All posts by AltusHost

Are you trying to decide between shared hosting and VPS (Virtual Private Server)? Chances are, you are either a beginner, blogger or a small business owner with little to no knowledge of web hosting and the different hosting solutions.

While both shared hosting and VPS hosting are pretty popular solutions that dominate the market, each serves a distinct purpose and target market. The question is, which is more suitable for your website needs? Let’s help you clear up the confusion and facilitate your decision.

Shared Hosting vs. VPS Hosting – The Basics

The most obvious differences between shared and VPS hosting are pricing and ease of use. Since shared hosting is the most straightforward and, at the same time, the cheapest web hosting solution, people mostly consider it entry-level web hosting. VPS hosting, in turn, is the most obvious upgrade for when a website’s requirements increase. It’s the perfectly balanced solution for high-quality performance on a budget.

Yet, neither is better than the other. It all depends on your unique needs and preferences. Ultimately, a lack of information can lead to a poor decision, meaning it’s essential to carefully consider the advantages and drawbacks of both options.

What Is Shared Hosting?

Shared hosting entails sharing a single physical server with all its resources, including CPU, RAM, and bandwidth, with other websites. Usually, these providers preconfigure the hosting environment, meaning you can expect a straightforward solution with a beginner-friendly control panel and 1-click installs.

The web host will accommodate you in the same environment as other users, driving your costs down. However, the drawback is that the users on the same server can negatively affect your website. For example, they can slow down your site if they use too much storage or bandwidth.

Shared hosting is the perfect fit for beginners, persons with limited budgets, starting a blog, personal site, or a small business website.

Pros:

▪ Cheaper than VPS hosting

▪ Suitable for beginners and first-time users

▪ User-friendly, preconfigured environment

▪ Decent performance for low-traffic sites and static sites

Cons:

▪ Standardized setup with no flexibility

▪ Limited access to the back-end

▪ Resource constraints and security risks

▪ Other websites on the same server can affect your performance

What Is VPS Hosting?

You’ll still share a single physical server with other users with VPS hosting. However, you’ll get dedicated resources, meaning other sites cannot use up your slice of CPU, RAM, or bandwidth. You’ll also get more control over your server setup, customization opportunities, and room for growth. Since each VPS is independent of the rest, you can choose your operating system and even get root access. But, naturally, all of that comes at a price more expensive than shared hosting.

VPS essentially takes you a step closer to dedicated servers. Yet, your experience primarily depends on the type of VPS hosting you choose – managed or unmanaged VPS. And unfortunately, finding the best VPS hosting isn’t as straightforward as it seems. You need to consider the type of virtualization, technologies, security, freebies, customer support, and a few other service aspects. Due to this, it’s best to rely on reputable and objective review websites with experienced professionals in the niche, such as HostAdvice.

VPS hosting is ideal for larger personal websites, SMBs, and online stores. It can also work for you if you opt for better speed, performance, and security.

Pros:

▪ Better flexibility, customization, and scalability

▪ More secure and faster than shared hosting

▪ Reserved resources for your website

Cons:

▪ More expensive than shared hosting

▪ It might require some tech skill

Now that you get the basics let’s jump to the key things that separate VPS and shared hosting.

Key Differences Between Shared Hosting and VPS Hosting

Here are the six main categories where shared hosting and VPS servers differ.

#1: Resource Allocation

If you get a shared hosting plan, you’ll be highly reliant on other users on the same server. You are all using up the same pool of resources. So, if a user exceeds their limits, you’ll essentially be left with little to nothing. Some web hosts worsen the situation by overcrowding their servers, further driving your performance down, but note that you won’t experience such issues if the service is of quality.

With VPS hosting, you’ll get a bigger portion of the server; more hardware translates to more resources. Furthermore, the virtualization technology prevents other users within the same environment from using up your memory or bandwidth. In a way, you get dedicated resources within a shared environment.

#2: Performance

VPS hosting generally delivers higher uptime rates and can handle traffic spikes better. Almost always, a VPS will be faster than a shared server due to the availability of computing resources and processing power. Still, there are some exceptions.

A quality shared hosting provider is a better alternative than a poor VPS host, and that’s a given. For instance, AltusHost utilizes LiteSpeed web servers, SSD storage, a premium DDoS-protected network, and advanced caching technologies on its shared web hosting plans, meaning its users can expect lightning-fast performance.

Always opt for a 99.9% uptime commitment or above, regardless of your choice.

#3: Security

Overall, shared hosting is a secure solution, allowing users to take the hands-off approach. The host preconfigures the environment against security breaches. Still, the websites within your environment can introduce some danger; they can cause server vulnerabilities, which hackers can easily exploit and get to you. A quality host, however, can prevent this from happening.

On the other hand, VPS hosting is more secure, which is crucial for websites processing personal data. Well, that’s until you configure it right. If you have no tech skill and experience, it would be best to select managed VPS hosting and leave the heavy lifting to professionals.

#4: Scalability

While shared hosting might be sufficient for an average of 10,000 monthly visitors, once you exceed those limits, it will be unable to keep up. That’s when you upgrade to VPS hosting. Most Virtual Private Servers have relatively unlimited potential in this regard. You can add resources on demand and scale as your business expands.

Sometimes, starting with a VPS is better to avoid migrating your website, especially if you anticipate rapid growth.

#5: Control & Customization

As mentioned, shared hosting plans come with a standardized setup. The host will set up and monitor the server, meaning you won’t have to meddle with server administration, installs, or upgrades. However, you won’t get a say in the server configuration.

With VPS hosting, you can choose your server’s operating system, control panel, software, and other apps. In most cases, you’ll also get root access. However, this primarily depends on whether you’ll get managed or unmanaged VPS hosting.

If you select managed VPS hosting, the company will take care of the configuration, similar to shared hosting. If you get unmanaged VPS, you’ll be responsible for this task, which is why we only recommend unmanaged solutions to professionals and developers.

#6: Price

The plan pricing depends on the host quality and profit margins. Usually, you can expect better performance, features, security, and support in more expensive web hosting plans, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Reputable companies frequently offer discounts and attractive deals. For instance, AltusHost allows you to start at €5.56 for shared web hosting and €15.96 for VPS.

Shared hosting is the cheaper of the two. So, if you don’t need the added benefits of VPS hosting, there’s no point in paying extra.

Concluding Remarks

VPS hosting is usually more reliable than shared hosting, meaning you can expect better uptime, security, and support. It’s also more flexible, customizable, and scalable. On the other hand, shared hosting is always the more economical option. It’s also better for beginners since you won’t need any technical experience.

