host your site on Google Cloud in 5 steps* Step #1. Create a CNAME
• Step #2. Create your storage bucket
• Step #3. Upload website data
• Step #4. Add access permission
• Step #5. Configure the website

Here is a detailed tutorial to help you set up Google Cloud web hosting for your website.

Step #1. Create a CNAMECNAME record (Canonical Name Record or Alias Record ) is one of the critical systems, along with Domain Name Services (DNS), required for websites to work on the web. DNS translates website names into IP addresses of web servers hosting those websites.

There’s a section within DNS dedicated to adding RECORDs to the DNS entry. This section ensures every website has the required web configuration to operate correctly in the cloud. That’s where you’ll create your CNAME to ensure that the web leads users to your website when they type in its name without the “www.”

Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Navigate to Google Domains.

Follow this path: Google Domains > My domains > Manage > DNS.

Step 2: Select Custom resource records.

In the DNS Settings tab, click Custom resource records and add your CNAME record. If everything is in order, you should see this window:

Step #2. Create your storage bucketThe next step is to create your storage bucket to store your static website data.

Step 1: Open the Cloud Console.

Navigate to the Storage panel in the Cloud Console and follow this path: Storage > Storage task > Create bucket.

Step 2: Choose your bucket settings.

Fill out the necessary fields:

• Name your bucket — use your website name to name your bucket;

• Select data storage — opt for the Multi-region option to make your data widely available;

• Classify your data storage — choose the Standard storage class;

• Select object control access — select your Access control model by clicking Set permissions uniformly at bucket-level (Bucket-Policy Only).

Click Create to complete the process.

Step #3. Upload website dataBefore uploading your website data to Google Cloud, you must acquire the static data from your marketing staff or website developer. Once you obtain the static files, upload them into your storage bucket by following these steps.

Step 1: Open the Cloud Console.

Go to Google Cloud Platform > Cloud Console > Storage > Browser.

Step 2: Select the bucket name.

Select your bucket name to open the Bucket details tab and click Upload folder.

Step 3: Upload your data.

Select the website’s files and folders you want to move to Google Cloud and click Upload.

Step #4. Add access permissionAdding access permission allows you to apply bucket-level permission to your entire bucket. Here’s how.

Adding access permission allows you to apply bucket-level permission to your entire bucket. Here’s how.

Step 1: Add permissions.

Open the Cloud Console and follow this path: Google Cloud Platform > Cloud Console > Storage > Browser > Bucket name > Bucket details > Permissions.

Step 2: c.

In the Permissions tab, click Add members, and select allUsers with Storage Object Viewer access.

If your actions were successful, you should see this window:

Step #5. Configure the websiteFinally, we come to the last step — configuring your website for the cloud. There are two pages you must configure:

Index page — assign an index page suffix (MainPageSuffix property);

Error page — assign an error page suffix (NotFoundPage property).

An index page or webserver directory index is the file internet users see when they type in a URL that doesn’t have an associated file. When you assign an index page, Google Cloud fetches a matching file and a URL with the matching prefix.

The error page is a web page visitors see when they enter a URL that doesn’t match an existing file on your website. The most common HTTP response to an error page is the 404 code (not found).

Here’s how to configure your website:

Step 1: Locate the Edit website configuration option.

Navigate to Google Cloud Platform > Cloud Console > Browser. In the Browser section, locate the Settings (three dots) menu and select Edit website configuration.

Step 2: Set index and error page settings.

In the Main page field, enter index.html. In the 404 (not found) page field, enter 404-Page.html.

That’s it; your website is ready for Google Cloud web hosting.

ConclusionThis Google Cloud web hosting tutorial should help you prepare your website for migration to the cloud environment. Aside from being the world’s most extensive, leading search engine, Google is one of the best cloud service providers on the net.

Since moving your digital business to the cloud brings numerous advantages, such as increased data security and more scalable and flexible operational capability, your online business will benefit significantly from Google Cloud web hosting.

(Images source: Codelabs.developers.google.com)

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Ask your fellow bloggers how often you should post as a beginner, and they’ll all give you different answers. Some might say that several times per week or month is the ideal blogging frequency, while others will advise you to post multiple times daily.

What’s the sweet spot, then? How often should a new blogger post? It depends on several factors, which we’ll cover in a minute.

Still, most experts agree that an optimal blogging frequency for newbies (and professionals) is several times per week – roughly 11–16 times per month.

In a nutshell Posting 2–4 times weekly is the sweet spot for new bloggers. It helps establish authority and thought leadership, increase SEO ranking, get on your target audience’s radar, and boost organic traffic.

What the numbers sayThe latest blogging survey shows that most bloggers publish new content:

Posting 2–4 times weekly is the sweet spot for new bloggers. It helps establish authority and thought leadership, increase SEO ranking, get on your target audience’s radar, and boost organic traffic.

How often they post primarily depends on their blogging goals and target readers. However, those who blog less frequently typically don’t rely on blogging as a full-time job.

Top 6 steps for deciding how often you should blogDeciding how often you should blog is among the first – and most critical – steps of starting a blog. Your blogging frequency will determine your blog’s success, boosting your digital marketing efforts and driving organic traffic.

Here’s how to establish the optimal one for your blog.

• 1. Consider your niche
• 1. Evaluate the optimal B2B vs. B2C blogging frequency
• 1. Think about your audience
• 1. Determine the length of your posts
• 1. Consider the time for writing a valuable post
• 1. Balance engagement and traffic

• Consider your nicheYour niche is crucial to your blog content planning because it dictates your topic selection. However, it can also help you determine how often you should post. The more competitive it is, the more frequently you should blog.

For instance, lifestyle, personal development, and entrepreneurship are the most popular blog niches. Posting high-quality content daily or several times a week might be best to stand out.

Do you plan on publishing the latest tech, travel, health, or fashion news? Posting a few times a week won’t cut it in these highly-competitive niches, so add at least one daily post to your content calendar.

Regardless of the niche, posting several times a month can work for evergreen content – which provides the most value. However, cranking that up as a beginner will help you gain traction.

Read more: How to Find and Validate Your Niche As a Blogger 2. Evaluate the optimal B2B vs. B2C blogging frequencyRunning a B2B or B2C blog comes down to increasing traffic and generating leads and conversions. However, if you run a B2B company, you must publish more frequently than most B2C companies to attract the same traffic amount and the same number of leads.

According to Marketing Insider Group, B2B companies witness a significant traffic increase after publishing 11+ monthly posts – nearly twice more than those with 6–10 monthly posts. Their B2C counterparts see almost the same improvement when publishing 6–10 posts a month.

1. Think about your audienceHow often does your target audience want you to publish new posts? Research to understand and meet your readers’ needs, preferences, and expectations. Asking them directly through polls and surveys might be your best bet.

Do they expect a daily dose of relevant, informative, helpful content? Your blog should deliver. Are they busy professionals with spare time to read only semi-weekly or bi-weekly blogs? A daily blogging schedule might be overkill and not bring the desired blog traffic and engagement.

1. Determine the length of your postsThere’s no ideal blog post length. A high-quality short-form post will rank better in SERPs than any long-form content of subpar quality.

Still, experts recommend creating longer posts containing 1,000 or more words. They’re perfect for boosting your SEO ranking, earning quality backlinks, and getting more social shares.

As long-form content has become the norm, posts between 1,500 and 2,500 words (or more) started ranking the highest, prompting many to turn content creation up a notch.

Consider your target readers’ preferences and search intent when determining a particular blog post’s length. See whether you can answer the topic’s primary question in 500 words (watery content won’t provide value) or go into more detail.

Additionally, consider the buyer’s journey if you sell products or services. For instance, short-form content works well in the awareness stage, while its longer counterpart helps guide buyers through the end of the sales funnel.

1. Consider the time for writing a valuable postMost bloggers (22.52%) spend 3–5 hours a week on their blog, while only 6.02% spend 40+ weekly hours producing content.

That doesn’t include only writing a blog post but also researching topics, brainstorming ideas, mapping out a plan, creating drafts, editing, publishing, and optimizing content.

Therefore, consider all the planning, creation, and optimization tasks before finalizing your blogging schedule. You’ll need more time if you’re a one-person team, but you can always collaborate with freelance writers and guest bloggers to increase your publishing volume.

1. Balance engagement and trafficPosting too often may boost your traffic but not necessarily your engagement rates. Sometimes, less is more.

For instance, increasing your weekly publishing volume from five to six posts might get more eyes on your content but could reduce blog comments and social shares. You don’t want the engagement to drop for the sake of driving more traffic.

Once you determine your blogging schedule, stick to it for a while to have enough data to assess your performance. Then, experiment with your blogging frequency to find your sweet spot.

ConclusionRegardless of how often you post as a new blogger, maintaining consistency and focusing on quality over quantity is crucial. That’s how you establish credibility, authority, and trust and join the ranks of successful bloggers. That’s how you cut through the noise of competition and build a good blog with a loyal reader base that keeps returning for more.

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If you’re wondering, “Why is GoDaddy not showing my website?” you’ll be pleased to learn it’s not uncommon.

You can try a couple of possible culprits for this issue and a few corresponding solutions. One of these is guaranteed to work and fix your problem.

Reasons why GoDaddy isn’t showing your siteGoDaddy might not show your website for a few reasons. Here are the most common ones:

GoDaddy is downOne of the causes of GoDaddy not showing your website is that the service might be down, as there’s sometimes maintenance on the servers. You can check the status on status.godaddy.com.

Connectivity issuesIf you can’t load other websites or they’re working exceptionally slowly, your GoDaddy stuff is fine, and you have connectivity issues.

Your account is blockedWhen you try loading the website on a different device, and it doesn’t work, you can try logging into your GoDaddy account. If that doesn’t work, there’s a chance GoDaddy has blocked you, and you’ll need to create a new email account.

Web browser problemsFinally, the issue can be with your browser, which stores some website data locally, and that data can cause problems.

Seven ways you can fix these issuesWhatever the cause of your problem, these seven solutions will likely fix it. Here’s what you can do:

1. Clear your website cache Web browsers can get clogged up by locally stored cached data and cookies. Deleting cookies and clearing your cache can solve the problem, and you can easily do that in your browser’s settings.
2. Refresh your browser The simplest solution can be to refresh your browser. If you’re on Internet Explorer or Google Chrome, you can hit CTRL + F5 on your keyboard, which clears your browser’s cache. For Firefox, that’s CTRL + R, while it’s Command + Option + R for Macs and Safari.
3. Set up your DNS The problem might be due to your DNS settings, especially if your domain name was registered elsewhere rather than directly with GoDaddy. If your domain name only points to the GoDaddy website, you must check your DNS settings and set it up correctly.
4. Fix broken links The issue can be caused by broken links, which can happen when you add new content. Check all your URLs and image paths to ensure all your links work, and try again.
5. Restart your internet connection & router Another possible fix is to restart your router. It’s like the famous “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” solution, but it might work since computers and network devices often need a simple restart to fix the problem.
6. Correct your home page file name Typing “index.htm” or “Default.html” into your browser should lead to your website’s home page. However, these file names differ with the type of hosting service. They’re case-sensitive, and GoDaddy even has a priority list you can check to ensure you’re using the correct file names.
7. Upload your website files again Deleting your website’s HTML files from GoDaddy’s hosting service and uploading them again is the last solution you can try, but it is a known fix. Try it if nothing else works, as it works on the same refresh principle. ConclusionTroubles accessing GoDaddy websites are not uncommon, and they can be caused by the service being down, network problems, web browser issues, etc.

However, these problems are easily fixable with a few quick solutions, such as restarting your router, refreshing your browser, correcting file names and fixing broken links, deleting cache, etc.

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There are many reasons why your Outlook emails aren’t being sent with GoDaddy.

Today we’ll look at some common causes and all the fixes you can try to get your Outlook back to work. Here’s what you need to know.

Reasons why GoDaddy email is not sending in Outlook It all comes down to technical issues or poor configurations. Here are the top reasons your GoDaddy email is not sending in Outlook.

Server issues Sometimes the issue isn’t on your end. Even though Outlook servers are usually up and running, they are sometimes down due to maintenance or some minor issues that get quickly resolved. You can check the status on Portal.office.com/servicestatus.

Poorly configured Outlook account Your Outlook account requires lots of information for everything to work correctly. This includes server names, account names, passwords, ports, and other configurations.

Connectivity issues Sometimes the problem is with your connectivity, and you might have obstructed internet access. On the other hand, the sender might also be having these kinds of issues.

Your emails are ending up in the spam folderEmail services sometimes flag specific addresses and domains as malicious or spammy, and the messages end up in your spam folder.

Storage issues If you don’t have enough storage available, you won’t be able to receive any new messages. Check if you have enough storage available.

Six fixes you should try out Here are some of the top fixes you should try.

1. Troubleshoot your internet connection Poor internet connection is the primary issue you should check. Check if your router is receiving the internet signal. Do an online speed test to see the current performance and restart the router if necessary.
2. Double-check your email address Refresh your web browser to check for new emails. If this doesn’t help, try accessing your email account with another web browser. It’s generally a good idea to clean up cookies and cache in your browser.
3. Reset server settings Check all of your POP and IMAP mail server settings. Ask your provider to give you the required information and re-enter the information. Set up and turn on active sync settings to synchronize all emails, tasks, contacts, and calendars.
4. Set up your DNS Go to Email & Office Dashboard and click the Manage option next to your account under users. Click Recheck DNS under Setup. If the issue persists, update your MX records.
5. Restart your computer GoDaddy recommends restarting the device you’re using to access your email. There’s a known bug when all new emails simply stop being visible, but a quick restart usually fixes the problem.
6. Unblock domains or senders Sometimes your emails might be sent to the junk or spam folder. Sign in to Web Outlook using your Microsoft 365 password and email. Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings and click on Mail. Go to Junk mail and if you find your emails there, go to Blocked Senders and Domains and delete the addresses you don’t want to block. ConclusionWe hope these easy fixes will solve your problem, but If none of them work, we suggest contacting GoDaddy customer support and consulting with them about your issues.

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InMotion is a versatile tool for your business needs – whether you need web hosting services, domains, or other essentials in the digital world, this company has your back. However, since more and more people are using InMotion for professional purposes, you may experience lags or not receive emails using this platform.

Today, we will explain why you may not receive business emails and how to fix these issues in a few simple steps.

Why is InMotion Hosting not receiving emails?If you are expecting an email, but it’s off the map, there are a couple of things you can check. Below are some of the most common issues you may experience if InMotion hosting is not receiving emails.

No storage availableAll email providers have a storage limit – if you exceed it, you can no longer receive emails to your account. You can check how much storage you have depending on your InMotion plan.

Emails are detected as spamEmail providers often have spam filters that will send an email straight into the spam box if they detect any possibly harmful content or if the email is coming from a threatening IP address.

Your internet isn’t workingOne of the most common causes why you may not receive InMotion emails is due to your internet connection. If your internet is slow, you can experience reception delays or not receive the email.

The IP is blacklistedAn email provider can block your IP address due to their spam filters and detection systems, leading to InMotion email issues. You cannot receive or send emails if your address is blacklisted.

Your emails are bouncing backIf your storage is full or the email provider detects possible scams or spam content, your email will be returned to the sender.

Six methods you should try to fix Issues such as full storage, spam detection, internet connection, IP blacklisting, and email bouncing may lead to you not receiving InMotion Hosting emails. To fix these issues, check your connection, system status, IP address, and spam folders, configure DNS and set up external MX records.

1. Check your connection To check your connection, you can use internet speed tests. If you cannot open the test, contact your internet service provider to fix connection issues.
2. Check the system status Your InMotion Hosting emails may not work if the platform is currently down due to maintenance and updates. You can check the status on status.inmotionhosting.com.
3. See if the IP is blacklisted You can use various online tools to see whether your IP address is blocked, such as MXtoolbox, DNSchecker, etc. Find your IP address, paste it into some of these tools, and check whether you are on the blacklist.
4. Go to your spam folder If the email provider has detected the received email as potentially harmful, it will end up in your spam folder. Before digging deeper into other issues, check your spam messages.
5. Configure your DNS Configuring your domain name system is crucial for controlling email traffic. With DNS configurations, your traffic will be directed appropriately to your mail server.
6. Set up your external MX records If you want to receive emails on another platform, you can redirect them by setting up an external MX record in your InMotion Hosting account. You will find all your emails on your record of choice. ConclusionAlthough InMotion is a reliable web hosting platform, you can sometimes experience issues. One of the issues that may occur is being unable to receive InMotion Hosting emails. We have mentioned why this may happen, and you can also find easy fixes to these issues in the text above.

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HostPapa is one of the top hosting companies for organizing, sending, and receiving business emails. While this hosting provider has a good track record, many users complained that they can’t access their accounts or have had trouble sending and receiving emails.

If you’ve had similar issues, don’t worry. Below, we’ll list all the reasons your HostPapa email account may not be working and give you some tips on how to fix these issues.

Why your HostPapa email might not be working If you are unable to access your account, don’t worry. The issues you may be experiencing aren’t concerning. Here are the main reasons why your HostPapa email may not work currently.

Your ISP is blocking email ports The most common reason people don’t receive their emails is that their Internet Service Provider (ISP) keeps blocking messages it perceives as spam. Some providers don’t allow the usage of certain words or may stop content from threatening IP addresses.

You are having internet problems Whether because of a slow internet connection or an over-crowded network, your internet may not allow you to access your HostPapa emails. In most cases, you will experience delivery delays if your internet connection is causing HostPapa issues.

Your firewall is preventing access Your firewall was designed to protect you from threatening content. However, it may be too restrictive, preventing you from receiving or sending emails. Firewalls can also block your email ports if the sent or received email doesn’t pass the spam filters.

HostPapa is currently down Another possible situation is that HostPapa simply isn’t working. You may have trouble accessing your account because it is down due to maintenance. In this scenario, you should give it a couple of minutes and try to reaccess your account.

Six ways to fix your HostPapa email There are four primary reasons why you may not access your HostPapa emails (ISP blocking, internet issues, firewall, and platform issues). To solve this problem, check the system status and client configuration, change settings, clear the cache, check the spam folder, and check your internet connection.

1. Check system status If you are experiencing HostPapa email issues, check their system status first. You can check the status on the HostPapa Status website. You will automatically see whether the email system is operational.
2. Check client configuration Depending on your HostPapa solution, you will have different client configurations and incoming and outcoming servers. If the configurations don’t match your plan, contact HostPapa for help.
   All solutions use the same incoming servers, IMAP Port: 993 and POP3 Port: 995. CPanel and HostPapa’s Basic and Advanced Email use the SMTP Port: 465 outgoing servers, Google Workplace uses SMTP Port: 465 for SSL or 587 for TLS, while Office 365 uses SMTP Port: 587.
3. Change HostPapa email settings Since your ISP and firewall may consider some emails spam, you can change your HostPapa settings to receive all emails.
   Go to your HostPapa account, click “Settings>Spam Settings,” and select who can send you emails. You can also change the filters and tell the platform how you want it to process your emails.
4. Clear your browser cache Your browser cache may slow HostPapa’s performance, leading to delays in sending or receiving emails. Moreover, you may be unable to log into your account if you haven’t deleted the outdated cache.
   To delete your cache, click on the three dots in your browser next to your profile image, select “More Tools>Clear Browsing Data,” and select cached images and files, cookies, and browsing history. Click on “Clear data” to finish the process.
5. Check your spam folder If you cannot find your important mail, the program has perceived it as spam content. Before panicking, check your spam folder to see whether the message hasn’t wandered to this location.
6. Check your internet connection As mentioned, your internet connection may be causing problems with your HostPapa account. Slow internet can cause delays, so you should check your connection using an internet speed test on your browser. Conclusion Although HostPapa is one of the best hosting websites, you may occasionally experience some issues. We have presented some of the most common reasons HostPapa may not work currently and how to solve these issues in a few simple steps.

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If you’re paying for some of the popular services offered by iPage – cheap web hosting, domain names, and dedicated servers – you’re likely using iPage email as well.

iPage is well known for its affordable pricing and user-friendly solutions. However, its services have not always been 100% reliable.

Such is the case with iPage email, which often stops working. If your email is acting up, several possible reasons exist.

Read on to find out why you can’t access your iPage webmail and what you can do about it.

Reasons why iPage email isn’t working If your iPage email is not working, that’s usually because you’ve typed in the wrong password or account name or your internet connection is not strong enough. Other suspects are a blocked IP address, a poorly set up email account, and an overloaded queue.

Your IP is blocked When you enter a wrong password 6 times in a row in under 5 minutes, iPage blocks your IP address out of precaution. You have to wait for 3 hours to reset your password.

You typed in the wrong password/account name Typing in the wrong credentials is a common mistake. Don’t worry – it happens to the best of us. Ensure your password and account name are correct, and check your caps lock.

Email not sending because the queue is too full Is iPage refusing to send an email? That’s usually because the queue is too full. If this is the reason, there should be a message that says SMTP 42 (Server Temporarily Not Available).

Poor internet connection Are you sure you’re connected to a secure Wi-Fi network with a strong and reliable signal? In most cases, iPage email is not working because there’s no internet.

The email account is poorly set up If you’ve checked the above and you still can’t troubleshoot a problem, it might be because your email account has been poorly set up or created on another server.

Six steps to fixing your iPage email Your iPage email still won’t listen? We have a quick checklist of all things you can try before it’s time to contact customer support.

Typically, this should solve the problem:

1. Check your internet connection and restart your router Make sure your device is connected to the internet. Test your internet speed to ensure it’s working properly. If it doesn’t work, restart your PC and router manually.
2. Restart your account password You can reset your iPage email account password from the account login. Click on “Forgot Password” and enter your username/domain to send a password reset request.
3. Check your mailbox storage Maybe your iPage email isn’t working because the mailbox storage is full. Here’s the official step-by-step guide for when you need to check your iPage mailbox storage use.
4. Check your spam filter If you’ve been expecting an important email for days and it’s still not arrived, check the spam filter in your mailbox. Perhaps it’s been automatically marked as spam on arrival.
5. Fix your DNS settings You can fix your DNS settings from your Domains Dashboard – iPage offers a detailed guidebook for managing and troubleshooting your DNS records on its official website.
6. Format your emails properly The email won’t go out. Are you sure you’ve typed in the correct email address? Double-check the address for typos, especially if there are special characters involved. Conclusion If iPage Email keeps failing you, there are plenty of other providers to choose from. When it comes to email, there’s no reason to settle for less. Here’s how to create a custom business email with Google Workspace, Zoho, Microsoft 365 Business, Fastmail, Pobox, and others.

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A2 Hosting is one of the most reliable and trustworthy hosting companies. You can customize your email experience using their services, making it an excellent option for all business emails.

As with any other hosting company, you may encounter working issues you cannot seem to fix. Although most of these issues aren’t concerning, you can follow our preventative guide to learn what to do if your A2 Hosting mail isn’t working.

But first, let’s see what may cause some common complications.

Potential reasons why A2 Hosting isn’t workingYou may experience several issues when trying to log into your A2 account, and you’ll find the most common ones below.

A2 Hosting is downAlthough it has a long work history, A2’s Hosting can lag or shut down for some time. Mostly, the hosting is down due to server maintenance and updates.

Connectivity problemsYour internet may be causing you trouble – if you have a slow internet connection, you may be unable to access your A2 Hosting account or load your inbox’s content.

Using the wrong hosting name serversYou will receive a domain name when you open your A2 Hosting account. You should ensure you use the A2 Hosting name servers. Moreover, changing your name means you cannot access A2 emails for 24 hours.

Poorly configured IMAP or POPProtocols may be in the way of you using A2 Hosting services uninterruptedly, especially poorly configured IMAP and/or POP.

Five fixes you should try Now that you know what may be causing your A2 Hosting problems, such as system issues, connectivity problems, wrong hosting name servers, and protocols, you can solve your A2 Hosting issues by checking the system status, restating your internet, configuring your email account, setting up IPMACT or POP servers, and reviewing your email address.

1. Check the A2 Hosting system statusTo check the system status, type “A2 Hosting system status” into your browser or visit the a2status.com website. You will see whether some interruptions may cause email problems.

2. Restart your internet connectionIf the A2 Hosting system is exemplary, your next suspect should be your internet connection. Before you jump to the steps below, restart your router and check your connection afterward. If it’s still not working, contact your providers.

3. Configure your email accountDepending on your client email application, you should configure your A2 account accordingly. You will find a guide with exact configurations for your application on the A2 Hosting website.

4. Set up the IMPACT or POP serverOpen your account settings and navigate to preferences, where you will configure your IMAP or POP settings. You should ensure you use your email address or server name during configuration. The port numbers should also be 995 for a POP server and 993 for IMAP.

5. Check your email addressSometimes you may accidentally miss a letter or a symbol as you type. The system won’t let you log into your account with incorrect credentials, so you should always double-check before you click the log in button.

ConclusionIf you have had issues with your A2 Hosting email account, the fixes above should have you covered. These issues are usually quick fixes, but you should contact A2 Hosting directly if you experience any other problems.

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Blogging has become one of the most popular forms of communication and self-expression in today’s digital age. With the rise of platforms such as Showit and many others, creating and publishing blog posts has never been easier.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at how to blog with Showit, so make sure to check it out!

Showit and bloggingShowit allows users to create websites using a drag-and-drop interface. One of the main advantages of Showit is its ability to integrate with WordPress.

Thanks to this integration, users can create and design their website using Showit, while WordPress handles the backend, including hosting and managing content.

With this in mind, Showit is an ideal platform for bloggers who want to focus on the design and visual aspects of their websites without worrying about various technical aspects such as hosting and security.

How to set up a blog on Showit in 4 easy stepsIf you’re planning on setting up a blog on Showit, these four easy steps will guide you through the entire process. Feel free to follow them and create your Showit blog in seconds.

1. *Step: Create a Showit account* To start, create a Showit account by visiting the Showit official website and signing up. Then, choose a plan that best suits your needs and budget.
2. *Step: Choose a blog template* Showit offers a wide range of blog templates to choose from. Browse through the available templates and select the one that matches your blog’s style and tone.
3. *Step: Set up your blog pages* Showit allows you to create multiple blog pages for different categories or topics. You can add blog posts, images, and videos to each page and organize them according to your preference.

4. *Step: Connect a domain* Once you have customized your blog, connect it to a domain name. Showit offers a built-in domain manager that makes it easy to purchase and manage your domain. Customizing your Showit blogIt’s important to mention you can also customize your new blog with Showit’s numerous customization features. Here are some of our favorite ideas:

5. Choose a color scheme;

6. Use high-quality images;
7. Optimize for SEO;

8. Implement widgets. Additional tips for blogging with ShowitThese additional tips can elevate your Showit blog to a whole other level.

9. Use a responsive design – Make your blog mobile-friendly and responsive by testing out different templates.

10. Use categories and tags – Organize your blog posts into categories and tags to make it easier for readers to navigate your blog.
11. Engage with your readers – Encourage your readers to leave comments and engage with your blog posts. Respond to comments and feedback to build a community around your blog.
12. Promote your blog – Use social media and email marketing to promote your blog to the existing audience and attract new readers. ConclusionSetting up and customizing a blog on Showit is a fairly straightforward process. Its user-friendly interface helps you create a blog that’s both unique and visually appealing. With these tips, you can launch a successful blog that showcases your skills and expertise.

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The internet houses over 572 million blogs, so standing out can be challenging. A unique style and voice can help, among other factors, but how can you develop them? You can find inspiration in top-performing blogs like Thought Catalog and its many competitors.

What is Thought Catalog?Thought Catalog is an online magazine focusing on youth culture and coming-of-age stories. Its writers share personal experiences, opinions, ideas, and tips regarding family, friendships, romance, beauty, physical and mental health, self-reflection, self-improvement, and many other everyday topics.

Besides inspirational and heartfelt stories, it features poetry, books, movie and TV show discussions, and genuine reviews of everything you can imagine.

Why do people love it?Thought Catalog attracts 30 million monthly readers seeking honest, thought-provoking, relatable stories that make them feel like they’re not alone. It has a supportive community of inspiring people on a journey to discovering themselves and helping others heal, tackle challenges we all face, and live life to the fullest.

It empowers creative minds to share thoughts and experiences, cataloging their stories to help build a better tomorrow.

Read more: How to Find and Validate Your Niche As a Blogger Top 8 blogs like Thought CatalogThe versatile Thought Catalog content can be an excellent inspiration when starting a blog and developing your blogging style. However, extending your research to other blogs might help expand your horizons.

Here are the top blogs like Thought Catalog every aspiring blogger should read.

ViralNova — ViralNova homepageViralNova is among the fastest-growing blogs – ever. Sharing trending global stories, it garnered over 100 million readers within months of its 2013 launch.

The secret to its soaring success? Clickbait headlines. Say what you will about that, but those posts go viral.

Upworthy — Upworthy homepageUpworthy is another blog with (mostly) sensational headlines, which is why it swims in viral waters. However, it features stories worth sharing, so we forgive it for all the clickbait.

This blog stands out for sharing positive content, from education-related posts and heartfelt stories on family and animals to thrift shopping and pop culture news.

Elite Daily — Elite Daily homepageElite Daily caters to Gen Y and Gen Z women seeking relatable experiences for living a better life. It tackles relationships, beauty, fashion, astrology, social justice, politics, and many other topics.

Besides general news, you can find stories and tips regarding travel, food, wellness, college life, dating, and tech. There’s also an entertainment category with TV, movie, and celebrity news.

PairedLife — PairedLife homepagePairedLife focuses on relationships, including dating, love, breakups, physical intimacy, marriage, and family. It also tackles friendship, social skills and etiquette, genders, sexuality, and partner compatibility.

It’s the go-to blog to find relatable stories, advice, and tips for making meaningful, long-lasting connections with loved ones.

Odyssey — Odyssey homepageOdyssey (The Odyssey Online) features stories and tips from creative minds to drive positive social change. Its writers share thoughts, opinions, and ideas from diverse perspectives, helping readers improve their lives. You can find content on lifestyle, health, wellness, college life, and adulting.

Additionally, this popular blog has designated spaces for entertainment, politics, activism, and sports news.

HelloGiggles — HelloGiggles homepageHelloGiggles is a lifestyle and entertainment blog for millennial women. Its creator, the famous Hollywood actress Zooey Deschanel, may have helped propel it to towering heights, but the fun, uplifting, and empowering content ensured its ongoing success.

Besides trending news, this blog covers beauty, lifestyle, entertainment, fashion, and love topics. The cherry on top is post-pandemic dating advice – who doesn’t need that?

Bored Panda — Bored Panda homepageYou’ve undoubtedly heard about Bored Panda, the go-to place to look at heartwarming photos when feeling down. This ever-growing community of artists, designers, photographers, and creators shares amusing and uplifting news and stories that quickly go viral.

It features user-generated content in numerous categories, including travel, social issues, nature, family, parenting, animals, food, fashion, entertainment, relationships, humor, climate, and recycling. It’s typically image-heavy and spreads like wildfire.

SheKnows — SheKnows homepageSheKnows is a women-oriented blog publishing inspirational, empowering stories and helpful advice for busy moms looking to make the most of their action-packed lives.

It covers parenting, relationship advice, health, wellness, beauty, lifestyle, food, recipes, decor, DIY projects, and shopping. It throws in entertainment news for good measure – because life is more fun with books, music, movies, TV shows, and the latest celebrity tea.

Read more: 50+ Best Examples of Popular Blogs Are you ready to start your own blog like Thought Catalog?Creating a personal blog can be done so quickly. You need to choose a name for your blog first. It’s one of the most important steps when starting a new blog.

Recommended tool:

After choosing your domain name, you need to decide on a blogging platform and a web hosting provider.

For all new bloggers, we recommend self-hosted WordPress.org and Bluehost, a company that powers over 2 million websites worldwide. You will get a free domain name when you sign up with them, and if you don’t like their services, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ConclusionMany blogs like Thought Catalog can help you find the inspiration to develop a unique style and make your voice heard. Some of the best include ViralNova, Upworthy, Elite Daily, PairedLife, Odyssey, HelloGiggles, Bored Panda, and SheKnows. Explore their content to see how their creative minds uplift their readers, capture their attention, and inspire the next generation of writers.

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Blogging isn’t just a simple matter of writing essays and informative articles, hoping that someone someday would come across your website. If you want to attract attention and increase your website traffic, you must get serious about blogging.

That means researching your target audience, creating content that intrigues them, and, perhaps most importantly, developing a specific writing style that speaks to them.

Few have as distinctive writing styles as Seth Godin, so if you want to blog like a pro, you might want to start looking up to him.

Here are a few tips on how to blog like Seth Godin and increase your readership.

Why blog like Seth Godin? Seth Godin is one of the top marketing experts of the past couple of decades. He’s a famous author who’s published over 20 books, including “The Purple Cow,” “The Dip”, and “Tribes,” and he’s a successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker.

His blog, aptly named Seth’s Blog, has over a million subscribers, many of whom visit the site daily for news and updates.

Some of the main topics he writes about include marketing, personal development, the importance of taking risks, and more. Despite the complexity of these topics, the blog still attracts people from all walks of life.

So, taking inspiration from Seth’s Blog, you could learn how to attract wider audiences and share your expertise.

How to blog like Seth Godin No one can blog exactly like Seth Godin, but you can come close. Here’s how to make your blog posts as impactful as Seth’s.

Always have that “big idea” Your audience research can tell you what topics are currently popular or what keywords you should use to increase your visibility on search engines. However, that’s not enough for an impactful blog post.

Each post you create needs to have a purpose. You need to know exactly why you’re writing it, how you want to present it to your audience, and how they can benefit from it. You need to have that “big idea” and share it with the world.

Blog every dayWhen you visit Seth’s Blog, the first thing you’ll notice is that there’s a new post almost every day. Whether it’s a workday or weekend, a big holiday, or an important event – there’s always a new blog post.

By consistently blogging every day, you’ll achieve two things. First, you’ll ensure that you meet your current readers’ expectations. Second, you’ll resonate with any new site visitors that come to you that day and encourage them to visit you again.

After all, few people will return to a blog if they see that the last post was published months ago.

Write in simple language Your blog’s niche could be highly complex, and that’s still no excuse to use high-end jargon that no one will understand.

While you don’t want to treat your audience like inexperienced children, you also don’t want to drive them away with lengthy, confusing posts that look like they’re taken right out of a scientific paper.

Keep things clear and concise using simple language that everyone can understand.

Ask important questions As frightening as it may be being “the first” at something, you’ll never go far with your blog unless you dare to take risks and ask important questions that other bloggers in your niche might shy away from.

Don’t be afraid to encourage your readers to ask questions, dig deeper into controversial topics, express their true opinions, and start conversations.

Share important stories Some bloggers prefer to remain objective and lighthearted. While that can certainly help them avoid controversy, it will never help them rise to the top.

So, if you want to follow in Seth’s footsteps, you must have the courage to share important stories, be emotional, and speak your mind. Share stories that will move your audiences, inspire them, and make them think.

Use the blog to share and collect ideasFinally, you’ll want to use your blog to engage others, share and collect ideas and start conversations.

Use your comment section to join discussions, examine others’ insights, explore different points of view, and learn from both your readers and other bloggers.

You’ll never be all-knowing, so keep learning and keep gathering insights from others.

Conclusion Blogging like Seth Godin isn’t easy, but with a bit of trial and error, some creative thinking, and dedication, you can make it work.

Examine Seth’s Blog, scrutinize it, and use it to your advantage.

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Knowing how to import blog posts into WordPress can be really useful, especially if you have recently started using WordPress or are planning to do that soon. However, before you begin importing your blog content, there are a few things you need to do.

First, you should create a backup of your existing blog if something goes wrong during the import process. That way, you can quickly restore your blog to its original state. After that, install WordPress. You must have a WordPress site up and running before you can import any content.

Read more: How to Use WordPress – Tutorial for Beginners Finally, choose an import method. You can learn more about the available methods below.

Importing blog posts from BloggerImport blog posts from Blogger to WordPress in these four easy steps:

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Import.
2. Click on the Blogger option.
3. Install and activate the Blogger Importer plugin.

4. Follow the prompts to connect your Blogger account and import your posts. Read more: How To Move Your Blog From Blogger To WordPress How to import blog posts into WordPress from WixImporting posts from Wix to WordPress takes only these five steps:

5. In your Wix dashboard, go to Blog > Settings > Import and Export.

6. Click on the Export Content button and select RSS.
7. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Import.
8. Click on the RSS option.

9. Follow the prompts to import your RSS feed. Read more: How To Transfer Your Wix Website To WordPress Importing from TumblrFollow the steps below to easily import your Tumblr posts to WordPress:

10. Navigate to your WordPress dashboard and go to Tools > Import.

11. Click on the Tumblr option.
12. Install and activate the Tumblr Importer plugin.

13. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Tumblr account and import the files. Read more: How to Move Your Blog From Tumblr to WordPress Transferring posts from LiveJournalMove posts from LiveJournal to WordPress like this:

14. Go to Tools > Import in your WordPress dashboard.

15. Click on the LiveJournal option.
16. Install and activate the LiveJournal Importer plugin.

17. Follow the instructions to connect your LiveJournal account and import your blog posts. Read more: How to Move Your Blog from LiveJournal to WordPress Moving blog posts from SquarespaceSquarespace to WordPress blog post transfer is quite easy. Check out these four steps:

18. Log in to your Squarespace account.

19. Navigate to Settings > Advanced > Import/Export.
20. Click on the “Export” button.

21. From the pop-up window, choose the WordPress icon. Read more: How To Move a Website From Squarespace To WordPress Importing a blog From MovableType or TypePadWhether you use MovableType or TypePad, you can import your blog posts to WordPress like this:

22. Log into your MovableType or TypePad account, go to the Export section, and select MovableType as the export format.

23. Go to your WordPress dashboard and select Tools > Import.
24. Install and activate the Movable Type and TypePad importer plugin.

25. Upload the MovableType format file exported in Step 1. Read more: How To Move Your Blog From MovableType And TypePad To WordPress Importing posts from WeeblyMove posts from Weebly to WordPress in 6 simple steps:

26. In your Weebly dashboard, go to Settings > Blog.

27. Click on the Export button and select XML.
28. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Import.
29. Click on the WordPress option.
30. Install and activate the WordPress Importer plugin.

31. Follow the prompts to complete importing your Weebly XML file. Read more: How to Move Your Website From Weebly To WordPress Another WordPressYou can also move posts from one WordPress platform to another:

32. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Import.

33. Click on the WordPress option.
34. Install and activate the WordPress Importer plugin.
35. Follow the rest of the instructions to connect to the other WordPress site and import the desired blog posts. Read more: How To Move Your Blog From WordPress.com To WordPress.org RSS RSS 1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Import.
36. Click on the RSS option.

37. Follow the prompts to enter the RSS feed URL and import your posts. Other platformsYou might want to migrate your b2evolution, Mambo, Joomla, or Posterous content into WordPress. The process for all three is quick and easy.

38. B2evolution – Use the Movable Type export format or the BIMP Importer script to import the b2evolution content into WordPress.

39. Mambo – The plugin FG Joomla to WordPress works great with both Mambo 4.5 and 4.6.
40. Posterous – The WordPress Posterous importer allows you to export content as WXR and insert it into WordPress through the RSS option.
41. Joomla – The FG Joomla to WordPress plugin will transfer all your content to WordPress. ConclusionWhether you’re moving blog posts to WordPress from a different platform or transferring content from one WordPress site to another, importing blog posts into WordPress can be a straightforward process as long as you follow the correct steps. After learning how to import blog posts into WordPress, you’ll do it in seconds!

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You may be familiar with Squarespace already since it’s one of the most popular website builders currently. With the help of Squarespace’s tools, you can easily create professional-looking websites. However, this toolset isn’t helpful for just building a website design – you can upgrade your SEO by posting blogs or other content through Squarespace.

If you’re new to the Squarespace game, you may be wondering how to post your optimized blogs to your new website, and we’re here to help.

Read more: How to Use Squarespace to Build a Website Here’s a quick and easy guide on posting and creating blogs using Squarespace.

How to add a blog to a Squarespace siteIf you already have a Squarespace website, follow the steps below to add your new blog page to it:

1. Log in to Squarespace. Open the “Home Menu” and click on “Pages.” Then select “Blog”;

2. Click on the “+” to add a new blog post;

3. Choose a page title and press Enter to save your new page.

How to create a new blog postYou can do the following to create new blog posts for your Squarespace website:

1. Click the “+” button from your blog page panel;

2. Type a title for your new blog post into the “Enter a post title” box;

3. Since you need content blocks to start your blog post, click the “+” icon or “Insert Point” to add new text blocks.

After you create a new blog post, you can edit it to fit your website’s design.

Customizing blog postsHere are some things you can try to make your blog posts more visually appealing for the readers.

Header spacingTo engage your readers, you should make your text easy to read. Thus, you should consider proper header spacing (the space between your heading and body text) to make your content comprehensible.

Delimiter optionsDelimiters create a smooth flow in blog posts by using proper punctuation. To create easy-to-read content and blog posts, you should use Squarespace’s delimiter options. They will make your text look better and leave a professional impression on the readers.

MetadataMetadata is crucial in Search Engine Optimization because it will provide insight into your web page’s content. Squarespace will do this step for you to save you from the hassle of inputting metadata into your HTML.

Text alignmentSometimes, you may not engage your readers in your content because something “seems off,” and it usually refers to the visuals. If your text is out of place, the readers might not enjoy it as much, so use text alignment when creating blog posts.

Content widthAnother crucial factor influencing your blog posts’ visual appearance is content width. If your text is too narrow, the readers might find it unorganized. If your text is too wide, it may become more difficult to read. You can use Squarespace’s features to create the perfect text width.

Conclusion Creating and optimizing your Squarespace website is quick and efficient. Squarespace combines all the crucial tools you need to make your website look and feel professional. These tips on how to add or create a blog post using this toolkit will immensely help with SEO.

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Shopify is one of the most popular platforms today. It’s used for many reasons, but most people use Shopify to build their websites quickly and efficiently while avoiding spending vast amounts of money.

Even though this is one of the best website-building sites and offers many benefits, some issues might happen. You’re probably looking for valuable answers if your site isn’t working.

Today, we’ll try to give you all the potential solutions you can try out.

Reasons why your Shopify store might be down There are several reasons why your Shopify might not be working.

If the store is unavailable or down, it usually means that there’s something wrong with the platform and that it’s out of your hands.

Shopify is sometimes down because of servers or regular maintenance. The platform usually sends its users email notifications about possible outages. However, sometimes unexpected things occur and can’t be announced in advance. You can only wait until the situation is resolved and check if Shopify is down.

You can check if your site is down just for you or everyone here:

Some other reasons are outdated tools, plugins, browser issues, or incompatible apps or themes.

How to fix Shopify is not working No matter the problem, here are some common fixes you can use to get your Shopify to store up and running. Of course, if the whole platform is down, you can do nothing except wait for Shopify to get back up.

1. Check your store status The first step is to check whether your store is really down or if some other issue prevents you from accessing it. First, check if the Shopify platform is down at the Shopify Status website:

If not, check the status of your store on the official site. If neither of these shows any issues, you have a different kind of problem preventing you from getting into your website.

1. Check your internet connection Disconnect your computer from the internet and reconnect. Restart your router and check your DNS settings.

Sometimes, you must change DNS settings as they obstruct network performance while using Shopify. Do an internet speed test to check if your connection is even active, and you can browse the web.

1. Verify your domain If your domain hasn’t been verified, you might be unable to access your website.

Go to your Shopify admin section, click Users, and then Security. Go to the Domain verification section and click Add domain. Copy the generated TXT, log into your domain account, and paste the TXT value. Once you’ve one, you can go to Shopify and request verification.

1. Rewind Shopify backups You can use multiple plugins and apps to back up, restore, and export your website. Install one as soon as possible to back up your whole site in case something wrong happens.

Sometimes things just go wrong because you accidentally turned off your PC or some elements of the code are in conflict. If your site is down, you can rewind it to the time it worked perfectly and continue using it.

ConclusionIf none of these work, contacting Shopify customer support and telling them about your issues is probably best.

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Not receiving emails, missing specific messages, or being unable to access your Gmail business account or send emails can be frustrating.

These problems are more common than you think and arise for many reasons.

The most common reasons for Google-hosted email not working are poorly configured email routing, domain issues, getting locked out of your account, poorly configured MX records, and missing messages.

The good news is that fixing them is straightforward.

Top 5 reasons for Google-hosted email not workingYou’d think that setting up a custom Google Workspace email means no email issues and streamlined business communication. However, many users experience Google-hosted email not working, hindering their everyday correspondence.

Here are the most common reasons.

1. Poorly configured email routingYou can route incoming emails to multiple inboxes or forward specific messages to other users. You can also set up a gateway server to route outgoing emails.