So, what’s the smarter decision? You’ll need to find the sweet balance between the power and features you need for your site and the amount you are willing to pay. If you are just starting out and want to stick to your budget, shared hosting will help you save money. If, however, its capabilities are insufficient for your larger site or you need room to grow, it’s better to go for VPS hosting.

And always remember to match your future ambition, not just your needs here and now. A hosting service is an investment, so it’s best to treat it that way!

Domain Names, News

AltusHost Became an Official Register of .NL Domain Name

August 22, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

We are happy to announce that AltusHost became an official register of .NL domain name.

Now we can offer better conditions to our clients and further promote the national domain name of the Netherlands.

Benefits of .NL domain name registration:

▪ Reasonably priced domain name registration

▪ Anyone living or based anywhere in the world may register a .NL domain name. More about registration terms you can find here

▪ .NL domain is managed by one of the most professional and trustworthy domain organizations, SIDN.NL

.NL is a very popular domain name among the Dutch people and businesses. But it’s also popular among international organizations and people to protect their brand online for one of the most reasonable-priced domain names.

According to the public statistic .NL has over 6.2 registered domains, which is a fascinating number for the national domain name.

If you have any questions about .NL registration, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Or simply proceed with registration/transfer here.

Marketing, Tips & Tutorials

Premium WordPress Theme or Custom Website Development?

July 28, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

Statistics show that 28% of small businesses do not have a website. Lately, we are sure that they have realized how important it is to invest in their presence on the Internet – due to the fact that our lives have shifted to online channels. If you’re not on the web, you don’t even exist!

So, if you’ve decided to build a website for your business, congratulations! You may be confused by the choices you’re presented with, but congratulations again – it’s a sign that you’re engaged in the process, which increases the likelihood that you’ll be happy with the outcome.

One of the most common doubts among business owners who are in the process of creating a website is precisely the one from the title – premium WordPress theme or custom website development and which to choose.

We break down the pros and cons of both options and give you five suggestions for great WP themes should they be your final choice.

Custom-Made Websites VS Premium WordPress Theme?

On the other hand, a premium WordPress theme means an existing, regularly updated theme that you can opt for if you think it suits your needs, and that offers more benefits than the free ones.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing between these two options: some businesses will be more comfortable with a build-from-scratch theme, while others will find a premium theme just right. One thing is for sure, you need a website.

How it will look depends on your needs and goals, and the following two sections will help you make the right decision for your website.

Premium WordPress Theme: Pros and Cons

Why would someone opt for a premium WordPress theme? Here are a few reasons.

1. It’s great for a tight budget

Small business owners often have a limited budget and must carefully allocate it to the various requirements of starting a business. Premium WordPress themes are a better choice in that case because they are cheaper, and this also applies to their maintenance and updates.

2. It takes less time to create

When you choose a pre-existing theme from WordPress, it won’t take you long to get your website up and running. If you are creating a small website with only a few pages, you can do it in less than 24 hours. Of course, more complex sites will require more time.

3. It offers a lot of functionality

Developers who develop premium themes on WordPress keep in mind that their themes will be used by a large number of users. Therefore, they strive to offer a large number of functionalities to meet everyone’s needs. Even if you don’t use them right away, you can add them to your website later.

4. It is regularly updated

In order for WordPress premium themes to be able to withstand a large number of users and offer something new, in accordance with the development of technology and the market, they are regularly updated. This means you can count on technical support if you run into a problem, as well as someone constantly working to improve the theme you’re using.

5. You don’t need to have special skills

If you are just a little bit computer and web savvy, you can easily learn a lot about WordPress theme management. After the initial tasks performed by the developer, you can continue to maintain your website yourself, publish blog posts, etc. because adding new pages is not too demanding, especially when there are a large number of tutorials that can help you with this.

6. You can check the ratings of the theme you like

Before you definitely choose a theme, you can check how it ranks among users. Check out other websites that use it and read the feedback available to you. It is important that there is a serious team or company behind the theme so that you can count on the reliability of the website and support.

However, WordPress themes, even if they are premium, have their flaws.

1. You are always dependent on a third person

Since you generally don’t have one-on-one communication with the developer, as is the case when you directly hire someone to build your website, you have to be patient and rely on the team behind the theme. They are responsible for updating the theme and fixing potential bugs, so your website depends on their engagement.

2. The theme is not automatically optimized for search engines

WordPress themes are not automatically optimized for Google and other search engines. This means that you need to install certain plugins and specifically work to make your website fully search-optimized for your potential customers.

3. There are usually too many functionalities that slow down the website

The fact that the theme generally has a wide range of users is also a disadvantage of premium WordPress themes. Too much functionality can compromise some basic aspects of a quality website, such as page loading speed.

4. Your website will not be unique

You know how designers tend to dislike Canva, an app that makes great visuals easily? This is because no matter how skilled you are, you are still using existing elements that are not unique and can be accessed by others. It is similar with WordPress. Although premium themes are not free, they are available to a large number of users. This means that, despite personalization, your website simply won’t always have a unique design.

Premium WordPress Theme
Custom Website Development

Custom Website Development: Pros and Cons

There are many reasons why businesses choose to build their website from scratch.

1. The whole design is completely up to you

You are not limited by the style offered by a certain theme, but you tailor all the elements of the website according to your wishes and needs. Together with the developer, you choose the design and functions that the site will have, right from the start. Therefore, your website will be unique and will faithfully reflect your brand.

2. The developer is always available for support

Unlike a team of developers with whom you often won’t be able to have direct communication, when you hire someone to create a website for you, you communicate with them one-on-one. Also, you don’t have to wait for the website to be updated and maintained when the theme author team plans it, but your developer does it for you when you agree.

3. Such websites allow for higher speed

Custom-made websites are usually faster than existing theme ones because you choose only the functionality you need. There are no additional elements in the code that slow down page loading unnecessarily because they are not used at all.

4. You can always add new functionalities

Another advantage of custom-made sites is scalability. This means that the website can easily grow together with your business and that you can always add new functionalities that you need in agreement with the developer.

5. The site is automatically optimized for search engines

Websites that are built from scratch are optimized for search engines from the start. You don’t need to add special optimization tools later, but from the start, you can build a site whose pages will be easily indexed by Google.

There are not many disadvantages to creating a website this way, but they can be crucial, especially for beginners.

1. It costs more

Logically, a website that you fully control, is unique and offers functionalities that purchased themes do not have will cost more. The total price depends on what you need to have on your site, but taking into account the maintenance and regular updates of the website, it definitely ends up being more expensive than a premium theme.

2. It takes more time to make

When building a site from scratch, it also takes more time to complete the process. It is necessary to code every element of the website, and the length of creating the site depends on its complexity, as well as the price. This process is further extended if you are too busy with other duties in the company, so you need several days or weeks to review what the developers sent you for approval.