However, multiple domain-wide routes can sometimes have conflicting rules, primarily when you change specific settings, preventing email delivery. You might have also created a new routing rule, inadvertently blocking inbound messages.

1. Domain issuesDomain issues can also be the reason for your Google-hosted email not working. For instance, your domain registration may not be complete because you haven’t verified your email address yet. There could also be a problem with your payment – it may not have gone through yet.

Your registration may have expired, preventing you from using your custom domain. Your domain host automatically disables it until you renew it and the payment goes through.

1. Getting locked out of your accountGoogle can lock you out of your account because of suspicious activity like spamming or someone else hacking into it.

A forgotten password is also a common reason for being unable to access an email account. Others include two-step verification issues or problems signing in from a third-party service.

1. Poorly configured MX recordsMX (Mail Exchange) records are DNS records sending your email to your domain host’s servers. When someone sends you an email, their computer checks your domain’s MX settings to see where to direct the message.

Not directing incoming messages to Google’s mail servers will prevent you from receiving them.

1. Missing messagesIf you’re not receiving emails (and haven’t exceeded your storage quota), Google may have marked them as spam or blocked them because of suspicious attachments like executable files.

Another problem could be not receiving messages from a particular sender. Google might send them to the spam folder or reject valid emails because you may have created a filter to block their address.

How to fix these issuesFixing these problems is relatively straightforward. Here are the troubleshooting steps for each.

1. Fixing email routingSign in to your Google Admin console and go to Reports > Activity audit > Admin > Gmail. Look for changes in these events: Gmail Setting Change, Gmail Setting Creation, and Gmail Setting Deletion.

You’ll see messages for any recent modifications, so you’ll know which routing rule to delete or reconfigure.

You can create, delete, or edit routing rules in your Google Admin console. Go to Menu > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Routing. Click Configure or Delete and save the settings.

1. Fixing domain issuesCheck your inbox for a verification email if you’ve just bought a new custom domain. Click the link to confirm your address and complete the registration.

In case of expired domain registration, sign in to your account with the chosen provider and renew your domain. You can also contact them directly.

If these fixes don’t solve your problem, contact your domain host and ask if there’s a payment or DNS settings issue. They’ll tell you if routing to Google Workspace works correctly or help resolve anything else regarding the domain.

1. Getting access to your accountTry automated account recovery. For instance, if you forgot your password, prompt Google to send a code to your recovery email or phone. Enter the code in the specified field, create a new password, and log into your account.

If the password isn’t an issue or you don’t have permission to reset it – because your company doesn’t allow it – contact support to submit a recovery request by following these steps:

• Click Contact Support under the “Google couldn’t sign you in” message.
• Add another email address (not your locked one) to the Google Admin Toolbox and hit Continue.
• Verify your domain by adding your CNAME record to your DNS settings (access it in your domain host account). The update could take 24 hours.

• Once your DNS settings update, click Request for Password Reset (Recommended) in your account recovery form and submit it. Google’s support team will reach out and help you access your account. You can update your domain’s DNS records before opening a support ticket for a more streamlined experience.

• Configuring MX recordsLog into your domain account with the chosen registrar, remove MX records that direct incoming emails to the domain host’s servers, and add new MX records for Google Workspace.

Once your registrar applies the change, Google will activate Gmail for your Google Workspace account.

1. Finding missing messagesYou can use Email Log Search (ELS) to find missing emails (not older than 30 days):

2. Sign in to your Google Admin console and head to Menu > Audit log > Email Log Search.

3. Specify the date and fill in the fields with the necessary information – sender, sender IP, recipient, recipient IP, subject, and email ID. Click Search.

(Images Source: Vircom)

If your messages are still missing, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings > See all settings in your Gmail client.

• Tick the checkboxes for incoming email filters under Filters and Blocked Addresses and click Delete.

(Images source: WindowsReport.com)

ConclusionGoogle-hosted email not working doesn’t need to be the bane of your existence. Whichever the reason, you can quickly fix the problem and use your custom email seamlessly. If the fixes above don’t resolve the issue, contact Google’s support team – they’ll ensure everything works correctly.

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Choosing between blogging and vlogging comes down to your preferences. Starting a blog is a no-brainer if you love writing and are a subject matter expert. A vlog is perfect if you’re a visual storyteller who loves being on camera and engaging people on a deeper, more personal level.

However, opting for one becomes challenging when you find both exciting. That’s where the blog vs. vlog income debate comes into play. Knowing which option is more profitable might nudge you in the right direction.

Blogs and vlogs alike have the potential to make millions of dollars. Videos can quickly go viral, while an engaging blog with consistently relevant, informative posts can pull traffic like a magnet. Advertising and merchandising on YouTube can bring massive profits, while sponsored blog posts could generate a sizable passive income.

Let’s explore the essential income differences between blogging and vlogging, including how long it takes to see the money rolling in.

Before diving into the specifics, here’s a quick overview of the crucial income differences.

| Blog | Vlog | | Average annual income in the US | $45,000 | $60,900 | | Potential revenue | Millions of dollars | Millions of dollars | | Initial investment | $10–$20 for a domain name and $1–$15 for web hosting | $800–$1600 or more for vlogging equipment | | Monetization options | Affiliate marketing, sponsored content, advertising, membership programs, subscriptions, and product or service sales | Affiliate marketing, sponsorships, advertising, membership programs, product or service sales, merchandising, YouTube Premium views, and YouTube’s Super Stickers and Super Chat | | Time necessary to start earning | 12 months | 6–12 months |

How much can you make blogging vs. vlogging?According to ZipRecruiter, bloggers in the US make an annual average of $45,000, while top earners generate around $104,000. Travel blogs are among the most lucrative, helping their creators make $86,200 yearly, on average, while some bloggers earn a whopping $222,500.

Vlogging is typically more profitable, primarily on YouTube. YouTube channel earnings range from $14,000 to $129,500 in the US, with $60,900 as the national average. However, many YouTubers worldwide make tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.

How much you can make blogging or vlogging depends on many factors, including your niche, topics, digital traffic, audience size, monetization strategies, invested time, and – most importantly – content quality.

Increasing blog traffic over time with relevant posts and monetizing your blog can help you earn as much as vloggers do.

Initial investmentsBesides choosing a blogging platform like WordPress, starting a blog requires purchasing a domain name ($10–$20 annually) and paying for a web hosting service (several dollars monthly).

You don’t need to invest in high-tech equipment – you only need a working computer to set everything up and craft relevant content in a word processor. After all, an online journal where you share personal opinions, experiences, and expertise is the definition of a blog.

Of course, you’ll need to spread the word about your blog to get more views and boost traffic. Investing in online advertising, SEO tools, and email and social media marketing software will help.

Starting a vlog on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo, or another platform is free. However, you must invest in a high-quality camera, microphone, tripod, lighting, and video editing software. Those can be expensive but are crucial for professional videos.

Monetization options and revenueYou can monetize your blog in many ways. The best include affiliate marketing, sponsored reviews, memberships, subscriptions, selling products or services, and displaying ads on your blog.

Read more: How to Make Money Blogging Making money on YouTube or another vlogging platform is similar. You can sell products, publish sponsored posts, leverage ads, offer memberships, and become an affiliate. You can also monetize your YouTube channel with Super Stickers and Super Chat to highlight comments in live streams or generate revenue from YouTube Premium views.

Read more: How to Make Money on YouTube How much time is necessary to start earning?It takes about a year to earn money from blogging because building authority and growing an audience takes time. Since vlogging platforms already have both, you can generate revenue faster, primarily if one of your videos goes viral.

ConclusionYou can leverage other monetization strategies, but the blog vs. vlog income debate comes down to this question: “Would you like to generate revenue quickly or invest time to ensure you earn money

The post Blog vs. Vlog Income Differences You Should Know appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Creating an online store on Shopify and running it from the comfort of your home is an excellent business idea.

Adding a blog is even better as you can connect with your readers, often turning them into customers and driving them to your store.

Stick with us as we review the steps of adding a blog to Shopify and discuss its benefits.

3 easy steps on how to add a blog to ShopifyTo add your new blog to Shopify for the first time, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the Shopify admin page, click “Settings,” and choose “Apps and sales channels”;
2. Click on “Online store,” then “Open sales channel,” and select “Blog posts”; and
3. Select “Manage blogs” and click on “Add blog.” You’ll need to create your first post, so add the title, the content, and the organization and save it.

Benefits of adding a blog to your storeWhen you add a blog to your store, you’ll enjoy various benefits, including these:

• Better customer engagement – When you blog, you’re connected to visitors and customers on another level. If you build upon that connection, telling readers about the latest trends, giving them tips, and telling them about your products, they’re more likely to buy from your store.
• Higher brand awareness – A blog will help you develop your brand image. Your blog posts will showcase more of your brand, and you’ll create loyal followers who shop for your goods regularly.

• Excellent SEO – Adding new content increases your chances of reaching the first page in search engines, especially if you create successful posts. That increases traffic to your blog, which leads more people to your Shopify store. Comment end How to create successful blog postsGreat blog posts will directly affect your Shopify store sales. If you’re unsure about how to create fantastic posts, you can use the tips below:

• Research your keywords – Avoid using a keyword that’s too broad. Instead, pick a keyword that perfectly describes the content of your post.

• Create a catchy title – It’s the first thing your readers will see. They’re more likely to close the tab if it’s not good.
• Make high-quality content – Focus on writing helpful information for your readers. Answer their questions, solve their problems, and give them tips for certain things and actions.
• Deal with SEO – Optimize your content for search engines by formatting it, adding keywords throughout the posts, and using meta titles and descriptions. Read more: Beginner Guide on How to Structure a Blog Post for SEO Blog customization optionsShopify blogs offer various customization options – you can style your brand exactly how you want. That includes changing the theme, using custom templates, and adding social media buttons to posts.

Moreover, you’ll enjoy the built-in commenting feature and be able to track your blog’s performance using powerful analytics and tracking tools. They’ll tell you all about the post’s engagement and traffic.

ConclusionShopify blogs are an excellent way to connect with customers and drive traffic to your store. As we discussed, there are multiple benefits to adding a blog to a Shopify store, creating great blog posts, and using various customization options. Follow our short and simple steps, and you’ll have a blog in no time.

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Blogs, vlogs, and podcasts are all great mediums for content creation, and each has its unique features that you can take advantage of. You must choose the right medium based on the type of content you want to create, your audience, and your personal style.

Consistent updates are crucial if you want to stay relevant online, and blogging is the most convenient way to modify and revise what you publish. However, for uploading content that requires visual aids, vlogging might be a more effective option. Podcasting provides an immersive and engaging experience for individuals who prefer to listen to the content they’re following.

With that in mind, it’s safe to say the key difference between blogs, vlogs, and podcasts lies in their format and delivery method. However, if you’d like to learn more about the main differences between blogs, vlogs, and podcasts, we need to take a closer look at their unique features, delivery methods, and audiences.

Here’s a brief overview of the main differences, and feel free to take a closer look at each difference to gain a deeper insight into each individual issue.

| Blog | Vlog | Podcast | | Content type | Written content | Video content | Audio content | | Audience | Readers | Younger audience | On-the-go individuals | | Delivery | Websites | Video-sharing platforms | Podcasting platforms | | Expression and value | Long-form content and deep analysis | Expression of personality | Storytelling and verbal discussion |

Types of contentAll three mediums are different in form, but they share a common goal of sharing information and stories:

• Blogs represent written content ranging from personal diary entries to news articles, how-to guides, and academic papers.
• Vlogs, on the other hand, are video-based pieces of content that can include a wide range of topics, from travel vlogs to cooking, fashion, and beauty videos.
• Podcasts are audio recordings that typically focus on a specific topic, such as sports, entertainment, news, or technology. Read more: How To Start a Blog and How To Start a Podcast

Different audiencesEach medium has its own audience, but it’s not uncommon for these audiences to overlap between the content-creating methods:

• Blogs attract readers who enjoy written content and are looking for information or entertainment.
• Vlogs tend to appeal to younger generations who enjoy visual content, and they’re often used for lifestyle and entertainment purposes.

• Podcasts, meanwhile, appeal to a diverse audience of all ages, including those who prefer to listen to content on-the-go or those who prefer to listen to content while performing other activities. Reports show that 79% of people listen to podcasts while commuting. Different deliveryThe delivery of each medium is different, too:

• Blogs are typically published on websites or social media platforms, and anyone with an internet connection can access them.

• Vlogs are published on video-sharing platforms, such as YouTube, and people can view them anytime they want, with or without an internet connection, thanks to the handy option of downloading.

• Podcasts are typically published on podcasting platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud, and people can access and download them onto devices for offline listening. Expression and valueThey are also different when it comes to expression and value:

• Blogs are perfect for long-form content and in-depth analysis of a topic. They allow writers to express their ideas in a structured way and use visuals, such as infographics, images, and videos, to enhance their writing.

• Vlogs allow creators to express their personalities and create a connection with the audience through the use of their voice, facial expressions, and gestures.
• Podcasts are perfect for storytelling and discussion, allowing the audience to connect with the host’s voice and personality. ConclusionNo matter which medium you choose, remember that your goal is to create valuable content that informs, entertains, and engages your audience. With that in mind, the sky’s the limit in terms of what you can achieve with the content you publish.

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If we’ve learned anything in the past couple of years, it’s that working from home is possible – and, in many instances, preferable. No one wants to commute to work, spend eight hours at the office, waste time returning home, and go straight to bed.

Considering just how many opportunities you have to make money online, it makes no sense for you to waste your life away in a cubicle.

However, while you can certainly find online side hustles for yourself, have you ever considered venturing into joint online opportunities with your partner?

Can couples make money online?

From starting a joint blog to podcasting, selling on Etsy, trying your hand at voice narration, and teaching courses, there are plenty of ways couples can bring in some extra income while working from home.

Take a look at the top online options you should give a try.

Top 12 ways couples can make money online Most couples approach online opportunities like side hustles – it’s just something extra that adds to the savings account. However, depending on how dedicated you and your partner are, online jobs could quickly turn into lucrative full-time endeavors.

Here are the top 12 most profitable ways couples can make money online.

• 1. Blogging
• 1. Vlogging
• 1. Streaming
• 1. Content writing
• 1. eCommerce
• 1. Get on online marketplaces
• 1. Social media
• 1. Podcasting
• 1. Photography
• 1. Fitness coaching
• 1. Teaching online
• 1. Voice narration

• Blogging * Starting cost: $0 to $200

• Turnaround time: 20 months
• Earning potential: $45,000 Starting a blog can be one of the most fulfilling online jobs. All you need are some good writing skills, a content plan, and a niche you’re passionate about.

You and your partner can delegate tasks. One of you can work on creating content, for instance, while the other edits it. One can work on website design while the other engages with site visitors.

The only drawback is that it can take a while before your blog starts attracting enough readers for monetization. On average, most bloggers start monetizing around their 20th month online, and they earn around $45,000 annually.

However, both of those numbers can vary wildly. You might go years with just a couple of hundred a month, or you might start earning six figures instantly.

Read more: The Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Successful Blog 2. Vlogging * Starting cost: $280 * Turnaround time: No average turnaround time * Earning potential: $55,000 If you’re not much for writing but are interested in connecting with audiences by sharing your life experiences, insights, and expertise, you could try vlogging. Short for video blogging, vlogging is most commonly done on platforms like YouTube.

You and your partner can share excerpts from your life, create travel and food vlogs, exercise vlogs, or anything in between. Simply choose the niche you’re most interested in and start creating content.

Depending on your niche, you might not even need any special equipment to get started. A good phone camera and basic video editing tools could be more than enough initially.

However, keep in mind that there’s no average turnaround time for monetization. It all depends on how many viewers you can attract. You need at least a thousand subscribers to earn directly from YouTube – the more, the merrier.

The good news is that there’s no cap on how much you can earn once you’ve started attracting followers. With enough views, you can easily earn millions annually through ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored videos, and even Patreon supporters.

Read more: How to Make Money on YouTube 3. Streaming * Starting cost: $500 * Turnaround time: 2 months * Earning potential: $57,000 Vlogging requires careful planning and a lot of time spent on video editing. If you want to avoid this but still dabble with video content creation, you and your partner could try your hand at streaming.

Most commonly shared on platforms like Twitch and YouTube, streaming is done live. You’ll get a chance to interact with your audience in real-time, start conversations, answer questions, and more.

Generally speaking, streaming doesn’t have high upfront costs if you want just some basic equipment. However, if you need to build a gaming PC, for instance, get a high-quality camera and microphone, you might have to spend a couple of thousand on it.

1. Content writing * Starting cost: $0
2. Turnaround time: Immediate
3. Earning potential: $55,000 If you and your partner have good writing skills but aren’t interested in devoting time and effort to running your own blog/website, you should consider becoming content writers.

As a content writer, you’d be tasked with writing relevant content for others’ sites. That can include blogs, tutorials, product/service descriptions, and more.

Most content writers can find employment opportunities on freelancing websites such as Upwork or Freelancer.

You can set your own rates, choose your own clients, and work whenever you want– as long as you meet the agreed-upon deadlines with your clients.

Read more: 100+ Types of Digital Content You Can Make 5. eCommerce * Starting cost: $1,040 * Turnaround time: 1 to 6 months * Earning potential: $1,524,000 Starting an online business and running an eCommerce store isn’t for the lighthearted. You and your partner will have to come up with a comprehensive business idea. You’ll have to research the market, find ways to reach out to your target audience, partner with vendors, handle inventory, and so much more.

If you’re up for it, however, it can prove to be well worth it.

As a general rule of thumb, starting costs for a new eCommerce business is low if you’re only looking at the bare necessities. It takes a little more than a thousand to start your inventory, get a domain name for your website, and find a hosting provider.

Read more: How to Start an eCommerce Business 6. Get on online marketplaces * Starting cost: $1,000 * Turnaround time: 3 months to 2 years * Earning potential: $55,000 The best alternative to running your own eCommerce store is selling items on online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, Shopify, Etsy, and the like.

If you and your partner are into arts and crafts and enjoy making things such as hand-made candles, pottery, cosmetics, home decor, or anything in between, this could be a great earning opportunity.

Depending on the types of crafts you create and the marketplace you choose to sell on, your start-up costs could be nominal. You might only have to invest in the necessary materials.

The only issue is that you can never know when (and if) your small crafts business will take off. In that sense, it’s similar to selling items at the flea market. Some days, you might sell everything you have. On other days, you might get no customers at all. It’s a risk, but it can pay off.

Read more: The Best Sites and Apps to Sell Stuff Online 7. Social media * Starting cost: $0 * Turnaround time: 6 months to a year * Earning potential: $1,000 to $10,000 In all likelihood, you and your partner probably have at least one or two social media platforms you constantly use. Why not try and monetize your accounts?

Like with anything else, the key to making it as a social media influencer duo is choosing your niche. Fortunately, there are plenty of them. You can create social media content for new moms and dads, tattoo enthusiasts, animal lovers, food lovers, and anything in between.

Once you’ve accumulated enough followers, you can start monetizing through brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and more.

Not every influencer can make millions, but you can still turn a pretty penny. Micro-influencers with around 10,000 followers can earn about $100 per post, while macro-influencers with up to a million followers can earn as much as $10,000 per post.

Read more: How to Make Money on Instagram 8. Podcasting * Starting cost: $300+ * Turnaround time: 6 to 12 months * Earning potential: $73,000 Running a podcast can be exceptionally fulfilling and a wonderful bonding experience for you and your partner. Choose your preferred topics, focusing on subject areas you’re experienced in or passionate about, then spend your days recording your conversations.

You can bring in guests, join other podcasters, guest star in other shows, and more.

If you want your podcasts to attract a larger audience, you must deliver high-quality content. That means addressing relevant topics and recording using high-quality equipment.

Since you don’t have to have a video for your podcasts, you can get by with just a good microphone and pair of headsets.

Read more: How to Start a Podcast: The Beginner’s Guide 9. Photography * Starting cost: $1,000 * Turnaround time: 1 to 3 years * Earning potential: $25,000 If you and your partner have the talent for it, you should try your hand at photography. Of course, working as a photographer pays off more if you offer services for events such as weddings and birthdays. Still, you can make a fair amount of money with photography online – by taking and selling stock photos.

All you need is a good eye and a high-quality camera. While the best cameras will set you back thousands, you can still find decent digital cameras for around $1,000.

Then, all you have to do is start taking stock photos and selling them online – either directly to clients who need them or on sites such as Shutterstock and StockPhotoSecrets.

Read more: Best Freelance Photographer Jobs 10. Fitness Coaching * Starting cost: $2,000 * Turnaround time: No average turnaround time * Earning potential: $72,000 Becoming an online fitness coaching duo is a dream come true for many couples. It’s a great earning opportunity that allows you to pursue your passion, connect with a large community, and bond with your partner.

Depending on the equipment you may already have, you might have to spend a couple of thousand getting started. You’ll need some basic home gyms equipment such as weights, bars, a training bench, and the like. Additionally, you’ll need a high-quality camera and video editing software.

You can approach online fitness coaching in a couple of different ways. You could sell pre-recorded training sessions, offer virtual one-on-one training, or host online fitness classes.

1. Teaching online * Starting cost: $0
2. Turnaround time: No average turnaround time
3. Earning potential: $57,000 It’s not only fitness coaching that can be done online. If you want to teach others but prefer to stay in the comfort of your home, you and your partner can start teaching online.

Choose topics you’re the most knowledgeable about, then start offering online classes. You can teach anything from English and maths to music, art, web development, and marketing.

You can choose your preferred student groups based on age or educational background, set your own rates, and work when it’s most convenient for you and your students.

Similarly to fitness coaching, you can offer pre-recorded lessons, one-on-one, or group classes.

1. Voice narration * Starting cost: $500
2. Turnaround time: No average turnaround time
3. Earning potential: $80,000 Finally, if you and your partner are good at voice acting, you could try your hand at voice narration. You’ll solely need high-quality audio equipment and preferably a soundproof room.

Voice narrators are needed for all types of different content. You could lend your voice to cartoon and video game characters, offer voice-acting services for audiobooks, do voice-overs for marketing content, and more.

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll find the best voice-acting gigs at freelancing platforms like the aforementioned Upwork and Freelancer.

Conclusion Turning a profit from online gigs as a couple can be a fulfilling experience. You and your partner will get a chance to work together, bond, and pursue your passions.

However, for the time being, it’s always in your best interest to stick to your day jobs until your online endeavors start to pay off. After all, it could take a while for some of these opportunities to bring in enough income for you to make a living.

Sources for starting cost, turnaround time, and earning potential: * https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/building-websites/cost-to-start-a-blog/ * https://www.productiveblogging.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-make-money-blogging/ * https://www.ryrob.com/how-much-bloggers-make/ * https://strangershow.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-youtube-channel/ * https://realisticpay.com/how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-start-making-money-on-youtube/ * https://influencermarketinghub.com/how-much-do-youtubers-make/ * https://artlist.io/blog/twitch-streaming-setup * https://streamersplaybook.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-affiliate-on-twitch/ * https://brave.com/learn/how-much-money-do-twitch-streamers-earn/ * https://www.indeed.com/career/content-writer/salaries * https://sumo.com/stories/ecommerce-startup-costs * https://shivanshbhanwariyadigital.com/how-long-money-e-commerce/ * https://gritglobal.io/blog/how-much-can-you-make-from-ecommerce/ * https://stepbystepbusiness.com/business-ideas/start-a-craft-business * https://www.cassiesmallwood.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-make-a-full-time-income-selling-crafts/ * https://www.zippia.com/craft-artist-jobs/ * https://www.thespark.school/blog/how-much-time-take-influence * https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/how-much-do-influencers-make * https://books.forbes.com/blog/how-much-does-cost-make-podcast/ * https://podcastrocket.net/how-long-to-make-money * https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Podcast-Host-Salary * https://www.gadgetreview.com/how-much-are-cameras * https://wahaviblog.com/en/how-long-it-takes-to-start-selling-stock-photos * https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Stock-Photography-Salary * https://www.energy.fit/blogs/news/good-home-gym-cost * https://traineracademy.org/blog/personal-trainer-salary/ * https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/online-tutor-salary * https://improvepodcast.com/average-cost-of-a-mic/ * https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Voice-Actor-Salary

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A blog’s logo is an essential brand element. A quality logo can tell people what your blog is about and make it more memorable so that they can come back again until they’re fully engaged with your blog.

If you want to refresh your blog, it’s good to redesign your logo. Here’s how you can do this on your own.

Read more: In-depth Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Logo for Your Website or Blog Find an online tool for a new blog logo To make a new blog logo fast, you need a reliable online logo maker tool. These tools are usually free, easy to use, and let you create fantastic logo designs in no time.

Such creators allow you to choose the font, graphics, vectors, style, colors, effects, and other elements and can be used for creating a logo overnight.

Read more: The Best Logo Design Tools (Free & Paid) 7 quick steps for making a new blog logo After you’ve found the right tool, here’s what you need to do.

• 1. Choose the right font
• 1. Think about your color palette
• 1. Think about your brand
• 1. Be original
• 1. Work on text first
• 1. Bring in design visuals
• 1. Check your competitors

1. Choose the right font Fonts are an important consideration as they reflect your blog’s personality and give viewers a sense of what you’re all about. At the same time, fonts can make your message more precise, complement the visuals you’ve added, and showcase your story and values.

2. Think about your color palette The colors of your logo are essential. Start with black and white, but once you’ve made some progress, you can search for the right color palette. Use different shades of the same color to add more depth and contrast to your design.

3. Think about your brand Your logo is an integral part of your brand and should be consistent with your image. It reflects on all aspects of your logo, from fonts to the design visuals. For example, if you have a law blog discussing serious issues, you should use a font that conveys professionalism, punctuality, and accuracy.

4. Be original Your logo should be logical, but it should also be authentic. Think about the story behind your logo and your blog. See what makes your brand unique and sketch out multiple ideas based on your story and the common words you associate with them. Test the sketch with multiple people and see which ones work best.

5. Work on text firstStart with the text you want to use and use it as a base for your logo. Choose the right font, and then see how your design expands. You can often combine design elements with the fonts and connect them into a single piece or complement them somehow.

6. Bring in design visuals The visual identity includes aesthetics and imagery. You can combine images of physical objects, living images, different color palettes, typography, and graphics into a well-rounded visual presentation.

7. Check your competitors Understanding your competitor’s logos can help you recognize the most popular identities people know. It will help you understand what you need to do to get closer to your audience while also allowing you to bring in something new and unique that will help people memorize your logo.

Conclusion Anyone can make a new blog logo. Follow these easy steps and repeat them until you are satisfied with the results!

The post How to Quickly Make a New Blog Logo appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Blogs and podcasts are viral mediums people like consuming. This makes them perfect for creative types looking to build their expertise in specific subjects, promotion, networking, etc.

But which one is a better option?

Blogs are written online journals that post content frequently and let visitors read about a particular topic. Podcasts are live-spoken online shows where one or multiple people talk about a topic in a more or less formal way.

Blog vs podcast: comparison table Here’s a brief overview of some of the greatest differences between blogs and podcasts:

| Blog | Podcast | | Content Format | Blogs use writing, video, and images with an emphasis on reading. | Podcasts mostly use audio content, but videos are getting more popular. | | Time required to produce one piece of content | Starting and posting a blog lasts around 3-4 hours on average. | Creating a short podcast requires 4-5 hours, with additional time invested in preparation and setting everything up. | | Essential skills | Writing, blogging platform use, proofreading, researching, and marketing. | Conversation skills, using recording equipment, video and audio production software, podcast hosting platforms | | Branding | Building brand awareness through words can take a lot of hard work. | Podcasts are suitable for building a brand through communication. | | Consumability | Reading blogs requires sitting down and focusing on the text. | People can listen to podcasts while walking, running, or traveling. |

Before discussing their differences, let’s see what these terms mean.

What are blogs? Blogs are public online diaries that anyone can access. These websites have a specific blog section where visitors can see all the latest blog posts and access them. Blogs are regularly updated and deliver content regarding a specific industry, niche, or topic.

The name blog comes from the combination of the words blog and log. At first, blogs were simple online personal diaries where people could log their thoughts, activities, and important events. Modern blogs have turned into something different, and they are often used for business and marketing purposes.

Many people want to become professional bloggers and try to create a lucrative career for themselves. Luckily, anyone can start a blog today and try blogging themselves.

What are podcasts? Podcasts are basically online radio or TV shows that come in episodes. Podcasts are usually available on various podcasting platforms. In some cases, specific podcasts even have their own websites. Stitcher, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube are commonly used podcast services.

Podcasters need to set up their hosting platforms before they can start podcasts. This format revolves around talking where one or more people speak directly into microphones while the whole conversation is aired online with or without video.

Different medium The most crucial difference between a blog and a podcast is the medium.

• Blogs are written pieces of text available to anyone and sometimes contain videos or images.
• Podcasts can be video or audio recordings accessible through various platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Podcasts can be played in real-time or replayed later. The medium is the fundamental difference between the two, creating all other significant differences.

Podcasts are usually much longer than blogs and could last for hours. On the other hand, blogs can be read in about six to seven minutes on average.

Requirements for starting a blog or podcastStarting a blog requires a couple of things. First of all, you will need the necessary writing skills. You won’t get that far if you can’t write well to keep the reader’s attention.

Furthermore, you will need the knowledge and creative thinking to research your topics, develop interesting insights, and connect the right dots. Blogging is more of a background role where you aren’t directly interacting with people or talking to them.

Read more: How To Start a Blog To start a successful podcast, however, you will need knowledge of podcasting software, the business world, marketing skills, and speaking skills.

You will have to talk live, deliver your key points, and articulate all your thoughts clearly. It requires a more hands-on approach with adequate preparation.

Read more: How To Start a Podcast Type of content Even though blogs come in the form of written text, there is a lot of variety. You can write how-to guides that teach people to do something, offer extensive blogs with all relevant information about a topic, do definition posts, write listicles, publish news posts, offer case studies, etc.

There are different ways you can structure your blogs with how you deliver information. The most common options are the inverted pyramid and pyramid structures.

Read more: How to Create Blog Content Podcasts also have several formats, including interview podcasts, where you invite guests and focus on them. Alternatively, there are conversational podcasts with a more casual approach and multiple speakers.

You can do educational podcasts to build your authority on a topic or do a podcast theater to bring less intensity to your content.

Monetization options Blogs and podcasts can be monetized in several ways:

• Bloggers make money through affiliate marketing, selling ads, offering subscription content, selling products or services, offering online courses, posting sponsored posts, etc.
• Podcasts can also make money through affiliate marketing, but other revenue sources exist, including offering exclusive content, sponsorship deals, selling paid content, donations, crowdfunding, YouTube ads, etc. Both of these options have multiple revenue sources. The profits you get directly depend on how well you build your channels and whether you have a base of readers/viewers that tune in regularly.

Production time Writing a typical blog post (a bit over 1000 words) can last 3 to 4 hours, but more in-depth 2000–3000 word posts can take closer to 6 or even 8 hours.

It all depends on the topic and how in-depth you want your content to be. It involves finding the right topic, researching online, comparing numbers, finding studies, and putting them together in a well-structured piece.

On the other hand, producing a 40-minute podcast requires roughly 4 to 5 hours of work. Remember that most podcast episodes last longer and that creators release a single episode per week. In other words, this requires more preparation before actually releasing the content.

The first stage is planning and preparing the show. Then you have to record and edit the podcast. All of these stages require a lot of time and hard work.

Starting costs Initially, it looks like both are relatively simple to create and don’t require a lot of investments, but this isn’t exactly true. Creators can save up in many ways, but if you want your blog or podcast to compete, you must offer top-quality content.

• Your budget for starting a blog should cover the costs of development, web design, hosting, advertising, and branding. Setting up a simple blog can cost you as low as $33 but building your audience and improving will require additional investments.
• Starting an affordable podcast will set you back at least $400, and you will need a good computer, headphones, microphone, recording software, editing tools, branding, and advertising. Like with blogs, you will have to invest a lot more down the road to improve the quality of your podcast. Conclusion We hope this post has helped you understand the main differences between blogs and podcasts. If you are more of an introvert who likes to communicate with people indirectly through text, it’s probably a better option to go with a blog. On the other hand, if you like the spotlight and want your voice to be heard, consider starting a podcast.

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Although people sometimes deal with the problem of blogs not showing up on WordPress, it’s an easy fix and shouldn’t discourage you from starting a blog. It can be frustrating, but the solutions can be simple.

We’re not saying you didn’t add content to WordPress correctly, but slip-ups sometimes happen, and it’s the first thing you should check. If you did everything correctly, continue with other possible fixes.

A quick fix if your blog is not showing up on WordPress One of the most common reasons why your blog isn’t showing up on WordPress is due to various caching issues. Check your caches, such as your browser or page cache, to see if that’s the case. Clearing these caches might resolve the problem of your blogs not showing up.

Other possible fixesIf the quick fix doesn’t work, there are other fixes you can try to make your blog show up on WordPress. Go through the list below, try these fixes individually, and see if they help.

1. Clean CDN cache Bloggers often use CDN cache to speed up WordPress loading times. However, CDN works by caching the website’s static content, which can cause problems when you update the website, so try clearing it.
2. Clear cache using a plugin If you use WordPress, there’s a chance you’re already familiar with WordPress’ caching plugin and other WordPress SEO plugins. Use the plugin’s clear cache option and either clear the whole website’s cache or the cache of the individual webpage.
3. Refresh your browser The simplest solution can be to refresh your browser. Simply hit CTRL + F5 on your keyboard (or CMD + R for Mac users), and it will hard refresh the browser, forcing the browser to skip the cache.
4. Configure WordPress to post new content automatically Another possible solution is to configure WordPress settings to publish automatically. You might need an Auto Post plugin for this solution, and it might resolve your issue of blogs not showing up on WordPress.
5. Reset your permalinks You can fix this problem by logging into the WordPress Dashboard, entering Settings, then Permalinks, and choosing a different setting. After you save the changes, reverse the process, and select your default settings. It effectively resets your permalinks and might resolve the issue.
6. Check permission and privacy configurations This issue isn’t typical for blog sites and is more common for dynamic membership sites that show different content to specific users, but you can still try it. Check the permissions and the privacy settings to see if it resolves your issue. ConclusionThe problem of blogs not showing up on WordPress is a common one. Fortunately, there are fixes you can try, and they’re almost guaranteed to help. If the quick fix doesn’t help, you can follow our list of other possible problems and apply these solutions to see your new blog post up in no time.

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Did you know there are over 40,000 Google searches every second? Most internet users can’t comprehend the sheer size of Google and its impact on our everyday lives, even though most of us exclusively use Google Search. Over 90% of internet searches are done with Google Search.

Understanding Google and how it works can bring various benefits to internet users. For example, bloggers can gain the upper hand if they take advantage of Google’s features and learn more about them. They can improve their blogs, increase visibility, and acquire a lot of new readers.

If you’re a blogger struggling to show up on Google or someone wanting to start a blog, stick with us, as we’ll go over various problems bloggers face when trying to reach the first page of Google.

We’ll discuss precisely why your blog isn’t showing up in searches and what you can do to fix it.

Why is my blog not showing up?Your blog post might not be showing up in Google searches for several reasons. Here are a few of them:

• Indexing issues – Google may not have indexed your website yet because it’s too new. That is especially true if you just launched a website, and it may take some time for indexing to complete. You can fix this by adding a sitemap.
• Search engine crawling optimization – If your website isn’t crawler-friendly, search engines won’t be able to access it and show it in search results. Ensure that you optimize your site for search engine crawling.
• Competitive keyword market – Your website might not show up because you chose an incorrect or too broad keyword. You might be stuck in an overly competitive keyword market if the keyword isn’t specific enough.
• “No index” tags – You might have accidentally put “no index” tags on your webpage. These tags tell search engines to skip indexing your website or specific web pages.
• You might be banned – If Google marks your site for anything inappropriate, it might be why your website isn’t showing up. It might be due to being deindexed, penalized, or sandboxed. If you’re struggling with any of these issues, below are some possible solutions to make your blog posts appear in search engines.

Submit your blog to search enginesSometimes, it’s a simple fix; you only need to submit your blog to various search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

Although there are many plugins you can use, we suggest Yoast SEO. This tool shows you how to do keyword research and employ structured data for better results. It keeps your content organized and user-friendly. It helps search engines understand your pages.

Yoast SEO is also a plugin that creates a custom sitemap for your blog, which you can later submit to search engines.

After you create the sitemap with Yoast SEO, you can use Google Search Console for Google, or Bing Webmaster Tools for Bing and Yahoo, to submit the sitemap to these search engines.

Here’s how to do that.

Google Search Console 1. Log in to the Google Search Console. 2. Select your website from the sidebar. 3. Choose “Sitemaps” under the “Indexing” section. 4. Remove older sitemaps. 5. Create a new one and call it “sitemap_index.xml” after you click “Add a new sitemap.” 6. Submit your sitemap. Bing Webmaster Tools 1. Log in to Bing Webmaster Tools. 2. Select your website from the “My Sites” page. 3. Click on “Configure My Site” and then select “Sitemaps.” 4. Remove older sitemaps. 5. Enter the new sitemap URL into the text box. 6. Submit your sitemap. Find your target audienceThe success of your blog will depend significantly on your target audience. If your blogs discuss subjects irrelevant to your readers, your posts won’t engage the audience. Therefore, it’s one of the most crucial steps for improving your search engine rankings.

Bloggers often fail to recognize their audience, causing their blog visibility to drop. It’s why search engines have trouble categorizing your blog, causing it not to rank.

Finding out the target audience and defining them is the first step to your blog ranking better. By creating a demographic of your potential readers and finding out what interests them, you can make blog posts they like, click on, and want to continue reading.

Do keyword researchAnother vital aspect in improving your blog’s visibility are keywords you use. When searching for information, internet users use keywords and phrases to find what they want to read about. Therefore, using keywords relevant to what you want them to read can improve your blog’s traffic.

A blog loses traffic if it doesn’t use the keywords the target audience does, which is where bloggers often make mistakes. They don’t research them or use broad keywords, which causes their blogs to miss out on potential readers.

Doing keyword research is crucial in improving the blog’s ranking. You can use various tools to improve your blog’s visibility, giving you relevant keywords that can push it to the front page, increase SERP ranking, and bring in more readers.

Read more: How to Do Keyword Research for Your Blog Write quality and relevant contentCreate something your target audience finds valuable regarding your blog’s content. Your content must be relevant to the topic you’re writing about and the keywords you’re using. Otherwise, you won’t engage readers and will rank lower in search engines.

If you write for the sake of writing as much as possible, your readers will often close tabs, leading to a high bounce rate, which, over time, hurts your blog’s ranking on search engines. Spamming irrelevant content is not worth it in the long run.

To improve your blog’s visibility and search ranking, create high-quality content relevant to your audience and engage your readers. That means using proper spelling, checking the post’s grammar, and writing researched and accurate information.

Read more: How to Create Blog Content Optimize blog postsBlog optimization ensures that all readers can read your posts using a computer or a mobile device. That includes proper formatting, as well as optimizing content for relevant keywords.

Using improper formatting, irrelevant keywords, and creating uninteresting, generic, and irrelevant titles can significantly impact your blog’s success. What’s even worse is using clickbait titles. These titles will give you an excellent click rate but an even higher bounce rate, massively hurting your blogs in the long run.

Your posts should have a proper structure and include headings, subheadings, and bulleted and numbered lists. Use creative titles with relevant keywords to optimize your blog posts. Your blog must also be mobile-friendly, as almost 5.5 billion users use mobile devices worldwide.

Read more: Beginner Guide on How to Structure a Blog Post for SEO Publish constantlyPosting regular content can bring significant advantages to your blog. A blogger who creates new content once in a blue moon will never rank as high as someone who regularly adds new content to their blog.

When bloggers fail to publish fresh content regularly or go for weeks or months without new content, it hurts their visibility. Even if older content is there and no matter how great the content is, the blog will lose visibility and fall off SERPs.

That doesn’t mean you have to publish something every day. Focusing on that and doing so will hurt the quality of your posts. However, creating a content schedule and posting regularly, such as once every week, for example, will immensely help your search engine ranking.

Analyze your blog with SEO toolsSEO (Search Engine Optimization) has become such a vast field that it’s hard to keep track of everything. However, what’s always true is that SEO tools can immensely help bloggers. By researching the best SEO tools and utilizing them for your blog, you’ll undoubtedly improve it.

If you don’t know what drove traffic to a particular post, how will you create another one that’s also successful? You can use various SEO tools to analyze your blog’s visibility and rankings. By knowing what you need to improve upon, you can focus on creating better content and improving where you are on SERPs.

Read more: Easy-to-Follow Search Engine Optimization Guide Build quality linksQuality links and networking are also essential. If your blog posts have quality links, you’re letting search engines know your content is also high-quality. It’s another vital aspect of improving your search engine visibility.

To fix this, you can use high-quality links and trusted sources to improve your blog’s reach. Similarly, you can network with other bloggers in the same niche, often linking each other’s content in your blog posts.

You can also focus on guest blogging or how-to articles and guides, making other bloggers link your content.

ConclusionIf you’re having trouble with your blog not showing in Google searches, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s not too difficult to fix this problem. Reviewing our tips, which include doing proper keyword research, SEO analysis, optimization, etc., you’ll learn what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.

Remember that optimizing your blogs for better search engine rankings doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and effort, and you won’t see immediate results. However, focusing on these strategies will improve your blog’s search engine presence, visibility, and ranking.

The post Why Is My Blog Not Showing In Google Search? Here’s How to Fix It appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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One of the final stages of starting a new business or launching a side business operation is to obtain an Employer Identification Number. While this step appears overly complex to some entrepreneurs, it’s essential to complete it, especially if it is mandatory in your state.

The best way to stay motivated to learn how to acquire an EIN is to understand how it can benefit your company.

Below you will find everything you need to know about an EIN, including business benefits, and discover two ways to obtain it.

EIN explained As a future business owner, you’ve probably heard about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It’s a federal government body collecting US federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS is also in charge of assigning EINs to businesses. What is an EIN exactly?

An EIN is a unique nine-digit number assigned to companies for tax purposes. It’s like a social security number for businesses. With an EIN, companies can stay on top of their taxes and have employees on a payroll. It is also included on tax filing forms and related documents.

Some business structures require an EIN, such as partnerships, LLCs, and corporations, while others, such as sole proprietorships, don’t need it. However, if a sole proprietorship wants to hire employees, offer a retirement plan, or file for bankruptcy, it also must obtain an EIN.

Why businesses need an EINNow that you understand EIN basics, you are ready to learn about the benefits it can offer to you and your company.

Avoiding tax penalties and filing taxes more easily If your business structure requires an EIN and you don’t have one, you are exposed to tax penalties. The only option to prevent this is to acquire an EIN from the IRS before tax deadlines and file your taxes on time. Tax filing forms are easy to complete and come with a mandatory EIN field that you must fill out before submitting your taxes.

Preventing fraud and theft One of the notable benefits of having an EIN is preventing fraud and theft. This is because once you have an EIN, you can separate your private and business finances. You will no longer have to provide your SSN when doing business with vendors or clients. The result is that you can keep your SSN private, preventing criminals from stealing it.

Building credibility Whether you are launching a B2C or B2B establishment, you are about to enter a world of business where you’ll have to deal with fierce competition. The best way to attract more customers, clients, and powerful partners is to present as a responsible business owner committed to your company. An EIN can help you to do this as it paints you as a serious business owner.

Speeding up business loans Loans are often a lifeline for companies that have just entered the market. Every loan company has a similar procedure for loan approval for businesses. Without an EIN, you will have to provide additional insurance and do more paperwork. An EIN helps you to speed up the business loan process and offers the opportunity to apply for loans with the best interest rates.

Creating business credit If you want to apply for credit for your business, the bank or loan company will look into your business credit history. This is similar to your personal credit history. The only difference is that business credit history shows your past financial interactions with vendors, suppliers, and clients.

An EIN enables you to develop business credit, and banks and loan companies will be able to quickly and efficiently check your business credit history every time that you apply for credit using your EIN.

Hiring employees more easily Your company’s payroll system is tied to your EIN. Basically, you can’t set it up without an EIN. Your EIN enables your company to have staff on payroll. It makes hiring employees straightforward and helps you to attract top talent in your niche so that you can establish your business on a path to success.

Which businesses don’t need an EIN? We’ve already mentioned that sole proprietorships don’t need an EIN under specific circumstances. However, there are other business structures that aren’t required by law to have an EIN.

If you are an independent contractor, you don’t need to have one. The same rule applies to people with side jobs as well as those who run and manage small home businesses. Freelancers who use specialized platforms to do business with their clients also don’t need an EIN.

Can you get an EIN without an SSN? Many individuals are under the impression that they need an SSN to obtain an EIN.