5 Suggestions for Great WordPress Premium Themes

If you’ve taken all the above factors into consideration and chosen a premium theme for your website, here are five great theme suggestions where you are sure to find something that suits your type of business.

1. Astra

One of the best and most used premium WordPress themes. Over 1.2 million websites around the world have chosen this very theme and judging by how responsive it is, it’s regularly maintained, it provides a great user experience, and you’ll learn to use it easily.

2. Avada

Also one of the most popular themes, it offers over 50 predefined templates.

3. Divi

If you want a theme with full documentation so you know your website is secure, Divi is a great choice. It also offers a wide range of tools that you can use to build any element you need on the website, although it is a bit more expensive.

4. Balance

This simple and elegant theme is very flexible and may not offer as many demo options as Astra, but it is great for eCommerce websites. It offers several home page options, can be personalized, and has as many as six color schemes.

5. Extra

Although it looks like a magazine at first glance, this theme can be adapted to any type of website. Compatible with WooCommerce and easy to use, the Extra theme is optimized, offers a wide choice when it comes to website elements, and offers 24/7 support.

Choose the Best for Your Business

There is no one ideal solution for every type of business.

Depending on whether you are creating a website for an agency, a webshop, or another type of site, you will need different functionalities and elements on the pages, so based on that you should choose the best way to create it.

Of course, it should also be in accordance with your budget and time frame for the development of the website, as well as with priorities – optimization, security, support? The choice is yours.

Tips & Tutorials, Web Hosting

How to Check which WordPress Version You are Using?

July 8, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

Today we are talking about different ways to check which WordPress version you are using on your own, but also which version is on other people’s websites.

Check the WordPress Version from the At a Glance Widget

Once you log in to wp-admin, you will see the At a Glance widget, where you can check the current version of your WordPress website.

Check the WordPress Version at the Bottom of Each wp-admin Page

Another easy way to check which WordPress version you are using on your website is to look at the version at the bottom of the page after logging in to the wp-admin section.

At the bottom of the page you will see the text as in the picture:

See the WP Version from Softaculous

If you have installed WordPress using the Softaculous tool, you can check the version of WordPress at any time from your cPanel on the page: WordPress Manager.

Check the WP Version from the version.php File

If you have access to the website’s files via File Manager, FTP client, or SSH Terminal, you can look into the file includes.php, and under wp_version check which version of WordPress your site uses.

Open the file /wp-includes/version.php and under wp_version you can see which WordPress version you are using.

Check your WordPress Version from Terminal

WP-CLI is a handy terminal tool through which you can manage multiple sites at high speed. If you’re already using WP-CLI, you can check your WordPress version from the terminal with the following command:

wp cli info

Check the WordPress Version on Someone Else’s Website

If you want to find out what WordPress version another website uses, you can look at the page’s code and search for “generator”.

On Google Chrome type: CTRL + U and then CTRL + F and in the search field type generator.

Another way to check the WordPress version of someone else’s website is by viewing the RSS feed at the address your-website.com/feed and searching for the word: generator.

We hope you found this guide helpful enough to share it on social media with your friends and colleagues.

Read other articles on our blog, and also take a look at our Business Web Hosting offer, where you can install WordPress easily and for free.

Marketing, Tips & Tutorials

How to Create a Google My Business Profile?

June 17, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

Imagine that you went on vacation to another (completely unknown) city. During your stay, your car breaks down and you need urgent intervention.

Since you are not familiar with mechanics in that city, the first thing you will do is search for a car repair shop on Google.

Google will list the mechanical shops in your area, and you will be able to see their address, and phone numbers, but also instructions on how to get there. Based on the recommendations of others (reviews), you will also see if the car mechanic is reliable or not. You know exactly where you need to go because Google has made all the information you need available.

And if you follow Google Maps’ instructions, you will also know where you can have a snack, spend the night or go shopping along the way 🙂

Continue reading and you will find out how your business can be found on such local search lists, and why you need it.

Google My Business is a tool that allows you to make your business the first information your target group encounters

Back in 2014, Google launched a tool that allows companies to promote themselves in the best possible way.

Google My Business allows you to:

▪ Appear on local searches as well as on Google Maps

▪ Provide potential customers with all the information about your company

▪ Upload photos of your business

▪ Highlight the recommendations of your satisfied customers

Even better, Google My Business is a great opportunity for small businesses to gain leverage over large companies because the search displays companies that are closer, not bigger.

Google My Business is primarily a free tool, so let’s see right away how you can create an account for your business.

There’s no reason to wait because if you don’t have a Google My Business account, you’re already missing out on customers who are looking for your products or services right now.

Create a Google My Business Account in Just a Few Steps

The only prerequisite for opening an account is the existence of a Gmail address. You can use an existing one, and if you don’t have one, you can open a new one.

Once you go to the Google My Business page, sign in with your Gmail address, and click ‘Add your Business to Google’, you’ll see a screen where you need to leave your business information.

Google will ask you if you want people to visit you.

Put in your address.

After you enter this information, Google will ask you to enter your contact information as well. All the information must be correct, otherwise, your customers will not be able to contact you.

You can also leave a link to your website here.

Once you’ve filled out all the information, Google may ask you to verify your business by entering the code you received at the email address or phone number you entered.

Congratulations! You have created a Google Business account!

Add Photos That will Help Visitors Choose Your Business

Once you’ve entered all the necessary information, enter photos that will give the searcher a better insight into what you have to offer.

While you don’t have to judge a book by its cover, sometimes it’s the photos that can decide whether they will choose you or your competitor.

You can include photos of the interior and exterior of your company, photos of employees in the workplace, or any other that can help your potential customers make a decision.

If you are in the restaurant business, your visitors will probably want to see photos of the food and drinks you serve, as well as the atmosphere in the bar.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Recommendation

In addition to location, opening hours, instructions on how to reach you, and photos, those who search will be able to see your online reviews. In other words, they will read what others have to say about you.

This is one of the most important items that your future clients will check, so we recommend that you pay special attention to this part.

Not only can online reviews help visitors decide on your business, but they also send strong feedback to Google that your business needs to be at the top of the search.

To get as many recommendations as possible, you can encourage your clients to express their views and assess (dis) satisfaction.

Someone Leaves a Negative Review. What Then?

Different people – different opinions. Likely, someone who was not satisfied with the experience with your company will leave a review. Don’t worry, if you think the comment is invalid, you can report it to Google.

Although you have no control over how someone will rate you, the good news is that you can respond to any comment, whether it is positive or negative. You can also communicate with the person who left a negative review and try to redeem yourself.