The good news is that if you live in the US and want to start your business there, you don’t need an SSN to acquire an EIN. In other words, even non-US citizens can still get an EIN.

The IRS enables people without an SSN in the US to secure an EIN and start a business. There is a form (Form SS-4) that must be used if you don’t have an SSN. You must complete all of the required fields and submit the form via mail.

When applying, you only need to provide essential information about your business, including your business name, entity type, and location. Since it takes time to process your form, it’s recommended that you submit Form SS-4 at least one month before you need to use your EIN.

How to get an EIN with the IRSThe process of receiving an EIN with the IRS is straightforward. Once you have all of the required information ready, you can complete the entire process in a couple of minutes. Here are all of the steps required to complete.

Step 1. Apply for your number with the IRS The IRS offers all EIN applicants this service for free. You have four options: apply by fax, mail, phone, or online. The online application is the easiest method but it requires an SSN, an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), or an EIN. Other options require that yo submit a completed Form SS-4 via mail.

Step 2. Provide all required information During the application process, you will need to disclose all of the required information. Preparing before starting the application is essential to have it completed quickly. Here is what you need to provide:

• The company’s legal name;
• The applicant’s legal name;
• Trade name, if you have one;
• Business location (the country, state, and street and mailing addresses);
• Responsible party’s information (an SSN or a previously obtained EIN);
• Business entity type;
• Company start date;
• Workforce size; and

• The company’s primary activity. Step 3. Answer LLC questions If you want to get an EIN for an LLC, you will need to provide additional information:

• Number of members in the LLC;

• SSN or TIN of the responsible party (owner, member, or managing member of the LLC);
• Name of the LLC;
• LLC location (territory, state, country);
• State and territory where articles of organization will be filed;
• Start date of LLC;
• If the LLC involves gambling or wagering;
• If the LLC has a highway motor vehicle weighing at least 55,000 pounds, which incurs taxes;
• If your company must pay excise tax returns quarterly;
• If your company makes or sells alcoholic beverages, weapons, or tobacco products;
• If you have employees who will be issued W-2 Forms in the next year;
• If you anticipate your employment tax liability to be $1,000 or less;
• Dates when you first paid or will pay wages; and

• What your company does (Select an option from the list). Step 4. Identify your entity You can significantly speed up your application process when selecting the business entity for which you need to obtain an EIN. In the EIN application form, you can specify that you need to obtain an EIN for the following:

• Sole proprietorship;

• Corporation;
• LLC;
• Partnership;
• Personal service corporation;
• Church-to-church-controlled organization; or

• Other nonprofit organization. Step 5. Provide the reason for your application Next, you need to specify a reason for applying:

• Starting a new business;

• Hiring employees;
• Complying with IRS withholding regulations;
• Banking purpose;
• Changing your type of organization;
• Purchasing an existing business;
• Creating a trust; or
• Creating a pension plan. Step 6. Provide tax and account details Finally, you must specify your expectations regarding your employment tax liability. If you expect it to be $1,000 or less in a full calendar year, you can file Form 944 annually. Otherwise, you will have to file Form 941 every quarter.

Step 7. Sign your application Once you’ve completed all of the steps listed above, you can sign and submit or mail/fax your application for an EIN. If you apply online, the information is validated in real-time, and you will receive your EIN immediately. If you do it by fax, you can expect your EIN in four days, while applying by mail takes up to four weeks to get one.

How to get an EIN using a third-party serviceYou can choose another option if you need to get an EIN. Instead of doing everything yourself, you can receive an EIN using a third-party service such as Northwest. This is a much easier and hassle-free option, because you can outsource the process to an experienced professional specializing in applying for and acquiring EINs for businesses.

The cost of outsourcing the EIN application to Northwest is also affordable.

It costs $50 if you have an SSN and $200 if you are not a US citizen, while you can secure complete incorporation, registered agent service, business forms, and an EIN for $275 plus state fees.

The process is relatively simple. Once you hire Northwest, the company’s professional staff will gather all of the necessary information and file your application with the IRS. Northwest will also work with the IRS to resolve any potential problems.

Conclusion Hopefully, now you understand what an EIN is. As you can see, getting an EIN for your company offers many benefits, such as better creditworthiness, an easier time applying for business loans, and avoiding tax penalties. However, obtaining it can be overwhelming, especially for new business owners who haven’t done it before.

That’s where third-party service providers can be helpful. You can secure your EIN at an affordable price, and since you are about to launch a brand, you can spend precious time on more pressing matters.

The post The Basics of EIN and How Businesses Can Acquire One appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Keeping your business available to your customers at all times is one of the key ingredients to success. Your customers need to be able to reach you whenever they need and however they want – the focus being on the latter.

While it’s true that many prefer reaching out to businesses and solving issues via email and digital channels, over 42% still go for their phone when things get serious. Because of this, you’ll need to have a number that they can easily reach.

Before settling on any random number offered by your provider, you should consider getting a vanity phone number. Though not essential, it can offer an array of benefits for your small business.

Learn about the benefits of vanity phone numbers and how to get started.

What is a vanity phone number? First, let’s learn what vanity phone numbers are.

In a nutshell, vanity phone numbers are similar to vanity license plates – they’re personalized strings of numbers and letters that allow your customers to quickly recognize and memorize how to contact you.

Their functionality doesn’t differ from any regular phone number – your customers, vendors, and suppliers can still use the vanity number to get in touch with you. The only difference is that you can choose how that number will look.

Businesses commonly use repetitive numbers such as 123-123 or 111-111 for their vanity phone numbers. After all, it’s almost impossible to get the contact information wrong when it’s so simple.

However, many SMBs will also include phonewords, like 1-800-TOMMYS or 1-800-TAXI.

What are the differences between a vanity and a toll-free number? When choosing your business’s phone number, you’ll find that you can access vanity and toll-free numbers. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not the same thing.

Toll-free numbers are precisely what their name implies – numbers that your customers can dial to reach you without paying the associated tolls and fees for placing the call. They can call for free, even if they need to make long-distance calls to reach you.

However, toll-free doesn’t mean that there are no tolls whatsoever. There are – it’s just your business that pays them instead of your customers.

Vanity numbers can be toll-free numbers and vice versa, but it’s not a given. You have to check with your provider to see if you can set up a toll-free vanity number.

Read more: Toll-Free Numbers: What They Are, How They Work, and How to Get One How they work As mentioned earlier, vanity phone numbers work just like any other phone number. Whether using repetitive numbers or phonewords, your customers can easily dial it using their landline or smartphone to contact you.

However, phonewords do work somewhat uniquely.

To dial the phoneword, the customer must tap on the numeric equivalent of the letter in question. In the US, numbers from 2 to 9 represent the following letters:

• 2 – A, B, C;
• 3 – D, E, F;
• 4 – G, H, I;
• 5 – J, K, L;
• 6 – M, N, O;
• 7 – P, Q, R, S;
• 8 – T, U, V; and
• 9 – W, X, Y, Z. For instance, to dial the number 1-800-TOMMIES, a customer would have to type in 1-800-866-6537.

Benefits of using vanity phone numbers Vanity phone numbers are easily recognizable, and as such, they deliver an abundance of benefits. The following are just some of the advantages you’ll enjoy by switching to a vanity number.

Easy to memorize Most effective when used in traditional TV ads or digital video ads, vanity numbers are commonly combined with a recognizable jingle that has a way of getting stuck in the listener’s head. Before long, you’ll have many prospective customers humming along with your jingle and repeating your catchy vanity number.

The simple fact that your number is easy to memorize can have significant implications. Whenever your target audience thinks about needing products/services within your niche, they’ll remember your phone number.

This means that they’ll be more likely to give you a call. It’s much easier than digging through stacks of phone number listings or Googling relevant businesses.

More leads Even if they are genuinely interested in getting in touch with you, many of your qualified leads might avoid calling your SMB if it uses just a regular phone number.

Why would they want to call you, risk staying on the line too long waiting for a live agent to pick up the phone, and pay expensive tolls for placing a call with your business when they can call your competitor for free?

Offering a toll-free vanity phone number instills your leads with confidence and removes any excuses they might have for not placing the call to you.

Better advertising response rates Vanity phone numbers can be an excellent element to include in your ads if you want to increase your advertising response rates.

You can easily use them across a variety of campaigns and channels. Whether you’re creating a TV ad, a digital video ad, placing a banner ad on a third-party site, or advertising anywhere at all, you can easily include your vanity phone number.

Also, if you’re using toll-free vanity numbers, you can include them in your local and national campaigns, improving your ad response rates and increasing the number of inbound calls.

More word-of-mouth referrals A perhaps unexpected benefit of vanity phone numbers for your SMB is that they can inadvertently improve your word-of-mouth marketing. When your target audiences know your number by heart, they’ll be much more likely to recommend your business to their friends and family.

They can share your number without even thinking about it, while others can memorize it without putting in too much effort.

Branding Perhaps the most significant benefit of a simple thing such as a vanity number is that it enables you to develop a unique brand and present a unified brand identity.

With a carefully chosen vanity number, you can ensure that your target audience knows exactly who you are and what you do – even without context.

For instance, what can you conclude from a vanity number such as 1-800-TOMSBAR? Would you think that it’s a number for a bakery or a software developer, or would you rightly conclude that it’s a number for a bar?

A simple phone number can tell your audience exactly what your business is and share clearly what your brand is all about.

Getting a vanity number Now that you’re aware of the many benefits that you could enjoy with a vanity phone number, it’s time to learn about how to access the perfect number for your business. There are a few things that you’ll need to do.

Find a perfect vanity number The first, most important thing that you’ll need to do is to find the perfect number. In general, you’ll want to keep it short and simple. Vanity numbers can have more than the typical seven digits, but that doesn’t mean that they should. The shorter they are, the easier it will be for your target audience to memorize them.

Besides being short and simple, they should also be relevant. You can use your brand name as a part of your number, an abbreviation of your name, or a part of your slogan for the best effect.

Check availability Once you have a number (or a few) that you’d like to use, it’s time to check its availability. Even if your phoneword is unique, the number corresponding to the word may already be taken.

You can check availability the old-fashioned way by looking up the number in the yellow pages, or you can check with your chosen phone service provider.

Get it through a VoIP service Though you can secure a vanity phone number for your SMB through any phone service provider, it’s in your best interest to access it through a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Fully cloud-based VoIP providers don’t just provide a phone number for your business. They offer an abundance of features that can help to streamline your workflows. They can help to unify all communications with phone calls, video calls, and chats.

You can integrate them with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions – VoIP providers enable conferencing and call recording, help you collect and analyze communications data, and much more.

Read more: The Best VoIP Services for Small Businesses Steps for getting a vanity phone number Finally, it’s time to get your vanity phone number.

• First, choose whether you want a local or a toll-free number. Local numbers are generally preferred if you’re using cold-calling campaigns and need to make outgoing calls, while toll-free numbers are better for increasing incoming calls.
• Next, it’s time to purchase the number. VoIP providers make it easy to acquire any vanity number as long as it’s available. The required fee depends entirely on the number you want and the provider that you use.
• From there, you can start using your newly created vanity phone number and add various features to it, such as call forwarding, custom greetings, and more. Conclusion Even though most customers today have transitioned to digital forms of communication, many of them still prefer relying on phone conversations for more essential matters. Therefore, it’s critical for your business to have a functional and easily available phone number.

Instead of just using a random string of numbers, it’s in your best interest to customize this small but essential element and start using a vanity phone number. It can help you improve your lead generation, enhance your advertising, boost your word-of-mouth marketing, and establish a stronger brand identity.

Vanity phone numbers are a small but essential element that can help your business establish an impeccable reputation.

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In the digital age, some argue that traditional forms of communication, such as faxing, are a thing of the past. However, that is far from the truth.

Although many deem faxing obsolete due to it being a somewhat outdated technology, some business organizations still send faxes as a primary method of communication and data transmission.

However, the time-consuming handling of paper, slow transmission speed, and expensive physical hardware pose a problem for modern-day enterprises that depend on fast online data transfers over the web.

Fortunately, the solution is simple – an online faxing service. The advent of online faxing allows corporate users to leverage the convenience and flexibility of the internet to their advantage.

Streamlined, expedited, and fully scalable e-faxing allows you to forget about paper and tedious physical fax machines and welcome a new digital era of paperless communications to your organization.

Let’s review the best ways to send a fax online and achieve your desired results.

What is online faxing, and why use it? Online faxing is an innovative method of sending and receiving fax messages using the power of the web. It is a new way of faxing that is here to replace traditional analog fax machines. E-faxing requires an internet connection and an internet-enabled device to facilitate document transmission online.

You can send online faxes using a mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. Previously, traditional faxes required a public telephone network to transmit documents. Online fax service providers utilize the web internet protocol (IP) network to send and receive files while ensuring security, speed, and efficiency.

Because of this, online faxing services are affordable, straightforward, and convenient. In addition, top-rated e-fax service providers allow you to manage documents digitally, using your existing email address to convert faxes into emails and vice versa.

There are many reasons to send online faxes, ranging from effortless file archiving to saving time and money.

Here’s a quick overview of the online faxing advantages:

• Flexibility – save time, effort, and resources on additional hardware by using existing corporate infrastructure to send/receive faxes.
• Enhanced security – traditional faxing presents many security risks that online service providers can mitigate by using the latest security measures, cloud storage, and military-grade encryption functions.
• Various storage options – paper-based document management requires too much office space and creates clutter that makes document handling and organization virtually impossible. However, online faxing allows you to repurpose office space according to your needs and save faxes in a preferred, always accessible destination on your system.
• Cost-efficiency – online faxing is a long-term investment that allows you to save resources and avoid breaking your budget with standby costs, maintenance, and faxing equipment. With online faxing, you only pay for your subscription with your chosen provider. More importantly, online fax services allow you to avoid traditional landline charges that can quickly add up, especially for long-distance data transfers.
• Worldwide coverage – the problem with traditional faxing is that it limits your reach to your local area. However, online faxing solves that issue by putting the world in the palm of your hand. You can send/receive faxes worldwide as long as there’s an internet connection.
• Scalability – small businesses often face the challenge of manageably scaling their operational needs. As your business grows, you can suddenly find yourself wasting too much time on correspondence. Thankfully, online faxing allows you to scale your document transmissions according to your needs.
• Legal compliance – perhaps the biggest reason to consider investing in online faxing services is to ensure legal compliance with the latest data security and privacy regulations. Online faxing service providers invest a lot of effort and resources into following the latest HIPAA, PHIPA, and other compliance standards. With all of this in mind, let’s delve deeper into the most effective ways to send an online fax.

7 easy ways to send an online fax* 1. Sending a fax using online faxing services * 2. Sending faxes via mobile devices * 3. Microsoft Office faxing * 4. Faxing using Google Docs * 5. Sending a fax on your computer * 6. Using a VoIP service * 7. Faxing via email

1. Sending a fax using online faxing services The easiest and most effective way to send an online fax is to hire the best online fax service provider. Many companies offer effortless, fast, and reliable e-faxing for an affordable fee.

You can customize the service according to your faxing needs, send/receive faxes worldwide, and tap into user-friendly apps and websites to take your file management to the next level.

Using online faxing services is easy and simply requires you to follow a few steps:

• Find a service provider and subscribe to their online faxing program;
• Use their interface to add fax documents to the email template;
• Include your own and the recipient’s details to fill out the fax form; and
• Send your fax. Online fax service providers offer various e-faxing features, such as fax-to-email and email-to-fax functions, web extensions, and mobile apps to match the diverse needs of individual and corporate users.

In addition, they also provide storage solutions and ensure data security and compliance for data transmissions with the latest legal regulations.

Read more: 10 Most Trusted Online Fax Services for Businesses – Free & Paid 2. Sending faxes via mobile devices Top-grade online faxing brands offer mobile support for cross-platform business users. Some companies run business operations on desktop and mobile applications. Mobile faxing solutions allow you to switch between mobile and desktop platforms seamlessly.

Android Visit the Google Play store to download the preferred online fax service provider’s Android app to enable their service. Install the app, create an account, attach files, and send and receive faxes on the go.

High-end Android faxing apps offer perks such as instant delivery, confirmation reporting, the ability to use your email app to send faxes, web browser extension, access to Google Drive storage, PDF converter, document scanning, push notifications for incoming faxes, and more.

iOS Choose an online faxing provider that offers an iOS app to send/receive faxes with your iOS device. You can also use iOS mobile devices with apps such as Numbers, Pages, and Keynote to send faxes. Visit the Apple Store, download the app, and send faxes to international countries.

iOS faxing apps offer robust features, such as image processing, document scanning, top file quality converter, sending multiple files with a single fax, file preview, and dedicated fax numbers.

1. Microsoft Office faxing You can send faxes online with Microsoft 365 applications. However, this can depend on your online fax service provider. Microsoft Office allows you to fax MS Powerpoint, MS Excel, and MS Word files using the email-to-fax feature.

We recommend finding a service provider with an add-in for Microsoft apps so that you can use it to send presentations, spreadsheets, and documents directly.

1. Faxing using Google Docs Google Fax is a common feature found in most online faxing services. This function allows you to integrate online faxing features into various Google solutions, including workspace services. For example, you can send faxes directly from Google Sheets or Google Docs.

This capability is vital for data-driven business organizations, such as healthcare providers and realtors, for three reasons:

• Google workspaces offer 24/7 accessibility;
• They are easy to use and include enhanced security features; and

• You can integrate online faxing with Google services to harness the power of digital technologies to transform your business. In addition, Google Docs and Google Sheets are compatible with most smartphones and online faxing desktop apps.

• Sending a fax on your computer Using a desktop computer to send faxes online is a surefire way to improve your faxing efforts. A computer is an internet-enabled device that supports faxing requirements and offers multiple storage solutions, including security features.

You can send a fax on your computer by installing an online fax software interface or web extension and using it for e-faxing.

Find a reputable online fax service provider, download its software, and install it or receive instructions for accessing its web portal. Create a new fax, attach the files that you want to send, and enter the required details to proceed.

1. Using a VoIP service VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is an excellent solution for sending online faxes. Since VoIP involves a telephone service, it allows you to use your internet connection and ISP bandwidth to send/receive faxes over the web.

Sending faxes over VoIP is simple. Enter the recipient’s number and dial it to type in the corresponding code. Enter your email address and hit send to direct your files to the recipient’s inbox via VoIP.

VoIP converts the analog fax machine signal to internet-specific data packages and uses a VoIP gateway to transmit the data to the specified destination. If you need VoIP online faxing services, check out the best phone service providers for more information.

1. Faxing via email Your email provider can also enable you to send online faxes using your desktop computer or mobile devices. Open your email, attach the files you want to transmit, enter the recipient’s fax number, and hit send.

However, you’ll need a subscription to a reliable internet faxing service provider to tap into email faxing. Once you purchase your subscription, the provider becomes the middleman between you and e-faxing.

The documents that you fax go through your provider’s hands and straight to the recipient. The provider enables email faxing by converting your emails to online faxes. In addition, your faxes remain safely saved in the provider’s portal or storage solution. You can access their data repository to review sent documents, manage your files, and more.

Conclusion Online faxing is a flexible, scalable, and reliable way to maintain communication with your contacts worldwide. Although some might say that faxing is long forgotten, e-faxing is steadily gaining traction.

With online faxing, you can say goodbye to tedious paperwork and annoying fax machines. Tap into online faxing to gain global access to your documents, save resources, improve communications, stay on budget, and avoid maintenance costs.

The post 7 Proven Ways You Can Send Fax Online With Desired Results appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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We’ve all seen those ads on TV at least once. They talk about a particular product, and then a catchy melody starts as a very satisfying number is posted on the screen.

The more satisfying the number and the catchier the tune, the more likely it is that you will remember the product they advertised. Even though the frequency of these jingles has recently declined, we still fondly remember some melodies, numbers, and products they promoted.

However, while the jingles have appeared less frequently, these satisfying and specific numbers are still in use and are called toll-free numbers.

You might see fewer of them on TV, but companies and businesses still use them on a large scale. That’s because they still have a significant and practical purpose for these companies.

Toll-free numbers explainedInvented sometime in the 1960s by AT&T, one of the largest US telecommunications companies, toll-free numbers were initially implemented by businesses that wanted to let their customers reach them without incurring long-distance charges. That’s because they are telephone numbers that don’t cost the caller anything to use. Instead, the company that owns the number pays for it.

This is exactly how companies and businesses still use these numbers today. They increase the company’s reach, help create a better marketing strategy, improve customer loyalty and satisfaction, create a better brand image by making the company appear professional, and are extremely easy to remember.

Companies often use toll-free numbers for their customer service.

In the US, they begin with one of the seven combinations of three-digit codes: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888.

This is how toll-free numbers are recognized. Usually, the numbers that come after this set of three digits are also quite memorable.

How it all worksAfter you select a phone service, purchase the desired toll-free number, set up call forwarding, and activate the toll-free number, it works in the following way. When the customer calls the toll-free number, it’s rerouted and transferred to a local phone number which belongs to the owner of the toll-free number.

Toll-free numbers use a monthly rental fee and a per-minute charge totaling from several dollars to several hundred dollars, depending on multiple factors. The cost for the call is billed to the owner or the company. Of course, the whole point of toll-free numbers is that they’re free for customers to use.

Additionally, toll-free numbers often connect to VoIP service providers. These providers offer virtual numbers that work differently than traditional ones, and people use them to place calls over the internet.

They can route the call to a phone that supports VoIP or to a conventional phone number. You can access virtual numbers in the same way as a regular toll-free number.

Business benefits of using toll-free numbersJust because we no longer see these toll-free numbers advertised in jingles on TV doesn’t mean that they no longer exist. Toll-free numbers are, in fact, still very much in use all over the world because there are various benefits to companies and businesses using them.

Some of these benefits include:

New marketing channelsYou’re presenting your company or business as reputable by using toll-free numbers. Their primary purpose is to reach customers beyond the local market. Also, companies often use these toll-free numbers to gather and analyze data.

Using a toll-free number often lets companies and businesses see where the call is coming from, giving them an insight into which areas and regions are doing well and which areas need to be further marketed to. Toll-free numbers can be a massive help to the marketing department.

Create a better imageAdding a toll-free number service for your company or business can help build a better reputation. These numbers can help businesses with building a brand. They increase people’s trust in the company and enhance the brand image.

Customers are more likely to feel like they matter, are essential, and that their voice counts. Of course, this should be true regardless, and any business that wants to succeed and stay profitable in the long term should be aware of these elements.

However, simple things, such as a toll-free number, let customers know that the business cares.

Extended serviceThese numbers can increase the availability of your business or company. They make it easy for customers to reach you, increasing their loyalty and satisfaction, which are essential to keep a business successful and profitable in the long run.

Moreover, because people from around the world can reach your business completely free of charge, they’re more likely to use the option and spend time giving your business further insight into additional needs.

Reach more peopleToll-free numbers can be beneficial for international companies selling a product or service worldwide. For example, if Coca-Cola, a US-based company, didn’t have a toll-free number, how many people from India, Ethiopia, or Chile would call them?

With toll-free numbers, you’ll be able to reach people worldwide. More precisely, they’ll be able to contact you.

Remember that choosing the correct phone service is crucial, as it allows toll-free number calling for each country or area where your business offers a product or service.

Easier to rememberAs we’ve previously mentioned, most of us might still remember some product advertisements from TV commercials. While this was partly because of a catchy tune, the phone number used in the commercial can also make the ad memorable.

This is why these commercials often use specific toll-free numbers. They’re easy to remember, making it easier for customers to contact the business, get information, or make a purchase.

For example, a number such as 1 800 555 7777 is much easier to remember than 1 970 523 6948.

Should your business use a toll-free number?If your business is entirely local, meaning your product or service always stays in the country, you might not need a toll-free number. Additionally, a toll-free number may not be worthwhile if your business does not need to rely on phone communication.

On the other hand, for all conventional business types that do business internationally or need to rely on customer communication, a toll-free number is a very beneficial tool.

For example, obtaining a toll-free number is a good idea if a US company makes a product and exports it to Canada and Mexico. Otherwise, customers from Canada and Mexico will most likely never call the business.

Yes, you could fix this problem by implementing an email system. However, not only is it a much slower system, but many potential customers are not as comfortable with an email system as they are with just calling the business directly.

This is precisely why any international business should implement a toll-free number. It will improve customer communication, therefore improving the product or service. When customers make your business profitable, hearing what they think is crucial.

Also, in the grand scheme of things, especially compared to the amount of money that many businesses make, toll-free numbers aren’t expensive, and getting one is easy.

How to get a toll-free numberObtaining a toll-free number is relatively straightforward, only requiring a few steps.

First, choose a phone service that provides toll-free numbers for business use. Then, go over the available numbers. Don’t get discouraged if the number that you want is already in use. Chances are that some will be already taken since so many companies and businesses use these numbers.

When choosing a toll-free phone number, it’s best to choose one that is memorable and points to your business. People often pick vanity numbers. Those are numbers that spell something – a famous one you might remember from TV ads is 1-800-MATTRESS.

Remember that the phrase or number in question should point to your business, not just a product you might expand from later on.

After you’ve chosen a phone service provider and a number, you need to purchase it. The cost will depend on both the service you’ve chosen and the number itself. Then call forwarding must be set up. The service provider will give you a phone number linked to your toll-free number. Finally, all that’s left to do is to activate the toll-free number.

Read more: Best Phone Services Providing Toll-Free Numbers How to choose the best optionChoosing a toll-free number can be tricky as the market is oversaturated with various options, offering different services at different price points. To make a decision, you must go over the steps involved, examine what options you need and which ones you can skip.

You should first consider the size of your company or business. Depending on the size, you might need more than one toll-free number. Some phone services offer multiple toll-free numbers, but this can cost extra.

Next is choosing the number(s). You want to select toll-free numbers that aren’t already in use, that are relevant to your business, and that are easy to remember and connect to you.

After you’ve decided on the number(s), it’s time to think about advanced services. These include voicemail, text messaging, call forwarding, routing, tracking, virtual receptionist, greetings, interactive voice response, and more.

It’s best to research these options yourself, find what each of them does, and conclude what you and your business could use. After you’ve considered these elements, you can choose a phone service that will suit your company’s toll-free number needs.

What are the costsThe cost of a toll-free number isn’t static and will depend on multiple factors, such as the service provider, the type of number that you want, and all of the advanced features you might require. Of course, the price will also depend on the country of your business.

For example, basic toll-free numbers can range from $10 to $30 monthly. However, more advanced systems have a decent number of advanced features that you might find helpful. In that case, the price can be from $50 to $200 per month.

Additionally, these services often don’t include other fees, such as setup and activation. Instead, these are often separate expenses. However, depending on the scale of your business, the number of toll-free numbers you need, and the features you choose, you might receive discounts or even the setup and activation for free.

ConclusionToll-free numbers are an excellent way to give customers a free method of contacting your company or business. This can improve your business’s customer service. Other benefits of using a toll-free number for a business include reaching more people, creating a stronger image, and making the number easier to remember.

Multiple companies offer toll-free number services, but choosing the best option can take time and effort. Of course, how much it costs will depend on the size of your business and what additional functionality you’ll want to use with your own toll-free number.

The post Toll-Free Numbers: What They Are, How They Work, and How to Get One appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Yes – blogging is still a great way to make a living! The rules have changed, but blogging is still as relevant as it was a decade ago. If you want to monetize your blog in 2023, you must stay on top of search intent and Google SERPs.

Here’s why a good old-fashioned blog is still a content marketer’s number one asset and how to make yours appeal to modern-day audiences.

There are still a lot of blogs out there How can you be sure you still have a chance as a blogger?

Blogging is integral to our online experience. When we have a question, we go to Google for answers. And guess where Google takes us? In around 94% of cases, we end up on blogs.

Just look at these blogging stats:

• There are over 572 million blogs on the internet;
• 77% of internet users regularly lead blog posts. Do you want to start building a career in blogging? You’re not the only one. There are more than 32 million bloggers in the US alone, compared to 27 million in 2014:

Blogs are still popular, no doubt about that.

How many blogs earn money? The money-earning potential of blogging is virtually unlimited.

While realistic monthly projections for beginners are around $1,000 for the first year, most popular blogs make around $45,000 annually. Some of the most successful full-time bloggers are crushing it with over $200,000 annually.

It’s tough competition, though, with only around 30% of bloggers reporting success.

Why do most blogs fail within the first few years?

The lack of creativity and discipline are usually the main culprits, as not everyone can keep producing engaging content. Having a get-rich-quick money-making mindset is another overlooked reason. You must build trust first before you can start selling stuff.

Digital consumption is increasing The good news for bloggers is that people consume information digitally, and that won’t change any time soon. Actually, the US population will likely spend over eight hours every day on digital media in 2024.

So if you’re considering starting a blog, now is the time.

Increased digital consumption will widen the market space for competing creators, but it will also keep dictating the rules. By 2025, 75% of internet users will be mobile-only.

Bloggers looking to earn money must adapt and optimize for mobile consumption. Blogs that provide the best mobile user experience will take the lead and set the trend for others to follow.

Podcasting and blogs Blogging is not the only way people consume content.

Podcasts will surpass 100 million listeners in 2024, which could be a problem for text-only bloggers. Luckily, it will also open fantastic opportunities for creatives who know how to use these formats together to build a multi-platform experience for users.

In fact, combining the effects of blogging and podcasting early on might help ambitious content creators stay ahead of the curve.

The two mediums make a perfect match – while the text is information-rich and fit for evergreen content, audio is more engaging and brilliant for creating a personal connection with the audience. Add video to the mix, and you have a trifecta.

Video blogs Video poses a threat similar to podcasting, with 3.37 billion digital video viewers worldwide. As a blogger, you should tap into that and make it a part of your broader strategy.

Because let’s be honest – not everyone has the patience to read a 3,000-word article.

When asked how they research products and services, 73% of consumers said they prefer to watch a short video, while only 11% would rather read an article.

Ranging from hour-long YouTube episodes to TikTok shorts, video blogs allow creators to appeal to many different types of content consumers.

Finding a micro-niche is more important than everIn 2023 and beyond, new bloggers must be super-specific about their topics. The only way to make it in a saturated market is by finding micro-niches where competition is not yet fierce. Audiences are attracted to niche bloggers’ deep-dive content and expertise.

Take these profitable blogs as an example:

• Nerd Fitness targets a quirky fitness niche – “nerds, misfits, and mutants.”
• Fit Bottomed Girls is for girls who love philosophy, food, and their natural bodies.
• Addicted 2 DIY is a blog for DIY enthusiasts working on a small budget.
• Teach Junkie is a fantastic education blog for learning new teaching techniques.
• Tree Hugger is an eco blog full of advice and inspiration for sustainable living. Can’t think of anything distinctive? You can still write about lifestyle, fashion, business, and other general topics, but you need a fresh twist. Take cues from this popular mom blog called Tech Savvy Mama, which combines lifestyle and parenting with technology.

Read more: How to Find and Validate Your Niche As a Blogger ConclusionSo, how do you make money blogging in 2023?

Staying determined and passionate is a massive part of it. Hot trends like podcasting and video might be the key to success going forward – especially for bloggers earning revenue by selling products, services, and ad space. Blogging is hard work, but it’s worth it.

The post Are Blogs Profitable in 2023, and Should You Start One? appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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Starting a Wix blog is fairly straightforward. However, it takes time and effort to make your blog visible. You need a complete strategy with coordinated actions and can’t leave anything to chance.

There are more than 570 million active blogs on the web, all of which are your competition.

Whether you’ve started a Wix blog as a hobby, for business marketing, or you want to establish yourself in a specific niche, there are some things you need to do.

Here are some essential Wix blog tops you should know.

9 quick Wix blog tips In a nutshell, If you want to run a successful Wix blog, you will have to:

• Tip #1. Invest time and effort in social media marketing;
• Tip #2: Optimize for SEO
• Tip #3: Do some guest writing
• Tip #4: Be active on social media
• Tip #5: Start conversations in your newsletter
• Tip #6: Make your blog shareable
• Tip #7: Write powerful CTAs
• Tip #8: Connect with other blogs
• Tip #9: Work on compelling content

If you want to learn more about these steps and how to approach them with additional tips, continue reading.

Tip #1: Invest the time in setting up your blog correctly The first thing you need to do is set up your blog correctly. In the settings options, you can configure the display settings and layouts, customize your design, including videos, buttons, and menus, and create valuable post categories.

Not only will this make your blog look visually appealing, but it will also make it more usable for you and your readers.

Read more: How to Make a Blog Using Wix in 8 Easy Steps Tip #2: Optimize for SEO To use Wix correctly for blogging, you must work on your SEO. First, determine your primary and secondary keywords and add them throughout the text, in the title, and in headings. Format your content properly with bullets, numbering, headings, subheadings, images, links, etc.

Write alternative page titles, meta descriptions, image alt texts, and create descriptive URLs for your posts. Use many internal links and external links leading to high-authority websites.

Read more: Easy-to-Follow Search Engine Optimization Guide For Beginners Tip #3: Do some guest writing As a blogger, you need to connect with other blogs. Offer your guest blogging services and contribute to other blogs. It will help you get more exposure on platforms with more readers.

Not only that you can showcase your writing skills, but you can also ask to link your blog when contributing to bringing in more traffic to your site. Even the most successful bloggers in the world regularly contribute to other sites.

Read more: What Is a Guest Post and How Does It Work? Tip #4: Be active on social media Social media is one of the best free marketing channels for any blog. Create multiple social media accounts on different platforms where you can find your target audience. Share your blogs and start conversations with people about your focus topics.

It’s a great way to engage people and get valuable feedback about your writing. At the same time, you can start new interesting conversations and get inspiration for future topics.

Read more: How to Promote Your Blog Through Social Networks Tip #5: Start conversations in your newsletter Newsletters are an old marketing channel, but they still work. Always add CTAs at the end of your post, encouraging people to subscribe to your email newsletter so you can constantly share the latest posts with your subscribers.

Build your mailing list slowly, reward new subscribers, offer exclusive content, and try to create a more personal relationship with them. Wix even lets you create custom email templates to promote your blog quickly.

Read more: 16 Practical Tips That Guarantee More Blog Subscribers Tip #6: Make your blog shareable People don’t share blog posts easily, and you need to make them as easy as possible. Wix allows you to embed social media share buttons in your articles for all popular social media sites so readers can share with a single click.

You should also consider adding shareable quotes, facts, or valuable answers within your content so that people can share key pieces of your blog.

Tip #7: Write powerful CTAsYour blogs need to spark interest, inspire, and teach people – but outside of that, you should encourage people to act after reading your post. CTAs (call-to-action) can help you lead people to other blog posts, ask people to share your content, call people to subscribe to your newsletter, etc.

Always add CTAs at the end of your posts.

Tip #8: Connect with other blogs Reach out to other bloggers on social media, forums, and other platforms. Start conversations with like-minded people, share ideas, and collaborate. Ask people to post guest posts on your blog, and you will get the opportunity to do the same in return. Form long-term partnerships and promote other blogs you like so they take notice of you.

Read more: How To Promote Your Blog Through Partnerships Tip #9: Work on compelling contentFind topics that interest your target audience. Try to deliver something new or give a unique perspective on existing topics.

The most important thing your blog should have is value. If it doesn’t offer anything valuable to readers, they won’t stick around for that long. Some of the most successful Wix blogs offer authenticity with practical and honest content.

Read more: How To Promote Your Blog With the Right Content Conclusion Dream big and work hard on your blog. Stay consistent, and always try to improve your content. The results will come.

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If you want to start posting written content online, you’ll have two options. You could start an online journal, or you could get into blogging. Though they seem virtually identical at first glance, blogs and journals differ more than you may think.

Journals are often more akin to online diaries. You’d most commonly use them to document your daily life and important events. Blogs, on the other hand, are more similar to online magazines. You’d use them to share your thoughts, ideas, knowledge, and expertise.

Take a look below to learn more about blog vs journal and see which format suits your needs better.

Main differences at a glance Despite their similarities, blogs and online journals have critical differences that set them apart. Here’s a brief overview of some of the greatest differences between them:

| Blog | Online Journal | | Purpose | Sharing insights with the public | Personal space for self-reflection | | Audience | Public | Private | | Type of content | Dynamic content enriched with visuals | Static, text-only content | | Application | Entertainment, education, updates | Log of important events/things to remember |

Journals are private, while blogs are public Journals are almost exclusively private. You aren’t sharing your entries with your followers on social media – you’re documenting your daily life for yourself.

Occasionally, you may permit access to teachers, for instance, if you’re keeping a journal for your class assignment. Alternatively, you could share your fitness journal with your gym instructor.

How about blogs – what are they? In a nutshell, they started out as a version of online journals, initially used as personal diaries. Over the years, however, they’ve evolved to become public posts that anyone can enjoy.

You can still restrict access to them, though, sharing them only with your subscribers or setting up a paywall.

Type of content offered When it comes to blogs versus journals, the biggest difference between the two is in the type of content offered.

• Journals most commonly have only static, textual content, like any traditional diary entry. You’ll create text-based posts, occasionally adding a hyperlink if you need it or an image to accompany it.
• Blogs are much more dynamic. Though still largely text-based, you’d enrich them with links and multimedia. You’d even use them to share interactive content such as quizzes, interactive maps, or games.

Read more: How to Create Blog Content – Beginner’s Guide Blogs are online journals If you’re thinking about starting a blog, you’ll probably see it defined as an online journal, as mentioned earlier – and in a sense, it is. After all, the word “blog” did come from “weblog”, a sort of online journal.

However, blogs are much more than simple journals today – they are now informational sites used to educate, entertain, and update others.

Again, if you’re starting a personal blog, instead of simply sharing your daily thoughts and reflections, you’ll share unique insights that provide value to the readers.

Blogs let you communicate with your audiences When running an online journal, your goal is to write for yourself and to keep a log of your major events and activities. When running a blog, your goal is to communicate with your readers.

Every new blog post you create needs to be written with your unique audience in mind so that you provide valuable information to them.

Additionally, you must stay active in the comment section, replying to comments, furthering the discussion, and engaging with your readers.

Blogs are more versatile For example, a travel journal, for instance, will keep track of your itinerary or allow you to take notes of exciting events. A travel blog, however, will allow you to delve much deeper into your experiences.

With a travel blog, you can do much more than share your top summer vacation destinations. You can offer advice on how to avoid frequent travel scams, share tips on traveling on a budget, review different travel agencies, etc.

Moreover, you can even start making money from it – selling ad space, dabbling in affiliate marketing, publishing sponsored posts, etc.

Conclusion Although they might appear similar initially, blogs and journals are quite different.

If you want to create personal posts and log your major life events, choose an online journal. If you want to connect with others, build a community, and enjoy more versatility, choose blogging. It’s more involved, but you’ll get a chance to share your unique insights with other like-minded individuals.

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People use both websites and blogs to make money, but which one is a better option for making money? Is there a better option, or does it all come down to personal preferences and interests?

Before you start a blog or a website, it’s good to know how much you can earn with these options.

Regarding blogs versus websites for making money, blogs are a better option if you like to invest less initially while having a more indirect approach to sales. Websites require higher investments, but they also have a higher earning potential. It’s all about the risk you’re willing to take and how you plan on making money.

Blog vs website for making money: Quick comparison

| Blog | Website | | Monetization options | Affiliate marketing, ads, product sales, services, online courses, webinars, podcasting, dropshipping… | Subscription content, affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, online courses, ads, sponsored posts, ebooks, email marketing, sponsorships… | | Potential income | $48,000 average annual income | $1,000 per month (average) | | Starting investments | $300 initially, $1,000 – $15,000 a year for further growth | $2,000 up to $75,000 | | Growth opportunities | Blogging is more limited and requires expanding to other industries or activities. | Endless scaling and more flexibility |

However, blogs and websites can be used together to build a recognizable brand and sell products or services.

Here’s what you need to know about blogs vs websites for making money.

Monetization options Blogs can make money in many different ways. They can offer subscription-based content, meaning people can access exclusive content if they subscribe. Many blogs use affiliate marketing to promote services or products related to their topics and relevant to their target audiences.

Read more: How to Make Money Blogging Well-established blogs can also sell online courses, sell space for ads, or sell space for contributors. You can also make ebooks or write sponsored posts. Blogs include many options like affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, Google Adsense, selling services and products, ad space, online courses, and more.

Websites offer more flexibility regarding monetization, and you can do anything you want with a site.

Read more: The Complete Beginner’s Guide with 30+ Best Ways to Earn Money Online How much money do they make? Around 30% of blogs make money. Not all blogs are successful, but at the same time, many bloggers do this as a hobby. Bloggers earn an average of $48,000 annually, with a minimum income of $38,000 and a maximum income of over $52,000.

Still, some of the most successful blogs haven’t disclosed their profits.

Websites need around 10,000 unique visitors per month to start earning around $500 to $1,000 per month. It takes websites 1 to 3 years to achieve this number of unique visitors.

Websites can generally make a lot more money, but also many websites can’t grow and don’t generate sustainable revenue.

Initial investments One of the significant differences between a blog and a website is the money necessary to set one up.

Building a website can cost you from $2,000 up to $75,000 and requires a lot of work. If you do it on your own using a website builder, you can cut down on costs.

However, most successful websites are built on an independent CMS like WordPress, giving you more opportunities to make money online.

Websites require development, design, hosting, management, and other work, while blogs can work independently on blogging platforms where everything is handled for you. The average cost of setting up a blog is somewhere around $300.

Scaling your income Scaling a blog is pretty linear, so you don’t have to do anything differently or get outside your comfort zone.

• Blogging is about writing great posts, connecting with other influencers, and marketing your content. One or two people can usually run a blog, so there’s no need to find others to help.
• On the other hand, website income usually relies on other services like inventory management, production, storage, shipping, etc. To successfully scale a website and maximize its potential, you must work with others and invest in different processes.

Conclusion We hope this post has helped you determine the main financial differences between blogs and websites and helped you decide which one is better for you.

Remember, if you have a passion for a specific topic you want to expand on and update regularly, it’s better to go for a blog. On the other hand, if you want to offer products or services and sell them, you should create a website.

Good luck!

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Web hosting services provide the foundation for your website – they offer the tools and technologies to keep sites up-and-running, while also helping visitors to access them.

Clearly, website hosting can be expensive for some site owners. That’s because many hosting services offer only the option to pay for a full year upfront, which can cost upwards of hundreds of dollars.

These yearly payment plans can even lock you in for up to 2 years at a time. On the other hand, month to month web hosting allows site owners to pay monthly and there’s no need for a long-term commitment.

| Dreamhost | Best value for money, a good combination of features, and quality services. | Visit Dreamhost Read review |

| Namecheap | Cheapest available option on the market for shared web hosting options. | Visit Namecheap Read review |

| Wpengine | Top choice for monthly billed managed WordPress hosting services. | Visit Wpengine Read review |

Disclosure: FirstSiteGuide is supported by our readers. When you purchase via links on our site we may earn a commission. We test and try all of the products that we recommend.

However, before selecting a hosting service, it is essential to keep in mind the type of website you are building, the required bandwidth, hosting features, and the need for SSL certificates.

We compared some of the leading website hosts out there. Let’s learn more about monthly website hosting services and explore the available options.

The 20 best monthly billed web hosting plansIn this article, you will find the best monthly billed web hosting plans in several categories:

• Shared (cheaper) hosting
• WordPress web hosting
• VPS (virtual private servers)

Shared hosting services with monthly billingShared hosting websites can house several websites at a time on one platform. The most significant benefit of this plan is affordability since the resources and costs are shared among the site owners. Reputable hosting companies provide shared monthly hosting plans that offer all of the features you need to start a blog or website.

We have handpicked some of the best monthly shared hosting providers in the industry that won’t drain your finances dry.

1. DreamHost $4.95 monthly payment (shared plan)
2. Namecheap $2.88 monthly payment (shared plan)
3. A2 Hosting $4.90 monthly payment (shared plan)
4. HostGator $10.95 monthly payment (shared plan)
5. GreenGeeks $9.95 monthly payment (shared plan)

1. DreamHost – $4.95 monthly payment (shared plan)DreamHost has been in business for more than 20 years. Their strong reputation has earned them a position among the top 3 web hosting companies endorsed by WordPress.

DreamHost is an ideal hosting platform for small business owners, new bloggers, and people who are not tech-savvy. This service is host to over 1.5 million blogs and websites, which makes it one of the most trusted hosting companies.

Key features Automatic backups * 100% uptime guarantee * 97-day money-back guarantee * Free SSL certificate * Unmetered bandwidth PricingDreamhost pricing plans start at $4.95/month* for a basic shared hosting plan and can go up to $10.95/month for a more robust hosting plan. These packages are quite competitively priced compared to other monthly hosting websites in their class. Monthly plans don’t include a free domain name. The domain name costs an additional $7.99/year.