Keep in mind that everyone will be able to see your answer, so it is best to be as kind as possible.

Google My Business Needs to be Updated

Although Google My Business is probably one of the most important free tools that will benefit your business, it requires constant maintenance.

Unlike social networks, Google My Business does not require constant publishing of content, but the information must be regularly updated, especially if you change the opening hours during the holidays, your services, location, etc.

If you want to better optimize your account and promote your business using Google My Business, here are some tips:

1. Publish Posts

Another option that Google offers (and is still not used by many) is to publish content or posts. And with Google My Business, you can post, just like you do on Instagram or Facebook. You can also add a direct link to your website so that potential customers will find you more easily.

As with social media, the type of content you post depends on you. You can publish news about your business, events you organize, special offers, and much more.

You will also be able to write a short text, and your post will be active for the next 7 days.

However, if you have created a post related to a specific event, it will be active until the event ends.

2. Communicate with Your Customers

We’ve already talked about how important reviews are not only for ranking on the first page of Google but also for how visitors perceive you. And responding to every comment will further improve the impression they get about you.

Even if the comment is negative, if a visitor notices that you care about customer satisfaction based on your comments, you can turn the comment in your favor.

3. Invite People to Share their Experience

If you want as many people as possible to express their experience with you in the form of online reviews, you do not have to wait for new customers. You can share your Google My Business link on social media and ask everyone who has worked with you to leave an impression.

4. Never Leave False Information

It is very important to note that Google can detect false information. If this happens, it may sanction your account and you may lose all potential customers/clients.

That’s it for today, we hope this text helped you open your Google My Business account. If you find it useful, it would mean a lot to us if you shared it with your friends.

We are here for all your questions and suggestions down in the comments!

Domain Names, Marketing, Tips & Tutorials, Web Hosting

How to Start a WebShop?

April 29, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

Today, when the entire planet has shifted to the online world, it has never been more important (and more urgent) to start your own webshop. Many smaller companies and entrepreneurs have found their salvation in online commerce since the pandemic started. Even so, the digitalization of business is mandatory because almost 2 billion people buy online. Come to think of it, that is almost a third of humanity.

Since we believe that you should take this opportunity, we have compiled a quick calculation for you on how to start your online store in just a few days.

1. Register a Good Domain Name (~ 15 EUR Annually)

This is the first step. Like a bar, your online store must have a name.

A good domain name, according to SEO rules, can do a lot when it comes to the visibility and recognition of your store.

How to choose a good domain name?

Make sure it ends with a .com extension (because it is the most popular extension and it’s the best when it comes to search engine optimization) or your counties extension if you are targeting the domestic market
Keep it short and easy to remember
See if your brand name is available. If possible, use the keyword in the domain name.

Pro tip:

If your budget allows it, register more extensions (.net, .org, .com, .biz) and direct them all to the main website.

This will prevent competition from registering a domain name with your brand’s name or keyword.

It can also happen that another business with a similar name buys the same domain as you, just with a different extension, and thus takes your valuable traffic.

Let’s take for example a plumber business (plumber.com), another plumber can buy the same domain, only with the .biz extension, and thus take the customers from the first one. Customers don’t see/make a difference, they just want their problems solved.

2. Choose a Good Web Hosting (~ 80 EUR Annually)

Now that you have a domain name, it is important that you also choose good web hosting. For example, our basic cheapest hosting package BIZ 20 will cost you €83.40 per year and it allows you to host up to 2 separate websites.

What should be taken into account when choosing a hosting package?

Always put customer/tech support first.

The benefits and specifications of the package are important, but when things go south, it is very important to have someone on the other side who will solve the problem quickly. We advise you to test the support immediately, before buying, by writing or calling for information.

How much space do you have available?

More space means you can upload more photos, videos, and other media. In our starter package, you have 20 GB which is more than enough to get you started. As your shop grows, you can always upgrade to a bigger package with more space.

How often data is backed up and what is the protection?

Whether they are on a daily or weekly basis, as well as where the data centers are located and how many are there. A good backup plan saves your data in all unforeseen situations.

You have probably heard that one of the largest data centers in the world burned down in Strasbourg, and over 3 million websites went offline. So, you can easily lose your data, either because of hacker attacks, viruses, or a higher power.

3. Find a WordPress Theme that Supports WooCommerce (~ 50 EUR)

Okay, now that you have a web hosting package and a domain name, it’s time to install WordPress.

Although there are other solutions, such as re-programming or platforms for creating websites, we suggest WordPress because:

It’s the easiest for beginners and cheapest if you need to pay to have something set up for you
More than 50% of websites in the world work on it and there is support for everything
There are many adjustment/customizable options

After WP Installation, Purchase and Install the Theme

It is best to buy a WordPress theme that supports the free plugin for WooCommerce webshops. You can also install the plugin on each theme and try it out, but we advise you to buy a theme that supports it in advance.

Some of the most popular themes are:

There are both free and paid themes for online stores. Although it is possible to start with a free one, you should keep in mind that there are many online stores, but also that free themes are very limited in terms of customization.

Humans are visual beings. A poorly designed web store will not sell and will not inspire confidence. Pay once for a theme and unleash its functionality.

4. Create a Webshop on Shopify (~ 30 EUR)

Of course, in addition to WordPress and the WooCommerce plugin, there are alternatives such as platforms specializing in the creation of eCommerce websites. One of them, and probably the most popular one is Shopify.

With a monthly subscription, you get all the benefits of a webshop. No installation. It is up to you to enter the data and products.

However, in the monthly cost, include the margins taken by Shopify for transactions, which are approximately ~ 2% per transaction.

Although this is a very easy option and millions of people use it, we stand behind the fact that you are still in someone else’s sales space and you depend on them.

When you have your own website and hosting, everything is your property. You have complete control.

5. Potential Additional Costs

There are always potential additional costs. It all depends on your current desires and possibilities. So you may need:

The programmer to set some things up the way you want
Setup Google Analytics
Hire a designer to create a logo
Hire a copywriter to write product descriptions

Here, the costs can already be measured in hundreds of euros.

Cost Example if You do Everything Yourself

The most important question is – How to reach a minimum sustainable calculation?

Now that we’ve gone through all the steps, it looks like this –

Web hosting package (83.40 EUR) + domain (13.26 EUR) + Astra Pro theme (50 EUR) = 146.6 EUR

For less than 150 euros, you can have your own shop tomorrow.

Are You Ready to Step Into the World of eCommerce?

Creating a simple, beginner web store is no longer quantum physics. The technology has enabled even the least technically qualified people to start online sales with little investment and effort.

We hope you found this text helpful.

Do you think that someone you know could find this text useful? Share the text on social networks and leave us your comments and opinions.

News, Uncategorized

Artificial Intelligence Won’t Take Your Job. If You Cooperate.

March 9, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

The World Economic Forum announced that by 2025, artificial intelligence will completely take over more than 85 million jobs.

This information may sound worrying to you, especially if you belong to those generations who in primary school wrote essays that in 2025. we will be driving flying cars. That year is dangerously close, so this prediction also seems dangerous.

However, are there any real reasons to be afraid of artificial intelligence? In the end, it was created by man. What if we could find a way to work together without AI tools and software taking over our business?

We have a few ideas – enjoy reading.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

It is human nature to be afraid of the new and the unknown, so it is not so strange that we are disturbed by the thought that we can lose our job just because a machine can do it as well. Artificial intelligence is actually a set of computer programs and systems, that are considered to be able to perform certain tasks, achieving the same results as people.

These tasks, which we try to teach machines, include many skills that we have so far considered unique only to people: translation, speech recognition, decision making, etc. The most famous forms of artificial intelligence are the famous Alexa and Siri, virtual assistants, then chatbots on websites, self-driving cars, etc.

Advantages of Artificial Intelligence Over Humans

We cannot ignore the obvious, and that is that artificial intelligence still has several advantages over people, if we look at tasks performing efficiency.

1. Artificial Intelligence Cannot Get Tired

AI’s child doesn’t have a cold, nor does it suffer from insomnia, so it didn’t sleep at all last night and now can’t work at the usual level. So, by using artificial intelligence, we reduce the possibility of everything that simply makes our lives – because we are human – affecting our productivity at work or increasing the possibility of an error.

2. Artificial Intelligence Cannot have Emergencies

True, most of us know how to behave professionally and forget about our private problems for a moment in order to focus on work. However, sometimes losses in the immediate family or other events that affect us emotionally surely take a toll on our efficiency in the workplace. This means that our concentration will not be at a high level, we will be distracted or take more frequent breaks, which is not the case with machines.

3. Machines Make Fewer Mistakes when Processes are Automated

Why are different professions using more and more software today? Marketing, finance, HR, sales… They all rely on the automation of certain processes, not only to save time but also to reduce the likelihood of an error. An error is very possible if we manually enter data in dozens of sheets or “on foot” calculate hours, salaries, and more. The computer is less likely to make a mistake in this case.

4. Artificial Intelligence is a Better Choice for Dangerous Tasks

From putting out fires to painting cars where we are exposed to chemicals, there are occupations that require us to take a certain risk and put ourselves in danger. If artificial intelligence replaced people in such jobs, the potential damage would be incomparably less if a problem arose – it would only be material.

The Advantage of Man over AI Tools

If you have already started to think that we are on the side of the machines, continue reading. We believe that no one can surpass people in certain tasks and that we still have advantages over all those machines – which we created ourselves. This brings us to:

1. Complex Strategies are Better Managed by People

The machine can function well at a certain level and, thanks to algorithms, conclude about certain phenomena and perform actions based on those conclusions. However, when things get complex and involve many different factors, usually only the human brain can see and analyze them well enough, especially when it comes to creating strategies or exceptions to the rules.

2. Creative Thinking is Man’s Best Quality

No matter how well-programmed and designed artificial intelligence is, it only knows what we tell it to know. Man’s possibilities are much more far-reaching and he is able to create connections between concepts that a machine could not. Artificial intelligence may be a good choice for tasks that are constantly repeated in the same way, but when it comes to innovation, they cannot match a person.

3. There Must be Empathy in Business

For many businesses, just being efficient and productive is not enough. Even in technical jobs that are seemingly devoid of emotion, there should be cooperation between people, empathy, caring for employees, connecting at a human level… in order to achieve the best possible results. Just imagine that the machine is expected to hold a quality psychotherapy session.

4. People Rely on Experience

How many times have you not had the technical knowledge needed to solve a problem, but still succeed in it thanks to experience? That is why people have an advantage over artificial intelligence. It can solve problems using just the provided knowledge, but if the problem is not according to the pattern, it can hardly think “outside the box” and use experience.

Why Artificial Intelligence will Not Replace Humans (Any Time Soon)

Although there are advantages to using machines and tools by artificial intelligence, this is exactly what it is all about – the use of it. They must be used by man. And if there is already something that can speed up or make our job easier, why not learn to handle it?

There are many reasons why we believe that artificial intelligence will not take over your business, at least not in the near future.

1. New Jobs are Created Every Day

Artificial intelligence will not only cause some jobs to stop being done by people but will also create hundreds of new occupations. Experts who claim this do not even know what kind of professions await us in the future. But one thing is for sure if you decide to expand the list of skills you possess and learn to work with machines, your options increase.

Career change has become a common practice in the last few years, even if your original occupation has nothing to do with the new one. As many as 72% of people, according to research conducted by LinkedIn, started managing social networks or writing for the web, a profession that didn’t even exist fifteen years ago.

So, just as online editions of newspapers didn’t cause the extinction of print media, artificial intelligence will not necessarily take over your job – if you make an effort to learn new skills and keep up with changes.

2. People are Needed to Train Machines

Machines cannot learn certain processes on their own. We need people who will teach them, and later analyze the results obtained in order to optimize the work of the machines even more.

For example, Cortana, Microsoft’s smart assistant, was created under the watchful eye of a huge team, and among those people were even a poet and a novelist. So, various profiles are needed for one machine to reach the level that we consider satisfactory.

3. Raising Personalization to a New Level

Because of the ability to teach machines certain processes, many professionals will be able to do their jobs better.

For example, many aspects of marketing can be optimized with the introduction of artificial intelligence into common processes, ranging from personalized email campaigns that have been proven to deliver better results than generic, to better-targeted ads, etc.

And remember Netflix – are you getting suggestions for new movies and series based on what you’ve seen so far? This also is a form of artificial intelligence that personalizes your experience.

4. Together, People and Machines can Provide a Fantastic User Experience

When you call the customer center because you need help, sometimes it’s a question that a bot can solve in half a minute. On the other hand, sometimes you need a customer support representative to pay more attention to your problem because it is not common or it is more complex.

A strategy in which queries are first taken over by the machine, and if they exceed its capabilities, it redirects them to the customer support employee, saving time for both the company and the caller.

Together We Can Achieve Better Results

As Nick Burns, an SQL Services Data Scientist, explained: “As good as your models are, they will only be as good as your data.”

For now, it is clear that the machines will not take over your business – at least not completely.