Advantages* Excellent customer support * Clear and transparent pricing * Outstanding value for money Read more: DreamHost Hosting Review Visit Dreamhost for additional information 2. Namecheap – $2.88 monthly payment (shared plan)This monthly website hosting service was recently recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list. Namecheap shared hosting allows three websites to run on a server with maximum uptime.

Key features Unmetered bandwidth * Privacy protection * Free SSL certificate * Free website builder * Domain name and privacy protection * 30-day money-back guarantee PricingPackages start at $2.88/month* at Namecheap. Their price means serious competition for other cheap shared monthly hosting websites. If you are on a tight budget, their affordably-priced hosting plan is a good option. Then, if you find their services reliable, you can upgrade to the Stellar Plus plan for $4.44/month or even a Stellar Business plan for $8.88/month. Monthly plans don’t include a free domain name. A domain is an additional $8.88/year.

Advantages* 99.88% uptime * Efficient customer service * 100% compatible with WordPress features and plugins Visit Namecheap for additional information 3. A2 Hosting – $4.90 monthly payment (shared plan)A2 Hosting is an independently owned monthly hosting website service that was founded in 2001. This company is a popular option for blogs that require extra power for WordPress or other CMS platforms. They use site accelerator software to increase the page loading rate of WordPress pages up to 20 times. This is advantageous since 40% of visitors will leave a site if it loads in longer than 2 seconds.

Key features 99.9% uptime * Free subdomains * Turbo SSD server with unlimited disc space * SSL Certificate * Automatic backups PricingThe hosting plans start from $9.99*. However, their current long-term sale is 51% off for the first billing cycle, so you would only pay $4.90/month. It’s important to keep in mind that this discount could change, and prices could go up at any time. Although even when their monthly plan is at full price, the impressive features make up for the price increase.

Advantages* Enhanced security * Ultra-fast speed * Tools for developers Read more: A2 Hosting Review Visit A2 Hosting for additional information 4. HostGator – $10.95 monthly payment (shared plan)HostGator is one of the most well-established players in the month to month web hosting game, catering to more than eight million customers with very reliable services. This service is known for providing powerful features at affordable prices.

Key features Unlimited disk storage * Unmetered bandwidth * Free SSL certificate * One-click WordPress installs PricingHostGator’s monthly basic Hatchling shared hosting plan costs $10.95/month* and their Business plan costs $16.95/month. These prices rate considerably higher than other shared monthly hosting website’s pricing plans. However, their higher pricing plan can be justified by the features it provides.

Advantages* Easy to use control panel * High uptime and fast loading rates * Exceptional customer service Read more: HostGator Hosting Review Visit HostGator for additional information 5. GreenGeeks – $9.95 monthly payment (shared plan)If you want your website on an eco-friendly, secure, and relatively fast web hosting platform, GreekGeeks is the best way to go. Clients receive a reliable shared hosting service at affordable prices. GreenGeeks is designed for the most scalable, secure, and reliable hosting.

Key features RAID-10 storage arrays * Scalability and advanced security * Built-in scalability – seamless upgrades of your hosting and effective scaling on demand * Stable hosting Pricing*Regardless of your hosting needs, GreenGeeks has a multifunctional web hosting platform that fits even the most demanding of requirements.

The Ecosite Lite plan is $9.95 per month, while the Ecosite Pro plan costs $14.95 per month. Finally, the Ecosite Premium is $24.95 per month. Each plan includes contracts with 1, 2, and 3 years subscription that allows you to purchase monthly services at discounts.

Advantages* No hidden fees * 30-day money-back guarantee * Expert 24/7 support * Green web hosting platform Visit GreenGeeks for additional information WordPress hosting providers with monthly billingWordPress is the most powerful website building platform available. It has 61.8% of CMS market share and powers blogs, eCommerce sites, and even global brands online. WordPress hosting provides optimized solutions for websites to better suit CMS performance.

Here is a roundup of some of the best WordPress monthly billing hosting plans.

1. SiteGround $19.99 monthly payment (WordPress plan)
2. InMotion Hosting $27.99 monthly payment (WordPress plan)
3. A2 Hosting WordPress $9.99 monthly payment (WordPress plan)
4. IONOS $3.00 monthly payment (WordPress plan)

1. SiteGround – $19.99 monthly payment (WordPress plan)SiteGround is one of the top 3 web hosting companies endorsed by WordPress because of their impressive features and scaling tools. The available customer support options and optimized performance levels, along with various server locations, have made it the top choice as voted by the users.

Key features Free WordPress site transfers * WordPress SuperCacher to reduce loading time * Free installation of Git * WordPress auto-updater PricingSiteGround provides several WordPress monthly billing plans that begin at $3.95/month plus the $14.95 one time activation fee* for the startup plan. Once your first-month trial is over, then the price increases to $11.95/month. Their tiered pricing plans cater to small businesses, startups, and larger companies boasting 10,000 to 100,000 visitors monthly.

Advantages* Modern and highly-reputable technology * Plenty of support options * Fast page loading speed * Competitive price Read more: SiteGround Hosting Review Visit SiteGround for additional information 2. InMotion – $27.99 monthly payment (WordPress plan)InMotion is one of the leading contenders among hosting services for site owners who need to upgrade their website or create a new one on WordPress. This monthly hosting website provides two types of services: traditional shared hosting and WordPress hosting. The former caters to beginners while the latter provides services to business owners and agencies.

Key features FREE domain name * Free site migrations * cPanel included * Advanced Firewall protection PricingThe starting monthly price for their WP-4000S plan is $27.99/month*. They also offer a 90-day money-back guarantee as well as a free cPanel license.

Advantages* 99.95% uptime rates * Freebies * Enhanced security protection Read more: InMotion Hosting Review Visit InMotion Hosting for additional information 3. A2 Hosting – $9.99 monthly payment (WordPress plan)This month to month web hosting site stands out from its competitors with its impressive benefits and high-quality solutions. With outstanding uptimes, you can ensure the fast performance of your website that prevents your visitors from bouncing off. It is the ideal monthly WordPress hosting website for both amateurs and advanced users.

Key features Free SSL certificate * Choice of data center location * Free website builder * 1-click software setup PricingA2 Hosting boasts the best WordPress payment plans to choose from, starting at $9.99/month*. Their packages include free backups and reliable customer support service.

Advantages* Best security settings * Auto-setup of WordPress * Turbo servers Visit A2 Hosting for additional information 4. IONOS – $3.00 monthly payment (WordPress plan)Many people wrongly think that web hosting is extremely complicated. Well, IONOS can tell you otherwise. They offer cutting edge web hosting solutions that are easy to use and even easier to set up.

Backed by highly efficient 24/7 customer support, IONOS allows you to upgrade your web hosting, and enjoy the benefits of using the most advanced developer tools and dedicated cloud resources for more power, speed, and expert support.

Key features Easy to use * Peak security * User friendly * Automatic updates PricingIONOS offers the most affordable prices available anywhere. If you want a simple package for a hassle-free WordPress site that you can cancel anytime, choose the Essential plan that starts at $3 per month*. The Business package starts at just $1 per month. After the initial month, it increases to $7 per month. The last package available is Unlimited. Starting at $18 per month, it’s ideal for hosting multiple WP sites.

Advantages* Eco-friendly company policy * Improved and innovative service packages up to 50% cheaper * 24/7 customer support and service * Managed updates feature Visit IONOS for additional information Managed WordPress hosting providers with monthly billing Managed WordPress hosting is where the hosting providers manage all of the technical aspects of your WordPress website. This includes speed performance, backups, software updates, caching, and much more. This is the right option for site owners who require a hassle-free service that can help them get high traffic and daily users for their WordPress sites.

Here are some of the best-managed WordPress hosting websites:

1. WP Engine $30 monthly payment (managed WP plan)
2. Kinsta $30 monthly payment (managed WP plan)
3. FlyWheel $15 monthly payment (managed WP plan)
4. Media Temple $20 monthly payment (managed WP plan)
5. Cloudways $10 monthly payment (managed WP plan)

1. WP Engine – $30 monthly payment (managed WP plan)Whether you are setting up a personal blog or a small business website, WP Engine has the technology and speed to help you get the most from your WordPress site.

Key features Daily backups and threat detection * Free automated migration to WP Engine * Easy to deploy PricingThe startup package is $30 per month*. This allows you to host one website with 10 GB of local storage and a traffic limit of 25,000 visitors per month. You can also upgrade to a bigger monthly web hosting plan for up to $290/month if you want to host more sites.

Advantages* Dedicated 24/7 customer support * 10 times faster scaling * Availability of multiple WordPress tools Read more: WP Engine Hosting Review Visit WP Engine for additional information 2. Kinsta – $30 monthly payment (managed WP plan)This is an overall managed service that includes free migration, timely backups, and speed optimization. All of the tools are user-friendly, delivering a quick installation process and high security that guarantees an anti-hack system.

Key features 20 server locations * Free WordPress website migration * Frequent uptime checks * Visitor analytics dashboard * Website caching PricingKinsta’s month to month plans are $30 to $1500 per month* – these include a free SSL certificate, CDN access, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

Advantages* A cloud-based infrastructure that maximizes speed * 99.9% guaranteed uptime * Impressive technical support Visit Kinsta for additional information 3. FlyWheel – $15 monthly payment (managed WP plan)This month to month web hosting service makes life easier for developers with scalable features and an easy-to-use interface. It also makes it easy to create demo websites where the client can preview the design and development of the website.

Key features FlyWheel cloud platform * Faster loading times * Local development tool * Easy and quick website staging and free migrations PricingFlyWheel has a month to month plans that are $15 to $290 a month* and include staging and CDN services. If you go over the limits of your predetermined plan, you will be charged an overage fee.

Advantages* Intuitive interface * Easy resale hosting * Monthly plugin updates Visit FlyWheel for additional information 4. MediaTemple – $20 monthly payment (managed WP)Media Temple provides the highest level of managed WordPress Hosting that you can purchase on a month-to-month basis. This service will streamline both maintenance and setup so that you can enjoy the highest level of security with the simplest platform of them all.

Ease of use, power, flexibility, and scalability are the first things that come to mind when we mention Media Temple. You can optimize your WordPress infrastructure, add sites on demand, and so much more.

Key Features Easy site setup, migration, and customization * Developer tools * Automatic updates and backups * Security monitoring PricingIt’s easy to get started with Media Temple. There are two initial plans, each offering you a chance to save if you choose to pay annually. Select yearly, two-year, or three-year packages. Basically, there are two major plans. One is the Personal plan and starts at $20 per month*, while the other is the Professional plan, starting at $60 per month.

The personal plan allows for 2 sites and 50 GB of SSD storage, while the Professional supports up to 10 sites and 200 GB of SSD storage. Important note: The Personal plan doesn’t include domain names or SSL certificates, but the Professional one does offer 2 domain names and 2 SSL certificates, both with yearly billing.

Advantages* Requires almost no technical knowledge to use * High level of scalability * Extremely flexible service Visit Media Temple for additional information 5. Cloudways – $10 monthly payment (managed WP plan)Cloudways comes with all the features and perks to help you get your WordPress website up and running in no time. You can even choose the infrastructure you want to use to build your site atop, including Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web services. Cloudways is a top-tier player in the managed WordPress hosting market.

Key Features Free around-the-clock support * Free migration * Automatic backups * Free SSL certificate PricingThe Cloudways pricing model is quite an elaborate one. Every plan comes with the same set of services. What dictates the price is the cloud service you choose to host your website on and dedicated resources (RAM, Processor, Storage, Bandwidth). A month-to-month managed WP hosting plan on DigitalOcean data centers starts at $10.00 per month*.

Other options are month-to-month managed WP hosting plans on Linode data centers (starts at $12.00 per month), Vultr data centers (starts at $11.00 per month), AWS data centers (starts at $36.51 per month), and Google Cloud data centers (starts at $33.30 per month).

Advantages Pay as you go * 3-day free trial with no commitments * Extremely easy to set up Read more: Cloudways Hosting Review Visit Cloudways for additional information VPS hosting solutions* with monthly billingVPS hosting is a level up from the shared hosting websites – you still share a server with other sites, but there are fewer of them. This allows you a greater share of online resources and leads to improved site performance.

There are plenty of VPS hosts out there, but the services detailed below stand out from the crowd.

1. Bluehost $29.99 monthly payment (VPS plan)
2. Hostwinds $10.90 monthly payment (VPS plan)
3. iPage $24.99 monthly payment (VPS plan)
4. ScalaHosting $11.95 monthly payment (VPS plan)

1. Bluehost – $29.99 monthly payment (VPS plan)Bluehost is an industry leader in the VPS web hosting space and the only company that provides a permanent free domain. Services from BlueHost stand out thanks to the unbridled flexibility that its servers offer. Because of this, it is ideal for websites that need the option to scale without any delay, which they can accomplish by directly accessing the advanced cPanel.

Key features Free domain * Unlimited email accounts * Free SSL certificate * 30-day money-back guarantee PricingBlueHost’s web hosting monthly billing plans start from $29.99 per month* for the standard plan and $119.99 for the ultimate package. Users will benefit from numerous features and widely-trusted services that have made Bluehost a reliable name in the industry.

Advantages* Secure and fast * 100% compatibility with other WordPress features and plugins * 99.99% server uptime Read more: Bluehost Hosting Review Visit Bluehost for additional information 2. Hostwinds – $10.90 monthly payment (VPS plan)This monthly hosting website is designed to appeal to startups and successful businesses alike. If you are looking for a powerful and flexible company, Hostwinds provides ten tiers of VPS hosting with a choice of Linux or Windows-based dedicated servers.

Key features Free website transfers * Protection against DDoS attacks * Choice of data center location * Enterprise Firewall PricingTheir managed Linux VPS hosting services start at $5.17 (usually $10.90) per month*, and costs can go all the way up to $247.69/month. On the other hand, their managed Windows VPS solutions can be yours starting at $7.99/month for the starter plan and can go up to $270.25/month for the biggest package.

Advantages* Excellent configuration options * Flexible plans * Nightly backups Visit Hostwinds for additional information 3. iPage – $24.99 monthly payment (VPS plan)iPage was founded in 1998 as a full web-service provider. However, in the next ten years, the company evolved into a web hosting provider. In 2009, they were bought out by the Endurance International Group, which owns a few other well-known web hosts. They have fairly affordable VPS packages.

Key features Free domain * Free SSL certificate * Free website builder * 30-day money-back guarantee PricingiPage’s VPS hosting month to month plans are priced at $24.99/month* for the Basic plan and $99.99/month for the Optimum plan.

Advantages* Extremely affordable introductory pricing * Helpful support * Integration of control panel and customer portal Visit iPage for additional information 4. ScalaHosting – $11.95 monthly payment (VPS plan)ScalaHosting is a trustworthy website hosting company from Dallas, Texas. The company went for Scala in its name because it offers scalable hosting plans, which is a crucial perk to consider if you have big plans for your website.

Key features Daily remote backups * Fully or self-managed option * Dedicated IP address * CPanel PricingScalaHosting’s Start Plan price for fully managed web hosting starts at $11.95 per month*. With this option, you will get your server setup, installed, optimized, and managed 24/7 by experienced experts.

Advantages* In-built addons * Upgrade or downgrade your server anytime * Ultra-fast NGINX web server tech and built-in security software Read more: ScalaHosting Review Visit ScalaHosting for additional information When and why to buy monthly web hosting?For some site owners, it’s prudent to get their web hosting month to month. It allows you to test the performance, tools, customer support, and other features provided by the host. You can cancel the plan at any time and upgrade to yearly payments if need be – there’s no risk of penalties or additional fees either way.

Many hosts also give you the freedom and flexibility to work at low prices without compromising the quality of your site.

4 cheapest web hosting plans comparison

| DreamHost | Namecheap | A2 Hosting | HostGator | | Price | $4.95 | $2.88 | $4.90 | $10.95 | | Domain name | $7.99 | $9.06 | $14.95 | $12.95 | | Money-back | 97 days | 30 days | No limit | 45 days | | SSL Certificate | Free | Free | Free | Free | | Setup fee | X | X | X | X | | Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | | Storage space** | Unlimited | 20GB | 100GB | Unlimited |

• Storage space shows how much space you can use for your website and media files. Bandwidth is the amount of data your website can transfer to visitors. These two parameters are important when your website starts to grow and get more traffic.Monthly vs. yearly hosting plansHistorically, hosting subscription plans were sold on an annual basis, i.e., you had to pay for 12, 24, or 36 months altogether. For example, companies show a promotional price of $3.99 per month on their website, but in reality, you’ll have to pay a lump sum amount upfront for 12, 24, or 36 months. In order to see monthly pricing (in most cases it’s not shown publicly), you need to start an order process and choose pay per month from all of the subscription options available.

This type of marketing would often entice site owners to pay the bigger bill upfront for more value in the long term. But the problem was that not everyone could afford to pay huge sums of money in one go. Recently, there has been a change in web hosting pricing strategies, and hosting service providers are rising to the occasion by offering more consumer-friendly pricing options. Providers are providing cheap monthly web hosting payment plans that make it easier for people to own and pay for their websites.

Monthly payment websites are far cheaper in the short term, so if you are on a tight budget or just test driving your website, it is perfect to pay for monthly web hosting. This makes it easier than ever for people to start their blogs, eCommerce businesses, and other types of sites.

Furthermore, web hosting monthly billing options allow you to test drive the services before committing for the long term. However, due to the short contract periods, these monthly packages also tend to be more expensive in the long run.

It’s essential to understand that most hosting plans display the annual charges by default, so pay attention at the checkout to ensure that you’ll be paying for the month-to-month services.

ConclusionIf you don’t want a long term commitment with your website hosting service provider, month-to-month web hosting plans are your best options.

This guide is packed with the best monthly web hosting websites – make sure you know the type of site you are launching and the hosting you need, then take your pick from the options listed here.

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Parents will do everything they can to ensure the well-being of their children and make them feel safe and secure. More children are getting online in our internet-driven world, creating new problems for their caregivers.

While the internet presents a world of opportunities and is the most abundant source of information on the planet, it’s also full of various threats, explicit content, predators, and cyberbullies.

Since the world can’t function without the web, it’s time to teach your kids some basics about online safety and the importance of online privacy. Here are some parental guidelines to get you started.

Normalize talking about internet use As soon as you give your child access to the web, teach them about the dangers of internet use. Talk to them about the content that they’re watching and reading while informing them of the importance of subtleties when communicating with other internet users online.

As your children grow older, introduce more essential topics such as cyberbullying and cybersecurity. Ask your kids what apps they use or websites they visit and write them all down. Take some time to check them together.

Let your child know what content you approve of and what you think isn’t appropriate for them and explain why that type of content isn’t appropriate for children. Make an extra effort to teach your children about their online privacy and reputation.

Inform your children about top online threats such as:

• Cyberbullying – electronic communication can take a wrong turn if conducted by the wrong people. Cyberbullying can occur anywhere online and is most common on social media networks.
• Online predators – adults use online communication channels to find confused children and entice them into various types of abusive acts as well as sexual exploitation.
• Explicit content – the internet is swarming with inappropriate and lascivious content, nudity, and pornography. Kids should not encounter such content. Children need to know how to represent themselves online when interacting with other internet users. The more they know about their online privacy and its importance, the better they will protect themselves when accessing the internet outside the safety of your supervision.

Teach your kids safe habits Modern-day children are growing up in a digital world. Every child will explore the internet sooner or later. Since there’s no way around it, you should teach your kids some safe habits early on to make them as digitally literal as possible and help them to keep themselves safe and secure online.

This should include the following:

• The potential threats that lurk online;
• The difference between good content and bad;
• The importance of online safety and privacy; and
• Ground rules regarding what they can and cannot do online (online purchasing, social media, downloading, messaging, and more). With these suggestions in mind, here are some online safety basics to get you started.

Fact-checking While the web holds an infinite amount of information, misinformation online might lead your kids to develop an incorrect perception about important concepts. Since kids increasingly use internet-enabled devices, they have petabytes of shareable misinformation at their fingertips.

This makes the task of finding, evaluating, and identifying fact from fiction much harder. Kids should learn to question everything they see online. With so much problematic content on the web, your child will have a hard time telling right from wrong. Fortunately, it’s easy to debunk false information with a few clicks.

Here’s how to help your kids fact-check everything they see online:

• Work on their digital literacy – tell your kids what it means to be careful about what they write, share, and read online and how it can impact their lives.
• Encourage curiosity – kids need to be confident to challenge what they see online. Instead of checking the content for them, encourage them to check everything they read themselves. This will help them to develop healthier online routines. We also recommend planning regular check-ins with your kids to see what they do online and develop some understanding of their online interests and preferences.

Avoiding strangers Since your kids will make friends online, you should invest effort into knowing who their online friends are. Your child should learn that some people online aren’t who they claim they are. If they don’t have basic online safety knowledge, kids and young people tend to be naive about who they share their information with and accept as online friends.

Whatever they do, they should stay away from strangers. If things look too good to be true, that’s because they are. Strangers are almost always online predators or cyberbullies. Thankfully, you can monitor your child’s online activity using parental control software tools to ensure that they’re safe.

Posts stay online forever Many people wrongly believe that the things they share online are private. Here’s a fact for you – you can’t delete your information from the internet. It stays online forever.

The permanence of things on the web should be enough for you to teach your kids to tread carefully when sharing anything about themselves on the net.

Your children should also know that the people they exchange their data with can save that information. Teach your kids to avoid sharing anything online that could discredit them in any way.

Creating strong passwords Talk to your kids about the importance of setting safe passwords for their online accounts. They should understand how passwords help protect them from falling victim to cyberattacks and having their private data become public.

Here’s how to create safe passwords:

• Length is vital – hackers have various tools for breaching cybersecurity measures which is why it’s important to up your password game. Length is crucial for creating unbreachable passwords. 12 to 16 characters should do it, with a combination of special characters, numbers, and lowercase and uppercase letters.
• Avoid personal words – using your kid’s name for a password won’t do much to protect your child’s data from cybercriminals. Avoid using familiar and personal words for passwords because hackers can easily check your social media and other communication channels to breach your security.
• Avoid common password combinations – passwords with common numbers and word combinations are predictable and easy to guess and bypass. Google the list of the top most common passwords to ensure maximum safety.
• Create different passwords for every online account – using the same password for multiple accounts is a common mistake to avoid. Hackers can easily access all of your accounts if they breach your password.
• Use password generators – password generators make creating multiple unhackable passwords for your kids easier. Passwords prevent hackers, cyberbullies, and online predators from accessing your child’s identity and information online.