In fact, by working with artificial intelligence, we can skip all those tedious, repetitive time-consuming tasks, shorten their duration through automation, avoid manual errors, and optimize processes so we have even more time for what we do best – and that’s strategic planning, creative thinking, and innovation.

Marketing, Tips & Tutorials

6 Ways to Make Money off Your Blog

January 28, 2022 AltusHost Leave a comment

When you say that you have a blog or that you are a blogger, usually the first question after that is when are you getting a real job. The family hopes that “it’s just a phase” while friends think it’s just a hobby.

Because who still reads, right?

Today everyone writes, surely they will read you…

And you try to explain that it’s not really like that, how your writing is good, you have X readers a month, they share your work on other networks… But no, they don’t give up on their conclusions.

Sounds familiar?

If you have just started blogging, know that there is still hope, despite such prejudices. But, also note that the habits of the readers have changed, so you have to adjust your creative habits as well.

How Did We End Up in a Situation Where Blogging is not a “Real Job”?

A lot has changed over the years, from the amount of information available to the habits of readers.

1. Everyone started blogging and at one point there was a saturation. Today there are 570 million blogs. Everyone has become a “content creator” and there is a need to create alternative formats.

2. (The situation is no different today, except that today there is something called content marketing which, if well implemented, does not care about saturation and penetrates the noise like a hot knife through cheese.)

3. People’s habits have changed. People today e.g. write 500 million tweets. Daily. There is too much content on all sides, on a zillion different topics, and not all of us absorb information in the same way.

Some of us read while others listen, or watch. In recent years, video and podcasts are quite popular as well.

So How do I Make a Living Writing a Blog Today?

Reading everything so far, that is the first logical question.

If people are fed up with reading and if podcasts and videos are popular now, should I even start blogging?

The short answer is: Yes. But you need to know what you are doing.

1. “Just having a blog” is no longer enough. It never was, but when there was less competition, you could possibly overlook the incomplete/bad/unattractive… content. But not today.

2. You need to know a lot besides writing:

a) SEO techniques

b) Storytelling techniques

c) Market research

d) Advertising techniques

e) Marketing on social networks…

And a bunch of other things to get enough readers in general.

So, blogging is a serious business. Because a lot of people don’t see it that way, is why we have a lot of “failed” bloggers, and it seems that writing a blog is no longer profitable.

Ways you can make money from your blog

If you approach this business seriously, and if we assume you learned something about SEO, advertising, gathering audiences, market research…

There are many ways. Of course, what is always profitable is writing a company blog. Companies are increasingly realizing the importance of blogging. But our topic is making money from our own blog, in a chosen field.

We are talking about building our own business, not someone else’s.

We have collected the 6 most profitable ways to earn money from your own blog, and we invite you to share with us if you know any other way as well.

Affiliate Marketing

Simply put, you are promoting someone’s product on your blog. You leave links to the products, someone clicks, makes a purchase, and you get a percentage for each purchase.

Many businesses have affiliate programs (we do too). The commission rate depends on the program, and you also have a lot of platforms that bring together businesses that need affiliate marketers.

One of the most popular affiliate programs is the Amazon program.

We recommend you also check out this list of 100+ affiliate programs.

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this model because there are many affiliate marketers. However, if you:

1. Gather enough audiences with quality and regular content

2. Choose a good niche

3. Regularly measure your results and optimize your website

4. Advertise well

You can expect exceptional passive income. One text can bring you sales for months, even years.

And if we take into account that the investments in this type of marketing are growing by 10.1% per year in the U.S. alone… This is an opportunity worth looking at.

Friendly tip: Emphasize that the text has affiliate links. It is fair, and the laws require it.

Google Adsense

Google Adsense is an affiliate network that connects you with advertisers who need media space.

When you join this affiliate network, Google publishes ads from other online advertisers on your website, and for each click on those ads, you receive a certain percentage of the money invested in the ads.

You can learn more from this Google video:

The more visitors to your blog and the longer they stay, the greater the chance of a click on the ad.

Depending on the quality of the ad, the click rate can range from 0.5% to 10%. Take care of the quality of the ads that are shown to your audience and everyone will be fine.

Also, keep in mind that Google pays nearly $10 billion each year to AdSense network partners.

Writing Paid PR Texts

When you gain a large number of readers and visitors on a daily and monthly basis, you will start receiving offers to present a specific product, service, or company to your target audience.

The bigger the audience, the bigger the earnings. Models are different – from one-time payment to price + percentage.

Media portals earn the most from this model, but as everyone is a mini-media portal today, you can also grab a piece of the pie. Especially if you choose a good niche

Selling Space for Banners

This is also a very cost-effective model for sites with a large number of visitors. You are practically renting digital advertising space. It’s as if someone put up a billboard on your site and it stays there for a fee.

The price of a banner depends on its position and size. A banner in the page header will not be worth the same as a small banner in a corner of a website.

Here is an example of a banner offer from Creatopy.

Of course, we note again, for this to work:

1. You need a large audience

2. And you should only choose advertisers that are relevant to your audience

So, it’s okay to put up a banner for a company that sells dog collars if you blog about pets. But you won’t get much use if you advertise dog collars on a website dedicated to people who love hamsters.

Guest Blogging

For the sake of SEO, higher visibility, better reputation – guest blogging is a very good solution and can go both ways, and prices can be extremely high.

They depend on the authority of your domain and the size of your audience, that is, depending on your personal authority and the goals of the people who invite you to do a guest blog.

1. If you have a highly visited website, that is well-optimized for search engines, people from your niche will pay you to publish a text with you and thus get a backlink to their website.

2. If you are recognized as an expert in a certain field, the owners of websites in your field will offer you to write a text for them and thus “borrow” a little of your authority.

Work on building your online reputation and invest in connecting with professionals from the same industry. Such social capital pays off, and the mutual “exchange” of the audience can lead to a huge increase in relevant traffic.

And more relevant traffic = more reputation, more clicks, and better earnings.

Paid (Premium) Content vs. Free Content

If you are a very, very, very good writer, then you can also make a membership on your blog. You give certain content for free, and with a certain monthly fee, you deliver your premium articles to people.

One of the writers who used this perfectly is Mark Manson, author of the famous book Everything Is F*cked.

Mark shares a large number of articles for free, and for a few dollars a month, you can also access his premium texts.

After all, one of the networks that make a living from this model is the popular Medium.

To Blog or Not to Blog – That is the Question

As in any business, there is a certain risk that it will not succeed no matter what you try. A low criterion for entering the world of blogging (you only need an email address and an account on a popular blogging platform) has led to too much irrelevant content that has flooded the internet.

Thus, it has created an image of a blogger writing only out of a hobby or because he doesn’t have a “real job”. But as you can see, blogging can be a great way to make money.

Of course, as we said if you know what you are doing and why you are doing it. And if you realize that writing is a serious business that requires a lot of additional skills, from SEO to advertising.

Marketing, Tips & Tutorials

5 Tips to Use the Psychology of Color to Increase Website Conversions

December 23, 2021 AltusHost Leave a comment

Do you think brands like Ikea, McDonald’s, Chupa Chups, or Snapchat use yellow in their branding by accident?

Nope. Yellow is a happy color typically linked to optimism and warmth, and these companies want you to associate their brand with happiness.

Colors are pretty powerful in marketing, and it’s no wonder they can affect how people perceive your website and the user experience on your pages.

In fact, you can even leverage the power of psychology of color to increase website conversions.

Want to know how? Here are five tips from experienced designers and marketers to help you out.

1. Rely on Real-World Logic to Avoid Confusing Your Audience

The first time we step outside on the streets, adults teach us that green means go and red means stop. In many public bathrooms, green means you can go in, and red means occupied.

That rule translates to almost everything else in life – look at your phone the next time it rings. The green button is for accepting the call, while you’ll use the red one to cancel it. If you switch colors, people will be unsure about where to click if they want to confirm, which may cost you a number of conversions – confused people don’t buy.

That’s why you should make sure you follow the everyday logic when choosing the colors for your website design, especially in the part where you require visitors to take action.

2. Test Until You Discover What Your Audience Prefers

Several A/B tests have shown so far that red performs better when used in the CTA button. Several companies tried green vs. red CTA buttons on their homepages, and the results might have been surprising for some: green may mean ‘go,’ but red outperformed it by 21% and 34%.

These findings, however, don’t mean you need to go and change your CTA button color right away. It means that, rather than being a hard and fast rule, you should test different colors and find what works for your audience.

Some audiences will prefer red; others will like green more. And some people feel motivated by a BOB! Don’t know what BOB is? It stands for Big Orange Button. Another experiment showed it could awaken the get-it-done enthusiastic spirit in people and increase your website conversions – even by 32.5% like in this WiderFunnel’s study.

Our color preferences depend on many factors: our sex, age, etc. Some studies have shown that as we get older, we start opting for softer and calmer colors more often, so it’s something to keep in mind if you have an “older” audience.

psychology of color — *(Source: neilpatel.com)*

3. Use Contrast

Contrast is essential for good website design, and not just for the obvious reasons – you want specific parts of your landing or About us pages to stand out and call for action. It’s more than that: contrasting colors can help you balance the different values you want to communicate to your audience.

Let’s see an example.

Blue is a cold color, and many corporations have it in their visual identity as it signifies trust and stability – corporations like Samsung, Ford, or PayPal. On the other hand, using cold colors only can also portrait your brand as too distant. Using a warm color as contrast can achieve the necessary balance.

You can see this, for example, in Ikea or Nesquik, where yellow and blue are the opposites that create a perfect match in their logos. Discovering a similar pair of opposite colors can help you create an outstanding balance on your website and easily highlight the critical information you want your visitors to pay attention to.

4. Make Sure Your Colors Match Your Message and Values

Every color has a different meaning, as we’ve mentioned in the previous tip. That’s why you should use them carefully and ensure they match the message you want to convey to your audience.

What are your primary brand values? Your website colors should communicate them as well, so even your first-time visitors get the idea of what you stand for. That way, they’ll be more likely to transition from leads to conversions, especially if you manage to evoke emotions.

If you’re not sure what each color means, here’s a short guide to help you determine the best choice for your website.

Red

Red is a dominant, warm color that represents passion and love and provokes strong emotions. Some call it the “call-to-action” color since it captures your attention immediately and creates a sense of urgency.

That’s the reason why companies often advertise discounts and sales in red. Some famous brands that use red are Coca-Cola, YouTube, McDonald’s, Netflix, etc.

Orange

As mentioned, orange is a popular color for CTA buttons. It’s a little less intensive than red, but it’s still a warm color linked to positive emotions such as enthusiasm, and it feels pretty welcoming.

At the same time, it can also instill FOMO in your website visitors, so using it in places where you want your leads to convert can’t be a mistake. A famous example is HubSpot – its website is full of orange CTA buttons. Other popular brands that use orange are Fanta, Nickelodeon, Mastercard, etc.

Yellow

Yellow is an inspirational color and can increase website conversions because it creates a friendly atmosphere and feels optimistic and cheerful. Many brands that promote positivity, cooperation, and friendliness use this color on their website.

Yellow is also easily combined with black or white for a dash of professionalism, and you may see it on websites such as Basecamp, Ikea, or Nikon, but also in many food-related brands since yellow is believed to stimulate hunger.

Green

Green stands for wellness, health, and eco-friendliness, but it also stimulates decisiveness. Most brands that are trying to come across as natural and organic use green on their websites because this color symbolizes life and harmony.

It also creates a calming effect, which may positively affect conversions – your visitors will feel relaxed when exploring your pages. Some famous brands that use green are Animal Planet, Shopify, Whole Foods, etc.

Blue

If you want to come across as professional, stable, and trustworthy, you’ll use blue. This cold color is standard in the visual identity of prominent corporations, banks, medical institutions, law offices, and similar companies.

Blue instills calmness and security in your website visitors and suppresses appetite so that you won’t see it on websites of food brands. Popular companies using blue are Visa, Skype, Oral B, LinkedIn, etc.

Black

Black has many benefits when used on websites as it can give them a sophisticated and sleek look. Despite being seen as a dark color with negative connotations, it can help you paint your brand as luxurious and elegant. It also provides you with plenty of room for contrast and highlighting essential details in other colors.

Famous “black” brands that make their website visitors feel like a part of the elite are Nike, The New York Times, Chanel, Cartier, and others.,

White

White looks clean, organized, and pure. Many skincare brands will opt for this color in combination with others to symbolize the hygiene and natural ingredients of their products. It’s commonly used among healthcare companies, as well, as it evokes trustworthiness and combines well with other colors you can use to emphasize important aspects.

You will see white a lot on websites such as Apple’s, Swarovski’s, or Wikipedia.

5. Don’t Use Too Many Colors

Even if your goal is to come across as a cheerful brand (if you’re selling toys or art supplies, for instance), it’s never a good idea to use too many colors in your primary palette, especially on your website. Copywriters will agree that having too many text distractions on the landing page can drive away potential buyers, and the same goes for colors. Having too many will create confusion, and your CTA buttons and other important aspects of the website may go unnoticed.

Use neutral colors for the background, such as white or grey, if you want your products or services to be emphasized. Choose three primary colors that you’ll use across the website, and that will help you build the image you wish your visitors to have about your business.