Avoiding suspicious links and messages Hackers know children look for free games, music, and software. They also know that kids aren’t that tech-savvy and are more likely to open suspicious email attachments and links.

Malicious websites, downloads, links, and messages may cause your little ones to download a virus and expose their devices as well as your home network to various cyber threats.

The best way to avoid such risks is to install premium internet security and antivirus protection to check every link for signs of virus and malware infection and block unsafe web addresses.

Malicious services and websitesMalicious web apps and websites won’t have addresses starting with the letters “https.” That’s how you can tell whether a website is safe.

The letter “s” in the website address tells you that the online service is taking steps to ensure users’ safety and keep their data secure from prying eyes.

Monitor their activity You should always keep an eye on your child’s time and activity online. Keep their devices where you can see them so that you always know what they’re up to online. If they use mobile devices, set them to forget wifi passwords so your kids can’t access the internet when you’re not around or without your knowledge.

Talk to your kids about gaming and the use of laptops and tablets in the bedroom. Always check browser histories after your child has finished using the web to see their online activities, the websites they’re visiting, and more. We also recommend restricting the content that your kids are allowed to view via internet-enabled devices.

In addition, periodically check your child’s social media posts and profiles, and review platforms, apps, and games before downloading and using. Pay special attention to websites and apps with end-to-end encryption, file uploads, video chats, and direct messaging.

Install reliable antivirus Top-grade antivirus software tools can ensure cybersecurity protection for all of your mobile and desktop devices in your home. They can keep you and your kids safe from hackers and malicious programs.

Look for all-in-one cybersecurity solutions that combine malware protection, parental control features, and antivirus capabilities.

Find a program with these features:

• Real-time web history and browsing monitoring;
• Parental controls;
• Phishing protection;
• Anti-spam filtering; and
• Anti-malware. Aside from protecting your internet-enabled devices and home network, with these tools, you’ll also ensure protection for your children when using the internet.

Use parental control software Parental control software is the most effective solution for developing an impenetrable security home network to fight all cyber threats from a central hub. High-end parental control solutions provide comprehensive features to help you establish protection from internet threats and cybercriminals.

A top-class parental control software tool can ensure protection against mobile threats, spam, malware, cyberbullying, viruses, and online predators. You can rely on such a tool to monitor your child’s online activity, restrict access to the internet, limit online time, block websites and explicit content, and more.

Limit access to the internet Spending too much time online can negatively impact your child’s health. Aside from internet addiction, physical inactivity can lead to various problems, such as:

• Childhood obesity;
• Psychological problems;
• Trouble in school;
• Attention problems; and

• Sleeping and eating disorders. Here are easy ways to ensure that your kids avoid spending long hours in front of the screen:

• Reward your kids with extra online time when they show responsibility regarding studying, home chores, homework, and more.

• Keep all desktop computers, smartphones, and laptops in a shared space where children can only access the web in your presence.
• Avoid using the internet at home to lead by example and establish a healthy home routine for your kids to detach them from their devices. Limiting access to the internet makes it more possible for children to enjoy other important activities like studying, doing homework, spending time with family, hanging out with friends, playing outside, and sports.

ConclusionWhen it comes to limiting internet use at home, it isn’t easy to teach your kids why it matters. Thankfully, you have top parental control software solutions to monitor your children’s online activity, manage screen time, and ensure they stay safe online.

Aside from making monitoring internet use easy, such solutions can help to ensure your children develop healthy online habits and enjoy life. While kids may show some resistance to these new routines at the beginning, assure them that it’s for their long-term benefit.

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Communication is vital in modern business, and companies must interact with their customers flawlessly through multiple channels to achieve success. Even though phone calls are no longer the most popular way of contacting a business, many consumers still prefer phone conversations over chatting or emailing.

This importance is especially true if you’re running a business that relies on phone support such as a call center. However, many other organizations can benefit from a robust phone system, and Voice Response systems, or IVR systems, are among the most common choices today.

But what makes these systems different, and what kind of benefits do they offer compared to typical phone lines? These are just some of the questions that we will answer here.

IVR explainedAn Interactive Voice Response system is an automated platform that offers text-to-speech, pre-recorded messages, and dual-tone multifrequency interfaces. These features combine to allow customers to access information over the phone without talking to agents.

When the IVR system can’t provide the required information to customers on its own, the call is routed to an appropriate company representative that can help. These systems combine telephony and computer technologies to reduce wait times, improve customer satisfaction, and improve call flow.

IVR technology was created in the 1990s and was a huge hit. Even now, modern companies can utilize this technology to improve their operations.

How IVRs workA typical IVR system has three crucial components: a TCP/IP network, multiple databases that supply data to IVR applications, and a web server where applications are located. These three components are the basis of most IVR systems.

Natural language IVR systems use speech recognition to understand what customers are saying. Some IVR systems offer direct dialogue capabilities that can give automated voice answers to specific questions.

The most common IVRs are touch-tone placement systems that require users to use the keypads on their phones to locate the applicable information. For example, the machine might say, “press one if you need information about our prices”.

These are the core functions of these systems, and some solutions have combined capabilities. The process is simple: a customer calls a number and receives a pre-recorded message from the IVR. Once they’ve heard the message, they can use the menu to get to the next step and acquire relevant information. If unsuccessful, they can be routed to a human agent.

Main uses of IVRCompanies use IVR phone systems to provide efficient customer service while saving money. Most issues are simple and can be resolved by a computer, leaving more complex customer issues to human agents.

In general, IVR tools are used by contact centers or companies for routing calls based on customers’ decisions. With these choices, the organization on the receiving end of the call can determine what type of guidance that the customer needs.

For example, someone might be directed to a technical support team, the financial department, or customer relationship management if someone has an issue. These solutions are especially popular with companies offering a wide range of services, using the software to filter callers and get them to the right representatives who can address each caller’s specific needs.

IVR benefitsHere are some of the most noticeable benefits that these systems offer:

More time for core tasksSince most customer calls will be handled and resolved by the IVR, call agents will have more time available. Then, they can focus on callers who need help with more complicated issues and take the time to satisfactorily resolve those issues.

All of this improves customer satisfaction and allows a company to handle more callers. There is no need for callers to waste staff time asking questions like: “When do you open?” or “How much money do I have in my account?”.

Improved customer satisfactionAs mentioned previously, customer satisfaction is one of the most important reasons for implementing an IVR system. Every caller benefits from talking to an IVR system because they can share crucial information such as account numbers, their issue, or tracking numbers.

All of this allows the agent to prepare effectively for the conversation, and calls are routed to the person that is most likely to help successfully based on the information provided.

Better customer journeyWhen purchasing over the phone, there’s usually little information about the customer journey. However, IVR systems allow companies to track all customer steps and see how they interacted with the brand and what information they were exposed to before purchasing.

Call routingWhen callers talk to a machine and don’t receive satisfying answers, they can always be referred to a live representative. Interactive Voice Response systems can automatically route calls to live representatives when they’ve helped callers with all of the available options.

On the other hand, companies can monitor all calls and see if agents need to activate and help with specific customer queries.

Disaster recoveryMost modern IVR systems have disaster recovery features that help you with disastrous situations that are out of your hands. For example, if your phone network goes down for some reason, most vendors offer a backup network that you can temporarily use.

Also, some systems can send emergency voice broadcasts with embedded menus and messages, while others can offer toll-free numbers and automated messages.

Where they are usedHere are some of the most common places where IVR systems are utilized:

FinanceIVR systems are used for bank automation and routing to a desired department. Banks receive thousands of calls every day, and that’s where IVR systems play a valuable role. Other financial institutions also benefit from these solutions for routing calls to various departments for billing information, collection, or credit.

Customer serviceCall centers are the most common users of Interactive Voice Response telephony since these companies outsource their services to many other businesses. They are in the profession of taking calls and helping out callers, which is why it makes sense to use this software.

EducationMany large government institutions such as colleges or schools have IVR systems that enable them to connect relevant personnel with incoming inquiries. For example, instead of going to the college building, students can call and find out when their exams are, using a phone without talking to any human agent.

HealthcareIntuitive Voice Response allows patients to quickly vocalize their needs and be routed to the right medical professionals, receive live assistance, or discover self-service options. These intelligent solutions make it easier for patients to find the help that they need, and independently manage their health.

How to set up an IVRLike any other tech solutions offered by third-party companies, there are many IVR systems out there. They all offer different features, capabilities, and pricing plans.

However, as far as the setup is concerned, there aren’t many differences, and the process is fairly standardized. Here are some general steps to take to set up an Interactive Voice Response system:

• Determine which departments need an IVR system – create a map of how your IVR will look, what actions you require, which employees will use it, and what departments need it.
• Multi-level IVR – depending on the number of actions needed and their type, you might need a multi-level IVR with several branching scenarios.
• Find a provider – look for a provider that offers an IVR system that covers all of your needs. Take the time to consult with the vendor and see how their system works.
• Buy the service – once you’ve found the right provider for you, sign up on their homepage and buy the service.
• Set up your IVR – once you’ve made the purchase, you can log into your account, choose a voice for your IVR, add phone numbers to your IVR, design it, create greetings, add prompts, configure the menu, and more. Now that you understand how to set one up, let’s move on to common issues with IVR systems.

Potential issues with IVR systemsThe most common issue with IVR systems is also its biggest strength – it’s an automated machine. Many people can find their way to the right information, but many people don’t like talking to machines. Older people, in particular, often have a hard time following all of the instructions.

On the other hand, younger people often become frustrated by the slow navigation that a phone menu offers. Many companies can’t find the right balance between simple and extensive menus. In most cases, people are overwhelmed with the menus and give up trying to locate an answer.

Sometimes, the voice prompts are difficult to understand, and callers must wait for them to finish and ask for a repeat. All of this can take too long and be annoying.

ConclusionIVR offers many different benefits for various businesses. Some of the latest solutions incorporate smart capabilities and natural language processing, making them highly sophisticated. If your business relies on phone calls and needs to communicate with customers through these channels, IVR is a must.

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Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) is slowly rendering traditional landline networks obsolete. Today, VoIP is the most effective alternative to mobile phone communication.

This innovative communication technology offers numerous advantages to organizations, the most notable being cost savings, top-grade audio, and advanced features.

Modern-day service providers offer much more than just voice-calling options. Clients can choose from functionalities such as process automation, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), call routing strategies, video conferencing, and more.

Let’s delve deeper into VoIP to understand how it can help your company.

VoIP explained VoIP is a digital communication technology that transfers business communication data and voice calls using internet connections. It’s the next best thing compared to the copper-wired PSTN.

With VoIP, business users can rely on an internet connection to handle corporate audio and video communications via the web instead of a regular phone line. Also called internet telephony, VoIP allows you to make audio/video calls using a broadband internet connection to communicate with other users of the same service.

VoIP services are ideal for making international, mobile, long-distance, and local calls using special VoIP equipment or your current desktop device. You can also connect the service to your phone using a VoIP adapter.

How it works VoIP converts analog signals by turning voice calls into digital data and transferring it via a private internet protocol (your IP address) or the public internet network (WiFi).

You can use VoIP to make internet audio/video calls to mobile phones, landlines, and computer-to-computer anywhere, as long as there’s an internet connection available.

Aside from audio calls, VoIP services support other functionalities such as file sharing, instant messaging, video conference calls, and more.

Equipment necessary for a VoIP system A VoIP system requires a high-speed broadband internet connection to work. You can achieve this with the following:

• A local area network;
• High-speed services such as DSL; and
• A cable modem. In addition, this system requires a specialized phone device, an adaptor, and a computer. However, the equipment range would depend on the service provider. Some VoIP services allow you to connect the system to your traditional phone using an adapter, while other providers only work over a special device or computer.

VoIP-enabled phones connect directly into your broadband connection. Here’s a list of essential VoIP components:

• VoIP server – on-cloud or on-prem;
• VoIP-enabled endpoints – analog phones with adapters, softphones, or VoIP devices; and
• A stable internet connection – faster connection speeds ensure a better customer experience. Now, let’s move on to the main features.

Key features VoIP can be a game changer for your business communications, but only if it includes the top features, such as:

• Advanced call management – block, route, hold or prioritize incoming calls to ensure top-quality customer service;
• Call routing – direct inbound call traffic according to your needs;
• Auto attendant – a virtual receptionist can assist your customer service and support agents to ensure that each client receives high-end attention;
• Business text messaging – update your remote teams and keep your customers informed with unlimited SMS texting functionalities;
• Call analytics – gather real-time customer insights to improve your business, monitor behavioral trends, measure customer support performance, and so on;
• Call forwarding – effectively manage customer calls during heavy traffic periods;
• Queueing – streamline large call volumes by automating inbound call distribution and creating multiple call tiers to reduce wait/hold times;
• Call transfer – establish a seamless customer-agent connection;
• Instant messaging – since most modern consumers use messaging apps, instant messaging allows you to personalize your communications approach and reach more prospects;
• IVR – allow your consumers to communicate with your brand using a real-time voice menu; and
• Video conferencing – connect your remote teams outside of the office, set up online meetings, and improve your marketing with web conferencing functionality. All of these features offer a host of benefits, but do present some potential issues as well. Below, we will explore all of the pros and cons of these services.

ProsFirst, let’s review the pros of using VoIP services.

Cost-effective All business organizations depend on the bottom line, regardless of their size and business model. Every cost-saving alternative poses a business opportunity. Adopting a VoIP phone system is a surefire way to improve your corporate communications while saving resources.

VoIP services are more affordable than landline phone systems and can lower your phone bill by more than 50%. Legacy phone service providers usually charge per minute for long-distance calls. On the other hand, VoIP service providers offer unlimited calling in the EU, Canada, and the US, including international calling options available in pay-as-you-go packages.

If your company makes regular international calls, using VoIP services could be a more cost-effective solution for handling your corporate communications. Since VoIP uses the cloud environment, you’ll also save on security, maintenance, monitoring, and upgrading.

Advanced features Modern-day VoIP service providers offer powerful, AI-enabled features to help business users streamline communications, improve customer experience, increase customer service quality, and more. Advanced VoIP features can range from optimizing business communication strategies and tracking real-time analytics to AI virtual assistants, IVR menus, call forwarding, and web conferencing.

These features are critical to streamlining workflows, improving customer satisfaction, saving your team time and resources, and ensuring business growth. Live call sentiment analysis is an excellent example of an advanced VoIP feature.

It relies on AI technologies, such as Natural Language Processing and speech recognition, to track, monitor, and scan all inbound/outbound phone traffic for keywords and phrases that indicate changes in customer behavior.

Live call sentiment analysis can register neutral, negative, and positive customer feelings and provide review reports for managers to help them assess customer satisfaction, agent efficiency, and call queues. These valuable insights are vital to optimizing business communication practices and ensuring more effective customer support services.

Flexibility and portability Flexibility and portability are essential features for highly mobile, hybrid, or remote business teams. Since it uses an internet connection to operate, VoIP can ensure access to business phone systems regardless of location.

You can easily connect your teams anywhere and bypass different time zones without investing in additional mobile or desktop infrastructure. VoIPs are compatible with softphone interfaces, web browsers, and Android/iOS apps, meaning that you receive 24/7 instant access to features, corporate files, contacts, conversations, and more.

In addition, top-grade VoIP providers provide flexible team collaboration environments with whiteboard, file sharing, instant messaging, and video chatting features for seamless ideation. Such flexibility and portability allow you to scale your communications up or down according to your phone traffic needs.

Better call quality Over the last decade, VoIP call quality has become more reliable than ever. Modern-day service providers now offer automatic bandwidth adjustments, one-tier carrier partnerships, global location coverage, and HD voice features to help business users advance call quality.

Now, business organizations can ensure 99.99% SLA-guaranteed uptime and high-end communication quality through every customer interaction. Companies can also mitigate problems on the go, such as bandwidth overload, high traffic volumes, latency, jitter, and broken audio.

International coverage VoIPs are wireless and portable, allowing business users to expand their customer base globally. Companies can connect remote teams anywhere and provide 24/7 customer support and service outside of business offices. In addition, cutting-edge service providers offer multi-lingual support to ensure effective and streamlined communications across any potential language barriers.

No technical setup required VoIP service providers eliminate the need to invest in the additional infrastructure of technical setup. You receive a single channel for transmitting data and voice. While some providers offer VoIP hardware, such as speakers, IP desk phones, and headsets, you don’t need any additional tech to set up your VoIP.

Cons VoIP services aren’t without their downsides. Let’s review some of the biggest disadvantages.

Security issues Every internet-connected device on your network is a potential security threat. Cybersecurity risks are a real threat to every internet-enabled device as hackers will always try to infect your devices with ransomware, malware, viruses, and other threats to steal valuable data.

Unfortunately, your data can become the target of a cyber attack, and hackers can use your VoIP as an access point. However, you can install antivirus software and set security measures in place to ensure full-level protection for your business organization.

VoIP depends on bandwidth VoIP requires a stable, fast, and reliable internet connection to work. You also need a top-grade VoIP router with at least 5–25 Mbps bandwidth for audio calls, video conferencing, and more. Many ISPs tend to cut down on your bandwidth and throttle your connection.

However, you still have a broad selection of internet service providers that offer ultra-fast broadband connection speeds at affordable prices. We recommend paying more to avoid VoIP communication problems such as jitter and latency.

Low bandwidth could slow down your customer support and cause new problems that could cost you your customers. Although your bandwidth needs will depend on the phone traffic volume, you can ascertain this by thoroughly testing your network’s bandwidth to identify areas of improvement.

Jitter, latency, and other connection issues occur for a variety of reasons:

• Poor internet connection – VoIP requires higher bandwidth than ordinary web browsing. If you’re experiencing latency, perhaps it’s time to consider changing your ISP.
• Inadequate router – VoIP services require specialized router configurations to operate smoothly. VoIP-configured routers prioritize voice traffic over data to support heavy phone traffic volumes.
• Insufficient cables – since ethernet cords are available in different power levels and categories, you need sufficient cables to support higher connection speeds. These are just some of the biggest issues with bandwidth, but there is also the location tracking issue.

Limited location tracking Limited location tracking is the biggest disadvantage of using VoIP. Due to VoIP’s portability and accessibility, third parties may find it difficult to pinpoint where a call originates from. VoIP calls come from IP addresses, meaning that they don’t carry cell tower information or GPS data for tracking.

While most callers don’t need this data, customer support services might require it for various reasons, such as handling emergency queries and solving urgent customer issues.

ConclusionWhen looking at the advantages and disadvantages, it’s evident that VoIP’s pros outweigh the cons. It’s also important to note the easy installation and quick transition from traditional phone systems to VoIP services. Business organizations can establish unified communication portals to manage all telephony needs under one roof.

This communication unification allows your teams to focus on other vital business aspects while ensuring that your clients, customers, partners, and other prospects receive the attention that they deserve. A VoIP phone system is the ultimate solution for eliminating disruption and customer dissatisfaction.

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You’ve built your blog, polished your website content, crafted emails, pinned down your social media captions, and now you have to write a press release too? Well, you should – if you want a successful marketing campaign.  Writing a press release is a simple way to solidify your brand image and reach new customers. It […]

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Are you thinking of adding a press release to your marketing arsenal?  It might sound outdated, but this tool can be very effective when you give it a fresh approach. If appropriately crafted, a press release can introduce your business to new customers, reinforce your public image, and share a new reason to love you […]

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The latest cybersecurity statistics reveal that businesses suffered from 15.1% more cyberattacks and data breaches in 2021 than in 2020. Moreover, hackers attempted weekly attacks on corporate networks 50% more often over the past year. You’ve probably heard similar news over the years, with experts warning about cybercriminals’ sophisticated tools and urging us to take […]

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Today, businesses have so many proxy services to choose from that it’s easy to lose count. With such a variety of proxy servers on the web, finding one to suit your specific needs can be challenging.  However, two proxy types stand out from the rest – residential and datacenter proxies. Even though they offer different […]

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Proxy servers are private and anonymous tools that help internet users to surf the web without exposing their identity and location. This way they can access any website without sacrificing anonymity or personal information.  There are many proxy types on the market. However, here, we’ll deal with residential proxies. Residential proxy services allow you to […]

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Proxies serve the purpose of acting as intermediaries between the internet and users’ devices. They route online traffic through their servers and allow internet users to visit websites anonymously, safely, and privately. Proxy servers are popular tools for bypassing geo-restrictions, unlocking blocked content, hiding IPs, and performing various data harvesting tasks such as web scraping.  […]

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With so many proxy types available on the market, it can be challenging to understand which one to choose for your specific needs. One of the most popular proxy types available is a reverse proxy.  Defining a reverse proxy server Before you can understand what a reverse proxy is, you must brush up on your […]

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Starting your business involves many different factors. Business owners have to select an adequate business structure for their new organizations. Your company’s chosen system will affect how your business operates in the future.  Professionals such as architects, accountants, physicians, and attorneys need liability protection, so they choose LLC or PLLC structures. However, people often don’t […]

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Business leaders face a variety of challenges on their journey to becoming owners of their own companies. Aside from generating financial support and coming up with a lucrative business idea, they also need to choose the correct business model for forming their company. Even if you have the means and the idea, choosing the wrong […]

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LLC articles of organization is a vital document required to form a limited liability company (LLC). This document is public and necessary for ensuring that your LLC formation proceeds according to the regulations in your state.  Without this document, you can’t form or file a company with limited liability. It can help you to ensure […]

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Many business leaders prefer staying anonymous when it comes to their financial interests. They don’t want the public to know about their business affairs, plans, and strategies. Keeping your business anonymous is also one helpful way to avoid lawsuits.  Potential lawsuits are one of the biggest reasons that so many business owners choose to hide […]

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Establishing your own business comes with many perks – you have total creative freedom and complete independence in guiding your company where you want it to go. You can shape your work/life balance, choose your teammates, and reap the financial rewards.  Of course, you must also be prepared to take on significant business and personal […]

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An LLC operating agreement should be seriously considered if your business organization requires you to navigate the challenging, unpredictable, and overlapping waters of law and business. When starting a limited liability company (LLC), this agreement is the foundational factor that points your business organization in the right direction.  Documenting this agreement is a surefire way […]

The post What Is an LLC Operating Agreement? Different Types appeared first on FirstSiteGuide.

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While there are several kinds of business entities, an LLC is unique and combines the best of partnership and corporation business structures. However, if you have limited experience in forming businesses, you could struggle with starting an LLC on your own.  Starting this type of company requires specific actions and requires you to proceed through […]

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