Leverage the Power of Colors

Many website design tricks can help you boost conversions, and using colors the right way is one of them.

Before building your site, set a goal and think about what message and values you want to convey and how you want your customers to feel.

Colors are powerful when evoking emotions and building a brand, so choose them wisely and have these tips in mind when testing different combinations to find what works for your audience.

Marketing, Tips & Tutorials

How to Recover from Google Penalties?

December 2, 2021 AltusHost Leave a comment

Have you recently seen a dramatic drop in your website’s performance?

Although there’s a myriad of probable reasons why that could have happened, it’s also possible that you’ve got a Google penalty. You may have violated one or several of Google’s guidelines while trying to build a better ranking, and Google’s team will notify you about it soon enough.

Is it an inconvenience? Yes. Is it impossible to fix? Of course not!

In this article, we’re sharing several proven ways that can help you recover from Google penalties.

How Do You Know You’ve Been Penalized?

Despite working on your SEO strategy, as usual, your website has stopped appearing in search results. If you are experiencing something like this, you might want to check whether you are being penalized by Google. And there’s a simple way to check if there’s a manual action issued against your website.

On a side note, your website traffic won’t always drop due to a Google penalty. Are you compliant with the latest Google Core updates introduced to improve the search experience? Because your website performance may have been affected by an algorithm rather than a penalty.

Suppose Google’s human reviewer determines you’ve violated Google’s webmaster quality guidelines. In that case, they’ll report your website or some of its content, and as a result, you’ll rank lower or not appear in SERP at all.

Google will notify you about such manual actions via Google Search Console – you’ll find the notification in the message center and the Manual Actions report.

A green checkmark means your website doesn’t have any manual actions. In the same place, you’ll see the number of manual actions, if there are any.

The report will also tell you what guidelines you’ve violated and what pages (or the entire website) have been penalized, so you can fix them and get back in Google’s good books.

How to Recover from the Penalty

The very first step in recovering from Google penalties is identifying the problematic pages on your website and finding out what the issue is.

You can do that by expanding the description you find in the report and reading more about the manual action taken against your website. You’ll see a “Learn more” link to get more details, as well as the instructions on how to solve the problem. Do this for each page that has been affected – only when you’ve fixed all the issues on every page will your visibility on Google be restored.

To recover your pages, you also need to allow Google to access them. Make sure they’re accessible without login information and paid subscriptions.

When you’ve successfully resolved the issues, you can request a review from Google. However, this reconsideration request isn’t something you can do in a few clicks. Ensure you clearly and concisely explain what the issue was, how you fixed it, and what the result was.

Don’t panic if your penalty isn’t removed right away – these things can take some time, even up to a few weeks. Monitor your email inbox as that’s where you’ll receive further notifications about your website.

What Are the Common Issues That Get Penalized?

Luckily, even if you’re penalized by Google, you can quickly find out what’s wrong and how you can fix it.

Here are the most common issues that cause Google penalties and how to deal with them.

Poor-Quality Backlinks

Google can recognize unnatural backlinks. There may be too many money anchors (anchor text that is the exact keyword you want to rank for), links from spammy websites, or links belonging to a pattern.

To prevent such issues, you should regularly audit your backlinks, but if you’ve already got a manual action, here’s how to fix it.

Use the Search Console to download a list of all backlinks that lead to your website.
Review the list and identify possibly problematic links that go against the Google guidelines. (Check the most recent and common links first.)
Either ask the webmaster of suspicious websites to remove the links or use Search Console and the Disavow links tool to get rid of them yourself.
When you remove all manipulative or spammy links, you can submit the reconsideration request and patiently wait for the verdict.

User-Generated Spam

Sometimes, it’s not you; it’s them. Yes, Google can penalize you for the spammy content that your website visitors submit. It often happens on forum or guest book pages. If your manual action report has identified this as the issue, follow these instructions to fix the problem.

Locate where your website users could have submitted spammy content.
Identify content that contains ads, off-topic text or links, commercial usernames, bot commenters, etc.
Use the “site:” operator to search through your website more efficiently and identify possible spammy content quickly.
Remove anything you find that may have triggered Google.
Create an anti-spam strategy that you can implement after you’ve gained back your visibility.
Submit the reconsideration request.

Keyword Stuffing

You’ve probably seen titles for products on famous online stores that you need to read several times to discover what they mean.

Although using keywords is a proper SEO strategy, always keep in mind that you write for humans, not search engines. Stuffing your content with excessive keywords that appear unnaturally may lead to a Google penalty. If any of your pages have hidden text or are stuffed with keywords, you’re violating the Webmaster Guidelines.

Fix this issue by using the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console.

The tool will inspect the pages visible to the crawler, but not users.
It will check for any hidden text on your pages, for example, text written in the same color as the background.
Remove the hidden text and move on to identifying repeated words with no value – remove them, too.
When you’re sure you’ve deleted all the hidden text and stuffed keywords, request a review.

Free Hosting Spam

Many website owners opt for free hosting since it seems like a more affordable choice in the beginning. But in the long run, this seemingly free service can cost you a lot if Google determines that the whole service is mostly spammy. Your website may become collateral damage.

If Google lists this as the reason why you’ve been penalized, make sure you:

Notify your hosting service right away.
Proceed to manually remove any spammy content that you can identify on your website.
When you feel you’ve removed everything you could have found (or you’ve received assistance from your tech team), submit the reconsideration request.

Cloaking Redirects

Are you trying to lure users to specific pages of your website using sneaky redirects? Well, bad news – Google doesn’t view that action as something favorable. Suppose you show one page to Google but clicking on that link redirects users to a completely different page. In that case, you’ll get penalized soon enough, even if you’ve created the redirection by mistake.

How do you fix that?

Navigate to the URL Inspection tool to find the problematic pages.
Compare the links Google sees to where they take users after they click.
Check the website code on the server to remove the parts that are causing redirections.
Identify URLs that lead your users to pages different from the ones they expect to see.
Identify URLs that redirect users conditionally (for instance, only organic traffic or specific IP addresses).
You can request a review when you fix all the redirections that may have caused the penalty.

On Your Way to Recovery

As you can see, fixing website mistakes that lead to a Google penalty isn’t always too demanding. All you need to do is fix the issue by removing spammy content, checking your URLs, reviewing your backlinks, etc.

It’s all about transparency and quality content. As long as you’re not trying to manipulate anyone (either Google or your users), white hat SEO techniques will eventually lead you to the desired results.

If a Google penalty happens as an honest mistake, don’t panic – get down to work and fix the problem so your website can get back in the game as soon as possible.